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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
677
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith came to us – in this mosque of ours – and said: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray; I pray as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray. I said to Abi Qilabah: How did he pray? He said: Like this shaykh of ours – referring to an old man who used to pause briefly when he lifted his head from prostration, before getting up after the first rak‘ah..

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 primary concern and first priority.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Jarmi al-Basri narrates that the Sahabi Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them in their mosques to teach them in a practical manner how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. It was said that the mosque referred to was the mosque of Basra, where he was living. Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with them) said to them: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray. In other words, I do not intend to offer any specific prayer when I lead you in prayer now. It was said that what was meant was: my intention is not to lead you in prayer; rather my intention is to teach you by leading you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray, so that I may teach you how he prayed through actions, and not through words. The intention of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) was to teach them how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, and when he taught them that, it was not the time for any particular prayer, and he was not intending to lead them in prayer; rather it was a voluntary prayer that he did with the intention of teaching, and it was not an obligatory or Sunnah prayer.
This report was narrated elsewhere by al-Bukhari, in which Abu Qilabah described in detail how Malik ibn al-Huwayrith prayed. He said: He stood, standing fully upright, then he bowed and bowed fully. Then he raised his head, stood up and paused; what is meant is that he stood up straight, then he bowed and made his back level, so that if water were poured on his back, it would remain there, as it says in the hadith of Wabisah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated by Ibn Majah. Then he raised his head from bowing and stood up straight, returning to his previous posture as it had been before he bowed, then he paused briefly between bowing and prostrating.
Then Abu Qilabah told Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani – who is the one who narrated the hadith from him – when he asked him how he prayed, that the prayer of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) resembled, in the way it looked, the prayer as it was done by their shaykh. Here he was referring to the Sahabi Abu Burayd ‘Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmi, who was a very old man. He used to sit briefly during the prayer, after doing the prostration of the first rak‘ah, before standing up for the second rak‘ah. This brief sitting is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (sitting of rest). Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly stated in another hadith that is narrated by al-Bukhari that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying and sitting briefly to rest in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs of his prayer, when he finished the first rak‘ah before getting up for the second, and when he finished the third before getting up for the fourth. It was said that this brief sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it for a reason, either because of old age or sickness. It was also said that it is part of the prayer, but it should be very brief.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to teach and learn.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to sit briefly to rest in the prayer (jalsat al-istirahah)..

680
It was narrated that al-Zuhri said: Anas ibn Malik al-Ansari – who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), served him and accompanied him – told me that Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer during the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, whilst they were standing in rows and praying, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching us as he was standing, as if his face were a page of a Mus-haf. Then he smiled cheerfully, and we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr stepped backwards, towards the row, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to lead the prayer. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, [saying]: complete your prayer, and he let the curtain drop. And he died on that day..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the people who had the greatest knowledge of the high status and position of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They loved him greatly and always observed proper etiquette with him; they were keen to be with him, show respect to him and be close to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They never felt such grief and sorrow as they did when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed away.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque during the final illness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, when they were standing in rows and praying Fajr, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching them as he was standing, as if his face were the page of a Mus-haf, because of the softness and clarity of his skin, and his radiant beauty. Then he smiled cheerfully, rejoicing at their gathering to pray and their unity and adherence to the teachings of Islam.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped backwards to join the row, moving back from the place of the imam to join the congregation, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to pray. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, telling us to stay where we were and complete the prayer, and he let the curtain drop. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died on that day. That happened in Rabi‘ al-Awwal 10 AH, when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sixty-three years old. That was the greatest calamity that ever befell the Muslims, when their noble Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith highlights the Prophet’s concern for the prayer and the Muslims, even on the last day of his life in this world.
It identifies the date on which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died, and confirms that it was a Monday.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that he was the most qualified of them to succeed him as caliph..

683
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer during his sickness, so he would lead them in prayer. ‘Urwah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, and saw Abu Bakr leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him, he moved backwards, but [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] gestured to him [saying]: Stay where you are. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down in line with Abu Bakr, next to him, so Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr..

