Next, he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would seek refuge with Allaah the Exalted,
saying:
I seek refuge with Allaah from the Evil One, the Rejected, from his madness123, his arrogance, and his poetry124.
Sometimes he would add to this, saying:
I seek refuge with Allaah, the all-Hearing, the all-Knowing, from the Evil One
...125
Then he would recite,
In the Name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy, but not
loudly126.
Next, he would recite Soorah al-Faatihah and divide his recitation, reciting one
verse at a time. He would say:
[Here he would pause, and then say:]
[Then he would pause, and then say:]
[Then he would pause, and then say:]
... and so on, until the end of the soorah. The rest of his recitation was also
like this: stopping at the end of the verse and not joining it with the one after.127
Sometimes, he would recite,
(King of the Day of Judgment) instead of
(Master of the Day of Judgment).128
He would vehemently emphasise the importance of this soorah, saying: "There is no
prayer for the one who did not recite [in it] the opening chapter [at least]"129, and in another saying: That prayer is not sufficient
in which a man does not recite the Opening of the Book130.
He also said: He who performs a prayer in which he does not recite the Opening of
the Book, then it (i.e. the prayer) is deficient, it is deficient, it is deficient,
incomplete.131. He also said:
Allaah the Blessed and Exalted has said: " I have divided the prayer 132 between Myself and My servant, into two halves:
half of it is for Me and half is for My servant, and My servant shall have what
he has asked for." Then the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) said: Recite! The servant says "Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds";
Allaah the Exalted says "My servant has praised Me". The
servant says, "The Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy"; Allaah says,
"My servant has extolled Me". The servant says "Master of
the Day of Judgment"; Allaah the Exalted says, "My servant has glorified
Me". The servant says, "It is You (alone) we worship and it is You (alone)
we ask for help"; [He says:], "This is between Me and My servant, and
My servant shall have what he has asked for". The servant says, "Guide
us to the Straight Path, the Path of those whom You have favoured, not of those
who receive Your anger, nor of those who go astray". [He says:], " All
these are for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for."133
He also used to say: Allaah did not reveal in the Torah or the Gospel anything like
the Mother of the Qur'aan. It is the Seven Oft-Repeated134[and
the Grand Recitation which have been bestowed upon me].135
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) commanded "the one who prayed badly" to recite
it in his prayer136, but said to one who could not
remember it, Say:
(I declare Allaah free from all defects; all Praise be to Allaah; none has the right
to be worshipped but Allaah; Allaah is the Greatest; there is no might or power
except by Allaah)137.
He also said to "the one who prayed badly": If you know some of the Qur'aan, then
recite it, otherwise praise Allaah, declare His Greatness and declare that none
has the right to be worshipped but Allaah;138
He had given permission for those being led by the Imaam to recite Soorah al-Faatihah
in the loud prayers, when once:
"he was praying Fajr and the recitation became difficult for him. When he finished,
he said: Perhaps you recite behind your imaam. We said: "Yes, quickly139,
O Messenger of Allaah." He said: Do not do so, except for [each of you reciting]
the opening chapter of the Book, for the prayer is not valid of the one who does
not recite it.140
Later, he forbade them from reciting in the loud prayers at all, when:
"He finished a prayer in which he was reciting loudly (in one narration: it was
the dawn prayer) and said: Were any of you reciting with me just now?! A
man said: "Yes, I was, O Messenger of Allaah". He said: I say, why am I contended
with? [Abu Hurairah said:] So the people stopped reciting with the Messenger
of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) when he was reciting loudly after hearing
that from him [but they recited to themselves quietly when the imaam was not reciting
loudly]."141
He also made silence during the imaam's recitation part of the completeness of following
the imaam, saying: The imaam is there to be followed, so when he says takbeer, say
takbeer, and when he recites, be silent142,
just as he made listening to the imaam's recitation enough to not have to recite
behind him, saying: He who has an imaam, then the recitation of the imaam is recitation
for him143 - this applying in the loud prayers.
As for the quiet prayers, he urged them to recite during them; Jaabir said, "We
used to recite behind the imaam in Zuhr and 'Asr: soorah al-Faatihah and another
soorah in the first two rak'ahs, and soorah al-Fatihah in the last two."144
However, he dissuaded them from confusing him with their recitation, when:
"he prayed Zuhr with his Companions and said (afterwards): Which of you recited "Glorify
the name of your Lord the Most High" (soorah al-A'laa, 87)? Someone
said: It was I [but I was only intending nothing but good by doing so]. So he said:
I knew that someone was contending with me by it.145
In another hadeeth: "They used to recite behind the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) [loudly], so he said: You have mixed up my (recitation of the) Qur'aan.146
He also said: Truly, the person praying is privately consulting his Lord, so he should
be careful about what he consults him with, and you should not recite the Qur'aan
loudly over each other.147
He also used to say: Whoever recited a harf (letter) from the Book of Allaah, it
will count for him as one good deed, and a good deed is worth ten times over. I
do not mean that "alif laam meem" is a harf, but "alif" is a harf, "laam" is a harf,
and "meem" is a harf.148
When he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) finished reciting al- Faatihah, he would
say:
("aameen") loudly, prolonging his voice.149
He also used to order the congregation to say aameen: When the imaam says,
"Not of those who receive (Your) anger, nor of those who go astray", then say "aameen"
[for the angels say "aameen" and the imaam says aameen"] (in another narration:
when the imaam says "aameen" say "aameen"), so he whose aameen coincides with the
aameen of the angels (in another narration: when one of you says "aameen" in
prayer and the angels in the sky say "aameen", and they coincide), his past sins
are forgiven.150 In another hadeeth:
... then say aameen; Allaah will answer you.151
He also used to say: The Jews do not envy you over anything as much as they envy
you over the salutation and aameen [behind the imaam].152
Next, he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would recite another soorah after al-Faatihah,
making it long sometimes, and on other occasions making it short because of travel,
cough, illness or the crying of infants.
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: "He (sallallaahu 'alaihi
wa sallam) made it [i.e. the recitation] short one day in the dawn prayer." (In
another hadeeth: he prayed the morning prayer and recited the two shortest soorahs
in the Qur'aan.) So it was said: "O Messenger of Allaah, why did you make it short?"
He said: I heard the crying of a child, and I supposed that his mother was praying
with us, so I wanted to free his mother for him.153
He also used to say: I enter into prayer intending to lengthen it, but I hear the
crying of a child so I shorten my prayer because I know how deeply his mother feels
about his crying.154
He used to start from the beginnning of a soorah, completing it most of the time.155
He used to say: Give every soorah its share of rukoo' and sujood.156
In another narration: Every soorah should have a rak'ah.157
Sometimes he would divide the soorah into two rak'ahs158
and sometimes he would repeat the whole soorah in the second rak'ah159.
