The Prophet's Prayer From The beginning To The End As Though ...

As for the subsidiary text, it is a commentary on the main text. In it I have traced the ahaadeeth to
their sources, exploring their various versions and routes of narration. Along with this, I have
commented on their isnaads and supporting narrations, with authenticating and disparaging
remarks on narrators, whether authentic or weak, judged according to the rules of the science of
Hadeeth. Often, one route of narration has additional words which are not found in other routes, so I
have inserted these into the original hadeeth in the main text whenever it is possible to do so without
destroying the fluency, enclosing the addition in square brackets: [...], usually without stating which
of the sources were alone in containing that addition. This has been done only if the hadeeth is
originally on the authority of the same Companion, otherwise I have given it separately, e.g. in the
opening supplications etc. This insertion of additional wordings is a tremendous advantage which
you will not find in many books - Praise be to Allaah, by Whose Favour good actions are completed.
Next, I have mentioned in the subsidiary text the madhhabs of the scholars regarding the hadeeth
traced, as well as the evidence and counter-evidence for each view, along with the strengths and
weaknesses of each argument. We have then selected out of that the correct view which we have
given in the main text. Also in the subsidiary text, we have given some issues for which there is no
text in the Sunnah, but which require ijtihaad, and do not come under the title of this book.
Since the publication of this book with both main and subsidiary texts is not feasible right now due
to various reasons, we have decided to publish only the main text of the book (along with brief
footnotes) by Allaah's Will, and named it "Sifah Salaah an-Nabi (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), min
at-takbeer ilaa at-tasleem ka'annaka taraahaa (The Prophet's Prayer Described, from beginning to
end, as though you were watching it)".
I ask Allaah to make this work sincerely for His Face, and to help my brothers in faith to benefit from
it, for He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Methodology of this Book
Since the purpose of this book is to convey the guidance of the Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam)
regarding Prayer, it was elementary that I would not limit myself to a particular Madhhab, for the
reasons mentioned previously. Therefore, I would give whatever is authentically proved from him
(sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), as has always been the way of the scholars of Hadeeth 13 , whether of
old or of the recent past 14 , as the excellent saying goes:
The People of Hadeeth are the People of the Messenger, although They accompany him not, they are
with his every movement. 15
Thus this book would, Allaah Willing, gather whatever is relevant to each topic from the various
contents of the books of Hadeeth and the books on the differences between the Madhhabs, such that
the correct verdicts found in this book would not be found totally in any one Madhhab. Hence the
one acting on it, Allaah Willing, would be among those whom Allaah had guided "by His Grace to
the Truth concerning that in which they differed, for Allaah guides whom He will to a path that is
straight." 16
When I adopted these principles for myself, i.e. to adhere to the authentic Sunnah, and to implement
them in this book as well as others, I knew for sure that this would not satisfy every group of people
or sect; in fact, it would result in some, if not most of them, insulting or criticising me. This does not
matter to me, for I also know that to please everyone is an unattainable notion, and that "He who
pleases the people by angering Allaah, Allaah will entrust him to the people", as the Messenger of
٤