It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: A man came to Ibn Mas‘ud and said: I recited al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah last night. He said: That is too fast, like reciting poetry. I know the pairs of surahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together. And he mentioned twenty surahs from al-Mufassal, two in each rak‘ah..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has enjoined us to reflect upon the Qur’an, as He says: {[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded} [Sad 38:29] and {Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an?} [al-Nisa’ 4:82]. This is the purpose behind reciting it; it is not right to merely pronounce its letters without understanding or reflection. This is further emphasized if the recitation is in prayer. In this hadith, we see that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the action of this man who said to him that he had recited all of al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah. Al-Mufassal includes the surahs from Qaf to the end of the Qur’an, or from Surat Muhammad to the end of the Qur’an. It is called mufassal because its surahs are short and are separated (infisal) from one another with frequent intervals. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) objected to what this man did and said to him: This is like reciting poetry. In other words, his recitation was quick, without reflection, as is done when reciting poetry. He only said that because this manner of reciting was customary among them when reciting poetry. Here Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was denouncing the man’s action because it indicated a lack of reflection on what he was reciting. But if the worshipper recites at a moderate pace whilst reflecting on the meaning, then standing for a longer time increases his reward.
Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he knew the pairs of surahs that were similar in length, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together in prayer, reciting two surahs in each rak‘ah. The number of these surahs was thirty, from al-Mufassal. These surahs are mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). They are: al-Rahman and al-Najm in one rak‘ah; al-Qamar and al-Haqqah in one rak‘ah; al-Tur and al-Dhariyat in one rak‘ah; al-Waqi‘ah and al-Qalam in one rak‘ah; al-Ma‘arij and al-Nazi‘at in one rak‘ah; al-Mutaffifeen and ‘Abasa in one rak‘ah; al-Muddaththir and al-Muzzammilin one rak‘ah; al-Insan and al-Qiyamahin one rak‘ah; al-Naba’ and al-Mursalat in one rak‘ah; al-Dukhan and al-Takwir in one rak‘ah.
If someone were to say: al-Dukhan is not part of al-Mufassal, so how can it be included as being part of al-Mufassal? The answer is that it is by way of convenience. In one report it says: Eighteen surahs from al-Mufassal and two surahs from the “family of Ha-Mim” [i.e., the surahs that begin with Ha-Mim].
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to recite two or more surahs in one rak‘ah..

775.1

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that there was a man of the Ansar who used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Quba’. Every time he led them and wanted to recite a surah, he would recite {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] until he finished it, then he would recite another surah with it, and he would do that in every rak‘ah. His companions spoke to him about that, saying: You always start with this surah, then you think it is not enough, so you recite another surah. Either recite it only, or do not recite it and recite another surah instead. He said: I will not stop reciting it; if you want me to carry on leading you in prayer like this, I will do so, and if you do not like it, I will leave you. They thought that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about that, and he said: “O So-and-so, what prevented you from doing what your companions toldyou to do? What made you persist in reciting this surah in every rak‘ah?” He said: Because I love it. He said: “Your love for it has gained you admittance to Paradise.”.

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlasis one of the greatest surahs in the Qur’an. Even though its words are few, it contains sublime and important meanings, as it clearly explains the concept of Tawhid (the oneness of Allah), the importance of worshipping Him alone and turning to Him alone, and it categorically states that He has no son and no father (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man of the Ansar – whose name was Kulthum ibn Hidm (may Allah be pleased with him) – used to lead his companions in prayer in the mosque of Quba’, which was the first mosque that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) built in Madinah when he arrived in the city as a migrant. It stands at the entrance to Madinah for one who is coming from the direction of Makkah. Every time he wanted to recite a surah after al-Fatihah, he would recite before it {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas], then he would recite another surah. His companions spoke to him and told him that this surah on its own was sufficient for reciting after al-Fatihah, and by reciting it you will have done what is required of you in terms of recitation, so either recite it on its own, or recite the other surah that youwant to recite after it. But the man refused to do that, and gave them the choice between letting him continue to lead them in prayer in this manner, or appointing someone else to lead the prayer, if they did not like him to lead them. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about what this man was doing – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to come to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday to pray there, as it says in al-Sahihayn – so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked him about the reason why he did not agree to what his companions were asking of him, and why he persisted in reciting {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] with every other surah he recited. The man told the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that his love for Surat al-Ikhlas was what made him do that. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of him doing that, and gave him the glad tidings that his love for this surah had gained him admittance to Paradise. It is well-known that admittance to Paradise will only happen in the hereafter, but as it is inevitably going to happen, it is as if it has already happened, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke in the past tense when he gave him this good news.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Surat al-Ikhlas.
It also indicates that it is permissible to recite two surahs [besides al-Fatihah] in one rak‘ah..

779

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah how to pray by his own actions and practice, just as he taught them by means of direct commands and prohibitions. This hadith explains one aspect of the Prophet’s practice in some of the prayers. In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah of Zuhr prayer long, and he would make the second rak‘ah shorter than the first. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also used to do that in Fajr prayer: he would make the first rak‘ah long and make the second shorter.
What is meant by making it long is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the recitation whilst standing lengthy. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to estimate how long the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in Zuhr and ‘Asr prayer. We estimated that his standing in the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr was equivalent to the time it takes to recite “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah], and we estimated that his standing in the last two rak‘ahs was equivalent to half of that. It was said that the reason for making the first rak‘ah long was that he had more energy in the first than in the second. It was also said that he did this so that the people would be able to catch up with the rak‘ah..

780

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,for if anyone’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Ibn Shihab said: And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say Amin..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) is immensely merciful and very generous. By His mercy to His slaves, He grants them immense reward for little effort. This hadith highlights one aspect of this mercy, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that when the imam says Amin – which means: O Allah, answer – after reciting al-Fatihah in a prayer in which recitation is done out loud, the one who is praying behind the imam should follow him in saying Amin when he hears him say it. For if a person’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, in timing – or in manner, humility and sincerity – his previous sins will be forgiven. What is meant by the angels is the recording angels or, it was said, the angels who come in succession by night and day. And it was said that it refers to all the angels, based on the general meaning of the phrase, because the plural form preceded by the definite article includes all of them, in the sense that it is said by the recording angels who are present, then those who are above them, until it reaches those on high and the inhabitants of the heavens.
The apparent meaning of the hadith is that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin after the imam says it. It was also said that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin at the same time as the imam, not before him and not after him. With regard to the words, “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,” what is meant is when the imam is about to say Amin.
This hadith highlights the virtue of saying Amin after reciting al-Fatihah for the imam, the one who is praying behind an imam, and the one who is praying on his own..

783

It was narrated from al-Hasan, from Abu Bakrah, that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was bowing, so he bowed before he joined the row. He mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: “May Allah increase you in keenness, but do not do it again.”.

Commentary : Keenness to follow the teachings of Islam and to do the obligatory duties, and hastening to catch up with them,are indicative of a person’s righteousness and sincere faith in Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so long as that keenness and hastening does not make him overstep the mark with regard to commands and prohibitions. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were the keenest of people to do that, especially in the case of prayers in congregation. They did not fail to attend prayer in congregation, except when there was an excuse. In this hadith, Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and found him bowing in prayer. He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) before he rose from bowing, so he bowed on his own before reaching and joining the row, and walked bowing until he came to the row. When he mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after the prayer had ended, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supplication for him, asking that he be increased in keenness to do good, because he knew that he only did that because he was so keen to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he told him not to do that again, because by doing that he was praying on his own behind the row, which is not allowed. It may be that the prohibition referred to walking to the row whilst praying; even though taking one or two steps does not invalidate the prayer, it is better to avoid doing that.
The basic principle is that the one who wants to pray behind an imam should walk towards the congregation in a calm and dignified manner, then whatever he catches up with with the imam he should pray with him, and whatever he misses of the prayer, he should complete it after the imam says the taslim..

