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Hadith
371
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on a campaign to Khaybar. We prayed Fajr there when it was still very dark, then the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah rode, and I rode behind Abu Talhah [on his mount]. The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar, and my knee touched the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then his izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When he entered the town, he said: “Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! When we descend in the territory of a people, {then evil is the morning of those who were warned} [al-Saffat 37:177}.” He said it three times.
The people were coming out to tend their land, and they said: It’s Muhammad! ‘Abdul ‘Aziz said: Some of our companions said that they also said: and the khamis (five), meaning the army. He [Anas] said: We captured it by force, and the prisoners were gathered together. Then Dihyah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) came and said: O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. He said: “Go and take a slave woman.” So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. Then a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Prophet of Allah, you have given Dihyah Safiyyah bint Huyayy, the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir; she is only fit for you. He said: “Call him and tell him to bring her back.” So he brought her back and when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said: “Take some other slave woman from among the female captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Thabit said to him [Anas]: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her? He said: Herself [her freedom]; he manumitted her and married her, then on the way back, Umm Sulaym prepared her for him and brought her to him at night, and the next morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom. He said: “Whoever has any food, let him bring it,” and he spread out a leather mat. And the men began to bring dates and ghee – the narrator said: and I think he mentioned sawiq – and they made hays. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the example and teacher for the ummah, and his practice and teachings are a source of knowledge for us, from which we derive guidance in all our affairs and learn the right way to handle all matters in war and peace. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conquered Khaybar in 7 AH. Khaybar was a town inhabited by the Jews, approximately 173 km from Madinah in the direction of Syria. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on campaign to Khaybar, and they prayed Fajr near Khaybar at the beginning of its time, when it was still very dark. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) rode on their mounts, and Anas rode behind Abu Talhah al-Ansari, the husband of his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar; an alleyway is a narrow street or path that runs between the houses. His izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and that was because he was going so fast in the streets of Khaybar. The izar is a garment that covers the lower part of the body. When it slipped, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Khaybar, he said: Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! Allah has granted us conquest of it. “When we descend in the territory of a people…” – The word translated here as territory originally means courtyard, and refers to a wide space between houses. “…then evil is the morning of those who were warned.” The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said it three times, expressing optimism because of what had already been captured of Khaybar.
The situation in Khaybar when the Muslims entered the town was that the people were going out to their work; they were farmers and tillers of land. They said: It is Muhammad and the khamis – meaning the army. The army was called the khamis (five) because it was composed of a vanguard, rearguard, core, right flank and left flank – a total of five parts.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Muslims captured Khaybar by force, not by means of a peace deal. When the prisoners had been gathered together – meaning the captives, men, women and children – Dihyah al-Kalbi came and asked for a slave woman, saying:  O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: Go and take a slave woman. So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. A man told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that she was not fit for anyone except the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because she was the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed them to call Dihyah and the slave woman whom he had taken from among the captives, and Dihyah brought her back. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said to Dihyah: “Take some other slave woman from among the captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Manumission means freeing a person from slavery; this manumission was her mahr (dowry), as was mentioned in the report of Thabit al-Bunani – one of the Tabi‘in – who asked Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the mahr with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married her, as he said: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her?  He said: Herself; he manumitted her and married her. Then when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was on his way back to Madinah, Umm Sulaym prepared her and adorned her, then presented her to him at night. Umm Sulaym brought her as a bride to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when night fell, and in the morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom, because he had married Safiyyah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to his companions: whoever has any food, let him bring it. Then he spread a mat of leather on the ground, to put the food on it, and he collected whatever the people had of dates, ghee and sawiq, which is finely-ground flour. They made hays, which is a mixture of dates, ghee and flour. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.
It was said: The basis on which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took Safiyyah from Dihyah after giving her to him was that Dihyah willingly brought her back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And it was said in some reports that she fell to the lot of Dihyah, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bought her from him. And it was said that that happened for other reasons that were appropriate to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his being infallible.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer a wedding feast with whatever is available.
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372
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr, and the believing women would attend the prayer with him, wrapped up in their mirts (enveloping garments), then they would go back to their houses and no one would be able to recognize them..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of modesty, chastity and dignity, and it enjoins the covering of women’s bodies and the wearing of hijab and loose-fitting garments that do not show their bodies or the shape of many parts of the body. That is to protect women and the entire society from the dangerous effects of wanton display and unveiling on societies.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the women used to go out to pray Fajr in the mosque and attend the prayer with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they would go back to their houses wrapped in their mirts, meaning that they covered their heads and their bodies with enveloping garments, so that they would not be recognized because of the extent of their covering. This is the hijab that Allah (may He be exalted) enjoins upon women. The mirt is a cloth of wool or other fabric, and it is akin to the milhafah (another type of enveloping garment). After hijab was enjoined, the women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to it and did not show any part of their adornment except what Allah permitted.
According to a report in al-Sahihayn, no one would recognize them because it was still dark; the word translated here as dark refers to the darkness at the end of the night, after dawn has broken. This refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offering Fajr prayer at the beginning of its time.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for women to go out to pray in the mosques at night..

373
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed wearing a khamisah that had some markings on it. He looked at the markings, then when he had finished praying, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” Hisham ibn ‘Urwah said, narrating from his father, from ‘A’ishah: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I kept looking at its markings whilst I was praying, and I was afraid that it would distract me.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), striving to maintain proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed one day wearing a khamisah – which was a garment made of silk mixed with camel hair or wool, on which there were black markings and it was adorned with stripes; it was said that a garment could not be called a khamisah unless it was black and had markings. He looked at the markings, and they almost distracted him from his prayer. So when he had finished his prayer, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” The anbijaniyyah was a garment made of wool, like velvet, with no markings on it. Abu Jahm ibn Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) had given this khamisah to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he returned it to him and asked him instead for a heavy garment of his, so as to make him feel better and so that his feelings would not be hurt by having his gift returned to him. Hence he told him the reason for returning it. This was also a warning to Abu Jahm lest he be distracted by this or anything else from his prayer.
This hadith indicates that one should keep away from things that will distract one from prayer.
It also highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind to his companions and how he avoided hurting their feelings and sought to console them..

