Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When it was the day (of the Battle) of Badr, prisoners of war were brought including Al-Abbaas who was undressed. The Prophetﷺ looked for a shirt for him. It was found that the shirt of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy would do, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. That was the reason why the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah. The narrator adds, "He had done the Prophetﷺsome favor for which the Prophet ﷺ liked to reward him.”.

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was considerate of people’s different conditions, rewarded their acts of kindness in kind, and did not repay evil in kind.
‘Abdullaah ibn Ubaiyy ibn Salool was the leader of hypocrites in Al-Madeenah who inwardly nursed enmity towards the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims (while proclaiming otherwise). However, this did not dishearten the Prophet ﷺ to reward him for some good things he did.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with them)was taken prisoner by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, which took place between the Muslims and the disbelievers (of Quraysh) from Makkah in 2 A.H. and was brought to the Prophet ﷺ while being undressed. Heﷺ looked for a shirt for him and could not find any except that of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. As a reward, the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah’s son after his death to be shrouded in it. He ﷺ did so to reward his favor to Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him), and he ﷺ also led his funeral prayer, and came to his grave as requested by his son ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him). It was also said that the Prophet ﷺ did so for the sake of his son, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him), out of the Prophet’s compassion for all Muslims and to console his son ‘Abdullaah, who was a righteous man, and also to win the hearts of the Khazraj tribe, for he was their chief.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should treat their prisoners of war kindly and provide them with the needed clothes.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to reward favors to one’s relatives if they were done for his own sake and not at the request of such relatives.
It is also deduced that the reward of favors may be given to a person during his lifetime or after his death..

3010

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, conferred His grace, mercy, and generosity on His servants, and promised Paradise to those who embrace Islam, sincerely believe in and obey Him. It is odd that there should be people who reject Islam at first yet may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace it, and afterwards become good and sincere Muslims, earn the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and enter Paradise!
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains! This means that such people would be taken prisoners by Muslims and chained. After being edified on Islam and learning that it is the true religion of Allah, Exalted is He, they would willingly embrace Islam, and thus would be admitted to Paradise. It was also said that they may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace Islam and this would be the reason for their entering Paradise. Another possible meaning is that the hadeeth refers to the Muslims taken prisoner by the disbelievers who died in such a state or got killed by them and were resurrected in such a state. He ﷺ referred to their resurrection (in the very state in which they died) with the reference to entering Paradise because it is authentically reported that they shall enter it after their resurrection.
The hadeeth affirms the divine attribute of ‘wondering’ with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits Him. We are enjoined to affirm such divine attributes exactly as the Prophet ﷺ affirmed them, without Tahreef (i.e., distortion), Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Face?), Tashbeeh and Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Ta‘teel (i.e., denial)..

3012

Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺpassed by me at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan andwas asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." I also heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.”
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Commentary :
This hadeeth establishes various rules and principles, including that what is essential to performing a religious obligation may not be neglected or avoided. Muslims sometimes needed to attack their enemies at night, availing themselves of the element of surprise to achieve victory.These night attacksare deemed allowable, despite the fact thatthey may result in accidently killing non-combatants, such as women and children.These types of people generally may not be killed on the battlefield as per the Islamic law. The Prophet ﷺ gave permission for night attacks, as narrated by Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺpassed by him at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan, places in Makkah; the first is 200 km from Makkah and 170 km from Al-Madeenah, and the distance between the two places is about 8 miles. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger, for Muslims would not be able to identify women and children at night. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." It means that Muslims bear no sin for accidently killing or harming non-combatants if they were mixed with the combatants.In such cases there may be no other way to target the combatants without killing or harming the non-combatants. It goes without saying that the hadeeth does not mean that Muslims are allowed to target non-combatants (women and children) deliberately, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade killing women and children (on the battlefield). However, when the necessity warrants it, it is inevitable.
In the version of the hadeeth recorded by Ahmad, Al-Zuhree stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade such an act afterward, referring to his prohibition during the Battle of Hunayn, meaning that he ﷺstrictly forbade killing women and children in war (at that battle) after it was deemed allowable (in the specified situation).
Al-Sa‘b ibn Jathaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) also said that he heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.” The Himaa refers to the preserves and protected areas to which people and cattle are denied access to allow the grass therein to grow, and afterward they would be allocated by the ruler for grazing the animals given as part of the Zakaah funds, for instance. It is impermissible for anyone to declare such preserves and protected areas as Himaa except with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, and his deputies who must act in accordance with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, within the scope of need and for the benefit of Muslims.
The Prophet ﷺ allocated a Himaafor the horses kept for Jihaad purposes and for the camels given in Zakaah. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him)also allocated a Himaa for the camels given in Zakaah and horses used in Allah’s Cause. The Imaam or ruler may do what he believes to be in the interests of keeping the horses (used for Jihaad purposes) strong, provided that it would not make things hard for people and be at the expense of public pastures. This proves that the use of (public) lands is determined by the rulers only..