Sometimes he would combine two or more soorahs in one rak'ah.160
One of the Ansaar used to lead them in the mosque of Qubaa', and every time he recited
a soorah161 for them, he would begin with "Say:
He is Allaah, the One and Only " (soorah al- Ikhlaas, 112) until
its end, and then recite another soorah with it, and he would do this in every rak'ah.
Because of this, his people spoke to him, saying: "You begin with this soorah, and
then you do not regard it as enough until you recite another one: you should either
recite it (only) or leave it and recite another one. He said: "I will not leave
it: if you do not mind me leading you with it, I shall carry on, but if you do not
like it, I shall leave you." They knew that he was one of their best, and they did
not like to be led by anyone else, so when the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
came to them, they told him the story. He said: O so- and-so, what stops you from
doing what your people ask you to? What makes you recite this soorah in every rak'ah?
He said: "I love this soorah." He said: Your love for it will enter you into the
Garden.162
He used to combine the pairs163 of the mufassal164 soorahs, so he used to recite one of the following
pairs of soorahs in one rak'ah165:
- ar-Rahmaan (55:78)166 & an-Najm (53:62);
- al-Qamar (54:55) & al-Haaqqah (69:52);
- at-Toor (52:49) & Dhaariyaat (51:60);
- al-Waaqi'ah (56:96) & al-Qalam (68:52);
- al-Ma'aarij (70:44) & an-Naazi'aat (79:46);
- al-Mutaffifeen (83:36) & 'Abasa (80:42);
- al-Muddaththir (74:56 ) & al-Muzzammil (73:20);
- ad-Dahr (76:31) & al-Qiyaamah (75:40);
- an-Naba (78:40) & al-Mursalaat (77:50);
- ad-Dukhaan (44:59) & at-Takweer (81:29).
Sometimes he would combine soorahs from the seven tiwaal (long soorahs), such as
al-Baqarah, an-Nisaa' and aal-Imraan in one rak'ah during night prayer (below).
He used to say: The most excellent prayer is one with long standing.167
When he recited, "Does He not have the power to give life to the dead?"
(Qiyaamah 75:40), he would say,
(Glory be to You, of course!)
and when he recited,"Glorify the name of your Lord Most High" (A'laa 87:1),
he would say,
(Glorified be my Lord Most High).168
Mu'aadh ibn Jabal used to pray 'Ishaa' [the last] with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam), and then return and lead his people in prayer. One night when
he returned and prayed with them, a young man [called Sulaim, of the Banu Salamah]
from his people prayed, but when it became too long for him, he [went away and]
prayed [in the corner of the mosque], then came out, took the reins of his camel
and departed. When Mu'aadh had prayed, this was mentioned to him, so he said: "He
surely has some hypocrisy in him! I will surely tell the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) what he has done." The young man said: "And I will tell the Messenger
of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) what he has done." So in the morning they
came to the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), and Mu'aadh informed
him of what the young man had done. The young man said: "O Messenger of Allaah!
He stays a long time with you, and then he returns and lengthens it for us." So
the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: Are you one who causes
great trouble, Mu'aadh?! and he said to the young man169:
What do you do when you pray, son of my brother? He said: "I recite the opening
chapter of the Book, then I ask Allaah for the Garden, and seek refuge with Him
from the Fire. I know neither your dandanah170 nor
the dandanah of Mu'aadh!" So the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
said: I and Mu'aadh are similar in this.
The narrator said: The young man said, "But Mu'aadh will know (about me) on going
to the people when they will have been informed that the enemy has arrived." The
narrator said: So the enemy came, and the young man attained shahaadah (martyrdom).
So after that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said to Mu'aadh,
What did the one disputing with me and you do? He said, "O Messenger of Allaah,
he was true to Allaah, and I spoke falsely - he was martyred."171
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite loudly in the morning prayer and
in the first two rak'ahs of Maghrib and 'Ishaa', and quietly in Zuhr, 'Asr, the
third rak'ah of Maghrib and the last two rak'ahs of Ishaa'.172
They could tell when he was reciting quietly from the movement of his beard173,
and because he would let them hear an aayah or so sometimes174.
He also recited loudly in Friday prayer and the two 'Eid prayers175,
in the prayer for rain176, and in the eclipse prayer177.
As for night prayer, he would sometimes recite quietly and sometimes loudly179,
and "he used to recite in his house such that he could be heard in the courtyard."180 "Occasionally he would raise his voice more
than that until someone lying in bed could hear him"181
(i.e. from outside the courtyard).
He ordered Abu Bakr and 'Umar (Allaah be pleased with them) likewise, when:
"he came out at night to find Abu Bakr (Allaah be pleased with him) praying in a
low voice, and he passed by 'Umar ibn al-Khattaab (Allaah be pleased with him) who
was praying in a loud voice. Later, when they gathered around the Prophet (sallallaahu
'alaihi wa sallam) said: O Abu Bakr, I passed by you and you were praying in a low
voice? He said: "I let Him whom I was consulting hear, O Messenger of Allaah."
He said to 'Umar: I passed by you and you were praying raising your voice?
So he said: "O Messenger of Allaah, I repel drowsiness and keep the devil away."
The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: O Abu Bakr, raise your voice a
little bit and to 'Umar: lower your voice a little bit.182
He used to say: The one who recites the Qur'aan loudly is like the one who gives
charity loudly, and the one who recites the Qur'aan quietly is like the one who
gives charity quietly.183
As for which soorahs and aayaat he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite
in prayer, this varied according to the different prayers. The details now follow,
beginning with the first of the five prayers:
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite the longer mufassal184
surahs185, hence "he (sometimes) recited al-Waaqi'ah
(56:96) and similar surahs in two rak'ahs"186.
He recited from soorah at-Toor (52:49) during the Farewell Pilgrimage.187
Sometimes "he would recite soorah Qaaf (50:45) or similar [in the first rak'ah]."188
Sometimes "he would recite the shorter mufassal surahs, such as "When the sun is
folded up" (at-Takweer 81:29)."189
Once, he recited "When the Earth is shaken" (Zilzaal 99:8) in both rak'ahs,
so that the narrator said, "I do not know whether the Messenger of Allaah forgot
or recited it on purpose."190
Once, on a journey, he recited "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak"
(Falaq 113:5) and "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Mankind" (Naas 114:6).191 He also said to 'Uqbah ibn 'Aamir (may Allaah
be pleased with him): Recite the mu'awwadhatain192
in your prayer, for no seeker of refuge has sought refuge by means of anything like
them.193
Sometimes he used to recite more than that: "he would recite sixty aayaat or more"194 - one of the narrators said, "I do not know
whether this was in each rak'ah or in total."
He used to recite soorah ar-Room (30:60)195 and
sometimes soorah Yaa Sin (36:83)196.
