| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will enter Hell, then Allah (may He be exalted) will say: ‘Bring forth from the Fire whoever had in his heart a mustard seed’s weight of faith.’ They will be brought forth from it having turned black, and will be thrown into the river of al-Haya or al-Hayat (life) – Malik [one of the narrators] was not sure – then they will grow like seeds alongside the course of a stream that flows after it rains. Do you not see how they emerge yellow and curled up?” Wuhayb said: ‘Amr told us it was al-Hayat (life), and he said: “A mustard seed’s weight of good.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified) has bestowed upon His slaves His blessings and mercy in this world and the hereafter. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains some of the blessings that Allah will bestow upon them in the hereafter. He tells us that after the believers among the people of Paradise have entered Paradise by the grace and mercy of Allah, and then because of their righteous deeds, and after the people of Hell have entered Hell – so that everyone who deserves to enter it, of people of faith and others, will enter it so that they might be requited for their bad deeds – then Allah will instruct His angels to bring forth from the Fire everyone who did a mustard seed’s worth of the actions of faith, if they had affirmed the oneness of Allah and believed in that which our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought. Mustard is a well-known plant the seeds of which are given as a likeness of a very small thing. Here it is used as a metaphor for the tiniest of good deeds.
They will be brought forth from the Fire having turned black; in other words they will have become like coal because of the effect of the fire. Then they will be thrown into the river of al-Haya or al-Hayat (life), which indicates that it will be a cause of life being restored to the bodies of those who are brought forth from Hell. Then they will grow like seeds that are sown alongside the course of a stream that flows after it rains, so they grow quickly but there is some weakness in them; in the beginning they emerge from the earth yellow in colour and beautiful to look at, with their leaves furled. Then they grow taller and the leaves unfurl after that, which increases the fragrant plant in beauty.
This hadith states that the level of faith in the heart may vary, and that the people of faith vary in the level of their faith.
It also indicates that the one who commits sin is exposing himself to punishment in the hereafter and may be admitted to Hell, unless Allah pardons him..

It was narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst I was sleeping, I saw the people being presented to me, wearing chemises, some of which reached the chest, and some were other than that. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was presented to me, wearing a chemise that he was dragging.” They said: How did you interpret that, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “Faith.”.

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) had many virtues. He was the best of this ummah after Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and was inspired and guided to the truth. Some verses in the Qur’an were revealed to support his view. When he became caliph, in charge of the believers, he strove to be just and fair, and he explained to the people many things that were in their best interests; he would guide them to the straight path and make life easy for them.
This hadith highlights some of his virtues, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) about a dream that he had seen. He said: Whilst I was sleeping, I saw the people passing before me, wearing chemises and garments of different lengths. Some of the people were wearing chemises and garments that came halfway down their chests, and did not cover all of their bodies. Some of them were wearing something other than that, so their chemises were shorter or longer than that, or something in between. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab passed before me, wearing a long chemise that he was dragging behind him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked how he interpreted that, he said: “Faith.” In other words, I interpreted it as referring to faith. What is meant by faith here is adhering to it, such as being keen to comply with the commands and heeding the prohibitions, and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was foremost in that regard. Hence he saw him wearing a long and covering garment that he was dragging behind him. The fact that he was dragging his garment indicates that his beautiful legacy would remain after he was gone, so that the Muslims might follow his example. It was also said that the chemise in the dream was interpreted as referring to faith because faith, Islam and righteousness are described as garments. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {But the clothing of righteousness - that is best} [al-A‘raf 7:26]. Just as a chemise covers a person’s ‘awrah and prevents the gaze of others falling on it, in like manner faith protects a person from Hell and from falling into shameful worldly deeds and anything that could cause him harm, because faith envelops on all sides and protects him from permitting infractions, just as a garment protects and envelops a person. So whoever does a great deal of acts of obedience and worship will be more covered and protected, whereas one who has fewer righteous deeds to his credit will have less coverage and protection.
This hadith highlights the great virtue of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also indicates that deeds are part of faith, and that people of faith vary with regard to their deeds. .

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by a man of the Ansar who was admonishing his brother for being too decent and shy, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let him be, for decency and shyness (haya’) are part of faith.”.

Commentary : Haya’ (decency, shyness) is all good and is part of faith; it is one of the praiseworthy characteristics that both men and women should seek to acquire, because it prevents a person from falling into sins.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by a man when he was admonishing his brother for being too decent and shy. What is meant is that he was advising him not to be too shy, because the man was very shy and that prevented him from asking people for his dues. Hence his brother rebuked him for that. But the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to let him continue with this good characteristic, and told him that haya’ (decency and shyness) was part of faith and one of its branches, because it prevents a person from doing what Allah has forbidden. Haya’ is of two types: the first of which is an innate characteristic and is not something that is acquired or developed later on, and this is one of the noblest characteristics that Allah may bestow on a person or create in him, for it makes him refrain from committing abhorrent deeds or engaging in base conduct, and encourages him to acquire noble and sublime characteristics. The second type is that which one may acquire after learning about Allah and about His greatness and how close He is to His slaves, and after learning that He is always watching and that He knows that which deceives the eyes and what the hearts conceal. This is one of the most sublime characteristics of faith; in fact it is one of the highest levels of ihsan..

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to fight the people until they bear witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and establish prayer and give zakah. If they do that, they will have protected their lives and wealth from me except in cases dictated by Islamic law, and their reckoning will be with Allah.”.

Commentary : Islam is the true religion which Allah (may He be glorified) has ordained for all people, and He will never accept any other religion from anyone. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And whoever desires other than Islam as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers} [Al ‘Imraan 3:85].
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that Allah (may He be exalted) had commanded him to fight the polytheists who were waging war and preventing the message of Islam from reaching people; Allah had given permission to fight them until they testified to the oneness of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and to the message of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); established the obligatory prayers – Fajr, Zuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’ – by continuing to perform them, fulfilling all the necessary conditions; and gave the obligatory zakah, which is a financial act of worship that is due on all types of wealth that meet the minimum threshold, as defined in Islamic teachings, when one full lunar (or Hijri) year has passed since acquiring that wealth, giving one quarter of one tenth. This is to be taken from their rich and given to the poor. Prayer and zakah are singled out for mention because they are the foremost physical and financial acts of worship, and other acts of worship stem from them.
If they do these things, then their lives and wealth will be protected, according to Islamic teachings, except – as he said – in cases dictated by Islamic law. This refers to an exception from protection. In other words, Islam protects their lives and wealth, so it is not permissible to kill them, unless they commit a crime or offence which incurs the penalty of execution, according to Islamic rulings. So a murderer may be executed as a retaliatory punishment (qisas), and an apostate and a married or previously-married adulterer may be executed as a hadd punishment. Then on the Day of Resurrection, Allah (may He be exalted) will bring them to account, and He will reward the sincere and punish the hypocrite. As for us, we can only judge matters on the basis of how things appear to be.
This hadith does not mean that the polytheists should be forced to enter Islam. Rather they have the choice between entering Islam or paying the jizyah. If, however, they insist on opposing the message of Islam, then there is no option but to fight them; we are to fight those who fight us in order to prevent us from spreading the message of Allah (may He be exalted), as is explained in the texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked: Which deed is best? He said: “Believing in Allah and His Messenger.” It was said: Then which? He said: “Jihad in Allah’s cause.” It was said: Then which? He said: “An accepted Hajj.”.

