| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1404

Narrated Khaalid ibn Aslam: We went out with 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and a nomad said (to 'Abdullah), "Tell me about Allah's saying: {And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah} (Quran.9:34)." Ibn 'Umar said, "Whoever hoarded them and did not pay the zakat thereof, then woe to him. But this ayah was revealed before the ayah of zakat. When it was revealed, Allah made zakat a purifier of the property.".

Commentary : Wealth is the adornment of this worldly life, and the Prophet ﷺ clarified the due rights that whoever has abundant wealth should fulfill, such as zakat and charity. He ﷺ explained the great reward that will be earned from fulfilling these rights, and the punishment that will be received if these rights are not fulfilled.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’eeKhaalid ibn Aslam reports that he was travelling with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and during their journey, a nomad man asked him to explain the ayah: {And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah}. Ibn ‘Umar clarified to him that it refers to those who collect and hoard up gold and silver, and do not fulfill the right of Allah in them, by means of zakat, charity, and spending them in the way of Allah. Those people are promised to receive grave punishment on the Day of Judgment. However, this was before the zakat was made obligatory. It is as if Allah wanted to warn the rich against hoarding up their wealth and refraining from spending it in the way of Allah, Most High. Afterwards, the zakat was made mandatory, in the second year of Hijrah. Not only did Allah, Most High, make zakat and charity a means to purify one’s wealth, but also a way to purify one’s character and heart from miserliness and low manners. This only happens when the zakat is paid to those who are eligible to receive it.
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1405

Narrated AbooSa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "No zakat is due on property mounting to less than five uqiyas, and no zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no zakat on less than five wasqs." .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to us the rulings of zakat on all different kinds of wealth, and clarified the threshold of each kind, and the value under which no zakat is due.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that zakat is not due on silver, if one only has five uqiyahs of silver. For calculation purposes, a one uqiyah equals forty dirhams of pure silver; hence, five uqiyahsare two hundred dirhams of pure silver. According to the modern measures, this amounts to about 595 grams of pure silver.The zakat on silver is one dirhamfor every forty dirhams above this threshold.

Likewise, there is no zakat due on camels, if a person has less than five camels. However, if one owns from five to 9 camels, then its due zakat is one sheep, and if one has more than 9 camels, the zakat increases according to the hadeeths that detailed its due zakat.

There is no due zakat on grains, dates, and their like, if their amount is less than five wasaqs. For calculation purposes, a one wasaq equals 60 Saa’, hence, the threshold is about 653 kg in our modern measures since 5 wasaqs equal 300 Saa’s. This indicates that fruits and vegetables are not subject to zakat, because they are not measured the same way as grains and dates, and are not stored to consume later like grains,and alsoare not considered a meal or a means of sustenance. The zakat is paid on that which comes from earth such as date, risen, wheat, rice, corn, and so forth.

This hadeeth is animportant text that explains the threshold of the different kinds of wealth that are subject to zakat. The threshold of silver is 200 dirhams, and of camels is 5 camels, and of grains and dates and their like is 60 Saa’.
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1406

Narrated Zayd ibn Wahb: I passed by a place called Ar-Rabadha, and by chance, I met Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him), and asked him, "What has brought you to this place?" He said, "I was in the Shaam and differed with Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him)on the following ayah): {They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.}[Quran 9.34]. Mu’aawiyahsaid, “Thisayahwas revealed regarding the People of the Book." I said, it was revealed regarding us as well as the People of the Book." Because of this, we had a quarrel, and Mu'aawiyah sent a complaint against me to `Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with him). `Uthman wrote to me to come to al-Madinah, so I came.. Many people came to me as if they had not seen me before. I mentioned this to `Uthmaan, who said to me, "You may depart and live nearby if you wish." That was the reason for my being here, for even if aHabasheehad been assigned as my ruler, I would have obeyed him..

Commentary : The noble Companion Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his ascetic lifestyle- as he had no interest in worldly pleasures- and his strong position to support and advocate the truth. He (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained these qualities all through his life.

