| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2899

Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel! Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so." So, one of the parties ceased throwing. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" On that the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60]. In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, commands Muslims to be well-prepared for meeting their enemy and the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, by harnessing all the means of force available to them. Given the fact that archery was one of the most important means of force at that time, the Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to practice it and strongly encouraged learning and mastering archery.
In this hadeeth, it was narrated that the Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Nafar, meaning a number from three to ten men. These men were practicing archery and shooting arrows (in some sort of a competition). The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel!” He ﷺ referred to Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishamel) because all Arabs are his descendants and he mastered archery. He ﷺ added: “Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so," referring to one of the two parties (teams). The hadeeth recorded by Ibn Hibbaan on the authority of AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “… and throw and I am with Ibn Al-Adra‘,” whose name was Mihjan ibn Al-Adra‘, and it was also said that his name was Dhakwaan and his nickname was Ibn Al-Adra‘.
So, one of the parties ceased throwing, upon hearing the Prophet’s ﷺstatement. He ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" They feared that it would be inappropriate to carry on and defeat them, and thus the team aided by the Prophet ﷺ should lose, out of their politeness towards the Prophet ﷺ. Their statement may also mean, ‘How could we compete with a team that you are supporting?’ Thereupon, the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you." He ﷺ urged them to continue with practicing and competing inarchery. The Prophet’s statement guided them to correct their intention.
The hadeeth highlights that Muslims highly revered the Prophet ﷺ..

2900

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them."
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Commentary :
The Great Battle of Badr was the first battle between the Prophet ﷺ and the disbelievers, and it served as the criterion between (truth and falsehood, and between) belief and disbelief. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, called it ‘the Day of Al-Furqaan (lit., criterion),’ and the people of Badr, meaning those who participated in the battle, were blessed with the forgiveness of their sins, as stated by the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as their leader in the Battle of Badr, while they were standing in rows against (the army of) Quraysh. He ﷺsaid, "When they come near you, throw arrows at them,” meaning shoot your arrows (only) when they become near enough, within the range of your arrows, but not too close, within engagement range. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to fire arrows at their enemies when they became within engagement range of the arrows to ensure that they would most likely hit them.Were they to shoot their arrows while they were out of their range, it would be a waste of arrows, especially given that the number of the disbelievers’ army was three times the number of the Muslims’ army! Therefore, shooting arrows at the disbelievers would help the Muslims deflect and hinder their attack.
The Battle of Badr took place in Ramadan in 2 A.H., and Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions(may Allah be pleased with them) victory over the disbelievers of Quraysh.
The hadeeth urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts.
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2901

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
While some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came in, picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." Ma‘mar (the sub-narrator) added that they were playing in the Mosque.
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Commentary :
Training for war and making the proper preparations for meeting the enemy are recommended, because it is part of the enjoined preparation of power (and steeds of war) stated in the ayah that reads (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60].
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them) came into the Prophet’s Mosque once while some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He (may Allah be pleased with him) picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." The Prophet ﷺ said so because he believed that their recreational activity was beneficial for Muslims, as it involved training and getting ready for fighting.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whoever acts on his own personal reasoning and commits a mistake, should not be blamed, because the Prophet ﷺ did not rebuke ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in that incident..

2902

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the perfect example and optimal role model role model in resolve, courage, and bravery, at times of both peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ and AbooTalhah Zayd ibn Sahl Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) used to shield themselves with one shield in the Battle of Uhud, because AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, who needed someone to hold the shield while he shot the arrows, with both his hands busy. The Prophet ﷺ would hold the shield (while AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) shot the arrows), lest the enemy should shoot back at him. This reflected the humbleness of the Prophet ﷺ and his keenness to participate personally in Jihaad (side by side with the Muslim fighters). He ﷺ was the bravest of all people; whenever the fighting intensified, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)used to shield themselves behind the Prophet ﷺ. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him)was one of the best archers, and therefore whenever he threw (his arrows), the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows, to verify that the arrows hit the enemies. He ﷺ would raise his head to see the target of his arrows. It was recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that when the Prophet ﷺ started looking at the enemy by raising his head, AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours."
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It also urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts..

