Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) whether the round wall (near Ka`bah) was part of the Ka`bah. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. I further said, "What is wrong with them, why have they not included it in the building of the Ka`bah?" He (ﷺ) said, "This is because your people (Quraysh) ran short of money (so they could not include it inside the building of Ka`bah)?" I asked, "What about its gate? Why is it so high?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Your people did this so as to admit into it whomever they liked and prevent whomever they liked. Were your people not close to the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance (i.e., they have recently embraced Islam) and were I not afraid that they would deny it, surely I would have included the (area of the) wall inside the building of the Ka`bah and I would have lowered its gate to the level of the ground."
.

Commentary : The Hijr of Ismaa’eel is the curved construction round the Ka’bah, facing the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee. It is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. The Prophet refrained from touching or kissing the other two corners, the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee, because they were not built according to the correct structure of the House.
In this hadeeth ‘Aaishah (raa) relates that she asked the Prophet ﷺabout the Ka’bah and whether the Hijr of Ismaa’eel is part of it or not. He ﷺexplained to her that it is part of the Ka’bah due to the foundation of its wall, but what happened was that Quraysh could not afford to include it and build the Ka’bah on all the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) when they rebuilt the Ka’bah due to lack of funds. The Prophet ﷺadded that had Quraysh not been new to Islam and fearing they may leave Islam because of it, he ﷺwould have restored it to the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and he ﷺwould have built it anew on all its foundations, included the Hijr of Ismaa’eel, and lowered its gate to the level of the ground. This is because they made the gate so high to have control who would enter it i.e., they have power to allow whoever they like and forbid whoever they wish. It is reported in the authentic hadeeth that he ﷺsaid: “I would have placed two doors for it, one door for people to enter and the other door for them to exit.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils to repel the greater of them. This is because the harm done from making no changes to the construction of the Ka’bah is lesser than the dissension that may be caused by this and having some Muslims turning away from Islam.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts - by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite).
It also shows that people may not be blocked from the House..

1586

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): The Prophet (ﷺ) told her, “O ‘Aaishah! Were it not for the fact that your people being in the closest era to pre-Islam, I would have commanded that the House be demolished, and I would have incorporated into it what was left out of it. I would have made its (door) in level with the ground and I would have made two doors for it, an eastern door and a western door. I would have taken it to the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). (One of the narrators said:) “This is what motivated Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) to knock it down. Yazeed said: "I saw Ibn Al-Zubayr (ra) when he knocked it down and rebuilt it and included part of the Hijr in it. And I saw the foundation of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) stones like the humps of camels. Jareer says, “I asked him, ‘Where is its place?’ He replied, ‘I will show you now.’ I entered al-Hijr with him and he pointed towards a place and said, ‘There it is.’ Jareer says, “I estimated the distance from al-Hijr to be six-cubit foot or something similar to it.”
.

Commentary : The description of the construction of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) of the House was that it was curved around the two corners of al-Rukn ash-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee; thus, the Hijr of Ismaa’eel was a part of it, and it had two corners, which are the two Yamaanee corners. But when Quraysh built it in the pre-Islamic era, they made four corners for it, and placed the Hijr of Ismaa’eel behind it, as they wanted to perfectly complete the circumambulation of the Ka’bah, and it is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. Hence, al-Hijr is part of the Ka’bah.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah raa reports that the Prophet ﷺ informed her that were Quraysh not closer in time to disbelief (i.e., they are new to Islam) and were there no fear of the hearts denying the act, then he would have commanded to demolish the Ka’bah and would have rebuilt in upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and would have inserted into it what was left out of it and bring the floor closer to the ground, and would have placed two doors for it, an eastern door and a western door, so people could enter from one of them and exit from the other. This hadeeth is the evidence upon which Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) relied to demolish the Ka’bah and rebuild it during his reign on Hijaaz.

