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Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2402

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "If anyone goes bankrupt, and a man finds his own property intact with him, he is more entitled to take it back than anyone else.”.

Commentary :
Islam pays significant care to preserving people's wealth, and keenly ensures that it should not be wasted. Therefore, it has enacted laws and laid down guidelines to preserve people’s wealth.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ regulated the conduct of a creditor who finds his property intact with a debtor who goes bankrupt. He ﷺ underlined that such a creditor is entitled to his own property only, and must not take anything more or less from the bankrupt debtor, because his wealth is exhausted and he cannot repay his debts. Such a creditor is more entitled to take back his property than other creditors. This means that if someone goes bankrupt, and he owed money to many creditors, his wealth (i.e., what is surplus of his needs) is to be divided among these creditors according to their debts, unless one finds his property intact and, in this case, he has more right to take it back than anyone else.
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2405

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When ‘Abdullah (my father) died, he left behind children and debts. I asked the creditors to reduce the debts, but they refused, so I went to the Prophet ﷺ to intercede with them, yet they refused. The Prophet ﷺ said (to me), "Classify your dates into their different kinds: ‘Idhq ibn Zayd, Lean and ‘Ajwah, each kind alone and call all the creditors and wait till I come to you." I did so and the Prophet ﷺ came and sat beside the dates and started measuring to each his due till he paid them fully, and the dates remained as they were before, as if he had not touched them. (On another occasion) I took part in one of Ghazawaat among with the Prophet ﷺand I was riding one of our camels. The camel got tired and was lagging behind the others. The Prophet ﷺhit it on its back. He ﷺ said, "Sell it to me, and you have the right to ride it till Al-Madeenah.'' When we approached Al-Madeenah, I took the permission from the Prophet ﷺ to go to my house, saying, "O Allah's MessengerﷺI have newly married." The Prophet ﷺasked, "Have you married a virgin or a previously married woman (i.e., a widow or divorcee)?" I said, "I have married a previously married woman; ‘Abdullah (my father) died and left behind young daughters, so I married a previously married woman who may teach them and bring them up to embody good manners." The Prophet ﷺthen said (to me), "Go to your family." When I went there and told my maternal uncle about the selling of the camel, he admonished me for it. On that I told him about its slowness and exhaustion and about what the Prophet ﷺ had done to the camel and his hitting it. When the Prophet ﷺ arrived, I went to him with the camel in the morning and he gave me its price, the camel itself, and my share from the spoils of war as he gave the other people.
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Commentary :
A Muslim is a brother of his fellow Muslim, and it is becoming of a Muslim to strive to fulfill the needs of his Muslim brothers, especially those who explicitly ask for his help. He should (hasten to their help and) stand by them until their need is fulfilled.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that his father, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away owing a debt to someone. He (may Allah be pleased with him) had been martyred during the Battle of Uhud in 3 A.H, leaving behind seven or nine young daughters. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the creditors to reduce the debts so that he would be able to repay them, but they refused and claimed the repayment of their debts in full. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to help him and intercede with the creditors to reduce their debts so that he would be able to repay them, but they refused. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ asked Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to go back to his orchard and arrange his dates in heaps according to their different kinds. The cluster of Ibn Zayd, which were low-quality dates that were named after someone called Ibn Zayd, should be arranged on one side, Lean, another kind, should be arranged on another side, and ‘Ajwah dates, which were the finest kind of dates in Al-Madeenah, should be arranged on a different side, and so on.
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) did as he ﷺ commanded and then notified him. The Prophet ﷺ came and sat at the head or in the middle of the heaps and ordered Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to measure the dates for the creditors to repay his late father’s debts. He (may Allah be pleased with him) cut and measured for them till he repaid all the debts, and his dates remained as they were, as if nothing had been taken from them, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and a sign indicating his prophethood.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to seek debt relief, if the debtor is unable to repay their dates in full, but the creditor has the choice either to accept or refuse such a request.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that he was once with the Prophet ﷺ on a journey back to Al-Madeenah after a battle. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding a slow camel used for carrying water. According to the version complied in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, “The camel got tired and lagged behind,” because of exhaustion. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) lagged behind and the Prophet ﷺ passed by him and beat the slow camel, urging it to move faster. According to the version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, the camel passed the others thenceforth, leading the way, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
He ﷺ asked Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to sell him this camel, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "It is (a gift) for you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” However, the Prophet ﷺ refused to take it as a gift and insisted on buying it. He ﷺ bought it for four (gold) Dinars with the allowance that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) may keep on riding it till they reached Al-Madeenah, and then the Prophet ﷺ would take it into his possession.
When they approached Al-Madeenah, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) sought the permission of the Prophet ﷺ to go (quickly) to (join) his family, because he was newly married. This highlights the virtues of Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who partook in Jihaad shortly after his wedding. The Prophet ﷺ asked him whether he had married a virgin or a previously married woman. He ﷺ mentioned the ‘virgin’ first to indicate that it is better for a Muslim to marry a virgin. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had married a previously married woman, named Suhaylah bint Mas‘ood Al-Awsiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her), because she would be more experienced and able to take care of his sisters,while a virgin would not be able to shoulder such a task. He (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to the Prophet ﷺ that his father left behind seven or nine young daughters and therefore he decided to marry a previously married woman to look after them and raise them properly. In the event of a conflict of interests, priority should be given to what is more important. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) chose to put his sisters’ interests before his own, and the Prophet ﷺ approved his wise choice and supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to bless his marriage. According to the version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, he ﷺ said: “Go to your family,” meaning your wife. When Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived in Al-Madeenah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed his maternal uncle, and it was said that his name was Tha‘labah ibn Ghanamah ibn ‘Adiyy ibn Sinaan Al-Ansaaree Al-Khazrajiyy or ‘Amr ibn Ghanamah, that he had sold his camel to the Prophet ﷺ. His maternal uncle blamed him for it, perhaps because he (may Allah be pleased with him) needed it or because he (may Allah be pleased with him) had not offered it to the Prophet ﷺ as a gift. Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): “I told him about its slowness and exhaustion and about what the Prophet ﷺ had done to the camel and his hitting it.”
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) went to him with the camel in the morning and he ﷺgave him its price, the camel itself, and his share from the spoils of war as he ﷺ gave the other people. This reflects the generosity and munificence of the Prophet ﷺ with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth also underlines the Prophet’s gracious humbleness and kindness with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), checking on them and serving their best interests.
It is also inferred that a woman should take care of her husband’s family and tend to the needs of his siblings (dependents).
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2409

