Mishkat al-Masabih

We used to greet the Prophet while he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to our greeting, but when we returned from the Negus* we greeted him and he did not respond to us, so we said, “Messenger of God, we used to greet you when you were engaged in prayer and you would respond to us.” He replied, “Prayer demands one’s whole attention.” * The reference is to the return of those who had gone from Mecca to Abyssinia when Muslims were being persecuted. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Mu'aiqib quoted the Prohpet as saying about a man who smoothed the ground where he prostrated himself, “If you do it, do it only once.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that God’s Messenger forbade putting the hands on the waist during prayer. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I asked God’s Messenger about looking to the side during prayer and he said, “It is something which the devil snatches from a servant’s prayer.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “People must stop raising their eyes to heaven while making supplication in prayer, otherwise their sight will be taken away.” Muslim transmitted it.

I saw the Prophet leading the people in prayer with Umama daughter of Abul ‘As on his shoulder. When he bowed he put her down, and when he got up after the prostration he put her back. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you yawns during prayer he must restrain it as much as possible, for the devil gets in.” Muslim transmitted it. In a version by Bukhari from Abu Huraira he said, “When one of you yawns during prayer he must restrain it as much as possible and not say ‘Ha’, for that comes from the devil who is laughing at him.”(Or “at it”, i.e. at this action).

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “An ‘ifrit of the jinn escaped yesterday to interrupt my prayer, but God gave me power over him, so I seized him and intended to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque in order that you might all look at him; but I remembered the supplication of my brother Solomon, ‘My Lord, give me such a kingdom as will not be fitting for anyone after me’ (Al-Qur’an; 38:35) so I made him clear out.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Sahl b. Sa‘d reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anything happens to someone during prayer he should say, ‘Glory be to God,’ for clapping applies only to women.” In a version he said, “Saying 'Glory be to God’ applies to men and clapping to women.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Before we went to Abyssinia we used to greet God’s Messenger when he was engaged in prayer and he would respond to us, but when we returned from Abyssinia I came to him and found him praying. I greeted him and he did not respond to me, but when he finished his prayer he said, “God creates new commands as He wishes, and one of them is that you must not talk during prayer.” He then returned my greeting and said, “Prayer is solely for the purpose of reciting the Qur’an and making mention of God, so when you are engaged in it let that be what occupies your attention.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Ibu ‘Umar said he asked Bilal how the Prophet responded to them when they greeted him while he was engaged in prayer, and he replied, “He used to make a sign with his hand.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. In Nasa'i’s version there is something similar, but Suhaib occurs instead of Bilal.

I prayed behind God's Messenger, and on sneezing I said, “Praise be to God, great, good, blessed and abounding in good, as our Lord wishes and is pleased with.” When God's Messenger finished his prayer he moved away and asked, “Who was it who spoke during the prayer?” but no one replied. He asked a second time, but no one replied. He asked a third time, and Rifa'a said, “I did, Messenger of God.” Thereupon the Prophet said, “By Him in whose hand my soul is, over thirty angels raced to it to see which of them would ascend with it.” Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Yawning during prayer comes from the devil, so when one of you yawns he must restrain it as much as possible.” Tirmidhi transmitted it. In another version by him and by Ibn Majah it says, “He should put his hand over his mouth.”

Ka‘b b. ‘Ujra reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you performs ablution and does it well, then goes out making for the mosque, he must not interwine his fingers for he is engaged in prayer.” Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “God most high continues to turn favourably towards a servant while he is engaged in prayer as long as he does not look to the side, but if he does so He departs from him.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Darimi transmitted it.

Anas told that the Prophet said, “Keep looking in the direction towards which you prostrate yourself, Anas.” Baihaqi transmitted it in as-sunan al-kabir through al-Hasan from Anas, tracing it back to the Prophet.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Sonny, avoid turning to the side when you are engaged in prayer, for turning to the side produces destruction. If you must do it, do it in the voluntary, but not in the obligatory prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that God’s Messenger used to glance right and left during prayer but did not turn his neck to look behind him. Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it.

‘Adi b. Thabit quoted his father as saying that his grandfather traced the following back to the Prophet, “Sneezing, drowsing and yawning during prayer, also menstruation, vomiting and nose bleeding come from the devil.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Mutarrif b. ‘Abdallah ash-Shikhkhir quoted his father as saying, “I came to the Prophet when he was engaged in prayer, and heard a sound from within him like the bubbling of a pot,” meaning that he was weeping. In a version he said, “I saw the Prophet praying and a sound came from his breast like the rumbling of a mill, owing to weeping.” Ahmad transmitted it. Nasa’i transmitted the first version and Abu Dawud the second.

