Chapter on the Prayer of Fear

Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām|Volume 3|Book 2|Chapter 7

Tahdhīb al-Aḥkām

Volume 3, Book 2, Chapter 7

Chapter on the Prayer of Fear
13 hadiths · 1 commentary
Hadith 1

احمد بن محمد بن خالد عن ابيه عن زرعة عن سماعة قال سألته عن الاسير يأسره المشركون فتحضره الصلاة فيمنعه الذي أسره منها قال يؤمي إيماءا

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Zur’ah from Sama’ah who said: I asked Imam (a.s) about the prisoner who is taken captive by the polytheists, and the time of prayer comes, while the one who captured him prevents him from performing it. Imam (a.s) said: “He should gesture (perform the prayer) by gesturing (ima’a)”.

Hadith 2

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ أَكُونُ فِي طَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ فَنَتْرُكُ اَلصَّلاَةَ فِي مَوَاضِعَ فِيهَا اَلْأَعْرَابُ أَ نُصَلِّي اَلْمَكْتُوبَةَ عَلَى اَلْأَرْضِ فَنَقْرَأُ أُمَّ اَلْكِتَابِ وَحْدَهَا أَمْ نُصَلِّي عَلَى اَلرَّاحِلَةِ فَنَقْرَأُ فَاتِحَةَ اَلْكِتَابِ وَ اَلسُّورَةَ فَقَالَ« إِذَا خِفْتَ فَصَلِّ عَلَى اَلرَّاحِلَةِ اَلْمَكْتُوبَةَ وَغَيْرَهَا فَإِذَا قَرَأْتَ اَلْحَمْدَ وَ سُورَةً أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ وَلاَ أَرَى بِالَّذِي فَعَلْتَ بَأْساً»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Isma’il who said: I asked Imam (a.s) and said: “I am on the road to Mecca, and we leave the prayer in places where there are Bedouins. Should we pray the obligatory prayer on the ground and recite only ‘Umm al-Kitab’ (Surah al-Fatiha), or should we pray on the mount and recite ‘al-Fatiha’ and a surah?” Imam (a.s) said: “If you are afraid, then perform the obligatory prayer and others on the mount. If you recite ‘al-Hamd’ and a surah, that is more beloved to me. But I do not see any harm in what you did.”

Hadith 3

عَنْهُ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ« فَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ فَرِجٰالاً أَوْ رُكْبٰاناً» كَيْفَ نُصَلِّي وَ مَا تَقُولُ إِنْ خَافَ مِنْ سَبُعٍ أَوْ لِصٍّ كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي قَالَ« يُكَبِّرُ وَ يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ»

From him, from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn Uthman from Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Abdillah who said: I asked Abu Abdillah (a.s): “About the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: “But if you fear, then (pray) on foot or riding” (Surah Al Baqarah 2:239). How do we pray? And what do you say if one fears a wild beast or a thief, how should he pray?” Imam (a.s) said: “He says the takbir and gestures with his head.”

Hadith 4

عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عُذَافِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ:« إِذَا جَالَتِ اَلْخَيْلُ تَضْطَرِبُ بِالسُّيُوفِ أَجْزَأَهُ تَكْبِيرَتَانِ فَهَذَا تَقْصِيرٌ آخَرُ»

Ali from his father from Amr ibn Uthman from Muhammad ibn Udhafir from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “When the horses move about in turmoil with swords clashing, two takbirs suffice him (for prayer). This is another form of shortening (taqsir).”

Hadith 5

أَحْمَدُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَ: فِي قَوْلِ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ« فَلَيْسَ عَلَيْكُمْ جُنٰاحٌ أَنْ تَقْصُرُ وا مِنَ اَلصَّلاٰةِ إِنْ خِفْتُمْ أَنْ يَفْتِنَكُمُ اَلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا» قَالَ« فِي اَلرَّكْعَتَيْنِ يَنْقُصُ مِنْهُمَا وَاحِدَةٌ»

Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Hammad ibn Isa from Hariz from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) was asked regarding the saying of Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic: ‘Then there is no blame upon you if you shorten the prayer, if you fear that those who disbelieve may harm you’ (Surah An Nisa 4:101) Imam (a.s) said: “In (from) the two rak‘ahs, one is reduced from them.”

