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Hadith
955
It is narrated on the authority of al-Baraa ibn ‘Azib(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon after offering the ‘Eid prayer in which he ﷺ said, "Whoever offered the prayer like us and slaughtered his sacrificial animal like us then his sacrifice will be accepted by Allah. Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the `Eid prayer, then he has not done the sacrifice." Abu Burdah ibn Niyar, the maternal uncle of al-Bara' said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have slaughtered my sheep before the `Eid prayer as I thought today is [not a day to fast but rather] a day of eating and drinking, thus, I liked that my sheep be the first to be slaughtered in my house. I slaughtered my sheep and I ate before coming for the prayer." The Prophet ﷺ said, "The sheep which you have slaughtered is [deemed] a mutton [as it does not qualify as a sacrifice]." Abu Burdah said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have a young she-goat which is dearer to me than two sheep. Will that be sufficient as a sacrifice on my behalf? "The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, it will be sufficient for you, but it will not be sufficient as a sacrifice for anyone else after you."
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺdelivered the sermon of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa after the conclusion of the prayer, and not before it.He ﷺelucidated for the people by highlighting that whosoever prayed the ‘Eid prayer with the Muslims, and then slaughtered their sacrificial animal after the prayer - then they have fulfilled the prescribed act of worship for which the reward of the sacrifice is prescribed. As for whoever slaughtered the sacrificial animal before the prayer, then the slaughtered animal is not deemed as a sacrifice, meaning, he is not given the reward of the sacrifice. Then, Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar - the maternal uncle of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) - stood up and mentioned that he slaughtered his sheep before the prayer, explaining that ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa is a day of eating and drinking, that he wanted his sheep to be the first thing to be slaughtered at his home; and that he ate from it before coming to the prayer. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ answered him by stating that: the sheep which he slaughtered was nothing more than meat and it would not be deemed as a valid sacrifice; thus, there was no reward from doing so. But rather, it is a mere slaughtering for the purpose of eating that has nothing to do with the prescribed act of worship.

Then, Abu Burdah mentioned that he owned nothing other than an ʿanaaqah [i.e., she-goat]. In juxtaposition to the jadhʿah [which] is less than a year in age. It is said: al-Ijdhaaʿ is a duration of time [which] does not last a year from birth, nor surpasses it; thus, it is a name for the offspring of a goat when it strengthens [in maturity]. Abu Burdah explained that he owned nothing except a jadhʿah, [a type] of goat. However, according to him, it was better and more beloved to him than two sheep due to its abundance of meat and high price. For this reason, he asked the Prophetﷺ , “Will that jadhʿah suffice for the sacrifice?” To which, the Prophet ﷺpermitted for him the slaughter of his jadhʿah because he owned nothing else and answered him by stating that it suffices for him alone and does not suffice for anyone from the Muslims after him. This is an indication that the jadhʿah which is less than one year in age does not suffice as a sacrificial animal, whereas the goat which is two years or older does. The age that suffices for the goat to be worthy of sacrificing should have at least lived one year and has entered into the second.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the virtue of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him).

It teaches us to hasten to do good deeds and compete with others in this regard. It indicates that the way of the Prophet ﷺ is one of ease and moderation..

956
Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated The Prophet ﷺ used to proceed to the Musallaa on the days of ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adhaa. The first thing to begin with there was the prayer and after that he would stand in front of the people and the people would keep sitting in their rows. Then he would preach, advise, and give them orders. Afterwards, if he wished to send an army for an expedition, he would do so; or if he wanted to give an order, he would do so, and then depart. Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree added, the people followed this tradition till I went out with Marwan, the Governor of Medina, for the prayer of
Eid al-Adha or ‘Eid al-Fitr. When we reached the Musalla, there was a pulpit made by Kathir ibn As-Salt. Marwan wanted to get up on that pulpit before the prayer, but I got hold of his clothes [to stop him]. However, he pulled them and ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon before the prayer. I said to him, "By Allah, you have changed (the Prophet's tradition)." He replied, "O Abu Saʿeed! Gone is that which you know." I said, "By Allah! What I know is better than what I do not know." Marwan said, "People do not sit to listen to our sermon after the prayer, thus, I delivered it before the prayer.".

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ would enjoin the good and forbid the wrongdoing and reprehensible. They were firm and upheld the truth without making any compromise, spoke the truth without fearing the blame of the blamers.

In this hadeeth, Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) clarifies the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ with regards to the prayer of the two ‘Eids, explaining the order of events. He states that on the ‘Eids of al-Fiṭr and Al-Aḍhaa, he ﷺ used to set out towards the Musallaa, which is a wide and spacious place، and a well-known locality in al-Madeenah which is about 1000 cubits (The Arabic word dhirāʿ is a unit of measurement which is pretty close to that of a cubit. The average cubit is 0.5 meters. This means the approximate distance here is close to 450 - 500 meters) from the entrance of the masjid.

The first thing that he ﷺ began with was the offering the ‘Eid prayer, then he ﷺ would stand up facing the people to deliver the sermon all the while the people would [remain] seated in their places. During the ‘Eid sermon he ﷺ would admonish, advise, and give the people orders. If he ﷺ wanted to dispatch an army or a troop to a region of the outlying areas [for a mission], he ﷺ would dispatch them accordingly.

Then, Abu Saʿeed mentioned that the people persisted in that manner until Muʿaawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) appointed Marwaan ibn al-Hakam as a governor over al-Madeenah.

When the ‘Eid of Al-Aḍhaa or al-Fiṭr came, Abu Saʿeed(may Allah be pleased with him) set out with Marwaan to the Musallaa. Then, he saw a pulpit that was built by the famous taabiʿee, Katheer ibn al-Salt al-Kindĩ. Thereafter, Marwaan intended to ascend the pulpit so that he could deliver the ‘Eid sermon before the performance of the prayer. Abu Saʿeed did no more than pull upon the garment of Marwaan forcibly, attempting to prevent him from doing as such. However, Marwaan did not respond to him, and proceeded towards delivering the sermon before the performance of the ‘Eid prayer.

Then, Abu Saʿeed(may Allah be pleased with him) spoke harshly towards him because his actions changed the sunnah [the practice that had been established by the Prophet ﷺ and the people thereafter.] Subsequently, he (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that which he knows is good, because it is the way of the Prophet ﷺ. So, how can it be other than good, [if] it is from him ﷺ?!

Afterwards, Marwaan claimed that his actions were good because the conditions had changed - and that the people did not sit to listen to his Eid sermon after the conclusion of the Eid prayer. For that reason, he delivered the sermon before the prayer so that he could obligate them to listen to it.

This gives us the impression that Marwaan did that as he believed it is a matter that is open to ijtihaad (i.e., exercising an independent judgement), and that he changed the action[s] of the Prophet ﷺ - with beginning with the performance of the prayer, and then the deliverance of the sermon - to his own on the basis of precedence. He advanced a reason for leaving the foregoing in [exchange] to what he mentioned earlier regarding the change in the people’s condition. He discerned that the adherence to the basis of the sunnah - which [when applied here refers to] listening to the sermon - is more important than the observance of a position that is not a condition [for its validity]. However, Abu Saʿeed (ay Allah be pleased with him) understood the actions of the Prophet ﷺ and their sequence as being fixed and not subject to change. Nonetheless, he neither left off the prayer nor refrained from listening to the sermon.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the ‘Eid prayer should be performed outdoor, and not in a masjid, except out of necessity.

It teaches us that the Prophet delivered the sermon at the Musallaa on the two ‘Eids while standing.

It shows us that we should constantly enjoin the good and forbid the prohibited - even if the one to condemn is a person of authority or a ruler.

This hadeeth shows us that it is prescribed to use the pulpit for the purpose of delivering the sermon of ‘Eid and explains that the person delivering the sermon should stand facing the people.

Lastly, it indicates the permissibility of a person’s oath toward the truth in what they convey.

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957
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to offer the prayer of `Eid al-Adhaa and `Eid al-Fitr, and then deliver the sermon after the prayer..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes that the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. His noble Companions transmitted his traditions and the way he performed them for us.

In this hadeeth, Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased the both of them) reports that the way of the Prophet ﷺ handled the prayer of the two ‘Eids was to: deliver the sermon after the prayer, as opposed to the Friday prayer, in which the sermon precedes the prayer, and that sermon of ‘Eid consists of two parts, similar to that of the [ones] delivered on Friday.