Commentary : Because of their keenness to do acts of worship and that which would help them to attain the pleasure of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), the Sahabah often asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the best of deeds, and those which would bring them closest to Allah (may He be exalted). The responses of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and varied according to their character and circumstances, and what would be most beneficial for each of them.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked which deed is best, he said: “Belief in Allah and His Messenger.” Believing in Allah (may He be exalted) means believing in and affirming His existence, and that He possesses all attributes of majesty and perfection, far above any shortcomings; and that He is One, true, the Eternal Refuge, unique, the Creator of all creation, Who does whatever He wills in His dominion, and decrees whatever He wills concerning His creation; that He alone is deserving of all kinds of worship, to the exclusion of all others. Believing in His Messenger Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) means believing and affirming that he spoke the truth in what he conveyed from Allah (may He be exalted); that it is obligatory to follow him, venerate him and respect him; that he is the final Prophet and everyone who hears of him must believe in him and follow his way, and whoever does not believe in him and follow his way is not a believer in any of the Prophets and Messengers. The reason why faith is the best of all deeds and brings the greatest reward with Allah is that it is a condition of all Islamically-prescribed acts of worship – such as prayer, zakaah, fasting and so on – being valid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about the best of deeds after faith, and he replied: The best of them is jihad in Allah’s cause, which means fighting the enemies of Allah among the polytheists and disbelievers who wage war and oppose the call of Islam. Allah has given us permission to fight them so as to make the word of Allah supreme and to defend His religion and spread it far and wide, and not for any other purpose. Rather the only reason why jihad is the best of deeds after believing in Allah and His Messenger is that it involves offering one’s life for the sake of Allah, and it may also require offering one’s wealth as well.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about the next best deed after jihad, and he said: “An accepted Hajj (Hajj mabrur).” This is the Hajj in which all essential parts are done properly and sincerely for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted). This is what is acceptable to Allah (may He be glorified), because it is free of showing off and seeking an enhanced reputation, and is not done using unlawful wealth. The apparent meaning of the hadith suggests that Jihad is better than Hajj, but this is to be understood as referring to a supererogatory (nafil) Hajj. As for the obligatory Hajj, it is better than jihad. This applies in cases where jihad is a communal obligation (fard kifayah); if jihad has become an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn), then it definitely takes precedence over the obligatory Hajj, because it must be done immediately..

It was narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave something to a number of people when Sa‘d was sitting there, but he left out a man who I [Sa‘d] liked the most out of them. So I said: O Messenger of Allah, why did you not give to So-and-so? For by Allah, I think that he is a believer. He said: “Or a Muslim.” I kept quiet for a little while, then what I knew of him prompted me to speak again, and I repeated what I had said: I said: Why did you leave out So-and-so? For by Allah, I think that he is a believer. He said: “Or a Muslim.” Then what I knew of him prompted me to speak again, and I repeated what I had said, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated what he had said. Then he said: “O Sa‘d, I may give to one man when someone else is dearer to me than him, for fear that Allah may throw him into the Fire.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to deal with people on the basis of prophetic wisdom, so he knew what was appropriate for each individual around him, and he would deal with him in a manner that could help to rectify his condition and make him steadfast in faith.
In this hadith, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave some wealth to a group of those whose hearts were to be softened (towards faith), for many people enter Islam in the hope of gaining wealth or status, then later on faith takes root in their hearts, and they become among the best of the Muslims. The word translated here as “a number of people” refers to a group of between three and ten. This incident happened in the presence of Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him), and the Prophet left out one man, giving him nothing; that man was the one whom Sa‘d admired the most, and he was the best and most righteous of them, or so Sa‘d thought. So Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the reason why he had left out that man, even though he thought he was a believer on the basis of outward signs which seemed to indicate that he had strong faith. The Prophet (listings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying “Or a Muslim”; what he meant was: do not hasten to deem someone a believer. This was a rebuke to Sa‘d for testifying that someone was a believer, because belief or faith is hidden in the heart, and no one can see it, so testifying to that effect is a testimony that is based on conjecture. So no one should affirm such a thing. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Sa‘d to testify to the man being a Muslim, because that is something that can be seen. But Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) did not understand why the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying “Or a Muslim”. If he had understood that, it could have prevented him from saying that again, so he repeated his words, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated the response that he had given the first time.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to Sa‘d the reason why he had given to some and had withheld from others, so he said: I may give to a man to soften his heart by means of that gift, for fear that he may become a disbeliever if he is not given anything; I am afraid that if I do not give him anything, he may develop an idea because of which he may become a disbeliever, and then Allah will throw him into the Fire. As for the one whose faith is strong, he is dearer to me, so I entrust him to his faith and I do not fear that he will recant his religion or develop bad ideas if I do not give him anything.
This hadith indicates that part of the teachings of Islam is not to definitively affirm that anyone has faith in his heart, or to swear to that on the basis of what appears to us of his being Muslim and adhering to the teachings of Islam, even though we should treat a person as a Muslim and classify him as such on the basis of what appears outwardly to be the case.
It also indicates that when these two terms, faith (iman) and Islam appear together, then each of them has a different meaning; in that case, Islam refers to outward actions, and faith refers to inward deeds of the heart. .

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I was shown the Fire, and I saw that most of its inhabitants were women, for they are ungrateful.” It was said: Are they ungrateful to Allah? He said: “They are ungrateful to their husbands; they are ungrateful for kind treatment. If you show kindness to one of them for a lifetime, then she sees one thing from you, she says: I have never seen any good from you.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified) created Paradise for His patient and obedient slaves, and He created the Fire for those who refuse, turn away from Him and are ungrateful for His blessings. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the characteristics of many of those who will enter it.
In this hadith, he described one of the characteristics of the people of Hell which is common among women in particular. One day, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) exhorted the women and said to them: I was shown the Fire; Allah (may He be exalted) caused me to look at it by His might, so I saw it with my own eyes. When I looked at it and saw who was in it, I saw that the majority of its inhabitants were women. One of the women said: Why is that, O Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He replied: They will be the majority of the inhabitants of the Fire because they are ungrateful. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say what they were ungrateful for, so that the women would become curious and want to find out what type of ingratitude he was attributing to them, and also to make their fear greater. Hardly had the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoken these words but one of the women asked: Are they ungrateful to Allah? He said: Rather they are ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for kind treatment. In other words, they deny the blessing of the husband and his kind treatment towards them. If the husband treats one of them kindly for an entire lifetime, then she sees one thing from him that she dislikes, she says: I have never seen anything from you that has benefitted me or made me feel happy in my entire life!
Denying blessings is forbidden because if a woman denies the blessing of her husband, she has denied the blessing of Allah, for this blessing that reached her from her husband is in fact a blessing that came from Allah.
Ingratitude towards the husband is mentioned in particular among other types of sins for a subtle and amazing reason, which is the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “If I were to instruct anyone to prostrate to anyone else, I would have instructed women to prostrate to their husbands.” This was narrated by Ahmad and others. The husband’s right over his wife is mentioned alongside the right of Allah because if a woman denies her husband’s rights when his rights over her are so great, this indicates that she is neglecting the rights of Allah. Hence it is described as kufr (which may mean ingratitude or disbelief), but it is not the kufr which may put one beyond the bounds of Islam.
This hadith indicates that kufr is of two types, and that the word kufr may refer to something other than disbelief in Allah (may He be exalted), such as when it refers to ingratitude for blessings, which is a denial of those blessings..

