to prolong the standing posture, or to lengthen the bowing and prostration? Some scholars maintained that prolonging the standing is superior, while others held that lengthening the bowing and prostration is better. The sound view is that the prayer should remain proportionate: standing is, by its very nature, longer than bowing and prostration, yet when one extends the standing he should likewise extend the bowing and prostration, and when he shortens the standing he should shorten the bowing and prostration as well.

This ḥadith also shows that however much one increases in prayer, it is good—except during the prohibited times. Those prohibited times are: (1) from the fajr (dawn) prayer until the sun has risen to the height of a spear; (2) while the sun is at its zenith in the middle of the day until it begins to decline; and (3) from the ʿaṣr (afternoon) prayer until sunset. During these three intervals a person may not offer supererogatory prayers unless there is a specific reason, such as the two rakʿahs of greeting the mosque, the sunnah after ablution, and the like.

The ḥadith further proves the permissibility of requesting the assistance of a free person, and that this is not counted among the blameworthy forms of asking. If you were to say to someone who serves you, “Bring me this” or “Hand me that,” there is no harm; similarly, if you say to the host, “Give me some water,” or “Pour me a cup of coffee,” and so forth, it is unobjectionable. Such requests are not considered reprehensible begging but are, rather, part of proper hospitality, and customary practice bears this out.

It likewise indicates that the Messenger ﷺ does not own the power to admit anyone to Paradise. Therefore he did not guarantee the man his request; instead he told him, “Then assist me with regard to yourself by making frequent prostration.” If he performs the abundant prostrations that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ instructed him to do—