11/27. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 917 — Reciting Behind the Imam
Not reciting behind the imam in prayers where he does not recite loudly
Hadith About Reciting Behind the Imam in Prayer
Sunan an-Nasai : 917
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 917
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ، عَنْ عِمْرَانَ بْنِ حُصَيْنٍ، قَالَ صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم الظُّهْرَ فَقَرَأَ رَجُلٌ خَلْفَهُ { سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى } فَلَمَّا صَلَّى قَالَ مَنْ قَرَأَ { سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى } . قَالَ رَجُلٌ أَنَا . قَالَ " قَدْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ بَعْضَكُمْ قَدْ خَالَجَنِيهَا " .
'Imran bin Husain Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed Zuhr and a man behind him recited: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. When he had finished praying, he said: 'Who recited: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High?" A man said: 'I did.' He said: 'I realized that some of you were disputing with me over it'".
[1] Al-A'la 87.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 917In-book reference : Book 11, Hadith 42English translation : Vol. 2, Book 11, Hadith 918
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 917
This hadith about reciting behind the imam reports that the Prophet prayed Zuhr, and a man behind him recited: Glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most High. When the prayer ended, the Prophet asked who had recited it. A man said that he had. The Prophet then said he knew some of them were disputing with him over it. The text shows that the Prophet noticed the recitation behind him during the prayer. It does not give a long ruling in this wording, but it clearly points to the effect of a follower reciting while the imam is leading. The main lesson is to be mindful of order and calm in congregational prayer.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Prophet noticed the recitation of a man behind him during prayer.
- He asked about it after finishing the prayer.
- The man’s recitation was identified as Surah Al-A'la’s opening words.
- The hadith points to care for the imam’s recitation and the order of congregational prayer.