Once, "he prayed the Subh [i.e. Fajr Prayer] in Makkah and started reciting soorah
al-Mu'minoon (23:118) until, when he got to the mention of Moosaa and Haaroon or
the mention of 'Isa197 - one of the narrators was
not sure - he started coughing and so made rukoo'."198
Sometimes, "he would lead them in Fajr with as-Saaffaat" (77:182).199
"In Fajr on Friday, he would recite as-Sajdah (32:30) [in the first rak'ah, and,
in the second,] ad-Dahr" (76:31).200
He used to make the first rak'ah longer than the second.201
His recitation in the two rak'ahs of sunnah in Fajr used to be extremely short202, so much so that 'Aa'ishah (may Allaah be pleased
with her) used to say: "Has he recited soorah al- Faatihah or not ?"203
Sometimes, after al-Faatihah, he would recite the aayah "Say: We believe in Allaah
and the revelation given to us..." (Baqarah 2:136) in the first rak'ah;
in the second, the aayah "Say: O People of the Book! Come to common terms as between
us and you..." (aal-'Imraan 3:64).204 Occasionally,
he would recite instead of the latter, "When 'Isa found unbelief on their part..."
(aal-'Imraan 3:52).205
Sometimes he would recite soorah al-Kaafiroon (109:6) in the first rak'ah, and soorah
al-Ikhlaas (112:4) in the second;206 also, he used
to say: An excellent pair of soorahs they are!207
He heard a man reciting the former soorah in the first rak'ah, so he said, This is
a slave who believes in his Lord. Then the man recited the latter soorah
in the second rak'ah, so he said, This is a slave who knows his Lord.208
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite al-Faatihah and two soorahs in
the first two rak'ahs, making the first one longer than the second."209
Sometimes he would make lengthen it to the extent that "the Zuhr prayer would have
started, and someone could go to a plain: al-Baqi,' fulfil his need, [come back
to his place,] make his ablution, and then come (to the mosque) while the Messenger
of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) was still in the first rak'ah, it was
that long."210. Also, "they used to think that he
did it so that the people could catch the first rak'ah."211
"He used to recite in each of these two rak'ah about thirty aayaat, such as al-Faatihah
followed by soorah as-Sajdah (32:30)."212
Sometimes "he would recite "By the Sky and the Night-Visitant" (Taariq,
86:17), "By the Sky, (displaying) the Constellations" (Burooj, 85:22),
"By the Night as it conceals" (Layl, 92:21) and similar soorahs."213
Occasionally, he recited "When the Sky is rent asunder" (Inshiqaaq 84:25)
and similar ones.214
"They could tell that he was reciting in Zuhr and 'Asr from the movement of his
beard."215
"He used to make the last two rak'ahs about half as long as the first two, about
fifteen aayaat216, and sometimes he would recite
only al-Faatihah in them."217
Sometimes "he would let them hear an aayah or so."218
"They would hear the tones of his recitation of "Glorify the name of your Lord Most
High" (A'laa 87:19) and "Has the story reached you of the Overwhelming ?"
(Ghaashiyah 88:26)."219
Sometimes "he would recite "By the Sky and the Night-Visitant" (Taariq,
86:17), "By the Sky, (displaying) the Constellations" (Burooj, 85:22),
and similar soorahs."220
Sometimes "he would recite "By the Night as it conceals" (Layl 92:21) and
similar soorahs."221
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite al-Faatihah and two (other) soorahs
in the first two rak'ahs, making the first one longer than the second"222,
and "they used to think that he did it so that the people could catch the rak'ah."223
"He used to recite about fifteen aayaat in each of the first two rak'ahs, about
half as much as he recited in each of the first two rak'ahs of Zuhr, and he used
to make the last two rak'ahs about half as long the first two."224
"He used to recite al-Faatihah in the last two."225
"He would let them hear an aayah or so sometimes."226
He used to recite the surahs mentioned under "Zuhr prayer" above.
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to (sometimes) recite the short mufassal
soorahs"227, so that "when they had finished praying
with him, they could go away and (it was possible to) shoot an arrow and see where
it landed."228 Once, "while on a journey, he recited
"By the Fig and the Olive" (Teen 95:8) in the second rak'ah."229
But sometimes he would recite the long or medium mufassal surahs, hence "he would
recite "Those who disbelieve and hinder (men) from the Path of Allaah"
(Muhammad 47:48);"230 or soorah at-Toor (52:49);231 or soorah al-Mursalaat (77:50), which he recited
in the last prayer he prayed.232
Sometimes "he would recite the longer of the two long surahs233
(A'raaf 7:206) [in two rak'ahs]."234 Or he would
recite al- Anfaal (8:75) in two rak'ahs.235
In this prayer, "he used to recite "Say: O you who reject faith" (Kaafiroon
109:6) and "Say: He is Allaah, the One and Only" (Ikhlaas 112:4)."236
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would recite the medium mufassal surahs in the
first two rak'ahs237, hence "he used to recite "By
the Sun and his splendour" (Shams 91:15) and surahs like it."238
Or "he would recite "When the Sky is rent asunder" (Inshiqaaq 84:25) and
make sajdah during it."239 Also, "he once recited
"By the Fig and the Olive" (Teen 95:8) [in the first rak'ah] while on a
journey."240
He forbade prolonging of recitation in 'Ishaa', and that was when:
Mu'aadh ibn Jabal led his people in 'Ishaa' prayer, and made it very long for them,
so one of the Ansaar left and prayed (alone). When Mu'aadh was informed about this,
he said: "He is surely a hypocrite". When the man heard of this, he went to the
Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) and told him what Mu'aadh had
said, so the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said to him: "Do you want to
be on who causes a lot of trouble, Mu'aadh?! When you lead the people, recite "By
the Sun and his splendour" (Shams 91:15) or "Glorify the Name of your
Lord Most High" (A'laa 77:19) or "Read in the Name of your Lord"
('Alaq 96:19) or "By the Night as it conceals"
(Layl 92:21) [because the old, the weak and those who have a need to fulfil pray
behind you]."241
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would sometimes recite loudly in it and sometimes
quietly,242 He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would
shorten his recitation in this sometimes and lengthen it sometimes, occasionally
making it so exceedingly long that 'Abdullaah ibn Mas'ood (radi Allaahu 'anhu) once
said: "I prayed with the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) one night, and
he carried on standing for so long that I was struck by a wrong idea." He was asked,
"What was this idea?" He said: "I thought I would sit down and leave the Prophet
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)!"243
Also Hudhaifah ibn al-Yamaan said:
"I prayed with the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) that night when he started
soorah al-Baqarah (2:286). So I said (to myself), "He will make rukoo' after one
hundred aayaat". But he carried on after that, so I thought, "He will finish it
(the soorah) in two rak'ahs". But he carried on, so I thought, "He will make rukoo'