Abu Dharr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you gets up to pray he must not remove pebbles, for mercy is facing him.”* * Meaning that such an action is unfitting when one is in God’s presence. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

The Prophet saw a servant of ours called Aflah blowing when he prostrated himself, and said, “Throw dust on your face, Aflah.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Resting the hands on the waist in prayer is the comfort of those who go to hell.” transmitted it in Sharh as-sunna.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Kill the two black things during prayer, the snake and the scorpion.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i has something to the same effect.

‘A’isha said, “When God’s Messenger was praying voluntary prayers with his door bolted I came and asked to have the door opened, and he went and opened it for me, then returned to his place of prayer.” She mentioned that the door faced the qibla. Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Talq b. ‘Ali* reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When any of you breaks wind during prayer, he must withdraw, perform ablution, and repeat the prayer.” * This is a mistake in the text of the Mishkat. The name is ‘Ali b. Talq. Cf. Abu Dawud, Salat, 186. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted it with something added and something omitted.

‘A’isha reported the Prophet as saying, “If any of you breaks wind during prayer he should hold his nose and withdraw.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you breaks wind when he has sat at the end of his prayer before giving the salutation, his prayer is valid.” Tirmidhi transmitted it saying that this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong, and there is confusion about its isnad.

The Prophet came out for prayer, but when he had said “God is most great” he went off, giving them a sign to stay where they were. He went away, and when he had bathed he came with his head dripping and led them in prayer. Then when he finished he said, “I was defiled by a seminal emission and forgot to bathe.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Malik transmitted it from ‘Ata’ b. Yasar in mursal form.

Jabir said, “I used to pray the noon prayer with God’s Messenger, and would take a handful of pebbles to cool them in my palm and lay them down to put my forehead on them when prostrating myself because of the excessive heat.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

God’s Messenger stood up to pray and we heard him say, “I seek refuge in God from you”, then say, “I curse you with God’s curse,” three times, then he stretched but his hand as though he was taking something. When he finished the prayer we said, “Messenger of God, we heard you say something during the prayer which we have not heard you say before, and we saw you stretch out your hand.” He replied, “God’s enemy Iblis came with a flame of fire to put it in my face, so I said three times, ‘I seek refuge in God from you’. Then I said three times, ‘I curse you with God’s perfect curse', but he did not retreat. Thereafter I meant to seize him. I swear by God that had it not been for the supplication of my brother Solomon, he would have been bound and made an object of sport for the Medina children.”* * Cf. the tradition from Abu Huraira, p. 202. There it says, “my brother.” Here it is “our brother”, but the plural is often used for the singular. Muslim transmitted it.

Nafi' said that ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar passed a man while he was praying and gave him a salutation to which the man uttered some words in reply. ‘Abdallah b. ‘Umar went back to him and said to him, “When one of you is greeted while he is engaged in prayer he must not speak, but give a sign with his hand.” Malik transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God's Messenger as saying, “When one of you stands up to pray the devil comes to him and confuses him so that he does not know how much he has prayed. If any of you has such an experience he should perform two prostrations during the period when he sits.”* * i.e. before pronouncing the taslim. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Ata b. Yasar said that Abu Sa'id reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you is in doubt aoout his prayer and does not know how much he has prayed, three or four rak'as, he should subtract what he is doubtful about and base his prayer on what he is sure of, then perform two prostrations before giving the salutation. If he has prayed five rak'as they will make his prayer an even number for him, and if he has prayed exactly four they will be a humbling for the devil.” Muslim transmitted it, and Malik transmitted it from ‘Ata’ in mursal form. In his version it says, “he will make it an even number by these two prostrations.”