Hadith 6

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنِ اَلْعَمْرَكِيِّ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ عَنْ أَخِيهِ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَلْقَى اَلسَّبُعَ وَ قَدْ حَضَرَتِ اَلصَّلاَةُ وَ لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُ اَلْمَشْيَ مَخَافَةَ اَلسَّبُعِ فَإِنْ قَامَ يُصَلِّي خَافَ فِي رُكُوعِهِ وَ فِي سُجُودِهِ وَاَلسَّبُعُ أَمَامَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ فَإِنْ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ خَافَ أَنْ يَثِبَ عَلَيْهِ اَلْأَسَدُ كَيْفَ يَصْنَعُ قَالَ فَقَالَ «يَسْتَقْبِلُ اَلْأَسَدَ وَ يُصَلِّي وَ يُومِئُ بِرَأْسِهِ إِيمَاءً وَ هُوَ قَائِمٌ وَ إِنْ كَانَ اَلْأَسَدُ عَلَى غَيْرِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ»

Muhammad ibn Yahya from al-‘Amraki ibn Ali from Ali ibn Ja’far from his brother Abu al-Hasan (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: I asked Imam al-Kadhim (a.s) about a man who encounters a wild beast (al-sab‘) and the time for prayer has arrived, but he is unable to walk out of fear of the beast. If he stands to pray, he fears during his bowing and prostration, and the beast is in front of him, not in the direction of the qiblah. So if he turns to face the qiblah, he fears that the lion will leap upon him. What should he do? Imam (a.s) said: "He should face the lion and pray, and gesture with his head as indication (of bowing and prostration), while standing, even if the lion is not in the direction of the qiblah."

Hadith 7

اَلْحُسَيْنُ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ يَقُولُ:« إِذَا اِلْتَقَوْا فَاقْتَتَلُوا فَإِنَّمَا اَلصَّلاَةُ حِينَئِذٍ بِالتَّكْبِيرِ فَإِذَا كَانُوا وُقُوفاً فَالصَّلاَةُ إِيمَاءً»

Al-Husayn from Fadalah from Hammad ibn Uthman from Abu Basir who said: I heard Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, say: “When they meet and engage in battle, then the prayer at that time is with the takbir. And if they are standing, then the prayer is by gesturing [ima'].”

Hadith 8

مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَلِيِّ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ يَعْقُوبَ عَنِ اِبْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنِ اِبْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ:« إِذَا كَانَ صَلاَةُ اَلْمَغْرِبِ فِي اَلْخَوْفِ فَرَّقَهُمْ فِرْقَتَيْنِ فَيُصَلِّي بِفِرْقَةٍ رَكْعَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ جَلَسَ بِهِمْ ثُمَّ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِمْ بِيَدِهِ فَقَامَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْهُمْ فَيُصَلِّي رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ سَلَّمُوا فَقَامُوا مَقَامَ أَصْحَابِهِمْ وَ جَاءَتِ اَلطَّائِفَةُ اَلْأُخْرَى فَكَبَّرُوا وَ دَخَلُوا فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ قَامَ اَلْإِمَامُ فَصَلَّى بِهِمْ رَكْعَةً ثُمَّ سَلَّمَ ثُمَّ قَامَ كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنْهُمْ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَةً فَشَفَعَهَا بِالَّتِي صَلَّى مَعَ اَلْإِمَامِ ثُمَّ قَامَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَةً لَيْسَ فِيهَا قِرَاءَةٌ فَتَمَّتْ لِلْإِمَامِ ثَلاَثُ رَكَعَاتٍ وَ لِلْأَوَّلِينَ رَكْعَتَانِ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ وَ لِلْآخَرِينَ وُحْدَاناً فَصَارَ لِلْأَوَّلِينَ اَلتَّكْبِيرُ وَ اِفْتِتَاحُ اَلصَّلاَةِ وَ لِلْآخَرِينَ اَلتَّسْلِيمُ»

Muhammad ibn Ali ibn Mahbub from Ya‘qub from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Ibn Udhaynah from Zurarah from Abu Ja’far (a.s), peace be upon him, that he said: Imam al-Baqir (a.s) said: “When the Maghrib prayer is in a situation of fear, he (imam of prayer) divides them into two groups. He prays with one group two rak‘ahs, then sits with them. Then he signals to them with his hand, so each person among them stands and prays one rak‘ah, then they say the taslim. Then they take the place of their companions. And the other group comes, says the takbir, and enters into the prayer, and the imam (of prayer) stands and prays with them one rak‘ah, then says the taslim. Then each man among them stands and prays one rak‘ah, pairing it with the one he prayed with the imam (of prayer). Then he stands and prays a rak‘ah in which there is no recitation. Thus, the imam (of prayer) completed three rak‘ahs, and the first group had two rak‘ahs in congregation, and the latter group prayed individually. So the first group had the takbir and the opening of the prayer, and the latter had the taslim.”

Hadith 9

وَ رَوَى هَذَا اَلْخَبَرَ اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عُمَرَ بْنِ أُذَيْنَةَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ وَ فُضَيْلٍ وَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ.

And this report was narrated by al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Muhammad ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Umar ibn Udhaynah from Zurarah and Fudayl and Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu Ja’far (a.s), peace be upon him: in the same manner.

