| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
477
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying [alone] in one’s house or in one’s marketplace. Indeed, if one of you does wudu’ and does it well, and comes to the mosque only intending to pray, he does not take one step but Allah will elevate him in status one degree thereby, and will remove one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer so long as that is the reason he is there, and the angels will send blessings upon him so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, saying: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him – so long as nothing happens..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith and a major pillar of Islam. Islamic teachings urge us to hasten to prayer, and not to stay away from praying in congregation, because of the multiplied reward that that brings.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of prayer in congregation, and tells us that praying in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying alone in one’s house or marketplace. In al-Sahihayn it says that it is twenty-seven times better. This difference depends on the differences in the condition of the worshipper and of the prayer. For some of them it will be twenty-five times better, and for others it will be twenty-seven times better, according to how perfect the prayer is, how properly they performed it, how focused and humble they were when praying, how large the congregation was, the virtues of the members of the congregation, and how sacred the place in which the prayer was offered is. And it was said that there are other factors.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for this increased reward, which is that if the Muslim does wudu’ and does it thoroughly, paying attention to the sunnahs and etiquette of the action, and comes to the mosque intending only to pray, and for no other purpose, he will not take one step but Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby and will erase one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. Then when he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer, so long as his reason for being in the mosque is to pray. The angels will send blessings upon him – that is, they will pray for him – so long as he remains in the place where he prayed. Therefore the blessing of the angels depends on his remaining in the place where he prayed, and this virtue, reward and goodness will continue for him so long as nothing happens, which refers to his invalidating his wudu’; if he does invalidate his wudu’, it will become forbidden for the angels to pray for forgiveness for him, even if he remains sitting in that spot. And it was said that what was meant is so long as he does not commit sin.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the angels pray for him, saying in their supplication: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him. The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness is concealment and pardoning of sins, whereas mercy is showing kindness to him.
This hadith highlights the great virtue and reward of praying in congregation.
It highlights the virtue of waiting for the prayer, and that the one who does that will attain the angels’ prayer for forgiveness for him.
It also urges us to do wudu’ properly..

480
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah [that] the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people… like this?”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) how to recognize fitnahs (tribulations) and how they should deal with them.
This text is a brief part of a hadith in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called out to him to warn him and advise him. He said to him: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people?” The dregs of the people are the lowest and worst of people; one of their characteristics is that they will not commit to a promise or covenant that they made; they will break that promise and will not fulfil it. Honesty will be rare among them, so that no one will appreciate the virtue of honesty and trustworthiness at that time, except a few. “They mingled and became like this,” and he interlaced his fingers. What this means is that they will become so mixed up that one will not be able to tell who among them is good or evil, believer or hypocrite. What is meant by the word in the text “like this” is that in this report, it refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlacing his fingers.
At the end of the report, it says that ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: What should he do in that situation, if he lives until that time and finds himself among such people? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to take what he knew of truth, and leave what he found reprehensible of falsehood; to keep to himself and discipline himself to follow the right path, and not worry about what was happening to the people and what they were doing. This is by way of ensuring that one is protected from trials and tribulations.
All of this may be understood as meaning that if someone is unable to enjoin what is right, or he fears harm in general, then the duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong with the hand and tongue is waived in his case, but he can still resent it in his heart.
In this hadith, we see a warning from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to ‘Abdullah that he would live to see those people, so he forbade him to mix with people like that and urged him, if he lived to see them, to take care of his own self and keep away from those people..

481
It was narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The believers are like a structure, parts of which support other parts,” and he interlaced his fingers..

Commentary : Islam built the Muslim community on a solid foundation of brotherhood and mutual support. Allah (may He be exalted) tells us in His Holy Book that the believers are brothers in faith; brotherhood is contrary to rancour and hatred and dictates mutual love, mutual support, and harmony and love among brethren.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the believers, in their mutual support and holding fast to one another, are like a solid structure that cannot remain standing unless one part supports another, brick by brick. If it begins to develop cracks and becomes unstable, it will collapse and fall. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlaced his fingers to indicate that the way in which the believers stand together and support one another is like interlocked fingers. But just as the numerous fingers of the hands belong to one body and one person, similarly the believers, although they are many individuals, all share a common origin and are bound by the bonds of faith.
The Prophet’s demonstration of interlacing his fingers in this hadith was for the purpose of illustrating what he was teaching his companions. When he likened the believers to a structure, parts of which support other parts, that was giving an example in word, then he clarified it with actions, interlacing his fingers to make clearer to them the likeness that he had given in words, and to make it more understandable..