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺsaying, "Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is under his care. A ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it." I heard that from Allah's Messenger ﷺand I think that the Prophet ﷺ also said, "A man is a guardian of his father's property and is responsible for it, so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, does not charge a soul beyond its capacity. It is incumbent on a person not to take up a responsibility for which he is not qualified. However, whenever he is obliged to take up such a responsibility, it is incumbent on him to shoulder it duly, and he shall be held accountable for it before Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ advised every member of his nation to carry out his duties towards those whom Allah, Exalted is He, placed under his care. The Prophet ﷺ stated that each and every Muslim is entrusted with someone to look after, and shoulder his due responsibility towards him or her. He ﷺ said: “Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is under his care.” Care here meanseffort made to preserve and look after a person or object, and a guardian refers to a person who is entrusted with preserving and tending to the needs of those under his care. Every guardian is required to maintain justice in caring for the people or things under his care, and to preserve their religious and worldly interests and belongings. If he duly shoulders his responsibilities towards the people or things under his care, he receives the abundant reward, otherwise those under his care would demand their rights over him (on the Day of Judgment) and Allah, Exalted is He, would hold him accountable for neglecting their rights.
Afterward, he ﷺ detailed his general sentence by saying: “A ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them,” meaning that he is responsible for the ruled and is required to tend to their needs, guard and defend their Laws of Islam rights, and implement the Hudood (i.e., pl. of Hadd; corporal punishment prescribed for crimes by the Laws of Islam), protect them against injustice and aggression, and ward off their enemies. A ruler is required to abide by the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ in carrying out his duties towards the ruled, and to aspire to no reward except from Allah, Exalted is He. He should know that he shall be held accountable for the subjects under his care (on the Day of Judgment).
A husband is a guardian of his family, including his wife and dependents, and is responsible for them. He is required to carry out his duties towards them by providing for them, living with them in kindness, and disciplining them, and should know that he shall be held accountable for those under his care (on the Day of Judgment).
A woman is also a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it. She is required to manage his household sensibly, raise his children, and serve his guests, and she shall be held accountable for that before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment).
Moreover, a servant, meaning a slave or a hired worker in general, is a guardian of his master's or employer’s property, and is responsible for preserving his property, carrying out his duties and serving him, and he shall be held accountable for his responsibility before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment).
In addition, a man is a guardian of his father's property and is responsible for serving his best interests and shall be held accountable for it.
Each person is a guardian and responsible for the people and things under his care. The Prophet ﷺ made a general statement in the beginning and then detailed it in the following sentences, referring to a husband, woman, and so on, and then confirmed the meaning by another general statement to finally stress the religious ruling.
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2410

