Narrated Ma’n ibn Yazeed (may Allah be pleased with him): My grandfather, my father and I gave the pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messenger ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ got me engaged and then got me married. One day I went to the Prophet ﷺ with a complaint.My father set aside some dinars for charity and gave them to a man in the mosque. I went to that man and took back those dinars. He said: "I had not intended you to be given." So, we went to Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and put forth the matter before him. Heﷺ said to my father, "Yazeed, you have been rewarded for what you intended." And heﷺ said to me, "Ma'n, you are entitled to what you have taken.".

Commentary : Pledging allegiance entails the conclusion of a contract and the making of a covenant, and it is called in Arabic al-Mubaaya’ah (i.e., a word that means sales) as an analogy for making a transaction, as if everyone sold what they owned. On the part of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; a promise of reward, and on their part of the pledgers: a commitment to obedience.
In this hadeeth, Maʿn ibn Yazeed al-Sulamee (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reports that he, his father, and grandfather al-Akhnas ibn Habeeb (may Allah be pleased with him) pledged their allegiance to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.Later on, the Prophet ﷺ proposed on behalf of Maʿn ibn Yazeed to a woman and asked the woman’s guardian for their approval for her to marry him, who in turn gave her to him (Ibn Yazeed) in marriage.
The narrator related that his father had offered the alms and placed it in the care of a man in the mosque so that he could distribute it to someone deserving of the charity. But then Maʿn went and took it and told his father about it. Afterwards, his father informed him that he had intended this alms money to go to him (Ma’n). It was said: what is meant by the alms here is: that it was a voluntary charity, and not the prescribed alms tax (zakat). The two of them quarrelled and took up the matter to the Prophet ﷺ. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ruled between them [stating] that: Yazeed will be rewarded for what he had intended to give in charity, and that Maʿn owned what he took because he was poor and belonged to the general group of the needy who were allowed to receive the alms from the deputy who is authorised to distribute it.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that the one who offers alms [and charity] will be rewarded for what he intended, whether it finds the one who is deserving of it or not.
It shows that the son has the right to argue with his father, and it would not be out of disobedience if it was done so appropriately [i.e., with tact].
And lastly, it shows the permissibility of appointing a representative to distribute the alms and charity..

1423

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Seven people Allah will place them under His Shade on the Day when there would be no shade but the Shade of His Throne (i.e., on the Day of Resurrection): And they are: a just ruler; a youth who grew up worshipping Allah; a person whose heart is attached to the mosques; two men who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah; a man whom an extremely beautiful woman seduces (for illicit relation), but he (rejects this offer and) says: 'I fear Allah'; a man who gives in charity and conceals it (to such an extent) that the left hand does not know what the right has given; and a man who remembers Allah in solitude and his eyes become tearful"..

