Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
Qurʾān Bukhārī Muslim Nasāʾī Abū Dāwūd Tirmidhī Ibn Mājah Mālik Aḥmad Dārimī Ḥākim Ibn Ḥibbān Ṭabarānī Nasāʾī's Kubrá Bayhaqī al-Luʾluʾ wa-al-Marjān Ibn Rajab's Fifty Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn Aḥmad's Zuhd Suyūṭī
abudawud:1312 – Ziyād b. Ayyūb And Hārūn b. ʿAbbād al-Azdī > Ismāʿīl b. Ibrāhīm > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the mosque (and saw that) a rope tied between two pillars. He asked: What is this rope (for) ? The people told him: This is (for) Hamnah b. Jahsh who prays (here). When she is tired, she reclines on it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: She should pray as much as she has strength. When she is tired, she should sit down. This version of Ziyad has: He said: What is this ? The people told him: This is for Zainab who prays. When she becomes lazy, or is tired, she holds it. He said: Undo it. One of you should pray in good spirits. When he is lazy or tired, he should sit down.  

أبو داود:١٣١٢ – حَدَّثَنَا زِيَادُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ وَهَارُونُ بْنُ عَبَّادٍ الأَزْدِيُّ أَنَّ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَدَّثَهُمْ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ وَحَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ هَذِهِ حَمْنَةُ بِنْتُ جَحْشٍ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا أَعْيَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِتُصَلِّ مَا أَطَاقَتْ فَإِذَا أَعْيَتْ فَلْتَجْلِسْ قَالَ زِيَادٌ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا فَقَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا كَسِلَتْ أَوْ فَتَرَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ حُلُّوهُ فَقَالَ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا كَسِلَ أَوْ فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī, Muslim, Nasāʾī, Ibn Mājah, Aḥmad, Ibn Ḥibbān, Nasāʾī's Kubrá, Bayhaqī
bukhari:1150 – Abū Maʿmar > ʿAbd al-Wārith > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas b. Mālik

Narrated Anas bin Malik Once the Prophet ﷺ entered the Mosque and saw a rope hanging in between its two pillars. He said, "What is this rope?" The people said, "This rope is for Zainab who, when she feels tired, holds it (to keep standing for the prayer.)" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Don't use it. Remove the rope. You should pray as long as you feel active, and when you get tired, sit down."  

البخاري:١١٥٠ – حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ ؓ قَالَ

دَخَلَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ فَإِذَا حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ السَّارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ قَالُوا هَذَا حَبْلٌ لِزَيْنَبَ فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ لاَ حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

muslim:784a – [Chain 1] Abū Bakr b. Abū Shaybah > Ibn ʿUlayyah [Chain 2] Zuhayr b. Ḥarb > Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas

What is this? They said: It is for Zainab. She prays and when she slackens or feels tired she holds it. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) said: Untie it. Let one pray as long as one feels fresh but when one slackens or becomes tired one must stop it. (And in the hadith transmitted by Zuhair it is:" He should sit down." )  

مسلم:٧٨٤a – وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ عُلَيَّةَ ح وَحَدَّثَنِي زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسٍ قَالَ

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ وَحَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا قَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا كَسِلَتْ أَوْ فَتَرَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا كَسِلَ أَوْ فَتَرَ قَعَدَ وَفِي حَدِيثِ زُهَيْرٍ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

nasai:1643 – ʿImrān b. Mūsá > ʿAbd al-Wārith > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas b. Mālik

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the masjid and saw a rope tied between two pillars. He said: "What is this?" They said: "It is for Zainab when she prays; if she gets tired she holds on to it." The Prophet ﷺ said: "Untie it. Let any one of you pray as long as he has energy, and if he gets tired let him sit down."  

النسائي:١٦٤٣ – أَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَرَأَى حَبْلاً مَمْدُودًا بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ فَقَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

ibnmajah:1371 – ʿImrān b. Mūsá al-Laythī > ʿAbd al-Wārith b. Saʿīd > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas b. Mālik

“It belongs to Zainab. She prays here and when she gets tired she holds on to it.” He said: “Untie it, untie it; let any one of you pray when he has energy, if he gets tired let him sit down.”  

ابن ماجة:١٣٧١ – حَدَّثَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى اللَّيْثِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ بْنِ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ فَرَأَى حَبْلاً مَمْدُودًا بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ؟ قَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فِيهِ فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ حُلُّوهُ حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

ahmad:13690 – ʿAffān > Ḥammād > Thābit > ʿAbd al-Raḥman b. Abū Laylá

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a rope between two pillars in the mosque and he asked, "What is this rope?" It was said, "O Messenger of Allah, it is for Hammadah bint Jahsh who prays, and when she becomes tired, she holds onto it." The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Let her pray as much as she can, and when she becomes tired, let her sit down."  

