SECTION ON PRAYER · 46 – THE CONGREGATION WAITING FOR THE IMAM WHILE SITTING
From the father of Abdullah ibn Abu Katada:
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Do not rise until you see me stand for prayer.”
EXPLANATION
Abu Dawud says: This hadith was also narrated in the same way by Ayyub and Hajjaj as-Sawa’f.
Hisham ad-Dustuwai said: Yahya wrote this hadith down for me. Muawiya ibn Sallam and Ali al-Mubarak also narrated it from Yahya, adding to their narration: “Do not hasten until you see me.” [353]
The kamat (call to prayer) is made, and if the imam has not yet arrived, the congregation does not stand. They wait in their seated positions.
Yahya (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the same chain of narrators as the preceding hadith:
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“Do not rise until you see that I have departed.”
Abu Dawud said: The wording “(Kad Hareçtü)” was not mentioned by anyone except Ma’mar.
Ibn Uyayna narrated it from Ma’mar, but he did not mention the words “Muhakkak (indeed) I have departed.” [354]
Abu Hurayra, may Allah be pleased with him, relates: The call to prayer (adhan) would be made for the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, to lead the prayer. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, would take his place after the congregation had taken theirs.
Humayd, may Allah be pleased with him, relates: I asked about the person who spoke after the call to prayer was announced to Sabit al-Bunani. He told me that Anas ibn Malik related that: The call to prayer was announced, and a man opposed the Prophet (peace and blessings upon him) and detained him (from the prayer) for a while.
COMMENTARY
It indicates that when there is a necessity, one may speak after the call to prayer and before beginning the prayer. If there is no necessity, speaking is disliked. Some Hanafi jurists have stated that it is obligatory to begin the prayer immediately after the call. According to the view considered authoritative among the Hanafis, speaking without necessity between the call and the takbir is disliked. (Bezl al-Machud, vol. 4, p. 131)
The Malikites consider it sunnah to close the interval between the call and prayer; a slight pause does no harm. According to the Hanafis, even if the pause is lengthy, it does no harm. (Bezl al-Machud, vol. 4, p. 22)
Avn ibn Kehmes's father, Kehmes, reported to us. We stood for prayer in Mina, but the Imam did not come to the *mihrab* (prayer niche), whereupon some of us sat down. A Kufan elder said to me, "Why have you sat?" I replied, “The son of Bureida made me sit.” The elder asked, “Is he the one standing?” And the elder reported to me from Abdurrahman ibn Ausaja and Bera ibn Azib, may Allah be pleased with them: that Bera said, “We used to stand for a long time in the ranks without saying *takbir* in the time of the Messenger of Allah.” Bera ibn Azib stated, "The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, ‘Allah and His angels send mercy and supplication upon those who are in the first row. There is no step taken towards a line of piety more beloved to Allah than the one taken with someone seeking righteousness.’”
*Note: “Semud” is provided as an explanatory term.*
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The call to prayer was made, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings upon him) was speaking privately with someone in a corner of the mosque. The congregation did not rise for the prayer until they had fallen asleep. [357]
COMMENTARY
Neciy: It is a private, silent, unreciprocated conversation.
From Saalim, may Allah be pleased with him, the father of Nazr: Whenever the call to prayer (adhan) was made in the mosque, if the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw a small congregation, he would sit down and not stand for the prayer. But if he saw a large one, he would order the prayer to be performed.
Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, narrated:
The preceding hadith was related in a similar manner.