Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Messenger of Allah ﷺcame [to Makkah], he refused to enter the Ka’bah while there were idols inside it. He ﷺcommanded for their removal and they were removed. They removed the pictures of Prophet Ibraaheem and Prophet Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them) holding arrows in their hands. The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “May Allah fight them. By Allah, they definitely knew that both of them never drew lots by using arrows superstitiously [for the purpose of divination].” Then, he ﷺentered the House, pronounced takbeer in all its corners, and did not offer prayers therein.”.

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the ancient House of Allah that Muslims revere and respect. Hence, it should be purified from all forms of impurities.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports an incident proving that the Prophet ﷺprohibited hanging pictures and statues in houses, mosques and so on. In the 8th year of Hijrah, the Prophet arrived at Makkah, but he refused to enter inside the Ka’bah while the idols are still therein. He ordered to have them removed so the Companions (ras) emptied the Ka’bah from all idols and removed images depicting Prophet Ibraheem and Prophet Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them) holding arrows in their hands. Before Islam, the people used to draw lots by using those arrows i.e., they would write my lord ordered me to proceed on some of them and on the rest would write “my lord ordered me not to proceed” and in some cases they would write “Go ahead” on some of them and “Refrain” on the other. If one of them wanted to travel or engage in any act, he would draw lots by those arrows and act according to the arrow they would draw. Allah, Most High, says: {And you are prohibited from seeking decisions based on diving arrows. This is grave disobedience.” (Quran 5:3).
The Prophet ﷺclarified that these are false pictures and he even invoked Allah against them, because they knew with certitude that Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and Ismaa’eel (peace be upon him) never drew lots by using arrows. The Prophet ﷺentered the House only after purifying it from idols and pictures he ﷺuttered takbeer in its corners and its four sides and he did not offer prayers in it.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Bilaal wherein he confirms that the Prophet ﷺprayed inside the Ka’bah. This reconciliation states that the hadeeth of Bilaal takes precedence over its counterpart, because he entered with the Prophet ﷺthe Ka’bah and observed what the Prophet ﷺdid in it, and also because the Ibn ‘Abbaas – the negator – was not present with the Prophet ﷺthere on that day. Not to mention, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) attributed his negation sometimes to Usaamah and sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It has also been stated that the entrance into the House occurred twice; one occasion, he performed prayers therein, while on the other he did not offer prayers therein.
From the benefits that we can also conclude from this hadeeth is learning that whoever enters the Ka’bah, he should say takbeer in its four directions.
This hadeeth shows that scholars and pious and righteous people should refrain from attending the places where falsehood is present and avoid participating in the gatherings of falsehood and transcend himself over that..

1602

Narrated ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his Companions (ras) came to Makkah. The polytheists said, “He is coming to you, while the fever of Yathrib has weakened them.” The Prophet (ﷺ)commanded his Companions to walk fast in the first three rounds of Tawaaf and that they walk normally between the two corners. Only the pity for them prevented the Prophet (ﷺ)to order them to walk fast in all the rounds.”
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Commentary : In the sixth year of the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺnegotiated the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Quraysh. One of its provisions stated that he ﷺreturns to al-Madeenah this year and then he ﷺreturns the next year to perform his ‘Umrah, and in return Quraysh will grant him access to the Sacred House for three days.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺcame to Makkah in the sixth year of the Hijrah for the purpose of performing ‘Umrah, he ﷺintended to clarify the lie of Quraysh who spread rumours that the fever of al-Madeenah had weakened the Muslims and had worn their bodies out; thus, he ﷺintended to manifest the strength of the Muslims in front of Quraysh.
To that end, he ﷺcommanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to take fast paces in the first three rounds of Tawaaf apart from the patch between the two corners, namely al-Rukn al-Yamaanee and al-Rukn al-Aswad. He ﷺallowed them to walk at their comfort calmly there so they can take a rest since the Polytheists, who used to stand at a distance to watch the Muslims, were not able to see them in that direction. The Muslims followed the orders of the Prophet ﷺi.e., they walked fast in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walk slowly in the last four rounds. Out of his compassion and softness towards his Companions (ras), he did not perform fast walking rounds in all the rounds. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺwas kind and merciful.
However, when the Prophet ﷺcame after that in the Farewell Hajj, it was a completely different story with him. It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said “saw that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Makkah and kissed the Black corner that contains the Black Stone, (in the first circumambulation) he moved quickly in three rounds out of seven rounds.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that one should walk fast in the three complete rounds including between the two Rukns - where he should not walk casually. However, this act happened later in time; thus, it will take precedence (in adopting it) and the Sunnah of brisk walking with fast pace has been established since then.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that we are commanded of doing brisk walking with fast pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf.
This hadeeth shows that one round of Tawaaf is given the name of ‘Tawfah.’
It shows that Muslims should demonstrate their force and power by displaying military equipment and weaponry and the likes to the disbelievers and this is not considered as part of the showing off that is criticised.
Amongst its benefits also is that the displays of force can be in deed just as it can been in word and perhaps it being in deed is better..

