The Prophet (ﷺ) passed by him when he was praying, and called him. He said: "I finished praying, then I came to him, and he said: 'What kept you from answering me?' He said: 'I was praying.' He said: 'Does not Allah say: O you who believe! Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he calls you to that which will give you life? Shall I not teach you the greatest surah before I leave the masjid?' Then he went to leave, and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what about what you said?' He said: "All praise and thanks be to Allah, Lord of all that exists. These are the seven oft-recited that I have been given, and the Grand Quran.'"
Narrated by It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed bin Al-Mu'alla that:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) emphasizes the importance of responding to his call while also highlighting the significance of prayer. He teaches the individual about the greatest surah, reinforcing the connection between prayer and the recitation of the Quran. The takeaway is that one should prioritize responding to calls of worship and learning.
Modern Application
Today, this principle encourages individuals to balance their personal worship with community obligations. It serves as a reminder to engage in both prayer and learning, fostering a holistic spiritual life.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Etiquette because it illustrates the Prophet's guidance on responding to calls for prayer and the importance of learning within the context of worship.
Say, "Call upon Allah or call upon the Most Merciful. Whichever [name] you call - to Him belong the best names." And do not recite [too] loudly in your prayer or [too] quietly but seek between that an [intermediate] way.
O you who have believed, respond to Allah and to the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life. And know that Allah intervenes between a man and his heart and that to Him you will be gathered.
This hadith is #915 from Sunan an-Nasa'i, in the Book of The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was narrated from Abu Sa'eed bin Al-Mu'alla that:.
