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Hadith
223
It was narrated from Umm Qays bint Mihsan that she brought a small son of hers, who was not yet eating solid food, to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat the child in his lap, and the child urinated on his garment. So he called for water and sprinkled it [on the urine], and he did not wash it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pay attention to matters of purification and explain the rulings thereon, which included the method of purifying the urine of nursing infants.
In this hadith, the Sahabiyyah Umm Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she brought a small son of hers to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Her describing the child as not yet eating solid food indicates that the child was still breast-feeding. It was their custom to bring their children to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that he could pray for them and bless them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took the child from her and sat him in his lap, and the child urinated on his garment, but he did no more than sprinkle water on the garment, and he did not wash it. This is by way of making it easy to purify garments from the urine of breast-feeding infants who are not yet eating solid food. In other reports, it is proven that he sprinkled water over the urine of a boy, but washed the urine of a girl.
This hadith highlights the good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how he comforted and uplifted adults by honouring their children and sitting them in his lap, and so on..

226
It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari was very strict concerning urine, and he said: Among the Children of Israel, if urine got on the garments of one of them, he would cut it off. Then Hudhayfah said: I wish he would stop [being so strict]; the Messenger of Allah came to the garbage dump of some people and urinated standing..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease, and it made easier for the Muslims many of the rulings that had been imposed on previous nations. One example of that is how it made the matter of purification and removing impurities, if they contaminate someone, easy.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Wa’il Shaqiq ibn Salamah narrates that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) was very strict in taking precautions regarding urine, to the extent that it was said that he would urinate in a bottle, for fear of any of it contaminating him. He said that among the Children of Israel, if urine contaminated the garment of one of them, he would cut it off, meaning that he would cut off the part of his garment that had become contaminated with urine. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I wish Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari would stop being so strict regarding this matter, because it is contrary to the Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to the garbage dump of some people, and urinated standing, and undoubtedly when one stands, there is bound to be some splashback, but he did not go to the trouble of urinating in a bottle and the like. This is by way of not causing too much hardship for people, because in principle whatever impurity (najasah) contaminates a person’s clothes or body may be purified with water, so if the Muslim pays attention to what he thinks was most likely contaminated with urine and the like, he should pour water over it where it can be seen, then it becomes pure. It was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urinated standing in that place because it was not possible to sit in that garbage dump, or because the impurity that would contaminate him if he sat would be greater than if he stood.
This hadith indicates that it is allowed to urinate standing if you are certain that you will not be contaminated with urine..

227
It was narrated that Asma’ said: A woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: What do you think if one of us menstruates and the blood gets onto her garment – what should she do? He said: “Scratch it, then rub it with water and sprinkle water on it, and pray wearing it.”.

Commentary : Being clean and free of impure substances (najasah) is one of the essential conditions of prayer, and menstrual blood is impure in and of itself.
In this hadith, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to ask him about a garment that becomes contaminated with menstrual blood. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to scratch it, meaning that she should rub it in order to remove the impurity. That applies if the blood has dried on the garment. Then she should rub it with water, meaning that she should rub it with her fingers whilst pouring water onto it, so that the stain that the garment had absorbed will be loosened and removed. Then she should sprinkle water on it, pouring water on it little by little, until the traces of blood are removed by washing it. After cleaning the garment in this manner, it will be permissible for her to pray in it.
This hadith indicates that no specific number of times is stipulated in order to remove impurity by washing; rather what is required is simply to clean the garment. Then if any trace is left on it that is too difficult to remove, it may be overlooked. This is how Islam makes things easy for people.   .

228
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who bleeds continually and never becomes pure. Should I stop praying? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No; rather that is a vein and is not menses. When the usual time of your menses comes, then stop praying, and when that time ends, wash the blood from yourself, then pray.” – He [one of the narrators] said: My father said: Then you should do wudu’ for each prayer, until that time comes again..

Commentary : The women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), despite their shyness and modesty, would ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about matters having to do with purification that concerned them exclusively, such as menses (hayd) and irregular bleeding (istihadah).
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with her) came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: I am a woman who bleeds continually (istihadah) and I never become pure, meaning that the bleeding never stopped. Irregular bleeding (istihadah) is non-menstrual bleeding that occurs after a woman’s normal period ends. Then she asked whether that bleeding came under the same rulings as menses, meaning that she should stop praying until it ended. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to her that that was irregular bleeding, and it was bleeding caused by illness, that came from the rupture of a vein in the uterus that is called al-‘adhil. It is not regarded as menstrual bleeding according to Islamic teachings, and it does not come under the same rulings as menses. So when the time of the usual monthly period comes, which is the time when a woman usually used to menstruate before she began to suffer from irregular bleeding, she should stop praying when that time begins, whether it occurs at the beginning of the month, or in the middle, or at the end. Then when the time of her normal menses ends she should wash the traces of blood from herself and start praying again. What is meant is that she should continue to refrain from prayer, fasting and other things that are forbidden whilst menstruating for what had been the duration of her regular menses before she began to suffer from irregular bleeding. Then when that time ends, and she has completed the number of days that her menses used to last, at that point she is no longer menstruating, so she should wash the site of the bleeding in order to clean it, then do a complete ghusl in order to remove impurity (hadath).
Hisham [one of the narrators] narrated from his father, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: Then she should do wudu’ for every prayer during the time of irregular bleeding, until the next menses comes.
This hadith indicates that the Sahabah used to refer to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning any issues that they encountered, and ask him about rulings, seeking answers concerning these matters..

