Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

"‏ ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تُقْبَلُ لَهُمْ صَلاَةٌ الرَّجُلُ يَؤُمُّ الْقَوْمَ وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ، وَالرَّجُلُ لاَ يَأْتِي الصَّلاَةَ إِلاَّ دِبَارًا - يَعْنِي بَعْدَ مَا يَفُوتُهُ الْوَقْتُ - وَمَنِ اعْتَبَدَ مُحَرَّرًا ‏"

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘There are three whose prayer are not accepted: A man who leads people while they do not like him; a man who does not come to prayer until its end – meaning after its time has expired – and one who enslaves a freed person.’”

"‏ ثَلاَثَةٌ لاَ تَرْتَفِعُ صَلاَتُهُمْ فَوْقَ رُءُوسِهِمْ شِبْرًا رَجُلٌ أَمَّ قَوْمًا وَهُمْ لَهُ كَارِهُونَ، وَامْرَأَةٌ بَاتَتْ وَزَوْجُهَا عَلَيْهَا سَاخِطٌ وَأَخَوَانِ مُتَصَارِمَانِ ‏"

“There are three whose prayer do not rise more than a hand span above their heads: A man who leads people (in prayer) when they do not like him; a woman who has spent the night with her husband angry with her; and two brothers who have severed contact with one another.”

"‏ اثْنَانِ، فَمَا فَوْقَهُمَا، جَمَاعَةٌ ‏"

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: ‘Two or more people are a congregation.’”

حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّوَارِبِ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ بْنُ زِيَادٍ، حَدَّثَنَا عَاصِمٌ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ بِتُّ عِنْدَ خَالَتِي مَيْمُونَةَ فَقَامَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُصَلِّي مِنَ اللَّيْلِ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ فَأَخَذَ بِيَدِي فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ‏.‏

“I stayed overnight with my maternal aunt Maimunah, and the Prophet (ﷺ) got up during the night to perform prayer. So I got up and stood on his left. He took me by the hand and made me stand on his right.”

حَدَّثَنَا بَكْرُ بْنُ خَلَفٍ أَبُو بِشْرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرٍ الْحَنَفِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا شُرَحْبِيلُ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُصَلِّي الْمَغْرِبَ، فَجِئْتُ فَقُمْتُ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ، فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ ‏.‏

“I heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah say: ‘The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was performing Maghrib, and I came and stood on his left, but he made me stand on his right.’”

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ أَنَسٍ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ بِامْرَأَةٍ مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، وَبِي، فَأَقَامَنِي عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَصَلَّتِ الْمَرْأَةُ خَلْفَنَا ‏.‏

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led a woman of his household and myself in prayer. I stood to his right and the woman stood behind us.”

"‏ لاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا، فَتَخْتَلِفَ قُلُوبُكُمْ، لِيَلِيَنِي مِنْكُمْ أُولُو الأَحْلاَمِ وَالنُّهَى، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ، ثُمَّ الَّذِينَ يَلُونَهُمْ ‏"

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to gently pat our shoulders (to make sure the row was straight) at the time of prayer, saying: ‘Keep (the rows) straight, do not differ from one another lest your hearts should suffer from discord. Let those who are forbearing and wise stand closest to me, then those who are next to them, then those who are next to them.’”

حَدَّثَنَا نَصْرُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْجَهْضَمِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ، حَدَّثَنَا حُمَيْدٌ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يَلِيَهُ الْمُهَاجِرُونَ وَالأَنْصَارُ، لِيَأْخُذُوا عَنْهُ ‏.‏

“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) liked the Muhajirun and Ansar to stand closest to him, so that they could learn from him.”

"‏ تَقَدَّمُوا فَأْتَمُّوا بِي، وَلْيَأْتَمَّ بِكُمْ مَنْ بَعْدَكُمْ، لاَ يَزَالُ قَوْمٌ يَتَأَخَّرُونَ حَتَّى يُؤَخِّرَهُمُ اللَّهُ ‏"

“Come forward and follow me, and let those who are behind you follow your lead. If people continue to lag behind, Allah will put them back.”

"‏ إِذَا حَضَرَتِ الصَّلاَةُ فَأَذِّنَا وَأَقِيمَا، وَلْيَؤُمَّكُمَا أَكْبَرُكُمَا ‏"

“I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) with a friend of mine, and when we wanted to leave, he said to us: ‘When the time for prayer comes, say the Adhan and Iqamah, then let the older of you lead the prayer.’”