Commentary 1

قال محمد بن الحسن لا تنافي بين هذا الخبر وخبر الحلبي الذي قدمناه من أن الفرقة الاولى يصلي بهم الامام ركعة واحدة وفي هذه الرواية انه يصلي بهم ركعتين لان الخبرين جميعا الانسان مخير فيهما فأيهما عمل به فقد أجزأه ولا تنافي بينهما ولا تضاد على ان زرارة راوي هذا الحديث روى مثل رواية الحلبي

Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: “There is no contradiction between this report and the report of al-Halabi which we previously presented, wherein the first group is led by the imam (of prayer) in one rak‘ah, while in this narration he leads them in two rak‘ahs because both reports indicate that the person has a choice between them, and whichever of the two he acts upon, it suffices him. There is no contradiction or opposition between them, especially since Zurarah, the narrator of this hadith, also narrated a report similar to that of al-Halabi. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan said: “There is no contradiction between this report and the report of al-Halabi which we presented earlier, wherein the first group is led by the imam (of prayer) in one rak‘ah, and in this narration he leads them in two rak‘ahs. This is because in both reports the individual is given a choice, so whichever of the two is acted upon, it is sufficient. And there is no contradiction or conflict between them. Moreover, Zurarah, the narrator of this hadith, also narrated a version similar to the report of al-Halabi.”

Hadith 10

رَوَى سَعْدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ اَلْحَكَمِ عَنْ أَبَانِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَ قَالَ:« صَلاَةُ اَلْخَوْفِ اَلْمَغْرِبَ يُصَلِّي بِالْأَوَّلِينَ رَكْعَةً وَ يَقْضُونَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ يُصَلِّي بِالْآخَرِينَ رَكْعَتَيْنِ وَ يَقْضُونَ رَكْعَةً»

Sa’ad ibn Abdillah narrated from Ahmad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Aban ibn Uthman from Zurarah from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him, who said: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “For the Maghrib prayer in a situation of fear (Salat al-Khawf), he (imam of prayer) prays one rak‘ah with the first group, and they make up two rak‘ahs, and he (imam of prayer) prays two rak‘ahs with the second group, and they make up one rak‘ah.”

Hadith 11

اَلْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْمِعْزَى عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ: قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ لَوْ رَأَيْتَنِي وَ أَنَا بِشَطِّ اَلْفُرَاتِ أُصَلِّي وَ أَنَا أَخَافُ اَلسَّبُعَ فَقَالَ لِي« أَ فَلاَ صَلَّيْتَ وَ أَنْتَ رَاكِبٌ»

Al-Husayn ibn Sa’id from Fadalah from Abu al-Mi‘za from Abu Basir who said: I said to Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: “What if you saw me at the bank of the Euphrates, praying while I am afraid of a wild beast?” Imam (a.s) said to me: “Should you not have prayed while you were mounted?”

Hadith 12

سَعْدٌ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ حَدِيدٍ وَ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ حَرِيزٍ عَنْ زُرَارَةَ قَالَ: سَأَلْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ صَلاَةِ اَلْخَوْفِ وَ صَلاَةِ اَلسَّفَرِ تُقْصَرَانِ جَمِيعاً قَالَ« نَعَمْ وَ صَلاَةُ اَلْخَوْفِ أَحَقُّ أَنْ تُقْصَرَ مِنْ صَلاَةِ اَلسَّفَرِ لَيْسَ فِيهِ خَوْفٌ»

Sa’ad from Ahmad from Ali ibn Hadid and Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Najran from Hammad from Hariz from Zurarah who said: I asked Abu Ja’far (a.s), peace be upon him, about the prayer of ‘al Khawf’ (prayer of fear) and the prayer of travel, Are both to be shortened? Imam (a.s) said: “Yes, and the prayer of ‘al Khawf’ (prayer of fear) has more right to be shortened than the prayer of travel, in which there is no fear.”

Hadith 13

سَعْدٌ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ مُوسَى بْنِ سَعْدَانَ عَنِ اَلْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ حَمَّادٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَمَّنْ حَدَّثَهُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ:« فِي اَلَّذِي يَخَافُ اَلسَّبُعَ أَوْ يَخَافُ عَدُوّاً يَثِبُ عَلَيْهِ أَوْ يَخَافُ اَللُّصُوصَ يُصَلِّي عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ إِيمَاءً اَلْفَرِيضَةَ»

Sa’ad from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from Musa ibn Sa’adan from al-Husayn ibn Hammad from Ishaq ibn Ammar from someone who narrated to him from Abu Abdillah (a.s), peace be upon him: Imam al-Sadiq (a.s) said: “One who fears a wild beast, or fears an enemy that may attack him, or fears thieves; he performs the obligatory prayer on his mount by gesturing (ima’a).”