231
It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn Maymun said: I asked Sulayman ibn Yasar about a garment that gets contaminated with semen. He said: ‘A’ishah said: I would wash it from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go out to pray, with damp spots on the garment from its having been washed..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take care of his body and garments by washing and cleaning them, whether that was in accordance with an Islamic ruling, or simply seeking to be clean.
In this report, ‘Amr ibn Maymun asked Sulayman ibn Yasaar about the ruling on a garment if it becomes contaminated with semen, which is the liquid that is emitted from a man’s penis when having intercourse or a wet dream; it is a thick, white substance. He replied by quoting what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had narrated, that she used to wash the semen from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and she did not wash the entire garment. Then he would go out of her apartment to pray in the mosque, with damp spots on his garment, and he would pray wearing it. This indicates that a garment may be purified by washing away the semen. This washing applies if the semen is still wet. If it has dried, it may be scratched off the garment, as is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim: I used to scratch it off the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

237
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Every wound that a Muslim sustains in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time when he was stabbed; it will be flowing with blood, the colour of which will be the colour of blood, but its fragrance will be the fragrance of musk.”.

Commentary : Martyrdom in Allah’s cause is a great virtue, and the martyrs have a high status before Allah (may He be glorified). This hadith highlights some of the virtues of those who are martyred in Allah’s cause; in it the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) states that every wound that a Muslim sustains when fighting in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was in this world when he was stabbed, flowing with blood. But even though its colour will be the colour of blood, its fragrance will be perfume, like the fragrance of musk. It was said that the wisdom behind the blood appearing on the Day of Resurrection as it was [when he was stabbed in this world] is that it will testify to the virtue of the individual and will testify against the one who killed him. The benefit of its fragrance is that this fragrance will spread in the place of standing, also to highlight the virtue of the person. Hence it is not prescribed to wash the bodies of martyrs who die in battle..

239
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “No one of you should urinate into standing water that does not flow, then wash himself with it.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of purity and cleanliness, and it guides the Muslim to that which will preserve his cleanliness. One of the most important means of achieving cleanliness is water, so Islam instructs us to protect it and not let it be contaminated with impurities, or to throw filthy things into it.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbids urinating into standing water, which is stagnant water that does not flow and is not renewed, and then washing oneself with it. This prohibition is so that this action will not lead to the water becoming impure or being spoiled so that people find it off-putting. Moreover, such water is not fit to be used for washing oneself.
In a report narrated by Muslim, there is an explanation of how to wash oneself with standing water. In that report it says: he should scoop the water out from it, meaning that he should take water from that pond or pool, then wash himself away from it. This also comes under the heading of protecting clean and pure water that is fit to be used, because the Muslim is enjoined to protect and preserve all kinds of water, whether flowing or stagnant. The emphasis is on being careful to preserve stagnant water because it is not renewed, and it is more likely to change or become spoiled if something is thrown into it, let alone if what is thrown into it is something impure (najis), such as urine and the like. .

241
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spat into his garment..

Commentary : The lives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were not lives of ease and luxury; rather hardship and roughness were the hallmarks of the lives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions. Hence there was no sign of luxury in his life, and instead of handkerchiefs, they would use the edge of their garments. In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spat into his garment. Spitting refers to expelling saliva or mucus from the mouth by blowing it out. It may be understood that this happened during the prayer, because the Muslim is required to respect the qiblah and the mosque, and he is enjoined to bury his phlegm if he has no choice but to spit it out [whilst praying], as is proven in various reports.
This hadith indicates that spittle and phlegm are pure (tahir)..

243
It was narrated from Abu Hazim that he heard Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi when the people asked him, and there was no one between me and him: With what were the wounds of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated? He said: There is no one left who knows more about that than me. ‘Ali brought his shield, in which there was water, and Fatimah washed the blood from his face, then a small reed mat was taken and burned, and applied to his wounds..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was injured during the battle of Uhud; he received cuts to his head and face. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar al-Madini narrates that Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was treated for the injuries that he had sustained on the day of Uhud. He replied: There is no one left who knows more about that than me. That was because he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Madinah; he died in 91 AH at the age of one hundred years. He narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) brought water in his shield, which is a piece of personal armour that is used to protect a fighter from being struck by arrows and swords. Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) washed the blood from the wounds, and when she saw that the bleeding would not stop, she burned a small reed mat, then took the ashes and put them on the wound in order to stop the bleeding.
This hadith indicates that trials and calamities befell the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) so that they might attain immense reward, so that their nations and others would know what befell them and thus follow their example, and so that they might know that they were human beings who experienced what other humans experience.
It indicates that a woman may interact with her father and mahrams, show kindness to them and treat them when they are sick or injured.
It indicates that it is valid to seek medical treatment.
It indicates that one who has no knowledge may ask one who does have knowledge about something that he does not know..

