Prayer in Congregation

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ تَفْضُلُ صَلاَةَ الْفَذِّ بِسَبْعٍ وَعِشْرِينَ دَرَجَةً ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi from Abdullah ibn Umar that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Prayer in congregation is better than the prayer of a man by himself by twenty-seven degrees

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ صَلاَةُ الْجَمَاعَةِ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ صَلاَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ وَحْدَهُ بِخَمْسَةٍ وَعِشْرِينَ جُزْءًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Said ibn al- Musayyab from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Prayer in congregation is better than the prayer of one of you on his own by twenty-five parts

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَقَدْ هَمَمْتُ أَنْ آمُرَ بِحَطَبٍ فَيُحْطَبَ ثُمَّ آمُرَ بِالصَّلاَةِ فَيُؤَذَّنَ لَهَا ثُمَّ آمُرَ رَجُلاً فَيَؤُمَّ النَّاسَ ثُمَّ أُخَالِفَ إِلَى رِجَالٍ فَأُحَرِّقَ عَلَيْهِمْ بُيُوتَهُمْ

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'zZinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "By Him in whose hand myself is! I had in mind to order firewood to be collected, then to order the prayer to be called, and to appoint a man to lead the people in prayer, and then to come up behind certain men and burn their houses down about them! By Him in whose hand myself is! If one of them knew that he would find a meaty bone or two good legs of meat, he would be present at isha

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي النَّضْرِ، مَوْلَى عُمَرَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ عَنْ بُسْرِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ زَيْدَ بْنَ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ أَفْضَلُ الصَّلاَةِ صَلاَتُكُمْ فِي بُيُوتِكُمْ إِلاَّ صَلاَةَ الْمَكْتُوبَةِ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'n-Nadr, the mawla of Umar ibn Ubaydullah from Yusr ibn Said that Zayd ibn Thabit said, "The most excellent prayer is your prayer in your house, except for the prescribed prayers

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ حَرْمَلَةَ الأَسْلَمِيِّ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْمُسَيَّبِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ الْمُنَافِقِينَ شُهُودُ الْعِشَاءِ وَالصُّبْحِ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَهُمَا ‏"‏ ‏.‏ أَوْ نَحْوَ هَذَا ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abd ar-Rahman ibn Harmala al- Aslami from Said ibn al-Musayyab that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "What separates us from the hypocrites is being present at isha and subh. They cannot do it," or words to that effect

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، أَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، فَقَدَ سُلَيْمَانَ بْنَ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ فِي صَلاَةِ الصُّبْحِ وَأَنَّ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ غَدَا إِلَى السُّوقِ - وَمَسْكَنُ سُلَيْمَانَ بَيْنَ السُّوقِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ النَّبَوِيِّ - فَمَرَّ عَلَى الشِّفَاءِ أُمِّ سُلَيْمَانَ فَقَالَ لَهَا لَمْ أَرَ سُلَيْمَانَ فِي الصُّبْحِ فَقَالَتْ إِنَّهُ بَاتَ يُصَلِّي فَغَلَبَتْهُ عَيْنَاهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عُمَرُ لأَنْ أَشْهَدَ صَلاَةَ الصُّبْحِ فِي الْجَمَاعَةِ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَقُومَ لَيْلَةً ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Abu Bakr ibn Sulayman ibn Abi Hathma that Umar ibn al-Khattab missed Sulayman ibn Abi Hathma in the subh prayer. In the morning he went to the market, and Sulayman's house was between the market and the Prophet's mosque. He passed ash-Shifa, Sulayman's mother, and said to her, "I did not see Sulayman at subh." She replied, "He spent the night in prayer and his eyes overcame him. Umar said, "I would rather be present at subh than stand the whole night in prayer

