Narrated Khaalid ibn Aslam: We went out with 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and a nomad said (to 'Abdullah), "Tell me about Allah's saying: {And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah} (Quran.9:34)." Ibn 'Umar said, "Whoever hoarded them and did not pay the zakat thereof, then woe to him. But this ayah was revealed before the ayah of zakat. When it was revealed, Allah made zakat a purifier of the property.".

Commentary : Wealth is the adornment of this worldly life, and the Prophet ﷺ clarified the due rights that whoever has abundant wealth should fulfill, such as zakat and charity. He ﷺ explained the great reward that will be earned from fulfilling these rights, and the punishment that will be received if these rights are not fulfilled.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’eeKhaalid ibn Aslam reports that he was travelling with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and during their journey, a nomad man asked him to explain the ayah: {And those who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah}. Ibn ‘Umar clarified to him that it refers to those who collect and hoard up gold and silver, and do not fulfill the right of Allah in them, by means of zakat, charity, and spending them in the way of Allah. Those people are promised to receive grave punishment on the Day of Judgment. However, this was before the zakat was made obligatory. It is as if Allah wanted to warn the rich against hoarding up their wealth and refraining from spending it in the way of Allah, Most High. Afterwards, the zakat was made mandatory, in the second year of Hijrah. Not only did Allah, Most High, make zakat and charity a means to purify one’s wealth, but also a way to purify one’s character and heart from miserliness and low manners. This only happens when the zakat is paid to those who are eligible to receive it.
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1405

Narrated AbooSa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "No zakat is due on property mounting to less than five uqiyas, and no zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no zakat on less than five wasqs." .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to us the rulings of zakat on all different kinds of wealth, and clarified the threshold of each kind, and the value under which no zakat is due.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that zakat is not due on silver, if one only has five uqiyahs of silver. For calculation purposes, a one uqiyah equals forty dirhams of pure silver; hence, five uqiyahsare two hundred dirhams of pure silver. According to the modern measures, this amounts to about 595 grams of pure silver.The zakat on silver is one dirhamfor every forty dirhams above this threshold.

Likewise, there is no zakat due on camels, if a person has less than five camels. However, if one owns from five to 9 camels, then its due zakat is one sheep, and if one has more than 9 camels, the zakat increases according to the hadeeths that detailed its due zakat.

There is no due zakat on grains, dates, and their like, if their amount is less than five wasaqs. For calculation purposes, a one wasaq equals 60 Saa’, hence, the threshold is about 653 kg in our modern measures since 5 wasaqs equal 300 Saa’s. This indicates that fruits and vegetables are not subject to zakat, because they are not measured the same way as grains and dates, and are not stored to consume later like grains,and alsoare not considered a meal or a means of sustenance. The zakat is paid on that which comes from earth such as date, risen, wheat, rice, corn, and so forth.

This hadeeth is animportant text that explains the threshold of the different kinds of wealth that are subject to zakat. The threshold of silver is 200 dirhams, and of camels is 5 camels, and of grains and dates and their like is 60 Saa’.
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1406

Narrated Zayd ibn Wahb: I passed by a place called Ar-Rabadha, and by chance, I met Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him), and asked him, "What has brought you to this place?" He said, "I was in the Shaam and differed with Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him)on the following ayah): {They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.}[Quran 9.34]. Mu’aawiyahsaid, “Thisayahwas revealed regarding the People of the Book." I said, it was revealed regarding us as well as the People of the Book." Because of this, we had a quarrel, and Mu'aawiyah sent a complaint against me to `Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with him). `Uthman wrote to me to come to al-Madinah, so I came.. Many people came to me as if they had not seen me before. I mentioned this to `Uthmaan, who said to me, "You may depart and live nearby if you wish." That was the reason for my being here, for even if aHabasheehad been assigned as my ruler, I would have obeyed him..

Commentary : The noble Companion Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) was known for his ascetic lifestyle- as he had no interest in worldly pleasures- and his strong position to support and advocate the truth. He (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained these qualities all through his life.