374
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that ‘A’ishah had a curtain with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Take this curtain of yours away from us, for I kept noticing its images whilst I was praying.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), and should have proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had a curtain, which was a thin cover on which there were colourful images and patterns, with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to remove this curtain, because he could still notice its images whilst he was praying, and that distracted him from focusing properly on his prayer. In a report narrated by Muslim, ‘A’ishah said: So we cut it up and made one or two pillows out of it, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) could sit on them. The pillows were used in a way that was not honourable, and they were not in a position to be respected.
This hadith indicates that one should keep things that could distract the worshipper away from him.
It indicates that it is not allowed to wear things on which there are images, because as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the curtain on which there were images, it is known that the prohibition on wearing clothes with images on them is more emphatic..

375
It was narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir said: A kind of silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he put it on and prayed in it. Then when he finished his prayer, he tore it off as if he disliked it and said: “This is not appropriate for the pious.”.

Commentary : Islam forbids men to wear silk, but it permits women to do so. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would apply commands and prohibitions to himself first, then to his family members and other Muslims around him.
In this hadith, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The giver was Ukaydir, the ruler of Dumat al-Jandal, as is mentioned in another report in Muslim. Ukaydir was a polytheist who became Muslim after that; it was also said that he remained a Christian. The type of silk coat mentioned here had narrow sleeves and a narrow middle, and a slit at the back. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put it on and prayed in it. That was before it was forbidden to wear silk. When he had finished his prayer, he tore it off, because he had received revelation forbidding the wearing of silk, as mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said when he took it off: “Jibril told me not to wear it.” Perhaps this was the beginning of the prohibition. Then he said that it was not appropriate for the obedient slaves of Allah to wear silk. These words of his indicate that that happened before the prohibition came into effect, because the prohibition applies equally to the pious and others..

376
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent of dyed leather, and I saw Bilal take the leftover wudu’ water of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and I saw the people rushing to take that water. Whoever managed to take some of it would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not manage to take some of it would take some of the moisture from the hands of his companions. Then I saw Bilal take a pointed stick and set it in the ground, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out wearing a red hullah (suit), with his calves showing. He led the people in prayer, facing that pointed stick, and I saw people and animals passing on the other side of the stick..

Commentary : Prayer is the connection between a person and his Lord. In prayer, the worshipper stands conversing with his Lord and turning to Him. Islam enjoins being properly focused when praying, and not being distracted, and it sets out guidelines for the worshipper and for those who are not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the worshipper’s focus will not be interrupted by the actions of either of them [those who are praying and those who are not praying].
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent made of dyed leather, and that Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. The people began rushing and racing to take the Prophet’s leftover wudu’ water, seeking blessing (barakah) from his relics. This seeking blessing from relics is something unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); the Sahabah did not seek blessing from anyone else who came after him, such as the awliya’ (close friends of Allah), the righteous, or anyone else. That is because of the blessing and goodness that Allah put in whatever the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) touched. Whoever managed to take any of this water would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not get any of this water would take from the moisture on the hand of his companion that was left from the water with which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’.
Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw Bilal take a pointed stick, that was half the length of a spear or more, and had a point like the point of a spear, and stuck it firmly in the ground, to act as a screen (sutrah) in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the people in prayer, because he was praying in the open. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, wearing a red hullah – the hullah was a suit consisting of two Yemeni garments, an izar and rida’, woven with red and black stripes, or red and green; it could not be called a hullah unless it was a two-peace garment. He prayed facing towards the stick, which he took as a screen (sutrah), and people and animals passed on the other side of the stick. Thus the stick formed a barrier so that people would not pass directly in front of the imam.
The screen (sutrah) may be in the form of a stick and similar things that have height, especially for one who is praying in an open space. As for praying in the mosque or behind a wall or pillar, these things may serve as a screen for the worshipper..

377
It was narrated that Abu Hazim said: They asked Sahl ibn Sa‘d: Of what was the minbar made? He said: There is no one left among the people who has more knowledge of that than me. It was made of tamarisk wood from al-Ghabah; it was made by So-and-so, the freed slave of So-and-so, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood on it when it was made and put in place. He turned to face towards the qiblah and said takbir, and the people stood behind him.  He recited Qur’an, then he bowed and the people bowed. Then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground, then he went back to the minbar, then he bowed, then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground. That is what he did..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to give khutbahs (sermons, speeches) on Fridays and on other occasions when speeches were required, standing on a palm trunk in the mosque. That was what he did in the beginning, then he had a minbar made, as that would be more helpful when standing and leaning on it, so that the people could see him more easily.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What was it made of? He said: There is no one left of the people of Madinah who knows more about the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) than me. That is because he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Madinah. He was also the one who went with the young carpenter to bring the wood for the minbar from the trees and tamarisks of al-Ghabah. The tamarisk is a desert tree. Al-Ghabah was a land nine miles – or approximately 14 km – from Madinah. The camels of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed there to graze.
Then Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when the minbar had been made and put in place, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) climbed onto it, then he led the people in prayer from atop the minbar, with the people praying behind him and following him in prayer. When he wanted to prostrate, he moved backwards so that he could prostrate; that was so that he would not turn his back towards the qiblah, and he prostrated on the ground. According to a report narrated in al-Sahihayn: Then he went back. When he had finished the prayer, he turned to face the people and said: O people, I only did that so that you could follow me and learn how to pray. Thus he explained that he had prayed on the minbar so that the people could see how he prayed, and see his movements and how he moved from one posture to another, and thus they could learn from him and learn his Sunnah.
This hadith indicates that the imam may teach the people how to pray when he is in a higher place than those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a small movement does not invalidate the prayer..