1603

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
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Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺtaught us what to do when we arrive at the Sacred House i.e., he ﷺshowed us what we should start with and how to conclude when departing from this Holy Place. Also, he ﷺtaught us the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah, he started his Tawaaf by touching and kissing the Black Stone as it is the sign of initiating the rounds of Tawaaf and its termination. He explains that the Prophet ﷺwalked with high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf and thereafter he ﷺwould walk causally in the last four rounds.
The apparent reading of this hadeeth indicates that walking with a high pace covered the first three rounds completely as opposed to the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) concerning ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’, which reads: “The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to walk with high pace in the first three rounds except between the two Rukns. The only reason that prevented him from ordering them to walk with a high pace in all the rounds was to preserve their strength.” This hadeeth explicitly states that walking with a high pace was not done throughout the three rounds, from beginning to end. This is noted in his command that they should walk casually between the two Rukns and to avoid walking with a high pace between them. The scholars addressed this issue and explained that in the last instance, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his Tawaaf in his first arrival on the Farewell Hajj from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times and walked casually the last four rounds. Thereafter, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace from the Black Stone to the Black Stone, including the area between the two Rukns, became the established practice as this happens to be his last practice..

1604

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
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Commentary : The Companions (ras) transmitted the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺin Hajj and ‘Umrah and the general rulings that should be observed when entering the Sacred House.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf while he walked casually in the last four ones, and that happened both in the Farewell Hajj and ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’.
The apparent reading of this hadeeth indicates that walking with a high pace covered the first three rounds completely as opposed to the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) concerning ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’, which reads: “The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to walk with a high pace in the first three rounds except between the two Rukns. The only reason that prevented him from ordering them to walk with a high pace in all the rounds was to preserve their strength.” This hadeeth explicitly states that walking with a high pace was not done throughout the three rounds, from beginning to end. This is noted in his command that they should walk casually between the two Rukns and to avoid walking with a high pace between them. The scholars addressed this issue and explained that in the last instance, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his Tawaaf in his first arrival on the Farewell Hajj from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times and walked casually the last four round. Thereafter, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace from the Black Stone to the Black Stone, including the area between the two Rukns, became the established practice as this happens to be his last practice..

1605

Narrated Zayd bin Aslam from his father that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) stated concerning the Black Stone “By Allah, indeed, I know that you are only a stone which does not harm and benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet ﷺtouching you, I would not have touched and kissed you.” Then, he touched and kissed it and said, “There is no need to walk with a high pace [in the first three rounds of Tawaaf], we did it because we wanted to display our strength to the polytheists, and now Allah has destroyed them.” Thereafter, he said, “Nonetheless, it is a thing that the Prophet ﷺdid, therefore, we do not like to forsake it.”
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Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
This hadeeth highlights the total submission of the Companions and the strength of their faith. The Taabi’ee. ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah reports that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) used to kiss the Black Stone, which is a rock set into the southeast corner of the Ka’bah, and it is embedded in a silver frame. He (ra) did so because he saw the Prophet ﷺkissing it and had he not seen him doing so, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not have kissed it, because he knew that it is just a rock that does not harm and benefit per se. The only benefit that one can obtain from kissing it is receiving reward through emulating the command of the Prophet ﷺand following the Sunnah of his kissing. It is said that ‘Umar (ra) only made that statement because people were very close in time to the worship of idols, thus, he feared that the ignorant ones may think that touching and kissing the Black Stone is the same as what the Arabs used to do before Islam. He intended to teach them that it is only the exaltation of Allah and adherence to the command of the Prophet intended by touching and kissing the Black Stone and that it is part of the rites of Hajj. That is because Allah has granted some stones virtues over the others, some pieces of land over the others, and some nights and days over the others. The kissing of the Black Stone has been prescribed as a form showing respect and veneration to its right and to observationally know who obeys the command and refrains from the prohibition. This is similar to the story of Satan when he was commanded to prostate to Adam (peace be upon him).
After, ‘Umar (ra) clarified that walking with a high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf was originally legislated due to the rumours the idolators had spread that the fever that hit al-Madeenah had weakened the Prophet ﷺand his Companions. It was only intended to display the strength of Muslims, so the disbelievers of Makkah know that we are strong enough to fight and resist them. It was a way to refute their false rumour. As for now, Allah has defeated disbelief and its people; and Makkah has been conquered, thus, the calling caused us to walk with a high pace in the first three rounds is no longer present, however, it has remained in practise as a legislated Sunnah; thus, we do it, as matter of following him and of acting upon his Sunnah.
Whatever ‘Umar (ra) stated here is his own speech with himself; in order to express the fact that the matter of religion is based on believing and following the Sunnah. His statement is not intended to criticise the acts of the rites. For this reason, he self-redressed and said, “It is a thing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺdid, and we do not love to abandon it, rather it is incumbent upon us to follow it.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning a great maxim about following the Prophet ﷺconcerning what he did even if the wisdom therein remains unknown.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to kiss the Black Stone and indicates the fact that we should not kiss any other objects or stones without textual evidence from religion.
It also demonstrates the importance of clarifying the Sunnah through words and deeds, and that it is compulsory on the ruler to take the initiative to clarify that which he fears people may adopt a corrupt belief about.
From the other benefits we conclude is that Muslims should display their strength and power with arms and weaponry in order to instill awe and fear in the hearts of disbelievers, and that is not included in the unpraiseworthy showing off.
It proves that there are acts of worship that are purely ritualistic and there are those which are rationally understood..