In this report, the Taab’iee Ibn Wahb reports that he passed by an area called Ar-Rabdhah, which is 170 km away from the east of al-Madinah, and there,he found Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him), although it was not a residential area. He inquired from him about the reason that he lives in such a remote area, far away from people.Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to him that he differed with Mu’aawiyahover the reason for the revelation of the ayah: {They who hoard up gold and silver and spend them not in the way of Allah.} [Quran 9.34], as he believed that it was revealed regarding the Muslims and the People of the Book, while Mu’aawiyah argued that it was revealed regarding only the People of the Book. The latter came to this conclusion based on the context of the ayah, since it was addressing the monks and priests who do not pay the due zakat on their wealth, while Aboo Dhar considered the general meaning of the ayah, meaning whoever believes zakat is obligatory, yet refrains from paying it, will be included in those who are promised the severe punishment mentioned in the Quran. At that time, ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan was the ruler and Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) was the governor of Damascus. So, he wrote a letter to him explaining the dispute that occurred between him and Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with them). The reason he complained to ‘Uthmaan about Aboo Dhar is that he found his asceticlifestyle and strict interpretation [of Quran and Sunnah] may spread and cause disturbance, or even drive some to rebel against him without any valid excuse. Nothing in this hadeeth suggests that he asked ‘Uthmaan to order Aboo Dhar to return to al-Madinah as he only wanted his advice to find a solution.

‘Uthmaan wrote a letter to Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordering him to leave Damascus and return to al-Madinah. Aboo Dhar complied and returned to al-Madinah, but the people there were curious about the incident and dispute that happened between him and Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with them). He mentioned to ‘Uthmaan that people crowd around him, and they are surprised atseeing him, as if they never saw him before. To which, ‘Uthmaan gave him the choice either to stay, or leave al-Madinah to avoid all this annoyance. This proves that Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) was not expelled or forced to depart al-Madinah, and that it was his choice and desire to relocate to Ar-Rabdhah. Then, Aboo Dhar mentions that he would obey his rulers, as it is obligatory to do so, even if the person that the Caliph appointed as his ruler was a black slave.

We can conclude from this hadeeth that we should not rebel against the rulers, and that we should obey them, even if their opinion on a matter is not considered correct.

It shows that it is permissible to have different opinions on matters that are open for personal endeavours to understand.

It shows the kind treatment that rulers showed to the scholars i.e., Mu’aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) did not deny the interpretation of Aboo Dhar although he held a different opinion, and instead he raised his case to the one who is higher in position..

1408

Narrated Aboo al-‘Alaa’ ibn al-Shikheer that al-Ahnaf ibn Qays informed him: While I was sitting with some people from Quraysh, a man with very rough hair, clothes, and appearance came and stood in front of us, greeted us and said, "Inform those who hoard wealth, that stones will be heated in the Hell-fire, and will be put on their nipples until they come out from the bones of their shoulders, and then put on the bones of their shoulders till they come through their nipples, leaving them trampled." After saying that, the person retreated and sat by the side of the pillar, I followed him and sat beside him, and I did not know who he was. I said to him, "I believe the people disliked what you had said." He said, "These people do not understand anything, although my close friend told me so." I asked, "Who is your close friend?" He said, "The Prophet ﷺ said (to me), “O Aboo Dhar! Do you see the mountain of Uhud?” And on that, I (Aboo Dhar) started looking towards the sun to judge how much remained of the day, as I thought that Allah's Messenger ﷺ wanted to send me to do something for him and I said, “Yes!” He said, “I do not love to have gold equal to the mountain of Uhud unless I spend it all in Allah's cause except three Dinars. These people do not understand; they collect worldly wealth. No, by Allah, neither do I ask them for worldly benefits, nor am I in need of their religious advice till I meet Allah.".

Commentary : The noble Companion Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) was known of his ascetic lifestyle as he had no interest in worldly pleasures, and his strong position to support and advocate the truth. He (may Allah be pleased with him) maintained these qualities all his life until he died.

