Explanation of the Book of the Adhan-06a

The reciter: Musa ibn Isma'il narrated to us, saying: Wahib narrated to us, saying: Ayyub narrated to us from Abu Qilabah, saying: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith came to us in this mosque of ours and said: "I am praying with you, but I do not intend to pray. How did you see the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) praying?" I said to Abu Qilabah: "How did he pray?" He said: "Like our Shaykh here." He said: "And he was an old man who would sit when he raised his head from prostration before standing up in the first rak'ah."

The Shaykh : His statement, "The chapter on the one who prays with people while he does not intend anything but to teach them the prayer of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)," means that he intended to pray, that is, to worship Allah the Exalted through prayer, but it was not his custom or his intention to pray at this specific time. Otherwise, if the act were completely devoid of intention, it would be mere teaching. If one were to say to a person, "Look at me, I will show you how the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray," and he moved without the intention of prayer, would he be considered a person praying? No, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): But his intended meaning by "I do not intend to pray" is that I do not intend to pray at this time. That is the meaning, not that I do not intend to pray at all. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to do this; when he made the minbar, he would pray on it, and when he wanted to prostrate, he would come down and prostrate on the ground, saying: Therefore, it is recommended for the person who is a role model, the one whom people emulate and follow, that he should not do what is permissible for others, such as some permissible movements, or leave off some recommended practices, because people follow his example and look at what he does. So strive to ensure that if you are among those who are emulated and followed, you do not leave off any of the recommended practices, especially in front of people, because if you left them off, that would be an excuse for the common person to leave them off.