Yazeed ibn Roomaan, at-Taabee’ee, one of the sub-narrators of this hadeeth, mentions that he witnessed Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) demolishing the Ka’bah as he undertook the task of demolishing it until he razed it to the ground and when he rebuilt it. This event happened in the 65th year of Hijrah. He inserted in it five-cubit foot of Hijr Ismaa’eel. Yazeed explains that he saw the foundations of Ibraaheem and described that they were made of stones that looked like the humps of the camels.
Jareer bin Haazim asked Yazeed ibn Roomaan to inform him about the place of the foundations?’ He replied that he would show it to him; so, he entered entered al-Hijr with him and then pointed to a place of it and said, ‘Here it is.’ Jareer reported that he estimated the distance referred to from the Hijr as six-cubit foot or so. It is reported in Saheeh Muslim from the narration of the Taabi’ee ‘Ataa’ ibn Abee Rabaah that when Al-Hajjaaj killed Ibn al-Zubayr (ra), he demolished the building, and returned it to the foundations of Quraysh and it is still, until now, upon those foundations.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils to repel the greater of them. This is because the harm done from making no changes to the construction of the Ka’bah is lesser than the dissension that may be caused by this and having some Muslims turning away from Islam.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts - by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite).
It shows that the ruler should strive to establish the religion of Islam and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
.

1587

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas ra: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the conquest of Makkah, “Verily, Allah made this city sacred; its thorns will not to be cut, its game will not be repulsed, and the things dropped will be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it.”.

Commentary : Makkah is the most beloved land to Allah, Most high, which He has venerated it in the hearts of His believing servants. He legislated exclusive injunctions for Makkah and protected it from the evil of the disbelievers. It is one of the best places on earth, hence, the conquest of Makkah, which took place in the eighth year of the Hijrah, was a great conquest for Islam and Muslims.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas ra reports that the Prophet ﷺproclaimed on the conquest of Makkah that Allah has made Makkah sacred i.e., no fighting on its land is allowed. The only exemption was given to the Prophet ﷺto conquer it and eradicate disbelief from the holy land. Thereafter, its sanctity was reactivated as reported in the authentic hadeeths of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. Part of the sanctity of this land is that: neither its thorns nor its trees will be cut or broken, nor its game will be disturbed from its place, let alone hunting it, and any lost property found there will only be picked up by one who intends to announce about it and looks after it for its owner, thereafter, returns it to him when he shows up.. This is known in religion as Luqatah, which refers to the lost property which a person may find on the road whose owner is unknown.
One of the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning about the strong emphasis on the sanctity of Makkah and the strict warning against committing any forbidden act in it..

1588

Narrated Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): I said: “O Allah's Messenger! Which house of yours will you choose to stay in Makkah?” He (ﷺ) replied, "Has ‘Aqeel left any property or houses in Makkah?” It happened that ‘Aqeel along with Taalib had inherited the property of Aboo Taalib, whereas Ja’far and ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) did not inherit anything as they were Muslims and the other two were disbelievers. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “A believer may not inherit (anything) from a disbeliever.” Ibn Shihaab, (a sub-narrator) said, “They (`Umar and others) derived the above verdict from Allah's Statement: {Verily! those who believed and emigrated and strove with their life And property in Allah's Cause, And those who helped (the emigrants), and gave them their places to live in, these are (all) allies to one another.} (Quran 8.72)”
.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺhas set himself as a perfect example for us in all acts of worship, dealing, and transactions, including the application of the provisions of inheritance between a Muslim and a disbeliever. He ﷺclarified that Muslims cannot inherit their disbelieving relatives.
In this hadeeth, Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)at the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year of the Hijrah about which of his homes in Makkah that he left before his emigration to al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺexplained to him that he is not entitled to any of the properties that belonged to Aboo Taalib or any other of his relatives in Makkah because a believer cannot inherit an infidel.
The narrator – perhaps Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) – has explained the meaning of his statement. He mentioned that when Aboo Taalib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺdied, his two sons inherited his wealth: ‘Aqeel and Taalib, and they both took over all his property comprising of several houses, while Ja’far and ‘Alee, the two believing men did not inherit from him. If they were the heirs, then the Prophet ﷺwould have stayed in their houses as they would be as if they are his properties because he knew that they (Ja’far and ‘Alee) preferred him to themselves.
‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “A believer cannot inherit from a disbeliever.” i.e., he made this statement based on the words of the Prophet ﷺwho confirmed that ‘Alee and Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with them) did not inherit from Abu Talib.
Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhree commented on this by saying, “They used to adopt this view based on their interpretation of the following Statement of Allah, {Those who believe and have emigrated and struggled with their wealth and themselves in the path of Allah and those who sheltered and helped, those, some of whom are allies of others.} [Quran 8:72]. They interpreted alliance in this ayah to mean the entitlement to inheritance. The ayah goes to read: {But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no support of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help from you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [i.e., ally yourselves with other believers], there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and oppression] on earth and great corruption. [Quran 8:72-73]. The meaning of this is that those who believed in Allah but did not emigrate from the lands of disbelief to the lands of Islam, you do not have to - O believers - help them, and protect them, until they emigrate in the path of Allah. However, if the disbelievers wronged them, then they demanded help from you; then, aid them against their enemy, unless there is a covenant between you and the enemy which they have not broken. Allah is watchful of the acts that you do, nothing of your deeds is hidden from Him and He will reward you for them. As for those who disbelieve, disbelief brings them all together and thus aid each other. With that said, no believer may not ally with them, and if the Muslims do not ally with the believers and hate the disbelievers, then there will be strife for the believers, wherein they will not find anyone from their brethren who can help them in religion. Even worse, a great corruption on earth will ensue by preventing people from the path of Allah.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to allow the houses and property of Makkah to be inherited.
.

