Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
People say that Aboo Hurayrah narrates too many narrations. In fact, Allah, Exalted is He, knows whether or not I say the truth. They also ask, "Why do not the emigrants and Ansaar narrate as much as he does?" In fact, my emigrant brothers were busy trading in the marketplaces, and my Ansaar brothers were busy with their properties. However, I was a poor man who kept the company of Allah's Messengerﷺ and was content with what filled my stomach (i.e., satisfied my hunger and kept me alive). So, I used to be present while they (i.e., the emigrants and Ansaar) were absent, and I used to remember while they forgot (the hadeeths). One day the Prophet ﷺsaid, "Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of it." So, I spread my covering sheet which was the only garment I had, till the Prophet ﷺ finished his statement and then I gathered it over my chest. By Him Who had sent him (i.e., Allah's Messenger) with truth, since then I did not forget even a single word of that statement, until this day. By Allah, but for two ayaat in Allah's Book, I would never have related any narration (from the Prophet ﷺ). (These two ayaat are): {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, * Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.} [Quran 2:159-160]
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Commentary :
The transmission of the Sunnah and narrating the hadeeths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are solemn and serious responsibilities, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were remarkably meticulous regarding the narration of hadeeths and the verification of their authenticity. Some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) related numerous hadeeths and reports while others narrated only few, according to the time during which they kept the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and what they heard from him.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) fended off suspicions raised about the fact that he narrated so many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, and stated the reasons for it. Firstly, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “People say that Aboo Hurayrah narrates too many narrations. In fact, Allah, Exalted is He, knows whether or not I say the truth,” meaning that I shall be held accountable before Allah, Exalted is He, if I had deliberately attributed lies to the Prophet ﷺ, and those who thought ill of me shall also be accountable.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that people wondered why the emigrants and Ansaar did not narrate as many Hadeeths as he did, and clarified that his emigrant brothers were busy with trade in the marketplaces, and the Ansaar with tending to their property. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Safq, which literally means handshaking upon concluding business transactions, for people customarily shook hands after concluding sales transactions. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also clarified that the Ansaar were busy taking care of their farms, while he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a poor man who did not engage in trade nor did he own any property. He (may Allah be pleased with him) kept the company of the Prophet ﷺ longer and settled for having enough food to satisfy his hunger and keep him alive! He (may Allah be pleased with him) hardly left the Prophet ﷺ and was always present minded, since he was not preoccupied with any worldly pursuits like his companions. The fact that Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was not preoccupied with worldly engagements and kept the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ longer, were reasons for memorizing and narrating many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ.
Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) stated another reason for narrating many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said once: “Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of it.” Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) hastened to spread his garment, which was all he (may Allah be pleased with him)had. It was a striped or colored garment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) kept it spread till Allah's Messenger ﷺ had finished his saying, and then gathered it to his chest as instructed. He (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked that he did not forget even a single word of his statement on that occasion.
The version of this hadeeth recorded by Muslim reads: “After that day, I never forgot anything he ﷺ said.” Another version complied in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree reads: “After than day, I never forgot anything that I heard from him.” This wording indicates generality, meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not forget any of his statements after that incident, rather than his statement in that particular occasion as reflected by the apparent indication of his saying, ‘that statement.’ This interpretation is further emphasized by the fact that Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) had complained to the Prophet ﷺ of his weak memory and the Prophet ﷺ did so to relieve him of that problem, and it is also possible that these were two separate incidents.
Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) stated the reason for narrating hadeeths to begin with, being motivated by two ayaat that warn against withholding knowledge. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means) {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, * Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.} [Quran 2:159-160].
This is a stern warning against withholding knowledge with which the Prophets of Allah were sent including the clear proofs and guidance that are of benefit to the hearts, after Allah, Exalted is He, had clarified them for His servants in the heavenly revealed books with which he sent His Messengers.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and a sign indicating his prophethood.
It urges Muslims to seek knowledge and give it precedence over seeking wealth.
It also underlines the virtues of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is inferred therefrom that it is allowable for a person to proclaim his good qualities and virtues to dismiss suspicions about himself, but not to praise himself.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that senior Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) engaged in trade and worked to earn their living..