482
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying one of the two afternoon prayers – Ibn Sirin said: Abu Hurayrah named it but I forgot it – he led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and went to a piece of wood that was set up in the mosque and reclined against it, as if he was angry. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who usually hastened to leave left through the doors of the mosque, and others said: The prayer has been shortened. Among the people were Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, but they felt that they could not speak to him, out of awe. Among the people there was also a man who had long arms, and he was called Dhul Yadayn (He of the two arms). He said: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? He said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” Then he said: “Is it as Dhul Yadayn says?” They said: Yes. So he went forward and prayed what he had omitted, then he said the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir. Perhaps they asked him: Then did he say the taslim? He said: I was told that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said: Then he said taslim..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying. But he may make mistakes, omitting or adding some actions in the prayer. This error or forgetfulness needs to be compensated for, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prescribed doing the two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdatay as-sahw) in such cases.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying one of the afternoon prayers, Zuhr or ‘Asr. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and leaned against a piece of wood that had been set up in the middle of the mosque. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand, as if he was angry. Those who usually left quickly after the prayer had exited the mosque, thinking that the prayer had become two rak‘ahs. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were among those who had prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but they were afraid to speak to him about this matter, out of awe and respect for him. But a man called Dhul Yadayn spoke up and said to him: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” That was because he thought that he had not made a mistake. Then he asked the people who had prayed behind him: Did it really happen that I only prayed two rak‘ahs? They said: Yes. So he went forward to the imam’s place, then he prayed two rak‘ahs to complete the obligatory four. Then he said the tashahhud and the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness, then he said the taslim. The two prostrations were to make up for the mistake and forgetting, and to make up for the shortcoming. They also serve to annoy the Shaytan if there was not actually any shortcoming in the prayer, for the Shaytan tries to confuse the Muslim when he is praying, and tries to spoil his prayer and make it defective. So Allah (may He be exalted) has given the worshipper a way to make up for any shortcoming in his prayer and a way to handle any confusion caused by the Shaytan, and a way to annoy the Shaytan and send him away empty-handed, having failed to achieve his goal. By doing the prostration of forgetfulness the person’s prayer is completed.
This hadith highlights the importance of the prostration of forgetfulness, and that it may be done after the taslim..

483
It was narrated that Musa ibn ‘Uqbah said: I saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah looking for certain places on the road and praying in those spots. He narrated that his father used to pray in those spots, and that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying in those spots. Nafi‘ told me, from Ibn ‘Umar, that he used to pray in those spots. I asked Salim, and I only think that he agreed with Nafi‘ about all those spots, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him. His son Salim used to follow his example in that regard, as mentioned in this hadith, in which the Tabi‘i Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah seeking out certain places on his journey and making an effort to find them, so that he could pray in them. What appears to be the case is that these places were mosques on the roads that led from Madinah, and other places on his journeys. He narrated that his father ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to seek out those places and pray in them, because he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in those places .
Then Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he asked Nafi‘, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, about these places, and he told him that that was correct, and that Ibn ‘Umar would seek to pray in those places. Salim ibn ‘Abdillah and Nafi‘ agreed on the location of each of those places, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’. Ar-Rawha’ was a village 80 km distant from Madinah. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was well-known for following the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that included praying in the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. This narrative from Ibn ‘Umar indicates that he went to great lengths, because he was known to be very keen to follow the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

484
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah when he went for ‘umrah and when he went for Hajj; he would halt beneath a thorny tree on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah. When he returned from a campaign via that route, or he returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of the valley, and when he emerged from the bottom of the valley, he would make his camel kneel in al-Batha’ which is on the eastern edge of the valley. He would halt there and rest until morning came, not at the mosque that is built of stone and not on the high ground where the mosque is. There was a deep valley in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray, at the bottom of which there were sandhills. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray there. Then the flash flood brought debris, stones and sand into al-Batha’ and buried the place where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt during his journey to Makkah, and that he used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah, which was a village approximately fourteen kilometres from the Prophet’s Mosque; it is the miqat of the people of Madinah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt there when he wanted to do ‘umrah, and he halted there when he went for Hajj, sitting beneath a thorny tree. The word samurah, translated here as thorny tree, refers to a tall tree with branches going in different directions; it offered little shade, and had small leaves and short thorns, and produced high-quality wood. It was also said that it was a kind of tree called talh, which is a huge type of thorny tree.
The phrase “on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah” means that a mosque was built after that, and it was not there at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) returned from a campaign via that road, or returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of Wadi al-‘Atiq, which is one of the most famous wadis of Madinah. When he came up out of the bottom of the valley, he would make his mount or she-camel that he was riding kneel in the wide watercourse where pebbles collect from the flow of the floodwaters. This is the area on the east side of the valley. He halted to rest in that area, then he would stay there until morning came; he did not halt at the mosque that is built of stone, or on the high ground where the mosque was built. But there was a deep valley where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray, and at the bottom of this deep valley there was sand that had collected and piled up. This was the same place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. But with the passage of time, the floodwaters rushed through Wadi al-‘Atiq and made it level with the rocks and sand that it carried from al-Batha’ – the wide watercourse – until the debris carried by the flood buried that place in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