1589

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
.

Commentary : The Farewell Hajj was in the tenth year of the Hijrah, and during which the Prophet ﷺexplained all the rulings pertaining to Hajj and ‘Umrah, including that which is recommended acts and considered from their etiquettes.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed them after he had returned from Mina after completing the rite of throwing the stoning and he headed to the Sacred House for the farewell tawaaf round the Ka’bah that he ﷺwill halt at the Khayf of Banee Kinaanah, known today as al-Muhassab, which is located at the beginning part of the flat land of Makkah, and is now situated in the outskirts of Makkah in the so-called Qasr al-Saqqaaf. This place was where the disbelievers of Quraysh allied with each other before on disbelief, and they allied with each other in their disassociation from Banee Haashim and Banee al-Mutallib, and rejecting any peace treaty with them, and that they will exile the Prophet ﷺ, Banee Haashim, and Banee al-Muttalib from Makkah and drive them to this valley. This valley is Khayf Banee Kinaanah, and they wrote between them the famous sheet, wherein they penned all different kinds of falsehood, breaking of ties of kinship and disbelief. However, Allah, Exalted be He, sent termites which ate all the points of agreement therein about disbelief, severing ties of kinship, and falsehood, and left intact that which was about the remembrance of Allah. His saying: “Allah willing,” is to seek Allah’s blessings and comply with the command of Allah in the Quran.
The scholars differed as to the reason for the encampment of the Prophet ﷺin this place. It was said: It was a halting that was a following part of the rituals, and so it is a Sunnah, which is the view of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). And it was said: It is not a Sunnah, based on the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Daawood - whose origin is found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree – where ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺhalted at al-Muhassab only so that it is facilitating to come out, and it is not a Sunnah; hence, whoever wills can halt at it, and whoever wills can avoid encamping at it.” With that said, it shows that his halting at al-Abtah was because it would be easier and faster for him to depart from there to al-Madeenah, and so that those who are slow and those who have valid excuses would be equal, so that they spend the night there and depart at the last part of the night, and their departure be together towards al-Madeenah..

1590

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (ra): The Prophet ﷺstated the next day, the day of ritual slaughtering while he was at Mina, “We are halting tomorrow at Khayf Bani Kinaanah where they mutually took an oath on disbelief, he meant thereby al-Muhassab.” That is because Quraysh and Kinaanah both allied with each other against Bani Haashim and Bani Abdul al-Muttalib – or Bani al-Muttalib – that they will not intermarry with them and will not mutually do business with them until they surrender the Prophet ﷺto them..