Commentary : The Day of Resurrection is a crucial day with many terrors. It is the Day on which the sun draws near the heads of the people and its heat intensifies over them. The Messenger of Allahﷺhas given good tidings to us that Allah will place some of His servants under His shade on that day in which no other shade except for His, Exalted Be He.
In this significant hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺmentions seven kinds [of people] in his nation who will enjoy Allah’s Shade on that day in which no one else will be shaded except for those whom Allah will cover in His shade. What is meant by shade here is: the shadow of the Throne, as it is was explained in other hadeeths; one of which is related in Musnad Ahmad and Sunan al-Tirmidhee; it is reported on the authority of AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said:: “Whoever relieves [someone] from his debtor or erases their debt for him, will be under the shade of the Throne on the Day of Resurrection.” If what is meant [by this] is the shade of the Throne; then it follows that they are under the protection and honour of Allah, The Almighty.
The first of these seven [types] of people is: the just ruler. He is a just ruler over his subjects who preserves their rights, considers their interests, and rules over them with the Sacred Law of Allah, The Mighty and Majestic, and upholds the good in both religious and worldly affairs.
The second is the young man who grows up diligently worshipping his Lord and is committed to obeying His Commands and Prohibitions. The young man is specifically mentioned [here] because worship in youth is harder, more tiresome, and more difficult at this age; due to the many reasons for sin and disobedience, and the prevalence of desires; so, if he clings to worship during those time[s], it indicates the strength of his piety and the greatness of his fear in Allah.
The third is the man whose heart clings to the mosques. He is very fond of and is attached to the mosques. He visits them frequently and spends large amounts of time in them - remaining for the congregational and obligatory prayers and waits for prayer after prayer [to begin], as if his heart was a lantern of the masjid.
The fourth is: two people who love one another for the sake of Allah, and for His Pleasure and obedience, and not for a worldly purpose. They meet for His sake, and maintain this love for Allah, Glory be to Him. The narrator’s statement: “They meet and part ways for His cause” is clear: that their love for Allah is sincere at the times of their meeting and departure.
The fifth: is a man who was asked to engage in illegitimate sexual relations by a beautiful woman of noble descent, lineage, rank, and prestige, and refuses so by saying: ‘I fear Allah.’ It is possible that he only says that verbally; reprimanding her for attempting to commit adultery. Or, he says that in his heart, and his actions confirm that the fear of Allah prevents him from committing what angers Him. The reason women with status and beauty are particularly mentioned is due to the great desires in it. With this act, despite these many temptations, he has achievedthe perfect ranks of obedience and fear of Allah, The Almighty, and these are the characteristics of the righteous.
The sixth is a man who offers voluntary alms and goes to great lengths in concealing it. He covers them from everything, even from himself; so that his left hand does not know what his right one spends. Only, he ﷺ mentioned the right and left to exaggerate the concealment and secrecy in giving charity. He offered them both as examples because the right hand is close to the left, and [both] accompany one another. The meaning of the example given is: If his left hand was an alert man, he would not have known about it [the right hand and its spending]; due to the emphasis in concealing it. And this is the best [form] of charity, and the furthest from hypocrisy. Although it is prescribed to speak publicly about charity and zakat if it is free from showing off, it is intended to urge others to spend, emulate others, and make the rites of Islam known.
And the seventh is the man who remembers Allah with his tongue in seclusion or remembers with his heart: the greatness of Allah The Almighty, his eventual encounter with Him, that he is always standing in His presence, and that he is held accountable for his deeds all while he is alone, and secluded from people; because at that time, he is further away from hypocrisy. It was said: that his heart is free from paying attention to anything other than Allah, so that even if he is among people, his tears will flow out of fear in Allah, The Almighty.
These seven will only attain this grace by sincere devotion to Allah, The Almighty and fighting their desires; for the capable leader who is in power is not able to be just, except by opposing his whims. The young man who prefers to worship Allah over the calls of his youth would not be able to do so, had he not fought his desires. The man whose heart clings to the masjid encourages him to struggle against the inclinations that call him to places of pleasure. The one who secretly offers alms and charity to those on his left side would not have been able to do so had he not overcome his desires. And for those who: are called by a beautiful, noble woman and fear Allah, The Mighty and Majestic and opposed his cravings; and those who remember Allah, The Mighty and Majestic in private, with their eyes overflowing [with tears] out of fear of Him - it was only by opposing their longings that led them to that. Thus, Allah saved them from the swelter, sweat, and hardship of the situation which will manifest on the Day of Resurrection.
Seven types of people have been mentioned in this hadeeth. There are other narrations that relate and add more categories other than those mentioned here; among them is what Imam Muslim narrates from the hadeeth of Aboo al-Yasar, Kaʿb ibn ʿAmr al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him), who narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever grants a reprieve to the one in dire straits or remits his debt for him, Allah will place him under His protection.” Also: the warrior [who fights for Allah’s sake] and those who aid them, the honest merchant, and whoever assists the slave [in attaining their freedom] as it is mentioned in other narrations and hadeeths; so, this indicates that the number of those mentioned in this hadeeth doesn’t provide a limit [for the number of categories]. Likewise, the mentioning of men in this hadeeth departs from what corresponds to the preponderant position [on the issue]; [as] there is no significance to it; for women are similar to men in what is possible regarding that [i.e., being able to implement characteristics described in this narration], and the provisions of the Sacred Law are general [in applicability] for all those who are legally responsible, both male and female.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the merits of the seven mentioned categories, and the virtue of the one who remains free from sin and devotes themself in obeying their Lord throughout his life.
It urges us to partake in righteous deeds; because they are the reasons in which the contentment of Allah, May He be Exalted, will be attained in the Hereafter.
And lastly, it highlights that one of the blessings of Allah, The Mighty and Majestic on the Day of Resurrection is being granted refuge under His protection..

1425

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said "When a woman feeds (the poor) from her husband's house, without spending too much, she will have her reward, and her husband will be rewarded likewise because he earned it, and she will be rewarded for what she spent. The same applies to the storekeeper, without anything being detracted from their rewards.”.

Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ highlights the great status of charity and encourages people to practise it. He ﷺ clarifies the reward that a woman will receive when she gives in charity from the property of her husband, with his permission, whether his permission was explicit or implicit, if she knew that he would not mind her giving charity from his wealth. He ﷺ particularly mentions that when a woman gives in charity from thefood she keeps in house to those who are poor and needy, with the intention of charity and without that causing any harm to her household or intending to waste her husband’s wealth or causing harm to him, she will be rewarded for this spending. Likewise, her husband and the storekeeper will be rewarded since the former was the one who worked to earn it, and the latter is the one responsible for keeping the food of his master. That is to say, the husband and wife will be rewarded, and the master and his owned storekeeper will be rewarded when the wife or storekeeper does that. It is either each one of them will receive his reward in full and equallyor that each one of them will receive his own reward. The acceptable amount that can be spent in this case is that which the husband or the master usually approves and allows to be given away in charity. His approval can be at the time this happens or when he comes to know about it..

1426

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The best charity is that which is given out of surplus; and begin (charity) with those who are under your care.”.

Commentary : The legal system in Islam has come as a middle point between excess and neglect. One of the areas it covers is almsgiving. It dictates that the best charity - as the Prophet ﷺ reports in this hadeeth - is what a person takes out from his wealth after fulfilling the rights of himself and dependents so that the one giving alms does not become a person in need after offering his charity to someone; for this is the charity which is given out of surplus.
Then he ﷺ instructs us to begin with those who we provide for under our care. This is an indication that the spending on one’s family is better than giving charity to others because charitable almsgiving is voluntary, and adequate support (nafaqah) and maintenance for the family is obligatory. This is from the Prophetic pedagogy, and the order of prioritiesin nafaqahthat we should observe so that a person can meet the requirements necessary for his family and whoever else he is obliged to take care of. Then, he can offer alms and charity in the manner a rich person does.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is it shows that we should give precedence with spending on ourselves and our dependents because caring for them is confined to him alone, unlike the others.
It highlights that a person should not give all of what he owns in charity, and that we should begin with the most important concerns in the matters of religion.
And lastly, it shows thatspendingon one’s family and the person who provides for them is regarded as a charity if the person intended it as such..

1427

Narrated Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Prophet ﷺ said, "The upper hand is better than the lower one (i.e., the spending hand is better than the receiving hand); and begin (charity) with those who are under your care; and the best charity is that which given out of surplus; and he who abstains from asking others [for his needs] and he who abstains from asking others for money will be made self-sufficient by Allah"..

Commentary : Islam urges almsgiving and spending [on others] for the sake of Allah and clarifies that what Allah has [or them] is more permanent than what a person puts away for himself.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that the upper hand - which is the hand that spends and provides - is better and more beloved to Allah, The Mighty and Majestic than the lower hand - which is the one that requests and takes charity. Then he ﷺ instructs us to begin with ourselves and whatever family and children that we support. So, the best charity is what a person takes out from his wealth after fulfilling the rights of himself and dependents so that the one giving alms does not become a person in need after offering his charity to someone. And where he ﷺsays: This is an indication that the spending on one’s family] is better than charity because charitable almsgiving is voluntary, and adequate support (nafaqah) and maintenance for the family is obligatory. This is from the Prophetic pedagogy, and the order of prioritiesin spending that we should observe so that a person can meet the requirements necessary for his family and whoever else he is obliged to take care of. Then, he can offer alms and charity from the surplus that he still has.
Then,the Messenger of Allahﷺurges for content and self-restraint. Heﷺrelates that whoever forces himself to abstain from begging for anything or asks Allah to keep him in no need of others, Allah then will grant it to him, in that He will make him content, satisfied, and pleased with whatever He has given him.
And “and he who abstains from asking others for money”, that is to say: ‘whoever asks for wealth from Allah, Exalted be He, or he shows that he is not in need of the wealth of people and avoids begging until a person who does not know the realty of his condition considers him to be rich and self-sufficient. Then, “Allah will grant it”, in that He will fill his heart with riches so that he comes rich in his heart because affluence, in reality, is the richness of the soul.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that we should give precedence with spending on ourselves and our dependents because caring for them is confined to him alone, unlike the others.

It highlights that a person should not give all of what he owns in charity and urges us towards lofty matters, and to abandon the ignoble.
It shows us that we should begin with the most important concerns in legal matters.
And lastly, that spending on one’s family and the person who provides for them is regarded as a charity if the person considered it as such..

1430

Narrated ‘Uqbah ibn al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him): Once the Prophet ﷺ offered the `Asr prayer and then hurriedly went to his house and returned immediately. I (or somebody else) asked him (as to what was the matter) and heﷺ said, "I left at home a piece of gold which was from the charity and I disliked letting it remain a night in my house, so I got it distributed.".