1606

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): "I have never missed the touching of these two Corners (the Black Stone and the Yemenite Corner), neither in hardship nor in prosperity, since I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) touching them." I asked Naafi`: "Did Ibn `Umar (ra) use to walk between the two Corners?" Naafi` replied, "He used to walk in order that it might be easy for him to touch it (the Corner Stone).".

Commentary : Imaan is founded upon complete submission to Allah and His Messenger ﷺin all the commands and prohibitions, irrespective of whether the rationality behind these orders and prohibitions are known or not.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (ra), reports that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) informed about himself that he never always touched the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee, which are to the direction of Yemen – neither in hardship nor in prosperity, neither in distress nor in opulence, nor in other circumstances since he has seen the Prophet ﷺdoing it. The touching here is referred to as Istilaam, which means to pass the hand over them, and to additionally kiss the Black Stone.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ras) used to walk with a normal pace between them so that it becomes more comfortable and easier for him to touch them and to harbour strength on doing it during crowding. This hadeeth indicates that he used to walk with a high pace in the rest of the three rounds of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah. The Prophet ﷺcommanded his Companions during ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’ to walk and not to walk with a high pace between the two Rukns, so they do not get tired, thereafter, they walk a with high pace in the rest of the rounds of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, of course, in the first three circuits. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his circumambulation on his first arrival in the Farewell Hajj entirely from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times, and he walked casually in the rest of the four rounds. Since then, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace, starting from the Black Stone and ending at the Black Stone, in the first three rounds of Tawaaf have become the practised Sunnah because this was the last practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
This hadeeth highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Umar (ra) due to his profound eagerness to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺin all his affairs and to act upon it..

1607

Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺclarified the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah verbally and in action, and he ﷺexplained that which is allowed and that which is not allowed in ‘Umrah and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺperformed circumambulation (Tawaaf) at the Farewell Hajj whilst riding on his camel that he ﷺutilised on journeys. He added that the Prophet ﷺpointed towards the Black Stone with his crook – that is a staff whose head is crooked, sufficing with it from kissing the Stone, then he would kiss the crook instead as it is mentioned in the narration in Saheeh Muslim.
That occasion has been called Farewell Hajj because the Prophet ﷺwas like someone bidding farewell to them during the sermon of Hajj, thereafter, he did not live for longer. This happened in the tenth year of the Hijrah. His mounting of the camel during that hajj was due to illness. It is said that it was due to disliking turning away the people from the Black Stone, meaning, if he ﷺperformed Tawaaf walking, the people would turn away from the Stone every time the Messenger of Allah ﷺpassed by it, out of their reverence for him that he is not crowded around. It is also said that he did so, so the people are able to listen to his speech and be able to see his place and so that they can follow his lead.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that when a person is unable to kiss the Stone, he can touch it with his hands or using a stick.
This hadeeth highlights the easement of Islam in the acts of worship and Tawaaf round the Ka’bah by riding for the one who is unable to perform it by walking..