2353

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
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Commentary :
Eliminating harm is one of the universal principles of the Islamic Laws of Islam. Islam enacted laws and legislations, and established guidelines that protect a Muslim from harm, and from inflicting it on others.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade harming others by denying them water that is in excess of one’s need. He ﷺ said: “Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Kala’ meaning dry or wet grass. The hadeeth means that when one digs up a well in an uncultivated land where grass grows around or near his well, making it a suitable pasture for grazing animals, and there is no other source of water available, the shepherds would essentially need access to this well when grazing their animals. The owner of such a well must not prevent them from accessing the well, and thereby deliberately deny them access to the pasture. The Prophet ﷺ forbade a Muslim from denying others access to his surplus water beyond his needs. He is also forbidden from selling such surplus water to those shepherds, because if he sells them the water that is necessary for grazing their animals, it would be the same as selling them the grass to graze their cattle, and he does not own such grass. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Excess water must not be sold…” [Muslim]. This means that one must not deny others his surplus water when they do not another source of water available to them, because this implies harming Muslims, and harm must be eliminatedas per the laws of Islam.
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2358

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "There are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will be subjected to a severe punishment. They are: -1. A man who possessed superfluous water on a way and he withheld it from travelers. -2. A man who gave a Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to a ruler only for worldly benefits. If the ruler gives him something, he gets satisfied, and if he withholds something from him, he gets dissatisfied. -3. And a man who displayed his goods for sale after ‘Asr prayer and dishonestly said, 'By Allah, None but Him is worthy of worship, I have been given so much for my goods,' and somebody believes him (and buys them). The Prophet ﷺ then recited the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]
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Commentary :
Inflicting harm on people is a reprehensible act in this worldly life, and it incurs utter loss and ruin on the doer in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that there are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, out of His mercy, kindness, and compassion, nor will He purify them from sins by conferring on them His forgiveness, and He shall not praise them, but will rather pour out His wrath on them and subject them to a severe punishment for their heinous acts.
These three categories are as follows:
“1- A man who possessed superfluous water on a way and he withheld it from travelers,” meaning that such a person withholds surplus water (beyond his needs) from a traveler who is in dire need of water to quench his own thirst or that of an animal whose killing is not enjoined by the Laws of Islam.
“2- A man who gave a Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to a ruler,” to hear and obey him, but not in compliance with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, but rather to gain, “…worldly benefits. If the ruler gives him something, he gets satisfied, and if the ruler withholds something from him, he gets dissatisfied.” This person deserved such severe punishment because his act constitutes insincerity towards the Muslim ruler, which entails insinceritytowards the ruled as well, because it would cause Fitnah (i.e., dissension), especially if this was done by community leaders whom people tend to follow.
“3- And man who displayed his goods for sale after ‘Asr prayer and dishonestly said, 'By Allah, None but Him is worthy of worship, I have been given so much for my goods,' and somebody believes him (and buys them).” Such a seller made a false oath by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, merely to sell his goods. In general, it is prohibited to make a false oath at all times, but the hadeeth particularly referred to making false oaths after ‘Asr prayer, at the end of the day, because traders often fall into such a sin at the end of the day, trying to sell the rest of their goods. It was also said that the gravity of such sin is further emphasized after ‘Asr prayer because it is the time when the recording Angels of the night descend to earth and those of the morning ascend to the heavens to present people’s deeds to Allah, Exalted is He. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ recited the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]. The ayah refers to an exchange; these people exchange material gains for the covenant they had made with Allah, Exalted is He, to believe in the Prophet ﷺ and fulfill the trusts. The reference to oaths in this ayah means the false ones that they took to affirm their statements or actions. The intended meaning is that they trade their covenants with Allah and oaths with fleeting worldly gains and desires such as money, material benefits, and other worldly gains. The price was described here as being ‘small’, to indicate its insignificance, for it was traded for breaching the covenant with Allah and taking false oaths. Therefore, it is fundamentally insignificant, no matter how significant it seemed from a worldly perspective, compared to winning the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and fulfilling his covenants with Him. Then Allah, Exalted is He, stated the punishment designated for those who commit such a major sin. He Says (what means): {…will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77].
The fact that only these three categories of people were mentioned in the hadeeth does not suggest that no other categories of people shall incur the same punishment, such as: the ones who commit the sin of Isbaal (i.e., making one's clothes longer than normal out of conceit), the ones who remind others of their favors to them, as reported in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded in Saheeh Muslim, as well as an adulterous old man, an untruthful king, and an arrogant poor man, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The hadeeth affirms the attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty, without Tashbeeh or Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Speech?). The fact that Allah, Exalted is He, shall not speak to these categories of people, nor shall He look at them essentially means that He shall speak with and look at others.

