It is also narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, he says: I came to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, in the last part of the night and began to pray standing behind him. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, took my hand and pulled me to stand on his right side. Then, when the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, became engaged in his prayer, I moved back a little. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, completed the prayer, and when he finished, he said to me: What is the matter? I was making you stand on my right side, and you were moving back? I said: O Messenger of Allah! Is it befitting for anyone to stand equal to you in prayer, while you are the Messenger of Allah, to whom Allah has granted (so much)? When I said this, I amazed the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, so he prayed for me that Allah increase me in knowledge and understanding. Then I saw the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, that he slept, until I heard the sound of his snoring. Then Sayyiduna Bilal, may Allah be pleased with him, came and said: O Messenger of Allah! The prayer. So the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, stood up and prayed without performing ablution again.

A’mash says: I asked Ibrahim about the person who stands with the imam to pray. He said: He will stand on the left side of the imam. I said: Sumaiy Ziyad narrated to me from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) made him stand on his right side. Then Ibrahim accepted this hadith.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in a single garment, such that its two ends were wrapped from opposite sides. I stood behind the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to pray, but he took hold of my ear and made me stand on his right side.

Sayyiduna Jabbar bin Sakhr (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and began to pray. I stood on his left side, so he (peace and blessings be upon him) took my hand and turned me to his right side, and we began to pray. Not much time had passed when other people also arrived.

Sayyidah Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) would be performing prayer and I would be in front of him.

Sayyida Umm Salama (may Allah be pleased with her) says: An object used to be placed in front of the prayer place of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), then he (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) would be praying and I would be in front of him.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was offering the Maghrib prayer, I came and stood on his left side, but he (peace and blessings be upon him) stopped me and made me stand on his right side. Then another companion of mine came, so we formed a row behind him (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer; he (peace and blessings be upon him) was wearing a single garment, the two ends of which were in opposite directions.

Aswad says: Alqama and I went to Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) at noon. When the sun had declined, he stood up for prayer and we stood behind him, but he took the hands of me and my companion and made us stand on either side of him, and he himself stood between us. Then he said: When there were three people, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do like this. Then he led us in prayer, and after finishing, he said: Soon there will be such imams who will delay the prayers from their proper times, so do not wait for them (but pray at the proper time), and then consider the prayer you perform with them afterwards as voluntary.

(Second chain of narration) Aswad and Alqamah were both in the house of Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him). He asked: Have those people performed the prayer? They replied: Yes. Then Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in prayer without adhan or iqamah, and he stood between them and said: When you are three people, do like this, and when you are more, then one of you should lead (and stand ahead). When someone bows for ruku', he should place his hands between his thighs and bow for ruku'. Even now, it is as if I am looking at the difference in the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I performed prayer with the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Lady Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was behind us, and I was standing at the side of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and performing prayer with him.