Tag: Q n A, Bukhari

Once the sun eclipsed and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) stood up for the prayer and recited a very long Sura and
when bowed for a long while and then raised his head and started reciting another Sura. Then he
bowed, and after finishing, he prostrated and did the same in the second rak`a and then said, “These
(lunar and solar eclipses) are two of the signs of Allah and if you see them, pray till the eclipse is over.
No doubt, while standing at this place I saw everything promised to me by Allah and I saw (Paradise)
and I wanted to pluck a bunch (of grapes) therefrom, at the time when you saw me stepping forward.
No doubt, I saw Hell with its different parts destroying each other when you saw me retreating and in
it I saw `Amr bin Luhai who started the tradition of freeing animals (set them free) in the name of
idols.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) saw some sputum on the wall facing the Qibla of the mosque and became furious with
the people of the mosque and said, “During the prayer, Allah is in front of everyone of you and so he
should not spit (or said, ‘He should not expectorate’).” Then he got down and scratched the sputum
with his hand. Ibn `Umar said (after narrating), “If anyone of you has to spit during the prayer, he
should spit to his left.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Whenever anyone of you is in prayer, he is speaking in private to his Lord and so
he should neither spit in front of him nor on his right side but to his left side under his left foot.”

The people used to offer the prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) with their waist-sheets tied round their necks
because of the shortness of the sheets and the women were ordered not to lift their heads till the men
had sat straight.

I used to greet the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was in prayer and he would return my greeting, but when we
returned (from Ethiopia) I greeted the Prophet (while he was praying) but he did not return the
greeting, and (after finishing the prayer) he said, “In the prayer one is occupied (with a more serious
matter).”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) sent me for some job and when I had finished it I returned and came to the Prophet (ﷺ)
and greeted him but he did not return my greeting. So I felt so sorry that only Allah knows it and I
said to myself,, ‘Perhaps Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) is angry because I did not come quickly, then again I greeted
him but he did not reply. I felt even more sorry than I did the first time. Again I greeted him and he
returned the greeting and said, “The thing which prevented me from returning the greeting was that I
was praying.” And at that time he was on his Rahila and his face was not towards the Qibla.

The news about the differences amongst the people of Bani `Amr bin `Auf at Quba reached Allah’s
Apostle and so he went to them along with some of his companions to affect a reconciliation. Allah’s
Apostle was delayed there and the time for the prayer became due. Bilal came to Abu Bakr! and said,
“O Abu Bakr! Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) is detained (there) and the time for the prayer is due. Will you lead the
people in prayer?” Abu Bakr replied, “Yes, if you wish.” So Bilal pronounced the Iqama and Abu
Bakr went forward and the people said Takbir. In the meantime, Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) came piercing
through the rows till he stood in the (first) row and the people started clapping. Abu Bakr, would
never look hither and thither during the prayer but when the people clapped much he looked back and
saw Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) beckoned him to carry on. Abu Bakr raised both his hands, praised
Allah and retreated till he stood in the row and Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) went forward and led the people in the
prayer. When he had finished the prayer, he addressed the people and said, “O people! Why did you
start clapping when something happened to you in the prayer? Clapping is for women. Whenever one
is confronted with something unusual in the prayer one should say, ‘Sub Han Allah’.” Then the
Prophet looked towards Abu Bakr and asked, “What prevented you from leading the prayer when I
beckoned you to carry on?” Abu Bakr replied, “It does not befit the son of Al Quhafa to lead the
prayer in the presence of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ).

It was forbidden to keep the hands on the hips during the prayer. (This is narrated by Abu Huraira
from the Prophet.)

It was forbidden to pray with the hands over one’s hips.

I offered the `Asr prayer with the Prophet (ﷺ) and after finishing the prayer with Taslim he got up quickly
and went to some of his wives and then came out. He noticed the signs of astonishment on the faces of
the people caused by his speed. He then said, “I remembered while I was in my prayer that a piece of
gold was Lying in my house and I disliked that it should remain with us throughout the night, and so I
have ordered it to be distributed.”