The sermon is legislated on Fridays, ‘Eids, and [other] occasions for many reasons. One of them is that the people learn about the matters of religion and worldly affairs. For this reason, whenever the Imaam ascends on to the pulpit, he should make it his goal to teach the people and instruct them - especially on religious correlations that coincide with that sermon. This is based on the report that al-Bukhaaree recorded about the description of the sermon of the Prophet ﷺaccording to Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, he explained that the first thing that he ﷺ began with was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer. Then, after he finished the prayer, he ﷺ turned towards the people, and stood up facing the congregation. The people would [remain] seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he admonished, advised, and gave them orders.  .

959
ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas sent [a message] to Ibn Zubair at the commencement of the oath of allegiance to him (for Caliphate saying): As there is no Adhan on 'Eid-ul-Fitr, so you should not pronounce it. Ibn Zubair did not pronounce Adhan on that day. He (Ibn 'Abbaas) also sent him (with this message) that the sermon (is to be delivered) after the prayer, and thus it was done. So, lbn Zubair observed the prayer before the sermon..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned from him ﷺ, and they conveyed them to [those] who came after them - like what is [reported] in this hadeeth.

The ṭaabiʿee, ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah, reports that ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) sent a message to ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) at the onset of when he was acknowledged with homage as the Caliph - which was in the year 64 A.H., after the death of Yazeed ibn Muʿaawiyah. In the message, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) informed him [about] the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the prayer of the two ‘Eids, [by stating] that the adhaan was not called for the prayer of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr in the time of the Prophet ﷺ; and that the sermon of ‘‘Eid was delivered after the prayer.

The description of this sermon is mentioned in the report that al-Bukhaaree narrates on the authority of Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him), which is that the first thing that the Prophet ﷺ began with what was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer. Then, he stood up and turned towards the people, facing them. The people would remain seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he would admonish and advise them, and give them orders.

The Eid prayer does not have an adhaan or iqaamah, nor are there any sunnah prayers to be performed before or after it. It is performed at a Musallaa, which is an open land that is wide and spacious.



This hadeeth shows the avidity of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in guiding the caliphs and governors towards the way of the Prophet ﷺ and his sunnah - and explaining it to them.
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961
Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ stood up on the day of ‘Eid al-Fitr and started by offering the ‘Eid prayer. Then, after he commenced the prayer, he delivered the ‘Eid sermon. After he ﷺ had finished (the sermon) he descended the pulpit [stairs] and made his way to the women and exhorted them (to do good deeds). He exhorted them while he was leaning on the hand of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) who had stretched his cloth in which women were throwing alms. I (one of the narrators) asked 'Ata' (the other narrator): “Do you think it is incumbent upon the Imaam [to go] and turn his attention towards the women and exhort them [to do good deeds]?” He said: “Why not! Indeed, it is right for them (to do so).”
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Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned from him ﷺ, and then conveyed them to us.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that on the ‘Eid day, the Prophet ﷺ began with the prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah. Then, after the completion of the prayer, he delivered the sermon and admonished them like he ﷺ did for the sermons on Fridays - except that [in this case] the sermon was after the prayer and not before it.

Afterwards, he ﷺ turned towards the women and devoted his attention to them by preaching and admonishing them so that they may give alms. He ﷺ did this while supporting his weight upon the hand of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and leaning on it to hold him ﷺ up. Meanwhile, Bilal spread out his garment so that he could collect the alms from them. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ distributed it amongst those in need, like what his custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

ʿAbd al-Maalik ibn Jurayj asked his shaykh - ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah - a narrator of this hadeeth who reported it from Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with them): “Do you think it is incumbent upon the Imaam [to go] and turn his attention towards the women and exhort them?” ʿAṭaa’ stated that it is indeed incumbent upon the Imaams to exhort the women on the day of ‘Eid - and that there is nothing preventing the Imaams from doing so, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that women should be segregated and away from men when they attend the prayers of men and their congregations. This practise is done as a precaution, out of fear of temptation [that may rise] against them.

This hadeeth teaches us that the ‘Eid prayer is performed before the ‘Eid sermon, and that it is permissible for the scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes. .

962
ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) related: “I offered the ‘Eid Prayer with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthmaan. All of them offered the prayer before delivering the ‘Eid sermon.”.

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, which the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. All of that was narrated to us through the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he was present and performed the ‘Eid prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - and each in [their own] time while they served as Caliphs. He confirms that all of them prayed the ‘Eid prayer before the ‘Eid sermon.

The statement of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) is a clear evidence that the Prayer of ‘Eid preceded the sermon. The Prophet ﷺ pursued this practice diligently and was observed by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and [those] after him ﷺ, and they continued this practice thereafter.

The sermon of ‘Eid consists of two parts, with a break between the two of them - like the sermon delivered on Friday.

The sermon is legislated on Fridays, ‘Eids, and [other] occasions for many reasons. One of them is that the people learn about the matters of religion and worldly affairs. For this reason, whenever the Imaam ascends on to the pulpit, he should make it his goal to teach the people and instruct them - especially on religious correlations that coincide with that sermon. This is based on the report that al-Bukhaaree recorded about the description of the sermon of the Prophet ﷺ according to Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, he explained that the first thing that he ﷺ began with was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer, then after he finished the prayer, he ﷺ turned towards the people, and stood up facing the congregation. The people would [remain] seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he admonished, advised, and gave them orders.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the eagerness of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) towards preserving and implementing the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ..

964
Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ performed a two-units-prayer on the Day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr and he did not perform any prayer before or after it. Then, he went towards the women along with Bilal and instructed them to pay alms and so they started giving their earrings and necklaces in charity..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, that the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. His noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated all of that for us, as they saw and learned them from the Prophet ﷺ.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports on the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the prayer of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr. He relates that the Prophet ﷺ performed a two-units prayer for the ‘Eid prayer without performing any sunnah prayers before or after it. After, he ﷺ delivered a general sermon to the people [present], like what is mentioned in the other reports.

Then, he ﷺ, with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), went towards the women and reminded and exhorted them - so that they may give alms. Thereupon, they became moved by his reminder and words and began to toss from what money and goods they had with them. So [many of] the women tossed their earrings (al-khurs) and necklaces (al-sikhaab).

[On] al-khurs: [the word is written and pronounced] with a dammah [or a] kesrah on the letter khaa’. The pendant [of the earring] is a single bead. It was said that the link [for it] is made of gold or silver.

[On] al-Sikhaab: [it is] a thread with beads strung on it that is worn by boys and girls. It was [also] said [that] it is a necklace that was made of carnation, cloves, and the like; and nothing on it is made of pearls, gems, gold, and silver. It was also said that it refers to every necklace, whether it is comprised of gems or not.

The Prophet ﷺ gathered the alms for the purpose of distributing it amongst those in need; like what his custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution - out of fear of temptation [that may rise] against them, [or] they be looked upon unnecessarily, or the like.

It shows us that it is permissible for the male scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes..

966
Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: I was with Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when a spear head pierced the sole of his foot causing his foot to be stuck to the paddle of the saddle. I got down and pulled it out of his foot. This incident happened in Mina. Al-Hajjaj learned of the incident so he visited Ibn ‘Umar to inquire about his health, and said, "Alas! If only we had known the one who wounded you," Ibn `Umar said, "You are the one who wounded me." Al-Hajjaj said, "How is that?" Ibn `Umar said, "You have allowed arms to be carried on a day on which nobody used to carry them, and you allowed arms to be carried in the Haram even though it was not allowed before.".

Commentary : There are times and places that Allah -Exalted be He, honours and sets a sanctity [over them] that no one should desecrate; except, he who is sinful at heart. Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafee was an oppressive, iniquitous tyrant.

In this hadeeth, the ṭaabiʿee, Saʿeed ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he was with ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) on Hajj, when the tip of a spear pierced ibn ʿUmar on the sole of his foot, which is the area that raises while walking. This event occurred while the two of them were in Minaa, [which is] located in Makkah. [Minaa] is a valley near the Sacred Precinct of Makkah that the pilgrims descend into, in order to throw their pebbles [at the Jamaraat]. This incident narrated in the hadeeth occurred while Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf was the leader of the Hijaz, one year after the killing of ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr in the year 74 A.H.

When Ibn ʿUmar was wounded [by the spearhead], his foot was affixed to the stirrup - which is where a man’s foot is placed [so that they may mount] onto the saddle for helping to [maintain control while] riding their mounts. As Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) was not able to descend from his saddle; thus, when Saʿeed ibn Jubayr saw this occur, he pulled out the spearhead from the foot of Ibn ʿUmar.

When [news] of Ibn ʿUmar’s injury reached Al-Hajjaaj, he paid him a visit; and [upon seeing him] said: “If only we had known the one who wounded you!” - [i.e.] “We would have punished him.”

Then, Ibn ʿUmar replied: “You are the one who injured me,” - that is to say: “this happened because of your own actions.”

