| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

977

Narrated `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis: I heard Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) answering the question of a man who wanted to know whether he had joined the Prophet ﷺ in the `Eid prayer. He said to him, "Yes. I could not have joined him had I not been young. He ﷺ came out till he reached the mark which was near the house of Katheer ibn As-Salt. There, he offered the ‘Eid prayer and then delivered the ‘Eid sermon. After he finished the prayer, he went towards the women and Bilal walked in his company. He preached to them and advised them and ordered them to give alms. I saw the women putting their ornaments with their outstretched hands into Bilal's garment. Then the Prophet ﷺ along with Bilal returned home..

Commentary : The ‘Eid prayer has a great importance in Islam; and by it, the power of the religion and the unity and gathering of the Muslims are shown. Furthermore, it is an occasion during which people manifest their joy, pleasure, and longing to draw near to Allah, Exalted be He.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis reports that ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) was asked about his presence at the ‘Eid prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with both of them) mentioned that he [indeed] attended the prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and [then] said: “If I was not young, I would not have [been able] to have seen him” - that is to say: that he witnessed the ‘Eid and joined in its events with the Prophet ﷺ as a young boy, who almost was not able to be present [at the events] due to his young age - if it were not for his closeness from the Prophet ﷺ. Despite his young age, he (may Allah be pleased with them) understood what the Prophet ﷺ did on this day. It is possible that his statement meant that he went with the Prophet ﷺ to the women’s prayer space when he ﷺ wanted to exhort them; [as well as] what he is going to report about them [in this narration later on] because the presence of a boy at a such young age (i.e., child) is to be present with women.

Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ set out towards the location of the ‘Eid prayer near the house of Katheer ibn al-Salt - [which] is a big house in al-Madeenah, and was used as a Qiblah for the site where the two ‘Eid prayers were performed; and a mark was placed on it for that reason [i.e. to serve as an indicator of which direction the Qiblah was for the prayer]. Katheer ibn al-Salt built his house at a time after the Prophet ﷺ. As it was a landmark that is well-known to people, Ibn ‘Abbaas described that the place of the prayer for ‘Eid was near the house of Katheer, and it overlooked the interior of Buṭhaan - [which] is a valley located near the middle of al-Madeenah.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ performed two rakʿahs for the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah [being called], nor any sunnah prayers performed before or after it. Afterwards, he ﷺ delivered the sermon to the people, [which] is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the Friday sermon).

Then, the Prophet ﷺ came to the women, and with him was Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) - whom was the servant of the Prophet ﷺ and would [oftentimes] be entrusted with collecting the alms.

So, the Prophet ﷺ preached and exhorted to them, and bid them to offer alms. After which, the women of the Companions hastened in doing so, [by] even grabbing their jewellery and tossing it into the garment of Bilal. After that, the Prophet ﷺ went to his house with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet ﷺ used to gather the alms for the purpose of distributing it amongst those in need; like what his ﷺ custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the Imaam should preach and exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men.

This hadeeth highlights the merit and virtue of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), along with the virtue of the women of the Companions and shows how they hastened with eagerness in offering alms.

It teaches us that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution, out of fear that temptation [may rise] against them.

It teaches us that we should set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer will be held, and that the ‘Eid prayer is offered before the sermon is delivered [by the Imaam].

Lastly, we understand from this hadeeth the permissibility of taking young children out towards the place of prayer, so that they may be blessed by attending the prayer, hearing the supplications of the Muslims, and so they may participate in manifesting the rites and ceremonies of Islam with the large number of those who attend.

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979

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them: I witnessed the `Eid al-Fitr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them); and all of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before delivering the sermon. Once the Prophet ﷺ finished, (after completing the prayer and the sermon) he gestured with his hand, as if I am now looking at him now, to the men so that they remain seated, as he walked through their rows. He set out with Bilal to the site where the women were seated. Then, he ﷺ recited to them: {O Prophet! When believing women come to you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] After he finished, he said to them, “Are you fulfilling this covenant?" One lady, other than whom none replied, said, "O Allah's Messenger, yes we do!" (The, sub-narrator, al-Hasan did not know who the lady was.) Upon which, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "Hasten to give alms, let my father and mother be sacrificed for you." Thereupon, he spread out his garment and the women started throwing fatakhs and rings into his garment. .

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, which the Prophet ﷺ, and his Rightly Guided Caliphs always ensured to perform them; and his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated all of that for us, as they saw and learned them from the Prophet ﷺ.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he was present at the ‘Eid prayer which he performed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - and each in [their own] time while [they served] as Caliphs. All of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before the sermon.