3014

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, did not legislate fighting against the disbelievers as a means of retaliation or oppression. Rather, Jihaadwas legislated to subdue the forces of polytheism and tyranny that prevent people from embracing Tawheed (i.e., Islamic monotheism), attaining deliverance from the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He, and earning His pleasure. This makes fighting a manifestation of mercy, not punishment, and for this reason the Prophet ﷺ forbade the killing of women and young boys, as shown in this hadeeth. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that during one of battles of the Prophetﷺ,a woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the deliberate killing of women and children, because they do not fight against Muslims, and the purpose of fighting is subduing the combatants to convey the message of Islam, the true religion of Allah, to all people.
It is noteworthy that if women and children are mixed with the disbelieving fighters and combatants and there is no way to get to them except by killing these women and children, Muslims bear no sin for that, because this would be accidental and not deliberate. It is also allowable for Muslim fighters to kill the combatant women and children who partake in fighting against them.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should target and kill the combatant men in the disbelievers’ army.
It is inferred therefrom that Islam laid down the guidelines and rules governing matters of war, and considerately took into account the rights of the non-combatant women and children, and those who take the same ruling.
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3017

‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them)burnt some people and this news reached Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatize), kill him.’”.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that burning with fire as a punishment should be exclusive to Him.
In this hadeeth, ‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) burnt some people, the Saba’eeyyah (i.e., the followers of ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’) whoapostatized and claimed that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) was their Lord! Verily, Allah, Exalted is He, is far Above their false claims. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them and burnt them by fire to emphasize the gravity and heinousness of such a crime, and severely punish them for such false claims and Shirk (i.e., associating patterners with Allah). This was a specific incident and the punishment was decided based on the Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning) of ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him).Some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disapproved of it including Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them). When this news reached him, he said, "Had I been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment (i.e., burning with fire),'” which is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, and stated that he would have settled for killing them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, “If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatizes), kill him.” This means that if a Muslim apostatizes and gives up Islam, he should be killed for apostasy, provided that the due conditions are met, and only the Imaam or ruler is entitled to execute this punishment.
It was also said that the prohibition of burning with fire as a punishment does not mean that it is impermissible but is rather meant as a manifestation of the enjoined humbleness. The permissibility is evidenced by the fact that the Prophet ﷺpierced the eyes of the shepherds from ‘Uraynah tribe with fire (branding their eyes with heated iron in retribution for doing the same to their victims), as authentically reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and his vast knowledge and understanding of the Prophet’s statements.
The hadeeth also underlines the becoming etiquette towards thoseholding dissenting opinions.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that burning with fire as a punishment is prohibited..

3019

AbooHurayrahh(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?".

Commentary :
Islam preaches mercy to all Allah’s Creation: human beings, Jinn, animals, and birds. It enjoins Muslims to show mercy to all creatures and forbids them from vainly killing living beings for no real benefit. Moreover, it fosters people’s interests and protects them from loss and harm. This is why Allah, Exalted is He, admonished one of His Prophets for burning the place of the ants because one ant had bitten him. The Prophetﷺ said, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?’" This means that he ordered a whole nation that glorified Allah, Exalted is He, to be burnt because of one ant that had bitten him!
It should be noted that Allah, Exalted is He, admonished this Prophet for doing Khilaaf Al-Awlaa (i.e., an undesirable, yet permissible act that is not the best choice from a number of alternatives, contradicting that which is most appropriate and what is religiously superior under ordinary circumstances). This means that it would have been better for him to punish only the ant that had bitten him, and were he to do so, Allah, Exalted is He, would not have admonished him. However, He admonished him for exceeding the proper limits and burning the whole colony of ants!
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the punishment must be in proportion to the crime committed and must not be executed on anyone other than the perpetrator.
The hadeeth also highlights the gravity of burning living beings with fire..