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I heard a man reciting a ayah (of the Holy Quran) but I had heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting it differently. So, I caught hold of the man by the hand and took him to Allah's Messengerﷺwho said, "Both of you are right." Shu‘bah, the sub-narrator said, "I think he ﷺ said to them, "Do not differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (i.e., because of their differences). "
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, revealed different modes of recitations of the Noble Quran to make it easier for all Arabs (who spoke different dialects) to read it and miraculously challenge their command of their own language.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he heard a man reciting a ayah from Al-Ahqaaf chapter (no.46) with a different recitation that what he (may Allah be pleased with him) had heard from the Prophet ﷺ. Each of them informed the other that he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ as he was reciting it, as narrated in Musnad Ahmad. ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) took the man, went to the Prophet ﷺ, and each of them recited the ayah differently. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Both of you are right," meaning that both modes of recitation were correct. He ﷺ added: “Do not differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (i.e., because of their differences).” This means that they had incurred their own destruction, because their differences led them to distort and change their Scripture, following their whims, and this fueled disputes and incurred the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He. In addition, the Islamic Laws of Islam promotes affinity among Muslims and warns against disunity and dissension within the Muslim community. He ﷺ meant that Muslims should recite the Quran, adhere to unity and agreement, and if there should be any doubts that call for disagreement and disunity, give them up, and rather adhere to the established facts of Islam that promote affinity, and beware of falling into blameworthy disagreement and disunity like the previous nations, incurring their own destruction.
Moreover, it is impermissible to disagree about the correct modes of recitation, because since it is allowable to recite the Quran with any of the correct modes of recitation as per the laws of Islam, if someone denied any of these modes of recitation, he would be denying the Quran. It is also impermissible to speak of the Quran based on one’s personal opinions, because the recitation of the Quran is an act of Sunnah, and Muslims must adhere to the reported Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in this regard. Rather, the disputing people should consult a more knowledgeable person about the disagreed-upon matter.
The hadeeth forbids disunity and disagreement.
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2411

