Teaching your Child about Islam

Children are born in a state of fitra (purity) and then their parents teach them to be believers or unbelievers. According to the Musnad Ibn Hanbal, "The children of the unbelievers are better than you grown-ups. Every living creature is born with a righteous nature." It is our obligation and duty as parents to teach our children so that they grow up to be believing, practicing Muslims. Sending the child to an Islamic weekend school or to a full-time Islamic school is an important but minor part of their Islamic education. The major 'institution of learning' for each child is his family, and the major 'professors' of this institution are the parents.

ROLE MODELING
The most effective way to teach anything to anybody is to be a role model. This is why Allah sent human beings as prophets to all peoples. Whether we willingly accept this job or not, it is a fact that your child learns how to function in life by watching what you do. Even the absent parent is role modeling to the degree that a boy, whose father abandoned his family, will probably treat his own children the same way.
Every time we deal with our children, we are teaching them, whether we intend to or not. There is a famous poem by an anonymous author that depicts this vividly. It begins:

If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemn.

If a child lives with hostility, he learns to fight.

If a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shy.

Therefore we must examine carefully how we deal with our child in order to have a desirable end result. This same poem continues:

If a child lives with tolerance, he learns to be patient.

If a child lives with fairness, he learns justice.

If a child lives with security, he learns to have faith.

POSITIVE VS. NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
As the above poem indicates, negative comments and treatment result in negative attributes in our children, and positive comments and treatment result in positive results. The term 'positive and negative reinforcement' is popular in modern psychology, but it was advocated by the Qu'ran and the actions and sayings of Prophet Muhammad (May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), 1400 years ago. How do we use positive reinforcement to teach our children?
Young children are basically good. Furthermore they want to please their parents. When you praise them for their good behavior by telling them that Papa and/or Mama is happy with their action, you are using positive reinforcement. Unfortunately many parents ignore their child's good actions and only comment on the bad actions. Let us take an example.

EXAMPLE
Iman is three years old and has a baby brother, Samir, who is one. She gets out her blocks to play with and of course Samir crawls over to get involved. She gives him a red block and then proceeds to build a tower. Samir grows tired of his one block and tries to get more. In the process he knocks down the tower. Iman reacts angrily and grabs all the blocks and tells her brother that he can't play with any of the blocks. Her mother hears her and shouts at her angrily, "Iman you are a bad girl not to share with your brother. Give him some blocks!

Iman did two actions concerning her brother: 1. She gave him a block and 2. She took the blocks away. She received attention from her mother for the bad actions. This teaches her that if she wants attention from her mother, she should NOT share.

How else could the mother have handled it? If she had praised Iman when she first shared ("Iman, what a nice sister you are, to share with your brother. I'm so happy to see you do that."), then Iman would remember that her doing 'good' resulted in her mother's attention. When her brother knocks over her blocks, her first inclination will probably be to grab all the blocks but if her mother is there to console her and encourage her to try again ("Oh Iman, it's too bad that Samir knocked over your blocks. He was trying to play with you, but he is too little to be good at making towers. Why don't you build a little tower for him to play with, and then you can build a big one for yourself."), then she will happily give him more blocks. She will want to share next time as well because that action got her mother's attention.

INTEGRATING ISLAM INTO LIFE
One of the most important aspects of raising your children to be Muslims is to introduce the idea that Allah is also happy with their good actions. If you say that what they did or are doing is making you and Allah happy, then the child begins to associate good behavior with acting for the pleasure of Allah, which in a nutshell, is exactly what being a good Muslim involves. Can you say anything better of a believer other than that he/she does everything fi sabillah (for the sake of Allah)?

BAD CHILDREN
The child who errs is forgiven by Allah, and if he dies in childhood, he automatically goes to heaven. This mercy of Allah should guide us as we guide our children. It is not necessary to make the child fearful of Allah or fearful of going to hell. In fact, this approach is counter productive - it often achieves the very result we are trying to avoid. Stressing the negative and the punishment makes the child want to avoid anything to do with the religion. He or she grows up thinking that it is religion that keeps him from enjoying life.

ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH
When you are talking to children under the age of twelve, stress the characteristics of Allah that will give him security and assurances as he grows and encounters fearful situations and unknowns. He needs to be aware of the many blessings Allah has given to him to help him enjoy and cope with his life. And he needs to understand which actions Allah will be pleased with, rather than worry over punishment for mistakes he knows he will make.

ISLAM AND DAILY LIFE
Too often when parents think about talking to their children about Islam, they concentrate on the ritual of the five pillars. They teach them how to make salat (required prayer), and they teach them some short Qur'anic surat (chapters). These are important, but don't forget that Islam is a total way of life, and every aspect has an Islamic element that you need to talk about and demonstrate for your child. When the father goes off to work, the mother can say 'Good bye' or she can say 'Assalamu alaikum' and add its meaning in English, 'may Allah's peace be with you". As she and the young child start to do something together, she can mention that the father is doing what Allah says a good father should do - working to take care of the family. She can also mention, and the father should also mention it frequently, that she is trying to please Allah by doing many things to help her child and the family. When the child helps her mother clean off the table, the mother should mention that Allah is pleased with children who help their parents. Mentioning the Islamic aspect does not imply nor suggest that you need to deliver lectures about Islam to your child. No child wants to sit still long enough to hear a lecture about anything. The effective teaching comes as short comments or stories that point out the Islamic nature of the action. When the parents pay zakat (yearly compulsory tax), they should mention the fact to their children. When they visit the sick, they should quote a Qur'anic ayah (verse) or hadith (story about Prophet Muhammad) which indicates that this action pleases Allah. When there are two ways that a child can respond to a situation, the parent can mentions nicely which way will be pleasing to Allah.

The constant reference to Allah, the constant encouragement to do what is right, and the constant praise and positive reinforcement for doing the right actions, will focus your child on the right path.

ADOLESCENCE

As our children reach adolescence, they begin to question what they have been taught, especially if most of the youth they associate with are non-Muslims, or non-practicing Muslims.
If you have already established a positive relationship with your youth, then your teenage child will come to you with his/her questions and concerns. Do not mistake these questions and worries as a rebellion against you or against their religion. They see the kids at school dating, and it looks like fun. 'Why shouldn't we date?' they wonder. Be happy that your youth feels comfortable coming to you with these issues.
If you have not established a positive relationship with your child by this time, you will probably have a big problem on your hands, because your youth will have the same questions, but he won't come to you for a discussion about them. He will be seeking his answers from his friends, and if his friends are not actively practicing Muslims, he may be getting answers that go against Islam.

Why do some parents and youth have a positive relationship and others do not? There are at least two important factors here: time and what kind of time? Did the parents spend time with their children as they were growing up? Did they make a practice of asking their children about their school, their friends, their opinions on various things, and then LISTEN to their answers?
Remember positive reinforcement? What kind of time do the parents spend with their children? Is it based on positive reinforcement, or does the child expects to hear angry and negative comments every time he/she tries to talk to a parent?

EXAMPLE

Thirteen year Omar is fasting for his second year, during Ramadan. One Saturday he and another Muslim, Adnan, go to a non-Muslim friend's house to play. At one o'clock, Omar phones home to tell his mother, " Johnny keeps asking us to eat lunch. We told him we're fasting and he should go ahead, but he says if we don't eat, he won't either. Adnan says if I break my fast, he will too. What should I do?"


"I can't believe you're asking me that," complains his mother. "Allah is going to punish you if you don't fast! You know better than that? Why can't you act like a good Muslim. Your father and I have taught you better than that!"

How often will Omar asks his mother any questions after a response like that? By assuming that his behavior is negative and giving negative reinforcement, you can be sure that Omar is not likely to ask his mother for help again. Instead, imagine if his mother answered this way:


"You did the right thing by phoning when you weren't sure. But I think you already know what you should do. What do you think is the right thing to do?"

Omar answers, "I think I should say no, I'm going to keep fasting."
you are exactly right," answers his mother. "I'm so proud of you for the way you are thinking."


EVALUATING THE NEGATIVE
When you have discussions with your youth, you may be alarmed at his rudeness, or his apparent rejection of everything you say. He may even tell you that you are stupid or you don't understand, or you don't care about him. This does not mean what it sounds like. It means that he does not feel comfortable with the answers he is getting. Maybe what you say is opposite to what he is feeling at that moment, or maybe he has given that answer to his non-Muslim friends and they have rejected that opinion.
Although it is very hard, remain kind and positive with your youth. It really hurts the parent to hear these comments, but they are not really aimed at the parent, but at the thinking process he/she is now undertaking.

During your discussions with your youth, you will now want to include both positive and negative reinforcement. 'Yes', you may agree with your youth, 'it is very difficult not to drink when everyone else is, but remember that Allah will reward you for your good behavior, and remember His punishment if you follow someone other than Allah.'

When there are so many unIslamic forces putting pressure on your youth, he now needs to understand that Allah will hold him accountable for his actions. Allah will help if the youth ask Him for help, and he will be rewarded for following the right path, but accountability also means he will receive punishment for his bad deeds.


Life is too difficult to do by oneself. The young child has his parents who protect him, and encourage him and who 'know everything'. Then he/she grows up and discovers that mother and father don't really know everything. Furthermore at school he/she is hearing and seeing other philosophies of life, and the selfish, materialistic one most readily seen at school seems like fun, and besides, 'everyone else is doing it'. How is the youth supposed to figure out who is right? It is a difficult time for him/her, and it is up to the parents to be supportive, to encourage discussions, to make allowances for mistakes, but at the same time, to remain firm in their teaching of Islamic values.

SEVERAL ISSUES INVOLVED
While teaching and talking to our children about Islam, we need to be aware of certain hidden issues. These are secular vs. religious actions, facts vs. behavior and acquiescence vs. critical thinking. These issues affect our thinking and acting although few of us are aware of them.

SECULAR VS. RELIGIOUS
Hina was an attractive fifteen-year- old with a slender, attractive figure. She attended the Islamic weekend classes on a regular basis, wearing very short skirts and skintight sweaters. The teacher mentioned to her mother that she might want to encourage her daughter to dress more Islamically because her way of dress would attract undesired attraction of the boys at school.
Hina, you have to change the way you are dressing. It's unIslamic. No more short skirts and you have to wear overlarge sweaters to hide your shape!" scolded her mother.

"Who are you to say anything?" responded Hina angrily. "Look at yourself, your dress is up to your knees and I can see everything about your shape!"

Hina's mother has a split personality when it comes to religion. On one hand she prays her prayers and fasts during Ramadan. On the other hand she likes to be 'fashionably' dressed when she interacts with non-Muslims. She reads the Qur'an most evenings, but spends her afternoon gossiping with her friends. What is her daughter learning?


Hassan is no better off with his father, who takes him to the weekend Islamic classes but tells him he can skip Juma because his academic studies are more important. Hassan's father is a leader in the Muslim community, but Hassan overhears him bragging to his friends about how he cheated on his income tax and got away with it.


