Chapter: It is disliked to delay the prayers beyond their proper times, and what a person should do if the Imam delays the prayer

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: How would you act when you are under the rulers who would delay the prayer beyond its prescribed time, or they would make prayer a dead thing as far as its proper time is concerned? I said: What do you command? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe the prayer at Its proper time, and if you can say it along with them do so, for it would be a superetogatory prayer for you. Khalaf (one of the narrators in the above hadith) has not mentioned" beyond their (prescribed) time".

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: O Abu Dharr, you would soon find after me rulers who would make their prayers dead. You should say prayer at its prescribed time. If you say prayer at its prescribed time that would be a supererogatory prayer for you, otherwise you saved your prayer.

My friend (the Holy Prophet) bade me to hear and obey (the ruler) even if he is a slave having his feet and arms cut off, and observe prayer at its prescribed time. (And further said): It you find people having observed the prayer, you in fact saved your prayer, otherwise (if you join with them) that would be a Nafl prayer for you.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) struck my thigh and said: How would you act if you survive among the people who would delay prayers beyond their (prescribed) time? He (Abu Dharr) said: What do you command (under this situation)? He (the Holy Prophet) slid: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, then go (to meet) your needs, and if the Iqama is pronounced, and you are present in the mosque, then observe prayer (along with the Jama'at).

Ibn Ziyad delayed the prayer. 'Abdullah b. Samit came to me and I placed a chair for him and he sat in it and I made a mention of whit Ibn Ziyad had done. He bit hit lips (as a sign of extreme anger and annoyance) and struck at my thigh and said: I asked Abu Dharr as you have asked me, and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as you have asked me and he struck my thigh just as I have struck your thigh, and he (the Holy Prophet) said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and if you can say prayer along with them. do so, and do not say." I have observed prayer and so I shall not pray."

(The Messenger of Allah) said: How would you, or how would thou, act if you survive to live among people who defer prayer beyond the (prescribed) time? (The narrator said: Allah and His Messenger know best). whereupon he said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, but if the Iqama is pronounced for (congregational) prayer, then observe prayer along with them. for herein is an excess of virtue.

I said to 'Abdullah b. Samit: We say our Jumu'a prayer behind those rulers who defer the prayer. He ('Abdullah b. Samit), struck. my thigh that I felt pain and said: I asked Abu Dharr about it, he struck my thigh and said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about it. Upon this he said: Observe prayer at its prescribed time, and treat prayer along with them (along with those Imams who deter prayer) as Nafl. 'Abdullah said: It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) struck the thigh of Abd Dharr.