3024

SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah) said:
I was ‘Umar's clerk. Once ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa wrote a letter to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when he proceeded to Al-Harooriyah. I read in it that Allah's Messenger ﷺ in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined and then he got up amongst the people saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for safety, but when you face the enemy, be patient, and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." Then he ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book, the Mover of the clouds, and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench), defeat them, and grant us victory over them."
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Commentary :
Wellbeing is one of the great blessings for which a person should constantly ask Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah), who was ‘Umar's clerk, narrated that he once read a letter from ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa to ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullah(may Allah be pleased with them) when he was proceeding to Al-Harooriyah. ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa(may Allah be pleased with him) was the commander of the army sent to fight against the Khawaarij (Kharijites), also known as Al-Harooriyah, during the reign of ‘Alee ibn AbooTaalib(may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Harooriyah was a name given to a deviant sect of the Kharijites attributed to Harooraa, a town near Kufa, where the Kharijites first gathered. The letter read that the Prophet ﷺ, in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined, avoiding the extreme heat of the sun, and then he got up amongst the Muslim fighters saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy,” and the prohibition in this regard is because one does not know what he would do, and whether or not he would survive, and because people’s abilities to patiently endure calamities vary, and also because wellbeing and safety are the ultimate attainments. He ﷺ also forbade Muslims from wishing to meet the enemy because it can involve arrogance, reliance on one’s personal abilities, and placing one’s trust in the effectiveness of the available means or material power (rather than relying on Allah, Exalted is He). Moreover, it implies underestimation of the enemy and belittling their power, which is contrary to the enjoined precaution and prudence. He ﷺ added, “and ask Allah for safety and wellbeing,” which is a general and all-inclusive term that incorporates protection from all harms and evils befalling a person’s body, property, family and loved ones in the worldly life and Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to ask Allah, Exalted is He, specifically for wellbeing on that occasion because a person is (more) vulnerable to injuries and adversities during wartime. He ﷺ added, “but when you face the enemy, be patient,” because it is incumbent on Muslims to adhere to patience and endurance during wartime as long as it is within their capacity, and those who keenly adhere to patience are rewarded with victory. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." This means that meeting the enemies of Islam and Muslims and fighting against them is one of the keymeans of entering Paradise. Afterward, he ﷺ implored Allah, Exalted is He, for victory. He ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book,” meaning the Quran, “the Mover of the clouds,” meaning the One who causes the rain to descend, the wind to blow, and the like, “and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench),” meaning the disbelievers from various clans who joined forces in the Battle of the Trench to eradicate Islam and the Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, defeated them with a strong wind, and the Muslims did not even have to fight them off, “defeat them, and grant us victory over them.” In this statement, the Prophet ﷺreferred to what is mentioned the Quran, in the ayah that reads (what means): {Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people.} [Quran 9:14]. He ﷺ also mentioned the moving of the clouds, in reference to Allah’s Power in causing the wind to blow and the clouds to move as He wills and causing rain whenever He wills. This indicates Allah’s Power in aiding the Muslim fighters by causing their movement, i.e., striving and fighting against the disbelievers, and putting the disbelievers’ movement to a halt and safeguarding Muslims from their harm; his mention of Allah’s Power in causing rain also indicates His bestowal of victory over their enemies, killing them, and taking spoils of war. All the while,withholding rain resemblesthe Muslims’ defeat and failure to kill their enemies or obtain spoils of war. He ﷺ also made mention of defeating the ‘clans,’imploring Allah, Exalted is He, to bestow His grace in that battle as He did in the Battle of the Trench, and reminding Muslims to rely solely on Allah, Exalted is He, and to believe that nothing comes to pass except by His will.
The hadeeth forbids Muslims from wishing for meeting the enemy and going to war, and this is different from aspiring to martyrdom.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when Muslims meet their enemies, it is incumbent on them to adhere to patience.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to defeat and destroy the disbelievers.
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3029

