93/36. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 7190 — Prayer Signals in Salah
The Imam going to establish peace among people
Hadith About Prayer Signals in Salah
Sahih Bukhari : 7190
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 7190
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو النُّعْمَانِ، حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو حَازِمٍ الْمَدِينِيُّ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ سَعْدٍ السَّاعِدِيِّ، قَالَ كَانَ قِتَالٌ بَيْنَ بَنِي عَمْرٍو، فَبَلَغَ ذَلِكَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّى الظُّهْرَ، ثُمَّ أَتَاهُمْ يُصْلِحُ بَيْنَهُمْ، فَلَمَّا حَضَرَتْ صَلاَةُ الْعَصْرِ فَأَذَّنَ بِلاَلٌ وَأَقَامَ وَأَمَرَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ فَتَقَدَّمَ، وَجَاءَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ فِي الصَّلاَةِ، فَشَقَّ النَّاسَ حَتَّى قَامَ خَلْفَ أَبِي بَكْرٍ، فَتَقَدَّمَ فِي الصَّفِّ الَّذِي يَلِيهِ. قَالَ وَصَفَّحَ الْقَوْمُ، وَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ إِذَا دَخَلَ فِي الصَّلاَةِ لَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ حَتَّى يَفْرُغَ، فَلَمَّا رَأَى التَّصْفِيحَ لاَ يُمْسَكُ عَلَيْهِ الْتَفَتَ فَرَأَى النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَلْفَهُ، فَأَوْمَأَ إِلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنِ امْضِهْ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ هَكَذَا، وَلَبِثَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ هُنَيَّةً يَحْمَدُ اللَّهَ عَلَى قَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ مَشَى الْقَهْقَرَى، فَلَمَّا رَأَى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ذَلِكَ تَقَدَّمَ فَصَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِالنَّاسِ، فَلَمَّا قَضَى صَلاَتَهُ قَالَ " يَا أَبَا بَكْرٍ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ أَوْمَأْتُ إِلَيْكَ أَنْ لاَ تَكُونَ مَضَيْتَ ". قَالَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لاِبْنِ أَبِي قُحَافَةَ أَنْ يَؤُمَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم. وَقَالَ لِلْقَوْمِ " إِذَا نَابَكُمْ أَمْرٌ، فَلْيُسَبِّحِ الرِّجَالُ، وَلْيُصَفِّحِ النِّسَاءُ ".
Sahl bin Sa`d As-Sa`idi Narrated from:
There was some quarrel (sighting) among Bani `Amr, and when this news reached the Prophet, he offered the Zuhr prayer and went to establish peace among them. In the meantime the time of `Asr prayer was due, Bilal pronounced the Adhan and then the Iqama for the prayer and requested Abu Bakr (to lead the prayer) and Abu Bakr went forward. The Prophet (ﷺ) arrived while Abu Bakr was still praying. He entered the rows of praying people till he stood behind Abu Bakr in the (first) row.The people started clapping, and it was the habit of Abu Bakr that whenever he stood for prayer, he never glanced side-ways till he had finished it, but when Abu Bakr observed that the clapping was not coming to an end, he looked and saw the Prophet (ﷺ) standing behind him. The Prophet (ﷺ) beckoned him to carry on by waving his hand. Abu Bakr stood there for a while, thanking Allah for the saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) and then he retreated, taking his steps backwards. When the Prophet saw that, he went ahead and led the people in prayer.When he finished the prayer, he said, "O Abu Bakr! What prevented you from carrying on with the prayer after I beckoned you to do so?" Abu Bakr replied, "It does not befit the son of Abi Quhafa to lead the Prophet (ﷺ) in prayer." Then the Prophet (ﷺ) said to the people, "If some problem arises during prayers, then the men should say, Subhan Allah!; and the women should clap." (See Hadith No. 652, Vol. 1)
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 7190In-book reference : Book 93, Hadith 52USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 9, Book 89, Hadith 300
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 7190
This hadith about prayer signals shows how order is kept during salah when something unexpected happens. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم went to settle a quarrel among Bani Amr, showing concern for peace between people. While he was away, Abu Bakr led the Asr prayer. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم arrived, the people began clapping to alert Abu Bakr. After the prayer, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم explained the proper way to signal in prayer: men should say Subhan Allah, and women should clap. The hadith also shows Abu Bakr's respect for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, as he did not feel it was fitting to lead while the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was present.
What we learn from this hadith
- Prayer should remain orderly even when an unexpected matter happens.
- Men are taught to say Subhan Allah to alert the imam during prayer.
- Women are taught to clap when there is a need to signal during prayer.
- Abu Bakr showed deep respect for the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in the prayer.
