Have you become a hypocrite, so and so? He said: I swear by Allah that I have not, but I will certainly go to Messenger of Allah ﷺ and will inform (him) about this. He then came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said: Messenger of Allah, we look after camels used for watering and work by day. Mu'adh said the night prayer with you. He then came and began with Surat al-Baqara. Messenger of Allah ﷺ then turned to Mu'adh and said: Are you there to (put the people) to trial? Recite such and recite such (and such a surah). It is transmitted on the authority of Jabir, as told by Sufyan, that he (the Holy Prophet) had said: "By the sun and its morning brightness" (Surah xci), "By brightness" (Surah xciii), "By the night when it spreads" (Surah xcii), and "Glorify the name of thy most high Lord" (Surah lxxxii).  

كَانَ مُعَاذٌ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَأْتِي فَيَؤُمُّ قَوْمَهُ فَصَلَّى لَيْلَةً مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى قَوْمَهُ فَأَمَّهُمْ فَافْتَتَحَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَانْحَرَفَ رَجُلٌ فَسَلَّمَ ثُمَّ صَلَّى وَحْدَهُ وَانْصَرَفَ فَقَالُوا لَهُ أَنَافَقْتَ يَا فُلاَنُ قَالَ لاَ وَاللَّهِ وَلآتِيَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلأُخْبِرَنَّهُ فَأَتَى رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّا أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ نَعْمَلُ بِالنَّهَارِ وَإِنَّ مُعَاذًا صَلَّى مَعَكَ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ أَتَى فَافْتَتَحَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَأَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ عَلَى مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ اقْرَأْ بِكَذَا وَاقْرَأْ بِكَذَا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ فَقُلْتُ لِعَمْرٍو إِنَّ أَبَا الزُّبَيْرِ حَدَّثَنَا عَنْ جَابِرٍ أَنَّهُ قَالَ اقْرَأْ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَالضُّحَى وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى وَسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الأَعْلَى فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو نَحْوَ هَذَا  

"I heard Jabir bin 'Abdullah say: 'Mu'adh used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ then he would go back to his people to lead them in a prayer. He stayed late one night and prayed with the Prophet ﷺ then he went back to his people to lead them in prayer, and he recited Surat Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people heard that, he stepped aside and prayed (on his own), then he left. They said: 'You have become a hypocrite, 0 so and-so!' He said: 'By Allah, I have not become a hypocrite, and I will go to the Prophet ﷺ and tell him (about that),' So he went to the Prophet and said: '0 Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Muadh prays with you, then he comes to lead us in prayer. You delayed the prayer, and he prayed with you then he came back to lead us in prayer, and he started to recite Shut Al-Baqarah. When I heard that, I stepped aside and prayed by myself, because we are people who bring water with the camels and we work hard.' The Prophet ﷺ said to him: '0 Muadh, do you want to cause hardship to the people? Recite such and such a Surah, and such and such a Surah."'  

سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ كَانَ مُعَاذٌ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ يَؤُمُّهُمْ فَأَخَّرَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ الصَّلاَةَ وَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ يَؤُمُّهُمْ فَقَرَأَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ تَأَخَّرَ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالُوا نَافَقْتَ يَا فُلاَنُ فَقَالَ وَاللَّهِ مَا نَافَقْتُ وَلآتِيَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأُخْبِرُهُ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا يُصَلِّي مَعَكَ ثُمَّ يَأْتِينَا فَيَؤُمُّنَا وَإِنَّكَ أَخَّرْتَ الصَّلاَةَ الْبَارِحَةَ فَصَلَّى مَعَكَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَأَمَّنَا فَاسْتَفْتَحَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ تَأَخَّرْتُ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ اقْرَأْ بِسُورَةِ كَذَا وَسُورَةِ كَذَا  

[Machine] Mu'adh used to pray with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ then he would go back to his people and pray with them. The Prophet ﷺ delayed the prayer one night, so Mu'adh led his people in prayer and recited Surah Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people saw this, he went to a side of the mosque and prayed alone. They said, "You have become a hypocrite." He said, "No, I will surely inform the Messenger of Allah ﷺ." So, he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "Mu'adh prays with you and then comes back and leads us in prayer. And you delayed the prayer last night." So, the Prophet ﷺ came and led us in prayer. He recited Surah Al-Baqarah. I was delayed, so I prayed alone, O Messenger of Allah. Indeed, we are clear and we work with our own hands. The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Mu'adh, are you reciting Surah Al-Baqarah to them? Recite Surah Al-Lail and Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High. And the heaven, We have built it with craftsmanship."  