244
It was narrated that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari said: I came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and I found him cleaning his teeth with a siwak that he had in his hand, saying, “Agh, agh” with the siwak in his mouth, as if he was retching..

Commentary : The siwak is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. It is a confirmed Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he would enjoin people to use it. It is cleansing for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said.
This hadith highlights how extensively the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would clean his mouth with the siwak, as Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was cleaning his teeth with a siwak, reaching to the furthest part of the throat, to the extent that he made a sound as if he were going to vomit, saying “Agh, agh.” This is describing the sound made when he using the siwak, because of how extensively he was cleaning his teeth and mouth with it.
This hadith highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

245
It was narrated that Hudhayfah said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to pray at night, he would clean his mouth with a siwak..

Commentary : The siwak is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. It is one of the most emphatically confirmed Sunnahs of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as he often cleaned his teeth with a siwak and enjoined others to do likewise. It is more important to use it at some times than others, such as what is mentioned in this hadith, which speaks of offering voluntary prayers at night (qiyam al-layl). Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to get up to pray qiyam al-layl and tahajjud, he would clean his mouth with the siwak, meaning that he would pass it over his teeth and rub them with it. He did that to take away any bad smell, so that he could recite Qur’an and offer du‘a’ in his prayer.
This hadith highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

246
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I saw myself [in a dream] cleaning my teeth with a siwak. Then two men came to me, one of whom was older than the other, and I gave the siwak to the younger one, but it was said to me: Give it to the older one, so I gave it to the older of the two.”.

Commentary : The dreams of the Prophets are true. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw in a dream that he was cleaning his teeth with a siwak, which is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. Then two men came to him, one of whom was older than the other, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the siwak to the younger of them. Then it was said to him: Give it to the older one, meaning: give precedence to the older one. The one who told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to give it to the older one was Jibril (peace be upon him). So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave it to the older one.
This hadith indicates that proper etiquette is to give precedence in a gathering to one who is older over one who is younger. This is the Sunnah when saying salaam and greeting people, when offering drinks and perfume, and other matters.
It highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

247
It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you go to your bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say: Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilayka wa fawwadtu amri ilayka wa alja’tu zahri ilayka raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka, la malja’a wa laa manjaa minka illa ilayka. Allahumma amantu bi kitabika alladhi anzalta wa bi nabiyyika alladhi arsalta (O Allah I submit my face to You, and I entrust my affairs to You, and I seek Your protection, in hope and in fear of You. Indeed there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent).
Then if you die during the night, you will have died in a state of fitrah (sound human nature). Make these the last words that you speak.”
He said: I repeated it back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and when I reached the words. “Allahumma amantu bi kitabika allahi anzalta (O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed),” I said: “Wa rasulika (And Your Messenger).” He said: “No. Wa nabiyyika alladhi arsalta (and Your Prophet whom You sent).”
.

Commentary : This hadith highlights the etiquette of going to sleep, and what is to be said when laying down in one’s bed, as al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “When you go to your bed”, meaning: when you want to go to sleep, then do wudu’ properly before you go to bed, as if you were doing wudu’ for prayer. Then lie down on your right side, because it is more effective in giving you energy and making you content with a little sleep, and it is more effective in helping you to wake up at the end of the night, and is more beneficial for the heart. Then say: “O Allah I submit my face to You” meaning: I submit my soul to You when going to sleep, and entrust it to You for safekeeping.
“and I entrust my affairs to You”, so I put my trust in You in all my affairs, hoping that You will suffice me in all things, and protect me from all ills.
“and I rely totally on You”, seeking Your protection and turning to You, so that You will keep me under Your watchful eye that never sleeps. Saying “and I seek Your protection” after “and I entrust my affairs to You” indicates that after entrusting to Allah his affairs that he needs to be in order and that are essential to his well-being, he turns to Allah for protection from that which could cause him harm and damage from various causes, both internal and external.
And I only do that “in hope” that is, hoping for Your mercy, “ and in fear of You” that is, fearing You and Your punishment, for there is no escape from You except to You, and no protection from Your punishment except by turning to Your pardon and forgiveness, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.
“I believe in Your Book which You have revealed” namely the Qur’an, and I believe “in Your Prophet whom You have sent”, namely Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him of the reward for the one who does that, which is that the one who dies that night in that state, will have died adhering to the religion of Islam and to the Sunnah of the best of mankind.
Because al-Bara’ was so keen to memorize this du‘a’, he repeated it back to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but he said “Rasulika (Your Messenger)” instead of “Nabiyyika (Your Prophet)”, so the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) corrected him. The reason why he corrected him was that he wanted it to refer to both positions, being a Prophet and being a Messenger, and to refer to both blessings. And it was said that that was so as to avoid any ambiguity, because the word rasul (messenger) could also include Jibril (peace be upon him) and others. And it was said that this is dhikr and du‘a’, so it should be limited to the exact wording that was narrated, because of the possibility that there might be something special about these exact words that is not applicable to other words.
This hadith highlights how greatly the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cared for his ummah in this world and the hereafter, and how he wanted them to die in a state of obedience and closeness to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
It encourages us to do wudu’ and offer du‘a’ before going to sleep, so that the last thing the Muslim does is remembering Allah (may He be exalted). .

