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Hadith
878
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that whilst ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was standing and delivering the khutbah one Friday, a man who was one of the earliest Muhajirin, one of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came in. ‘Umar called out to him: What time is this? He said: I was busy and could not return to my family until I heard the adhan, and I could not do more than just wudu’. ‘Umar said: And just wudu’ too, when you know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?.

Commentary : Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is one of the most prominent characteristics of this ummah and is one of the causes of its being superior to others. Allah destroyed some of the nations who came before us because they failed to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. Therefore every Muslim is commanded to enjoin what is right as much as he can, and forbid what is wrong as much as he can. Because ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the most assiduous in promoting the truth, he never failed to enjoin what is right, wherever he was. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during his caliphate, his father ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was standing and delivering the khutbah one Friday when a man who was one of the earliest Muhajirin, came in. He was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, according to a report in al-Muwatta’. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that he had come late, he said to him: “What time is this?” –rebuking him for coming late. ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by telling him that he had become busy with some matters, so he could not go back to his house until he heard the adhan, so he did wudu’ quickly and did not do ghusl, in order to catch up with Jumu‘ah. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: And just wudu’ too, when you know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?Here ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) a second time. What he meant was: and you did not do ghusl for Jumu‘ah either; you only did wudu? Is it not enough that you came late and missed out on the virtue of coming early, and you followed that with failing to do ghusl, being content with doing wudu’ only, when you heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoining us to do ghusl on Friday!
The command to do ghusl on Friday is part of the etiquette of coming to the mosque and prayers in congregation. It is advice from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do what is most appropriate and best on such occasions.
This hadith indicates that we should enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, even if that is in front of other people.
It indicates that the leader should check on those under his authority, and instruct them to do that which is best for their spiritual well-being, and to rebuke the one who falls short in doing what is more appropriate. It also indicates that enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong may be done during the khutbah and does not invalidate it.
It indicates that the Muslim is encouraged to come early to Jumu‘ah.
It indicates that it is permissible to just do wudu’ for Jumu‘ah, but highlights the fact that ghusl is better..

880
It was narrated that Abu Sa‘id said: I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Ghusl on Friday is obligatory for every adult, and he should brush his teeth and put on perfume if it is available.” ‘Amr said: As for ghusl, I bear witness that it is obligatory. As for brushing the teeth and putting on perfume, Allah knows best whether it is obligatory or not, but this is what it says in the hadith..

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival (eid) of the Muslims, on which they gather to remember Allah (dhikr). Hence there are several points of etiquette to be observed on Fridays. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains some of them. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that doing ghusl on Friday is obligatory for every adult, in the sense that it is so important for every adult male who is required to attend Jumu‘ah that it is almost like an obligatory duty for him. Another of these sunnahs is brushing the teeth and cleaning them with a siwak or by other means, scrubbing the teeth with something that will clean them. Another of these sunnahs is putting on perfume that has a good smell.
Doing ghusl and cleaning the mouth are part of the etiquette of attending the mosques and prayers in congregation. It is advice from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do that which is appropriate on such occasions.
The ‘Amr referred to here is ‘Amr ibn Sulaym, the narrator of the report. The words “As for brushing the teeth and putting on perfume…”, which appear towards the end of the report, indicate that the conjunction does not mean that these actions are all at the same level of importance. It is as if he was certain that ghusl only is obligatory, because this is clearly stated in the hadith; he did not say anything about the other actions, because of the possibility that they may or may not be obligatory. It was also said that as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned together doing ghusl and putting on perfume on Friday, and everyone agrees that there is no blame on the one who does not put on perfume on Friday, if he has no offensive odours that could annoy or offend other people in the mosque, the same applies to the one who does not do ghusl, because the reason for both is the same. The same applies to brushing the teeth..