784

It was narrated from Mutarrif, that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said that he prayed with ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra and he said: This man reminded us of a prayer that we prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said that he used to say takbir every time he moved up and every time he moved down..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ash-Shikhkhir narrates that he and ‘Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra, in Iraq. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him, after the prayer ended: This man – meaning ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) – reminded us of the prayer that we used to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And he stated that he used to say takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said that because that emphasizes how the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

787

It was narrated that ‘Ikrimah said: I saw a man at the Maqam, saying takbir every time he moved down and up [in prayer], when he stood and when he sat. I told Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) [about that] and he said: Is this not how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, may you be bereft of your mother!.

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that he saw a man – it was said that he was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) – praying in Makkah at the Maqam of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He said takbir every time he moved down and up [in the prayer]. This man found it odd, and according to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he described the man as foolish. When he mentioned that to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the latter rebuked him and told him off, and he informed him that this was how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, because saying takbir at every movement, down or up, was what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in his prayer. And he said to him: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a phrase that was used by way of rebuke, and Ibn ‘Abbas said it to him because he was unaware of the Sunnah, yet despite that he found it odd that someone would do it. What is meant is that the man was saying takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd(Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer..

788

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that in Makkah he offered a four-rak‘ah prayer behind an imam; he was the Sahabi Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the prayer was Zuhr, as it says in the report narrated by Ahmad. He said takbir twenty-two times in the four rak‘ahs. What is meant by the takbirs that ‘Ikrimah counted is that in every rak‘ah there were five takbirs: the takbir for bowing, the two rakbirs for the two prostrations, a takbir for sitting between the two prostrations, and a takbir for rising from the second prostration, in addition to the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) and the takbir for standing up following the first tashahhud. When ‘Ikrimah counted the number of takbirs, he said to Ibn ‘Abbas, finding the actions of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) odd: He is foolish – meaning that he is lacking in reason, because he does not know how to pray and when to say takbir. Ibn ‘Abbas said tohim: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a word that the Arabs say by way of rebuke, and they do not mean it literally. So this was by way of rebuking ‘Ikrimah and objecting to what he had said, and his ignorance of the Sunnah. It was not a supplication against him. Then he explained to him that this prayer, with this number of takbirs, was the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was not due to ignorance on the part of the imam. Abu’l-Qasim is the kunyah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This indicates that the people had become careless and negligent with regard to the takbirs of the prayer and with regard to saying them at the right points in the prayer, to the extent that some of them thought that the norm was what had become widespread among them of heedlessness and not saying the takbirsat the right points. It also indicates that when the scholars among the Sahabah saw this heedlessness and shortcoming on the people’s part, they showed them how to say the takbirs at the correct points, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done.
This hadith highlights the fact that the scholars must correct what the people have changed, and show them the correct way..

789

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to pray, he said takbir when he stood up, then he said takbir when he bowed. Then he said Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise him) when he stood up straight from bowing. Then when he was standing upright, he said Rabbanalaka al-hamd (Our Lord, to You be praise) – ‘Abdullah ibn Salih said, narrating from al-Layth: Walaka al-hamd. Then he said takbir when he went down [to prostrate]; then he said takbir when he lifted his head; then he said takbir when he prostrated; then he said takbir when he lifted his head. Then he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it. And he said takbir when he stood up after the first two rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed us, in the Holy Qur’an, to pray in general terms. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to us very clearly in word and deed,and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in great detail. So there is no room to add or subtract anything.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates part of the description of the Prophet’s prayer, telling us that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood to pray, he said takbir when he began the prayer, which is known as takbirat al-ihram (opening takbir). Then he said takbir when he began to move to the bowing posture, when he prostrated, when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated a second time, when he lifted his head again, and when he stood up following the first two rak‘ahs, after sitting to recite the first tashahhud. Then he would do that throughout the prayer, until he finished it. And he would say when he stood up straight after bowing: Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him), then he would say once he was standing up straight: Rabbanalaka al-hamd. This indicates that the imam who is leading the prayer should recite both the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah) and the tahmid (Rabbanalaka al-hamd); and that the tasmi‘ is the dhikr to be said when rising from bowing, and the tahmid is the dhikr to be said when one has stood upright.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to say takbir with every movement up and down, except when rising from bowing, when one should say “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; Rabbanalaka al-hamd.”.

790

It was narrated that Abu Ya‘fur said: I heard Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d say: I prayed beside my father, and I put my hands together then placed them between my thighs. My father told me not to do that, and he said: We used to do that, then we were told not to do it, and we were instructed to place our hands on our knees..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the twin declaration of faith, and the Muslim should make sure that he prays regularly and establishes prayer as Allah wants us to do it and as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the postures of prayer, namely bowing and prostrating. He taught that to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and they transmitted it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d narrates that he prayed beside his father, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and he put his hands together, which means putting the palm of the right hand on the palm of the left hand, and he put them between his thighs, above his knees. But his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and informed him that that had been permissible at the beginning of Islam, and they used to do it, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them not to do that, and instructed them to place their hands on their knees when bowing.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to teach it to their children..

792

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us of one of the characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer, which is the duration of his bowing, prostration, rising from bowing, and sitting between the two prostrations, which were so similar that they were almost equal in length, apart from his standing and sitting. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make these two longer in length than other parts of the prayer. He only made the standing longer because of recitation and he made the sitting longer because of the tashahhud.
The characteristic mentioned in this hadith is the most perfect characteristic in the case of prayer offered in congregation. However, when a man is praying on his own, he may make the bowing and prostration much longer than the standing, and [also do that] in the pause between the two prostrations, and between bowing and prostrating..

797

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite Qunut in the last rak‘ah of Zuhr, Isha’ and Fajr, after saying Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; he would pray for the believers and curse the disbelievers..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah and teach it to those who came after them. They were especially keen to explain his practice in the prayer, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted to those who were present a description of the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which he would recite Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers. Therefore he said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. In other words, I will pray as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so learn from how I pray, so that your prayer will be like that of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then, after rising from bowing in Zuhr, ‘Isha’ and Fajr, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers.
The Qunut referred to here is a supplication (du‘a’) that is offered when standing in the prayer. It is done after rising from bowing in the final rak‘ah. This is a clear statement that the Qunut mentioned in these prayers is something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did. It may be understood to refer to Qunut al-Nawazil (Qunut at times of calamity). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed against the polytheists who killed his companions at Bi’r Ma‘unah. It is also proven that he prayed Qunut against the disbelievers of Quraysh. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to explain to the people that the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes included Qunut, so they should follow his example in that regard.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray Qunut during the prayer, and to curse the unjust, transgressing disbelievers..