In this hadeeth, the Taab’iee al-Ahnad ibn Qays reports that, while he was sitting with a group of leaders and revered people from Qurasyh, a man with very rough hair, clothes, and appearance approached them, which is a description used to indicate his ascesis. This man was Aboo Dhar al-Ghafaaree(may Allah be please with him), the Companion of the Prophet ﷺ. He greeted the people and then said “inform those who hoard wealth’- it appeared that he wanted to support his view that hoarded wealth is all that which exceeds the needs of a person. This view is reported to be adopted by others too, and it is the view he is known to adopt. However, the correct view, according to the majority [of scholars], is that hoarded wealth refers to the wealth that zakat was not paid on; otherwise, it is not condemned, whether it is little or much. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed them that the punishment of those who hoard up wealth is stones that will be heated in the Hellfire, and then will be put on their nipples till these stones come out from the soft bones of their shoulders, and then move back until they come out through their nipples. His words ‘leaving them trampled’ is to show the great disturbance and uncontrolled movement of their bodies due to their pain. It has been said that the trampling is intended to describe the moving of the stones back and forth through their shoulder bones and nipples.

Then, he left and sat by the side of a pillar. Thereupon, al-Ahnaf ibn Qays followed him and sat with him. as he did not know the identity of this man. He said to Aboo Dhar: "I believe the people disliked what you had said,’ meaning they were displeased with hearing his words. Aboo Dhar, however, responded by saying that they lacked the ability to understand, since they endeavour and are keen on collecting wealth. Then, he mentioned that his close friend, the Prophet ﷺ asked him once: “Do you see the mountain of Uhud?” and that he started looking towards the sun to see how much remained of the day. as he thought that Allah's Messenger ﷺ wanted to send him to do something for him. The Prophet ﷺthen said to him that if he had gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, then there is nothing he would love to do more than spend it all in the way of Allah, Most High, except three Dinars; one to spend on his wife, children and dependents, one to free a slave, and one to repay a debt- because debt is not wiped out by passing, and the person will remain liable to it even after death [if no one settles it on his behalf], and he will not enter Paradise until his debt is settled, even if he was a believer.

Thereafter, Aboo Dhar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that those people who do not spend their wealth in the cause of Allah lack sensibility and do not understand, as their biggest concern is hoarding and collecting wealth. Then, he swore by Allah that he would not ask people for any worldly benefits, and that he would be satisfied with the minimum from this worldly life, and that he would not even ask them about a matter related to religion until he dies, as he is content with the knowledge that he heard from the Prophet ﷺ.

We can conclude, from this hadeeth, that the Prophet ﷺ was the least interested of all people in worldly pleasures and gains, to the extent he ﷺ did not like to keep in his possession anything from this life, except that which he ﷺ needed to spend on those who deserve it.

This hadeeth encourages us to spend in good causes, and to give the repayment of one’s own debts precedence over voluntary charity.

It also shows that it is permissible to ask others for loans.

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1410

Narrated AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "If somebody gives in charity something equal to a date, from his lawful earned money ----for nothing ascends to Allah except that which is good---- then Allah will take it in His Right (Hand) and bring it up for its owner, as anyone of you brings up a baby horse, till it becomes like a mountain.".

Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ encourages us to gives in charity, even if it is very little, and informs us that if a person gives in charity as little as a date that he has earned from a lawful source of income – as Allah does not accept anything unless it is earned from lawful sources – then Allah, Exalted be He, will take this charity in His Right Hand –to show that He will honour it since His both Hands are Right – and then grow it and multiply its reward, to make his scale heavier, and He will nurture it, until it becomes like a mountain in size and weight, on the Day of Judgment. And he ﷺlikened it to the analogy of how a person takes care of a baby horse that needs great attention and care.

From this hadeeth, we learn that Allah, Exalted be He, only accepts good charity,which is given with sincerity and is from lawful money.

This hadeeth also teaches us that the reward and significance ofcharity depends on its lawfulness and the sincerity of the person who gives it, not on its value or amount.

Furthermore, it shows that good deeds will take tangible forms on the Day of Judgment, and thus, will have an image, weight, and size, that will be placed on the scale of good deeds.
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1411

Narrated Harithah ibn Wahb(may Allah be pleased with him): I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "O people! Give in charity, as a time will come upon you, when a person wanders about with his object of charity and cannot find anybody to accept it. It will be said to him, "If you had brought it yesterday, I would have taken it, but today I am not in need of it.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always encourage his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to do good deeds, one of which wasoffering zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ orders us to never delay in giving charity and paying our zakat, as there will come a time when wealth will be abundant such that no person will be in need. This will happen towards the end of time, close to the time of the Hour, as noted in the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim,from AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). This signis considered to be among the minor signs of the Hour. It has been said that it will take place during the time of al-Mahdee, and when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends to earth. At that time, a person will walk around searching for any poor person to give charity or zakat tobut will find no one to accept it from him. Every time he offers his zakat and charity to someone, they will decline it and say to him, “If you had brought it yesterday, I would have taken it, but today I am not in need of it.” The reason they would say this is thought to be because they have become rich and are no longer in need of money, but it has also been said that it is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, Thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