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

Commentary :
A person may be allowed to do at a time of war what isn’t generally allowed in other situations, including: resorting to deceit, meaning Tawriyyah (i.e., indirect speech; when a speaker says something that has an apparent meaning that the listener would understand, and another hidden meaning, and the speaker’s intention is this hidden meaning, except that he concealed it with that apparent and immediate meaning that first comes to the listener’s mind) and lying, if needed, because war is deceit, as the Prophet ﷺ described it,as narrated by AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It was also said that it is allowable to resort to deceit at times of war whenever possible, to realize significant benefits for Muslims. When Muslims exhaust all means of deceit at times of war, they should then opt for fighting. It was also said that when one is deceived once at time of war, it incurs his destruction for good, and there is no way back from it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to tell a lie and speak contrary to the truth to display strength and motivate his fellows with the aim of demoralizing the enemy or lie to their enemies to deceive them. It was narrated on the authority of Asmaa’ bintYazeed(may Allah be pleased with her)that the Prophet ﷺ said: “It is not lawful to lie except in three cases: a man tells his wife something (untrue) to please her, to lie during war, and to lie in order to bring peace between disputing people.”.

3035

Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺdid not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever he ﷺ saw me, he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He ﷺ stroke me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man."
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Commentary :
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Jareer ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophet ﷺdid not screen himself from him since he embraced Islam, meaning that he ﷺ did not deny him access to his house or gatherings, even though he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a young man. Whenever he (may Allah be pleased with him) requested permission to enter his house, he ﷺ granted him permission and he ﷺ always met him with a smile, and this reflects the Prophet’s kindness towards his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him)was held in high regard by his people, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ respected that, and held him in high regard as well. Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) once complained to the Prophet ﷺ that he would fall down from his horse or feared to fall down from it when it ran. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Once I told him that I could not sit firmly on horses. He ﷺ stroked me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man.” Henceforth, Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) did not fall down from his horse. Another version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads, “… and make him guided and a source of guidance (to others).”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) always hastened to inform the Prophet ﷺ of all their affairs, seeking his advice and supplication.
It is also inferred therefrom that meeting people with a smile is part of the Prophets’ considerate attitude towards people; it indicates humbleness and fosters mutual affection.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of chivalry and horse riding, being essential skills for every noble man and chief.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that there is no harm for a scholar or Imaam (i.e., ruler) to touch the person to whom he is referring whether he is the addressee or otherwise.
The hadeeth underlines amethod to win people’s hearts..