378
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse and sustained a cut on his leg – or shoulder – and he swore not to come to his wives for a month. He stayed in a loft that had stairs made of palm trunks, and his companions came to him to visit him as he recovered. He led them in prayer sitting, whilst they were standing, and after he said the taslim, he said: “The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says takbir then say takbir; when he bows then bow; when he prostrates then prostrate; and if he prays standing then pray standing.” He came down [from the loft] after twenty-nine days, and they said: O Messenger of Allah, you swore an oath for one month. He said: “This month has twenty-nine days.” .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the rulings and etiquette of praying in congregation, which include following and emulating the imam and listening attentively to his recitation, whilst remaining focused and keeping the rows orderly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse, and sustained a cut on his leg. The word translated here as cut refers to a cut or something a little worse. In addition to that, he also suffered some bruising on his limbs, and pain that prevented him from standing in the prayer. The words “or shoulder” refer to uncertainty on the part of the narrator as to whether the injury was to his leg or his shoulder. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sworn an oath to keep away from his wives for a month. In other words, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had vowed not to enter upon his wives for a month, so he stayed in a loft or room above ground level. It was said that the word translated here as loft refers to the upper part of the house, like a room, or that it refers to a storeroom which is like a ceiling for the space underneath it. The stairs by which he climbed up to this room were made from the trunks of palm trees. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to visit him because he was sick, and when the time for prayer came, he led them in prayer whilst he was sitting and they were standing. After he said the taslim [at the end of the prayer], he said to them: “The imam is only appointed to be followed”, that is, to be emulated in his actions and movements, which includes: “when he says takbir then say takbir.” In other words, follow the imam in the takbir and do not precede him. When he bows, follow him in his bowing, and when he prostrates, follow him in his prostration. “And if he prays standing then pray standing.” In al-Sahihayn it says: “And if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” So the posture of those who are praying behind an imam must be like the posture of the imam in prayer.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came down from his loft and went back to his wives twenty-nine days after he had sworn his oath. The Sahabah pointed out to him that he had sworn to keep away from them for a month, but he said: “This month has twenty-nine days,” meaning that the month in which they were was only twenty-nine days long, because the sighting of the new moon had been confirmed. Otherwise, the month is thirty days, if the new moon is not sighted.
In this hadith, we see that it was possible for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to fall sick like any other human, without that undermining his position and status; in fact it served to increase him in status.
It indicates that one may visit a person if he sustains a minor injury and the like.
It indicates that the imam may pray sitting if he is not able to stand, and those praying behind him should follow him in that.
In this hadith, the Lawgiver shows the way in which congregational prayer is to be performed, in such a manner as to facilitate proper focus in the prayer and to enable worshippers to pray in an orderly manner.
It also confirms that the month is not always complete [with thirty days]..

379
It was narrated that Maymunah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray when I was nearby and was menstruating, and his garment sometimes touched me when he prostrated. And he used to pray on a small mat..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply to the menstruating woman, but it is not one of them that she should not touch anyone and no one should touch her, as was the practice of the Jews with their women. Islam honours women in all circumstances, and permits others to interact with the menstruating woman, speak to her, eat with her, and so on.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) states that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray when she was near him, and she was menstruating. When he prostrated, his garment would touch her, and he would pray on a small mat made of palm leaves stitched together. It was used to keep the worshipper’s face off the ground.
This hadith was quoted as evidence that the body of the menstruating woman is pure (tahir), and that when a worshipper is praying, if he comes into contact with part of the body (such as the hand or foot) or clothes of another person which are clean and pure, that does not invalidate his prayer, even if the body of the other person is deemed to be ritually impure (whether minor or major impurity). If the worshipper’s garment happens to touch a woman, that does not affect his prayer, even if the woman is menstruating, and being close to a menstruating woman does not invalidate prayer. This is one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for women in all circumstances, and one of the ways in which Islam honours women, especially at the time of menses..

380
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that his grandmother Mulaykah invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him. He ate some of the food, then he said: “Get up and let me lead you in prayer.” Anas said: I got up to fetch a mat of ours that turned black from long use. I sprinkled it with water, then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, the orphan and I stood in one row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in attitude and in raising his companions’ spirits. Every time he visited them, he would teach them some rulings and etiquette, and the Sahabah transmitted his teachings and his Sunnah to the ummah so that they could learn the rulings of Islam from it.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that his grandmother Mulaykah, who was his maternal grandmother, invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him, and he accepted her invitation and ate some of that food. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) would invite him to their houses, so that he could lead them in prayer and they could receive his blessing. Then after the meal ended, he instructed them to get up and pray so that he could teach them how to pray in a practical manner, or to bless the place for them by praying in it and offering supplication for them. So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) got up to fetch an old mat that had turned black from long use. He sprinkled it with water, to clean it, soften it and prepare it for people to sit on it, or to remove any uncertainty as to whether it was impure (najis). Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, and Anas and the orphan – who was Damrah or Dumayrah ibn Sa‘d al-Himyari, or someone else, and he had reached the age of discernment – stood behind him, in one row, and his grandmother Mulaykah stood behind them, because the women stand behind the men and children in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left after he prayed.
This is part of Prophetic etiquette, to make one’s visit brief, to leave after having fulfilled the purpose of one’s visit, and to offer supplication for the people who live there.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for the worshipper to prostrate on a carpet or rug to keep his face from touching the ground directly. .

382
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that she said: I would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and my legs would be in his qiblah. When he prostrated, he would nudge me and I would draw up my legs, and when he stood up, I would stretch them out again. And at that time there were no lamps in our houses..

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.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and her legs would be in his qiblah; in other words, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray tahajjud on the mat on which his wife was sleeping, and she would be sleeping in front of him whilst he was praying, so she was between him and the qiblah. When he prostrated, he would touch her with his hand to alert her to the fact that he wanted to prostrate, so she would draw up her legs so that he could prostrate. Then when he stood up again, she would stretch her legs out again. At that time there were no lights or lamps in the houses, because they had very little in the way of worldly comforts. This indicates that darkness was the reason why she was in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whilst he was praying.
This hadith indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that a small movement made whilst praying does not invalidate the prayer..

383
It was narrated from ‘Urwah that ‘A’ishah told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat as if on a bier..

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.
In this hadith, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat – and according to a report in Sahih al-Bukhari: on the mat on which they slept. In other words, she was sleeping in front of him, as if on a bier. Thus she described herself as if in the position of the deceased [during the funeral prayer], because there was nothing to distract the one who was praying.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray on any pure (tahir) surface, whether it is a mat or anything else.
It indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that it is valid to pray facing towards one who is sleeping..