Al-Hajjaaj said: “How?” [To this], Ibn ʿUmar told him that: he was the one responsible for [allowing] the carrying of weapons on the day of ‘Eid, that the days of Minaa during the Hajj coincide with ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa for all Muslim communities, that it was a day on which weapons were not carried; and, lastly, that he allowed weapons to enter Minaa - while this was not allowed before.

It is reported in the sunnah that weapons should not be carried at events [for] which there is no need to do so. This is legislated out of fear that arms could cause harm [accidently] to others when it is crowded.

In the agreed upon hadeeth, that the Prophet ﷺ said to [a person] he saw carrying a weapon in the masjid: “Hold onto the arrows by their heads.” He ordered him to do that so it would not injure anyone. But if Muslims fear their enemy may be present, then it is permitted for them to bear arms, such as when Allah, Exalted be He, legislated the carrying of weapons during the prayer when peril [presents itself].

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Minaa is a part of the sacred site of Makkah.

It teaches us that carrying weapons at sacred sites is prohibited, as Allah made it a haven for the Muslims, and that carrying arms on the day of ‘Eid is prohibited.

It shows the vigour of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and their courage on upholding and preserving the truth.

Lastly, it teaches us that whoever mandates anything, or is the cause of anything of which a harm falls upon another - then it is permissible to attribute that harm to him.


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968
Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) related that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon on the day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and then said, "The first thing we should do on this day of ours is to pray and then return and slaughter (our sacrifices). Whoever does so he acted according to our Sunnah; and whoever slaughtered before the prayer then it was just meat that he offered to his family and would not be considered as a sacrifice in any way. My maternal uncle Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar got up and said, "O, Allah's Messenger! I slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Slaughter it in lieu of the first and such a goat will not be considered as a sacrifice for anybody else after you.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he heard the Prophet ﷺ while he was delivering a sermon on the day of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa. During the sermon, the Prophet ﷺ elucidated on his traditions and habitual actions during ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa: [and] that is, he would first begin with the ‘Eid prayer. Afterwards, he ﷺ would slaughter his sacrificial animal. By doing so, then, truly, the person has acted according to his Sunnah and upon his guidance ﷺ, and thus, he has obtained the prescribed reward. The ‘Eid prayer is to be performed without an adhaan or iqaamah. The slaughtering of the sacrificial animal is requested from the one who is capable and possesses the wealth and ability to purchase a sacrificial animal. It is said: the intended [meaning] by wealth [here] is that the individual should rightfully own the nisaab of zakat [i.e., the minimum amount necessary for one to pay the zakat]. [All of this is done] so that one may draw closer to Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - by it.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ clarified that whoever did not do this [in the described manner above], such as slaughtering the sacrificial animal before the prayer; then, the slaughtered animal is not deemed as a sacrifice, and no reward [of the sacrifice becomes] his - that is to say, their deed would not be considered valid as an act of worship [or] legitimate sacrifice. But rather, [his sacrifice] would be treated as meat that he offered to his family.

Then, Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar - the maternal uncle of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) - stood up and mentioned that he slaughtered his sheep before the prayer, explaining that - like what is [mentioned] in another report [narrated] by al-Bukhaaree - that ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa is a day of eating and drinking, that he wanted his sheep to be the first thing to be slaughtered at his home, and that he ate from it before coming to the prayer. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ answered him by stating that: the sheep which he slaughtered was nothing more than meat and it would not be deemed as a valid sacrifice; thus, the prescribed reward of this act of worship is not attained.

In this hadeeth, [there is] an emphasis on the sequence regarding the actions of ‘Eid, and that the performance of the prayer is first, then the deliverance of the sermon, and lastly the slaughter.

Afterwards, Abu Burdah mentioned that he owned nothing other than a jadhʿah [i.e., she-goat.] The [word] jadhʿah conveys the meaning of something that is less than one year old. It is said [that] al-Ijdhaaʿ is a duration of time [which] does not last a year from birth, nor surpasses it; thus, Jadhaʿh is a name for the offspring of a goat when it strengthens [in maturity].

He explained that he owned nothing except a jadhʿah, [a she-goat]. However, according to him, it was better and more beloved to him than a sheep which has aged - due to its abundance of meat and high price. The Prophet ﷺ allowed him to slaughter his she-goat [despite its age not meeting the requirements of sacrificial animals] since it was all he had. Then, he ﷺ explained to him that [this ruling] suffices for him alone and does not suffice for anyone from the Muslims after him. This is an indication that the jadhʿah which is less than one year in age does not suffice as a sacrificial animal, whereas the goat which is over one year does i.e., the age that suffices for the goat to be worthy of sacrificing should have at least lived one year and has entered into the second.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the virtue of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him), and that the way of the Prophet ﷺ is one of ease and moderation.
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969
Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) related that the Prophet ﷺ said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these." The companions inquired, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things.".

Commentary : From the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He, towards His servants, is that He bestows His favours upon them by granting them [certain] blessed days. During of which, He multiplies rewards and provides abundant bounties for them - both mercifully and generously. Some of these blessed days include [but are not limited to] the first ten days in the month of DhulHijjah.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ is directing us towards the virtue of good deeds in the first ten days of DhulHijjah. He ﷺ explained that the rewards [for] virtuous acts during [this time] are multiplied [in a way that they] do not multiply during the rest of the year. It is therefore incumbent upon the Muslim to seize the opportunity and increase [in] pious deeds during these days. Among the greatest of pious deeds [to engage oneself in] during this time is the remembrance of Allah, Exalted be He. And the greatest [forms] of Allah’s remembrance [include] the recitation of the Quran, and the utterances of: “Allaahu Akbar” [i.e., Allah is the Greatest - al takbeer], “Laailaahaillaallaah [i.e., There is no god worthy of worship except Allah - al tahleel, and saying “Alhamdulillaah” repeatedly [i.e., All praise is due to Allah - al tahmeed].

In the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and other [hadeeth collections, it is narrated] that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There are no more virtuous days in the sight of Allah and there are no days in which good deeds are more pleasing to Him than these ten days. On these days, fill your time with engaging more in tahleel, takbeer, and tahmeed.”

The good deeds include the obligatory religious duties, obligations, all of the known pious actions, and voluntary acts of worship - [ranging] from prayer, alms, [charity], and fasting – particularly on the day of ʿArafah.

All that was done from amongst the religious duties during these ten days is better than the religious duties that were performed at any other time. Likewise, the supererogatory actions during these ten days are more excellent than if they were done at any other time.

The good deeds also include refraining from that which is prohibited or objectionable. Whoever leaves [actions] of disobedience during these days, then there is no doubt that his reward is greater than if he were to leave the sins on other days.

Upon hearing this, [some] of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet ﷺ about jihaad [occurring] on other than these ten days, whether virtuous deeds are superior to it also. Their question about jihad in particular [was asked so they might] be able to distinguish it from what had been determined for them [by the Prophet ﷺ] about it being one of the most virtuous deeds; and for that [reason] the days of DhulHijjah were weighed up against it.

The Prophet ﷺ responded: Yes, the good deeds performed during these days are better than jihaad occurring on [any] others, except [if] a man set out, risking himself and his property, for the sake of Allah - and then lost his wealth and his soul departed for the sake of Allah. This [form] of jihaad which is depicted [here] is better than any good deeds [that are] performed during these ten blessed days. This [serves as] a demonstration to the excellence of this form of jihaad; and a commemoration [to the fact] that he reached a level that hardly varies with the honour of the days and times [which Allah has appointed as such], [along with those that] lack honour.

The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that these ten days are more virtuous than the last ten of Ramadan. It has been said that the ten days of DhulHijjah are the best of all days, while the [last] ten of Ramadan are the best of all nights - due to the presence of Laylat al-Qadr therein.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that we learn the magnitude of the virtues of the first ten days of DhulHijjah over the other days of the year.

It also shows the significance of the matter of martyrdom for the sake of Allah, giving oneself and wealth together [for His sake], and that this is the highest degree of jihaad.

Lastly, it teaches us that the good deeds of less merit – as opposed to other good deeds - done during the distinguished time becomes similar to the good deeds of high merit at other times.

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970
Narrated Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee: I was with ‘Anas ibn Maalik as we were going from Mina to `Arafat, I asked him about the Talbiyah, "How did you use to say Talbiyah while you were in the company of the Prophet ﷺ?" Anas replied: "People used to say Talbiyah and their saying was not objected to and they used to say Takbir and that was not objected to either."

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Commentary : The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is a significant act of worship which encompasses many types of religious observances. The one who performs Hajj sincerely for Allah, in accordance with the guidance of the Messenger ﷺ, he will receive a great reward from Allah, Most Exalted. For that [reason], observing the etiquettes of the Hajj is necessary, just as Prophet ﷺ taught us.