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Two persons, a Muslim and a Jew, quarreled. The Muslim said, "By Him Who gave Muhammad ﷺ superiority over all people! The Jew said, "By Him Who gave Moosaa superiority over all people!" At that, the Muslim raised his hand and slapped the Jew on the face. The Jew went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ sent for the Muslim and asked him about it. The Muslim informed him of the event. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not give me superiority over Moosaa; on the Day of Resurrection, all the people will fall unconscious and I will be one of them, but I will be the first to gain consciousness, and will see Moosaa standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah). I will not know whether Moosaa has also fallen unconscious and got up before me, or Allah has exempted him from that stroke."
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Commentary :
Giving preference to any of the Prophets of Allah over the others is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He. No human being should give preference to any of the Prophets over the others without knowledge, or following his personal whims. Rather, the only allowable preference in this context is what is stated in the Quran and clarified in the Prophet’s sayings. For instance, Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree.} [Quran 2:253].
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a Muslim man and a Jewish one quarreled and verbally abused one another. The Muslim man said, "By Him Who favored Muhammad ﷺ and gave him superiority over all people!” The Jewish man said, "By Him Who favored Moosaa and gave him superiority over all people!" At that, the Muslim slapped the Jew on the face, for his lie, based on his understanding of the general indication of the word ‘people’ to include Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as well (i.e., he understood that the Jewish man’s statement meant that Moosaa was given superiority over the Prophet ﷺ). It is established for a Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ is the best of all the Prophets of Allah!
The Jew went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim person. The Prophet ﷺ sent for the Muslim and asked him about it, and he informed the Prophet ﷺ of the event. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not give me superiority over Moosaa;” meaning do not favor me over Moosaa in a way that leads to undermining his lofty status or leads to disputes and dissension. The Prophet ﷺ disliked favoring him over other Prophets of Allah out of his humbleness and to avoid potential disputes that would pave the way for Satan to sow seeds of discord among people. Thereafter, he ﷺ underlined the lofty status of Prophet Moosaa and stated that all people, including himself, will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, with the first blow of the Trumpet. He ﷺ will be the first to be resurrected with the second blow, and will see Prophet Moosaa standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah) with his hand. He ﷺ added: “I will not know whether Moosaa has also fallen unconscious and got up before me,” and this would be one of the evident merits of Prophet Moosaa, “or Allah has exempted him from that stroke.” Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills.} [Quran 39:68]. This would mean that Prophet Moosaa will be exempted from losing consciousness in that incident and it would be another virtue.
The Throne of Allah, Exalted is He, is Allah's (First and) Greatest Creation; it has pillars and is carried by angels. Allah, Exalted is He, Rose above the Throne (in a manner that befits Him); He Says (what means): {The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.} [Quran 20:5]. It is noteworthy that the attributes of ʻUluww (highness) of Allah as well as His Istiwaa' (establishment) over the Throne are among the Attributes of His Actions, which relate to the Will of Allah and whose instances recur according to His will. None but Him knows how these attributes are (i.e., the manner in which Allah’s Attributes take form and their essence are only known to Him). Whatever occurs to one’s mind with regard to His Attributes, Allah, Exalted is He, isentirely different and far above it.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Prophet Mossaa..

2435

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "An animal should not be milked without the permission of its owner. Does any of you like that somebody comes to his store and breaks his container and takes away his food? The udders of the animals are the stores of their owners where their provision is kept, so nobody should milk the animals of somebody else, without the permission of their owner."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to preserve people's wealth and forbids devouring it unlawfully.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade milking someone’s animal, i.e., domesticated animals reared by people such as sheep and camels, without his permission. The hadeeth forbade milking these cattle in the pastures or barns except with the permission of their owners. He ﷺ confirmed his prohibition by saying: “Does any of you like that somebody comes to his store and breaks his container and takes away his food?” The container here refers to a cupboard where the landlord stores his food and provisions, and breaking it means breaking it open and stealing his food. Similarly, one must not milk another person’s cattle without his permission. He ﷺ explained: “The udders of the animals are the stores of their owners where their provision is kept,” he ﷺ likened their udders where their milk is stored, to the cupboard where food and belongings are stored. Since no one would approve that someone should break his cupboard open and steal his food, similarly no one should milk these animals without the owner’s permission.
He ﷺ furthered emphasized the prohibition in this regard by saying: “… so nobody should milk the animals of somebody else, without the permission of their owner.”
Other versions of the hadeeth, like the one recorded in Sunan Ibn Maajah, referred to permissibility of milking others’ animals and drinking their milk. The meaning of such narrations is interpreted as to refer exclusively to the wayfarers, the destitute, and people at a time of famine, or when it is known that the owner of such an animal would authorize such disposal of his property, or that people in that place customarily pardon such disposal, provided that the person should limit himself to drinking only what suffices him and nothing more, and must not store any of the milk.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden for a Muslim to take anything from others without their permission, and the hadeeth made mention of milk in particular because people may be negligent in this regard (i.e., perceive it as insignificant), and therefore he ﷺ pointed it out to emphasize the need to preserve people’s other significant items of wealth.
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2437

Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah narrated:
While I as in the company of Salmaaan ibn Rabi‘ah and Zayd ibn Suwhaan, in one of the battles, I found a whip. One of them told me to drop it but I refused to do so and said that I would give it to its owner if I found him, otherwise I would utilize it. On our return we performed Hajj and on passing by Al-Madeenah, I asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) about it. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and took it to the Prophet ﷺ who said to me, 'Make public announcement about it for one year.' So, I announced it for one year and went to the Prophet ﷺwho said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' So, I announced it for another year. I went to him again and he ﷺ said, "Announce for another year." So, I announced for still another year. I went to the Prophet ﷺ for the fourth time, and he ﷺ said, 'Remember the amount of money, the (detailed) description of its container and the string it is tied with, and if the owner comes (and claims it), give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.’”.

Commentary :
Islam pays significant care to preserving people's wealth, and keenly ensurs that it should not be wasted. Therefore, it has enacted laws and laid down guidelines to preserve people’s wealth.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined what a Muslim should do when he finds a lost item of wealth and he does not know its owner. The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah narrated that he found a whip thrown on the floor and took it. He was in the company of the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Salmaaan ibn Rabi‘ah, and it was also said that the Taabi‘ee Zayd ibn Suwhaan was with them during a battle. One of them told him to drop it, but he refused to do so and said that he would give it to its owner if he found him, otherwise he would utilize it.
On their return, they performed Hajj and passed by Al-Madeenah where Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah saw Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him about the religious ruling on picking up such a whip. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and took it to the Prophet ﷺ who said to me, 'Make a public announcement about it for one year,' meaning to publicly announce it to people at marketplaces, gatherings, and mosques, and the places where he most likely believed that he might find its owner. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was commanded to announce it for one year and keep it with him (as a trust) until its owner showed up to claim it. He (may Allah be pleased with him) announced it for one year, but its owner did not show up, and therefore he (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺwho said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) did the same for a second year, but no one showed up to claim it. Again, the Prophet ﷺ commanded him to announce it for a third year. After the end of the third year, he (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ for the fourth time, and he ﷺ said, 'Remember the amount of money, the (detailed) description of its container and the string it is tied with,’ to be able to verify the truthfulness of whoever claims it, ‘and if the owner comes (and claims it), give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.’”
Shu‘bah ibn Al-Hajjaaj (one of the narrators) said: “I met him (i.e., Salamah ibn Kuhayl) in Makkah and he said: ‘I do not know whether he said three years or one year.’”
To reconcile between the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) and the one narrated by Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him), recorded in Shaheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, stating that the lost item of wealth should be publicly announced for one year only, it can be said that the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) is interpreted as to urge Muslims to adhere to the becoming mindfulness of Allah and graciously refrain from disposing of the Luqtah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth) and to deem oneself above availing of it, and the one narrated by Zayd ibn Kaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) stated the original ruling.
The hadeeth highlights how Islam assigns care and attention to all worldly affairs that are of concern to people, and become part of their lives directly or indirectly.
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2440