If we as parents pick and choose which aspect of Islam to apply and which to omit from our own lives, we can hardly expect our children to live purely Islamic lives. If Hina's mother chooses her clothing based on what her non Muslim associates are wearing, then of course Hina will demand the same right, even though her mother feels like her clothes are too short or too tight. The question is, who is the authority and who has the right to decide? If it is Allah who has the right to decide, then parents have no right to pick and choose which practices they will follow. If it is the individual who decides, then children have as much right as their parents, once they reach puberty. Parents who think differently will have their youth point this out to them (if they are on speaking terms). For sure the youth will be thinking this. If you know you are not following what Allah orders, you can attempt to change your own behavior, admit to your youth that you are also still growing in your faith, and tell them frankly that you are trying to help them on the right path now because it will make their life easier and better. Then you will need to point out the times when your deviation from Islamic values has caused problems for you.
If you choose to ignore this aspect, most likely your children will choose to ignore your advice.

FACTS VS. BEHAVIOR

This aspect has already been alluded to in this paper, but it needs a bit of explanation. We expect the masjid (mosques) classes to teach our children how to read the Qur'an in Arabic, but not to understand what it means. We expect the masjid to teach our children how to pray, how to fast, etc. but NOT HOW TO LIVE, how to behave.


These are facts, not behavior. Many children know how to pray; very few feel the need to pray because they understand its importance. Quite a large number of children know how to read the Qur'an. Only a few read the Qur'an in order to understand what it is saying, or in order to answer their questions.


Islam is a complete way of life. The facts (the 5 pillars, the biography of Prophet Muhammad) are useful when they help the person learn how and why they should do something. The fact that Prophet Muhammad lived 1400 years ago is a fact. By itself, that fact is worthless. The fact, that he lived as a Muslim in a city where Muslims were few and persecuted, is worthless until it helps us realize that if he and the early Muslims could flourish in that setting, then so can we. When we teaching our children about Islam, we need to teach them how to behave, not just to memorize facts. Instead of giving them lists of facts to learn, set them an example and mention the Islamic connection while you are doing it. You visit someone who is sick; mention that this is an Islamic requirement, discuss with your child why it is good to do this act. Make sure you visit with sick people who are not part of your cultural group and non-Muslims as well. One important lesson for your child to learn is that Islamic behavior is good for everyone, even non-Muslims.


Watch TV with your children, especially the pre-teens. Don't preach, but discuss the behavior of the characters in the sitcom (comedy). Make comments like, 'Aren't you glad you're a Muslim so you don't have that problem' (concerning problems with dating, drinking, etc.)


Initiate discussions with your children. Bring up situations like, 'What should you do if a friend in school is out sick for a week?" It is extremely important to really listen to what your children are saying. They know in a second if your mind is preoccupied with something else. When you ask for their opinion, really listen to their answer, and make your next comment reflect theirs.

ACQUIESCENCE VS. CRITICAL THINKING
Many parents grew up in areas where colonizing rulers maintained schools for acquiescence. That is, pupils were taught to repeat exactly what the teacher told them. If the test question asked for 3 reasons why it is good to brush your teeth, the answer had to be the exact three reasons that the teacher had told them in class. The pupil is not supposed to think; he is supposed to accept everything without questioning. This is too often the way we teach our children about Islam. Do this action because Islam says you have to. Do this exactly the way I say because every other way is haram. Our children need to learn that there are two kinds of knowledge, that which is revealed and that which is humanly acquired. Knowledge revealed in the Qur'an and hadiths is unchanging and unarguable. Knowledge that is derived from our five senses and our own thinking is subject to error and can and should be questioned.
North American schools, including good Islamic schools, stress critical thinking. For children who grow up here, it is not sufficient to say you have to do this because I say so. You can expect your children to honor and obey you because Islam requires obedience to parents, but you must also explain and discuss why you are asking for their obedience. Your youth should be required to pray, because Allah says for them to pray, but you must also be open and willing to discuss why Allah would ask us to do that. What are the possible benefits of praying, what should you do if you feel like the prayer is empty of meaning to you, and so on. These questions don't mean your youth are turning away from Islam; they mean that your youth are thinking seriously about their religion. One of the most wonderful things about Islam is that because it is the truth, it can stand up to the most critical of questions.

Parents must also learn to acknowledge that they make mistakes, and they are ignorant of certain answers. Your child does not have the right to expect you to be able to explain every Islamic injunction. He/she does have the right to expect you to give an honest and open response to their questions. When you tell your youth, "That's an important question. I don't know the answer. Let's see if we can find out what the Qur'an says about it." then you have created an open, honest exchange of thoughts with your youth.

Discuss Islam with your children from the time they are young, stressing the positive, and encouraging them to speak frankly and freely to you. Be an Islamic role model for them. By the time they have emerged from their troubling, questioning adolescence, you will have children who have actively embraced Islam, and who want to be Muslim because they know that it will make their life better in this world, and in the hereafter, in shaa Allah (Allah willing).

CAN WE DO WUDU WITH NAIL POLISH ON?

If someone uses nail polish, can they make Wudu and will it be valid? Some scholars approve this, such as Abdullah Muhaddith Ropari of Pakistan, in his book ‘Fatawa Alh-e-Hadith’ (Vol.2, section 1). But most scholars are against this. However, my question is that would the Wudu be accepted according to Qur’an and Sunnah? If not, then what about the bath of impurity?

Answer:

The Prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) strongly commanded us to make proper Wudu and not leave any part dry. One day, when the Prophet (salla-Llaahu ‘alayhi wa-sallam) saw some companions making wudu in a hurry, he noticed one had left his heel dry. He warned him saying that there will be punishment of fire for this dry heel…? This shows that Wudu is incomplete if one leaves any part dry.

Nail polish is a thick substance, like plastic, and obviously water cannot go through it to wet the nails. Therefore, they will stay dry in that sense and hence Wudu will be considered incomplete.

As for the Fatwa of Sheikh Abdullah Ropari, we do not know on what evidence he has based this, so we cannot support it.

In any case, there will be doubt about the validity of the Wudu and to remove any sort of doubt is compulsory. There is a similar situation with taking a bath of impurity with nail polish on. If a woman were to pray after having taken this bath, her prayer would not be accepted because of her incomplete bath and Wudu. It is therefore advised that the nail polish should be removed before making Wudu or taking a bath.

Please note that Mehndi (Henna) is not classed like nail polish, and does not affect Wudu because it does not form a barrier on the skin.

Taken From the Book of…

FATAWA “Sirat-E-Mustaqeem”
By : The Late “Maulana Mahmood Ahmed Mirpuri”
Traslated by “Mohammed Abdul Hadi al-Oomeri”
Published by “DARUSSALAM”

Islam and the West

"The West has got to learn that it shares the planet with equals & not with inferiors. This means giving equal space in a conflict such as that between Israel & Palestine. It doesn't mean just using governments to get oil: you promote Saddam Hussein one day, & the next day he becomes public enemy number one. The West promoted people like the Shah of Iran simply because of its greed for oil, even though he had committed atrocities against his own people. There should be no more double standards, because double standards are colonialism in a new form. Western people have also got to disassociate themselves from inherited prejudices about Islam." - Karen Armstrong
Islam and the West

http://www.islamfor today.com/ karenarmstrong02 .htm

A former Catholic nun and author of books on many of the world's religions including Islam, English writer Karen Armstrong speaks about Western views of Islam, the mood after 11 September and her hopes for better relations between Islam and the West.

"What more concessions should the West make to Muslims? When should we draw the line and stop sacrificing our ideals?" The question was posed by a young Englishman at the end of a lecture on "Understanding Islam" at Oxford University's Institute for American Studies in England. While the question revealed many Western concerns and assumptions, as well as the extent to which an anti-Islamic mood has prevailed in the West since the attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September last year, the answer, however, was quick. "Muslims did not ask us to give up our ideals and values. On the contrary, it is the West which does not honour these very ideals when dealing with Muslims and Islam," said the lecturer, Karen Armstrong, a Catholic nun turned Christian theologian.

After studying English at Oxford, Armstrong became a nun, and 17 years later she left her convent and wrote a book called Through the Narrow Gate (1981), an account of her years spent there. This was followed by further books, including The First Christian, Tongues of Fire, The Gospel According to Woman, Holy War and Muhammad. In 1993 she published an important work on the three monotheistic religions called The History of God: From Abraham to the Present. This sold well and was followed by another best-selling book, Muhammad: a Biography of the Prophet in 1996.

In Armstrong's view, what 11 September revealed was "a new awareness" striking at the integrity of Western culture and its value system. "We were posing as a tolerant society, yet passing judgment from a position of extremes and irrationality, " the 58-year-old Armstrong told the Weekly in an exclusive interview at her house in London.

Since the attacks, Armstrong has been on mission in the United States and South America lecturing on Islam. It has not been an easy task. "September 11th has confirmed a view of Islam that is centuries old, which is that Islam is inherently violent and intolerant of others," she said, going on to offer a first-hand account of the situation in the United States nine months after the attacks.

"The events have been a great shock to the Americans, and they are now in a state of numbness and depression," Armstrong explained. "There is still a lot of hostility and anger directed against the Muslim community there. There is, however, some reason to believe that a change in the American perception is not impossible."

"On the East Coast where I spent most of my time, people descended en masse on the bookstores and took off the shelves everything they could find about Islam. While some did this to confirm old prejudices and fears -- depending on who you choose to read -- the majority was keen on learning about Islam." In fact, Armstrong's own handbook, Understanding Islam, has sold more than a quarter of a million copies on the East Coast of the United States alone. And many of the questions posed to Armstrong during her lecture tour reflected not only a sense of wanting to know more about Islam, but also how deeply rooted were media representations of Islam in the American psyche.

The key question would be, "why do they hate us?" Armstrong said, followed by others, such as: "What do Muslims think of Christians and Jews? Is Islam an inherently violent religion? Why do we always hear bad rhetoric about Christians? What about women in Islam? Is Islam against modernity?"

In responding to such questions, Armstrong walks a fine line between deconstructing long- held stereotypes while at the same time not becoming apologetic. She noted that there are differences in the way her views are received in the US and in Europe. "One of the good things about the Americans is that they do like to know," she says. "There is earnestness about them that one does not observe in a European society such as Holland, for example. They are open to criticism in a way that does not exist in Europe, where people assume they know it all."

At the age of 19, Armstrong joined a Catholic convent, staying there for 17 years before deciding to leave in order to study the world's monotheistic religions, beginning with Islam. Does she think that the religious establishment in the West -- ie the churches themselves -- are responsible for Western hostility to Islamic culture?

"Anti-Islamic doctrine is in-built in the Western ethos that was formulated during the Crusades," she says. "This was the period when the Western world was re-defining itself. The 11th century marked the end of the Dark Ages in Europe and the beginnings of the new Europe. The Crusades were the first co-operative act on the part of the whole new Europe, and the whole crusading ethos shaped the psyche of the key actors performing at this crucial time."