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee reports that he asked ‘Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the permissible forms of Allah’s remembrance the pilgrims can say while departing from Minaa towards ʿArafaat, which occurs on the morning of the Day of ʿArafah, the ninth day [in the month of] DhulHijjah.

Minaa is a valley surrounded by mountains and is located east of Makkah, and is on the path between Makkah and Mount ʿArafaat, close to 6 kilometres away from the Masjid Al-Haram. Some of the rituals of Hajj are performed in Minaa, such as throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat.

ʿArafaat is a mountain on the path between Makkah and Ṭaa’if, and is approximately: 22 kilometres away from Makkah, 10 kilometres from Minaa, and 6 kilometres from Muzdalifah. The most important ritual of Hajj is performed nearby, which is the stay at [the plains] of ʿArafah on the ninth day of DhulHijjah.

‘Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) then informed Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee that when they performed the Hajj with the Prophet ﷺ, on his ﷺ Farewell Pilgrimage, in the 10th year A.H - some of pilgrims recited the talbiyah, so he then said: “LabbaykAllaahummaLabbayk!” - [i.e., “Here I am, O Lord, Here I am!], and raised their voices while doing it.

Some of the others recited the takbeer: “Allaahu Akbar!” - [i.e., “Allah is the Greatest!”] and raised their voices while doing so. Either way, the Prophet ﷺ did not reproach them [while they did this].

This is a confirmation from the Prophet ﷺ about the permissibility of Allah’s remembrance, whether it is the takbeer or the talbiyah. It has been said that the intended meaning behind this is that one can insert anything that pertains to Allah’s remembrance during one’s utterance of the talbiyah; [but] he should not leave the talbiyah in its entirety - because it is narrated on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ that heﷺ did not stop reciting the talbiyah until the throwing of the pebbles at Jamarat al-ʿAqabah.

The talbiyah, rather, is prescribed for the pilgrim. As for those who are not performing the Hajj, the takbeer[aat] is prescribed for them to recite from the morning on the Day of ʿArafah following the performance of their obligatory prayers until the mid-afternoon prayer (ʿAsr) on the last of the days of Tashreeq [i.e., the 13th of DhulHijjah].

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the initiation of the takbeer on the day of ʿArafah is permissible - even if the person who is uttering it was in the state of ihram [i.e., the state of ritual sanctity that one enters into for the Hajj] and intending to stay in ʿArafah, although the prescribed words to utter for the one in a state of ihram is the talbiyah.

This shows that the range of the matter with reference to the performance of dhikr on the Day of ʿArafah is open.
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971
Narrated Umm ʿAtiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her): “We used to be ordered to come out on the Day of `Eid and even bring out the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say Takbir along with them and invoke Allah along with them and hope for the blessings of that day and for purification from sins.”.

Commentary : Demonstrating the rites of Islam is a significant aim [in trying to fulfil] the objectives of this religion. The ‘Eid prayer is one of the important rites which, through its performance, is a blessing for the Muslims and serves as a call to Islam [for all in the vicinity]. For that [reason], every Muslim is commanded to set out to the place where the ‘Eid prayer is being performed, even the young and old women, and those who are menstruating - for whom which prayer is not incumbent upon! This is so that they can witness the blessings of this event and the calling of Muslims.

In this hadeeth, Umm ʿAtiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet ﷺ ordered all of the women to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer was held.

Whether it was the ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa; even the young virgin girls departed from their homes and chambers [which they often remained in] for the sake of remaining concealed from the unnecessary viewing of others; and likewise - [for] the woman during her menses, all of them were ordered to go out towards the place where the ‘Eid prayer was performed in the time of the Prophet ﷺ. However, those women who were on their menses used to sit at the very back behind the people, following the lead of the people, thus, said with them the takbeer[aat], called upon Allah in supplication. All this as they hoped for the obtainment of blessings, rewards, and purification from [their] sins on this day.

This shows the merit of this glorious day, and the mercy and forgiveness that Allah pours forth onto His servants, and that kind of Allah’s remembrance and pious acts [of all be observed].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is to notice the strong encouragement of performing lots of Allah’s remembrance on this day..

972
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) related that on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa a spear used to be thrusted into the ground in front of the Prophet ﷺ, and then he would pray..

Commentary : In this hadeeth, a practical demonstration of some of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ [can be observed] with regards to the prayer in general, and the two ‘Eid prayers specifically; ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that a spear would be thrusted into the ground in front of the Prophet ﷺ before starting the two ‘Eid prayers so that it could serve as a barrier (sutrah) for him ﷺ. This was done for the purpose of demarcating his ﷺ place of prayer so that no one could pass in front of him.

The spear [that is mentioned here] is a short pole with a broad spearhead, and it has a shorter length than the rumh [i.e., which was a longer type of spear often used by horsemen in combat].

The Prophet ﷺ used to do this for the two ‘Eid prayers, because he would perform these two prayers outdoor at the Musallaa, where the land is wide and spacious, and there are no structures or barriers.

This was also the habit of the Prophet ﷺ during his travels; because: in most instances, the traveller cannot find a wall [so that he may] be shielded by it when he wants to pray; and most of what he prays [is done so] outdoor in lands that are expansive [and lack structure, etc].

It is therefore incumbent upon whoever is praying by themselves to place an object to serve as a barrier between himself and the direction of the Qiblah - so that no one may pass and interrupt [his] performance of the prayer - specifically in open places. As for the congregational prayer, it is sufficient that the Imaam places a barrier in front of himself, as this will serve as a barrier for the ones praying behind him.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the Prophet ﷺ was so keen to place a barrier in front of him whenever he wanted to pray..

973
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) related that the Prophet ﷺ would go out in the morning* to the place of prayer with a short spear in front of him which was carried and set up in front of him in the place of prayer, and he would pray towards its direction..

Commentary : Out of earnest concern, the Prophet ﷺ would utilise an object to serve as a barrier in prayer. This hadeeth is a practical demonstration of one of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the placing a barrier in front of him in prayer. Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to arrive at the place where the prayer of ‘Eid would be performed and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would bring along a short spear for him.

In another version of the same hadeeth in al-Bukhaaree, it’s narrated as: “A short spear was thrusted into the ground in front of him”. The short spear here refers to a strong rod that is similar to the spear but shorter. The short spear was brought by the Companions so that it would be set up in front of him ﷺ and serve as a barrier. This was done for the purpose of demarcating his ﷺ place of prayer, so that no one could pass in front of him ﷺ.

This was also the habit of the Prophet ﷺ during his travels; because: in most instances, the traveller cannot find a wall so that he may be shielded by it when he wants to pray; and most of what he prays [is done so] outdoor in lands that are expansive [and lack structure, etc].

It is therefore incumbent upon whoever is praying by themselves to place an object to serve as a barrier between himself and the direction of the Qiblah - so that no one may pass and interrupt [his] performance of the prayer - specifically in open places. As for the congregational prayer, it is sufficient that the Imaam places a barrier in front of himself, as this will serve as a barrier for the ones praying behind him.
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975
Narrated ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them): I went out with the Prophet ﷺ on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa. The Prophet ﷺ prayed and then delivered the sermon and then went towards the women, preached, and advised them and ordered them to give alms..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned directly from him, and then conveyed them to us.

This hadeeth elaborates on some of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ with regards to the ‘Eid prayer. ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he went with the Prophet ﷺ on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa to offer the prayer of ‘Eid.

The Prophet ﷺ used to pray it at al-Musallaa, which is a wide and spacious area. Then, he began with the performance of the prayer - [which], for the ‘Eid prayer[s] do not have an adhaan or iqaamah; nor are there any sunnah prayers which are performed before or after it. Then, he ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people, [and it] is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - [which] is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it.

Afterwards, he ﷺ went towards the women near the place where they prayed; so that he could preach and remind them and urge them to give alms.

The Prophetﷺ gathered the alms for the purpose of distributing it among those in need; like what his ﷺ custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution, out of fear that temptation [may rise] against them.

The hadeeth teaches us to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer is held to attend the ‘Eid prayer, and that it is performed before the sermon is delivered.

We understand from this hadeeth the importance of preaching and reminding women, and exhort them to give alms, and that it is permissible for the male scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes..

656
‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah reported: ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone. I sat in front of him, and he said: "O son of my brother, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night, and whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night.'".

