Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them
Sahih
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الرَّقِّيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرٍو الرَّقِّيُّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَقِيلٍ، عَنِ الطُّفَيْلِ بْنِ أُبَىِّ بْنِ كَعْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يُصَلِّي إِلَى جِذْعٍ إِذْ كَانَ الْمَسْجِدُ عَرِيشًا وَكَانَ يَخْطُبُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ الْجِذْعِ فَقَالَ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِهِ هَلْ لَكَ أَنْ نَجْعَلَ لَكَ شَيْئًا تَقُومُ عَلَيْهِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ حَتَّى يَرَاكَ النَّاسُ وَتُسْمِعَهُمْ خُطْبَتَكَ قَالَ
" نَعَمْ " . فَصَنَعَ لَهُ ثَلاَثَ دَرَجَاتٍ فَهِيَ الَّتِي عَلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَلَمَّا وُضِعَ الْمِنْبَرُ وَضَعُوهُ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ الَّذِي هُوَ فِيهِ فَلَمَّا أَرَادَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ أَنْ يَقُومَ إِلَى الْمِنْبَرِ مَرَّ إِلَى الْجِذْعِ الَّذِي كَانَ يَخْطُبُ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا جَاوَزَ الْجِذْعَ خَارَ حَتَّى تَصَدَّعَ وَانْشَقَّ فَنَزَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ لَمَّا سَمِعَ صَوْتَ الْجِذْعِ فَمَسَحَهُ بِيَدِهِ حَتَّى سَكَنَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى الْمِنْبَرِ فَكَانَ إِذَا صَلَّى صَلَّى إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا هُدِمَ الْمَسْجِدُ وَغُيِّرَ أَخَذَ ذَلِكَ الْجِذْعَ أُبَىُّ بْنُ كَعْبٍ وَكَانَ عِنْدَهُ فِي بَيْتِهِ حَتَّى بَلِيَ فَأَكَلَتْهُ الأَرَضَةُ وَعَادَ رُفَاتًا .
“The
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray facing the trunk of a date-
palm
tree when the mosque was still a hut, and he used to deliver the
sermon leaning on that trunk. A man from among his Companions said:
‘Would you like us to make you something upon which you can stand
on
Fridays so that the people will be able to see you and hear your
sermon?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ So he made three steps for him, as a
pulpit.
When they put the pulpit in place, they put it in the place
where it
stands now. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) wanted to
stand on the
pulpit, he passed by the tree trunk from which he used
to deliver the
sermon, and when he went beyond the trunk, it moaned
and split and
cracked. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came down when he
heard the
voice of the trunk, and rubbed it with his hand until it
fell silent.
Then he went back to the pulpit and when he prayed, he
prayed facing
it. When the mosque was knocked down (for renovation)
and (the
pillars, etc.) were changed, Ubayy bin Ka’b took that
trunk and kept
it in his house until it became very old and the
termites consumed it
and it became grains of dust.”
Narrated by It was
narrated from Tufail bin Ubayy bin Ka’b that his father said:
Context
This hadith describes how the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used to pray facing a trunk of a date-palm tree when the mosque was still a simple structure. It illustrates the evolution of the mosque and the significance of the Prophet's actions in establishing a place for communal worship. The emotional response of the trunk when the Prophet moved past it highlights the deep connection between the Prophet and his surroundings.
Modern Application
In today's context, this hadith serves as a reminder of the importance of community and the physical spaces we create for worship. It encourages individuals to appreciate and maintain places of worship as sacred spaces that foster connection and spirituality.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Prayer and Prophetic Conduct because it emphasizes the establishment of prayer practices and the emotional bonds formed within the community.
Do not stand [for prayer] within it - ever. A mosque founded on righteousness from the first day is more worthy for you to stand in. Within it are men who love to purify themselves; and Allah loves those who purify themselves.
This hadith is #1148 from Sunan Ibn Majah, in the Book of Establishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It was
narrated from Tufail bin Ubayy bin Ka’b that his father said:.
