| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1100

Anas ibn Seereen reported: “We set out to receive Anas ibn Maalik when he returned from Shaam at a place known as 'Ayn-al-Tamr. I saw him praying on the back of his donkey with his face turned in that direction. (Hammam one of the narrators) pointed towards the left of Qiblah, so I said to him: I saw you praying while you are towards the side other than that of Qiblah. Upon this he said: Had I not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ doing like this, I would not have done so at all..

Commentary : The Companion’s (may Allah be pleased with them) eagerness towards following the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺwas remarkable; thus, none of them would do an action or deed if the Prophet ﷺ had not done it or encouraged it; especially the prayer whose actions are fixed, and the Prophet ﷺ stipulated them by his words and actions.

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee, Anas ibn Seereen reports that they had [set out] to receive Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), who was returning from the region of Shaam; and they met him near ʿAyn al-Tamr - which is a town to the west in the governorate of Anbaar, [which is] the biggest of the governorates in Iraq.

When they saw him, he was praying while he atop of a donkey; and he was facing towards the left of the Qiblah, and not in the direction of the Qiblah [itself]. Upon seeing this, Anas ibn Seereen asked him in a state of awe: ‘I saw you performing the prayer facing in a direction other than the Qiblah?!’ Then, Anas ibn Maalik responded to him by saying: ‘If I had not seen the Messenger of Allah ﷺ praying on top of his mount towards [a direction] other than the Qiblah, I would not have done so. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ would do that for the supererogatory and sunnah - and not for the obligatory prayers; like what is established in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them).

Some of the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is knowing the permissibility of performing supererogatory prayers on [any] means of transportation, even if we are [facing in] a direction other than that of the Qiblah.

This narration also elucidates the ease that we have in our acts of worship, especially when it comes to the prayer.
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1101

Narrated Hafs ibn `Asim: Ibn `Umar went on a journey and said, "I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ and he did not offer optional prayers during the journey, and Allah says: {Verily! In Allah's Messenger ﷺ you have a good example to follow.'} (Quran 33.21).

Commentary : The ease and removal of difficulty are some of the characteristics of Islam. The greater the hardship [appears], the greater the alleviation is [in actuality], and the burden is removed. Therefore, Allah, The Mighty and Majestic prescribed the dispensation of shortening the prayers which contain four units while traveling; and the Prophet ﷺ left out the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory ones while traveling - thus confirming the alleviation [discussed above].

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee :Hafs ibn ʿAsim ibn ʿUmar ibn al-al-Khaṭṭaab reports that ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) had travelled with his companions, and said: ‘I travelled with the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions during their journey, and I did not see him perform the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory ones - while traveling.’ Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) said this – as documented in Saheeh Muslim - when he saw some of his companions performing supererogatory prayers after Dhuhr while traveling.

Then, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) said: ‘Allah, The Mighty and Majestic says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah, you have an excellent example.}- and he recited [the word in the aforementioned ayah]: iswah (example) in Arabic is pronounced with a kasrah[at the beginning of the word], and this is the qiraa’ah [i.e. mode of recitation] of the ten [verified] reciters, except for ʿAsim; he recited it with a dammah : [as] uswah. The meaning here an instruction to follow the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, for it is the perfect example in everything, thus, follow his way and act in accordance with his traditions.

The Prophet ﷺdid not offer the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory prayersfor all of the prayers while traveling, except the two-unit prayerof Fajr. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not leave them on his travels, and even made them up when he had slept until the sun rose upon him and his Companions during one of his travels; as per the report mentioned in Saheeh Muslim, from a hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). As for the Witr prayer, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would perform the Witr prayer atop [his] camel while traveling – as mentioned in Saheehal-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, from a hadeeth narrated byʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah have pleased with them).

This hadeeth shows the keen eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to emulate and follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1102

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar: I accompanied God's Messenger, and he prayed two units and nothing more while on a journey. I also accompanied Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and they did the same.".

