عن حِطَّان بن عبد الله الرَّقاشي قال: صليتُ مع أبي موسى الأشعري صلاةً، فلما كان عند القَعدةِ قال رجل من القوم: أُقِرَّتِ الصلاة بالبِرِّ والزكاة؟ قال فلما قضى أبو موسى الصلاة وسلم انصرف فقال: أيكم القائل كلمة كذا وكذا؟ قال: فَأَرَمَّ القومُ، ثم قال: أيكم القائل كلمة كذا وكذا؟ فأرم القوم، فقال: لعلك يا حِطَّانُ قلتها؟ قال: ما قلتُها، ولقد رَهِبْتُ أن تَبْكَعَني بها. فقال رجل من القوم: أنا قلتها، ولم أرد بها إلا الخير. فقال أبو موسى: أما تعلمون كيف تقولون في صلاتكم؟ إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خطبنا فبين لنا سُنَّتنا وعلمنا صلاتنا. فقال: (إذا صليتم فأقيموا صفوفكم ثم ليؤمكم أحدكم، فإذا كبر فكبروا، وإذ قال {غير المغضوب عليهم ولا الضالين} [الفاتحة: 7]، فقولوا: آمين، يُجِبْكم الله، فإذا كبر وركع فكبروا واركعوا، فإن الإمام يركع قبلكم، ويرفع قبلكم)، فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (فتلك بتلك، وإذا قال: سمع الله لمن حمده. فقولوا: اللهم ربنا لك الحمد. يسمع الله لكم، فإن الله تبارك وتعالى قال على لسان نبيه صلى الله عليه وسلم: سمع الله لمن حمده. وإذا كبر وسجد فكبروا واسجدوا، فإن الإمام يسجد قبلكم ويرفع قبلكم) فقال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: (فتلك بتلك، وإذا كان عند القعدة فليكن من أول قول أحدكم: التحيات الطيبات الصلوات لله، السلام عليك أيها النبي ورحمة الله وبركاته، السلام علينا وعلى عباد الله الصالحين، أشهد أن لا إله إلا الله، وأشهد أن محمدًا عبده ورسوله).
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم]
المزيــد ...

Hittān ibn ‘Abdullāh ar-Raqāshi reported: I observed prayer with Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari and when he was in the tashahhud, one among the people said: "The prayer has been made obligatory along with benevolence and Zakah." When Abu Mūsa had finished the prayer and made taslīm, he turned to the people and said: "Who amongst you said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He again said: "Who amongst you has said such and such thing?" A hush fell on the people. He said: "O Hittān, it is perhaps you who have uttered it." Hittān said: "No, I have not uttered it. I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me on account of this." A person amongst the people said: "It was I who said it, and in this I intended nothing but good." Abu Mūsa said: "Don't you know what you have to say in your prayers? Verily the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and explained to us our Sunnah and taught us how to observe prayer. He said: 'When you pray, straighten your rows and let one of you lead you in prayer, and when he says takbīr, say takbīr; when he recites {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen'; and Allah will respond to you. And when he says takbīr, you also say takbīr, for the Imām bows before you and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he says, 'Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah' (Allah listens to he who praises Him), you should say: 'Allahumma rabbana laka al-hamd' (O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You), and Allah will hear you, for Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah listens to he who praises Him. And when he says takbīr and prostrates, you should also say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before you and rises before you.' Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is equivalent to that. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of every one amongst you should be: 'Attaḥiyyatu lillahi waṣṣalāwatu waṭṭayyibat, assalamu ‘alayka 'ayyuh an-Nabiyyu wa raḥmatullahi wa barakatuh, assalamu ‘alayna wa ‘alā ‘ibadillahi aṣ-ṣaliḥin. Ash'hadu an la 'ilaha ill Allahu wa ash'hadu anna Muḥammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh.' (All greetings, prayers, and good things are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and Allah's mercy and blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger)."
Sahih/Authentic. - [Muslim]

