therefore, attention should be paid to this, as you have learned that many of those afflicted with this profession are heedless of this truth. I advise them—if they continue in their profession—not to say more in their address than the Prophet's (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) words: "Come out, enemy of Allāh," reminding them of His saying: *"Let those beware who dissent from his order, lest a trial befall them or a painful punishment."* Allāh is the One whose help is sought, and there is no power nor strength except with Allāh.

"Lighten the prayer for the people, even at the time of *'Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High'* and *'Read in the name of your Lord who created,'* and similar [verses] from the Quran." It was reported by Aḥmad (4/218) and al-Ṭabarānī in "al-Muʿjam al-Kabīr" (9/38-39) through the route of Ibn Khuthaym: Dāwūd ibn Abī ʿĀṣim al-Thaqafī informed us from ʿUthmān ibn Abī al-ʿĀṣ who said: The last words the Messenger of Allāh (ṣallá Allāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) spoke to me when he appointed me over al-Ṭāʾif, he said: and he mentioned it. I say: Its isnād is authentic, all its men are trustworthy. I only reported it for the timing of the mentioned sūrahs, otherwise, the essence of the ḥadīth is in "Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim" and others, and in a more complete form, and it is reported in "Ṣaḥīḥ Abū Dāwūd" under ḥadīth (541).

"He would not abandon two rakʿahs before dawn and two rakʿahs after ʿAṣr." It was reported by Ibn Abī Shaybah in "al-Muṣannaf" (2/352): ʿAffān told us, he said: Abū ʿAwānah informed us, he said: Ibrāhīm ibn Muḥammad ibn al-Muntaṣir told us from his father: that he would pray two rakʿahs after ʿAṣr, so it was said to him? He said: If I did not pray them except that I saw Masrūq praying them, he would be trustworthy, but I asked ʿĀʾishah? She said: and he mentioned it