4.

Statement of Prayer

٤-

بيان الصلاة

Ibn ‘Abbas said he used to know that God’s Messenger had finished his prayer when he heard thetakbir. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said that when God’s Messenger uttered the salutation he sat no longer than it took to say, “O God, Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of glory and honour.” Muslim transmitted it.

Thauban said that when God’s Messenger finished his prayer he asked forgiveness three times and said, “O God, Thou art Peace, and peace comes from Thee. Blessed art Thou, O Possessor of glory and honour.” Muslim transmitted it.

Al-Mughira b. Shu'ba stated that the Prophet used to say after every prescribed prayer, “There is no god but God alone, who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent. O God, no one can withhold what Thou givest, or give what Thou withholdest, and riches cannot avail a wealthy person with Thee.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. az-Zubair said that when God’s Messenger uttered the salutation at the end of his prayer he used to say as loudly as he could. “There is no god but God alone who has no partner. To Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent. There is no might or power except in God. There is no god but God whom alone we worship. To Hirn belongs wealth, to Him belongs grace, and to Him is worthy praise accorded. There is no god but God to whom we are sincere in devotion, even though the infidels should disapprove’ (Al-Qur’an; 40:14). Muslim transmitted it.

Sa'd said he used to teach his sons the following words, saying that God’s Messenger was accustomed to use them when committing himself to God’s protection at the end of prayer, “O God, I seek refuge in Thee from cowardice, I seek refuge in Thee from niggardliness, I seek refuge in Thee from the vilest kind of life, I seek refuge in Thee from the seduction of the world and the punishment in the grave.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told of the poor Emigrants coming to God’s Messenger and saying, “The possessors of great wealth have obtained all the highest grades and lasting bliss.” When he asked what they meant they replied, “They pray as we do, they fast as we do, they give alms but we do not, and they set slaves free but we do not.” So God’s Messenger said, “Shall I not teach you something by which you will catch up on those who have preceded you and get ahead of those who come after you, only those who do as you do being more excellent than you?” On their replying, “Certainly, Messenger of God,” he said, “Extol God, declare His greatness, and praise Him thirty-three times after every prayer.” Abu Salih said that the poor Emigrants returned to God’s Messenger saying, “Our brethren, the possessors of property, have heard what we have done, and they have done the same,” to which he replied, “That is God’s grace, which He gives to whom He wishes.” (Al-Qur’an; 5:54; 57:21; 62:4.) (Bukhari and Muslim) What Abu Salih said is given up to the end only by Muslim. A version has, “Extol God ten times after every prayer, praise Him ten times, and declare His greatness ten times,” instead of thirty-three times given by Bukhari.

Ka'b b. ‘Ujra reported God’s Messenger as saying, “There are certain ejaculations the repeaters (or, performers)* of which after every prescribed prayer will never be caused disappointment:‘Glory be to God’ thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times.” * The transmitter gives this alternative, thus showing that he is not sure which word was used. Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone says ‘Glory be to God’ after every prayer thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-three times, ninety-nine times in all, and says to complete a hundred, ‘There is no god but God alone who has no partner; to Him belongs the kingdom, to Him praise is due, and He is omnipotent,’ his sins will be forgiven, even if they are as abundant as the foam of the sea.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Umama said that God’s Messenger was asked which supplication is most readily listened to, and replied, “What is offered in the latter part of the depth of the night and after the prescribed prayers.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘Uqba b. ‘Amir said that God’s Messenger ordered him to reciteal-Mu'awwidhat* after every prayer. * Suras 113 and 114 are commonly calledal-Mu'awwidhatan, this being the dual. Althoughal-Masabihhas the dual, theMishkathas the plural. In the notes to the Damascus edition it is suggested thatsuras109 and 112 may be added, but it is more probable that theMishkathas used the plural in error. Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Baihaqi, in[Kitab] ad-da‘awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