This hadeeth is a clear demonstration and evidence toward [distinguishing] that the Prayer of ‘Eid preceded the sermon and the matter, which the Prophet ﷺ pursued diligently in and was observed by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and continued this practice thereafter.

Next, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people. Ibn ‘Abbaas then states [in his report]: “It is as if I am looking at him,” to confirm in this part of the hadeeth that he remembers the action[s] of the Prophet ﷺ and what he is reporting about it.

[And regarding] his statement: “when [he motioned] with his hands [for them] to remain seated” - this is because the congregation wanted to leave, so he ﷺ ordered them to remain sitting until his needs were met. The other possible interpretation is that they all set out to leave or they wanted to follow him ﷺ, but he ﷺ stopped them and ordered them to remain seated. It is also possible that they wanted to clear and widen the way for the Prophet’s ﷺ passage when he ﷺ began walking between the people and splitting the prayer rows until he came to the prayer area of the women. Thereafter, he ﷺ preached and exhorted the women who were present to realign themselves towards Allah and recited to them the ayah: you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] It is said, the reason the Prophet ﷺ recited this noble ayah was to remind them of the pledge of allegiance which took place between him and the women when the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah.

When he finished reciting the ayah, The Prophet ﷺ asked them: “Are you fulfilling your covenants?” - this was to confirm with them [of the time over] that which they pledged their allegiance to him on these great matters.

Then, one woman from amongst them responded: “Yes.” - namely, that is to say: “We are fulfilling our covenants.” And none, other than her, responded to the Prophet ﷺ; thus, her answer was the final say on behalf of everyone.

Ibn Jurayj, the narrator of the hadeeth, said: “al-Hasan ibn Muslim did not know who the respondent was.” It is said: it is possible that this woman was Asmaa’ bint Yazeed ibn al-Sakan(may Allah be pleased with her) who was known as the preacher of women [i.e., she was given this title because she would speak on behalf of the women and always take the initiative to ask the Prophet about the matters of women].

Then, the Prophet ﷺ ordered them to offer alms. Afterwards, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) spread out his garment, and then said, “Come! Let my father and mother be your sacrifice!” This is an invitation from Bilal [to encourage] them to give alms, and he asked Allah that his father and mother be a ransom for all of them as a protection from all evil. Upon hearing this, all of them hastened to offer alms until they tossed their fatakhs and rings into the garment of Bilal.

The fatakh is a ring which does not have a stone or gem on it.

From the benefits that we can learn from this hadeeth: (i) the virtue of the women among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their hastening in offering alms. (ii) The Imaam should exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men. And (iii), the permissibility of women giving alms from their wealth and personal jewellery without the permission of their spouses.

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980

Hafsa bint Seereen said, "On ‘Eid we used to forbid our girls to go out for `Eid prayer. A woman came and stayed at the palace of Bani Khalaf, so I went to visit her. She mentioned that her in-law (the husband of her sister) took part in twelve expeditions along with the Prophet ﷺ and her sister was with him in six of them. Her sister mentioned to her that they used to nurse the sick and treat the wounded. Once she asked the Prophet ﷺ: 'O Allah's Messenger! If a woman has no Jilbaab, is there any harm if she does not come out (on `Eid day)?' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Her companion should let her share her Jilbab with her, so they both participate in the good deeds and witness the supplications of the believers.' " Hafsa added, "When Um-`Atiya came, I went to her and asked her, 'Did you hear anything about such-and-such?' Um-`Atiya said, 'Yes, let my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ - whenever she mentioned the name of the Prophet ﷺ she always used to say, 'Let my father be' sacrificed for him -. He said, 'Virgin mature girls staying often screened (or said, 'Mature girls and virgins staying often screened—Aiyoob (the one who narrated it from Hafsa is not sure as which was right) and menstruating women should come out (on the `E’id day). But the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla. Let all the women should participate in the good deeds [on this day] and witness the supplications of the believers." Hafsa said, "On that I said to Um-`Atiya, 'Also those who are menstruating?' " Um-`Atiya replied, "Yes. Do they not attend `Arafat and such-and-such events?". .

Commentary : Islam has honoured the Muslim woman, protected her dignity, and given her a high status and importance in society, after she did not amount to [nothing] more than a trivial house item before Islam had emerged. The Wise Lawgiver [i.e., Allah] did not forbid the Muslim woman from participating in the demonstration of religious rituals if the religious parameters were maintained. For that reason, she was encouraged to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer is performed - so that she can witness the blessings and the supplications of believers.

In this hadeeth, the female taabiʿee, Hafsah bint Seereen mentioned that they used to forbid the young woman who recently reached puberty from leaving her home to head towards the place of the ‘Eid prayer. Perhaps, they used to do this due to their lack of knowledge with its permissibility; or it is as if they would do that because of what happened after the first generation [i.e., the time of the Prophet ﷺ] - when corruption and the like became rampant.