881
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl on Friday, the same as ghusl for janabah, then sets out early, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a camel in charity. Whoever sets out at the second hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a cow in charity. Whoever sets out at the third hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a horned ram in charity. Whoever sets out at the fourth hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a chicken in charity. Whoever sets out at the fifth hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving an egg in charity. Then when the imam comes out, the angels come to listen to the reminder [the khutbah]..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed His believing slaves to hasten to do good deeds, and He praises those who do that, as He says: {Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds} [al-Anbiya’ 20:19]. Because coming early to prayer is a good deed, especially in the case of Jumu‘ah prayer, the one who comes early to the prayer attains greater reward and virtue than others.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us of the virtue of coming early to Jumu‘ah prayer. First he encourages the Muslim to do ghusl for this prayer, and tells us that for the one who does a complete ghusl, like that done in the case of janabah, then goes to Jumu‘ah prayer  early, at the beginning of the day, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah (may He be exalted) by giving a camel in charity. For the one who goes at the second hour, it is as if he gave a cow in charity for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted). For the one who goes at the third hour, it is as if he gave a horned ram in charity; this description emphasizes how beautiful and perfect it is. For the one who goes at the fourth hour, it is as if he gave a chicken in charity, and for the one who goes at the fifth hour, it is as if he gave an egg in charity. The hours referred to in the hadith begin at sunrise, and this division is done according to the length of time between sunrise and the time of the second adhan; the time is divided into five parts, each of which is what is referred to by the word “hour” in this hadith. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that when the imam comes out and ascends the minbar to deliver the khutbah, the angels come in and do not write down the names of those who come in after that, so that they can listen to the Jumu‘ah khutbah and what it contains of remembrance of Allah (may He be exalted). Thus those who come after that miss out on the virtue of coming early, but they do not miss out on the reward for Jumu‘ah.
This hadith highlights the virtue of coming early for Jumu‘ah prayer.
It also urges the Muslim to do ghusl for Jumu‘ah..

883
It was narrated that Salman al-Farisi said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No man does ghusl on Friday, cleaning and purifying himself as much as he can, and puts on perfume, whether it is his own perfume or perfume that is in his house, then goes out, and does not push his way between two people, then he prays whatever is decreed that he should pray, then he listens attentively when the imam speaks, but he will be forgiven whatever sins he commits between this and the following Jumu‘ah.”.

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival of the Muslims, on which they gather to do good and remember Allah (dhikr). Hence the most important acts of etiquette on this day include purifying and cleaning oneself, ensuring that one smells good, coming early to the prayer, avoiding anything that could annoy or offend people, and listening attentively to the khatib. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of the virtues of this etiquette. He begins by urging the Muslim to do ghusl and purify himself, which means cleaning himself thoroughly. What is meant is cleaning oneself by trimming the moustache, clipping the nails and shaving the pubic hair. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned another act of etiquette, which is perfuming oneself, which the Muslim may do with his own perfume or by putting on some of his wife’s perfume. Then when he sets out to go to the mosque, when he enters the mosque he should not push his way between two people. This is a reference to coming early, because if he sets out early, he will not have to step over people’s necks or push his way between those who arrived before him and are sitting down. It was also said that what is meant is that he should not push his way between two men and stand between them, because he may make them feel constrained, especially when it is very hot and there is a large number of people. “then he prays whatever is decreed that he should pray” of supererogatory prayer. “then he listens attentively when the imam speaks”  so he listens properly to the khutbah. Whoever does this will be forgiven for whatever sins he commits in the period between this Jumu‘ah prayer and its khutbah, until the same time the following week.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday.
It indicates that it is encouraged to put on perfume [when attending Jumu‘ah prayer].
It indicates that it is not allowed to step over people on Friday, except for one who can find no other way to reach the prayer place except by doing that.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer whatever supererogatory prayers one wishes before Jumu‘ah prayer.
It indicates that we are urged to listen attentively when the khatib begins to deliver the khutbah..

884
It was narrated that Tawus said: I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: They said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do ghusl on Friday and wash your heads, even if you are not junub, and put on perfume.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of cleanliness and beauty, and it encourages both. In this hadith, Tawus ibn Kaysan – who was one of the Tabi‘in – narrates that he told ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that some people were narrating a hadith from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which was: “Do ghusl on Friday and wash your heads, even if you are not junub, and put on perfume.” Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know. It is known that the one who does ghusl will wash his head, so the words “and wash your heads” are a confirmation of the words “Do ghusl”, by way of mentioning something specific after mentioning something general, for emphasis and to point out that what is required is complete ghusl, lest anyone think that pouring water over the body without pouring it over the hair and making it reach the scalp is good enough for ghusl on Friday. The words “even if you are not junub” confirm that the command to do ghusl on Friday is not only for those who are junub. The words of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know” mean: As for ghusl, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); as for perfume, I did not hear about it from him. The fact that Ibn ‘Abbas had not heard anything about putting on perfume on Friday does not mean that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say it. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated what he heard. But others heard it. In Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said concerning the etiquette of Jumu‘ah: “…and put on perfume if it is available.”
This hadith indicates that it is forbidden to issue a fatwa without knowledge. Here we see Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) – despite his high status and lofty position among the Sahabah – saying, I do not know. So no one should feel too embarrassed to say, when he does not know something, I do not know.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday.
It indicates that it is encouraged to put on perfume when attending Jumu‘ah prayer..

