Abu Hurairah reported: The prayer (in congregation) began and people stood in their rows. The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم came out (from his residence). When he stood at his proper place he recalled that he did not take a bath. He then said to the people: (Remain standing) at your places. Then he returned to his house and came out upon us after taking a bath while the drops of water were coming down from his head. We were standing in the rows (of prayer). This is the version of Ibn Harb. Ayyash reported in his version: we kept on waiting for him while we were standing until he came upon us after he had taken a bath.

Narrated Abu Bakrah: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم began to lead (the people) in the dawn prayer. He then signalled with his hand: (Stay) at your places. (Then he entered his home). He then returned while drops of water were coming down from him (from his body) and he led them in prayer.

This tradition has been reported by Hammad bin Salamah through the same chain of narrators and conveying a similar meaning. This version adds in the beginning: He uttered TAKBIR (Allahu akbar), and in the end: when he finished the prayer, he said: I am a human being; I was sexually defiled. Abu Dawud said: This tradition has been narrated al-Zuhri from Abu Salamah bin Abdur-Rahman on the authority of Abu Hurairah. It says: When he stood at the place of prayer, we waited for his utterance of takbir (Allah-u akbar). He went away and said: (remain) as you were. Another version on the authority of Muhammad reporting from the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم says: He uttered takbir (Allah-u-Akbar) and then made a sign to the people, meaning "sit down". He then went away and took a bath. This tradition has also been narrated through a different chain. It says: The Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم uttered takbir (Allah-u-akbar) in a prayer. Abu Dawud said: Another version through a different chain says; The Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم uttered takbir (Allah-u akbar).