485
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed where the small mosque is that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha. ‘Abdullah knew the place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He used to say: it is there on your right when you stand in the mosque to pray. That mosque is on the right-hand side of the road when you are going towards Makkah, a stone’s throw or thereabouts from the larger mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) identifies one of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journey from Madinah to Makkah, and states that he prayed beside the small mosque that is close to the large mosque in the highest area of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah.
This hadith indicates that in ar-Rawha’ there were two mosques, one of which was a large mosque and the other was a small one. The large mosque was in the highest part of ar-Rawha’, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in that spot; rather he prayed in the small mosque to the right of that mosque.
Ibn ‘Umar knew the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, and he described it as being to the right of one who enters the mosque. This small mosque was on the right-hand side of the road, and the distance between the two mosques was a stone’s throw, which is not very far.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

486
Ibn ‘Umar used to pray facing towards the small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’; that small mountain was at the edge of the road, before the mosque that is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque has been built there, but ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar did not pray in that mosque. He used to stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of it, facing towards that small mountain. ‘Abdullah used to depart from ar-Rawha’ in the morning, and he did not pray Zuhr until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he came from Makkah, if he passed it shortly before Fajr, or at the end of the night, he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards the small mountain; what is meant is ‘Irq az-Zibah, which is a small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari explains that in this area there were two mosques close to one another: one of them was small, which was the one near which Ibn ‘Umar used to pray, and the other was a large mosque that was a stone’s throw away from the small mosque. That small mountain ended at the side of the road, near the big mosque which is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque was built there, but ‘Abdullah did not pray in that mosque; rather he would stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of the mosque, facing towards the small mountain.
As he was returning from the area of ar-Rawha’, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not pray until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he was coming from Makkah on his way back to Madinah, if he passed by that place shortly before Fajr or at the end of the night – meaning the time between the false dawn and the true dawn; the difference between that and saying shortly before Fajr is that the latter means towards the end of the period mentioned, which is less than an hour – he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there.
Ibn ‘Umar did not clearly say that the reason why he prayed facing towards that small mountain was that he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying there, but the fact that he always prayed in that spot whether he was going or coming back, and that he halted to rest there so that he could pray there, indicates that he only did that by way of emulating the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In Sahih al-Bukhari there is a report which says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on the site of the small mosque that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

487
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt beneath a huge thornless tree before ar-Ruwaythah on the right-hand side of the road, facing towards the road in a vast and flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground just two miles before ar-Ruwaythah. The top of that tree had broken and fallen inside it; the tree was standing on its trunk, and inside and around the trunk a great deal of sand had piled up..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted during his journey from Madinah to Makkah. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted beneath a huge thornless tree, near the village of ar-Ruwaythah; it is approximately 100 km from Madinah. This tree was on the right-hand side of the road, facing it, in a vast, flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground [when he resumed his journey]; between that high ground and the official staging-post in ar-Ruwaythah that was set up by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate was approximately 3 km. This approximate definition was given by Ibn ‘Umar to identify the old location, because so many structures had been set up by the state after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This is assuming that the pronoun in the word “he emerged” refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that the staging-post referred to is one of the stations set up by the state during the caliphate of ‘Umar to collect official correspondence. It was also said that the pronoun may refer to the place, and that what is meant by the word translated above as staging-post is a road that people followed. In that case, what is meant is that the distance from the location of this tree and the place where the road started to descend was two miles.
Then Ibn ‘Umar began to describe how this tree was at the time that he was speaking. Its top had broken off and fallen into its hollow interior, and fallen onto its trunk; it was now standing on its trunk like a structure that was not very wide at the bottom. In and around its trunk a great deal of sand had piled up.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

488
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed at the edge of an area of higher ground beyond al-‘Arj as you are going towards the hill. Near that mosque there are two or three graves, and on the graves there are piles of stones, on the right-hand side of the road near the rocks of the road, among the rocks. ‘Abdullah used to leave al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day, then he used to pray Zuhr in that mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, and he calls those places masajid (“mosques”; lit. places of prostration) because they are places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated and prayed, or because in the end mosques were built there, after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed in those places. He tells us that he prayed on the edge of an area of higher ground, which refers to an area of wide, elevated land through which floodwaters would flow; it may also refer to a place where water flows from the top of the wadi and what goes down to lower ground. That place is located beyond al-‘Arj, which is a place between Makkah and Madinah. It is so called because it is crooked (ta‘rij). There are several places called al-‘Arj: it was said that it is a village on the road to Makkah from Madinah, 14 miles from ar-Rawha’. It was said that al-‘Arj is five miles from the Prophet’s Mosque. It was said that al-‘Arj is a village on the outskirts of at-Ta’if; it was said that al-‘Arj is a mountain pass in which there is a bend, between Makkah and Madinah, on the road, and it is mentioned with as-Suqya.
Then Ibn ‘Umar tried to identify the features of that place, stating that it is in the region of al-‘Arj as you are going towards the high ground, and beside that mosque there are two or three graves, on which there are large white stones. It is on the right-hand side of the road, near the rocks of the road. The word translated here as rocks may refer to big trees, or to rocks that are found on the road.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to set out from al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day – meaning at midday, when it is very hot – and he would pray Zuhr in that mosque, which is the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