385
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: We were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and one of us would put the edge of his garment on the place of prostration because of the intense heat..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease which made things easier for people in their lives and their worship; it permits people to use whatever will help them to maintain proper focus and humility in prayer, and will help them to prostrate, especially at times of heat and cold, both of which will affect the head when it touches the ground directly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would put the edge of their garment in the place of prostration because it was so hot. In other words, one of them would put the edge of his garment under his forehead to protect himself from the scorching heat of the ground which had been heated by the rays of the sun. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of them doing that, and did not tell them not to do it, out of compassion towards them and so as to make things easier for them.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to prostrate on cloth when it is very hot; to that we may add that this is also valid when it is very cold.
It indicates that a small action whilst praying is overlooked, because putting the edge of one’s garment in the place of prostration is an action, but it is small..

386
It was narrated that Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid al-Azdi said: I asked Anas ibn Malik: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in his sandals? He said: Yes..

Commentary : It is permissible to pray wearing sandals, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah, and also to be different from the Jews.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid narrates that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray wearing his sandals on his feet, in any prayer, whether it was supererogatory or obligatory? Anas replied in the affirmative, and said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) indeed did that, and this was a concession to make things easier for the ummah. Moreover, it is narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “Be different from the Jews, for they do not pray in sandals or khuffs.” What appears to be the case is that this is for the purpose of being different from the Jews.
The word translated here as sandals refers to footwear that is worn to protect the feet from the ground when walking. The reports explain that when wearing sandals, it is stipulated that they should be pure (tahir) and free of any impurities (najasah). Whoever finds anything (najasah) on his sandals should rub them with dust, to purify them.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).  .

387
It was narrated that Hammam ibn al-Harith said: I saw Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah urinating, then he did wudu’ and wiped over his khuffs, then he stood up and prayed. He was asked about that, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this. Ibrahim said: They liked that, because Jarir was one of the last to become Muslim..

Commentary : It is permissible to wipe over the khuffs and pray wearing them, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Hammam ibn al-Harith narrates that he saw the Sahabi Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) urinating, then he did wudu’ and did not wash his feet; rather he wiped over his khuffs instead. Then he stood up and prayed wearing his khuffs, and did not take them off. He was asked why he had wiped over his khuffs and prayed wearing them, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this; he did no more than wipe over his khuffs, then he prayed wearing them, so I followed his example and emulated his Sunnah. Wiping over the khuffs is a concession that is granted both to the traveller and the one who is not travelling. The maximum time for wiping over the khuffs is three days for one who is travelling, and one day and one night for one who is not travelling. The manner of wiping is to wipe the top of the feet, not the bottom, so long as the individual put his khuffs on when he was in a state of purity, as is the apparent meaning of the reports.
Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i and others among the Tabi‘in liked the hadith of Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah because it indicates that wiping over the khuffs is permitted and that this ruling remains valid and was not abrogated by the verse of wudu’ in Surat al-Ma’idah, which says that it is obligatory to wash the feet. This is the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles} [al-Ma’idah 5:6]. That is because Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) became Muslim after that verse was revealed, as he became Muslim at the end of the Prophet’s life, in the year in which he died, and he saw him wiping over his khuffs. Thus he spoke of what he had seen after the verse of wudu’ had been revealed, so he confirmed that wiping over the khuffs was valid and this ruling remains in effect.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

382
Anas ibn Malek narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to attack (enemies) when it was dawn. He used to wait for the prayer call. If he heard the prayer call, he stopped, otherwise he attacked. One day, he heard a man saying, 'Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,' so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, '(He is) following the human instinct.' Then, he heard him saying, 'I testify that there is no god but Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah.' The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'You came out of Hell.' When they looked (at him), they found him a goat herd.".

Commentary : Allah, out of His wisdom, legislated that people call for the five daily prayers at their times. It is one of the apparent Islamic rites that indicates that the people who live in this place are Muslims and perform prayer, an Islamic pillar. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet ﷺ did not invade his enemies except after it was dawn. He used to defer invading them till the time of dawn prayer’s call. If he heard it, he would stop, for it was a sign that they were Muslims or had a reconciliation with him to let Muslims of that village perform rites of Islam. If he did not hear it, it would be a sign that they were disbelievers so he decided to invade them. One time, when reaching a village to invade it, he heard a man saying the prayer’s call, “Allah is the greatest, Allah is the greatest.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “(He is) following the human instinct.” Islam is the human instinct and the straight religion on which all babies are born. Then, the caller said twice, “I testify that there is no god but Allah.” He proved Allah’s oneness and negated all types of polytheism that Allah did not deserve. Allah's oneness is the core of Islam that comes over all of its rites. It means that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah. The Prophet ﷺ commented, “You came out of Hell.” i.e. due to this statement of monotheism. When the companions looked at the man, they found him a goat herd that called for prayer in the desert when its time began. It was narrated in Sahih Bukhari that Abu Saeed Al-Khudry said to Abdullah ibn Abderrahman ibn Abi Sa’sa’ah, “I see you are fond of sheep and the desert, so when you want to say the prayer call, raise your voice, for whoever hears the range of the caller’s voice, a human, a Jinn, or anything else, will bear witness to him on the Day of Resurrection.” This hadith shows the legitimacy of saying the prayer call by a person who prays alone..

384
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying, “When you hear the caller to prayer, repeat what he is saying, then ask Allah to exalt my mention, for whoever asks Allah to exalt my mention Allah will exalt his mention tenfold. Then, ask Allah to give me the wasila, which is a rank in Paradise that only one of Allah's servants will attain. I hope I will be that one. If anyone asks (Allah to grant me) the Wasila, he will be assured of my intercession.”.

Commentary : This hadith shows the virtue of exalting the Prophet's mention after the call to prayer. He urged us to repeat what the caller said, except his saying, "Come to prayer, come to success," the listener said, “There is no power nor strength except in Allah," as in Sahih Muslim. Afterward, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed that whoever exalted his mention Allah would praise him with his angels tenfold. He urged us to ask Allah to grant him the prestige of Wasilah, which was a status in Paradise that only one would attain. The Prophet (ﷺ) hoped he would attain this prestige. As a result, it is recommended to say, as in Bukhari, after the call for prayer, "O Allah, God of this perfect call and established prayer. Grant Muhammad (ﷺ) the intercession and favor, and raise him to the honored station You have promised him." Whoever asks Allah, after every call for prayer, to grant this status to the Prophet (ﷺ) will be assured of his intercession. His intercession will be for: (1) Sinful Muslims to enter Paradise without accountability, (2) Raising some People's status in Paradise, and (3) Getting some Muslims out of Hell after they deserve it..

