| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2899

Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel! Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so." So, one of the parties ceased throwing. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" On that the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60]. In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, commands Muslims to be well-prepared for meeting their enemy and the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, by harnessing all the means of force available to them. Given the fact that archery was one of the most important means of force at that time, the Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to practice it and strongly encouraged learning and mastering archery.
In this hadeeth, it was narrated that the Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Nafar, meaning a number from three to ten men. These men were practicing archery and shooting arrows (in some sort of a competition). The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel!” He ﷺ referred to Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishamel) because all Arabs are his descendants and he mastered archery. He ﷺ added: “Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so," referring to one of the two parties (teams). The hadeeth recorded by Ibn Hibbaan on the authority of AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “… and throw and I am with Ibn Al-Adra‘,” whose name was Mihjan ibn Al-Adra‘, and it was also said that his name was Dhakwaan and his nickname was Ibn Al-Adra‘.
So, one of the parties ceased throwing, upon hearing the Prophet’s ﷺstatement. He ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" They feared that it would be inappropriate to carry on and defeat them, and thus the team aided by the Prophet ﷺ should lose, out of their politeness towards the Prophet ﷺ. Their statement may also mean, ‘How could we compete with a team that you are supporting?’ Thereupon, the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you." He ﷺ urged them to continue with practicing and competing inarchery. The Prophet’s statement guided them to correct their intention.
The hadeeth highlights that Muslims highly revered the Prophet ﷺ..

2900

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them."
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Commentary :
The Great Battle of Badr was the first battle between the Prophet ﷺ and the disbelievers, and it served as the criterion between (truth and falsehood, and between) belief and disbelief. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, called it ‘the Day of Al-Furqaan (lit., criterion),’ and the people of Badr, meaning those who participated in the battle, were blessed with the forgiveness of their sins, as stated by the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as their leader in the Battle of Badr, while they were standing in rows against (the army of) Quraysh. He ﷺsaid, "When they come near you, throw arrows at them,” meaning shoot your arrows (only) when they become near enough, within the range of your arrows, but not too close, within engagement range. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to fire arrows at their enemies when they became within engagement range of the arrows to ensure that they would most likely hit them.Were they to shoot their arrows while they were out of their range, it would be a waste of arrows, especially given that the number of the disbelievers’ army was three times the number of the Muslims’ army! Therefore, shooting arrows at the disbelievers would help the Muslims deflect and hinder their attack.
The Battle of Badr took place in Ramadan in 2 A.H., and Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions(may Allah be pleased with them) victory over the disbelievers of Quraysh.
The hadeeth urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts.
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2901

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
While some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came in, picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." Ma‘mar (the sub-narrator) added that they were playing in the Mosque.
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Commentary :
Training for war and making the proper preparations for meeting the enemy are recommended, because it is part of the enjoined preparation of power (and steeds of war) stated in the ayah that reads (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60].
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them) came into the Prophet’s Mosque once while some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He (may Allah be pleased with him) picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." The Prophet ﷺ said so because he believed that their recreational activity was beneficial for Muslims, as it involved training and getting ready for fighting.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whoever acts on his own personal reasoning and commits a mistake, should not be blamed, because the Prophet ﷺ did not rebuke ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in that incident..

2902

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the perfect example and optimal role model role model in resolve, courage, and bravery, at times of both peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ and AbooTalhah Zayd ibn Sahl Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) used to shield themselves with one shield in the Battle of Uhud, because AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, who needed someone to hold the shield while he shot the arrows, with both his hands busy. The Prophet ﷺ would hold the shield (while AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) shot the arrows), lest the enemy should shoot back at him. This reflected the humbleness of the Prophet ﷺ and his keenness to participate personally in Jihaad (side by side with the Muslim fighters). He ﷺ was the bravest of all people; whenever the fighting intensified, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)used to shield themselves behind the Prophet ﷺ. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him)was one of the best archers, and therefore whenever he threw (his arrows), the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows, to verify that the arrows hit the enemies. He ﷺ would raise his head to see the target of his arrows. It was recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that when the Prophet ﷺ started looking at the enemy by raising his head, AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours."
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It also urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts..

