Mishkat al-Masabih

Abu Juhaifa said, “I saw God's Messenger in Mecca at al-Abtah in a red leather tent, I saw Bilal take the ablution water left by God’s Messenger, and I saw the people racing one another to get to that ablution water. If anyone got any of it he rubbed himself with it, and anyone who did not get any got some of the moisture from his companion’s hand. I then saw Bilal take a staff and fix it in the ground, after which God’s Messenger came out quickly in a red mantle and led the people in two rak'as facing the staff. And I saw people and animals passing in front of the staff.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Nafi’ said on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet used to make his riding-beast kneel between him and the qibla and pray facing it. (Bukhari and Muslim.) Bukhari added that Nafi' asked Ibn ‘Umar, saying, “Tell me what happened when the camels moved away,” to which he replied, “He used to take the saddle, put it straight, and pray facing the back of it.”

Talha b. ‘Ubaidallah reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you places in front of him something such as the back of a saddle, he should pray without caring who passes on the other side of it.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Juhaim reported God’s Messenger as saying, ‘‘If one who passes in front of a man who is praying knew the responsibility he incurs, to stand still for forty would be better for him than to pass in front of him.” Abun Nadr said, “I do not know whether he said forty days, or months, or years.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays facing something which conceals him from people and someone wishes to pass in front of him, he should turn away; but if he refuses to go, he should turn him away forcibly, for he is only a devil.” This is Bukhari’s wording, and Muslim has something to the same effect.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “A woman, an ass and a dog cut off the prayer, but something like the back of a saddle guards against that.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha said, “The Prophet used to pray at night while I was interposed between him and the qibla like a corpse on a bier.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Abbas said, “When I was near the age of puberty I came riding on a she-ass and found God’s Messenger leading the people in prayer at Mina with no wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row of worshippers, and dismounting, let my she-ass go to pasture and joined the row, and no one objected to that.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of your prays he should put something in front of his face, and if he can find nothing he should set up his stick; but if he has no stick with him he should draw a line, then what passes in front of him will not harm him.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Sahl b. Abu Hathma reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays facing a sutra* he should keep close to it and not let the devil interrupt his prayer.” * Sutra (covering, screen) is used of an object a worshipper places in front of him in the direction of the qibla when engaging in prayer. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al-Miqdad b. al-Aswad said, “I never saw God’s Messenger praying in front of a stick, a pillar, or a tree, without having it opposite his right or left eyebrow (i.e. side), and not facing it directly.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Al-Fadl b. ‘Abbas said, “God’s Messenger came to us accompanied by ‘Abbas when we were in open country belonging to us. He prayed in a desert with no sutra in front of him, and a she-ass and a bitch of ours were playing in front of him, but he paid no attention to that.” Abu Dawud transmitted it and Nasa’i has something similar.

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Nothing interrupts prayer, but repulse, as much as you can anyone who passes in front of you, for he is just a devil.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘A’isha said, “I was sleeping in front of God’s Messenger with my legs between him and the qibla. When he prostrated himself he pinched me and I drew up my legs, and when he stood up I stretched them out.” She added, “At that time there were no lamps in the houses.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If one of you knew what he incurred by passing in front of his brother and interfering with his prayer, it would be better for him to stop a hundred years than to take a single step.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Ka‘b al-Ahbar said, “If one who passes in front of a man who is praying knew what was laid to his charge, it would be better for him to be swallowed up by the earth than to pass in front of him.” A version has “less serious for him.” Malik transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you prays without a sutra, an ass, a pig, a Jew, a Magian, and a woman cut off his prayer, but it will suffice if they pass in front of him at a distance of over a stone’s throw.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

“When you get up to pray perform the ablution perfectly, then face the qibla and say, “God is most great.” Then recite a convenient portion of the Qur’an; then bow and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly.” A version has, “Then raise yourself and stand erect; then do that throughout all your prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to begin prayer with the takbir1 and the recitation of “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe.”2 When he bowed he neither kept his head up nor bent it down, but kept it between these extremes; when he raised his head after bowing he did not prostrate himself till he had stood erect; when he raised head after a prostration he did not prostrate himself again till he had sat up. At the end of every two rak'as he said the tahiya;3 and he used to bend his left foot and raise up the right; he prohibited the devil’s way of sitting on the heels, and he forbade people to spread out their arms like a wild beast. And he used to finish the prayer with the taslim4. Muslim transmitted it. 1. i.e. saying Allahu Akbar (God is most great). 2. Al-Qur’an; 1. 3. This is a part of the prayers which comes at the end of every two rak'as, beginning with at-tahiyat lillah and ending with the testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. Tahiyat is the plural of tahiya and the phrase quoted above is variously explained as meaning that endless existence, or dominion, or kingship, or freedom from all evils, or freedom from all causes of cessation of existence belong to God. Alternatively it is taken in its usual meaning of salutations. 4. Saying, “The peace and mercy of God be upon you,” first with the head turned to the right and then with the head turned to the left. This is said at the end of the prayers.

Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi said among a company of the companions of God’s Messenger, “I am the one among you who is best versed in the way God’s Messenger prayed. I saw that when he uttered the takbir he placed his hands opposite his shoulders; when he bowed he rested his hands on his knees, then bent his back; when he raised his head he stood erect with his spine straight; when he prostrated himself he placed his arms so that they were not spread out, and the fingers were not drawn in, and the points of his toes were facing the qibla; when he sat up at the end of two rak'as he sat on his left foot and raised the right; and when he sat up after the last rak'a he put forward the left foot, raised the other, and sat on his hips.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger used to raise his hands opposite his shoulders when he began prayer and when he said the takbir before bowing; and when he raised his head after bowing he raised them in the same way and said, “God listens to him who praises Him. To Thee, our Lord, be the praise!” But he did not do that when he prostrated himself. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Nafi‘ said that when Ibn ‘Umar began prayer he said the takbir and raised his hands; when he bowed he raised his hands; when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands; and when he got up at the end of two rak'as he raised his hands. Ibn ‘Umar traced that back to the Prophet. Bukhari transmitted it.

Malik b. al-Huwairith said that when God’s Messenger said the takbir he raised his hands and placed them opposite his ears, and when he raised his head after bowing and said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he did the same. A version has, “and placed them opposite the tops of his ears.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said that he saw the Prophet praying, and when he had prayed an odd number of rak'as he did not stand up till after he had adopted a sitting position. Bukhari transmitted it.

Wa’il b. Hujr said that he saw the Prophet raise his hands when he began prayer. He said the takbir, then pulled his garment round him, then placed his right hand on his left. When he was about to bow he took his hands out of his garment, and after he had raised (them and said the takbir he bowed. When he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands, and when he prostrated himself he did it between his hands. Muslim transmitted it.

Sahl b. Sa'd said that the people received command that a man should place the right hand on the left forearm in prayer. Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger got up to pray he would say the takbir when standing, then say the takbir when bowing, then say, “God listens to him who praises Him” when coming to an erect position after bowing, then say while standing, “To Thee, our Lord, be the praise,” then say the takbir when getting down for prostration, then say the takbir when he raised his head, then say the takbir when he prostrated himself, then say the takbir when he raised his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer till he finished it, and he would say the takbir when he got up at the end of two rak'as after adopting the sitting posture. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The most excellent prayer consists in long standing in prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

When God’s Messenger stood up to pray he raised his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders and said the takbir; then he recited some verses; then said the takbir, raising his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders; then he bowed, placing the palms of his hands on his knees and keeping himself straight neither raising nor lowering his head; then raised his head saying, “God listens to him who praises Him”; then raised his hands placing them exactly opposite his shoulders; then said the takbir; then lowered himself to the ground in prostration, keeping his arms away from his sides and bending his toes; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it; then he adopted a natural position so that every bone returned properly to its place; then he prostrated himself; then he said the takbir, raised himself and bent his left foot and sat on it: then he adopted a natural position so that every bone returned to its place; then he got up, and did the same as that in the second rak'a. At the end of two rak'as he stood up and said the takbir, raising his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders in the way he had said the takbir on beginning to pray; then he did that in the remainder of his prayer, and after the sajda* which is followed by the taslim he put out his left foot and sat on his left hip; then he uttered the taslim. They said, “You have spoken the truth. This is how he used to pray.” *i.e. prostration Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it. And Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted something to the same effect. Tirmidhi saying that this is a hasan sahih tradition. Then he bowed and placed his hands on his knees as though he were clutching them, and he bent his arms and kept them away from his sides. He (i.e. the narrator) said that he then prostrated himself placing his nose and his forehead on the ground, keeping his arms away from his sides, placing the palms of his hands : When he sat at the end of two rak'as he sat on the sole of his left foot and raised the right, and after the fourth he placed his left hip on the ground and put out both feet on one side. A version by Abu Dawud of the tradition of Abu Humaid.

Wa il b. Hujr said he saw that when the Prophet stood up to pray he raised his hands till they were in front of his shoulders and placed his thumbs opposite his ears, then he said the takbir. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and in a version by him it says that he raised his thumbs to the lobes of his ears.