In this report, the Taab’iee Ibn Wahb reports that he passed by an area called Ar-Rabdhah, which is 170 km away from the east of al-Madinah, and there,he found Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him), although it was not a residential area. He inquired from him about the reason that he lives in such a remote area, far away from people.Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to him that he differed with Mu’aawiyahover the reason for the revelation of the ayah: {They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.} [Quran 9.34], as he believed that it was revealed regarding the Muslims and the People of the Book, while Mu’aawiyah argued that it was revealed regarding only the People of the Book. The latter came to this conclusion based on the context of the ayah, since it was addressing the monks and priests who do not pay the due zakat on their wealth, while Aboo Dhar considered the general meaning of the ayah, meaning whoever believes zakat is obligatory, yet refrains from paying it, will be included in those who are promised the severe punishment mentioned in the Quran. At that time, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan was the ruler and Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) was the governor of Damascus. So, he wrote a letter to him explaining the dispute that occurred between him and Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with them). The reason he complained to ‘Uthmaan about Aboo Dhar is that he found his asceticlifestyle and strict interpretation [of Quran and Sunnah] may spread and cause disturbance, or even drive some to rebel against him without any valid excuse. Nothing in this hadeeth suggests that he asked ‘Uthmaan to order Aboo Dhar to return to al-Madinah as he only wanted his advice to find a solution.

‘Uthmaan wrote a letter to Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordering him to leave Damascus and return to al-Madinah. Aboo Dhar complied and returned to al-Madinah, but the people there were curious about the incident and dispute that happened between him and Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with them). He mentioned to ‘Uthmaan that people crowd around him, and they are surprised atseeing him, as if they never saw him before. To which, ‘Uthmaan gave him the choice either to stay, or leave al-Madinah to avoid all this annoyance. This proves that Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) was not expelled or forced to depart al-Madinah, and that it was his choice and desire to relocate to Ar-Rabdhah. Then, Aboo Dhar mentions that he would obey his rulers, as it is obligatory to do so, even if the person that the Caliph appointed as his ruler was a black slave.

We can conclude from this hadeeth that we should not rebel against the rulers, and that we should obey them, even if their opinion on a matter is not considered correct.

It shows that it is permissible to have different opinions on matters that are open for personal endeavours to understand.

It shows the kind treatment that rulers showed to the scholars i.e., Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) did not deny the interpretation of Aboo Dhar although he held a different opinion, and instead he raised his case to the one who is higher in position..

1408

Narrated Aboo al-‘Alaa’ ibn al-Shikheer that al-Ahnaf ibn Qays informed him: While I was sitting with some people from Quraysh, a man with very rough hair, clothes, and appearance came and stood in front of us, greeted us and said, "Inform those who hoard wealth, that stones will be heated in the Hell-fire, and will be put on their nipples until they come out from the bones of their shoulders, and then put on the bones of their shoulders till they come through their nipples, leaving them trampled." After saying that, the person retreated and sat by the side of the pillar, I followed him and sat beside him, and I did not know who he was. I said to him, "I believe the people disliked what you had said." He said, "These people do not understand anything, although my close friend told me so." I asked, "Who is your close friend?" He said, "The Prophet ﷺ said (to me), “O Aboo Dhar! Do you see the mountain of Uhud?” And on that, I (Aboo Dhar) started looking towards the sun to judge how much remained of the day, as I thought that Allah's Messenger ﷺ wanted to send me to do something for him and I said, “Yes!” He said, “I do not love to have gold equal to the mountain of Uhud unless I spend it all in Allah's cause except three Dinars. These people do not understand; they collect worldly wealth. No, by Allah, neither do I ask them for worldly benefits, nor am I in need of their religious advice till I meet Allah.".

Commentary : The noble Companion Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) was known of his ascetic lifestyle as he had no interest in worldly pleasures, and his strong position to support and advocate the truth. He (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained these qualities all his life until he died.