3039

Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr as the commander of the infantry men (archers), who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." Then the disbelievers were defeated. By Allah, I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs. So, the Companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Have you forgotten what Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to you?" They replied, "By Allah! We will go to the people (i.e., the enemy) and collect our share from the spoils of war." But when they went to them, they were forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺin their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ and the disbelievers martyred seventy men from us. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed. Then AbooSufyaan asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You told a lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed" After that he started reciting cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high! On that the Prophetﷺ said (to his companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." (Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." The Prophet ﷺ said (to his Companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.”
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Commentary :
Uhud is one of the mountains of Al-Madeenah, four kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque, where the Battle of Uhud took place in Shawwal 3 A.H. between the Muslims and Quraysh.
In this hadeeth, Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of the archers, who were fifty, at the Battle of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us,” meaning that even if we got killed and birds started eating our flesh, do not leave your posts, “till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." This was a stern warning against disobeying the Prophet’s command, to emphasize the gravity of the situation, and the importance of guarding Muslims from the top of the mountain lest the disbelievers should seize the opportunity and defeat them.
The battle started and the disbelievers were defeated. Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) even said: “By Allah, I saw the women,” meaning with the disbelievers, “fleeing,” in a hurry so much that they were, “lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs.”
On seeing that, the companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him), the very men whom the Prophet ﷺ sternly warned against leaving their places, said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" They noticed that the defeated soldiers were trying to take their properties and flee (and therefore hastened to take the spoils of war). ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) reminded them of the Prophet’s command and warning against leaving their place, but they still insisted on leaving and taking the spoils of war. When they reached the spoils of war, they were confused and did know where to go, as a punishment for their disobedience to the Prophet’s command andwere forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ wasin their rear, calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ, and it was also said fourteen, including: Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Alee, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam, Aboo ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jaraah(may Allah be pleased with them), from the emigrants; Al-Hubaab ibn Al-Munthir, AbooDujaanah, ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit ibn Abee Al-Aflah, Al-Haarith ibn Al-Summah, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh(may Allah be pleased with them), from the Ansaar, and Sahl ibn Hunayf(may Allah be pleased with him) was also said to be among them.
The disbelievers killed seventy Muslim men including Hamzah ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttallib(may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s uncle, and he was killed at the hands of Wahshee, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mut‘im. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the pagans to lose 140 of their men, seventy of whom were captured, and seventy of whom were killed.
After the battle ended, AbooSufyaan, who was a disbeliever then, asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You have lied, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." ‘Umar’s response despite the Prophet’s command was motivated by his zeal for the Prophet ﷺ lest the disbelievers believe that he ﷺ was killed and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were weak, yet it did not actually imply disobedience; his act was rather rewardable, since the Prophet ﷺ commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) afterward to answer AbooSufyaan. The Prophet’s second command constituted a tacit approval of ‘Umar’s response, because it served the best interests of Muslims. Thereupon, AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated,” by the breaking of their noses, the splitting open of their stomachs, and the like, all of which is prohibited in Islam as delineated in the Islamic etiquette of war. AbooSufyaan stated that he did not disapprove of his soldiers’ acts and the mutilation of Muslims’ dead bodies, being their enemies. Afterward, he started reciting some rhymingRajaz verses (i.e., poetic verses composed in a meter used in classical Arabic poetry called Rajaz) cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high!” Hubal was the name of the idol placed inside the Ka‘bah and was worshipped by the pagans of Makkah. On that the Prophetﷺ commanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer back and say, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to respond to AbooSufyaan because he ﷺwas commissioned to raise the word of Allah (i.e., His religion) high and proclaim it. When AbooSufyaan said what he said, he ﷺ could not remain silent and had to raise the word of Allah high and proclaim it. In the response, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized that Muslims believe that Allah, Exalted is He, is Greater and Higher than all these idols worshipped by the pagans.
(Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." Al-‘Uzzaa was the name of one of their idols, and it was also said that it was the name of a tree worshipped by the people of Ghatafaan. The Arabic word ‘Uzzaa denotes glory and pride, suggesting that the pagans had a god that was their source of glory and pride, unlike Muslims. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to respond by saying, Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.” Meaning that Allah, Exalted is He, is the ultimate source of help and He bestows upon the believers victory and support, and deserts the disbelievers whose idols cannot avail them anything nor grant them support. AbooSufyaan could not say anything more and remained silent. The Prophet ﷺ did not answer back to him personally,and his refined status was vastly superior to AbooSufyaan’s; instead,he commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer to him.
The hadeeth highlights the gravity of disobeying the Prophet’s commands, for it incurs loss and defeat.
It also underlines that when Muslims disobey Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, they would be the same as the non-Muslims and in the event of a confrontation between the two parties, the ones who avail themselves of the worldly material means (numerical superiority, arms, and strength) win (i.e., Muslims will be deprived of the support of Allah, Exalted is He).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that Muslims are required to avail themselves of the worldly material means leading to victory,and also duly rely on Allah, Exalted is He.
It is deduced therefrom that soldiers are enjoined to obey their commander, for disobeying his commands is one of the key reasons for defeat and loss.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and their special status in the Prophet’s heart.
.

3040

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ was the (most handsome), most generous and the bravest of all people. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. So, the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ said (to them), "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”.

Commentary :
Courage is a praiseworthy quality and the Prophet ﷺwas characterized by outstanding courage, reflected in many incidents throughout his lifetime.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was the most handsome person and had the best moral character; he ﷺ was the most generous and the bravest of all people; he ﷺ never fled from the battlefield, and steadfastly faced his enemies. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) listed only these three qualities, because they are consideredfrom the key human virtues. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related an incident that reflected the Prophet’s remarkable courage. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. Frightened, they headed towards the source of the sound, and the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ had gone and investigated the matter and was on his way back when he ﷺ met them. He ﷺ said to them, to calm them down, "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”
It was said that the horse in reference was awfully slow, but when the Prophet ﷺ rode it, it became very fast, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. In the hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ likened the fast horse to the sea; the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Bahr, meaning sea, to indicate its speed and the rider’s comfort as smooth as a boat ride.
The hadeeth underlines the noble qualities with which Allah, Exalted is He, endowed His Messenger ﷺ.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to go alone to (investigate dangerous situations and) spy on the enemy as long as it is not certain that it would incur his destruction.
It is deduced that it is allowable to ride a horse without a saddle.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to borrow a horse to ride it to partake in Jihaad.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to bear glad tidings to people after the reasons of their fear are eliminated. .