885
It was narrated from Tawus, from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), that he mentioned what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said with regard to doing ghusl on Friday. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: Can he put on perfume if his wife has some? He said: I do not know..

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival (eid) of the Muslims, on which they gather to do good and remember Allah (dhikr). Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined people to do ghusl on that day. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Tawus ibn Kaysan narrates that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said with regard to doing ghusl on Friday. The command in this instance is addressed to one who is not junub, for the purpose of cleaning and purifying himself, because the one who is junub is commanded to remove the janabah on Friday and otherwise. Tawus asked him: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoin putting on perfume, even if the perfume belongs to one’s wife? This is because perfume is one of the things that she uses to beautify herself for her husband, so it is most likely that perfume would be in the possession of women, rather than men. What is meant by perfume is anything that is applied to the body to give a good fragrance.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by saying that he had no knowledge of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had said with regard to putting on perfume on Friday, or whether this action was recommended or was enjoined like ghusl. The fact that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) had not heard anything about putting on perfume on Friday does not necessarily mean that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say it.Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated what he heard. But others heard it. In Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said concerning the etiquette of Jumu‘ah: “…and put on perfume if it is available.” The command to put on perfume depends on one’s ability to do it, for not everyone owns perfume or keeps it at home.
This hadith highlights an important point of etiquette for the scholar and mufti, which is that they should say “I do not know” with regard to anything of which they have no knowledge.
It also indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday..

887
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, or for the people, I would have instructed them to use the siwak at the time of every prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer means standing before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so it is essential to be in a state of purity and look good, and for the mouth and teeth to be clean.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) states that were it not that it would be too difficult for the worshippers among his ummah, he would have instructed them and made it obligatory for them to use the siwak before offering any prayer, whether it was obligatory or supererogatory, and whether the mouth had an odour or was clean. This is by way of encouraging people to do this noble act, which is purifying the mouth and cleaning the teeth when meeting Allah in prayer. The siwak is the root of the arak tree; this hadith may also refer to using any other kind of stick or similar thing to clean the teeth and take away any odour and the like. The Sunnah is to use the siwak when doing wudu’ for prayer too, as it says in a report narrated by al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). The time to do that when doing wudu’ is after washing the hands and before rinsing the mouth.
This hadith indicates that worshippers are urged to use the siwak whenever possible.
It also highlights the keenness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make things easy for people..

888
It was narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have mentioned to you many times the importance of using the siwak.”.

Commentary : Using the siwak is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, I would have instructed them to use the siwak at the time of every prayer.” The siwak is cleansing for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) confirmed the command to use the siwak, as he said: “I have mentioned to you many times the importance of using the siwak”, to emphasize its importance and enjoin it. The siwak is obtained from the roots of the arak tree. The point of telling them this, even though they were already aware of it, is to highlight and emphasize the importance of using the siwak. Even though the siwak is Sunnah at all times, it is even more important in certain situations, including prayer, wudu’ and reading Qur’an. As Jumu‘ah is one of the prayers for which the Muslims are enjoined to adorn themselves and prepare themselves for it by doing ghusl and putting on perfume, and using the siwak is one of the means of cleansing and purifying oneself, it is even more important on Friday..

890
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came in, holding a siwak with which he was cleaning his teeth. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at it, and I said to him: Give me this siwak, O ‘Abd al-Rahman. So he gave it to me, and I cut off the part where he had been using it, then I chewed it and gave it to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he cleaned his teeth with it while he was leaning against my chest..

Commentary : When his illness grew worse,  the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)asked his wives’ permission to let him stay in the house of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), because she was so dear to him and he loved her very much.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that her brother ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came in to visit the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his final sickness. ‘Abd al-Rahman was carrying a siwak with which he was cleaning his teeth. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at the siwak; he was unable to speak, but the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) understood that he wanted to use the siwak. So she took it from ‘Abd al-Rahman  and cut off the part where he had been using it, then she chewed it to soften it for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then she gave it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he rubbed his teeth with it while he was leaning against her chest.
This hadith highlights the virtue of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and her status with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It highlights the Prophet’s kind treatment of his wives.
It demonstrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) adhered to the Sunnah of using the siwak even when he was very ill.
It confirms the virtue of using the siwak..

891
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in Fajr prayer on Friday “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah] and “Hal ata ‘ala al-insanihinun min al-dahr”  [Surat al-Insan]. .

