It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith used to show us how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He would do that at a time other than the time of prayer. He stood fully upright and paused, then he bowed perfectly and paused, then he raised his head and stood up straight, pausing for a little while. He led us in a prayer like the prayer of this shaykh of ours, Abu Burayd. When Abu Burayd raised his head from the second prostration, he would sit up straight, then he would get up..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to teach the Muslims about their religion, and prayer was their top priority and foremost concern.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd tells us that Malik ibn al-Huwayrithused to teach them how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in practical terms, by demonstrating it to them. The apparent meaning of this report indicates that he (may Allah be pleased with him) showed them how each essential part of the prayer was to be done, and he did not teach them that at the time of prayer; rather it was at a time other than the time of prayer, so his prayer was a voluntary prayer that was done with the intention of teaching; it was not an obligatory or supererogatory prayer. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) began to teach them about the prayer, he stood fully upright, then he bowed properly, meaning that he made his back level, such that if water were to be poured on his back it would stay there, as it says in the hadith ofWabisah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated by Ibn Majah. Then he raised his head from bowing and stood up straight, returning to the same posture as before he bowed. “For a little while” means that he paused briefly between bowing and prostrating.
Then Abu Qilabah told Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, who narrated this hadith, that the prayer of Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) resembled, in the way it was done, the prayer as done by their shaykh, meaning Abu Burayd. His name was ‘Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmi, as stated by Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani. When the Sahabi ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his head from the final prostration – which means the second prostration in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs – he would sit up straight, meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) would sit up completely, and did not get up from prostration immediately. This is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest), and it was said that this is the completion of the rak‘ah. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that for a reason, either old age or sickness. It was also said that it is, in fact, intended to be part of the prayer, but it should be brief. Then ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) got up for the final rak‘ah, to complete his prayer.
This hadith indicates that one should pause and be at ease in each of the essential parts of the prayer.
It indicates that it is encouraged to learn and teach others.
It indicates that the jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible..

806

It was narrated from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib and ‘Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythi that Abu Hurayrah told them that some people said: O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the moon on the night when it is full and there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun when there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No. He said: “You will surely see Him like that. The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, and He will say: ‘Whoever used to worship something, let him follow it.’ So some of them will follow the sun, some of them will follow the moon, some of them will follow the false gods, then there will remain this ummah, including its hypocrites. Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say: ‘We will stay here until our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes, we will recognize Him.’ Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord,’ and they will say: ‘You are [indeed] our Lord.’ He will call them, and the sirat (bridge) will be set up over Hell, and I will be the first of the Messengers to cross it with his ummah. On that Day, no one will speak except the Messengers, and the words of the Messengers on that Day will be: ‘O Allah, grant safety, grant safety.’ In Hell there will be hookslike the thorns of al-sa‘dan; have you seen the thorns of al-sa‘dan?” They said: Yes. He said: “They will be like the thorns of al-sa‘dan, but no one knows how big they are except Allah. They will snatch the people on the basis of their deeds. Some of them will be doomed by their deeds, and some of them will be cut into tiny pieces, then saved. Then when Allah wants to show mercy to whomever He wills of the people of Hell, Allah will command the angels to bring forth anyone who used to worship Allah. So they will bring them forth, and they will recognize them by the marks of prostration, for Allah has prohibited the Fire to consume the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, and all of the son of Adam will be consumed by the Fire except the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, having been burned to cinders, then the water of life will be poured onto them, and they will grow like a seed grows in the mud left by a flood. Then Allah will finish judging between the people, and there will be left a man between Paradise and Hell – he will be the last of the people of Hell to enter Paradise – with his face turned towards Hell. He will say: ‘O Lord, turn my face away from Hell, for its smell is poisoning me and its flames are burning me.’ He will say: ‘If that is done for you, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: ‘No, by Your glory.’ And he will give Allah whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then Allah will turn his face away from the Fire. And when He turns him towards Paradise and he sees its beauty and opulence, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, bring me closer to the gate of Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had asked for?’ He will say:’ O Lord, I hope that I am not going to be the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah will say: ‘If you are given that, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: No, by Your glory, I will not ask for anything else.’ And he will give his Lord whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then He will bring him closer to the gate of Paradise, and when he reaches its gate and sees its beauty, and what it contains of delights and happiness, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, admit me to Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Woe to you, O son of Adam; how treacherous you are! Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had been given?’ He will say: ‘O Lord, do not make me the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will smile at him, then He will give him permission to enter Paradise. Then he will say: ‘Wish.’ So he will wish until, when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say: ‘What about such and such?’thus his Lord will remind him, until when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be exalted) will say: ‘You will have this and as much again.’” Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah will say: ‘You will have this and ten times as much.’” Abu Hurayrah said: I do not remember anything from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except that he said “You will have this and as much again.” Abu Sa‘id said: I heard him say: “You will have this and ten times as much.”.