798

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would seek to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) by offering supplication (du‘a’) in all situations. This included the supplication of Qunut, which he would offer during his prayer. His companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us about the Qunut of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his prayer. Qunut is the name of the supplication that is offered during the prayer at a particular point when standing, as the imam may say Qunut before bowing or straight after standing up from bowing in the final rak‘ah, and those who are praying behind him should say Amin to his supplication. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that Qunut was offered in Maghrib and Fajr prayers, and the reason for this Qunut was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying against a tribe of the polytheists who had killed approximately seventy reciters of the Qur’an whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to them, to call them to Islam and teach them about the religion. He continued to pray against them, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Qunut for a month, after bowing in Fajr prayer, praying against Ri‘l and Dhakwan, saying: “ ‘Usayyah [a tribe] have disobeyed [‘asat] Allah and His Messenger.” Then he stopped praying against them, when Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the words: {Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision} [Al ‘Imran 3:128].
This hadith indicates that Qunut may be said at times of calamity and turmoil.
It indicates that we may pray against oppressors and those who harm the Muslims..

799

It was narrated that Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi said: One day we were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and when he raised his head from bowing, he said: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him).” And a man behind him said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). When he finished the prayer, he said: “Who is the one who spoke?” The man said: It was me. He said: “I saw thirty-odd angels hastening to be the first to write it down.”.

Commentary : Praising Allah as He deserves to be praised is one of the noblest acts of worship by means of which a person may draw closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and attain great reward in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one day, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said after rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him).” A man who was praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). What is meant is: praise that is free of showing off and seeking reputation, in which there is much good. The one who said that was Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator of the hadith, as is stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud. After finishing the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked who had said those words, and Rifa‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: I was the one who said that, O Messenger of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that he had seen a number of angels – as many as thirty-odd – rushing , each of them wanting to write down these words before the others. The word translated here as “-odd” refers to a number between three and nine.
This hadith highlights the virtue of praising and remembering Allah (may He be glorified).
It indicates that it is prescribed for the one who is praying behind an imam to say some of the dhikr out loud, so long as that will not disturb the people with him..

800

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..

739

Abu Is'hāq reported: I asked Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd about what ‘Ā’ishah narrated to him regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). She said: He would sleep in the earlier part of the night and stay awake in the latter part. Then, when he needed intercourse with his wife, he would fulfill his need and then sleep. When the first call was pronounced, she said: He jumped - and no by Allah, she did not say: He stood up - and poured water over himself - and no by Allah, she did not say: He took a bath, and I know what she meant - and if he was not sexually impure, he would perform ablution like a man's ablution for prayer and then offer two Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer Qiyām al-Layl in his house as much as Allah willed him to pray. The Companions - and the Tābi‘is after them - were keen on knowing the details of his worship and would inquire about the acts of worship that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform at home which they could not see.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Is'hāq as-Sabī‘i informs that he asked the Tābi‘i Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd about what ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had told him with regard to the voluntary prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the night. He told him that she had said: "He would sleep at the earlier part of the night" after the ‘Ishā’ prayer, in order to give his body its share of rest. And he would get up at the latter part of the night to fill it with prayer, Tahajjud, and Witr. This is the time in which Allah Almighty descends to the worldly heaven, as related in a Hadīth by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Our Lord, Glorified and Exalted, descends every night to the worldly heaven when the last third of the night remains and says: ‘Who supplicates Me so that I may answer him? Who asks Me so that I may give him? Who seeks forgiveness from Me so that I may forgive him?'"
Then, when he finished his prayer in the night, he would fulfill his need for his wives, in case he had a need for them. In the version by An-Nasā’i: "he would go to his wife", which indirectly refers to copulation; and then he would then sleep. Thereafter, when the time of Fajr came and he heard the Adhān - the first call - he would 'jump' i.e., he would get up in a quick and active manner, and he would pour water over himself, taking a ritual bath if he was sexually impure from the copulation with his wives. In case he was not sexually impure, he would only make ablution and then offer two Rak‘ahs as the Sunnah of Fajr.
By his words: "No by Allah, she did not say: He stood up" and "No by Allah, she did not say: He took a bath, and I know what she meant", the narrator means that he conveyed the very words said by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), which are: "and he poured water over himself"; and she did not say: "He took a bath". And he knows that by "he poured water", she meant: He took a bath. This shows his care and meticulousness in conveying what he heard as he heard it, not by its meaning.
The Hadīth indicates that a sexually impure person may sleep without performing ablution.
It shows the interest in worship and the active engagement in it, as denoted by the words "he jumped"..

740

‘Ā’ishah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray at night until his last prayer would be the Witr..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer Qiyām al-Layl in his house as much as Allah willed him to pray. The Companions were keen on knowing the details of his worship and would inquire about the acts of worship that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform at home which they could not see.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer Qiyām al-Layl for part of the night and would pray two Rak‘ahs at a time, and the last prayer he would perform was the Witr, whose time ends with the rise of dawn. When the dawn rose, there would be no Witr, even between the Adhān of Fajr and its Iqāmah.
There are various forms and ways of the Prophet's performance of Witr, as well as the number of its Rak‘ahs. Based on all of them, it becomes apparent that Witr can be three, five, seven, nine, or eleven Rak‘ahs. If he observed Witr as three Rak‘ahs, this would have two legitimate ways: First: He would offer the three Rak‘ahs consecutively with one Tashahhud. Second: He would make Taslīm after two Rak‘ahs and then offer one Rak‘ah as Witr. But when he observed Witr as five or seven Rak‘ahs, he would offer them all together, with only one Tashahhud and Taslīm at the end. And when he observed Witr as nine Rak‘ahs, he would offer them all together and sit for Tashahhud at the eighth Rak‘ah and then stand up without Taslīm, and he would say Tashahhud in the ninth Rak‘ah and make Taslīm. When he observed Witr as eleven Rak‘ahs, he would make Taslīm after every two Rak‘ahs and then conclude them with one Rak‘ah. The minimum of what is valid and sufficient in terms of Witr is to perform two Rak‘ahs and make Taslīm and then perform one Rak‘ah and make Taslīm; and it is permissible to make one Taslīm, but with one Tashahhud, not two.
The Hadīth indicates that the last prayer at night should be Witr..