489
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at the large trees on the left-hand side of the road in a watercourse before Harsha; that watercourse is connected to the edge of Harsha, and between it and the road there is the distance an arrow travels. ‘Abdullah used to pray facing towards a large tree, which was the closest of the large trees to the road, and the tallest of them..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at some large trees on the left-hand side of the road, in a watercourse, which is a sloping place, before Harsha and near to it. Harsha is a mountain in the land of Tihamah, at the place where the roads to Syria and Madinah meet. It is part of al-Juhfah from which the sea is visible. Today it is called Rabigh. That slope is connected to the edge of Jabal Harsha; between it and the road there is the distance that an arrow travels, or the distance that a horse runs, which is two thirds of a mile.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards a tree, which was the closest tree to the road, and also the tallest. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

490
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in the watercourse that was the closest part of Marr az-Zahran, in the direction of Madinah, when he came down from as-Safrawat. He would halt at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah, and between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt and stay in the watercourse, which is sloping land near Marr az-Zahran. This is a wadi which the common folk call “Batn Marw”, near ‘Arafah; it is so called because of the bitterness (mararah) of its water. It is a wadi that is five miles from Makkah, in the direction of Madinah.
The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted was at the point where he descended from as-Safrawat, which is an area of valleys or mountains after Marr az-Zahran. He halted at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah. Between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

491
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa and stay there overnight until morning, and he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah. The place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was on a broad area of high ground, not in the mosque that was built there; rather it was further than that, on a broad area of high ground..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa – which is the name of a well or a place near Makkah – until morning came, then he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah from Madinah. The place where he prayed was on a broad area of high ground, which was a spacious area that was higher than the land surrounding it, or a rocky hill. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in the mosque that was built there subsequently; rather he prayed further than that mosque, according to what Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition..

492
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face two gaps in the mountain that stood between him and the high mountain in the direction of the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar stood with the mosque that had been built there to the left of the mosque that is on the high ground, and the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. Leave ten cubits or thereabouts between you and the high ground, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed..
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. In this hadith, he describes where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in Dhu Tuwa, which is a well-known valley in Makkah, between the two mountain passes. It is close to Makkah, at its border. It is known now as az-Zahir. In it there is Bi’r Dhi Tuwa, which is an ancient well that was dug by ‘Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf. It is in the highest place in Makkah, at al-Bayda’, the home of Muhammad ibn Sayf.
Ibn ‘Umar tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face towards two gaps in the mountain that was between him and the high mountain, facing towards the Kaaba. The gap in a mountain is the entrance to the road to the mountain, or what slopes down the middle or side of the mountain.
Then Nafi‘ – who is the one who narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, and the most famous of his freed slaves – said: Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) described the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He stood with the mosque that was subsequently built there to the left of the second mosque which is on the edge of the high ground. The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. You go past the high ground – which is elevated land – for about ten cubits or thereabouts, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba. It was said: what appears to be the case is that there were two mosques that were built after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but nothing is known of them today. This was possible in the past, because it was empty space, but now the area is built-up so it is not possible (to pray there).
Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

493
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas that he said: I came riding on a female donkey, and at that time I was on the brink of puberty; the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leading the people in Mina with no wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row, then I dismounted, left the donkey to graze and joined the row, and no one objected to me doing that..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have something as a sutrah (screen) in front of him, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, the imam is the sutrah for the people praying behind him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came riding on a female donkey, and he was on the brink of puberty, but had not yet reached it. What is meant by that is the age of accountability. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying in Mina with no sutrah, such as a wall and the like, in front of him. Mina is a wadi near the Makkan Haram zone where the pilgrims halt on the day of at-tarwiyah, which is the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) passed in front of some of the rows of worshippers, riding on his donkey, when the imam – namely the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – had no sutrah, then he dismounted and left the donkey to eat grass and graze freely, wandering about in front of the rows, and he joined them in prayer, and no one objected to him doing that.
This hadith indicates that it is acceptable for the imam to pray without a sutrah, and that the imam is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a minor who has reached the age of discernment may acquire knowledge and it is permissible for one who acquired knowledge as a minor to convey it to people as an adult..

344
Yazid in Abdullah ibn Ash-Shekhir said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to abrogate some of his sayings by others, just as the Quran abrogates its verses by others.".

