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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
254
It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Mut‘im said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “As for me, I pour water over my head three times,” and he gestured with both hands..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to his ummah in both words and deeds how to purify oneself from impurity, which includes doing ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah. In this hadith, Jubayr ibn Mut‘im narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pour water over his head three times. Some of the Sahabah differed concerning the way in which the head is to be washed when doing ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah, and that discussion took place in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim. Each of them demonstrated how he did it, and some of the people said: As for me, I wash my head like this, showing how much water they used and how many times they poured water over their heads, being extremely thorough in cleansing it. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “As for me, I pour water over my head three times,” and he gestured with both hands. What that means is that he would take water in both hands, then pour it over his head, and he did that three times, to indicate the minimum amount of water that is sufficient to wash the head..

256
It was narrated that Abu Ja‘far said: Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said to me: Your cousin– meaning al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah – came to me and said: How is ghusl to be done to cleanse oneself from janabah? I said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take three handfuls of water and pour them over his head, then he would pour water over the rest of his body. Al-Hasan said to me: I am a man who has a lot of hair. I said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had more hair than you..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) all religious matters – especially those that are done repeatedly every day, such as wudu’, ghusl and prayer – so that they would know these things and convey them to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Baqir said: Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: Your cousin came to me – meaning al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah; this Muhammad was the son of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Hasan asked Jabir how to do ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah. The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) as the result of a wet dream or intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take three handfuls of water and pour it over his head, then he would pour water on the rest of his body. Al-Hasan said to Jabir: I am a man who has a lot of hair, indicating that this amount of water was too little to wash his head, and would not be enough for all of his hair, using that as an excuse to use more water. But Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had more hair than you, meaning that he used to do that with this amount of water, even though his hair was thick. This highlights that no one has any excuse for being extravagant in his use of water on the grounds that he wants to make it reach all of his hair [or body].
This hadith urges us to be economical in using water.
It highlights how long the hair of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was.
It also highlights the eagerness of the Tabi‘in to learn from the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them)..

258
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would call for a vessel the size of a milking pail, then he would scoop up a handful of water from it, and begin with the right side of his head, then the left side, and he gestured with both hands on the middle of his head..

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us in both word and deed how to do ghusl to cleanse ourselves from janabah, and the etiquette and Sunnahs of doing so.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would prepare to do that and he would ask that a vessel the size of a milking pail be brought. This refers to a vessel big enough to hold the milk of a she-camel. Then he would take a handful of water and start with the right side of his head, then the left side, then he did that with both hands on his head. In other words, he would take some water in his hand the first time and wash his head, starting on the right side, then he would take another handful of water and wash his head, starting on the left side. That was because he liked to start on the right in all things. Then he would take water in both hands for the last time, and pour it all over his head from his two hands. This is the Sunnah of ghusl as is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights how the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were keen to describe the tiniest details of his life, so as to teach the ummah..

262
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would wash his hands first..

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us in both word and deed how to do ghusl to cleanse ourselves from janabah, and the etiquette and Sunnahs of doing so.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would wash his hands; what is meant is that he would wash his hands before doing ghusl and before putting his hand into the vessel to take some water, as is proven in another report. This is an example of prophetic etiquette, and is done so as to ensure that the hand is pure and that nothing dirty is stuck to it, so as not to contaminate the water. Thus he could be certain that the water was completely pure..

266
It was narrated that Maymunah bint al-Harith said: I brought some water for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do ghusl, and screened him. He poured water over his hand and washed it once or twice – Sulayman [one of the narrators] said: I do not know whether he mentioned a third time or not – then he poured water with his right hand onto his left hand and washed his private part. Then he rubbed his hand on the ground or on the wall. Then he rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose, washed his face and hands, and washed his head. Then he poured water over his body. Then he stepped aside and washed his feet. Then I handed him a cloth, but he gestured like this with his hand, and did not want it..

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how to do ghusl to cleanse ourselves from janabah, and the etiquette and Sunnahs of doing so.
This hadith includes a description of his ghusl; his wife Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she brought water for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for him to do ghusl with it, then she concealed him with a curtain or screen. He poured water on his hand before putting his hand into the vessel, washing it once or twice to clean it before putting his hand into the water and scooping it up. The narrator was not sure whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) washed his hands a third time or not. Then he poured water with his right hand over his left hand, and washed his private part, then he rubbed his hand on the ground or on the wall so as to remove dirt from his hand. Then he rinsed his mouth by taking water into his mouth and moving it around, then spitting it out; and he cleaned his nose by sniffing water up into his nose, then expelling it, to clean the nose. Then he washed his face and hands, then he washed his head. Thus he did wudu’ before doing ghusl. Then he poured water over the rest of his body. Then he stepped aside from that place, and washed his feet outside of the place where he had done ghusl. Then – after he had finished his ghusl – Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) handed him a cloth with which to dry his body, but he gestured with his hand like this, indicating that he would not take it and did not want to take it; rather he left the water to fall from his body without him drying himself.
This hadith highlights how the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were keen to describe the tiniest details of his life, so as to teach the ummah..

