سنن نسائی · Hadith 839

It was narrated that ‘Amr said: “I heard Jabir bin ‘Abdullah say: ‘Muadh used to pray with the Prophet , then he would go back to his people to lead them in prayer. He stayed late one night and prayed with the Prophet صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم, then he went back to his people to lead them in prayer, and he recited Sarat Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people heard that, he stepped aside and prayed (on his own), then he left. They said: ‘You have become a hypocrite, so- and-so!’ He said: ‘By Allah, I have not become a hypocrite, and I will go to the Prophet and tell him (about that).’ So he went to the Prophet , and said: ‘Messenger of Allah صلی اللہ علیہ وآلہ وسلم, Muadh prays with you, then he comes to lead us in prayer. You delayed the prayer, and he prayed with you then he came back to lead us in prayer, and he started to recite Sarat Al-Baqarah. When I heard that, I stepped aside and prayed by myself, because we are people who bring water with the camels and we work hard.’ The Prophet said to him: ‘Muadh, do you want to cause hardship to the people? Recite such and such a Sarah, and such and such a Sarah.” (Sahih)

Translated by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan · Reviewed by Islamic University of Madinah · Published March 2020