"Islam was the quintessential foreigner, and people resented Islam in Europe much as people in the Third World resent the US today. One could say that Islam then was the greatest world power, and it remained so up until the early years of the Ottoman empire. Muslims were everywhere in the Middle East, Turkey, Iran, South- East Asia, China. Wherever people went, there was Islam, and it was powerful, and people felt it as a threat."

The period of the Crusades was a crucial historical moment during which the West was defining itself, and Islam became a yardstick against which it measured itself. "Islam was everything that the West thought it was not, and it was at the time of the Crusades that the idea that Islam was essentially a violent religion took hold in the West. "Europe was projecting anxiety about its own behaviour onto Islam, and it did the same thing too with the Jewish people," Armstrong said.
Even in non-religious societies such as England, Armstrong believes that prejudice against Islam remains, saying that "I think it is in-built into people that Islam is a violent religion." These hostile feelings were given a new lease of life during the colonial period, Armstrong believes, since many of the colonised countries were Muslim countries, and the colonial powers saw in them what they regarded as 'backwardness' , attributing this to Islam.

Although she feels that university campuses are almost the only places in the US where big questions are asked, Armstrong says that the events of 11 September divided US academics into two camps. The first camp, led by Martin Kramer, head of the Near and Middle East Studies Institute in Washington DC, accused Armstrong, together with academics such as John Esposito, head of Islamic-Christian Dialogue at Georgetown University, of 'duping' people into believing that Islam was not a threat, an argument Kramer claimed had been proved wrong by the attacks. Only a few weeks after 11 September, Kramer wrote an article, Ivory Towers Built on Sand, in which he put the blame squarely on academics for failing to predict the atrocities.

Armstrong explains how the media in the US attempted to silence opposing voices after 11 September. For example, she had been commissioned by the New Yorker magazine to write an article on Islam, but the article was killed and the magazine published one by the academic Bernard Lewis instead.

"They thought I am an apologist for Muslims, because my article was about the prophet as a peacemaker, and this did not suit their agenda as much as Lewis's did. Both Lewis and Kramer are staunch Zionists who write from a position of extreme bias. But people need to know that Islam is a universal religion, and that there is nothing aggressively oriental or anti-Western about it. Lewis's line, on the other hand, is that Islam is an inherently violent religion," she said.

Earlier, in the mid 1980s, Armstrong was commissioned by Channel Four television in Britain to make a documentary about the life of St. Paul. This required visits to the Holy Land and to Jerusalem. However, when Armstrong went to Israel and saw the kind of racism against Arabs that dominated Israeli society, she realised that "there was something fundamentally wrong" going on in Israel.

"I was deeply shocked that people could call other people 'dirty Arabs' when some 30 or 40 years before they had talked in Europe about 'dirty Jews'. I was struck by the inability of the Jewish people to learn from past sufferings, but of course it is human nature that suffering does not make us better. The problem with Israel now is that it cannot believe that it is not 1939 any more; the Israeli people are emotionally stuck in the horrors of the Nazi era," she says.

Could it be that this is an Israeli ploy to manipulate public opinion? Armstrong answers that "I don't think that this is the case at a profound level. Of course, there are politicians who will use this, but I think there is a profound inability among Israelis to believe that they have left the past behind. They still regard the present as a period of Jewish weakness, when in fact it is a period of Jewish power."

"The West has to share a responsibility for what is happening in the Middle East. If it had not persecuted the Jews, there would not have been the need for the creation of the State of Israel. The Muslim world did nothing to the Jews, and the Palestinians are paying the price for the sins of Europe. Therefore, a solution has to be found because there will be no peace in the world without one. But if Israel has America behind it, it does not have to worry about what the rest of the world thinks. This gives a sense of omnipotence. At the moment there is no hope; they, the Israelis, can do what they want because America will always support them. I wish Europe would play a better role, but Mr Blair is running after Mr Bush like a poodle."

Armstrong believes that the Israeli occupation is responsible for the kind of violent resistance it meets from the Palestinians. "The resistance will be as ruthless and violent as the occupation is," she says. "Every occupation breeds its own kind of resistance." Armstrong believes that the phenomenon of the Palestinian suicide bombers has more to do with politics and hopelessness than it does with religion. "I don't think people sit at home and read the Qur'an and say, yes, I must go and bomb Israel. This is not how religion works, and I see just absolute hopelessness when people have nothing to lose. Palestinians don't have F- 16s, and they don't have tanks. They don't have anything to match Israel's arsenal. They only have their own bodies."

"Violence of any sort always breads violence, and the occupation itself is an act of extreme violence, domination and oppression. The way things have been moving has been aggressively against the Palestinians. "

While she believes that there has been a shift in the way British public opinion views the Palestinian struggle, she warns that the killing of civilians could create a backlash. "In the news coverage after every suicide bombing you see Israeli mothers with their children talking in plain English about their sufferings. One does not get to see the same sufferings of the Palestinian mothers and their children, though they are the weaker party in the conflict."

Armstrong thinks that charges of anti-Semitism in Europe play into the hands of the Zionist lobby in America because "this will discredit anything Europe says. They say Europe is anti- Semitic because for the first time Europe is becoming aware of the plight of the Palestinians. It is part of a campaign to discredit European input in any future peace process."

Turning to the recent rise of the extreme right in European politics, Armstrong feels that this has been more hostile to Europe's Muslim population than it has to European Jews.

However, she says, "I think it has to do with race rather than religion, especially in Britain where people are uninterested in religion. The riots in places like Bradford, for example, had to do with race. In Northern Europe, there is very little interest in religion, or knowledge about religion. It is not the case here that people are fired with religious zeal when they go after Muslims, since they are not interested in religion at all. In America, on the other hand, people are interested in religion and want to know what Muslims believe. Here, they don't care; they simply don't want Muslims in their country. They want a white England for white English people."

"We have to take the extreme right- wing groups very seriously," she says. "This is the European form of fundamentalism; because we don't express discontent in a religious form it comes out in a right-wing way. It's the desire to belong to a clearly defined group combined with a pernicious fear of the other -- a sense of pent-up rage and disappointment with multi-cultural society giving way to this kind of emotion, which feeds into fundamentalism. "

Armstrong's Muhammad: a Biography of the Prophet has sold millions of copies since it appeared in 1996, and she has become used to accusations of being "an apologist for Islam", while not taking much notice of such rhetoric. "It is very nice that people think that the book was written by a Muslim," she says, "but what a religious scholar tries to do is to enter into a religion by a leap of the imagination, in order to understand not just the beliefs, or the history and doctrine, but also the underlying feel of the religion, and I try to do this with all religions and not just with Islam. I did the same when I wrote the history of Judaism, and I am doing the same now that I am writing a biography of the Buddha."

Armstrong is currently also working on a history of the period from 800 BC to 200 AD when many great world faiths came into being. "Europe," she says, "is about the only place where religion does not matter much. People in Europe might need to rinse their minds of all their bad and lazy theology. People in Europe have not yet asked the big questions about religion; they have tried get rid of primitive forms of religion, but very often what we see in the churches today is exactly the kind of religion that these people are trying to get rid of... Jesus would be horrified by the practices of the church today. I would love to show him around the Vatican, when Christians cannot even share a church together. He would be appalled, much as Mohamed would be appalled if he knew that September 11th was done in the name of Islam."

How does she think that the Western world and Islam can come together? Is there any common ground between them?

Armstrong believes that both sides should try and deal with the extremism in their midst. "The West, like it or not, is a fact of life," she says. "Muslims should try to use the media; they have got to learn to lobby like the Jews, and they have got to have a Muslim lobby, if you like ....this is a jihad, an effort, a struggle, that is very important. If you want to change the media, then you have got to make people see that Islam is a force to be reckoned with politically and culturally. Have a march down the street at Ground Zero in New York, call it 'Muslims against Terror'. They need to learn how to manage the media and how to conduct themselves in the media."

"Similarly, the West has got to learn that it shares the planet with equals and not with inferiors. This means giving equal space in a conflict such as that between Israel and Palestine. It doesn't mean just using governments to get oil: you promote Saddam Hussein one day, and the next day he becomes public enemy number one. The West promoted people like the Shah of Iran simply because of its greed for oil, even though he had committed atrocities against his own people. There should be no more double standards, because double standards are colonialism in a new form. Western people have also got to disassociate themselves from inherited prejudices about Islam."

"Muslims can run a modern state in an Islamic way, and this is what the West has got to see... There are all kinds of ways in which people can be modern, and Muslims should be allowed to come to modernity on their own terms and make a distinctive Islamic contribution to it."
Karen Armstrong was interviewed by Omayma Abdel-Latif.

Peacemaking

Peacemaking    Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith

1. There is no good in most of their secret talks
Hadith 3.855 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad
There was a dispute amongst the people of the tribe of Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf. The Prophet went to them along with some of his companions in order to make peace between them. The time for the prayer became due but the Prophet did not turn up; Bilal pronounced the Adhan (i.e. call) for the prayer but the Prophet did not turn up, so Bilal went to Abu Bakr and said, "The time for the prayer is due and the Prophet is detained, would you lead the people in the prayer?" Abu Bakr replied, "Yes, if you wish." So, Bilal pronounced the Iqama of the prayer and Abu Bakr went ahead (to lead the prayer), but the Prophet came walking among the rows till he joined the first row. The people started clapping and they clapped too much, and Abu Bakr used not to look hither and thither in the prayer, but he turned round and saw the Prophet standing behind him. The Prophet beckoned him with his hand to keep on praying where he was. Abu Bakr raised his hand and praised Allah and then retreated till he came in the (first) row, and the Prophet went ahead and led the people in the prayer. When the Prophet finished the prayer, he turned towards the people and said, "O people! When something happens to you during the prayer, you start clapping. Really clapping is (permissible) for women only. If something happens to one of you in his prayer, he should say: 'Subhan Allah', (Glorified be Allah), for whoever hears him (saying so) will direct his attention towards him. O Abu Bakr! What prevented you from leading the people in the prayer when I beckoned to you (to continue)?" Abu Bakr replied, "It did not befit the son of Abu Quhafa to lead the prayer in front of the Prophet."

Hadith 3.856 Narrated by Anas
It was said to the Prophet "Would that you see Abdullah bin Ubai." So, the Prophet went to him, riding a donkey, and the Muslims accompanied him, walking on salty barren land. When the Prophet reached 'Abdullah bin Ubai, the latter said, "Keep away from me! By Allah, the bad smell of your donkey has harmed me." On that an Ansari man said (to 'Abdullah), "By Allah! The smell of the donkey of Allah's Apostle is better than your smell." On that a man from 'Abdullah's tribe got angry for 'Abdullah's sake, and the two men abused each other which caused the friends of the two men to get angry, and the two groups started fighting with sticks, shoes and hands. We were informed that the following Divine verse was revealed (in this concern): "And if two groups of believers fall to fighting then, make peace between them." (49.9)

2. The person making peace between the people
Hadith 3.857 Narrated by Um Kulthum bint Uqba
That she heard Allah's Apostle saying, "He who makes peace between the people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar."