It has been said that this hadeeth serves as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the poor are no longer in need of the money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable, because they did not help the poor when theywere in need.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1412

Narrated AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till your wealth increases so much so that one will be worried, for no one will accept his zakat, and the person to whom he will give it will reply, 'I am not in need of it.' ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always encourage his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to do good deeds, one of which was offering zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺspeaks of a time that will come, when people will have so much wealth, that no one will be in need of charity or zakat. He ﷺ informs us that the Day of Judgment will not be established before this happens, during the time of al-Mahdee and Jesus (peace be upon him) after he descends to earth. At that time, wealth will be so abundant, such that people will be concerned, as they will not find anyone to accept their charity and zakat. And, when they find a poor person and offer it to him, he would still decline and say he is not in need of it, because he has sufficient money. It has also been said that this is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures; thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

This hadeeth is believed to serve as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the latter are no longer in need of money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable because they did not help the poor when they were in need.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It serves as a sign that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1413

Narrated `Adi ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him): While I was sitting with Allah's Messenger ﷺ,two persons came to him; one of them complained about his poverty and the other complained about the prevalence of robberies. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "With regards to stealing and robberies, there will shortly come a time when a caravan will go to Makkah (from al-Madinah), without any guard. And regarding poverty, The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till one of you wanders about with his charity and will not find anybody to accept it. Each one of you will stand in front of Allah, and there will be neither a barrier nor an interpreter between him and Allah, and Allah will ask him, “Did not I give you wealth?” He will reply in the affirmative. Allah will further ask, “Did not I send a Messenger to you?” And again, that person will reply in the affirmative. Then, he will look to his right, and he will see nothing but Hellfire, and then he will look to his left and will see nothing but Hellfire. And so, each one of you should save himself from the fire, by giving even half of a date-fruit (in charity). And if you do not find a half datefruit, then (you can do it through saying) a pleasant word..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to hasten to good deeds, encouraging them to do good deeds and warning them against sins, by reminding them of what Allah has made for people in the Hereafter i.e., Paradise and Hellfire.

In this hadeeth, ‘Adi ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that while he was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, two men approached him to raise their concerns about two issues. The first one complained about poverty,and the other expressed his concern regarding road robberies. The Prophet ﷺ assured the latter that safety will prevail,as it will not be long until caravans will travel without requiring any guard alongside them to provide protection. This happened after Islam spread everywhere. He ﷺ explained to the former that the Day of Judgment will not be established until poverty disappears, and people become affluent, as it will be one of the signs of the Hour. It has been said this will happen during the time of al-Mahdee and Jesus (peace be upon him), after he descends to earth. At that time, wealth will be so abundant, that people will find no one to accept their charity and zakat. It has been said this it will be so because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, thus, they would be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ explained that on the Day of Judgment, each person will stand before Allah, Most High, without having any barriers between him and Allah, Exalted be He, who will talk to them directly, without any medium or interpreter. At that point, Allah will ask each one, “Did not I give you wealth?”, “Did not I send a Messenger to you?” The person who withheld his zakat will reply in the affirmative, and acknowledge that Allah sent a Messenger, who conveyed to the people that Allah made zakat one of the pillars of Islam, and that the poor have a right on their money,which should be fulfilled. Then, this person will look to his left and right, and will see nothing but Hellfire. At that moment, he will become certain that he will be punished for his miserliness.

Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ ordered each and every Muslim to shield himself from Hellfire,by giving charity, even if it was as little as half of a date-fruit. And if they do not find a half date fruit, thenthey should speak good to people, to bring happiness to their hearts. This proves that speaking good words is a form of charity that protects from the Hellfire, and evil words bring about punishment in Hellfire. For this reason, the Muslim should never belittle any charity even if it is extraordinarily little, because it will benefit the person who gave it in charity,as well as the person who will receive it.

This hadeeth warns us from postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may make the person find no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ.