when he has finished it." Then he started soorah an-Nisaa' (4:176) and recited it
all, then he started soorah aal-'Imraan (3:200)244
and recited it all. He was reciting slowly; when he came to an aayah in which there
was glorification of Allaah, he glorified Allaah; at an aayah which had something
to be asked for, he asked for it; at mention of seeking refuge, he sought refuge
(with Allaah). Then he made rukoo' ... " to the end of the hadeeth.245
Also, "one night when he was ill he recited the Seven Long surahs."246
Also, "he would (sometimes) recite one of these surahs in each rak'ah."247
"It was [totally] unknown for him to recite the whole Qur'aan in one night."248
In fact, he did not recommend it for 'Abdullaah ibn 'Amr (may Allaah be pleased
with him) when he said to him:
Recite the whole Qur'aan in each month. I said: "I have the power (to do
more than that)." He said: Recite it in twenty nights. I said: "I have the
power to do more". He said: Then recite it in seven days and do not go beyond that.249 Then "he allowed him to recite it in five days."250 Then "he allowed him to recite it in three
days."251 Further, he forbade him from reciting
it in less time than that252, and he gave a reason
for that by saying to him: Whoever recites the Qur'aan in less than three days does
not understand it.253 In another version:
He does not understand, the one who recites the Qur'aan in less than three days.254 Also when he said to him: For every worshipper has
a (period of) keenness255 and every (period of)
keenness has a lapse256, either towards a sunnah
or towards a bid'ah (innovation); so he whose lapse is towards a sunnah has found
guidance, and he whose lapse is towards other than that has been destroyed.257
For this reason, "he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would not recite the whole
Qur'aan in less than three days."258
He used to say: Whoever prays at night reciting two hundred aayaat will be written
down as one of the sincere devotees.259
Also, "he used to recite soorah Bani Israa'eel (17:111) and soorah az-Zumar (39:75)
every night."260 He also used to say: Whoever prays
at night reciting a hundred aayaat will not be written down as one of the heedless.261 Sometimes "he would recite about fifty
aayaat or more in each rak'ah"262, or he "would
recite about as much as soorah al-Muzzammil (73:20)."263
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would not pray all through the night"264
except rarely, for once:
" 'Abdullaah ibn Khabbaab ibn al-Arat - who was present at (the Battle of) Badr
with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) - stayed up the whole
night with the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) (in another version:
a night when he prayed throughout it) until it was dawn. So when he finished his
prayer, Khabbaab said to him: "O Messenger of Allaah, may my father and mother be
sacrificed for you! Tonight, you have prayed a prayer the like of which I have never
seen?" He said: Yes, it was a prayer of hope and fear; [indeed] I asked my Lord,
Mighty and Sublime, three things; He granted me two, but refused me one. I asked
my Lord that He would not destroy us the way the nations before us were (in another
version: that He would not destroy my ummah with famine) and He granted me this;
I asked my Lord, Mighty and Sublime, that He would not impose on us an enemy from
outside us, and He granted me this; and I asked my Lord not to cover us with confusion
in party strife, but He refused me this." "265
Also, one night he stood (in prayer) repeating one aayah until it was dawn:
"If You do punish them, they are Your servants; if You do forgive them, You are
indeed the Exalted in Power, the Wise." (Maa'idah 5:121) [with it he bowed,
with it he prostrated, and with it he supplicated], [so in the morning Abu Dharr
(radi Allaahu 'anhu) said to him: "O Messenger of Allaah, you did not stop reciting
this aayah until it was morning; you bowed with it and you prostrated with it] [and
you supplicated with it,] [whereas Allaah has taught you the whole Qur'aan;] [if
one of us were to do this, we would be stern with him?] [He said: Indeed I asked
my Lord, the Mighty and Sublime, for intercession for my ummah: He granted me it,
and it will be possible if Allaah wills for whoever does not associate any partners
with Allaah.266
A man said to him: "O Messenger of Allaah, I have a neighbour who stands (in prayer)
at night and does not recite anything except "Say: He is Allaah the One and Only"
(Ikhlaas 112:4), [repeating it,] [not adding anything else,] as if he considers
it little." So the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said: By Him in Whose
Hand is my soul, it is worth a third of the Qur'aan.267
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite "Glorify the Name of Your Lord
Most High" (al-A'laa 87:19) in the first rak'ah, "Say: O you who disbelieve"
(Kaafiroon 109:6) in the second, and "Say: He is Allaah the One and Only"
(Ikhlaas 112:4) in the third.268 Sometimes he would
add on to the last one "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Daybreak" (Falaq
113:5) and "Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of Mankind" (Naas 114:6).269 Once, "he recited a hundred aayaat from soorah
an-Nisaa' (4:176) in the third rak'ah."270
As for the two rak'ahs after witr271, he used to
recite "When the earth is shaken " (Zilzaal 99:8) and "Say: O you who disbelieve"
(Kaafiroon 109:6) in them.272
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would sometimes recite soorah al-Jumu'ah (62:11)
in the first rak'ah and "When the hypocrites come to you" (Munaafiqoon
63:11)273 in the second, sometimes reciting "Has
the story reached you of the Overwhelming?" (Ghaashiyah 88:26) instead
of the latter.274 Or sometimes "he would recite
"Glorify the Name of your Lord Most High" (A'laa 87:19) in the first rak'ah
and "Has the story reached you" (Ghaashiyah 88:26) in the second."275
"He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would (sometimes) recite "Glorify the Name of
your Lord Most High" (A'laa 87:19) in the first rak'ah and "Has the story reached
you" (Ghaashiyah 88:26) in the second."276
Or sometimes "he would recite in them "Qaaaaf. By the Glorious Qur'aan."
(Qaaf 50:45) and "The Hour has drawn near" (Qamar 54:55)."277
"The Sunnah is to recite al-Faatihah278 [and another
soorah] in it."279 Also, "he would be silent for
a while, after the first takbeer."280
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to recite the Qur'aan in slow, measured
rythmic tones as Allaah had instructed him, not racing or hurrying; rather, his
was "a recitation clearly- distinguishing each letter"1,
so much so that "he would recite a soorah in such slow rhythmic tones that it would
be longer than would seem possible."2
He also used to say: It will be said to the reciter of the Qur'aan (on the Day of
Judgment), 'Recite and ascend; recite slowly and rhythmically as you used to do
in the previous world; your place will be at the last aayah you recite.3
He "used to prolong his recitation (at a letter which can be prolonged), such as
at bismil-laah, at ar-rahmaan, and at ar- raheem"4,
and at "nadeed" (Qaaf 50:10)5 & their like.