385
Omar ibn Al-Khattab narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When the caller to prayer says, 'Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,’ and one of you responds, 'Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,’ then the caller says, 'I testify that there is no god but Allah,’ and one of you responds, 'I testify that there is no god but Allah,’ then the caller says, 'I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ and one of you responds, 'I testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,’ then the caller says, 'Come to prayer,' one of you responds, 'There is neither might nor power except with Allah,' then the caller says, 'Come to salvation,' and one of you responds, 'There is neither might nor power except with Allah,’ then the caller says, 'Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,' and one of you responds, 'Allah is the Greatest, Allah is the Greatest,' then the caller says, 'There is no god but Allah,' and one of you heartedly responds, 'There is no god but Allah,' he will enter Paradise.'".

Commentary : The aim of azan (call to prayer) is to inform people about its exact time. The call words are comprehensive for the Islamic doctrine of faith. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) commands Muslims to repeat what the caller is saying. Despite its being short, the sentence, “Allah is the greatest" refers to His perfection and negates any meaning that may contradict so. It may mean that He 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. After these two sentences, the listener should say, “There is neither might nor power except with Allah.” It is as if a Muslim confirmed his weakness that he had no help with prayer or success except through Allah's support. In the end, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirms that whoever repeats, with his tongue and heart, what the call says will enter Paradise, for repeating these words confirms the oneness of Allah along with glorifying, obeying, surrendering, praising, trusting, and seeking His help. Finally, this hadith urges Muslims to sincerity and encourages them to repeat the words of the call to prayer..

386
Saad ibn Abi Waqqas narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If anyone says when hearing the caller to prayer, 'I testify that there is no god but Allah alone Who has no partner and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord, Muhammad as a Messenger, and Islam as a religion, his sins will be forgiven.'" In another narration, "And I testify ...".

Commentary : Allah preferred some times to others and made supplications on them subject to be responded by Him. In addition, he determined specific supplications for specific times such as those said by a Muslim after the prayer call. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said that if a Muslim says after a prayer call, "I testify that there is no god but Allah alone Who has no partner," which means I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah alone, with no partner in his kingdom or worship. He added, “and that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger," in which he was described as a servant, for he reached the ultimate level of humility and submission to Allah and was the most pious of all creation, so none has ever reached his level of humility and submission to his Lord but him. Moreover, he was linguistically added to His Lord in the same context out of honor. Also, he added, “I am satisfied with Allah as my Lord," which means I am satisfied with His lordship and decrees. He added, “and Muhammad as a Messenger," which means to believe in all laws with which he was sent. Also, he said, “and Islam as a religion," which means all of its rules, commands, and prohibitions. Finally, he concluded, “… his sins will be forgiven," which means that his minor sins will be forgiven. In Sahih Ibn Khuzeima and Sahih ibn Hibban, he said, “All of his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

387
Mu'aweya ibn Abu Sufian said that he heard the Prophet ﷺ said, "The callers to prayer will have the longest necks of all people on the Day of Resurrection.".

Commentary : Calling to prayer is a venerable Islamic rite for which Allah honored and favored the callers to it with great rewards, which the issue that made the Companions look forward to this favor. In this hadith, the Prophet clarified the virtues of the callers that they would have the longest necks of all people on the Day of Resurrection. This means one of the following meanings: (1) They will be the most yearning people for Allah's mercy, for the one yearning for something is trying to lengthen his neck toward what he is looking forward to, (2) When people are covered with their sweat on the Day of Resurrection, the callers’ necks will lengthen to avoid this distress, or (3) They are the leaders of all people, for the Arabs used to describe gentlemen with long necks. Finally, this hadith shows the virtues of the callers to prayer over all people on the Day of Resurrection..

388
Jaber narrated, "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "When the devil hears the call to prayer, he goes away till he gets Ar-Rauha’.” Suleiman said, "I asked him about Ar-Rauha' so he answered, "It is thirty-six miles from Medina.".

Commentary : Satan's goal is to seduce people and turn them away from Allah's path and monotheism. As a result, it is so difficult for him to hear the call to prayer, for it includes calling for monotheism and declaring the slogan of Islam. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirms that when the call to prayer is announced, Satan goes far away to a distant place called, "Ar-Rauha'" which is a valley about 80 kilometers from Medina and about 25 kilometers in length between Medina and Mecca. This means Satan goes far away from the praying person as the distance between Medina and Ar-Rawha’. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to rest there during traveling to perform pilgrimage or umrah and returning from a battle. This hadith confirms that Satan moves far away from the place where the call to prayer is delivered as shown in another narration of this hadith in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the call to prayer is finished, he comes back, and when the Iqama is delivered, he goes far away again, and when the Iqama is finished, he comes back again." Finally, this hadith shows the virtue and effects of the call to prayer on escaping Satan and keeping his whisperings away from the praying person..

395
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If anyone performs a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al-Fatihah), it is deficient [thrice] and incomplete." Someone asked Abu Hurairah, "What if we pray behind an imam?" He said, "Recite it in a quiet voice, for I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, "Allah, the Most-High, said, "I have divided the prayer into two halves between Me and My servant and My servant will receive what he asks. When the servant recites, "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds," Allah, the Most-High, says, "My servant has praised Me." When he recites, "The Most Gracious, the Most Merciful," Allah, the Most-High, says, "My servant has lauded Me." When he recites, "Master of the Day of Judgment," Allah says, "My servant has glorified Me" or "My servant entrusted (his affairs) to Me." When he recites, "You alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help," Allah says, "This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks." When he recites, "Guide us to the Straight path. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray," Allah says, "This is for my servant and he will receive what he asks.".