Commentary : Since Islam is a magnanimous religion that embraces tolerance, it is not isolated from alleviating and making ease for the people over matters of the religion and world. One of the many examples of its easiness and accommodation is the dispensation; [which] is a gift from Allah, The Mighty and Majestic - for the purpose of facilitating the performance of the obligatory that Allah has made incumbent upon His servants.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he had accompanied the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. During his time in his company, he observed that he ﷺ would offer no more than a two-units prayer on the journey. That is to say, heﷺ would shorten the prayers that consist of four units- [which are] Dhuhr, ʿAsr, and ʿIshaa’ - and perform a two-unit prayer [instead]. As for Maghrib, he would perform it like it [always] is done: three units; and did not perform the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory prayers. Likewise, so did: Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - each during the time of their caliphate - [all] following the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ while shortening the prayers during [their] travels - and did no more than that.

In a narration in Saheehal-Bukhaaree and SaheehMuslim, Ibn ʿUmar mentioned [the following] about ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them): ‘[that] he prayed two unitsat the beginning of his caliphate, then performed the full prayers of four prayer units later.’ It has been said that: perhaps Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with f them) intended in this narration [that it was] the rest of ʿUthmaan’s travels (may Allah be pleased with him), other than at Minaa, because he completed the prayers with four prayer units in their entirety at Minaa. And it has [also] been said that: he completed the prayers in their entirety if he was lodgingat a place, and if he was traveling, he would shorten them.

Excluded from this generalisation are the two-units prayer that precedes Fajr. The Messenger of Allah ﷺdid not leave them during his travels and would even make them up when they had slept until the sun rose upon them during one of his travels; like what is mentioned in Saheeh Muslim, from a hadeeth narrated by Abu Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). As well as the Witr prayer, [where] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would perform the Witr prayer atop [his] camel while traveling - like what is mentioned in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and SaheehMusim, from a hadeeth narrated byʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (May Allah have pleased with them).

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to emulate the Prophet ﷺ.
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1105

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) related that Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to perform supererogatory prayers on the back of his mount by head nodding facing any direction." Ibn `Umar used to do the same..

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ were always eager to follow his guidance and way, especially with regards to the prayer, as it is fixed in its description and the manner in which it is performed.

This hadeeth elucidates on the permissibility of performing voluntary prayers on top of one’s riding animal (vehicle), excluding the obligatory prayers. Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the sunnah and supererogatory prayers- on the back of his ride - which is the camel that he would ride during his travels, and in other instances [as well] - however it was facing. It was not necessary to turn towards the Qiblah. On the contrary, the Qiblah [in this situation] is wherever his riding camel is walking towards. Excluded from that ruling is if one is traveling via a means of transportation where they can turn towards the Qiblah during the journey without much difficulty, like a ship for example. So [in this instance] it would be necessary for him to turn towards the Qiblah.

Ibn ʿUmar described how the Messenger of Allah’s ﷺ bowed and prostratedwhile he was on top of the animal: that he would motion with his head [to perform the bowing and prostration], meaning: lowering it a bit for when the bowing[occurs in the prayer], and he would perform the prostrationlower [than the one done for the bowing] - and it is [done to a] lesser [extent] than the form of the complete prostration.

Then, Saalim ibn ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar reported that his father (may Allah be pleased with him) would perform voluntary prayers atop his riding animal, emulating the Prophet ﷺ.

As for the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree where Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports: “I accompanied the Prophet ﷺ and I did not see him perform any supererogatory prayers while traveling.” It refers to the sunnah prayers that are tied and performed either before or after the five obligatory ones. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would not adhere to performing while traveling - excluding the two-units sunnah prayer performed before Fajr, and the Witr prayer.

This narration also elucidates the ease that we have in our acts of worship, especially when it comes to the prayer.
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1106

It was narrated from Ibn 'Umar that if the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was in a hurry to travel, he would combine Maghrib and 'Ishaa'..

Commentary : Combining two prayers while traveling is one of the dispensations which Allah has permitted for His believing servants - to grant ease for them and remove any difficulty that may be caused by the incumbency of performing every obligatory prayer within its time.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would join Maghrib and ʿIshaa’ if the trip was important, and he wanted to hasten the journey. The Prophet ﷺpermitted for the traveller to combine Dhuhr and ʿAsr, and Maghrib and ʿIshaa’ [together] at the time of either of them; and to do the accompanying prayer with it – as mentioned in [the following] hadeeth narrated by Muslim, on the authority of Muʿaadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ joined the Dhuhr and ʿAsr prayers, as well as Maghrib and ʿIshaa’ during the expedition of Tabuk.”