He used to stop at the end of an aayah, as has already been explained.6
Sometimes "he would recite in an attractive vibrating tone7,
as he did on the Day of the Conquest of Makkah, when, while on his she-camel, he
recited soorah al-Fath (48:29) [very softly]8, and
'Abdullaah ibn Mughaffal narrated this attractive tone thus : aaa."9
He used to command making one's voice beautiful when reciting the Qur'aan, saying
Beautify the Qur'aan with your voices [for a fine voice increases the Qur'aan in
beauty]10 and
Truly, the one who has one of the finest voices among the people for reciting the
Qur'aan is the one whom you think fears Allaah when you hear him recite.11
He also used to command recitation of the Qur'aan in a pleasant tone, saying: Study
the Book of Allaah; recite it repeatedly; acquire (memorise) it; and recite it in
a melodious tone, for by Him in whose Hand is my soul, it runs away quicker than
camels from their tying ropes.12
He also used to say, He who does not recite the Qur'aan in a pleasant tone is not
of us13 and
Allaah does not listen to anything as he listens (in some versions: as he is listening)
to a prophet [with a nice voice, and in one version: with a nice melody] who recites
the Qur'aan in a pleasant tone14 [loudly].15
He said to Abu Moosaa al-Ash'ari (radi Allaahu 'anhu),
Had you seen me while I was listening to your recitation yesterday! You have surely
been given one of the musical wind- instruments16
of the family of Daawood! [So Abu Moosaa said: "Had I known you were
there, I would have made my voice more pleasant and emotional for you]."17
He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) set the example of correcting the imaam when
his recitation becomes mixed up, when once "he prayed, reciting loudly, and his
recitation became mixed up, so when he finished, he said to Ubayy: Did you pray with
us? He replied, 'Yes.' He said, So what prevented you [from correcting me]?"18
'Uthmaan ibn Abi l-'Aas (radi Allaahu 'anhu) said to him, "O Messenger of Allaah!
The devil comes between me and my prayer and confuses me in my recitation!" So the
Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said, That is a devil called
Khinzab, so when you detect him, seek refuge with Allaah from him, and spit lightly19 on your left three times. He said,
"So when I did that, Allaah caused him to go away from me."20
Footnotes
123 The three `Arabic words hamz, nafkh,
and nafth, were interpreted such by the narrator; all three interpretations
are also traced back to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) with a saheeh
mursal isnaad. By "poetry" here is meant the vain kind, for the Prophet (on whom
be peace and blessings) said: "Truly, some poetry is wisdom" (Bukhaari ).
124 Abu Daawood, Ibn Maajah, Daaraqutni & Haakim
who, along with Ibn Hibbaan and Dhahabi, declared it saheeh. It is given along with
the next one in Irwaa' al-Ghaleel (342).
125 Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi with a hasan isnaad. Ahmad
endorsed it (Masaa'il of Ibn Haani 1/50).
126 Bukhaari , Muslim, Abu `Awaanah, Tahaawi & Ahmad.
127 Abu Daawood & Sahmi (64 -65); Haakim declared
it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. It is given in Irwaa' (343). Abu `Amr ad-Daani
transmitted it al-Muktafaa (5/2) and said: "This hadeeth has many routes,
and it is what is depended upon in this regard, and several of the past imaams and
reciters preferred to stop at every verse, even if some were connected (in meaning)
to the one after." I say: This is a sunnah which has been neglected by the majority
of the reciters of this age, let alone others.
128 Tammaam ar-Raazi in al-Fawaa'id, Ibn Abi
Dawood in al-Masaahif (7/2), Abu Nu`aim in Akhbaar Isbahaan (1/104)
& Haakim who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed. Both of these recitations
are mutawaatir.
129 Bukhaari, Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Baihaqi. It
is given in Irwaa' (302).
130 Daaraqutni, who declared it saheeh, and Ibn Hibbaan
in his Saheeh. It is also in Irwaa' (302).
131 Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
132 i.e. soorah al-Fatihah. It is an example of the wording
including the whole prayer but intending only a part, as a way of emphasis on that
part.
133 Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Maalik, and Sahmi has
a supporting hadeeth of Jaabir in Taareekh Jurjaan (144)
134 Baaji said: "He is referring to the saying of the
Exalted "And We have bestowed upon you seven of the Oft-Repeated and the Grand Recitation."
(Hijr 15:87). It is named the "seven" because it has seven verses, and "oft-repeated"
because it is repeated again and again in prayer. It has been called "the grand
recitation" to specify this name for it, even though every part of the Qur'aan is
a grand recitation; similarly, the Ka`bah is "the House of Allaah" even though all
houses belong to Allaah; this is by way of specifying it and emphasising its importance."
135 Nasaa'i & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and
Dhahabi agreed.
136 Bukhaari in his article on "Recitation behind the
Imaam" with a saheeh isnaad.
137 Abu Daawood, Ibn Khuzaimah (1/80/2), Haakim, Tabaraani
& Ibn Hibbaan who, along with Haakim, declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
It is in Irwaa' (303).
138 Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it hasan;
its isnaad is saheeh. (Saheeh Abi Dawood no. 807)
139 hadhdhan: reciting quickly, implying racing
or hurrying.
140 Bukhaari in his pamphlet, Abu Daawood & Ahmad.
Tirmidhi & Daaraqutni declared it hasan.
141 Maalik, Humaidi, Bukhaari in his pamphlet, Abu Daawood
& Mahaamali (6/139/1). Tirmidhi declared it hasan; Abu Haatim ar-Raazi,
Ibn Hibbaan & Ibn Qayyim declared it saheeh.
142 Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/97/1), Abu Daawood, Muslim, Abu
`Awaanah & Ruwayaani in his musnad (24/119/1). It is given in Irwaa'
(332, 394).
143 Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/97/1), Daaraqutni, Ibn Maajah,
Tahaawi & Ahmad from numerous routes, musnad and mursal. Shaikh-ul-Islam
Ibn Taymiyyah declared it strong, as in al-Furoo` of Ibn `Abdul Haadi (48/2).
Boosayri declared some of its isnaads saheeh. I have discussed it in detail and
investigated its routes of narration inthe manuscript version and then
in Irwaa' al-Ghaleel (no. 500)
144 Ibn Maajah with a saheeh isnaad. It is given in Irwaa'
(506)
145 Muslim, Abu `Awaanah & Siraaj.
146 Bukhaari in his article, Ahmad & Siraaj with
a hasan isnaad.
147 Maalik & Bukhaari in Af`aal al-`Ibaad
with a saheeh isnaad.
* NB The view of the validity of recitation behind the imaam in quiet but
not loud prayers was taken by Imaam Shaafi`i initially, and by Muhammad the student
of Abu Haneefah in a narration from him which was preferred by Shaikh `Ali al-Qaari
and other shaikhs of the madhhab; it was also the position of, among others, the
Imaams Zuhri, Maalik, Ibn al-Mubaarak, Ahmad ibn Hanbal, several of the muhadditheen,
and it is the preference of Shaikh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah.
