Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah

Hazrat Abdullah bin Shaqiq narrates that I asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the manner of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) voluntary prayers. She replied that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would pray for a long time standing at night, and he would also pray for a long time sitting. So, when he recited while standing, he would also perform bowing (ruku) and prostration (sajdah) standing, and when he recited while sitting, he would also perform bowing and prostration sitting.

Hazrat Abdullah bin Shaqiq narrates from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to stand for a long time at night and offer prayer. Therefore, when he (peace be upon him) prayed standing, he would also perform ruku‘ standing, and when he (peace be upon him) prayed sitting, he would also perform ruku‘ sitting.

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Shaqiq that he asked Sayyida Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) about the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performing prayer while sitting. She replied that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to stand for a long time in prayer at night, so when he prayed while sitting, he would also perform the bowing (ruku‘) while sitting, and when he prayed standing, he would perform the bowing while standing. Abu Khalid states that I narrated this hadith to Hisham bin Urwah, so he said that Humaid made a mistake, and Abdullah bin Shaqiq also did not say correctly. My father (Sayyiduna Urwah, may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to me from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) never prayed sitting until he became old, then he would recite the surahs (while sitting), and when some verses remained, he would stand up, recite them standing, and then perform the bowing. Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) also said likewise that the Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite “surahs.” Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that Hisham bin Urwah rejected the narration of Abdullah bin Shaqiq, because in his view, the apparent meaning of Abdullah’s report contradicts his narration, whereas in my view, it does not contradict his hadith. Because in the hadith of Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated by Khalid from Abdullah, it is stated that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited while standing, he would perform bowing and prostration standing, and when he recited while sitting, he would perform bowing and prostration sitting. In terms of these words, this hadith does not contradict the hadith of Sayyiduna Urwah and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them). Because the words of Khalid’s narration are evidence that when the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited the entire recitation sitting, he would also perform bowing sitting, and when all his recitation was standing, he would perform bowing standing, and Abdullah bin Shaqiq did not describe the state of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) prayer in which some recitation was done sitting and some standing. Indeed, this state has been narrated by Urwah, Abu Salamah, and Amrah from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that when the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) recitation was both ways, some standing and some sitting, then they narrated that he would perform bowing standing, while his recitation was done both ways. However, Urwah, Abu Salamah, and Amrah did not mention how the Prophet (peace be upon him) would begin that prayer in which he recited both sitting and standing (whether he started standing or sitting), whereas Ibn Sireen has narrated from Abdullah bin Shaqiq from Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) that there is evidence in it that he would begin that prayer standing.

Ibn Sirin narrates from Abdullah bin Shaqiq, from Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), that she said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform (nafl prayer) both standing and sitting. So when he (peace and blessings be upon him) began the prayer standing, he would also perform the bowing (ruku') standing; and when he began the prayer sitting, he would also perform the bowing sitting. Imam Abu Bakr (may Allah have mercy on him) says that this narration explains all the previous narrations in detail. Accordingly, as per this narration, when a person begins the prayer standing, then sits and recites, it is appropriate and proper for him to recite some while standing and then perform the bowing while still standing. And when he begins his prayer sitting and recites all while sitting, then he should also perform the bowing sitting, following and emulating the action of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).