There are two ways to join between two consecutive prayers, depending on what is easier [at the time and situation at hand:

First - Combining by bringing the [second] prayer forward: It is to perform the ʿAsr prayer with Dhuhr, during the time of afternoon prayer (Dhuhr); and ʿIshaa’ with Maghrib during the time for the sunset prayer (Maghrib).

Second - Combining by delaying the [first] prayer: It is to perform the Dhuhr prayer with ʿAsr, during the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (ʿAsr); and Maghrib with ʿIshaa’, during the time for the night prayer (ʿIshaa’).

This is all with shortening the prayers that consist of four units to two while traveling. So, the prayer is shortened and combined, while Maghrib is not shortened, and Fajr is performed separately, and is not joined with any of the others. Likewise, there is no joining between ʿAsr and Maghrib. Whoever combines two prayers, it is necessary for him to not have a long period of time separating the performance of the two prayers, respectively. If there is a long separation between the two, he does not join them, and must pray the [second] prayer during its own time.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is noting the easiness that the Islamic Law makes for Muslims in their acts of worship..

1108

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to combine the Maghrib and the `Ishaa' while travelling.” Alee ibn al-Mubaarak and Harb narrated it too from Yahya from Hafs from Anas..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us to take the dispensations which Allah has granted us, including the combining and shortening of the prayers while traveling.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to join the Maghrib and ʿIshaa’ prayers while traveling; so he ﷺ would perform one of the prayers subsequently after the other, with an iqaamahseparating the two prayers.

There are two ways to join between two consecutive prayers, depending on what is easier [at the time and situation at hand:

First - Combining by bringing the [second] prayer forward: It is to perform the ʿAsr prayer with Dhuhr, during the time of afternoon prayer (Dhuhr); and ʿIshaa’ with Maghrib during the time for the sunset prayer (Maghrib).

Second - Combining by delaying the [first] prayer: It is to perform the Dhuhr prayer with ʿAsr, during the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (ʿAsr); and Maghrib with ʿIshaa’, during the time for the night prayer (ʿIshaa’).

This is all with shortening the prayers that consist of four units to two while traveling. So, the prayer is shortened and combined, while Maghrib is not shortened, and Fajr is performed separately, and is not joined with any of the others. Likewise, there is no joining between ʿAsr and Maghrib. Whoever combines two prayers, it is necessary for him to not have a long period of time separating the performance of the two prayers, respectively. If there is a long separation between the two, he does not join them, and must pray the [second] prayer during its own time.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is noting the easiness that the Islamic Law makes for Muslims in their acts of worship..

1111

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah's Messenger ﷺ would delay the Dhuhr prayer till the time of the 'Asr prayer, and then alight and combine the two prayers, if he wanted to travel before the sun reached its zenith. However, if the sun reached its zenith before he ﷺ moved off, he ﷺ would offer the Dhuhr prayer and then travel.”.

Commentary : Facilitation and easiness are obvious and evident in the Islamic law. Not only is Islam the final religion that Allah has sent for the good of humanity, but also considers the different abilities and natures of human beings; and one of the forms of this easiness is the permissibility of joining the prayers while traveling.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺ departed his place, i.e., when he began traveling, or he ﷺ intended to depart during the journey before “the sun reached its zenith” - which is when the sun begins to descend from its apogee in the sky, moving westward, meaning: before the time of Dhuhr began – he ﷺ would delay the Dhuhr prayer until the time for the ‘Asr prayer had entered. Then, he would combine the Dhuhr and ʿAsr prayers during the time for the ‘Asr prayer.

As for Anas’ statement: “[The sun] had begun its decline from its zenith” - meaning: the time for Dhuhr had entered; and he ﷺ performed Dhuhr, then he climbed atop his mount [and continued on the journey]. The apparent meaning of the narration [at this point] indicates that the Prophet ﷺ did not combine the prayer with ʿAsr. However, in a hadeeth narrated by Abu Daawood, on the authority of Muʿaadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), he reports: “If he departed after the sun began to decline from its zenith, he would combine Dhuhr and ʿAsr, and then resume traveling.”.

There are two ways to join between two consecutive prayers, depending on what is easier [at the time and situation at hand:

First - Combining by bringing the [second] prayer forward: It is to perform the ʿAsr prayer with Dhuhr, during the time of afternoon prayer (Dhuhr); and ʿIshaa’ with Maghrib during the time for the sunset prayer (Maghrib).

