Fath al-Rabbani

Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would begin the prayer with the takbeer and the recitation with {اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰہِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِیْنَ}, when he would bow (in ruku‘), he would neither raise his head too much nor lower it too much, but would keep it in between. When he would raise his head from ruku‘, he would not go into prostration (sajdah) until he stood up straight. When he would raise his head from prostration, he would not perform the (second) prostration until he sat up straight. After every two rak‘ahs, he would recite "At-tahiyyatu lillah…". He (peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that anyone should spread his arms like a beast during prostration. When he sat, he would spread his left foot and keep his right foot upright. He (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the sitting posture of Satan and would end the prayer with salam.

Qasim says: We were sitting with Abdur Rahman bin Abzi (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "Shall I not show you the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)?" We replied: "Why not." Qasim says: So he stood up and said Allahu Akbar, then after reciting (Qur'an), when he bowed for ruku, he placed his hands on his knees (and remained there for so long that) every limb became settled in its place. Then he rose from ruku (and remained standing for so long that) every limb became settled in its place. Then he performed sajdah until every limb became tranquil in its place. Then he rose from sajdah, then in the second rak'ah he did just as he had done in the first rak'ah. Then he said: "The prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was like this."

Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I said that I will definitely, definitely observe the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to see how he performs the prayer. So I saw that he stood facing the Qiblah, said Allahu Akbar, and raised his hands up to his ears or shoulders. Then he placed his right hand on the back of his left hand’s palm, wrist, and forearm. When he intended to bow (ruku‘), he again raised his hands in the same manner, placed his hands on his knees in ruku‘, and when rising from ruku‘, again raised his hands in the same way. Then he performed prostration (sajdah) and placed his palms level with his ears. When he sat, he spread his left foot and placed his left palm on his left thigh and knee, and set the edge of his right elbow on his right thigh. Then he closed the fingers of his (right) hand in such a way that he made a circle with the thumb and middle finger, and raised the index finger and pointed with it. I saw that he was moving this finger and supplicating with it. After that, I came at a time when it was cold, and I saw that people had clothes on, and due to the cold, their hands would move under their garments.

(Second chain of narration) It is in this: Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr says: I came to you a second time and saw that people were wearing clothes, among them were garments with caps and also sheets, I saw that under the clothes were such shirts.

(Third chain of narration) It is stated in this: Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr says: Then he placed his left hand on his left knee, and placed his right arm on his right thigh, then pointed with his index finger, placed the thumb on the middle finger, and closed all the remaining fingers.

Sayyiduna Wa’il bin Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw when the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entered the prayer, he raised both his hands up to the level of his ears, then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) wrapped himself in his garment and placed his right hand over his left. When he was about to bow (ruku‘), he took his hands out from the garment, performed the raising of the hands (raf‘ al-yadayn), and said “Allahu Akbar” and bowed. Then when he said “Sami‘ Allahu liman hamidah,” he again performed the raising of the hands. When he prostrated, he prostrated between his palms.

Salim Barrad says that Sayyiduna Abu Mas’ud Badri (may Allah be pleased with him) said to us: “Shall I not lead you in prayer as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray?” Then he said Allahu Akbar and bowed (in ruku’), placed his palms on his knees, and his fingers were spread out on his shins. (According to one narration) his fingers were spaced apart beyond the knees, and he kept his arms separate from his sides. (He remained in ruku’) for so long that every limb settled in its place. Then, after saying Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah, he stood up straight until every limb returned to its place. Then he said Allahu Akbar and prostrated (sajdah), kept his arms separate from his sides in prostration, and remained for so long that every limb settled in its place. Then he raised his head from prostration and sat upright until every limb reached its position. Then he performed the second prostration. In this manner, he led us in four rak’ahs and then said: “The prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was like this.” He also said: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) praying in this manner.”

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Malik bin Huwairith Al-Laithi (may Allah be pleased with him) that one day he said to his companions: "Shall I not show you the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), how it was?" Although it was not the time for prayer. Then (he started the prayer), he stood and performed a good standing, then he bowed and performed a good bowing, then (after bowing) he raised his head and stood straight for a while, then he prostrated, then (after prostration) he raised his head, he used to say takbeer while sitting, then after waiting a little, he performed the (second) prostration. Abu Qilabah says: He led us in prayer just as our Shaykh Sayyiduna Amr bin Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray, and he (Amr bin Salamah) used to lead the prayer in the time of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Ayyub says: I saw Sayyiduna Amr bin Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) doing something which you do not do, and that is: in the first and third rak‘ah, when he raised his head after the two prostrations, he would sit straight and then stand up for the next rak‘ah.