أحمد:١٣٦٩٠ – حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ثَابِتٌ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي لَيْلَى

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ رَأَى فِي الْمَسْجِدِ حَبْلًا بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ؟ فَقِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ لِحَمْنَةَ بِنْتِ جَحْشٍ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا أَعْيَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ لِتُصَلِّ مَا أَطَاقَتْ فَإِذَا أَعْيَتْ فَلْتَجْلِسْ  

ahmad:11986 – Ismāʿīl > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas b. Mālik

What is this? They said: It is for Zainab. She prays and when she slackens or feels tired she holds it. Upon this he (the Holy Prophet) said: Untie it. Let one pray as long as one feels fresh but when one slackens or becomes tired one must stop it. (And in the hadith transmitted by Zuhair it is:" He should sit down." ) (Using translation from Muslim 784a)  

أحمد:١١٩٨٦ – حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ وَحَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا؟ قَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا كَسِلَتْ أَوْ فَتَرَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ حُلُّوهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا كَسِلَ أَوْ فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

ذِكْرُ الْأَمْرِ بِالتَّنَفُّلِ لِلْمَرْءِ عِنْدَ وُجُودِ النَّشَاطِ، وَتَرْكِهِ عِنْدَ عَدَمِهِ

ibnhibban:2492 – ʿUmar b. Muḥammad al-Hamdānī > Yaʿqūb al-Dawraqī > Ismāʿīl b. ʿUlayyah > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas b. Mālik

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered the mosque and saw a rope stretched between two pillars. He asked, "What is this?" They said, "It is for Zainab, she prays and when she feels tired or wants to rest, she holds onto it." He said, "Remove it." Then he said, "Let one of you pray as long as his energy lasts, and if he feels tired or wants to rest, let him sit down."  

ابن حبّان:٢٤٩٢ – أَخْبَرَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ الدَّوْرَقِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عُلَيَّةَ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ

دَخَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ وَحَبَلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ «مَا هَذَا؟ » قَالُوا لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا كَسِلَتْ أَوْ فَتَرَتْ أَمْسَكَتْ بِهِ قَالَ «حُلُّوهُ» ثُمَّ قَالَ «لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا كَسِلَ أَوْ فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ»  

nasai-kubra:1308 – Isḥāq b. Ibrāhīm > Ismāʿīl > ʿImrān b. Mūsá > ʿAbd al-Wārith > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz > Anas

“It belongs to Zainab. She prays here and when she gets tired she holds on to it.” He said: “Untie it, untie it; let any one of you pray when he has energy, if he gets tired let him sit down.” (Using translation from Ibn Mājah 1371)   

الكبرى للنسائي:١٣٠٨ – أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ وَأَخْبَرَنَا عِمْرَانُ بْنُ مُوسَى عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ عَنْ أَنَسٍ

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ دَخَلَ الْمَسْجِدَ وَحَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ «مَا هَذَا»؟ قَالُوا زَيْنَبَ فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ أَوْ كَسِلَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ «لِيَصِلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ نَشَاطَهُ فَإِذَا كَسِلَ أَوْ فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ»  

bayhaqi:4739 – Abū ʿAbdullāh al-Ḥāfiẓ > Abū ʿAbdullāh Muḥammad b. Yaʿqūb > ʿAlī b. al-Ḥasan b. Abū ʿĪsá > Abū Maʿmar > ʿAbd al-Wārith > ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz b. Ṣuhayb > Anas b. Mālik

[Machine] The Prophet ﷺ entered the mosque and saw a rope stretched between two pillars. He asked, "What is this?" They said, "This is the rope of Zainab, who prays and when she becomes tired, she holds onto it." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Untie it so that one of you can pray with his own energy. And when he becomes tired, he can sit down."  

البيهقي:٤٧٣٩ – أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَعْقُوبَ ثنا عَلِيُّ بْنُ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عِيسَى ثنا أَبُو مَعْمَرٍ حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ ثنا عَبْدُ الْعَزِيزِ بْنُ صُهَيْبٍ عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ

دَخَلَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَسْجِدَ فَإِذَا حَبْلٌ مَمْدُودٌ بَيْنَ سَارِيَتَيْنِ فَقَالَ مَا هَذَا؟ فَقَالُوا هَذَا الْحَبْلُ لِزَيْنَبَ تُصَلِّي فَإِذَا فَتَرَتْ تَعَلَّقَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ حُلُّوهُ لِيُصَلِّ أَحَدُكُمْ بِنَشَاطِهِ فَإِذَا فَتَرَ فَلْيَقْعُدْ  

رَوَاهُ الْبُخَارِيُّ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي مَعْمَرٍ وَرَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ عَنْ شَيْبَانَ بْنِ فَرُّوخَ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْوَارِثِ