Hadith 652

Chapter 24

باب 24

(24) باب الأَمْرِ بِتَحْسِينِ الصَّلاَةِ وَإِتْمَامِهَا وَالْخُشُوعِ فِيهَا

(24) Chapter: The Command To Perform The Prayer Properly, To Complete It, And To Have Khushu' In It
119
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْعَلاَءِ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ كَثِيرٍ - حَدَّثَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْمَقْبُرِيُّ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ صَلَّى بِنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَوْمًا ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَقَالَ " يَا فُلاَنُ أَلاَ تُحْسِنُ صَلاَتَكَ أَلاَ يَنْظُرُ الْمُصَلِّي إِذَا صَلَّى كَيْفَ يُصَلِّي فَإِنَّمَا يُصَلِّي لِنَفْسِهِ إِنِّي وَاللَّهِ لأُبْصِرُ مَنْ وَرَائِي كَمَا أُبْصِرُ مَنْ بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ " .

Abu Huraira reported:
One day the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) led the prayer. Then turning (towards his Companions) he said: O you man, why don't you say your prayer well? Does the observer of prayer not see how he is performing the prayer, for he performs it for himself? By Allah, I see behind me as I see in front of me.

Reference: Sahih Muslim 423

In-book reference: Book 4, Hadith 119

USC-MSA web (English) reference(deprecated numbering scheme): Book 4, Hadith 853