It was narrated that al-Ma‘rur ibn Suwayd said: I met Abu Dharr in ar-Rabadhah. He was wearing a hullah (suit) and his slave was also wearing a hullah. I asked him about that, and he said: I insulted a man and shamed him because of his mother’s origins, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Abu Dharr, did you shame him because of his mother’s origins? Indeed you are a man in whom there is some ignorance (jahiliyyah). Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has put under your control, so whoever has been given control over his brother, let him feed him the same food as he eats, and clothe him in the same garments as he wears. Do not burden them with work that may be overwhelming for them, and if you do assign such work to them, then help them.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of sublime manners and etiquette with all people, even servants. It is a religion that does not differentiate between people on the basis of lineage, status, race or colour. Rather differentiation is based on piety and righteous deeds. In this hadith, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) had insulted a man and shamed him because of his mother’s origins by saying “O son of a foreign woman” or “O son of a black woman” and the like. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to know of that, he rebuked Abu Dharr for it, saying: “Did you shame him because of his mother’s origins?” In other words, did you insult him and accuse him of being a shameful person because of his mother? “Indeed you are a man in whom there is some ignorance (jahiliyyah).” Insulting people, impugning them and shaming them are characteristics of ignorance, so this is a deterrent from doing such things, and it highlights how abhorrent such actions are.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him, teaching him, disciplining him and informing him about the rights of servants: “Your servants are your brothers whom Allah has put under your control.” In other words, your servants and slaves who take care of your affairs, and are Muslims, are your brothers in faith whom Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has put under your control, “so whoever has been given control over his brother, let him feed him the same food as he eats, and clothe him in the same garments as he wears. Do not burden them with work that may be overwhelming for them, and if you do assign such work to them, then help them.” So do not ask them to do more work than they are able to do, and if you instruct them to do any such work, then you must help them. When Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard these words from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he gave his servant a garment like his own, as al-Ma‘rur ibn Suwayd saw him in ar-Rabadhah – which is a place near Madinah - wearing a hullah, which is a suit composed of two garments, a lower garment (izar or waist wrapper) and an upper garment (rida’ or cloak), and he saw his servant also wearing a hullah. That was in obedience to what Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) had heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights the abhorrent nature of the characteristics and attitudes of the jahiliyyah, and tells us that they are to be shunned, in accordance with the teachings of Islam.
It also encourages us to show kindness to slaves and servants and others in similar positions, such as hired workers and the like, and to treat them gently.
It also teaches us not to look down on a fellow Muslim and despise them.
It also highlights the clear virtue of Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and his good response to the command of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

It was narrated that al-Ahnaf ibn Qays said: I went to support this man [in fighting] and I met Abu Bakrah [on the way]. He said: Where are you going? I said: To help this man. He said: Go back, for I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “If two Muslims meet [and fight] with their swords, then the killer and the slain will both be in the Fire.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, the case of the killer is clear, but what about the one who was slain? He said: “He was keen to kill his opposite number.”.

Commentary : Shedding blood unlawfully is one of the greatest sins with which a person could meet Allah (may He be exalted), and Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has warned the one who kills a Muslim unlawfully of a lasting punishment. That is why a group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed away from the turmoil (fitnah) that occurred after the murder of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) for fear of playing any part in the shedding of blood unlawfully, which Allah (may He be exalted) would question them about on the Day of Resurrection. One of those who stayed away from fighting was Abu Bakrah Nufay‘ ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him). According to this hadith, when Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw al-Ahnaf ibn Qays going to join the fighting, he said to him: Where are you going? He said To support this man, referring to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Battle of the Camel, which took place in 36 AH. This was a battle which led to a great deal of turmoil; it took place in Basra between ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and his supporters on the one hand, and al-Zubayr, Talhah and ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) and their supporters on the other hand. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had gone there to try to bring about reconciliation, not to fight, then matters got out of hand and there happened what happened. Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) told al-Ahnaf to go back, then he told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: If two Muslims meet and fight with their swords for worldly gain, or without any legitimate justification according to Islamic teachings, then the killer and the slain both deserve to enter Hell.
Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, seeking to understand: ‘O Messenger of Allah, the case of the killer [is clear], but what about the one who was slain?’ In other words: why would he enter the Fire even though he is the one who was killed? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) answered him by saying: “He was keen to kill his opposite number.” He wanted to kill his opposite number, and if he had had the opportunity to kill him, he would have done so. This does not include a Muslim who fights off another Muslim who is attacking him, for he should fight to protect his wealth or honour, even if he kills or is killed.
The fact that both of them will be in the Fire does not mean that they will abide therein forever. Rather this is a punishment for this sin, then it is up to Allah (may He be exalted): if He wills, He will punish them then bring them out of the Fire like others who affirm His oneness (but commit sins), and if He wills He will pardon them and not punish them at all. Remaining in Hell forever is only for one who regards it as permissible to kill a fellow Muslim.
This hadith indicates that for a Muslim to fight his fellow Muslim for no legitimate reason is a major sin, and that the one who commits a major sin does not become a disbeliever thereby, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) described both fighting parties as Muslims. .

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: When the verse {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice (zulm)} [al-An‘am 6:82] was revealed, the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Which of us does not commit injustice? Then Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) revealed the words, {Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice} [Luqmaan 31:13]..

Commentary : Associating others with Allah is the gravest of major sins and the worst act of zulm (injustice, wrongdoing). It is an injustice that the one who associates others with Allah does to himself, because Allah has made clear to all people the path of guidance and the way to learn about Allah and His Oneness.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the verse {They who believe and do not mix their belief with injustice (zulm)} [al-An‘am 6:82] was revealed, the Companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were distressed by that, because they thought that what was meant by zulm was sin in general, as one might initially understand, especially because the Arabic word appears in the indefinite form, which would suggest a general meaning referring to any act of wrongdoing. They were worried about that because the apparent meaning of the word zulm is to transgress against people and not give them their dues, and to transgress against oneself by committing sins. Hence they thought that what was meant here was the apparent meaning that first springs to mind, which is doing that which is not appropriate and is contrary to Islamic teachings. So they were concerned, because no one is safe from falling into such sins. Then Allah revealed the words: {Indeed, association [with Him] is great injustice (zulm)} [Luqman 31:13]. Thus it became clear that what is meant is the worst type of zulm, which is shirk (associating others with Allah). Shirk is tantamount to zulm because Allah (may He be glorified) is the Bestower of all blessings, so if His slave associates anything else with Him, he has committed a grave wrong (zulm)..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The signs of the hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust.”.

Commentary : Hypocrisy is of two types: hypocrisy of belief, which takes a person beyond the bounds of faith, and means pretending outwardly to be Muslim whilst concealing disbelief in one’s heart; and hypocrisy in deed, which means imitating the hypocrites in their manners and attitudes. The latter does not take a person beyond the bounds of faith, but it is a major sin.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) discussed hypocrisy in deed, and described its distinguishing features. He said that among the signs of hypocrisy in deed, which indicate that this person resembles the hypocrites in their actions and attitudes, you will find these three signs, or some of them. The first sign is that when he speaks he lies, to the extent that this person becomes known for telling lies when he speaks. The second sign is that when he makes a promise he breaks it, meaning that he becomes well-known for breaking his promises, so that if he promises to do something, he deliberately breaks that promise. The third sign is that when he is entrusted with something, he betrays that trust, meaning that he becomes well-known among people for treachery. The things that are mentioned here all stem from one source, namely hypocrisy, which is contrary to honesty and sincerity, the opposite of fulfilling promises, and is contrary to trustworthiness. What is meant in this hadith is that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who possesses these characteristics is like the hypocrites in this regard and has an attitude like theirs. It does not mean that he is a hypocrite in the sense that he pretends to be a Muslim whilst in his heart he is a disbeliever. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not mean that he is a hypocrite like the disbelievers who will abide forever in the lowest levels of Hell.
This hadith points out the blameworthy characteristics of hypocrisy in order to alert people and warn them against falling into that..