Commentary : Prayer is worship that can be only learned from the Islamic texts. Thus, the Prophet (ﷺ) verbally and practically taught Muslims its pillars and rules. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "If anyone performs a prayer in which he does not recite Umm Al-Quran (Al-Fatihah), it is deficient [thrice] and incomplete." He repeated it thrice as a confirmation of its importance. Reciting Surat Al-Fatihah is for the imam and a Muslim who prays alone is one of the pillars of prayer. Someone asked Abu Hurairah about what they should recite behind an imam, so he answered that they have to recite it in a quiet voice, for this Prophetic hadith. Allah called Surat Al-Fatihah prayer, for it is one of its obligatory prerequisites. Allah mentioned that the prayer becomes two halves, for its first half is to praise Allah while the other is to supplicate Him who responds to his servant. It is likely that Allah told this conversation to his angels. His saying, "My servant has praised me" confirms that Allah accepted the servant's praise. His saying, "My servant has lauded me" means that the servant acknowledges Allah's grants to his creatures. His saying, "My servant has glorified me" refers that glory is the supreme honor which is better than just praising. His saying, "This is between Me and My servant, and My servant will receive what he asks" after his saying, "You alone we worship and You Alone we ask for help," shows that the first half is to acknowledge Allah's divinity while worshipping him but the other half is to ask Allah for help. His saying, "Guide us to the Straight path. The Way of those on whom You have bestowed Your Grace, not (the way) of those who earned Your Anger, nor of those who went astray," and his answer, "This is for my servant and he will receive what he asks" refers to a deep supplication from the servant and a response from Allah. The most likely opinion is that it is not obligatory for a person in a loud congregational prayer to recite Al-Fatihah, so he has to listen to his imam's recitation after Al-Fatihah, for Allah's saying, "So, when the Qur’ān is recited, listen to it, and be silent that you may receive mercy." (Al-A’raf: 204). In Sunan An-Nasa'i, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet said, "The imam is appointed only to be followed, so when he says the takbir, say it also and when he recites, listen silently.” Finally, this hadith proves Allah's attribute of speech in the manner that befits Him, Glory be to Him..

398
Imran ibn Husain narrated that while the Prophet ﷺ was praying Zuhr prayer, a person recited, "Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most-High." behind him. When he concluded the prayer, he said, "Who amongst you were reciting or who amongst you was the reciter?" A person said, "It was me." The Prophet replied, "I thought as if someone amongst you was disputing with me (in what I was reciting).".

Commentary : Prayer is worship that can be only learned from the Islamic texts. Thus, the Prophet (ﷺ) verbally and practically taught Muslims its pillars and rules. In this hadith, Imran ibn Husein narrated that when the prophet (ﷺ) once led Muslims in Dhuhr prayer and a man behind was loudly reciting Surat Al-A'la, the Prophet (ﷺ) declined his way and asked, after finishing his prayer, about who was reciting behind. A man answered, "It was me." The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "I thought as if someone amongst you was disputing with me (in what I was reciting)." He was confused by this man’s recitation, so he denounced his loud recitation, not his absolute recitation. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim can recite a Quranic sura after Surat Al-Fatihah in silent prayers, and (2) It warns a praying Muslim against reciting the Quran loudly behind his imam in silent and audible prayers..

399
Abda narrated that Umar ibn Al-Khattab used to loudly say these words, "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabaraka esmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuka" (Glory be to You, O Allah and Yours is the praise! Blessed is Your Name! Exalted is Your Majesty! No god but You).

Commentary : Prayer is the most important Islamic pillar. It should be completely and perfectly performed as Allah commanded. The Prophet's Companions were keen to learn and teach people its rules. In this hadith, Omar used to loudly say the opening supplication in prayer to instruct people behind. The supplication "Subhanaka Allahumma wa bi hamdika" means that we glorify Allah while praising Him. Some scholars said that glorifying Allah came before praising Him, for glorifying is to exalt Him above all deficiencies while praising is to commend Him for his perfect attributes. As a rule, praising someone for his noble attributes should be preceded by making sure to avoid falsely describing him with unrealistic attributes. The supplication "tabaraka esmuka" means that blessed is Your Name. The supplication "ta'ala jadduka" means exalted is Your Majesty. In the Four Books of Sunan, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said the same supplication, but without saying them loudly. Omar may have loudly said it to instruct people behind, as narrated in Abderrazzaaq's Musannaf (hadith collection) that "Omar used to teach people that after a Muslim begins praying, he should say, ‘Subhanaka Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabaraka esmuka wa ta'ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghairuka.’” (Glory be to You, O Allah and Yours is the praise! Blessed is Your Name! Exalted is Your Majesty! No god but You).

399
Anas narrated, "I performed prayer behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman, but never heard any one of them reciting, ‘Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim’ (loudly).".

Commentary : Prayer is worship that can be only learned from the Islamic texts so the Prophet's companions in detail learned it from the Prophet (ﷺ) then transmitted it to the nation just as they performed it with him. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik confirmed that he prayed behind the Prophet (ﷺ), Abu Bakr, Omar, and Uthman, but never heard anyone of them reciting, "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim" (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful) whether before Surat Al-Fatihah or the surahs afterward. This may refer that they recited it quietly so none of the praying ones behind could hear it. It may also refer that they did not recite it but directly started reciting Surat Al-Fatihah. The preferred opinion is that a Muslim should secretly recite it before Surat Al-Fatihah and every sura afterward. In another narration in Sahih Muslim, Anas ibn Malek narrated, "They used to begin with 'All praise is due to Allah' and did not recite, 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful' neither before the first recitation nor the second one.” It was narrated that some Companions thought that loudly reciting "Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim" was better, including Abu Hurairah, Ibn Omar, Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Al-Zubayr..

400
Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) dozed for a short while (in a narration, “in the mosque”) and raised his head smiling. We said, 'What made you laugh O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)?’ He said, ‘A surah has just been revealed to me.’ He then recited, ‘In the name of Allah, the Most merciful, the Entirely Merciful. Verily, We have granted you Al‑Kauthar. Therefore, turn in prayer to your Lord and sacrifice (to Him only). For he who hates you, he will be cut off.’ (Al-Kawthar: 1-3) Then he asked, ‘Do you know what al-Kawthar is?’ We replied, ‘Allah and His Prophet (ﷺ) know it better.’ He said, ‘It is a river that my God promised me (in a narration, ‘in Paradise’) with lots of goodness upon it. There will be a pool that my nation will come to on the Day of Resurrection. Their vessels are as numerous as stars. A servant will be taken from them. Thereupon, I will say, ‘My God, he is from my nation.’ He said, ‘You do not know what heresies it (in a narration, ‘he’) innovated after you.’”.

