because the Prophet ﷺ might be detained by something that slowed him from coming out, and the people would find it burdensome to wait for him. The forthcoming report of Anas, in which he remained standing for a long time to meet the need of one of the worshippers, does not contradict this; that may have happened only rarely, or he did it simply to show that it was permissible.
9 – When a person hears the iqāmah he should not hurry to the prayer; rather, he should walk to it with tranquillity and dignity, as the Prophet ﷺ said:
“When the prayer is about to begin, do not come to it running; instead, come walking, in tranquillity and composure. Pray what you reach, and complete what you miss, for one of you is considered in prayer as long as he is deliberately heading toward the prayer.”
This ḥadīth is narrated by Abū Hurayrah (Allah be pleased with him) through several routes with closely matching wording:
- and 2) From al-Zuhrī, from Saʿīd ibn al-Musayyib and from Abū Salamah, both of them from Abū Hurayrah.
It was recorded by al-Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Ibn Mājah, and likewise by al-Tirmidhī, al-Ṭaḥāwī, al-Bayhaqī, and Aḥmad through their respective chains, all with this wording, except that Aḥmad’s version states: “When you hear the iqāmah, walk and do not hurry; keep your tranquillity. Offer the part of the prayer you reach and make up what you miss.” This is also the wording of al-Bukhārī and contains the fourth additional clause.
It was further transmitted through the first chain by al-Nasāʾī, al-Dāramī, al-Ṭaḥāwī, and Aḥmad from Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah, as well as by al-Ṭaḥāwī and Aḥmad.