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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
1984
Muhammad ibn ‘Abbaad said:
I asked Jaabir, "Did the Prophet ﷺ forbid fasting on Fridays?" He replied, "Yes." (Other narrators added, "If he intends to fast only that day.").

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺexplained the Laws of Islam rulings on voluntary fasting, and clarified the appropriate way to fast some days, including Fridays.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Muhammad ibn ‘Abbaad asked Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them): “Did the Prophet ﷺ forbid voluntary fasting on Fridays only?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative. It is noteworthy that the prohibition in this regard does not apply to the one who habitually fasts on alternate days, for example, and one of these fasts happens to coincide with Friday, or someone who vows to fast on the day when a sick loved one would be blessed with recovery and it coincided with Friday. Fasting on Friday is not prohibited in these cases. It is also prescribed to fast on Fridays if one fasts the day before or after it as well, as stated in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and compiled in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.
The wisdom behind forbidding fasting on Friday is that it is a day of supplication, remembrance of Allah, and worship. A Muslim devotes his day to performing Ghusl, going early to the mosque, waiting for the Friday prayer, listening to the Khutbah, and reciting Dhikr (i.e. remembrance of Allah) abundantly afterward, because Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.} [Quran 62:10].These are examples of the worshipful acts performed on that blessed day. Therefore, it is deemed forbidden to fast on that day to be inducive to performing these acts energetically and joyfully, and enjoying their performance without boredom or tedium. This is similar to the prohibition of fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for a pilgrim. The Sunnah for a pilgrim is to refrain from fasting on that blessed day for the same wisdom. When a person fasts a day before or after Friday as well, this compensates for any inactivity or negligence that may occur in the performance of his duties on Friday. It is also possible that the wisdom behind the Prophet’s ﷺprohibition of fasting on Friday was for fear that people would continue to observe fasting on Fridays habitually and it would be deemed obligatory on them, as he ﷺ feared observing night prayer regularly lest it be deemed obligatory on Muslims. He ﷺ also feared that Muslims would venerate Fridays in the same manner the Jews and Christians venerated Saturdays and Sundays, giving up work and copying their unprescribed manner of veneration. Therefore, he ﷺ ordered that Muslims should refrain from fasting on Fridays, believing that blocking the ways leading to unfavorable results is better and more rewardable than completing the days that he ﷺ had intended to fast for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He. It could also be because Friday is a day of ‘Eid (i.e., ritual celebration) for Muslims.
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1985
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "None of you should fast on Friday unless he fasts a day before or after it.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺexplained the Laws of Islam rulings on voluntary fasting, and clarified the appropriate way to fast some days, including Fridays.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that the Prophet ﷺ forbid singling out Fridays for voluntary fasting, unless one fasts one day before or after it (i.e., Thursday or Saturday).
It is noteworthy that the prohibition in this regard does not apply to the one who habitually fasts on alternate days, for example, and one of these fasts happens to coincide with Friday, or someone who vows to fast on the day when a sick loved one would be blessed with recovery and it coincided with Friday. Fasting on Friday is not prohibited in these cases.
The wisdom behind forbidding fasting on Friday is that it is a day of supplication, remembrance of Allah, and worship. A Muslim devotes his day to performing Ghusl, going early to the mosque, waiting for the Friday prayer, listening to the Khutbah, and reciting Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah) abundantly afterward. This is because Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.