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s Messenger prayed five rak'as in the noon prayer and was asked whether the prayer had been extended. He asked what they meant by that, and when they told him he had prayed five rak'as he made two prostrations after having given the salutation. In a version he said, “I am only a human being like you, foigetting just as you do; so when I forget remind me, and when any of you is in doubt about his prayer he should aim at what is correct and complete his prayer in that respect, then give the salutation and afterwards make two prostrations.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger led us in one of the two evening ('ashiy)1 prayers. (Ibn Sirin said that Abu Huraira named it, but he had forgotten which, it was.) He led us in two rak'as and when he had given the salutation he got up, and going towards a piece of wood which was placed crosswise in the mosque, he leaned on it looking as if he were angry. He placed his right hand on his left, and intertwining his fingers, he placed his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who were first to come out of the doors of the mosque said, “The prayer has been shortened." Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were among the people, but they were too afraid to speak to him; but among them was a man with such long arms that he was called “The possessor of arms" (Dhulyadain) who asked, “Have you forgotten, Messenger of God, or has the prayer been shortened?” He replied, “I have neither forgotten, nor has it been shortened." He then asked whether things were as the possessor of arms had said, and when he was told that that was so he went forward and prayed what he had omitted. He then gave the salutation, then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great", then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great". He2 was often asked whether he then gave the salutation and he would say: I have been informed that ‘Imran b. Husain said he then gave the salutation. 1. ‘Ashiy generally means evening, but it also means the time between the declining of the sun after the meridian and sunset or morning, so the two prayers here mentioned are the noon (zuhr) prayer and the afternoon prayer. 2. i.e. Ibn Sirin (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.) In another version given by both of them, instead of saying “I have neither forgotten nor has it been shortened” God’s Messenger said, “None of that has happened," to which he replied, “Some of it has, Messenger of God."

‘Abdallah ibn Buhaina said that the Prophet led them in the noon prayer, and when he stood up at the end of the first two rak'as and did not sit, the people stood up along with him. When he finished the prayer and the people expected him to give the salutation, he said “God is most great" while sitting and made two prostrations before giving the salutation. Then he gave it. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Imran b. Husain said that the Prophet led them in prayer and forgot something, so he made two prostrations, then uttered the shahada, then gave the salutation. Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When an imam stands up at the end of two rak'as, if he remembers before standing straight up he should sit down, but if he stands straight up he must not sit down, but perform the two prostrations of forgetfulness.” Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Imran b. Husain said that God’s Messenger prayed the afternoon prayer and gave the salutation at the end of three rak'as, then went into his house. A man called al-Khirbaq who had long arms got up and went to him, and addressing him mentioned to him what he had done. He came out angrily trailing his cloak, and when he came to the people he asked, “Is this man telling the truth?” When they told him that he was, he prayed a rak‘a, then gave the salutation, then made two prostrations, then gave the salutation. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf said that he heard God’s Messenger say,“If any of you prays a prayer and is in doubt whether it is deficient, he should go on praying till he begins to wonder whether he has not prayed too much.” Ahmad transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet prostrated himself when an-Najm (Al-Qur'an; 53) was revealed, and the Muslims, the ploytheists, jinn and men prostrated themselves along with him. Bukhari transmitted it.

We prostrated ourselves along with the Prophet on account of “When the sky is rent asunder”, Al-Qur’an; 84) and “Recite in the name of your Lord” (Al-Qur’an; 96). Muslim transmitted it.

God’s Messenger was reciting as-Sajda (Al-Qur’an; 32) when we were with him. He was prostrating himself and we were doing so along with him, but we were so crowded that none of us could find a place for his forehead when prostrating himself. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

I recited to God’s Messenger “By the star” (Al-Qur’an; 53) but he did not prostrate himself when I did so. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

A prostration when reciting Sad (Al-Qur’an; 38) is not one of those which are divinely commanded, but I have seen the Prophet prostrate himself when it was recited. In a version Mujahid said that he asked Ibn ‘Abbas whether he should prostrate himself when reciting Sad, whereupon he recited, “And among his progeny David and Solomon . . . so copy the guidance they received,” (Al-Qur’an; 6:84-90) and said, “Your prophet was one of those who were commanded to copy them.” Bukhari transmitted it.

God’s Messenger taught me fifteen prostrations, while reciting the Qur’an, including three in al-Mufassal, 1 and two in sura al-Hajj2. 1. A title given to the suras from 49 to the end, but several other suras are also mentioned: 37, 45, 47, 48, 50, 61, 67, 87, and 93. The name is most appropriately explained ay meaning that this is the section of the Qur’an which contains many shorter suras. 2. Al-Qur’an; 22 Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir told that he said, “Messenger of God, sura al-Hajj has been given superior excellence through having two prostrations in it.” He replied, “Yes, and he who does not make the two prostrations should not recite the two verses.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, and said this is a tradition whose isnad is not strong. Al-Masabih has “should not recite it”, as occurs in Sharh as-sunna.

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet made a prostration in the noon prayer, then stood up and bowed; and they thought he recite Tanzil, i.e. sura as-Sajda (Al-Qur’an; 32). Abu Dawud transmitted it.

God’s Messenger used to recite the Qur'an to us, and when he came to a place where a prostration should be made he said “God is most great” and prostrated himself, and we prostrated ourselves along with him. Abu Dawud transmitted it.