13/11. Chapter:
Concession allowing one to turn to the right or left when praying
Sunan an-Nasai : 1200
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1200
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ جَابِرٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ اشْتَكَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَأَبُو بَكْرٍ يُكَبِّرُ يُسْمِعُ النَّاسَ تَكْبِيرَهُ فَالْتَفَتَ إِلَيْنَا فَرَآنَا قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْنَا فَقَعَدْنَا فَصَلَّيْنَا بِصَلاَتِهِ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا سَلَّمَ قَالَ " إِنْ كُنْتُمْ آنِفًا تَفْعَلُونَ فِعْلَ فَارِسَ وَالرُّومِ يَقُومُونَ عَلَى مُلُوكِهِمْ وَهُمْ قُعُودٌ فَلاَ تَفْعَلُوا ائْتَمُّوا بِأَئِمَّتِكُمْ إِنْ صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِنْ صَلَّى قَاعِدًا فَصَلُّوا قُعُودًا " .
It was narrated that Jabir said: "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was ill, and we prayed behind him while he was sitting, and Abu Bakr repeated his takbirs so that the people could hear them. He turned to us and saw us standing, so he gestured to us to sit down. So we prayed behind him sitting. When he said the salam he said: 'Just now you were doing what the Persians and Romans do for their kings when they are sitting. Do not do that. Follow your Imams: If they pray standing then pray standing, and if they pray sitting then pray sitting.'"
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1200In-book reference : Book 13, Hadith 22English translation : Vol. 2, Book 13, Hadith 1201