A woman, whose name is not known, came to them and stayed in the palace of Bani Khalaf, which is a palace near al-Basrah, and is attributed to a descendant of the grandfather of Ṭalha ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Khalaf - who is known as Ṭalha al-Ṭalahaat.

After this woman noticed that the people prevented the women from setting out towards the place where the ‘Eid prayer is performed, she reported to them about the husband of her sister - and that he was present [and took part] alongside the Prophet ﷺ in twelve battles, while her sister was present with her husband for six of them. Her sister related [to her] that she remained with the women to tend to the sick and treat the wounded. On ‘Eid, her sister asked the Prophet ﷺ about the ruling of a woman going out to the place where the ‘Eid prayer was to be held if she did not have a loose veil that covered her head and body. The Prophet ﷺ instructed her to borrow one from one of her sisters in Islam, so as she can set out by herself towards the prayer site to take part in the blessings, making supplication, [and observing] the supplications of the believers.

Then, Hafsah bint Seereen relates that when Umm ʿAtiyyah came, she asked her about the report of the woman [whose name was not known] regarding menstruating women attending the ‘Eid prayer. She confirmed and believed it and reported that the Prophet ﷺ would order all of the women - even those who were on their menses and young women who recently reached puberty - to set out towards the prayer area [on] ‘Eid. In other words, Hafsah bint Seereen asked Umm ʿAtiyyah inquiringly: “Does the menstruating woman take part [in the observances] of ‘Eid?” [To this], Umm ʿAtiyyah replied: “Yes, may my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ.” Then, she mentioned some examples of cases where menstruating woman would participate [in them]. She said: “Doesn’t the menstruating woman present herself at ʿArafaat and other such places, and partake [in their rites]? “

[Things] such as al-Muzdalifah and throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat. This is just a [simple] listing of the [various] events and large gatherings which a woman can partake in while she is on her menses. By analogy, it is permissible for the menstruating woman to be present at the site of the ‘Eid prayer, but she should remain behind the rows without praying.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth: (i) the menstruating woman should not forgo the remembrance of Allah or refrain from attending places of goodness, such as gatherings of knowledge and Allah’s remembrance - other than [at] the masjid, (ii) the Muslim women can go out [and partake in the observances] of ‘Eid, because when the Prophet ﷺ ordered the one who does not have a jilbaab (a long flowing outer garment) to borrow one. So, this is all the more reason for the one who owns a jilbab to attend it, (iii) this narration is a beautiful demonstration of the noble character that the women of the Ansaar had in striving to veil themselves and forbidding their womenfolk from departing [their homes] without a wide and loose jilbaab that covers their bodies, (iv) it is permissible for women to go out to a battle if there is a benefit in doing so, and there is safety from temptation and corruption, and (v) the great respect and veneration of the Companion (may Allah be pleased with them) for the Prophet ﷺ, even [to the point] that they rarely mentioned him ﷺ without offering their fathers and mothers as a ransom to him ﷺ .
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982

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter - or perform nahr – his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer.

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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites, recommended actions and etiquettes related to the ‘Eid days. One of these [pertinent] topics is the slaughtering of the sacrificial animal, which is a ritual from amongst the significant Islamic rites.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer, in front of the people. He used to slaughter the sacrificial animal by a horizontal cut through the throat – or by the means of nahr which is similar to the regular method of slaughter, but the slaughtering happens by a vertical movement of the spear to the lower part of the throat. The latter method is preferred for slaughtering camels.

It is said that the Prophet ﷺ used the method of nahr on the camels of sacrifice whereas the regular slaughtering method he used on cows and sheep. This ritual was performed at the site of ‘Eid prayer, whenever he ﷺwas in al-Madeenah.

The reason the Prophet ﷺ slaughtered the sacrificial animals at the site of the ‘Eid prayer is so that the people could see him, in order that they may slaughter [their own animals] with certainty after him and observe his manner of slaughtering the animal, because this kind of acts of worship require clarification [so people can be able to perform it]. The other reason is so that the people can [hasten] to slaughter their sacrificial animals after the prayer, as mentioned in the narration documented in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of al-Baraaa’ ibn ʿAaazib(may Allah be pleased with them) wherein he said: “The first thing to be done on this day is to perform the prayer; then, return [to our abodes], and slaughter our sacrificial animals.”

This teaches us that the sacrifice is not valid [if done] before the ‘Eid prayer, because the sacrifice is a public act of worship that [is generally done] in the vicinity of the people. For this reason, doing it in public is preferable; because, by doing so, the sunnah is revived. Nevertheless, it is permissible to perform the ritualistic sacrifice at any place in the house, even inside the houses, and so on.

Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) diligently applied this Sunnah to the extent it was reported that one time he was ill and could not partake in the ‘Eid prayer; therefore, he ordered Naafiʿ to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of the ‘Eid prayer. This was reported by [Imaam] Maalik in the Muwatta’.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we should demonstrate and publicly practise the ritualistic slaughter on the day of ‘Eid..

985

Narrated Jundab(may Allah be pleased with him): On the Day of Nahr, the Prophet ﷺ offered the prayer and delivered the sermon and then slaughtered the sacrifice. Then he said, "Anybody who slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the prayer should slaughter another animal in lieu of it, and the one who has not yet slaughtered should slaughter the sacrifice mentioning Allah's name on it.".

Commentary : The slaughtering of a sacrificial animal is one of the most significant rites of Islam. It is a public ritual in all regions; and is considered an appointed act of worship, and its time enters after the ‘Eid prayer and sermon have been performed.

In this hadeeth, Jundab ibn ʿAbdullah al-Bajalee(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ performed the ‘Eid prayer first on the Day of Nahr. The use of the word nahr here refers to ‘Eid al-Aḍhaa, and it is often called the Day of Nahr because the pilgrims slaughter their sacrificial animals on that day, on the 10th day of DhulHijjah. The Prophet ﷺ offered the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah, nor any prayers which are performed before or after it. After he ﷺ completed the prayer, he delivered the ‘Eid sermon and exhorted the people. The sermon of ‘Eid is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the sermon of Friday). After delivering the ‘Eid sermon, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ slaughtered his sacrificial animal at the Musallaa.

Then, the Prophet ﷺexplained that whoever slaughtered his sacrificial animal before the ‘Eid prayer, effectively, must slaughter another in its place. This is because the first slaughtered animal did not suffice and is not considered a [completion of a] rite, nor as a ritualistic sacrifice. As for the one who did not slaughter his sacrifice before the ‘Eid prayer, then he should slaughter it after the prayer and mention the Name of Allah on it - that is to say: Let him sacrifice it to Allah, because saying bismillah (by the name of Allah) when slaughtering the animal manifests the person’s Islam; differ from those who slaughter for the sake of other things; suppress the Shayṭaan; and be blessed by His Noble Name of Allah – Exalted be He.
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986

Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) related that on Day of ‘Eid, the Prophet ﷺ would return by a different road from the one he had taken when going out..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites of ‘Eid, along with its recommended actions and etiquettes. One of these [pertinent topics] is how to go to the site where the ‘Eid prayer is held and returning to one’s [home afterwards]. In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) states that it was the habit of the Prophet ﷺafter leaving from the ‘Eid prayer and his deliverance of the sermon, to return to his abode from another way other than the route which he took to the Musallaa.

It is said that the wisdom of this practise was so that he ﷺ may spread happiness to all his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); or so they can benefit from it in fulfilling their needs concerning: knowing the rulings, or [that they may] learn [something] and then carry it out, or give charity, or greet them, and the like.

It is also possible that he ﷺ used to do it in order to visit his kin who were not on his first route, or to lessen the crowd amongst him ﷺ, or so that the two paths [that he treaded] may testify for him, or to make the rites of Islam apparent and established, or to vex the hypocrites and Jews, or to alarm them by the multitude of people who were with him, or to be optimistic about [a] transformation of [their] state[s] towards forgiveness and contentment, or that he intended to multiply the reward by increasing the [number of steps] of the two paths in going to the Musallaa and returning from it. All of these aspects are possible, by the permission of Allah, Exalted be He..

991

Naafi’ related that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) would [sometimes] offer Witr [in the form of three prayer units] but would make tasleem after the first two units, and then offer the last unit independently so he could [have some time in between] to attend some of his needs..

Commentary : Witr is the last prayer of the night that Muslims perform after their night supererogatory prayers.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee - Naafi’, the servant of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar, reports that Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) would break the Witr prayer into two parts so as he would perform the concluding part of the prayer (i.e., Taasleem) after the first two units, and then offer the last unit separately. In other words, he would sit to do the tashahhud [i.e., the portion of the prayer where one declares the testimony of faith]; and afterwards, perform the tasleem. Thereafter, he would stand and perform a single unit so that he may try to attend some of his needs”- that is to say, his action was due a need; and that his custom [generally] for the Witr prayer was to perform the three units jointly [i.e., without any breaks or separations].