Commentary : Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most deserving of the Muslims to be the successor (caliph) of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after his death, regardless of the objections of the objectors and the extreme innovators. There is a great deal of evidence and proof from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning this matter, including this hadith. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell sick, he instructed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to succeed him in leaving the Muslims in prayer. This was an indication from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as to who was most deserving of succeeding him and most deserving and capable of continuing his mission. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better and felt able to come out to the prayer, he came out, at a time when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, he wanted to move back for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him, telling him to stay where he was. Then he sat in line with him, not ahead of him and not behind him. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the imam, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he was standing and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sitting, and the people were also standing, following the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice, as he was so weak. Thus they were following Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his prayer. And it was said that in fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was an imam for Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was an imam for the people standing behind him, so that prayer had two imams. Based on that, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed as an imam whilst sitting, when the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith provides evidence that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the most deserving of being his successor (caliph).
It indicates that it is permissible to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the proper etiquette with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that it is permissible for the imam to stop leading the prayer and start following someone else, without interrupting his prayer.
It also encourages the Muslim to regularly attend the prayers in congregation..

687
It was narrated that ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah said: I went to ‘A’ishah and said: Tell me about the sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She said: Yes; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became very ill, and he said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So we did that, and he washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” Then he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. The people were still in the mosque, waiting for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to Abu Bakr, telling him to lead the people in prayer. The messenger came [to Abu Bakr] and said: The Messenger of Allah is instructing you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr – who was a tenderhearted man – said: O ‘Umar, lead the people in prayer. But ‘Umar said to him: You are more deserving of that. So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer during those days. Then later on, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men – one of whom was al-‘Abbas – to pray Zuhr, when Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he wanted to step back, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him not to step back. He said: “Seat me next to him,” so they seated him next to Abu Bakr. Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting. ‘Ubaydullah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he did not object to anything, except that he said: Did she tell you the name of the man who was with al-‘Abbas? I said: No. He said: He was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)..

Commentary : The greatest calamity that befell the Muslims was the death of their Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). There were several lessons in the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as well as rulings and advice to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him).
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke of the condition of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his final sickness. That was when the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah asked her to tell him about it. So she told him that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) grew very sick, he asked: Have the people prayed, or are they still waiting? It was said to him: They are waiting for you. So he said to them: Put some water in the tub for me. The word translated here as tub refers to a vessel in which water was put for washing clothes. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) washed himself, but when he wanted to get up, he fainted. Fainting is possible in the case of the Prophets (peace be upon them all), because it is a kind of sickness, and it is akin to sleep. This is in contrast to insanity, which is loss of reasoning, and is not possible in the case of the Prophets. That happened to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) three times; he asked whether the people had prayed, then he washed himself, then he fainted when he wanted to stand up. When he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came round the fourth time, he asked: Have the people prayed? He was told that they had gathered and were waiting in the mosque; the people were sitting and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent a messenger to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), instructing him to lead the people in prayer. The fact that he sent word to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) instructing him to take his place and lead the prayer highlighted the virtue and seniority of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and was an indication that he was most deserving of being his successor (caliph), because leading the prayer is the job of the caliph. When the messenger sent by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Abu Bakr and told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was instructing him to lead the people in prayer, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was a man who wept a great deal and felt very emotional when praying – said to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Lead the people in prayer. It was as if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that the Prophet’s instruction to him regarding the prayer only meant that someone should lead the prayer, not that it was he himself who was specifically being instructed to lead the prayer. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know what had happened between the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wives with regard to the issue of ‘Umar leading the prayer instead of Abu Bakr, and that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had insisted that Abu Bakr should lead the prayer, as is mentioned in another report. Otherwise, he would not have tried to delegate the leading of prayer to ‘Umar. But ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You are more deserving of that, because of the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went and led the people in prayer for several days when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sick.
Moreover, on one of the days of his sickness, when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in Zuhr prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, and felt able to go out, so he came out, supported by two men, because he was so weak. Those two men were ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them). When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, meaning that he realized that he was there when he heard his voice – and it may be that he turned around when he heard the voice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – he wanted to move back, so that he could pray in the row behind him as one of the congregation. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should not move back, and he should stay where he was, and he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down next to him. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice. Thus the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the prayer as an imam whilst he was sitting, and the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he approved of everything that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had said, and did not object to anything of it, except that he asked: Did ‘A’ishah tell you the name of the second man on whom the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leaning, besides al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him)? ‘Ubaydullah said to him: No, she did not tell me his name. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said that he was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow the more difficult option, even if there is a concession [allowing an easier option].
It indicates that it is prescribed to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the importance of praying in congregation.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was the most deserving of them to be his successor (caliph); it also indicates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was next to him in virtue.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower status to discuss instructions given to him by one who is higher in status.
It highlights the etiquette that is to be observed when dealing with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back, because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