Commentary : The believers’ seeing their Lord on the Day of Resurrection will be the greatest blessing that is granted to them. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to learn more about this and they asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about it, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He responded with a clear explanation that left no room for doubt about their seeing Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) on the Day of Resurrection. He said: Do you have any doubt about seeing the moon on the night when it is full, when there are no clouds in the sky? They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. Then he asked them: Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun when there are no clouds in the sky? They said: No. So he said: You will surely see Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in like manner, beyond a doubt, very clearly. This was comparing the clarity of seeing, not comparing the two objects seen, for there is nothing like unto Allah (may He be glorified).
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of different types of people and what their situation will be on the Day of Resurrection, for just as people differ in terms of their beliefs in this world, by the same token their situations will differ on the Day of Resurrection.
Allah (may He be exalted) will say to them: Whoever used to worship something, let him follow what he used to worship. So some of them will follow the sun, some of them will follow the moon, and some of them will follow the false gods. The word tawaghit (sing. taghut; translated here as false gods) refers to the Shaytan, idols and every leader of misguidance, or everything that was worshipped besides Allah and was content with that, and barred people from worshipping Allah. There will remain the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), including its hypocrites. As the hypocrites tried to conceal themselves by pretending to belong to this ummah in this world, in the hereafter they will follow them when reality becomes clear to them, hoping to benefit thereby, until {a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment} [al-Hadid 57:13]. It may be that they will be gathered with them because of what they showed outwardly of being Muslim, so they will be kept as they are until Allah distinguishes between the good and the bad. Then Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will come to them, and His coming will be in a manner befitting His essence, without interpreting the matter in a manner other than it appears to be, or denying it, or likening His attributes to those of His creation – but it will be in a manner other than what they know of Him, as a test from Him, to differentiate between them and those who used to worship others. Then He will say: I am your Lord. But they will seek refuge with Allah from Him, because He will not have appeared to them with the attributes that they recognize; rather He will appear with attributes that no one knows except Him (may He be exalted), because with them will be the hypocrites who do not deserve to see Him, and they will be prevented from seeing their Lord. So they will say: We will stay here until our Lord appears to us, and when our Lord appears, we will recognize Him. Then Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will appear to them, with the attributes that are known to them, after the believershave become distinct from the hypocrites. Then He will say to them: I am your Lord. When they see that, they will recognize Him (may He be exalted) thereby, so they will say: You are [indeed] our Lord.
Then the Lord will call them, and the Sirat will be set up across the middle of Hell, or over it. The Siratis a bridge that will extend over the top of Hell; it will be narrower than a hair and sharper than a sword. The people will cross it on the Day of Resurrection, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will be the first of the Messengers (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) to cross the Sirat, along with his ummah. The supplication of the Messengers at that time will be: “O Allah, grant safety,” out of pity and compassion for them. In Hell there will be many-branched hooks of iron on which people’s flesh will be caught. They will be like the thorns of al-sa‘dan, which is a thorny plant that is good for camels to graze on; it is mentioned by way of comparison. It will snatch people quickly, because of their bad deeds, or according to their deeds. Some of them will be doomed, and some of them will be cut into small pieces like mustard seeds; in other words, the hooks of the Sirat will cut them into pieces until they fall into the Fire. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will save from it whoever used to worship Allah alone, namely the sincere believers, for the disbeliever will never be saved from it and will abide therein for eternity.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that on the Day of Resurrection, the angels will recognize the believers by the marks of prostration, for the Fire will not consume the marks of prostration. There is a difference of scholarly opinion as to what is meant by the marks of prostration. It was said that it is the seven parts of the body (the forehead, the two hands, the two knees, and the two feet). It was also said that what is meant is the forehead only, and this is supported by what is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim: “Then some people will be brought forth from the Fire, having been burned in it, except for their faces.” They will be brought forth from the Fire having been burned and turned black, then the water of life will be poured over them; whoever drinks it or has it poured over him will never die. Then they will grow as a seed grows in mud and the like, which is what is meant by the mud left by a flood; this phrase refers to mud and other things carried by floodwaters. The word translated here as seed refers to the seeds of desert plants that are not used for food. His growth is likened to the growth of the seed of desert plants, because they are white and grow quickly.