2904

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had transferred to His Messenger ﷺ as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by whatever Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. The properties, therefore, belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used in Allah's Cause.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ led an ascetic life in the worldly sense, although Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon him riches, and made lawful for him the spoils of war. He ﷺ always kept the worldly pleasures in his hands, not in his heart. He ﷺ did not keep any savings except for the provisions for his own household in order to (shoulder his task and) tend to their needs (as enjoined).
In this hadeeth, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had granted to Muslims as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. This means that the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not fight against Banee Al-Nadeer, but Allah, Exalted is He, cast terror into their hearts in awe of the Prophet ﷺ. Banee Al-Nadeer was a Jewish tribe which had settled in thesouth of Al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺ laid siege to them and expelled them from Al-Madeenah on account of their betrayal in 3 A.H. It was also said that this took place in Rabee‘ Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. Their properties and weapons belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, and none of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had a share of such war-gains, because the disposal of the Fay’ was solely determined by the Prophet ﷺ as he saw fit, unlike the spoils of war (which were divided among the fighters). He ﷺ used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used for Jihaad in Allah's Cause.
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2906

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam.) The Prophetﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and scolded me and said disapprovingly, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ Thereupon, Allah's Messenger ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) became inattentive, I waved the two girls to go away and they left. It was the Day of ‘Eid when black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" When I got tired, he ﷺ asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told me to leave.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of all people to his wives as reflected in his good treatment and kindness towards them.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to her house while two girls were singing beside her the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam). Bu‘aath was the name of the fortress that witnessed a massive war between the Khazraj and the Aws tribes which ended with the victory of Aws. Afterward, Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon them peace and reconciliation, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. Heﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side, because his refined status entailed that he ﷺ should refrain from listening to singing. However, the fact that the Prophet ﷺ abstained from forbidding it proves that it is permissible according to his tacit approval, for he ﷺ would not approve what is impermissible. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came in and scolded her, based on his knowledge of the prohibition of singing and musical instruments. He (may Allah be pleased with him) disapprovingly said, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ!” Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was referring to their singing or the Duff (i.e., a tambourine-like instrument without bells) that they used. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Mizmaarah or Mizmaar (i.e., wind instrument), derived from the word Zameer which denotes whistling or hissing, and it is used to refer to pleasant melody or singing. He (may Allah be pleased with him) attributed it to Satan because it distracts the heart from the remembrance of Allah, Exalted is He. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know that the Prophet ﷺ had (tacitly) approved it before making this remark, for he (may Allah be pleased with him) entered abruptly, found him reclined on the bed, and assumed that he ﷺ was sleeping. He (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade this act, and thereupon the Prophet ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." It was a Day of ‘Eid, which is a festive occasion that is prescribed by the religion and therefore celebrating it should not be forbidden, and also this act falls under the category of permissible recreational activities that do not prompt the ‘self’ to do what is improper and unbecoming.
When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) or the Prophet ﷺ became inattentive, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) waved the two girls to go away and they left. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “It was the Day of ‘Eid when Black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" It was also said that it was the name of their great forefather. When she (may Allah be pleased with her)got bored, he ﷺ asked her if that was enough. She (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told her to leave.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims are urged to make less restrictions for their wives and children in terms of provisions, and allow them to engage in prescribed recreational activities on festive occasions to enjoy the celebrations and that what may not be pardonable on other days of the year may be pardonable on the days of ‘Eid (as long as it is permissible as per the law of Islam).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that a father is entitled to discipline his daughter in the presence of her husband; one of the father’s duties is disciplining his children and it is prescribed for a husband to show kindness towards his wife.
It is also deduced that it is allowable to witness the prescribed recreational activities..

2909

AbooUmaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that some people conquered many countries and their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, but they were decorated with leather, lead, and iron..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ taught and educated the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) well and instilled within them the moral values of courage and sacrifice of one’s own life and wealth in Allah’s Cause. He ﷺ also taught them to find pride in and drive strength from their faith in Allah, Exalted is He, to confront whoever waged war against Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, AbooUmaamahSudayy ibn ‘Ajlaan Al-Baahilee(may Allah be pleased with him)said that when Allah, Exalted is He, blessed a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) with conquering many countries, their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, like people’s swords at those times. Rather, they were decorated with untanned leather, lead, and iron.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not adorn their weapons with gold or anything similar, for they dispensed with striking awe in their enemies by means of outward appearances (i.e., demonstrations of force), and rather struck awe in their hearts by means of their true faith in Allah, Exalted is He. However, this does not entail that it is impermissible to adorn the swords with gold and silver, to strike awe and terror in the hearts of the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, and infuriate them. Rather, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)were contented with their strength and power to defeat their enemies rather than terrorizing them by means of such ornaments..

