Abu Dawud

683. Commentary:
➊ The meaning of “Do not do this again” is that when you see that the congregational prayer is being held and the imam has gone into bowing (ruku‘), then you come running quickly and perform ruku‘ from the door itself, and while in the state of ruku‘, you join the row. Do not do this in the future; rather, come and join the row with calmness and dignity. As for the issue of whether that rak‘ah was counted or not, there is no explicit mention of this matter in this hadith. However, in another hadith, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «اذا اتيت الصلاة فاتها بوقار وسكنينة فصل ما ادركت واقض ما فاتك» [الصحيحه، حديث : 1198، بحواله الاوسط، للطبراني]
“When you come for prayer, come with calmness and tranquility; whatever (part of the prayer) you catch (with the congregation), perform it, and whatever you miss, complete it.” It is apparent that when Abu Bakr radi Allahu anhu missed the standing (qiyam) and Surah al-Fatihah, he must have repeated that rak‘ah, even though this is not mentioned in the hadith, but according to the Prophetic instruction, he certainly would have done so. If the affirmation or validity of the rak‘ah was established in this manner, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would not have told him not to do this again. Some people read «لا تَعُدْ» (from «عاد», «يعود», «عَوُد») as «لا تُعِدْ» and attribute it to «اَعَادَ», «يُعيد», and interpret it to mean: do not repeat this rak‘ah. In this way, they affirm the rak‘ah for the one who catches the ruku‘. However, deriving it from “i‘adah” does not fit the context of the speech. Similarly, some people, considering it from «عَدّ», «يَعُدُّ» meaning “to count,” read it as «لا تَعُدّ», i.e., do not count this rak‘ah. Thus, the word contains multiple possibilities. However, in terms of context, the first meaning—that is, not to count this rak‘ah—is correct, and thus, the affirmation of the rak‘ah for the one who catches the ruku‘ is not established. Moreover, other evidences also support this position, so this is the most preferred and strongest view. «والله اعلم»

Objection: SA The permissive group presents this hadith from Sahih Bukhari as evidence in their arguments. EA Fiqh al-Hadith
If one is praying behind the imam in congregation, then the prayer of a man standing alone behind the row is not valid under any circumstance.

An Impartial Analysis of the Alleged Proofs of the Permissive Group
Some people think that the prayer of a person standing alone behind the row is valid, but as Imam Ibn Hazm rahimahullah has stated, neither the Book, nor the Sunnah, nor the consensus of the Ummah provides any evidence to support them. The arguments they present to prove their false position are impartially analyzed as follows:

Proof No. 3: SA Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu narrates:
«إنه انتهى إلى النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو راكع، فركع قبل أن يصل إلى الصف، فذكر ذلك للنبي صلى الله عليه وسلم، فقال : زادك الله حرضا ولا تعد.»
“He came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam while he was in the state of bowing (ruku‘). Before joining the row, he performed ruku‘, and then, while walking, joined the row. He then mentioned this to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, who said: ‘May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do this again.’” [صحيح البخاري: 783] EA Analysis:
A similarly invalid inference has been drawn from this narration as was drawn from the previous narration. The only difference is that in the previous narration, an attempt was made to prove that the person coming from the left side of the imam to the right side was praying alone behind the row, while in this narration, an attempt is made to present the person who joined while in the state of bowing as someone who prayed alone behind the row. However, it is absolutely clear that Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu, upon seeing the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the state of bowing, immediately, out of eagerness to comply, assumed the posture of ruku‘ from behind the row, and then walked forward to join the row. That is, his walking was for the purpose of joining the row, not for praying alone.

Even if it is accepted that Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu performed the prayer alone behind the row, still, no evidence can be derived from this, because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade him from doing so in the future. That is, according to the trustworthy Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, praying alone behind the row is now prohibited.

Also consider the fatwa of Imam Ibn Hazm rahimahullah:
«وهذا الخبر حجة عليهم لنا . . . . . فقد ثبت أن الركوع دون الصف، ثم دخول الصفت كذلك لا يحل .»
“This hadith actually serves as evidence against those people and in our favor... This hadith proves that even bowing behind the row and then joining it is not permissible (let alone performing one or two rak‘ahs or the entire prayer alone).” [المحلى لابن حزم : 58,57/4]

Now, as for the objection that if this act was not permissible, then why did the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam not order Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu to repeat the rak‘ah in which he performed ruku‘ behind the row? The objector must first prove that Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu did not stand up and repeat that rak‘ah.

The absence of mention is not evidence of absence. In the first proof we mentioned, there is an explicit command from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for the one who prays alone behind the row to repeat the prayer. It is not just to abandon the explicit and take the ambiguous as evidence.