270
It was narrated that Muhammad ibn al-Muntashir said: I asked ‘A’ishah a question, and I told her what Ibn ‘Umar had said: I would not like to enter ihram in the morning with the smell of perfume still emanating from me. ‘A’ishah said: I put perfume on the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he went around to his wives, then he entered ihram in the morning..

Commentary : Wearing perfume is one of the things that are prohibited whilst in ihram; what is meant is putting on perfume after entering ihram.  ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not like to have any trace of perfume on him, even if he had put it on before entering ihram. Hence he said: I would not like to enter ihram in the morning with the smell of perfume still emanating from me. When Muhammad ibn al-Muntashir mentioned to ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) what Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had said, she explained that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put on perfume before entering ihram, and that she herself was the one who had put it on him, adorning him with beautiful fragrances before he formed the intention to perform the rituals, and before he entered ihram for that purpose. Then he went around to his wives and had intercourse with them, then he entered ihram on the morning of the following day, and undoubtedly the traces of that perfume were still present, as is mentioned in the report narrated in al-Sahihayn: It is as if I can still see the glistening of the perfume in the hair of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in ihram.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to put on perfume before entering ihram.
It indicates that the Sahabah sometimes refuted one another’s views.
It highlights the fact that a woman may serve her husband and put perfume on him..

275
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The call immediately preceding the prayer (iqamah) was given, the rows had been straightened and the people were standing, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to us. But when he stood in his place, he remembered that he was junub, so he said to us: “Stay where you are,” then he went back and did ghusl. Then he came out to us with his head dripping with water, and said the takbir and led us in prayer..

Commentary : Purification from impurity is a condition of prayer being accepted; no prayer is valid without one being in a state of purity.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that one day the iqamah was given for one of the prayers in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the rows were organized and straightened as the people stood for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to lead the people in prayer, but when he stood in the imam’s place, he remembered that he was junub and had not done ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah. The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to remain where they were, then he went back to the apartments of his wives and did ghusl, then he came out to them with his head dripping with water as a result of having done ghusl. Then he led the people in prayer. This was by way of teaching his companions and his ummah that no one should be embarrassed about acts of purification and doing what Allah has prescribed when he remembers it, and he should not feel embarrassed before people.
The hadith indicates that the one who remembers that he is junub when he is in the mosque should leave the mosque and do ghusl; he does not have to do tayammum in order to walk out of the mosque, and the same applies to the one who wants to pass through the mosque when he is junub..

277
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When one of us became junub, she would scoop water over her head with her hands three times, then she would pour water with her hand over her right side and pour water with her other hand over her left side..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the etiquette of purifying ourselves and doing ghusl, part of which is to start on the right hand side.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when one of the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them) became junub – and the word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself, and this applies to both men and women – she would scoop water with her hand and pour it over her head three times, to make the water reach the roots of the hair. Then she would begin by taking water in her hand and pouring it over the right side of her body, then she would do the same on the left side of her body, using the other hand. This is the sequence of actions when doing ghusl, starting on the right to seek blessing thereby, after washing the hair and the head first, to ensure that water reaches everywhere under the hair, because water does not reach there easily. .

278
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Children of Israel used to bathing naked, looking at one another, but Musa used to bathe alone. They said: ‘By Allah, nothing is preventing Musa from bathing with us except that he has large testicles.’ He went to bathe one time, and placed his garment on a rock, then the rock fled with his garment, so Musa chased after it, saying ‘My garment, O rock!’ until the Children of Israel saw Musa and said: ‘By Allah, there is nothing wrong with Musa.’ Then Musa took his garment and struck the rock repeatedly.” Abu Hurayrah said: By Allah, he left marks on the rock, six or seven marks from striking it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praised modesty and shyness (haya’) and urged people to be modest, stating that it is one of the branches of faith. The Prophets were the most modest of people, and our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was more modest and shy than a virgin in her chamber. Allah’s Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was also very modest and shy.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us of the modesty and shyness of Musa (peace be upon him). Because of his shyness and modesty, he did not bathe naked, even though the Children of Israel used to bathe naked and did not see anything wrong with that. It may be that that was permissible in their law. It was said that this may have happened when they were wandering in the wilderness, because there were no buildings there; it was also said that nakedness was forbidden for them, but they were careless about the matter and did it deliberately, deliberately flouting religious teachings and going against Musa (blessings and peace be upon him). This is an example of their stubbornness and carelessness in following the teachings of Musa.
Musa (peace be upon him) never appeared naked in front of anyone when bathing. When the Children of Israel saw Musa refraining from bathing naked as they did, they began to speak ill of him, and said that he had large testicles; it was also said the word translated here as large testicles refers to a scrotal hernia. On one occasion he went to bathe, and he put his garment on a rock. It was Allah’s will to prove that what they were saying about Musa was false, so the rock fled by Allah’s leave, taking Musa’s garment with it, as he was chasing it and running behind it, saying, ‘My garment, O rock!’ Musa (peace be upon him) only spoke to the rock because he regarded it as something sentient after it had fled with his garment, so it had ceased to be inanimate and now came under the heading of animate things. This is why he called out to it. When Musa appeared naked, the Children of Israel saw him and realized that he was sound in body. It may be that he was wearing a thin waist wrapper which showed what was beneath it and it got wet, so they saw that he was the best of creation, and the vile notion that they had had in mind was dispelled. So they said: By Allah, there is nothing wrong with Musa and no defect in him. Then Musa caught up with the rock, took his garment and put it on. Then he struck the rock, leaving six or seven marks on it, and the traces of his blows, of which there were six or seven, were clearly visible to the onlooker.
This hadith speaks of a miracle of Musa (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), namely: the rock’s running away, carrying his garment, to a group of the Israelites; Musa’s calling out to the rock; and his blows leaving marks on it.
It also indicates that Allah (may He be exalted) made His Prophets perfect both physically and in their character, and He protected them from having defects and shortcomings..