248
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would start by washing his hands, then he would do wudu’ as for prayer, then he would put his fingers in the water [that he had poured on his head] to make the water to reach the roots of his hair. Then he would pour water over his head three times, using both hands, then pour water over his entire body..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved to be in a state of purity and to keep himself clean all the time. He often taught his companions how to purify themselves and what purification was.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to purify himself and do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah – the word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself – he would begin by washing his hands, before putting them into the water, by pouring water over them and washing them first. Then after that, he would do wudu’ as if for prayer, a complete wudu’. Then after that he would put his fingers in the water [that he had poured on his head] to make the water reach the scalp. Then he would pour a handful of water over his head three times. Then after that he would pour water over his entire body, making it reach all of his skin.
This hadith highlights the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to doing ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah.
It highlights the fact that purification and cleanliness are characteristics of Islam and the Muslims.
It indicates that a little water is sufficient to do ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah..

251
It was narrated that Abu Salamah said: A’ishah’s brother and I went to visit ‘A’ishah, and her brother asked her about the ghusl of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She called for a vessel that was approximately the size of a sa‘ and did ghusl, pouring water over her head. Between us and her there was a screen. Yazid ibn Harun, Bahz and al-Jadiy narrated from Shu‘bah that it was the size of a sa‘..

Commentary : In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) describes how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl. What is meant by ghusl is that which removes the janabah (state of impurity) that results from emitting maniy (semen) or having intercourse. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl with an amount of water that would fill a vessel that holds a sa‘. The sa‘ is a unit of measurement equivalent to four mudds or eight ratls. There is a difference of opinion regarding the equivalent to the ratl in terms of modern units of measurement. It is said that the ratl is equivalent to approximately 380 grams, or less than half a litre; or it is said that it is equivalent to 538 grams, or more than half a litre.
Then Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf said that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) explained to him and her brother, ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq – or it was said that it was ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid, her foster-brother – in practical terms how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl with this amount of water. She called for a vessel the size of a sa‘, and did ghusl from it.
There was a screen between her and them, hence they did not see anything but the pouring of water on her head. Abu Salamah was the son of ‘A’ishah’s foster sister; he had been breast-fed by Umm Kalthum, the daughter of Abu Bakr. So the two men present were her mahrams. Hence they saw nothing of her ghusl except the pouring of water onto her head, for that is what is permissible for a man to see of the woman who is his mahram. Were it not that they saw that, there would have been no point in calling for water to be brought and purifying herself in their presence, because if she did all of that behind a screen, where they could not see her at all, it would have been sufficient for her to teach them in words only. She only put the screen to cover the lower part of her body, and what it is not permissible for a mahram to look at..

413
Jaber narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was ill so we prayed behind him while he was sitting and Abu Bakr was conveying his takbir to people. When he turned and saw us standing, he gestured for us to sit down so we prayed sitting behind him. After uttering salutation, he said, 'You just like did what Persians and Romans did. They used to stand before their sitting kings. Do not do it but follow your prayer leaders. If they pray standing, then pray standing and if they pray sitting, then pray sitting.'".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the rules and etiquette of congregational prayer, including following and listening to the prayer leader's recitation while maintaining humility and regular rows. In this hadith, Jabir ibn Abdullah related that when the Prophet ﷺ was ill, he led them in prayer while sitting. At the same time, Abu Bakr was conveying his takbir (saying, 'Allahu Akbar) to people so they could follow his moves in prayer, due to the Prophet's weak voice during illness. While praying, he noticed that they were praying standing behind him. He gestured for them to sit and they did. After finishing, he showed them that it was the Persians and Romans' habit with their kings. They used to stand before their sitting kings. His statement indicated that it was similar to the acts of the polytheists and the People of the Book. The Prophet ﷺ prohibited them from doing so and instead guided them to follow their imam's case whether they were praying standing or sitting. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms the necessity of acting, unlike the non-Muslims' acts in all cases, (2) The Prophet ﷺ experienced what other people did such as illnesses, the issue that did not decrease his status. On the contrary, this increased his dignity and status, and (3) The imam can pray sitting when being unable to stand, and the people should follow his case and pray behind him while sitting as well..

