20/19. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 1655 — Steady Worship
Sitting while performing voluntary prayers, and mentioning the differences reported from Abu Ishaq regarding that
Steady Worship Was Beloved to the Prophet
Sunan an-Nasai : 1655
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 1655
أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ الصَّمَدِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَزِيدُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، قَالَتْ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ مَا مَاتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى كَانَ أَكْثَرُ صَلاَتِهِ قَاعِدًا إِلاَّ الْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَكَانَ أَحَبُّ الْعَمَلِ إِلَيْهِ مَا دَاوَمَ عَلَيْهِ وَإِنْ قَلَّ . خَالَفَهُ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ أَبِي سُلَيْمَانَ فَرَوَاهُ عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ عَنْ عَائِشَةَ .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
By the One in Whose Hand is my soul. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not pass away until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except for the obligatory prayers, and the dearest of actions to him were those which were done persistently, even if they were few.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 1655In-book reference : Book 20, Hadith 58English translation : Vol. 2, Book 20, Hadith 1656
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 1655
This Hadith from Umm Salamah strongly states two points. She swore by the One in Whose Hand is her soul that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم) did not die until most of his prayers were offered sitting down, except the prescribed prayers. She also said that the action dearest to him was what a person kept doing, even if it was little. The main topic is steady worship. The Hadith teaches that worship is not only about doing a large amount once. What matters in this report is continuity. It also shows the Prophet’s later-life practice of seated voluntary prayer while keeping the obligatory prayers separate in the wording.
What we learn from this hadith
- Steady deeds were dear to the Prophet.
- A little worship can be meaningful when continued.
- Most later voluntary prayers were done sitting according to this report.
- The prescribed prayers are not included in this seated-prayer description.
