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Hadith
802
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith used to show us how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He would do that at a time other than the time of prayer. He stood fully upright and paused, then he bowed perfectly and paused, then he raised his head and stood up straight, pausing for a little while. He led us in a prayer like the prayer of this shaykh of ours, Abu Burayd. When Abu Burayd raised his head from the second prostration, he would sit up straight, then he would get up..

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

806
It was narrated from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib and ‘Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythi that Abu Hurayrah told them that some people said: O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the moon on the night when it is full and there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun when there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No. He said: “You will surely see Him like that. The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, and He will say: ‘Whoever used to worship something, let him follow it.’ So some of them will follow the sun, some of them will follow the moon, some of them will follow the false gods, then there will remain this ummah, including its hypocrites. Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say: ‘We will stay here until our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes, we will recognize Him.’ Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord,’ and they will say: ‘You are [indeed] our Lord.’ He will call them, and the sirat (bridge) will be set up over Hell, and I will be the first of the Messengers to cross it with his ummah. On that Day, no one will speak except the Messengers, and the words of the Messengers on that Day will be: ‘O Allah, grant safety, grant safety.’  In Hell there will be hookslike the thorns of al-sa‘dan; have you seen the thorns of al-sa‘dan?” They said: Yes. He said: “They will be like the thorns of al-sa‘dan, but no one knows how big they are except Allah. They will snatch the people on the basis of their deeds. Some of them will be doomed by their deeds, and some of them will be cut into tiny pieces, then saved. Then when Allah wants to show mercy to whomever He wills of the people of Hell, Allah will command the angels to bring forth anyone who used to worship Allah. So they will bring them forth, and they will recognize them by the marks of prostration, for Allah has prohibited the Fire to consume the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, and all of the son of Adam will be consumed by the Fire except the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, having been burned to cinders, then the water of life will be poured onto them, and they will grow like a seed grows in the mud left by a flood. Then Allah will finish judging between the people, and there will be left a man between Paradise and Hell – he will be the last of the people of Hell to enter Paradise – with his face turned towards Hell. He will say: ‘O Lord, turn my face away from Hell, for its smell is poisoning me and its flames are burning me.’ He will say: ‘If that is done for you, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: ‘No, by Your glory.’ And he will give Allah whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then Allah will turn his face away from the Fire. And when He turns him towards Paradise and he sees its beauty and opulence, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, bring me closer to the gate of Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had asked for?’ He will say:’ O Lord, I hope that I am not going to be the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah will say: ‘If you are given that, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: No, by Your glory, I will not ask for anything else.’ And he will give his Lord whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then He will bring him closer to the gate of Paradise, and when he reaches its gate and sees its beauty, and what it contains of delights and happiness, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, admit me to Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Woe to you, O son of Adam; how treacherous you are! Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had been given?’ He will say: ‘O Lord, do not make me the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will smile at him, then He will give him permission to enter Paradise. Then he will say: ‘Wish.’ So he will wish until, when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say: ‘What about such and such?’thus his Lord will remind him, until when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be exalted) will say: ‘You will have this and as much again.’” Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah will say: ‘You will have this and ten times as much.’” Abu Hurayrah said: I do not remember anything from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except that he said “You will have this and as much again.” Abu Sa‘id said: I heard him say: “You will have this and ten times as much.”.

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

812
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: on the forehead – and he pointed to his nose – the two hands, the two knees, and the toes of the two feet, and we should not tie up our garments or hair.”.

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

813
It was narrated that AbuSalamah said: I went to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri and said: Will you not come out with us to the palm trees so that we may talk? So he came out. I said: Tell me what you heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about Laylat al-Qadr. He said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observedi‘tikaffor the first ten days of Ramadan, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. ThenJibril came to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So he observed i‘tikaf for the middle ten days, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. Then Jibrilcame to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to address us on the morning of the twentieth of Ramadan, and said: “Whoever was observing i‘tikafwith the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), let him come back, for Laylat al-Qadr was shown to me, but I was caused to forget it. It is in the last ten nights, on an odd-numbered night, and I saw myself [in a dream] prostrating in mud and water.” The roof of the mosque was made of palm branches, and we did not see anything in the sky, then asmall cloud came and it rained, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in prayer,then I saw the traces of mud and water on the face of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and on the tip of his nose, in fulfillment of his dream..

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

818
It was narrated from Abu Qilabah that Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said to his companions: Shall I not tell you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? And that was at a time that was not the time for prayer. He stood up, then he bowed and said takbir, then he raised his head and stood,pausing for a little while. Then he prostrated, then he raised his head and paused for a little while. And he prayed a prayer like the prayer of ‘Amr ibn Salimah, this shaykh of ours. Ayyub said: He used to do something that I never saw them do: he would sit in the third and fourth [rak‘ahs]. He said: We came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stayed with him, and he said: “When you go back to your families, pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time; pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time…When it is time to pray, let one of you give the call to prayer, and let the oldest of you lead you in the prayer.”.