426
Anas narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ one day led us in prayer. Upon completing the prayer, he turned his face towards us and said, ‘O People, I am your prayer leader, so neither precede me in bowing and prostration nor in standing and leaving, for I see you in front and behind me.’ Then, he said, ‘By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, if you had seen what I saw, you would have laughed little and wept much.’ They said, ‘What did you see, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?’ He replied, ‘I saw Paradise and Hell.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to follow the prayer leader (imam) in all of his moves and prohibited them from preceding him. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malek narrated that one day the Prophet ﷺ guided them - after ending the congregational prayer - to avoid preceding him in bowing and prostration nor standing and leaving and showed that he saw them in front and behind him. He may have meant that Allah granted him this exceptional privilege or that Allah revealed to him their moves in prayer, for vision may have expressed knowledge. Then, he swore by Allah that if his companions had seen what I saw, they would have laughed little and wept much for the horrible matters Allah revealed to him. When they asked him about the reason, he answered them that he had seen Paradise and Hell. He wanted to tell them that if they had seen what he saw of Paradise’s bliss for the obedient ones and Hell’s torment for the disobedient ones, they would have been overwhelmed by worry and distress, for they would have hoped to get Paradise’s bliss and avoid Hell’s torment. They would have laughed a little and wept much, for none could know his fate. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It encourages Muslims to be submissive in prayer and complete its pillars, (2) The imam should teach people the conditions of prayer, especially if he sees something contradicts them, and (3) It clarifies the Prophet’s miracle that he can see in front and behind him alike..

429
Abu Huraira narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "People should avoid raising their gaze to the sky while supplicating in prayer. Otherwise, their sight will be taken away.".

Commentary : Prayer can be only learned from the Islamic texts whether it is obligatory or supererogatory. All Muslims have to perfectly perform its aspects, including humility, looking at the place of prostration, and avoiding turning around. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) says, "People should avoid raising their gaze to the sky while supplicating in prayer..." This is an explicit prohibition of raising one's gaze to the sky when supplicating in prayer. It is the same if one does that at the beginning of a prayer or after standing up from bowing, for it means turning away from the prayer direction, neglecting the form of prayer, and having bad etiquette with Allah. All of these attributes contradict tranquility and humility in prayer. If one's heart is modest, his limbs will be tranquil. His saying, "Otherwise, their sight will be taken away," is the terrible result that Allah will suddenly and quickly take their sight. Finally, this hadith has the following benefits: (1) It is forbidden to intentionally raise one's gaze to the sky while supplicating in prayer, and (2) One of advice's etiquette in public is to not mean or direct it to a specific person, for this definitely will lead to be refused due to provocation..

430
Jaber ibn Samura narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ came to us and said, ‘Why I see you lifting your hands like the tails of headstrong horses? Be calm in prayer.’ He again came and saw us (sitting) in circles so he said, ‘Why I see you (setting) in separate groups?’ The, he again came to us and said, ‘Why do not you pray in rows as the angels stand in the presence of their God?’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, how do the angels stand in rows in the presence of their God?’ He answered, ‘They complete the first rows and keep close together in the row.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was the best teacher and educator for his companions. He used to observe their situations and guided them to what was best for them. In this hadith, Jaber narrated that one day the Prophet ﷺ observed that his companions were raising their hands when ending the prayer, so he prohibited them from lifting their hands like the tails of headstrong horses in prayer, for the horses sometimes move their tails and legs out of unrest. This is not commensurate with prayer’s prestige and the praying one’s solemnity, so he commanded them to be tranquil in prayer. In another narration of Imam Muslim, he said, “When the praying one wants to end his prayer, he should only turn his face towards his companion without gesturing with his hand.” He means that the praying one turns his face to his right and his left saying, “May Allah’s peace and mercy be upon you” without gesturing with his hand, which is prohibited. In another situation, the Prophet ﷺ saw his companions sitting in circles, so he guided them to gather and avoid sitting in separate circles. In another situation, he taught them to pray in rows as the angels stand in Allah’s presence. He showed that the angel stood in rows completing one by one. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows how the Prophet ﷺ was keen to teach and guide his companions, which is the issue that Muslim scholars should follow, (2) A Muslim should be submissive in prayer without imitating animals, (3) Muslims should gather and avoid disunity in assemblies, and (4) It commands Muslims to complete and straighten prayer’s rows..

432
Abdullah ibn Masoud said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Let people of understanding and reason be near to me in prayer, then those after them (thrice) and beware of the commotion of markets.”.

Commentary : Congregational prayer in mosques is of great importance and great reward. Thus, Islamic law cares about regulating its rows behind the imam so that people can feel psychological and physical discipline. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded people of understanding and reason to directly stand behind him in prayer for the following reasons: (1) They have the priority to pray behind him, (2) They are the best people to convey his acts of prayer to others, (3) Their ability to remind him of something he may forget regarding Quranic verses or prayer moves, or (4) They are the best people to represent him if something happens to him during prayer. The rest of the people pray next to and behind this type of people. Then, women pray behind men's rows. As for the imams (leaders in prayer), this is the order: (1) Those who are best in the Quran memorization and have more knowledge, (2) Those who are best in Quran memorization, know the prayer's rules, and the adults, (3) Those who are less in knowledge. This does not mean confining the front rows to them, but this Prophetic command is to urge them to hasten to perform congregation prayer, directly learn how he prays, and convey his guidance to those behind them. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) warned, "Beware of the commotion of markets.” He meant loud voices, noise, disputes, and trials in markets. As a result, we have to avoid these behaviors in prayers and mosques, as happens in markets..