This is an explanation on how to perform the Witr prayer; it is either prayed three units continuously with one tasleem, or disjointly with two tasleems. In the case of the latter, one should offer two prayer units and conclude it with tasleem [thereafter]. Then, offer the third prayer unit and conclude it with another tasleem..

996

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Allah's Messenger ﷺ offered Witr prayer (on different nights) at various hours, extending (from the 'Ishaa' prayer) up to the last hour of the night..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to pray so much at night, and encouraged us to perform the Witr prayer, and to make it the last prayer at night.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) expounds on the manner of the Prophet ﷺ towards the Witr prayer. The Mother of the Believers, ‘Aishah, was the most knowledgeable person of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at night; she was his wife and witnessed what other people were not able to in relation to his prayers at night. She learned its times, counted the number of its units, its [various] forms, and so forth.

She reported that the time of the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ varied with regards to Witr. Sometimes, he prayed it at the first part of the night; other times he prayed it in the middle of night; and some other times, he prayed it at its end. The reason he prayed it at different time is to make ease and accommodation towards his nation; thus, it is possible to offer the Witr prayer at any time of the night. However, the time of night during which the Prophet ﷺ eventually settled on to offer the Witr prayer was near the time before the appearance of morning twilight.

From this hadeeth we learn that the time of the Witr prayer extends [from the first part of the night] to before Fajr prayer, and that the minimum [number of prayer units] for the Witr prayer is one unit or three.
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999

Narrated Sa`eed ibn Yasaar: I was travelling with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar on the road to Makkah. On the way, I feared that it was nearly fajr time, thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer then joined ‘Abdullah. Upon seeing me, he said, “where have you been” I replied, I feared the time of Fajr to enter so I dismounted and prayed the Witr prayer. He said to me: Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?' I said, 'Of course, by Allah, [he ﷺ is an excellent example for me to follow]'. He said, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray Witr on his camel.".

Commentary : The requirements of prayer in supererogatory prayers are not as strict in obligatory prayer; thus, it was made easier and considerate of the different circumstances of people.

Witr is the last prayer that a Muslim performs at night after the supererogatory prayers. If a Muslim is traveling, then he is granted some concessions that make the business of travel easier for him, such as shortening the prayers, and so on. From these concessions is the permissibility to pray the Witr while riding [on his mount] without [needing] to dismount from his camel, or [any other] means of transportation.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, Saʿid ibn Yasaar reports that he was travelling with ʿAbdullaah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) along the path to Makkah, and they had set out [from their place of departure] at night. However, when he became fearful that the time for the Fajr Prayer was approaching and [was] about to enter without praying Witr; he dismounted from his camel and then performed the Witr prayer. Then, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar said to him: “Where have you been?”

Saʿeed replied: “I feared the time of Fajr to enter; thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer.” To which, ʿAbdullah replied: “Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?”Saʿeed responded: “Yes, by Allah! He ﷺ is an excellent example for me [to follow].”

ThenʿAbdullah related to him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the Witr prayer while he was traveling atop the back of his camel, setting out to wherever the camel was being led and that he would perform the opening takbir facing towards the Qiblah so that he could enter into the prayer. The validity of the prayer is not affected if the mount moved into in any direction after that. He ﷺ would motion with his head, gesturing for the movements of bowing and prostration. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1000

Ibn ‘Umar narrated: The Prophet ﷺ used to offer (supererogatory) night prayers on his mount, gesturing with his head [for bowing and prostration]. However, he would never do this with compulsory prayers. He also used to pray Witr on his mount..

Commentary : The supererogatory prayer differs from the obligatory prayer with regards to some of its rulings, and some of which have been mentioned in this hadeeth. ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ would pray supererogatory prayers during the journey while he was riding atop his mount that he disembarked with in any direction that he proceeded towards. However, he would first perform the opening takbir while facing the Qiblah, and then his mount would move in any direction after that.

He ﷺ used to motion by gesturing, [and this was done] by moving his head to serve as an indication for the movements of bowing and prostration; and the nodding motions for the prostration were lower than the gestures for bowing. He ﷺ would do this for the supererogatory prayers, including the Witr prayer.

As for the obligatory prayers, he ﷺ would not do this while traveling. But rather, he used to dismount from his riding animal and perform the obligatory prayer on the ground, facing the Qiblah. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1002

Narrated ‘Asim: I asked Anas ibn Maalik about the Qunoot [in the prayer]. He replied, "Definitely, it was recited." I asked again, "Was it recited before bowing or after it?" Anas replied, "Before bowing." I said: "But so-and-so told me that you informed him that it had been recited after bowing." Anas said, "He must be mistaken! Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot after bowing for a period of one month. It was because he ﷺ sent about seventy men, known as the Reciters, to a group of pagans with whom the Prophet ﷺ had a peace treaty; they were less than them in number. (However, the pagans breached the treaty and killed the seventy Muslim men). Consequently, Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot for a period of one month during which he asked Allah to punish them.".