Commentary : Islamic legislation is always in harmony with the nation, especially those who lived and grew up during the pre-Islam period. Out of establishing the principle of graduation, it sometimes abrogates some established rules. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Ash-Shekhir, one of Basra scholars, confirmed this principle with relating to the Prophet's Sunnah. It was legislated at the beginning that ablution was sufficient for a Muslim who had intercourse with his wife without ejaculation, as in the two Sahihs that Ubayy ibn Ka’b said, "I asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about a man who had intercourse with his wife but left her before orgasm. He said, 'He should wash what he had (on his body) from his wife (her discharge), perform ablution, and offer prayer.'" Later, it was abrogated and established that bathing is obligatory after intercourse, whether or not, a person ejaculates. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If he sits between her four limbs, bathing is obligatory.” (Bukhari & Muslim) As for the Quran, it was, at the beginning, established that a woman is confined to her home as a punishment if she commits adultery. Allah, the Almighty, says, "And those of your women who commit illegal sexual intercourse, take the evidence of four witnesses from amongst you against them; and if they testify, confine them (i.e. women) to houses until death comes to them or Allah ordains for them some (other) way." (An-Nisa) It was later abrogated by the verse, "The fornicatress and the fornicator, flog each of them with a hundred stripes." (An-Nur: 2) Also, the Prophet (ﷺ) clarified this rule and said, "Learn from me. Allah has ordained for them another way. A virgin is punished with one hundred lashes and exiled for one year. A Thayyib (divorcee or widow) is punished with one hundred lashes and stoning.” (Narrated by Muslim) Finally, this hadith shows the interest of the Companions' students to study the Prophetic Sunnah, including the cases of abrogation..

349
Abu Musa said, “Some of Al-Ansar (Helpers) and some of Muhajeroun (Immigrants) had different opinions about bathing after intercourse. The Ansar said, ‘It was only obligatory due to ejaculation,’ but the Muhajeroun said, ‘It was obligatory after intercourse (whether or not he ejaculated).’” Abu Musa said to them, “I will provide you with the solution. I got up and asked Aisha to come in and I was given permission. I said to her, ‘O Mother, or Mother of the Believers, I want to ask you about something but I feel shy.’ She said, ‘Do not feel shy of asking me about something which you can ask your mother who gave you birth, for I am too your mother.’ I asked her, ‘What makes bathing obligatory?’ She replied, ‘You have asked the well-informed one! The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘If he sits between her four limbs (the woman) and the circumcision touches the circumcision, bathing is obligatory.’”.

Commentary : In this hadith, Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary said that some of Al-Ansar and some of Muhajeroun discussed the matter of bathing after intercourse. The Ansar confirmed that it was only obligatory due to ejaculation while the Muhajeroun confirmed that it was obligatory after intercourse, whether or not, he ejaculated. Abu Musa promised to provide them with the right solution. He went to Aisha, the Mother of the believers, passionately addressed her by her nickname of maternity, and modestly asked her about her opinion. She answered, "Do not feel shy of asking me about something which you can ask your mother who gave you birth, for I am too your mother," for Allah said in the Quran, "The Prophet is closer to the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their (believers’) mothers.” (Al-Ahzab: 6). When he asked her about what made bathing obligatory, she answered, "You have asked the well-informed one." She narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If he sits between her four limbs (the woman) and the circumcision touches the circumcision, bathing is obligatory." He means that if a man sits between his wife's hands and legs and his penis penetrates her vagina, bathing is obligatory for both, whether or not, he ejaculates, as in Sahih Muslim that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) added, "Even if he does not ejaculate.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies how the Companions are keen on discussing and learning to get the truth, (2) It shows their morals and appreciation of Aisha’s position and knowledge, for they were keen on learning from her, and (3) It confirms the obligation of bathing when a man's and woman's circumcisions touch..

350
Aisha, the Prophet's wife, narrated, "A man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about one who has sexual intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate due to listlessness. Is bathing obligatory for him?" He answered while Aisha was sitting by him, "I and she do it and then take a bath.".

Commentary : Purity is believers' symbol so the Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach his companions the rules of purification and they used to ask him about anything they did not understand. In this hadith, Aisha narrated that a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the Islamic point of view if a man had intercourse with his wife but he did not ejaculate due to listlessness. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered him while his wife Aisha was sitting, “I and she are doing so then we take a bath." He wanted to clarify that bathing was obligatory after intercourse even if there was no ejaculation. In the two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If he sits between her four limbs and the circumcision touches the circumcision, bathing is obligatory.” In Muslim's narration, he added, "Even if he does not ejaculate.".

352
Abdullah ibn Ibrahim ibn Qarez narrated that he found Abu Hurairah performing ablution above the mosque and saying, "I am performing ablution, for I ate pieces of cheese. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Perform ablution due to eating something cooked by fire.'".

Commentary : Islam legislates rules that suit the Muslim nation so it may gradually legislate some rules or even abrogate them later. The above-mentioned concept is one of the goals of abrogation in Islam. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah said that he once performed ablution because he ate pieces of cheese that were cooked by fire, for he heard the Prophet saying, “Perform ablution due to eating something cooked by fire." The Prophetic command to perform ablution due to eating something cooked by fire was later abrogated. Imam Abu Daoud reported that Jaber ibn Abdullah said, “The last of the two matters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do was to leave off ablution due to eating something cooked by fire." In the two Sahihs, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) ate meat and then prayed without performing ablution or touching water. Finally, this hadith confirms that a scholar should explain the reason for his actions if he thinks that people may blame him..