} [Quran 62:10]. These are examples of the worshipful acts performed on that blessed day. Therefore, it is deemed forbidden to fast on that day to be inducive to performing these acts energetically and joyfully, and enjoying their performance without boredom or tedium. This is similar to the prohibition of fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for the pilgrim. The Sunnah for a pilgrim is to refrain from fasting on that blessed day for the same wisdom. When a person also fasts a day before or after Friday, this compensates for any inactivity or negligence that may occur in the performance of one’s duties on Friday. It is also possible that the wisdom behind the Prophet’s prohibition of fasting on Friday was for fear that people would continue to observe fasting on Fridays habitually, and that it would be deemed obligatory on them, as he ﷺ feared observing night prayer regularly lest it would be deemed obligatory on Muslims. He ﷺ also feared that Muslims would venerate Fridays in the same manner the Jews and Christians venerated Saturdays and Sundays, giving up work and copying their unprescribed manner of veneration. Therefore, he ﷺ ordered that Muslims should refrain from fasting on Fridays, believing that blocking the ways leading to unfavorable results is better and more rewardable than completing the days that he ﷺ had intended to fast for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He. It could also be because Friday is the day of ‘Eid (i.e., ritual celebration) for Muslims.
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1986
Aboo Ayyoob narrated on the authority of Juwayriyah bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with them):
The Prophet ﷺ visited her (Juwayriyah) on a Friday and she was fasting. He ﷺ asked her, "Did you fast yesterday?" She said, "No." He ﷺ said, "Do you intend to fast tomorrow?" She said, "No." He ﷺ said, "Then break your fast." Through a different chain of narration, Aboo Ayyoob (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said, "He ﷺ ordered her and she broke her fast.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺexplained the Laws of Islam rulings on voluntary fasting, and clarified the appropriate way to fast some days, including Fridays.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers Juwayriyah bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her) related that the Prophet ﷺ once visited her on a Friday while she was fasting. He ﷺasked her, "Did you fast yesterday (Thursday)?" She replied in the negative and stated that she had not fasted. He ﷺ further asked, "Do you intend to fast tomorrow?" She replied in the negative as well, and therefore he ﷺ commanded her to break her fast.
It is noteworthy that the prohibition in this regard does not apply to the one who habitually fasts on alternate days, for example, when this fast happens to coincide with Friday, or someone who vowed to fast on the day when a sick loved one would be blessed with recovery and it coincided with Friday. Fasting on Friday is not deemed disliked in these cases.
The wisdom behind forbidding fasting on Friday is that it is a day of supplication, remembrance of Allah, and worship. A Muslim devotes his day to performing Ghusl, going early to the mosque, waiting for the Friday prayer, listening to the Khutbah, and reciting Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah) abundantly afterward, because Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And when the prayer has been concluded, disperse within the land and seek from the bounty of Allah, and remember Allah often that you may succeed.} [Quran 62:10]. These are examples of the worshipful acts performed on that blessed day. Therefore, it is deemed forbidden to fast on that day to be inducive to performing these acts energetically and joyfully, and enjoying their performance without boredom or tedium. This is similar to the prohibition of fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for a pilgrim. The Sunnah for a pilgrim is to refrain from fasting on that blessed day for the same wisdom. When a person fasts one day before or after Friday as well, this compensates for any inactivity or negligence that may occur in the performance of his duties on Friday. It is also possible that the wisdom behind the Prophet’s ﷺprohibition of fasting on Friday was for fear that people would continue to observe fasting on Fridays habitually and it would be deemed obligatory on them, as he ﷺ feared to observe night prayer regularly lest it would be deemed obligatory on Muslims. He ﷺ also feared that Muslims would venerate Fridays in the same manner the Jews and Christians venerated Saturdays and Sundays, giving up work and copying their unprescribed manner of veneration. Therefore, he ﷺ ordered that Muslims should refrain from fasting on Fridays, believing that blocking the ways leading to unfavorable results is better and more rewardable than completing the days that he ﷺ had intended to fast for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He. It could also be because Friday is the day of ‘Eid (i.e., ritual celebration) for Muslims.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to break voluntary fasting..