434
Anas said, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Complete the rows, for I can see you behind my back.'".

Commentary : Submissiveness is the spirit of prayer, through which a Muslim gets tranquility in prayer to be closer to Allah, the Almighty. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to teach Muslims prayer etiquette so they could perform it as it should be. In this hadith, he commanded his companions to complete prayer rows. This is done by making it even without leaving any space in between. He added, "..., for I can see you behind my back." His seeing them from behind is either: (1) A miracle that Allah granted to him which was one of his characteristics, which neither a reason nor legislation may negate. As a result, a Muslim should believe in it, or (2) Due to Allah's revelation to him of his companions’ actions during prayer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges Muslims to stick to submissiveness and complete the prayer pillars, (2) The prayer leader has to alert and correct people’s mistakes in prayer, and (3) It shows the Prophetic miracle that he can see his companions from behind..

438
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ perceived a tendency among his companions to go to the back (in lines of prayer). He said to them, "Come forward and follow me in prayer. Let those coming after you follow you in prayer. People will continue to keep back till Allah will put them at the back." In another narration, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw people at the back in his mosque ...".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best teacher and educator, so he used to precisely observe his companions’ conditions to guide them in worship, dealings, etc. In this hadith, he taught them and the entire nation to be keen on supreme issues and avoid causes of laziness. This hadith clarified that he perceived that some of his companions were not keen to early go to the mosque or some did not care for completing lines to the extent that some prayed in rear lines. As a result, he said to them, "Come forward and follow me in prayer. Let those coming after you follow you in prayer." This is because those praying behind the first line may not see how he is praying. Afterward, he warned, "People will continue to keep back till Allah will put them at the back." He may mean that people continue praying in the rear lines until Allah keeps them back in the rear ranks of Paradise, or they continue leaving the first line in prayer until Allah deprives them of his great bounties. Finally, this hadith reminds that continuous negligence in acts of worship leads to staying away from Allah and getting His wrath..

440
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The best of the men's rows (in prayer) is the first row and the worst is the last. And the best of the women's row is the last and the worst is the first.".

Commentary : Islam calls its followers, men and women, to stick to virtues, avoid shortcomings, and hasten to acts of worship, based on the Islamic rules. Whoever performs righteous deeds based on their rules is better than whoever performs them without adhering to those rules although he can stick to them. This hadith clarifies that women have their special rules during attending prayers in mosques. These rules as staying away from men and cases of suspicion. The Prophet ﷺ shows that the best of the men's rows in prayer are the first rows behind the prayer leader (imam), for they are the farthest rows from the women. He adds, “The worst is the last,” for they do not hasten to the acts of worship and are close to women’s rows. On the contrary, Allah commands women to wear veils and stay away from men. As a result, the Prophet ﷺ confirms that the best of the women's rows are the last ones, for they are far from men’s rows and temptation. He adds, “And the worst is the first,” for they are close to men’s rows and temptation. This rule is applied when both genders attend the prayer in the mosque, but if it is a prayer that is only attended by women, the original rule of the virtue of the first rows is applied as in the case of men. The Prophetic word, “the worst” means the least rewarded and virtuous and the farthest from the Islamic rules. His word, “the best” means the opposite of the above-mentioned meaning. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The perfection of the acts of worship is linked to performing them based on the Islamic rules, (2) Islam urges men to hasten to the acts of worship and the first virtuous rows in prayers, (3) Islam urges women to pray in the rare virtuous rows away from men, (4) It explains the order of prayer rows in terms of virtue and reward, (5) It clarifies how Islam is keen to urge people to stay away from cases of temptation. It commands women to stay away from men to avoid any possibility of committing forbidden acts, (6) It shows the superiority of men over women, for they have priority in important matters like rows of prayer, fighting, etc..

443
Zainab Ath-Thaqafeyya used to narrate that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If any one of you (women) wants to attend Isha prayer, she should not perfume herself that night.".

Commentary : Islam established ground rules on women's going out to attend congregational prayers in mosques. These rules related to clothes, manners, decency, adornment, and staying away from places of suspicion. Performing righteous acts while sticking to Islamic rules is better than doing these acts while neglecting those rules in spite of one's ability to abide by them. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) instructed Muslim women to abide by Islamic rules when they wanted to attend Isha (evening) prayer in the mosque. He confirmed that a woman was allowed to take care of her cleanliness, but not allowed to wear perfume before going out to prayer. Wearing perfume is a means to evoke men's whims and draw their attention. This prohibition is applied to all prayers and the Prophet (ﷺ) may have referred to Isha prayer for the following reasons: (1) Women may be subject to harassment at night more, or (2) Women used to put on perfume for their husbands at night. Muslim scholars mentioned some similar cases that may go under this prohibition such as: (1) Adorned clothes, (2) Wearing jewelry, and (3) All means that may arouse men’s whims. Thus, Islamic law placed restrictions that guarantee the safety and security of both women and societies while preserving her right to go to mosques to pray. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The perfection of worship is linked to performing it in accordance with Islamic rules, and (2) It is forbidden for women to wear perfume when going out to pray..