3045

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent ten men on a military expedition to spy on the enemies under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them). They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan, and Makkah, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan. About two-hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., Al-Madeenah), "and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up a high place and the disbelievers circled them. The disbelievers said to them, "Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill any one of you." ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers. O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ. Then the disbelievers threw arrows at them till they were martyred ‘Aasim along with six other men, and three men came down accepting their promise and convention, and they were Khubayb Al-Ansaaree and Ibn Dathinah and another man. So, when the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third (of the captives) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyred, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah (and all that took place) after the battle of Badr. Khubaybwas bought by the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf. It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day (of the battle of) Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with those people. Al-Zuhree narrated: ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad said that the daughter of Al-Haarith had told him, "When those people gathered (to kill Khubayb) he borrowed a razor from me to shave his pubes and I gave it to him. Then he took a son of mine while I was unaware when he came upon him. I saw him placing my son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. I got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on my face and said, 'Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.' By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah." The daughter of Al-Haarith used to say, "It was a boon Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception." (He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body." Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him. So, it was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed). Allah fulfilled the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit on that very day on which he was martyred. The Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. Later on, when some disbelievers from Quraysh were informed that ‘Aasim had been killed, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he would be recognized. (That was because) ‘Aasim had killed one of their chiefs on the day (of the battle) of Badr. So, a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim and protect him from their messenger and thus they could not cut off anything from his flesh.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي.

Commentary :
The battle of Al-Rajee‘ took place in Safar 4 A.H., and it was named after a well located between Makkah and ‘Usfaan, closer to the latter. It was a village about 80 miles (128 km) from northern Makkah on the way to Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched ten men on a military expedition. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Raht, which denotes a number of men below ten, and it has also been said that it was below forty. A military expedition consisted of maximum 400 men (soldiers). Their task, under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab on his mother’s side (may Allah be pleased with them), was to spy on the Muslims’ enemies. They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan and Makkah, 7 miles away from ‘Usfaan, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan, meaning that the people of this branch knew of the military expedition. Therefore, about two-hundred men (from BaneeLihyaan), who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., the old name of Al-Madeenah),” and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up to a high place and the disbelievers circled them. During the siege, the disbelievers promised them security and guaranteed that they would not kill any one of them if they surrendered. ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers,” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that he could not trust them. He (may Allah be pleased with him) invoked Allah, Exalted is He, saying: “O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ.” Since ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) defiantly refused to surrender, the disbelievers shot arrows at them till they were martyred. ‘Aasimand six other men (may Allah be pleased with them) were killed, and three men came down, accepting the promise of security, and they were Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy Al-Ansaaree, Zayd ibn Al-Dathinah Al-Ansaaree and another man (may Allah be pleased with them); it was said that his name was ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq. When the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third man (of the captives, i.e., ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyrs, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah. All this took place after the battle of Badr, explaining why the disbelievers sought revenge. Khubayb was bought by one of the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf, named ‘Uqbah, AbooSirwa‘ah and his half-brother Hujayr ibn Abee ‘Ihaab (on his mother’s side). It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day of Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with the sons of Al-Haarith, and Sawfaan ibn Umayyah bought Ibn Al-Dathinah and killed him in Makkah.
‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad, one of the hadeeth’s narrators, said that Zaynab bint Al-Haarith told him of what happened to Khubayb. She said that when Banee Al-Haarith gathered (to kill Khubayb), he borrowed a razor from her to shave, and she gave it to him. Her son came near Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) while she was unaware. She saw him placing her son on his thigh, and the razor was in his hand. She got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on her face and comforted her, saying, “Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.”
She also made mention of some Karaamaat (i.e.,supernatural abilities or events bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon a righteous person which contradict universal norms and human standards) that happened to Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him). She said: “By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah.” She used to say, "It was a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." This was one of the manifest Karaamaat conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on him.
When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was scared (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception,” meaning eradicate them all. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body."
He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he cared less about death, since he was being killed in Allah’s Cause, and Allah, Exalted is He, would bless his torn body, if He willed it. Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him in Al-Tan‘eem and crucified him. It was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed).
Allah, Exalted is He, answered the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) on that very day on which he was martyred; the Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. ‘Aasim(may Allah be pleased with him) had killed one of the chiefs of Quraysh named ‘Uqbah ibn AbeeMu‘ayt in the Battle of Badr. When the news of ‘Aasim’s death reached the people of Quraysh, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he could be recognized, to verify the news. A swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim’s dead body and protect him from their messenger, and thus the disbelievers of Quraysh could not cut off anything from his flesh.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
It also underlines that Allah, Exalted is He, protects and preserves His believing servants both during life and after death, and that attaining martyrdom does not indicate the destruction and defeat of Muslims, but is rather an honor, and an indication of their merits.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that betrayal is unbecoming of a true Muslim, even with those who betray him.
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree and Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy(may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth affirms the bestowal of Karaamaat on the allies and righteous servants of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He answers their supplications.
.