1609

Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Commentary : The Prophet expressly demonstrated the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah by words and deeds and he clarified what is permissible and what is not allowed therein.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) narrates that he has never seen the Prophet ﷺtouching and kissing any part of the Ka’bah apart from the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee. The Prophet ﷺdid that because they are founded upon the foundations that Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon him) laid down. The Corner of the Black Stone has two merits, the first of which is containing the Black Stone, and the second is it being built on the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). As for the second Corner, (al-Rukn al-Yamaanee), it only has the latter virtue (being built upon the foundations of Ibraaheem). For this reason, the Black Stone has been given more attention; hence, it has been prescribed for us to kiss it. Allah, Most High, says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} (Quran 33:21).
It is worth noting that kissing the Black Stone is among the Sunnah acts for the one who is able to do so without harming people. If one is unable to do so, then he should just place his hand on it, then he should lift it up and kiss it (the hand). If he cannot do that, then he should stand facing towards it and pointing with hands towards it and thereafter pronounce takbeer.
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1611

Narrated al-Zubayr ibn ‘Arabee: A man asked Ibn `Umar (ra) about the touching of the Black Stone. Ibn `Umar said, "I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) touching and kissing it." The questioner said, "But what if there were a throng (much rush) round the Ka`bah and the people overpowered me, (what would I do?)" He replied angrily, " May you leave ‘what ifs’ in Yemen! I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) touching and kissing it.".

Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance, we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, al-Zubayr ibn ‘Arabee reports that a man asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) about the touching and kissing of the Black Stone. Ibn ‘Umar (ra) informed him that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺtouching and kissing the Black Stone. The man however asked: “What if I am overcrowded and people crowd around me such that I am unable to reach the Black Stone or I am overpowered to reach it due to any other reason, hence I cannot reach it and kiss it?” Ibn ‘Umar (ra) counselled him saying, “May you leave ‘what ifs’ in Yemen!” i.e., give up this excuse and follow the Sunnah by touching and kissing the Black Stone. It is as if Ibn ‘Umar (ra) comprehended from his excessive questioning that he wants to gradually give it up, which eventually leads to failing to respect and venerate it as demanded by the religion.
Ibn ‘Umar (ra) held the opinion that touching and kissing the Black Stone should never be forgone, even during excessive overcrowding; as a form of following the Prophet ﷺ. However, it is worth being aware that kissing the Black Stone is among the Sunnah acts for the one who is able to do so without harming people. If one is unable to do so, then he should just place his hand on it, then he should lift it up and kiss it (the hand). If he cannot do that, then he should stand facing towards it and pointing with hands towards it and thereafter pronounce takbeer.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is knowing that it is allowed for a scholar to interrupt the questioner when he keeps asking what if questions.
The hadeeth also shows that all goodness is in following the Sunnah to the best of one’s abilities. .

1612

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
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Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance, we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺdid circumambulate round the Ka’bah in the Farewell Hajj, as recorded in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, while mounted on his camel that he used on journeys.
Every time he ﷺreached the Black Stone, he would face towards it and point towards it. It has been narrated that he was carrying a crook on his hand – a staff with a crooked head – and was pointing with crook (towards it), then he would kiss the crook [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. He ﷺheld this sufficient from performing touching and kissing the Black Stone.
His mounting of the camel during that hajj was due to illness. It is said that it was due to disliking turning away the people from the Black Stone, meaning, if he ﷺperformed Tawaaf walking, the people would turn away from the Stone every time the Messenger of Allah ﷺpassed by it, out of their reverence for him that he is not crowded around. It is also said that he did so, so the people are able to listen to his speech and be able to see his place and so that they can follow his lead.
From the benefits that can be deduced from this hadeeth is that if one is unable to kiss the Stone, then one can still touch it with his hand, stick, or anything of that sort.
The hadeeth highlights the easement of Islam concerning the acts of worship, and that it is permissible to perform the Tawaaf whilst riding if one is unable to perform it walking..

1614

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): "The first thing the Prophet (ﷺ) did on reaching Makkah was the ablution and then he performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and that was not `Umrah (alone), (but Hajj-al-Qiraan). ‘Urwah added: Later Aboo Bakr and `Umar (ras) did the same in their Hajj." And I performed the Hajj with my father Al- Zubayr, and the first thing he did was Tawaaf round the Ka`bah. Later I saw the Emigrants and the Ansaar doing the same. My mother (Asmaa') told me that she, her sister (`Aaishah), al-Zubayr and such and such persons assumed Ihraam for `Umrah, and after they passed their hands over the Black Stone, they finished the Ihraam. (i.e., after doing Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah)..

