Sunan al-Nasa'i (Nasa'i's Hadith Collection)
One of the six canonical hadith collections, known for its strict authenticity criteria.
Sunan al-Nasa'i is one of the six canonical hadith collections in Sunni Islam. It was compiled by Imam Abu Abd al-Rahman Ahmad ibn Shu'ayb al-Nasa'i (829-915 CE) and is considered to have the strictest authenticity criteria after Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim.
Al-Nasa'i first wrote "al-Sunan al-Kubra" (The Large Sunan) and then distilled it into "al-Sunan al-Sughra" (The Small Sunan), also called "al-Mujtaba," which is the version included among the six canonical collections. The work contains approximately 5,761 hadith organized into 51 books.
Imam al-Nasa'i's chapter on prayer is particularly detailed and covers meticulous aspects of prayer practice. He includes narrations about the precise manner of raising the hands (raf' al-yadayn), the placement of fingers during tashahhud, and the specific supplications the Prophet (peace be upon him) recited in different parts of the prayer.
Related terms
Nisf Sha'ban (Mid-Sha'ban)
The 15th of Sha'ban — the birthday of Imam al-Mahdi and a night of forgiveness.
Zakat (Alms)
The obligatory alms that the Quran mentions alongside prayer.
Wajib (Obligatory)
Actions that are obligatory in Islamic law, including the five daily prayers.
Taqwa (God-Consciousness)
God-consciousness and piety — the ultimate goal of prayer and worship.
Ramadan (The Month of Fasting)
The holy month of fasting, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.
Salat al-Hajat (Prayer of Need)
A voluntary prayer performed when one has a specific need or wish.