1987
 ‘Alqamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), "Did Allah’s Messenger use to choose some special days (for good doing)?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, "No, the (good) deeds (and worshipful acts) of the Prophet ﷺ were constant (and regular). Who amongst you could endure what he ﷺ used to endure? ".

Commentary :
The best good deeds in the sight of Allah, Exalted is He, are those performed regularly, even if few in number.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Alqamah ibn Qays Al-Nakh‘ee asked the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) whether the Prophet ﷺ used to single out certain days of the month for special good deeds and worshipful acts that he would not perform on other days. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the negative and stated that the Prophet ﷺ used to perform good deeds and worshipful acts regularly and constantly. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Deemah’, which linguistically denotes continuous rain that does not cease and is accompanied by stillness, with no thunder or lightning. The word has later been used in reference to other meanings as well. In her statement, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) likened his performance of good deeds and worshipful acts to a continuous and constant rain, then she remarked that the Prophet ﷺ was able to endure and perform more acts of worship than anyone else, in terms of quality (i.e., the perfection of their performance), quantity, observing Khushoo‘ (i.e.,the state of the heart when it stands before its Lord in full submission, humbleness, and absolute concentration), obedience, humbleness, and Ikhlaas (i.e., devotion of one’s intentions and deeds exclusively and sincerely to Allah). A Muslim is enjoined to strive hard in performing worshipful acts and voluntary good deeds to the best of his ability, and observe them regularly.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the acts of worship and good deeds may be performed on any given day, and that they are not restricted to specific days, except for those blessed days to which the Laws of Islamhas assigned special virtues and merits.
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1989
Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
People doubted whether or not the Prophet ﷺ was fasting on the day of `Arafat, so I sent milk while he was standing at ‘Arafaah Mount, he ﷺdrank it and the people were looking at him..

Commentary :
Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah for a non-pilgrim abounds in good, but for a pilgrimit is better to refrain from fasting on that day, to preserve his physical strength to be able to perform the prescribed duties, since Hajj involves striving and endurance of hardship.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers, Maymoonah bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, informed us that people had doubts about the Prophet’s fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah during the Farewell Hajj. Some said that he ﷺ observed fasting and others said he ﷺ did not. He ﷺ performed Farewell Hajj in 10 A.H. To eliminate all doubts, Maymoohah (may Allah be pleased with her) sent a cup of milk to the Prophet ﷺ while he was standing on ‘Arafah Mount to know with certainty whether or not he ﷺ was fasting. The Prophet ﷺ drank the milk as people were looking at him, and thus they all knew with certainty that he ﷺ was not fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah, and learned the prescribed act for a pilgrim.
It has been narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that Umm Al-Fadhl bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her) was the one who sent him the milk. It is possible that there were several cups of milk sent to the Prophet ﷺ on that occasion or that she and Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with them) sent it together, and the reports referred to them both, being sisters. It is possible that Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) sent the Prophet ﷺ that milk at the request of her sister Umm Al-Fadhl (may Allah be pleased with them) to verify the Prophet’sﷺ fasting, or it was the other way around.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ used to clarify ambiguous situations for people when needed, out of his concern, mercy, and compassion for them.
It is also inferred therefrom that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) showed keenness in knowing the correct act of Sunnah for different matters.
It is also deduced therefrom that witnessing an event firsthand is more decisive than any given authentic report.
The permissibility of eating and drinking in assemblies and while standing could be inferred from the hadeeth.
The hadeeth also urges us to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ and underlines the permissibility of resorting to strategies to know a religious ruling without explicit and direct questions.  It also highlights the acumen of Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her).
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1993
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Two fasts and two kinds of sale are deemed forbidden: fasting on the day of ‘Eid Al-Fitr and ‘Eid Al-Ad-haa and the two kinds of sale are: Mulaamasah and Munaabadhah. (i.e., two kinds of sale used to be practiced in the days of pre-Islamic period of ignorance; Mulaamasah means when you touch something displayed for sale you have to buy it, while Munaabadhah means when the seller throws something to you, you have to buy it.).