3051

Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophetﷺ and started talking and then went away. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him. The Prophetﷺ then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the spoils of war).
.

Commentary :
Betraying Muslims and spying on them are among the worst sins and misdeeds, especially at times of war.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. It was said that this took place during the battle of Hawaazin in 8 A.H., as recorded by Muslim. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth for spy is ‘Ayn, lit. an eye, because a spy’s job is mostly related to vision.
The version of the hadeeth complied by Muslim stated that the spy came riding a red camel. He made it kneel down, extracted a strip of leather from its girth and tethered the camel with it. Then he began to eat with the people and look (curiously around). He ate with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and talked with them so that he would not look suspicious. He started looking around and collecting the needed information. He learned that the Muslims were in a poor condition,in that some of them were on foot and had no riding animals. All of a sudden, he left hurriedly; he went to his camel, untethered it, made it kneel down, mounted it and urged the beast which ran off with him. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his Companions), “Chase and kill him.“ This was because leaving him unharmed would harm the Muslims, as he would convey information to the enemy and expose the Muslims’ weak points. This is contrary to messengers sent by the enemy; they may not be harmed as per the Islamic law, because they are bearers of peace and links of communication, and this reflects the beauty and graciousness of Islam.
Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) chased and killed the spy. The Prophet ﷺ gave him all the spy’s belongings, arms, clothes, and riding animal.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to kill awar spy if he comes to the Muslim lands and he is not given security.
It is also inferred therefrom that the spoils of war taken from a killed spy belong to the one who kills him
.

3059

Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that ‘Umar appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals). He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims and ward off their curse (invocations against you) for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah); and allow the shepherd having a few camels and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan, for if their livestock should perish, then they have their farms and gardens, while those who own a few camels and those who own a few sheep, if their livestock should perish, would bring their dependents to me and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' Would I then neglect them? (No, of course). So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' treasury). By Allah, these people think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession. By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause, I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa.”
.

Commentary :
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) was an exemplary and just ruler and is still referred to as theepitome of justice and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, regarding Muslims’ funds entrusted to him, and the duty of governing Muslims’ religious and worldly affairs.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, narrated that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, as the manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals), allocated for grazing the animals (camels, horses, and other animals) of Zakaah that belonged to the Muslim Treasury, and no other animals were allowed to graze therein. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had declared this pasture as Himaa. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims, and ward off their curse (invocations against you), for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah),” as there is no veil between it and Allah, “and allow the shepherd having a few camels” below thirty, “and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan,” because they were rich and owned much livestock. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean that their livestock must be denied access to the Himaa in all cases, but rather when the pasture could only accommodate the livestock of one of the two parties. In this case, the owners of fewerlivestock should be given priority. This was because if the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaanwere denied access to the Himaa, they had their farms and gardens, while those who owned fewer camels and sheep, if their livestock were denied access, they would bring their dependents and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' He (may Allah be pleased with him) would not let them down and would have to compensate them by paying them gold and silver to satisfy their needs. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' Treasury).” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, these people,” meaning the owners of few camels and sheep in Al-Madeenah, “think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it, and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession.” This is contrary to the situation of those who embraced Islam after conquests and their lands were seized as spoils of war and Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting), because their lands and properties were seized by force. It was acceptable for ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to do as he did because this protected pasture was uncultivated and deserted, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) declared it Himaa, for the benefit of all Muslims.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause,” meaning the camels and horses used for Jihaad purposes, “I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa,” declaring any area as protected pasture and denying Muslims access to it.
The hadeeth underlines ‘Umar’s strength, good judgment, and compassion for Muslims.
The hadeeth warns against the supplication of theoppressed person against the oppressor.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the pasture must not be allocated for the livestock of rich owners rather than those of the poor ones.
It is also inferred therefrom that the Imaam (i.e., ruler) may investigate different alternatives and opt for what serves the best interests of people.
It is also deduced that the Imaam should give precedence to the interests of the poor people over those of the rich.
.