Commentary : The polytheists of Makkah did harm the Prophet ﷺand those who believed in him with all different kinds of harm to the extent that the tribe of the Prophet ﷺand his immediate family members were not spared of their harms, including those who embraced Islam amongst them and those who had not embraced it. Quraysh and Kinaanah penned a sheet wherein they agreed to oppose and harm Banee Haashim and Banee Abdul Muttalib i.e., Quraysh and Kinaanah agreed that they will not marry a woman from Banee Haashim and Banee ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and that they will not marry them a woman from among them, that they will not trade with them or buy from them and will not intermingle with them and there will be nothing at all between them.
This hadeeth shows that the Prophet ﷺpointed out the place where they mutually took an oath, i.e., mutually agreed therein to harm the Prophet ﷺand to hold tight to disbelief. The Prophet ﷺtold his Companions on the Day of Slaughtering in Hajj, “We are halting tomorrow at Khayf Banee Kinaanah.” Khayf means a valley, and it refers to the valley of al-Muhassab, which is located between Makkah and Mina. i.e., it is the beginning area of the plains of Makkah, which is now found at the outskirts of Makkah, and it is called Qasr as-Saqqaaf.
The Farewell Hajj was in the tenth year of the Hijrah, and during which the Prophet ﷺexplained all the rulings pertaining to Hajj and ‘Umrah, including that which is recommended acts and considered from their etiquettes.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed them after he had returned from Mina after completing the rite of throwing the stoning and he headed to the Sacred House for the farewell tawaaf round the Ka’bah that he ﷺwill halt at the Khayf of Banee Kinaanah, known today as al-Muhassab, which is located at the beginning part of the flat land of Makkah, and is now situated in the outskirts of Makkah in the so-called Qasr al-Saqqaaf. This place was where the disbelievers of Quraysh allied with each other before on disbelief, and they allied with each other in their disassociation from Banee Haashim and Banee al-Mutallib, and rejecting any peace treaty with them, and that they will exile the Prophet ﷺ, Banee Haashim, and Banee al-Muttalib from Makkah and drive them to this valley. This valley is Khayf Banee Kinaanah, and they wrote between them the famous sheet, wherein they penned all different kinds of falsehood, breaking of ties of kinship and disbelief. However, Allah, Exalted be He, sent termites which ate all the points of agreement therein about disbelief, severing ties of kinship, and falsehood, and left intact that which was about the remembrance of Allah. His saying: “Allah willing,” is to seek Allah’s blessings and comply with the command of Allah in the Quran.
The scholars differed as to the reason for the encampment of the Prophet ﷺin this place. It was said: It was a halting that was a following part of the rituals, and so it is a Sunnah, which is the view of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). And it was said: It is not a Sunnah, based on the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Daawood - whose origin is found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree – where ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺhalted at al-Muhassab only so that it is facilitating to come out, and it is not a Sunnah; hence, whoever wills can halt at it, and whoever wills can avoid encamping at it.” With that said, it shows that his halting at al-Abtah was because it would be easier and faster for him to depart from there to al-Madeenah, and so that those who are slow and those who have valid excuses would be equal, so that they spend the night there and depart at the last part of the night, and their departure be together towards al-Madeenah.
.

1591

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Ka’bah will be demolished by a man with thin legs from Abyssinia.”.

Commentary : In this hadeeth the Prophet ﷺinfo that that there will be trials towards the end of time and that the sanctity of sacred places will be violated.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ - who is the truthful and whose truthfulness is attested – informs us that a man with two thin legs from Abyssinia will be the one who will demolish the Ka’bah near the time of the Hour. The Abyssinians are black people from an African race. The word used to describe that his two legs will be thin is a belittling word for shank, meaning, one with two weak shanks. The belittling word is for humiliating purposes. It means it will be a person who is weak, and slim with no status. As if it is intended to say, “The sacredness of this glorified House will be violated by this lowlife despicable ugly person! It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺstated, “As if I can envisage him to be black, hen-toed, who will remove brick by brick.”
Abyssinians will be the ones who will excavate the treasure of the Ka’bah, which is buried under the Ka’bah. It was said that it is a treasure created in it. It was also said that it is what the guardians of the Ka’bah used to accumulate of the gifts, and then they used place under the Ka’bah.
This hadeeth does not contradict with the ayah, {Have We not established for them a safe haven ˹in Makkah˺.} (Quran 28: 57) because its meaning is that: it is a safe haven until the closest time to the Day of Judgment and the ruination of earth at a time when there will be no Muslim on the face of earth. It is said that the story of the man with two thin legs is an exception or that Allah has made it a safe sanctuary given how it is often the case, because there were incidents where the sanctuary of Makkah was violated like the case of Ibn al-Zubayr and the story of al-Qaraamitah and the likes. It was said that the meaning of making it a safe sanctuary is in fact the command to ensure it is so i.e., it is incumbent upon the Muslims to grant safety to people and not to show aggression to anyone therein.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the prophesy of the Prophet ﷺregarding what will happen towards the end of time, which is one of the signs of his prophethood. It is part of the unseen matters concerning which it is obligatory to believe and affirm. Likewise, we are required to believe and affirm all the unseen events that they are proven to be authentic from the Prophet ﷺ..

