The Nature of Prayer - Section 1

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 791

وَعَنْ عَائِشَةَ قَالَتْ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَسْتَفْتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ وَالْقِرَاءَةِ بِ (الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ) وَكَانَ إِذَا رَكَعَ لَمْ يُشْخِصْ رَأْسَهُ وَلَمْ يُصَوِّبْهُ وَلَكِنْ بَيْنَ ذَلِكَ وَكَانَ إِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ لَمْ يَسْجُدْ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَائِمًا وَكَانَ …

‘A’isha said that God’s Messenger used to begin prayer with the takbir1 and the recitation of “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe.”2 When he bowed he neither kept his head up nor bent it down, but kept it between…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 792

وَعَن أبي حميد السَّاعِدِيّ قَالَ: فِي نَفَرٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: أَنَا أَحْفَظُكُمْ لِصَلَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ رَأَيْتُهُ إِذَا كَبَّرَ جَعَلَ يَدَيْهِ حِذَاءَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ أَمْكَنَ يَدَيْهِ مِنْ رُكْبَتَيْهِ ثُمَّ هَصَرَ ظَهْرَهُ فَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ اسْتَوَى ح…

Abu Humaid as-Sa'idi said among a company of the companions of God’s Messenger, “I am the one among you who is best versed in the way God’s Messenger prayed. I saw that when he uttered the takbir he placed his hands oppo…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 793

وَعَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ: أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يَرْفَعُ يَدَيْهِ حَذْوَ مَنْكِبَيْهِ إِذَا افْتَتَحَ الصَّلَاةَ وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ لِلرُّكُوعِ وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ رَفَعَهُمَا كَذَلِكَ وَقَالَ: سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَكَانَ لَا يَفْعَلُ ذَلِكَ فِي السُّجُودِ

Ibn ‘Umar said that God’s Messenger used to raise his hands opposite his shoulders when he began prayer and when he said the takbir before bowing; and when he raised his head after bowing he raised them in the same way a…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 794

وَعَنْ نَافِعٍ: أَنَّ ابْنَ عُمَرَ كَانَ إِذَا دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَبَّرَ وَرَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَكَعَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَإِذَا قَامَ مِنَ الرَّكْعَتَيْنِ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ وَرَفَعَ ذَلِكَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ إِلَى نَبِيِّ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ. رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ

Nafi‘ said that when Ibn ‘Umar began prayer he said the takbir and raised his hands; when he bowed he raised his hands; when he said, “God listens to him who praises Him” he raised his hands; and when he got up at the en…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 795

وَعَن مَالك بن الْحُوَيْرِث قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا كَبَّرَ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ حَتَّى يُحَاذِيَ بِهِمَا أُذُنَيْهِ وَإِذَا رَفَعَ رَأْسَهُ مِنَ الرُّكُوعِ فَقَالَ: سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَعَلَ مِثْلَ ذَلِك. وَفِي رِوَايَة: حَتَّى يُحَاذِي بهما فروع أُذُنَيْهِ

Malik b. al-Huwairith said that when God’s Messenger said the takbir he raised his hands and placed them opposite his ears, and when he raised his head after bowing and said, “God listens to him who praises Him,” he did…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 796

وَعَنْهُ أَنَّهُ رَأَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي فَإِذَا كَانَ فِي وِتْرٍ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ لَمْ يَنْهَضْ حَتَّى يَسْتَوِيَ قَاعِدًا. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

He said that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) praying, and when he had prayed an odd number of rak'as he did not stand up till after he had adopted a sitting position. Bukhari transmitted it.

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 797

وَعَن وَائِل بن حجرأنه رأى النَّبِي صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم رفع يَدَيْهِ حِينَ دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ كَبَّرَ ثُمَّ الْتَحَفَ بِثَوْبِهِ ثُمَّ وَضَعَ يَدَهُ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى الْيُسْرَى فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَرْكَعَ أَخْرَجَ يَدَيْهِ من الثَّوْب ثمَّ رفعهما ثمَّ كبر فَرَكَعَ فَلَمَّا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ رَفَعَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمَّا سَجَدَ سَجَدَ …

Wa’il b. Hujr said that he saw the Prophet (ﷺ) raise his hands when he began prayer. He said the takbir, then pulled his garment round him, then placed his right hand on his left. When he was about to bow he took his han…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 798

وَعَن سهل بن سعد قَالَ: كَانَ النَّاسُ يُؤْمَرُونَ أَنْ يَضَعَ الرَّجُلُ الْيَدَ الْيُمْنَى عَلَى ذِرَاعِهِ الْيُسْرَى فِي الصَّلَاةِ. رَوَاهُ البُخَارِيّ

Sahl b. Sa'd said that the people received command that a man should place the right hand on the left forearm in prayer. Bukhari transmitted it.

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 799

وَعَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ: كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَقُومُ ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَرْكَعُ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ: «سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ» حِينَ يَرْفَعُ صُلْبَهُ مِنَ الرَّكْعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ: «رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ» ثُمَّ يُكَبِّرُ حِينَ يَهْوِي ثُمَّ يُكَبِّر…

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger got up to pray he would say the takbir when standing, then say the takbir when bowing, then say, “God listens to him who praises Him” when coming to an erect position after bowi…

Mishkat al-Masabih · Book 4 · Hadith 800

وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَفْضَلُ الصَّلَاةِ طُولُ الْقُنُوتِ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The most excellent prayer consists in long standing in prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.