279
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst Ayyub was bathing naked, locusts of gold fell on him, so Ayyub started to collect them in his garment. His Lord called out to him: ‘O Ayyub, have I not made you independent of means so that you have no need of what you see?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, by Your glory, but I cannot do without Your blessing.’”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has promised His slaves good things as provision, and has enjoined them to give thanks for His blessings. If a person gives what is due on his wealth and give thanks to the Bestower of blessings, then he has done what is required of him. The Prophets are the most perfect of people, the most grateful and the most assiduous in giving what is due.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that Allah’s Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was bathing naked one day, but he was far away from where people could see him. There came down upon him from heaven locusts of gold, as a miracle from Allah (may He be exalted), so Ayyub (peace be upon him) began to pick them up by the handful and throw them into his garment. Allah (may He be exalted) said to him: “O Ayyub, have I not made you independent of means so that you have no need of what you see?” This was not a rebuke from Allah (may He be exalted); rather it was more like speaking gently to him and testing him to see whether he would give thanks for what had been bestowed upon him, and thus become more grateful. Hence Ayyub (peace be upon him) swore by Allah’s glory that he recognized the blessing that Allah had bestowed upon him, then he said: But I cannot do without Your blessing. It is impossible to think that Ayyub (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took this wealth out of love of worldly gain; rather he took it, as he himself explained, because it was a blessing from his Lord, for it was newly created by Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), or because it was an extraordinary new blessing, so he should accept it and express his need for whatever Allah sent down of good. That was an expression of gratitude and appreciation for the blessing, for ignoring it would have been a kind of ingratitude for it.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to be keen to acquire halal wealth.
It also highlights the virtue of being well off, for one who is grateful, because he called it a blessing..

283
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) met him in one of the streets of Madinah when he was junub, so he turned back from him, then he went and did ghusl, then he came back. [The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] said: “Where did you go, O Abu Hurayrah?” He said: I was junub, and I did not like to sit with you when I was not in a state of purity. He said: “Subhan Allah! The Muslim does not become impure (najis).”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) had the greatest respect for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Some of them viewed janabah as a very serious matter, and regarded it as a kind of physical impurity, so they would not like to sit with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or touch him when they were in that state. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them the correct view concerning that matter, and that the believer never becomes impure (najis), even if he is junub, as referred to in this hadith. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) met him in one of the streets of Madinah when he was junub. This word refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. So Abu Hurayrah turned back after meeting the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), without speaking to him or greeting him; he went and did ghusl and purified himself, removing the state of janabah and major impurity, then he came back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who asked him why he had disappeared and hidden in a manner that was not normal in his case. Abu Hurayrah told him that he had refused to meet the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because he believed that if the Muslim is junub, he has become impure (najis). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was surprised by Abu Hurayrah’s thinking and what he believed, for janabah only prevents a person from praying, touching the Mus-haf and entering the mosque; it does not prevent him from sitting with other Muslims or meeting them, and the one who is junub does not become impure in a literal sense. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that the Muslim does not become impure and that he is not filthy, meaning that when the Muslim is not in a state of purity (taharah), he is impure according to Islamic rulings, but he is not impure in a real sense, so he himself does not become najis because of the impurity that happened to him in his body. The description of him being impure is just a ruling that the Lawgiver applies to the body, so janabah prevents him from doing some things, such as praying and reading Qur’an. As for sitting with other people and interacting with them, that is not included among the things that are not allowed when one is junub. The believer is pure (tahir) in and of himself always, whether he is junub or not..

290
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that he said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he became junub at night, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Do wudu’ and wash your penis, then go to sleep.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of mercy and compassion towards people, and seeks to make things easy for them. One example of that is the fact that purifying oneself from major impurity after becoming junub in order to resume doing acts of worship is a ruling with which one must comply; janabah is a shar‘i description, and it does not prevent one from dealing with other issues of daily life.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘Umar asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whether a person could go to sleep when he is not in a state of purity because he is junub.
The word junub refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that if he wanted to go to sleep when he was in a state of janabah, it was better for him to do wudu’ and wash his penis, but he did not have to do a complete ghusl. According to a report narrated by Muslim, he said: “Yes; let him do wudu’ then go to sleep, and then he does ghusl when he wants to.” Thus the time of doing ghusl is based on his choice, and ghusl becomes necessary if he wants to do some act of worship, especially when the time for prayer comes; in that case he must do it before the time for that prayer ends.
This hadith indicates that one may ask about matters of concern, and should not feel too shy to ask.
It also indicates that janabah is a shar‘i description, and is not to be taken literally..