3. Let us go to bring about Reconciliation
Hadith 3.858 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad
Once the people of Quba fought with each other till they threw stones on each other. When Allah's Apostle was informed about it, he said, "Let us go to bring about reconciliation between them."

4. Should they two reconcile with each other
Hadith 3.859 Narrated by Aisha
The following verse: If a woman fears cruelty or desertion on her husband's part (i.e. the husband notices something unpleasant about his wife, such as old age or the like, and wants to divorce her, but she asks him to keep her and provide for her as he wishes), (4.128) "There is no blame on them if they reconcile on such basis."

5. Being reconciled on illegal basis
Hadith 3.860 Narrated by Abu Huraira and Zaid bin Khalid Al Juhani
A Bedouin came and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Judge between us according to Allah's laws." His opponent got up and said, "He is right. Judge between us according to Allah's laws." The bedouin said, "My son was a laborer working for this man, and he committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife. The people told me that my son should be stoned to death; so, in lieu of that, I paid a ransom of one hundred sheep and a slave girl to save my son. Then I asked the learned scholars who said, "Your son has to be lashed one-hundred lashes and has to be exiled for one year." The Prophet said, "No doubt I will judge between you according to Allah's laws. The slave-girl and the sheep are to go back to you, and your son will get a hundred lashes and one year exile." He then addressed somebody, "O Unais! Go to the wife of this (man) and stone her to death." So, Unais went and stoned her to death.
Hadith 3.861 Narrated by Aisha
Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody innovates something which is not in harmony with the principles of our religion, that thing is rejected."

6. Writing the reconciliation
Hadith 3.862 Narrated by Al Bara bin Azib
When Allah's Apostle concluded a peace treaty with the people of Hudaibiya, Ali bin Abu Talib wrote the document and he mentioned in it, "Muhammad, Allah's Apostle." The pagans said, "Don't write: 'Muhammad, Allah's Apostle', for if you were an apostle we would not fight with you." Allah's Apostle asked Ali to rub it out, but Ali said, "I will not be the person to rub it out." Allah's Apostle rubbed it out and made peace with them on the condition that the Prophet and his companions would enter Mecca and stay there for three days, and that they would enter with their weapons in cases.

Hadith 3.863 Narrated by Al Bara
When the Prophet intended to perform 'Umra in the month of Dhul-Qada, the people of Mecca did not let him enter Mecca till he settled the matter with them by promising to stay in it for three days only. When the document of treaty was written, the following was mentioned: "These are the terms on which Muhammad, Allah's Apostle agreed (to make peace)." They said, "We will not agree to this, for if we believed that you are Allah's Apostle we would not prevent you, but you are Muhammad bin 'Abdullah." The Prophet said, "I am Allah's Apostle and also Muhammad bin 'Abdullah." Then he said to 'Ali, "Rub off (the words) 'Allah's Apostle' ", but 'Ali said, "No, by Allah, I will never rub off your name." So, Allah's Apostle took the document and wrote, "This is what Muhammad bin 'Abdullah has agreed upon: No arms will be brought into Mecca except in their cases, and nobody from the people of Mecca will be allowed to go with him (i.e. the Prophet) even if he wished to follow him and he (the Prophet ) will not prevent any of his companions from staying in Mecca if the latter wants to stay." When the Prophet entered Mecca and the time limit passed, the Meccans went to 'Ali and said, "Tell your friend (i.e. the Prophet ) to go out, as the period (agreed to) has passed." So, the Prophet went out of Mecca. The daughter of Hamza ran after them (i.e. the Prophet and his companions), calling, "O Uncle! O Uncle!" 'Ali received her and led her by the hand and said to Fatima, "Take your uncle's daughter." Zaid and Ja'far quarreled about her. 'Ali said, "I have more right to her as she is my uncle's daughter." Ja'far said, "She is my uncle's daughter, and her aunt is my wife." Zaid said, "She is my brother's daughter." The Prophet judged that she should be given to her aunt, and said that the aunt was like the mother. He then said to 'Ali, "You are from me and I am from you", and said to Ja'far, "You resemble me both in character and appearance", and said to Zaid, "You are our brother (in faith) and our freed slave."

7. Making peace with pagans
Hadith 3.864 Narrated by Ibn Umar
Allah's Apostle set out for the 'Umra but the pagans of Quraish prevented him from reaching the Ka'ba. So, he slaughtered his sacrifice and got his head shaved at Al-Hudaibiya, and agreed with them that he would perform 'Umra the following year and would not carry weapons except swords and would not stay in Mecca except for the period they allowed. So, the Prophet performed the 'Umra in the following year and entered Mecca according to the treaty, and when he stayed for three days, the pagans ordered him to depart, and he departed.
Hadith 3.865 Narrated by Sahl bin Abu Hathma
Abdullah bin Sahl and Muhaiyisa bin Mas'ud bin Zaid went to Khaibar when it had a peace treaty (with the Muslims).

8. Agreement about Diyya i.e. blood money
Hadith 3.866 Narrated by Anas
Ar-Rabi, the daughter of An-Nadr broke the tooth of a girl, and the relatives of Ar-Rabi' requested the girl's relatives to accept the Irsh (compensation for wounds etc.) and forgive (the offender), but they refused. So, they went to the Prophet who ordered them to bring about retaliation. Anas bin An-Nadr asked, "O Allah's Apostle! Will the tooth of Ar-Rabi' be broken? No, by Him who has sent you with the truth, her tooth will not be broken." The Prophet said, "O Anas! Allah's law ordains retaliation." Later the relatives of the girl agreed and forgave her. The Prophet said, "There are some of Allah's slaves who, if they take an oath by Allah, are responded to by Allah i.e. their oath is fulfilled). Anas added, "The people agreed and accepted the Irsh."

9. May Allah make peace between two big groups
Hadith 3.867 Narrated by Al Hasan Al Basri
By Allah, Al-Hasan bin Ali led large battalions like mountains against Muawiya. Amr bin Al-As said (to Muawiya), "I surely see battalions which will not turn back before killing their opponents." Muawiya who was really the best of the two men said to him, "O 'Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the jobs of the public, who would be left with me for their women, who would be left with me for their children?" Then Muawiya sent two Quraishi men from the tribe of 'Abd-i-Shams called 'Abdur Rahman bin Sumura and Abdullah bin 'Amir bin Kuraiz to Al-Hasan saying to them, "Go to this man (i.e. Al-Hasan) and negotiate peace with him and talk and appeal to him." So, they went to Al-Hasan and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-Hasan said, "We, the offspring of 'Abdul Muttalib, have got wealth and people have indulged in killing and corruption (and money only will appease them)." They said to Al-Hasan, "Muawiya offers you so and so, and appeals to you and entreats you to accept peace." Al-Hasan said to them, "But who will be responsible for what you have said?" They said, "We will be responsible for it." So, whatever Al-Hasan asked they said, "We will be responsible for it for you." So, Al-Hasan concluded a peace treaty with Muawiya. Al-Hasan (Al-Basri) said: I heard Abu Bakr saying, "I saw Allah's Apostle on the pulpit and Al-Hasan bin 'Ali was by his side. The Prophet was looking once at the people and once at Al-Hasan bin 'Ali saying, 'This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e. a noble) and may Allah make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him.' "

10. The Imam suggesting reconciliation
Hadith 3.868 Narrated by Aisha

Once Allah's Apostle heard the loud voices of some opponents quarreling at the door. One of them was appealing to the other to deduct his debt and asking him to be lenient but the other was saying, "By Allah I will not do so." Allah's Apostle went out to them and said, "Who is the one who was swearing by Allah that he would not do a favor?" That man said, "I am that person, O Allah's Apostle! I will give my opponent whatever he wishes."

Hadith 3.869 Narrated by Abdullah bin Kab bin Malik from Kab bin Malik
Abdullah bin Abu Hadrad Al-Aslami owed Kab bin Malik some money. One day the latter met the former and demanded his right, and their voices grew very loud. The Prophet passed by them and said, "O Ka'b," beckoning with his hand as if intending to say, "Deduct half the debts." So, Kab took half what the other owed him and remitted the other half.

11. Making peace and establishing justice
Hadith 3.870 Narrated by Abu Huraira
Allah's Apostle said, "There is a Sadaqa to be given for every joint of the human body; and for every day on which the sun rises there is a reward of a Sadaqa (i.e. charitable gift) for the one who establishes justice among people."

12. Defendant refusing reconciliation
Hadith 3.871 Narrated by Urwa bin Az Zubair
Az-Zubair told me that he quarreled with an Ansari man who had participated in (the battle of) Badr in front of Allah's Apostle about a water stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allah's Apostle said to Az-Zubair, "O Zubair! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor." The Ansari became angry and said, "O Allah's Apostle! Is it because he is your cousin?" On that the complexion of Allah's Apostle changed (because of anger) and said (to Az-Zubair), "Irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms)." So, Allah's Apostle gave Az-Zubair his full right. Before that Allah's Apostle had given a generous judgment beneficial for Az-Zubair and the Ansari, but when the Ansan irritated Allah's Apostle he gave Az-Zubair his full right according to the evident law. Az-Zubair said, "By Allah! I think the following verse was revealed concerning that case: "But no by your Lord They can have No faith Until they make you judge In all disputes between them." (4.65)

13. Reconciliation between creditors
Hadith 3.872 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah
My father died and was in debt. I suggested that his creditors take the fruits (i.e. dates) of my garden in lieu of the debt of my father, but they refused the offer, as they thought that it would not cover the full debt. So, I went to the Prophet and told him about it. He said (to me), "When you pluck the dates and collect them in the mirbad (i.e. a place where dates are dried), call me (Allah's Apostle)." Finally he came accompanied by Abu Bakr and 'Umar and sat on the dates and invoked Allah to bless them. Then he said, "Call your creditors and give them their full rights." So, I paid all my father's creditors in full and yet thirteen extra wasqs of dates remained, seven of which were 'ajwa and six were laun or six of which were 'ajwa and seven were laun. I met Allah's Apostle at sunset and informed him about it. On that he smiled and said, "Go to Abu Bakr and 'Umar and tell them about it." They said, "We perceived that was going to happen, as Allah's Apostle did what he did."

14. Reconciliation in dispute concerning debts
Hadith 3.873 Narrated by Abdullah bin Kab
That Ka'b bin Malik told him that in the lifetime of Allah's Apostle he demanded his debt from Ibn Abu Hadrad in the mosque. Their voices grew louder till Allah's Apostle heard them while he was in his house. So he lifted the curtain of his room and called Ka'b bin Malik saying, "O Ka'b!" He replied, "Labbaik! O Allah's Apostle!" He beckoned to him with his hand suggesting that he deduct half the debt. Ka'b said, "I agree, O Allah's Apostle!" Allah's Apostle then said (to Ibn Abu Hadrad), "Get up and pay him the rest."

