Since I had not come across
a comprehensive book covering this topic, I felt obliged to produce a book which
collected together as many features of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) from the takbeer to the tasleem as possible, for the benefit of my Muslim
brothers who wished to follow the guidance of their Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) in their worship, such that it would be easy for any who truly loved
the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) to use this book to fulfil his command,
"Pray as you have seen me praying."
Thus I embarked on a difficult
task, and researched the relevant ahaadeeth from the various sources of Hadeeth,
the book in your hands being the end result of it all. I stipulated on myself that
I would only give ahaadeeth which had an authentic sanad according to the principles
and regulations of the science of Hadeeth. I disregarded any hadeeth which depended
on unknown or weak narrators, whether it dealt with the outward form, adhkaar, excellence,
etc. of the Prayer. This is because I hold that the authentic ahadeeth9
are sufficient, leaving no need for anything weak, for the latter does not amount
to anything except zann (conjecture, suspicion), and incorrect conjecture at that;
as the Exalted says:
"... And conjecture is of
no use against the truth" 10
and the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) said, Beware of suspicion, for truly, suspicion is the most false
of speech.11
Therefore, we cannot worship Allaah by acting according to inauthentic ahaadeeth;
in fact, the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) forbade us from
this saying, Keep away from saying things about me, except what you know12;
since he has forbidden us from relating weak narrations, it goes without saying
that it is forbidden to act according to them.
I have compiled the book
as two texts: the main text and the subsidiary text.
The main text includes the
text of ahaadeeth or phrases taken from them, as well as appropriate words to string
them together to give the book a fluency from start to finish. I have been careful
to preserve the text of each hadeeth as it is found in the books of Sunnah; where
a hadeeth has different wordings, I have chosen the version which best fits the
fluency etc., but I have brought together other wordings thus: "(in one version:
... )" or "(in one narration: ...)". Only rarely have I given the Companion who
narrated the hadeeth, or explained in the main text which of the Imaams of Hadeeth
have collected each hadeeth, in order to provide easier reading and reference.
As for the subsidiary text,
it is a commentary on the main text. In it I have traced the ahaadeeth to their
sources, exploring their various versions and routes of narration. Along with this,
I have commented on their isnaads and supporting narrations, with authenticating
and disparaging remarks on narrators, whether authentic or weak, judged according
to the rules of the science of Hadeeth. Often, one route of narration has additional
words which are not found in other routes, so I have inserted these into the original
hadeeth in the main text whenever it is possible to do so without destroying the
fluency, enclosing the addition in square brackets: [...], usually without stating
which of the sources were alone in containing that addition. This has been done
only if the hadeeth is originally on the authority of the same Companion, otherwise
I have given it separately, e.g. in the opening supplications etc. This insertion
of additional wordings is a tremendous advantage which you will not find in many
books - Praise be to Allaah, by Whose Favour good actions are completed.
Next, I have mentioned in
the subsidiary text the madhhabs of the scholars regarding the hadeeth traced, as
well as the evidence and counter-evidence for each view, along with the strengths
and weaknesses of each argument. We have then selected out of that the correct view
which we have given in the main text. Also in the subsidiary text, we have given
some issues for which there is no text in the Sunnah, but which require ijtihaad,
and do not come under the title of this book.
Since the publication of
this book with both main and subsidiary texts is not feasible right now due to various
reasons, we have decided to publish only the main text of the book (along with brief
footnotes) by Allaah's Will, and named it "Sifah Salaah an-Nabi (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam), min at-takbeer ilaa at-tasleem ka'annaka taraahaa (The Prophet's Prayer
Described, from beginning to end, as though you were watching it)".
I ask Allaah to make this
work sincerely for His Face, and to help my brothers in faith to benefit from it,
for He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Footnotes
[9]The
term, "authentic hadeeth" includes saheeh and hasan in the eyes of the
muhadditheen, whether the hadeeth is saheeh li dhaatihi or saheeh li ghairihi,
or hasan li dhaatihi or hasan li ghairihi.
[10]an-Najm,
53:28
[11]Bukhaari
& Muslim.
ICTruth.info