20/19. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1653 — Seated Voluntary Prayer
Sitting while performing voluntary prayers, and mentioning the differences reported from Abu Ishaq regarding that
Most Later Voluntary Prayers Were Offered Sitting
Sunan an-Nasai : 1653
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1653
أَخْبَرَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ سَلْمٍ الْبَلْخِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا النَّضْرُ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا يُونُسُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا قُبِضَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى كَانَ أَكْثَرُ صَلاَتِهِ جَالِسًا إِلاَّ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ . خَالَفَهُ شُعْبَةُ وَسُفْيَانُ وَقَالاَ عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1653In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 56English translation : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1654
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1653
This Hadith about seated voluntary prayer is narrated from Umm Salamah. She said the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers. The wording is short, but it gives a clear distinction. It speaks about most of his prayers near the end of his life, and it excludes the obligatory prayers. This makes the main lesson focused on voluntary prayer, not changing the normal form of required prayer. The Hadith is useful for people searching for whether the Prophet prayed sitting down. It shows that this was part of his later practice outside the obligatory prayers.
What we learn from this hadith
- Umm Salamah reports that most later prayers were sitting.
- The Hadith excludes obligatory prayers from this description.
- Seated voluntary prayer is clearly mentioned in the Prophet’s later life.
- The report should be understood within its own wording.
