praying—and he related a similar account, concluding: ‘Why did you not recite “Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High,” “By the sun and its brightness,” and “By the night as it envelops” in prayer? For behind you pray the weak, the elderly, and those who have matters to attend to.’”

In the two Sahīhs, Abū Masʿūd, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“A man came to the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and said, ‘I stay away from the dawn prayer because so-and-so makes the prayer so long for us.’ I never saw the Messenger of Allah angrier when delivering an admonition than he was that day. He said, ‘People! Some of you drive others away. Whoever leads the people in prayer should keep it brief, for behind him are the elderly, the weak, and those who have matters to attend to.’”

In another narration: “For among them are the weak and the elderly.” In another: “Let him lighten the prayer, for among them are the sick, the weak, and those who have matters to attend to.”

In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Abū Qatādah reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“I begin the prayer intending to make it long, but then I hear a child crying, so I shorten it, not wishing to cause hardship to his mother.”

As for “the duration of the remaining essential acts of prayer, together with standing,” al-Bukhārī and Muslim narrated in their two Sahīhs, through Sharīk ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Namir, that Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, said:

“I have never prayed behind an imam whose prayer was lighter or more complete than that of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

In another narration through Sharīk, Anas said:

“He would hear a child crying and lighten the prayer for fear that his mother would become distressed.”

They also narrated in their two Sahīhs, on the authority of