1592

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): The people used to fast on 'Ashura (the tenth day of the month of Muharram) before the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory. And on that day the Ka`bah used to be covered with a cover. When Allah made the fasting of the month of Ramadan compulsory, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever wishes to fast (on the day of 'Aashooraa') may do so; and whoever wishes to leave it can do so.".

Commentary : The Jews used to fast on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, which is the tenth day of the month of Muharram, as a form of venerating the day in which Allah saved Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) from the clasps of Pharoah and of thanking Allah for this favour. The Prophet ﷺrecommended that Muslims fast the day, albeit with opposing the way Jews fast it by prescribing an additional fast of a day before it. The fast of the day of ‘Aashooraa’ underwent different phases of legislation. It is reported on the authority of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that people used to fast on the day of ‘Aashooraa’ before Allah made the fasting of Ramadan obligatory upon them, and when He made the fasting of the month of Ramadan obligatory upon them in the second year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺmade it optional i.e., people have the choice either to fast it or forgo it. It has been mentioned concerning the virtue of its fast, that it expiates the sins of the year that has passed. It is reported in Saheeh Muslim that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Sunnah is to fast the nineth day with it, for the purpose of opposing the Jews.”
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, the ‘Ka’bah would be shrouded on this day i.e., they would shroud its stone bricks and wall with veils and fabrics. Quraysh was the one responsible for the task of shrouding it during that period because the Prophet ﷺthen was in al-Madeenah and he ﷺonly took control of the Ka’bah after the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year of the Hijrah. The Prophet ﷺconfirmed the practice of shrouding it on this day, which has been the practice of Muslims until today, despite the different timings for it. Nowadays, it is shrouded during the season of Hajj straight after the pilgrims making their way to the mount of ‘Arafaat. Its shrouding is among the exhibits of reverence and showing honour for the House of Allah.
The statement of ‘Aaishah in the hadeeth that ‘They used to fast on ‘Aashooraa before Ramadan was made obligatory,’ benefits the possibility that fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’ was compulsory and obligatory in nature, before Ramadan became mandatory, then the injunction was abrogated to the grade of desirability and recommendation. It was said that this was only an emphasis to fast and was not an obligatory injunction due to the agreed-upon hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him) wherein the Prophet ﷺstated, “This is the day of ‘Aashooraa, Allah has not enjoined its fasting on you, but I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not to fast (on this day).'.”
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the significance of the day of ‘Aashooraa and the veneration of the Muslims for it..

1593

Narrated Aboo Sa’eed al-Khudree (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The people will continue performing Hajj and `Umrah to the Ka`bah even after the appearance of Gog and Magog." Narrated ‘Abd al-Rahmaan from Shu`bah: The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till the Hajj (to the Ka`bah) is abandoned..

Commentary : Gog and Magog are those who Dhu al-Qarnayn constructed a dam as a barrier to keep them away from people, as mentioned in the Statement of Allah, the Most Exalted, {But assist me with resources, I will build a barrier between you and them.} (Quran 18: 95). Their appearance from behind this barrier or dam is one of the major signs of the Hour.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺprophesises that Muslims in the end of time will continue to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah after the demise of Gog and Magog and after their corruption on earth.
It is reported in another hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “The Hour will not be established until the Hajj (pilgrimage) of the House stops.” That is to say, the Day of Judgment will not be established while there is on earth a person who believes in Allah Almighty and Majestic, which explains the reason why Hajj will cease to exist. It is reported on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The Last Hour will not be established until no one on earth will utter the word “Allah”.” It is possible to reconcile between both hadeeths by saying that it is not necessary that performing Hajj after the advent of Gog and Magog means that it will constantly continue until the establishment of the Last Hour. Rather, people will stop performing Hajj at a time just before the Last Hour.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the prophesy of the Prophet ﷺconcerning some of the matters of the unseen, which is one of the signs of his prophethood..

