Prayer

Ruwaih' reported God’s Messenger as saying, “If anyone invokes a blessing on Muhammad saying, ‘O God, cause him to occupy the place near You on the day of resurrection’, he will be guaranteed my intercession.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Abd ar-Rahman b. ‘Auf said:

God’s Messenger went out and entering among some palm trees prostrated himself so long that I was afraid God had taken his soul. I went and looked, and he raised his head and said, “What is the matter with you? I mentioned that to him, and he told me that Gabriel had come and given him the good news that God said, “If anyone invokes one blessing on you I will bless him, and if anyone greets you I will greet him.” Ahmad transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab said, “The supplication is stopped between heaven and earth, none of it ascending till you invoke blessing on your Prophet.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to make supplication during the prayer saying, “O God, I seek refuge in You from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in You from the trial of the antichrist, I seek refuge in You from the trial of life and the trial of death. O God, I seek refuge in You from sin and debt.” Someone said to him, “How often you seek refuge from debt!” He replied, “When a man is in debt he talks and tells lies, makes promises and breaks them.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “When one of you finishes the last <i>tashahhud</i> he should seek refuge in God Irom four things:

the punishment in jahannam, the punishment in the grave, the trial of life and death, and the evil of the antichrist.” Muslim transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach them this prayer just as he used to teach them a <i>sura</i> of the Qur’an, telling them te say, “O God, I seek refuge in You from the punishment in jahannam, I seek refuge in You from the punishment in the grave, I seek refuge in You from the trial of the antichrist, and I seek refuge in You from the trial of life and death.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Bakr as-Siddiq said that he asked God’s Messenger to teach him a supplication to use in his prayer, and he told him to say, “O God, I have greatly wronged myself, and You alone canst forgive sins, so grant me forgiveness from You and show mercy to me. You are the forgiving and the merciful One.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Amir b. Sa'd quoted his father as saying that he used to see God’s Messenger giving the salutation* to his right and his left, so that he could see the whiteness of his cheek. *1. I.e. pronouncing the <i>taslim</i>. Muslim transmitted it.

Samura b. Jundub said, “When God’s Messenger had prayed a prayer he turned and faced us.” Bukhari transmitted it.

Anas said that when the Prophet (ﷺ) went away* he turned to his right. *i.e. at the end of the <i>salat</i>. Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said, “None of you must give the devil any place in his prayer, thinking it is his duty when he leaves to turn only to his right. I have often seen God’s Messenger turning to his left when he went away.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Al-Bara’ said:

When we prayed behind God’s Messenger we liked to be on his right side so that he would turn his face towards us. He said that he had heard him say, ‘My Lord, guard me from Your punishment on the day You raisest (or, gatherest) Your servants.” Muslim transmitted it.

Umm Salama said that in the time of God’s Messenger, when the women gave the salutation at the end of the prescribed prayer they got up and departed, but God’s Messenger and the men who prayed remained where they were as long as God wished. Then when God’s Messenger got up the men did so also. Bukhari transmitted it.

We shall mention the tradition of Jabir b. Samura in the chapter on laughing (Book 24; Ch. 7a) if God wills.

Mu'adh b. Jabal said that God’s Messenger took him by the hand and said, “I love you, Mu'adh,” to which he replied, “And I love you, Messenger of God.” He then told him not to omit to say at the end of every prayer, “My Lord, help me to remember You, thank You, and worship You acceptably.” Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Abu Dawud did not mention that Mu‘adh said, “And I love you.”

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s Messenger used to turn to the right when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whiteness of his right cheek could be seen; also to the left when giving the salutation, “Peace and God’s mercy be upon you,” so that the whitness of his left cheek could be seen. Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted it, but Tirmidhi did not mention, “So that the whiteness of his cheek could be seen.” Ibn Majah transmitted it from ‘Ammar b. Yasir.

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that the Prophet (ﷺ) most commonly turned to his left after his prayer, going to his room. [Baghawi] transmitted it in <i>Sharh as-sunna</i>.

‘Ata’al-Khurasani quoted al-Mughira as stating that God’s Messenger said, “The <i>imam</i> should not pray in the same place as he occupied previously in prayer, but should change his position.” Abu Dawud transmitted it, but said that ‘Ata’ al-Khurasani was not alive in al-Mughira’s lifetime.

Anas said that the Prophet (ﷺ) urged them to pray and forbade them to leave after prayer before he did. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Shaddad b. Aus said that God's Messenger used to say in his prayer, “O God, I ask You for steadfastness in carrying out what I am commanded and resolution in following right guidance. I ask You to make me grateful for Your favour and to enable me to worship You acceptably. I ask You for a sound heart and a truthful tongue. I ask You for some of the good of what You knowest, I seek refuge in You from the evil of what You knowest, and I ask Your forgiveness for what You knowest.” Nasa’i transmitted it, and Ahmad transmitted something similar.