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite certain surahs in some of the prayers, in most cases. He did this for various reasons, one of which may have been that the verses were appropriate to the time when they were recited.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in Fajr prayer on Fridays, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite Surat al-Sajdah in the first rak‘ah and Surat al-Insan in the second rak‘ah. This is what he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) usually did most of the time. That was because of what these two surahs contain of mention of what has happened and what will happen, from creation until re-creation (resurrection), such as the creation of Adam (peace be upon him), the gathering of all creatures, their resurrection from the graves to either Paradise or Hell, the stages of the Day of Resurrection, and the fact that it will happen on a Friday. Reciting these two surahs in Fajr prayer on Friday is following the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It was said that this is on condition that one recite other surahs sometimes, lest anyone think that it is not permissible to recite any other surahs [in Fajr prayer on Fridays]..

892
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: The first Jumu‘ah prayer that was established after Jumu‘ah prayer in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in the mosque of [the tribe of] ‘Abd al-Qays in Juwatha in al-Bahrayn..

Commentary : Jumu‘ah prayer is very important in Islamic teachings and in Muslim society, and it can only be done in congregation.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the first Jumu‘ah prayer to be offered, fulfilling all the conditions of the khutbah and gathering, after the Jumu‘ah that the Sahabah prayed for the first time in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, was the Jumu‘ah that was established in the mosque of ‘Abd al-‘Qays. They were a tribe in Juwatha, which was in al-Bahrayn. Juwatha was a village or the name of a fortress, and in ancient times, the name al-Bahrayn was given to the area which now includes Bahrain, al-Ahsa’ and al-Qatif in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Mosque of ‘Abd al-Qays is located in what is now known as the province of al-Ahsa’.
This hadith indicates that there is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah should only be established in large cities; rather it is permissible in villages too..

896
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “We are the last but we will be the first on the Day of Resurrection. They were given the Book before us, and it was given to us after them. This is the day concerning which they differed, but Allah guided us to it. Tomorrow is for the Jews, and the day after tomorrow is for the Christians.” Then he fell silent, then he said: “It is obligatory for every Muslim to do ghusl one day out of every seven days, in which he washes his head and his body.”.

Commentary : Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the best of the prophets, and his ummah is the best of nations. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights some of the ways in which his ummah surpasses the previous nations, and he lists some of their characteristics which distinguish them from those nations. He states that he and his ummah are the lastin chronological terms, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the last of the prophets and messengers, and there will be no prophet after him, but on the Day of Resurrection they will be ahead of the previous nations, the People of the Book, in virtue and status, as they will come after the Muslim ummah with regard to the reckoning, judgement and admission to Paradise.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred to the People of the Book, the Jews and Christians, stating that they were given the Book – meaning the Torah and Gospel – before us, and we were given the Holy Qur’an, which is the greatest of the Books that Allah (may He be exalted) sent down to His slaves, after them.
Then he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred to Friday, which is the day concerning which the People of the Book before us differed, after they had been told that it was their day and were commanded to venerate it. But they abandoned it and resorted to choosing a day based on their own reasoning.So the Jews venerated Saturday, because it was the day on which Allah finished creation, as they thought that this was the virtue that made this day special and deserving of veneration. The Christians venerated Sunday, because creation began on that day. But Allah guided us to Friday, by means of revelation which tells us that this day should be venerated, or on the basis of scholarly views that are in harmony with the intended meaning of the text. Therefore Saturday is for the Jews and Sunday is for the Christians.
It was said that because the Jews chose Saturday and the Christians chose Sunday, and Allah guided us to Friday – which comes before those two days – this shows that we went ahead of them in this world and we will go ahead of them in the hereafter.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that it is a duty for every Muslim – what is meant is those who are accountable – to do ghusl one day in every seven, which is Friday, in which he should wash his head and his body.
What is meant by doing ghusl is pouring water over the body and head for the purpose of purification and cleanliness. Thus the individual is required, at the very least, to wash himself with water every seven days. The head is singled out for mention, even though it is part of the body, to indicate that special attention should be paid to it..

900
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: One of ‘Umar’s wives used to attend Fajr and ‘Isha’ prayers in congregation in the mosque. It was said to her: Why do you go out when you know that ‘Umar dislikes that, because he is a man of protective jealousy? She said: What is preventing him from telling me not to do this? He said: What is preventing him is the word of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah.”.