Hadees on ADHAN

Hadees on ADHAN       Sahih Bukhari Hadith

1. 'Whenever you pronounce Adhan for prayer ...'
Hadith 1.577 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The people mentioned the fire and the bell (they suggested those as signals to indicate the starting of prayers), and by that they mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to pronounce Adhan for the prayer by saying its wordings twice and for the Iqama (the call for the actual standing for the prayers in rows) by saying its wordings once. (Iqama is pronounced when the people are ready for the prayer).
Hadith 1.578 Narrated by Ibn Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When the Muslims arrived at Medina, they used to assemble for the prayer, and used to guess the time for it. During those days, the practice of Adhan for the prayers had not been introduced yet. Once they discussed this problem regarding the call for prayer. Some people suggested the use of a bell like the Christians, others proposed a trumpet like the horn used by the Jews, but 'Umar was the first to suggest that a man should call (the people) for the prayer; so Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered Bilal to get up and pronounce the Adhan for prayers.


2. Repeating the wording of Adhan twice

Hadith 1.579 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Bilal was ordered to repeat the wording of the Adhan for prayers twice, and to pronounce the wording of the Iqama once except "Qad-qamat-is-Salat".

Hadith 1.580 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When the number of Muslims increased they discussed the question as to how to know the time for the prayer by some familiar means. Some suggested that a fire be lit (at the time of the prayer) and others put forward the proposal to ring the bell. Bilal was ordered to pronounce the wording of Adhan twice and of the Iqama once only.


3. Repeating the wording of Iqama once

Hadith 1.581 Narrated by Abu Qilaba (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Anas said, "Bilal was ordered to pronounce the wording of Adhan twice and of Iqama once only." The sub narrator Isma'il said, "I mentioned that to Aiyub and he added (to that), 'Except Iqama (i.e. Qad-Qamatis-Salat which should be said twice).' "

4. Superiority of Adhan

Hadith 1.582 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed."


5. Raising the voice in pronouncing Adhan

Hadith 1.583 Narrated by Abdul Rahman (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri told my father, "I see you liking sheep and the wilderness. So whenever you are with your sheep or in the wilderness and you want to pronounce Adhan for the prayer raise your voice in doing so, for whoever hears the Adhan, whether a human being, a jinn or any other creature, will be a witness for you on the Day of Resurrection." Abu Said added, "I heard it (this narration) from Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)."


6. To suspend fighting on hearing Adhan

Hadith 1.584 Narrated by Humaid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Anas bin Malik said, "Whenever the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went out with us to fight (in Allah's cause) against any nation, he never allowed us to attack till morning and he would wait and see: if he heard Adhan he would postpone the attack and if he did not hear Adhan he would attack them." Anas added, "We reached Khaibar at night and in the morning when he did not hear the Adhan for the prayer, he (the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ) rode and I rode behind Abi Talha and my foot was touching that of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).
The inhabitants of Khaibar came out with their baskets and spades and when they saw the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) they shouted 'Muhammad! (Sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) By Allah, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and his army.' When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) saw them, he said, 'Allahu-Akbar! Allahu-Akbar! Khaibar is ruined. Whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight), then evil will be the morning of those who have been warned.' "


7. What to say on hearing Adhan

Hadith 1.585 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Whenever you hear the Adhan, say what the Mu'adhdhin is saying."

Hadith 1.586 Narrated by Isa bin Talha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
That he had heard Muawiya repeating the words of Adhan up to "Wa ash-hadu Anna Muhammadan Rasulul-lah (and I testify that Muhammad is Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).)"

Hadith 1.587 Narrated by Yahya (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) as above (586) and added
"Some of my companions told me that Hisham had said, 'When the Mu'adhdhin said, "Haiya alas-sala(t) (come for the prayer)." ' Muawiya said, "La hawla wala quwata illa billah (There is neither might nor any power except with Allah)" and added, "We heard your Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) saying the same."


8. Invocation at the time of Adhan

Hadith 1.588 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Whoever after listening to the Adhan says, 'Allahumma Rabba hadhihi-d-da' watit-tammati was-salatil qa'imati, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wal-fadilata, wab' athhu maqaman mahmudan-il-ladhi wa' adtahu (O Allah! Lord of this perfect call (of not ascribing partners to You) and of the regular prayer which is going to be established! Kindly give Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) the right of intercession and superiority and send him (on the Day of Judgment) to the best and the highest place in Paradise which you promised him)', then intercession for me will be permitted for him on the Day of Resurrection)."


9. Drawing lots for pronouncing the Adhan

Hadith 1.589 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in congregational prayers) and found no other way to get that except by drawing lots they would draw lots, and if they knew the reward of the Zuhr prayer (in the early moments of its stated time) they would race for it (go early) and if they knew the reward of 'Isha' and Fajr (morning) prayers in congregation, they would come to offer them even if they had to crawl."

10. Talking during the Adhan

Hadith 1.590 Narrated by Abdullah bin Al Harith (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once on a rainy muddy day, Ibn 'Abbas delivered a sermon in our presence and when the Mu'adhdhin pronounced the Adhan and said, "Haiya ala-s-sala(t) (come for the prayer)" Ibn 'Abbas ordered him to say "Pray at your homes." The people began to look at each other (surprisingly). Ibn 'Abbas said. "It was done by one who was much better than I (i.e. the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) or his Mu'adhdhin), and it is a license."


11. Adhan pronounced by a blind man

Hadith 1.591 Narrated by Salim bin Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said that Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Bilal pronounces 'Adhan at night, so keep on eating and drinking (Suhur) till Ibn Um Maktum pronounces Adhan." Salim added, "He was a blind man who would not pronounce the Adhan unless he was told that the day had dawned."


12. Adhan after dawn

Hadith 1.592 Narrated by Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When the Mu'adhdhin pronounced the Adhan for Fajr prayer and the dawn became evident the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered a two Rakat light prayer (Sunna) before the Iqama of the compulsory (congregational) prayer.

Hadith 1.593 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to offer two light Rakat between the Adhan and the Iqama of the Fajr prayer.

Hadith 1.594 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Bilal pronounces the Adhan at night, so keep on eating and drinking (Suhur) till Ibn Um Maktum pronounces the Adhan."


13. Adhan before dawn

Hadith 1.595 Narrated by Abdullah bin Masud (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Adhan pronounced by Bilal should not stop you from taking Suhur, for he pronounces the Adhan at night, so that the one offering the late night prayer (Tahajjud) from among you might hurry up and the sleeping from among you might wake up. It does not mean that dawn or morning has started." Then he (the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)) pointed with his fingers and raised them up (towards the sky) and then lowered them (towards the earth) like this (Ibn Mas'ud imitated the gesture of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)). Az-Zuhri gestured with his two index fingers which he put on each other and then stretched them to the right and left. These gestures illustrate the way real dawn appears. It spreads left and right horizontally. The dawn that appears in the high sky and lowers down is not the real dawn) .

Hadith 1.596 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Bilal pronounces the Adhan at night, so eat and drink (Suhur) till Ibn Um Maktum pronounces the Adhan."


14. The interval between the Adhan and the Iqama

Hadith 1.597 Narrated by Abdullah bin Mughaffal Al Muzani (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said thrice, "There is a prayer between the two Adhans (Adhan and Iqama)," and added, "For the one who wants to pray."

Hadith 1.598 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
"When the Mu'adhdhin pronounced the Adhan, some of the companions of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) would proceed to the pillars of the mosque (for the prayer) till the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) arrived and in this way they used to pray two Rakat before the Maghrib prayer. There used to be a little time between the Adhan and the Iqama." Shu'ba said, "There used to be a very short interval between the two (Adhan and Iqama)."


15. Waiting for the Imam of the prayer

Hadith 1.599 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray two light Rakat before the morning (compulsory) prayer after the day dawned and the Mu'adhdhin had finished his Adhan. He then would lie on his right side till the Mu'adhdhin came to pronounce the Iqama.


16. Optional prayers between Adhan and Iqama

Hadith 1.600 Narrated by Abdullah bin Mughaffal (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "There is a prayer between the two Adhans (Adhan and Iqama), there is a prayer between the two Adhans." And then while saying it the third time he added, "For the one who wants to (pray)."

17. Saying there should be one Mu'adhdhin

Hadith 1.601 Narrated by Malik bin Huwairth (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) with some men from my tribe and stayed with him for twenty nights. He was kind and merciful to us. When he realized our longing for our families, he said to us, "Go back and stay with your families and teach them the religion, and offer the prayer and one of you should pronounce the Adhan for the prayer when its time is due and the oldest one amongst you should lead the prayer."

18. Adhan and Iqama if travelers are many

Hadith 1.602 Narrated by Abu Dhar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
We were in the company of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) on a journey and the Mu'adhdhin wanted to pronounce the Adhan for the (Zuhr) prayer. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said to him, "Let it become cooler." Then he again wanted to pronounce the Adhan but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam); said to him, "Let it become cooler." The Mu'adhdhin again wanted to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Let it become cooler," till the shadows of the hillocks become equal to their sizes. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) added, "The severity of the heat is from the raging of Hell."

Hadith 1.603 Narrated by Malik bin Huwairth (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Two men came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) with the intention of a journey. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When (both of) you set out, pronounce Adhan and then Iqama and the oldest of you should lead the prayer."

Hadith 1.604 Narrated by Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
We came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and stayed with him for twenty days and nights. We were all young and of about the same age. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was very kind and merciful. When he realized our longing for our families, he asked about our homes and the people there and we told him. Then he asked us to go back to our families and stay with them and teach them (the religion) and to order them to do good things. He also mentioned some other things which I have (remembered or) forgotten. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) then added, "Pray as you have seen me praying and when it is the time for the prayer one of you should pronounce the Adhan and the oldest of you should lead the prayer."

Hadith 1.605 Narrated by Nafi (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once in a cold night, Ibn 'Umar pronounced the Adhan for the prayer at ,Dajnan (the name of a mountain) and then said, "Pray at your homes", and informed us that Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to tell the Mu'adhdhin to pronounce Adhan and say, "Pray at your homes" at the end of the Adhan on a rainy or a very cold night during the journey."

Hadith 1.606 Narrated by Aun bin Abi Juhaifa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "I saw Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) at a place called Al-Abtah. Bilal came and informed him about the prayer and then came out with an Anza and planted it in front of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) at Al-Abtah and pronounced the Iqama."

19. Mu'adhdhin turning his face during Adhan

Hadith 1.607 Narrated by Aun bin Abi Juhaifa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "I saw Bilal (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) turning his face from side to side while pronouncing the Adhan for the prayer."

20. The statement: "We have missed the prayer"

Hadith 1.608 Narrated by Abdullah bin Abi Qatada (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "While we were praying with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) he heard the noise of some people. After the prayer he said, 'What is the matter?' They replied 'We were hurrying for the prayer.' He said, 'Do not make haste for the prayer, and whenever you come for the prayer, you should come with calmness, and pray whatever you get (with the people) and complete the rest which you have missed.' "

21. Running for the prayer

Hadith 1.609 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When you hear the Iqama, proceed to offer the prayer with calmness and solemnity and do not make haste. And pray whatever you are able to pray and complete whatever you have missed."

