Chapter 03 - The Prerequisites of Prayer

Chapter 3 The Prerequisites of Prayer

220. Narrated 'Ali bin Talq Allah's Messenger said, "When any of you passes wind during the prayer, he must leave the prayer, perform ablution and repeat the prayer." Related by the five Imams and was graded as authentic by Ibn Hibban.


221. Narrated 'Aishah Allah's Messenger said, "Allah does not accept the prayer of an adult woman unless she is wearing a head covering (Khimar, hijab)." Related by the five Imams and was declared authentic by Ibn Khuzaimah.


222. Narrated Jabir Allah's Messenger said, "If the garment is large enough, wrap it around your body {1} (when you pray)". And in another narration of Muslim "you should have its ends crossed with each other (i.e. if the garment is large) and if it is tight then use it as Izar (tie it round your waist)." Agreed upon.

{1} Covering the shoulders


223. Narrated Abu Hurairah Allah's Messenger said, "None of you must pray in a single garment, with no part of it covering his shoulders." Agreed upon.


224. Narrated Umm Salamah that she asked the Messenger of Allah 'Can a woman pray in a long shirt (like a night dress) and head covering without Izar (loincloth)? He said, "If the shirt is long and flowing and covers the top of her feet." Related by Abu Dawud.


225. Narrated 'Amir bin Rabi'ah 'We were with the Prophet (travelling), on a dark night, and the direction of the Qiblah was difficult to determine, so we prayed (without knowing the exact direction of the Qiblah). When the sun rose we were surprised that we had prayed facing direction other than the Qiblah. Thereupon the verse was revealed, "And to Allah belongs the east and west. Wherever you turn yourselves or your faces there is the Face of Allah." Related by At-Tirmidhi, who declared it to be weak.


226. Narrated Abu Hurairah Allah's Messenger said, "The area (falling between) between the east and the west is considered to be the Qiblah {2}." Related by At-Tirmidhi.

{2} Ibn 'Umar said, 'If you put the west on your right and the east on your left, then the area between them is the Qiblah. This Hadith is a proof that what is required is to face the direction of the Qiblah -i.e. the Ka'bah and not the actual building or structure, for those who find it difficult to determine its actual position. But this Hadith refers to the people of Madinah and whoever has a position similar to them (i.e. those in Syria, the Arabian Penisula and Iraq). For the people of Egypt, the Qiblah is between the East and the South (Fiqh us-Sunnah, as-Sayyid Sabiq, Chapter of 'prerequisites of prayer').

227. Narrated 'Amir bin Rabi'ah : "I saw the Messenger of Allah perform (optional prayer) while riding on his mount (camel), facing whichever direction it (the mount) turned{3}. Agreed upon. In the narration of al-Bukhari, "he nodded his head slightly{4} and he would not do this in the obligatory prayer.


{3}I.e. He was not facing the Qiblah, as he was travelling.
{4}I.e. for Ruku' (bowing) and Sujuud (prostration).


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228. Narrated Anas Ibn Malik : "when the Messenger of Allah was on a journey and he wanted to pray voluntary prayers, he turned his mount towards the Qiblah, said takbir (Allahu Akbar) and then prayed towards whichever direction his mount turned to." Related by Abu Dawud, with a good chain of narrators.

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229. Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri : Allah's Messenger said, "The whole earth is a mosque (i.e. suitable place for performing prayer), with the exception of graveyards and the public baths." Related by At-Tirmidhi, but it has a defect in its chain of narrators. {5}

{5}There was a difference of opinion over which is connected to the Prophet or if the Hadith was Mursal.

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230. Narrated 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar : Allah's Messenger said "Don't pray in seven places: dunghills, slaughterhouses, graveyards, in the middle of the road, bathhouses, places where camels kneel to drink, and on top of Allah's house (i.e. the Ka'bah)." Related by At-Tirmidhi who declared it to be weak.

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231. Narrated Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi : I heard the Messenger of Allah say "Do not pray facing graveyards and do not sit on them." Related by Muslim.

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232. Narrated Abu Sa'id al-Khudri : Allah's Messenger said, "When one of you comes to the mosque, he should turn his shoes (sandals or khuff) over, and examine them. If one finds any dirt (Najasah) on them, he should rub them against the ground and pray in them." Related by Abu Dawud and Ibn Khuzaimah graded it as Hadith Sahih.

233. Narrated Abu Hurairah : The Prophet said, "When any of you treads with his khuff on something which is unclean (Najis), he should purify them with dust." Related by Abu Dawud, and Ibn Hibban graded it Sahih.


234. Narrated Mu'awiyah bin al-Hakam : The Prophet said, "Talking to others is not appropriate during prayer, for prayer is for glorifying Allah (saying Tasbih), exalting His greatness (saying Allahu Akbar) and reciting the Qur'an." Related by Muslim.


235. Narrated Zaid bin Arqam : "We used to walk while we were in prayer, in the lifetime of Allah's Messenger A person would speak to the person next to him until the verse was revealed, "Guard strictly the (five obligatory) prayers especially the middle prayer, and stand before Allah with devout obedience (do not speak with one another)" {Baqara, 238}.
And we were then commanded to observe silence during the prayer, and were forbidden to talk." Agreed upon.


236. Narrated abu Hurairah : The Prophet said, "Saying subhannallah is for men, and clapping is for women."{6} Agreed upon. Muslim has the extra phrase in his narration, 'in prayer'.

{6}It is allowed, if there is a need such as alerting the Imam to a mistake, warning a blind person, etc.


237. Narrated 'Abdullah Ibn ash-Shikhkhir : , "I saw the Messenger of Allah praying while his chest was 'buzzing' like the rumble of a boiler, due to crying." Related by the five Imams except for Ibn Majah, and Ibn Hibban authenticated it.


238. Narrated 'Ali : "I used to visit the Messenger of Allah twice (every day, at certain times). Whenever I entered to where he was while he was praying, he would clear his throat (as a sign that I may enter). Related by an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah.


239. Narrated Ibn 'Umar : , "I asked Bilal : "How did you see the Messenger of Allah respond when people greeted him while he was praying. He said, "He would signal to them with his hand." Related by Abu Dawud and at-Tirmidhi who graded it as Sahih.


240. Narrated Abu Qatadah :raiyallahanhu: Allah's Messenger prayed while carrying Umamah {7} the daughter of Zainab, the daughter of Allah's Messenger when he prostrated, he put her down and when he got up from his sujuud (prostration), he carried her on his back (on his neck). Agreed upon. Muslim added in his narration, "While leading the people in prayer in the mosque."

{7}She was the daughter of Abul Aas Ibn ar-Rabi'ah.


241. Narrated Abu Hurairah : The Prophet said, "Kill the two black (things): the snake and the scorpion during prayer." Related by the four Imams, and Ibn Hibban graded it as authentic.