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

821
It was narrated from Thabit that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will do my best to lead you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lead us in prayer. Thabit said: Anas ibn Malik used to do something that I have not seen you do. When he raised his head from bowing, he would stand for so long that one would think that he had forgotten, and [he would sit up] between the prostrations for so long that one would think that he had forgotten..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit them to those who came after them, especially the prayer, which is the foundation of faith. In this report, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his companions among the Tabi‘in: I will do my best to lead you in prayer – meaning that I will not spare any effort to lead you in the prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray; rather I shall do my best to lead you in prayer in the manner in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to lead us in prayer. He only said that in order to encourage his audience to pay attention and memorize what he did, so that they could watch closely for the purpose of following the actions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Thabit al-Bunani – who was one of the Tabi‘in and was the one who narrated this report from Anas – said: Anas used to do something that I have not seen you do. He would pause for a long time after standing up straight from bowing, to the extent that the one who saw him would think that he had forgotten and did not mean to stand for all this time, and he would do something similar between the two prostrations.
This gives the impression that those to whom Thabit was speaking did not pause for a long time after rising from bowing or between the two prostrations, and this is why he specifically mentioned standing or sitting up straightand pausing after rising from bowing and prostration, to the exclusion of other essential parts of the prayer. Hence he said to them, Anas ibn Malik used to do something that I have not seen you do.
This hadith confirms that one should pause and be at ease, and hold oneself upright after rising from bowing and between the two prostrations..

823
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith al-Laythi told us that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying, and in the odd-numbered rak‘ahsof his prayer, he did not get up until he had first sat up straight..

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

825
It was narrated that Sa‘id ibn al-Harith said: Abu Sa‘id led us in prayer and recited the takbir out loud when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated, when he raised [his head again], and when he stood up following the [first] two rak‘ahs, and he said: This is what I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit them to those who came after them, especially the prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Sa‘id ibn al-Harith explains that when Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) led the people in a congregational prayer, he would say the takbir out loud when he raised his head from prostration, when he prostrated, when he raised [his head again]and when he got up following the [first] two rak‘ahs, then he told them that this way was how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. A report narrated by Ahmad adds: When he finished praying, it was said to him: The people are disagreeing about the way you are praying. The disagreement was as to whether the takbir should be said out loud or quietly. He stood by the minbar and said: By Allah, I do not care whether you pray differently or not. Then he told them that the way he (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed was in accordance with the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that we are urged to hold fast to the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) even if it differs from what people do.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to say takbir when getting up and when changing posture in the prayer..

827
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdillah that he told him that he used to see ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels when sitting during the prayer, so I did that too. At that time I was very young, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told me not to do that, and said: The Sunnah in prayer is to hold your right foot upright and tuck your left foot underneath you. I said: But you do that. He said: My feet do not carry me. .

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

828
It was narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Halhalah, from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Ata’, that he was sitting with a group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we mentioned the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi said: I know best among you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). I saw him when he said takbir; he lifted his hands level with his shoulders. When he bowed, he placed his hands firmly on his knees, then he made his back straight. When he lifted his head, he stood up straight until each vertebra returned to its place. When he prostrated, he put his hands [on the ground] without resting his forearms on the ground or holding them close to his body, and his toes pointed towards the qiblah. When he sat after the first two rak‘ahs, he sat on his left foot and held his right foot upright. When he sat in the final rak‘ah, he brought his left foot forward a little underneath him, held his right foot upright, and sat on his buttocks..

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

831
It was narrated that Shaqiq ibn Salamah said: ‘Abdullah said: When we prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we said: Peace be upon Jibril and Mika’il; peace be upon So-and-so and So-and-so. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to us and said: “Indeed Allah is al-Salaam, so when one of you prays, let him say: Al-tahiyyatuLillahiwa’l-salawatuwa’l-tayyibat. Al-salaamu ‘alaykaayyuha’l-Nabiyyuwarahmatullahiwabarakatuhu. Al-salaamu ‘alaynawa ‘ala ‘ibadillah’i-salihin (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah). If you say that, it will include every righteous slave of Allah in heaven and on earth. [Then say:]Ashhaduan la ilahailla Allah waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasuluhu (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).”.

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

834
It was narrated from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Teach me a supplication that I may offer in my prayer. He said: “Say: Allahummainnizalamtunafsizulmankathiran, wa la yaghfirul-dhunubailla anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indikawarhamni, innaka anta al-Ghafurul-Rahim (O Allah, indeedI have wronged myself greatly, and no one forgives sins except You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful).”.

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

837
Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, the women would get up and leave when he finished his taslim, and he would stay where he was for a while, before he got up to leave..

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

838
It was narrated that ‘Itban ibn Malik said: We prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we said the taslim when he said the taslim..

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

841
It was narrated from Abu Ma‘bad, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that raising the voice in dhikr when the people have finished an obligatory prayer is something that used to take place at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And Ibn ‘Abbas said: I used to know that they had finished the prayer when I heard that..

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

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.