Second - Combining by delaying the [first] prayer: It is to perform the Dhuhr prayer with ʿAsr, during the time of the mid-afternoon prayer (ʿAsr); and Maghrib with ʿIshaa’, during the time for the night prayer (ʿIshaa’).

This is all with shortening the prayers that consist of four units to two while traveling. So, the prayer is shortened and combined, while Maghrib is not shortened, and Fajr is performed separately, and is not joined with any of the others. Likewise, there is no joining between ʿAsr and Maghrib. Whoever combines two prayers, it is necessary for him to not have a long period of time separating the performance of the two prayers, respectively. If there is a long separation between the two, he does not join them, and must pray the [second] prayer during its own time.
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1116

Narrated ʿImraanibn Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him): “I asked The Prophet ﷺ about the prayer of a man who performs it while sitting, [but has the ability to stand], so he answered: “The prayer of who prays standing is better; and the reward of who prays sitting is half of that of the one who stands in prayer. The reward of the one who prays while laying down is half of that of the one who prays sitting.”.

Commentary : Standing for those with the ability to do so is one of the pillars of the obligatory prayers. As for the supererogatory prayers, standing is not one of its pillars. It is permissible for the Muslim to perform the supererogatory prayer while sitting, however a person will have a reward commensurate with his hardship [one is enduring when doing so]. Whoever performs any voluntary prayers sitting [while] capable of standing, will have less reward [for doing so] than for the one who prays standing - like what is expounded on in this hadeeth, [when] ʿImraanibn Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ about the prayer of a man who performs the sunnahand supererogatory prayers while sitting, [but] can stand.

The Prophet ﷺ explained to him that whoever prays standing is better; because standing is more demanding - thus it is greater in reward, and that whoever prays while sitting, his reward is half of that of the one who stands in prayer.

Whoever prays while laying down - meaning being situated on their side on the ground [or other surface] - then their reward is half of that of the one who prays while sitting. This ruling is applicable to the one who is able to perform the prayer while standing, but still choose to pray sitting down or by laying on his side. In this case, he will decrease his reward by doing so. As for the one incapable of standing, it suffices him to sit or lay on their side [while praying] - and their reward is complete [with no decrease].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is noting the easiness that the Islamic Law makes for Muslims in their acts of worship, and the preference of standing over sitting when performing any supererogatory prayers; and [likewise] the preference of sitting over laying down - if one is capable of doing so.
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1340

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophetﷺ offered the funeral prayer of a man one night after he was buried, he and his Companions stood up (for the prayer). He had asked them about him before standing, saying, "Who is this?" They said, "He is so and so and was buried last night." So, all of them offered the funeral prayer..

Commentary : The Prophetﷺwas always eager to convey the good to his Companions and heﷺ would follow and advise them; and continued to wish for them to have guidance and goodness.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for a man after he was buried the night before because he did not know about his passing until after he was buried. He ﷺ asked about the man, and said: “Who is this?” And they responded: “He is so-and-so who was buried last night. After, he ﷺ stood up, while his Companions lined up behind him, then they prayed over him after he was buried.

It has been narrated by al-Bukhaaree, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed by a grave which was buried at night. He ﷺ asked: “When was this buried?” And they said: “Last night.” To which, he ﷺ said: “And you did not inform me?!”, that is to say: And you did not let me know? And that was because he ﷺprays for the deceased as a mercy, as it is proven in the authentic hadeeth as well. They said: “We buried himin the depths of the night because we dislike waking you up. Then, he ﷺ stood up and we lined up behind him. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “I was among them.” Then he ﷺ performed the funeral prayer over him. Ibn ‘Abbaas was young at the time, and [the fact that] he prayed with them is an indication of the training the youth had in the precepts of the Sacred Law and being present with the congregations [for communal events]; so that they may become familiar with it and become a habit for them when it becomes necessary for them to implement it.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is it highlights that the Prophetﷺtook good care of his Companions even after their death.

It shows the permissibility of offering the funeral prayer over the deceased after they have been buried, as well as performing it near a grave.

