Compiled by Imam Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj
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 صلى الله عليه وسلم 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 " .
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." )