Description of the fear prayer
Question

                What is the description of the fear prayer?.
Praise be to Allah.
    Firstly: 

    The fear prayer is prescribed in the verse in which Allaah 
    says (interpretation of the meaning): 
“When you (O Messenger 
    Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in As‑Salaah (the prayer), let one 
    party of them stand up [in Salaah (prayer)] with you taking their arms with 
    them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in 
    the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let 
    them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms. Those who 
    disbelieve wish, if you were negligent of your arms and your baggage, to 
    attack you in a single rush, but there is no sin on you if you put away your 
    arms because of the inconvenience of rain or because you are ill, but take 
    every precaution for yourselves. Verily, Allaah has prepared a humiliating 
    torment for the disbelievers”

    [al-Nisa’ 4:102]
The Prophet  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led his companions in offering this 
    prayer on a number of occasions, in different ways. 

    Imam Ahmad said: There are six or seven proven ahaadeeth 
    concerning the fear prayer; whichever of them a person does, it is 
    permissible. 

    Ibn al-Qayyim said: 

    There are six basic ways, but some scholars said there were 
    more, because every time they saw a different report by the narrators, they 
    counted that as another way in which the Prophet  (peace and blessings 
    of Allaah be upon him) did it, whereas these are variations in the reports 
    of the narrators. End quote. Al-Haafiz said: This is the correct view. 

    The way in which the fear prayer is done differs according to 
    the severity of the fear and the location of the enemy – whether they are in 
    the direction of the qiblah or some other direction. 

    The leader or imam should choose the version that is most 
    suited to the situation and is most likely to serve the purpose, which is to 
    ensure that the prayer is performed whilst guarding against the enemy, so 
    that they will not attack the Muslims and catch them unawares whilst they 
    are praying. 

    Al-Khattaabi said: There are different types of the fear 
    prayer which the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    offered on different occasions and in different ways, and the way in which 
    it is to be done is to choose the best way that will ensure that the prayer 
    is performed with the utmost vigilance.  

    End quote from Sharh Muslim by al-Nawawi.

     Secondly: when it was first prescribed 

    It was narrated that Jaabir (may Allaah be pleased with him) 
    said: We went out with the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him) to fight some people from Juhaynah, and they fought us 
    fiercely. When we prayed Zuhr, the mushrikeen said: If we had attacked them 
    then, we would have finished them off. Jibreel informed the Messenger of 
    Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) about that, and the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) told us 
    about it. He said: They said: There will come to them a prayer that is 
    dearer to them than their children. When the time for ‘Asr came, we formed 
    two rows, and the mushrikeen were between us and the qiblah … Then he stated 
    that the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) led them in offering the fear prayer. Narrated by Muslim, 840 

    Thirdly: 
Here it will be 
    sufficient for us to describe some of the ways in which it is offered. 

    1 – If the enemy is in a direction other than the qiblah: the 
    leader should divide the army into two groups, one which will pray with him 
    and another which will face the enemy lest they attack the Muslims. He 
    should lead the first group in praying one rak’ah, then when he stands up 
    for the second rak'ah they should complete the prayer by themselves, i.e., 
    they should intend to pray alone and complete the prayer by themselves, 
    whilst the imam remains standing. Then when they have completed the prayer 
    by themselves, they should go and stand where the second group was, facing 
    the enemy, and the second group should come and join the imam in the second 
    rak’ah. In this case the imam should make the second rak’ah longer than the 
    first, so that the second group may catch up with him. So the second group 
    should join the imam and he should lead them in the remaining rak’ah, then 
    he should sit to recite the tashahhud. When he sits to recite the tashahhud, 
    this group should get up immediately after prostrating and complete the 
    remaining rak’ah, then catch up with the imam for the tashahhud, after which 
    he should lead them in saying the salaam. This version is in accordance with 
    the apparent meaning of the Qur’aan, as Allaah says (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 
“When you (O Messenger 
    Muhammad) are among them, and lead them in As‑Salaah (the prayer), let one 
    party of them stand up [in Salaah (prayer)] with you taking their arms with 
    them; when they finish their prostrations, let them take their positions in 
    the rear and let the other party come up which have not yet prayed, and let 
    them pray with you taking all the precautions and bearing arms.”

    [al-Nisa’ 4:102] 

     al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/298 

    al-Bukhaari (413) and Muslim (842) narrated from Maalik, from 
    Yazeed ibn Rumaan, from Saalih ibn Khawwaat from one who saw the Messenger 
    of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) on the day of 
    Dhaat al-Riqaa’ when he offered the fear prayer, that one group formed rows 
    with him, and another group faced the enemy. He led those who were with him 
    in praying one rak’ah, then he remained standing and they completed the 
    prayer by themselves. Then they moved away and faced the enemy, and the 
    other group came. He led them in praying the remaining rak’ah, then he 
    remained sitting and they completed the prayer by themselves, then he said 
    the tasleem with them. 
Maalik said: This is 
    best that I have heard concerning the fear prayer. 