Commentary :
Islam has laid down Laws of Islam rulings governing worshipful acts and transactions. It prescribes rulings pertaining to fasting, prayer, and other acts of worship, and also prescribes legislations to preserve people’s wealth. It is incumbent on a Muslim to abide by the divine commands and avoid the prohibitions set by the Laws of Islam.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade fasting on two days: ‘Eid Al-Fitr, because fasting people celebrate the breaking (end) of their fast after the month of Ramadan, and the second is the Day of Nahr, the tenth of Thoo al-Hijjah, because it is the day when the pilgrims perform Hajj rituals and offer animal sacrifices. Allah, Exalted is He, has bestowed His hospitality (i.e., prescribing the refrainment from fasting) on His servants in these two days, and therefore whoever fasts on those days would be rejecting His hospitality.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade two sales: Mulaamasah, which is an Arabic word derived from the root ‘La-ma-sa’, meaning touching. It refers to a way of selling practiced before Islam, and it means that when a buyer touches something displayed for sale, he has to buy it at the price decided by the seller. The second forbidden sale is: Munaabadhah, which is an Arabic word derived from the root ‘Na-ba-dha’, meaning renunciation. It also refers to a way of selling practiced before Islam, and it means that when a buyer throws something to the seller, the buyer has to buy it at the price decided by the seller. Both sales were conducted by people during the pre-Islamic era, and Islam forbade them, because they involve fraud and deception of the contracting parties (or one of them).
The hadeeth also highlights the utility of the Laws of Islam to keep away from causes of discord and dissension among Muslims, forbidding certain transactions that were commonly practiced by people in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance.
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1997
‘Urwah narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah, and on the authority of Saalim narrating it on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):“Nobody was allowed to fast on the days of Tashreeq except those who could not afford the Hady (i.e., Hajj sacrificial animal).”.

Commentary :
The days of Tashreeq are the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth days of Thoo al-Hijjah, and they are blessed days bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon Muslims, and He decreed that they should be taken as days of ‘Eid (i.e., ritual celebration).
In this hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah and Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ did not prescribe fasting on the days of Tashreeq, i.e., three days after ‘Eid Al-Ad-haa, except for those who cannot afford to offer the Hady (i.e., Hajj sacrificial animal). This means that he ﷺ did not prescribe fasting on those days except for a pilgrim performing Hajj Al-Tamatu‘ (i.e., a pilgrim assumes Ihraam for ‘Umrah only, during the months of Hajj, which means that when he reaches Makkah, he makes Tawaaf and Sa‘y for ‘Umrah. Then he shaves or clips his hair. On the eighth day of Thoo al-Hijjah, the pilgrim assumes Ihraam again for Hajj only and carries out all of its requirements) or Hajj Al-Qiraan (i.e.,a pilgrim assumes Ihraam for both ‘Umrah and Hajj, or he assumes Ihraam first for ‘Umrah, then makes his intention for Hajj before his Tawaaf for Hajj) and cannot afford to offer the Hady. This means that a pilgrim cannot find it in Makkah sanctuary, either due to unavailability, or lack of its price, e.g., if it is sold at more than twice its normal price, or because it is available, but its owner would not sell it. In all of these cases, a pilgrim is declared unable to offer the Hady and should opt for fasting, whether or not he finds its price back in his country. He may fast on the Days of Tashreeq as part of the ten days that he has to fast. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (that which means): {And whoever cannot find [or afford such an animal] - then a fast of three days during Hajj and of seven when you have returned [home].} [Quran 2:196].
The Arabic word Hady incorporates all sacrificial animals that are slaughtered in the sanctuary, including: camels, cows, sheep, and goats.
In the prohibition of fasting on these days and the command to eat and drink therein lies a good wisdom, namely, that Allah, Exalted is He, knew the hardships of travelling, the fatigue of pilgrims in the state of Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), and the striving against the ‘self’ when performing Hajj rituals, and therefore He legislated for them a rest afterward to stay in Mina on the Day of Nahr and three days after it, and commanded them to eat from their Hady. These pilgrims are the guests of Allah, Exalted is He, and He is offering them hospitality out of His grace and mercy. Muslims in different parts of the world share such hospitality with the pilgrims, since they also strive in worship and show diligence in the first ten days of Thoo al-Hijjah, observing fasting, reciting Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah), performing worshipful acts, and drawing closer to Allah by offering sacrificial animals. The also share in the forgiveness and ritual celebration, and all Muslims celebrate the hospitality of Allah, Exalted is He, by enjoying eating and drinking during the days of Tashreeq. They eat from His sustenance, and express gratitude to Him for His bounty. Since it is not appropriate for a generous host to let his guests go hungry, they are forbidden from fasting on these days.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Islamic Laws of Islam promotes ease and facilitation, and that hardship begets ease..

