In another narration transmitted by Sharīk from Anas: “He would hear a child crying and lighten the prayer, fearing that the child’s mother would become distressed.”

Al-Bukhārī and Muslim also related in their two Sahih collections, through Abd al-Azīz ibn Suhayb, from Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would keep the prayer concise while performing it completely.” Another wording states: “He would keep the prayer concise yet complete it fully.”

They also related from Abū Qatāda, from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I begin the prayer intending to prolong it, but then I hear a child crying, so I shorten my prayer because I know how intensely his mother is distressed by his crying.” Muslim related through Thābit, from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “While praying, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would hear a child crying in the company of his mother, so he would recite a light surah or a short surah.”

Muslim also narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “I never prayed behind anyone whose prayer was more concise yet more complete than that of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). The parts of his prayer were of comparable length, as were those of Abū Bakr’s prayer. But during Umar’s time, he prolonged the dawn prayer.” Qatāda also narrated from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was among the