Sayyiduna Abu Ayyash Zurqi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: We were present with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) at the place of Usfan. The commander of the polytheists was Khalid bin Walid. The narrator says: We performed the Zuhr prayer. The polytheists said: These people were in such a state that if we wanted, we could have attacked them (the narrator is doubtful, perhaps these are the words:) We could have attacked them in their heedlessness. The narrator says: Between Zuhr and Asr, the verse regarding the command of Qasr prayer was revealed. The people took up their weapons and formed rows behind the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). They made two rows, their faces towards the enemy and the polytheists facing them. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said the Takbir, and all the people said the Takbir. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Ruku, and all the people bowed in Ruku. Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head, and all of them raised their heads. Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Sajdah, so the row that was closest to him performed Sajdah, and the other people kept guarding them. When these people finished their Sajdah, then the other people performed Sajdah. Then the row that was closest to the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) moved back, and the other people came forward and stood in their place. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Ruku, and all the people bowed in Ruku. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) raised his head, and all of them raised their heads. Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Sajdah, so the row that was closest to him performed Sajdah, and the other people stood guarding them. When these people finished their Sajdah, then the other people performed Sajdah. Then these people stood straight with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and all of them sat down. Then the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said Salam along with all of them. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led this prayer at the place of Usfan. He (peace and blessings be upon him) led this prayer on the day of confrontation with Banu Sulaym.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates: We participated in a battle against the group of the Juhaina tribe along with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They fought with extreme intensity. When we were about to perform the Zuhr prayer, they said: If we attack them just once, we will finish them off. Sayyiduna Jibreel (peace be upon him) informed the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about this. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) mentioned this matter to us. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Those people are saying, between us and them is this prayer, which is more beloved to them than anything else. When the time for prayer came, we formed two rows. The polytheists were between us and the Qiblah. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said the takbeer, and we also said the takbeer following him. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went into ruku‘, and we also went into ruku‘ with him. When he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed sajdah, the first row performed sajdah with him. When he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up, the second row performed sajdah. Then they moved forward and stood in the place of the first row, and the people of the first row moved back. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said the takbeer, and we also said the takbeer with him. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) went into ruku‘, and we also went into ruku‘ with him. When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed sajdah, the people of the first row performed sajdah with him, then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sat down, then the people of the second row performed sajdah, then all of them sat down, and then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ended the prayer with salam along with all of them. (Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, says:) The narrator named Abu Zubair has transmitted these words. Sayyiduna Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) says: Just as your leaders perform the prayer.

Urwah bin Zubair narrates: I heard Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him). Marwan bin Hakam asked him about the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf): So Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed: I was present with the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in that battle. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) divided the people into two groups. One group stood behind him and the other group stood facing the enemy, with their backs towards the Qiblah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said the Takbir, so all the people said the Takbir—those who were standing with him and those who were facing the enemy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Ruku, so the group that was with him performed Ruku with him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) went into Sajdah, so the group with him also went into Sajdah, while the other group remained standing facing the enemy. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, so the group that had performed one Rak’ah with him took their weapons and, walking backwards, stood facing the enemy, and the group that was facing the enemy came forward. These people performed Ruku and Sajdah, while the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) remained standing in the same position. Then those people stood up, so the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) performed Ruku once more, and they also performed Ruku with him. He performed Sajdah, and they also performed Sajdah with him. Then the group that was facing the enemy came, and they performed Ruku and Sajdah. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and those with him remained seated. Then, when the time for Salam came, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said Salam, and all the people also said Salam. Thus, all of them performed the prayer with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the prayer of fear. He led one group in one rak’ah while the other group remained facing the enemy. Then those people returned and stood facing the enemy. When the others came, the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in one rak’ah as well. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said salam with all of them. Then these people went and stood facing the enemy in place of their companions. Then the others came, and the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led them in one rak’ah as well. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said salam with all of them, so both these people and those people performed one rak’ah each.

Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stood up and the people stood up with him. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said the takbir and the people also said the takbir with him. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) went into ruku and some of them went into ruku with him. Then the Prophet (peace be upon him) went into sajdah, so those people also went into sajdah. Then when the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood up for the second rak'ah, those people moved back who had performed sajdah with him, and they began to protect their brothers. Another group came, and they performed ruku and sajdah with the Prophet (peace be upon him). Thus, all the people performed the prayer, saying the takbir and also protecting one another.

Sayyiduna Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) formed two rows of people. The row that was present with the Prophet (peace be upon him), he led them in two rak‘ahs of prayer, then they said salam and moved back, and the other people came forward. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also led them in two rak‘ahs, then they too said salam. In this way, the Prophet (peace be upon him) performed four rak‘ahs, and these Muslims performed two rak‘ahs each.

It is narrated about Sulaiman Yashkari that he inquired from Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding performing a shortened prayer in a state of fear: Where was its ruling revealed and in what situation did this occur? He replied: We set out pursuing a caravan of the Quraysh that was heading to Syria. When we reached the place of Nakhl, a man came to the service of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He had a sword with him. He asked: Are you Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Yes. He asked: Do you not fear me? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: No. He asked: Who will protect you from me? The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied: Allah Almighty will protect me from you. The narrator says: That man drew his sword, and the people scolded and rebuked him. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the people to depart from there and to take up arms. Then the call to prayer was given. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the group behind him in prayer, and another group faced the enemy and guarded. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) led the group with him in two rak‘ahs, then the other group came and stood in the place where those who had prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had stood, and they turned to face the enemy and began to guard. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) also led these people in two rak‘ahs, so in this way the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) completed four rak‘ahs, and his companions performed two rak‘ahs.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was at the place of Nakhl in the "Mihrab Khasfah" when a battle took place. When those people saw the Muslims unaware, a man from among them came whose name was Auf bin Harith, or perhaps Ghawrath bin Harith. He came with a sword and stood by the head of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and asked: Who will protect you from me? The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) replied: Allah, the Exalted. The narrator says: The sword fell from his hand. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) picked up the sword and asked: Who will protect you from me? He said: You will become better than me. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: Do you bear witness that there is no deity except Allah? He said: No, but I promise you that I will not fight against you, nor will I be with any people who fight against you. The narrator says: The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) let him go. He went back to his companions and said: I have come to you from the best of all people. When the time for Zuhr, or perhaps Asr, came—this doubt is from the narrator Abu Awanah—the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ordered the prayer of fear (Salat al-Khawf). The narrator states: The people formed two groups; one group faced the enemy, and the other group began to pray with the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the group with him in two rak‘ahs, then they finished their prayer and moved to the place of the other group, and those people came and began to pray behind the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). They performed two rak‘ahs, thus the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) completed four rak‘ahs, and each of those groups performed two rak‘ahs.

Sayyiduna Jabir bin Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates: We came along with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) until we reached the place of Dhat al-Riqa’, then it was announced that congregational prayer was about to be held. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led one group in two rak‘ahs, then they moved back and he led the other group in two rak‘ahs, so the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) performed four rak‘ahs and those people performed two rak‘ahs.

Sayyiduna Sahl bin Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates about the prayer of fear: One group will stand in front of the Imam and the other group will stand behind the Imam. The Imam will lead this group (the one behind him) in one rak'ah and two prostrations. Then this group will remain seated in their place until those people (the other group) perform one bowing and two prostrations (of the second rak'ah). Then those people will go to the place of their companions and their companions will come to their place. The Imam will lead them in one bowing and two prostrations. The Imam will remain seated in his place until those people also perform one bowing and two prostrations, then the Imam will say the salam (to end the prayer).