Then Allah will judge between people, and one man – who will be the last of the people of Hell to enter Paradise – will remain between Paradise and Hell, facing towards the Fire. He will say: O Lord, turn my face away from the Fire, for its stench is killing me, meaning that it has poisoned and destroyed me, for it is like poison in my nose, and its flames have burned me, referring to its extreme heat. Allah (may He be exalted) will say: Perhaps if I do what you want for you, you will aspire and ask for more. The man will swear by the glory of our Lord that he will not ask for anything else, and Allah will accept his promise and oath to that effect. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will turn his face away from the Fire. Then when he is facing towards Paradise, he will see its beauty and opulence, so he will say: O Lord, bring me nearer to the gate of Paradise. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: Did you not give your promise and oath that you would not ask for anything except what you already asked for? He will say: O Lord, I gave you my promises, but Your generosity raised my hopes; I do not want to be the most wretched of Your creation. If you leave me in this situation, and do not admit me to Paradise, I will surely be the most wretched of Your creation. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will smile at him in a manner that is befitting to Him, without interpreting that in a manner other than the apparent meaning, and without denying it or likening Allah to His creation. Our Lord will say to him: Perhaps if I grant you what you want, you will ask for something else. Allah (may He be exalted) will only say that, although He knows best what has happened and will happen, so as to show how the son of Adam breaks his promises. The man will swear by the glory of our Lord that he will not ask for anything else, and Allah will accept his promise and oath to that effect. Then Allah will bring him close to the gate of Paradise, and when he reaches its gate and sees its beauty and what it contains of splendors and delights, he will be dazzled. He will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, out of shyness before his Lord, then he will ask his Lord to admit him to Paradise. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: Woe to you, O son of Adam; how treacherous you are! The word wayhaka (translated here as woe to you) is a word of compassion, whereas the word waylaka (which may also be translated as woe to you) is a word of punishment. And it was said that they both mean the same thing. Treachery means failing to fulfil promises. This man will not break his promise out of ignorance; rather he will do that because he will be aware that breaking his promise in this case is more appropriate than keeping it, because asking of his Lord is more appropriate than fulfilling his oath.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that Allah will give this man permission to enter Paradise, then He will say: Wish. So the man will wish until, when he runs out of wishes and has told his Lord everything that he wants and hopes for, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: You will have what you wish for and as much again. When Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was in the gathering in which Abu Hurayrah narrated this hadith –heard that, he told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying: “You will have this, and ten times as much.” It was said concerning this that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) initially told the people what is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, then Allah, by His generosity, increased what He will give to this person, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of that, and Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated it from him, but Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not hear that.
This hadith affirms that the believers will see their Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) on the Day of Resurrection.
It indicates that prayer is the best of deeds, because of what it involves of bowing and prostration, for the Fire will not consume the mark of prostration.
It affirms the existence of the Sirat, and that the believers will cross it.
It highlights the virtue of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his ummah, for they will be the first to cross the Sirat, before all other nations.
It indicates that some of the believers will be punished by being admitted to Hell, then Allah (may He be exalted) will show mercy to them by bringing them forth from it.
It indicates that the punishment of the believer will be different from the punishment of the disbeliever, because it will not include all of their bodies; rather the mark of prostration will be safe, and will be a sign for them, by which the intercessors will recognize them and bring them forth from the Fire.
It affirms some characteristics that are unique to the Essence of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Ahl al-Sunnah affirm for Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) what He has affirmed for Himself, without likening Him to His creation, or discussing how those attributes are, and without denying them or misinterpreting them. Rather they accept this and say: We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord..