It is thus clear that this hadith does not establish the permissibility of a man praying alone behind the row.

For a detailed article on “The Prayer of One Alone Behind the Row,” see the benefits and issues under Sunan al-Tirmidhi, hadith number 230.

Hadith Commentary:
In the narration of Tabarani, it is mentioned that Abu Bakrah arrived at the mosque when the takbir (opening declaration) of the prayer had already been pronounced. He hurried, and in the narration of Tahawi, it is stated that he became breathless from running; in his haste, he bowed (performed ruku‘) before joining the row.
After the prayer, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) learned of this, he said: "Do not do this again."
Some scholars have taken this as evidence that if someone joins the ruku‘, the rak‘ah is counted for him.
In ‘Awn al-Ma‘bud, Sharh Abu Dawud, p. 332, it is stated:
Al-Shawkani said in Nayl (al-Awtaar): "There is nothing in this (hadith) that indicates what they have concluded, because just as he (the Prophet) did not command him to repeat (the rak‘ah), it has also not been transmitted to us that he considered it sufficient. The supplication for his eagerness does not necessitate that it was counted for him, because being with the imam is commanded, whether or not what the follower catches is counted for him, as in the hadith: 'When you come to the prayer and we are in prostration, then prostrate, but do not count it as anything.' Moreover, the Prophet forbade Abu Bakrah from repeating this act, and using as evidence something that has been prohibited is not valid. Ibn Hazm answered in al-Muhalla regarding the hadith of Abu Bakrah, saying: 'There is no proof for them in it, because it does not contain any assertion that the rak‘ah was counted for him,' etc."
In summary, according to Allamah Shawkani, it is not correct to deduce from this hadith that the rak‘ah is counted, because if the hadith does not explicitly state that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not order him to repeat the rak‘ah, it is also not transmitted that he considered that rak‘ah sufficient.
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) certainly supplicated for Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu) for his eagerness, but this does not necessitate that the rak‘ah was considered sufficient. And when the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) absolutely forbade Abu Bakrah (radi Allahu anhu) from this act, it is not correct to use a prohibited act as evidence.
Allamah Ibn Hazm has also written similarly in al-Muhalla.
The author of ‘Awn al-Ma‘bud (rahimahullah) states:
"So this is Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Bukhari, one of the mujtahids and one of the pillars of the religion, who held the view that one who catches the ruku‘ does not catch the rak‘ah until he recites al-Fatihah. So whoever joins the imam in ruku‘, he must make up that rak‘ah after the imam's salam. In fact, al-Bukhari has transmitted this view from everyone who holds the obligation of reciting (al-Fatihah) behind the imam," etc.
(‘Awn al-Ma‘bud, p. 334)
That is, Imam Muhammad ibn Isma‘il al-Bukhari (rahimahullah), who is among the great mujtahids and indeed one of the most important pillars of the Muslim community, did not accept the rak‘ah of one who catches the ruku‘.
Rather, his fatwa is that such a person should perform that rak‘ah after the imam's salam. In fact, Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has transmitted this as the view of everyone who considers reciting Surah al-Fatihah behind the imam to be obligatory, and our Shaykh al-‘Arab wa al-‘Ajam, Mawlana Sayyid Nadhir Husayn Muhaddith Dehlawi (rahimahullah), also holds this same fatwa.
(reference as mentioned)
After this detail, it is also necessary to keep in mind that those who, without prejudice and based solely on their own research, hold the view that the rak‘ah is counted by catching the ruku‘, are themselves responsible for their action.
They too should refrain from making insinuations against those who do not accept the rak‘ah by catching the ruku‘, and in such disputed subsidiary issues, they should act with broad-mindedness and not harm mutual unity, for this was the way and practice of the pious predecessors (salaf salihin).
In such matters, whether among those who affirm or deny, each person will be rewarded according to his intention under the hadith "Actions are by intentions," and for this reason, the principle "the mujtahid may be correct or mistaken" has been established.
And Allah knows best what is correct, and to Him is the return and the final destination.
According to the evidence, the correct view is that if one joins in ruku‘, it is necessary to make up that rak‘ah.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah did not decisively issue a ruling regarding the one who bows (performs ruku) before joining the row (saff), as to whether his rak‘ah is valid or not, because there is a difference of opinion on this matter.

Those jurists who consider this rak‘ah valid hold the position that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam certainly forbade running quickly and bowing before joining the row, but doing so is not haram. If the prohibition had been one of prohibition (tahrimi), then he would have ordered Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu to repeat the mentioned rak‘ah, but this did not happen. It is thus understood that his rak‘ah was valid.

