Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Abul Qasim (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "When any one of you performs ablution at home and then comes towards the mosque, he remains in the ruling of prayer until he returns. Therefore, he should not do so," and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) interlaced the fingers of one hand into the fingers of the other hand.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Sayyiduna Ka'b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him): "When you perform ablution and then enter the mosque, do not interlace your fingers at all."

Imam Abu Bakr, may Allah have mercy on him, says that this narration has been reported by Dawud bin Qais Farra’ from Sa’d bin Ishaq bin Ka’b bin Ujrah, from Abu Thamamah Khayyat, that Sayyiduna Ka’b bin Ujrah, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated a hadith from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. He said: "When any one of you performs ablution and then goes towards the mosque, he should not interlace his fingers with each other, because he is considered to be in the state of prayer."

Hazrat Abu Thamamah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that I met Sayyiduna Ka'b bin Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) while I was going for Jumu'ah and I had interlaced my fingers with each other. When I got close, he struck my hands and separated my fingers and said: Indeed, we have been forbidden from interlacing our fingers during prayer. I said: I am (still) not in prayer. He said: Have you not performed ablution and do you not intend to go for Jumu'ah? I said: Yes (that is the case). He said: Then you are already in prayer.

This narration is reported by Ibn Abi Dhi’b, from Maqbari, from a man of Banu Salim, from his father, and he from his grandfather, Sayyiduna Ka’b bin ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him). Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Sa’d bin Ishaq bin Ka’b belonged to Banu Salim.

And Khalid bin Hayan Al-Raqi has brought a great calamity. He narrated this report from Ibn ‘Ajlan, from Sa‘id bin Al-Musayyib, from Abu Sa‘id, may Allah have mercy on him. This hadith was narrated to us by Ja‘far bin Muhammad Al-Thalabi from Khalid bin Hayan Al-Raqi.

Imam Abu Bakr, may Allah have mercy on him, says that I do not consider it permissible for anyone to narrate this hadith from me except in this wording. Because this chain is reversed and resembles the authentic one. Abu Dawood bin Qais has omitted Abu Saeed Maqburi from the chain and narrated it directly from Sayyiduna Abu Thumamah through the chain of Saad bin Ishaq. Whereas Ibn ‘Ajlan made a mistake in this chain and mixed it up. Therefore, sometimes he narrates this narration from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah, may Allah be pleased with him, sometimes he narrates it as mursal, and sometimes (instead of Saad) he narrates it as Saeed from Ka’b. Whereas Ibn Abi Dhi’b has narrated that Saeed bin Abi Saeed Maqburi narrated from a man of Banu Salim. In my view, that man is Saad bin Ishaq, but he made a mistake regarding Saad bin Ishaq and said that Saad narrates from his father and he from their grandfather Ka’b. Whereas Dawood bin Qais and Anas bin ‘Ayyad both agree that this narration is narrated from Hazrat Abu Thumamah.

Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Whoever performs ablution and then sets out with the intention of offering prayer, he remains in the ruling of prayer until he returns home, so he should not do this—that is, he should not intertwine his fingers with each other."

Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When any one of you performs ablution at home and then comes to the mosque (for prayer), he remains in prayer until he returns. Therefore, he should not do this," and the Prophet (peace be upon him) interlaced his fingers (i.e., demonstrated by interlocking his fingers).