746

Zurārah reported: Sa‘d ibn Hishām ibn ‘Āmir wanted to fight for the sake of Allah. So, he came to Madīnah and wanted to sell some real estate that belonged to him there, allocate it for arms and horses, and conduct Jihad against the Romans until he dies. When he came to Madīnah, he met a group of people from Madīnah, who forbade him from doing so. They informed him that a group of six people wanted to do that during the lifetime of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), yet the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them. He said: Is there not a role model for you in me?! When they narrated that to him, he took back his wife, whom he had divorced, and he brought witnesses to her return. He came to Ibn ‘Abbās and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Ibn ‘Abbās said: Shall I direct you to the most knowledgeable one among the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)? He said: Who? He said: ‘Ā’ishah. Go to her and ask her and then come to me and tell me about her response to you. So, I headed to her. I met Hakīm ibn Aflah and asked him to take me to her. He said: I would not come close to her, for I forbade her from saying anything about these two groups, but she refused and decided to engage in that. He said: I adjured him by Allah. As a result, he came, and we headed to ‘Ā’ishah. We asked her for permission to enter. She gave us permission, and we entered her place. She said: Are you Hakīm? She recognized him. He said: Yes. She said: Who is with you? He said: Sa‘d ibn Hishām. She said: Who is Hishām? He said: Ibn ‘Āmir. She invoked Allah's mercy upon him and spoke well of him. Qatādah said: He was wounded during the battle of ’Uhud. I said: O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). She said: Do you not recite the Qur’an? I said: Yes. She said: Indeed, the character of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the Qur’an. He said: I resolved to get up and not ask anyone about anything till I die; then a thought came to me, and I said: Tell me about the Qiyām (late-night prayer) of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). She said: Do you not recite: {O you the enwrapped one}? I said: Yes. She said: Indeed, Allah Almighty prescribed Qiyām al-Layl at the start of this Surah. So, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions performed Qiyām for one year. And Allah held back its concluding portion for twelve months in heaven, till Allah sent down alleviation at the concluding verses of this Surah. Consequently, Qiyām al-Layl became optional after being obligatory. He said: I said: O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). She said: We used to prepare for him his tooth stick and water for his ablution, and Allah would resurrect him to the extent He wished during the night. He would use the tooth stick, perform ablution, and offer nine Rak‘ahs, without sitting in them except in the eighth one; he would remember Allah, praise Him, and supplicate Him, and then get up without making Taslīm and offer the ninth Rak‘ah. Then, he would sit, remember Allah, praise Him, supplicate Him, and then make Taslīm loud enough for us to hear. Then, he would offer two Rak‘ahs after Taslīm while he was sitting. These are eleven Rak‘ahs, O young son. When the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) grew old and put on weight, he would observe Witr with seven and do in the two Rak‘ahs as he had done formerly. These are nine, O young son. When the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered a prayer, he liked to offer it on a persistent basis. But if he missed Qiyām al-Layl due to sleep or illness, he would perform twelve Rak‘ahs during the daytime. I am not aware that the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited the whole Qur’an in a night, prayed for a night till the morning, or fasted a whole month other than Ramadan. He said: Then I headed to Ibn ‘Abbās and told him her Hadīth. He said: She spoke the truth. If I could come close to her or visit her, I would certainly go to her so that she would verbally narrate it to me. He said: I said: If I had known you would not enter her place, I would not have narrated her Hadīth to you. [And in a version]: He divorced his wife and then headed to Madīnah to sell his real estate, and he related a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer Qiyām al-Layl in his house as much as Allah willed him to pray. The Companions - and the Tābi‘is after them - were keen on knowing the details of his worship and would inquire about the acts of worship that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform at home which they could not see.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Zurārah ibn Awfa al-Harashi al-Basri relates that the Tābi‘i Sa‘d ibn Hishām ibn ’Umayyah al-Ansāri wanted to completely devote himself to the campaign and Jihad in the cause of Allah. So, he divorced his wife and came to Madīnah, and he was then in Basrah, residing there along with his father, the Companion Hishām ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him). He wanted to sell some real estate - and real estate is an immovable object, like a piece of land or a house. It may also refer to possessions - and purshase with their proceeds weapons, like a sword, spear, and bow, and horses, to engage in Jihad against the Romans till he would die in that state. Apparently, he sought celibacy and asceticism from worldly life.
When he came to Madīnah, he met a group from among the people of Madīnah. Having known what he intended to do, they forbade him from it, and told him that a group of six people had wanted to do the same as he intended - to divorce their wives and sell their possessions to engage in the campaign during the Prophet's lifetime - yet the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them and said: "Is there not a role model for you in me?!" i.e., a good example for you to follow?! Sa‘d ibn Hishām acted upon the advice given to him by those people. So, he took back his wife. A man can take back his wife if he divorced her for the first or second time and her waiting period is yet to end. He brought witnesses to her return as a wife to him, which he did in compliance with the verse that reads: {Then when they have approached the end of their waiting period, either retain them honorably or part with them honorably. Call two just men from among yourselves as witnesses.} [Surat at-Talāq: 2]
Thereafter, Sa‘d went to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Witr is the last prayer a Muslim observes after performing the supererogatory Qiyām al-Layl, the best voluntary act of worship to be performed by a Muslim. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Shall I direct you to the most knowledgeable one among the people of the world about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" Meaning, that the best one to tell you about it from among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and who is more knowledgeable about it than others, though Witr is a famous act that is known to the knowledgeable and others. However, since Sa‘d particularly linked his question to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), it was more appropriate that specialists should provide the answer, as long as they were present. So, Sa‘d asked him about that person. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her). And he instructed him to go and pose his question to her and then return and tell him about her response and answer. Indeed, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was more knowledgeable about that because Witr is a night prayer that is performed at home. So, the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them) had more knowledge about it, and the foremost among them was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), given her great keenness to memorize the traditions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
So, Sa‘d dashed off and went to her, as he was ordered by Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). On his way, he passed by the Tābi‘i Hakīm ibn Aflah. He asked him to accompany him and go with him to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Ibn Aflah said: "I would not come close to her" i.e., I do not want to be near her and will not go with you to her. "for I forbade her from saying anything about these two groups" i.e., the two factions, which refers to the group of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and the group of Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘ِAwwām and Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullāh (may Allah be pleased with both of them). The meaning: I forbade her from getting in this occurring war; but she refused and did not comply, and she insisted on going ahead with what she wanted. She sided with the opponents of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in the battle of the Camel.
Sa‘d informed that he adjured him by Allah and appealed to him to go to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Hakīm agreed, and they went together to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). They asked her for permission to enter. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave them permission to enter. She asked the one who entered: Are you Hakīm? She recognized him, probably by his voice when he greeted her. In response, Hakīm said: Yes. She asked him about the one accompanying him. Hakīm told her that he was Sa‘d ibn Hishām. She asked about who Hishām was. Hakīm informed her that he was Hishām ibn ‘Āmir ibn ’Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Thereupon, she invoked Allah's mercy upon ‘Āmir and spoke well of him. In another version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection: "What an excellent man ‘Āmir was." ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were martyred and killed in the battle of ’Uhud, in the third Hijri year.
Sa‘d asked her: O Mother of the Believers, tell me about the character of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). She said to Sa‘d: "Do you not recite the Qur’an?" This is an affirmative question, for she knew he was one of those who recited the Qu’an. He replied: Yes. i.e., he was one of those who recited the Qur’an. So, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him: "She said: Indeed, the character of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the Qur’an," i.e., he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assumed all the noble manners enjoined in the Qur’an and abided by them, and he avoided all that is prohibited therein. So, his character was to act upon it, stop at its limits, adopt its ethics, and take lessons from its examples and stories.
Then, Sa‘d informed that he thought to himself that he would leave her place and depart and never ask anyone about anything of the Prophet's character till he died, for she comprehensively described to him the Prophet's noble manners and good morals. She referred him to the noble Qur’an which comprises all excellent attributes. So, he could explore the Prophet's character from it, generally and specifically. Thus, nothing of his manners would remain for him to need to ask about.
After he resolved to leave the place of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), he entertained the idea of asking her about the Qiyām al-Layl of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his supererogatory worship during the night. As he asked her to tell him about that, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him: "Do you not recite: {O you the enwrapped one}?" i.e., the whole Surah. He replied that he recited it. She said: "Indeed, Allah Almighty prescribed" i.e., He ordained the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions to perform "Qiyām al-Layl in the start of this Surah." This occurs in the verse that reads: {Stand up in prayer at night except a little.} [Surat al-Muzzammil: 2] As a result, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions prayed during the night for a whole year. In the version by Abu Dāwūd: "till their feet became swollen." And Allah Almighty held back with Him the concluding portion of this Surah - which contains alleviation and facilitation by prescribing the recitation of as much of the Qur’an as is easy - for twelve months in the heaven, till Allah sent down alleviation at the end of this Surah, in the verse that reads: {Indeed, your Lord knows that you [O Prophet] stand up in prayer for nearly two-thirds of the night, or half of it, or one-third of it, as do others among your companions. Allah determines the night and the day; He knows that you [Muslims] cannot keep an accurate count of it, so He pardoned you. Recite then as much of the Qur’an as is easy for you [in the night prayers]. He knows that there are some among you who will be ill, and others traveling in the land, seeking the grace of Allah, and others fighting in Allah’s way. So recite as much of it as is easy for you; establish prayer and give Zakah; and lend to Allah a goodly loan. Whatever good you send forth for yourselves, you will find it with Allah, much better in condition and much greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah, for indeed Allah is All-Forgiving, Most-Merciful.} [Surat al-Muzzammil: 20] Consequently, Qiyām al-Layl became optional after being obligatory.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) was disputed over the period between the revelation of the beginning of the verse and the revelation of its end. It is said: After ten years, which is apparently correct view, for the Surah is a Makkan one, and it was one of the first verses of the Qur’an to be revealed, except for the two concluding verses of it, which were revealed in Madīnah.
Then, Sa‘d ibn Hishām asked her about the Witr of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the manner of its performance, and the number of its Rak‘ahs. She (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that they used to prepare for him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) his tooth stick and the water for his ablution, so that he would perform ablution after getting up from sleep. This is because he used to sleep after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and then "Allah would resurrect him". She used the word 'resurrect' because sleep is similar to death. In other words, He would awaken him from sleep. So, he would use the tooth stick, make ablution, and offer nine connected Rak‘ahs without sitting or making Taslīm therein except in the eighth Rak‘ah, after which he would sit for Tashahhud, and "he would remember Allah" i.e., he would say Tashahhud, and praise Allah, ascribing to Him the attributes of perfection that befit Him, and supplicate Him and ask Him for the fulfillment of his needs. Then, he would rise from the eighth Rak‘ah, without making Taslīm thereafter, and offer the ninth Rak‘ah. Then, he would sit for Tashahhud and remember Allah and praise and supplicate Him in his Tashahhud. Then, he would make Taslīm after the ninth Rak‘ah in a way loud enough for them to hear. Then, he would offer two Rak‘ahs while sitting, before dawn. In Hadīths in the Two Sahīh Collections and numerous other well-known Hadīths, it is enjoined to make Witr the last prayer at night. 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 dawn, this was to demonstrate the permissibility of praying after the Witr, and they were not offered on a constant basis. Indeed, what he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did persistently was to observe the Witr.
Then, she (may Allah be pleased with her) informed Sa‘d that these mentioned Rak‘ahs, the nine and the two, amount to a total of eleven Rak‘ahs. She addressed him by "O young son" by way of compassion and gentleness. She also told him that when the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) grew old and put on weight more than he had in most of his life, he would observe Witr with seven Rak‘ahs and would do in the two Rak‘ahs as he had formerly done, i.e., he would offer them after making Taslīm from the seven Rak‘ahs while sitting. These seven Rak‘ahs along with the two Rak‘ahs are nine.
Then, she informed him that when the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered a prayer, he would like to offer it on a persistent basis. And if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was prevented by sleep or illness from Qiyām al-Layl, he would perform twelve Rak‘ahs during the daytime, in return for the Qiyām al-Layl he missed during the night. This points out that he used to perform it on a regular and persistent basis. The Hadīth does not explicitly indicate that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) missed the Witr; rather, he apparently did not miss it. He missed Qiyām al-Layl only, apart from the Witr. It also apparently indicates that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe the Witr by way of precaution if he thought that he would be unable to get up for the supererogatory prayer.
Thereafter, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that she was not aware that the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited the whole Qur’an in a night, prayed for a night till the morning, or fasted a whole month other than Ramadan. This all shows the Prophet's approach of facilitation and that he used to perform worship in accordance with his capacity and ability, by way of teaching his Ummah.
Sa‘d ibn Hishām said that he returned to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated to him the Hadīth of ‘Ā’ishah. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) "spoke the truth" in what she narrated to you. He also informed him that if he could visit her and talk to her, he would certainly go to her so that she would narrate this Hadīth to him, directly. Sa‘d said to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "If I had known that you would not visit her, I would not have narrated her Hadīth to you." He said that to rebuke him for refraining from visiting her and to recompense him for that by depriving him of the benefit, which would force him to visit her. The abandonment of talk with her was probably because of the dispute that took place between both of them over ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with them), or because of something else.
The Hadīth indicates that it was part of the Prophet's guidance to use the tooth stick upon getting up from sleep.
It points out the merit of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and her knowledge of the Prophet's conditions.
It includes doing justice and acknowledging the merit of those who are meritorious, as well as modesty.
A Muslim may be honored by mentioning the merits of his father and invoking Allah's mercy upon him.
A person should be gentle with himself and engage in worship moderately and refrain from deep engrossment in it.
The Hadīth shows the Prophet's care about the Witr prayer.
When a knowledgeable person is asked about something and he knows that someone else has more knowledge about it, he is recommended to direct the questioner to him, for indeed religion is sincere advice..

