Prayer of Fear

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led his Companions in a military expedition. Most of them were walking barefoot, and when their feet became sore from walking, they wrapped rags around them. No fighting took place but the Muslims scared away their enemies. As this Hadīth indicates, the enemies were not in the direction of the prayer as they came from the east of Madīnah. Therefore, the Prophet divided Muslims into two groups: one group stood to pray with him while the other group stood facing the direction of the enemies at the back of the praying group. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed one Rak‘ah with the group that was with him then rose for the second Rak‘ah but remained standing while they completed the second Rak‘ah and made Taslīm. They then left to stand facing the direction of the enemies while the other group came and prayed with the Prophet the second Rak‘ah. He remained sitting in the second Rak‘ah while they rose to perform one more Rak‘ah thus completing their prayer, then he made Taslīm with them. Thus, the first group said the opening Takbīr with the Prophet while the second group said the Taslīm with him. So both groups were even, as each had the merit of praying in congregation with the Imām. At the same time, they did not give the enemy a chance to attack them while they were engaged in prayer.

تيسير العلام، للبسام، الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الإمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة العاشرة، 1426هـ - 2006 م. تنبيه الأفهام، للعثيمين، طبعة مكتبة الصحابة، الامارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، لأبي عبد الله الجعفي البخاري، تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة: الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام، لأحمد بن يحيى النجمي، دار المنهاج، القاهرة، مصر، الطبعة الأولى. عمدة الأحكام من كلام خير الأنام صلى الله عليه وسلم، لعبد الغني المقدسي، دراسة وتحقيق: محمود الأرناؤوط، مراجعة وتقديم: عبد القادر الأرناؤوط، ط2، دار الثقافة العربية، دمشق، بيروت، مؤسسة قرطبة، 1408 هـ.

This Hadīth describes a form of the prayer of fear, i.e. when the enemy is in the direction of the Qiblah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the army into two groups: one in the front row and another in the back row. Then he lead them in the prayer, starting with Takbīr, then all recited, bowed, and rose from bowing. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him, prostrated. Rising for the second Rak‘ah, the back row which was guarding them from the enemy, prostrated. When they rose, the front row went back and the back row stepped forward, so that both rows were even in what they had performed, and the first row did not stand in its place for the entire prayer. What was done in the first Rak‘ah was repeated in the second Rak‘ah. All made Tashahhud and ended the prayer following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This way of performing the prayer of fear was suitable for the state of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions at that time. They were able to see their enemy, who was in the direction of Qiblah, while standing and bowing in prayer. Also, in this position, they were safe from a rear attack.

تيسير العلام للبسام الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة الطبعة- العاشرة، 1426 هـ - 2006 م . تنبيه الأفهام للعثيمين -طبعة مكتبة الصحابة الامارات - مكتبة التابعين- القاهرة- الطبعة الأولى 1426. صحيح البخاري -أبو عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل بن إبراهيم بن المغيرة الجعفي البخاري تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر -الناشر : دار طوق النجاة -الطبعة : الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي - الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام -أحمد بن يحيى النجمي- دار المنهاج- القاهرة- مصر -الطبعة الأولى. الموسوعة الفقهية الكويتية-وزارة الأوقاف والشئون الإسلامية – الكويت-الطبعة: (من 1404 -1427 هـ) الأجزاء 1 - 23: الطبعة الثانية، دار السلاسل – الكويت- الأجزاء 24 - 38: الطبعة الأولى، مطابع دار الصفوة - مصر الأجزاء 39 - 45: الطبعة الثانية، طبع الوزارة.

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led his Companions in the prayer of fear in some of his wars with the unbelievers. In those wars, the Muslims feared that the enemies, who were not stationed in the direction of the prayer, would attack them while they were praying. So the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the Companions into two groups: one stood with him to pray, and the other faced the enemy to guard those praying. The Prophet led the troops standing with him in one Rak‘ah. This group left, while in a state of prayer, to the defense line. Then the troops that had not yet prayed joined the Prophet in the other Rak‘ah. As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ended his prayer, the group that had just prayed with him resumed the prayer so as to make up for the Rak‘ah which they missed. They finished their prayer and left. Then the first group performed the Rak‘ah which they missed while they were on guard. This is one of the ways the prayer of fear was done. Ibn ‘Abbās said: "Everyone was praying but guarding each other." [Al-Bukhāri]

تيسير العلام للبسام، الناشر: مكتبة الصحابة، الأمارات - مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة الطبعة- العاشرة، 1426هـ - 2006 م. تنبيه الأفهام، للعثيمين، طبعة مكتبة الصحابة الامارات، مكتبة التابعين، القاهرة، الطبعة الأولى 1426هـ. صحيح البخاري، لأبي عبد الله محمد بن إسماعيل البخاري، تحقيق محمد زهير بن ناصر الناصر، الناشر: دار طوق النجاة، الطبعة الأولى 1422هـ. صحيح مسلم، المحقق: محمد فؤاد عبد الباقي، الناشر: دار إحياء التراث العربي – بيروت. تأسيس الأحكام، لأحمد بن يحيى النجمي، دار المنهاج، القاهرة، مصر، الطبعة الأولى.