148 Tirmidhi & Ibn Maajah with a saheeh isnaad. Transmitted
also by Aajuri in Aadaab Haml al-Qur'aan. As for the hadeeth, "He who recites
behind the imaam, his mouth is filled with fire", it is fabricated (mawdoo`)
and this is explained in Silsilat al-ahaadeeth al-da`eefah (no. 569) -
see Appendix 5.
149 Bukhaari in Juz' al-Qiraa'ah & Abu Daawood
with a saheeh isnaad.
150 Bukhaari , Muslim, Nasaa'i, & Daarimi; the additional
wordings are reported by the latter two, and prove that this hadeeth cannot justify
that the imaam does not say aameen, as reported from Maalik; hence, Ibn Hajar says
in Fath al-Baari, "It clearly shows that the imaam says aameen." Ibn `Abdul
Barr says in Tamheed (7/13), "It is the view of the majority of the Muslims,
including Maalik as the people of Madeenah report from him, for it is authentic
from Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) through the ahaadeeth of
Abu Hurairah (i.e. this one) and that of Waa'il ibn Hujr (i.e. the previous one)."
151 Muslim & Abu `Awaanah.
152 Bukhaari in al-Adab al-Mufrad, Ibn Maajah,
Ibn Khuzaimah, Ahmad & Siraaj with two saheeh isnaads.
*NB The aameen of the congregation behind the imaam should be done loudly
and simultaneously with the imaam, not before him as the majority of worshippers
do, nor after him. This is what I finally find most convincing, as I have explained
in some of my works, among them Silsilat al-ahaadeeth ad-da`eefah (no.
952, vol. 2) which has been printed and published by the grace of Allaah, and Saheeh
at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb (1/205). See Appendix 6.
153 Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad; the other hadeeth was
transmitted by Ibn Abi Dawood in al-Masaahif (4/14/2). This and other similar
hadeeths contain permission for infants to enter the mosque. As for the hadeeth
on many lips: "Keep your small children away from your mosques...", it is da`eef
and cannot be used for proof at all; among those who have declared it da`eef are
Ibn al-Jawzi, Mundhiri, Haitami, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalaani and Boosayri. `Abdul Haqq
al-Ishbeeli said, "It is baseless".
154 Bukhaari & Muslim.
155 There are many ahadeeth mentioned further on which
prove this.
156 Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/100/1), Ahmad & `Abdul Ghani
al-Maqdisi in his Sunan (9/2) with a saheeh isnaad.
157 Ibn Nasr & Tahaawi with a saheeh isnaad;
I take the meaning of the hadeeth as: Make every rak`ah have a complete soorah.
The order is one of preference, not compulsion, from the evidence which follows.
158 Ahmad & Abu Ya`laa from two routes. Also see
"Recitation in Fajr prayer".
159 As he did in Fajr, as will follow.
160 Details and sources will follow shortly.
161 i.e. a soorah after al-Fatihah.
162 Bukhaari as ta`leeq & Tirmidhi as mawsool,
and he declared it saheeh.
163 nazaa'ir: soorahs which are similar in meaning,
e.g. they both contain advice, commandments, or stories.
164 These are agreed to end at the end of the Qur'aan;
the soundest view is that they begin with soorah Qaaf (no. 50).
165 Bukhaari & Muslim.
166 The first number is that of the soorah, while the
second is the number of aayaat in the soorah. By inspecting the first of the two
numbers in each case, it is easy to see that in many of these combinations, he (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) did not stick to the Qur'aanic order of the soorahs, so this
is evidence for the permissibility of doing this, even though it is better to follow
the sequence of the Qur'aan. A similar case is to be found later under "Night prayer".
167 Muslim & Tahaawi.
168 Abu Daawood & Baihaqi with a saheeh
isnaad. This hadeeth is general, so it applies to both recitation during prayer,
whether voluntary or obligatory, and outside it. Ibn Abi Shaibah (2/132/2) has transmitted
from Abu Moosa al-Ash`ari and Mugheerah ibn Shu`bah that they used to say this in
obligatory prayers, and from `Umar and `Ali without such specification.
169 In the original, "the young man said".
170 dandanah: when someone speaks some words
such that their intonation is audible but they cannot be understood; it is a little
bit more than murmuring. (Nihaayah)
171 Ibn Khuzaimah in his saheeh (1634) & Baihaqi
with a saheeh isnaad. It has a supporting narration in Abu Daawood (no.
758, Saheeh Abi Dawood) and the basic story is in Bukhaari and Muslim.
The first addition is in one narration of Muslim, the second in Ahmad (5/74), and
the third and fourth in Bukhaari . Also under this heading is the hadeeth on the
authority of Ibn `Abbaas: "that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa
sallam) prayed two rak`ahs in which he recited only al-Fatihah", transmitted by
Ahmad (1/282), Haarith ibn Abi Usaamah in his musnad (p.38 of its zawaaid) and Baihaqi
(2/62) with a da`eef isnaad. I used to declare this hadeeth hasan in previous
works, until I realised that I had been mistaken, because this hadeeth depends on
Hanzalah al-Dawsi, who is da`eef, and I do not know how this was unknown to me;
maybe I thought he was someone else. Anyway, praise is due to Allaah who guided
me to recognise my mistake, and that is why I hurried to correct it in print. Then
Allaah compensated me with this better hadeeth of Mu`aadh which relates to what
the hadeeth of Ibn `Abbaas indicated. Praise be to Allaah by whose Grace good actions
are completed.
172 There is Ijmaa` (consensus of opinion) of the Muslims
on this, with successors passing it on from the predecessors, along with authentic
hadeeths which establish this, as Nawawi has said, and some of them follow. See
also Irwaa' (345).
173 Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
174 Bukhaari & Muslim.
175 see the sections on his recitation in Friday prayer
and the two `Eid prayers.
176 Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
177 Bukhaari & Muslim.
178 `Abdul Haqq said in Tahajjud (90/1):
"As for voluntary prayers during the day, there is nothing authentic from him (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) regarding either quiet or loud recitation, but it would seem
that he used to recite quietly during them. It is reported from him (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) that once, during the daytime, he passed by `Abdullaah ibn Hudhaafah
who was praying and reciting loudly, so he said to him: O `Abdullaah, let Allaah
hear, not us. But this hadeeth is not strong."
179 Muslim & Bukhaari in Af`aal al-`Ibaad.
180 Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi in Shamaa'il
with a hasan isnaad. The hadeeth means that he (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) used
to moderate between quietness and loudness.
181 Nasaa'i, Tirmidhi in Shamaa'il & Baihaqi
in Dalaa'il with a hasan isnaad.
182 Abu Daawood & Haakim , who declared it saheeh,
and Dhahabi agreed.
183 ibid.