353
Saeed ibn Khaled ibn Amr ibn Uthman reported that he asked Urwa ibn Az-Zubeir about performing ablution due to eating what was cooked by fire. Urwa answered, "I heard Aisha, the Prophet's wife, said, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Perform ablution due to eating what is cooked by fire.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to teach his companions the invalidators of ablution, especially things that may have produced unpleasant smell such as foods cooked by fire. It may be fragrant or rich. As a result, a Muslim may need to perform ablution accordingly. In this hadith, Saeed ibn Khaled ibn Amr ibn Uthman asked Urwa ibn Az-Zubeir about performing ablution due to eating what was cooked by fire. Urwa answered, "I heard Aisha, the Prophet's wife, said, 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Perform ablution due to eating what is cooked by fire.'" This hadith may mean either: (1) To perform Ablution after eating something cooked by fire, or (2) To wash our mouths and hands after eating something cooked by fire. There are other Prophetic hadiths that confirmed that there was no need to perform ablution after eating something cooked by fire. In the two Sahih books, Ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) ate a sheep's shoulder then prayed without repeating his ablution. In Sunan Abu Dawud and Sunan An-Nasa'i, Jaber said, "The last of the two matters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do was to leave off ablution due to eating something cooked by fire." Additionally, it was authentically narrated that the Prophet's command was abrogated and his last teaching before his death in this case was to leave off ablution due to eating something cooked by fire..

357
Abu Rafe', the Prophet's servant, said, "I testify that I used to roast the goat's abdomen for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ then he prayed without repeating his ablutions.".

Commentary : The Islamic legislation is always in harmony with the Islamic nation. To establish this principle, Islamic law was graduating in some aspects till it confirmed the last legislations. As a result, some Islamic established aspects were abrogated by either Quranic verses or Prophetic statements. In this hadith, Abu Rafe', the Prophet's servant, narrated that he used to roast the goat's abdomen, including liver, spleen, heart, and Intestines for the Prophet (ﷺ) then the Prophet (ﷺ) prayed without repeating his ablution. This confirmed that a Muslim is not required to perform or repeat his ablution after eating something cooked by fire. As for the other hadith that commanded Muslims to perform or repeat ablution after eating something cooked by fire, it was abrogated by this hadith narrated by Abu Rafe'. In Sunan Abu Daoud and Sunan An-Nasa’i, Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, "The last of the two matters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do was to leave off ablution due to eating something cooked by fire." Finally, this hadith refers that Islamic law always makes it easy for people about the aspect of performing ablution after eating..

359
Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dressed and went out for prayer. Afterward, he was given bread and meat as a gift. He took three morsels then led people in prayer, without touching water." In another narration, Abdullah ibn Abbas saw Prophet did that and said, "... then pray" not "led people in prayer.".

Commentary : Purity is believers’ symbol that Islam encourages. As a result, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach his companions the rules of purification, especially when ablution is obligatory, recommended, or even unnecessary. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that one day the Prophet (ﷺ) dressed and then went out to pray in his mosque. Afterward, he was given bread and meat as a gift, which were cooked by fire. He took three morsels and then led people in prayer, without touching water. This indicates that it is not obligatory to perform ablution due to eating something cooked by fire. This hadith and others abrogate the hadiths that mentioned the command to perform ablution due to eating something cooked by fire. Abu Daoud and An-Nasa'i reported that Jaber ibn Abdullah said, "The last of the two matters that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to do was to leave off ablution due to eating something cooked by fire.” The hadith of Abdullah ibn Abbas contains the following benefits: (1) The Prophet's acceptance of gifts to make its owner happy, and (2) Islamic law's ease of the matters of purification after eating..

360
Jaber ibn Samura reported that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, "Should I perform ablution due to eating sheep's flesh?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered, "Perform ablution if you wish, and if you wish, do not perform it." The man asked, "Should I perform ablution due to eating camel's flesh?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered, "Yes, perform ablution due to eating camel's flesh." He (again) asked, "May I pray in the sheepfolds?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered, "Yes." Then he asked, "May I pray where camels lie down?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ answered, "No.".

Commentary : Purity and prayer are believers' symbols, so Islam encourages Muslims to perform acts of worship in appropriate places and times, which the Prophet used to teach his companions. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Samura narrated that a man asked the Prophet about: (1) Performing ablution due to eating sheep’s meat, and (2) Praying in sheepfolds. The Prophet answered that it is optional to perform ablution and confirmed that it is permissible to pray in sheep's shelters. Imam Abu Daoud narrated in his Sunan that the Prophet "was asked about praying in sheepfolds, so he answered, 'Pray in them, for it has a blessing.'" Sheep are calm animals with kindness and little movements. The same man also asked the Prophet about: (1) Performing ablution due to eating its meat, and (2) Praying in camel's folds. The Prophet replied that it was necessary for a Muslim to perform ablution due to eating camel's meat. Also, he forbade us from praying in their folds. As for the cause of this prohibition, scholars mentioned the following potential reasons: (1) A camel sometimes has a sudden strong behavior so it may hurt, confuse, or interrupt the praying one, so he is being afraid that it may trample and kill him, and (2) Camels' folds are full of filths and contain deeply terrible smell. Imam Abu Daoud narrated in his Sunan that the Prophet said, "Do not pray in camels' folds, for they are the places of devils." So, devils are whispering to the praying ones in these folds. Anyway, a Muslim should avoid praying in these folds whether or not he knows the reason for this prohibition..

