Seerah / His character & the Companions
He shortened the prayer when a baby cried
- Date
- Madinan period · date unknown
- Location
- The Prophet's Mosque
- People
- Abu Qatada (RA)
Abu Qatada (RA) narrates in Sahih al-Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ would intend to lengthen the prayer, then hear a child crying and shorten it so as not to burden the mother.
As it was narrated
The story, in the words of those who were there
Read slowly. These are the Companions' own words, from the verified hadith collections.
حَدَّثَنَا إِبْرَاهِيمُ بْنُ مُوسَى، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ أَبِي قَتَادَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " إِنِّي لأَقُومُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُطَوِّلَ فِيهَا، فَأَسْمَعُ بُكَاءَ الصَّبِيِّ، فَأَتَجَوَّزُ فِي صَلاَتِي كَرَاهِيَةَ أَنْ أَشُقَّ عَلَى أُمِّهِ ". تَا…
Narrated `Abdullah bin 'Abi Qatada:My father said, "The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'When I stand for prayer, I intend to prolong it but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut it short, as I dislike to trouble the child's mother
Lessons
- Leading others means feeling what they carry.
- Mothers and children belong in the community of the mosque.
Lessons are editorial reflections drawn from the event and its sources.
Pause for a moment
Which moment of your own life does this remind you of? Sit with it for a minute, then send salawat on the one who lived it ﷺ.
Send salawat ﷺBibliography
- Sahih al-Bukhari 707 (Abu Qatada) · primary source
- Safiur Rahman Mubarakpuri, Ar-Raheeq al-Makhtum (further reading)