812

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: on the forehead – and he pointed to his nose – the two hands, the two knees, and the toes of the two feet, and we should not tie up our garments or hair.”.

Commentary : Prostration is an important and essential part of the prayer, and is a way in which a person shows submission and humility to his Lord. Allah (may He be exalted) enjoined it in several places in His holy Book.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains the correct way to prostrate. He tells us that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) commanded him to prostrate on seven “bones”, meaning bones of the body. These seven parts are the forehead, which is the part of the face above the nose and eyes, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pointed to his nose, explaining that the forehead and nose together form one of these seven, and confirming that the one who prostrates should make his nose touch the ground. [These seven] also include the two hands, the two knees and the toes of the two feet and what is next to them. The two hands, the two knees and the two feet are the other six parts. And we should not tie up our garments or hair. Tying up the garment means tucking it up so that it will not drop or hang down. Tying up the hair means tying it with something so that it will not drop down and fall loose. What is meant is that we should not tuck up our hair or garments when prostrating on the ground in order to protect them; rather we should leave them as they are, so that they will fall on the ground and prostrate with the other parts of the body. The wisdom behind that is that if a person lifts up his garment and hair, and prevents them from touching the ground, he will be like one who is arrogant. It was also said that the hair will prostrate with the head if it is not tied up or wrapped up..

813

It was narrated that AbuSalamah said: I went to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri and said: Will you not come out with us to the palm trees so that we may talk? So he came out. I said: Tell me what you heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about Laylat al-Qadr. He said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observedi‘tikaffor the first ten days of Ramadan, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. ThenJibril came to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So he observed i‘tikaf for the middle ten days, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. Then Jibrilcame to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to address us on the morning of the twentieth of Ramadan, and said: “Whoever was observing i‘tikafwith the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), let him come back, for Laylat al-Qadr was shown to me, but I was caused to forget it. It is in the last ten nights, on an odd-numbered night, and I saw myself [in a dream] prostrating in mud and water.” The roof of the mosque was made of palm branches, and we did not see anything in the sky, then asmall cloud came and it rained, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in prayer,then I saw the traces of mud and water on the face of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and on the tip of his nose, in fulfillment of his dream..

Commentary : The month of Ramadan is the greatest of months in the sight of Allah (may He be exalted), and the greatest of its nights is Laylat al-Qadr. Hence the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) strove hard in seeking it and trying to determine which night it was. There are many reports that speak of when that night occurs, including this hadith, in which the Tabi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awfnarrates that he went to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him to go with him to a piece of land in which there were palm trees, and he asked him to tell him what he had heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about whenLaylat al-Qadr occurs. He told him that one year, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf for the first ten days of Ramadan. Then after that Jibril came to him and told him: Laylat al-Qadr, that you are seeking, is in the nights yet to come. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaffor the middle ten nights, and the Sahabah observed i‘tikaf with him. On the morning of the twentieth of Ramadan, Jibril came to him a second time, and told him something similar to what he had said the first time, referring to the last ten nights of the month. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed his companions, saying: Let whoever has observed i‘tikaf for the first ten days or the middle ten days, and has left the mosque, come back, for I have been told about Laylat al-Qadr, or I have been told when it will be – for Jibril (peace be upon him) had told him when it would be that year, but he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told his companions that he had forgotten it;however, he was certain that it would be in the last ten nights, on an odd-numbered night, which would be the twenty-first, or the twenty-third, or the twenty-fifth, or the twenty-seventh, or the twenty-ninth, one of the last ten nights of Ramadan.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of the sign of that night in that year, on the basis of a dream that he had seen, and the dreams of the prophets are true. He dreamt that he was prostrating in water and mud. Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The roof of the Prophet’s Mosque was made of palm branches, and nothing appeared in the sky to suggest that it was going to rain, then suddenly asmall cloud appeared – referring to a thin piece of cloud, then rain fell and the Muslims prayed, and the Prophet’s dream about prostrating in water and mud was fulfilled. The traces of mud appeared on the forehead of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and on the tip of his nose. This happened on the morning of the twentieth, which was the night before the twenty-first, as it says in a report narrated in al-Sahihayn. Thus the dream of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came true.
This hadith indicates that we are encouraged to seek out Laylat al-Qadr and make the most of it by doing righteous deeds, because of what this brings of increased virtue and reward.
It indicates that we are encouraged to observe i‘tikaf in Ramadan.
It confirms that when prostrating, we should make sure that the forehead and nose touch the ground. .

