كتاب صلاة الخوف

Fear Prayer

Sahih Bukhari Book 12 6 Hadiths

Chapter 1

The Salat-ul-Khauf

باب صَلاَةِ الْخَوْفِ

And the Statement of Allah تعالى: "And when you (Muslims) travel in the land, there is no sin on you if you shorten As-Salat (prayer) if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you etc.), verily the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies. When you (O Messenger Muhammad ﷺ) are among them, and lead them in As-Salat (the prayer), let one party of them stand up (in Salat) with you taking their arms with them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their position in the rear, and let the other party come up which has not yet offered Salat and let them offer Salat with you taking all precautions, and bearing arms. Those who disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to attack you in a single rush, but there is no sin on you if you put away your arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but take (every) precaution for yourselves. Verily! Allah has prepared a humiliating torment for the disbelievers. (V.4:101-102)
وَقَوْلِ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى: {وَإِذَا ضَرَبْتُمْ فِي الأَرْضِ فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنَاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُوا مِنَ الصَّلاَةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنَّ الْكَافِرِينَ كَانُوا لَكُمْ عَدُوًّا مُبِينًا وَإِذَا كُنْتَ فِيهِمْ فَأَقَمْتَ لَهُمُ الصَّلاَةَ فَلْتَقُمْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ فَإِذَا سَجَدُوا فَلْيَكُونُوا مِنْ وَرَائِكُمْ وَلْتَأْتِ طَائِفَةٌ أُخْرَى لَمْ يُصَلُّوا فَلْيُصَلُّوا مَعَكَ وَلْيَأْخُذُوا حِذْرَهُمْ وَأَسْلِحَتَهُمْ وَدَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَوْ تَغْفُلُونَ عَنْ أَسْلِحَتِكُمْ وَأَمْتِعَتِكُمْ فَيَمِيلُونَ عَلَيْكُمْ مَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً وَلاَ جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ إِنْ كَانَ بِكُمْ أَذًى مِنْ مَطَرٍ أَوْ كُنْتُمْ مَرْضَى أَنْ تَضَعُوا أَسْلِحَتَكُمْ وَخُذُوا حِذْرَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ أَعَدَّ لِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابًا مُهِينًا}.
Surah 4:101-102
Sahih al-Bukhari 942
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ سَأَلْتُهُ هَلْ صَلَّى النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَعْنِي صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي سَالِمٌ أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ غَزَوْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قِبَلَ نَجْدٍ، فَوَازَيْنَا الْعَدُوَّ فَصَافَفْنَا لَهُمْ فَقَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُصَلِّي لَنَا فَقَامَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مَعَهُ تُصَلِّي، وَأَقْبَلَتْ طَائِفَةٌ عَلَى الْعَدُوِّ وَرَكَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِمَنْ مَعَهُ، وَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ، ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا مَكَانَ الطَّائِفَةِ الَّتِي لَمْ تُصَلِّ، فَجَاءُوا، فَرَكَعَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً، وَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ، فَقَامَ كُلُّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْهُمْ فَرَكَعَ لِنَفْسِهِ رَكْعَةً وَسَجَدَ سَجْدَتَيْنِ‏.‏
Shu'aib:

I asked Az-Zuhri, "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) ever offer the Fear Prayer?" Az-Zuhri said, "I was told by Salim that `Abdullah bin `Umar I had said, 'I took part in a holy battle with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) I in Najd. We faced the enemy and arranged ourselves in rows. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) stood up to lead the prayer and one party stood to pray with him while the other faced the enemy. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) and the former party bowed and performed two prostrations. Then that party left and took the place of those who had not prayed. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed one rak`a (with the latter) and performed two prostrations and finished his prayer with Taslim. Then everyone of them bowed once and performed two prostrations individually.' "

Chapter 2

The Salat-ul-Khauf while standing or riding

باب صَلاَةِ الْخَوْفِ رِجَالاً وَرُكْبَانًا رَاجِلٌ قَائِمٌ

Sahih al-Bukhari 943
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ الْقُرَشِيُّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي قَالَ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، نَحْوًا مِنْ قَوْلِ مُجَاهِدٍ إِذَا اخْتَلَطُوا قِيَامًا‏.‏ وَزَادَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏‏.‏
"‏ وَإِنْ كَانُوا أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَلْيُصَلُّوا قِيَامًا وَرُكْبَانًا ‏"
Nafi`:

Ibn `Umar said something similar to Mujahid's saying: Whenever (Muslims and non-Muslims) stand face to face in battle, the Muslims can pray while standing. Ibn `Umar added, "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'If the number of the enemy is greater than the Muslims, they can pray while standing or riding (individually).' "

Chapter 3

To guard one another during the Salat-ul-Khauf

باب يَحْرُسُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا فِي صَلاَةِ الْخَوْفِ