450
Aamer narrated, "I asked Alqama, 'Was Ibn Masoud present the night of the Jinn with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?' Alqama answered, 'I asked Ibn Masoud, 'Were anyone of you present the night of the Jinn with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ?' Ibn Masoud answered, 'No, we were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ but we could not find him so we were searching for him in valleys and hills and said, 'He is either taken away (by Jinn) or secretly killed.' We spent the worst night that people could ever spend. In the morning, he came from the side of Hira' so we said to him, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we missed you so were searching for you but could not find you. We spent the worst night that people could ever spend.' The Prophet ﷺ answered, 'An inviter on behalf of the Jinn came to me so I went with him to recite the Quran to them.' The Prophet ﷺ went with us to show us the traces of them and their embers. The Jinn asked him about their provision so he said, 'Every bone on which the name of Allah is mentioned is yours. Once it falls in your hand, it will be thickly covered with flesh. Every dung (of the camels) is fodder for your animals.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to us, 'So do not use any of them in removing your impurities, for they are the food of your brothers (the Jinn).'".

Commentary : Jinn is a creation of Allah, the Almighty. They are commanded to worship Him alone so they will be held accountable as mankind. Some believe in Allah while others disbelieve. In this hadith, Aamer Al-Sha’by asked Alqamah ibn Qais An-Nakh’i, one of the most famous students of Ibn Masoud, if Ibn Masoud was present the night of the Jinn with the Prophet ﷺ. Alqama told him that he asked Ibn Masoud the same question. Ibn Masoud said, "No" In the narration of Muslim, Ibn Masoud said, "I wished I had been with him" to see the miracles that the Prophet ﷺ told them about. Ibn Masoud narrated that they one day were with the Prophet ﷺ who stood to go somewhere but he did not come back. They were searching for him in valleys and hills. All our efforts were in vain. They thought he was taken by Jinn or secretly killed. It was the worst night they ever spent, out of sadness and sorrow. In the morning, the Prophet ﷺ came from the direction of Hira Cave, five kilometers away from the Sacred Mosque, where the Prophet ﷺ used to worship Allah before his mission. Upon informing him about what happened to them, he related to them his story with the Jinn. One of them asked him to come to recite the Quran to them. The Prophet ﷺ went with his companions to show them the Jinn's tracks and their fire's traces. The Jinn asked the Prophet ﷺ to specify foods for them, so he allowed them to eat every bone on which Allah’s name was mentioned. He promised them that once they held it, it would be thickly covered with meat. Moreover, he specified dung as fodders for their animals. Thus, he prohibited his companions from using bones for removing impurities like urine or feces, for they were the food of their brothers of Jinn, out of respect. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The Prophet ﷺ was sent to both the Jinn and mankind, (2) It shows Allah’s mercy to mankind in choosing their foods, and (3) It clarifies the companions’ deep friendship with the Prophet ﷺ..

452
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to recite 30 verses in each of the first two rak'as of the noon prayer. In the last two ones, he used to recite 15 verses (or he said, "... half of the first two ones). He used to recite 15 verses in each of the first two rak'as of afternoon prayer. In the last two ones, he used to recite half of these verses.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught it to his companions verbally and practically. His Companions used to closely observe his deeds to follow and convey his guidance to people, especially regarding the acts of worship. In this hadith, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry showed how they observed his recitation in the silent prayers. As for his recitation in the noon prayer, he showed that he used to recite Surat al-Fatihah and about thirty verses in each of the first two rak'as. He used to recite half of these verses in each of the last two ones. As for the afternoon prayer, he used to recite Surat Al-Fatihah and fifteen verses in each of the first two rak'as. He used to recite half of these verses in each of the last two ones, i.e. seven or eight verses. In a hadith narrated by An-Nasa'i and others, he used to recite surats like At-Taraq, Al-Burouj, and alike in each of the first two rak'as in the noon and afternoon prayers. Some scholars conclude that the wisdom in lengthening the noon prayer is that it is the time to take a nap, so it is suitable to lengthen it to enable people to get it. Thus, this hadith shows the number of verses a Muslim should recite in silent prayers..