688
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, that she said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell. He prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, but he gestured to them that they should sit down. When he finished his prayer, he said: “The imam has only been appointed to be followed, so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell and recovering after falling from his horse, as is mentioned in the report of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated in al-Sahihayn. At that time he was not able to stand, because of his injury, so he prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, so whilst he was praying, he gestured to them to sit down. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, he said: The imam is only appointed to be followed in his actions in the prayer, therefore it is not appropriate to differ from him by doing actions before him or being too slow in following him. “so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise” – that is, follow him when he bows and rises from bowing, and in all the actions of the prayer. The word fa, translated here as “then”, indicates that these actions should be done straight after the imam does them, and that the one who is praying behind the imam should not do them before the imam; rather every action that the one who is praying behind the imam does should be done straight after the imam does it. And if the imam prays sitting, then those praying behind him should pray sitting like him. This indicates that following the imam also includes praying sitting, if the imam prays sitting. However, in the hadith of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the final sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the authenticity of which is agreed upon, it says that he led the prayer sitting whilst the people were standing behind him: “…Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting…”
The response to this apparent discrepancy is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
In this hadith, there is the command to follow the imam and not to do any of the actions of the prayer before him, or to differ from him.
It indicates that it is permissible to make gestures and small movements, if necessary, whilst praying..

690
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid said: al-Bara’ – who is not a liar – told me: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” none of us would bend down [to prostrate] until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, then we would prostrate after him..

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) applied this rule when praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is described in this hadith, in which al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) raised his head from bowing and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” and those who were praying behind him stood up straight after bowing, they would remain standing, and none of them would bend down to prostrate or hasten to prostrate until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, by placing his forehead on the ground. Then they would prostrate after him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

691
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Doesn’t one of you fear – or wouldn’t one of you fear – if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or Allah will turn his form into that of a donkey.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warns those who pray behind a imam against failing to follow their imam and raising their heads before the imam raises his head after bowing. He warns the one who does that that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey, as he said: “Doesn’t one of you fear, if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or He will turn his form into that of a donkey.”
This is a question by way of rebuke and denunciation. It may be that the meaning is metaphorical, because the donkey is renowned for stupidity, and it is as if the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was describing the one who does that as being stupid and lacking in understanding, or warning him that he could be deprived of the blessing of understanding, so he will be like a donkey. Or it may be that the meaning is as it appears to be, so Allah would turn his head into the head of a donkey in a real sense. This is a stern warning and deterrent against failing to follow the imam and doing the actions of prayer before him.
This prayer indicates that it is prohibited to do the actions of prayer before the imam.
It also contains a stern warning to the one who raises his head before the imam does..

692
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: When the first Muhajirin came to al-‘Usbah – a place in Quba’ – before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had more knowledge of Qur’an than any of them..

Commentary : In Islam, no one has superiority over anyone else except in terms of taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} [al-Hujurat 49:13]. It is only on the basis of righteous deeds that one Muslim may be superior to another. The one who is most entitled to lead the prayer is the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us. If a man has more knowledge of the Qur’an than anyone else present, then he has more right to lead the prayer. So no attention should be paid to race, colour, lineage or position. This hadith is the most eloquent proof of that. In it, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Muhajirin (migrants) from Makkah came to al-‘Usbah, which is a place near Quba’ in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, approximately two miles south of it, before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madinah, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had the most knowledge of Qur’an, meaning that he had memorized more Qur’an. Salim had been a slave belonging to a woman, then he was manumitted, but that did not prevent him from leading the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in prayer, because he had memorized more of the Qur’an than the others. Salim had memorized Qur’an from the Sahabah whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to the believers in Madinah to teach them the Qur’an and Islam, such as Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and others. Salim was not in fact a freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah – who was one of the earliest to become Muslim; rather Salim was the freed slave of a woman of the Ansar who had manumitted him. But he was called the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah because he stayed close to him after he was manumitted, and Abu Hudhayfah had adopted him. Then when the prohibition of adoption was revealed, he continued to be known as the freed slave (mawla) of Abu Hudhayfah.
This hadith indicates that the one who has memorized the most Qur’an is the most deserving of leading the prayer..