Sahih al-Bukhari 944
حَدَّثَنَا حَيْوَةُ بْنُ شُرَيْحٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْدِيِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ قَامَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ، فَكَبَّرَ وَكَبَّرُوا مَعَهُ، وَرَكَعَ وَرَكَعَ نَاسٌ مِنْهُمْ، ثُمَّ سَجَدَ وَسَجَدُوا مَعَهُ، ثُمَّ قَامَ لِلثَّانِيَةِ فَقَامَ الَّذِينَ سَجَدُوا وَحَرَسُوا إِخْوَانَهُمْ، وَأَتَتِ الطَّائِفَةُ الأُخْرَى فَرَكَعُوا وَسَجَدُوا مَعَهُ، وَالنَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ، وَلَكِنْ يَحْرُسُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا‏.‏
Ibn `Abbas:

Once the Prophet (p.b.u.h) led the fear prayer and the people stood behind him. He said Takbir (Allahu-Akbar) and the people said the same. He bowed and some of them bowed. Then he prostrated and they also prostrated. Then he stood for the second rak`a and those who had prayed the first rak`a left and guarded their brothers. The second party joined him and performed bowing and prostration with him. All the people were in prayer but they were guarding one another during the prayer.

Chapter 4

As-Salat at the time of besieging a fort and at the time of meeting the enemy

باب الصَّلاَةِ عِنْدَ مُنَاهَضَةِ الْحُصُونِ وَلِقَاءِ الْعَدُوِّ

Al-Auza'i said, "If there are signs of victory and it is impossible to offer the Salat (prayer) then everyone should offer his Salat (prayer) with signs. If he cannot do even that then he can delay the Salat (prayer) till the battle is over or till they feel secure, then they can offer two Rak'at prayers. But if they are unable to complete the Salat (prayer) then they can perform one bowing and two prostrations (one Rak'a), and if they are unable to do even this, then saying Allahu-Akbar is not sufficient for them, and so they should postpone the Salat (prayer) till they feel secure." Mak-hul agrees to it (i.e. this verdict). And Anas bin Malik said, "I reached at dawn during the siege of Tustar and the fighting was at its peak. The Muslims were not able to offer the Fajr prayer and we did not offer Salat (prayer) till a part of the day had passed and then we offered the Salat with Abu Musa and we were granted victory by Allah." Anas further said, "It would not make me happy even if I got the whole world and whatever is in it instead of that Salat (prayer) (i.e. the one they missed because of fighting)." ​​
وَقَالَ الأَوْزَاعِيُّ إِنْ كَانَ تَهَيَّأَ الْفَتْحُ، وَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ صَلَّوْا إِيمَاءً كُلُّ امْرِئٍ لِنَفْسِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى الإِيمَاءِ أَخَّرُوا الصَّلاَةَ، حَتَّى يَنْكَشِفَ الْقِتَالُ أَوْ يَأْمَنُوا، فَيُصَلُّوا رَكْعَتَيْنِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَقْدِرُوا صَلَّوْا رَكْعَةً وَسَجْدَتَيْنِ، لاَ يُجْزِئُهُمُ التَّكْبِيرُ وَيُؤَخِّرُوهَا حَتَّى يَأْمَنُوا وَبِهِ قَالَ مَكْحُولٌ. وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ حَضَرْتُ عِنْدَ مُنَاهَضَةِ حِصْنِ تُسْتَرَ عِنْدَ إِضَاءَةِ الْفَجْرِ، وَاشْتَدَّ اشْتِعَالُ الْقِتَالِ، فَلَمْ يَقْدِرُوا عَلَى الصَّلاَةِ، فَلَمْ نُصَلِّ إِلاَّ بَعْدَ ارْتِفَاعِ النَّهَارِ، فَصَلَّيْنَاهَا وَنَحْنُ مَعَ أَبِي مُوسَى، فَفُتِحَ لَنَا. وَقَالَ أَنَسٌ وَمَا يَسُرُّنِي بِتِلْكَ الصَّلاَةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا.
Sahih al-Bukhari 945
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مُبَارَكٍ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ جَابِرِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، قَالَ جَاءَ عُمَرُ يَوْمَ الْخَنْدَقِ، فَجَعَلَ يَسُبُّ كُفَّارَ قُرَيْشٍ وَيَقُولُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَا صَلَّيْتُ الْعَصْرَ حَتَّى كَادَتِ الشَّمْسُ أَنْ تَغِيبَ‏.‏ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ ‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَنَزَلَ إِلَى بُطْحَانَ فَتَوَضَّأَ، وَصَلَّى الْعَصْرَ بَعْدَ مَا غَابَتِ الشَّمْسُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى الْمَغْرِبَ بَعْدَهَا‏.‏
"‏ وَأَنَا وَاللَّهِ مَا صَلَّيْتُهَا بَعْدُ ‏"
Jabir bin `Abdullah:

On the day of the Khandaq `Umar came, cursing the disbelievers of Quraish and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I have not offered the `Asr prayer and the sun has set." The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "By Allah! I too, have not offered the prayer yet. "The Prophet (ﷺ) then went to Buthan, performed ablution and performed the `Asr prayer after the sun had set and then offered the Maghrib prayer after it."

