English Translation

Narrated al-Aswad and Alqamah: We both came to Abdullah bin Masud (may Allah be pleased with them) at his house. He asked, "Have these people (that is, the rulers and governors of this era) prayed behind you?" We said, "No." He said, "Get up and pray, for the time of prayer has come, and it is not necessary to delay one's prayer while waiting for the governors and rulers." Then he commanded us neither to give the adhan nor the iqamah. We began to stand behind him, but he took our hands and put one of us on his right side and the other on his left. When he bowed, we placed our hands on our knees. He struck our hands and joined the palms together and placed them between the thighs. When he had finished the prayer, he said, "There will arise among you governors and rulers who will delay the prayer past its time and constrict the prayer, until the sun is about to set (that is, they will delay the Asr prayer so long). When you see them doing this, pray your prayer at its (proper) time (that is, at the best time), then pray again with them as a voluntary prayer. And when you are three men, pray all together (that is, stand in a line and let the imam be in the middle), and when you are more than three, let one man be the imam and stand in front. And when he bows, let him place his hands on his thighs and bend, and join both palms and place them between the thighs, as though I am now looking at the parting of the fingers of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)."