291
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.”.

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. This applies to both men and women. This hadith highlights one of the things that make it obligatory to do ghusl to cleanse oneself of janabah, namely intercourse. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that when the husband sits with his wife in an intimate position, and sits “between her four parts” – meaning between her arms and legs, or between her legs and thighs, and there are other explanations – and has intercourse with her; what is meant is penetration, which is when the man’s penis enters into the woman’s vagina and its head disappears, then ghusl becomes obligatory for both spouses at that point, regardless of whether the man ejaculates or not, as is clearly stated in a report narrated by Muslim, in which it says, “even if he does not ejaculate.” This hadith abrogates other hadiths which say that ghusl is not obligatory for a man who has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate.
This hadith indicates that one should not be explicit or mention words that could cause embarrassment or be considered obscene, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used a metaphor to refer to intercourse..

293
It was narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b that he said: O Messenger of Allah, what if a man has intercourse with a woman and does not ejaculate? He said: “He should wash what touched the woman of his body, then do wudu’ and pray.”.

Commentary : Janabah refers to major impurity that results either from intercourse or the emission of maniy (semen). Islamic teaching enjoins doing ghusl to energize and cleanse the body, and to purify oneself completely.
In this hadith, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that he asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the ruling on a man who has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate; does he have to do ghusl? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) replied by saying: “He should wash what touched the woman of his body”, which is a metaphor for washing the penis, as mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim, then he may do wudu’ and pray, and he does not have to do a complete ghusl, washing his entire body. This was the ruling in the beginning, then it was abrogated by what is mentioned in several other hadiths, which indicate that intercourse necessitates ghusl, regardless of whether ejaculation occurs or not, such as the hadith narrated by Muslim from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “When he sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and one circumcised part touches the other, then ghusl becomes obligatory.” What is meant is the circumcised part of the man and the circumcised part of the woman. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” Thus he stated that ghusl becomes obligatory for both spouses as a result of this intercourse, regardless of whether the man ejaculated or not, as is clearly stated in a report narrated by Muslim: “even if he does not ejaculate.”.

296
It was narrated from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from ‘Urwah, that he was asked: Can a menstruating woman take care of me or can a woman come close to me when she is junub? ‘Urwah said: All of that is fine with me; whatever the case, she may take care of me, and there is no problem for anyone in that regard. ‘A’ishah told me that she used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she was menstruating and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque; he would put his head out for her when she was in her apartment, and she would comb his hair when she was menstruating..

Commentary : Among the Jews, when one of their women menstruated, they would banish her from the house, and they would not eat with her, drink with her or be in the same room as her. In our religion, however, the menstruating woman is not to be blamed for something that Allah has ordained for her, so her body is pure, apart from the place where the impurity is.
In this report, the Tabi‘i Hisham ibn ‘Urwah narrates that someone asked his father, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to take care of him or to come close to him? Or for a woman who has become junub as a result of an erotic dream or intercourse to do that? ‘Urwah explained to him that there is nothing wrong with a woman who is menstruating or is junub taking care of someone else, or coming close to someone else; she may take care of him when she is menstruating or is junub, with no reservations, and she does not incur any sin. Then he narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to comb the hair of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she was menstruating and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque at that time. He would bring his head close to her when she was in her apartment and the rest of his body was in the mosque, and he was aware of her condition and that she was menstruating. Her apartment was attached to the mosque.
Even though this hadith indicates that it is permissible for a menstruating woman to take care of her husband and others, it also indicates that it is permissible for a woman who is junub to be close to other people and to take care of others. This is understood by analogy with the woman who is menstruating; what they have in common is major impurity, and this is a clear analogy.
The hadith refers to combing a man’s hair, and includes other things that come under the heading of adorning oneself.
It indicates that a menstruating woman may care for her husband and help him with personal hygiene.
It indicates that if the one who is observing i‘tikaf puts his head, hand or foot outside the mosque, that does not invalidate his i‘tikaf.
It highlights the Prophet’s kind treatment of his wives, and how he would understand their situation and condition.
It indicates that the body and clothing of the menstruating woman are pure (tahir). .