693
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslim to obey those in authority with regard to what is right and proper, but not what is wrong and sinful, because of the serious bad consequences that result from rebelling against them. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against disobedience to those in authority and creating division among the Muslims.
This hadith highlights that, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.” In other words, if the one who is appointed to rule you is a man from Ethiopia with a head like a raisin – referring to his black colour and curly hair; this serves to point out that people would usually scorn such a person. What is meant is that the believer must obey the ruler and whomever the ruler appoints in charge of his affairs (as a governor, for example), no matter what his race or colour, so long as he rules the people in accordance with the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as is mentioned in another report in Sahih Muslim. That is, so long as he adheres to Islam and calls the people to the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), regardless of what he looks like, his level of religious commitment and his manners, provided that he does not enjoin the people to disobey Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

694
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They lead you in prayer, so if they do the right thing, you will be granted the reward, and if they make mistakes, you will be granted the reward and the burden of sin will be on them.”.

Commentary : As the Muslims are instructed to obey their leaders and emulate them in that which does not involve disobedience to Allah (may He be exalted), whether they are leaders in the sense of rulers and caliphs, or leaders who lead the people in prayer, it is only fair that the Muslim should not be held to account for mistakes made by his leader, because he has done what is required of him, which is following the leader, provided that no sin is involved. Hence in this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains to those who pray behind an imam that when the leaders pray, they either pray properly, or they make mistakes in the prayer. If they do the prayer properly, as it should be done, then both they and those who pray behind them will have the reward for that, but if they make mistakes and do not lead the prayer properly, as it should be done, then the burden of sin for the mistakes they have made is theirs alone, and those who pray behind them will have the reward of the prayer.
What is meant by mistake here is not that which is done deliberately, for if a person makes a mistake that is beyond his control, he will not be held to account for it. Rather what is meant by mistake here is the opposite of that which is right and proper, such as introducing an innovation that was not enjoined by Allah, or deliberately going against what Allah has enjoined, on the basis of whims and desires, and so on.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to pray behind any Muslim, whether he is a righteous man or an evildoer..

695
It was narrated from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn Khiyar that he went to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) – when he was under siege – and said: You are the ruler [and caliph], and we see what calamity has befallen you. The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil), and we feel uncomfortable [praying behind him]. ‘Uthman said: Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing..

Commentary : This hadith testifies to the fair-mindedness of the wronged leader, the Commander of the Faithful, Dhu’l-Nurayn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). When he was besieged in his house at the time of fitnah (turmoil) and the leaders of the fitnah besieged him and wanted to depose him wrongfully, on the basis of fabrications and lies, the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn al-Khiyar said to him: You are the ruler and head of state, so you are the caliph and in the position of greater leadership, and he told him that the people were being led in prayer by an imam who was one of the leaders of fitnah and troubles, and wanted to depose him. It was said that this man was ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays al-Balawi, who is the one who brought the people of Egypt to rebel against ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him); he died in 36 AH.  And it was said that Kinanah ibn Bishr, one of the leaders of the Kharijites, also led the people in prayer. When these people attacked Madinah, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) used to go out and lead the people in prayer, and he continued to do this for a month, then he went out one day and they threw stones at him, which caused him to fall from the minbar, and he was not able to lead the prayer on that day, so Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf led them in prayer. Then they stopped him from doing that, so they were led in prayer sometimes by ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays and sometimes by Kinanah ibn Bishr, and continued to do this for ten days. They were the ones of whom it was said that they were the imams of fitnah. At this time, some of the senior Sahabah – such as Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), and others – also led the people in prayer. These noble individuals (may Allah be pleased with them) cannot be described as promoters of fitnah, for they led the prayers with the permission of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), and they did not withdraw their allegiance and obedience to him. They continued to defend him until he died (may Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased).
When ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy, he replied by stating that prayer is the best deed that these people could do. This does not mean that ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was praising the promoters and leaders of fitnah; rather the apparent meaning of ‘Uthman’s words suggests that he was granting a concession allowing the people to pray with them, as if he was saying: the fact that they are misguided people who are involved in fitnah will not harm you; if they do good, then go along with them in doing good, and if they do wrong – because they became involved in fitnah or introduced innovations – this will not harm the one who prays behind them, because he is following them in their prayers, but denouncing and rejecting what they have brought of fitnah and innovation.
It was said that what is meant by the words of ‘Ubaydullah, “The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil)”  is that someone other than their regular imam was leading them in prayer at the time of fitnah, not that that imam was calling them to fitnah and striving for this purpose. This is indicated by the words of ‘Uthman, “Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing.” He did not speak ill of the one who was leading them in prayer, and stated that his action (prayer) was among the best of deeds, whilst warning ‘Ubaydullah not to get involved in the fitnah.
This hadith indicates that praying behind one whom you do not like to pray behind is better than stopping prayer in congregation altogether.
It also contains a warning against fitnah (turmoil) and becoming involved in it, and against everything that is denounceable, whether it be words, deeds or beliefs..

