The Prophet made use of every opportunity to teach his companions, and later generations of Muslims, what is important to them in their life, both in relation to faith and in ordinary matters. If he wanted to stress a point, he often alerted his companions by making a gesture or using a particular expression. When his companions were on the alert, he would give them an advice, or an admonition. He was always precise, using the occasion with great skill, and making his point short and clear. We never see the Prophet engaged on a very long speech, like some orators do. Yet his command of his language was unrivaled. He realized that one cannot hold the attention of his audience for a long time. Therefore, he preferred a short reminder, concise and to the point.
One example is found in the Hadith in which Abu Tharr Al-Ghifari reports that he once brought the Prophet some water for his ablutions. The Prophet shook his head and bit his two lips. Abu Tharr reports: “I said: ‘May my parents’ life be yours! Have I hurt you?’ He said: ‘No. But you will see rulers – or imams – who delay offering their prayers beyond its time.’ I said: ‘What do you command me to do?’ He said: ‘Offer your prayers on time. Then, if you find yourself with them (when they pray) then pray with them also. Do not say, ‘Since I have already prayed, I will not pray now.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Muslim, Al-Tirmidhi and Abu Dawood).
We note first how the Prophet made a gesture to capture his companion’s attention and alert him to what he would be telling him. We know that when the Prophet’s companions were with him, they were always eager to learn from him. So they would be in full attention. We note this with Abu Tharr’s response. He immediately notices the Prophet’s gesture and worries lest he might have inadvertently hurt him. When the Prophet realizes that his companion was fully attentive, he gives him a very important piece of advice.
The first point the Prophet makes is that some people in high position will be offering their prayers later than its preferred time. As we know, each prayer has a time range, with the earlier part preferred over the later one, although the prayer would still be valid. A ruler, or an imam, should maintain exemplary conduct. Therefore, he should be always keen to offer prayers at their preferred time. When delaying prayers becomes a habit, as it is understood from the wording of the Hadith, a careless factor begins to creep in, al beit very discreetly. This is the reason for the Prophet’s expression of amazement. Rulers and imams are in full control of their time. No matter what duties they have to attend to, they can manage their time well, so as to offer their prayers at the preferred time, thus earning greater reward.
The Prophet then informs his companion what to do in such cases. As an individual, he should remain keen to offer his prayers early in their time range. Thus, he would fulfill his duty as best as he could. He is not supposed to do more than that, apart from offering advice when this is possible.
This might create a difficult situation, when an individual has prayed early and finds himself with a congregation who have not yet offered the same prayer. The Prophet makes it clear that in such a situation, the individual should repeat his prayer. He should not step aside and say that he would not join the prayer on account of having already prayed. To do so is inadvisable on two counts: the first is that it would give an impression that Muslims are not totally united when it comes to prayer, and the second is that it could allow for a feeling of superiority to creep into the thinking of the person concerned. He would be seen in a different light as a person who takes the lead in offering prayers. If he joins the congregational prayer, he would be offering voluntary prayers, which earns him additional reward.
Another Hadith in the same vein is reported by Abu Al-Aliyah who mentions that Ubaidullah ibn Ziyad, a governor of Basrah in the early Umayyad period, delayed prayer. Sometime later Abdullah ibn Al-Samit came to me and I gave him a chair to sit on. I then mentioned to him what Ibn Ziyad did. He bit his lip, struck me on my thigh and said: “I asked Abu Tharr the same question you are asking me, and he struck my thigh as I have struck yours before saying, ‘I asked the Prophet about the same thing and he struck my thigh as I have struck yours before saying to me, Offer your prayers on time. Then, if you find yourself with them (when they pray) then pray with them also. Do not say, ‘Since I have already prayed, I will not pray now.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari in Al-Adab Al-Mufrad, Muslim and Al-Nassaie).
The main point in this Hadith is the same as the earlier one. We should always be keen to offer our prayers early, so that we receive the reward of attending to prayer at its most preferred time. If it happens that we find ourselves with a group who have not yet offered their prayer and are about to start a congregational prayer, we repeat the prayer, so that we will be part of the congregation, and we receive additional reward for a voluntary prayer.
However, this Hadith also shows that what the Prophet foretold came true, not long after his death. Ibn Ziyad was a governor of a Muslim province in the second half of the first century of the Islamic era, and he apparently delayed the congregational prayer. At the time, it was customary that a ruler or a governor would be the one who led the prayers. People who were used to pray early found this highly questionable. Hence, they would ask each other about it.
We note that everyone who was asked about this did the same gesture first, which was to strike the person putting the question on his thigh. They did this because the Prophet did it with the first one who put the question to him, Abu Tharr. The Prophet did it in order to get his companion fully attentive to his advice. As later transmitters reported the Hadith, they did the same for a dual purpose, the first is to report the Prophet’s statement and action so as to put the listener in the same frame of mind, and to get maximum attention as well. Needless to say, when you ask someone a question and he strikes you on your thigh before answering, you are amazed and want to know why he did this. Thus, you are doubly attentive. Some scholars rely on this authentic Hadith to give a ruling that a man’s thigh is not part of what he must always cover, i.e. the awrah. It is true that Abu Tharr and all the latter transmitters had their clothes on, and the striking is done over the clothes, but the action indicates that touching somebody else’s thigh is permissible. These scholars conclude that had it been obligatory to cover one’s thighs, the Prophet would not have done this gesture, and he would have also indicated clearly that it must be kept covered.