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are four characteristics, whoever has them is a pure hypocrite, and whoever has one of them has one of the characteristics of hypocrisy until he gives it up: when he is entrusted with something he betrays that trust, when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he argues he resorts to foul speech and irrational talk.”.

Commentary : Hypocrisy means showing outwardly something other than what he feels or believes in his heart. It is divided into hypocrisy in belief and hypocrisy in deed. As for hypocrisy in belief, it means that a person conceals disbelief whilst making an outward show of being a Muslim. This is the hypocrisy for which a person will abide forever in the lowest level of Hell, and he is not counted among those who affirm the oneness of Allah. As for hypocrisy in deed, such a person does affirm the oneness of Allah, and he will not abide forever in Hell.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) discussed hypocrisy in deed, and described its distinguishing characteristics. He said that there are four characteristics, and whoever has them is a pure hypocrite, in the sense that he closely resembles the hypocrites because of these characteristics. Whoever has one or some of them is a hypocrite to some degree, until he gives up these characteristics. The first characteristic is that he is well known among the people to be treacherous. The second characteristic is that he is well known for lying when he speaks. The third characteristic is that if he makes a promise he breaks it and does not fulfil the promise that he made. The fourth characteristic is resorting to foul speech and irrational talk when arguing. What is meant by that is that he deliberately rejects the truth, to the extent that what is true becomes false for him, and what is false becomes true. What the hadith means is that these characteristics are the characteristics of hypocrisy, and the one who has them is like the hypocrites in this regard, and has the same attitude as they do, not that he is a hypocrite who pretends to be a Muslim whilst inwardly disbelieving. When he mentioned hypocrisy in this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was not referring to the hypocrisy for which a person will be in the lowest depth of hell, which is the worst type of disbelief. Rather he meant that these characteristics are akin to the concept of hypocrisy, because hypocrisy means displaying outwardly something other than what is in one’s heart. This concept is applicable in the case of lying, breaking promises and betraying trusts. What is meant by the words “he is a pure hypocrite” is pure in the sense of having these characteristics that are mentioned in the hadith only, not other characteristics..

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever spends the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer, out of faith and seeking reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

Commentary : Allah’s grace towards this ummah is immense. By His grace, He has honoured it with seasons of goodness and blessings that bring breezes of divine mercy, to which we are instructed to expose ourselves and make the most of them. One of the greatest of those seasons is Laylat al-Qadr in the month of Ramadan.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of this blessed night, and tells us that for the one who happens to catch Laylat al-Qadr and spend the night in prayer, reading Qur’an and doing other acts of worship, Allah will forgive him his previous sins, except those that involved transgressions against other people affecting their wealth, honour or physical well-being. Such sins cannot be waived except with their consent, so the person who transgressed against them must seek pardon from those to whom he owes something, or restore their dues. Attaining this virtue depends upon the Muslim doing that out of faith and in the hope of reward, meaning that he believes in the virtue of this night and in the virtue of striving on this night, seeking the pleasure of Allah by worshipping Him and hoping for great reward for staying up on that night. The reward (forgiveness) is mentioned in the past tense [in the original Arabic], even though the forgiveness will come in the future, in order to give the sense that it will certainly happen and will definitely take place, by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted) to His slaves.
In this hadith, we are encouraged to spend the night of Laylat al-Qadr in prayer.
We are also urged to be sincere and seek reward for good deeds with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah has guaranteed the one who goes out in His cause, ‘and nothing causes him to go out except faith in Me and belief in My Messengers, that I will cause him to come back with what he attained of reward or booty, or I will admit him to Paradise.’ Were it not that I would make things more difficult for my ummah, I would never have stayed behind from any expedition. I wish that I could be killed in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life, then killed again, then brought back to life again, then killed.”.

Commentary : Jihad in Allah’s cause and martyrdom in His cause are actions of high status and great virtue, because of the immense status and reward that they bring, which make them superior to many other acts of worship.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “Allah has guaranteed”, meaning that He has responded and promised to bestow this blessing upon the one who goes out in His cause with a sincere intention to Allah in his jihad. That is provided that what made him go out was nothing but faith in Allah and belief in His Messengers. If that is the case, then Allah has promised that He will cause him to return to his homeland after the jihad – if he is not martyred – with what he has attained of blessings, which is what he will be granted of reward only, if there is no booty, or reward and booty if they captured booty, or He will admit him to Paradise when those who are close to Him are admitted without being brought to account and without any rebuke for their sins, because their sins have been expiated by martyrdom. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that were it not for the fear of causing hardship for his ummah, he would not have stayed behind from any expedition; rather he would have gone out himself, because of the greatness of the reward for it. Then he stated that he would like to be killed in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life, then killed again in Allah’s cause, then brought back to life again, then killed in Allah’s cause, and brought back to life again, because of the high status and great reward for martyrdom.
This hadith indicates that one may wish for martyrdom, and that it brings an immense reward.
It shows us how compassionate the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was towards his ummah and how kind he was to them, and that if there is a conflict between two interests, one should choose the one that is more important.
It also indicates that it is permissible for a person to say, “I wish that such and such a good thing could happen,” even though he knows that it could never happen.
And it indicates that booty does not detract from the reward of the mujahid..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays at night during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

Commentary : The month of Ramadan is one of the seasons of goodness and blessings that bring breezes of divine mercy, to which we are instructed to expose ourselves and make the most of them. One of the virtues of this blessed month is what is mentioned in this hadith, namely the reward that results from praying at night during this month. What is referred to here is the Tarawih prayer, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever prays at night during Ramadan out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.” In other words, whoever does that, believing in Allah Who enjoined him to do that, knowing the virtue of this prayer at night, seeking great reward, and only seeking Allah (may He be exalted), not intending to be seen by people or any other motive that could be contrary to sincerity, the reward for that will be forgiveness of his previous sins, except those that involved transgressions against other people affecting their wealth, honour or physical well-being. Such sins cannot be waived except with their consent, so the person who transgressed against them must seek pardon from those to whom he owes something, or restore their dues.
The reward (forgiveness) is mentioned in the past tense [in the original Arabic], even though the forgiveness will come in the future, in order to give the sense that it will certainly happen and will definitely take place, by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted) to His slaves.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to pray at night during the month of Ramadan, and it highlights the greatness of the reward for doing that..

688

Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali reported: I asked Ibn ‘Abbās: "How should I pray if I am in Makkah and did not pray with the Imām?" He said: "Two Rak‘ahs; the Sunnah of Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the most keen on following the Prophet's example in everything, because in the Prophet's Sunnah lies guidance and the right course; whoever follows it will be saved, and whoever deviates from it will be ruined.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali asks Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "How should I pray if I am in Makkah and did not pray with the Imām?" This is because the Imām offers the prayer completely. So, if a traveler prays with him, he will also perform it completely. Yet, what should be the case if a traveler comes to Makkah and does not pray with the Imām? In response to him, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he should pray it as two Rak‘ahs, in the shortened form, not as a complete prayer. Clarifying the reason for that, he said that this is the Sunnah of Abu al-Qāsim, the nickname of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, the Sunnah as regards travelers is to shorten the prayers. Allah Almighty alleviated things for travelers and facilitated for them the Shar‘i rulings regarding prayer. So, he may shorten the four-Rak‘ah prayers (Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) to two Rak‘ahs..