1999
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):Fasting for those who perform Hajj Al-Tamattu‘ (in lieu of the Hady which they cannot afford) may be performed up to the day of ‘Arafah, and if one did not offer Hady and has not fasted (before the ‘Eid) should fast of the days of Mina. (11th, 12th, and 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah)..

Commentary :
One type of Hajj is Hajj Al-Tamattu‘, which means that a pilgrim assumes the state of Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration) with the intention of performing ‘Umrah (i.e., lesser pilgrimage) during the months of Hajj - which are Shawwaal, Dhul-Qa‘dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah - then ends his state of Ihraam, and reassumes it ontheDay of Tarwiyah (i.e., the 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah) to perform Hajj that same year.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) informed us that whoever intends to perform Hajj Al-Tamattu‘ must fast the three days before the Day of ‘Arafah, and refrain from fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah, because the Sunnah for a pilgrim is to refrain from fasting on this day. A pilgrim performing Hajj Al-Tamattu‘ is required to offer the Hady (i.e., Hajj sacrificial animal) on the Day of Nahr (i.e., the 10th Day of Thoo al-Hijjah), meaning, the camels, cows, sheep, and goats that are slaughtered in the Sanctuary of Makkah. If a pilgrim cannot find a Hady in Makkah or cannot afford it, e.g., if it is sold for more than twice its normal price, or because it is available, but its owner refuses to sell it, a pilgrim, in all these scenarios, cannot offer the Hady and therefore must opt for fasting, whether or not he can afford buying the Hady in his country. He is required to fast three days in Hajj, and seven when he returns to his country, a total of ten days. If he cannot not find a Hady and did not fast before the Day of ‘Arafah, he may fast on the Days of Tashreeq, which are the days a pilgrim spends in Mina to cast the pebbles at the Jamrah (Pillar) of Al-‘Aqabah after the Day of ‘Eid, and they are: the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth of Thoo al-Hijjah.
The hadeeth highlights that the Laws of Islam promotes ease and facilitation pertaining toHajj rituals..

2003
Humayd ibn ‘Abdul-Rahmaan narrated that he heard Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ during the year he performed Hajj, saying on the pulpit, "O people of Al-Madeenah! Where are your religious scholars? I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, 'This is the day of ‘Aashooraa’. Allah, Exalted is He, has not enjoined its fasting on you but I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not to fast (on this day).' ".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to instruct his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ before the obligation of fasting on Ramadan was prescribed due to the virtue of that day.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Humayd ibn ‘Abdul-Rahmaan stated that the Caliph Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him) ascended the pulpit of the Prophet’s Mosque in Al-Madeenah once while visiting to perform Hajj. The first Hajj he performed was after assuming the Caliphate in 44 A.H., and the last one was in 57 A.H. The day coincided with the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, the tenth day of Muharram. It seems that he remained longer in Makkah or Al-Madeenah until the Day of ‘Aashooraa’. On that day, he said: “O people of Al-Madeenah, where are your scholars?!” He (may Allah be pleased with him) said so because he had heard that some people were deeming fasting on that day either obligatory, forbidden, or disliked. He (may Allah be pleased with him) summoned the scholars to edify them on the correct ruling in this regard, or to familiarize himself with the different information they might have had on that matter, or to rebuke them upon seeing or hearing of someone adopting a different opinion on that mater. Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed them that he heard the Prophet ﷺ say: “This is the Day of ‘Aashooraa’. Allah, Exalted is He, has not enjoined its fasting on you but I am fasting it.”
He ﷺ wanted to inform them that fasting on that day was not deemed obligatory on them.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed His Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that he was fasting and gave them the choice either to fast voluntarily or refrain from fasting, and those who did not fast would not bear any sin for that because it was not incumbent to observe fasting on that day.
This hadeeth is an affirmation of the virtue of fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ because the Messenger of Allah ﷺ singled it out for fasting, commanded Muslims to observe fasting on that particular day, urged them to do so, and told them that he ﷺ was fasting it. All this wasonly so that they would follow his example and to highlight the merits of fasting on that blessed day. Verily, he ﷺ is the best example for us to follow.
It is noteworthy that this hadeeth does not contradict the one narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)stating: “The Prophet ﷺ had ordered to observe fast (on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’) before the fasting in Ramadan was deemed obligatory, but when this became obligatory, it (fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’) became optional; whoever wished fasted on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, and whoever wished did not observe fasting (on that day).”
Moreover, Mu‘aawiyyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reverted to Islam after the Conquest of Makkah; this means that he had heard this hadeeth after his conversion to Islam, in 9 or 10 A.H., after the relevant ruling was abrogated (when the obligation of fasting on Ramadan was prescribed). Therefore, the meaning of the relevant report would be, “It is not prescribed to fast on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ after the obligatory fasting on Ramadanhas been prescribed.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) may also mean that the following ayah does not apply to fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fastingas it was decreed upon those before you.} [Quran 2:183].
It has been reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ expiates the sins committed in the previous year. Furthermore, it has also been reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When the next year comes, Allah willing, we will observe fast on the 9th day of Muharram as well,” meaning that he ﷺ would fast on the 9th and the 10th of Muharram. He ﷺ prescribed fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ as a voluntary act of worship.
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2004
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Madeenah and saw the Jews fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’. He ﷺ asked them about that. They replied, "This is a blessed day, on which Allah rescued Banee Israa’eel (Children of Israel) from their enemy. So, Prophet Moosaa fasted this day." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have more claim over Moosaa than you!" So, the Prophet ﷺ fasted on that day and ordered (Muslims) to fast (on that day)..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to instruct his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ before fasting in Ramadan was made obligatory, due to the virtues of that blessed day.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, and on the following year he ﷺ found the Jews in Al-Madeenah fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, i.e., the tenth day of Muharram. He ﷺ asked them about the reason for it, and they stated that it was a blessed day when Allah, Exalted is He, rescued Prophet Moosaa (Moses) and the children of Israel from their enemy, Pharaoh, and caused him and his troops to drown in the sea. Therefore, Prophet Moosaa observed fasting on that day (to express gratitude to Allah), and when the Prophet ﷺ learned of that, he ﷺ stated that he had more claim over Moosaa than the Jews, being his fellow brother and Messenger of Allah and because he ﷺ was more obedient to Allah and adhered to the truth more earnestly than them. Therefore, he ﷺ had more right to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for saving Prophet Moosaa.This is why he ﷺ fasted on that day and commanded the Muslims to fast it, because we, Muslims, are more entitled to love and follow the example of Prophet Moosaa than the Jews, since they distorted the divine law revealed to him, while we are the true adherents of the religion of Allah, Islam, which is the very religion with which all the Prophets of Allah were sent.
In addition, Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the act of Sunnah in this regard is to observe fasting on the 9th and 10th days of Muharram, to be different from the Jews who fasted only on the 10th of Muharram, and this was narrated in Saheeh Muslim. Moreover, it has been reported on the authority of Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that fasting on that day expiates the sins committed during the previous year, and this has also been cited in Saheeh Muslim.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to observe fasting to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for relief from an adversity or anguish, or the facilitation of a desired attainment..

2005
Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Day of ‘Aashooraa’ was considered as a ‘Eid (i.e., ritual celebration) by the Jews. So, the Prophet ﷺ ordered, "I urge you (Muslims) to fast on this day.".

Commentary :
Fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ has great virtues and merits, and the righteous predecessors (i.e., early Muslim generations) keenly fasted that day, following the example of the Prophet ﷺ, while contravening the Jews in the manner of their fasting.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Moosaa Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Jews used to venerate the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ and take it as a festival, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to observe fasting on that day.
The apparent meaning of this narration is that the motive behind the Prophet’s command to fast on that day was out of his keenness to contravene the Jews, observing fasting on the days when they refrained from fasting and refraining from fasting on the days when they fasted, because the days of ‘Eid must not be fasted. The hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, indicates that the reason for his fasting was the approval of the reason for which they fasted on that day, i.e., expressing gratitude to Allah for saving Prophet Moosaa. However, the Jews’ veneration of that day and their belief in it as a day of ‘Eid did not necessitate that they refrained from fasting on it. Perhaps fasting on that day was a manifestation of veneration prescribed by their divine law. This was explicitly stated in another narration reported by Al-Bukhaaree on the authority of Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “… and saw the Jews venerating and fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’.” The version narrated in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People of Khaybar observed fast on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ and took it as ‘Eid.”
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the act of Sunnah in this regard is to observe fasting on the 9th and 10th days of Muharram, to be different from the Jews who fasted only on the 10th of Muharram, and this was narrated in Saheeh Muslim. Moreover, it has been reported on the authority of Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that fasting on that day expiates the sins committed during the previous year, as has also been recorded in Saheeh Muslim.
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2006
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
I never saw the Prophet ﷺ seeking to fast on a day that he favored more than another except this day, the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, and this month, meaning the month of Ramadan..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to observe many acts of worship and obedience regularly, one of which was fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’. He ﷺ observed fasting on that day to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for rescuing his brother Moosaa (Moses) fromPharaoh.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) related that he did not see the Prophet ﷺ intently and keenly seeking to fast on a day except the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, favoring it over other days of the year and singling it out for fasting.
It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), as cited in Saheeh Muslim, that the act of Sunnah in this regard is to fast on the ninth day of Muharram along with the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, to act contrary to the Jews. Moreover, it has also been authentically reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) that fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ expiates the sins committed during the previous year.
This implies that the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ is the best day to observe fasting, Ramadan aside. However, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) attributed that conclusion to his own knowledge and opinion, and his statement does not refute the other narrations reported by other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in this regard. For instance, a Marfoo‘ hadeeth (i.e., directly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ) was reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) stating that fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ atones for the sins committed during the previous year, and that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins committed during two years: the previous and following ones. The apparent indication of the hadeeths is that fasting on the day of ‘Arafah is better (i.e., more virtuous and rewardable) than fasting the Day of ‘Aashooraa’. It has been said that the wisdom behind this is that the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ is attributed to Prophet Moosaa, while the day of ‘Arafah is attributed to the Prophet ﷺ, and therefore fasting it is deemed better (i.e., more virtuous and rewardable).
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ was keen to fast the month of Ramadan, because it is obligatory, and due to the great bounties bestowed upon the fasting people during that blessed month, including: the divine mercy, deliverance from Hellfire, forgiveness of sins, and the Night of Al-Qadr, which is better and superior to one thousand months (i.e., equivalent to 83 years and 4 months).
In fact, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) made mention of the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ and Ramadan in his statement, even though fasting in the first is optional and in the second is obligatory, because the common feature here is the abundant reward. The meaning of “seeking,” is that he ﷺ intended to fast it, aspiring to obtain its reward..

2010
‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abdul-Qaari said: "I went out in the company of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) one night in Ramadan to the mosque and found people praying in different groups. A man was praying alone or a man praying with a little group behind him. So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'In my opinion, I would better gather these (people) under the leadership of one Qaari, Quran reciter (i.e., let them pray in congregation!)'. So, he (may Allah be pleased with him) made up his mind to congregate them behind Ubay ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him). Then, on another night I went again in his company and people were praying behind their reciter. On that, ‘Umar remarked, 'What an excellent Bid‘ah (i.e., innovation) this is; but the prayer which they do not perform, but sleep at its time is better than the one they are offering.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that performing night prayer in the last part of the night. (In those days) people used to pray in the early part of the night.".

Commentary :
The Caliph ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) was keen to revive acts of Sunnah, eradicate religious innovations, and fight whatever triggered disunity and dissention among Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to adhere to the practices of the rightly guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abdul-Qaari, who was appointed by ‘Umar as the head of the Public Treasury, related that he went to the Prophet’s Mosque with ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) one night in Ramadhan, to find some people praying night prayer in different congregations. Some prayed individually, and others prayed in small congregations, small groups of three to ten. Therefore, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) thought about organizing Taraaweeh prayer (i.e., night prayer in Ramadan) in congregation for all Muslims, because it is more stimulating for the worshippers, and so that the they would not disturb each other when praying in small congregations.
He (may Allah be pleased with him)formed this view based on the actions of the Prophet ﷺ and his tacit approval of such an act when he ﷺ once led Muslims in congregation on one night of Ramadan. This was stated in a hadeeth narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), that the Prophet ﷺ went out in the middle of the night and prayed in the mosque and some men prayed behind him. In the morning, people spoke about it and then a large number of them gathered and prayed behind him (on the second night). On the next morning the people again talked about it and on the third night the mosque was full with a large number of people. Allah's Messenger ﷺ came out and led them in prayer. On the fourth night the Prophet’s Mosque was overcrowded with people and could not accommodate them all, but the Prophet ﷺ came out (only) for Fajr prayer. When Fajr prayer was finished, he recited Tashah-hud and said (addressing the people): “Know that your presence was not hidden from me but I was afraid lest the night prayer should be enjoined on you and you might not be able to carry it on.”
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to organize congregational Taraaweeh prayers at the mosque and appointed Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) as the Imaam, because he was one of the best Companions in the recitation and memorization of the Quran. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) went out on another night and found them praying in one congregation behind Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: “What an excellent Bid‘ah (i.e., innovation) this is,” because it was a good and righteous act, urging Muslims to pray in congregation as recommended. Even if it was not done during the reign of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) him, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ held congregational Taraaweeh prayers. He ﷺ refrained from holding such congregational Taraaweeh prayers regularly lest it be deemed obligatory on Muslims and they would not have endured it.
His saying, “What an excellent Bid‘ah (i.e., innovation) this is”  indicates that this practice has its basis and origin is the Sunnah, and it is not a religious innovation as per the laws of Islam that is labelled as misguidance, rather it is described as an innovation, in the linguistic sense of the word (i.e., being an unprecedented rather than an unprescribed act). The fact that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Abdul-Qaari went to the Prophet’s Mosque once to find people praying Taraaweeh in congregation, indicates that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not regularly pray with them, and perhaps he (may Allah be pleased with him) believed that performing Taraaweeh prayers individually at home was better (and more rewardable), especially at the end of the night.This is why he (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that people used to perform Taraaweeh prayers at the beginning of the night, but it would be better for them to sleep for a while, and then wake up at the end of the night to perform them.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to perform night prayers at the end of the night.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to perform night prayer in congregation.
It also highlights that a ruler should check on the ruled and keenly foster their interests, with regard to their religious or worldly affairs..

2015
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Some men amongst the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ were shown in their dreams that the Night of Al-Qadr was in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Al-Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to seek it (i.e., the Night of Al-Qadr) should seek it in the last seven (nights of Ramadan).”.

Commentary :
The Night of Al-Qadr is one of the great and blessed nights of Ramadan, in which Allah, Exalted is He, states that the Quran was revealed. It has been highly praised and venerated by Allah, Exalted is He, given the fact that it abounds in great bounties and yields abundant rewards, which are described as being equal to those earned by devoting oneself to worship for one thousand months. During that blessed night, many angels descend, and many bounties and blessings are conferred upon people, and it is free of harm and evil.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that many of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw in a dream that the Night of Al-Qadr falls in the last seven nights of Ramadan. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It seems that all your dreams agree that (the Night of Al-Qadr) is in the last seven nights, and whoever wants to seek it (i.e., the Night of Al-Qadr)…”, meaning by means of performing prayer, reciting the Quran and supplications, and diligently devoting himself to worship, “… should seek it in the last seven (nights of Ramadan).” It is possible that he ﷺ meant the last seven nights of Ramadan, starting from the 23rd night, or the last seven nights are after the twentieth night, which includes the 21st, the 23rd, and the 25th nights.
It was called the Night of Al-Qadr because of its abundant virtues and great honor, or because the performance of worshipful acts in it yields greater reward.
The wisdom of Allah entailed that its exact date should be hidden from people so that they should strive and keenly devote themselves to worship throughout the last ten nights, and thus perform more worshipful acts and gain greater benefits (rewards).
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2017
 ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Seek the Night of Al-Qadr in the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan.".

Commentary : 114270.

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..