Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 608
sahih

Narrated Abu Huraira:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "When the Adhan is pronounced Satan takes to his heels and passes wind with noise during his flight in order not to hear the Adhan. When the Adhan is completed he comes back and again takes to his heels when the Iqama is pronounced and after its completion he returns again till he whispers into the heart of the person (to divert his attention from his prayer) and makes him remember things which he does not recall to his mind before the prayer and that causes him to forget how much he has prayed."

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا مَالِكٌ، عَنْ أَبِي الزِّنَادِ، عَنِ الأَعْرَجِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏

‏ إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلاَةِ أَدْبَرَ الشَّيْطَانُ وَلَهُ ضُرَاطٌ حَتَّى لاَ يَسْمَعَ التَّأْذِينَ، فَإِذَا قَضَى النِّدَاءَ أَقْبَلَ، حَتَّى إِذَا ثُوِّبَ بِالصَّلاَةِ أَدْبَرَ، حَتَّى إِذَا قَضَى التَّثْوِيبَ أَقْبَلَ حَتَّى يَخْطُرَ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَنَفْسِهِ، يَقُولُ اذْكُرْ كَذَا، اذْكُرْ كَذَا‏.‏ لِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ يَذْكُرُ، حَتَّى يَظَلَّ الرَّجُلُ لاَ يَدْرِي كَمْ صَلَّى ‏

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References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 10, Hadith 6
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 1, Book 11, Hadith 582 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Since Allah cast him out from His mercy, Iblis has been trying to mislead humankind, but when he hears the adhan and iqamah – as is mentioned in this hadith – he runs away and flees, breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the calls to prayer, because he is so afraid when he runs away. Then when the adhan ends, the Shaytan comes back to the person to whisper to him and distract him from doing acts of worship. Then when the iqamah is given for the prayer, he runs away again. He only runs away because of what he hears of the testimony of Allah’s oneness (Tawhid) and what he sees of the teachings of Islam being followed, as he does on the Day of ‘Arafah, and because of what he sees of everyone coming together to testify to the oneness of Allah (may He be exalted), and of mercy coming down to them, for he despairs of ever making them give up what they have proclaimed, and he is certain that he will fail because of what Allah bestows upon them of reward for that. Hence he comes back, after the adhan and iqamah have ended, to whisper to the worshipper whilst he is praying, saying to him: “Remember such and such, remember such and such,” seeking to remind him of worldly matters that he is not usually concerned about when he is not praying. The Shaytan keeps whispering to the worshipper until he makes him confused about his prayer, and he does not know how much he has prayed; what is meant is that he forgets the number of rak‘ahs he has prayed and other parts of his prayer, so he adds something to it or omit something, because he is distracted by the whispers of the Shaytan. This hadith highlights the virtue of the adhan and iqamah, and the impact that they have, as they cause the Shaytan to flee and keep him and his whispers away from the Muslim. It also points out to the worshipper that he should focus and show humility in his prayer, and avert the whispers of the Shaytan from himself, and that he should show devotion to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) whilst praying..
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