22. Getting up for prayer during Iqama

Hadith 1.610 Narrated by Abdullah bin Abi Qatada (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said. "Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'If the Iqama is pronounced then do not stand for the prayer till you see me (in front of you).' "

23. Getting up with calmness and solemnity

Hadith 1.611 Narrated by Abdullah bin Abi (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Qatada (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), My father said, "Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'If the Iqama is pronounced, then do not stand for the prayer till you see me (in front of you) and do it calmly.' "

24. Leaving the mosque with genuine excuse

Hadith 1.612 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went out (of the mosque) when the Iqama had been pronounced and the rows straightened. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stood at his Musalla (praying place) and we waited for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) to begin the prayer with Takbir. He left and asked us to remain in our places. We kept on standing till the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) returned and the water was trickling from his head for he had taken a bath (of Janaba).

25. Imam saying: "Remain in your places .."

Hadith 1.613 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once iqama was pronounced and the people had straightened the rows, Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went forward (to lead the prayer) but he was Junub, so he said, "Remain in your places." And he went out, took a bath and returned with water trickling from his head. Then he led the prayer.

26. "We have not prayed"

Hadith 1.614 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
On the day of Al-Khandaq (the trench), 'Umar bin Al-Khattab (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) went to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and said, "O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! By Allah, I could not pray (the 'Asr) till the sun had set." 'Umar told this to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) at the time when a fasting person had done Iftar (taken his meals). The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) then went to Buthan and I was with him. He performed ablution and offered the 'Asr prayer after the sun had set and then the Maghrib prayer.

27. The Imam confronted with a problem after Iqama

Hadith 1.615 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once the Iqama was pronounced and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was talking to a man (in a low voice) in a corner of the mosque and he did not lead the prayer till (some of) the people had slept (dozed in a sitting posture).

28. Talking after the Iqama

Hadith 1.616 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once Iqama was pronounced a man came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and detained him (from the prayer).

29. Congregational prayer is obligatory

Hadith 1.617 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "By Him in Whose Hand my soul is I was about to order for collecting firewood (fuel) and then order someone to pronounce the Adhan for the prayer and then order someone to lead the prayer then I would go from behind and burn the houses of men who did not present themselves for the (compulsory congregational) prayer.”
“By Him, in Whose Hands my soul is, if anyone of them had known that he would get a bone covered with good meat or two (small) pieces of meat present in between two ribs, he would have turned up for the 'Isha' prayer.'”

30. Superiority of congregational prayer

Hadith 1.618 Narrated by Abdullah bin Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty seven times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

Hadith 1.619 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The prayer in congregation is twenty five times superior to the prayer offered by person alone."

Hadith 1.620 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The reward of the prayer offered by a person in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of the prayer offered in one's house or in the market (alone). And this is because if he performs ablution and does it perfectly and then proceeds to the mosque with the sole intention of praying, then for every step he takes towards the mosque, he is upgraded one degree in reward and his one sin is taken off (crossed out) from his accounts (of deeds). When he offers his prayer, the angels keep on asking Allah's blessings and Allah's forgiveness for him as long as he is (staying) at his Musalla. They say, 'O Allah! Bestow Your blessings upon him, be Merciful and kind to him.' And one is regarded in prayer as long as one is waiting for the prayer."


31. Superiority of Fajr prayer in congregation

Hadith 1.621 Narrated by Abu Salama bin Abdur Rahman (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "I heard Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) saying, 'The reward of a prayer in congregation is twenty five times greater than that of a prayer offered by a person alone. The angels of the night and the angels of the day gather at the time of Fajr prayer.' “Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) then added, "Recite the Holy Book if you wish, for 'ndeed, the recitation of the Qur'an in the early dawn (Fajr prayer) is ever witnessed.' “(17.18).
Narrated 'Abdullah bin 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu): The reward of the congregational prayer is twenty seven times greater (than that of the prayer offered by a person alone).

Hadith 1.622 Narrated by Salim (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I heard Um Ad-Darda' (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) saying, "Abu Ad-Darda' (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) entered the house in an angry mood. I said to him. 'What makes you angry?' He replied, 'By Allah! I do not find the followers of Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) doing those good things (which they used to do before) except the offering of congregational prayer.' “(This happened in the last days of Abu Ad-Darda (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) ' during the rule of 'Uthman).

Hadith 1.623 Narrated by Abu Musa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The people who get tremendous reward for the prayer are those who are farthest away (from the mosque) and then those who are next farthest and so on. Similarly one who waits to pray with the Imam has greater reward than one who prays and goes to bed. "

32. Superiority of offering the Zuhr prayer early

Hadith 1.624 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "While a man was going on a way, he saw a thorny branch and removed it from the way and Allah became pleased by his action and forgave him for that." Then the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Five are martyrs: One who dies of plague, one who dies of an abdominal disease, one who dies of drowning, one who is buried alive (and) dies and one who is killed in Allah's cause." (The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) further said, "If the people knew the reward for pronouncing the Adhan and for standing in the first row (in the congregational prayer) and found no other way to get it except by drawing lots they would do so, and if they knew the reward of offering the Zuhr prayer early (in its stated time), they would race for it and they knew the reward for 'Isha' and Fajr prayers in congregation, they would attend them even if they were to crawl.")


33. Every step towards good deeds is rewarded

Hadith 1.625 Narrated by Humaid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'O Bani Salima! Don't you think that for every step of yours (that you take towards the mosque) there is a reward (while coming for prayer)?' “Mujahid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said: "Regarding Allah's statement: 'We record that which they have sent before (them), and their traces' (36.12).’Their traces' means 'their steps.' " And Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said that the people of Bani Salima wanted to shift to a place near the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) but Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) disliked the idea of leaving their houses uninhabited and said, "Don't you think that you will get the reward for your footprints." Mujahid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "Their footprints mean their footsteps and their going on foot."

Qur’an: 36.12
Verily we shall give life to the dead and we record that which they sent before and that which they leave behind and of all things have we taken account in a clear Book (of evidence).

34. Superiority of 'Isha' prayer in congregation

Hadith 1.626 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "No prayer is harder for the hypocrites than the Fajr and the 'Isha' prayers and if they knew the reward for these prayers at their respective times, they would certainly present themselves (in the mosques) even if they had to crawl." The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) added, "Certainly I decided to order the Mu'adhdhin (call-maker) to pronounce Iqama and order a man to lead the prayer and then take a fire flame to burn all those who had not left their houses so far for the prayer along with their houses."

35. Two or more persons are a group

Hadith 1.627 Narrated by Malik bin Huwairth (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said (to two persons), "Whenever the prayer time becomes due, you should pronounce Adhan and then Iqama and the older of you should lead the prayer."

36. Reward for waiting for the prayer

Hadith 1.628 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The angels keep on asking for Allah's blessing and forgiveness for anyone of you as long as he is at his Musalla (praying place) and does not do Hadath (passes wind). The angels say, 'O Allah! Forgive him and be Merciful to him.' Each one of you is in the prayer as long as he is waiting for the prayer and nothing but the prayer detains him from going to his family."

Hadith 1.629 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah will give shade, to seven, on the Day when there will be no shade but His. (These seven persons are) a just ruler, a youth who has been brought up in the worship of Allah (i.e. worships Allah sincerely from childhood), a man whose heart is attached to the mosques (i.e. to pray the compulsory prayers in the mosque in congregation), two persons who love each other only for Allah's sake and they meet and part in Allah's cause only, a man who refuses the call of a charming woman of noble birth for illicit intercourse with her and says: I am afraid of Allah, a man who gives charitable gifts so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given (i.e. nobody knows how much he has given in charity), and a person who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears."

Hadith 1.630 Narrated by Humaid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was asked, "Did Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) wear a ring?" He said, "Yes. Once he delayed the 'Isha' prayer till midnight and after the prayer, he faced us and said, 'The people prayed and have slept and you remained in prayer as long as you waited for it.' “Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added, "As if I were just now observing the glitter of his ring."

37. Superiority of going to mosque for congregation

Hadith 1.631 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Allah will prepare for him who goes to the mosque (every) morning and in the afternoon (for the congregational prayer) an honorable place in Paradise with good hospitality for (what he has done) every morning and afternoon going”.

38. Only compulsory prayer after Iqama

Hadith 1.632 Narrated by Malik Ibn Buhaina (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) passed by a man praying two Rakat after the Iqama (had been pronounced). When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) completed the prayer, the people gathered around him (the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)) or that man and Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said to him (protesting): "Are there four Rakat in Fajr prayer? Are there four Rakat in Fajr prayer?"

39. A patient attending congregational prayers

Hadith 1.633 Narrated by Al Aswad (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
"We were with 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) discussing the regularity of offering the prayer and dignifying it. She said, 'When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) fell sick with the fatal illness and when the time of prayer became due and Adhan was pronounced, he said, 'Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in prayer.' He was told that Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was a softhearted man and would not be able to lead the prayer in his place. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) gave the same order again but he was given the same reply. He gave the order for the third time and said, 'You (women) are the companions of Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer.' So Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) came out to lead the prayer. In the meantime the condition of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) improved a bit and he came out with the help of two men one on each side. As if I was observing his legs dragging on the ground owing to the disease. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) wanted to retreat but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him to remain at his place and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was brought till he sat beside Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)." Al-A'mash (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was asked, "Was the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) praying and Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) following him, and were the people following Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) in that prayer?" Al-A'mash (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) replied in the affirmative with a nod of his head. Abu Muawiya (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was sitting on the left side of Abu Bakr who was praying while standing."

Hadith 1.634 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
"When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became seriously ill and his disease became aggravated he asked for permission from his wives to be nursed in my house and he was allowed. He came out with the help of two men and his legs were dragging on the ground. He was between Al-'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and another man."
'Ubaidullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "I told Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) what 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) had narrated and he said, 'Do you know who was the (second) man whose name 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) did not mention?' I said, 'No.' Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, 'He was 'Ali Ibn Abi Talib (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu).' "

40. Praying at home

Hadith 1.635 Narrated by Nafi (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once on a very cold and stormy night, Ibn 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) pronounced the Adhan for the prayer and then said, "Pray in your homes." He (Ibn 'Umar) (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added. "On very cold and rainy nights Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to order the Mu'adhdhin to say, 'Pray in your homes.' "

Hadith 1.636 Narrated by Mahmuid bin Rabi Al Ansari (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
'Itban bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) used to lead his people (tribe) in prayer and was a blind man, he said to Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), "O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! At times it is dark and flood water is flowing (in the valley) and I am a blind man, so please pray at a place in my house so that I can take it as a Musalla (praying place)." So Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went to his house and said, "Where do you like me to pray?" 'Itban pointed to a place in his house and Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) offered the prayer there.