3060

Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺsaid (to us), "List the names of those people who have announced that they are Muslims." So, we listed one thousand and five hundred men. Then we wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" No doubt, we witnessed ourselves being afflicted with such bad trials that one would have to offer the prayer alone in fear.
Al-A‘mash narrated:
"We (listed the Muslims and) found them five hundred." And AbooMu‘aawiyah said, "Between six hundred to seven hundred."
.

Commentary :
In this hadeeth, Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yamaan(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ commanded to make a list of the Muslims’ names at that time. It was said that this took place during the time of theHudaybiyah Treaty, and the Prophet ﷺ wanted to know the number of Muslims; should any unfortunate event happen and the Muslims had to fight, he ﷺ would know the number of Muslims and who was able to fight. The number was one thousand and five hundred men. Another version of the hadeeth reads: “five hundred,” and a third version reads: “between six hundred and seven hundred.” The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" It seems that they(may Allah be pleased with them) could not believe the large number of Muslims at that time and believed that it was inconceivable that such a large number of men should be defeated. The version compiled by Muslim reads: “We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you entertain any fear concerning us and we are (at this time) between six hundred and seven hundred (in strength).’” He ﷺ remarked: “You do not perceive; you may be put to some trials.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ”We actually suffered trials so much so that some of our men were forced to offer their prayers in concealment.” This means that such confidence due to numerical superioritywas eliminated when Muslims were afflicted with fear and Fitnah (i.e., dissension and civil strife) after the Prophet’s death, so much so that some used to pray individually out of fear, despite the enormous number of Muslims at that time! Perhaps this referred to the Fitnah that took place after the Prophet’s death when some Muslims used to hide and perform the prayers in secret, fearing prominence and getting caught up in such Fitnah and wars. It was said that this was a reference to the late period of ‘Uthmaan’s reign during the tenure of some governors of Kufa, like Al-Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah, who used to delay the obligatory prayers or failed to establish them as enjoined. During this period, some devout Muslims (who were earnestly mindful of Allah, Exalted is He), used to perform the prayers in secret and then join the (delayed) congregational prayers with the governor, lest it should lead to Fitnah.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ; he foretold a future event that happened afterward, and Muslims were actually afflicted with worse situations after the lifetime of Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him), during the reigns of Al-Hajjaaj and others.
Many narrations were reported with different numbers. To reconcile between the different narrations, it was said that there may have been several lists of Muslims’ names that were made on various occasions. It is also possible that the narrations mean that the number of Muslims was a total of one thousand and five hundred, including men, women, slaves, and boys, and between six and seven hundred men, and five hundred soldiers in particular. It is also possible that what is meant is that the number of Muslims was five hundred fighters from the people of Al-Madeenah in particular; six hundred to seven hundred fighters and non-fighters; and a thousand and five hundred Muslims including those living in the surrounding towns and villages.
It is deduced that it is allowable for the Imaam (i.e., ruler) to count the number of the ruled when needed to defend and protect the Muslims.
It is inferred that it is allowable to make a register of the soldiers’ names.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that Allah, Exalted is He, afflicts His servants with punishments for their unwarranted confidence due to numerical superiority. .

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

| Hadiths

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
.

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

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.".

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.”.

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

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.".

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.".

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).

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!” .

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children. .

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

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.".

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.”.

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

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.".

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.".

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).

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
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‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
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Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..