2904

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had transferred to His Messenger ﷺ as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by whatever Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. The properties, therefore, belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used in Allah's Cause.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ led an ascetic life in the worldly sense, although Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon him riches, and made lawful for him the spoils of war. He ﷺ always kept the worldly pleasures in his hands, not in his heart. He ﷺ did not keep any savings except for the provisions for his own household in order to (shoulder his task and) tend to their needs (as enjoined).
In this hadeeth, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had granted to Muslims as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. This means that the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not fight against Banee Al-Nadeer, but Allah, Exalted is He, cast terror into their hearts in awe of the Prophet ﷺ. Banee Al-Nadeer was a Jewish tribe which had settled in thesouth of Al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺ laid siege to them and expelled them from Al-Madeenah on account of their betrayal in 3 A.H. It was also said that this took place in Rabee‘ Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. Their properties and weapons belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, and none of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had a share of such war-gains, because the disposal of the Fay’ was solely determined by the Prophet ﷺ as he saw fit, unlike the spoils of war (which were divided among the fighters). He ﷺ used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used for Jihaad in Allah's Cause.
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2906

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam.) The Prophetﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and scolded me and said disapprovingly, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ Thereupon, Allah's Messenger ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) became inattentive, I waved the two girls to go away and they left. It was the Day of ‘Eid when black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" When I got tired, he ﷺ asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told me to leave.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of all people to his wives as reflected in his good treatment and kindness towards them.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to her house while two girls were singing beside her the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam). Bu‘aath was the name of the fortress that witnessed a massive war between the Khazraj and the Aws tribes which ended with the victory of Aws. Afterward, Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon them peace and reconciliation, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. Heﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side, because his refined status entailed that he ﷺ should refrain from listening to singing. However, the fact that the Prophet ﷺ abstained from forbidding it proves that it is permissible according to his tacit approval, for he ﷺ would not approve what is impermissible. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came in and scolded her, based on his knowledge of the prohibition of singing and musical instruments. He (may Allah be pleased with him) disapprovingly said, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ!” Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was referring to their singing or the Duff (i.e., a tambourine-like instrument without bells) that they used. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Mizmaarah or Mizmaar (i.e., wind instrument), derived from the word Zameer which denotes whistling or hissing, and it is used to refer to pleasant melody or singing. He (may Allah be pleased with him) attributed it to Satan because it distracts the heart from the remembrance of Allah, Exalted is He. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know that the Prophet ﷺ had (tacitly) approved it before making this remark, for he (may Allah be pleased with him) entered abruptly, found him reclined on the bed, and assumed that he ﷺ was sleeping. He (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade this act, and thereupon the Prophet ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." It was a Day of ‘Eid, which is a festive occasion that is prescribed by the religion and therefore celebrating it should not be forbidden, and also this act falls under the category of permissible recreational activities that do not prompt the ‘self’ to do what is improper and unbecoming.
When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) or the Prophet ﷺ became inattentive, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) waved the two girls to go away and they left. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “It was the Day of ‘Eid when Black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" It was also said that it was the name of their great forefather. When she (may Allah be pleased with her)got bored, he ﷺ asked her if that was enough. She (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told her to leave.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims are urged to make less restrictions for their wives and children in terms of provisions, and allow them to engage in prescribed recreational activities on festive occasions to enjoy the celebrations and that what may not be pardonable on other days of the year may be pardonable on the days of ‘Eid (as long as it is permissible as per the law of Islam).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that a father is entitled to discipline his daughter in the presence of her husband; one of the father’s duties is disciplining his children and it is prescribed for a husband to show kindness towards his wife.
It is also deduced that it is allowable to witness the prescribed recreational activities..

2909

AbooUmaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that some people conquered many countries and their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, but they were decorated with leather, lead, and iron..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ taught and educated the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) well and instilled within them the moral values of courage and sacrifice of one’s own life and wealth in Allah’s Cause. He ﷺ also taught them to find pride in and drive strength from their faith in Allah, Exalted is He, to confront whoever waged war against Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, AbooUmaamahSudayy ibn ‘Ajlaan Al-Baahilee(may Allah be pleased with him)said that when Allah, Exalted is He, blessed a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) with conquering many countries, their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, like people’s swords at those times. Rather, they were decorated with untanned leather, lead, and iron.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not adorn their weapons with gold or anything similar, for they dispensed with striking awe in their enemies by means of outward appearances (i.e., demonstrations of force), and rather struck awe in their hearts by means of their true faith in Allah, Exalted is He. However, this does not entail that it is impermissible to adorn the swords with gold and silver, to strike awe and terror in the hearts of the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, and infuriate them. Rather, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)were contented with their strength and power to defeat their enemies rather than terrorizing them by means of such ornaments..