746

‘Ā’ishah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did some act, he would do it persistently, and when he slept at night or fell sick, he would offer twelve Rak‘ahs during the daytime. She said: I did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pray a whole night till the morning, nor did he observe fast for a whole month consecutively except that of Ramadan..

Commentary : The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to observe the Prophet's conditions day and night, as an observer and questioner. So, she became well aware of his guidance and Sunnah and taught it to those who came after her and those who asked her about his conditions (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "did some act, he would do it persistently" i.e., he would perfect it and do it regularly. "and when he slept at night or fell sick", and there was a reason preventing him from performing Qiyām al-Layl, "he would offer twelve Rak‘ahs during the daytime", i.e., he would make up for Qiyām al-Layl during the daytime, in return for the prayer he missed during the night. This points out that he used to perform it on a regular and persistent basis. She did not mention the Witr because he did not make up for it; it seems that he did not miss it. Perhaps if something arose and would prompt him to miss Qiyām al-Layl, he would hasten to observe Witr, performing it at the earlier part of the night, and delay the other prayer and make up for it during the daytime.
Then, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that it was not part of the Prophet's guidance to perform Qiyām al-Layl for the whole night; rather, he would sleep for part of the night and pray for some part of it; and that he did not fast a whole month other than the month of Ramadan, and this is because it is the month of obligatory fasting. Mentioning it is intended to negate other months, meaning that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not fast a whole month on a voluntary basis; rather, he used to fast some days every month of the year and would not fast a whole month except for Ramadan; lest such a fast might be thought to be obligatory. This all shows the Prophet's approach of facilitation and that he used to perform worship in accordance with his capacity and ability, by way of teaching his Ummah.
The Hadīth indicates that one may make up for Qiyām al-Layl during the daytime.
It also mentions that Qiyām al-Layl performed during the daytime is Shaf‘ (even-numbered)..

747

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever sleeps and fails to recite his hizb (usual portion of the Qur'an, dhikr, or prayer), or part of it, and then recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zhuhr prayer, it will be recorded for him as if he recited it during the night.".