Abdur Rahman bin Ghanm says that Sayyiduna Abu Malik Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered his people and said: O group of Ash’aris! Gather yourselves and also gather your women and children, I will teach you the prayer of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) which he used to teach us in Madinah. So they gathered and also gathered their women and children. Sayyiduna Abu Malik Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) performed ablution and showed them how he performed ablution, he made the water reach all the parts of ablution thoroughly. Then when the shadow (from the west to the east) returned and the shadow inclined, he stood up and gave the (Dhuhr) adhan, then he formed the row of men at the front, behind them the row of boys, and behind the boys the row of women, then after saying the iqamah he stood at the front, raised his hands and said the takbir, then recited Surah Al-Fatihah and another surah quietly, then said the takbir and bowed (ruku’), recited “Subhan Allah wa bihamdihi” three times, then said “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah” and stood up straight, then said the takbir and prostrated (sajdah), then said the takbir and raised his head (from sajdah), then said the takbir and prostrated, then said the takbir and stood up, in the first rak’ah he had a total of six takbirs. When he stood for the second rak’ah, he said the takbir. When he completed his prayer, he turned to his people and said: Remember my takbirs, and understand this bowing and prostration, because this is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) which he used to teach us at this time of the day. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) completed his prayer, he turned his face towards the people and said: O people! Listen, understand, and know that there are servants of Allah who are neither prophets nor martyrs, but due to their status and closeness to Allah, even the prophets and martyrs will envy them. A Bedouin from among the distant people came and pointed with his hand towards the Prophet of Allah and said: O Prophet of Allah! Some people among the people, who are neither prophets nor martyrs, but due to their status and closeness to Allah, even the prophets and martyrs will envy them, please describe their qualities to us. The face of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) became happy due to the question of the Bedouin, and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: They are unknown people, who have come out from various tribes, there are no close relationships among them, but they love each other only for the sake of Allah and are sincere to one another, on the Day of Resurrection Allah will place pulpits of light for them and seat them upon them, and will make their faces and clothes light, on the Day of Resurrection people will be afraid, but they will not be afraid, rather they are the friends (awliya) of Allah, upon whom there will be no fear nor will they grieve.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Malik Ash'ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to maintain equality in recitation and standing in all four rak'ahs, except that he would make the first rak'ah a little longer so that more people could join in that rak'ah. He would make the men stand in front of the children, the children behind them, and the women behind the children. And when he performed sajdah and when he rose from sajdah, he would say Allahu Akbar, and when he sat after two rak'ahs and then stood up, he would again say Allahu Akbar.

Muhammad bin Ata says: Sayyiduna Abu Humayd Sa’idi (may Allah be pleased with him) was among the ten companions of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and among them was Sayyiduna Abu Qatadah bin Rabi’i (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Abu Humayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I know the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) better than all of you. But they said: You are neither older in companionship than us nor do you follow him more than we do. So he said: Why not, (what you say is correct). In any case, they said: Alright, describe it. Sayyiduna Abu Humayd Sa’idi (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When he (peace and blessings be upon him) would stand, he would stand straight and raise his hands until he made them level with his shoulders. Then, when he intended to bow (ruku’), he would raise his hands until they were level with his shoulders, then say Allahu Akbar and bow, and in bowing he would be even, neither lowering his head too much nor raising it too high, and he would place his hands on his knees. Then, saying “Sami’ Allahu liman hamidah,” he would rise and stand straight until every bone returned to its place. Then he would go down for prostration (sajdah) saying Allahu Akbar, and he would keep his arms away from his stomach and spread them, and turn the toes of his feet (towards the qiblah). Then (after rising from prostration) he would fold his left foot and sit on it and be straight until every bone settled in its place. Then he would go down for prostration saying Allahu Akbar, then fold his foot and sit on it until every limb returned to its place. Then when he stood up, he would do the same in the second rak’ah. When, after two rak’ahs, he stood up, he would say Allahu Akbar and raise his hands and make them level with his shoulders as he did at the beginning of the prayer. Then he would do the same until, when it was the last rak’ah in which the prayer ended, he would take out his left foot (from underneath to the right side) and sit in the posture of tawarruk on his buttocks, then he would say the salam.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man entered the mosque and performed prayer, then he came to the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and greeted him with salam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied to the salam and said: Go back and perform the prayer again, for you have not performed the prayer. He went back and did the same thing three times. Finally, he said: By the One Who has sent you with the truth! I cannot perform it better than this, so please teach me. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you stand for prayer, say Allahu Akbar, then recite from the Qur’an whatever is easy for you, then bow (ruku‘) until you are at ease in the bowing position, then prostrate (sujud) until you are at ease in the prostration, when you rise from ruku‘, stand straight until you are standing upright, then prostrate until you are at ease in the prostration, then rise from prostration and sit until you are at ease in the sitting position, then do this throughout your entire prayer.

The companion of the Messenger, Sayyiduna Rifa’ah bin Rafi’ al-Zuraqi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting in the mosque. He prayed near him, and then went towards the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Pray again, for you have not performed the prayer. He went back, but after praying in the same manner as before, he returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) again said: Pray again, for you have not prayed. He said: O Messenger of Allah! Then teach me how I should pray. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you stand facing the Qiblah, say Allahu Akbar, then recite Surah al-Fatihah, and after that, recite as much of the Qur’an as you wish. When you bow (in ruku’), place your palms on your knees, straighten your back, and be fully at ease in your ruku’. When you raise your head, straighten your back until the bones return to their joints. When you prostrate, prostrate with complete calmness, then when you raise your head, sit on your left thigh. Then perform ruku’ and sujud in this manner.

(Second chain) He says: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the mosque when a man entered and prayed in a corner of the mosque while the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was watching him. When he came and greeted (with salam), the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, returned his greeting and said: Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. He said this two or three times. Finally, on the third or fourth time, the man said to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him: By Him Who has sent you with the truth! I have tried my best according to my ability, so please teach me yourself and show me how I should pray. Upon this, the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said to him: When you intend to pray, perform ablution well, then face the qiblah and say Allahu Akbar, then recite (Qur'an), then bow (ruku') until you are at ease in the bowing position, then stand up until you are at ease in the standing position (qawmah), then prostrate until you are at ease in the prostration position (sajdah), then rise until you are at ease in the sitting position (jalsah), then stand up (and continue your prayer). When you have completed your prayer in this manner, it means you have completed it, and whatever you leave out from these matters, in reality, you have left something out from your prayer.