Commentary : It is necessary for the believing person to hasten and engage in good deeds because pitfalls may happen and thus hinder him from performing good deeds, and death can strike at any moment, and procrastination is not condemned and not praiseworthy.
In this hadeeth, ʿUqbah ibn al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ was with them for the late afternoon prayer (ʿAsr), and right after he ﷺ concluded his prayer, he ﷺ rushed to get up from his place and went to his home. “It did not take him long...”, is an allusion for hurriedly departing from his house. Then, his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him about what prompted this haste; to which the Prophet ﷺ explained to them that he ﷺ had left a tibr - which is a portion of gold before it is wrought - at his house, and this tibr was for charity. Then he ﷺ related that he disliked letting it remain at his house at night; and for that reason, he ﷺ hurried to divide it up for those who were in need.
It was said: the reason he ﷺhurried to distribute the almsis that he feared that whoever had a right to that piece of tibr would be in need of it, and [by delaying it] his right would have been held back from him that night. The Prophetﷺwas benevolent and merciful to the believers; so, heﷺ clarified the matter to his nation,in order that they follow his example and imitate him ﷺ.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that the ruler and the scholar ought to hasten to meet the needs of the peopleand responded to them.
And lastly, it shows the permissibility for the imamto leave immediately after the prayer without sitting down [after the prayer]..

1432

Narrated Aboo Moosa al-‘Ash’aree (may Allah be pleased with him): Whenever a needy person would come to the Prophet ﷺ or he ﷺ was asked for help, he ﷺ would turn to those who were present and say, "Make intercession for him, and you will be rewarded; and Allah will carry out whatsoever He wills through His Prophet’s mouth.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺwas benevolent and merciful to the people and would hasten in upholding their needs and advocating for the people with truth and justice; to teach his cooperative ummah piety and cognizance of Allah.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Moosa al-Ashʿaree (May Allah be pleased with him) relates that whenever a beggar in need came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺto ask for alms; or, a person with a need came to him and asked of him to fulfil it – he ﷺ would help them with it and say, “Intercede for them, and you will be rewarded,“ that is to say: ‘You will be rewarded by Allah, The Mighty and Majestic for that.’ What is meant by intercession here is: aiding someone else in the matters of this worldly life, and in helping people in whatever is good for them in their worldly affairs. The Muslim should strive to help his fellow brother in his needs and what he asks of him, and intermediate to fulfil it so long as it is good and supports him in his religion and life, and that the need is not a sin or neglects a divine proscription [put forth by] Allah, The Almighty. As for other needs - such as granting relief for the impoverished, helping those who are in debt, and conciliating between two people who are quarrelling - so people should hasten to strive with me in addressing these issues.
Then, he ﷺ said: “and Allah will carry out whatsoever He wills through His Prophet’s mouth,” which means that whatever Allah decreed and foreordained will come to pass; so, if He decrees for a wish to come true, then it will come to pass. And if He decrees for it not to happen; then it will not manifest. Everything is by Allah’s Divine Decree and Foreordainment, and the reward for the mediator does not depend on his fulfilment of the need of the person, for he is rewarded for the mere pursuit of it all.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it encourages mediating and interceding on behalf of people and striving to meet their needs.
And lastly, it confirms Allah’s Divine Decree and Foreordainment..

1433

Narrated Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet ﷺ said to me: Do not withhold it or it will be withheld from you.”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to guide his nation to lofty words and deeds and would preach to the people depending on their needs.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ says to Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (May Allah be pleased with her and her father): ‘Do not withhold [your money]’- where we can see that the verbal noun, al-’Īkaa’ for this verb in Arabic means to tie the head of a container with a wikaa’, which is a rope or string that ties it [i.e., a waterskin or bag]. So, the meaning of this statement is: ‘Don’t hoard away and withhold your money from almsgiving out of fear of it dwindling, otherwise the substance of your sustenance will be cut off from you.’
The reason for this is what is mentioned in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, where Asmaa’ (May Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet ﷺ a question about almsgiving and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I own nothing except that which al-Zubayr has left for me. May I offer the alms?” To which, he ﷺ said: “Offer it, and do not withhold it or it will be withheld from you.” In another agreed upon narration, it is reported that he ﷺ said to her: “Don’t count [it]” - where the Arabic verbal noun, al-Iḥṣaa’, for the verb used here means to have knowledge of the amount of something, whether by weight or quantity. So, the meaning of this statement is: ‘Don’t count what you are giving so that you may be increased by it and let that be a reason for it to be cut off.’ This indicates that almsgiving increases one’s wealth and can be a reason for blessing and increase. Whoever is miserly and does not give alms, Allah will withhold his sustenance from him, and prevent the blessing in his wealth and its growth.
One benefit that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it shows that being miser greed with charity and alms - especially with what is obligatory to give (zakat) - leads to destruction of wealth; so, it’s as if generosity opens the doors of sustenance, [blessing, and growth]..