Furthermore, it shows that even a little charity is accepted by Allah, Most High, and that we should never look down upon any little charity and urge people to never underestimate any good deed or word, regardless of how little it is.
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1414

Narrated AbooMoosa(may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "A time will come upon the people, when one will wander about with gold as zakat, and will not find anybody to accept it. And one man will be seen followed by forty women to be their guardian, because of scarcity of men and great number of women. ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would always urge his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to hasten to good deeds, encouraging them to do good deeds, particularly giving zakat and charity to those who deserve it.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ clarifies that there will come a time when wealth will be so abundant, that no person will be in need. This will happen towards the end of time, close to the time of the Hour, as noted in the narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, from AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him). This sign is considered from among the minor signs of the Hour.

It has been said that it will take place during the time of al-Mahdee and when Jesus (peace be upon him) descends to earth. At that time, a person will walk around with his zakat of gold, searching for any poor person to give it to, yet he will find no one to accept it from him. This is because people will become affluent,and no longer be in need of money. It has also been said that this is because people would opt for the Hereafter, and give up on worldly pleasures, and they would therefore be satisfied with whatever Allah provides for them each day, and refrain from saving any money for tomorrow.

It has been said that this hadeeth serves as a warning and threat to those who would delay in giving charity – that is to say, it is a threat to those who intentionally delay giving it to the poor who deserve it, until the poor are no longer in need of money. In this case, the rich will be liable and held accountable because they did not help the poor when they were in need.

Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ mentions that at that time, each man will be chased by forty women, be they his wives, servants, or relatives i.e., they will pursue him to marry them, to seek his help and protection, or request him to fulfil their needs. The example of this is a tribe that has no men left in it except one, so all the women in that tribe will turn to him. It is possible that the number mentioned in this hadeeth is a metaphor, to indicate the large proportion of women to men, based on a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, wherein Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ said: “...Until fifty women will have one guardian”; conversely, it could reflect the actual number.

This hadeeth warns us against postponing the giving of zakat, because doing so may result in the person finding no one to take it from him later.

It also serves as evidence that testifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ..

1415

Narrated AbooMas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Ayah enjoining charity was revealed, we used to carry loads on our backs to earn something that we could give away in charity. One person presented a considerable amount for charity and the hypocrites said: "He has done it to show off." Another one gave away a Saa' [of dates] and they said: "Allah does not stand in need of this person's dates". Thereupon, it was revealed: {Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allah's Cause) voluntarily, and such who could not find to give charity (in Allah's Cause) except what is available to them...}[Quran 9:79].

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were quick to respond to the orders of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, and each one of them would give away in charity what they were able to offer and spend [from their wealth].
In this hadeeth, AbooMasʿood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that “when the ayah of obligatory almsgiving was revealed”, as if he was referring to the ayah: {Take from their wealth ˹O Prophet˺ charity to purify and bless them and pray for them—surely your prayer is a source of comfort for them. And Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.} [Quran 9:103]
“We bore heavy loads [for profit]”: that is to say: we were carrying [heavy loads] for others on our backs for wages with the intention of earning a wage so that we can give away in charity.’ This is a description of the condition of their poverty and hardship at that time; and he mentioned, according to a narration reported by al-Nasaa’ee: “one of us could not find anything to give alms until he went out to the marketplace; to carry loads for people [for wages]. Then, he would come with a mudd and gave it to the Prophet ﷺ.”
Then a man - it has been said that it was ʿAbd al-Rahmaan ibn ʿAwf - came and offered a lot of his wealth in charity. The hypocrites said: ‘[What a] hypocrite. He did not intend to offer it for the sake of Allah!’ Afterwards, [another] man came and offered a Saaʿ of food in charity. The Saaʿ is equivalent to at least 2036 grams, i.e., two kilograms and thirty-six grams; and at most equalling 4288 grams, namely: four kilograms and two hundred and eighty-eight grams.
Then, the hypocrites said: ‘that Allah is not in need of this Saaʿ! Afterwards, Allah The Mighty and Majestic sent down [the following ayah] {{Those who defame such of the believers who give charity (in Allah's Cause) voluntarily, and such who could not find to give charity (in Allah's Cause) except what is available to them...} [Quran 9:79], and the ayah’s meaning is: [that] those who reproach wealthy, believers voluntarily offering their alms, and also reproach those who [can] obtain [only] a little when it results from what they are capable of [earning]; thus, they mock them by saying: “What is the benefit in you offering [these] alms?!” Allah will mock them, as a recompense for them mocking the believers. And they will have a painful punishment [as well]. This is a requital for their misdeeds and mocking the believers because the recompense is of the same type as the deed. So, He, Exalted be He, will treat them [in the same way] as those who had mocked [the believers]; as a form of retribution for [what they did to] the believers in this world.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great amount.
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
And lastly, that we can see that the [pious] predecessors were humble, eager for the good, and employed themselves in [various] professions and [positions] of service.
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1416

