Thus, he made it clear that no limit is set on the length of the prayer of one praying alone in order for it to be considered light. This differs from the imam, who must take those praying behind him into consideration, for among them are the sick, the elderly, and those with pressing needs. Hence, the established Sunnah is to refrain from prolonging the prayer and to lighten it whenever a circumstance affects all or some of those praying behind the imam. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “I begin the prayer intending to prolong it, but then I hear an infant crying, so I shorten it because I know the distress his mother feels.” The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) gave this same reason in the aforementioned hadith of [Ibn Masūd].

Likewise, it is reported in the two Sahīhs from Abū Hurayra (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him make it light, for among them are the weak, the elderly, and those with pressing needs. But when he prays by himself, let him prolong it as much as he wishes.” Another narration reads: “For among them are the sick, the very elderly, and those with pressing needs.”

For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes make the prayer shorter than was his usual practice. Muslim relates in his Sahīh from Amr ibn Hurayth (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: “I can almost hear the voice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) reciting during the dawn prayer: ‘I swear by the receding stars, which travel and disappear’ [al-Takwīr: 15–16].” It is also related that, during one of his journeys, he recited Sūrat al-Zalzala in the dawn prayer. At other times, however, he would prolong it. It is established in the Sahīh from Ibn Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them both): “Umm al-Fadl bint al-Hārith heard him as he was