818

It was narrated from Abu Qilabah that Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said to his companions: Shall I not tell you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? And that was at a time that was not the time for prayer. He stood up, then he bowed and said takbir, then he raised his head and stood,pausing for a little while. Then he prostrated, then he raised his head and paused for a little while. And he prayed a prayer like the prayer of ‘Amr ibn Salimah, this shaykh of ours. Ayyub said: He used to do something that I never saw them do: he would sit in the third and fourth [rak‘ahs]. He said: We came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stayed with him, and he said: “When you go back to your families, pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time; pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time…When it is time to pray, let one of you give the call to prayer, and let the oldest of you lead you in the prayer.”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit them to those who came after them, especially the prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to his companions how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: Shall I not show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed? This was not at the time for an obligatory prayer, so his prayer was a voluntary prayer that was done with the aim of teaching; it was not an obligatory or supererogatory prayer. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) started to pray, he stood and said the takbir to start the prayer (takbirat al-ihram). Then he bowed and said takbir; the takbir for bowing came after it, not before it. Then he raised his head and stood, pausing for a little while between bowing and prostrating. Then he prostrated, then he raised his head and paused for a little while between the two prostrations, then he did the second prostration.
The Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd narrated that Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in a prayer like the prayer of ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was their shaykh and imam.
Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani – who narrated this hadith from Abu Qilabah and was one of the students of ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him) – said that he used to do something that he did not see anyone else do, which was that he used to sit briefly between the third and fourth [rak‘ahs]. What is meant is that he used to sit briefly, after the second prostration in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs, then stand up after that. This is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest). It was said that this sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah, and it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it for a reason, either because of old age or because of sickness. It was also said that it is part of the prayer, but it should be brief.
Then Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) told them, after finishing his prayer, that they came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after they had become Muslim, and they stayed with him. When they asked his permission to go back to their families, he gave them permission and told them the times of the prayers when they must pray. Then he instructed them, when the time for prayer began, whether they were at home or travelling, that one of them should give the call to prayer and that the oldest of them should lead them in the prayer.
We may reconcile between this and the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “The people should be led in prayer by the one who has the most knowledge of the Book of Allah”– which is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) – by noting that giving precedence on the basis of age is applicable when the people praying are all equal in terms of knowledge of Qur’an and recitation. This may be understood from the story in this case, because they had become Muslim and migrated together, and they had all accompanied the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stayed with him, and they were equal in terms of what they had learned from him, so there was no criteria to determine who should lead the prayer except age.
This hadith indicates that jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible.
It indicates that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) varied in their knowledge of the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that some of them had knowledge that others did not have.
It indicates that prayer may be done at a time other than the time for prayer, for the purpose of teaching.
It indicates that the Muslim should be keen to teach his family about how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed..

821

It was narrated from Thabit that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will do my best to lead you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lead us in prayer. Thabit said: Anas ibn Malik used to do something that I have not seen you do. When he raised his head from bowing, he would stand for so long that one would think that he had forgotten, and [he would sit up] between the prostrations for so long that one would think that he had forgotten..

823

It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith al-Laythi told us that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying, and in the odd-numbered rak‘ahsof his prayer, he did not get up until he had first sat up straight..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, then they were keen to teach this to the Muslims who came after them.
In this hadith, Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) – who used to watch the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he prayed, so that he could learn how he prayed and teach it to those who came after him – tells us that in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs of his prayer – meaning the first and third rak‘ahs – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not get up to start the following rak‘ah straight after prostrating in these odd-numbered rak‘ahs. Rather he would sit briefly, which is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest). It was said that this sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah, and it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that for a reason, either because of old age or sickness. And it was said that it is in fact part of the prayer, but it should be brief.
This hadith indicates that jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible..

825

It was narrated that Sa‘id ibn al-Harith said: Abu Sa‘id led us in prayer and recited the takbir out loud when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated, when he raised [his head again], and when he stood up following the [first] two rak‘ahs, and he said: This is what I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do..