Commentary : Al-Kawthar is a river in Paradise that Allah granted to his Prophet (ﷺ), out of honoring him and his nation. It is connected to the basin from which the believers will drink water on the Day of Resurrection and never be thirsty afterward. It is called Al-Kawthar for its abundant water and vessels and a great blessing and goodness. In the hadith, Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) dozed for a short while among them in the mosque, which was his state while receiving revelation. When he raised his head smiling, his Companions asked him about the reason. He clarified that Surat Al-Kawthar had just been revealed to him. The surah means: We gave you, O Messenger, a lot of goodness, including Al-Kawthar which is a river in Paradise. So give thanks to God for this blessing by praying and slaughtering to him alone. The one who hates you is the one who is cut off from all goodness, the forgotten one, and who, if mentioned, is mentioned with evil. While the Prophet and the faithful are drinking from it, a man will be expelled and taken away. At that moment, the Prophet will ask Allah to bring him back but he will be answered that he does not know the heresies his nation invented after his death. They disobeyed Allah's orders and committed forbidden acts. May Allah grant us steadfastness in Islam and Prophetic tradition! These mentioned people may: (1) Have left Islam so they deserved the Prophet's renunciation, (2) Have committed major sins or dangerous heresies. He may turn away from them and decide not to intercede for them in fulfilling Allah's command, so they will be punished for their crimes. He may later intercede for them as he will do regarding the believing people who committed major sins and will be later brought out of Hell. This is a severe threat to everyone who introduces something into Islam that he may be expelled from the Prophet's basin. Some of these groups are those opposing Muslim nation like Kharijites, the Shiites, people of forbidden desires, and the oppressors trying to conceal the truth and publically commit major sins. All should be afraid to be included in this hadith. Finally, this hadith confirms the permissibility to sleep in mosques and a Muslim's sleeping in the presence of his friends..

401
Wa'el ibn Hujr narrated that he saw the Prophet ﷺ raising his hands, beginning the prayer, then saying takbir. Then, the Prophet ﷺ wrapped his garment with his hands and placed his right hand over his left one. When he wanted to bow, he got his hands out of his garment, lifted them, said takbir, then bowed. Afterward, when he said (after standing), "Allah hears whoever praises Him," he lifted his hands. When he prostrated, he put his head between his two palms..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that can be only learned from the Islamic texts so the Prophet's companions in detail learned and transmitted it to the nation just as they performed it with him. In this hadith, the Prophet's companion, Wa'el ibn Hujr, described the Prophet's prayer as he saw. The Prophet (ﷺ) his praying by pronouncing the first takbeer while raising his hands next to his ears. Afterward, he wrapped his garment and covered his chest and hands, due to the extreme coldness or so. He placed his right palm on his left one, for it is closer to submissiveness behind Allah. Afterward, he lifted his hands, said takbeer, and bowed. When he stood, he said, "Allah hears whoever praises Him." It is a supplication that means, "O Allah! Answer the supplication of who praises You." It has two possibilities. Either it is a supplication from an imam for those praying behind him or it is to express Allah's grace. As for those praying behind an imam, they either answer him by saying, "O Lord! For you is the all praise," as in the hadith narrated by Anas in the Two Sahihs or they say the two sentences as the solitary praying one. When the Prophet wanted to prostrate, he put his head between his two palms. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Prayer is not invalid due to simple moves such as moving garments, and (2) It explains some hand's moves during prayer..

403
Ibn Abbas narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to teach us at-Tashahhud just as he used to teach us a chapter of the Quran. He used to say, 'All blessed services and good prayers are due to Allah. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah are upon you, O Prophet ﷺ. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad ﷺ is His Messenger.’ In another narration, Ibn Abbas said, “... just as he used to teach us the Quran.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam, so the Prophet ﷺ taught us the way to perform it and its supplications, including the words of at-tashahhud. In this hadith, Abdullah bin Abbas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was keen to teach and encouraged his companions to memorize at-Tashahhud, as he did with the Quran. Its first sentence is to say, “All blessed services” which means dominion and greatness. “Prayers” is the supplication, the five daily prayers, or mercy. “The good deeds” are the righteous deeds that a servant dedicates to Allah only or those words he says to praise Him. “Greeting (peace), mercy, and blessings of Allah are upon you, O Prophet ﷺ. Greeting (peace) is upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah” means to greet the Prophet ﷺ and all righteous servants. By the way, Peace is one of Allah’s names which has two meanings: (1) Seeking Allah’s refuge and protection and (2) Negating any defects that people may attribute to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ taught them to particularly greet him, out of honor and high prestige, great themselves, and generally greet all the righteous. The righteous are those fulfilling Allah’s and his servants’ rights. Then, he completed the at-tashahhud by saying, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah,” and added, as narrated by Ibn Omar in Sunan Abu Daoud, “alone without a partner of Him.” It means that a Muslim acknowledges and approves that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, the Almighty. His saying, “And I bear witness that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger,” means that a Muslim believes that Muhammad is the Messenger that Allah sent. He is not a liar, magician, or fortune teller, as the infidels say. Thus, a Muslim approves the Prophet’s message in every prayer. The other part of at-tashahhud is to exalt the Prophet’s mention. In the Two Sahihs, Ka’b ibn ‘Ujra narrated that the companions asked the Prophet ﷺ, “O Allah’s Messenger ﷺ, we learned how to greet you, so how we exalt your mention?” He said, “Say, ‘O Allah, exalt Muhammad’s mention and the family of Muhammad as You exalted the mention of Ibrahim’s family. You are the Praiseworthy and the Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad ﷺ and the family of Muhammad ﷺ as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are the Praiseworthy and the Glorious..