184 The last seventh of the Qur'aan, beginning with soorah
Qaaf (no. 50) according to the soundest view, as before.
185 Nasaa'i & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
186 Ahmad, Ibn Khuzaimah (1/69/1) & Haakim who declared
it saheeh and Dhahabi agreeed.
187 Bukhaari & Muslim.
188 Muslim & Tirmidhi. It is given along with the
next one in Irwaa' (345).
189 Muslim & Abu Daawood.
190 Abu Daawood & Baihaqi with a saheeh isnaad. And
what is apparent is that he (`alaihis salaam) did it on purpose to establish its
validity.
191 Abu Daawood, Ibn Khuzaimah (1/76/1), Ibn Bushraan
in al-Amaali & Ibn Abi Shaibah (12/176/1); Haakim declared it saheeh
and Dhahabi agreed.
192 lit. "the two by means of which refuge is sought",
i.e. the last two surahs of the Qur'aan, both beginning "Say: I seek refuge
... "
193 Abu Daawood & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
194 Bukhaari & Muslim.
195 Nasaa'i, Ahmad & Bazzaar with a good isnaad.
196 Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
197 Moosaa is mentioned in aayah 45: "Then We sent Moosaa
and his brother Haaroon, with our signs and manifest authority. ;"
`Isa is mentioned soon after in aayah 50: "And We made the son of Maryam and his
mother as a sign - we gave them both shelter on high ground, affording rest and
security and furnished with springs. "
198 Muslim, & Bukhaari in ta`leeq.form. It is given
in Irwaa' (397).
199 Ahmad & Abu Ya`laa in their musnads, and Maqdisi
in al-Mukhtaarah.
200 Bukhaari & Muslim.
201 ibid.
202 Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
203 Bukhaari & Muslim.
204 Muslim, Ibn Khuzaimah & Haakim.
205 Muslim & Abu Daawood.
206 ibid.
207 Ibn Maajah & Ibn Khuzaimah.
208 Tahaawi, Ibn Hibbaan in his saheeh & Ibn Bushraan;
Ibn Haajar declared it hasan in al-Ahaadeeth al-`Aaliyaat (no. 16).
209 Bukhaari & Muslim.
210 Muslim, & Bukhaari in Juz' al-Qiraa'ah
(Article on Recitation).
211 Abu Daawood with a saheeh isnaad & Ibn Khuzaimah
(1/165/1).
212 Ahmad & Muslim.
213 Abu Daawood, Tirmidhee& Ibn Khuzaimah (1/67/2);
the latter two declared it saheeh.
214 Ibn Khuzaimah in his saheeh (1/67/2).
215 Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
216 Ahmad & Muslim. The hadeeth contains evidence
that reciting more than al-Faatihah in the last two rak`ahs is a sunnah, and many
Companions did so, among them Abu Bakr Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him).
It is also the view of Imaam Shaafi`i, whether in Zuhr or others, and of our later
scholars, Abul Hasanaat al-Lucknowi took it in Notes on Muhammad's al-Muwatta'
(p. 102) and said:
"Some of our companions take hold a very strange view in obligating a sajdah sahw
(prostration for forgetfulness) for the recitation of a soorah in the last two rak`ahs,
but the commentators on al-Maniyyah, Ibraaheem al-Halabi, Ibn Ameer Haajj
and others, have refuted this view extremely well. There is no doubt that those
who said this were unaware of the hadeeth, and had it reached them they would not
have said so."
217 Bukhaari & Muslim.
218 Ibn Khuzaimah in his saheeh (1/67/2) & Diyaa'
al-Maqdisi in al-Mukhtaarah with a saheeh isnaad.
219 Bukhaari in Article on Recitation &
Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
220 Muslim & Tayaalisi.
221 Bukhaari & Muslim.
222 ibid.
223 Abu Daawood with a saheeh isnaad & Ibn Khuzaimah.
224 Ahmad & Muslim.
225 Bukhaari & Muslim.
226 ibid.
227 ibid (Bukhaari & Muslim).
228 Nasaa'i & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
229 Tayaalisi & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
230 Ibn Khuzaimah (1/166/2), Tabaraani & Maqdisi
with a saheeh isnaad.
231 Bukhaari & Muslim.
232 ibid.
233 called "at-toolayain": A`raaf (7) is agreed to be
one; An`aam (6) is the other, according to the most correct saying, as in Fath al-Baari.
234 Bukhaari, Abu Daawood, Ibn Khuzaimah (1/68/1), Ahmad,
Siraaj & Mukhlis.
235 Tabaraani in Mu`jam al-Kabeer with a saheeh
isnaad.
236 Ahmad, Maqdisi, Nasaa'ee Ibn Nasr & Tabaraani
.
237 Nasaa'i & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
238 Ahmad & Tirmidhi, who declared it hasan.
239 Bukhaari, Muslim & Nasaai.
240 ibid.
241 ibid. It is also given in Irwaa' (295)
242Nasaai with Saheeh isnaad.
243 Bukhaari & Muslim.
244 The narration is like this, with Nisaa' (4) before
aal-`Imraan (3), and thus it is evidence for (the permissibility of) departing from
the order of surahs found in the `Uthmaani copy of the Qur'aan in recitation. An
example of this has already been seen.
245 Muslim & Nasaa'i .
246 Abu Ya`laa & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and
Dhahabi agreed. Ibn al-Atheer says: "... the Seven Long surahs are Baqarah (2),
aal-`Imraan (3), Nisaa' (4), Maa'idah (5), An`aam (6), A`raaf (7) and Tawbah (9)."
247 Abu Daawood & Nasaa'i with a saheeh
isnaad.
248 Muslim & Abu Daawood.
249 Bukhaari & Muslim.
250 Nasaa'i & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
251 Bukhaari & Ahmad.
252 Daarimi & Sa`eed ibn Mansoor in his sunan with
a saheeh isnaad.
253 Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
254 Daarimi & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
255 Ar. shirrah: excitement, enthusiasm, keenness,
energy. The shirrah of youth is his its beginning and its fervour/zeal.
Imaam Tahaawi says:
"This is the zeal/fervour of the Muslims in their actions which bring them nearer
to their Lord. However they are bound to fall short and leave some actions (which
they began due to this zeal) so the most beloved of their actions to Allaah's Messenger
(sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) were those done otherwise (and kept up), so he ordered
them to carry out righteous deeds which they are able to do continually and keep
to until they meet their Lord-the Mighty and Majestic. It is narrated from him (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam) to clarify this that he said: "The actions most loved by Allaah
are those which are the most regular, even if they are little."
I say: this hadeeth which he prefixes with the words "it is narrated" is saheeh,
agreed upon by Bukhaari & Muslim from the narration of `Aa'ishah (Allaah be
pleased with her).
256 Ar. fatrah: interval, break, lapse; referring
here to a period of reduced enthusiasm.