689

Hafs ibn ‘Āsim ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb reported: I accompanied Ibn ‘Umar on the road to Makkah and he led us in the Zhuhr prayer with two Rak‘ahs. Then, he went forward, and we too went along with him to a place where he alighted, and he sat, and we sat along with him. He cast a glance at the side where he offered the prayer and he saw people standing. He asked: "What are they doing?" I said: "They are glorifying Allah." He said: "If I were to glorify Allah, I would have completed my prayer. O my nephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. I accompanied Abu Bakr, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. And I accompanied ‘Umar, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. Then, I accompanied ‘Uthmān, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. And Allah says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21]".

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 Shar‘i rulings for them.
In this Hadīth, Hafs ibn ‘Āsim ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb informs that he accompanied his uncle ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) on the road to Makkah as they were traveling. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) performed the Zhuhr prayer as two Rak‘ahs, shortening it. This is because the four-Rak‘ah prayer is to be shortened to two Rak‘ahs during travel. After the prayer, he came back to his place of stay, where he alighted. Some of those with them on the journey sat with Ibn ‘Umar. He unintentionally looked back at the place where they had performed the obligatory prayer. There he saw people standing and offering prayer in addition to the prayer they had performed along with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). He asked about them and about what prayer they were offering as an addition. His question was asked as a way of disapproving of them. Answering his question, Hafs ibn ‘Āsim said that "they are glorifying Allah" i.e., they are performing the supererogatory prayer. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked: "If I were to glorify Allah, I would have completed my prayer." In other words, if he was given the choice between completing the obligatory prayer and performing the regular Sunnah prayer, completing the obligatory prayer would be dearer to him, for he understood that shortening the prayer is meant for facilitation. Hence, he would not perform the regular Sunnah prayer or complete the obligatory prayer.
The supererogatory prayer here refers to the regular Sunnah prayer along with the obligatory prayers, like the Sunnah of the Zhuhr prayer and other obligatory prayers. It is not prescribed to perform the regular Sunnah prayers during travel, except for the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer and the Witr prayer. As for the general supererogatory prayers, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer them during travel, and he reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer them, as authentically narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to glorify Allah on his riding animal in whatever direction it headed, and he would observe the Witr prayer thereon; yet, he would not perform the obligatory prayer upon it.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed out the intent behind his disapproval, saying: "O my nephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away." The shortening applies to the four-Rak‘ah prayers: the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’. One should not pray a supererogatory prayer before or after the obligatory prayer. And he said that he had accompanied Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with them) at the time of their respective caliphates and authority, and they would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs during travel, until they passed away. This is because they were keen on adhering to and acting upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The rightly-guided Caliphs continued to do so after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which indicates that this ruling was not subject to abrogation or opposition. And Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21], i.e., you should imitate the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and follow his example.
And his following statement was confusing: "Then, I accompanied ‘Uthmān, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away." This is because it is authentically reported in the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth reported by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) would complete the prayer after six or eight years. In reply to this, it was said that this version means that ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs until he passed away anywhere other than Mina. Also, the famous narrations state that ‘Uthmān used to complete the prayer after the early stage of his caliphate was understood, as he would do so at Mina in particular. It was said: ‘Uthmān completed the prayer because he wanted to stay in Taif and he later had the opinion that it was not permissible for him to shorten the prayer in Mina, as shortening the prayer, in his view, applied to traveling pilgrims only, whereas residents may not shorten the prayer. And it was said: He completed the four-Rak‘ah prayers in consideration of public interest. This was since the people increased in number, and there would come for Hajj those who did not know the rulings of the religion. So, he feared the ignorant might think the basic rule regarding these prayers is that they consist of two Rak‘ahs; hence, he completed them.
In the Hadīth: Shortening the prayer during travel
And in it: Abandoning the performance of supererogatory prayers during travel
And in it: Demonstrating Ibn ‘Umar's proper understanding of the religion
And in it: The Companions adhered to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and followed in his footsteps..

691

Yahya ibn Yazīd al-Hunā’i reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik about shortening the prayer, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would pray two Rak‘ahs when he went out on a journey of three miles or three leagues - Shu‘bah was doubtful..

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.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Yahya ibn Yazīd relates: "I asked Anas ibn Mālik about shortening the prayer." He meant: the amount of distance with which prayer is to be shortened. In response, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left Madīnah for a journey of three miles, nearly five kilometers - Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjāj, one of the narrators of this Hadīth, doubted that he said: three leagues, which is 14 km or so - he would shorten the four-Rak‘ah prayers (the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) and offer them as two Rak‘ahs only. This Hadīth was cited as a proof for shortening the prayer during short-distance travel..

692

Jubayr ibn Nufayr reported: I went out with Shurahbīl ibn as-Simt to a village situated 17 - or 18 - miles away, and he offered two Rak‘ahs. I talked to him (about that) and he said: I saw ‘Umar in Dhul-Hulayfah offer two Rak‘ahs. I talked to him (about that), and he said: "I only do what I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) do.".

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.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Jubayr ibn Nufayr informs that he went out with the Tābi‘i Shurahbīl ibn as-Simt to a village located 17 or 18 miles away, i.e., 27km or 28km away. He shortened the four-Rak‘ah prayer (Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) and performed it as two Rak‘ahs. So, Jubayr ibn Nufayr asked him about the reason for his shortening the prayer. He told him that he saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) shorten the prayer in Dhul-Hulayfah to two Rak‘ahs. He asked him about the reason for that, and ‘Umar informed him that he did as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had done, for he would shorten the prayer in Dhul-Hulayfah, while Dhul-Hulayfah is located 6 or 7 miles away from Madīnah, which is approximately nine kilometers.
The Hadīth indicates that prayer may be shortened during short-distance travel..

698

Jābir reported: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey, and rain fell upon us. Thereupon, he said: "Whoever of you wishes may pray in his dwelling.".

Commentary : The Shariah of Islam is tolerant and easy. Manifestations of that include the following: In spite of the significance of the congregational prayer in the mosque, it takes into consideration the circumstances of people at some critical times in which going to the congregational prayer becomes difficult, such as the existence of a storm, rain, fear, etc.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that while the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), rain fell upon them. Rain makes the ground untidy due to mud and other things. So, it was difficult for them to gather for prayer. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Whoever of you wishes may pray in his Rahl (dwelling)." This was optional, not binding. So, whoever wished to pray in his dwelling did so, and whoever wished to go out for the congregational prayer did so. Rahl is the saddle of the camel. It here refers to the dwelling in which one passes the night during travel. This is part of the Shariah's making easy of things for the Muslims. This dispensation is not limited to travel only, but it also applies to the residents. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said to his Muezzin on a rainy day: "When you say 'Ashhadu An Lā Ilāh illa Allah; Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Rasūl Allah' (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say: 'Hayy ‘ala as-Salāh' (come to prayer); rather, say: 'Pray in your houses.'" He said: The people seemed to have disapproved of that. So, he said: "Are you astonished at that?! Indeed, this was done by he who is better than me. Verily, the Friday prayer is obligatory, and I disliked to put you into hardship and you walk through mud and rain." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
The Hadīth points out the legitimacy of praying at home and leaving the congregational prayer in case of necessity, because of rain, fear, cold, or the like..