Commentary : There are rulings which apply specifically to women when attending prayers in the mosques, how they should go out, and what they should look like, in terms of modesty, adornment, covering, and avoiding dubious situations, and barring any means that could lead to them being a source of fitnah (temptation).
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one of the wives of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – namely ‘Atikah bint Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl – used to attend Fajr and ‘Isha’ prayers in congregation in the mosque. She was told that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the women going out at this time, the reason being that he felt protective jealousy (ghirah) concerning them. She asked why he let her do that and did not forbid her to do it, and she was told that what was preventing him from forbidding her to do this was the word of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah,” and allow them to go to the mosque to pray, seek knowledge and the like. Describing them as “the female slaves of Allah” is more eloquent than simply calling them women.
There are some reports which say that this permission was only granted for prayer at night, such as ‘Isha’ and Fajr – as is mentioned in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Ibn ‘Umar, according to which the Prophet of Allah said: “If your womenfolk ask you for permission to go out at night, give them permission” – because it is dark, so they will be concealed and there will be no fear of fitnah (temptation) for her or because of her. This is what the wife of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her) used to do. Abu Dawud and Ahmad also narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let them go out unadorned,” meaning that they should not be wearing perfume or any kind of adornment, so that they will not be a cause of fitnah (temptation) to men.
This hadith indicates that women are permitted to pray in the mosque, if there is no fear of fitnah (temptation)..

901
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith said: Ibn ‘Abbas said to his mu’adhdhin on a rainy day: When you have said,AshhaduannaMuhammadanRasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say Hayya ‘ala al-salah (Come to prayer); rather say Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses). It was as if the people objected to that, but he said: One who is better than me did that. Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, but I did not want to make you come out and walk in mud and slippery conditions..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Muslim cannot afford to miss it, whether he is at home or travelling, whether during peacetime or wartime. But the teachings of Islam take people’s situation into consideration when they have no choice and when conditions are hard, and whether it is a time of fear or a time of safety.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Muhammad ibn Sirin narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his mu’adhdhin on a very rainy day: When you reach in youradhan the words AshhaduannaMuhammadanRasulullah(I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say Hayya ‘ala al-salah (Come to prayer); say instead of that: Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses), so that the people will hear this concession and not come out. This was in relation to Jumu‘ah prayer, as is mentioned at the end of the report. It was as if the people objected to what he said about there being a concession allowing them not to attend Jumu‘ah because of the rain. So Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: One who is better than me did that, meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then Ibn ‘Abbas explained the reason for this, as he said: Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, meaning that it is obligatory for every accountable man who hears the call and is not travelling, but I did not like to cause you hardship and difficulty, and there is a concession that makes the matter flexible for you. It was said that what was meant by the phrase translated above as “causing hardship” is: I did not want to be the cause of you incurring sin when you feel reluctant to come, and perhaps some of you may feel angry or say words that are not appropriate because of walking in the mud, which could lead to you slipping and falling. Rain is one of the excuses for which a concession is granted with regard to an obligatory duty, and it is one of the valid excuses for which prayer in congregation may be waived.
It was said that the phrase “Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses)” gives people the choice, and does not mean that they must pray at home; it is up to the worshipper and he has the choice: if he wishes, he may stay at home, and if he wishes, he may go out to the mosque.
This hadith highlights one aspect of how things may be made easier for people in such situations.
It also indicates that rain is one of the reasons for which Jumu‘ah prayer and prayers in congregation may be waived. .

902
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: The people used to come on Friday from their homes and from al-‘Awali; they would come in the dust, with dust and sweat having accumulated on them, and with the smell of sweat emanating from them. One of them came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in my house, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I wish you would purify yourselves for this day of yours.”.

Commentary : Friday is an important day, and it is the best day of the week, on which the Muslims gather for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the people to purify themselves, clean themselves and make themselves look good on this day, especially those who wanted to attend  Jumu‘ah prayer.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the people used to come to attend Jumu‘ah prayer from their houses and from al-‘Awali, which refers to some areas near Madinah, to pray with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his mosque. “they would come in the dust [fi’l-ghubar]” – in a report narrated by Muslim, it says: “they would come in ‘abayas [fi’l-‘aba’]”. The dust of the road would get onto them, and they would sweat; such things cause a person’s clothes to become dirty, and result in an unpleasant smell, which is not appropriate for the Muslim himself, let alone when he is attending prayers in congregation and Jumu‘ah prayer in the mosque.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What appears to be the case is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) noticed a smell when this man came near him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw what state the man was in, he said: “I wish you would purify yourselves for this day of yours!” According to a report narrated in al-Sahihayn he said:, “I wish that you would do ghusl” – meaning: for when you come to pray on Friday. This was so as not to cause annoyance to people with the smell of sweat. What is meant by purifying oneself is to wash oneself, making the water reach all of the body and head, seeking to purify and clean oneself.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to be clean and to avoid unpleasant smells on the body, especially on Friday..

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.