715
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man should come to his wife by night doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses. [In another version]: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have disliked that a man should come to his wife by night; however, he did not mention doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set the most remarkable example of good manners and kind treatment between a man and his wife. He taught husbands how to treat their wives and build their marital relationship upon mutual trust and avoidance of lethal jealousy or mistrust that ruins their life.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man returning from a journey should come to his wife by night. He then clarified the reason for the prohibition, saying: "doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses," i.e., thinking she is unfaithful or exposing her secret as to whether she has committed infidelity or not. So, it is disliked for a man who has been on a long journey to unexpectedly return to his wife by night. Yet, if he is on a short journey and his wife expects his return by night, there is nothing wrong with that.
In [the Two Sahīh Collections]: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not come to his family by night. He used to come to them in the early morning or in the evening. He would not come to his family if he returned from travel by night. Rather, he would come to them in the early morning, which extends from the Fajr prayer to the sunrise, or in the evening, which extends from noon - the time of the Zhuhr prayer - to sunset. This is because when a man comes to his wife by night, he takes her by surprise and she may not be ready to receive her husband, who has been away from her for a period of time. So, it is appropriate for him not to come to her unexpectedly at night.
In the Hadīth: Forbidding that a man should spy on his wife or come to her unexpectedly by night after return from travel
And in it: Urging pursuit of the means that bring cordiality and love between the two spouses
And in it: Exhorting the avoidance of such things that entail mistrust of the Muslim.

717
‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I said to ‘Ā'ishah: "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform the Duha (forenoon) prayer?" She said: "No, unless he came back from his absence.".

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi (determined) act of worship that must be taken from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He taught the Ummah the obligatory prayers as well as the regular and non-regular supererogatory prayers. He also taught the Ummah various kinds of prayers at certain times. One of these is the Duha (forenoon) prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq says that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Was it a habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to perform the Duha prayer? The Duha prayer, also called the Duha Subha, is to be performed after the sun rises and goes as high as the length of a spear - that is nearly 15 minutes after sunshine - and its time ends shortly before noon. In reply, she said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not use to offer the Duha prayer, except when he came from his absence, i.e., from travel. This is because he forbade that a man should come to his wife by night after returning from travel. So, he would come in the early morning and go first to the mosque, where he would pray at the time of Duha (forenoon).
In a version by Muslim, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs and add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed. The negation is probably intended as the negation of her knowledge of the matter, and the affirmation is made for a reason, namely the return from travel. So, there is no contradiction between the two Hadīths.
The minimum of the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs. In the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "My close friend (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised me to do three things: fast three days of every month, perform the two Rak‘ahs of Duha (forenoon), and perform the Witr prayer before I go to sleep." And he would add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed, as mentioned above..

719
Mu‘ādhah reported: that she asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "How many Rak‘ahs did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform in the Duha prayer?" She said: "Four Rak‘ahs, and he would add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed. [In a version]: He would add as many Rak‘ahs as Allah willed..

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi (determined) act of worship that must be taken from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He taught the Ummah the obligatory prayers as well as the regular and non-regular supererogatory prayers. He also taught the Ummah various kinds of prayers at certain times. One of these is the Duha prayer.
In this Hadīth, Mu‘ādhah bint ‘Abdullāh al-‘Adawiyyah relates that she asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "How many Rak‘ahs did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform in the Duha prayer?" The Duha prayer, also called the Duha Subha, is one of the supererogatory prayers to be performed during daytime, and it is to be prayed after the sun rises and goes as high as the length of a spear - that is nearly 15 minutes after sunshine - and its time ends shortly before the noon. Answering her question, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs, i.e., he was persistent in offering it as four Rak‘ahs: in two Rak‘ahs, as it is well known with regard to the supererogatory prayers. "And he would add as many Rak‘ahs as Allah willed," i.e., without limit.
In another version by Muslim in his Sahīh Collection, ‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not use to perform the Duha prayer, unless he came back from his absence, i.e., from travel. The negation is probably intended as the negation of her knowledge of the matter, and the affirmation is made for a reason, namely the return from travel. So, there is no contradiction between the two Hadīths.
The minimum of the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs. In the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "My close friend (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised me to do three things: to fast three days each month, perform the two Rak‘ahs of Duha, and perform the Witr prayer before I sleep.".

720
Abu Dharr reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every morning charity is due for every joint bone in the body of every one of you. Every Tasbīh (glorification of Allah) is an act of charity; every Tahmīd (praise of Allah) is an act of charity; every Tahlīl (proclamation of Allah's oneness) is an act of charity; and every Takbīr is an act of charity; and enjoining Ma‘rūf (what is good) is an act of charity and forbidding Munkar (what is evil) is an act of charity; and two Rak‘ahs which one offers in the forenoon will suffice for all that.".