366
Abulkhair said, "I saw Ibn Wa'la As-Saba'i wearing fur and touched it. He said, 'Why did you touch it? I asked Ibn 'Abbas, 'We live in the western regions with Berbers and Magus who bring with them rams they slaughtered, but we do not eat what they slaughtered. Also, they bring waterskin full of fat.' Thereupon Ibn 'Abbas said, 'We asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) about that so he said, 'Tanning makes it pure.'".

Commentary : Allah, the Almighty, forbade Muslims to eat dead animals, but He allowed to use their skins if they were purified by tanning. In this hadith, AbulKhair Marthad ibn Abdullah Al-Yazany saw Abderrhman ibn Wa`la As-Saba'i wearing fur, which is like a robe padded with animal skin, so he touched and wondered about it. He thought it was forbidden. Ibn Wa`la got the point and told him that he related the whole story to Abdullah ibn Abbas. He said that he lived in the western regions with Barbarians, who were like Bedouins in cruelty and harshness, and Magus, Fire worshippers. They brought rams they slaughtered in a way that contradicted the Islamic way, but Abderrahman did not eat them, for they were not among the People of the Book whose sacrifices were permissible in Islam. They also brought waterskin full of fat and melted tallow. They were vessels made of skins of the slaughtered animals. He wanted to ask Abdullah ibn Abbas about the Islamic perspective on: (1) The skins made of dead animals, (2) The skin on which the name of Allah was not mentioned, or (3) The skin whose animal was slaughtered by someone who did not mention the name of Allah upon it. He wanted to ask him if it was permissible to use it for drinking or putting meat fat. Ibn Abbas confirmed that the Companions asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about that who told them that the skin of a dead animal was purified by tanning. Tanning is to remove anything after the skinning process so it does not contradict salt or preservatives. Afterward, it is permissible to eat, drink, and use it in all allowable ways. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms the permissibility to use the skin of a dead animal, and (2) It clarifies how the Islamic legislation makes it easier for people to benefit from their properties..

370
Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that a man passed by and greeted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was urinating, but the Prophet ﷺ did not respond to his salutation.".

Commentary : Since returning one’s greeting involves mentioning Allah, this mentioning has to be voided while answering the call of nature. Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that a man passed by and greeted the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was urinating, but the Prophet (ﷺ) did not return his greeting. It was as if he disliked mentioning Allah in that state of exposed private parts and lack of purity. In Sunan Abu Daoud, Al-Muhajer ibn Qunfudh narrated, "He came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was urinating. He greeted him but the Prophet did not return his greeting until he performed ablution. He then apologized to him and said, "I disliked mentioning Allah, the Almighty, except in the state of purification." This is evidence that the word "salam" (peace) that people use in greeting one another is one of Allah's names. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges Muslims to maintain their purity while mentioning Allah which has a high virtue, and (2) It confirms that it is better to refrain from mentioning Allah while being in inappropriate states like urinating and the like..

373
Aisha, Mother of the Believers, said, "The Prophet ﷺ used to remember Allah in all of his affairs.".

Commentary : Allah said, "O you who have believed, remember Allah with much remembrance." (Al-Ahzab: 41) Remembering Allah may be with one's heart or tongue. The Prophet (ﷺ) had an abundant share of these two types. He used to frequently remember Allah more than anyone else. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to remember Allah in all his affairs, except during cases in which a Muslim was forbidden from remembering Him as during intercourse, answering the call of nature, etc. He was deeply keen to remember, glorify, and praise Allah. He taught us the best formulas that had great rewards whether or not they were confined to specific times or numbers. Her words, "in all of his affairs" confirmed that remembering Allah was not confined to a specific form as in prayer, circumambulation, or reciting the Quran, for which a Muslim should perform ablution ahead. She meant that he used to remember Allah, the Almighty, whether or not he performed ablution or bathing after intercourse, whether he was standing, sitting, lying down, or walking..

374
Ibn Abbas narrated, "We were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he had come out of the privy (answering the call of nature). Food was presented to him. It was said to him (by the Companions around him), 'Will not you perform ablution?' Upon this, he said, 'Why? Will I pray so I have to perform ablution?.

