Prayer

Abu Musa reported God’s Messenger as saying, “He who observes the two cool times of prayer (at dawn and after nightfall) will enter paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying:

Angels take turns among you by night and by day, and they all assemble at the dawn and the afternoon prayers. Those who spent the night among you then ascend, and their Lord asks them, yet He is best informed about them, “How did you leave My servants?” They reply, “We left them while they were praying, and we came to them while they were praying.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jundub al-Qasri reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When anyone prays the morning prayer he is in God’s protection; so see that God does not call you to account for withdrawing in any respect from His protection, for if He does this to anyone for any cause He will catch him and turn him over on his face in the fire of Jahannam.” Muslim transmitted it. Some MSS. of <i>al-Masabih</i> have al-Qushair instead of al-Qasri.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If people knew what blessing lies in the call to prayer and in the first row, then could do nothing but cast lots for it, they would do so; if they know what blessing lies in going to prayer early, they would race to do it i and if they knew what blessing lies in the prayer after nightfall and the morning prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s Messenger as saying, "No prayer is more burdensome to the hypocrites than the dawn and the evening prayer; but if they know what blessing lies in them, they would come to them even if they had to crawl to do so.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Uthman reported God’s Messenger as saying, "If anyone prays the evening prayer in company, it is as though he had remained awake in prayer half the night; but if anyone prays the Morning Prayer in company, it is as though he had prayed the whole night.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer <i>al-maghrib</i> (sunset) which the Bedouin call <i>al-'isha</i> (evening); and do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer <i>al-‘isha</i>, for it is mentioned as <i>al-‘isha</i> in God’s Book,[1] and for they use the verb from the root <i>‘atama</i> of milking camels at nightfall.” 1. (Al-Qur’an, 24:58.)

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,[2] "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,[3] the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!” 2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H. 3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn Mas'ud and Samura b. Jundub reported God's Messenger as saying, "The middle prayer is the afternoon prayer.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Concerning God’s words, “The recitation of the dawn is witnessed,” (Al-Qur’an, 17:78). Abu Huraira quoted the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, "The angels of the night and the angels of the day are present at it.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Zaid b. Thabit and ‘A’isha said that the middle prayer is the noon prayer. Malik transmitted it from Zaid and Tirmidhi from both of them without a full <i>isnad</i>.

Zaib b. Thabit said that God’s Messenger used to pray the noon prayer in the extreme heat, observing no prayer more severe to his companions than it. Then was revealed, “And observe carefully the prayers and the middle prayer”; (Al-Qur’an, 2:238) and he said, “Before it there are two times of prayer and after it there are two times of prayer.” Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Malik heard that ‘Ali b. Abu Talib and ‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas used to say, “The middle prayer is the morning prayer.” He transmitted it in <i>al-Muwatta’</i>, and Tirmidhi transmitted it from Ibn ‘Abbas and Ibn ‘Umar without a full <i>isnad</i>.

Salman said that he heard God’s Messenger say, “He who goes out early to Morning Prayer goes out with the standard of faith, but he who goes out early to the market goes out with the standard of Iblis.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

Anas said they mentioned kindling fire and the use of a bell, and mentioned the Jews and the Christians. Then Bilal was ordered to repeat the call to prayer twice and the statement that the time for prayer had come (<i>al-iqama</i>) once. Isma'il[1] said that he mentioned it to Ayyub,[2] and he said it was correct except regarding the <i>iqama</i>. (Bukhari and Muslim.) 1. Bukhari (<i>Adhan</i>, 3) gives a shorter form of the tradition than that above, mentioning Ismail b. Ibrahim in his <i>isnad</i> and telling how he made the enquiry of Ayyub. 2. Ayyub b. Abu Tamima.

Abu Mahdhura said that God's Messenger himself taught him how to make the call to prayer, telling him to say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger”; then to repeat, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation. God is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar said that in the time of God's Messenger the phrases in the <i>adhan</i> were uttered twice each and in the <i>iqama</i> once each, except for saying, ‘‘The time for prayer has come. The time for prayer has come.” Abu Dawud, Nasai and Darimi transmitted it.

Abu Mahdhura said that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught him the <i>adhan</i> as consisting of nineteen words, and the <i>iqama</i> as consisting of seventeen words. Ahmad, Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Darimi and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

He also said:

When I asked God’s Messenger to teach me the <i>sunna</i> relating to the <i>adhan</i> he wiped the forepart of his head and said: You must say, “God is most great. God is most great. God is most great. God is most great,” raising your voice while saying these words. Then you must say, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger,” lowering your voice while saying these words. Then you must raise your voice in making the testimony, “I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that there is no god but God. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. I testify that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. Come to prayer. Come to prayer. Come to salvation. Come to salvation”; and if it is the Morning Prayer you must say, “Prayer is better than sleep. Prayer is better than sleep. God’s is most great. God is most great. There is no god but God.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Bilal said, “God’s Messenger told me not to make the call to prayer twice for any of the prayers but the dawn prayer.” Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, and Tirmidhi said that Abu Isra’il the transmitter is not considered by traditionists to be strong.