PRAYER SECTION · 129 – RECITAL IN THE DZUHUR (NOON) PRAYER
– He (Abu Hurayra) related: “In every prayer, the Qur'an is recited. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to relate to us, and we would relate it to you. And what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ concealed from us, we conceal from you.”
Abdullah ibn Abu Katada, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, led us in prayer, and in the first two rak’ahs of Dhuhr and ‘Asr he would recite al-Fatiha and two verses (surahs) – one in each rak’ah – and occasionally made us hear a verse. He would prolong the first rak’ah of Dhuhr and shorten the second. He would do likewise in Fajr prayer.
Abu Dawud said: The Musnad narration does not mention al-Fatiha and the surah.
From ‘Abdullah’s father, Katadah, may Allah be pleased with him:
– The narrator transmitted part of the aforementioned hadith. He added that the Fatiha [chapter] is recited in the last two rak‘ahs. Hammam also added: “He would prolong [the recitation] in the first rak‘ah but not in the second; and he did so likewise in the afternoon prayer, and likewise in the morning prayer.”
800 – From Abdullah’s father, Abu Katada (may Allah be pleased with him), it is related that he said:
– We understood that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) intended for the congregation to catch up with the first rakʿah by prolonging it.
EXPLANATION
The reason why the first rakʿah in prayers is longer than the second is so that those who arrive late may be able to join the prayer.
From Abu Ma’mar, may Allah be pleased with him:
We asked, “Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, recite [during] the晌午 (duhr) and afternoon (ʿasr) prayers?” He said, "Yes."
We said, “How did you know that he recited?”
He said, “By the movement of his beard.” [495]
EXPLANATION
Bayhaqi: Based on this narration, he says that it is necessary for one who recites inwardly to hear himself, because the movement of the beard is possible only with the movement of the lips. The reader can hear what is read through the movement of the tongue and lips.
It is narrated from Abdullah ibn Abu Aufa, may Allah be pleased with him:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would stand in the qiyam (standing) during the first rakʿah of the Dhuhr (noon) prayer until the sound of footsteps ceased.
COMMENTARY:
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would stand in the qiyam during the first rakʿah of the Dhuhr prayer until it was certain that those arriving at the mosque had stopped their footsteps and joined the prayer. When the line of people behind him ended, he would proceed to the rukūʿ (bowing).