Three Things People have abandoned in Prayer

Sa’eed Bin Sam’an said: “Abu Hurayrah (radi Allahu anu) came to the Masjid of Banu Zur
aiq and said: “There are three things that Messenger of Allah (sallahu alayhi wa s
alim) used to do and the people have abandoned; he used to raise his hands exten
ded when praying, and he would fall silent briefly, and say Allahu Akbar when he
prostrated and he sat up.”
Collected by An-Nisa’I (884) Shaykh Muhammad Adam Al-Ethiopi graded this hadeeth a
s being Saheeh
Benefits for this Topic:
· “ There are three things that Messenger of Allah (sallahu alayhi wa salim)
used to do and the people have abandoned…” This refers to the actions the Prophet (s
allahu alayhi wa salim) used to do, and people have stopped doing them. They hav
e either quit doing these actions due to ignorance or the belief that not practi
cing them doesn’t harm the prayer.

· As-Sindi said, “This hadeeth proves that some people abandoned actions of S
unnah during the era of the companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).

· “ To raise his hands extended when praying,…” This refers to raising the hands
to the shoulders or the ears, not above the head as some people misconstrue.

· “ He would fall silent briefly…” this refers to the silence between Takbirul Ih
ram and the recitation of Fatihah. Between those two acts it’s Sunnah to read one
of the opening supplications.

· “Say Allahu Akbar when he prostrated and he sat up…” This hadeeth proves it’s leg
islated to say Allahu Akbar with every bowing and rising, except when rising up
from Ruku. In this act when a person raises he says, “ Sami Allahu lee man Hamadah
, Rabbana wa Lakal Hamd”

· This hadeeth proves that the companions of the Prophet (may Allah be plea
sed with them) used to have a strong zeal for explaining and conveying the Sunna
h of the Prophet (sallahu alayhi wa salim) to the people. Abu Hurayrah lead the
people in prayer and told them that their prayer didn’t resemble the Prophet’s (sall
ahu alayhi wa salim) when they abandoned those Sunnat actions ignorantly. Hence
he informed them of those actions and taught them.

Tn: If these actions were abandoned during the era of the companions, then what
about the time period we are in now! As it s witnessed , every era that gets f
urther away from the noble generations, more and more acts of sunnah are left an
d the period gets more wicked.
Taken from Explanation explanation of Sunnan An-Nisa’I vol (11/104)
Translated by Abu Aaliyah Abdullah ibn Dwight Battle Sr
Doha, qAtar 1432©