2920

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles.
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Commentary :
Fostering ease and eliminating inconvenience are among the key principles of our true religion, and the greater the hardship, the greater the facilitation and elimination of inconvenience enjoined by Islam.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about lice (that caused them itchiness). Another version of the hadeeth compiled in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “… because of an itching from which they suffered,” and it seems that such itching was caused by the lice. It is also possible that the reason was the itchiness for one of them and the lice for the other. Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession to wear silken clothes, because silk was more suitable to their skin condition. It was narrated in Sunan Aboo Daawood that the Prophet ﷺ took hold of some silk in his right hand and some gold in his left, then said: “These two are forbidden for the males of my Ummah.”
In that incident, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession because of their problems (i.e., itchiness).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to seek medical treatment and remedies for their health problems.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that availing oneself of the available means does not contradict true reliance on Allah, Exalted is He. .

2926

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’”
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Commentary :
The rancor harbored by the Jews and their hostility towards Islam and Muslims have existed since the advent of Islam and will continue until the Last Hour should come. Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the supporters of truth should prevail, even if the oppression of the Jews continues for a long time and their dominion grows stronger.
In this Hadeeth, the truthful Prophet of Allah ﷺ mentioned one of the signs of the Last Hour; a war shall take place between Muslims and Jews. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, addressing his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and all following Muslim generations until the end of the world, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews.” This war will take place after the advent of Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus) and Muslims will be his supporters in this war,while the Jews will support Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist). During this war, everything will cooperate with Muslim fighters, even inanimate objects like stones. Whenever a Jew would hide behind any object, it would speak and say to the Muslims, “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.”Inanimate objects will reveal the truth and help Muslims (defeat the Jews).
The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “… except for the Gharqad (i.e.,Boxthorn or Lycium) tree, for it is the tree of the Jews.” Gharqad trees (known as Boxthorn or Lycium) famously grow in Jerusalem. During the war between Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus),accompanied by the Muslims on one side, and Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist), accompanied by the Jews on the other, these trees shallshelter the soldiers of the Dajjaal, i.e., the Jews. The hadeeth means that that everything (even inanimate objects) will cooperate with Muslims to defeat and kill the Jews, the soldiers of the Dajjaal, except the Gharqad trees, and therefore they are attributed to the Jews in this sense.
The hadeeth evidences that Islam will last until the Day of Resurrection and shall triumph over all its enemies.
It also highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2929

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophetﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come till you fight against people wearing shoes made of hair; and the Last Hour will come till you fight against people whose faces look like shields coated with leather." (AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "They will be) small-eyed, flat nosed, and their faces will look like shields coated with leather.”)
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ explained on many occasions the signs of the Last Hour and the horrors that will take place before the Day of Resurrection, so that Muslims should take the needed precautions, prepare themselves for those (harsh) times, and increase their faith and certitude in their Prophet ﷺ and his truthfulness.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of some signs indicating the approach of the Last Hour, one of which will be that Muslims shall fight against people wearing shoes made of hair. It could also mean that they shall lengthen their hair so much that it would reach their shoes! Another description of such people is that their faces shall look like shields coated with leather used to protect the fighters from sword strikes on the battlefield. The meaning is that these people’s faces are large, round, and fat. The hadeeth also underlined that these people are small-eyed and have long noses, meaning that their noses are short, with thick and flat tips.
Perhaps these descriptions applied to the Tatars and the Mongols, who swept the Muslim world in the middle of the seventh century A.H., because of the precise physical descriptions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave in this hadeeth (matching their physical description); they fought against Muslims and their onslaught swept many countries, instilling fear and terror in people’s hearts, as if they were Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog). It is noteworthy that many of the Tatars and the Mongols embraced Islam afterwards.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2930