705

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together in Madīnah without being in a state of fear or on a journey. Abu az-Zubayr said: I asked Sa‘īd: Why did he do so? He replied: I asked Ibn ‘Abbās as you asked me, and he said: He did not want to put restrictions upon anyone in his Ummah..

Commentary : Making things easy and lenient for the Muslims was the Prophet's approach, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to take his Ummah out of narrowness to broadness with regard to prayer.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, i.e., he prayed them at the same time, one after the other. His words "in Madīnah" mean that he combined them while being a resident. Then, he said, "without being in a state of fear or on a journey," to point out that combining the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers did not happen due to the dispensation related to fear or travel.
The Tābi‘i Abu az-Zubayr Muhammad ibn Muslim mentioned that he asked the Tābi‘i Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, who narrated the Hadīth from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), about why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) combined the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together. Responding to him, Sa‘īd said that he posed the same question to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "He did not want to put restrictions upon anyone in his Ummah," i.e., he did so to avoid putting anyone in his Ummah in hardship, thus alleviating things and making them easy for them in case of need. The Hadīth was taken to apply to the case of illness as an excuse. So, if something happens and it requires and calls for that, in rare cases, there is nothing wrong with that, given this Hadīth. However, for this to be something familiar and habitual is not acceptable, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not known to have done so persistently.
There are two ways for combining every two prayers, according to what is conveniently possible: First: Combining the two prayers at the earlier time; i.e., to perform the ‘Asr prayer along with the Zhuhr prayer at the time of Zhuhr, and to perform the ‘Ishā' prayer along with the Maghrib prayer at the time of Maghrib. Second: Combining the two prayers at the latter time; i.e., to perform the Zhuhr prayer along with the ‘Asr prayer at the time of ‘Asr, and to perform the Maghrib prayer along with the ‘Ishā' prayer at the time of ‘Ishā'..

705

‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq al-‘Uqayli reported: A man said to Ibn ‘Abbās: "The prayer." He kept silent. He again said: "The prayer." He kept silent. He then said: "The prayer." He still kept silent. Then, he said: "May you be deprived of your mother! Are you teaching us about prayer, and we used to combine two prayers during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?!".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to apply the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and teach it to those who came after them.
This Hadīth is associated with a certain reason, as related in another version by Muslim; the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reports that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the people one day after ‘Asr, till the sun set and the stars became visible. So, a man began to say to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "The prayer" i.e., he was reminding him of the Maghrib prayer lest its time might pass. Meanwhile, Ibn ‘Abbās kept silent and did not respond to him. The man repeated his reminder three times, and he did not respond to him in either of them. This continued till Ibn ‘Abbās said to him: "May you be deprived of your mother", a phrase the Arabs used to say by way of rebuke and criticism. Ibn ‘Abbās criticized him for his ignorance of the Sunnah of the Prophet and his frequent repetition. And he said: "Are you teaching us about prayer?!" He criticized him for reminding him while he did not forget it; rather, he intentionally delayed it, so as to teach them. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās clarified the reason for his delay of the prayer; that is the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine two prayers along with his Companions, performing both of them together. This apparently would happen in case of need. Perhaps Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was speaking about some matter of concern to the Muslims, and if he had cut it off and prayed, the interest involved in that matter would have been missed. So, he delayed the prayer for a particular need he deemed important. It is related in a version by Muslim that he combined two prayers without being in a state of fear or on a journey. When he was asked about that, he said: "He wanted not to put anyone of his Ummah into hardship" i.e., he only did that to avoid putting anyone of his Ummah into difficulty; thus, he alleviated things and made things easy for them when needed. The Hadīth was taken to apply to the excuse of illness. So, if something happens and calls for that, as a rarity, there is nothing wrong with that, in accordance with this Hadīth. But, for this to be something familiar and usual, this is not permissible, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not known to have done so persistently.
There are two ways to combine two prayers, according to what is conveniently possible: First: Combining two prayers at the time of the earlier one; for example, performing the ‘Asr prayer along with the Zhuhr prayer at the time of Zhuhr, and performing the ‘Ishā’ prayer along with the Maghrib prayer at the time of Maghrib. Second: Combining two prayers at the time of the latter one; for example, performing the Zhuhr prayer along with the ‘Asr prayer at the time of ‘Asr, and performing the Maghrib prayer along with the ‘Ishā’ prayer at the time of ‘Ishā’..

706

Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal reported: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the year of the battle of Tabūk, and he would combine the prayers. He performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, and the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. And somedays, he delayed the prayer and then came out and performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr together. Then, he entered and thereafter went out and performed the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. He then said: "You will come to the spring of Tabūk tomorrow, Allah Willing, and you will not reach it until the forenoon. Whoever of you reaches it should not touch anything of its water until I come." We reached it and two men had come there ahead of us. The spring was like a shoelace, providing a thin flow of water. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked them: "Did you touch anything of its water?" They said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) scolded them and said to them what Allah willed him to say. Then, they (the people) took water from the spring in their palms little by little until it became somewhat significant. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) washed his hands and face in it and then brought the water back to the spring whereupon the spring gushed forth with streaming water - or he said: abundant water - until the people drank water. Then, he said: "If you live for long, O Mu‘ādh, you will soon see what is here abounding with gardens.".

Commentary : Making things easy and lenient for the Muslims was the Prophet's approach, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to take his Ummah out of narrowness to broadness with regard to all matters. This can only be achieved by following his guidance, obeying him, and complying with his teachings.
In this Hadīth, Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the year of the battle of Tabūk, which took place in the ninth year after Hijrah. Tabūk is in the northernmost part of the Arabian Peninsula, midway on the road to Damascus, and it lies around 1252 km away from Hejaz. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to invade the Romans. During this journey, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would combine every two prayers. He would perform the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, and the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform the ‘Asr prayer at the time of Zhuhr and perform the ‘Ishā’ prayer at the time of Maghrib, in what is called jam‘ taqdīm (combining two prayers at the earlier time). Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that one day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the Zhuhr prayer to the time of ‘Asr and delayed the Maghrib prayer to the time of ‘Ishā’. This is called jam‘ ta’khīr (combining two prayers at the latter time).
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "You will come" in this travel and journey of yours; "tomorrow": the following morning; "Allah Willing", it is the Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) compliance with the verse that reads: {And never say about anything: "I will surely do this tomorrow," without adding: "if Allah wills."} [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] "The spring of Tabūk:" It is the well of water after which the area was named. There was a little water gathered in it. "and you will not reach it until the forenoon," i.e., the heat of the daytime grows intense with the coming of the forenoon. "Whoever of you reaches it" and moves faster and comes to it before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) arrives - this is because it was the Prophet's habit to move and travel at the rear of the army - "should not touch anything of its water," be it for drinking or other purposes, and whether it is little or much, until the Prophet's arrival. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably feared that if anyone touched the water before his arrival, it would cease to flow, given its little amount. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the blessing to appear in the water with his arrival and the water to suffice the entire army.
Then, Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We reached it and two men had arrived there ahead of us." Two Muslim men who were at the front of the army. "The spring:" that which contains water, "was like a shoelace:" the string used for fastening shoes. This indicates the severe shortage of water. "Providing a thin flow of water," i.e., it flows with little and thin water. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked the two men: "Did you touch anything of its water?" They replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) scolded them, which means he blamed and censured them. "And said to them what Allah willed him to say," i.e., he blamed them vehemently. And perhaps they were hypocrites and violated the command intentionally, and so their scolding was deserved. It is also probable they were not hypocrites, yet they did not know about the Prophet's prohibition. And it is likely that his scolding of them happened to be misplaced; thus, it constituted mercy and purification for them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "O Allah, I have entered into a covenant with You which You will not break. I am only a human being; so, if I have injured, reviled, cursed, or flogged a believer, make that for him a mercy, a purification, and a means by which You will bring him close to You on the Day of Resurrection."
Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) collected some water for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in a vessel after they drew it in their palms. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) washed his hands and face in it and then commanded that the water be brought back to the spring. When they did so, the spring gushed forth with abundant and torrential water, and the people drank and quenched their thirst. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) to come close and hasten - O Mu‘ādh - If Allah Almighty prolongs your life, you will see what is here filled with gardens. 'Gardens:' orchards of palm trees and other plants. The intended meaning is that the place will have plenty of water and its land will become fertile; thus, gardens with a lot of trees and fruits will grow there. This is one of the Prophet's miracles and signs of his prophethood, as this place thereafter became filled with plants and fruits and abounded with life.
In this Hadth: Combining two prayers during travel, whether the traveler is traveling or dwelling
And in it: Two clear miracles for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): the multitude of water, and his foretelling of some incidents of the Unseen.
And in it: The verbal discipline and non-obscene and non-vulgar words or scolding..