Commentary : Ablution is a prerequisite to the validity of prayer. A prayer is not accepted without ablution. However, performing ablution after relieving oneself is recommended. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach his nation the obligatory and recommended acts and did not always command them to perform recommended acts, but he may have sometimes abandoned them to confirm that it is legitimate to abandon them. In the past, people originally used to call the safe and spacious place in deserts in which they relieved themselves "gha'et." Afterward, they used this word to refer to excrement, for they hated to call it by its real name. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that when the Prophet (ﷺ) began to eat from a food provided to him after he came back from privy, his companions reminded him that he did not perform ablution after relieving himself. He answered in denial, “Why? Will I pray so I have to perform ablution?" He confirmed that it was not obligatory for a person to perform ablution after answering the call of nature. Finally, this hadith shows that it is only Islamic law that clarifies the cases in which the ablution is invalid or obligatory..

376
Anas ibn Malek said, "The Prophet's companions used to doze off then offer prayer without repeating ablutions.".

Commentary : Ablution is a prerequisite to prayer, so it is not accepted without ablution. Therefore, Islamic law detailed the matters invalidating ablution. This hadith indicates the lawfulness of sleeping before prayer as long as one keeps his state of ablution. Anas ibn Malik said, "The Prophet's companions (ﷺ) used to doze off then offer prayer without repeating ablution." They used to do so in the presence of the Prophet (ﷺ) who did not decline their behavior. In a narration of Abu Daoud, Anas said, "until their heads lowered down." This means that their heads lowered down due to dozing while they were waiting for prayer. His saying, "... without repeating ablution." is a confirmation that they did not repeat their ablution, for while they were dozing, they were aware of what was around them. They did not sleep deeply, which invalidates ablution, unlike the heavy sleeping that, of course, invalidates ablution due to the lack of awareness..

379
Abu Mahthourah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ taught him this call to prayer, "Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah." Then, he should repeat, "I testify that there is no god but Allah, I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. Come to the prayer (twice). Come to success (twice)." Ishaq added, "Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest. There is no god but Allah.".

Commentary : The azan is to inform people about prayer time. Its words combine the Islamic doctrine of monotheism. In this hadith, Abu Mahthura narrated the words of the call to prayer as the Prophet (ﷺ) taught him when being appointed as a governor of Mecca in the eighth year after the Battle of Hunein. Although being concise, “Allah is the greatest" refers to His perfection and negates any meaning that may contradict so. It may mean that Allah is too great that we can realize His greatness. The testimony of faith has two parts. The first one is to prove monotheism, mean that no god worthy of worship except Allah, and negate its opposite of having any partnership. It is the testimony that has precedence and priority over any other issue in Islam. The other part is to declare and prove the message of Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ), which directly comes after the testimony of Allah’s oneness. Afterward, the caller urges Muslims twice to come to perform prayer, which mentioned after proving the Prophet's message, for we know the obligation of prayer from the Prophet’s teachings, not due to human realization. Then, the caller commands Muslims twice to come to success, victory, and permanent bliss, which reminds them of the events of the hereafter like resurrection and reckoning. In Abu Daoud's narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If it is Dawn (Fajr) prayer, you should say, 'Prayer is better than sleeping, prayer is better than sleeping.'" At the end, he concluded the call with, "Allah is the Greatest" twice then said, "There is no god but Allah." In narrations in Sunan Abu Daoud and An-Nasa'i, he mentioned "Allah is the Greatest" four times in the beginning. The words of the call to prayer are repeated more than once to make sure that lots of people know about the prayer time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies some of prayer call's formula, and (2) The virtue of the companion Abu Mahthura, for the Prophet (ﷺ) taught him the call words himself..

381
Aisha narrated, "Ibn Um Maktoum used to pronounce adhan at the Messenger's behest ﷺ while he was blind.".

Commentary : The job of a caller to prayer is to raise his voice loudly with the words of the prayer call to inform people about the prayer time. A blind person can do so if he has someone telling him about the its time. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoum, his name is Abdullah ibn Qais ibn Za'ida Al-Qurashi and he is the cousin of Khadija, the Mother of the Believers, was a blind man whose job was to call people to prayer. The Prophet (ﷺ) assigned Bilal ibn Rabah to call to prayer along with Abdullah for the following cause. When the Companions secluded and prayed at night in Ramadan in the Prophetic mosque, they were surprised by the call to Fajr (Dawn) prayer before taking a rest and having suhour meal as a preparation to fast. Some may have dozed off before bathing due to intercourse. As a result, the Prophet (ﷺ) decided that Bilal called to Fajr prayer before its time to alert those praying or sleeping. At Fajr time, Bilal descended from the place of call then Abdullah ascended to call to prayer so that people refrained from eating suhour and prepared themselves for Fajr prayer. This is explained by the narration of the two Sahihs in which Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Verily, Bilal calls to prayer at night, so you can keep eating (suhour) and drinking until Ibn Um Maktoum calls." Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A blind man’s call to prayer is valid on condition that he has someone telling him about its time, (2) It confirms the legitimacy of a man’s lineage to his mother as long as it becomes famous and there is a need for it, (3) It refers to the legitimacy of describing a person with a flaw for the purpose of definition or other benefits, not to belittle him, and (4) It shows the legitimacy of appointing two callers to prayer in one mosque..