Aboo Is-haaq narrated:
A man asked Al-Baraa,’ "O Aboo ‘Umaarah! Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?" He replied, "No, by Allah! Allah's Messenger ﷺ did not flee, but his young, unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr whose arrows hardly missed a target, and they threw arrows at them hardly missing a shot. Muslims retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule which was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, for victory; then he ﷺ said, 'I am the Prophet, without a lie; I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,’ and then he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the bravest of all people, and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the best warriors who displayed the most outstanding steadfastness when meeting their enemies.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aboo Is-haaq ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-Sabee‘eesaid that a man named Qays, according to the version recorded by Ahmad, jokingly asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him), "O Aboo ‘Umaarah,” i.e. the nickname of Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him). “Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?” The Battle of Hunayn took place in 8 A.H., and Hunayn was a valley near Dhul-Mijaaz, close to Al-Taa’if, fifteen miles from Makkah in the direction of Al-Sharaa’i‘ and Al-Sayl Al-Kabeer. It was said that Hunayn was named after a man named Hunayn ibn Qaathibah.
The question was about all Muslims, including the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and therefore Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that he ﷺdid not flee, but rather his young unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who did not even shield themselves with armor or the like, fearlessly passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr ibn Mu‘aawiyah, i.e., two Arab tribes renowned for their skill as archers whose arrows hardly missed a target. They shot arrows at the unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule that was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, imploring Him for victory; saying, “I am the Prophet, without a lie;” meaning that he ﷺ was not a liar to flee, ”I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,” and he ﷺ attributed himself directly to his grandfather given his fame (among all Arab tribes). Afterward, he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows, to resume fighting. The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) fought against the disbelievers, defeated them, and gained many spoils of war in this battle.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should invoke Allah, Exalted is He, at times of adversity and hardship..

2937

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of Daws tribe disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." People said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance and guide them to embrace Islam."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy to the worlds, and he ﷺ loved for all people to be guided to Islam, and did not hasten to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them as long as there was hope for them to embrace Islam.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenahand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of the tribe of Daws,” an Arab tribe, “disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." Upon hearing so, people said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." They thought that the Prophet ﷺ was going to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them and his supplications would not be rejected! The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance, and guide them to embrace Islam,” and migrate to Al-Madeenah. This reflects the Prophet’s refined moral character, mercy, and kindness towards his Ummah. May Allah, Exalted is He, bless him with the most perfect and abundant reward, better than what any other Prophet of Allah was rewarded for guiding his followers (to the truth). It is noteworthy that the Prophet’s supplications against some disbelievers were because their guidance to Islam was not hoped for; their harm and evil were feared; and they had severely abused and persecuted Muslims.
The supplications of the Prophet ﷺwere answered and the tribe of Daws embraced Islam. It was narrated by Al-Bayhaqee in his book Dalaa’il Al-Nubuwwah that the Prophet ﷺ commanded Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) toreturn to his people and invite them to Allah, Exalted is He, and urged him to be kind towards them. Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) did so until the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, and then went to Al-Madeenah after seventy or eighty households from the tribe of Daws had embraced Islam.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2943

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked some people, he would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight, and if he did not hear the Adhaan, he would attack them immediately after dawn. We reached Khaybar at night.”
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the best role model and teacher for the Muslim Ummah, and our source of guidance on all matters of peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that,“Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked any given people, he ﷺ would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight,” as it would be indicative of their Islam, “and if he did not hear the Adhaan,” being a manifest sign of their disbelief, “he ﷺ would attack them immediately after dawn.” This means that whenever the Prophet ﷺ did not know for sure whether a given people had embraced Islam and were edified on it before attacking them, he ﷺ would wait until dawn to see whether or not they would raise the Adhaan. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan, he ﷺ would refrain from attacking them, otherwise, he ﷺ would proceed.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “We reached Khaybar at night,” to conquer it in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a village inhabited by Jews, about 153 km from Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam. The Prophet ﷺ waited until dawn and then attacked them. It was narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that Allah's Messenger ﷺ reached Khaybar at night, and it was his habit that, whenever he ﷺ reached the enemy at night, he would not attack them till it was morning. When it was morning, the Jews came out with their spades and baskets, and when they saw him (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ), they said, "Muhammad! By Allah! Muhammad and his army have arrived!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Khaybar is (already) destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight them), {then evil is the morning of those who were warned.} [Quran 37:177]."
The hadeeth underlines the Prophet’s precautions before fights, fearing that he ﷺ would mistakenly kill Muslims (when conquering non-Muslim lands)..