404
Hettan ibn Abdullah Ar-Raqashy narrated, “I once prayed behind Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary. When he was in the last setting, one of the praying men said, ‘The prayer was associated with goodness and Zakat.’ When ending his prayer, Abu Musa said, ‘Who amongst you said such and such a thing?’ A hush fell over the people. He repeated, ‘Who amongst you said such and such a thing?’ Once again, a hush fell over the people. He said, ‘O Hettan, perhaps you said it?’ I answered, ‘No. I did not say it. I was afraid that you may have blamed me on account of it.’ A man amongst the people said, ‘I said it and intended nothing but good.’ Abu Musa said, ‘Do not you know what you should say during your prayers? Verily, the Prophet ﷺ once addressed and explained to us how to observe prayer. He said, ‘When you want to pray, make your rows straight and let one of you lead you. When he (the imam) says takbir, you say takbir. When he recites, ‘Not of those who have evoked [Your] anger or of those who are astray.’ (Al-Fatihah: 7), you say, ‘Ameen’ and Allah will respond to you. When he says takbir and bows, you say takbir and bow, for he bows and then raises himself before you. This makes up for that. When he says, ‘Allah listens to whom praises Him,’ you should say, ‘O Allah, our Lord, to you is the praise.’ Allah will listen to you. Allah, the Almighty, said as his Prophet ﷺ narrated, ‘Allah listens to whom praises Him.’ When he (the Imam) says takbir and prostrates, you say takbir and prostrate, for he prostrates and then raises himself before you. This makes up for that. When he sits (to say at-tashahhud), you should say, ‘All good services and prayers are due to Allah. Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah are upon you, O Prophet ﷺ. Peace be upon us and upon the upright servants of Allah. I testify that there is no god but Allah, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.’ In another narration, he said, “Allah, the Almighty, commanded it through his Prophet’s tongue, ‘Allah listens to whom praises Him.’”.

Commentary : 1605
Prayer is the pillar of Islam, so the Prophet ﷺ taught us how to perform it and say its supplications. After his death, his companions were keen to teach people all acts of worship. In this hadith, Hettan ibn Abdullah Ar-Raqashy related that he once prayed behind the Prophet’s companion Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary. When he was in the last setting, one of the praying men said, “The prayer was associated with goodness and Zakat.” He meant that it was associated with the in the Quran as obligatory acts. Once Abu Musa ended his prayer, he asked about that person but none answered then he repeated his question but also none answered. Abu Musa thought that Hettan was that person but the latter hastened to negate that to avoid Abu Musa’s blaming. Abu Musa thought it was Hettan, for the similarity of voices or that Hettan was a close friend to Abu Musa, so he could say that. Afterward, one of the praying men confirmed that he himself said that sentence and intended nothing but good. Abu Musa was surprised that he did not know what was allowed or disallowed in prayer. As a result, Abu Musa told the attendants that the Prophet ﷺ once addressed his companions to explain to them prayer along with some Islamic rites. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to stand on prayer rows straightly, complete the first line then the second and so on, and let one of them lead them. He (the imam) should be the most in jurisprudence and memorizing the Qur’an, as the Prophetic narrations showed. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that if the imam said “Allahu Akbar” at the beginning of prayer, people said “Allahu Akbar” afterward. If he recited Surat Al-Fatihah entirely, people said, “Amen” which meant, “O Allah, Respond.” If they did that, Allah would answer their supplication. If he bowed, people bowed afterward. It is forbidden to precede him in any move. The moment he precedes people in bowing will be got when he raised himself and says “Allahu Akbar” then they follow him. So, all spend the same time in bowing. If the imam said, “Same’a Allahu leman hamedahu (it means may Allah listen to whom praises Him,’ people said, “O Allah, our Lord, to you is the praise.” It may be a supplication from the imam for the people behind him or he informs them about Allah’s grace. Both the imam and a person who prays alone should say the two sentences but the one behind the imam says the second sentence only. It was said that the latter said the two sentences as well. If they, the praying ones, said that, Allah listened to their supplication and their words. The Prophet ﷺ also clarified how to prostrate as he did for bowing. He also taught his companions the words of at-tashahhud before ending prayer. It means that Allah is deserved all kind words of greatness, praise, glorification, and sovereignty. He is deserved that people direct to him in their righteous deeds of worship and prayers. Then, the praying one is guided to send his greeting (peace) to the Prophet ﷺ along with asking Allah’s mercy and blessings to him as well due to his honor and high right. He also greets himself and all righteous slaves of Allah. Peace is one of Allah’s names. It means seeking refuge in Him or being safe from any defect and corruption. Also, the praying one should declare the testimony of monotheism, “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.” The Prophet ﷺ added, “Alone without a partner” as in ibn Omar’s narration in Sunan Abu Daoud. It means that I acknowledge that there is no truly worshiped god except Allah. He also says, “And I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” It means that I believe that Muhammad is a messenger sent from Allah. He was neither a liar nor a magician as polytheists claimed. This is the first half of at-tashahhud. In the other half, a person exalts the Prophet’s mention. In the Two Sahihs, Ka'b ibn 'Ojra narrated, "The Prophet ﷺ came to us and we asked him, 'O Messenger of Allah, we knew how to greet you, but how should we supplicate for you?' He said, 'Say, 'Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammadin, wa 'ala 'ali Muhammadin, kama sallaita 'ala 'ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid. Allahumma barek 'ala Muhammadin, wa 'ala 'ali Muhammadin, kama barakta 'ala 'ali Ibrahima, innaka Hamidun Majid.'" It means, "O Allah, exalt the mention of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as you exalted the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious. O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad as You blessed the family of Ibrahim. You are Praised and Glorious.” This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It commands us to straighten prayer rows, (2) It is recommended to say “Amen” after the imam recites Surat Al-Fatihah, (3) The praying ones have to immediately following their imam in bowing and prostrating, and (4) It clarifies the words of At-tashahhud..

408
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If anyone exalts my mention once, Allah will exalt his mention ten times.”.

Commentary : Due to Allah’s honor of his Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, He made the testimony of proving His oneness is linked to the testimony of proving the Prophet’s message. It is Allah’s mercy and grace that he gives double reward to those exalting his Prophet’s mention. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ clarifies that if a person exalts the Prophet’s mentions one time, Allah will similarly have mercy, reward, honor, and exalt his mention in the highest assembly ten times. It is said that the meaning is that Allah approaches his servants with compassion and brings them out of darkness into light as He says, “He it is Who sends Ṣalāt (His blessings) on you, and His angels too (ask Allah to bless and forgive you), that He may bring you out from darkness into light.” (Al-Ahzab: 43) This is like Allah’s saying in the sacred hadith in Bukhari, “I am as my slave expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly.” Thus, a Muslim’s exalting the Prophet’s mentions is better than supplicating for himself. In Sunan An-Nasa’i, Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet ﷺ says, “Whoever exalts my mention one time, Allah will exalt his mention ten times, forgive ten sins, and raise him ten degrees.” Finally, this hadith urges to frequently exalt the Prophet’s mention..