عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ قَالَ قُلْنَا لِخَبَّابٍ
“أَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقْرَأُ فِي الظُّهْرِ وَالْعَصْرِ قَالَ نَعَمْ قُلْنَا بِمَ كُنْتُمْ تَعْرِفُونَ ذَاكَ قَالَ بِاضْطِرَابِ لِحْيَتِهِ”
رواه البخاري
Narrated Abu Ma’mar:
We asked Khabbab “Did the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite (the Quran) in the Thur and the ‘Asr prayers. He replied in the affirmative. We said, “How did you come to know this?” He said, “By the movement of his beard.”
Reported by Al Bukhari
The Scholars of Islam use this particular hadeeth quite often for a few different reasons. From these reasons, is to clear up a situation that many of the Muslims of our times fall into which is in opposition to the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). This is the situation of not moving one’s lips and tongue when they recite in the quiet prayers. Mentioned in this particular narration is Thur and Asr, but also included are the Sunnah prayers (of their different types). As well, included are those adhkaar (remembrances) and du’aa (supplications) that one makes in their prayers.
Many of the Muslims of our times, have incorrectly developed the habit of just standing there in the prayer and thinking about that which we have been commanded to say. They have left off that which was not only seen from the actions of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), but also that which he taught to his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).
There are a few different narrations which explain how the companions used to know that the Prophet’s (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to move his mouth when reciting in these prayers. This particular one explains that simply sitting back with the intention of saying those statements that you should be saying, or simply thinking about that which is you were commanded to say, is not from the Sunnah of Muhammad (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). His Sunnah is what we have been commanded to follow. His is the best example for us in how to live our lives, as well as in our worship. Allah said in his book;
{لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ لِمَنْ كَانَ يَرْجُو اللَّهَ وَالْيَوْمَ الْآخِرَ وَذَكَرَ اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا}
[21:الأحزاب]
{There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent example for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often.}
[Al Ahzaab: 21]
So as you see, Allah tells us that we have the best of examples that has been sent to us as a guide to how we should be living our lives and worshiping Allah. In so many aspects we neglect doing this, even in our acts of worship. This is something that is in dire need of being corrected.
This is a very important issue. Way more importation than many people see it to be. So much so, that the Scholars do not stop at the necessity of just the moving of the tongue and lips, but many scholars have gone beyond this and say that it is necessary for the person praying to hear themselves. This is a well known statement among many of the Scholars of The Hanafi, Shafi’i and Hanbali Madhaabs.
Now, being as this is not the topic of this particular article, we will not get into the details of this opinion here. We just wanted to explain that there are many Scholars that say that not only do you have to move your mouth when you recite and make your adhkar and du’aa in these quiet prayers, but they say that you must be able to hear yourself to have it accepted. (In sha Allah, we will discuss this issue in detail in a future article.)
So in conclusion, we wanted to point out the fact that what many of the Muslims have grown accustom to doing, in terms of not actually reciting, but rather thinking about what should be stated in the prayers is not a correct practice. We have pointed this out as a sincere advice to the Ummah, so that we can all correct this issue and have these parts of our worship accepted by Allahu Ta’ala, and have Him pleased with them. May Allah aide us all in correcting our worship and gaining His pleasure. Allahuma ameen.
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