5/48. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 986 — Muadh and Long Isha Prayer
Whoever leads people (in Prayer), let him make it short
Muadh Long Prayer Hadith: Do Not Cause Fitnah in Salah
Sunan Ibn Majah : 986
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 986
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رُمْحٍ، أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ بْنُ سَعْدٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ الأَنْصَارِيُّ بِأَصْحَابِهِ صَلاَةَ الْعِشَاءِ فَطَوَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَانْصَرَفَ رَجُلٌ مِنَّا فَصَلَّى فَأُخْبِرَ مُعَاذٌ عَنْهُ فَقَالَ إِنَّهُ مُنَافِقٌ . فَلَمَّا بَلَغَ ذَلِكَ الرَّجُلَ دَخَلَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَأَخْبَرَهُ مَا قَالَ لَهُ مُعَاذٌ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ " أَتُرِيدُ أَنْ تَكُونَ فَتَّانًا يَا مُعَاذُ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ بِالنَّاسِ فَاقْرَأْ بِالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى وَاقْرَأْ بِاسْمِ رَبِّكَ " .
Jabir Narrated from:
Mu’adh bin Jabal Al-Ansari led his companions in the ‘Isha’ prayer and he made it long. A man among us went away and prayed by himself. Mu’adh was told about that and he said: ‘He is a hypocrite.’ When the man heard about that, he went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and told him what Mu’adh had said to him. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: ‘Do you want to be a cause of Fitnah (trial, tribulation), O Mu’adh? When you lead the people in prayer, recite“By the sun and its brightness,”[Ash-Shams 91]and“Glorify the Name of your Lord the Most High,” [Al-A’la 87]and“By the night as it envelopes,” [Al-Lail 92]and“Recite in the Name of your Lord.’”[Al-‘Alaq]
[1] Ash-Shams 91.[2] Al-A'la 87.[3] Al-Lail 92.[4] Al-'Alaq 96.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 986In-book reference : Book 5, Hadith 184English translation : Vol. 1, Book 5, Hadith 986
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 986
This Muadh long prayer hadith shows the harm that can happen when an imam makes prayer too hard for people. Mu’adh led ‘Isha and made it long. One man left and prayed by himself. Mu’adh called him a hypocrite, so the man reported the matter to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم did not support that harsh label. Instead, he asked Mu’adh, “Do you want to be a cause of Fitnah?” Then he guided him to recite shorter surahs such as Ash-Shams, Al-A’la, Al-Lail, and Al-‘Alaq when leading people. The hadith about long ‘Isha prayer teaches that an imam should not burden people or rush to judge them.
What we learn from this hadith
- An imam should avoid making congregational prayer too hard.
- People should not be harshly labeled without care.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave practical surah choices for leading people.
- Prayer leadership should protect people from hardship and trial.