2920

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles.
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Commentary :
Fostering ease and eliminating inconvenience are among the key principles of our true religion, and the greater the hardship, the greater the facilitation and elimination of inconvenience enjoined by Islam.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about lice (that caused them itchiness). Another version of the hadeeth compiled in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “… because of an itching from which they suffered,” and it seems that such itching was caused by the lice. It is also possible that the reason was the itchiness for one of them and the lice for the other. Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession to wear silken clothes, because silk was more suitable to their skin condition. It was narrated in Sunan Aboo Daawood that the Prophet ﷺ took hold of some silk in his right hand and some gold in his left, then said: “These two are forbidden for the males of my Ummah.”
In that incident, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession because of their problems (i.e., itchiness).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to seek medical treatment and remedies for their health problems.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that availing oneself of the available means does not contradict true reliance on Allah, Exalted is He. .

2926

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’”
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Commentary :
The rancor harbored by the Jews and their hostility towards Islam and Muslims have existed since the advent of Islam and will continue until the Last Hour should come. Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the supporters of truth should prevail, even if the oppression of the Jews continues for a long time and their dominion grows stronger.
In this Hadeeth, the truthful Prophet of Allah ﷺ mentioned one of the signs of the Last Hour; a war shall take place between Muslims and Jews. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, addressing his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and all following Muslim generations until the end of the world, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews.” This war will take place after the advent of Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus) and Muslims will be his supporters in this war,while the Jews will support Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist). During this war, everything will cooperate with Muslim fighters, even inanimate objects like stones. Whenever a Jew would hide behind any object, it would speak and say to the Muslims, “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.”Inanimate objects will reveal the truth and help Muslims (defeat the Jews).
The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “… except for the Gharqad (i.e.,Boxthorn or Lycium) tree, for it is the tree of the Jews.” Gharqad trees (known as Boxthorn or Lycium) famously grow in Jerusalem. During the war between Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus),accompanied by the Muslims on one side, and Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist), accompanied by the Jews on the other, these trees shallshelter the soldiers of the Dajjaal, i.e., the Jews. The hadeeth means that that everything (even inanimate objects) will cooperate with Muslims to defeat and kill the Jews, the soldiers of the Dajjaal, except the Gharqad trees, and therefore they are attributed to the Jews in this sense.
The hadeeth evidences that Islam will last until the Day of Resurrection and shall triumph over all its enemies.
It also highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2929

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophetﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come till you fight against people wearing shoes made of hair; and the Last Hour will come till you fight against people whose faces look like shields coated with leather." (AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "They will be) small-eyed, flat nosed, and their faces will look like shields coated with leather.”)
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ explained on many occasions the signs of the Last Hour and the horrors that will take place before the Day of Resurrection, so that Muslims should take the needed precautions, prepare themselves for those (harsh) times, and increase their faith and certitude in their Prophet ﷺ and his truthfulness.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of some signs indicating the approach of the Last Hour, one of which will be that Muslims shall fight against people wearing shoes made of hair. It could also mean that they shall lengthen their hair so much that it would reach their shoes! Another description of such people is that their faces shall look like shields coated with leather used to protect the fighters from sword strikes on the battlefield. The meaning is that these people’s faces are large, round, and fat. The hadeeth also underlined that these people are small-eyed and have long noses, meaning that their noses are short, with thick and flat tips.
Perhaps these descriptions applied to the Tatars and the Mongols, who swept the Muslim world in the middle of the seventh century A.H., because of the precise physical descriptions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave in this hadeeth (matching their physical description); they fought against Muslims and their onslaught swept many countries, instilling fear and terror in people’s hearts, as if they were Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog). It is noteworthy that many of the Tatars and the Mongols embraced Islam afterwards.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2930