Commentary : Out of Allah's grace towards His believing servants, He prescribed for them dispensations with which they can make up for the missed acts of worship - obligatory and voluntary.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that "Whoever sleeps and fails to recite his hizb or part of it" at night, as established in another version narrated by An-Nasā’i: "Whoever sleeps and fails to recite his hizb at night" i.e., he is overcome by sleep or gets prevented from it by a valid reason, yet he had the intention to do it. Hizb: The portion to which a person commits himself as a habit that he engages in voluntarily, like recitation of the Qur'an, dhikr, and prayer. Allah, out of His grace, gives him plenty of time. So, if he "recites it between the Fajr prayer and the Zhuhr prayer" i.e., he makes up for it during this time, because this is a good length of time during which a person can compensate for what he has missed in the night. Also, this is probably intended to encourage him to do it, for this is a time connected to the latter part of the night without separation between them save for the Fajr prayer. As recompense, the full reward will be added to his record of deeds as if he has done it at its usual time. Here is a slight manifestation of Allah's gentleness towards His servant, who perpetuates a certain condition of goodness. If anything arises from him that changes this condition, Allah bestows His favor upon him and does not detract from his reward, as if he has done it by virtue of his good and sincere intention.
In the Hadīth: Urging people to make up for the missed supererogatory worship, lest they may get used to abandoning any of the act of worship altogether if they miss it
And in it: The legitimacy of adopting a regular portion of worship at night
And in it: The legitimacy of making up for the regular portion of worship at night if it is missed due to sleep or some other excuse.

748

Al-Qāsim ash-Shaybāni related that Zayd ibn Arqam reported that he saw some people pray in the forenoon and he said: "They definitely knew that praying at other than this hour is better, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: The prayer of the oft-returning to Allah is when weaned camels are bitten by excessive heat.'".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tābi‘is (may Allah have mercy upon them) were the keenest among people seeking the Prophet's guidance. This was for them to learn his guidance and Sunnah and then teach it to those who came after them and to those who asked them about the Prophet's circumstances concerning his prayer, Qiyām al-Layl, voluntary worship, and so on.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Al-Qāsim ibn ‘Awf ash-Shaybāni relates that the Companion Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) saw some people praying in the forenoon. - And in a version by Ahmad: "He saw some people praying in the Qubā’ Mosque in the forenoon" [Duha prayer] - and they were praying it at the time of sunrise, as related in another version by Ahmad. So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "They definitely knew that praying at an hour other than this one is better." In other words, their performance of the Duha prayer at this time is not preferred, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer of the oft-returning to Allah," i.e., those who obey Allah, glorify Him, and often turn to Him in repentance and sincerity in worship. Their prayer "is when weaned camels are bitten by excessive heat" i.e., when the hooves of weaned camels burn due to the extreme heat of sand caused by exposure to the sun. Weaned camels are young camels, and he singled them out because their hooves burn before the end of extreme heat, given the tenderness of the skin of their hooves. They separate from their mothers at the beginning of extreme heat, and they let them go. This happens at the latter time. So, prayer at this time is better, for people's souls are inclined to rest and comfort during this time, and this is one of the prayers whose performance is recommended to be delayed.
In the Hadīth: The merit of performing the Duha prayer at the latter time.
And in it: Indicating to seize the opportunity to perform worship and engage in acts of obedience to Allah during the times of comfort, calm, and rest..

753

Abu Mijlaz reported: I asked Ibn ‘Abbās about Witr, and he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "One Rak‘ah at the end of the night.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and the Tābi‘is (may Allah have mercy upon them) were the keenest among people on seeking the Prophet's guidance. This was for them to learn his guidance and Sunnah and then teach it to those who came after them and to those who asked them about the Prophet's circumstances concerning his prayer, Qiyām al-Layl, voluntary worship, and so on.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Mijlaz Lāhiq ibn Humayd informs that he asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Witr prayer, the number of its Rak‘ahs, and the best time for performing it. In response to him, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "One Rak‘ah at the end of the night", i.e., its minimum is one Rak‘ah at the end of the night. This one Rak‘ah which a person offers at the end turns all the prayers he has performed during the night into Witr (odd-numbered), after they were Shaf‘ (even-numbered). The last part of the night is the last time to pray Witr, which is shortly before dawn. It is related in another version by Muslim: "Indeed, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed (by the angels)"; as the angels of mercy witness it. This prayer occurs at the time of Sahar (shortly before dawn), when Allah descends to the worldly heaven in a way that befits His majesty; and that is better.
There are various forms and ways of the Prophet's performance of Witr, as well as the number of its Rak‘ahs. Based on all of them, it becomes apparent that Witr can be one, three, five, seven, nine, or eleven Rak‘ahs.
The Hadīth mentions that the minimum of Witr is one Rak‘ah.
It indicates that the last time for praying Witr is the latter part of the night.
It also demonstrates the facilitation with regard to this prayer, as it is sufficient to observe it as one Rak‘ah..

754

Abu Sa‘īd reported: They asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the Witr (odd) prayer, and he said: "Perform the Witr prayer before the morning.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the most keen among people to seek the Prophet's guidance and observe his circumstances, by watching and asking, so as to learn his guidance and Sunnah, including his prayer, Qiyām al-Layl, voluntary worship, and so on. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach them the obligatory and supererogatory prayers and their etiquettes and the best times for performing them. Also, he would guide them to the highest level of worship and the minimum amount of what is sufficient in it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said that some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the Witr prayer and its time, so he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Perform the Witr prayer before the morning." In other words, perform the Witr prayer before the coming of the time of the obligatory prayer of the morning. Morning here refers to the true dawn. This indicates that the Witr prayer is to be performed at the end of the night prayer, and its time extends until the rise of dawn. When the dawn rises, no Witr can be performed, even between the Adhān and iqāmah of the Fajr prayer.
In the Hadīth: The time for the Witr prayer ends before the Fajr prayer.
And in it: Indication that delaying the Witr prayer is better..

755

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fears that he will not wake up at the end of the night, let him offer the Witr prayer at its beginning, and if anyone expects to wake up at its end, let him offer the Witr prayer at the end of the night. Indeed, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed, and that is better." Abu Mu‘āwiyah said: "In a version: attended.".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reports: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fears that he will not wake up at the end of the night, let him offer the Witr prayer at its beginning," i.e., whoever fears that he may not wake up at the latter part of the night to perform the Witr prayer should perform it before he sleeps." And if anyone expects to wake up at its end, let him offer the Witr prayer at the end of the night," i.e., whoever knows from his condition that he will be able to get up at the latter part of the night should perform the Witr at the end of the night. "Indeed, prayer at the end of the night is witnessed," i.e., prayer at the end of the night is witnessed by the angels of mercy, as this prayer is offered at the latter part of the night before dawn at the time when Allah descends in a way that befits His majesty and that is better," i.e., the time at the end of the night is better for him than its beginning. Abu Mu‘āwiyah - one of the narrators - said: 'attended' i.e., attended by the angels of the night and the day.
In the Hadīth: The preferability of Witr at the end of the night
And in it: Some times are more meritorious than others.
And in it: Prayer at the end of the night is attended and witnessed by the angels of mercy.

756

Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best prayer is the prolonged qunūt (standing in prayer).".