827

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdillah that he told him that he used to see ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels when sitting during the prayer, so I did that too. At that time I was very young, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told me not to do that, and said: The Sunnah in prayer is to hold your right foot upright and tuck your left foot underneath you. I said: But you do that. He said: My feet do not carry me. .

Commentary : Conveying the teachings of Islam and teaching them to the people is obligatory upon every Muslim, to the extent of his knowledge and ability, and no Muslim should refuse to convey the teachings even if he is not able to put them into practice himself because of sickness, weakness and the like.
In this hadith, it says that the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Umar saw his father (may Allah be pleased with him) kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels when he sat to recite the tashahhud. This manner of sitting means that a person sits on his buttocks, and tucks his right and left feet under him and sits on them. When his son ‘Abdullah saw him doing that in the prayer, he imitated him and did the same as he did. But Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and when his son said to him,” But you do that,” he told him the reason why he did it, which was that his feet were not able to carry him because of old age or sickness. And he told him that the Sunnah is to sit with the right foot held upright, and to sit on the left foot which is tucked underneath one.
This is the description of sitting to recite the first tashahhud if the prayer consists of four rak‘ahs. In the final tashahhud, the Sunnah is to sit in the manner called tawarruk, because of the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him): When he [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] sat following the [first] two rak‘ahs, he sat on his left foot, holding the right foot upright, and when he sat in the final rak‘ah, he pushed his left foot forward a little and held the other foot upright, and sat on his buttocks on the ground..

828

It was narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Halhalah, from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Ata’, that he was sitting with a group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we mentioned the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi said: I know best among you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). I saw him when he said takbir; he lifted his hands level with his shoulders. When he bowed, he placed his hands firmly on his knees, then he made his back straight. When he lifted his head, he stood up straight until each vertebra returned to its place. When he prostrated, he put his hands [on the ground] without resting his forearms on the ground or holding them close to his body, and his toes pointed towards the qiblah. When he sat after the first two rak‘ahs, he sat on his left foot and held his right foot upright. When he sat in the final rak‘ah, he brought his left foot forward a little underneath him, held his right foot upright, and sat on his buttocks..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to watch the movements of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow his practice in all things, and to transmit it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Abu Humayd as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) describes how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to a group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who were talking about the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): I am the one among you who has most knowledge of how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. It was said to him – as is mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud: how is that, for by Allah you did not keep closer to him than us, and you did not accompany him for longer than us? He said: I kept watching him pray until I learned how he prayed. What he meant was that even though he did not accompany the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for the longest time, he made up for that by watching the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until he had memorized how he prayed. Then he began to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He told them that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), he would raise his hands level with his shoulders, and when he bowed he would place his hands firmly on his knees, then make his back straight, meaning that when he bowed, he kept his back straight, from the neck, without any bend in it. When he lifted his head from bowing, he would stand up straight until each vertebra returned to its place; the vertebrae are the bones of the spine. What is meant is that he would stand up straight after bowing, then pause briefly whilst standing. When he prostrated, he placed his hands on the ground, without resting his forearms on the ground, which is a posture that resembles that of wild animals and the like. He also did not rest his belly on any part of his thighs, or bring his arms in close to the body or hold them underneath his belly. He would make his toes point towards the qiblah. Then [Abu Humayd] described how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat between the two prostrations: he would hold his right foot upright and tuck his left foot under him and sit on it. This is the manner of sitting that is called iftirash. When he sat in the final tashahhud, he would bring his left foot forward a little and hold his right foot upright, and he would sit on his buttocks. This is the manner of sitting that is called tawarruk.
This hadith encourages the Muslim to study and seek knowledge, and to verify what is learned by checking with people of knowledge.
It indicates that it is permissible for a man to describe himself as being more knowledgeable than others, if that will not lead to self-admiration and he wants to explain that to others who hear him.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), how he paused and how he stood up straight in the prayer..