Commentary : The prayer is an act of worship and no act of worship can be sanctioned except on the basis of a textual evidence to that effect. The Prophet ﷺ explained to us all its actions, etiquettes, and what else pertains to it, such as supplications and the Qunoot, which the Sunnah clarified for us, specifically on how to exercise them during times of misfortune.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee ‘Aasim al-Ahwal reports that he asked Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the legitimacy of the Qunoot, which is a supplication offered during the prayer. It is prescribed to be recited when the imaam begins the last bowing with the supplication so as the people praying behind him say “Ameen” to his supplication.

The answer of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was that it is legitimate, and that the Prophet ﷺ performed it. Then, ‘Aasim inquired whether it was performed before the bowing or after it? To which, Anas responded by mentioning that it was performed before the bowing. Thereafter, ‘Aasim said to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) - that: “someone informed me that you said: that the Qunoot was performed after the bowing.”

Anas responded by saying, “Kadhaba” - i.e. “He’s mistaken.” The Arabs say this word for the one who is mistaken: “Kadhabta” [which is literally translated as “you have lied”.]

Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ once performed the Qunoot after the bowing for a month. In a wording [of another narration] as transmitted according to al-Bukhaaree, he adds: “From that incident, the Qunoot began to be performed, as we did not say it before that.” The lesson learned from this statement is that Qunoot is performed during the times of calamities that befall upon the Muslims. The story behind this is that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched a group from the Ahl al-Suffah - and it is said of them: that they were al-Qurraa’ (reciters of the Quran) and were 70 in number - to a tribe of the polytheists - and they were the people of Najd, from BaneeʿAamir - so that they could invite them towards Islam and recite the Quran to them. However, when they camped in a place near a well called Bi’rMaʿoona, ʿAamir ibn al-Ṭufayl and a group of people from the Arab tribes moved towards the encampment - and the respective tribes were Riʿl, Dhakwaan, Banu al-Hayyaan, and ʿUsayyah - and attacked and killed them. No one survived, except Kaʿb ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree. This occurred in the 4th year A.H.

Anas’ statement [referring to the al-Qurraa’ being sent] “to a tribe of polytheists [whose numbers] were less than them” - that is to say: the number of the Qurraa’ was less than those to whom they were originally dispatched to. It has been said that this means, rather, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent the Qurraa’ to a tribe of the polytheists who had a treaty with him, and not to those who did not. But they violated the treaty when they betrayed the Qurraa’.

The Prophet ﷺ performed the Qunoot continuously for a month, without any breaks. He ﷺ supplicated against them during the Fajr prayer, like what is [reported] in a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): who narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said “the Qunoot for one month in the Fajr prayer”: and he would say: “Verily, the ʿUsayyah have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” According to Abu Dawood, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Qunoot for a month consecutively in the Dhuhr, ʿAsr, Maghrib, ʿIshaa’, and Fajr prayers” [i.e., the five obligatory prayers].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the permissibility of: (i) performing the Qunoot before bowing [in the last prayer unit], (ii) saying the Qunoot after bowing in the prayer during times of calamity, and (iii) supplicating against the people of treachery, oppressors, and to announce their names and declare them during the prayer.

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1009

Narrated Salim from his father that he said, "The following poetic verse occurred to my mind while I was looking at the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. He did not get down till the rainwater flowed profusely from every roof-gutter:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

These were the words of Abu Talib.".

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of people in manners and the most beautiful of them in character; and his Lord has created him with the most elegant of forms.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates [about a time] when he saw the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. [What this] means is: [that] he supplicated and prayed to Allah, Most High, for rainfall, upon which Allah, Exalted be He, answered his prayers and sent forth the rain until every meezaab flowed copiously. Meaning: the rain came down in an abundance. The word meezaab is what the water flows through from a high place [i.e., a gutter on the eaves of a building]. It is as if the rain came pouring down with force from the sky. When Ibn ʿUmar saw that, he remembered the words of Abu Taalib about the Prophet ﷺ:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

Meaning: the people used his supplications as a means of intercession during his lifetime and requested of him to pray for rain on their behalf after they despaired of rain. The Prophet ﷺ was the provider of sustenance for the orphans while [also] taking responsibility for their affairs, financial support, and shelter. And he ﷺ was the protector of the widows and protected them from whatever harm that may have come their way. The words “widows” here is the translation of the Arabic word araamil which is the plural for the word: armalah, and it is used to describe the woman whose husband has passed away [i.e., a widow].