2950

Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to single out certain days with particular acts of worship or good deeds.
In this hadeeth, Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophetﷺ used to prefer to travel on Thursdays, and that he ﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook in 9 A.H. to fight against the Romans. Tabook was a town in the far north of the Arabian Peninsula, in the middle of the road to Damascus, about 700 km away from Al-Madeenah. The Battle of Tabook was the last battle in which the Prophet ﷺ personally partook against the Romans.
He ﷺ habitually set out on his journeys for travel or Jihaad purposes (i.e., conquests) on Thursdays, except for a few occasions. It was authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺtravelled on Saturday, and perhaps this was one of the examples of the few occasions mentioned by Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) in the other version of the hadeeth recorded by Al-Bukhaaree when he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “It was rarely that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out on a journey on any day other than Thursday.”
The point is that he ﷺ used to set out on Thursday for most of his travels and conquests, and the wisdom behind that is known only to Allah, Exalted is He. It was said that he ﷺ hated to travel on Fridays, and therefore used to set out on the day before (Thursday) or the day after it (Saturday). It was also said that Thursday is a blessed day during which people’s deeds are presented to Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ only set out on his journeys or battles for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, and therefore he ﷺ wanted to perform such good deeds on that blessed day in particular. It is also possible that he ﷺ believed it was a good omen to embark on his journeys and battles on Thursdays in particular, for the Arabic word Khamees (i.e., Thursday) means ‘army,’ which consists of five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. He ﷺ might have believed that going out for conquests on Thursday would be a good omen that Allah, Exalted is He, would protect him and bless him with the support of his soldiers (army). He ﷺ may have also found it a good omen to set out on his conquests on Thursday, hoping that he ﷺ would defeat the enemy’s army, denoted by the very Arabic word for Thursday, Khamees, and because he ﷺ would avail himself of the fifth of the gained spoils of war (i.e., the Arabic word for ‘five’ is Khamsah, derived from the same root as Khamees)..

2954

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent us on military expedition telling us, "If you find such and such persons (he ﷺ named two men from Quraysh), burn them with fire." Then we came to bid him farewell, when we wanted to set out, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead).".

Commentary :
Many of the disbelievers committed heinous crimes against Muslim men and women before and after the emigration, and accordingly deserved punishments for that. An example of such crimes was that when Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, decided to migrate and headed towards Al-Madeenah, two men from the disbelievers, Habbaar ibn Al-Aswad and another man who was said to be Naafi‘ ibn Qays, encountered her. They hit the camel that she was riding, she fell to the ground while being pregnant, and had a miscarriage as a result.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent him on a military expedition, led by Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) to kill these two men (in retribution). He ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men by burning them with fire. When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) went to bid the Prophet ﷺ farewell, before setting out on the journey, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead)." This means that only Allah, Exalted is He, punishes His creation with fire, and such punishment is exclusive to Him; none may use burning with fire as a punishment. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men instead. His second statement forbade the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from punishing them with fire and it abrogated the first command, whether it was abrogated based on new divine revelation or based on the Prophet’s personal Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning). The prohibition in this regard means that none should deliberately burn a particular person with fire.
Anyway, the Muslim army could not find the two men in question, and afterward Habbaar embraced Islam and lived until the reign of Mu‘aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him), but no further information was reported about the other man. His name was not recorded among the Companions’ names (in the Sunnah books); he may have died as a disbeliever.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to judge a situation based on one’s personal reasoning and then change one’s judgment afterward.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is prohibited to burn someone with fire.
It is deduced therefrom that Sunnah texts may abrogate one another.
It is also inferred that it is permissible for someone to bid farewell to the elite people in one’s town before traveling, and his companions may bid farewell to him as well..

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