41. Can Imam offer prayers with only few present

Hadith 1.637 Narrated by Abdullah bin Al Harith (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) addressed us on a (rainy and) muddy day and when the Mu'adhdhin said, "Come for the prayer" Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) ordered him to say, "Pray in your homes." The people began to look at one another with surprise as if they did not like it. Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "It seems that you thought ill of it but no doubt it was done by one who was better than I (i.e. the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)). It (the prayer) is a strict order and I disliked to bring you out."
Ibn 'Abbas narrated the same as above but he said, "I did not like you to make you sinful (in refraining from coming to the mosque) and to come (to the mosque) covered with mud up to the knees."

Hadith 1.638 Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
A cloud came and it rained till the roof started leaking and in those days the roof used to be of the branches of date-palms. Iqama was pronounced and I saw Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)s prostrating in water and mud and even I saw the mark of mud on his forehead.

Hadith 1.639 Narrated by Anas bin Sirin (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I heard Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) saying, "A man from Ansar said to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), 'I cannot pray with you (in congregation).' He was a very fat man and he prepared a meal for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and invited him to his house. He spread out a mat for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), and washed one of its sides with water, and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed two Rakat on it." A man from the family of Al-Jaruid asked, "Did the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray the Duha (forenoon) prayer?" Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "I did not see him praying the Duha prayer except on that day."


42. If meal is ready after the Iqama is pronounced

Hadith 1.640 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If supper is served, and Iqama is pronounced one should start with the supper."

Hadith 1.641 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If the supper is served start having it before praying the Maghrib prayer and do not be hasty in finishing it."

Hadith 1.642 Narrated by Nafi (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Ibn 'Umar said, "Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'If the supper is served for anyone of you and the Iqama is pronounced, start with the supper and don't be in haste (and carry on eating) till you finish it.' "If food was served for Ibn 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and Iqama was pronounced, he never came to the prayer till he finished it (i.e. food) in spite of the fact that he heard the recitation (of the Qur'an) by the Imam (in the prayer). Narrated Ibn 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu): The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If anyone of you is having his meals, he should not hurry up till he is satisfied even if the prayer has been started."

43. Imam eating when called for prayer

Hadith 1.643 Narrated by Jafar bin Amr bin Umaiya (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "I saw Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) eating a piece of meat from the shoulder of a sheep and he was called for the prayer. He stood up, put down the knife and prayed but did not perform ablution.''

44. Doing domestic work after Iqama is pronounced

Hadith 1.644 Narrated by Al Aswad (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
That he asked 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) “What did the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) use to do in his house?" She replied, "He used to keep himself busy serving his family and when it was the time for prayer he would go for it."

45. Praying with intention of teaching the prayer

Hadith 1.645 Narrated by Aiyub (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Abu Qilaba (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "Malik bin Huwairith (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) came to this Mosque of ours and said, 'I pray in front of you and my aim is not to lead the prayer but to show you the way in which the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray.' I asked Abu Qilaba (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), 'How did he use to pray?' He replied, '(The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray) like this Sheikh of ours and the Sheikh used to sit for a while after the prostration, before getting up after the first Rak'a.' "

46. Religious learned men having precedence in leading the prayer

Hadith 1.646 Narrated by Abu Musa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
"The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became sick and when his disease became aggravated, he said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." 'Aisha(Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "He is a softhearted man and would not be able to lead the prayer in your place." The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said again, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in prayer." She repeated the same reply but he said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in prayer. You are the companions of Joseph." So the messenger went to Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) (with that order) and he led the people in prayer in the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith 1.647 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The mother of the believers: Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in his illness said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in prayer." I said to him, "If Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) stands in your place, the people would not hear him owing to his (excessive) weeping. So please order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added: I said to Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) , "Say to him: If Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) should lead the people in the prayer in your place, the people would not be able to hear him owing to his weeping; so please, order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) did so but Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Keep quiet! You are verily the Companions of Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer. “Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said to 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), "I never got anything good from you."

Hadith 1.648 Narrated by Az Zuhn (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Anas bin Malik Al-Ansari (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), told me, "Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) used to lead the people in prayer during the fatal illness of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) till it was Monday. When the people aligned (in rows) for the prayer the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) lifted the curtain of his house and started looking at us and was standing at that time. His face was (glittering) like a page of the Qur'an and he smiled cheerfully. We were about to be put to trial for the pleasure of seeing the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) retreated to join the row as he thought that the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) would lead the prayer. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned us to complete the prayer and he let the curtain fall. On the same day he died."

Hadith 1.649 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not come out for three days. The people stood for the prayer and Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) went ahead to lead the prayer. (In the meantime) the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) caught hold of the curtain and lifted it. When the face of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) appeared we had never seen a scene more pleasing than the face of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) as it appeared then. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned to Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer and then let the curtain fall. We did not see him (again) till he died.

Hadith 1.650 Narrated by Hamza bin Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became seriously ill, he was told about the prayer. He said, 'Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer.' 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, 'Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) is a softhearted man and he would be overpowered by his weeping if he recited the Qur'an.' He said to them, 'Tell him (Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)) to lead the prayer.' The same reply was given to him. He said again, 'Tell him to lead the prayer. You (women) are the companions of Joseph.' "

47. Standing by the side of the Imam

Hadith 1.651 Narrated by Urwas father (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ordered Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer during his illness and so he led them in prayer." 'Urwa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), a sub narrator, added, "Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) felt a bit relieved and came out and Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was leading the people. When Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) saw the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) he retreated but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him to remain there. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) sat beside Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was following the prayer of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr."

48. Leading the prayer while Imam comes

Hadith 1.652 Narrated by Sahl bin Sad As Saidi (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went to establish peace among Bani 'Amr bin 'Auf. In the meantime the time of prayer was due and the Mu'adhdhin went to Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and said, "Will you lead the prayer, so that I may pronounce the Iqama?" Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) replied in the affirmative and led the prayer. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) came while the people were still praying and he entered the rows of the praying people till he stood in the (first row). The people clapped their hands. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) never glanced sideways in his prayer but when the people continued clapping, Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) looked and saw Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him to stay at his place. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) raised his hands and thanked Allah for that order of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and then he retreated till he reached the first row. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) went forward and led the prayer. When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) finished the prayer, he said, "O Abu Bakr! (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) What prevented you from staying when I ordered you to do so?"
Abu Bakr replied, "How can Ibn Abi Quhafa (Abu Bakr) (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) dare to lead the prayer in the presence of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)?" Then Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Why did you clap so much? If something happens to anyone during his prayer he should say Subhan Allah. If he says so he will be attended to, for clapping is for women."

49. If people are equally proficient in the recitation of the Qur'an, who should lead prayer?

Hadith 1.653 Narrated by Malik bin Huwairth (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
We went to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and we were all young men and stayed with him for about twenty nights. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was very merciful. He said, "When you return home, impart religious teachings to your families and tell them to offer perfectly such and such a prayer at such and such a time and such and such a prayer at such and such a time. And all the time of the prayer one of you should pronounce the Adhan and the oldest of you should lead the prayer."

50. Imam leading prayer on a visit

Hadith 1.654 Narrated by Itban bin Malik Al Ansari (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) (came to my house and) asked permission for entering and I allowed him. He asked, "Where do you like me to pray in your house?" I pointed to a place which I liked. He stood up for prayer and we aligned behind him and he finished the prayer with Taslim and we did the same.

51. The Imam is appointed to be followed

Hadith 1.655 Narrated by Ubaidullah Ibn Abdullah bin Utba (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I went to 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and asked her to describe to me the illness of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "Yes. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became seriously ill and asked whether the people had prayed. We replied, 'No. O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! They are waiting for you.' He added, 'Put water for me in a trough.' " 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added, "We did so. He took a bath and tried to get up but fainted. When he recovered, he again asked whether the people had prayed. We said, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam),' He again said, 'Put water in a trough for me.' He sat down and took a bath and tried to get up but fainted again. Then he recovered and said, 'Have the people prayed?' We replied, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).' He said, 'Put water for me in the trough.' Then he sat down and washed himself and tried to get up but he fainted. When he recovered, he asked, 'Have the people prayed?' We said, 'No, they are waiting for you. O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! The people were in the mosque waiting for the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) for the 'Isha prayer. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) sent for Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer. The messenger went to Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and said, 'Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) orders you to lead the people in the prayer.' Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was a softhearted man, so he asked 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer but 'Umar replied, 'You are more rightful.' So Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) led the prayer in those days. When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) felt a bit better, he came out for the Zuhr prayer with the help of two persons one of whom was Al-'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). while Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was leading the people in the prayer. When Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) saw him he wanted to retreat but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him not to do so and asked them to make him sit beside Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and they did so. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was following the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) (in the prayer) and the people were following Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) (prayed) sitting."
'Ubaidullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added "I went to 'Abdullah bin 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and asked him, 'Shall I tell you what Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) has told me about the fatal illness of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)?' Ibn 'Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, 'Go ahead. I told him her narration and he did not deny anything of it but asked whether 'Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) told me the name of the second person (who helped the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) ) along with Al-Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). I said. 'No.' He said, 'He was 'Ali (Ibn Abi Talib) (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu).' "

Hadith 1.656 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The mother of the believers: Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) during his illness prayed at his house while sitting whereas some people prayed behind him standing. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned them to sit down. On completion of the prayer, he said, "The Imam is to be followed: bow when he bows, raise up your heads (stand erect) when he raises his head and when he says, 'Sami a-l-lahu liman-hamida ' (Allah heard those who sent praises to Him) say then 'Rabbana wa laka-l-hamd' (O our Lord! All the praises are for You), and if he prays sitting then pray sitting."

Hadith 1.657 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) rode a horse and fell down and the right side (of his body) was injured. He offered one of the prayers while sitting and we also prayed behind him sitting. When he completed the prayer, he said, "The Imam is to be followed. Pray standing if he prays standing and bow when he bows; rise when he rises; and if he says, 'Sami a-l-lahu-liman hamida', say then, 'Rabbana wa Lakal-hamd' and pray standing if he prays standing and pray sitting (all of you) if he prays sitting."
Humaid (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said: The saying of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) "Pray sitting, if he (Imam) prays sitting" was said in his former illness (during his early life) but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed sitting afterwards (in the last illness) and the people were praying standing behind him and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not order them to sit. We should follow the latest actions of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).

52. When should the followers prostrate?

Hadith 1.658 Narrated by Al Bara (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
(And he was not a liar) When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Sami a-l-lahu Liman hamida" none of us bent his back (for prostration) till the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prostrated and then we would prostrate after him.

Hadith 1.659 Narrated by Abu Ishaq (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
As above.

53. Sin of raising head before Imam does

Hadith 1.660 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Isn't he who raises his head before the Imam afraid that Allah may transform his head into that of a donkey or his figure (face) into that of a donkey?"

54. A slave or manumitted slave may lead the prayer

Hadith 1.661 Narrated by Ibn Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When the earliest emigrants came to Al-'Usba, a place in Quba', before the arrival of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), Salim (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), the slave of Abu Hudhaifa, who knew the Qur'an more than the others, used to lead them in prayer.