It is as if Abu Taalib alluded to in this poem to what happened during the time of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib - when he prayed for rain on behalf of Quraysh, while the Prophet ﷺ, who was with him, was a young boy. It is possible that he praised him ﷺ with this for noticing the signs of that in him, even if he did not witness these events with him.

From hadeeth, we learn that the Prophet ﷺ possessed outstanding qualities with respect to the beauty of his appearance and disposition; and that he ardently helped people in any way he was able to, and that he did not stop praying for rain until every gutter flowed profusely.

It shows us that composing and reciting poetry in praise of Islam and the Messenger ﷺ is praiseworthy and should not be censured.

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1010

Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) related that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab used to pray for rain using al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib as a means of intercession to Allah whenever they experienced a drought. He used to say, "O Allah! We interceded through our Prophet to You and You then sent us rain; and now we intercede through our Prophet’s uncle to You, therefore, give us water.” He said they were then given water..

Commentary : Allah, Exalted be He, holds the treasures of the heavens and earth in His hand, and it is out of His mercy that he sends down abundant rain after people despaired from it ceases. When this occurs, the istisqaa’ has been prescribed for them - which is to request [Allah] to send down rain out of Allah’s mercy and compassion.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever it failed to rain during the time of his caliphate, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭaab(may Allah be pleased with him) would pray for rain (al-istisqaa’) - which is to head out to pray with humility, hope and fear, requesting for rain to be sent down; and the prayer of istisqaa’ is a two-units prayer in length.

The word al-Qahṭ used here refers to when it is dry, there is little water, and an absence of rain [i.e., periods of drought].

In this kind of circumstance, ʿUmar would appoint al-‘Abbaas ibn Abd al-Muṭṭalib - the paternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺ - to supplicate on behalf of the people; [and ʿUmar] would say: ‘O Allah! Verily, we used to ask our Prophet ﷺ to call upon You, so that he may be a means for us to You, because of his favour with You. And You heard his prayers and would send rain to us. And after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, we now ask the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ to serve as a means for us to You [ i.e., by his supplication and prayers for rain, so that it may come down]. So, bless us with rain!’

When ʿUmar used to do that; Allah, Exalted be He, would send down the rain upon them, due to the invocations for rainfall by al-Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him).

This form of intercession is not an intercession through the righteous man and the [qualities being attributed] to himself, his rank, or his righteousness. But rather, it is an intercession through his invocation and appeals for help towards Allah, Exalted be He. ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not intercede through the supplication of the Prophet ﷺ after his death, because doing this after his passing is impossible. For this reason, he resorted to a possible form of intercession; thus, choosing al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) due to his close familial relationship with the Prophet ﷺ from one perspective; and his righteousness, faith, and piety on the other.

So ʿUmar asked him to supplicate on their behalf, appealing for an abundant and beneficial rainfall.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we recognize the permissibility of the istisqaa’ prayer, and intercession is sought from the living, and not the dead.

This haadeeth also refutes those who seek intercession to Allah through the dead. .

1013

Narrated Shareek ibn ‘`Abdullah ibn Abi Namir: “I heard Anas ibn Maalik saying, "On a Friday, a person entered the Mosque through the gate facing the pulpit while Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the sermon. The man stood in front of the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock have died, and the roads have been cut off; so please pray to Allah for rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain!' " Anas added, "By Allah, we could not see any trace of cloud in the sky and there was no building or a house between us and (the mountains of) Sila." Anas added, "A heavy cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e., Sila' Mountain). When it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained." Anas further said, "By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. Next Friday a person entered through the same gate and at that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the Friday's sermon. The man stood in front of him and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock are dying, and the roads are cut off, please pray to Allah to withhold rain.' "Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah! On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.' So, the rain stopped, and we came out walking in the sun." Shareek asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for the rain (the last Friday). Anas replied that he did not know..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us to turn towards Allah, Most High, by supplicating to Him for all of our affairs, and during times of misfortune specifically; thus, we invoke Him to take away the affliction from us. In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man entered through one of the entrances of al-Masjid al-Nabawee - and this entrance was facing opposite of the pulpit - while the Messenger ﷺ was on the pupil delivering the Friday sermon. The man stood facing the Messenger ﷺ directly and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The livestock have died, because of the lack of available nourishment and sustenance needed to live due to the restriction of rain, and the roads have been cut off - namely, the paths. The camels could not travel upon them due to their emaciation or weakness because of the scarcity of herbage, or cessation of nourishment [being available]; therefore, they were not brought along, or nothing could be carried by them. For these reasons, I ask you to call upon Allah to send down an abundant rainfall upon us.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ acceded to the man’s invocation and raised his hands in supplication and said: “O Allah! Bless us with rain!”, and he repeated it three times, because one of his customs was that whenever he made supplication, he would do so three times, and if he asked [for anything from his Lord], he would do it three times, as reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him).

Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with them) then reported that the sky was so clear when the Prophet ﷺ was supplicating while standing on his pulpit (i.e., there were no gathering clouds, nor any small, scattered, isolated clouds, nor did they see any winds or any other indicator that would suggest that rain is approaching.) Anas mentioned that between them and Salʿa - which is a mountain near al-Madeenah - there were no house[s] or building[s] obstructing their view. However, after the Prophet ﷺ supplicated, a cloud suddenly appeared from behind Salʿa that was similar to that of a turs in roundness - [but] not in scale. The tursis a weapon of war, that was used for protecting the combatant from the strikes of arrows and swords [i.e. a shield].

On his statement[s]: “When it reached the middle” [this] refers to the [new] small, scattered, isolated cloud which appeared before them.

“of the sky, it spread; then it began to rain.” - namely, the cloud continued circling until it reached the horizon, and then spread [across the sky] at that moment. This served as a sign [that Allah, Most High, would] fill the earth with rain.

[Later], Anas swore that they did not see the sun for a period of six days because the presence of clouds and rain persisted. Then, a man -it is possible that it was the same man [as last time], or someone else - entered the following Friday (the day of Friday) from the [same] entrance which the first petitioner entered, while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Friday’s sermon. The man stood in front of him ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The livestock have died due to the large amount of rain, because the pasture[s] have been cut off; thus, the livestock have died from not being able to graze the land. And the roads have [also] been cut off, so it is impossible for them to take the paths due to the large amount of water. So, I ask you to call upon Allah so as clouds withhold the water within and not send down any [more] rainfall or water.’ The Prophet ﷺ then rose his hands, and then said: ‘O Allah! Around us…” - namely, that He sends the rain down around us, and not upon us. What is meant here is to divert the rainfall away from the buildings and send it down where they will not be harmed by it.

‘O Allah! Upon the Aakaam...’ - [Aakaam] is the plural for the word akamah, and it is a [mass] of naturally collected earth, or a massive plateau, or a small mountain, and what projects from the earth or mountains.

‘And al-Aajaam....” - they are tall structures that resemble palaces that served as some of the fortresses of al-Madeenah.

“And al-Dhiiraab…” - [Dhiraab] is the plural for the word Dharib, and it can be a large rock formation that projects from the earth, or small hills that cannot be considered mountain[s].

“And valleys, and places where trees grow.” - meaning: O Allah send the rains down to areas where trees and grasslands grow - and not on the trodden paths.

Accordingly, the rain ceased falling around al-Madeenah, and they departed from the masjid while walking in the sun. That was from the great bounties that Allah placed over His Prophet ﷺ, and through which He manifested his high status in the sight of Allah, Exalted be He.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that this is one sign of many that demonstrate the [truthful] prophethood of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

It teaches us to observe the etiquette of supplication - the Prophet ﷺ did not call upon Allah to cease the rains categorically, because it is possible that there may be a need for its continuation.

The hadeeth shows us that supplicating Allah for the removal of any harm does not contradict our reliance upon Allah, and that it is permissible to speak with the khateebwhile he is on the pulpit delivering the sermon - out of necessity..

1022

Narrated Abu Ishaaq: 'Abdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaari went out with Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib, and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and invoked for rain. He ('Abdullah bin Yazeed) stood up but not on a pulpit and invoked Allah for rain and then offered a two-units prayer with loud recitation without calling the Adhaan or Iqaamah. .

Commentary : The Prayer for Rain (Istisqaa’) was prescribed for the sake [that we can] ask for rain and water when it has been cut off and restricted from when it usually descends. In this prayer, the imaam leads the people in prayer and performs two-units of it with complete humility and submission for Allah, asking Him to send down the rainfall upon them.

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee, Abu Ishaaq al-Sabee’ee reports that ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree - who was the governor of Kufah at the time of ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) - went out with al-Baraa’ ibn ʿAazib and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and they performed the Istisqaa’ prayer - which is the appeal for water when it has long failed to appear. So, ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) stood on his two legs and did not ascend upon the pulpit - to show imploration and weakness before Allah. Then, he asked for Allah’s forgiveness. This is because supplicating and beseeching Allah in fervent supplication are some of the greatest ways in which we can ward off calamity and remove harm. Then, he performed a two-unit prayer with those behind him during which he recited clearly with an audible voice. The two-units prayer is performed without an adhaanor iqaamah being called..

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..

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.".

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.

Book of Hadith