Qabisa b. Hulb quoted his father as saying that God’s Messenger would lead them in prayer and hold his left hand in his right. Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

When you face the qibla say the takbir; then recite Umm al-Qur’an* and what God wishes you to recite; when you bow place the palms of your hands on your knees, bowing completely and stretching out your back; when you raise yourself straighten your spine and raise your head so as to adopt an erect position; when you prostrate yourself do it completely; when you raise yourself sit on your left thigh; do that every time you bow and prostrate yourself till you are at rest, having finished your prayer. This is the wording of al-Masabih. *The first sura. Abu Dawud transmitted it with a slight alteration, and Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted something to the same effect. In a version by Tirmidhi he said, “When you get up to pray perform the ablution as God commanded you, then say the shahada (The testimony that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is His messenger) and proceed with the prayer. If you know any of the Qur’an recite it, otherwise say, ‘Praise be to God; God is most great; there is no god but God.’ Then bow.”

AI-Fadl b. ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The prayer is in twos, every two rak'as containing an utterance of the tahiyat, and acts of submission, supplication and humility. Then you should uplift your hands, i.e., raise them to your Lord, with the palms opposite your face, and say, ‘My Lord, my Lord.’ Anyone who does not do that is such and such.”* A version has, “is guilty of imperfection.” *A vague phrase indicating that the prayer is defective. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Sa'id b. al-Harith b. al-Mu‘alla said that Abu Sa'id al-Khudri led them in prayer and said the takbir loudly when he raised his head after the prostration, when he prostrated himself, and when he rose at the end of two rak'as, and he said, “Thus did I see the Prophet do." Bukhari transmitted it.

I prayed behind an old man in Mecca and he said the takbir twenty-two times. When I said to Ibn ‘Abbas that the man was a fool, he replied, “I am surprised at you. It was the sunna of Abul Qasim.’’* *This is the Prophet’s kunya. Bukhari transmitted it.

‘Ali b. al-Husain told in mursal form that God’s Messenger said the takbir in prayer as often as he got down1 and got up2 and that this continued to be his method in prayer till he met God. 1. i.e. for bowing or prostration. 2. i.e. after prostration. Malik transmitted it.

‘Alqama said that Ibn Mas'ud suggested leading them in prayer in the way God’s Messenger had performed it. He prayed, raising his hands only once, along with the takbir at the beginning. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, and Abu Dawud said it is not sahih put this way.

Abu Humaid as-Sa‘idi said that when God’s Messenger stood up to pray, he faced the qibla, raised his hands and said, “God is most great." Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told how on an occasion when God’s Messenger led them in the noon prayer, there was a man at the back of the rows who performed the prayer badly. When he had said the taslim God’s Messenger called out to him, “So and so, do you not fear God? Do you not see how you should pray? You people think that part of what you are doing is hidden from me, but I swear by God that I see behind me just as I see in front of me." Ahmad transmitted it.

Abu Huraira said that God’s Messenger used to observe a period of silence between the takbir and the recitation of the Qur an, so he addressed him thus, “Messenger of God, for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom, what do you say during your period of silence between the takbir and the recitation?” He replied that he said, “O God, remove my sins far from me as Thou hast removed the East far from the West. O God, purify me from sins as a white garment is purified from filth. O God, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ali said that when the Prophet stood up for prayer (a version saying, when he began the prayer) he said the takbir, then said, “I have turned my face as a hanif* towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not a polytheist. My prayer and my devotion, my life and my death belong to God the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. That is what I have been commanded, and I am a Muslim. O God, Thou art the King. There is no god but Thee. Thou art my Lord and I am Thy servant. I have wronged myself, but I acknowledge my sin, so forgive me all my sins, Thou who alone canst forgive sins; and guide me to the best qualities, Thou who alone canst guide to the best of them; and turn me from evil ones, Thou who alone canst turn from evil qualities. I come to serve and please Thee. All good is in Thy hands and evil does not pertain to Thee. I seek refuge in Thee and turn to Thee, who art blessed and exalted. I ask Thy forgiveness and turn to Thee in repentance.” When he bowed he said, “O God, to Thee I bow, in Thee I trust, and to Thee I submit myself. My hearing, my sight, my brain, my bone and my sinews humble themselves before Thee.” When he raised his head he said, “O God, to Thee belongs praise in the whole of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and in whatever Thou createst afterwards.” When he prostrated himself he said, “O God, to Thee I prostrate myself, in Thee I trust, and to Thee I submit myself. My face has prostrated itself before Him who created it, fashioned it, and brought forth its hearing and seeing. Blessed is God, the best of creators.” Then at the end of what he said between uttering the tahiyat and the taslim was, “O God, forgive me my former and latter sins, my open and my secret sins, my sins of negligence, and what Thou knowest better than I. Thou art He who puts forward and puts back. There is no god but Thee.” * A believer in one God. Cf. Al-Qur’an; 3:95; 22:31; 98:5. Muslim transmitted it. A version by Shafi‘i has, “Evil does not pertain to Thee, and the one who is guided is he whom Thou guidest. I seek refuge in Thee and turn to Thee. There is no shelter from Thee and no place of refuge except by having recourse to Thee who art blessed.”

