2/14. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 433 — Pray Before Time Runs Out
(What Should Be Done) If the Imam Delays The Prayer
Pray Before Time Runs Out: A Hadith on Delayed Salah
Sunan Abi Dawud : 433
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 433
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ قُدَامَةَ بْنِ أَعْيَنَ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ يِسَافٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُثَنَّى، عَنِ ابْنِ أُخْتِ، عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ الأَنْبَارِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، - الْمَعْنَى - عَنْ مَنْصُورٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ يِسَافٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْمُثَنَّى الْحِمْصِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي أُبَىِّ ابْنِ امْرَأَةِ، عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّهَا سَتَكُونُ عَلَيْكُمْ بَعْدِي أُمَرَاءُ تَشْغَلُهُمْ أَشْيَاءُ عَنِ الصَّلاَةِ لِوَقْتِهَا حَتَّى يَذْهَبَ وَقْتُهَا فَصَلُّوا الصَّلاَةَ لِوَقْتِهَا " . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أُصَلِّي مَعَهُمْ قَالَ " نَعَمْ إِنْ شِئْتَ " . وَقَالَ سُفْيَانُ إِنْ أَدْرَكْتُهَا مَعَهُمْ أَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُمْ قَالَ " نَعَمْ إِنْ شِئْتَ " .
'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
After me you will come under rulers who will be detained from saying prayer at its proper time by (their) works until its time has run out, so offer prayer at its proper time. A man asked him: Messenger of Allah, may I offer prayer with them? He replied: Yes, if you wish (to do so). Sufyan (another narrator through a different chain) said: May I offer prayer with them if I get it with them? He said: Yes, if you wish to do so.
Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 433In-book reference : Book 2, Hadith 43English translation : Book 2, Hadith 433
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 433
This Hadith warns that after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, rulers would come who would be detained from prayer at its proper time by their work until its time had run out. The instruction is direct: offer prayer at its proper time. A man then asked whether he could also pray with them. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said yes, if he wished. Another wording asks the same in the form of catching the prayer with them, and the answer remains yes, if he wished. The Hadith does not tell a person to ignore prayer time because leaders are late. It teaches that the prayer time should be protected first. Joining them later is allowed in the wording, but not made the main duty.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prayer should be offered at its proper time before the time runs out.
- Being busy is not presented as a reason to ignore Salah time.
- Praying with delayed leaders is allowed if one wishes, after protecting the prayer time.
