I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one night and he started reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah

I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one night and he started reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah

Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once at night and he started reciting Sūrat al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow in Rukū‘ at the end of one hundred verses, but he continued. I thought that he would probably recite it (this Sūrah only) in one Rak‘ah, but he continued. I thought he would perhaps bow in Rukū‘ on completing (this Sūrah). He then started reciting Sūrat An-Nisā’ and read it all, then he started reciting Sūrat Āl-‘Imrān and read it all. He recited slowly; when he came across a verse of Tasbīh (glorifying Allah), he would glorify Him, and when he came come across a verse of requesting Allah (something), he would request it from Him, and when he came across a verse of seeking refuge (with Allah), he would seek refuge (with Him). Then he bowed in Rukū‘ and said: "Glory be to our Lord, the Most Great". His bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing. Upon rising from Rukū‘, he said: "Allah listens to he who praises Him; praise be to You, Our Lord!" He then remained standing about the same length of time as he had spent in bowing. He then prostrated and said: "Gory be to our Lord, the Most High", and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing.

[Authentic hadith] [Narrated by Muslim]

Explanation

Hudhayfa once stood up with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) praying after his prayer; so he lengthened the prayer; because he recited in one Rak‘ah Sūrat al-Baqarah, then Sūrat An-Nisā', then Sūrat Āl-Imrān. While reciting whenever he was passing by a verse of request, he would request Allah; with a verse of glorification, he would glorify Allah; with the verse of refuge-seeking, he would seek refuge with Allah. So, his prayer was consistent in the length; The Rukū‘ was near the length of standing, and the prostration was near the length of bowing.

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Prophet's Guidance on Prayer