Commentary : The Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Prophet ﷺtaught it to his Companions practically and verbally, and they in turn transmitted to us the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aaishah (raa) reports that the first thing that the Prophet ﷺdid in the Farewell Hajj, which he performed in the tenth year of the Hijrah when he came to Makkah, was that he performed ablution. Thereafter, he performed seven rounds of Tawaaf, known as Tawaaf al-Qudoom. Following that, he performed no ‘Umrah after the Tawaaf, because he did not interrupt his Hajj by performing ‘Umrah as he drove the animal for sacrifice with him. As for the Companions who did not drive their animals for sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺcommanded them to allow ‘Umrah to intervene before their Hajj and that they perform Hajj al-Tamattu’. As for those who drove their animals for sacrifice, the ‘Umrah will be incorporated into the Hajj and they will perform Hajj al-Qiraan.
The Taabi’ee, ‘Urwah bin al-Zubair informed that both Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (ras) performed Hajj in their reign, and they did just like the Prophet ﷺ. Thereafter, ‘Urwah reports that he saw the Emigrants and the Ansaar doing exactly the same as what the Prophet ﷺdid.
His mother, Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (raa) related to him that she and her sister ‘Aaishah, the Mother of the Believers (raa), al-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwaam, and so-and-so – enumerating some of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ - all assumed Ihraam for ‘Umrah and that once they had touched and kissed the Black Stone, completed their Tawaaf and performed the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then they had shaved or cut their hair upon which they exited their Ihraam. That is because their ‘Umrah was complete.
It is said: The reason why he said, “Once they had touched the Rukn, they freed themselves from Ihraam,” and did not mention other acts thereafter, because of the common knowledge about them and their obviosity.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that ablution is prescribed for Tawaaf, and that one who assumes Ihraam for Hajj, should start first with performing the Tawaaf.
This hadeeth shows that it is prescribed to touch the Black Stone..

1617

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah, he walked with a high pace during the first three rounds and in the last four rounds, he used to walk with a normal pace; and while doing Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, he used to do tawaaf in the midst of the rainwater passage.”.

1618

`Ataa’ informed us that when Ibn Hishaam forbade women to perform Tawaaf with men, he said to him, 'How do you forbid them while the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform Tawaaf with the men?' I asked, 'Was this before decreeing the use of the hijaab or after it? `Ataa’ replied, 'On my life! I saw it after the order of hijaab.' I said, 'How did they mix with the men?' `Ataa’ said, 'The women never mixed with the men! `Aa'ishah (raa) used to perform Tawaaf separately and never mixed with men. Once it happened that `Aa'ishah (raa) was performing the Tawaaf and a woman said to her, 'O Mother of Believers! Let us touch the Black Stone.' `Aa'ishah said to her, 'Go yourself,' and she herself refused to do so. The wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to come out in night, in disguise, and used to perform Tawaaf with men. But whenever they intended to enter the Ka`bah, they would stay outside till the men had gone out. `Ubayd bin `Umayr and I used to visit `Aa'ishah (raa) while she was residing at Jawf Thabeer." I asked, "What was her veil?" `Ataa said, "She was wearing an old Turkish veil, and that was the only thing (veil) which screened between us and her. I saw a pink cover on her.".