    2 – If the enemy is in the direction of the qiblah, then the 
    imam should form them into two rows and start leading all of them in prayer, 
    bowing with all of them and standing up with all of them, then when he 
    prostrates the first row only should prostrate with him and the second row 
    should remain standing, keeping guard. When he stands up, the first row 
    should stand with him and the back row should prostrate. Then when they 
    stand up, the back row should move forward and the front row should move 
    backward, then he should lead them all in the second rak’ah, standing and 
    bowing with all of them, then when he prostrates the row which moved 
    forward, which was in the back during the first rak'ah, should prostrate 
    with him, then when he sits to recite the tashahhud the back row should 
    prostrate. When they sit to recite the tashahhud the imam should say the 
    tasleem with all of them.  This can only be done when the enemy is in the 
    direction of the qiblah. 

    Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 4/300 

    Muslim (840) narrated that Jaabir ibn ‘Abd-Allaah (may Allaah 
    be pleased with him) said:  I was present during the fear prayer with the 
    Messenger of Allaah (S). We formed two rows, one row behind the Messenger of 
    Allaah (S), and the enemy was between us and the qiblah. The Messenger of 
    Allaah (S) said takbeer and we all said takbeer. Then he bowed and we all 
    bowed. Then he raised his head from bowing and we all raised our heads. Then 
    he and the row that was directly behind him went down in prostration, and 
    the back row remained standing, facing the enemy. When the Prophet (S) had 
    finished prostrating, the row that was directly behind him stood up, and the 
    back row went down in prostration and then stood up. Then the back row went 
    forward and the front row moved back. Then the Prophet (S) bowed and we all 
    bowed, then he raised his head from bowing and we all raised our heads. Then 
    he and the row that was directly behind him, that had been in the back 
    during the first rak’ah, went down in prostration, and the back row remained 
    standing, facing the enemy.  When the Prophet and the row that was directly 
    behind him had finished prostrating, the back row went down in prostration. 
    Then the Prophet (S) said the tasleem and we all did likewise 
3 – If the fear is 
    intense, and the imam cannot form the Muslims into rows and lead them in 
    prayer in congregation. This is when the two sides are in the thick of 
    battle and the fighting is intense. 

    In this case, each Muslim should pray by himself, as he is 
    fighting, whether he is walking on foot, or riding, facing the qiblah or 
    not. He should gesture for bowing and prostrating, making the prostration 
    lower than the bowing. 

    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaah (pray) on foot 
    or riding”

    [al-Baqarah 2:239]

    al-Sa’di said (p. 109): 

    “on foot” means walking. “riding” means on horseback or 
    camelback or any other kind of mount. In this case it is not necessary to 
    face towards the qiblah. This prayer is exempt because of fear. End quote. 

    Al-Bukhaari (943) narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be 
    pleased with him) that the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him) said: “If they are more than that, then let them pray standing and 
    riding.” 

    Al-Haafiz said: 

    “If they are more than that” refers to the enemy. What is 
    meant is that if fear is intense and the enemy is great in number and there 
    is the fear of dividing the Muslims, then in that case it is permissible to 
    pray however one can, and it is permissible to omit the pillars or essential 
    parts of the prayer that one cannot do. So he should move from standing to 
    bowing, and from bowing to prostrating, by means of gestures etc. This is 
    the view of the majority. End quote. 

    Al-Tabari narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: When fighting breaks 
    out, then (the prayer) is just dhikr and gesturing with the head. 

    Al-Bukhaari (4535) narrated from Naafi’ that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn 
    ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) described the fear prayer, then he 
    said: 

    If the fear was more intense than that, then they prayed on 
    foot, standing on their feet, or riding, facing the qiblah or not facing the 
    qiblah. Naafi’ said: I do not think that ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar narrated that 
    except from the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be 
    upon him). 

     Al-Haafiz said: 
 The point is that there 
    is a difference of opinion concerning the words, “if the fear was more 
    intense than that” – is this attributable to the Prophet  (peace and 
    blessings of Allaah be upon him) or is it the word of Ibn ‘Umar? The correct 
    view is that it is attributable to the Prophet  (peace and blessings of 
    Allaah be upon him). End quote. 

    It says in al-Muntaqa Sharh al-Muwatta’: 

    “If the fear was more intense than that” means: a case of 
    fear in which it is not possible to stand in one spot or to form rows. So 
    they prayed on foot. That is because fear is of two types: one of which is 
    when it is possible to stand still and form rows, but there is the fear that 
    the enemy may attack whilst the Muslims are busy with the prayer. 

    The second type of fear is that in which it is not possible 
    to stand in one spot or form rows, such as when under attack by the enemy. 
    In this case each person should pray as best he can, on foot or riding. 
    Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

    “And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaah (pray) on foot 
    or riding”

    [al-Baqarah 2:239]

    End quote. 

    Fourthly: 

    Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen said in al-Sharh al-Mumti’ 
    (4/300): 
But if someone were to 
    say: What if we assume that the ways narrated from the Prophet  (peace 
    and blessings of Allaah be upon him) cannot be applied nowadays, because the 
    methods of warfare have changed? 

    We say: If it is necessary to pray at a time of fear of the 
    enemy, they should pray in the manner that is closest to the ways narrated 
    from the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), if the 
    ways that are narrated from the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah 
    be upon him) cannot be followed, because Allaah says (interpretation of the 
    meaning): 

    “So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you 
    can”

    [al-Taghaabun 64:16] 

    end quote.