Tag: Q n A, Bukhari

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If anyone of you leads the people in the prayer, he should shorten it for amongst
them are the weak, the sick and the old; and if anyone among your prays alone then he may prolong
(the prayer) as much as he wishes. ”

A man came and said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! I keep away from the morning prayer because so-and-so
(Imam) prolongs it too much.” Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) became furious and I had never seen him more furious
than he was on that day. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “O people! Some of you make others dislike the prayer, so
whoever becomes an Imam he should shorten the prayer, as behind him are the weak, the old and the
needy.”

Once a man was driving two Nadihas (camels used for agricultural purposes) and night had fallen. He
found Mu`adh praying so he made his camel kneel and joined Mu`adh in the prayer. The latter recited
Surat ‘Al-Baqara” or Surat “An-Nisa”, (so) the man left the prayer and went away. When he came to
know that Mu`adh had criticized him, he went to the Prophet, and complained against Mu`adh. The
Prophet said thrice, “O Mu`adh ! Are you putting the people to trial?” It would have been better if you
had recited “Sabbih Isma Rabbika-l-A`la (87)”, Wash-shamsi wa duhaha (91)”, or “Wal-laili idha
yaghsha (92)”, for the old, the weak and the needy pray behind you.” Jabir said that Mu`adh recited
Sura Al-Baqara in the `Isha’ prayer.

The Prophet (ﷺ) used to pray a short prayer (in congregation) but used to offer it in a perfect manner.

My father said, “The Prophet (ﷺ) said, ‘When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the
cries of a child, I cut it short, as I dislike to trouble the child’s mother.’ ”

When the earliest emigrants came to Al-`Usba [??] a place in Quba’, before the arrival of the Prophet-
Salim, the slave of Abu Hudhaifa, who knew the Qur’an more than the others used to lead them in
prayer.

I never prayed behind any Imam a prayer lighter and more perfect than that behind the Prophet (ﷺ) and he
used to cut short the prayer whenever he heard the cries of a child lest he should put the child’s mother
to trial.

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Listen and obey (your chief) even if an Ethiopian whose head is like a raisin were
made your chief.”

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I
cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.”

Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said, “If the Imam leads the prayer correctly then he and you will receive the rewards
but if he makes a mistake (in the prayer) then you will receive the reward for the prayer and the sin
will be his.”