Commentary : Allah rendered all the types of goodness a person does to himself as an act of worship and to others of kindness - as part of the charities of the body and its good health and well-being.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Every morning charity is due for every joint bone" i.e., for all the organs and joints of the body. Sulāma, in Arabic, originally refers to the bones of fingers, hands, and legs, and then it was later used to refer to all the body parts. So, every morning, a person is required to give charity for every organ of his body, in gratitude to Allah Almighty for His great favors. Indeed, the structure of bones and their joints is one of the great favors Allah has bestowed upon His servants. Hence, each bone requires a charity to be given by the person for it, as gratitude for this blessing. Charity here is intended as something recommended and encouraged, not obligatory or binding, for it is sufficient as gratitude for these favors to perform the obligations and shun the prohibitions. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guides to some acts of piety which a person may perform as charity for his joints. "Every Tasbīh" (glorification of Allah) - saying: Subhān Allah (glory be to Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "every Tahmīd" (praise of Allah) - saying: Al-Hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "every Tahlīl" (proclamation of Allah's oneness) - saying: Lā Ilāha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "and every Takbīr" - saying: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) - "is an act of charity"; "and enjoining Ma‘rūf (what is good) is an act of charity and forbidding Munkar (what is evil) is an act of charity." Likewise, all other forms of Dhikr and worship are charities for oneself. Ma‘rūf: It is a term that comprises all what is known to be a form of obedience to Allah Almighty and benevolence to people. Munkar: It refers to all offensive deeds and words that lead to disobedience to Allah Almighty; and it is a term that comprises all forms of evil. So, if anyone performs the mentioned acts of goodness and the like, it should be equal in number to the 360 joints.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that "two Rak‘ahs which one offers in the forenoon" are sufficient in place of all that, for prayer is an act that is done by all the body parts and it includes all the mentioned charities and others. This demonstrates the great merit of the Duha prayer. The time of the Duha prayer starts 15 minutes after sunrise and extends to also 15 minutes before soon. The minimum in the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs, and the maximum is eight Rak‘ahs, as related in a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, in which ’Umm Hāni’ (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took a bath in her house on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and prayed eight Rak‘ahs." It is said: There is no limit to its maximum, as indicated by a Hadīth by Muslim, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs and pray as much more as he wished.".

724
‘Ā’ishah reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not observe any of the supererogatory prayers more regularly than the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr..

Commentary : Islam encouraged and urged the performance of supererogatory prayers and made them greatly rewardable. One of these supererogatory prayers, whose performance was urged by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), is the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not more persistent in observing any supererogatory prayer than he was in performing two Rak‘ahs before Fajr. In other words, he was not persistent and keen to perform any of the supererogatory prayers and regular Sunnah prayers as he was in offering two Rak‘ahs before the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr, which is the Sunnah before the Fajr prayer. They are counted among the regular supererogatory prayers associated with the obligatory prayers. The Prophet's keenness on them indicates the significance of their status and reward..

725
‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah the virtuous deeds and demonstrate their rewards to encourage the people to perform them.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr" - which refer to the Sunnah of Fajr, the two Rak‘ahs to be performed between the Adhan and the iqāmah - "are better than the world and what is in it," i.e., the reward to be obtained because of this prayer in the Hereafter is greater and better than all the blessings in this world. They are counted among the regular supererogatory prayers associated with the obligatory prayers, and the Prophet's keenness on them indicates the significance of their status and reward and urges Muslims to be keen on observing them.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform these two Rak‘ahs in a brief manner. In the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr and make them brief to the extent that I would say: "Did he recite the Mother of the Qur'an in them?" In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr.
In the Hadīth: The merit of the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr..

726
Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to prolong the Qur'an's recitation in supererogatory prayers and would sometimes make it brief depending on circumstances and occasions.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the regular two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer after the recitation of Surat al-Fātihah. This is because they comprise negation of other gods and affirmation of Tawhīd (monotheism), and also, they are two light chapters that suited his brief performance of these two Rak‘ahs, as it was the Prophet's habit to lighten these two Rak‘ahs, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections.
In the Hadīth: Recitation in the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer after Surat al-Fātihah.

727
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first of the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr: {Say [O believers]: "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us"} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136] the verse that is in Surat al-Baqarah, and in the second Rak‘ah: {We believe in Allah; so bear witness that we are Muslims.} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 52].

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to prolong the Qur'an's recitation in supererogatory prayers and would sometimes make it brief depending on circumstances and occasions.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes recite after Surat al-Fātihah in the first Rak‘ah of the regular two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer the verse that reads: {Say [O believers]: "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136] The verse that occurs in Surat al-Baqarah, which means: Say, O the believers, to the advocates of this false call, the Jews and Christians: We believe in Allah and in the Qur'an that has been sent down to us, and we believe in what was sent down to Abraham (Ibrāhīm) and his children, and we believe in what was sent down to the prophets among the children of Jacob (Ya‘qūb), and we believe in the Torah that Allah gave to Moses (Mūsa) and the Gospel that Allah gave to Jesus (‘Īsa), and we believe in the scriptures that Allah gave to all the prophets; we make no distinction between any of them, by believing in some and denying others; rather, we believe in all of them, and we are submissive and obedient to Him alone.
And in the second Rak‘ah, after Surat al-Fātihah, the verse that reads: {When Jesus sensed disbelief from them, he said: "Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?" The disciples said: "We are helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah; so, bear witness that we are Muslims."} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 52] And it means: When Jesus (peace be upon him) became aware of their persistence in disbelief, he addressed the Children of Israel, saying: Who will support me in the call to Allah? The best among his followers said: We are the supporters of the religion of Allah. We believe in Allah and follow you, and bear witness, O Jesus, that we submit to Allah by believing in His Oneness and obeying Him.
In light of the meanings in these two verses, it becomes clear that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite them for what they contain, of belief in Allah Almighty and submission to Him, and because they are two light verses that suited his brief performance of these two Rak‘ahs, as it was the Prophet's habit to lighten these two Rak‘ahs, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections.
In the Hadīth: The recitation in the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer after Surat al-Fātihah.