Narrated AbooMas’ood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him): Whenever the Messenger of Allahﷺordered us to give charity, we used to go to the market and work as porters and get a Mudd (a special measure of grain) and then give it in charity. (Those were the days of poverty) and today some of them have one hundred thousand.”.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were quick to respond to the orders of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ,and each one of them would give away in charity what they were able to offer and spend [from their wealth].
In this hadeeth, AbooMasʿood al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺ ordered for the offering of obligatory alms and charity from their own wealth, some of them would head towards the marketplace, and carry [heavy loads] for others on their back - with the intention of earning a wage so that he could give away in charity - then, he would earn a mudd, which is very close to 1.3 pounds, as compensation for their hire; in order to offer the alms with it. This is an indication of the hardship[s] and poverty conditions that were upon them at the time; yet, despite that, they were eager to work and offer charity with the little which they had to pay from the wages of their labour. Then, the narrator said: “And today, some of them have one hundred thousand”, By this, he referred to what the Companions were enduring in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, from the scarcity of things, and to what they became after him ﷺ as they have become wealthy and well off because of the many conquests [that occurred afterwards]. In spite of that, in the beginning, they used to give in charity whatever they acquired, even if hardship came to them.
In a narration reported by al-Nasaa’ee: “I know a man who has a hundred thousand [Dirham] now, [but] on that day, he did not have a single dirham,” that is to say: ‘On the day which he used to carry loads for hire, because they were destitute at that time. And today, they are rich.’ This may be interpreted, either, as speaking about the blessings of Allah, and His Favour for them after He enriched them. Or, about some [consequence] of what had befallen the people with regards to the transformation [of their hearts] and eagerness [to excel] in this world because after they were poor and eager to offer alms, they became rich. But they did not give charity in the same manner that they used to do before that.
AbooWaa’il, Shaqeeq ibn Salamah, the narrator of the hadeeth on the authority of AbooMasʿood, said in a narration mentioned by al-Bukhaaree: “He said: ‘We believe that he was referring to himself,” meaning: What I think AbooMasʿood meant by [saying] “some of them” was an allusion for himself also, because he was one of the rich.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great [amount].
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
And lastly, we can see that the [pious] predecessors were humble, eager for the good, and employed themselves in [various] professions and [positions] of service.
.

1418

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): A woman along with her two daughters came to me asking (for some alms), but she found nothing with me except one date which I gave to her, and she divided it between her two daughters, and did not eat anything herself, and then she got up and went away. Then, the Prophet ﷺ came in and I informed him about this incident. He said, "Whoever is put to trial by these daughters, then these daughters will act as a shield for him from Hell-Fire." .