Anas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “To sit with people who make mention of God after the morning prayer till sunrise is more pleasing to me than setting free four of the descendants of Ishmael, and to sit with people who make mention of God after the afternoon prayer till the sun sets is more pleasing to me than setting four free.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone, prays the dawn prayer in a company, then sits making mention of God till the sun rises, then prays two rak'as, he will have a reward equivalent to that for ahajja* and an ‘umra.” He reported God’s Messenger as adding, “A perfect one, a perfect one, a perfect one.” * A pilgrimage to Mecca and neighbouring spots made at the proper season in Dhul Hijja. Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Al-Azraq b. Qais said that animam, of theirs whosekunyawas Abu Rimtha led them in prayer and said:I prayed this prayer, or one like it, along with God’s Messenger. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were standing in the front row on his right, and there was a man who had been present at the firsttakbirain the prayer. God’s Prophet prayed the prayer, then gave the salutation to his right and his left so that we saw the whiteness of his cheeks, then turned away as Abu Rimtha (meaning himself) has done. The man who had been present with him at the firsttakbirain the prayer then got up to pray another prayer, whereupon ‘Umar leaped up, and seizing him by the shoulders, shook him and said, “Sit down, for the People of the Book will perish for no other reason than that there was no interval between their prayers.” The Prophet raised his eyes and said, “God has made you say what is right, son of al-Khattab.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Zaid b. Thabit said:We were commanded to say after every prayer, 'Glory be to God’ thirty-three times, ‘Praise be to God’ thirty-three times, and ‘God is most great’ thirty-four times. One of the Ansar had a vision in sleep in which he was asked, “Has God’s Messenger commanded you to say ‘Glory be to God’ such and such a number of times after every prayer?” When the Ansari replied in his sleep that that was so, the visitant said, “Do it twenty-five times, and join to it ‘There is no god but God’ twenty-five times.” In the morning, when he went and told the Prophet, he said, “Do so." Ahmad, Nasa’i and DarimI transmitted it.

‘Ali said:I heard God’s Messenger say on the timbers of this pulpit, “If anyone recites the Throne verse (Al-Qur’an; 2:255) at the end of every prayer, nothing but death will prevent him from entering paradise; and if he recites it when he goes to bed, God will grant security to his house, his neighbour’s house, and the inhabitants of the little dwellings around him.” Baihaqi transmitted it inShu'ab al-iman, but said that itsisnadis weak.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. Ghanm reported the Prophet as saying, “If anyone says ten times before he departs and turns away his feet after the senset and the morning prayers, ‘There is no god but God alone who has no partner, to whom belongs the kingdom, to whom praise is due, in whose hand is good, who gives life, causes death, and is omnipotent,’ ten blessings will be recorded for him for every time he says it, ten evil deeds will be obliterated, he will be raised ten degrees, it will act as a charm for him from every unpleasantness and from the accursed devil, he will not be taken to account for any sin but polytheism, and he will be among those whose deeds are most excellent, except for one who may excel him by saying something more excellent than he did.” Ahmad transmitted it, and Tirmidhi transmitted something to the same effect from Abu Dharr up to “but polytheism”. He did not mention the sunset prayer, or “In whose hand is good", and he said this is ahasan sahih gharibtradition.

Imam Tirmidhi narrated it from Abu Dharr in a similar way up to the words "except Shirk." He, however, did not mention the Maghrib prayer and "the best prayer," and said: This Hadith is Hasan, Sahih, Gharib. Hasan.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said that the Prophet sent to Najd an expedition which took much booty and came back quickly. A man who had not gone out said, “We have never seen an expedition return more quickly or bring finer booty than this one," whereupon the Prophet said, “Shall I not indicate to you people who have most excellent booty and a most excellent return? They are people who have been present at the Morning Prayer, then sat making mention of God till the sun rose. Those have the quickest return and most excellent booty." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is agharibtradition and Hammad b. Abu Humaid the transmitter is weak in tradition.