831

It was narrated that Shaqiq ibn Salamah said: ‘Abdullah said: When we prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we said: Peace be upon Jibril and Mika’il; peace be upon So-and-so and So-and-so. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to us and said: “Indeed Allah is al-Salaam, so when one of you prays, let him say: Al-tahiyyatuLillahiwa’l-salawatuwa’l-tayyibat. Al-salaamu ‘alaykaayyuha’l-Nabiyyuwarahmatullahiwabarakatuhu. Al-salaamu ‘alaynawa ‘ala ‘ibadillah’i-salihin (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah). If you say that, it will include every righteous slave of Allah in heaven and on earth. [Then say:]Ashhaduan la ilahailla Allah waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasuluhu (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to pray and what supplications to say in the prayer. He has taught us what is to be said and when, including the tashahhud following the first two rak‘ahs and the final tashahhud of every prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in their prayer, in the tashahhud, they used to say, “Peace be upon Allah (al-salaamu ‘ala Allah),” as is clearly stated in another report in al-Sahihayn. Then they would say, “Peace be upon Jibril and Mika’il, and peace be upon So-and-so and So-and-so,” mentioning the names of other angels. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard them, he turned to face them and said to them: Indeed Allah is al-Salaam – meaning that it is not right to say Peace be upon Allah. He objected to them saying that, and taught them that what they were saying was the opposite of what should be said, for all well-being (salamah) and mercy belongs to Him and comes from Him, for He is the owner and giver thereof. And it was said that he instructed them to direct their salutation of salaam to people, because people are in need of well-being, whereas Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) does not need that. Al-Salaam is one of the names of Allah (may He be exalted), which is indicative of His being free of (salamah) all shortcomings and defects.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught them what they should say in the tashahhud. “Al-tahhiyatuLillah (all compliments are due to Allah) – this refers to salutations, or to being free of defects and shortcomings. It was also said that it refers to sovereignty, everlastingness or greatness. It was also said that what is meant by compliments is all types of glory and greatness. What is meant is that all of this belongs to Allah (may He be exalted) by right. “Al-salawat (prayers)” – it was said that what is meant here is the five daily prayers, or all acts of worship, or supplications, or mercy. And it was said that tahiyyat (translated here as compliments) refers to verbal acts of worship and salawat (translated here as prayers) refers to physical acts of worship, and tayyibat (translated here as pure words) refers to financial acts of worship. With regard to the word “wa’l-tayyibat (translated here as ‘and pure words’)”, this refers to a good word, or it refers specifically to the remembrance of Allah (dhikr). It was also said that it refers to righteous deeds in general. “Al-salaamu ‘alaykaayyuha’l-Nabiyyuwarahmatullahiwabarakatuhu” – salaam here is meant in the sense of greeting; what is meant is that we direct to you greetings and salutations. And it was said that what is meant is well-being and safety, in which case the meaning is: May you be safe from any harm. And it was said that it refers to the name of Allah al-Salaam, in which case the meaning is: May you be blessed by virtue of the divine name al-Salaam. Barakah (blessing) is an increase in goodness. “Al-salaamu ‘alayna (peace be upon us)” is addressed to ourselves; “wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahi’l-salihin (and upon the righteous slaves of Allah)” refers to those who obey the commands of Allah and carry out their duties towards Him and towards His slaves. Thus the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught them to refer to him separately, because of his honourable status and the great rights that he has over them, then he taught them to mention themselves in particular, because it is more appropriate to be more concerned about themselves. Then he instructed them to send greetings and salutations to all of the righteous, indicating that supplication for the believers should include all of them. Then he told them that when they say “Al-salaamu ‘alaynawa ‘ala ‘ibadillah’i-salihin (Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah),”the benefit of this salaam will reach every righteous slave on earth or in heaven. This includes the angels, the jinn and humans.
“Ashhaduan la ilahailla Allah (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah)” – a report narrated by Abu Dawud from Ibn ‘Umar adds the words “wahdahu la sharikalah (alone, with no partner or associate).” This is testifying to the oneness of Allah (may He be glorified), and there is none that is deserving of worship except Him. The words “waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasuluhu (and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)” are an affirmation that Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah is a Messenger from Allah to all people, and that he is the last of the Messengers whom all people are required to obey and follow..

