4/16. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 404a — Following the Imam
The Tashah-hud In The Prayer
Hadith About Following the Imam in Prayer
Sahih Muslim : 404a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 404a
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ مَنْصُورٍ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَأَبُو كَامِلٍ الْجَحْدَرِيُّ وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الأُمَوِيُّ - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي كَامِلٍ - قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ عَنْ قَتَادَةَ عَنْ يُونُسَ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنْ حِطَّانَ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الرَّقَاشِيِّ قَالَ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ أَبِي مُوسَى الأَشْعَرِيِّ صَلاَةً فَلَمَّا كَانَ عِنْدَ الْقَعْدَةِ قَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أُقِرَّتِ الصَّلاَةُ بِالْبِرِّ وَالزَّكَاةِ - قَالَ - فَلَمَّا قَضَى أَبُو مُوسَى الصَّلاَةَ وَسَلَّمَ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمُ الْقَائِلُ كَلِمَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ فَأَرَمَّ الْقَوْمُ ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيُّكُمُ الْقَائِلُ كَلِمَةَ كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَرَمَّ الْقَوْمُ فَقَالَ لَعَلَّكَ يَا حِطَّانُ قُلْتَهَا قَالَ مَا قُلْتُهَا وَلَقَدْ رَهِبْتُ أَنْ تَبْكَعَنِي بِهَا . فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ أَنَا قُلْتُهَا وَلَمْ أُرِدْ بِهَا إِلاَّ الْخَيْرَ . فَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى أَمَا تَعْلَمُونَ كَيْفَ تَقُولُونَ فِي صَلاَتِكُمْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَطَبَنَا فَبَيَّنَ لَنَا سُنَّتَنَا وَعَلَّمَنَا صَلاَتَنَا فَقَالَ " إِذَا صَلَّيْتُمْ فَأَقِيمُوا صُفُوفَكُمْ ثُمَّ لْيَؤُمَّكُمْ أَحَدُكُمْ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ فَقُولُوا آمِينَ . يُجِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَإِذَا كَبَّرَ وَرَكَعَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَارْكَعُوا فَإِنَّ الإِمَامَ يَرْكَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ وَيَرْفَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ " . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَتِلْكَ بِتِلْكَ وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ . فَقُولُوا اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَا لَكَ الْحَمْدُ . يَسْمَعُ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى قَالَ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ . وَإِذَا كَبَّرَ وَسَجَدَ فَكَبِّرُوا وَاسْجُدُوا فَإِنَّ الإِمَامَ يَسْجُدُ قَبْلَكُمْ وَيَرْفَعُ قَبْلَكُمْ " . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " فَتِلْكَ بِتِلْكَ . وَإِذَا كَانَ عِنْدَ الْقَعْدَةِ فَلْيَكُنْ مِنْ أَوَّلِ قَوْلِ أَحَدِكُمُ التَّحِيَّاتُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ الصَّلَوَاتُ لِلَّهِ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ أَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى عِبَادِ اللَّهِ الصَّالِحِينَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ " .
Hattan b. `Abdullah al-Raqashi Narrated from:
I observed prayer with Abu Musa al-Ash`ari and when he was in the qa`dah, one among the people said: The prayer has been made obligatory along with piety and Zakat. He (the narrator) said: When Abu Musa had finished the prayer after salutation he turned (towards the people) and said: Who amongst you said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people. He again said: Who amongst you has said such and such a thing? A hush fell on the people.He (Abu Musa) said: Hattan, it is perhaps you that have uttered it. He (Hattan) said No. I have not uttered it. I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me on account of this. A person amongst the people said: It was I who said it, and in this I intended nothing but good. Abu Musa said: Don't you know what you have to recite in your prayers? Verily the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) addressed us and explained to us all its aspects and taught us how to observe prayer (properly).He (the Holy Prophet) said: When you pray make your rows straight and let anyone amongst you act as your Imam. Recite the takbir when he recites it and when he recites: Not of those with whom Thou art angry, nor of those who go astray, say: Amin. Allah would respond you. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir, you may also recite the takbir, for the Imam bows before you and raises himself before you. Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The one is equivalent to the other.And when he says: Allah listens to him who praises Him, you should say: O Allah, our Lord, to Thee be the praise, for Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, has vouchsafed (us) through the tongue of His Apostle (ﷺ) that Allah listens to him who praises Him. And when he (the Imam) recites the takbir and prostrates, you should also recite the takbir and prostrate, for the Imam prostrates before you and raises himself before you. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The one is equivalent to the other.And when he (the Imam) sits for Qa`da (for tashahhud) the first words of every one amongst you should be: All services rendered by words, acts of worship and all good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Apostle, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 404aIn-book reference : Book 4, Hadith 66USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 800
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 404a
This long hadith about following the imam gives step-by-step prayer guidance. Abu Musa corrected a person who spoke in the sitting of prayer and reminded the people that the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم had taught them how to pray. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to straighten the rows and let one person lead as imam. When the imam says takbir, the followers say takbir. When he reaches the end of Al-Fatihah, they say Amin. When he bows and prostrates, they follow after him, because the imam moves before them and rises before them. The hadith also teaches what to say when the imam says Sami'a Allahu liman hamidah and gives the tashahhud wording for the sitting.
What we learn from this hadith
- Rows should be made straight when praying together.
- Followers should follow the imam's movements in order.
- Amin is said after the imam recites the ending of Al-Fatihah mentioned in the text.
- The sitting of prayer begins with the taught tashahhud wording.