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "When the believers pass safely over the Siraat (i.e., the bridge across Hellfire), they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hellfire and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the worldly life, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted to Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is, everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this worldly life."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden for Himself, declared it forbidden for His servants, and promised the unjust people Qisaas (i.e., retribution) and severe punishments. If the unjust wrongdoer escaped the due Qisaas in the worldly life, there is no escaping on the Day of Resurrection, nor there shall be a refuge from Allah, Exalted is He. There, neither wealth nor offspring will be of any avail.
The hadeeth depicts a horrific scene from the Day of Resurrection, where the believers will be stopped at a bridge between Hellfire and Paradise after passing safely over the Siraat (i.e., the bridge across Hellfire) and being saved from Hellfire by the grace and mercy of Allah, Exalted is He. The Angels will stop them at a bridge between Hellfire and Paradise where they will retaliate against each other for the injustices committed against one another in the worldly life. It is noteworthy that such retaliation will be specifically for those whose acts of injustice and grievances against him do not exhaust all their rewards, otherwise they would have been thrown into Hellfire and it would not have been true to say that they had been delivered from it.Whoever had wronged his fellow Muslim brother more (i.e., had committed moreacts of injustice) in the worldly life, his rewards will be deducted, and then they will enter Paradise. They shall share the places therein in proportion to the remaining rewards left for each of them, and this is why they will retaliate against one another by means of their rewards after being delivered from Hellfire, and Allah knows best. This is because no one will enter Paradise before his liability is cleared from any grievance and injustice against anyone.
After they retaliate against each other for the injustices committed against one another in the worldly life, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted to Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ swore by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, that everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this worldly life. They will be able to recognize their dwellings in Paradise easily because they would be shown to them repeatedly every morning and evening in their graves. It was reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When one of you dies, his abode among the inhabitants of Paradise will be shown to him, morning and evening, if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one of the inhabitants of Hellfire, his abode among them will be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which Allah will finally raise him on the day of resurrection.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
The hadeeth warns against committing injustice against others, and emphasizes the fact that people will inevitably retaliate against each other for the injustices they had committed against one another in the worldly life on the Day of Judgment, and each will get his rights back.
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2441

Safwaan ibn Muhriz Al-Maazinee narrated:
While I was walking with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once holding his hand, a man came in front of us and asked, "What have you heard from Allah's Messengerﷺ about An-Najwaa (i.e., private conversation between Allah and His obedient servants)?" Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, 'Allah, Exalted is He, will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask him: ‘Did you commit such-and-such sins?’ He will say: ‘Yes, my Lord.’ Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: 'I did screen your sins in the world and I forgive them for you today', and then he will be given the book of his good deeds. Regarding infidels and hypocrites (their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say, as Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {These are the ones who lied against their Lord." Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.} [Quran 11:18]”
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Commentary :
The mercy of Allah, Exalted is He, encompasses everything, and His mercy in the Hereafter shall be greater than the divine mercy manifested in the worldly life, and it shall be exclusively bestowed upon His believing servants. It will have many manifestations, including His screen concealing the believers during the reckoning.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Safwaan ibn Mihriz Al-Maazinee stated that he was walking once with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) while holding his hand, when a man showed up and asked him about Al-Najwaa (i.e., private conversation between Allah and His obedient servants). Linguistically, the Arabic word Najwaa means whisper and private conversation with someone. It here refers to the private conversation between Allah, Exalted is He, and the believers during the reckoning. It is a manifestation of the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, to remind the believer of his sins in secret. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet ﷺstated that Allah, Exalted is He, will bring the believer near Him and shelter him with His screen. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Kanaf, which linguistically means concealment and protection. He will conceal him from the rest of the creation so as not to disgrace him by exposing his sins before them. He will speak to him secretly and ask him to confirm his sins: “Do you know such-and-such sin?” He would respond: “O my Lord, I know; O my Lord, I know.” Allah, Exalted is He, will continue to kindly and secretly remind him of his sins and he would acknowledge them all, and would believe with certainty that he would be thrown into Hellfire accordingly, unless Allah, Exalted is He, confers upon him His mercy and pardon. Allah, Exalted is He, would say to him: “I did screen your sins in the worldly life, and I will forgive them for you today.”
As for the disbelievers and hypocrites who were insincere with regard to their beliefs, their evil acts will be exposed publicly and the witnesses, i.e., the Angels, Prophets, Jinn, and mankind, will say (what means): {These are the ones who lied against their Lord}, by disbelieving and attributing to Allah, Exalted is He, what was not befitting Him including: partners, a son, a wife, and the like of these falsehoods, {Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.} [Quran 11:18]. This means that the wrath of Allah will be poured onto them, and these disbelievers, who had devoted worship to other than Him, shall be expelled from His mercy.
The hadeeth also affirms the Attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits Majesty.