698
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I slept at Maymunah’s house, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night. He did wudu’, then he stood and prayed, and I stood on his left. He took hold of me and put me on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. Then he went to sleep, until he was breathing heavily, for when he slept he would breathe heavily. Then the mu’adhdhin came to him, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was an intelligent boy who was highly motivated with regard to both worship and seeking knowledge. Signs of brilliance appeared in him from an early age, and he was keen to be close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learn from him.
In this hadith, he (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he stayed overnight in the house of his maternal aunt, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night, and Ibn ‘Abbas described for us what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that night. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, then he got up and did wudu’, then he stood up and prayed qiyam al-layl (voluntary prayers at night). Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also got up, and did the same as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he stood on his left. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of him and make him stand on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. This is the number of rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on that night. There are other reports which speak of him praying different numbers of rak‘ahs in qiyam; it was narrated that he prayed seven, nine and eleven rak‘ahs. The differences may be understood as referring to different times and situations. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, and began to breathe so heavily that the sound of it could be heard, which is something that happens to some people when they sleep, and it is not blameworthy or odd. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, he usually breathed heavily. Then Bilal came to him to tell him that it was time to pray Fajr, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again, because the Prophet’s eyes slept but his heart did not sleep, so his wudu’ could not be invalidated, because his heart was awake.
This hadith indicates that a young boy may visit and sleep in the houses of his relatives and female mahrams.
It highlights where the one who is praying behind an imam should stand in relation to the imam if only the two of them are praying; the one who is following the imam should stand on his right.
It indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep and did not renew his wudu’ for prayer after having slept. This is because his eyes would sleep but his heart did not sleep.
It also indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayers in congregation..

703
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him make it brief, for among them are the weak, the sick and the elderly. But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best teacher and educator for his companions and his ummah after him. He would choose for the people what would be best for them and for others, in both religious and worldly matters. He used to make things easy for the people with regard to worship, especially the prayer, so that people would not be put off and become bored or tired. One example of that is what is mentioned in this hadith, in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised imams to pay attention to the situation of worshippers when praying. Hence he said to them: When one of you leads the people in prayer as an imam, let him make it brief – that is, with regard to the recitation, bowing and prostrating. The reason for instructing them to make it brief is that among the worshippers there are those who are physically weak or sick, elderly people, and others who have excuses. These people cannot endure a lengthy prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes, because he knows what he is able to do, and he is able to cut it short if he becomes too tired and the like. This is in contrast to those who are praying behind an imam, for they are detained, as it were, behind the imam until he finishes the prayer.
This hadith highlights how Islamic teachings pay attention to people’s situation and how much energy they have when doing acts of worship. It also highlights the fact that Islam is a religion of ease..

706
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make his prayers brief yet he would do them perfectly and properly. .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he led the people in prayer. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This is what is referred to in the other report, which says that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the briefest of people in offering prayer, yet it was perfect and complete. This is what is required of the imam: he should make the prayer brief, because he must pay attention to the situation of all the people who are praying behind him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the imam ‘Uthman ibn Abi’l-‘As, as we see in the report narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan: “Follow the pace of the weakest of them”; in other words, make your prayer appropriate for the weakest of those who are praying behind you, for there may be among the worshippers those who can endure a lengthy prayer, and others who cannot endure it. Therefore what is required of the imam is to take everyone into consideration by making the prayer brief yet complete and perfect. But when a person is praying on his own, he may make the prayer as long as he wishes, because he knows himself best and what he is able to do.
This hadith urges the imam to show kindness to those who are praying behind him, and to make the prayer brief, without detracting from the perfection of the prayer..

708
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). If he heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief for fear that the child’s mother would be troubled..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that he never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This was out of consideration on his part for people’s situations.
Then Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) gave an example of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would cut the prayer short out of consideration for the needs of those who were praying behind him. He said: If the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief, by reciting a short surah, lest the child’s mother be distracted from her prayer, because she would be growing anxious about her child crying.
This hadith urges imams to show kindness to those who are praying behind him and to take their situations into consideration, and not cause them any undue hardship.
It also indicates that the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most perfect prayer, and that the worshipper should be keen to make his prayer like the Prophet’s prayer, so that he will be following his example and thus earn great reward. .

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..

738
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.