Commentary : Prayer is the mainstay of religion, and it is the main pillar of Islam that every Muslim must fulfill without any excuse. The Prophet's comfort was provided through prayer. Therefore, he used to perform a lot of supererogatory prayers, to the extent that he would offer Qiyām al-Layl until his feet would swell due to his prolonged standing before Allah Almighty, reciting, supplicating, showing humility, and imploring Allah.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that the best thing regarding prayer, in general, is the long qunūt, which refers to the prolonged standing in prayer for recitation. It is explicitly mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, in which ‘Abdullāh ibn Habashi al-Khath‘ami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "Which deed is the best?" He said: "The prolonged standing." Qunūt may also refer to supplication, humility, and subservience before Allah Almighty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do that, especially during supererogatory prayers and Qiyām al-Layl. He would pause at every verse and would not go past any verse containing a supplication without supplication with it, or a punishment without seeking the refuge of Allah Almighty from it, and so on.
An obligatory prayer - even if it does not include prolonged standing, recitation, and supplication - is better than a supererogatory prayer that contains such prolongation. This is because Allah Almighty ordained the obligatory prayer and fixed a certain time and a number of Rak‘ahs for it, and He punishes those who abandon it. It is also because it was commanded that the obligatory prayer be offered in congregation and in a brief manner, in consideration of those who are sick, those who are in need, and so on. As for the supererogatory and voluntary prayer, a person can prolong it as much as he is able to. Thus, every prayer retains its advantage and merit.
In the Hadīth: The merit of prolonged qunūt and standing for recitation in prayer, along with humility and supplication.

757

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There is an hour at night during which no Muslim man happens to be asking Allah for the goodness of this world or the Hereafter except that He will give it to him, and this occurs every night.".

Commentary : There are times in the night during which people's souls become peaceful, worship becomes more pleasant, and supplications are answered. Allah Almighty distinguished these times by bestowing greater bounty upon His servants during them and giving abundant goodness to those who ask for it.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that "there is an hour at night", which is a specific time. The use of the indefinite article before it denotes its significance, that it should be looked out for, and that the opportunity should be seized to catch it. It is an obscure hour like the hour on Friday. It was said: It is most likely to occur at the last third of the night, in which Allah Almighty descends to the heaven of the world, in a way that befits His majesty and does not resemble the descent of the created beings, and says, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: "Who supplicates to Me so that I may respond to him?" And it was said: The wisdom behind concealing it is to urge people to strive exceedingly to fulfill the objective all night long, not to limit the worship to a certain time to the exclusion of others, and not to lose hope for missing the advantage.
During this hour, no Muslim man happens to be - and the word 'man' includes males and females - supplicating to Allah and asking for the goodness of this world and the Hereafter except that He will respond to him and grant his request. Goodness refers to all that is beneficial, on a prompt or delayed basis and in terms of religious or worldly affairs, and for which a person will not be blamed in the Hereafter.
The existence of this hour is constant every night, all the time. This does not particularly apply to some nights. Rather, it exists in all of them—out of Allah's great bounty and abundant giving.
In the Hadīth: Urging supplication during the night, the pursuit of this hour therein, and working diligently in it.
And in it: Establishing the existence of the hour of answered supplications every night..

759

Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to encourage the performance of Qiyām in Ramadan, without vehemently enjoining them to do so. He would say: "Whoever performs Qiyām during Ramadan, out of faith and in pursuit of reward from Allah, will have his past sins forgiven." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while this was the case, and then it remained like that during the caliphate of Abu Bakr and the earlier part of the caliphate of ‘Umar..

Commentary : Ramadan is the best month, and performing Qiyām during its nights is a sublime act. So, whoever performs Qiyām during the entire Ramadan and stays awake in its nights for worship, out of desire for reward from Allah Almighty, without regarding it as burdensome or boring, will have his sins forgiven.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to perform Qiyām during the nights of Ramadan. Yet, he did not enjoin them to do so by way of obliging, and he did not impose it upon them. Vehemently: denotes resolve to make something happen. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say: "Whoever performs Qiyām during Ramadan, out of faith and in pursuit of reward from Allah" i.e., out of belief in the merit of these nights and the virtue of the good deeds performed therein, and in pursuit of Allah's pleasure and out of desire for being rewarded by Him, Exalted be He. Whoever does that, it is hoped that Allah will forgive his past sins. The recompense is expressed in the past tense in Arabic, even though the forgiveness will happen in the future, to denote certainty and assurance about its occurrence, as a favor from Allah Almighty upon His servants. Thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his Ummah to do good and righteous deeds, which lead to the expiation of sins and the increase of their rewards.
Then, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away "while this was the case" i.e., the people refrained from praying behind one Imām in the Tarāwīh prayer. Rather, they would pray individually and separately; some would pray in the early part of the night, while others would pray in the latter part; and some would pray at home, while others would pray in the mosque, either because they were observing i‘tikāf (retirement in the mosque) or they belonged to the people of As-Suffah, or due to some other reason. This continued to be the case throughout the caliphate of Abu Bakr and during the early phase of the caliphate of ‘Umar. Then, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them behind one Imām and appointed ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) as their Imām, and he led them in congregational prayer. It continued to be performed congregationally.
‘Umar's action follows the Prophet's action when he led people in this prayer once; yet he did not repeat that for fear that it might be made obligatory for them. Then, when this reason ceased to exist with the death of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the revelation stopped, ‘Umar held that it was more appropriate for them to offer it in a congregation as they had done during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
This falls under the legitimate Ijtihād (independent reasoning), for it has a basis in the religion upon which it relies and from which it stems. As for the illegitimate Bid‘ah (religious innovation), it has no basis in the religion or proof upon which it relies.
The Hadīth urges the performance of Qiyām during Ramadan and demonstrates its merit.
It shows the good understanding and judgment of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding the religious interests of Muslims, as he also displayed good judgment regarding their worldly interests..

762

Zirr ibn Hubaysh reported: I asked ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, saying: "Your brother ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd says: 'Whoever performs Qiyām all the year long will reach Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree).' He said: "May Allah have mercy upon him. He wanted the people not to be passively reliant. Indeed, he knew that it occurs in Ramadan, that it occurs in the last ten days, and that it is the twenty-seventh night." Then, he swore - without exception - that it is the twenty-seventh night. I said: "Based on what do you say that, O Abu al-Mundhir?" He said: "On the sign - or the mark - which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about that it (the sun) rises on that day with no rays.".