Hadith 1.662 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin were made your chief."

55. If the Imam does not offer prayers perfectly

Hadith 1.663 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If the Imam leads the prayer correctly then he and you will receive the rewards but if he makes a mistake (in the prayer) then you will receive the reward for the prayer and the sin will be his."

56. Praying behind a man who is victim of affliction

Hadith 1.664 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said to Abu-Dhar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), "Listen and obey (your chief) even if he is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin."

57. Standing on the right side of Imam

Hadith 1.665 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once I passed the night in the house of my aunt Maimuna (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) offered the 'Isha' prayer and then came to the house and offered four Rakat and slept. Later on, he woke up and stood for the prayer and I stood on his left side. He drew me to his right and prayed five Rakat and then two. He then slept till I heard him snoring (or heard his breath sounds). Afterwards he went out for the morning prayer.

58. Standing on the left side of Imam

Hadith 1.666 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
One night I slept at the house of (my aunt) Maimuna (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was there on that night. He performed ablution and stood up for the prayer. I joined him and stood on his left side but he drew me to his right and prayed thirteen Rakat and then slept till I heard his breath sounds. And whenever he slept, he used to breathe with audible sounds. The Mu'adhdhin came to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and he went out and prayed the morning prayer) without repeating the ablution.

59. Changing Imams just before prayer

Hadith 1.667 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once I passed the night in the house of my aunt Maimuna (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stood for the night prayer and I joined him and stood on his left side but he drew me to his right by holding me by the head.

60. Imam prolonging the prayer

Hadith 1.668 Narrated by Muadh bin Jabal (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I used to pray the 'Isha prayer with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and then go to lead my people in the prayer.

Hadith 1.669 Narrated by Amr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Jabir bin 'Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "Mu'adh bin Jabal (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) used to pray with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and then go to lead his people in prayer. Once he led the 'Isha' prayer and recited Surat 'Al-Baqra.' Somebody left the prayer and Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) criticized him. The news reached the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and he said to Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), 'You are putting the people to trial,' and repeated it thrice (or said something similar) and ordered him to recite two medium Suras of Mufassal." ('Amr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said that he had forgotten the names of those Suras).

61. Shortening the Qiyam standing in prayer.

Hadith 1.670 Narrated by Abu Masud (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
A man came and said, "O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! By Allah, I keep away from the morning prayer only because so and so prolongs the prayer when he leads us in it." The narrator said, "I never saw Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) more furious in giving advice than he was at that time. He then said, 'Some of you make people dislike good deeds (the prayer). So whoever among you leads the people in prayer should shorten it because among them are the weak, the old and the needy.' "

62. Prolonging the prayer when praying alone

Hadith 1.671 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "If anyone of you leads the people in the prayer, he should shorten it for amongst them are the weak, the sick and the old; and if anyone among your prays alone then he may prolong (the prayer) as much as he wishes.”

63. Complaining against Imam for prolonging prayer

Hadith 1.672 Narrated by Abu Masud (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
A man came and said, "O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! I keep away from the morning prayer because so-and-so (Imam) prolongs it too much." Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became furious and I had never seen him more furious than he was on that day. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "O people! Some of you make others dislike the prayer, so whoever becomes an Imam he should shorten the prayer, as behind him are the weak, the old and the needy.''

Hadith 1.673 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah Al Ansari (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once a man was driving two Nadihas (camels used for agricultural purposes) and night had fallen. He found Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) praying so he made his camel kneel and joined Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) in the prayer. The latter recited Surat "Al-Baqara"or Surat "An-Nisa", (so) the man left the prayer and went away. When he came to know that Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) had criticized him, he went to the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), and complained against Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said thrice, "O Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)! Are you putting the people to trial? It would have been better if you had recited “Sabbih Isma Rabbika-l-a-la (87), Wash-Shamsi wadu-haha (91), or Wal-laili Idha yaghsha (92), for the old, the weak and the needy pray behind you." Jabir (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said that Mu'adh (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) recited Sura Al-Baqara in the 'Isha' prayer.

Hadith 1.674 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray a short prayer (in congregation) but used to offer it in a perfect manner.

64. Shortening prayer on hearing child cries

Hadith 1.675 Narrated by Abdullah bin Abi Qatada (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
My father said, "The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, 'When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short, as I dislike to trouble the child's mother.' "

Hadith 1.676 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I never prayed behind any Imam a prayer lighter and more perfect than that behind the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and he used to cut short the prayer whenever he heard the cries of a child lest he should put the child's mother to trial.

Hadith 1.677 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "When I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother's passions."

Hadith 1.678 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), said, "Whenever I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother's passions."

65. Praying and then leading people in prayer

Hadith 1.679 Narrated by Jabir bin Abdullah (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Mu'adh used to pray with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and then go and lead his people (tribe) in the prayer.

66. Repeating Takbir of Imam

Hadith 1.680 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam), became ill in his fatal illness, someone came to inform him about the prayer, and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) told him to tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer. I said, "Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) is a softhearted man and if he stands for the prayer in your place, he would weep and would not be able to recite the Qur'an." The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." I said the same as before. He (repeated the same order and) on the third or the fourth time he said, "You are the companions of Joseph (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu). Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." So Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) led the prayer and meanwhile the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) felt better and came out with the help of two men; as if I see him just now dragging his feet on the ground. When Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) saw him, he tried to retreat but the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him to carry on. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) retreated a bit and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) sat on his (left) side. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was repeating the Takbir (Allahu Akbar) of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) for the people to hear.

67. Following the person who follows the Imam

Hadith 1.681 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
When Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) became seriously ill, Bilal came to him for the prayer. He said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." I said, "O Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam)! Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) is a softhearted man and if he stands in your place, he would not be able to make the people hear him. Will you order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) (to lead the prayer)?" The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." Then I said to Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), "Tell him, Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) is a softhearted man and if he stands in his place, he would not be able to make the people hear him. Would you order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer?' "Hafsa did so. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Verily you are the companions of Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." So Abu- Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) stood for the prayer. In the meantime Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) felt better and came out with the help of two persons and both of his legs were dragging on the ground till he entered the mosque. When Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) heard him coming, he tried to retreat but Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) beckoned him to carry on. The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) sat on his left side. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was praying while standing and Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) was leading the prayer while sitting. Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was following the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and the people were following Abu Bakr (in the prayer).

68. Imam relying on what people say

Hadith 1.682 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed two Rakat (instead of four) and finished his prayer. Dhul-Yadain (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) asked him whether the prayer had been reduced or whether he had forgotten. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) asked the people whether Dhul-Yadain (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was telling the truth. The people replied in the affirmative. Then Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stood up, offered the remaining two Rakat and then finished his prayer with Taslim and then said, "Allahu Akbar." He followed it with two prostrations like ordinary prostrations or a bit longer.

Hadith 1.683 Narrated by Abu Huraira
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed two Rakat of Zuhr prayer (instead of four) and he was told that he had prayed two Rakat only. Then he prayed two more Rakat and finished them with the Taslim followed by two prostrations.

69. Imam weeping during prayers

Hadith 1.684 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The mother of the faithful believers: Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in his last illness said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." I said, "If Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) stood in your place, he would not be able to make the people hear him owing to his weeping. So please order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the prayer." He said, "Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." I said to Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu), "Say to him, 'Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) is a softhearted man and if he stood in your place he would not be able to make the people hear him owing to his weeping. So order 'Umar (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer.' "Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) did so but Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Keep quiet. Verily you are the companions of (Prophet) Joseph. Tell Abu Bakr (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) to lead the people in the prayer." Hafsa (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said to me, "I never got any good from you."

70. Straightening the rows

Hadith 1.685 Narrated by An Numan bin Bashir (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Straighten your rows or Allah will alter your faces."

Hadith 1.686 Narrated by Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Straighten your rows, for I see you from behind my back.'

71. Imam facing followers during straightening rows

Hadith 1.687 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Once the Iqama was pronounced and Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) faced us and said, "Straighten your rows and stand closer together, for I see you from behind my back.'

72. The first row

Hadith 1.668 Narrated by Muadh bin Jabal (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I used to pray the 'Isha prayer with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) and then go to lead my people in the prayer.

73. Straightening of rows is obligatory

Hadith 1.689 Narrated by Abu Huraira (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "The Imam is (appointed) to be followed. So do not differ from him, bow when he bows, and say, 'Rabbana-lakal hamd' if he says 'Sami'a-l-lahu Liman hamida' and if he prostrates, prostrate (after him), and if he prays sitting, pray sitting all together, and straighten the rows for the prayer, as the straightening of the rows is amongst those things which make your prayer a correct and perfect one." (See Hadith No. 657).

Hadith 1.690 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Straighten your rows as the straightening of rows is essential for a perfect and correct prayer."

74. Sin of being out of alignment for prayers

Hadith 1.691 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I arrived at Medina and was asked whether I found any change since the days of Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam). I said, "I have not found any change except that you do not stand in alignment in your prayers."

75. Standing shoulder to shoulder

Hadith 1.692 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) said, "Straighten your rows for I see you from behind my back." Anas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) added, "Every one of us used to put his shoulder with the shoulder of his companion and his foot with the foot of his companion."

76. Imam drawing person from left side to right side

Hadith 1.693 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
I prayed with the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) one night and stood on his left side. Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) caught hold of my head from behind and drew me to his right and then offered the prayer and slept. Later the Mu'adhdhin came and the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stood up for prayer without performing ablution.

77. One woman can form a row

Hadith 1.694 Narrated by Anas bin Malik (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
One night an orphan and I offered the prayers behind the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in my house and my mother (Um Sulaim) (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) was standing behind us (by herself forming a row).

78. The right side of the mosque

Hadith 1.695 Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
One night I stood to the left of the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) in the prayer but he caught hold of me by the hand or by the shoulder (arm) till he made me stand on his right and beckoned with his hand (for me) to go from behind (him). (Al-Kashmaihani-Fateh al-Bari).

79. A Sutra or wall between the Imam and his followers

Hadith 1.696 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) used to pray in his room at night. As the wall of the room was low, the people saw him and some of them stood up to follow him in the prayer. In the morning they spread the news. The following night the Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) stood for the prayer and the people followed him. This went on for two or three nights. Thereupon Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) did not stand for the prayer the following night, and did not come out. In the morning, the people asked him about it. He replied that he was afraid that the night prayer might become compulsory.

80. The night prayer

Hadith 1.697 Narrated by Aisha (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) had a mat which he used to spread during the day and use as a curtain at night. So a number of people gathered at night facing it and prayed behind him.

Hadith 1.698 Narrated by Zaid bin Thabit (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu)
Allah’s Apostle (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) made a small room in the month of Ramadan (Sa'id (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said, "I think that Zaid bin Thabit (Radhiallah hu Taala anhu) said that it was made of a mat") and he prayed there for a few nights, and so some of his companions prayed behind him. When he came to know about it, he kept on sitting. In the morning, he went out to them and said, "I have seen and understood what you did. You should pray in your houses, for the best prayer of a person is that which he prays in his house except the compulsory prayers."