Fath al-Rabbani

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says that Allah Almighty made obligatory, through the tongue of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), four rak‘ahs upon the resident, two upon the traveler, and one upon the one in fear.

Sayyiduna Abu Ayyash Zarqi (may Allah be pleased with him) says: We were with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) at the place of Usfan, when the polytheists confronted us. Their leader was Khalid bin Walid. They were between us and the Qiblah. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the Zuhr prayer. They said among themselves: These Muslims are engaged in prayer; if only we could take advantage of their heedlessness. Then they said: Soon, another time for their prayer will come, which is dearer to them than their lives and children. At that very moment, between Zuhr and Asr, Jibreel (peace be upon him) descended with these verses: {وَاِذَا کُنْتَ فِیْہِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَہُمْ الصَّلَاۃَ … } (When you are among them, and lead them in prayer ...). When the time for Asr came, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the companions to stand with their weapons. We formed two rows behind him. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in ruku', we all bowed, and when he rose from ruku', we also rose. When he (peace and blessings be upon him) went into prostration (sajdah), only those in the first row behind him performed sajdah, while those in the second row stood and kept watch. When those who had performed sajdah stood up, the second row sat in their places and performed sajdah. Then (at the beginning of the second rak'ah), the front row moved to the back and the back row came forward. Then, in the same way, all the worshippers performed ruku' with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and rose from ruku'. Then, when he went into sajdah, the first row performed sajdah with him, and the second row stood and kept watch. When he and the first row sat after sajdah, the second row sat and performed sajdah (and all sat for tashahhud, then) all together said salam and completed the prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led the prayer in this manner twice: once at Usfan and once in the region of Banu Sulaym.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he performed the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf) with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), on that occasion the enemy was in the direction of the Qiblah. We formed two rows behind him. He began the prayer by saying Allahu Akbar, and we also said Allahu Akbar. He bowed (in ruku‘), and we all bowed. After ruku‘, when he went into prostration (sajdah), the row behind him performed sajdah, while the second row remained standing facing the enemy. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and those in the first row stood up after the prostrations, then those in the second row performed sajdah. After this, the front row moved to the back and the back row came forward. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed (in ruku‘), all the people bowed. But when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) went into prostration, those in the first row performed sajdah with him (and the worshippers in the back row remained standing as before). When he sat after the prostrations, the worshippers in the back row performed sajdah and then they also sat. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said the salam, all the worshippers said the salam with him. Jabir says: (The worshippers in the second row remained standing in the same way) as nowadays those who are on guard duty stand with the leaders and rulers.

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas says that the prayer of fear was performed in the same way as your present-day guards perform it behind the imams, except that their prayer was performed alternately and all of them would stand behind the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. All the people would stand behind him and begin the prayer; when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would go into prostration, the people in the first row would prostrate with him, while those in the back row would remain standing. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would stand up after the prostrations, those in the back row, who had remained standing, would then perform their prostration, and then all would stand up (for the second rak‘ah). Then, when the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would bow, everyone would bow with him, and when he would prostrate, those who had remained standing in the first rak‘ah would prostrate with him, and those who had prostrated with him the first time would now remain standing. When the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, and one row would sit (for tashahhud) after the prostrations, those who had remained standing would perform their prostration and then sit, and then the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would include all the people in the final salutation.

Salim bin ‘Abd Saluli says: We were with Sa‘id bin ‘As in the region of Tabaristan, and some Companions were with him. He asked: Who among you has performed the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf) with the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him? Sayyiduna Hudhayfah bin al-Yaman, may Allah be pleased with him, said: I have performed it. You should do as follows: command the people to stand behind you in two rows. One group will be behind you and the other facing the enemy. You will say Allahu Akbar, and all the people will also say Allahu Akbar. You will bow (ruku‘), and all the people will bow with you. You will rise from ruku‘, and all the people will rise from ruku‘ with you. But when you prostrate (sujud), the row with you will prostrate, and the other row will remain standing facing the enemy. When you have completed your prostration, then the people in the second row will prostrate, then the first row will move to the back and the back row will come forward, and in the same manner, all the people will bow with you. But when you prostrate, the first row will prostrate with you and the back row will remain standing; when you have completed your prostration, then the second row will prostrate. After that, when you say the salam, all the people will say the salam with you. Also, inform your companions that if the enemy attacks, then fighting and speaking will be permissible for them (during the prayer).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), he says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) undertook six expeditions before the Prayer of Fear, and the Prayer of Fear was legislated in the seventh year after the Hijrah.