728
’Um Habībah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever prays twelve prostrations during a day on a voluntary basis, a house will be built for him in Paradise.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah the virtuous deeds and clarify their rewards to encourage the people to perform them.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Whoever prays twelve prostrations during a day on a voluntary basis," i.e., other than the obligatory prayers, or they are the regular supererogatory prayers, namely: four Rak‘ahs before the Zhuhr prayer and two Rak‘ahs after it, two Rak‘ahs after the Maghrib prayer, two Rak‘ahs after the ‘Ishā’ prayer, and two Rak‘ahs before the Fajr prayer, as related in Sunan At-Tirmidhi. Whoever does so persistently, his reward will be that Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.
In the Hadīth: Urging the performance of supererogatory prayers
And in it: Demonstrating the merit of the regular supererogatory prayers.

730
‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), concerning his voluntary prayers, and she said: He used to offer four Rak‘ahs in my house before the Zhuhr prayer. Then, he would go out and lead the people in prayer. Then, he would come in and offer two Rak‘ahs. He would lead the people in the Maghrib prayer and then come in and offer two Rak‘ahs, and he would lead the people in the ‘Ishā’ prayer and enter my house and offer two Rak‘ahs. And he would offer nine Rak‘ahs during the night, including the Witr. And he would pray for a long night while standing and for a long night while sitting. When he recited while standing, he would bow and prostrate while standing, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow and prostrate while sitting. And when the dawn came, he would offer two Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those after them.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq relates that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer supererogatory prayers. She informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer four Rak‘ahs as Sunnah before the Zhuhr prayer in his house. Then, he would go out to the mosque and lead the people in the Zhuhr prayer. Then, he would enter his house after finishing the Zhuhr prayer and offer two Rak‘ahs. She did not mention the ‘Asr prayer, probably because she was demonstrating the confirmed Sunnahs of the obligatory prayers, whether before or after them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to lead the people in the Maghrib prayer without offering a supererogatory prayer before it. Then, when he finished the Maghrib prayer, he would return to his house and offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of the Maghrib prayer. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the ‘Ishā’ prayer without offering a supererogatory prayer before it. Then, he would enter his house after finishing the ‘Ishā’ prayer and offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of the ‘Ishā’ prayer.
He would offer Qiyām al-Layl (late-night voluntary prayer) with nine Rak‘ahs, including the Witr, which is the last prayer a Muslim performs after the voluntary prayer in the night prayer. It is authentically reported that he used to pray eleven Rak‘ahs, and it is also authentically reported that he used to pray thirteen Rak‘ahs.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes offer his late-night prayer while standing and sometimes sitting. Her words "for a long night" mean: for a long time during the night.
Another trait of the Prophet's prayer is that if he commenced his prayer at night with recitation while standing, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would bow and prostrate in the well-known manner: going down for rukū‘ and then returning to the standing position and going down for prostration and then returning to the standing position, and so on. And if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commenced his prayer at night with recitation while sitting, he would engage in rukū‘ and prostration without standing for them, neither before nor after observing them.
And when the time of the Fajr prayer came, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of Fajr. In the version by Abu Dāwūd: "Then, he would go out and lead the people in the Fajr prayer."
In the Hadīth: Offering supererogatory prayers while sitting without an excuse
And in it: Offering the supererogatory prayers at home.

732
‘Ā’ishah reported: that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not die until most of his prayers were performed while sitting..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not die until he performed many of his prayers while sitting. This refers to the supererogatory prayers, not the obligatory ones. That was one or two years before his death, as related in Sahīh Muslim Collection from Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), given that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was too weak to stand for long. In a version by Muslim: "When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put on weight and became heavy" i.e., his body weakened due to his old age, "he would mostly pray while sitting."
The Hadīth mentions the performance of supererogatory prayers while sitting..

732
‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I said to ‘Ā’ishah: "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to pray while sitting?" She said: "Yes, after the people wore him out.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq relates that he asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to pray while sitting?" The intended meaning here is the supererogatory prayer. She replied to him in the affirmative, meaning that he would pray while sitting; and this happened "after the people wore him out" i.e., after he became weak due to the burdens and interests of people he would bear and take care of. When we say that the people of so-and-so wore him out, this means he became weak and old among them.
The Hadīth indicates that one may pray while sitting in case of necessity and tiredness..

733
Hafsah reported: I did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offer his Subhah (supererogatory prayer) in a sitting position till one year before his death, as he used to offer his Subhah while sitting, and he would recite a Surah in a way that is so measured that it became longer than longer Surahs. In a version: One or two years before his death..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that she did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offer his Subhah - i.e., his supererogatory prayer - while sitting, as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform supererogatory prayers while standing. Then, one year before his death - and in another version: one or two years - he would pray while sitting, that is because he put on weight and his body weakened due to old age, according to a Hadīth narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections and reported by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
She informed that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite a Surah of the Qur'an during his prayer, and he would recite in a so measured and deliberate manner "that it became longer than longer Surahs" i.e., due to his measured way of reciting, the duration of reciting a Surah would become longer than the duration of reciting another bigger Surah in terms of the length and the number of verses.
The Hadīth mentions the recitation of the Qur'an in a measured and deliberate manner.
It also includes the performance of supererogatory prayers while sitting..