Commentary : Islam came to uproot the reprehensible customs of the ignorance period that existed before Islam. And from that, it instructed to give special attention to the daughters of one’s offspring, prohibited burying them alive and killing them, and it sowed in the hearts of Muslims love and mercy for them. It has promised a great reward to who show them benevolence and raise them in all [aspects] of goodness.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that a woman came to her with her two daughters, asking for some alms out of need, but ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not have anything, except for a date, which she gave to her. Then the woman divided it up between her two daughters and did not eat anything from it.
Afterwards, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed the Prophetﷺof what happened. So, he ﷺexplained to her that: whoever Allah destines to have and bestows upon him daughters, and he treats them well by providing for them, upholding their rights, educating them, and so on - [then] they will serve as a shield for him front he Hellfire; because he protected them in this world with his kindness and good tact towards them, and because of their upbringing. So, Allah will shield himto serve as a fitting reward.
The gift of having daughters was called a trial because of the hardship and difficulty in providing for them, or due to the people usually disliking them (i.e., they favour having boys over girls), and because they often do not contribute to the sources of earnings or livelihoods of families. So, the trial here means a test, which means: Allah tests people with daughters so that He judges them and see whether they will treat them well or not?
It has been said: what is meant by this is that the reward for providing for [and taking care of] daughters is greater than the reward for taking care of sons; since there is nothing similar was indicated in regards to their rights; and that is - and Allah knows best - because the provisions of daughters and taking care of their affairs is greater than the affairs of the sons since the former are vulnerable and [generally] do not manage their own affairs, nor behave like boys. Likewise, the expectations of the father or brother do not pertain to them [their daughters] with regard to aiding them [their fathers] in facing their enemies, to revive the name of their fathers, continue their lineage and other things which are relevant for males. This requires patience, and sincerity on the part of the one providing for them with good intentions since this is what will rescue him from the Hellfire.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it urges us to offer charity, whether it is a little or great amount.
It shows that a person should not despise what he offers in charity.
It highlights the intense eagerness that ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had for charity and alms.
And lastly, spending [and providing] for daughters and striving for them is one of the best acts of righteousness that keeps one away from the Hellfire..

1419

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): A man asked the Prophet ﷺ which charity is the most rewardable. He ﷺ replied: “That which you give when you are healthy and inclined to be mean, fearing poverty and hoping to be [financially] self-sufficient. Do not defer itto such a length that you are about to die, and say then: This is for so-and-so, and this is for so-and-so. Behold! it has already come into (the possession of) so-and- so"..

Commentary : The Prophetﷺwould teach his nation about the virtues of generosity and developing solidarity among them, and to hasten towards righteous deeds by giving alms and charity before death strikes them.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that a man came to the Prophet ﷺand asked him: ‘Which charity is the greatest in reward, and most beneficial for the one who offers it?’ He ﷺ told him that whatever the person gives while he is healthy and there is no disease or illness that would sever his hope in life. It is a time when those who are frugal do so with avidity, and fear falling into poverty. They hope for riches and wish and covet it for themselves. This is during the entire course of life [for many people], especially [during] the time of affluence and comfort. So, the person will be more cautious. And if he gives charity with all of these obstacles and temptations which urge him to save his wealth, then that will lead to the greatest reward.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ warned the man of a vice which will afflict many people; by waiting, being deliberately slow in delaying offering alms [to others] until: his soul reaches his throat and feels that death is near and becomes convinced that the money will not benefit him and that it is going to leave him - [so] he will bequeath so much to so and so, and so much for so and so. He ﷺ told him it had already belonged to so and so [either] from debts or rights; and that the wealth had become the property of the heirs, so this is the least rewarding. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ explained to us that the best form of charity to offer is while you are alive and healthy, despite your need for money and competence with it. And not in the case of being sick with the context of dying because at that time, the money will leave you, and belong to someone else.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the virtue of giving alms while one is healthy and frugal.
It warns against delaying one’s spending in charity and holding out until the hour of death draws near, and [against] being engaged solely with fulfilling your wishes.
It informs us that sickness shortens the hand of the owner from some of his possessions and being generous with money during his illness does not eliminate the trait of miserliness from him. And that if all of the works of piety are difficult, their reward will be greater.
And lastly, it shows that charity offered during the time when a person is healthy and well is better than a testament [i.e., a will]..

1420

Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Some of the wives of the Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Who amongst us will be the first to follow you (i.e., die after you)?" He said, "Whoever has the longest hand." So, they started measuring their hands with a rod and Sawdah's hand turned out to be the longest. Later, we came to know that the long hand was a symbol of practicing charity, so she was the first to follow the Prophet ﷺ and she used to love to give away in charity..