1434

Narrated Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet ﷺ said to me: Do not withhold it or it will be withheld from you, and give what little you can.”.

Commentary : The Prophetﷺ used to guide his nation to lofty words and deedsand would admonish the people depending on their needs.
In this hadeeth, Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her and her father) came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about giving alms. The Prophet ﷺ said to her: “Do not withhold it”, meaning: “Do not store away your wealth or refrain from spending it for the sake of Allah and offering alms with it because that would be a reason for Allah to take away its blessing, increase, and growth from reaching you.
And he ﷺ said: “Give what little you can,” meaning: ‘Spend without rendering yourself poor as long as you are able to, even if it is just a little, and do not hoard and abstain from giving alms out of fear that [your wealth] will dwindle, otherwise the substance of your sustenance will be cut off from you.’
In Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, it is related that Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet ﷺ a question about almsgiving and said to him: ‘O Messenger of Allah! I own nothing except that which al-Zubayr has left for me. May I offer the alms?” To which, he ﷺ said: “Offer it, and do not withhold it [or it will be withheld] from you.” And in another agreed upon narration, it is reported that he ﷺ said to her: “Do not count [it]” - where the Arabic verbal noun, al-Ihsaa’, for the verb used here means to have knowledge of the amount of something, whether by weight or quantity. So, the meaning of this statement is: ‘Do not count what you are giving so that you may be increased by it and let that be a reason for it [i.e., the blessings] to be cut off.’
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it shows that charity and almsgiving increase wealth, and that generosity opens the doors of sustenance, blessing, and growth.
And that refraining from offering charity and alms - especially with what is obligatory to give (zakat) - leads to destruction of wealth..

1435

Narrated Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him): "`Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, 'Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah's Messenger ﷺ about afflictions'?' I said, 'I know it as the Prophetﷺ had said it.' `Umar said, 'No doubt, you are bold. How did he say it?' I said, 'A man's afflictions (wrong deeds) concerning his wife, children and neighbours are expiated by (his) prayers, charity, and enjoining good.' (The sub-narrator Sulaymaan added that he said, 'The prayer, charity, enjoining good and forbidding evil.') `Umar said, 'I did not mean that, but I ask about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.' I said, 'O Chief of the Believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.' He asked, 'Will the door be broken or opened?' I replied, 'No, it will be broken.' He said, 'If it is broken, it will never be closed again?' I replied, 'Yes.' " Then we were afraid to ask what that door was, so we asked Masrooq to inquire, and he asked Hudhayfah regarding it. Hudhayfah said, "The door was `Umar. "We further asked Hudhaifa whether `Umar knew what that door meant. Hudhayfah replied in the affirmative and added, "He knew it as one knows that there will be a night before the tomorrow morning, and that I reported to him a hadeeth with no errors.".

Commentary : Trials and afflictions are many; some of them are easy, and others are great. The Prophet ﷺ informed us about many of the trials which will take place to serve as a warning against them and urged us to hasten in grabbing onto the ropes of salvation.
In this hadeeth, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), during the era of his caliphate, asked the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that were at his gathering at that time: ‘Which of you remembers the statements of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about the trial?’ Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) thought that ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) was asking about the particulartrial [some will face], so he replied to him by [stating] that he knew the Prophet’s ﷺ words about the trial literally and exactly as he ﷺ had said: which is: that the person will face trials with regards to their family, wealth, children, and neighbours. What is meant by it is: what evil, sorrow, and the like that befalls him in relation to them [i.e., the listed trials], his preoccupation with them while engaging in pious deeds; his negligence in upholding what is required concerning their rights, his shortcomings in matters of the religion, and what [often] tempts him from the [various] lesser misdeeds. Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and enjoining the good and prohibiting evil expiate these misgivings. That is to say: that these specifictrials are those which afflict the Muslim because of his love for himself, his children, and his wealth, and they are expiated by righteous deeds and acts of worship. However, ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean these particular trials, but rather the afflictions which swell and surge like the sea, i.e., by which people will be unsettled, and fight one another. It is the general strife that will afflict all the Muslims.
Then Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reassured him that if his question was about the general turmoil that will afflict all Muslims with horrors and calamities, and plunge them into wars and [conflicts of] bloodshed among them; then the Muslims today are safe from it, and that there is a strong, locked door between him and this turmoil [being spoken of]; but this door will be broken down, and violence, hardship, and bloodshed will follow. And here, ʿUmar, (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that if this door is broken, it will remain open for blood, and the wars between the Muslims would not end. The TaabiʿeeAbooWaa’il Shaqeeq ibn Salamah reported that they were afraid to ask Hudhayfah about who was the intended person being referred to as the door. So, they appointed Masrooq ibn al-Ajdaʿ to ask him about the matter. Only Masrooq dared to ask him because of his vast knowledge and high rank. Then Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) told them that the door was ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him). The word door [used here] is a metaphor for him.
The taabiʿeenasked Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) about ʿUmar’s knowledge of who was intended by this door [referenced in the hadeeth], in which, if it was broken, would lead to affliction. Then, Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that ʿUmar knew that he was the door [being alluded to], “as [one would know] that there is a night before the [following] morning”, that is to say: that his knowledge of that was certain, necessary, evident - just as that there is no doubt that the day you are in precedes the morrow that comes after it. He knew that the barrier between Islam and the affliction was his presence (may Allah be pleased with him); “and that I reported to him a hadeeth with no errors.” So, what ʿUmar understood and knew was only due to what Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) related to him, which was a hadeeth narrated by the Prophet ﷺ, and that it was not based on his own interpretation or opinion. And this was when the stateduring his reign was strong, and the citizens feared and loved him at the same time, and the enemies feared his power and name. But after his rule, strife had appeared, and the forces were divided, as what occurred in the turmoil in which the Caliph, ʿUthmaan ibn ʿAffaan (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed. Then, what came after that [include, but is not limited to the following]: the emergence of the Khawaarij, the fighting between ʿAlee (may Allah be pleased with him) and those who opposed him, and the appearance of [many] deviant sects whose discord has not ceased fighting even till today.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the merit and virtue of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) and shows that good deeds are an expiation for misdeeds [and sins].
And lastly, it indicates the proper etiquette the taabiʿeen had with those who are high in rank and virtue..