735
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr reported: It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer of a man while sitting is half a prayer." He said: I came to him and found him praying while sitting. I placed my hand on his head. He said: "What is the matter with you, O ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr?" I said: "It was narrated to me - O Messenger of Allah - that you said: 'The prayer of a man while sitting is half a prayer'; and you pray while sitting." He said: "Yes, but I am not like any of you.".

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 performing prayer and taught it to the Ummah.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that it was narrated to him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the prayer of a man while sitting is "half a prayer" i.e., it brings half of the reward of someone who performs it while standing. So, this makes it valid and detracts from its reward. This Hadīth is taken to refer to performing a supererogatory prayer while sitting despite being able to stand. However, if a person performs a supererogatory prayer while sitting because he is unable to stand, his reward does not decrease; rather, his reward is like praying while standing. As for the obligatory prayer, it is invalid to perform it while sitting despite being able to stand. Yet, if a person is unable to stand, then his sitting is tantamount to his standing.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day and found him praying while sitting. He placed his hand on the Prophet's head, wondering at his prayer while sitting and wanting the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to look towards him. This was after he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had finished the prayer, for it is not thought that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) would put his hand before that. This behavior is not deemed impolite among some Arabs, as they tend to behave naturally. Moreover, this shows the Prophet's modesty and good character, and that he used to deal and associate with his close Companions like being one of them and not exalting himself above them. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sensed the hand of ‘Abdullāh, he asked him: "What is the matter with you?" i.e., what is wrong with you?! So, he told him about the aforementioned Hadīth, by way of inquiry, not as an objection or disapproval. His words "and you pray while sitting" affirmed the point that was confusing and unclear to him, and how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would be content with half a reward for himself. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) confirmed the Hadīth he cited and then said: "but I am not like any of you" i.e., what you have mentioned that the prayer of a man while sitting is half of his prayer while standing is a ruling that applies to people other than me in this Ummah and it pertains to them; as for me, I am not subject to this ruling, and my Lord accepts from me my prayer while sitting for a reward like that of my prayer while standing. This is one of the peculiar merits of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as his performance of a supererogatory prayer while sitting, though he was able to stand, was made equivalent to his performance of it while standing, as an honor for him.
The Hadīth urges the performance of prayer in its complete form for those who are able to. So, if a person is able to stand, he should pray while standing, in both obligatory and supererogatory prayers.
It points out how Allah Almighty favors His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and distinguishes him from all the Ummah..

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Abu Salamah reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and she said: "He used to offer thirteen Rak‘ahs; he would perform eight Rak‘ahs and then observe the Witr and then perform two Rak‘ahs while sitting; when he wanted to bow, he would stand up and bow. Then, he would offer two Rak‘ahs between the Adhān and iqāmah of the Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray as much Qiyām al-Layl in his house as Allah willed him to pray. The Companions and the Tābi‘is after them were keen on knowing about his acts of worship in detail and ask about what they could not see of his worship at home.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān says that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about the Qiyām al-Layl of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the number of its Rak‘ahs and the manner of its performance. She informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform thirteen Rak‘ahs; he would perform eight Rak‘ahs, two Rak‘ahs each, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, and he would then pray the Witr, i.e., with the ninth Rak‘ah. As narrated in a version by Muslim: "Nine Rak‘ahs while standing and he would perform one of them as the Witr," i.e., he would make the last Rak‘ah among them the Witr of his prayer. In another version by Muslim: "He would observe five Rak‘ahs of which was the Witr, not sitting except at the last of them," i.e., he used to offer four Rak‘ahs, two Rak‘ahs each, and then perform the fifth Rak‘ah as the Witr, not sitting for tashahhud except in the last Rak‘ah. In another version by Muslim: "The prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the night consisted of ten Rak‘ahs, and then he would observe the Witr with one Rak‘ah and offer the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr; those are thirteen Rak‘ahs." This denotes the diversity of the Prophet's Qiyām al-Layl in terms of duration and the number of Rak‘ahs, depending on his condition and energy.
Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform two Rak‘ahs while sitting. Apparently, these two Rak‘ahs were after the Witr and before the time of Fajr. When he wanted to perform rukū‘ while in this state of sitting, he would stand up and then bow down in the well-known manner. Then, when the time of Fajr came, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr, after the Adhān and before the iqāmah of the Fajr prayer.
There are numerous other well-known Hadīths, in the Two Sahīh Collections and elsewhere, that enjoin making the last prayer in Qiyām al-Layl the Witr. An example is a Hadīth in which ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Make the last of your prayer at night the Witr." As for these two Rak‘ahs which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered after the Witr and before Fajr, this is to demonstrate the permissibility of praying after the Witr, and they were not performed on a persistent basis, for what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did persistently was to conclude with the Witr, as mentioned above.
In the Hadīth: Praying at night while sitting.