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr occupies great status and significance. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held it in high regard and commanded us to seek it and perform Qiyām al-Layl therein out of faith and in pursuit of reward from Allah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determined that it occurs on the odd-numbered nights within the last ten days of Ramadan and mentioned certain signs that point to it.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Zirr ibn Hubaysh relates that he asked ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) about the statement by ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) to the effect that whoever performs Qiyām all year long will certainly reach Laylat al-Qadr on one of its nights. He did not specify this night for them. It is understood from this statement that he thought it to be an obscure night that moves throughout the year and is not limited to Ramadan.
When 'Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that, he supplicated so that Allah shows mercy to Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him), and that was the supplication of someone who knew the intent of the statement made by Ibn Mas‘ūd, and by way of presenting an excuse for him. Then, he explained that Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him), by his statement, intended to deter people from abandoning Qiyām al-Layl and instead waiting for Laylat al-Qadr; so, they would perform Qiyām al-Layl only on this night or neglect to perform Qiyām on the other nights of the year; and thus the wisdom behind obscurity, for which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was made to forget it, would be missed. So, he wanted to prompt the people to diligently seek this night by performing Qiyām al-Layl a lot.
Then, 'Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) was aware that it occurs in Ramadan, that it occurs within the last ten days, and that it is the twenty-seventh night. Then, ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) took a solemn oath, without saying thereafter: if Allah wills, "that it is the twenty-seventh night". ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) assured that Laylat al-Qadr is the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan and swore emphatically about that.
Thereupon, Zirr ibn Hubaysh: What is your proof for that, O Abu al-Mundhir? This is the surname of ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him). ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: The sign - or the mark - which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us about, namely that the sun rises in the next morning of this night with no rays. Rather, it is pure and no extended rays are seen for it. So, its light spreads without rays, as the moon gives light without rays. The rays of the sun are what you see in sunlight that resembles ropes and rods coming towards you, when you look at it.
There is a difference of opinion over specifying Laylat al-Qadr. According to the opinion more likely to be correct, it occurs on the odd-numbered nights during the last ten days, as demonstrated by the pure Sunnah. Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty kept it hidden from the people so that they diligently seek it within these nights, and engage in a lot of worship that brings them benefit.
The Hadīth points out that some of the Companions would adopt the approach of resolve to reach their objectives.
It informs that one of the signs of Laylat al-Qadr is that the sun rises in the next morning of this night with no rays..

763

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: I spent one night in the house of my maternal aunt Maymūnah bint al-Hārith. I said to her: "Awaken me when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stands up." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up, and I stood on his left side. He took hold of my hand and made me stand on his right side, and whenever I dozed off, he would take hold of my earlobe. He said: He offered eleven Rak‘ahs. Then, he sat with his legs drawn and wrapped in his garment and slept so that I could hear his breathing while asleep. And when the dawn became apparent to him, he offered two short Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to know the Prophet's worship in detail and used to ask about the acts of worship the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform at home which they could not see. Some of them would seek to learn about that by virtue of their bond and kinship with the noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); one of those was ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, the cousin of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the nephew of his wife Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he spent one night in the house of his maternal aunt, the Mother of the Believers Maymūnah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her). This night was her turn with the noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said to his maternal aunt (may Allah be pleased with her): "Awaken me when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stands up" for prayer at night; out of his keenness to follow the Prophet's condition in Qiyām al-Layl. After a part of the night had passed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up for prayer. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and performed ablution like that of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. Then, he stood on the left side of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took hold of his hands from behind his back and made him stand on his right side. This demonstrates how the Imām and the one led in prayer should stand in a congregational prayer offered by two persons. Whenever Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) dozed off during the prayer, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would rub his earlobe to alert and awaken him in the prayer.
Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered eleven Rak‘ahs that night, two Rak‘ahs at a time, and then observed the Witr. "Then, he sat with his legs drawn and wrapped in his garment." This is when a person sits on his buttocks and keeps his legs upright and drags his legs towards his abdomen with a garment and gathers them with his back, and he pulls the garment over it while in this state, or he pulls it over his legs with his hand. His words "so that I could hear his breathing while asleep" mean that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat for a little while in that state and then lay down, according to the versions in the Two Sahīh Collections, till Ibn ‘Abbās could hear the sound of the Prophet's breathing, which indicates deep sleep. When the time of dawn came, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and offered two short Rak‘ahs as the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer, without performing ablution, for the Prophet's eyes sleep but his heart does not; hence, his ablution was not invalidated, given the attentiveness of his heart. Then, he went out to the mosque and led the people in prayer, as related in the Two Sahīh Collections.
This version narrated by Muslim is the version of Ad-Dahhāk ibn ‘Uthmān, and it contradicts the version by most prolific Hadīth narrators. He said: "Then, he offered eleven Rak‘ahs." And it is reported in the version by most Hadīth narrators that he offered thirteen Rak‘ahs, and their version is the memorized one, for he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would first offer two short Rak‘ahs, then two long Rak‘ahs, then six Rak‘ahs, and then three Rak‘ahs thereafter. These amount to a total of thirteen Rak‘ahs.
The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of alerting a heedless person during the prayer by pulling his ear and the like.
It also indicates that a supererogatory prayer may be offered in the congregation.
The Hadīth points out that a boy may pass the night in the house of one of his mahrams (non-marriageable female relatives) in the presence of her husband..

763

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: that he spent a night in the house of his maternal aunt Maymūnah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up at night and performed a short ablution from a water-skin hanging there. He said: He described his ablution. He kept it short and quick. Ibn ‘Abbās said: I got up and did the same as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had done. Then, I came and stood on his left side. He made me go around and stand on his right side. He offered prayer and then went to sleep till he began to snore. Thereafter, Bilāl came to him and notified him of the prayer. He went out and performed the Fajr prayer without performing ablution. Sufyān said: This is for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in particular, as it has been conveyed to us that the eyes of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sleep, but his heart does not sleep..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to know the Prophet's worship in detail and used to ask about the acts of worship the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform at home and they could not see. Some of them would seek to learn about that by virtue of their bond and kinship with the noble Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); one of them was ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, the cousin of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the nephew of his wife Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he spent one night in the house of his maternal aunt Maymūnah, the wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This was her night in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stay with her. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up after he had slept a part of the night. He performed ablution from a leather container that had water in it. The Prophet's ablution this time was a short one.
The words "He described his ablution. He kept it short and quick" were said by Sufyān ibn ‘Uyaynah, as narrated in Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection. He informs that his Shaykh ‘Amr ibn Dinār described the Prophet's ablution as short and quick. The meaning: By keeping it short, he refers to the complete washing of the body parts (without washing them more than once), which is the minimum valid ablution for prayer. In the Two Sahīh Collections: "Then, he performed a good ablution between the two ablutions" i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed ablution between the short ablution and the complete one. It is more likely that he reduced the use of water while doing the washing three times. This is because he described it as good, and thus it would not be less than three times.
‘Abdullāh got up and did the same as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had done, performing a short ablution and getting prepared for prayer. Then, he came and joined the prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and stood on his left side. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held him by the hand from behind his back and made him stand on his right side in prayer. This demonstrates and affirms how the Imām and the one being led in prayer should stand in a congregational prayer offered by two persons, even if it is supererogatory.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed as much as Allah willed him to pray. It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered thirteen Rak‘ahs. "then he went to sleep till he began to snore" i.e., he plunged into sleep till the sound of his breathing could be heard, which indicates deep sleep. Thereafter, Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him) - the Prophet's Muezzin - came and notified him that the time of Fajr was due. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up from sleep and went out for the Fajr prayer and performed it without renewing his ablution.
Clarifying the reason for this act by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Sufyān said: "This is for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in particular, as it has been conveyed to us that the eyes of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sleep, but his heart does not sleep" i.e., this is a merit for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) which none among his Ummah shares with him: that his ablution does not get invalidated when he sleeps, for his heart does not sleep.
The Hadīth mentions some of the Prophet's peculiar characteristics.
It indicates that a boy may pass the night in the house of one of his Mahrams (female relatives who he is not allowed to marry) in the presence of her husband.
It also mentions that the Muezzin may come to the Imām so that he may go out for the prayer.
The Hadīth points out a supererogatory prayer may be offered in the congregation..

Book of Hadith

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