Epidemic

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ لَمَّا قَدِمْنَا الْمَدِينَةَ نَالَنَا وَبَاءٌ مِنْ وَعْكِهَا شَدِيدٌ فَخَرَجَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى النَّاسِ وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ فِي سُبْحَتِهِمْ قُعُودًا فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ صَلاَةُ الْقَاعِدِ مِثْلُ نِصْفِ صَلاَةِ الْقَائِمِ

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As said, “When we arrived at Madina we were struck down by a severe epidemic which debilitated us greatly. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out to the people while they were praying Nawafil prayers sitting down. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, ‘The prayer of the one sitting is equal to only half the prayer of the one standing.’ “

Imam Malik’s Muwatta – Chapter: 8, Prayer in Congregation Hadith 21

حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى بْنُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ أَبِي الْفُرَاتِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ بُرَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي الأَسْوَدِ، قَالَ أَتَيْتُ الْمَدِينَةَ وَقَدْ وَقَعَ بِهَا مَرَضٌ، وَهُمْ يَمُوتُونَ مَوْتًا ذَرِيعًا، فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَى عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَمَرَّتْ جِنَازَةٌ فَأُثْنِيَ خَيْرٌ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ وَجَبَتْ‏.‏ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِأُخْرَى فَأُثْنِيَ خَيْرًا فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ‏.‏ ثُمَّ مُرَّ بِالثَّالِثَةِ فَأُثْنِيَ شَرًّا، فَقَالَ وَجَبَتْ‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ مَا وَجَبَتْ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ قَالَ قُلْتُ كَمَا قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏”‏ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ شَهِدَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَةٌ بِخَيْرٍ أَدْخَلَهُ اللَّهُ الْجَنَّةَ ‏”‏‏.‏ قُلْنَا وَثَلاَثَةٌ قَالَ ‏”‏ وَثَلاَثَةٌ ‏”‏‏.‏ قُلْتُ وَاثْنَانِ قَالَ ‏”‏ وَاثْنَانِ ‏”‏‏.‏ ثُمَّ لَمْ نَسْأَلْهُ عَنِ الْوَاحِدِ‏.

Narrated Abu Al-Aswad:

Once I went to Medina where there was an outbreak of disease and the people were dying rapidly. I was sitting with `Umar and a funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed” (Paradise). Then another funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed.” (Paradise). Then another funeral procession passed by. The people praised the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed (Paradise).” Then a third funeral procession passed by and the people talked badly of the deceased. `Umar said, “It has been affirmed (Hell).” I asked `Umar, “O chief of the believers! What has been affirmed?” He said, “I have said what the Prophet (ﷺ) said. He said, ‘Allah will admit into paradise any Muslim whose good character is attested by four persons.’ We asked the Prophet, ‘If there were three witnesses only?’ He said, ‘Even three.’ We asked, ‘If there were two only?’ He said, ‘Even two.’ But we did not ask him about one witness.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 2643 – Book 52, Hadith 7 – Vol. 3, Book 48, Hadith 811

Praying alone behind the row and leaving gaps

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا مُلاَزِمُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ بَدْرٍ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ شَيْبَانَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَلِيِّ بْنِ شَيْبَانَ – وَكَانَ مِنَ الْوَفْدِ – قَالَ خَرَجْنَا حَتَّى قَدِمْنَا عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَبَايَعْنَاهُ وَصَلَّيْنَا خَلْفَهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ صَلاَةً أُخْرَى فَقَضَى الصَّلاَةَ فَرَأَى رَجُلاً فَرْدًا يُصَلِّي خَلْفَ الصَّفِّ ‏.‏ قَالَ فَوَقَفَ عَلَيْهِ نَبِيُّ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ حِينَ انْصَرَفَ قَالَ ‏ “‏ اسْتَقْبِلْ صَلاَتَكَ، لاَ صَلاَةَ لِلَّذِي خَلْفَ الصَّفِّ

‘Abdur-Rahman bin ‘Ali bin Shaiban narrated that his father, ‘Ali bin Shaiban, who was part of the delegation, said:

“We set out until we came to the Prophet (ﷺ). We gave him our oath of allegiance and performed prayer behind him. Then we offered another prayer behind him. He finished the prayer and saw a man on his own, praying behind the row.” He said: “The Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) stood beside him and when he finished he said: ‘Repeat your prayer; there is no prayer for the one who is behind the row.’”

Sunan Ibn Majah 1003 – Sahih Darussalam

وروى أحمد (5724) وأبو داود (666) عن عبد الله بن عمر أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال:  أَقِيمُوا الصُّفُوفَ وَحَاذُوا بَيْنَ الْمَنَاكِبِ وَسُدُّوا الْخَلَلَ وَلِينُوا بِأَيْدِي إِخْوَانِكُمْ، وَلَا تَذَرُوا فُرُجَاتٍ لِلشَّيْطَانِ وَمَنْ وَصَلَ صَفًّا وَصَلَهُ اللَّهُ، وَمَنْ قَطَعَ صَفًّا قَطَعَهُ اللَّهُ  والحديث صححه الألباني في صحيح أبي داود.

It was narrated by Ahmad (5724) and Abu Dawood (666) from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, make your shoulders level, fill the gaps, be gentle in the hands of your brothers, and do not leave any space for the Shaytaan. Whoever completes a row, Allah will grant him His mercy, and whoever makes a gap in a row, Allah will cut him off (from His mercy).” This hadith was classed as Saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abu Dawood

Covering the mouth during prayer

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ، وَإِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، عَنِ ابْنِ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ ذَكْوَانَ، عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَحْوَلِ، عَنْ عَطَاءٍ، – قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ – عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنِ السَّدْلِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ وَأَنْ يُغَطِّيَ الرَّجُلُ فَاهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ رَوَاهُ عِسْلٌ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَهَى عَنِ السَّدْلِ فِي الصَّلاَةِ ‏.

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Narrated Abu Hurayrah:

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) forbade trailing garments during prayer and that a man should cover his mouth.

Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been narrated by ‘Isi on the authority of ‘Ata’ from Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade trailing garments during prayer.

Grade: Hasan (Al-Albani)