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English translation
1060. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that a man entered the mosque and performed prayer, and the Prophet ﷺ was in a corner of the mosque. The man came and greeted him, and he said: "And also upon you. Go back and repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed." So he went back and repeated his prayer, then he came and greeted the Prophet ﷺ. He said: "And also
upon you. Go back and repeat your prayer, for you have not prayed." On the third occasion, the man said: "Teach me, O Messenger of Allāh!" He said: "When you stand up to offer the prayer, perform ablution properly, then stand to face the prayer direction and say Allāhu Akbar. Then recite whatever you can of Qur'ān, and then bow until you feel at ease bowing. Then stand up until you feel at ease standing, then prostrate until you feel at ease prostrating. Then raise your head until you are sitting up straight. Do that throughout your prayer." (Sahih)
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Footnotes
1
[1] Al-Inshiqāq 84:1.
Commentary
Ablution is among the prerequisites of prayer. It must, therefore, be performed with complete attention and care, leaving no dry spot in it.
Facing the Qiblah is another precondition for the validity of the prayer. However, in the case of optional prayer during the course of journey, whatever direction the conveyance takes, prayer must be continued.
'Recite whatever you easily can of the Qur'ān' would either mean reciting Al-Fātiḥah, since there is no prayer without it, or it would mean reciting some other part of the Qur'ān after Al-Fātiḥah, for which no limit is prescribed. The obligation to recite Al-Fātiḥah is proven from other Aḥādīth.
Necessary instructions about bowing and prostration have been discussed in previous chapters.
The most important characteristic that the Hadīth underlines is that all the parts of prayer must be performed with complete composure and ease. A prayer rushed through is not accepted by Allāh. The reason being that the very purpose of prayer is the remembrance of Allāh. Allāh Himself says in the Qur'ān: "And perform prayer for My remembrance" (20:14).
