Life-of-Muhammad

206Life of Muhammad sashould lead the prayers. Shortly thereafter he was ableto conclude the business upon which he was engagedand proceeded at once to the mosque. Abu Bakr ra wasleading the prayers but when the congregation perceivedthat the Holy Prophet sa had arrived, they began to claptheir hands for the purpose both of giving expression totheir joy at his arrival and also to draw Abu Bakr ra 'sattention to the fact that the Prophet sa himself hadarrived. Thereupon Abu Bakr ra stepped back and maderoom for the Holy Prophet sa to lead the prayers. Whenthe prayers were over, the Prophet sa addressed AbuBakr ra and said: "Why did you step back after I haddirected you to lead the prayers?" Abu Bakr ra replied: "OMessenger of Allah sa ! How would it befit the son of AbuQuhafa ra to lead the prayers in the presence of theMessenger of Allah sa ?" Then addressing the congregationthe Prophet sa said: "Why did you clap your hands? It isnot seemly that while you are engaged in theremembrance of God you should clap your hands. If itshould so happen that during the course of prayersattention has to be drawn to some matter, instead ofclapping your hands you should utter the name of Godaloud. This would draw attention to whatever may haveto be taken note of " (Bukhari).The Prophet sa did not approve of prayers or worshipbeing carried on as a penance or imposition. On oneoccasion he came home and observed a rope danglingbetween two pillars. He inquired what its purpose was,and was informed that his wife Zainab ra was in the habitof supporting herself by means of the rope when shebecame tired in the course of her prayers. He directedthe rope to be removed and said that prayers should becontinued only so long as one felt easy and cheerful andthat if a person became tired he should sit down.Prayers were not an imposition, and if carried on afterthe body became fatigued they failed of their purpose(Bukhari, Kitabul Kusuf ).He abhorred every action and practice whichsavoured even remotely of idolatry. When his end was