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ الأَنْصَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ جَاءَ عُثْمَانُ بْنُ عَفَّانَ إِلَى صَلاَةِ الْعِشَاءِ فَرَأَى أَهْلَ الْمَسْجِدِ قَلِيلاً فَاضْطَجَعَ فِي مُؤَخَّرِ الْمَسْجِدِ يَنْتَظِرُ النَّاسَ أَنْ يَكْثُرُوا فَأَتَاهُ ابْنُ أَبِي عَمْرَةَ فَجَلَسَ إِلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَهُ مَنْ هُوَ فَأَخْبَرَهُ فَقَالَ مَا مَعَكَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فَأَخْبَرَهُ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ عُثْمَانُ مَنْ شَهِدَ الْعِشَاءَ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَامَ نِصْفَ لَيْلَةٍ وَمَنْ شَهِدَ الصُّبْحَ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَامَ لَيْلَةً ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said from Muhammad ibn Ibrahim that Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Amra al-Ansari said that Uthman ibn Affan came to the isha prayer and seeing only a few people in the mosque, he lay down at the back of the mosque to wait for the number of people to increase. Ibn Abi Amra went and sat down beside him and Uthman asked him who he was, so he told him. Uthman said, "What have you memorised of the Qur'an?", and he told him. Uthman said, "If someone is present at isha, it is as if he had stood in prayer for half a night, and if some one is present at subh, it is as if he had stood in prayer for a whole night

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِي ثُمَّ أُدْرِكُ الصَّلاَةَ مَعَ الإِمَامِ أَفَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عُمَرَ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ أَيَّتَهُمَا أَجْعَلُ صَلاَتِي فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ عُمَرَ أَوَذَلِكَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ يَجْعَلُ أَيَّتَهُمَا شَاءَ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that a man asked Abdullah ibn Umar, "Sometimes I pray in my house, and then catch the prayer with the imam. Should I pray with him?" Abdullah ibn Umar said to him, "Yes," and the man said, "Which of them do I make my prayer?" Abdullah ibn Umar said, "Is that up to you? It is up to Allah. He will decide on whichever of them He wishes

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِي ثُمَّ آتِي الْمَسْجِدَ فَأَجِدُ الإِمَامَ يُصَلِّي أَفَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُ فَقَالَ سَعِيدٌ نَعَمْ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَأَيُّهُمَا صَلاَتِي فَقَالَ سَعِيدٌ أَوَأَنْتَ تَجْعَلُهُمَا إِنَّمَا ذَلِكَ إِلَى اللَّهِ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that a man asked Said ibn al-Musayyab, "I pray in my house, and then I come to the mosque and find the imam praying. Should I pray with him?" Said said, "Yes," and the man said, "Which of them is my prayer?" Said said, "Are you the one to decide that? That is up to Allah

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ عَفِيفٍ السَّهْمِيِّ، عَنْ رَجُلٍ، مِنْ بَنِي أَسَدٍ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا أَيُّوبَ الأَنْصَارِيَّ فَقَالَ إِنِّي أُصَلِّي فِي بَيْتِي ثُمَّ آتِي الْمَسْجِدَ فَأَجِدُ الإِمَامَ يُصَلِّي أَفَأُصَلِّي مَعَهُ فَقَالَ أَبُو أَيُّوبَ نَعَمْ فَصَلِّ مَعَهُ فَإِنَّ مَنْ صَنَعَ ذَلِكَ فَإِنَّ لَهُ سَهْمَ جَمْعٍ أَوْ مِثْلَ سَهْمِ جَمْعٍ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Afif as-Sahmi that a man from the tribe of Bani Asad asked Abu Ayyub al-Ansari. "Sometimes I pray in my house, and then come to the mosque and find the imam praying. Should I pray with him?" Abu Ayyub said, "Yes, pray with him, for some one who does so has the reward of the group, or the equivalent of the reward of the group

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ، كَانَ يَقُولُ مَنْ صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ أَوِ الصُّبْحَ ثُمَّ أَدْرَكَهُمَا مَعَ الإِمَامِ فَلاَ يَعُدْ لَهُمَا ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَلاَ أَرَى بَأْسًا أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ مَعَ الإِمَامِ مَنْ كَانَ قَدْ صَلَّى فِي بَيْتِهِ إِلاَّ صَلاَةَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَإِنَّهُ إِذَا أَعَادَهَا كَانَتْ شَفْعًا ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Nafi that Abdullah ibn Umar used to say, "Someone who prays maghrib or subh and then catches them with the imam should not repeat them." Malik said, "I do not see any harm in someone who has already prayed in his house praying with the imam, except for maghrib, because if he repeats it, he makes it even