كَانَ مُعَاذٌ يُصَلِّي مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ فَيُصَلِّي بِهِمْ فَأَخَّرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الصَّلَاةَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَرَجَعَ مُعَاذٌ فَأَمَّهُمْ فَقَرَأَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ انْحَرَفَ إِلَى نَاحِيَةِ الْمَسْجِدِ فَصَلَّى وَحْدَهُ فَقَالُوا نَافَقْتَ قَالَ لَا وَلَآتِيَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَلَأُخْبِرَنَّهُ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا يُصَلِّي مَعَكَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فَيَؤُمُّنَا وَإِنَّكَ أَخَّرْتَ الصَّلَاةَ الْبَارِحَةَ فَجَاءَ فَأَمَّنَا فَقَرَأَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ وَإِنِّي تَأَخَّرْتُ عَنْهُ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَحْدِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَإِنَّا نَحْنُ أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ وَإِنَّا نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ؟ اقْرَأْ بِهِمْ سُورَةَ وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى وسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ»  

[Machine] Muadh ibn Jabal used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ and then go back to his people and lead them in prayer. One night, the Prophet ﷺ delayed the Isha prayer, and Muadh ibn Jabal prayed with him, then returned to us and led us in prayer. He started reciting Surat Al-Baqarah, and when a man from the people saw this, he stepped aside and prayed by himself, then left. We asked him, "What happened, O so and so? Did you pretend or do nifāq (hypocrisy)?" He replied, "I did not pretend or do nifāq, but I will inform the Prophet ﷺ about this." So he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, Muadh prays with you and then goes back and leads us in prayer. Also, you delayed Isha prayer last night and Muadh prayed with you, then came back and led us in prayer. He started reciting Surat Al-Baqarah, and when I saw that, I stepped aside and prayed alone." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Is it that you, O Muadh, who caused fitnah? Is it that you, O Muadh, who caused fitnah? Recite Surat such and such and Surat such and such."  

كَانَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ فَيَؤُمُّهُمْ قَالَ فَأَخَّرَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْعِشَاءَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَصَلَّى مَعَهُ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا فَتَقَدَّمَ لَيَؤُمَّنَا فَافْتَتَحَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَى ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ تَنَحَّى فَصَلَّى وَحْدَهُ ثُمَّ انْصَرَفَ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ مَا لَكَ يَا فُلَانُ أَنَافَقْتَ؟ قَالَ مَا نَافَقْتُ وَلَآتِيَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَلَأُخْبِرَنَّهُ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا يُصَلِّي مَعَكَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ فَيَؤُمُّنَا وَإِنَّكَ أَخَّرْتَ الْعِشَاءَ الْبَارِحَةَ فَصَلَّى مَعَكَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا فَتَقَدَّمَ لَيَؤُمَّنَا فَافْتَتَحَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُ ذَلِكَ تَنَحَّيْتُ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَحْدِي أَيْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ وَإِنَّمَا نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ؟ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ؟ اقْرَأْ بِسُورَةِ كَذَا وَسُورَةِ كَذَا»  

"I heard Jabir bin 'Abdullah say: 'Mu'adh used to pray with the Prophet ﷺ then he would go back to his people to lead them in a prayer. He stayed late one night and prayed with the Prophet ﷺ then he went back to his people to lead them in prayer, and he recited Surat Al-Baqarah. When a man from his people heard that, he stepped aside and prayed (on his own), then he left. They said: 'You have become a hypocrite, 0 so and-so!' He said: 'By Allah, I have not become a hypocrite, and I will go to the Prophet ﷺ and tell him (about that),' So he went to the Prophet and said: '0 Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Muadh prays with you, then he comes to lead us in prayer. You delayed the prayer, and he prayed with you then he came back to lead us in prayer, and he started to recite Shut Al-Baqarah. When I heard that, I stepped aside and prayed by myself, because we are people who bring water with the camels and we work hard.' The Prophet ﷺ said to him: '0 Muadh, do you want to cause hardship to the people? Recite such and such a Surah, and such and such a Surah."' (Using translation from Nasāʾī 835)  

سَمِعْتُ جَابِرَ بْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ يَقُولُ كَانَ مُعَاذٌ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ يَؤُمُّهُمْ فَأَخَّرَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ الصَّلَاةَ فَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ يَؤُمُّهُمْ فَقَرَأَ بِسُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا سَمِعَ ذَلِكَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ تَأَخَّرَ فَصَلَّى ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَقَالُوا نَافَقْتَ يَا فُلَانُ فَقَالَ وَاللهِ مَا نَافَقْتُ وَلَآتِيَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَأُخْبِرَهُ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّ مُعَاذًا يُصَلِّي مَعَكَ ثُمَّ يَأْتِينَا فَيَؤُمُّنَا وَإِنَّكَ أَخَّرْتَ الصَّلَاةَ الْبَارِحَةَ فَصَلَّى مَعَكَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَأَمَّنَا فَاسْتَفْتَحَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَلَمَّا سَمِعْتُ ذَلِكَ تَأَخَّرْتُ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ أَصْحَابُ نَوَاضِحَ نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا فَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ «يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ اقْرَأْ بِسُورَةِ كَذَا وَسُورَةِ كَذَا»  