And those scholars who consider such a rak‘ah invalid hold the position that previously, doing so was permissible and the rak‘ah was valid, but on this occasion, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade it with the words "la ta‘ud" (do not repeat), therefore, doing an act from which he has prohibited is not valid in any case. The action of the aforementioned Companion occurred before the prohibition, so he was not ordered to repeat it.

This latter position appears to be more correct and cautious, and Imam Bukhari’s inclination is also towards this, because according to Imam Bukhari, any rak‘ah in which Surah al-Fatihah is not recited is not valid. The rak‘ah performed in the aforementioned state is also without Surah al-Fatihah, therefore it too will not be valid. In addition, the following hadith also supports this position:

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam saw a man praying behind the row, and he ordered him to repeat the prayer. Imam Bukhari and Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah have declared this narration authentic, and in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah, the following words are added: "There is no prayer for the one who prays alone behind the row." (Fath al-Bari: 2/347)

In these narrations, the prayer of the one praying alone behind the row is declared invalid. Therefore, the portion of the rak‘ah performed alone behind the row by the one who bowed before joining the row will not be valid, due to which the rak‘ah will remain incomplete, and on this basis, it will be considered invalid.

And Allah knows best.

(2)
From this hadith, it is understood that one who joins the congregation late should join the imam in whatever position he finds him.

The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "Come to prayer with calmness and tranquility; whatever portion you catch, pray it, and what you miss, complete it afterwards." (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Salat, Hadith: 572)

(3)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in his treatise "Juz’ al-Qira’ah," has discussed in detail that merely catching the ruku does not constitute a rak‘ah, because by doing so, essential pillars (arkan) are missed, i.e., standing (qiyam) and al-Fatihah, both of which are obligatory according to the Book and Sunnah.

Objections have been raised to this position in light of the following ahadith:

➊ At the end of the narration of Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu are the words "la ta‘ud." It is argued from this that "do not repeat your prayer," because he caught the ruku with the imam.

➋ In the hadith, it is stated: "Whoever catches the ruku has caught the prayer." This also indicates that catching the ruku is catching the rak‘ah.

➌ "When you come to prayer and we are in the state of prostration (sujud), then you also prostrate and do not count it as anything, and whoever catches the rak‘ah has caught the prayer." (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/89) In this narration, rak‘ah refers to ruku.

➍ "When you come to prayer and the imam is in ruku, then you also perform ruku, and if he is in the state of prostration, then you also prostrate, but do not count the prostration unless it is accompanied by ruku." (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/89)

➎ "Whoever catches the imam in the state of ruku before he straightens his back has caught the prayer." (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/89)

These narrations imply that catching the ruku constitutes a rak‘ah.

➏ The practice of the Companions also indicates that catching the ruku with the imam is catching the rak‘ah, for example:

- Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/90)
- Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/90)
- Zayd ibn Thabit (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/90)
- Abu Bakr al-Siddiq radi Allahu anhu (al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 2/90)
- Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr radi Allahu anhum (Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 2/264)

All these reports indicate that for the one who catches the ruku, the recitation of al-Fatihah is waived and his rak‘ah is valid, as written by al-‘Allamah al-Albani rahimahullah. (Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 2/264)

The answer to these narrations and reports is as follows:

➊ The narration of Abu Bakrah does not definitively establish either the validity or invalidity of the rak‘ah caught at ruku. The only words authentically established in this hadith are "la ta‘ud," which means "do not do so again," as we have already explained. The words cited in objection, such as "do not repeat (the prayer)," are not established in the narration. Therefore, the hadith which states that there is no prayer without al-Fatihah is decisive and not contradicted by the narration of Abu Bakrah, because there is no contradiction between a decisive (muhkam) and a possible (muhtamal) text. Thus, how can the rak‘ah of one who joins at ruku be counted?

➋ All narrations containing the meaning "whoever catches the ruku has caught the prayer" are questionable, as they do not meet the standards of authenticity established by the hadith scholars. Al-‘Allamah al-Albani has cited a narration with the words "whoever catches the ruku has caught the rak‘ah" (Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 2/260), but these words are entirely baseless, as al-Albani himself has clarified.

➌ The third narration states: "Whoever catches the rak‘ah has caught the prayer." This narration is also weak, as Imam Bayhaqi rahimahullah himself has indicated, because in its chain is Yahya ibn Abi Sulayman al-Madani, a narrator who is "munkar al-hadith" (narrates objectionable hadith), as Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has commented regarding him. (Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 2/262) Furthermore, in this narration, rak‘ah does not mean ruku, because rak‘ah meaning ruku is metaphorical, and a metaphorical meaning is only valid when the literal meaning is difficult or impossible. Moreover, the narrator of this hadith is Abu Hurayrah radi Allahu anhu, and his own fatwa is that catching the ruku does not constitute catching the rak‘ah, because he says: "Your rak‘ah will not be valid until you catch the imam in the state of standing (qiyam)." (Juz’ al-Qira’ah, Hadith: 131)

➍ In the fourth narration, the word "rajul" (man) is used, and this person is unknown. It has not yet been established that he is a Companion. If he is a Tabi‘i, his circumstances are unknown. Even if it is accepted as authentic, at most it establishes that for the prostration to be valid, ruku is necessary; without ruku, the prostration has no standing.

➎ The meaning of the fifth narration is not that whoever catches the imam in ruku before he straightens his back has caught the prayer, because the words in the narration are "rak‘ah," not "ruku," and the phrase "before he straightens his back" is not part of the narration but rather an addition (mudraj). Perhaps these are the words of Imam al-Zuhri, which Yahya ibn Humayd included as part of the hadith without clarification. (Irwa’ al-Ghalil: 2/262) Imam Bayhaqi has also clarified this.

➏ The reports cited regarding the practice of the Companions do not, by virtue of being their practice, establish a ruling in the Shari‘ah, especially when their practice is contrary to the hadith of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Such a thing is possible based on ijtihad. For us, it is necessary to act first and foremost upon the command of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And in this case, there is a contradiction, as the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: "There is no prayer without al-Fatihah." Furthermore, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would lengthen the standing (qiyam) for the Companions so that they could catch the rak‘ah, but he never lengthened the ruku so that they could join in ruku and count it as a rak‘ah.

And Allah knows best.

684. Commentary:
➊ If someone makes a mistake while doing a good deed, first he should be encouraged, and then the correct method should be explained or taught to him.
➋ The person joining the prayer should first reach the row with composure, and then calmly say the takbir and join the prayer.

872. Commentary:

➊ In the action of Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu, it was necessary to walk within the prayer, which is contrary to the requirements of prayer; therefore, this is not permissible.

➋ From this narration, an argument has been made regarding the rak‘ah being counted by catching the bowing (ruku‘), that Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu feared that if the bowing ended, he would miss the rak‘ah, and that is why he adopted this manner. However, this argument is not so strong, and there is also no explicit statement that he stood up and performed that rak‘ah or not. In this issue, this narration is ambiguous. The evidence should be clear. In Fath al-Bari, there is a hadith referenced from Tabarani that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu: «صلِّ ما أدركتَ واقضِ ما سبَقَك» "Pray what you catch, and complete what you miss." [فتح الباري : 2؍348 ، شرح حدیث : 783]

This portion of the hadith also appears in the narration of Abu Hurairah radi Allahu anhu. See: [صحيح مسلم ، المساجد ، حديث : 602]

And it is evident that he only caught the bowing (ruku‘); the standing (qiyam) was missed by him. In this context, the clear purpose of this command is that if only the bowing is caught, then that rak‘ah will not be counted.

➊ Benefits and Issues

In the hadith of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Zubayr radi Allahu anhu [سلسله احاديث صحيحه حديث نمبر 532], instruction is being given to perform bowing (ruku‘) before reaching the row, whereas in the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu, such an action is being prohibited. These two blessed hadiths appear, on the surface, to be contradictory. Since both hadiths are attributed to the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, without giving a personal opinion in favor of either, some way of reconciling and harmonizing both should be presented in order to act upon both; otherwise, the possibility of abrogation (naskh) or preference (tarjih) should be considered.

Imam al-Albani rahimahullah, after a lengthy discussion, has provided the following reconciliation between these two blessed hadiths: There is no contradiction between the two hadiths, because if various narrations are taken into account, it becomes clear that in the hadith of Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah radi Allahu anhu, the prohibition is regarding hastening towards the prayer, not about bowing (ruku‘) before reaching the row and then joining the row. For in the narration of Musnad Ahmad, it is mentioned that the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam heard the sound of Abu Bakrah’s shoes as he was running to catch the bowing (ruku‘). When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam finished the prayer, he asked: “Who was the one running?” ... Therefore, the situation described in the hadith of Sayyiduna Ibn Zubayr radi Allahu anhu is indeed the Sunnah, and it is not prohibited in the hadith of Abu Bakrah; rather, what is prohibited is running towards the prayer. [مزید دیکھئے : صحیحہ : 230،229]