13.

The Book of Forgetfulness (In Prayer)

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كتاب السهو

Ali who is bin Yahya (رضي الله تعالى عنه) narrated from his father that a paternal uncle of his who was present at Badr told him, that a man entered the masjid and prayed, and the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) was watching, but we did not realize. When he had finished, he came and greeted the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with Salam. He said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’. So, he went back and prayed, then he came to the Apostle of Allah ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) and he said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’. (This happened) two or three times. Then the man said to him, ‘by the One who has honored you, O Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم), I have tried my best; teach me’. He said, ‘when you get up to pray, perform wudu and do it well, then turn to face the Qibla and say the takbir. Then recite the Quran, then bow until you are at ease in bowing. Then stand up until you are standing straight, then prostrate until you are at ease prostrating, then sit up until you are at ease sitting, then prostrate until you are at ease prostrating, then get up, and continue doing that until you have finished your prayer’.

Ali bin Yahya bin Khallad bin Raf' bin Malik Al-Ansari narrated from his father that a paternal uncle of his, who had been at Badr, said, ‘I was sitting with the Apostle of Allah ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) in the masjid when a man came in and prayed two rak'a, then he came and greeted the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with Salam. The Prophet (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) had been watching him as he prayed, so he returned his Salam, then he said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’. So he went back and prayed, then he came back and greeted the Prophet ( صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم) with Salam. He returned the Salam, then he said, ‘Go back and pray, for you have not prayed’. The third or fourth time this happened, then the man said, ‘By the One Who revealed the Book to you, I have done my best and have tried hard; show me and teach me’. He said, ‘When you want to pray, perform wudu and do it well, then turn to face the Qibla and say the takbir. Then recite the Quran, then bow until you are at ease in bowing. Then stand up until you are standing straight, then prostrate until you are at ease prostrating, then sit up until you are at ease sitting, then prostrate until you are at ease prostrating, then get up. If you complete the prayer in this manner you will have done it properly, and whatever you do less than this is lacking from you prayer’.

Sa'd bin Hisham (رضي الله تعالى عنه) narrated, ‘I said, ‘O Mother of the believers! Tell me about the Witr of the Apostle of Allah (صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم)’. She said, ‘We used to prepare his siwak (tooth stick) and water for purification, then Allah (جَلَّ ذُو) would wake him when He willed to wake him at night. He would use the siwak and perform wudu, then pray eight rak'a, not sitting until the eighth rak'a, when he would sit and remember Allah (جَلَّ ذُو) and call upon Him. Then he would say the taslim loud enough for us to hear’.