SECTION ON PRAYER · 101 – PERFORMING RUKU ALONE BEHIND THE ROWS
683 – Abū Bakra (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated as follows. He had entered the mosque while the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) had already gone into ruku (bowing in prayer). He said: I performed ruku behind the row, whereupon the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: – “May Allah increase your eagerness, (but) do not do this again!” [441]
684 – From Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him): Abū Bakra came (to the prayer) while the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) had already gone into ruku, and he performed ruku behind the row, then walked to the row. When the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, he said: “- Who among you performed ruku behind the row and then walked to the row?” Abū Bakra said, It was I. The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “- May Allah increase your eagerness, but do not do this again!” Abū Dāwūd said: Ziyād al-Aʿlam is Ziyād ibn so-and-so ibn Qurra. He is also the son of the maternal aunt of Yūnus ibn ʿUbayd.) [442]
EXPLANATION
This noble hadith shows that it is permissible for a person, while in prayer, to perform an action related to the correction of the prayer (such as walking). However, the extent of this allowance differs according to the schools of law.