1594

Narrated Aboo Waa’il: (One day) I sat along with Shaybah on the chair inside the Ka`bah. He (Shaybah) said, "No doubt, `Umar sat at this place and said, 'I intended not to leave any yellow (i.e. gold) or white (i.e. silver) (inside the Ka`bah) undistributed.' I said (to `Umar), 'But your two companions (i.e. The Prophet (ﷺ) and Aboo Bakr) did not do so.' `Umar said, they are the two persons whom I always follow.' ".

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the Sacred House of Allah; thus, it is not allowed to mess around with it and its possessions. All the Prophets venerated it due to the glorification of Allah of it.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, Aboo Waa’il, the brother of Ibn Salamah informs that he sat on a chair inside the Ka’bah with Shaybah bin ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah, the guardian and the custodian of the Ka’bah. According to a narration in Sunan Ibn Maajah, it reads, “A man sent me with dirhams as a gift to the House. I entered the House and Shaybah was seated on a chair. I gave them to him. He asked, ‘Are these yours?’ I replied, ‘No. If they were mine, then I would not have brought them to you.’ He said, ‘Since you have stated this, ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab sat on the same sitting place where you are now on.’” He informed him that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended not to leave any yellow item or white item (gold and silver) but to distribute it among the people. He meant the treasure that it contained. It is what was gifted to it and what was above the necessity that was stored therein. In the period of ignorance, the people would gift the wealth to the Ka’bah due to its veneration, and this wealth would accumulate therein.
When Shaybah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that his two previous companions – the Prophet ﷺand Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) – did not do that while they saw the treasure of the Ka’bah and its status, although they were in more need of wealth [for distribution] than ‘Umar, yet they did not disturb it and neither did they distribute it among the poor. On this, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked, “They are two perfect persons from whose deeds I would not dissent, rather I would follow them instead.”
It was said that it is possible that the Prophet ﷺleft it there only in consideration with Quraysh just as he ﷺleft the reconstruction of the Ka’bah upon the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him).” This position is corroborated by one report narrated in Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of ‘Aaishah concerning the rebuilding of the Ka’bah (on its original foundations), “I would have spent the treasure of the Ka’bah in the path of Allah.” Based on this, its expenditure [in the path of Allah] is permissible just as it was permissible for ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuilding it upon the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), since the cause of prohibition no longer exists. The Prophet’s statement, “in the path of Allah,” can mean to spend on the good cause for the welfare of the Muslims or the refurbishment of the Ka’bah itself.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that we should imitate and empathise with the deeds of the Prophets and the righteous.
This hadeeth shows the following of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺand his footsteps in his deeds.
It also highlights that it is important to venerate the Ka’bah and all those things that are related to it..

1595

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺwould foretell people about some events that will occur in the future and explains to them that trials and tribulations like the violation of the sanctities of sacred places will take place towards the end of time.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺtells us that among the events that will occur in the future is that the Ka’bah will be demolished at the hand of a bowlegged black person. This man will dismantle it brick by brick i.e., this is a description of the method of demolition to indicate that he will remove it completely while he has full power and authority to an extent that he will uproot its stones and will break it one after the other!
It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “The Ka’bah will be ruined by a bowlegged man from the Abyssinians.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. Then, the Prophet ﷺmentions that the House will be visited for pilgrimage after the advent of Gog and Magog and that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will perform Hajj and ‘Umrah after that. From the collection of all that it became known that the attack on the Ka’bah and its demolition will occur after the appearance of Gog and Magog and after the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), and that will happen in the end of times closer to the establishment of the Last Hour. And Allah knows best.
This hadeeth does not contradict with the ayah: {Have We not establish for them a haven [in Makkah].} (Quran 28:57) because it means that it will continue to be a haven for people until the approach of the Hour and ruination of the world, at a time when there will be not even be one Muslim on the face of earth. It is said that the story of the man with two thin legs is an exception or that Allah has made it a safe sanctuary given how it is often the case, because there were incidents where the sanctuary of Makkah was violated like the case of Ibn al-Zubayr and the story of al-Qaraamitah and the likes. It was said that the meaning of making it a safe sanctuary is in fact the command to ensure it is so i.e., it is incumbent upon the Muslims to grant safety to people and not to show aggression to anyone therein.
This hadeeth shows that the Prophet ﷺforetold us about some of the unseen matters that will happen in the future, which is considered among the signs of his prophethood ﷺ..