Chapter 5

The chaser and the chased can offer Salat (prayer) while riding , and by signs

بَابُ صَلاَةِ الطَّالِبِ وَالْمَطْلُوبِ رَاكِبًا وَإِيمَاءً

Al-Walid said: I told Al-Auza'i about the Salat (prayer) of Shurahbil bin As-Samt and his companions on the backs of animals. On that, he said, "That was the case with us if we feared that the time of Salat would be over." Al-Walid (disagreed with Al-Auza'i) deriving his verdict from the statement of the Prophet ﷺ: "None should offer the 'Asr prayer but at Bani Quraiza." ​​
وَقَالَ الْوَلِيدُ ذَكَرْتُ لِلأَوْزَاعِيِّ صَلاَةَ شُرَحْبِيلَ بْنِ السِّمْطِ وَأَصْحَابِهِ عَلَى ظَهْرِ الدَّابَّةِ فَقَالَ كَذَلِكَ الأَمْرُ عِنْدَنَا إِذَا تُخُوِّفَ الْفَوْتُ، وَاحْتَجَّ الْوَلِيدُ بِقَوْلِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لاَ يُصَلِّيَنَّ أَحَدٌ الْعَصْرَ إِلاَّ فِي بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ».
Sahih al-Bukhari 946
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَسْمَاءَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا جُوَيْرِيَةُ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَنَا لَمَّا رَجَعَ مِنَ الأَحْزَابِ ‏ ‏‏.‏ فَأَدْرَكَ بَعْضُهُمُ الْعَصْرَ فِي الطَّرِيقِ فَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ لاَ نُصَلِّي حَتَّى نَأْتِيَهَا، وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمْ بَلْ نُصَلِّي لَمْ يُرَدْ مِنَّا ذَلِكَ‏.‏ فَذُكِرَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَلَمْ يُعَنِّفْ وَاحِدًا مِنْهُمْ‏.‏
"‏ لاَ يُصَلِّيَنَّ أَحَدٌ الْعَصْرَ إِلاَّ فِي بَنِي قُرَيْظَةَ ‏"
Ibn `Umar:

When the Prophet (ﷺ) returned from the battle of Al-Ahzab (The confederates), he said to us, "None should offer the 'Asr prayer but at Bani Quraiza." The 'Asr prayer became due for some of them on the way. Some of them decided not to offer the Salat but at Bani Quraiza while others decided to offer the Salat on the spot and said that the intention of the Prophet (ﷺ) was not what the former party had understood. And when that was told to the Prophet (ﷺ) he did not blame anyone of them.

Chapter 6

Offering As-Salat (the prayers) while attacking the enemy and in battles

باب التَّبْكِيرِ وَالْغَلَسِ بِالصُّبْحِ وَالصَّلاَةِ عِنْدَ الإِغَارَةِ وَالْحَرْبِ

Sahih al-Bukhari 947
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ، وَثَابِتٍ الْبُنَانِيِّ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى الصُّبْحَ بِغَلَسٍ ثُمَّ رَكِبَ فَقَالَ ‏ ‏‏.‏ فَخَرَجُوا يَسْعَوْنَ فِي السِّكَكِ وَيَقُولُونَ مُحَمَّدٌ وَالْخَمِيسُ ـ قَالَ وَالْخَمِيسُ الْجَيْشُ ـ فَظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَتَلَ الْمُقَاتِلَةَ وَسَبَى الذَّرَارِيَّ، فَصَارَتْ صَفِيَّةُ لِدِحْيَةَ الْكَلْبِيِّ، وَصَارَتْ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ثُمَّ تَزَوَّجَهَا وَجَعَلَ صَدَاقَهَا عِتْقَهَا‏.‏ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ لِثَابِتٍ يَا أَبَا مُحَمَّدٍ، أَنْتَ سَأَلْتَ أَنَسًا مَا أَمْهَرَهَا قَالَ أَمْهَرَهَا نَفْسَهَا‏.‏ فَتَبَسَّمَ‏.‏
"‏ اللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ خَرِبَتْ خَيْبَرُ، إِنَّا إِذَا نَزَلْنَا بِسَاحَةِ قَوْمٍ فَسَاءَ صَبَاحُ الْمُنْذَرِينَ ‏"
Anas bin Malik:

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (p.b.u.h) offered the Fajr prayer when it was still dark, then he rode and said, 'Allah Akbar! Khaibar is ruined. When we approach near to a nation, the most unfortunate is the morning of those who have been warned." The people came out into the streets saying, "Muhammad and his army." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) vanquished them by force and their warriors were killed; the children and women were taken as captives. Safiya was taken by Dihya Al-Kalbi and later she belonged to Allah's Apostle go who married her and her Mahr was her manumission.