Sunan an-Nasa'i, Book of The Fear Prayer

It was narrated that Tha'labah bin Zahdam said:

"We were with Sa'eed bin Al-'Asi in Tabaristan, and Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman was with us. He said: 'Which of you offered the fear prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?' Hudhaifah said: 'I did', and he described it. He said: 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ offered the fear prayer, leading one group who had formed rows behind him in praying one rak'ah, while the other group was between him and the enemy. So he led the group that was near him in praying one rak'ah, then they left and took the place of others, and the others came and he led them in praying one rak'ah.'"

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنِ الأَشْعَثِ بْنِ أَبِي الشَّعْثَاءِ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ زَهْدَمٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِي بِطَبَرِسْتَانَ وَمَعَنَا حُذَيْفَةُ بْنُ الْيَمَانِ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ فَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ أَنَا فَوَصَفَ فَقَالَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ بِطَائِفَةٍ رَكْعَةً صَفٍّ خَلْفَهُ وَطَائِفَةٍ أُخْرَى بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِالطَّائِفَةِ الَّتِي تَلِيهِ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ نَكَصَ هَؤُلاَءِ إِلَى مَصَافِّ أُولَئِكَ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً .

It was narrated that Tha'labah bin Zahdam said:

"We were with Sa'eed bin Al-'Asi in Tabaristan, and Hudhaifah bin Al-Yaman was with us. He said: 'Which of you offered the fear prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?' Hudhaifah said: 'I did.' So Hudhaifah stood and the people formed two rows behind him, one row behind him and one row facing the enemy. He led those who were behind him in praying one rak'ah, then they went and took the place of the others, and the others came and he led them in praying one rak'ah, and they did not make it up."

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَشْعَثُ بْنُ سُلَيْمٍ، عَنِ الأَسْوَدِ بْنِ هِلاَلٍ، عَنْ ثَعْلَبَةَ بْنِ زَهْدَمٍ، قَالَ كُنَّا مَعَ سَعِيدِ بْنِ الْعَاصِي بِطَبَرِسْتَانَ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ فَقَالَ حُذَيْفَةُ أَنَا . فَقَامَ حُذَيْفَةُ فَصَفَّ النَّاسُ خَلْفَهُ صَفَّيْنِ صَفًّا خَلْفَهُ وَصَفًّا مُوَازِيَ الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِالَّذِي خَلْفَهُ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ هَؤُلاَءِ إِلَى مَكَانِ هَؤُلاَءِ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً وَلَمْ يَقْضُوا .

Narrated from Zaid bin Thabit:

A prayer like that of Hudhaifah was narrated from Zaid bin Thabit from the Prophet ﷺ.

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الرُّكَيْنُ بْنُ الرَّبِيعِ، عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ حَسَّانٍ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مِثْلَ صَلاَةِ حُذَيْفَةَ .

It was narrated that Ibn Abbas said:

"Allah (Subhanahu-wa-Taala) enjoined the prayer on the tongue of your Prophet ﷺ: four (rak'ahs) while a resident, two rak'ahs while traveling, and one rak'ah during times of fear."

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ بُكَيْرِ بْنِ الأَخْنَسِ، عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ الصَّلاَةَ عَلَى لِسَانِ نَبِيِّكُمْ ﷺ فِي الْحَضَرِ أَرْبَعًا وَفِي السَّفَرِ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَفِي الْخَوْفِ رَكْعَةً .

It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas that:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed at Dhi Qarad and the people formed two rows behind him, one row behind him and one row facing the enemy. He led those who were behind him in praying one rak'ah, then they went and took the place of the others, and the others came and he led them in praying one rak'ah, and they did not make it up.

أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي الْجَهْمِ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى بِذِي قَرَدٍ وَصَفَّ النَّاسُ خَلْفَهُ صَفَّيْنِ صَفًّا خَلْفَهُ وَصَفًّا مُوَازِيَ الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِالَّذِينَ خَلْفَهُ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ هَؤُلاَءِ إِلَى مَكَانِ هَؤُلاَءِ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً وَلَمْ يَقْضُوا .

It was narrated from 'Ubaidullah bin Abdullah bin Utbah that:

'Abdullah bin 'Abbas said: "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood and the people stood with him, and he said the takbir and they said the takbir. Then he bowed, and some of them bowed, then he prostrated and they prostrated, then he stood for the second rak'ah and those who had prostrated with him moved back and guarded their brothers, and the other group came and bowed and prostrated with the Prophet ﷺ. All the people were praying and saying the takbir, but they were guarding one another."

أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ بْنِ سَعِيدِ بْنِ كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ مُحَمَّدٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْدِيِّ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُتْبَةَ، أَنَّ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَامَ النَّاسُ مَعَهُ فَكَبَّرَ وَكَبَّرُوا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَرَكَعَ أُنَاسٌ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ سَجَدَ وَسَجَدُوا ثُمَّ قَامَ إِلَى الرَّكْعَةِ الثَّانِيَةِ فَتَأَخَّرَ الَّذِينَ سَجَدُوا مَعَهُ وَحَرَسُوا إِخْوَانَهُمْ وَأَتَتِ الطَّائِفَةُ الأُخْرَى فَرَكَعُوا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَسَجَدُوا وَالنَّاسُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي صَلاَةٍ يُكَبِّرُونَ وَلَكِنْ يَحْرُسُ بَعْضُهُمْ بَعْضًا .