1597

Narrated ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Black Stone, he kissed it and then he stated. “Certainly, I am aware that you are just a stone, which does not harm or benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet (ﷺ) kissing you, then I would have not kissed you.”
.

Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although, it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
This hadeeth highlights the total submission of the Companions and the strength of their faith. The Taabi’ee. ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah reports that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) used to kiss the Black Stone, which is a rock set into the southeast corner of the Ka’bah, and it is embedded in a silver frame.
He (ra) did so because he saw the Prophet ﷺkissing it and had he not seen him doing so, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not have kissed it, because he knew that it is just a rock that does not harm and benefit per se. The only benefit that one can obtain from kissing it is receiving reward through emulating the command of the Prophet ﷺand following the Sunnah of his kissing.That is because Allah has granted some stones virtues over the others, some pieces of lands over the others, and some nights and days over the others. The kissing of the Black Stone has been prescribed as a form of showing respect and veneration to its right and to observationally know who obeys the command and refrains from the prohibition. This is similar to the story of Satan when he was commanded to prostate to Adam (peace be upon him).
It was said: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) only said that because they were very close in time to the idolatry, and he feared that the ignorant ones will think that touching the Black Stone is the same as what the Arabs used to do in the time of ignorance. He intended to teach them that it is only the exaltation of Allah and adherence to the command of the Prophet intended by the touching of the [Black] Stone and that it is part of the rites of Hajj.
From the benefits of this hadeeth: it contains a great rule about following the Prophet ﷺin all his actions, even if the wisdom therein remains unknown.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to kiss the Black Stone and it is prohibited to kiss any other stones and objects that we are not prescribed to kiss, and there is no mention of them in Islam.
It demonstrates the Sunnah through words and actions, and that it is compulsory on the ruler to hasten to clarify a matter and explain it when he fears about the corruption of someone’s creed due to a certain action..

1598

Narrated Saalim from his father: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the House as well as Usaamah bin Zayd, Bilaal, and ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah (ra). They closed the doors on themselves. When they opened the door, I was the first one to enter. I met Bilaal and asked him, “Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray inside it?” He replied, “Yes, between the two Yamaanee pillars.””.

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the ancient House of Allah that Muslims revere and respect. The Prophet ﷺprayed inside it during the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ, Usaamah bin Zayd, Bilaal, and ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah (may Allah be pleased with them) entered the Ka’bah and closed the door on themselves from inside. When they opened it, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) happened to be the first one to enter it. He asked Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him), “Did the Prophet ﷺperform prayers inside?” He replied, “Yes, he prayed between the two Yamaanee pillars that face towards Yemen.”
It is reported in another hadeeth that, “He ﷺmade one pillar to be on his left and the other pillar to be on his right and three behind him. The House in that time used to stand on six pillars, then he ﷺperformed his prayers.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. The length between where he prayed and the Qiblah was three cubits, as it is mentioned in Sunan Aboo Daawood.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree wherein the following is mentioned, “He entered the House and he pronounced takbeer in all its corners and he did not pray in it.” The confirmation of Bilaal takes precedence over the negation of others, because Ibn ‘Abbaas was not with the Prophet ﷺon that day. He attributed his negation to sometimes (narrating from) Usaamah and to sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It is said that it is possible that the entrance [of the Prophet ﷺ] to the House happened twice, on one occasion he ﷺperformed prayers, while, on the other, he ﷺdid not pray.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to enter the Ka’bah and performing prayers therein.
This hadeeth shows the passion and keenness to acquire knowledge and asking about it, and that it is permitted to ask someone who is of lower status while someone of a higher status is present and to find him sufficient.
It highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) due to his profound eagerness to follow the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ.
One can also learn from this hadeeth that a companion possessing great virtues would sometimes be absent from the Prophet ﷺduring some virtuous occasions, while someone of a lower rank than him would be present and would come to know what others had not learnt..

