Encyclopedia of Prophetic Hadiths

"Straighten your rows, for indeed, straightening the row is from the perfection of the prayer."

While we were in the mosque with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a Bedouin came and began to urinate in the mosque. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Stop! Stop! He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not interrupt him; let him." So they left him until he finished urinating. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called him and said to him: "These mosques are not appropriate for anything of this kind of urine or filth. They are only for the remembrance of Allah Almighty, prayer, and recitation of the Qur’an" or as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said. He said: Then he ordered a man from among the people who brought a bucket of water and poured it over the affected area.

A man entered the mosque on a Friday through the gate facing Dār al-Qadā’ while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was standing delivering the sermon. The man stood in front of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: O Messenger of Allah, the properties (livestock) have perished and the roads have been cut off. So supplicate Allah to send us rain. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and then said: "O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain. O Allah, send us rain." Anas said: By Allah, we could see no cloud or even a small patch of cloud in the sky, and there was not a single house or dwelling between us and (Mount) Sal‘. He said: Then, all of a sudden, a big cloud like a shield appeared from behind it and when it arrived in the middle of the sky, it spread out and rained. By Allah, we did not see the sun for a week. On Friday, a man entered through the same gate while the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was delivering the sermon. The man stood in front of him and said: O Messenger of Allah, the properties have perished and the roads have been cut off. So supplicate Allah to withhold the rain. He said: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) raised his hands and said: "O Allah, around us and not upon us. O Allah, on the hills, the small mountains, the valleys, and the places where trees grow." He said: The rain stopped, and we came out walking in the sunshine. Sharīk said: I asked Anas ibn Mālik: Was it the same first man? He replied: "I do not know."

"Whoever forgets a prayer should perform it as soon as he remembers it; there is no expiation for it except that: {and establish prayer to remember me.} [Surat Tā-ha: 14]"

"What is the matter with some people who raise their eyes towards the sky during their prayer?" He went on, using strict words, until he said, "They must stop that, or their eyesight will be snatched away."

"Whoever performs our prayer, faces our Qiblah (direction of the Ka‘bah), and eats from our slaughtered animals—that is the Muslim who enjoys the protection (covenant) of Allah and His Messenger. So do not betray Allah by violating His protection."

While we were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) in the mosque, a man came riding on a camel. He made his camel kneel in the mosque, tied its foreleg, and said: "Who amongst you is Muhammad?" At that time, the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting amongst us, leaning on his arm. We replied: "This white man reclining on his arm." The man then addressed him: "O son of ‘Abdul-Muttalib!" The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am here to answer you." The man said to the Prophet: "I want to ask you something and will be hard in questioning. So do not get angry." The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Ask whatever you want." The man said: "I ask you by your Lord, and the Lord of those who came before you. Has Allah sent you as a messenger to all mankind?" The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "By Allah, yes." The man further said: "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to offer five prayers in a day and night?" He replied: "By Allah, yes." The man further said: "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to observe fasts during this month of the year?" He replied: "By Allah, yes." The man said: "I ask you by Allah. Has Allah ordered you to take this charity from our rich people and distribute it amongst our poor people?" The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) replied: "By Allah, yes." Thereupon, that man said: "I have believed in all that you have been sent with, and I have been sent by my people as a messenger. I am Dimām ibn Tha‘labah, from the brothers of Banu Sa‘d ibn Bakr."