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2442

‘Abdullah Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah, Exalted is He, will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah, Exalted is He, will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection.”
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Commentary :
Islam built Muslim society on a solid foundation of brotherhood and solidarity among them. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {The believers are but brothers.} [Quran 49:10].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of the mutual duties Muslims have towards one another. He ﷺ stated that a Muslim, whether he is a free man or slave, an adult or minor, is a brother to his fellow Muslims. This brotherhood entails that a Muslim must not wrong his fellow Muslims; Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden, no matter how insignificant it may seem. At the same time, a Muslim is also required to rescue his fellow Muslims from any injustice or oppression, and must not to leave them subjected to it without providing them with help, and he should also not leave them to those who harm them without protection,to the best of his ability.
He ﷺ also stated that whoever strives to fulfill the needs of his fellow Muslim brother, Allah, Exalted is He, will help him and make things easy for him to fulfill his own needs. Moreover, whoever helps a fellow Muslim when a worldly calamity befalls him, i.e., distress or adversity pertaining to his worldly affairs, until his grief and calamity are relieved, Allah, Exalted is He, will relieve him of a calamity and terror on the Day of Resurrection. In addition, whoever sees one of his fellow brother’s faults or flaws and conceals it, Allah, Exalted is He, will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection. It is noteworthy that this does not mean that he should turn a blind eye and remain silent when he sees his fellow Muslim brother commit a sin. Rather, it is incumbent to advise and forbid him from it, using the prescribed means of forbidding sin until he refrains (from committing that sin). This is a manifestation of the enjoined sincerity towards one’s fellow Muslim brothers.
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2449

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his honor or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden for Himself, declared it forbidden for His slaves, and promised the unjust people Qisaas (i.e., retribution) and severe punishments. If the unjust wrongdoer escaped Qisaas in the worldly life, there is no escaping from it on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall there be refuge from Allah, Exalted is He. There, neither wealth nor offspring will be of any avail.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commands any Muslim who had done his fellow Muslims wrong and committed against them acts of injustice with regard to honor, e.g., defamation and slander, or with regard to wealth (withholding or infringing upon their financial rights), or physical injury and the like, to seek his pardon in this worldly life before the Day of Resurrection should come, when there shall be neither Dinar of gold nor Dirham of silver which he may pay to compensate the wronged person and redeem himself. Retribution between people on the Day of Resurrection will be with their good and evil deeds. A wronged person will take from the good deeds of the one who had wronged him on the Day of Judgment in proportion to his act of injustice, and if such a person’s good deeds fall short of clearing the account, then some of the sins from the people whom he had wronged will be added to his record of evil deeds.
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2454

Saalim's father, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."
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Commentary :
No one performs a good deed or commits a sin in this worldly life, except that he will be rewarded or punished for it on the Day of Resurrection accordingly. Since injustice and aggression are among the gravest sins and the most heinous misdeeds about which stern warnings were reported, the punishments designated for them are among the most severe.
This hadeeth underlines the punishment of the one who takes part of someone’s land unjustly and transgressively, be it a small or large area of land. Whoever commits this sin, Allah, Exalted is He, will cause him to sink down seven earths on the Day of Resurrection; they will swallow him up.
It was narrated on the authority of Sa’eed ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “If anyone usurps a span of land unjustly, Allah, Exalted is He, will strangle him with it from seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that he will be caused to sink down into the earth until it becomes like a necklace around his neck, which Allah will cause it to be long (i.e., he will be strangled with it). It could also mean that these different punishments are designated for the perpetrators of this sin and they shall vary according to the gravity of the evil committed by them. Some of them will be subjected to one punishment and the others will be subjected to the other.
The hadeeth emphasizes the prohibition of injustice and usurping others’ lands, and highlights the severe punishment designated for that sin.
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2455