[Machine] Mu'adh ibn Jabal used to pray Isha' with the Prophet ﷺ and then go back to his people, the Banu Salimah, and lead them in prayer. One night, the Prophet ﷺ delayed Isha' prayer. Mu'adh prayed Isha' with him and then returned to his people. He led them in prayer again and began to recite Surah Al-Baqarah. A man behind him stepped forward and prayed alone. When he finished, the others accused him of hypocrisy, but he denied it, saying that he only wanted to inform the Prophet ﷺ . He went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Messenger of Allah, you delayed Isha' prayer last night and Mu'adh prayed it with you. Then he returned and led us in prayer. He started reciting Surah Al-Baqarah and I stepped forward and prayed alone." The Prophet ﷺ turned to Mu'adh and said, "Are you trying to confuse us, O Mu'adh? Are you trying to confuse us?" Mu'adh said, "Read Surah Sabih Ism Rabbika al-A'la, Al-Tariq, Al-Sama' Al-Burooj, Al-Shams, Al-Duha, and similar surahs." 'Amr Ibn Murra said, "Abu al-Zubair used to say that the Prophet ﷺ instructed him to read Surah Sabih Ism Rabbika al-A'la, Al-Tariq, Al-Sama' Al-Burooj, Al-Shams, Al-Duha, and similar surahs." 'Amr said, "Is it this or something like it?" Abu Abdullah al-Hafiz narrated this from Abu Bakr ibn Ishaq al-Faqih, who heard it from Bishr ibn Musa, who heard it from al-Humaydi, who heard it from Sufyan, who heard it from 'Amr ibn Dinar, who heard it from Jabir. This is the meaning of the narration.  

كَانَ مُعَاذُ بْنُ جَبَلٍ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ الْعِشَاءَ ثُمَّ يَرْجِعَ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَيُصَلِّيهَا بِهِمْ وَأَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ أَخَّرَ الْعِشَاءَ ذَاتَ لَيْلَةٍ فَصَلَّاهَا مُعَاذٌ مَعَهُ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَأَمَّ قَوْمَهُ فَافْتَتَحَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَتَنَحَّى رَجُلٌ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ فَصَلَّى وَحْدَهُ فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفَ قَالُوا نَافَقْتَ يَا فُلَانُ؟ فَقَالَ مَا نَافَقْتُ وَلَكِنِّي آتِي رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ فَأُخْبِرَهُ فَأَتَى النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ إِنَّكَ أَخَّرْتَ الْعِشَاءَ الْبَارِحَةَ وَإِنَّ مُعَاذًا صَلَّاهَا مَعَكَ ثُمَّ رَجَعَ فَأَمَّنَا فَافْتَتَحَ سُورَةَ الْبَقَرَةِ فَتَنَحَّيْتُ فَصَلَّيْتُ وَحْدِي وَإِنَّمَا نَحْنُ أَهْلُ نَوَاضِحَ نَعْمَلُ بِأَيْدِينَا فَالْتَفَتَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ إِلَى مُعَاذٍ فَقَالَ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ يَا مُعَاذُ أَفَتَّانٌ أَنْتَ؟ اقْرَأْ بِسُورَةِ كَذَا وَسُورَةِ كَذَا 5252 قَالَ عَمْرٌو وَعَدَّ سُوَرًا قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَقَالَ أَبُو الزُّبَيْرِ وَقَالَ لَهُ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ اقْرَأْ بِسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى وَنَحْوِهَا فَقُلْتُ لِعَمْرٍو فَإِنَّ أَبَا الزُّبَيْرِ كَانَ يَقُولُ إِنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ كَانَ قَالَ لَهُ اقْرَأْ بِسَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الْبُرُوجِ وَالشَّمْسِ وَضُحَاهَا وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَى فَقَالَ عَمْرٌو هِيَ هَذِهِ أَوْ نَحْوُ هَذِهِ أَخْبَرَنَا أَبُو عَبْدِ اللهِ الْحَافِظُ أنبأ أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ الْفَقِيهُ أنبأ بِشْرُ بْنُ مُوسَى ثنا الْحُمَيْدِيُّ ثنا سُفْيَانُ ثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ دِينَارٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ فَذَكَرَهُ ثُمَّ ذَكَرَ زِيَادَةَ أَبِي الزُّبَيْرِ وَبِهَذَا الْمَعْنَى