Mishkat
al-Masabih

مشكاة المصابيح

01

Faith

كتاب الإيمان

 

Chapter 2b: Major Sins and the Signs of Hypocrisy - Section 2

باب الكبائر وعلامات النفاق - الفصل الثاني

Mishkat al-Masabih 58

Safwan b. ‘Assal told how, when a Jew said to his friend, “Let us go to this prophet,” his friend said to him, “Don’t say ‘prophet’, for if he heard you he would be greatly pleased.” 1 They went to God’s messenger and asked him about nine clear signs. God’s messenger said, “Do not associate anything with God. do not steal, do not commit fornication, do not kill anyone whom God has declared inviolate without a just cause, do not bring an innocent person before a ruler in order that he may put him to death, do not use magic, do not devour usury, do not slander a chaste woman, do not turn in flight on the day the army marches, and, a matter which affects you Jews particularly, do not break the Sabbath.” He said that thereupon they kissed/his hands and feet saying, “We testify that you are a prophet.” He asked “What prevents you from following me?” to which they replied, “David prayed to his Lord that prophets might never cease to arise from his offspring, and we are afraid that if we follow you the Jews will kill us.” Tirmidhi, Aba Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it. 1 Lit. “he would have four eyes.”

عَنْ صَفْوَانَ بْنِ عَسَّالٍ قَالَ: قَالَ يَهُودِيٌّ لصَاحبه اذْهَبْ بِنَا إِلَى هَذَا النَّبِي فَقَالَ صَاحِبُهُ لَا تَقُلْ نَبِيٌّ إِنَّهُ لَوْ سَمِعَكَ كَانَ لَهُ أَرْبَعَة أَعْيُنٍ فَأَتَيَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَسَأَلَاهُ عَنْ تِسْعِ آيَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ فَقَالَ لَهُم: «لَا تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَلَا تَسْرِقُوا وَلَا تَزْنُوا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَا تَمْشُوا بِبَرِيءٍ إِلَى ذِي سُلْطَانٍ لِيَقْتُلَهُ وَلَا تَسْحَرُوا وَلَا تَأْكُلُوا الرِّبَا وَلَا تَقْذِفُوا مُحصنَة وَلَا توَلّوا الْفِرَار يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ وَعَلَيْكُمْ خَاصَّةً الْيَهُودَ أَنْ لَا تَعْتَدوا فِي السبت» . قَالَ فقبلوا يَده وَرجله فَقَالَا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ نَبِيٌّ قَالَ فَمَا يَمْنَعُكُمْ أَنْ تتبعوني قَالُوا إِن دَاوُد دَعَا ربه أَن لَا يزَال فِي ذُرِّيَّتِهِ نَبِيٌّ وَإِنَّا نَخَافُ إِنْ تَبِعْنَاكَ أَنْ تَقْتُلَنَا الْيَهُودُ. رَوَاهُ التِّرْمِذِيُّ وَأَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالنَّسَائِيُّ

Grade: Isnād Hasan Zubair `Aliza'i

Chapter : Section 3

الفصل الثالث

Mishkat al-Masabih 580

Abu Darda’ said

My friend enjoined me thus, “Do not associate anything with God even if you are cut to pieces and burnt; do not abandon a prescribed prayer intentionally, for if anyone abandons it intentionally protection will not apply to him; and do not drink wine, for it is the key to every evil.” Ibn Majah transmitted it.

وَعَن أبي الدَّرْدَاء قَالَ: أَوْصَانِي خَلِيلِي أَنْ لَا تُشْرِكَ بِاللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَإِنْ قُطِّعْتَ وَحُرِّقْتَ وَلَا تَتْرُكْ صَلَاةً مَكْتُوبَة مُتَعَمدا فَمن تَركهَا مُتَعَمدا فقد بَرِئت مِنْهُ الذِّمَّةُ وَلَا تَشْرَبِ الْخَمْرَ فَإِنَّهَا مِفْتَاحُ كل شَرّ. رَوَاهُ ابْن مَاجَه

Chapter 2a: The Times of Prayer - Section 1

باب المواقيت - الفصل الأول

Mishkat al-Masabih 581

‘Abdallah b. ‘Amr reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The time of the noon prayer is when the sun passes the meridian and a man’s shadow is the same length as his height, so long as the time for the afternoon prayer has not come; the time for the afternoon prayer is as long as the sun has not become yellow; the time of the sunset prayer is as long as the twilight has not ended; the time of the night prayer is up to midnight; and the time of the morning prayer is from the appearance of dawn, as long as the sun has not risen, but when the sun rises refrain from prayer, for it rises between the horns of the devil.” Muslim transmitted it.

عَن عبد اللَّهِ ابْنِ عَمْرٍو قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «وَقْتُ الظُّهْرِ إِذَا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَكَانَ ظِلُّ الرَّجُلِ كَطُولِهِ مَا لَمْ يَحْضُرِ الْعَصْرُ وَوَقْتُ الْعَصْرِ مَا لَمْ تَصْفَرَّ الشَّمْسُ وَوَقْتُ صَلَاةِ الْمَغْرِبِ مَا لَمْ يَغِبِ الشَّفَقُ وَوَقْتُ صَلَاةِ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى نِصْفِ اللَّيْلِ الْأَوْسَطِ وَوَقْتُ صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ مِنْ طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ مَا لَمْ تَطْلُعِ الشَّمْسُ فَإِذَا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ فَأَمْسِكْ عَنِ الصَّلَاة فَإِنَّهَا تطلع بَين قَرْني شَيْطَان» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Mishkat al-Masabih 582

Buraida told of a man asking God’s Messenger about the time of prayer, to which he replied, “Pray with us these two,” meaning two days. When the sun passed the meridian he gave command to Bilal who uttered the call to prayer, then he commanded him and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the noon prayer had come. He gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to being the afternoon prayer had come when the sun was high, white and clear. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the sunset prayer had come when the sun had set. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the night prayer had come when the twilight had ended. Then he gave him command and he made the announcement declaring that the time to begin the dawn prayer had come when the dawn appeared. Next day he commanded him to delay the noon prayer till the extreme heat had passed and he did so, and he allowed it to be delayed till the extreme heat had passed. He observed the afternoon prayer when the sun was high, delaying it beyond the time he had previously observed it. He observed the sunset prayer before the twilight had ended; he observed the night prayer when a third of the night had passed; and he observed the dawn prayer when there was clear daylight. Then asking where the man was who had enquired about the time of prayer and receiving from him a reply that he was present, he said, “The time for your prayer is within the limits of what you have seen.” Muslim transmitted it.

وَعَن بُرَيْدَة قَالَ: أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَنْ وَقْتِ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ لَهُ: «صَلِّ مَعَنَا هَذَيْنِ» يَعْنِي الْيَوْمَيْنِ فَلَمَّا زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ أَمَرَ بِلَالًا فَأَذَّنَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الظُّهْرَ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ نَقِيَّةٌ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الْمَغْرِبَ حِينَ غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الْعِشَاءَ حِينَ غَابَ الشَّفَقُ ثُمَّ أَمَرَهُ فَأَقَامَ الْفَجْرَ حِينَ طَلَعَ الْفَجْرُ فَلَمَّا أَنْ كَانَ الْيَوْمُ الثَّانِي أَمَرَهُ فَأَبْرَدَ بِالظُّهْرِ فَأَبْرَدَ بِهَا فَأَنْعَمَ أَنْ يُبْرِدَ بِهَا وَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ أَخَّرَهَا فَوْقَ الَّذِي كَانَ وَصَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَغِيبَ الشَّفَقُ وَصَلَّى الْعِشَاءَ بَعْدَمَا ذَهَبَ ثُلُثُ اللَّيْلِ وَصَلَّى الْفَجْرَ فَأَسْفَرَ بِهَا ثُمَّ قَالَ أَيْنَ السَّائِلُ عَنْ وَقْتِ الصَّلَاةِ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ أَنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ: «وَقْتُ صَلَاتكُمْ بَين مَا رَأَيْتُمْ» . رَوَاهُ مُسلم

Chapter 2b: The Times of Prayer - Section 2

باب المواقيت - الفصل الثاني

Mishkat al-Masabih 583

Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Gabriel twice led me in prayer at the House (i.e. the Ka’ba). He prayed the noon prayer with me when the sun had passed the meridian to the extent of the thong of a sandal; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when every thing’s shadow was as long as itself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me at the time when one who has been fasting breaks his fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when the twilight had ended; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me at the time when food and drink become forbidden to one who is fasting. On the following day he prayed the noon prayer with me when his shadow was as long as himself; he prayed the afternoon prayer with me when his shadow was twice as long as himself; he prayed the sunset prayer with me at the time when one who has been fasting breaks his fast; he prayed the night prayer with me when about a third of the night had passed; and he prayed the dawn prayer with me when there was clear daylight. Then turning to me he said, ‘Muhammad, this is the time observed by the prophets before you, and the time is anywhere between these two times.” Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «أَمَّنِي جِبْرِيلُ عِنْدَ الْبَيْتِ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَصَلَّى بِيَ الظُّهْرَ حِينَ زَالَتِ الشَّمْسُ وَكَانَتْ قَدْرَ الشِّرَاكِ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْعَصْرَ حِين كَانَ ظلّ كل شَيْء مثله وَصلى بِي يَعْنِي الْمغرب حِين أفطر الصَّائِم وَصلى بِي الْعشَاء حِينَ غَابَ الشَّفَقُ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْفَجْرَ حِينَ حَرُمَ الطَّعَامُ وَالشَّرَابُ عَلَى الصَّائِمِ فَلَمَّا كَانَ الْغَدُ صَلَّى بِيَ الظُّهْرَ حِينَ كَانَ ظِلُّهُ مِثْلَهُ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْعَصْرَ حِينَ كَانَ ظِلُّهُ مِثْلَيْهِ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْمَغْرِبَ حِينَ أَفْطَرَ الصَّائِمُ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْعِشَاءَ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ وَصَلَّى بِيَ الْفَجْرَ فَأَسَفَرَ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ هَذَا وَقْتُ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ وَالْوَقْتُ مَا بَيْنَ هَذَيْنِ الْوَقْتَيْنِ» . رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالتِّرْمِذِيّ

Chapter 2c: The Times of Prayer - Section 3

باب المواقيت - الفصل الثالث

Mishkat al-Masabih 584

Ibn Shihab said that ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-‘Aziz postponed the afternoon prayer somewhat and 'Urwa said to him, “Gabriel has come down and prayed in front of God’s Messenger.” So ‘Umar said to him, “Be sure of what you are saying, ‘Urwa.” He replied

“I heard Bashir b. Abu Mas'ud say that he heard Abu Mas'ud say that he heard God’s Messenger say, 'Gabriel came down and acted as my imam and I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him, then I prayed along with him,’ reckoning with his fingers five times of prayer." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

وَعَن ابْنِ شِهَابٍ أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ أَخَّرَ الْعَصْرَ شَيْئًا فَقَالَ لَهُ عُرْوَةُ: أَمَا إِنَّ جِبْرِيلَ قَدْ نَزَلَ فَصَلَّى أَمَامَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُمَرُ: اعْلَمْ مَا تَقُولُ يَا عُرْوَةُ فَقَالَ: سَمِعْتُ بَشِيرَ بْنَ أَبِي مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا مَسْعُودٍ يَقُولُ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «نَزَلَ جِبْرِيلُ فَأَمَّنِي فَصَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَهُ» يحْسب بأصابعه خمس صلوَات

Mishkat al-Masabih 585

It is told of ‘Umar b. al-Khattab that he wrote to his governors, “The most important matter which concerns you in my opinion is prayer; whoever observes it and is attentive to it will guard his religion, but whoever neglects it will be more neglectful of other things." Thereafter he wrote telling them to observe the moon prayer in the period when the shade was a cubit long up to the time when a man’s shadow was as long as himself; the afternoon prayer when the sun was high, white and clear, when there was still time for a rider to go two or three leagues before sunset

the sunset prayer after the sun had set; the night prayer between the ending of the twilight and the passing of a third of the night (adding three times “if one lies down to sleep may his eye not sleep”); and the morning prayer when the stars were still visible and out in abundance. Malik transmitted it.

وَعَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ: أَنَّهُ كَتَبَ إِلَى عُمَّالِهِ إِنَّ أَهَمَّ أُمُورِكُمْ عِنْدِي الصَّلَاة فَمن حَفِظَهَا وَحَافَظَ عَلَيْهَا حَفِظَ دِينَهُ وَمَنْ ضَيَّعَهَا فَهُوَ لِمَا سِوَاهَا أَضْيَعُ ثُمَّ كَتَبَ أَنْ صلوا الظّهْر إِذا كَانَ الْفَيْءُ ذِرَاعًا إِلَى أَنْ يَكُونَ ظِلُّ أَحَدِكُمْ مِثْلَهُ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ مُرْتَفِعَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ نَقِيَّةٌ قَدْرَ مَا يَسِيرُ الرَّاكِبُ فَرْسَخَيْنِ أَوْ ثَلَاثَةً قبل مغيب الشَّمْس وَالْمغْرب إِذا غربت الشَّمْسُ وَالْعِشَاءَ إِذَا غَابَ الشَّفَقُ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ فَمَنْ نَامَ فَلَا نَامَتْ عَيْنُهُ فَمَنْ نَامَ فَلَا نَامَتْ عَيْنُهُ فَمَنْ نَامَ فَلَا نَامَتْ عَيْنُهُ وَالصُّبْحَ وَالنُّجُومُ بَادِيَةٌ مُشْتَبِكَةٌ. رَوَاهُ مَالك

Mishkat al-Masabih 586

Ibn Mas'ud said that the extent of the shadow when God’s Messenger prayed the noon prayer was three to five feet in summer and five to seven feet in winter. Abu Dawud and Nasa’i transmitted it.