And lastly, it demonstrates that it is permissible to bury the dead at night.
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1341

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the Prophet ﷺ became ill, some of his wives talked about a church which they had seen in Abyssinia, and it was called Maariyah. Um Salmah and Um Habeebah (may Allah be pleased with them) had been to Abyssinia, and both of them narrated its (the Church's) beauty and the pictures it contained. The Prophet ﷺ raised his head and said, "Those are the people who, whenever a pious man dies amongst them, make a place of worship at his grave and then they make those pictures in it. Those are the worst creatures in the Sight of Allah..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ had ordered some of his Companions to migrate to Abyssinia; fleeing [from the oppression of Quraysh] due to their religion while spreading the call of truth [i.e., the Message of Islam]; because the King of Abyssinia, al-Najaashee, was a just man. Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were among those who had migrated to that region.

In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) expounds on what some of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ had witnessed there. The instruction of the Prophet ﷺ to immigrate to that land was so that the honor of Islam is protected. She reports that when the Prophet ﷺ was ill and became sick with the disease which he ﷺ would eventually die from, some of the women spoke about a a church, - which is a place of worship for the Christians - that they had seen in Abyssinia. It was called Maariyah; which is a name attributed to Lady Maryam (peace be upon her) and known name for the church.

Umm Salamah and Umm Habeebah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) spoke about what they had seen of its beauty, and the pictures it contained. Then he ﷺ rose his head and said: ‘Those are the people who, if a righteous man dies among them, will build a place of worship at his grave. Then, they will draw pictures of those who have passed away [and display them] there.’ Rather, they depicted the righteous for the purpose of becoming familiar with them. They mentioned their righteous deeds so that they can strive as they have strived, and they worshipped Allah near their graves. Then, a group of people who came after them were ignorant of what they had intended [by doing the aforementioned actions]. The Shaytan whispered [to them, stating] that their predecessors used to worship these images. So, the Prophet ﷺ warned of things like that, to block the pretext which leads to associating partners with Allah (polytheism). Then he ﷺ relates that those who do this are the worst of creation according to Allah, The Almighty due to what they have done; because it leads to the greatest sin - which is associating partners with Allah, The Almighty.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the prohibition against having pictures [of living creatures] in places of worship.

It shows the proscription against building mosques over the graves of the deceased.

It entails the permissibility of relating the wonders and unusual events and matters that one has witnessed.

And lastly, it condemns the one who engages in that which is forbidden.
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1343

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺcollected every two martyrs of Uhud in one piece of cloth, then he would ask, "Which of them had (knew) more of the Quran?" When one of them was pointed out for him, heﷺ would put that one first in the grave and say, "I will be a witness on these on the Day of Resurrection." And then he ﷺwould order them to be buried with their blood on their bodies and they were neither washed nor was a funeral prayer offered for them..

Commentary : The Battle of Uhud - which is one of the well-known mountains of al-Madeenah - occurred in the third year after Hijrah and during which very significant events occurred. It was a great test from Allah, The Almighty for His Prophetﷺand the believers.

This hadeeth elaborates on some of the events that happened during the battle, along with some of their legal rulings; as Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reports that when the Prophet ﷺ wanted to shroud those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were martyred in the Battle of Uhud, there was not enough clothes to shroud every one of them in a garment which covered their entire body. He ﷺ would jointwo men in one garment; and this was due to the large number of casualties, and the paucity of garments [available] to shroud them in. To overcome this issue, he ﷺ cut the garments and divided it amongst them. After, they remained in their clothes which they were killed in and were not to be stripped and have their skin touched. It is also possible that what is meant here is that he ﷺ gathered the two of them in one grave.

There are several narrations in which the Prophet ﷺ said that the martyrs to be shrouded in the garments which they were killed in, as it is related by Ahmad in a report that ʿAbdullah ibn Thaʿlabah ibn Suʿayr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said on the Day of Uhud: “Wrap them in their garments.” The reconciliation between the two hadeeths is that whoever is stripped off by the enemy or has been repeatedly stabbed such that his clothes have been cut off, causing some of his body be exposed, then he should be shrouded. As for the martyrs whose clothes remained intact on their bodies, they should be buried with them without being shrouded.