708

As-Suddi reported: I asked Anas: "How should I leave after I pray? To my right or to my left?" He said: "As for me, I most often saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his right.".

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi act of worship which we should take and learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This includes the manner of leaving after finishing the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān as-Suddi says that he asked the Companion, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him): How should I leave after finishing the prayer, to go back to the place I need to go - to my right or to my left? Replying to him, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he mostly saw the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turn to the right after finishing the prayer.
In a Hadīth narrated by Ahmad in his "Musnad Collection," ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I saw him leave to his right, and I saw him leave to his left," i.e., he would leave, after finishing the prayer, towards any of the two directions, without restricting departure to one particular direction, whether he turned towards those he led in prayer or headed to leave the mosque.
In the "Two Sahīh Collections", ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No one of you should give the devil anything of his prayer, thinking that it is due on him to leave only to his right. Indeed, I often saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his left." So, this matter has much leeway and no restriction.
It was said: that leaving to the right is preferable, but not obligatory, and there is nothing wrong with leaving towards the left side, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did the both. It was also said: that it depends on the need and necessity. If a person, after finishing the prayer, needs to go in a certain direction, he can turn to it, be it right or left..

709

Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib reported: When we prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), we would like to be on his right side so that he would turn his face towards us. He said: I heard him say: "My Lord, save me from Your punishment on the day You will resurrect - or gather - Your servants.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge the performance of the congregational prayer in the mosque in the first rows, and the Companions were keen on observing his commands. Some of them were keen on being close to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to learn from him and hear what he had to say.
This Hadīth shows the Companions' keenness to know the Prophet's statements and deeds in every minute detail. Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that whenever they prayed in the row behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they were keen on being on his right side. He clarified the reason for this by saying that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would turn his face towards them, i.e., after making taslīm (the end of prayer), he would turn to the right, facing his Companions. Also, Al-Barā' (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicate after the prayer, saying: "My Lord, save me," i.e., protect me from Your punishment, "on the day You will resurrect - or gather - Your servants," i.e., the Day of Resurrection, for reckoning. This is one of the most sublime supplications that point to the Prophet's fear of Allah Almighty.
In another version by Muslim: "He did not mention: so that he would turn his face towards us." This version indicates the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not persistent in turning to the right side after ending the prayer. In the "Two Sahīh Collections", ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No one of you should give the devil anything of his prayer, thinking that it is due on him to leave only to his right. Indeed, I often saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his left." He would leave, after finishing the prayer, towards any of the two directions, without restricting departure to any particular direction, whether he turned towards those he led in prayer or headed to leave the mosque.
In the Hadīth: Mentioning the Prophet's supplication after the prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the Prophet's fear of his Lord and his persistent supplication to Him.

710

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the iqāmah for prayer is made, there is no prayer but the obligatory one.".

Commentary : Prayer is the mainstay of religion, and its performance is obligatory for every Muslim. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the manner of praying and taught it to the Ummah, and he also taught us the order of prayers and what should be given precedence in case of conflict. The performance of the obligatory prayers takes precedence over offering the supererogatory ones.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that when the muezzin proclaims the iqāmah (the commencement of prayer) in the mosque, no one should embark upon the supererogatory prayer; rather, one should leave it and perform the obligatory prayer. His words "there is no prayer" probably mean that there is no prayer with a complete reward, or that the supererogatory prayer is not valid altogether after the proclamation of the iqāmah for the obligatory prayer; so, one should cut off the supererogatory prayer and perform the obligatory one. It was said: If he was in the first Rak‘ah, he should cut off the prayer. Yet, if he is in the second Rak‘ah, he can complete the prayer in a quick manner. This all applies to those in the mosque, which is the main rule regarding prayer.
In the Hadīth: Prohibiting the performance of the supererogatory prayer if the iqāmah for the obligatory one is proclaimed in the mosque..

712

‘Abdullāh ibn Sarjis reported: A man entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in the Morning prayer. He offered two Rak‘ahs in a corner of the mosque and then joined the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), made taslīm, he said: "O so and so, which one of the two prayers have you counted? Your prayer alone or your prayer with us?!".

Commentary : Performing the prayer in congregation in the mosque is of great significance and subject to particular rulings. When the congregational prayer commences, no one should embark upon another prayer. Rather, the Muslim should join the prayer whose iqāmah has been proclaimed. This is the command and guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was leading his Companions in "the Morning prayer", which is the Fajr prayer. Before joining the congregational prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he offered two Rak‘ahs as the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer alone in a corner of the mosque. Then, he entered the congregational prayer along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). After the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he called him - O so and so - and asked him: Which one of the two prayers have you counted as your obligatory prayer, "your prayer alone or your prayer with us?!" Which one have you counted as the obligatory prayer and which one the supererogatory prayer?! These are words of reprimand and rebuke from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for his performance of the supererogatory prayer while the Imām was offering the obligatory prayer. But this does not indicate that any of the two prayers is invalid.
In the Hadth: Evidence that after the iqmah is proclaimed, one should not embark upon a supererogatory prayer, even if he will be able to join the prayer with the Imam..

713

Abu Humayd, or Abu Usayd, reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you enters the mosque, let him say: 'Allahumma iftah li abwāba rahmatik' (O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy). And when he leaves, let him say: 'Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik' (O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty).".

Commentary : Mosques are the houses of Allah Almighty. They are held sacred in the hearts of the believers, and they are the place where prayers, individual and congregational, are performed, dhikr is observed, and Allah bestows His favor upon His servants by giving them great rewards.
This Hadīth addresses two of the etiquettes related to the mosque, to which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave direction. First: An etiquette related to entering the mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you enters the mosque," i.e., wants to enter it, when he arrives at its door, "let him say: O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy," which encompasses everything. This is an invocation to Allah to cover him with His vast mercy and enable him to perform the righteous deeds that will be a reason for entering through numerous gates of mercy.
Second: An etiquette related to leaving the mosque. He said: "And when he leaves, let him say, O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty" from Your lawful sustenance. This is an invocation to Allah and an acknowledgment that He is the Bestower of great favor upon His servants, the Provider, and the One Who gives out of His vast bounty without limit.
It was said: The reason for mentioning mercy with entering and bounty with leaving is that mercy in the Book of Allah is intended for the blessings related to people's souls and the Hereafter. Allah Almighty says: {But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they accumulate.} [Surat az-Zukhruf: 32] Whereas bounty is intended for worldly blessings. Allah Almighty says: {There is no blame upon you for seeking the bounty of your Lord [by trading].} [Surat al-Baqarah: 198] Allah Almighty also says: {When the prayer is over, disperse in the land and seek from the bounty of Allah.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 10] When a person enters the mosque, he seeks closeness to Allah and engages in deeds that bring him near Allah's rewards and Paradise; so, the mention of mercy suits that. And when he leaves the mosque, he seeks sustenance; so, the mention of bounty suits that.
The supplications reported in such situations are intended for giving guidance and taking into account occasions, and they aim at connecting the servant to his Lord in all his conditions and activities, and reminding that Allah Almighty has power over all things and that He likes that His servants ask of Him. Allah Almighty says: {Your Lord says: "Call upon Me; I will respond to you."} [Surat Ghāfir: 60]
In the Hadīth: Urging remembrance of Allah upon entering the mosque and upon leaving it..