Jabalah said:
"We were in Al-Madeenah with some of Iraqi people, and we were struck with famine and Ibn Al- Zubayr used to give us dates. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pass by and say, "The Prophet ﷺ forbade us to eat two dates at a time, unless one takes the permission of one's companions.”
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Commentary :
Islam instills the values of self-contentment and altruism within its followers, teaches them the etiquette of eating, for a person eating alone, and when someone else joins him for the meal.
In this hadeeth, Jablah ibn Suhaym related that they were in Al-Madeenah with some people from Iraq, and they were afflicted with high prices and famine, so ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer them dates. ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would pass by them while they were eating these dates and tell them that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating more than one date at a time, putting another date in one’s mouth before finishing the other, when one is eating with a group of people and there is not much food. The one who eats two dates at a time is trying to have a bigger share than the others, and this constitutes injustice against them, in addition to greed that reflects such a person’s bad moral character. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such an act unless the doer seeks the permission of his companions, for being in a hurry and wanting to leave for example, and they give him permission, because it is his companions’ right and they are entitled to give up their rights. This prohibition aims to teach such a person to recognize others’ rights to the shared food as well.
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2457

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome one."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to embody good morals in their interactions and dealings with people, and therefore it encourages them to be kind and courteous with others.
The hadeeth states a stern warning against the quarrelsome person and underlines that such person is the most hated to Allah, Exalted is He! A quarrelsome person is the one who is given to quarrels, disputes, and arguments. Allah, Exalted is He, hates such a person the most, and this entails falling into sin and incurring His punishment accordingly. Such a quarrelsome person engages in arguments and disputes without any knowledge, and this leads to wasting people’s rights, which constitutes injustice against them and support of falsehood. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents.} [Quran 2:204].
The hadeeth also warns against exceeding the proper limits with opponents and against behaving in an impudent and insulting manner when claiming rights, using abusive language, or arguing without knowledge (i.e., for the sake of argument).
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2461

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We said to the Prophet ﷺ, "You send us out and it happens that we have to stay with people who do not entertain us. What do you think about it?” He ﷺ said to us, "If you stay with some people and they entertain you as they should for a guest, accept their hospitality, but if they do not, take the right of the guest from them."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to pay a special care and attention to the affairs of the Muslims, and instruct them to embody noble morals and good manners, including showing hospitality to their guests. It is one of the manifestations of noble moral character, part of the Islamic etiquette, and one of the manners of the Prophets of Allah and the righteous.
In this hadeeth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ that when he delegated them to people, some of them refrained from showing them the enjoined hospitality. The Prophet ﷺ informed them that when their host offered them the enjoined hospitality, they should accept it, and if he were to refrain, they were entitled to take from his wealth what would compensate for such hospitality, because a host is enjoined as per the laws of Islam to entertain and show hospitality to his guests, and this is a religious obligation that must be observed.
This hadeeth is interpreted to mean that when the guests are in need of it, the enjoined hospitality may be taken from the reluctant host’s wealth (since he withholds their due rights). It is also possible that this was the ruling in the early days of Islam when solidarity was obligatory, and when Muslims conquered many lands (and earned spoils of war), and that this ruling was abrogated with the words of the Prophet ﷺ narrated on the authority of Aboo Shurayh Al-‘Adawee (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “Whoever (truly) believes in Allah, Exalted is He, and the Last Day, let him entertain his guest generously by giving him his reward, which is (to be entertained generously for) a day and a night…” [Al-Bukhaaree]. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Jaa’izah (reward) and this indicates that such hospitality is recommended rather than obligatory. It is also possible that the hadeeth refers to the workers or envoys sent by a ruler to carry out certain tasks, as indicated by their words, ‘You send us out.’ Therefore, the people to whom the Prophet ﷺ sent them were obliged to provide food, riding mounts, and accommodation for these workers or envoys in return for the task they performed, because they cannot perform their tasks without the fulfillment of such rights.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whoever could take his right from the one withholding it has the right to take it as long as it does not incur a graver evil..

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