1599

Narrated Naafi’: Whenever Ibn ‘Umar (ra) entered the Ka’bah, he would proceed ahead keeping the door at his back on entering. He would walk until the distance between him and the wall in front of him would be three cubits. Then he would offer prayers at the place where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)had performed prayers, as Bilaal informed him. There is nothing for anyone to offer prayers in any one the corners of the House which he wishes.
.

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (ra) was known for his profound love and eagerness to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Naa’fi, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, reports that whenever ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) entered the Ka’bah, he would walk straight ahead and would leave the door behind his back and would proceed until the distance between him and the wall in front of him is of about three cubits, which would give him enough space to pray with ease. He would look for the exact place where the Prophet ﷺprayed, which he came to know about from Bilaal (ra). Then he explained that there is nothing wrong for anyone to perform prayers anywhere inside the Ka’bah if the door is closed. It appears that this statement is made by Naafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, whilst maintaining the possibility that it could be someone else’s statement.
It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ “made one pillar to be on his left and the other pillar to be on his right and three behind him. The House in that time used to stand on six pillars, then he ﷺperformed his prayers.” The distance between him and the Qiblah was three cubits, as reported in Sunan Aboo Daawood.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree wherein the following is mentioned, “He entered the House and he pronounced takbeer in all its corners and he did not pray in it.” The confirmation of Bilaal takes precedence over the negation of others, because Ibn ‘Abbaas was not with the Prophet ﷺon that day. He attributed his negation to sometimes (narrating from) Usaamah and to sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It is said that it is possible that the entrance [of the Prophet ﷺ] to the House happened twice, on one occasion he ﷺperformed prayers, while, on the other, he ﷺdid not pray.
From the benefits to be concluded from this hadeeth is knowing that it is permissible to enter the Ka’bah and pray therein.
The hadeeth shows that whoever arrives first is more entitled to pray at the virtuous spot.
It also shows that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) learn and benefit from each other..

1600

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abee Awfaa (ra): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed ‘Umrah and did circumambulate round the Ka’bah and offered a two-units-prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraaheem (the standing place of Ibraaheem) while some of his Companions covered him from people.” A person inquired from him, “Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺenter the Ka’bah? He replied, “No.”
.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would eagerly observe all the acts of worship, dealings, and interactions of the Prophet ﷺ. As such, they ensured to closely observe how he performed the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah so as to learn his Sunnah and thereafter to act upon it.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin Abee Awfaa (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺperformed his first ‘Umrah, a.k.a. ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’ in the seventh year of Hijrah, before the Conquest of Makkah. In this ‘Umrah, he performed the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, offered a two-units prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraaheem whilst some of his Companions veiled him from the front so that no person can cross in front of him while praying. A man asked him, “Did the Messenger of Allah really enter the Ka’bah in this ‘Umrah?” Ibn Abee Awfaa replied, “In this ‘Umrah the Prophet ﷺdid not enter it.”
Entrance into the Ka’bah is not among the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah, however, who enters it, then that is good for him, whereas, who does not enter it, then there is nothing to blame him for. It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺentered inside the Ka’bah when he conquered Makkah after removing all the idols and pictures which were placed inside and then he ﷺprayed inside of it. .

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

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas ra: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the conquest of Makkah, “Verily, Allah made this city sacred; its thorns will not to be cut, its game will not be repulsed, and the things dropped will be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Ka’bah will be demolished by a man with thin legs from Abyssinia.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
.

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.".

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.".

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.".

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..

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas ra: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the conquest of Makkah, “Verily, Allah made this city sacred; its thorns will not to be cut, its game will not be repulsed, and the things dropped will be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.”” .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Ka’bah will be demolished by a man with thin legs from Abyssinia.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.” .

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.".

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.".

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.".

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..

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..

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
.