Commentary : Allah Almighty multiplied the reward for the congregation prayer until it surpassed the prayer offered individually by twenty-seven degrees, and its merit increases if it is offered during the night, given its closeness to sincerity to Allah Almighty. Indeed, it is one of the greatest acts aimed at getting close to Allah.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i (the generation after the Companions) ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah relates that ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone waiting for the time of ‘Ishā’ prayer to come so that he would offer it in congregation. ‘Abdur-Rahmān said: "I sat in front of him." It is as if he sat to learn from him and ask him about the reason for his sitting and waiting. So, ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "O son of my brother." He meant the brotherhood of Islam, not that of blood. "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night." In other words, he will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship from the early part of the night to its middle and spends this time in prayer and dhikr (remembrance of Allah). "And whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night." He will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship all night long and spends this time in prayer and dhikr. So, the reward for offering the Fajr prayer in congregation is double the reward for offering the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, which indicates that getting up for the Fajr prayer is more meritorious than getting up for the ‘Ishā’ prayer. This is because the Fajr prayer is harder and more difficult for the performer and more tough for the devil. Indeed, he who goes to sleep and then gets up finds it harder than one who wants to sleep. Or it means that each of them equals half of the night, and together they amount to one night. So, whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for all the night, as related in a version by Abu Dāwūd and At-Tirmidhi: "Whoever attends the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation obtains the reward of praying for half the night, and whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation obtains the reward of praying for one night." In any case, this urges and encourages the regular observance of the Fajr and ‘Ishā’ prayers in congregation. This particular merit afforded to them may be because of the hardship involved in attending the mosques to pray them, like the darkness and the fact that in those times people usually take rest, most likely sleep, or spend private time with their families.
The Hadīth indicates that some prayers are characterized by a certain merit not shared with other prayers..

657
Jundub ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever performs the Fajr prayer is under the protection of Allah; so, let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection; and so, He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.".

Commentary : One of the best signs of faith is the strict observance of the obligatory prayers. Allah Almighty affords great merit to those who persistently observe these prayers.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation - as reported in the version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj - "is under the protection of Allah," i.e., under His safety and guarantee. He singled out the Fajr prayer from all the other prayers due to the hardship involved in its performance and because only those with sincere faith can perform it persistently; they, therefore, deserve to be under the protection, safety, and guarantee of Allah Almighty.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection, or else He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire." The prohibition here pertains to what entails accountability for violating Allah's guarantee and protection. The Prophet's words here have one of two possible meanings: First: Whoever performs the Fajr prayer obtains a guarantee from Allah. So, no one should harm or oppress him. Whoever oppresses or harms him, Allah will call him to account regarding His protection. Second: Do not abandon the Fajr prayer, lest the guarantee between you and your Lord will be violated, and so He will call you to account regarding it. Whoever does so, Allah will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.
In the Hadīth: Urging the performance of the Fajr prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the great bounty of Allah and His vast mercy towards this Ummah, as He prescribed an immense reward for the Fajr prayer
And in it: Clarifying Allah's revenge against those who harm His pious servants
And in it: Demonstrating that nothing on the earth or in heaven escapes the power of Allah, and if He wants to exact revenge upon anyone, he cannot escape Him.

660
Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited us, and there was no one other than me, my mother, and my maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. He said: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." It was not a time of prayer, he proceeded to lead us in prayer. A man said to Thābit: "Where did he make Anas stand with him?" He said: "He made him stand to his right." Then, he supplicated for us, the members of the household, with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. My mother said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant; supplicate Allah for him." He said: He supplicated for me with all goodness, and the last of his supplication for me was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him.".

Commentary : One of the things urged and encouraged by Islam is to accept invitations, for this displays brotherliness and cordiality among the Muslims. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) built a good relationship with his Companions, and he used to visit them in their houses so as to teach them and supplicate for them.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid a visit to them in their house, and there was none but he and his mother - ’Umm Sulaym - and his maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." This was not a time for an obligatory prayer. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would like the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to pray for them in their houses, in pursuit of blessing. So, he led them in a two-Rak‘ah voluntary prayer. Thereupon, a man asked Thābit al-Bunāni, who narrated from Anas: Where did Anas stand while he was praying with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on which side did he make him stand? He told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made him stand on his right side, for when one person prays behind an Imām, he should stand to his right; whereas the women stand in a row behind both of them.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for the family of Anas with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. The mother of Anas said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant" i.e., your boy who serves you. She said "your little servant" by way of gentleness and appeasement, not belittlement. Hence, she said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "supplicate Allah for him." She probably made this request so that his supplication for him would be compensation for him in return for his kindness to you by extending service for a long time. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) granted her request and supplicated for him with all goodness, and the last supplication he made was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him." Anas found the blessing of the Prophet's supplication in his wealth and children. He was the wealthiest person among the Ansār, and he saw lots of children descending from him. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri, he said: "Indeed, I am one of the richest among the Ansār and my daughter ’Umaynah told me that when Al-Hajjāj came to Basra, more than 120 of my offspring had been buried." In a version by Muslim: "and my children and grandchildren are more than one hundred today."
The Hadīth contains supplication for the increase of wealth and children.
It comprises supplication for goodness in this world and the Hereafter, for all this lies in the Hand of Allah Almighty.
And it includes preferring one's child over oneself; and making requests in a gentle manner..

663
’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: There was a man from the Ansār whose house was the farthest house in Madīnah, and he would not miss the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: We felt bad for him, and I said to him: "O so and so, if you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand and shield you from the vermin of the earth." He said: "By Allah, I do not like that my house be close to the house of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: I was troubled by that and came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him. He said: He sent for him, and he said the same to him and mentioned that he hoped for a reward for his steps. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for.".

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were the most keen among people on doing good, and they would constantly look for deeds that increased their rewards with Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that there was a man from the Prophet's Companions from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - and it is mentioned in Musnad that he was the cousin of ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with both of them), whose house was the farthest house from the Prophet's Mosque. Despite the remoteness of his house, he would not miss the prayer in the mosque with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) felt pity for him for the hardship and tiredness he would go through while coming and going back. So, they said to him: If you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand; and it will shield you from the vermin of the earth. Vermin is a term that refers to creatures with lethal poison, like serpents, and it may also refer to creatures that are not to be killed, such as insects.
He swore by Allah to them that he would not like his house to be adjacent to the Prophet's house; rather, he liked that it be far away from it, so that his reward would increase with the increase of steps he would take from his house to the mosque. He did not intend to negate his love for being close to the house of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) out of hatred for him, but in the hope of a greater reward with the increase of those steps. ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) assumed by his statement that he meant hatred for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I was troubled by that" i.e., I found that to be grave and was distressed by it, given the repugnance and horridness of what he said and its evil connotation, namely that he hated the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In a version by Ahmed, he said: "I have not heard a statement about him more hateful to me than it." ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) interpreted his statement wrongly and thought ill of it because Madīnah abounded with hypocrites at the time, and they were keen to live away from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b came to the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him about what this man said. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent for him, and he said the same to him as he said to ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and he mentioned to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that what made him say so was that he hoped for and pursued reward and recompense from Allah for his walking. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for", i.e., Allah Almighty will give you the reward for your steps which you took for the sake of Allah, Exalted be He, and kept in store with Him. Hoping for reward means that one performs a deed for the sake of Allah and thereby seeks recompense and reward from Allah.
The Hadīth points out the merit of walking to the mosques..

664
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that their houses were situated far from the mosque, as they lived on the outskirts of Madīnah. These are the dwellings of Banu Salamah, a group of the Ansār. They wanted to sell these dwellings, given their remoteness, and buy dwellings close to the mosque, seeking to be the neighbors of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from that and explained to them the reward of which they didn't know. He said to them: "With every step there is a degree for you." When your house is more distant from the mosque, every step you take brings a high rank in Paradise, and the more steps you take, the greater the reward. Thus, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged them to stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in a Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated", i.e., that parts of Madīnah become empty of people and houses. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth shows the Prophet's concern about his Ummah and his keenness to direct them to what is good and to make the best use of it..

665
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The area around the mosque became empty. So, Banu Salimah wanted to move near the mosque. News of this reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to them: "I was told that you want to move near the mosque." They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, we want to." Thereupon, he said: "O Banu Salimah, your houses, your footsteps are recorded; your houses, your footsteps are recorded.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the area around the Prophet's Mosque became empty; "so, Banu Salimah wanted" [some of it]. Banu Salimah was a group of the Ansār, and their houses were far away from the Prophet's Mosque, located behind Mount Sal’, west of Madīnah. They wanted to move and stay close to the Prophet's Mosque, thus becoming neighbors to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was told about that. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I was told." In other words, your news reached me "that you want" and desire "to move near the mosque." They replied: Yes, we desire to do that, O Messenger of Allah. "We want to." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "O Banu Salimah, your houses." That is: Stay at your houses and remain therein and do not move from there. "Your footsteps are recorded." That is: Your steps to the mosque are recorded. You gain a reward for the steps you take to the mosque. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement once again: "Your houses, your footsteps are recorded." This was to urge and encourage them to obey his command and stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in another Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated." In other words, parts of Madīnah become vacated. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, thus frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth highlights the merit of walking to the mosques..