834

It was narrated from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Teach me a supplication that I may offer in my prayer. He said: “Say: Allahummainnizalamtunafsizulmankathiran, wa la yaghfirul-dhunubailla anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indikawarhamni, innaka anta al-Ghafurul-Rahim (O Allah, indeedI have wronged myself greatly, and no one forgives sins except You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful).”.

Commentary : No one can avoid falling short in his duty to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and committing some sins. In this hadith, we see a concise supplication that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) when he asked him to teach him a supplication that he could offer in his prayer. What appears to be the case is that he wanted something that he could say following the final tashahhud and sending blessings on the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: Say: “Allahummainnizalamtunafsizulmankathiran (O Allah, indeed I have wronged myself greatly),” by committing sins and falling short in my duty to Allah (may He be exalted). “wa la yaghfirul-dhunubailla anta (and no one forgives sins except You)” – and this is an admission of sin and an acknowledgement that sin is the action of the person himself, and it is an admission and acknowledgement that no one forgives sins except Allah, because of His perfect sovereignty. “faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indikawarhamni, innaka anta al-Ghafurul-Rahim (so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)” – this is like the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {and who can forgive sins except Allah?} [Al ‘Imran 3:135]. This is an affirmation of the oneness of the Creator (may He be glorified and exalted), and seeking His forgiveness by means of this admission.
This supplication is an example of concise speech, as it contains an admission of serious shortcomings – which is the fact that the individual has wronged himself greatly – and seeking the greatest blessing, which is forgiveness and mercy, for forgiveness conceals and erases sins, and mercy is the sending of blessings and granting of good. Thus the former is akin to being drawn away from the Fire and the latter is akin to being admitted to Paradise, and this is the great triumph..

837

Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, the women would get up and leave when he finished his taslim, and he would stay where he was for a while, before he got up to leave..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen that women should not mix with men, and he would take measures to prevent them mixing with men, because of the great mischief that results from that. In this hadith, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim at the end of the prayer, the women would get up as soon as he finished the taslim, and hasten to leave the mosque, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not rush to get up. Rather he would stay where he was for a little while after finishing the prayer, so that the women would have the chance to exit the mosque and leave before the men started leaving, lest some of the men who were leaving after the prayer come in close contact with the women. All of this was by way of barring means that could lead to evil, and keeping men and women separated for fear of fitnah (temptation). In congregational prayers, the women’s rows were at the back, with the children’s rows in front of them, and in front of the children were the men’s rows, behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that the imam should pay attention to the circumstances of those praying behind him, and he should take measures to avoid any situation that could lead to impropriety.
It indicates that one should avoid being in any dubious situation in which one could be accused of mischief.
It indicates that men should not mix with non-mahram women in the streets, let alone in houses..

838

It was narrated that ‘Itban ibn Malik said: We prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we said the taslim when he said the taslim..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, ‘Itban ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates a report about when to say the taslim when praying behind an imam. He tells us that the taslim of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), when they were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), came at the same time as the taslim of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other words, they would begin to say their salaam after he began to say his salaam and before he finished saying it. And it was said that this is not what is meant; rather what is meant is that they said the taslim straight after he finished his, with no lag, and this was expressed by suggesting this it happened at the same time, because when things come immediately after one another, it is almost like they are happening at the same time..

841

It was narrated from Abu Ma‘bad, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that raising the voice in dhikr when the people have finished an obligatory prayer is something that used to take place at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And Ibn ‘Abbas said: I used to know that they had finished the prayer when I heard that..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them. Part of the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions was to remember Allah (dhikr) after the prescribed prayers, and to raise their voices in doing that.
In this hadith, Abu Ma‘bad, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that Ibn ‘Abbas(may Allah be pleased with him) told him that raising the voice in dhikr is something that was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), meaning the dhikrs and du‘a’s that followed the prayer, such as seeking forgiveness (istighfar), glorifying Allah (tasbih), praising Him (tahmid) and magnifying Him (takbir), when the people had finished the obligatory prayer. This is something that happened and was practised at the time of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What is meant by finishing the prayer is the taslim. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) would know that the people had finished the prayer when he heard the dhikr. This highlights the fact that it is permissible to say dhikr out loud following the prayer. This hadith may be understood as meaning that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only said it out loud in order to teach the people what to say in dhikr, not that he always did 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..

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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

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