Commentary : Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Prophet ﷺtaught it to his Companions practically and verbally, and they in turn transmitted to us the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Ataa’ bin Abee Rabaah reports that he was wondered at the position of Ibn Hishaam when he prohibited women to perform Tawaaf with men in Hajj and ‘Umrah, and he explained to him that the wives of the Prophet ﷺperformed Tawaaf with men at the same time, however, behind them.
The full name of Ibn Hishaam is: Ibraaheem bin Hishaam bin Ismaa’eel, the governor of al-Madeenah and the maternal uncle of the Caliph Hishaam bin ‘Abdul Malik bin Marwaan.
Here, ‘Abdul Malik bin Jurayj asked his Shaykh ‘Ataa’ bin Rabaah, “Was their Tawaaf with men after the revelation of the ayah of Hijaab (veil) – that is being the ayah: {If you (believers) ask them something, then ask them behind a Hijaab (barrier),” [Quran 33:53], of before it?” Its revelation was concerning the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh in the fifth or the third year of the Hijrah. ‘Ataa’ responded, “On my life,” which is intended for the emphasis of his statement and does not denote taking an oath, that he had found them doing Tawaaf with men and that was after the revelation of the ayah of Hijaab.
Ibn Jurayj then asked about the nature of their intermingling with men. He replied that they did not intermix with men and explained that ‘Aaishah (raa) would perform Tawaaf at a distance, meaning, further away from the men and would not intermingle with them. A woman requested her to walk and go to touch and kiss the Black Stone, but ‘Aaishah (raa) plainly refused that.
‘Ataa’ informs that the wives of the Prophet ﷺand other women would generally go out for Tawaaf at night in disguise (veiled). They would perform Tawaaf with men, however, when they sought entrance to the Sacred House, they would halt standing aside and waiting when the men exited.
‘Ataa’ relates that he and ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr al-Hijaazee, the judge of Makkah, would visit ‘Aaishah (raa) while she would be residing at Jawf Jabal Thabeer. It is a hill at Muzdalifah on the left route from there to Mina and right route from Mina to ‘Arafaat. She veiled herself in a small Turkish tent made of wool which pegged into the ground. It had a screen which covered its door. This is the only partition between us and her. I saw a rose dress on her, a red garment, whose colour was rose. The other version of the narration in Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaaq reads: “[I saw] a blouse dyed in red [on her], while I was a child.” He thereby (by being a child) clarified the reason for seeing her.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about how women did Tawaaf in disguise covered unrecognisably with clothing that which veiled them from the eyes of the men.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible for women to perform Tawaaf at night, and to perform Tawaaf behind men.
It shows that it is prescribed to settle down and reside in the proximity of Makkah and the Sacred House..

1619

Narrated Umm Salamah (raa): I complained to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that I was sick, so he said, "Perform the Tawaaf while riding behind the people (who are performing the Tawaaf on foot)." I performed the Tawaaf while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was offering the prayer by the side of the Ka`bah and was reciting: {By the Mount of Toor and by a Decree Inscribed.}.

Commentary : Islam is the religion of tolerance and easiness, which manifests in all aspects of life and worship. One of these aspects is its tolerance with the sick and those who have valid excuses preventing them from performing the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, Umm Salamah (raa) narrates that she mentioned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺthat she was afflicted with an illness that prevented her from performing Tawaaf on foot. The Prophet ﷺgranted her concession to perform Tawaaf while mounting her camel and instructed her to do it behind the people. Hence, she performed Tawaaf in that manner.
At that moment, the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas offering the Fajr prayer towards the Ka’bah, very close to its wall because the Maqaam of Ibraaheem then was completely adjacent to the House before ‘Umar (ra) transferred it from that place. Nonetheless, the Ka’bah in its entirety is the direction of the Qiblah. The Prophet ﷺprayed whilst reciting the Surah of al-Toor.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that the sick is allowed to perform Tawaaf whilst riding if he cannot walk.
The hadeeth shows that women should perform Tawaaf behind the men and not intermingle with them, because that is more concealing to them.
It also shows that those who perform Tawaaf at the time of congregational prayer due to a valid excuse, they should only perform Tawaaf behind the people to avoid disturbing them..

1620

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺclarified the rites and actions of Hajj and ‘Umrah by words and actions and explained that which is allowed and that which is not allowed in them. He ﷺused to facilitate the acts of worship for his Companions so they do not create hardship for themselves or endure burdens.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that during the Tawaaf, the Prophet ﷺnoticed a person who had tied his hand to another person using a rope, a lengthy piece made and cut from leather or a string or something else, for example a towel or the like. Thereupon, he ﷺsevered it with his own hand, because the only possible way to remove this evil is by cutting it off. Then, the Prophet ﷺsaid, “Lead him by your hand,” meaning, without attaching him to something.
It is said that the one driven was blind or because it is only animals that are dragged by a rope and so on, which involves piercing and slightly mutilating [the animals]. It is also said that the people before Islam used these kinds of acts as a way of ritually getting closer to Allah, henceforth, the Prophet ﷺprohibited it. It has also been stated that the both men did that because one of them had made a vow to do that, thus, the Prophet ﷺprohibited that and clarified that such vows are not valid, as it is in a narration according to Saheeh al-Bukhaaree.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to speak good [to others] whilst doing Tawaaf. It shows us that if one performing Tawaaf sees an evil act, it allowed for him to change it using his hands..

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 Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
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Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
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Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
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‘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).".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.” .

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.” .

Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.” .

Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.” .

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.” .

‘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).".

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
.

Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
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