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
Sabr (Patience)
Patience and perseverance in trials — one of faith's highest virtues.
Ziyarat Ashura (Ashura Visitation Prayer)
A powerful visitation prayer to Imam Husayn, recited daily by many Shia Muslims.
Irsal (Arm Position in Prayer)
The Shia practice of letting the arms hang at the sides during prayer.
Qiyam (Standing Position)
The standing position in prayer, during which the Quran is recited.
Tawhid (God's Oneness)
Islamic monotheism — belief in Allah's absolute oneness, the core of prayer.
Salat al-Ayat (Prayer of the Signs)
An obligatory prayer performed during natural phenomena such as solar and lunar eclipses.