In this hadeeth, the Taab’iee al-Ahnad ibn Qays reports that, while he was sitting with a group of leaders and revered people from Qurasyh, a man with very rough hair, clothes, and appearance approached them, which is a description used to indicate his ascesis. This man was Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be please with him), the Companion of the Prophet ﷺ. He greeted the people and then said “inform those who hoard wealth’- it appeared that he wanted to support his view that hoarded wealth is all that which exceeds the needs of a person. This view is reported to be adopted by others too, and it is the view he is known to adopt. However, the correct view, according to the majority [of scholars], is that hoarded wealth refers to the wealth that zakat was not paid on; otherwise, it is not condemned, whether it is little or much. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed them that the punishment of those who hoard up wealth is stones that will be heated in the Hellfire, and then will be put on their nipples till these stones come out from the soft bones of their shoulders, and then move back until they come out through their nipples. His words ‘leaving them trampled’ is to show the great disturbance and uncontrolled movement of their bodies due to their pain. It has been said that the trampling is intended to describe the moving of the stones back and forth through their shoulder bones and nipples.

Then, he left and sat by the side of a pillar. Thereupon, al-Ahnaf ibn Qays followed him and sat with him. as he did not know the identity of this man. He said to Aboo Dhar: "I believe the people disliked what you had said,’ meaning they were displeased with hearing his words. Aboo Dhar, however, responded by saying that they lacked the ability to understand, since they endeavour and are keen on collecting wealth. Then, he mentioned that his close friend, the Prophet ﷺ asked him once: “Do you see the mountain of Uhud?” and that he started looking towards the sun to see how much remained of the day. as he thought that Allah's Messenger ﷺ wanted to send him to do something for him. The Prophet ﷺthen said to him that if he had gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, then there is nothing he would love to do more than spend it all in the way of Allah, Most High, except three Dinars; one to spend on his wife, children and dependents, one to free a slave, and one to repay a debt- because debt is not wiped out by passing, and the person will remain liable to it even after death [if no one settles it on his behalf], and he will not enter Paradise until his debt is settled, even if he was a believer.

Thereafter, Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that those people who do not spend their wealth in the cause of Allah lack sensibility and do not understand, as their biggest concern is hoarding and collecting wealth. Then, he swore by Allah that he would not ask people for any worldly benefits, and that he would be satisfied with the minimum from this worldly life, and that he would not even ask them about a matter related to religion until he dies, as he is content with the knowledge that he heard from the Prophet ﷺ.

We can conclude, from this hadeeth, that the Prophet ﷺ was the least interested of all people in worldly pleasures and gains, to the extent he ﷺ did not like to keep in his possession anything from this life, except that which he ﷺ needed to spend on those who deserve it.

This hadeeth encourages us to spend in good causes, and to give the repayment of one’s own debts precedence over voluntary charity.

It also shows that it is permissible to ask others for loans.

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1410

Narrated AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "If somebody gives in charity something equal to a date, from his lawful earned money ----for nothing ascends to Allah except that which is good---- then Allah will take it in His Right (Hand) and bring it up for its owner, as anyone of you brings up a baby horse, till it becomes like a mountain.".

Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ encourages us to gives in charity, even if it is very little, and informs us that if a person gives in charity as little as a date that he has earned from a lawful source of income – as Allah does not accept anything unless it is earned from lawful sources – then Allah, Exalted be He, will take this charity in His Right Hand –to show that He will honour it since His both Hands are Right – and then grow it and multiply its reward, to make his scale heavier, and He will nurture it, until it becomes like a mountain in size and weight, on the Day of Judgment. And he ﷺlikened it to the analogy of how a person takes care of a baby horse that needs great attention and care.

From this hadeeth, we learn that Allah, Exalted be He, only accepts good charity,which is given with sincerity and is from lawful money.

This hadeeth also teaches us that the reward and significance ofcharity depends on its lawfulness and the sincerity of the person who gives it, not on its value or amount.