Commentary : Charity is one of the best and most rewarding deeds which a person can benefit from and offer himself.
In this hadeeth, The Mother of the Believers, ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that some of the wives of the Prophetﷺ had asked him: which one of them will die the fastest after him? To which, he ﷺ answered them by [saying] ‘she who has the longest hand.’ They understood this matter according to its literal meaning, so the women grabbed a rod so that they could measure the arms’ length of every one of them and compare [their results], in order to find out which of them had a longer hand than the other, [as] they thought that what he meant ﷺ was truly the length of the hand. [It turned out that] Sawdah bint Zamʿah (may Allah be pleased with her) had the longest hand. Afterwards, it became clear to them after Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) died what the Prophet ﷺ had intended by the expression regarding the longest hand, which [was actually] alluding to who was the most charitable of the wives; and what he meant by the length of her hand was the frequency of her spending [money on others] and offering alms, as ʿA’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said in a narration reported in Saheeh Muslim: “Zaynab had the longest hand amongst us, because she used to work with her hands and spent [the income] on charity.” Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was the first of his ﷺwives to die after him ﷺ, and she (may Allah be pleased with her) passed away during ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭaab’s caliphate (may Allah be pleased with him), while Sawdah lived until she passed away during Muʿaawiyah’s caliphate, in the month of Shawwaal, the fifty-fourth year [after Hijrah].
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the merits and virtues of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
It serves as an indication that the legal ruling [of a matter] stems from the meanings, and not from the wording.
And lastly. It gives a sign thattestifies to the Prophethood of the Prophet ﷺ..

1421

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid: A man said that he would give something in charity. He went out with his object of charity and unknowingly gave it to a thief. Next morning the people said that he had given his charity to a thief. (On hearing that) he said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. I will give alms again." And so, he again went out with his alms and (unknowingly) gave it to an adulteress. Next morning the people said that he had given his alms to an adulteress last night. The man said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I gave my alms) to an adulteress. I will give alms again." So, he went out with his alms again and (unknowingly) gave it to a rich person. (The people) next morning said that he had given his alms to a wealthy person. He said, "O Allah! All the praises are for you. (I had given alms) to a thief, to an adulteress and to a wealthy man." After, someone came and said to him, "The alms which you gave to the thief, might make him abstain from stealing, and that given to the adulteress might make her abstain from illegal sexual intercourse (adultery), and that given to the wealthy man might make him take a lesson from it and spend his wealth which Allah has given him, in Allah's cause.".

Commentary : Charity is one of the best deeds which a person can offer himself, and he obtains its great reward from Allah, The Almighty.
In this hadeeth, The Prophet ﷺ tells us about a man - it was said that he was from Banee ‘Israa’eel - who went out to offer alms [to those in need]. So, his alms went into the hands of a thief once. And then in the hand of an adulteress once more. And in the hand of a rich man a third time. In every instance, the people would rise in the morning, talking about what he did in amazement; because charity, according to them, was dedicated to the needy people from amongst the charitable; and that is why they marvelled at the charity that was offered to these people.
The man praised Allah, The Mighty and Majestic; for he had intended for his charity to fall into the hands of an upright poor person that no one knows about his poverty, or an honourable, honest man, or a chaste woman. But Allah’s Decree is a predetermined, divine preordainment, so the man was brought into a dream, and was told that his charity was accepted, as what is narrated in a report in Musnad Ahmad because he was sincere and had intended to do good, however, it was not facilitated for him. It was said to him: ‘As for your charity for the thief, perhaps the thief will abstain from stealing. Maybe the burglar will say: ‘This money will suffice me’ or that he is embarrassed that he had been provided for without stealing, and he knows that, among the servants of Allah, there are those who offer alms in secret at night to those who do not know him. As for the prostitute who commits fornication as an occupation, perhaps she may abstain from it because she may have committed adultery – we seek refuge in Allah from such sin - with the purpose of [earning] money, and something happened to her which stopped her from doing so again. As to the rich man, maybe he will reflect and learn a lesson, causing him to spend from what Allah has given him. This is how a good intention will yield wholesome fruits.
From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it indicates that when a person intends goodness, and strives towards it, and makes a mistake; it is because it was written for him, and it will not harm him.
It shows that the legal ruling [for a matter] is given based on what appears, until it becomes clear otherwise.
It encourages us to submit and be content with the Divine Decree, and praise Allah, and entrust all of your concerns and affairs to Allah, The Mighty and Majestic.
And lastly, it teaches us that we should give charity and alms again if it did not fall in its proper place [i.e., be received by its rightful recipients]..

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

| Hadiths

Narrated AbooSa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "No zakat is due on property mounting to less than five uqiyas, and no zakat is due on less than five camels, and there is no zakat on less than five wasqs." .

‘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..

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.".

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.".

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).".