Aboo Is-haaq narrated:
A man asked Al-Baraa,’ "O Aboo ‘Umaarah! Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?" He replied, "No, by Allah! Allah's Messenger ﷺ did not flee, but his young, unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr whose arrows hardly missed a target, and they threw arrows at them hardly missing a shot. Muslims retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule which was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, for victory; then he ﷺ said, 'I am the Prophet, without a lie; I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,’ and then he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the bravest of all people, and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the best warriors who displayed the most outstanding steadfastness when meeting their enemies.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aboo Is-haaq ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-Sabee‘eesaid that a man named Qays, according to the version recorded by Ahmad, jokingly asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him), "O Aboo ‘Umaarah,” i.e. the nickname of Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him). “Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?” The Battle of Hunayn took place in 8 A.H., and Hunayn was a valley near Dhul-Mijaaz, close to Al-Taa’if, fifteen miles from Makkah in the direction of Al-Sharaa’i‘ and Al-Sayl Al-Kabeer. It was said that Hunayn was named after a man named Hunayn ibn Qaathibah.
The question was about all Muslims, including the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and therefore Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that he ﷺdid not flee, but rather his young unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who did not even shield themselves with armor or the like, fearlessly passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr ibn Mu‘aawiyah, i.e., two Arab tribes renowned for their skill as archers whose arrows hardly missed a target. They shot arrows at the unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule that was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, imploring Him for victory; saying, “I am the Prophet, without a lie;” meaning that he ﷺ was not a liar to flee, ”I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,” and he ﷺ attributed himself directly to his grandfather given his fame (among all Arab tribes). Afterward, he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows, to resume fighting. The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) fought against the disbelievers, defeated them, and gained many spoils of war in this battle.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should invoke Allah, Exalted is He, at times of adversity and hardship..

2937

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of Daws tribe disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." People said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance and guide them to embrace Islam."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy to the worlds, and he ﷺ loved for all people to be guided to Islam, and did not hasten to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them as long as there was hope for them to embrace Islam.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenahand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of the tribe of Daws,” an Arab tribe, “disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." Upon hearing so, people said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." They thought that the Prophet ﷺ was going to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them and his supplications would not be rejected! The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance, and guide them to embrace Islam,” and migrate to Al-Madeenah. This reflects the Prophet’s refined moral character, mercy, and kindness towards his Ummah. May Allah, Exalted is He, bless him with the most perfect and abundant reward, better than what any other Prophet of Allah was rewarded for guiding his followers (to the truth). It is noteworthy that the Prophet’s supplications against some disbelievers were because their guidance to Islam was not hoped for; their harm and evil were feared; and they had severely abused and persecuted Muslims.
The supplications of the Prophet ﷺwere answered and the tribe of Daws embraced Islam. It was narrated by Al-Bayhaqee in his book Dalaa’il Al-Nubuwwah that the Prophet ﷺ commanded Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) toreturn to his people and invite them to Allah, Exalted is He, and urged him to be kind towards them. Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) did so until the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, and then went to Al-Madeenah after seventy or eighty households from the tribe of Daws had embraced Islam.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2943

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked some people, he would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight, and if he did not hear the Adhaan, he would attack them immediately after dawn. We reached Khaybar at night.”
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the best role model and teacher for the Muslim Ummah, and our source of guidance on all matters of peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that,“Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked any given people, he ﷺ would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight,” as it would be indicative of their Islam, “and if he did not hear the Adhaan,” being a manifest sign of their disbelief, “he ﷺ would attack them immediately after dawn.” This means that whenever the Prophet ﷺ did not know for sure whether a given people had embraced Islam and were edified on it before attacking them, he ﷺ would wait until dawn to see whether or not they would raise the Adhaan. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan, he ﷺ would refrain from attacking them, otherwise, he ﷺ would proceed.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “We reached Khaybar at night,” to conquer it in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a village inhabited by Jews, about 153 km from Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam. The Prophet ﷺ waited until dawn and then attacked them. It was narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that Allah's Messenger ﷺ reached Khaybar at night, and it was his habit that, whenever he ﷺ reached the enemy at night, he would not attack them till it was morning. When it was morning, the Jews came out with their spades and baskets, and when they saw him (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ), they said, "Muhammad! By Allah! Muhammad and his army have arrived!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Khaybar is (already) destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight them), {then evil is the morning of those who were warned.} [Quran 37:177]."
The hadeeth underlines the Prophet’s precautions before fights, fearing that he ﷺ would mistakenly kill Muslims (when conquering non-Muslim lands)..

