Hadith 1327

Al-Azraq ibn Qays reported: "An Imam led us in prayer—he was nicknamed Abu Rimthah. He said: 'I prayed this prayer or a similar prayer with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).' He said: 'Abu Bakr and Umar stood in the front row to his right. A man who had witnessed the first Takbir of the prayer prayed with the Prophet (peace be upon him). When the Prophet finished, he turned to his right and left in the Salam until we saw the whiteness of his cheeks. Then he turned away like Abu Rimthah (meaning himself). The man who had joined the prayer from the first Takbir stood up to pray an additional prayer. Umar jumped up, grabbed him by the shoulders, shook him, and said: 'Sit down! The People of the Book were not destroyed except because they did not leave any distinction between their prayers.' The Prophet (peace be upon him) raised his gaze and said: 'Allah has guided you, O son of Al-Khattab.'" [Narrated by Abu Dawud] In Sharh Al-Munyah: "Staying for the duration of saying اللهُمَّ أَنْتَ السَّلَامُ إِلى آخره 'O Allah, You are As-Salam...' is a virtue, but there is no evidence for staying longer than that. It is disliked to go against his usual practice, as understood from the hadith of Aisha."