Heﷺwould ask about who was the greatest of them in [their knowledge of] the Quran, so when one of them was pointed out to him, he could put him first into the lahd, which is an opening that is made on the side of the grave, and it is [dug at] an incline from the middle of the grave to its side so that the dead can accommodated and placed into it. And then broken up pieces of clay [are laid down to] cover up the deceased.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered for them to be buried in their blood, and they were not washed, nor prayed over. He ﷺ said: “I will be a witness for these [martyrs] on the Day of Resurrection.” He ﷺ will be an intercessor for these people, and a witness to testify that they fulfilled what they promised Allah due to their faith and struggle for His sake and being obedient to Him and His Messenger ﷺ till they died for it.

It has been mentioned in other hadeeths that the Prophet ﷺ offered the funeral prayer for all of the martyrs of Uhud, as what is related in Saheehal-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, where ʿUqbah ibn ʿAamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ went out one day, and prayed over the people of Uhud, [like] he would for the dead.” The reconciliation between these two hadeeth is: that his prayer was to indicate that offering the funeral prayers over them is permissible. It has been said that this occurrence was specifically for the martyrs of Uhud, and not a general ruling that is applicable to other cases. It has been established that he ﷺ did not pray over the martyrs who were killed in the battle according to the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them). Also, the funeral prayer over the dead is an act of intercession for him, and only sinners can be interceded for. The martyrs have all their sins forgiven due to martyrdom, and thus they all come to the Honor, Mercy, and Paradise of Allah. So, their status is too high for them to be prayed over as one would pray over the rest of the deceased Muslims.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it shows the apparent virtue for the one who recites the Quran, and the people of fiqh (jurisprudence), zuhd(asceticism), and all other virtue follow him.

It highlights the merits and virtues for the martyrs of Uhud, and it shows the state of poverty that the Honorable Companions [endured], and the steadfastness they exhibited in spite of that, out of a desire to spread the call of Islam.

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1344

Narrated ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ once came out and offered the funeral prayer for the martyrs of Uhud, and proceeded to the pulpit and said, "I will precede you, and I will bea witness for you, and I am really looking at my Lake now, and no doubt, I have been given the keys of the treasures of the world. By Allah, I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah, but I am afraid that you will envy and fight one another for worldly fortunes.".

Commentary : The Messenger of Allahﷺcame to the people with guidance and the religion of truth as a herald and warner, calling to whom Allah chooses, and a radiant lamp. His Lord provided himﷺ with splendid miracles and clear signs which affirm his truthfulness. He ﷺwas benevolent and merciful to the believers.

In this hadeeth, ʿUqbah ibn ʿAamir (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophetﷺwent out one day and offered the funeral prayer for the people of Uhud, like what he performed for others who have died. And what is meant by them [i.e., the people of Uhud] are the martyrs from the Battle of Uhud, which occurred during the month of Shawwaal in the third year after Hijrah. Uhud is one of the well-known mountains of al-Madeenah. According to Abu Dawood, this was after “eight years [had passed] like a man who bids farewell to the living and dead.”

Then, heﷺwent to his pulpit, ascended it, and addressed the people, saying: ‘I will precede you”: that is to say: ‘I will precede you and be the first to arrive at the Lake (al-hawḍ) on the Day of Resurrection’

“And I will be a witness for you”, what is meant by this is that he I will precede you will bear witness over our deeds, and it is not restricted to martyrdom during battles alone. The attestation of the Prophet ﷺ includes every Muslim - the first and last; so, it's as if he ﷺ remains with all Muslims and did not precede them. Rather, he ﷺ remains after them until he bears witness to the deeds of the last of the believers - for, he ﷺ isupholding their affair in the two abodes [i.e., in this world and the Hereafter] in his life and death.

Then heﷺsaid: “I have been given the keys to the earth’s treasures - or the keys to the earth” - by this, heﷺreferred to the expansion of the Islamic empire, its many conquests, and the outpouring of wealth to it; because whoever conquers a land, it is as if he obtains the keys to its treasures and acquires its riches and wealth.

Then, he ﷺtold the people that he did not fear that they would associate partners with Allah after him. However, heﷺdid fear that the competition for wealth and status would cause them to quarrel amongst themselves, which will lead them to enmity, hatred, and fighting with one another over the world and its blessings - and will a cause of their death and weakness. This is a warning of what is going to occur and what has happened as what The Messenger of Allahﷺrelated; because this world was opened up after him and granted [to its inhabitants], [but] envy, strife, and other matters are known to confirm the truthfulness of his ﷺreport.