وَعَنِ ابْنِ مَسْعُودٍ قَالَ: كَانَ قَدْرُ صَلَاةِ رَسُول الله صلى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسلم الظّهْر فِي الصَّيْفِ ثَلَاثَةَ أَقْدَامٍ إِلَى خَمْسَةِ أَقْدَامٍ وَفِي الشِّتَاءِ خَمْسَةَ أَقْدَامٍ إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَقْدَامٍ. رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُد وَالنَّسَائِيّ

Chapter 3a: Observing Prayer Early in the Period - Section 1

باب تعجيل الصلوات

Mishkat al-Masabih 587

Sayyar b. Salama said

My father and I visited Abu Barza al-Aslami and my father asked him how God’s Messenger used to observe the prescribed prayer. He replied, “He used to pray the noon prayer (al-hajir), which you call the first, when the sun was past the meridian; he would pray the afternoon prayer, after which one of us would return to his dwelling in the outskirts of Medina while the sun was still bright; (I forget what he said about the sunset prayer); he liked to postpone the night prayer, which you call al-atama, objecting to sleeping before it or talking after it and he would turn away from the morning prayer when a man could recognise his neighbour, and he would recite from sixty to a hundred verses during it.” A version has, “He did not mind postponing the night prayer till a third of the night had passed; and he did not like sleeping before it, or talking after it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

عَنْ سَيَّارِ بْنِ سَلَامَةَ قَالَ: دَخَلْتُ أَنَا وَأَبِي عَلَى أَبِي بَرْزَةَ الْأَسْلَمِيِّ فَقَالَ لَهُ أَبِي كَيْفَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُصَلِّي الْمَكْتُوبَةَ فَقَالَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الْهَجِيرَ الَّتِي تَدْعُونَهَا الْأُولَى حِينَ تَدْحَضُ الشَّمْسُ وَيُصلي الْعَصْر ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ أَحَدُنَا إِلَى رَحْلِهِ فِي أَقْصَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَالشَّمْسُ حَيَّةٌ وَنَسِيتُ مَا قَالَ فِي الْمغرب وَكَانَ يسْتَحبّ أَن يُؤَخر الْعشَاء الَّتِي تَدْعُونَهَا الْعَتَمَةَ وَكَانَ يَكْرَهُ النَّوْمَ قَبْلَهَا والْحَدِيث بعْدهَا وَكَانَ يَنْفَتِل مِنْ صَلَاةِ الْغَدَاةِ حِينَ يَعْرِفُ الرَّجُلُ جَلِيسَهُ وَيَقْرَأُ بِالسِتِّينَ إِلَى الْمِائَةِ. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ: وَلَا يُبَالِي بِتَأْخِيرِ الْعِشَاءِ إِلَى ثُلُثِ اللَّيْلِ وَلَا يُحِبُّ النَّوْمَ قَبْلَهَا وَالْحَدِيثَ بَعْدَهَا

Mishkat al-Masabih 588

Muhammad b. ‘Amr b. al-Hasan b. ‘Ali said

We asked Jabir b. ‘Abdallah about the Prophet’s observance of prayer and he said, “He used to pray the noon prayer in the midday heat; the afternoon prayer when the sun was bright; the sunset prayer when the sun had completely set; the night prayer early if many were present, but late if there were few; and the dawn prayer just before daybreak.” (Bukhari and Muslim)

وَعَن مُحَمَّد بن عَمْرو هُوَ ابْن الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ قَالَ: سَأَلْنَا جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ صَلَاةِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي الظُّهْرَ بِالْهَاجِرَةِ وَالْعَصْرَ وَالشَّمْسُ حَيَّةٌ وَالْمَغْرِبَ إِذَا وَجَبَتْ وَالْعِشَاءَ إِذَا كَثُرَ النَّاسُ عَجَّلَ وَإِذَا قَلُّوا أَخَّرَ وَالصُّبْح بِغَلَس

Mishkat al-Masabih 589

Anas said, “When we prayed behind the Prophet (ﷺ) at midday in summer we prostrated ourselves on our clothing to protect ourselves from the heat.” (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.)

وَعَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ: كُنَّا إِذَا صَلَّيْنَا خَلْفَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِالظَّهَائِرِ سَجَدْنَا على ثيابنا اتقاء الْحر