and approved of it. Had this been something that Allah was not pleased with, He would not have approved him in doing it, just as Allah Most High said, condemning those who conceal their sin from people: “They seek to hide from people, but they do not seek to hide from Allah, while He is with them when they plot by night words that He does not approve.” [al-Nisaʾ: 108]

For this reason, the Companions cited the fact that they practised coitus interruptus during the lifetime of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as evidence of its permissibility, since they did so while the Quran was being revealed; had it not been lawful, Allah would have forbidden them from it (1).

Third: In one form of the prayer of fear, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would lead the first group in a complete prayer and conclude it with the salutation. Then the second group would come, and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would lead them in prayer (2). In this case, the first prayer was obligatory for the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), while the second was voluntary.

If someone were to say: This was a prayer of fear, and so it was permitted out of necessity.

The response is that there are other forms by which the objective can be achieved, so there is no necessity for this particular form.

Fourth: ʿAmr ibn Salamah al-Jurami used to lead his people in prayer when he was six or seven years old (3), relying on the general purport of the Messenger’s statement (peace and blessings be upon him): “Let the one among you who knows the most Quran lead you in prayer” (4). They looked among the people and found that none knew more Quran than he did, so they put him forward. It is well known that no obligatory prayer is required of a child; thus, his prayer was voluntary, yet he was approved of while the Quran was still being revealed.