257 Ahmad & Ibn Hibbaan in his saheeh.
258 Ibn Sa`ad (1/376) & Abu ash-Shaikh in `Akhlaaq
Nabi (281).
259 Daarimi & Haakim , who declared it saheeh and
Dhahabi agreed.
260 ibid.
261 Ahmad & Ibn Nasr with a saheeh isnaad.
262 Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
263 Ahmad & Abu Daawood with a saheeh isnaad.
264Muslim & Abu Daawood. This hadeeth and others
make it disliked (makrooh) to stay awake the whole night, whether always or regularly,
for it is against the example of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam); for
if staying up the whole night were better, he (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) would
have done so, and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad. So do not be deceived
by what is narrated from Abu Haneefah (rahimahullaah) that he prayed Fajr with the
ablution of `Ishaa' for forty years!! (translator's note: see Tablighi Nisab: Virtues
of Salaat by Maulana Zakariyya Kandhalvi for examples of this type of claim)
For this narration from him is totally baseless; in fact `Allaamah al-Fairoozaabaadi
says in Ar-Radd `alaa al-Mu`tarid ((44/1):
"This narration is a clear lie and cannot be attributed to the Imaam, for there
is nothing excellent about it, whereas it was the nature of the likes of the Imaam
to do the better thing; there is no doubt that the renewal of purification for each
prayer is more excellent, most complete, and best. This is even if it is correct
that he stayed awake the length of the night for forty consecutive years! This story
seems more like a fairy tale, and is an invention of some of the extremely ignorant
fanatics, who say it about Abu Haneefah and others, and all of it is lies."
265 Nasaa'i, Ahmad & Tabaraani (1/187/2); Tirmidhi
declared it saheeh.
266 Nasaa'i, Ibn Khuzaimah (1/70/1), Ahmad, Ibn Nasr
& Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
267 Ahmad & Bukhaari .
268 Nasaa'i & Haakim, who declared it saheeh.
269 Tirmidhi, Abul `Abbaas al-Asamm in his al-Hadeeth
(vol 2 no. 117) & Haakim, who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi agreed.
270 Nasaa'i & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
271 The evidence for these two rak`ahs is found in Saheeh
Muslim and others as a practice of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam),
but they oppose his saying: Make the last of your prayer at night odd (witr)
transmitted by Bukhaari and Muslim. The scholars have differed in reconciling these
two hadeeth, none of them being convincing to me, so the most cautious thing is
to leave the two rak`ahs in compliance with the command of the Prophet (sallallaahu
`alaihi wa sallam). Allaah knows best.
Later I came across an authentic hadeeth which had a command for two rak`ahs after
witr, so the order of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) agrees with his
action, and the two rak`ahs are validated for everyone; the first command is thus
one of recommendation, not negating the two rak`ahs. The latter hadeeth is given
in Silsilat al-ahaadeeth as-saheehah (1993) - see Appendix 7.
272 Ahmad & Ibn Nasr and Tahaawi (1/202) and Ibn
Khuzaimah & Ibn Hibbaan with a hasan saheeh isnaad.
273 Muslim & Abu Daawood. It is given in Irwaa'
(345).
274 ibid.
275 Muslim & Abu Daawood.
276 ibid.
277 ibid.
278 This is the saying of Imaam Shaafi`i, Ahmad and Ishaaq,
and some of the later Hanafis who researched took this view. As for the recitation
of a soorah after it, this is the view of some of the Shaafi`ees and it is the correct
view.
279 Bukhaari , Abu Daawood, Nasaa'i & Ibn al-Jaarood.
The addition is not shaadhdh (odd) as Tuwaijiri thinks.
280 Nasaa'i & Tahaawi with a saheeh isnaad.
1Ibn al-Mubaarak in az-Zuhd (162/1 from al-Kawaakib
575), Abu Daawood & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
2Muslim & Maalik.
3Abu Daawood & Tirmidhi, who declared it saheeh.
4Bukhaari & Abu Daawood.
5Bukhaari in Af`aal al-`Ibaad with a saheeh isnaad.
6In the section on "Recitation of one verse at a time".
7Tarjee` -explained as a vibrating tone by Ibn
Hajar; Manaawi said: "It arises from a feeling of joy & happiness, which he
(sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) felt a good deal on the day of the conquest of Makkah."
8Bukhaari & Muslim.
9ibid. Ibn Hajar said in his commentary on"aaa (| | |)",
"this is a hamzah with a fathah, followed by a silent alif, followed by another
hamzah." Shaikh `Ali al-Qaari quoted likewise from others and then said: "It is
obvious that this is three prolonged alifs."
10Bukhaari as ta`leeq, Abu Daawood, Darimi, Haakim and
Tammaam al-Raazi with two saheeh isnaads.
NOTE: This hadeeth was turned round by one of the narrators, who narrated
it as "beautify your voices with the Qur'aan". This is a mistake in narration and
understanding, and whoever declared it saheeh is submerged in error, for it contradicts
the authentic explanatory narrations in this section. In fact, it is a prime example
of a maqloob hadeeth, and the details of this brief note are in Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth
ad-Da`eefah (no. 5328).
11A saheeh hadeeth transmitted by Ibn al Mubarak in az-Zuhd
(162/1 from al-Kawaakib 575), Daarimi, Ibn Nasr, Tabaraani, Abu Nu`aim
in Akhbaar Isbahaan and Diyaa' in al-Mukhtaarah.
12Daarimi & Ahmad with a saheeh isnaad.
13Abu Daawood and Haakim who declared it saheeh and Dhahabi
agreed.
14 Mundhiri said, "taghannnaa does mean to recite
in a pleasant voice; Sufyaan bin `Uyainah and others took the the view that it is
to do with istighnaa (i.e. letting the Qur'aan make one dispense with worldly
pleasures), but this is rejected."
15Bukhaari, Muslim, Tahaawi & Ibn Mandah in Tawheed
(81/1).
16The scholars have said that musical instruments here
means a beautiful voice and that the family of Daawood refers to Daawood himself;
the family of so-and-so can be specifically for so-and-so only; Daawood (`alaihis
salaam) had an extremely beautiful voice. This is mentioned by Nawawi in his commentary
on Saheeh Muslim.
17`Abdur Razzaaq in al-Amaali (2/44/1), Bukhaari,
Muslim, Ibn Nasr and Haakim.
18 Abu Daawood, Ibn Hibbaan, Tabaraani, Ibn `Asaakir (2/296/2)
& Diyaa' in al-Mukhtaarah with a saheeh isnaad.
19 Ar. tafl: to blow with a minimum amount of
saliva - Nihaayah.
20 Muslim & Ahmad. Nawawi (rahimahullaah) says, "This
hadeeth contains a recommendation to seek refuge from the devil when he tempts,
along with spitting to the left three times."
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