Anas said that a man came panting and entered the row of worshippers and said, “God is most great. Praise be to God, much, good and blessed.” When God’s Messenger finished his prayer he asked, “Which of you is the one who spoke the words?” but the people remained silent. He asked again, and when they still kept silence, he said, “Which of you said them? He said nothing wrong.” Then a man said, “I came and had difficulty in breathing, so I said them.” He replied, “I saw twelve angels racing one another to be the one to take them up to God.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when God’s Messenger began to pray he said, “Glory be to Thee, O God, and with praise of Thee do I begin my worship. Blessed is Thy name, exalted is Thy majesty, and there is no god but Thee.” Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Ibn Majah transmitted it from Abu Sa'id. Tirmidhi said, “This is a tradition which I know only from Haritha, and critical remarks have been made about his memory.”

Jubair b. Mut'im said that he saw God’s Messenger observing a prayer in which he said, “God is altogether great; God is altogether great; God is altogether great. Praise be to God in abundance; praise be to God in abundance; praise be to God in abundance. Glory be to God in the morning and afternoon (saying it three times). I seek refuge in God from the accursed devil, from his puffing up (nafkh), his magic (nafth) 1, and his evil suggestion (hamz) 2.” 1. Literally ‘sputtering’, but used of working magic by sputtering on knots. Cf. Qur’an, 113:4. 2. For this meaning cf. Qur’an, 23:97. Abu Dawud transmitted it, as did Ibn Majah, but he did not mention, “Praise be to God in abundance,” and he mentioned at the end of it “from the accursed devil.” ‘Umar said that his nafkh is pride, his, nafth is poetry, and his hamz is madness.

Samura b. Jundub said that he remembered from God's Messenger two periods of silence, one when he said the takbir, and one when he finished reciting, “Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray,”* and Ubayy b, Ka‘b corroborated him. *Al-Qur’an, 1:7 Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted something similar.

Abu Huraira said that when God's Messenger got up after the second rak'a he began the recitation with, “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe,” without observing a period of silence. It is given thus in Muslim’s Sahih. Al-Humaidi mentioned it among those given by Muslim but not by Bukhari, as did the author of al-Jami' (Ibn Al-Athir) from Muslim alone.

Jabir said that when the Prophet began prayer he said the takbir, then said, “My prayer and my devotion, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. I have been so commanded, and I am the first of the Muslims. O God, guide me to the best deeds and the best qualities, Thou who alone canst guide to the best of them; and guard me from evil deeds and evil qualities, Thou who alone canst guard from their evil ones.” Nasa’i transmitted it.

Muhammad b. Maslama said that when God’s Messenger stood up to observe voluntary prayers he said, “God is most great. I have turned my face as a hanif towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and I am not a polytheist.” And he mentioned the tradition like that of Jabir, except that he said, “l am of the Muslims.” Then he said, “O God, Thou art the King. There is no god but Thee. Glory be to Thee, and with praise of Thee . Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Ubada b. as-Samit reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who does not recite Fatihat al-Kitab* is not credited with having observed prayer.” *The first sura. (Bukhari and Muslim.) A version by Muslim has “He who does not recite Umm al-Qur’an (the first sura and something more.”

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone observes a prayer in which he does not recite Umm al-Qur’an, it is deficient (he said this three times) and incomplete.” When someone asked Abu Huraira if he were led by an imam, he told him to recite it inwardly, for he had heard God’s Messenger declare that God most high had said, “I have divided the prayer into two halves between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” When the servant says, “Praise be to God the Lord of the universe,” God most high says, “My servant has praised me.” When he says, “The Compassionate the Merciful,” God most high says, “My servant has lauded me.” When he says, “Possessor of the day of judgment,” He says, “My servant has glorified me.” When he says, “Thee do we worship and of Thee do we ask help,” He says, “This is between me and my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Then when he says, “Guide us in the straight path, the path of those to whom Thou art generous, not of those with whom Thou art angry nor of those who go astray,” He says. “This is for my servant, and my servant will receive what he asks.” Muslim transmitted it.