Sahih Muslim, 376 a
sahihAnas reported:
(The people) stood up for prayer and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was whispering to a man, and in the narration of 'Abd al-Warith (the words are): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was having a private conversation with a man, and did not start the prayer till the people dozed off.
حَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ أُقِيمَتِ الصَّلاَةُ وَرَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَجِيٌّ لِرَجُلٍ - وَفِي حَدِيثِ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ وَنَبِيُّ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُنَاجِي الرَّجُلَ - فَمَا قَامَ إِلَى الصَّلاَةِ حَتَّى نَامَ الْقَوْمُ .
References2 variants
- In-Book Reference
- Book 3, Hadith 154
- USC-MSA web (English) reference
- Book 3, Hadith 731 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Ablution is a prerequisite to prayer, so it is not accepted without ablution. Therefore, Islamic law detailed the matters invalidating ablution. This hadith indicates the lawfulness of sleeping before prayer as long as one keeps his state of ablution. Anas ibn Malik said, "The Prophet's companions (ﷺ) used to doze off then offer prayer without repeating ablution." They used to do so in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) who did not decline their behavior. In a narration of Abu Daoud, Anas said, "until their heads lowered down." This means that their heads lowered down due to dozing while they were waiting for prayer. His saying, "... without repeating ablution." is a confirmation that they did not repeat their ablution, for while they were dozing, they were aware of what was around them. They did not sleep deeply, which invalidates ablution, unlike the heavy sleeping that, of course, invalidates ablution due to the lack of awareness..