Furthermore, it shows that good deeds will take tangible forms on the Day of Judgment, and thus, will have an image, weight, and size, that will be placed on the scale of good deeds.
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1411

Narrated Harithah ibn Wahb(may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "O people! Give in charity, as a time will come upon you, when a person wanders about with his object of charity and cannot find anybody to accept it. It will be said to him, "If you had brought it yesterday, I would have taken it, but today I am not in need of it.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always encourage his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to do good deeds, one of which wasoffering zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ orders us to never delay in giving charity and paying our zakat, as there will come a time when wealth will be abundant such that no person will be in need. This will happen towards the end of time, close to the time of the Hour, as noted in the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim,from AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). This signis considered to be among the minor signs of the Hour. It has been said that it will take place during the time of al-Mahdee, and when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends to earth. At that time, a person will walk around searching for any poor person to give charity or zakat tobut will find no one to accept it from him. Every time he offers his zakat and charity to someone, they will decline it and say to him, “If you had brought it yesterday, I would have taken it, but today I am not in need of it.” The reason they would say this is thought to be because they have become rich and are no longer in need of money, but it has also been said that it is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, Thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

It has been said that this hadeeth serves as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the poor are no longer in need of the money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable, because they did not help the poor when theywere in need.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1412

Narrated AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till your wealth increases so much so that one will be worried, for no one will accept his zakat, and the person to whom he will give it will reply, 'I am not in need of it.' ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always encourage his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to do good deeds, one of which was offering zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺspeaks of a time that will come, when people will have so much wealth, that no one will be in need of charity or zakat. He ﷺ informs us that the Day of Judgment will not be established before this happens, during the time of al-Mahdee and Jesus (peace be upon him) after he descends to earth. At that time, wealth will be so abundant, such that people will be concerned, as they will not find anyone to accept their charity and zakat. And, when they find a poor person and offer it to him, he would still decline and say he is not in need of it, because he has sufficient money. It has also been said that this is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures; thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

This hadeeth is believed to serve as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the latter are no longer in need of money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable because they did not help the poor when they were in need.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It serves as a sign that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1413

Narrated `Adi ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him): While I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ,two persons came to him; one of them complained about his poverty and the other complained about the prevalence of robberies. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "With regards to stealing and robberies, there will shortly come a time when a caravan will go to Makkah (from al-Madinah), without any guard. And regarding poverty, The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till one of you wanders about with his charity and will not find anybody to accept it. Each one of you will stand in front of Allah, and there will be neither a barrier nor an interpreter between him and Allah, and Allah will ask him, “Did not I give you wealth?” He will reply in the affirmative. Allah will further ask, “Did not I send a Messenger to you?” And again, that person will reply in the affirmative. Then, he will look to his right, and he will see nothing but Hellfire, and then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hellfire. And so, each one of you should save himself from the fire, by giving even half of a date-fruit (in charity). And if you do not find a half datefruit, then (you can do it through saying) a pleasant word..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to hasten to good deeds, encouraging them to do good deeds and warning them against sins, by reminding them of what Allah has made for people in the Hereafter i.e., Paradise and Hellfire.

In this hadeeth, ‘Adi ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that while he was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, two men approached him to raise their concerns about two issues. The first one complained about poverty,and the other expressed his concern regarding road robberies. The Prophet ﷺ assured the latter that safety will prevail,as it will not be long until caravans will travel without requiring any guard alongside them to provide protection. This happened after Islam spread everywhere. He ﷺ explained to the former that the Day of Judgment will not be established until poverty disappears, and people become affluent, as it will be one of the signs of the Hour. It has been said this will happen during the time of al-Mahdee and Jesus (peace be upon him), after he descends to earth. At that time, wealth will be so abundant, that people will find no one to accept their charity and zakat. It has been said this it will be so because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ explained that on the Day of Judgment, each person will stand before Allah, Most High, without having any barriers between him and Allah, Exalted be He, who will talk to them directly, without any medium or interpreter. At that point, Allah will ask each one, “Did not I give you wealth?”, “Did not I send a Messenger to you?” The person who withheld his zakat will reply in the affirmative, and acknowledge that Allah sent a Messenger, who conveyed to the people that Allah made zakat one of the pillars of Islam, and that the poor have a right on their money,which should be fulfilled. Then, this person will look to his left and right, and will see nothing but Hellfire. At that moment, he will become certain that he will be punished for his miserliness.

Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ ordered each and every Muslim to shield himself from Hellfire,by giving charity, even if it was as little as half of a date-fruit. And if they do not find a half date fruit, thenthey should speak good to people, to bring happiness to their hearts. This proves that speaking good words is a form of charity that protects from the Hellfire, and evil words bring about punishment in Hellfire. For this reason, the Muslim should never belittle any charity even if it is extraordinarily little, because it will benefit the person who gave it in charity,as well as the person who will receive it.

This hadeeth warns us from postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may make the person find no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.

Furthermore, it shows that even a little charity is accepted by Allah, Most High, and that we should never look down upon any little charity and urge people to never underestimate any good deed or word, regardless of how little it is.
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1414

Narrated AbooMoosa(may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "A time will come upon the people, when one will wander about with gold as zakat, and will not find anybody to accept it. And one man will be seen followed by forty women to be their guardian, because of scarcity of men and great number of women. ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to hasten to good deeds, encouraging them to do good deeds, particularly giving zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ clarifies that there will come a time when wealth will be so abundant, that no person will be in need. This will happen towards the end of time, close to the time of the Hour, as noted in the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, from AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). This sign is considered from among the minor signs of the Hour.

It has been said that it will take place during the time of al-Mahdee and when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends to earth. At that time, a person will walk around with his zakat of gold, searching for any poor person to give it to, yet he will find no one to accept it from him. This is because people will become affluent,and no longer be in need of money. It has also been said that this is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, and they would therefore be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

It has been said that this hadeeth serves as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the poor are no longer in need of money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable because they did not help the poor when they were in need.

Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ mentions that at that time, each man will be chased by forty women, be they his wives, servants, or relatives i.e., they will pursue him to marry them, to seek his help and protection, or request him to fulfil their needs. The example of this is a tribe that has no men left in it except one, so all the women in that tribe will turn to him. It is possible that the number mentioned in this hadeeth is a metaphor, to indicate the large proportion of women to men, based on a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, wherein Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ said: “...Until fifty women will have one guardian”; conversely, it could reflect the actual number.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ..

1415

Narrated AbooMas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Ayah enjoining charity was revealed, we used to carry loads on our backs to earn something that we could give away in charity. One person presented a considerable amount for charity and the hypocrites said: "He has done it to show off." Another one gave away a Saa' [of dates] and they said: "Allah does not stand in need of this person's dates". Thereupon, it was revealed: {Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allah's Cause) voluntarily, and such who could not find to give charity (in Allah's Cause) except what is available to them...}[Quran 9:79].

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were quick to respond to the orders of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, and each one of them would give away in charity what they were able to offer and spend [from their wealth].
In this hadeeth, AbooMasʿood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that “when the ayah of obligatory almsgiving was revealed”, as if he was referring to the ayah: {Take from their wealth ˹O Prophet˺ charity to purify and bless them and pray for them—surely your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.} [Quran 9:103]
“We bore heavy loads [for profit]”: that is to say: we were carrying [heavy loads] for others on our backs for wages with the intention of earning a wage so that we can give away in charity.’ This is a description of the condition of their poverty and hardship at that time; and he mentioned, according to a narration reported by al-Nasaa’ee: “one of us could not find anything to give alms until he went out to the marketplace; to carry loads for people [for wages]. Then, he would come with a mudd and gave it to the Prophet ﷺ.”
Then a man - it has been said that it was ʿAbd al-Rahmaan ibn ʿAwf - came and offered a lot of his wealth in charity. The hypocrites said: ‘[What a] hypocrite. He did not intend to offer it for the sake of Allah!’ Afterwards, [another] man came and offered a Saaʿ of food in charity. The Saaʿ is equivalent to at least 2036 grams, i.e., two kilograms and thirty-six grams; and at most equalling 4288 grams, namely: four kilograms and two hundred and eighty-eight grams.
Then, the hypocrites said: ‘that Allah is not in need of this Saaʿ! Afterwards, Allah The Mighty and Majestic sent down [the following ayah] {{Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allah's Cause) voluntarily, and such who could not find to give charity (in Allah's Cause) except what is available to them...} [Quran 9:79], and the ayah’s meaning is: [that] those who reproach wealthy, believers voluntarily offering their alms, and also reproach those who [can] obtain [only] a little when it results from what they are capable of [earning]; thus, they mock them by saying: “What is the benefit in you offering [these] alms?!” Allah will mock them, as a recompense for them mocking the believers. And they will have a painful punishment [as well]. This is a requital for their misdeeds and mocking the believers because the recompense is of the same type as the deed. So, He, Exalted be He, will treat them [in the same way] as those who had mocked [the believers]; as a form of retribution for [what they did to] the believers in this world.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great amount.
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
And lastly, that we can see that the [pious] predecessors were humble, eager for the good, and employed themselves in [various] professions and [positions] of service.
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1416