671
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The places that are dearest to Allah are the mosques, and the places that are most hateful to Allah are the markets.".

Commentary : Places vary in terms of goodness and evilness. The mosques are places where Allah's mercy and grace descend. By contrast, markets are the places of the devil's acts of greed and heedlessness.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions that the mosques are the dearest places to Allah Almighty, for they are houses of worship and dhikr and are founded on fear from Allah Almighty. In them, the Qur’an is recited, knowledge is disseminated, the believers get together, the rituals of the religion are displayed, and the angels attend. Also, Allah attributed them to Himself, by way of honor and extolment, saying: {The mosques are for Allah alone.} [Surat al-Jinn: 18]
He also said that the markets are the most hateful places to Allah Almighty, for they witness a lot of false swearing, cheating and deception, heedlessness from the remembrance of Allah Almighty, breaking promises, and impolite treatment, as well as other similar things. Love for the mosques means love for the pious acts that take place therein and hate for the markets means hate for the sins and misdeeds committed therein.
Love and hate are two of Allah's attributes that are established for Him by the Qur’an and the Sunnah in their apparent meanings and in the way that befits the majesty of Allah Almighty, as He established them for Himself without comparison or denial.
The Hadīth urges us to go to the mosques and frequent them in pursuit of Allah's love and pleasure, and to go to the markets less frequently and only when it is needed, so that we can keep away from Allah's dislike and avoid the means leading to His hatred and punishment..

672
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If there are three persons, let one of them be their Imām, and the worthiest among them for being Imām is their best reciter.".

Commentary : Prayer is a Tawqīfi act of worship, which we must perform as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught it to us. He clarified to us its obligations, Sunnahs, and its etiquette, including the one who is more worthy of leading the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that if there are three or more people, they should choose one of them to lead the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined that so that no difference, conflict, or dispute should happen among them. Imām here refers to the leader in prayer, as demonstrated by the last part of the Hadīth, as he said: "and the most entitled among them to be the Imām is their best reciter" who is most among them in memorizing the Qur'an and the best in understanding it. In another version by Muslim: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of them in the Book of Allah." So, if there are a group of people qualified to lead the prayer, the best reciter of the Qur'an among them is the worthiest of being the Imām, by virtue of this merit in him. Hence, if they memorize the entire Qur'an, the one of them who recites it in the most perfect, accurate, and measured manner should be given precedence, for he is the best reciter compared to them. And it is preferred that he should be the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them and the most knowledgeable about the Sunnah and its rulings.
It may be understood from the apparent meaning of the Hadīth that the group concerning the prayer should not be less than three persons. But, what is indicated by the Sunnah is that the group can also consist of two persons, with one of them being the Imām for the other.
The Hadīth shows the merit of he who is the best in reciting the Qur'an, for he is the worthiest of leading the prayer..

673
Abu Mas‘ūd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. If they are equal in terms of the recitation, then the one most knowledgeable about the Sunnah among them; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one among them to have emigrated; if they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam. No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority or sit in his special place in his house without his permission.” [In another version] "age" is reported in place of "embracing Islam"..

Commentary : Congregational prayer in mosques occupies a high status and brings a great reward. The Shariah regulated this prayer and arranged the rows behind the Imām (prayer leader), so that the worshipers can be in orderliness and mental and physical discipline during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs the Muslims on how to choose a prayer leader if they are a group of people, stating that the one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning intended by "the best reciter". It was said: It means the best of them in recitation and the most knowledgeable about its rulings, even if he is the least among them in terms of memorization. Another view says: It means the best memorizer of the Qur’an among them, for he regarded recitation as the basis for leading people in prayer and gave it precedence over all the other characteristics mentioned along with it. And another view says: It means the most knowledgeable, for if you consider the conditions of the Companions, you will find that the most knowledgeable among them is the best reciter among them. Thus, the Prophet's words, "the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them," mean: the most knowledgeable among them.
If they are equal in terms of the acceptable level of recitation, memorization, and mastery, then it's the most knowledgeable of the Sunnah among them; that is: the one who possesses the best understanding of it and the most knowledgeable about the rulings related to the prayer and the Prophet's Sunnah concerning it. If the Imām is ignorant of the prayer's rulings and what may arise during its performance, like forgetfulness and addition or omission, he will spoil it.
If they are equal in all the foregoing, the earliest one to have emigrated should be given precedence. Emigration means leaving the land of disbelief to the land of Islam. Thus, the one who moves from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam earlier is worthier in leading the prayer than the one who does so later. It was said: He is given precedence either because being earlier in emigration is an honor that entails precedence, or because he who emigrates earlier is usually more knowledgeable than the one who emigrates later. It was said: The emigration associated with the precedence in prayer leadership is not intended to particularly refer to the Hijrah during the Prophet's lifetime, but it is the emigration that does not cease until the Day of Judgment, which is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by An-Nasā’i: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hijrah will not cease so long as the disbelievers are being fought." That is, it is enduring until the Day of Judgment.
If they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam takes precedence. In another version, "age" is reported in place of "accepting Islam". In other words, if they are equal in all the foregoing - in knowledge, recitation, and emigration - and one of them excels the others by virtue of embracing Islam earlier or being older in age, he is given precedence because this is a merit that affords precedence.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority." This is his place where he alone assumes authority, a place he owns, or a place where he gives judgment. So, the owner of a place is worthier. He can step forward, if he wills, or choose someone else to lead, if he wills. This is his dominion, and he can dispose as he wishes in it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man should sit in another man's house in his special place - which is reserved for him and intended to honor him, like a mat and so on - unless he is granted permission. This prohibition pertains to sitting in the special place of a man in his house. This is because the place where the head of a household sits is usually the location for certain things not liked to be seen by others, or that it overlooks his entire house or the parts he wants to see; thus, he can follow the conditions of the members of his household and tell them whatever he wants. So, if he gives permission to someone to sit in that place, this indicates that the place is free in terms of all these aspects.
The Hadīth demonstrates the order to be observed in stepping forward to lead people in prayer.
It also indicates that prayer leadership is one of the important things in the religion. Hence, the lawgiver enjoined that it should be undertaken by the most proficient person.
It also states that the head of a household is worthier than others in leading the prayer therein.
It also states that no one should sit in the place reserved for the head of the house without his permission.
It also highlights the superiority of immigrants over others..

679
Khufāf ibn Īmā’ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ and then raised his head and said: "May Allah forgive Ghifār; may Allah make Aslam peaceful; ‘Usayyah disobeyed Allah and His Messenger; O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." Then, he fell prostrating. Khufāf said: Invoking a curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to draw close to Allah by supplication under every condition. This includes the supplication of Qunūt which he would make during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, Khufāf ibn Īmā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ during his prayer, and when he raised his head from Rukū‘ in the last Rak‘ah - as related in the version by Ahmad - and before he went down for prostration, he stood for supplication. Part of what he said in his supplication was to supplicate for the tribe of Ghifār and the tribe of Aslam, two of the Arab tribes. He said about Ghifār: "may Allah forgive Ghifār". He supplicated so that Allah forgives Ghifār for their heinous acts during Jāhiliyyah. About Aslam, he said: "may Allah make Aslam peaceful". He supplicated so that Allah Almighty makes peace with Aslam and does not command war be waged against them. This may also be information that Allah Almighty forgave the tribe of Ghifār and made peace with Aslam and prevented war against them.
About the tribe of ‘Usayyah, he said that they "disobeyed Allah and His Messenger", as they entered a treaty with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This gives the sense of complaining about them and it entails supplication against them to be disgraced for their disobedience, not supplication for them to disobey.
Then, he supplicated against some neighborhoods in the tribe of Banu Sulaym, saying: "O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." This is because they disobeyed Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and acted treacherously towards his noble Companions, killing the reciters whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent to them to teach them their religion. Then, when he finished his supplication, he fell prostrating.
Thereafter, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped supplicating against them when Allah Almighty revealed the verse that reads: {It is not for you [O Prophet] to decide} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 128] as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. This noble verse was a sign to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah Almighty might guide those people to Islam.
It was not the habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate against the polytheists in every situation. Rather, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was most merciful and compassionate towards them. But, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes supplicate against them when their violence and harm increased and grew and at other times he would supplicate for them when no trouble was feared from them and it was hoped they could win their hearts and embrace Islam.
Khufāf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Invoking curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that," i.e., supplication against the disbelievers was adopted and became legitimate because of this act by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his invocation of a curse upon those disbelieving tribes. So, if they attack the Muslims, they should be supplicated against, in line with the Prophet's example.
The Hadīth demonstrates a merit and good characteristic for both Aslam and Ghifār..

680
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We stopped for rest along with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and did not awake till the sun rose. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Each man should take hold of his mount's head, for this is a place where the devil has visited us." He said: We did accordingly. Then, he asked for water and performed ablution and then offered two prostrations - [In a version] Then, he prayed two prostrations - Then, the Iqāmah for prayer was pronounced and he performed the morning prayer..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in the Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were on a journey with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they stopped at a place in the latter part of the night for rest and sleep and did not wake up till the rise of the sun, whose heat awakened them; as in a Hadīth reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Consequently, they missed the Fajr prayer. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) woke up, he said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "Each man should take hold of his mount's head" i.e., hold the bridle of his mount and get out of this place; "for this is a place where the devil has visited us." And he caused them to be heedless of the time of prayer in this place, and it is as if he was still around them with this heedlessness. So, by their departure from this place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to turn away from the devil. They complied with the Prophet's command and got out of their place, and then they proceeded on the way for a while. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water, performed ablution, "and then offered two prostrations". And in a version: "Then, he prayed two prostrations" i.e., he performed two Rak‘ahs, in return for the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer. Then, the Iqāmah was pronounced for the obligatory prayer. "and he performed the morning prayer", which is the Fajr prayer.
The Hadīth mentions making up for the regular supererogatory prayer.
It indicates that the Fajr prayer is also known as the morning prayer.
It also urges avoidance of the places where the devil is present..

681
Abu Qatādah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and said: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening and night. Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow." So, the people proceeded without paying any heed to one another. Abu Qatādah said: "As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight, and I was by his side, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dozed off and leaned (to one side) of his camel. I went to him and lent him support without waking him up until he sat upright on his riding mount. He went on traveling until a major part of the night was over and he leaned (to one side) of his camel. I supported him without waking him up until he sat upright on his mount. Then, he traveled until it was near dawn. Then, he leaned, but far more than the two earlier leanings, and he was about to fall. So, I went to him and supported him, and he lifted his head and said: 'Who is this?' I said: 'It is Abu Qātadah.' He said: 'How long have you been traveling along with me like this?' I said: 'I have been traveling in this very state since the night.' He said: 'May Allah guard you as you have guarded His Prophet.' Then, he said: 'Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?' Then, he said: 'Do you see anyone?' I said: 'Here is a rider.' I again said: 'Here is another rider, until we gathered together, and we were seven riders.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepped aside off the road and placed his head and then said: 'Guard our prayers for us.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, and the rays of the sun were falling on his back. We got up startled. He said: 'Ride on.' So, we rode on until the sun had risen. He then dismounted and called for a jug of water which I had with me. There was a little water in it. He performed ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, and some water was left. Then, he said to Abu Qatādah: 'Keep for us your jug of water; it will have a word.' Thereafter, Bilāl made the Adhān (call for prayer), and then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observed two Rak‘ahs and then observed the Fajr prayer as he did every day. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode on and we rode along with him, and some of us whispered to the others saying: 'What is the expiation for the negligence we committed in our prayers?' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Is there not in me a role model for you? There is no negligence in sleeping. Negligence is not observing the prayer until the time of the next prayer comes. So, whoever does this should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it, and on the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time.' Then, he said: 'What do you think the people would do (at this hour) when they would not find their Prophet with them in the morning. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you, and he does not leave you behind.’ Other people said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is ahead of you.’ So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path.' We proceeded on until we came up to the people (from whom we had lagged behind), and the sun had considerably risen, and everything became hot, and they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we are dying, we are thirsty.' Whereupon, he said: 'You will not die (of thirst).' And he then said: 'Bring that small cup of mine.' Then, he asked for the jug of water to be brought to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water, and Abu Qatādah gave them water to drink. When the people saw that there was water in the jug, they gathered in crowds around it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Behave well in your gathering; you will drink to your fill.' They complied. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fill (the cup), and I would serve them until no one was left except me and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He then filled (the cup) with water and said to me: 'Drink it.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink.' He said: 'The server of the people is the last among them to drink.' So, I drank, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also drank, and the people came to the place of water quite happy and satiated." ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh said: "As I was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn said: 'Consider, O young man, how you narrate, for I was one of the riders in that night.' I said: 'So, you must know this Hadīth well.' He said: 'Who are you?' I said: 'I am one of the Ansār.' Thereupon, he said: 'You narrate, for you know your Hadīths better.' I, therefore, narrated it to the people. Then, ‘Imrān said: 'I was also present that night, but I do not know anyone who memorized it the way I memorized it.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the army which he led, saying: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening." This extends from midday to sunset, the latter part of the daytime, (and night), which means: You will go out on the path of your journey in the evening and proceed with your journey throughout the night. "Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow," i.e., they would reach the water in the morning. His words, Allah Willing, point to the Prophet's compliance with this command of Allah Almighty: {And never say about anything: "I will surely do this tomorrow," without adding: "if Allah wills."} [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] So, he would say "Allah Willing" in any future matter. When the people heard his words, they proceeded fast with their travel without paying any heed to one another. In other words, they did not pay attention or turn toward one another. Rather, each person was walking alone and not paying heed to the company, caring for himself in pursuing and reaching the water. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight," i.e., it was the middle of the night and darkness accumulated; or a major part of the night did pass and one-third of it was remaining. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was by his side. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started dozing off
- the beginning of sleep - as he moved. He began to lean and almost fell off his mount. Meanwhile, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) would support him to help him sit upright and not fall. He did all that without awakening the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that a number of times, and this happened when a major part of the night was over. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) kept supporting him so that he would not fall off his riding animal." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on traveling, and when it was near dawn, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leaned so heavily that he almost fell. So, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and lent him support, like a bolster under him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up from his sleep, raised his head, and asked: Who is this one who is helping me? Abu Qatādah replied that it was him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: Since when? Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he kept guarding and supporting him from the first time he slept during that night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated that may Allah guard him as he guarded His Messenger. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?" In other words, have we delayed and lagged behind them? This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), due to his drowsiness, was not aware of how much he lagged behind the army. This also indicates that no one was with him except Abu Qatādah. It was the Prophet's habit to travel at the rear of the army to show leniency towards the army, carry the weak, and prod those who lag behind. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see anyone?" Based on that, he wanted to determine whether to move faster with his mount or at the same pace. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Here is a rider, and here is another rider. This means that they were catching up with the army personnel, one after another. They gathered together until they became seven in number. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from the road - lest they may be harmed by any vermin moving therein - and headed, along with those with him, for sleep, and he placed his head. The version narrated by Al-Bukhāri pointed out that the Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepping aside was at the request of some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I fear you may oversleep and fail to perform the prayer." Bilāl said: "I will wake you all up. So, lie down."
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Guard our prayers for us," i.e., its time. This refers to the Fajr prayer. Do not fail to perform it due to sleep. They felt sleepy and lay down. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fell into a deep sleep, and they did not wake up for the Fajr prayer. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, while the rays of the sun were falling on his back." This indirectly indicates that it was the heat of the sun that awakened him. Abu Qatādah said: "We got up startled." They were startled because they missed the Fajr prayer due to sleep. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to ride their mounts before making up for the Fajr prayer. He mentioned in a version narrated by Muslim and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the reason behind their departure from the place before praying is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is a place where the devil visited us." They proceeded until they went out of that place and kept moving until the sun had risen. In another version narrated by Muslim and reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him): "until the sun shone brightly", i.e., it went high, and its yellowness or redness disappeared. The intended meaning: The extent to which the sun goes high with which prayer after sunrise ceases to be disliked. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dismounted and called for a jug of water, which was with Abu Qatādah and contained a little water. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used its water for performing ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, i.e., a moderate ablution, given the shortage of water. He did not perform ablution thoroughly as usual. Or that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted the one-time approach in its performance and did not pour a lot of water, for he wanted to keep some of it so that his blessing and his miraculous act would appear therein. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Qatādah: "Keep for us your jug of water" and the water it contains. "It will have a word." i.e., momentous news or a miracle in the future - the blessing that would come to the people.
Then, Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) made the Adhān for the missed prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) first performed the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer and then the obligatory Fajr prayer as a missed prayer. His prayer was the same as the prayers he would perform every day at their appointed times, with no difference between his performance of prayer at the appointed time and his performance of it as a missed prayer. After the prayer was over, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode his mount, and so did the people, and they went out traveling on their way. But they began to whisper to one another in a low voice, saying: "What is the expiation for our negligence towards our prayers?" They feared the sin and the penalty for that. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard their words, seeking to comfort them amid their grief over missing the Fajr prayer, he said: "Is there not in me a role model for you?" In other words, an example to imitate and follow. This seems to indicate that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted them to understand that their performance of the prayer as a missed prayer is an expiation for missing it. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no negligence in sleeping," and no neglect in missing the prayer because a sleeping person has no choice. Rather, neglect and sin are upon a wakeful person who fails to perform a prayer - intentionally and out of neglect and lethargy - until the time of the next prayer comes. "So, whoever does this" - i.e., he oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer until its time elapses - "should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it" - i.e., after he wakes up - "and in the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time." In other words, he should not delay the prayer beyond its usual time. This does not mean that he should perform the missed prayer twice, one time at that moment and another time the next day.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked those present with him: "'What do you think the people have done?" He meant the front part of the army and those who went ahead of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was inquiring about their condition since the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) unusually lagged behind them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered his question and informed those with him that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are saying to the people: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you;" i.e., he is after you and lagging behind you and has not come yet, for he would not "leave you behind, i.e., he would not go ahead of you and leave you behind. They meant to ask the people to wait for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) until he could catch up with them. Some others said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went ahead of us. Thus, they were asking the people to proceed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path" because they are right and correct, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in the state Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) talked about.
Thereafter, Abu Qatādah informed that they reached the front of the army in which Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were, as "the sun had considerably risen" - i.e., the sun went high - "and everything became hot;" i.e., the heat became severe. Everyone was suffering from exhaustion and hardship, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, we are dying" - i.e., from the hot weather - "and thirsty" due to the lack of water. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reassured them that they will not die. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring that small cup of mine," i.e., untie my luggage, take my small cup out of it, and bring it to me. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for the jug of water which was with Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to pour water into the jug, while Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them water to drink. When the people saw that a lot of water was coming out of the jug, they gathered in crowds around it to drink and store water from it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Behave well;" that is, be good in manners and dealing with one another as you drink. He gave them good news that they would all quench their thirst and drink from that water. So, do not act badly by jostling and pushing. They complied with the Prophet's command. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued to pour water and Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them the water to drink. This continued until none remained but Abu Qatādah and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water and said to Abu Qatādah: 'Drink.' Out of politeness, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink." So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who serves water to people is the last of them to drink." So, Abu Qatādah drank, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the last to drink among the people. This is one of the etiquettes to be observed in drinking water. After that, the people reached the place of water which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them about when he addressed them on the first day - "quite happy", i.e., restful and in good condition, and "satiated", i.e., having drunk water to their fill.
The Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh mentioned that he was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, i.e. in Basra. So, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Consider, O young man, how you narrate;" i.e., what Hadīth you are narrating; or about what condition you are narrating, "for I was one of the riders in that night." In other words, pay attention, O young man, and narrate in an accurate way, for I am one of those who witnessed this incident, and I will check what you narrate against what I witnessed. He replied to him: "So, you must know this Hadīth better," since you were one of the riders and witnessed this incident. ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am one of the Ansār," the dwellers of Madīnah. Thereupon, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to narrate, as he praised the Ansār, saying: "You know your Hadīths better." When ‘Abdullāh narrated the Hadīth and finished its narration and it was consistent with ‘Imrān's account, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "I was present that night, but I do not know anyone who has committed it to memory as good as I have done." Thus, he praised him for memorizing the Hadīth so accurately and was amazed at how well he memorized it, even though he did not witness the incident.
In the Hadīth: The one who serves water to people is the last among them to drink.
And in it: Whoever oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer has to make up for the missed prayer.
And in it: The Prophet's miracle in foretelling things of the Unseen, which Allah revealed to him, and in the blessing and increase of the little water.
And in it: Serving virtuous people, especially during travel.
And in it: Demonstrating some of the etiquettes related to taking rest during travel, namely, to avoid the road.
And in it: Supplicating for the one who offers good service, as a reward for his doing good.
And in it: Feeling sad and regretful over missed virtuous deeds, even if no negligence is involved.
And in it: Making up for the missed supererogatory prayer.
And in it: Urging the improvement of manners among people, particularly in situations involving crowdedness and annoyance..