1436

Narrated Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allah be pleased with him): “I said to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, "Before embracing Islam I used to do good deeds with the intention of drawing myself nearer to Allah like giving in charity, slave-manumitting, and the keeping of good relations with my kin. Shall I be rewarded for those deeds?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "You became Muslim with all those good deeds (without losing their reward).".

Commentary : Verily, Allah, Glory be to He, has bestowed His bounty and favours upon His servants with whatever rewards and recompense He wills,Indeed,Allah is the Lord of infinite bounty.
In this hadeeth, Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he asked the Prophet ﷺ about the ruling of things that he performed in the service of Allah in the period of ignorance before Islam; some of which include: almsgiving, manumitting slaves, and maintaining good relations with kin: Will he be rewarded for those deeds? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied to him: ‘You embraced Islam with the acceptance of your previous good deeds from the past.” So, the Prophet ﷺ clarified that if the disbeliever becomes Muslim and dies upon Islam and had performed some righteous and good deeds before reverting - such as giving alms, freeing slaves, and maintaining good relations with family and relatives - then he will be rewarded for the good he did while being a disbeliever, as it is proven that every sin will be erased off him. So, he will return like his mother had bore him, [wholesome and] free of sins and misdeeds.
This is the apparent meaning of his statement: “You embraced Islam with the acceptance of what preceded [you] in goodness”: [showing] that if the disbeliever embraces Islam and dies as a Muslim, then he will be rewarded for what good he did while he was in a state of disbelief. It was said: that its meaning may have several other meanings; one of which is: that you have acquired a beautiful temperament, and benefit from it in Islam, and that habit is a preparing and assisting you to do good and righteous deeds. Another interpretation is: that it is not unlikely that he will be increased by his good deeds which he performs in Islam [i.e., as a Muslim]. And his rewards multiplied for what beautiful deeds he had done previously; so, if the disbeliever used to do good deeds, then it will be easier for him [to partake in them again in the future]. So, it is not unlikely that the rewards will increase for this.
One benefit that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it indicates that the good deeds of a disbeliever - if he embraces and passes away with Islam - will be counted for him in the Hereafter. And if he dies in a [state] of disbelief, then [all of his good deeds] will be deemed in vain and wasted..

1438

Narrated AbooMoosa (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "A trustworthy Muslim treasurer who carries out the orders of his master and pays fully what he has been ordered to give with a good heart and pays to that person to whom he was ordered to pay, is regarded as one of the two charitable persons.".

Commentary : The one who guides to the good and partakes in it will attain a great reward and recompense as the one who [actually] does it. One of the best types of goodness and pious deeds is almsgiving, and for everyone who participates in taking out alms [and distributing it to others] will be rewarded as if they, themselves, have offered the alms if they fulfil the conditions that are complied with in that [matter], as what this hadeeth clarifies; where the Prophetﷺmentions that the Muslim treasurer who is responsible to his master for his vaults and entrusted to preserve and store food, wealth, and other things. If this treasurer, who honours his duty towards his master and whoever entrusts him to safeguard their money, was ordered to take out the alms and distribute it, then he would give out in full, with a good heart, to those deserving of it; he would have obtained a reward similar to the one who donated the alms [directly], as if he had offered it the alms himself, [instead of just distributing it].

