Nasai

974. Commentary:

➊ It is Sunnah to lengthen the first rak‘ah of the Zuhr prayer. Since this is a time of business and work, by making the first rak‘ah long, as many people as possible will be able to join and perform the entire prayer in congregation. And Allah knows best.

➋ The people used to stand behind you with great eagerness and enthusiasm. Due to the blessings of your company and gathering, they would find delight in the lengthy standing (qiyam). Your spirituality would also encompass them, and thus such a long standing was suitable for you. At times, you would also perform a brief standing. Other imams have been instructed to make the standing (qiyam) appropriate to the condition of the worshippers. If the recitation is both lengthy and inaudible, it creates weariness and boredom, which is contrary to the spirit of prayer.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: The distance to Baqi‘, in the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), was approximately one acre from his (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) mosque.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
Baqi‘ is the name of the place which is nowadays called Jannat al-Baqi‘. This is the cemetery of Madinah. During the blessed life of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), there were graves in one part of it, while the rest was an empty field. At that time, the building of Masjid al-Nabawi (the Prophet’s Mosque) was also constructed on only a small area.

➋
“There is no good in it for you” means that the purpose of knowledge is to act upon it. And you people, by acting upon it, would not be able to perform such a lengthy prayer. Then what is the benefit of asking?

➌
The purpose of lengthening the first rak‘ah is so that more people may attain the reward of performing the entire prayer in congregation.

➍
If the worshippers do not feel hardship in performing a lengthy prayer, then the prayer may be prolonged beyond the usual. Otherwise, it is commanded to shorten it to an appropriate extent.