His prayer over the dead addressed in this hadeeth could imply that praying for them is permissible. It was said: this occurrence was specifically for the martyrs of Uhud, and not in general. It has been established that he ﷺ didn’t pray over the martyr who was killed in the battle because of what is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, where Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) narrates [that he ﷺ ] “ordered for them to be buried with their blood [on their bodies], and were not washed, nor prayed over.” Also, the prayer over the dead is an act of intercession for him, and only sinners can be interceded for. The martyrs have their sins forgiven, and they all come to the Honor, Mercy, and Paradise of Allah. So, their status is too high for them to be prayed over as one would pray over the rest of the deceased Muslims.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it warns against advancing in the world, along with its trials, and dangers.

It mentions an apparent sign that testifies to the truthfulness of hisProphethood.

It confirms the Lakeof the Prophetﷺ,which he will be at on the Day of Resurrection.

And lastly, it highlights that heﷺ did not fear that his nation would commit polytheism, but rather he ﷺfeared that they would quarrel among themselves, and what forms of envy and miserliness would come as a result.
.

1346

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdllah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said: burry them [i.e., the martyers] as they are with their blood on – on the Day of Uhud. And he ﷺ did not wash them..

Commentary : Martyrdom for the sake of Allah has a great standing in Islam. The martyr has several merits; and martyrs who have died in battle have some special legal rulings.

In this hadeeth, some of them are explained, as Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ ordered that the martyrs be buried in their garments with their blood [on them] and did not wash them; in order to preserve the sign of martyrdom on them. The traces of the battle and the blood that occurred therein remained on them. This happened in the Battle of Uhud - which is one of the well-known mountains of al-Madeenah - and that battle happened during the month of Shawwaal in the third year after Hijrah.

It can be inferred from this hadeeth that the martyr is not washed, and that their blood is pure while it remains on them; because if it was considered impure, heﷺwould have ordered that it be removed from the body of the dead before burying them.
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1350

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ came to `Abdullah ibn Ubay (a hypocrite) after his death and he has been laid in his grave. He ﷺ ordered that he be taken out of the grave, and he was taken out. Then he ﷺ placed him on his knees and threw some of his saliva on him and clothed him in his (the Prophet's) own garment (Qamees). Allah knows better why he did so. `Abdullah bin Ubai had given his garment to al-Abbaas to wear. Abu Haroon said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ at that time had two shirts and the son of `Abdullah bin Ubai said to him, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Clothe my father in your shirt which has been in contact with your skin.' Sufyaan added, "Thus people think that the Prophet ﷺ clothed `Abdullah bin Tubal in his shirt in lieu of what he (Abdullah) had done (for Al `Abbaas, the Prophet's uncle.)".

Commentary : ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool was the chief of the hypocrites in al-Madeenah, and he would harborenmity against the Prophetﷺand the Muslims. However, that did not prevent the Prophetﷺfrom rewarding him for some matters.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased withboth of them) reports that the Prophet ﷺordered for ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy, after he had been buried, to be exhumed from his grave. Then heﷺ sat him up on his two knees, dressed him in one of his ﷺgarments, and blew some of his saliva on him.

Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) then says: ‘Allah knows best as to why the Messenger of Allahﷺ had dressed him in his garment. So, either, he ﷺ did that because Ibn Salool was a hypocrite who had clothed al-Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) - who was the paternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺ -with a garment when he was taken as a prisoner on the day of Badr. So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave him a garment in place of it; lest it remain that he ﷺ would be obliged to owe a disbeliever a favor. With this [in mind], Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah - the narrator of the hadeeth - told that they thought it more likely that the Prophet ﷺ dressed ʿAbdullah in his garment, as a requital for him for when he clothed al-Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) with his own garment.

[Or] perhaps he ﷺ did that because ʿAbdullah, the son of ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy was a good Muslim; and had requested of the Prophet ﷺ to clothe his dead father with his garment, which had touched his ﷺ skin; so that it would be a mercy for his father. The Prophet ﷺ granted his request in honor of him. And the Prophet ﷺ did this before the [following ayah] was revealed by Allah, The Almighty, [as] He says: {And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muḥammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.} [Quran 9:84]. In Saheehal-Bukhaaree and Muslim, it is reported that this ayah with this prohibition was revealed after the Prophet ﷺprayed over ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy. It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree says: On the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) that when ʿAbdullah ibn Ubayy passed away, his son came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Please give your garment to shroud him in it, offer his funeral prayer, and ask for Allah’s forgiveness for him.’ Then, the Prophet ﷺ gave him his garment, and said: ‘Inform me when to prayer for him [i.e., the funeral prayer].’ Later, he informed him ﷺ, and when The Prophet ﷺ intended to pray for him, ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) took him by the hand and said: ‘Has Allah not forbid you to pray for the hypocrites?’ To which, he ﷺ responded: ‘I have two choices [i.e., either to ask for forgiveness or not], and Allah says: {Ask forgiveness for them, [O Muḥammad], or do not ask forgiveness for them. If you should ask forgiveness for them seventy times - never will Allah forgive them.} [Quran 9:80].Then he ﷺ performed the funeral prayer over him, and [the following ayah] was revealed afterwards: {And do not pray [the funeral prayer, O Muḥammad], over any of them who has died - ever - or stand at his grave. Indeed, they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger and died while they were defiantly disobedient.} [Quran 9:84].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the permissibility of exhuming the deceased [from their graves] after they have been buried, for a legitimate reason.

It also shows the permissibility of shrouding the deceased in a garment (Qamees).
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1351

Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): When the time of the Battle of Uhud approached, my father called me at night and said, "I think that I will be the first amongst the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ to be martyred. I do not leave anyone after me dearer to me than you, except Allah's Messenger's soul and I owe some debt and you should repay it and treat your sisters favorably (nicely and politely)." So, in the morning he was the first to be martyred and was buried along with another (martyr). I did not like to leave him with the other (martyr), so I took him out of the grave after six months of his burial and he was in the same condition as he was on the day of burial, except a slight change near his ear..

Commentary : Martyrs have a lofty standing with Allah, May He be Exalted; and the ones of Uhud had a great position in the hearts of The Prophet ﷺand Muslims, and held great honors with Allah, The Almighty after their death[s].

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reports that when the time for the Battle of Uhud drew near - which was during the month of Shawwaal in the third year after Hijrah and Uhud is one of the well-known mountains of al-Madeenah- his father, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿAmr ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) summoned him at night and said: ‘I think that I will be amongst the first of the Prophet’s Companions to be martyred.’ It was said: that the reason he thought that was because he had seen it in his dreams. ‘And I do not leave [anyone] after me more precious to me than you, except for the soul of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.’ This is a preference for the Prophet ﷺ,as his love for him was greater than for wealth or children. Then, he informed and urged him to take care of the debts he owed and ordered him to repay it for him. This is from the habit of the righteous, so it is necessary for whoever feels that their life is near an end to make known what rights people have over him and prescribe that they be made up. Then, he urged his son to take care of his sisters, [treat them well], and ensure that their needs are met. It was said: that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) had nine sisters. It has been said that he had more sisters than that.

Jaabir said: “We woke up in the morning”, [here] he is referring to [waking up] on the day of the battle. And ʿAbdullah ibn Haraam was the first to be killed in the Battle of Uhud. He was buried with another man in a single grave [thereafter]. It was said that the other individual [buried with him] was ʿAmr ibn al-Jamooh (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a friend of his father. However, Jaabir’s soul was not content, and his heart was not settled knowing that his father was buried with others in a single grave. So, he removed him from his grave after six months [had passed]. His [father’s] exhumation from his grave was done with the Prophet’s knowledge and permission, and Jaabir didn’t find any change to the body of his father, ʿAbdullah, after six months had passed since his burial, other than a small place near his ear that had changed [a bit]. This is one of the great honors that Allah has given him.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the strength of ʿAbdullah ibn Haraam’s faith and demonstrates the intensity of his love for the Prophetﷺ; because he did not give preference to anyone over his love for him ﷺ, even if it was his own son.

It shows the permissibility of putting two [dead] men together in a single grave.

It highlights the permissibility of exhuming the deceased from their graves after they have been buried, if there is a legitimate reason [to do so]

And lastly, it shows some of the great honorsʿAbdullah ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) had, and that Allah preserved his body even after his death.
.

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