وَعَنْ جَابِرٍ
قَالَ: كَانَ مُعَاذُ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي فَيَؤُمُّ قَوْمَهُ فَصَلَّى لَيْلَةً مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى قَوْمَهُ فَأَمَّهُمْ فَافْتَتَحَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَانْحَرَفَ رَجُلٌ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى وَحْدَهُ وَانْصَرَفَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ أَنَافَقَتْ يَا فُلَانُ قَالَ: لَا وَاللَّهِ وَلَآتِيَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فلأخبرنه فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ نَعْمَلُ بِالنَّهَارِ وَإِنَّ مُعَاذًا صَلَّى مَعَكَ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى قَوْمَهُ فَافْتَتَحَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَأَقْبَلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ: «يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ؟
أَنْتَ اقْرَأ: (الشَّمْس وَضُحَاهَا» (وَالضُّحَى) (وَاللَّيْل إِذا يغشى) و (وَسبح اسْم رَبك الْأَعْلَى)
Muadh ibn Jabal used to pray along with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), then come and lead his people in prayer. One night he prayed the evening prayer along with the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), then came to his people and led them in prayer, beginning with Sura al-Baqara1. A man turned aside, pronounced the taslim, then prayed alone and departed.
The people said to him, “Have you become a hypocrite, so and so?” He replied, I swear by God that I have not, but I shall certainly go to God’s Messenger and tell him.
So he went to him and said, “Messenger of God, we look after camels used for watering and work by day. After having prayed the evening prayer with you, Muadh came and began with Sura al-Baqara.”
God’s Messenger then approached Muadh and said, “Are you a troubler, Muadh? Recite, ‘By the sun and its morning brightness,’2 ‘By the morning brightness,’3 ‘By the night when it covers over,’4 and ‘Glorify the name of thy most high Lord’.”5 1. Al-Qur’an; 2 the longest sura in the Qur’an. 2. Al-Qur’an; 91 3. Al-Qur’an; 93. 4. Al-Qur’an; 92. 5. Al-Qur’an; 87.