He ﷺ stipulated that the reward is given to the treasurer if he gives the alms complete [and in full], and that he does this while being kind, and not be envious of the one who gave it to him [i.e., the donation to distribute]; lest he loses the intention and misses the reward, which are necessary, so he be eligible for the reward. This reward will not be offered to the treasurer who abuses the authority that was given to him and thus withhold the alms that the owner of wealth approved, according to his whims, or if he gives it to them with an unpleasant heart. Sometimes he gives them the alms with a kind of reproach and reprimand. This is something which should not be done because it does not correspond to the legitimate purpose of almsgiving and doing the good to which was entrusted to them. Not to mention the loss of their rewards and blessings with Allah, The Almighty.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as an indication for the merits of trustworthiness and fulfilling what one had been entrusted with and not to be negligent in that.
And lastly, it highlights the evidence of cooperation in righteousness and piety is decreed for those who aid [and participate in the process]] is similar to what is decreed for the one who did [the act themselves], and this is the grace of Allah that He bestows upon whomever He wills..

1442

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Every morning, two angels come down from Heaven and one of them says, 'O Allah! Compensate every person who spends [in Your Cause],' and the other angel says, 'O Allah! Bring destruction to [the wealth of] every miser.' ".

Commentary : The treasures and bounties of Allah - May He be Glorified - never deplete. He has urged His servants to spend and offer goodness, and not to calculate or take into account the amount in what they spent [in charity], and has promised them with a recompense of blessing, and that they will be requited with a great reward for spending on His behalf.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ urged for offering alms and spending on charitable causes and clarified the beautiful reward for [doing] that. And he ﷺ warned of the miser and withholding [one’s wealth] and shows its bad outcome. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ reports that every day when the servant awakes, until the Hour of the Resurrection; Allah sends down two venerable angels from the heavens. One of them supplicates for Allah to give back to the almsgiver who spends on charitable and righteous causes, in return for what he spent and gave. And the other angel will supplicate for Allah to give to the withholding miser the ruination of his wealth, or [to] destroy him and for his wealth to vanish. It is well-known that the supplications of the angels are answered; so, this is a promise of ease for the one who spends for charitable purposes, and a threat of difficulty for the miser who withholds and hoards his wealth.
It was said that: praiseworthy spending is what is put forward in acts of worship (zakat), and that which is spent on dependants, guests, and voluntary charity; and that it is done so out of kindness and comes from a wholesome and lawful earning. But the one who refrains from spending his wealth in that which is recommended in religion is not worthy of this supplication [i.e., the one offered by the first angel] since reprehensible greediness overcomes him, in such a matter that he will not be pleasant with taking out from his wealth the right [of others] which is incumbent upon him, even if he takes it out and offers it. Also, the supplication for the one who spends is general, in that Allah will compensate him for it in this world or in the Hereafter. As for the supplication which calls for ruin, it is possible that it means to destroys the source of the wealth, or the owner of the wealth himself. What is meant by it is that [his] righteous deeds will vanish due to being preoccupied with others [and his vain self-interests].
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to spend in what is mandatory, such as spending on one’s family, and maintaining good relations with kin and kith; and voluntary and obligatory contributions are included in this.
And lastly, it shows us that the miser who withholds [and hoards his money] deserves to have his wealth ruined..

1443

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Prophet ﷺ say, "The example of an almsgiver and a miser is like the example of two persons who have two iron cloaks on them from their breasts to their collar bones, and when the almsgiver wants to give in charity, the cloak becomes capacious till it covers his whole body to such an extent that it hides his fingertips and covers his footprints (obliterates his tracks). And when the miser wants to spend, it (the iron cloak) sticks and every ring gets stuck to its place and he tries to widen it, but it did not become wide.” The part of the two iron clocks is also narrated through al-Hasan ibn Muslim from Ta’woos. Handhalah related from Ta’woos that it is two gardens (instead of two cloaks). Al-Layth said: Ja’far narrated to me from Ibn Hirmiz that he heard AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) say that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned “two gardens.”.