2950

Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to single out certain days with particular acts of worship or good deeds.
In this hadeeth, Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophetﷺ used to prefer to travel on Thursdays, and that he ﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook in 9 A.H. to fight against the Romans. Tabook was a town in the far north of the Arabian Peninsula, in the middle of the road to Damascus, about 700 km away from Al-Madeenah. The Battle of Tabook was the last battle in which the Prophet ﷺ personally partook against the Romans.
He ﷺ habitually set out on his journeys for travel or Jihaad purposes (i.e., conquests) on Thursdays, except for a few occasions. It was authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺtravelled on Saturday, and perhaps this was one of the examples of the few occasions mentioned by Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) in the other version of the hadeeth recorded by Al-Bukhaaree when he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “It was rarely that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out on a journey on any day other than Thursday.”
The point is that he ﷺ used to set out on Thursday for most of his travels and conquests, and the wisdom behind that is known only to Allah, Exalted is He. It was said that he ﷺ hated to travel on Fridays, and therefore used to set out on the day before (Thursday) or the day after it (Saturday). It was also said that Thursday is a blessed day during which people’s deeds are presented to Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ only set out on his journeys or battles for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, and therefore he ﷺ wanted to perform such good deeds on that blessed day in particular. It is also possible that he ﷺ believed it was a good omen to embark on his journeys and battles on Thursdays in particular, for the Arabic word Khamees (i.e., Thursday) means ‘army,’ which consists of five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. He ﷺ might have believed that going out for conquests on Thursday would be a good omen that Allah, Exalted is He, would protect him and bless him with the support of his soldiers (army). He ﷺ may have also found it a good omen to set out on his conquests on Thursday, hoping that he ﷺ would defeat the enemy’s army, denoted by the very Arabic word for Thursday, Khamees, and because he ﷺ would avail himself of the fifth of the gained spoils of war (i.e., the Arabic word for ‘five’ is Khamsah, derived from the same root as Khamees)..

2954

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent us on military expedition telling us, "If you find such and such persons (he ﷺ named two men from Quraysh), burn them with fire." Then we came to bid him farewell, when we wanted to set out, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead).".

Commentary :
Many of the disbelievers committed heinous crimes against Muslim men and women before and after the emigration, and accordingly deserved punishments for that. An example of such crimes was that when Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, decided to migrate and headed towards Al-Madeenah, two men from the disbelievers, Habbaar ibn Al-Aswad and another man who was said to be Naafi‘ ibn Qays, encountered her. They hit the camel that she was riding, she fell to the ground while being pregnant, and had a miscarriage as a result.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent him on a military expedition, led by Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) to kill these two men (in retribution). He ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men by burning them with fire. When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) went to bid the Prophet ﷺ farewell, before setting out on the journey, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead)." This means that only Allah, Exalted is He, punishes His creation with fire, and such punishment is exclusive to Him; none may use burning with fire as a punishment. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men instead. His second statement forbade the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from punishing them with fire and it abrogated the first command, whether it was abrogated based on new divine revelation or based on the Prophet’s personal Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning). The prohibition in this regard means that none should deliberately burn a particular person with fire.
Anyway, the Muslim army could not find the two men in question, and afterward Habbaar embraced Islam and lived until the reign of Mu‘aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him), but no further information was reported about the other man. His name was not recorded among the Companions’ names (in the Sunnah books); he may have died as a disbeliever.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to judge a situation based on one’s personal reasoning and then change one’s judgment afterward.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is prohibited to burn someone with fire.
It is deduced therefrom that Sunnah texts may abrogate one another.
It is also inferred that it is permissible for someone to bid farewell to the elite people in one’s town before traveling, and his companions may bid farewell to him as well..

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