Narrated AbooMas’ood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him): Whenever the Messenger of Allahﷺordered us to give charity, we used to go to the market and work as porters and get a Mudd (a special measure of grain) and then give it in charity. (Those were the days of poverty) and today some of them have one hundred thousand.”.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were quick to respond to the orders of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ,and each one of them would give away in charity what they were able to offer and spend [from their wealth].
In this hadeeth, AbooMasʿood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺ ordered for the offering of obligatory alms and charity from their own wealth, some of them would head towards the marketplace, and carry [heavy loads] for others on their back - with the intention of earning a wage so that he could give away in charity - then, he would earn a mudd, which is very close to 1.3 pounds, as compensation for their hire; in order to offer the alms with it. This is an indication of the hardship[s] and poverty conditions that were upon them at the time; yet, despite that, they were eager to work and offer charity with the little which they had to pay from the wages of their labour. Then, the narrator said: “And today, some of them have one hundred thousand”, By this, he referred to what the Companions were enduring in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, from the scarcity of things, and to what they became after him ﷺ as they have become wealthy and well off because of the many conquests [that occurred afterwards]. In spite of that, in the beginning, they used to give in charity whatever they acquired, even if hardship came to them.
In a narration reported by al-Nasaa’ee: “I know a man who has a hundred thousand [Dirham] now, [but] on that day, he did not have a single dirham,” that is to say: ‘On the day which he used to carry loads for hire, because they were destitute at that time. And today, they are rich.’ This may be interpreted, either, as speaking about the blessings of Allah, and His Favour for them after He enriched them. Or, about some [consequence] of what had befallen the people with regards to the transformation [of their hearts] and eagerness [to excel] in this world because after they were poor and eager to offer alms, they became rich. But they did not give charity in the same manner that they used to do before that.
AbooWaa’il, Shaqeeq ibn Salamah, the narrator of the hadeeth on the authority of AbooMasʿood, said in a narration mentioned by al-Bukhaaree: “He said: ‘We believe that he was referring to himself,” meaning: What I think AbooMasʿood meant by [saying] “some of them” was an allusion for himself also, because he was one of the rich.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great [amount].
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
And lastly, we can see that the [pious] predecessors were humble, eager for the good, and employed themselves in [various] professions and [positions] of service.
.

1418

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): A woman along with her two daughters came to me asking (for some alms), but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her, and she divided it between her two daughters, and did not eat anything herself, and then she got up and went away. Then, the Prophet ﷺ came in and I informed him about this incident. He said, "Whoever is put to trial by these daughters, then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hell-Fire." .