Commentary : The charity and alms which a person takes from his wealth for righteous purposes after upholding the rights of himself and his dependents so that the one giving alms does not become a person in need after offering his charity to someone, is one of the best acts of obedience, and greatest pious deeds which is pleasing to Allah, The Almighty. It has laudable consequences in this world and in the Hereafter, whereas miserliness and greed are the opposite of the aforementioned; so, their consequences are disastrous in this world and the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, The Prophet ﷺ gave a parable regarding the miser and charitable almsgiver, where he ﷺ likens them to two men wearing jubbahs, woven of iron. The jubbah is similar to the cloak, which is worn over other clothes. This garment (as worn by the two men presented in the example of the Prophet ﷺ) went from their breast [down] to where are the two bones at the top of the chest that point towards the side[s] of the mouth, located between the gap of the upper chest and neck [i.e., collarbones]. This is a reference as to how small the jubbah was for [both] the charitable person and miser. So, the one who spends charitably is given a gift when the jubbah worn by him became long and abundant (due to his almsgiving); i.e., it increased in size and length upon him, or “became plentiful over his skin,” and immersed his body “to the point that it covers his fingertips,” meaning: that it became long and flowed over him until it covered his entire body.
“And eliminates his tracks”, i.e., it erases the steps that he takes [as he walks]. This is an explanation for the incredible length of the garment on its owner. As for the miser, every time he refrains from giving alms and stops spending, his jubbah will tighten on him until every ring clings to his skin. He will try to stretch it out with his hand while it is very tight, but it will not widen to release its grip.
What is intended by this parable that if the generous are devoted to almsgiving, his chest will be widened by it, and his soul will become pleasant; and will thus amplify in his spending [and giving charity]. And the miser, if he talks to himself about almsgiving, will become stingy. Then his chest will narrow, and his hands will be clenched. It was said: it means that if the one who spends does so charitably, the alms will expiate his sins and wipe them away, just as the jubbah when it enshrouded him abundantly, concealed him, and safeguarded him [from harm]. The miser does not even obey himself in offering charity, so his offenses will remain uncovered and exposed.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that every time the one who offers alms extends his hand with goodness, Allah extends His grace to him so that He will repay him multiple times over what he spent for His sake. And every time the miser clenches his hands, Allah constricts him, and fills his heart with the fear of becoming poor, and despair of recovering that which he spent..

1445

Narrated AbooMoosa (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said: Every Muslim has to give in charity." The people asked, "O Allah's Prophet! If someone has nothing to give, what will he do?" He said, "He should work with his hands and benefit himself and also give in charity (from what he earns)." The people further asked, "What should he do if he cannot find even that?" He replied, "He should help the needy who appeal for help." The people then asked, "What should he do if he cannot do that?" He replied, "Then he should perform good deeds and keep away from evil deeds and this will be regarded as charitable deeds.".

Commentary : The charity and alms which a person takes from his wealth for righteous purposes after upholding the rights of himself and his dependents is one of the best acts of obedience, and greatest pious deeds which is pleasing to Allah, The Almighty. Charity doesn’t only [come in the form] of money. Rather, it can [include] helping [others] to do good and preventing evil as well; as what is shown in this hadeeth, where the Prophet ﷺ clarifies that it is incumbent upon every Muslim to offer charity voluntarily because charity without the obligatory zakat is a mandatory duty of every Muslim to offer it as a recommended act [of worship], regardless of his circumstances and conditions. So, whoever is poor and does not own any money to give in charity, let him work with his own hands until he is able to acquire [enough] to benefit himself, by spending it on himself [for his needs], his family, and those who depend on him, and whatever is extra is offered in charity to others.
If he does not find any money to offer in charity, then he assists anyone who is troubled and in need - which is the one who is helpless or oppressed. Likewise, everyone who has experienced a calamity and seeks help for it.
“And if he does not find [them]”, that is to say: if he is not able to help anyone with their need[s], then let him perform righteous deeds, perform physical, supererogatory physical acts of worship, [such as]: prayer, fasting, reciting the Quran, and more. Let him [also] abstain from sin, and avoid that which is prohibited, [like]: backbiting, slander, lying, and spread ant evil or harm to the servants (Muslims); because doing the good and abstaining from evil has the reward of almsgiving.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that charity is required of every Muslim, whether they be rich or poor, each one according to their best of ability.
And that if good deeds are accompanied with a good intention, it can take the place of almsgiving with regards to the rewards, especially for those who are not able to offer alms.
It shows that charity that is given by those who are able to do so is better than all other deeds restricted to the person who is doing it.
It provides a proof for who stated that refraining from an action is considered a deed that people will be judged about it.
It shows the merits of earning a living because of what potentials it offers in helping and offering oneself to others [in service].
And lastly, it shows us that the doors that open to goodness are many, and the path to pleasing Allah is not absent..

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths