5/203. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 1427 — Moving for Voluntary Prayer
Offering a voluntary Prayer in the same place as one has offered an obligatory Prayer
Voluntary Prayer in Islam: Moving from the Prayer Spot
Sunan Ibn Majah : 1427
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 1427
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، عَنْ لَيْثٍ، عَنْ حَجَّاجِ بْنِ عُبَيْدٍ، عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ " أَيَعْجِزُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِذَا صَلَّى أَنْ يَتَقَدَّمَ أَوْ يَتَأَخَّرَ أَوْ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ أَوْ عَنْ شِمَالِهِ " يَعْنِي السُّبْحَةَ .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Is anyone of you incapable, when he prays, of stepping forwards or backwards, or to his right or left?” meaning in order to offer a voluntary prayer.
Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 1427In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 625English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 1427
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 1427
This Hadith speaks about a simple prayer practice. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked whether one of you is unable, after praying, to step forward or backward, or to the right or left. The narrator explains that this refers to offering a voluntary prayer. The wording points to separating the place of one prayer from another by moving a little. Many people search for hadith about voluntary prayer after fard because they want to know what to do after the obligatory prayer. This narration gives a clear action: when praying extra prayer, one may change position instead of staying fixed in the same place.
What we learn from this hadith
- A worshipper may move slightly before offering voluntary prayer.
- The movement can be forward, backward, right, or left.
- Voluntary prayer after obligatory prayer is treated with its own prayer manner.