Commentary : Islam came to uproot the reprehensible customs of the ignorance period that existed before Islam. And from that, it instructed to give special attention to the daughters of one’s offspring, prohibited burying them alive and killing them, and it sowed in the hearts of Muslims love and mercy for them. It has promised a great reward to who show them benevolence and raise them in all [aspects] of goodness.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that a woman came to her with her two daughters, asking for some alms out of need, but ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not have anything, except for a date, which she gave to her. Then the woman divided it up between her two daughters and did not eat anything from it.
Afterwards, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed the Prophetﷺof what happened. So, he ﷺexplained to her that: whoever Allah destines to have and bestows upon him daughters, and he treats them well by providing for them, upholding their rights, educating them, and so on - [then] they will serve as a shield for him front he Hellfire; because he protected them in this world with his kindness and good tact towards them, and because of their upbringing. So, Allah will shield himto serve as a fitting reward.
The gift of having daughters was called a trial because of the hardship and difficulty in providing for them, or due to the people usually disliking them (i.e., they favour having boys over girls), and because they often do not contribute to the sources of earnings or livelihoods of families. So, the trial here means a test, which means: Allah tests people with daughters so that He judges them and see whether they will treat them well or not?
It has been said: what is meant by this is that the reward for providing for [and taking care of] daughters is greater than the reward for taking care of sons; since there is nothing similar was indicated in regards to their rights; and that is - and Allah knows best - because the provisions of daughters and taking care of their affairs is greater than the affairs of the sons since the former are vulnerable and [generally] do not manage their own affairs, nor behave like boys. Likewise, the expectations of the father or brother do not pertain to them [their daughters] with regard to aiding them [their fathers] in facing their enemies, to revive the name of their fathers, continue their lineage and other things which are relevant for males. This requires patience, and sincerity on the part of the one providing for them with good intentions since this is what will rescue him from the Hellfire.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great amount.
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
It highlights the intense eagerness that ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had for charity and alms.
And lastly, spending [and providing] for daughters and striving for them is one of the best acts of righteousness that keeps one away from the Hellfire..

1419

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): A man asked the Prophet ﷺ which charity is the most rewardable. He ﷺ replied: “That which you give when you are healthy and inclined to be mean, fearing poverty and hoping to be [financially] self-sufficient. Do not defer itto such a length that you are about to die, and say then: This is for so-and-so, and this is for so-and-so. Behold! it has already come into (the possession of) so-and- so"..

Commentary : The Prophetﷺwould teach his nation about the virtues of generosity and developing solidarity among them, and to hasten towards righteous deeds by giving alms and charity before death strikes them.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that a man came to the Prophet ﷺand asked him: ‘Which charity is the greatest in reward, and most beneficial for the one who offers it?’ He ﷺ told him that whatever the person gives while he is healthy and there is no disease or illness that would sever his hope in life. It is a time when those who are frugal do so with avidity, and fear falling into poverty. They hope for riches and wish and covet it for themselves. This is during the entire course of life [for many people], especially [during] the time of affluence and comfort. So, the person will be more cautious. And if he gives charity with all of these obstacles and temptations which urge him to save his wealth, then that will lead to the greatest reward.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ warned the man of a vice which will afflict many people; by waiting, being deliberately slow in delaying offering alms [to others] until: his soul reaches his throat and feels that death is near and becomes convinced that the money will not benefit him and that it is going to leave him - [so] he will bequeath so much to so and so, and so much for so and so. He ﷺ told him it had already belonged to so and so [either] from debts or rights; and that the wealth had become the property of the heirs, so this is the least rewarding. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ explained to us that the best form of charity to offer is while you are alive and healthy, despite your need for money and competence with it. And not in the case of being sick with the context of dying because at that time, the money will leave you, and belong to someone else.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the virtue of giving alms while one is healthy and frugal.
It warns against delaying one’s spending in charity and holding out until the hour of death draws near, and [against] being engaged solely with fulfilling your wishes.
It informs us that sickness shortens the hand of the owner from some of his possessions and being generous with money during his illness does not eliminate the trait of miserliness from him. And that if all of the works of piety are difficult, their reward will be greater.
And lastly, it shows that charity offered during the time when a person is healthy and well is better than a testament [i.e., a will]..

1420

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Some of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Who amongst us will be the first to follow you (i.e., die after you)?" He said, "Whoever has the longest hand." So, they started measuring their hands with a rod and Sawdah's hand turned out to be the longest. Later, we came to know that the long hand was a symbol of practicing charity, so she was the first to follow the Prophet ﷺ and she used to love to give away in charity..

