حَدَّثَنَا مُوسَى، قَالَ: حَدَّثَنَا الضَّحَّاكُ بْنُ نِبْرَاسٍ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ، عَنْ ثَابِتٍ، أَنَّهُ كَانَ مَعَ أَنَسٍ بِالزَّاوِيَةِ فَوْقَ غُرْفَةٍ لَهُ، فَسَمِعَ الأَذَانَ، فَنَزَلَ وَنَزَلْتُ، فَقَارَبَ فِي الْخُطَا فَقَالَ: كُنْتُ مَعَ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ فَمَشَى بِي هَذِهِ الْمِشْيَةَ وَقَالَ: أَتَدْرِي لِمَ فَعَلْتُ بِكَ؟ فَإِنَّ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَشَى بِي هَذِهِ الْمِشْيَةَ وَقَالَ: أَتَدْرِي لِمَ مَشَيْتُ بِكَ؟ قُلْتُ: اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَعْلَمُ، قَالَ: لِيَكْثُرَ عَدَدُ خُطَانَا فِي طَلَبِ الصَّلاةِ.
Thabit reported that he was with Anas in a corner above one of his rooms. He said, "We heard the adhan and he came down and I came down as well. He took short stops and said, 'I was with Zayd ibn Thabit and I walked with him in this fashion. He said, "Do you know why I did it to you? The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, walked in this manner and he said, 'Do you know why I walked with you?' I replied, 'Allah and His Messenger know best.' He said, 'So that there would be a greater number of steps in search of the prayer.'"'"
Cited in Al-Adab al-Mufrad (No. 458).