Explanation

Hittān ibn ‘Abdullāh ar-Raqāshi, a Tābi‘i, reported: I observed prayer with Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari and when he was in the tashahhud, one among the people said: The prayer has been made obligatory along with benevolence and Zakah. That's it has been coupled with benevolence and Zakah and so they are alike in their significance. Or the meaning is that whoever observes prayer regularly will attain benevolence and be purified of sins. When Abu Mūsa had finished the prayer and made taslīm, he turned to the people and said: Who amongst you said such and such thing? A hush fell on the people. In other words, they uttered no word. He again said: Who amongst you has said such and such thing? All people kept quiet. He said: O Hittān, it is perhaps you who have uttered it." Hittān said: "No, I have not uttered it. I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me and censure me because of this. Abu Mūsa probably addressed Hittān in particular as a friendly gesture, as he used to accompany him all the time. Hence, Hittān said: I was afraid that you might be annoyed with me on account of this. This is because he expected, when that man said what should not be said in prayer, that Abu Mūsa would censure people and criticize them, and would begin with those closer to him, thus teaching others who were ignorant of the ruling and not exposing the person at fault. A person amongst the people said: It was I who said it, and in this I intended nothing but good. That's I did not say it for play or amusement in prayer, but with a good intention and as dhikr. Abu Mūsa said: Don't you know what you have to say in your prayers? Verily the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and explained to us our Sunnah - i.e., the words and acts prescribed in our religion - and taught us how to observe prayer, demonstrating its pillars and obligatory and recommended aspects. He said: When you pray, straighten your rows - by standing shoulder to shoulder and foot to foot - and let one of you lead you in prayer. This comprises a command to men to offer the obligatory prayers in congregation. And when he says takbīr, say takbīr. The takbīr of those praying behind the Imām should follow his takbīr. And when he recites {Not of those who incurred Your Wrath, or of those who went astray} [Surat al-Fātihah: 7], say 'amen', which means: O Allah, answer the supplication! Those praying behind the Imām should say 'amen' along with him, not afterwards. And Allah will respond to you; that's He will answer your supplication. This encourages ta‘mīn and stresses its importance. And when he says takbīr, you also say takbīr, for the Imām bows before you and rises before you. That's he has a right to do all these things before you. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is equivalent to that. In other words, the moment the Imām gets ahead of you in bowing down is equivalent to that moment you remain in rukū‘ after he has risen from it. This points out the Imām's right to do the act of prayer first and once he finishes, those praying behind should follow him without a delay. And when he says, "Allah listens to he who praises Him" - that's He answers the supplication of those who praise Him - you should say: "O Allah, our Lord, praise be to You", and Allah will hear you; in other words, He will respond to you. For Allah Almighty said through the tongue of His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah listens to he who praises Him, which means: Allah Almighty predetermined and predestined and revealed to His Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), who in turn conveyed it to his Ummah, that He answers the supplication of those who supplicate Him and accepts the praise of those who praise Him. And when he says takbīr and prostrates, you should also say takbīr and prostrate, for the Imām prostrates before you and rises before you. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: This is equivalent to that. In other words, the moment the Imām gets ahead of you in prostrating is equivalent to that moment you remain in prostration after he has risen from it. Thus, his prostration is equal to yours. And when he sits for tashahhud, the first words of every one amongst you should be: "Attaḥiyyatu lillahi waṣṣalāwatu waṭṭayyibat, assalamu ‘alayka ayyuh an-Nabiyyu wa raḥmatullahi wa barakatuh, assalamu ‘alayna wa ‘alā ‘ibadillahi aṣ-ṣaliḥin. Ash'hadu an la ilaha illa Allahu wa ash'hadu anna Muḥammadan ‘abduhu wa rasuluh." This is one of the various wordings of tashahhud, which we should memorize and say by way of diversification.

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Benefits from the Hadith

  1. The Hadīth contains one of the wordings of tashahhud.
  2. It demonstrates that prayer's words and acts should be in line with the authentic Sunnah. It is not permissible for anyone to introduce to prayer a new phrase or act not established by the Sunnah. Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Don't you know what you have to say in your prayers?
  3. It is not permissible to get ahead of the Imām in any of the prayer's acts. The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "For the Imām bows before you and rises before you."
  4. It shows how the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was greatly keen on conveying the message and teaching his Ummah the rulings of the religion.
  5. The Imām is the example to be followed by those behind him in prayer. So, it is not permissible for them to move before, along with, or well after him. Rather, they should follow him immediately after making sure he has begun the act.
  6. It points out that the moment taken by the Imām to get ahead of those praying behind him is compensated by the moment of their delay before they catch up with him.
  7. It urges us to say 'amen' after the Imām finishes recitation of Surat al-Fātihah, as Allah answers the supplication by virtue of this.
  8. Allah Almighty hears the praise of those who praise Him and reward them for it.
  9. It is prescribed to straighten the rows of prayer.