Commentary : Charity is one of the best and most rewarding deeds which a person can benefit from and offer himself.
In this hadeeth, The Mother of the Believers, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that some of the wives of the Prophetﷺ had asked him: which one of them will die the fastest after him? To which, he ﷺ answered them by [saying] ‘she who has the longest hand.’ They understood this matter according to its literal meaning, so the women grabbed a rod so that they could measure the arms’ length of every one of them and compare [their results], in order to find out which of them had a longer hand than the other, [as] they thought that what he meant ﷺ was truly the length of the hand. [It turned out that] Sawdah bint Zamʿah (may Allah be pleased with her) had the longest hand. Afterwards, it became clear to them after Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) died what the Prophet ﷺ had intended by the expression regarding the longest hand, which [was actually] alluding to who was the most charitable of the wives; and what he meant by the length of her hand was the frequency of her spending [money on others] and offering alms, as ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said in a narration reported in Saheeh Muslim: “Zaynab had the longest hand amongst us, because she used to work with her hands and spent [the income] on charity.” Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first of his ﷺwives to die after him ﷺ, and she (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away during ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭaab’s caliphate (may Allah be pleased with him), while Sawdah lived until she passed away during Muʿaawiyah’s caliphate, in the month of Shawwaal, the fifty-fourth year [after Hijrah].
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the merits and virtues of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
It serves as an indication that the legal ruling [of a matter] stems from the meanings, and not from the wording.
And lastly. It gives a sign thattestifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ..

1421

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid: A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had given his charity to a thief. (On hearing that) he said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. I will give alms again." And so, he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The man said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms again." So, he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. (The people) next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person. He said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man." After, someone came and said to him, "The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allah has given him, in Allah's cause.".

Commentary : Charity is one of the best deeds which a person can offer himself, and he obtains its great reward from Allah, The Almighty.
In this hadeeth, The Prophet ﷺ tells us about a man - it was said that he was from Banee ‘Israa’eel - who went out to offer alms [to those in need]. So, his alms went into the hands of a thief once. And then in the hand of an adulteress once more. And in the hand of a rich man a third time. In every instance, the people would rise in the morning, talking about what he did in amazement; because charity, according to them, was dedicated to the needy people from amongst the charitable; and that is why they marvelled at the charity that was offered to these people.
The man praised Allah, The Mighty and Majestic; for he had intended for his charity to fall into the hands of an upright poor person that no one knows about his poverty, or an honourable, honest man, or a chaste woman. But Allah’s Decree is a predetermined, divine preordainment, so the man was brought into a dream, and was told that his charity was accepted, as what is narrated in a report in Musnad Ahmad because he was sincere and had intended to do good, however, it was not facilitated for him. It was said to him: ‘As for your charity for the thief, perhaps the thief will abstain from stealing. Maybe the burglar will say: ‘This money will suffice me’ or that he is embarrassed that he had been provided for without stealing, and he knows that, among the servants of Allah, there are those who offer alms in secret at night to those who do not know him. As for the prostitute who commits fornication as an occupation, perhaps she may abstain from it because she may have committed adultery – we seek refuge in Allah from such sin - with the purpose of [earning] money, and something happened to her which stopped her from doing so again. As to the rich man, maybe he will reflect and learn a lesson, causing him to spend from what Allah has given him. This is how a good intention will yield wholesome fruits.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it indicates that when a person intends goodness, and strives towards it, and makes a mistake; it is because it was written for him, and it will not harm him.
It shows that the legal ruling [for a matter] is given based on what appears, until it becomes clear otherwise.
It encourages us to submit and be content with the Divine Decree, and praise Allah, and entrust all of your concerns and affairs to Allah, The Mighty and Majestic.
And lastly, it teaches us that we should give charity and alms again if it did not fall in its proper place [i.e., be received by its rightful recipients]..

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..

Book of Hadith