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ بِالنَّاسِ فَلْيُخَفِّفْ فَإِنَّ فِيهِمُ الضَّعِيفَ وَالسَّقِيمَ وَالْكَبِيرَ وَإِذَا صَلَّى أَحَدُكُمْ لِنَفْسِهِ فَلْيُطَوِّلْ مَا شَاءَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "When you lead people in the prayer, make it short, because there are among them some people who are weak, ill and old. But when you pray on your own, make it as long as you wish

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، أَنَّهُ قَالَ قُمْتُ وَرَاءَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ فِي صَلاَةٍ مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَلَيْسَ مَعَهُ أَحَدٌ غَيْرِي فَخَالَفَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بِيَدِهِ فَجَعَلَنِي حِذَاءَهُ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik that Nafi said, "I stood behind Abdullah ibn Umar in one of the prayers when there was no one else with him, and he reached behind with his hand and placed me beside him

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، كَانَ يَؤُمُّ النَّاسَ بِالْعَقِيقِ فَأَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِ عُمَرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ فَنَهَاهُ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَإِنَّمَا نَهَاهُ لأَنَّهُ كَانَ لاَ يُعْرَفُ أَبُوهُ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Yahya ibn Said that a man used to lead the people in prayer in al-Aqiq (a place near Madina), and Umar ibn Abd al-Aziz sent a message to him forbidding him to do so. Malik said, "He only forbade him because his father was not known

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم رَكِبَ فَرَسًا فَصُرِعَ فَجُحِشَ شِقُّهُ الأَيْمَنُ فَصَلَّى صَلاَةً مِنَ الصَّلَوَاتِ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ وَصَلَّيْنَا وَرَاءَهُ قُعُودًا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا صَلَّى قَائِمًا فَصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا وَإِذَا قَالَ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ لِمَنْ حَمِدَهُ فَقُولُوا رَبَّنَا وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا أَجْمَعُونَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ibn Shihab from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, fell off his horse when riding, and his right side was scraped, so he did one of the prayers sitting, and we prayed behind him sitting. When he left, he said, "The imam is appointed to be followed. If he prays standing, then pray standing, and when he goes into ruku, go into ruku, and when he rises, rise, and when he says, 'Allah hears whoever praises him,' say, 'Our Lord, praise belongs to You,' and if he prays sitting, then all of you pray sitting

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهَا قَالَتْ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ شَاكٍ فَصَلَّى جَالِسًا وَصَلَّى وَرَاءَهُ قَوْمٌ قِيَامًا فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ أَنِ اجْلِسُوا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِنَّمَا جُعِلَ الإِمَامُ لِيُؤْتَمَّ بِهِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ فَارْكَعُوا وَإِذَا رَفَعَ فَارْفَعُوا وَإِذَا صَلَّى جَالِسًا فَصَلُّوا جُلُوسًا ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that A'isha, the wife of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, prayed while he was ill. He prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, and he indicated to them to sit down. When he left, he said, 'The imam is only appointed to be followed. When he goes into ruku, go into ruku and when he rises, rise and if he prays sitting, pray sitting

وَحَدَّثَنِي عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم خَرَجَ فِي مَرَضِهِ فَأَتَى فَوَجَدَ أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ يُصَلِّي بِالنَّاسِ فَاسْتَأْخَرَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَأَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ كَمَا أَنْتَ فَجَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى جَنْبِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ فَكَانَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ يُصَلِّي بِصَلاَةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَهُوَ جَالِسٌ وَكَانَ النَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ بِصَلاَةِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Hisham ibn Urwa from his father that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, came out during his illness, and approached and found Abu Bakr standing, leading the people in prayer. Abu Bakr began to go back, but the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, indicated to him to stay where he was. The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, sat by the side of Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr prayed following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who was sitting, and the people prayed following the prayer of Abu Bakr

حَدَّثَنِي يَحْيَى، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَعْدِ بْنِ أَبِي وَقَّاصٍ، عَنْ مَوْلًى، لِعَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ - أَوْ لِعَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ - عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ صَلاَةُ أَحَدِكُمْ وَهُوَ قَاعِدٌ مِثْلُ نِصْفِ صَلاَتِهِ وَهُوَ قَائِمٌ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Yahya related to me from Malik from Ismail ibn Muhammad ibn Said ibn Abi Waqqas from a mawla of Amr ibn al-As or of Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-As that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "The prayer of one of you sitting down is only equal to half the prayer of one of you when he is standing