715

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on an expedition. As we headed back, I urged my camel to move quickly as it was slow. A rider caught up with me from behind and he goaded my camel with an iron-tipped stick which he had with him. My camel moved forward like the best camel you have ever seen. I turned around and found him to be the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "What makes you in a hurry, O Jābir?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am newly wedded." He said: "Have you married a virgin or a previously married woman?" He said: I said: "A previously married woman." He said: "Why not a young girl so that you could play with her and she could play with you?" He said: Then, when we reached Madīnah and were about to enter, He said: "Wait so that we may enter by night - i.e., in the evening - in order for the one of unkempt hair to comb her hair and the one whose husband has been absent to shave her pubic hair." He said: And he said: "When you enter, then Al-Kays, Al-Kays (copulation; or discernment).".

Commentary : Marriage is part of Fitrah (natural disposition) and one of the immutable laws of Allah in this world, and it serves many Shar‘i interests. Our pure Shariah devoted attention to this Fitrah and urged and encouraged it. It directed us to the right way of choosing and the means for preserving this sublime blessing, through good manners and an amicable relationship between a man and his wife.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on an expedition outside Madīnah. It is said: This happened during the Conquest of Makkah, as they were returning from Makkah to Madīnah. On their way back to Madīnah, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) was in a hurry and quickened the pace of driving his camel, which was slow. Someone caught up with him from behind and goaded his camel, i.e., he struck it at the rear to hasten its pace, "with an iron-tipped stick which he had with him." That is a stick that resembles a spear. The camel hastened its pace and moved vigorously "like the best camels you have ever seen" i.e., like the best and fastest camels you ever see. Jābir turned his head around to see who goaded his camel and hastened its pace and found him to be the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about the reason for his being in haste and quickening his pace. In reply to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said that he was "newly wedded" i.e., he got married a short while ago. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him whether he had married a virgin, who did not marry before, or a previously married woman. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he married a previously married woman, not a virgin. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Why not a young girl"; this means a virgin. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was encouraging him to marry virgins. "so that you could play with her and she could play with you?" i.e., you have fun with her, and she has fun with you, and you fondle her, and she fondles you. Indeed, a previously married woman may feel attached to her former husband, unlike a young girl who did not marry before; her heart usually gets attached to her first husband. So, she actively cares about him and seeks to make him happy - in addition to other traits for which virgins are known and by which they surpass previously married women. In the Two Sahīh Collections: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, my father died - or he was martyred - and I have small sisters. So, I disliked that I should marry someone like them and she would not be able to discipline them and look after them. Therefore, I have married a previously married woman so that she would be able to look after them and discipline them." The version by Muslim has this addition: "May Allah bless you; or he said something good to me."
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when they returned to Madīnah, they hastened to enter and go to their families. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Wait" i.e., be patient and wait, and do not go to your families, "so that we may enter by night, i.e., in the evening" i.e., after the ‘Ishā’ prayer. He clarified the reason for the delay, saying: "in order for the one of unkempt hair to comb her hair" i.e., to prune and beautify the hair of her head. "the one of unkempt hair" is one whose hair became untidy and ugly in appearance. "and the one whose husband has been absent to shave her pubic hair"; using the razor blade to remove the pubic hair. "and the one whose husband has been absent" is called Al-Mughībah in Arabic. The intended meaning is that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prevented them from hastening to go to their families and commanded them to wait till the night, so as to give their women an opportunity to get prepared for them, tidy their appearances and hair, beautify themselves, and be ready to receive them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: "When you enter" i.e., when you go to your wife; "then Al-Kays, Al-Kays." It is said: It means copulation. So, he seemed to have encouraged him to engage in copulation. And it is said: Rather, he meant something more specific than that, namely the child. So, he seemed to have encouraged him to have a child. It is also said: It refers to reason and forbearance. So, it is as if he was saying to him: Be rational and forbearing when you go to your wife and be considerate of her condition in terms of purity and menstruation.
The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's amicable relationship with his Companions and that he was interested in their affairs and used to check on them.
It points out the merit of marrying a virgin.
It also shows the merit of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), as he went out for Jihad while he had been newly wedded.
The Hadīth demonstrates some of the etiquettes to be observed by one who returns from battle and travel..

715

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: that he was traveling on a camel of his, which had become exhausted; so, he intended to let it go free. He said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) followed me, made supplication for me, and struck it. Thereupon, it went in a way that it had never done before. He said: "Sell it to me for one ’Uqiya." I replied: 'No.' He again said: "Sell it to me." So, I sold it to him for one ’Uqiya. However, I stipulated that I should be allowed to ride it home. Then, when I reached (home), I took the camel to him, and he paid me its price in cash. Then, I went back, and he sent someone after me. He said: "Do you think that I bargained with you to take your camel? Take your camel and your money; it is yours.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to be aware of the conditions of his Companions in terms of richness and poverty and opulence and straits. He would probably make up some scenarios with them to give them without causing them to lose face.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was riding a camel of his, which had become exhausted and weak, during travel. It was said that this occurred during the Conquest of Makkah and that they were returning from Makkah to Madīnah. He wanted to release it in the desert. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) caught up with him, supplicated for him, and struck the camel. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the camel became strong and fast after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck it, and it walked in a way like never before. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked Jābir to sell the camel to him for one ’Uqiya of silver, which is worth 40 Dirhams or approximately 201 grams. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) refused to sell it to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Yet, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his offer, to which Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed, and he set a condition to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he should not take the camel before arriving in Madīnah and let Jābir ride it until he reached there. When they reached Madīnah, Jābir went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with the camel. Upon receiving the camel, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him its price in cash. As Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) returned, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent someone after him to call him back. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Do you think that I bargained with you to take your camel?!" Bargaining: It is to negotiate a transaction with the aim of reducing the price. The meaning: Do you think that I negotiated with you about your camel so as to take it from you?! "Take your camel and your money; it is yours." It is as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to say to him: I only intended to find a reason to give you money. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) was taking care of his sisters after the death of his father in the battle of ’Uhud. This shows the Prophet's care about the conditions of his Companions.
In the Hadīth: It is legitimate to ask to buy some commodity even if its owner does not offer it for sale and to bargain about the price.
And in it: Stipulating a certain benefit related to the sold object
And in it: Cash payment of the price should be made upon receiving the commodity.
And in it: It is legitimate to sell a camel with the exception of its riding.
And in it: Demonstrating that if a sale is made with a condition that does not contradict the purpose of the contract, the sale and the condition are valid..

Book of Hadith