It was narrated that Ibn 'Abbas said:

"The fear prayer was no more than two prostrations like the prayer of these guards of yours today behind the Imams of yours, except that it was one group after another. One group stood, although they were all behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and one group prostrated with him, then the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up and they all stood with him. Then he bowed and they all bowed with him, then he prostrated and those who had been standing the first time prostrated with him. When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and those who had prostrated with him at the end of their prayer sat, those who had been standing prostrated by themselves, then they sat and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said the taslim with all of them.

أَخْبَرَنَا عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ سَعْدِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَمِّي، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، عَنِ ابْنِ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي دَاوُدُ بْنُ الْحُصَيْنِ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ مَا كَانَتْ صَلاَةُ الْخَوْفِ إِلاَّ سَجْدَتَيْنِ كَصَلاَةِ أَحْرَاسِكُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ الْيَوْمَ خَلْفَ أَئِمَّتِكُمْ هَؤُلاَءِ إِلاَّ أَنَّهَا كَانَتْ عُقَبًا قَامَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ وَهُمْ جَمِيعًا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَسَجَدَتْ مَعَهُ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهُمْ ثُمَّ قَامَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَقَامُوا مَعَهُ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ رَكَعَ وَرَكَعُوا مَعَهُ جَمِيعًا ثُمَّ سَجَدَ فَسَجَدَ مَعَهُ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قِيَامًا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ فَلَمَّا جَلَسَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَالَّذِينَ سَجَدُوا مَعَهُ فِي آخِرِ صَلاَتِهِمْ سَجَدَ الَّذِينَ كَانُوا قِيَامًا لأَنْفُسِهِمْ ثُمَّ جَلَسُوا فَجَمَعَهُمْ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ بِالتَّسْلِيمِ .

It was narrated from Salih bin Khawwat, from Sahl bin Abi Hathmah that:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led them in offering the fear prayer. Some formed a row behind him and some formed a row facing the enemy. He led them in praying one rak'ah, then they moved away and the others came, and he led them in praying one rak'ah, then they got up and each (group) made up the other rak'ah.

أَخْبَرَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عَلِيٍّ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ خَوَّاتٍ، عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ أَبِي حَثْمَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى بِهِمْ صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ فَصَفَّ صَفًّا خَلْفَهُ وَصَفًّا مُصَافُّو الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ هَؤُلاَءِ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ قَامُوا فَقَضَوْا رَكْعَةً رَكْعَةً .

It was narrated from Salih bin Khawwat from one who had prayed the fear prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on the day of Dhat Ar-Riqa' that:

One group had formed a row behind him and another group faced the enemy. He led those who were with him in praying one rak'ah, then he remained standing and they completed the prayer by themselves. Then they moved away and formed a row facing the enemy, and the other group came and he led them in praying the rak'ah that was left for him, then he remained sitting while they completed the prayer by themselves, then he said the taslim with them.

أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ رُومَانَ، عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ خَوَّاتٍ، عَمَّنْ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ يَوْمَ ذَاتِ الرِّقَاعِ صَلاَةَ الْخَوْفِ أَنَّ طَائِفَةً صَفَّتْ مَعَهُ وَطَائِفَةٌ وُجَاهَ الْعَدُوِّ فَصَلَّى بِالَّذِينَ مَعَهُ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ ثَبَتَ قَائِمًا وَأَتَمُّوا لأَنْفُسَهِمْ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفُوا فَصَفُّوا وُجَاهَ الْعَدُوِّ وَجَاءَتِ الطَّائِفَةُ الأُخْرَى فَصَلَّى بِهِمُ الرَّكْعَةَ الَّتِي بَقِيَتْ مِنْ صَلاَتِهِ ثُمَّ ثَبَتَ جَالِسًا وَأَتَمُّوا لأَنْفُسِهِمْ ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ بِهِمْ .

It was narrated from Salim from his father, that:

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led one of the two groups in praying one rak'ah while the other group was facing the enemy, then they moved away and took the place of the others, and the others came and he led them in praying the other rak'ah, then he said the salam and they stood up and made up the other rak'ah, and the others stood up and made up the other rak'ah.

أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ مَسْعُودٍ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ زُرَيْعٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مَعْمَرٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ سَالِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى بِإِحْدَى الطَّائِفَتَيْنِ رَكْعَةً وَالطَّائِفَةُ الأُخْرَى مُوَاجِهَةُ الْعَدُوِّ ثُمَّ انْطَلَقُوا فَقَامُوا فِي مَقَامِ أُولَئِكَ وَجَاءَ أُولَئِكَ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً أُخْرَى ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَقَامَ هَؤُلاَءِ فَقَضُوا رَكْعَتَهُمْ وَقَامَ هَؤُلاَءِ فَقَضُوا رَكْعَتَهُمْ .