683
Abu Qatādah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when he alighted before dawn, he would erect his forearm and place his head on his palm..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to devote attention to the Prophet's guidance in his deeds, words, and approvals, to follow his example and learn from him. In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on a journey, he would alight in the first part of the night for sleep and rest, sleep on his right side, and place his head on a pillow or the like, thus giving himself the due share of sleep. And when he wanted to sleep at the latter part of the night, shortly before dawn, he would erect his right 'forearm' and "place his head on his palm," fearing he might be overtaken by sleep and thus fail to perform the Fajr prayer at its earliest time. The right side is favored regarding sleep given the honor of tayāmun (using the right side or starting with it) and its general merit in everything. It was the Prophet's habit to favor the right side, except in repulsive things, in which he would use the left side.
This also indicates that a person should give himself the due share of rest and not forget the worship of his Lord. In the first part of the night, he can get sufficient sleep before dawn and then get up. Yet in the latter part of the night, he should sleep lightly, rather than deeply, lest he may miss the Fajr prayer.
In the Hadīth: Alighting for rest during travel in case of tiredness, while being cautious not to miss the prayer
And in it: Using alarms and the like to alert one to the times of prayers.

686
Ya‘la ibn Umayyah reported: I said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb: "{There is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101]. And people have become secure!" He said: "I wondered about the same thing you wondered about, and I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about that, and he said: 'It is a charity that Allah has given you; so accept His charity.'".

Commentary : Travel is a piece of torment, and it is most likely to involve tiredness and hardship. Hence, Allah Almighty alleviates things for travelers and facilitates the Shar‘i rulings for them, especially those related to prayer and fasting.
In this Hadīth, Ya‘la ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he asked ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) about the verse that reads: {When you are traveling through the land, there is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101] It means: If you travel in the land, there is no sin on you in shortening the four-Rak‘ah prayers (the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’ prayers) to two Rak‘ahs - if you fear harm from the disbelievers.
"And people have become secure" now, and their fear, which was the reason behind prescribing the shortening of prayer, is no longer there. So, why do they shorten the prayer? Or what is the objective of shortening if its reason is no longer there? In response, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had the same thought as Ya‘la ibn Umayyah and so he asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about shortening the prayer in the absence of its reason - namely the fear from the enemy - and the existence of security, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that shortening the prayer is a favor from Allah Almighty which He bestowed upon the Muslim Ummah and honored them with; it is a charity Allah has given them, by way of facilitation and mercy. "So, accept His charity," i.e., whether there is fear or not; shortening the prayer is established in case of security as well. Allah's words: That the disbelievers may harm you} refers to what is most likely, for most of the journeys of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were not fear-free, given the multitude of fighting enemies at the time.
This indicates that the shortening of prayer during travel was prescribed to make things lenient and easy for people, and it does not have the sense of order or obligation for the traveler. Indeed, the Ummah unanimously agreed that a person to whom charity is offered is not obligated to accept it.
In the Hadīth: Shortening the prayer during travel with or without fear
And in it: Demonstrating the mercy of Allah Almighty and His complete favor upon His servants, as He prescribed for Muslims to shorten the prayer during travel given the hardship they suffer..

687
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as four Rak‘ahs when resident, two when traveling, and one in case of fear..

Commentary : Making things easy and light is one of the merits of the tolerant Islamic Shariah. Allah Almighty laid down dispensations for the Muslims therein so that they will not suffer hardship that causes them harm or burdens them with unbearable things. These dispensations include shortening the prayer during travel and at the time of war.
In this Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" by revelation from Allah Almighty. So, it is "four Rak‘ahs when resident," i.e., the four-Rak‘ah prayers: Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’- "two when traveling;" the four-Rak‘ah prayer is shortened to two Rak‘ahs only during travel. And He prescribed "one in case of fear." The prayer of fear is when the time for obligatory prayer becomes due while Muslims are fighting an enemy, guarding borders, and the like. The Hadīth apparently indicates that the prayer of fear consists of one Rak‘ah in case of severe fear and war. It was said: What is meant by one Rak‘ah is that he offers one Rak‘ah with the Imām and one Rak‘ah alone. This is because most reports about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) state that the prayer of fear consists of two Rak‘ahs, to be performed in different ways depending on the condition of the enemy in terms of nearness and remoteness. There is no effect for the severe fear, but they should perform two Rak‘ahs, according to their ability, in whatever direction they turn to, while walking and riding, nodding with their heads..