2/14. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 432 — Prayer on Time Despite Delay
(What Should Be Done) If the Imam Delays The Prayer
Prayer on Time Despite Delayed Leaders: A Hadith from Ibn Mas'ud
Sunan Abi Dawud : 432
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 432
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، دُحَيْمٌ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، حَدَّثَنِي حَسَّانُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَطِيَّةَ - عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ سَابِطٍ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَيْمُونٍ الأَوْدِيِّ، قَالَ قَدِمَ عَلَيْنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ الْيَمَنَ رَسُولُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَيْنَا - قَالَ - فَسَمِعْتُ تَكْبِيرَهُ مَعَ الْفَجْرِ رَجُلٌ أَجَشُّ الصَّوْتِ - قَالَ - فَأُلْقِيَتْ عَلَيْهِ مَحَبَّتِي فَمَا فَارَقْتُهُ حَتَّى دَفَنْتُهُ بِالشَّامِ مَيْتًا ثُمَّ نَظَرْتُ إِلَى أَفْقَهِ النَّاسِ بَعْدَهُ فَأَتَيْتُ ابْنَ مَسْعُودٍ فَلَزِمْتُهُ حَتَّى مَاتَ فَقَالَ قَالَ لِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَيْفَ بِكُمْ إِذَا أَتَتْ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَرَاءُ يُصَلُّونَ الصَّلاَةَ لِغَيْرِ مِيقَاتِهَا " . قُلْتُ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنِي إِنْ أَدْرَكَنِي ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ " صَلِّ الصَّلاَةَ لِمِيقَاتِهَا وَاجْعَلْ صَلاَتَكَ مَعَهُمْ سُبْحَةً " .
Amr ibn Maymun Al-Awdi Narrated from:
Mu'adh ibn Jabal, the Messenger of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came to us in Yemen, I heard his takbir (utterance of AllahuAkbar) in the dawn prayer. He was a man with loud voice. I began to love him. I did depart from him until I buried him dead in Syria (i.e. until his death). Then I searched for a person who had deep understanding in religion amongst the people after him. So I came to Ibn Mas'ud and remained in his company until his death.He (Ibn Mas'ud) said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: How will you act when you are ruled by rulers who say prayer beyond its proper time? I said: What do you command me, Messenger of Allah, if I witness such a time? He replied: Offer the prayer at its proper time and also say your prayer along with them as a supererogatory prayer.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 432In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 42English translation : Book 2, Hadith 432
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 432
This Hadith carries the same core message through Abdullah ibn Mas'ud. The report first describes Amr ibn Maymun’s love for Mu'adh ibn Jabal and his later attachment to Ibn Mas'ud because of religious understanding. Then Ibn Mas'ud reported that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked about a time when rulers would pray beyond the proper time. When asked what should be done if that time came, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to offer the prayer at its proper time and make the prayer with them a supererogatory prayer. The main teaching is steady and practical: do not let a leader’s delay move your obligatory prayer out of its correct time. If you later pray with them, it is extra.
What we learn from this hadith
- The obligatory prayer should be offered at its proper time.
- Praying later with delaying rulers is treated as an extra prayer in this narration.
- The Hadith shows the value of seeking clear religious guidance.
