4/11. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 397a — Go Back and Pray Correctly
It Is Obligatory To Recite Al-Fatihah In Every Rak'ah; If A Person Cannot Recite Al-Fatihah Or Cannot Learn It, Then He Should Recite Whatever Else He Can Manage
Go Back and Pray: Tranquility in Salah and Correct Prayer
Sahih Muslim : 397a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 397a
حَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَدَخَلَ رَجُلٌ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَرَدَّ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم السَّلاَمَ قَالَ " ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ " . فَرَجَعَ الرَّجُلُ فَصَلَّى كَمَا كَانَ صَلَّى ثُمَّ جَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " وَعَلَيْكَ السَّلاَمُ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " ارْجِعْ فَصَلِّ فَإِنَّكَ لَمْ تُصَلِّ " . حَتَّى فَعَلَ ذَلِكَ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ وَالَّذِي بَعَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ مَا أُحْسِنُ غَيْرَ هَذَا عَلِّمْنِي . قَالَ " إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ فَكَبِّرْ ثُمَّ اقْرَأْ مَا تَيَسَّرَ مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ ثُمَّ ارْكَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ رَاكِعًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَعْتَدِلَ قَائِمًا ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ سَاجِدًا ثُمَّ ارْفَعْ حَتَّى تَطْمَئِنَّ جَالِسًا ثُمَّ افْعَلْ ذَلِكَ فِي صَلاَتِكَ كُلِّهَا " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the mosque and a person also entered therein and offered prayer, and then came and paid salutation to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). The Mes- senger of Allah (ﷺ) returned his salutation and said: Go back and pray, for you have not offered the prayer.He again prayed as he had prayed before, and came to the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon. him) and saluted him. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) returned the salutation and said: Go back and say prayer, for you have not offered the prayer. This (act of repeating the prayer) was done three times. Upon this the person said: By Him Who hast sent you with Truth, whatever better I can do than this, please teach me.He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you get up to pray, recite takbir, and then recite whatever you conveniently can from the Qur'an, then bow down and remain quietly in that position, then raise your- self and stand erect; then prostrate yourself and remain quietly in that attitude; then raise yourself and sit quietly; and do that throughout all your prayers.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 397aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 47USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 781
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 397a
This Hadith is about tranquility in salah and learning how to pray correctly. A man entered the mosque, prayed, then greeted the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم returned his greeting and told him to go back and pray, because he had not offered the prayer. This happened three times. When the man said he could not do better and asked to be taught, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم gave him a simple prayer method: say takbir, recite what is easy from the Qur’an, bow with calm, rise and stand straight, prostrate with calm, rise and sit calmly, and do that throughout the prayer. For anyone searching “go back and pray hadith,” the core lesson is not shame. It is correction, learning, and calm movement in prayer.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم corrected the man’s prayer and then taught him.
- Prayer includes takbir, recitation, bowing, standing, prostration, and sitting.
- Calmness is mentioned in bowing, prostration, and sitting.
- The same care should be kept throughout the prayer.
