341 – Abū Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When you hear the iqāmah, walk to the prayer, maintaining calm dignity and composure; do not hurry. Whatever portion you reach, pray, and whatever you miss, make it up.” Agreed upon, and the wording is that of al-Bukhārī (1).
Glossary of the ḥadīth:
• al-sakīnah: deliberate, unhurried movement marked by tranquility and steadiness. In the sentence it functions as the subject, while “upon you” is its predicate.
• al-waqār: a dignified outward bearing expressed by lowering the gaze, softening the voice, and showing gravity. Its meaning is close to that of sakīnah; the second term reinforces the first, and together they convey good comportment.
• “Whatever you miss, complete”: This is how it appears in al-Bukhārī’s version; al-ʿAynī noted that most of Muslim’s narrations read the same.
• “Do not hurry”: an additional clause that stresses the earlier command “walk.” There is no conflict between this and Allah’s words, “Hurry to the remembrance of Allah” (62:9); in that verse, saʿy means simply to go or set out, as in the expression “I saʿaytu to such-and-such,” meaning “I went to it.” This interpretation is supported by ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar’s recitation: “Proceed to the remembrance of Allah.”
• “You catch up with”: one says adrakta a thing when one pursues it and reaches it; here it refers to whatever part of the prayer a person manages to join.