452
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry said, “We used to estimate how long the Messenger ﷺ stood at the noon and the afternoon prayers. At the noon prayer, we estimated that he stood in each of the first two rak'as as if he recited "Alef Lam Meem. Tanzil," i.e. Surat As-Sajda and stood half of that time in the last two ones. As for the afternoon prayer, we estimated that he stood in each of the first two rak'as as he did in the last two ones of noon prayer and stood half of that time in the last two ones.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught it to his companions verbally and practically. His Companions used to closely observe his deeds to follow and convey his guidance to people, especially regarding the acts of worship. In this hadith, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry showed that they used to estimate how long he stood at the noon and the afternoon prayers. As for the noon prayer, he stood in the first two rak'as as if he recited Surat As-Sajda (thirty verses) and stood half of that time in the last two ones, i.e. fifteen verses. As for the afternoon prayer, they estimated that he stood in the first two rak'as as he did in the last two rak'as of the noon prayer (fifteen verses) and stood half of that time in the last two ones (seven or eight verses). Some scholars conclude that the wisdom in lengthening the noon prayer is that it is the time to take a nap, so it is suitable to lengthen it to enable people to get it. Finally, this hadith recommends lengthening the first and second rak'as and shortening the third and fourth ones in both noon and afternoon prayers..

454
Qaz’a ibn Yahya narrated, “I came to Abu Saeed Al-Khudry while he was surrounded by people. When the people left him, I said, ‘I do not want to ask you what these people asked you. I want to ask you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ Abu Saeed said, ‘There is no good for you in this.’” Qaz'a repeated his question. Abu Saeed said, “When the noon prayer started, one of us went to Baqi' to relieve himself, came to his home to perform ablution, and then went to the mosque to find the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the first rak'a.”.

Commentary : The companions’ students were keen to know everything about the Prophet ﷺ from his companions so they used to ask them about his deeds, especially his prayer. In this hadith, Qaza’a ibn Yahya narrated that he came to Abu Saeed Al-Khudry while the latter was being surrounded by people. When they left him, Qaza’a told him that he wanted to ask him about the Prophet’s prayer. Abu Saeed told him that knowing his prayer would benefit him none due to its length and perfection, for it would be difficult for him to imitate the Prophet’s prayer. Qaza’a repeated his request so Abu Saeed told him that when the Prophet ﷺ began the noon prayer, a person could go to Baqi' - cemeteries in Medina to the east of the Prophet’s Mosque where people used to relieve themselves in nearby places -, came to his home to perform ablution, and found the Prophet ﷺ in the first rak'a. This indicated the Prophet ﷺ used to lengthen the first rak’a of the noon prayer. One may say that there are some hadiths that the Prophet ﷺ used to shorten his prayer. To answer this opinion, it should be clarified that the Prophet ﷺ lengthened and shortened his prayers according to the people’s circumstances behind him. He sometimes wanted to lengthen the prayer then decided to shorten it after having a reasonable issue such as hearing a kid’s crying during the congregational prayer. Some scholars said that he sometimes lengthened it, which is the least, to clarify the permissibility, and sometimes shortened it, which is the most, to confirm its privilege..

455
Abd Allah ibn As-Sa'eb narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ led us in Fajr (Dawn) prayer at Mecca. He began to recite Surat Al-Mu'minun. When he recited the verses about Prophets Moses and Aaron - or Prophet Jesus -, the prophet started to cough then bowed and Abd Allah ibn As-Sa'eb was present." In another narration, "He cut (his recitation) then bowed.".

Commentary : The Prophet's Companions used to closely observe his deeds to follow and convey his guidance to people, especially regarding the acts of worship. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn As-Sa'eb narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) led his companions in Fajr (Dawn) prayer in the eighth year after Hijra (the year of conquering Mecca). He was reciting Surat Al-Mu’minoun until he recited the verse (no. 45) that mentioned Prophets Musa and Haroun in which Allah said, "Then, We sent Musa (Moses) and his brother Haroun (Aaron), with Our proofs and manifest authority," or the verse (no. 50) that mentioned Prophet Jesus in which Allah says, "And We made the son of Maryam (Mary) and his mother as a sign, and We gave them refuge on high ground, a place of rest, security and flowing streams." This doubt is from Muhammad ibn Abbad or others of this hadith narrators. At that time, the Prophet (ﷺ) was coughing and then bowed without completing the surah. In another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) "stopped reciting then bowed." Finally, this hadith confirms that a Muslim would bow without completing his recitation in prayer if something happened to him while reciting the Quran..

456
Amr ibn Huraith narrated that he heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting at Fajr (Dawn) prayer, “And by the night as it closes in." (At-Takwir: 17).

Commentary : The Prophet's companions used to observe and learn from all of his acts to follow his guidance, especially in the acts of worship. They also used to transmit all of his details to all people. In this hadith, Amr ibn Huraith said that the Prophet once recited short Quranic suras in Fajr prayer (Dawn prayer). Amr reported that he heard the Prophet (ﷺ) recite Surah At-Takwir during Fajr prayer. It is the sura that contains this verse, “And by the night as it closes in.” (Al-Takwir: 17) This was explained by An-Nasa’i’s narration in which Amr reported, “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) recite in Fajr prayer, "When the sun is wrapped up [in darkness]." All of the hadiths that clarified the Prophet's recitation in Fajr prayer showed that he may have recited long, short, or medium suras..