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2363

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "While a man was walking, he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So, he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." People asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Is there a reward for serving animals?" He ﷺreplied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any living being."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, enjoined Muslims to show mercy to all creatures, and decreed that Islam should be the religion of mercy, kindness, and benevolence. Given the significant care and attention assigned to this fundamental Islamic principle, Muslims are enjoined to show mercy to all living beings, including animals, and are promised abundant rewards for it.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “While a man was walking,” the apparent indication of the hadeeth’s wording is that this man belonged to the previous nations; “he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting.” It means that the dog was out of breath or sticking his tongue out due to excessive thirst, “and eating mud because of excessive thirst,” meaning that it was licking dust out of thirst. “The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So, he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog.” The Prophet ﷺstated that this man took off his shoe, held it in his hand, went down the well, filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth, and climbed up and watered the dog, to indicate the difficulties he had to face in the process.The same goes for the reference to holding the shoe with his own teeth to bring water to this thirsty dog. Therefore, “Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." Allah, Exalted is He, knew of his act and rewarded it by forgiving his sins. The version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “Allah thanked him for his (good) deed, forgave him, and admitted him to Paradise.” The Prophet ﷺ used the verb ‘thank’ to denote reward, because thanking or appreciation is a form of reward.
When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) heard the story, they asked the Prophet ﷺ whether or not one earns reward for serving animals. He ﷺ replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any living being,” meaning that showing mercy and kindness to any living being is a rewardable act in Islam. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth, ‘Kabid,’ literally means ‘liver’ and is used to refer to every living being because the liver needs water to live, otherwise an animal would die. The hadeeth means that doing any merciful act or act of kindness to an animal, by serving it water or food or protecting it from heat or coldn, whether or not it is owned by the doer, others, or is not owned by anyone, is a good act for which Allah, Exalted is He, will reward the doer.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to show kindness to people, because if one earns the forgiveness of Allah, Exalted is He, for serving water to a thirsty dog, this essentially means serving water to a thirsty person is even more rewardable.
It also underlines the virtues of serving water to others,and that it is a great means to draw closer to Allah, Exalted is He.
It also discourages Muslims from abusing or harming animals.
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2367

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Commentary :
One of the distinct blessings that Allah, Exalted is He, shall confer on His Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Resurrection, is His Hawdh (basin) from which he ﷺ shall serve water to the righteous and steadfast Muslims on that difficult day.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ swore by the name of Allah, saying: “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is,” and he ﷺ usually used this wording in his oaths. It means, ‘By Him in Whose Hand my life lies.” It affirms the fact that Allah, Exalted is He, has a Hand, in a manner that befits His Majesty. He ﷺ said: “I will drive some people away,” meaning the apostates, hypocrites, or those who had committed religious innovations and distorted the religion of Islam after the Prophet’s death, “from my Hawdh (i.e., Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough,” meaning like a shepherd would drive away a strange camel, denying it access to water when his camels are drinking therefrom.
The hadeeth affirms the existence of the Prophet’s Hawdh.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to swear by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, to affirm one’s statement without a prior request to take an oath or a necessity warranting it.

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2369

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "There are three types of people whom Allah will neither talk to, nor look at, on the Day of Resurrection. (They are): -1. A man who falsely takes an oath that he has been offered for his goods so much more than what he is given, -2. a man who takes a false oath after ‘Asr prayer to devour a Muslim's property unlawfully, and -3. a man who withholds his superfluous water. Allah will say to him, "Today I will withhold My Grace from you as you withheld the superfluity of what you had not created."
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Commentary :
Inflicting harm on people is a reprehensible act in this worldly life and it incurs utter loss and ruin on the doer in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ said that there are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, out of His mercy, kindness, and compassion, nor will He speak with them with what would please them. Another version of the hadeeth compiled by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “… nor shall He purify them and for them shall be a severe punishment,” meaning that He shall not purify them from sins by bestowing on them His forgiveness, nor shall He praise them, but will rather pour out His wrath on them and subject them to a severe punishment for their heinous acts.
These three categories are as follows:
The first is a vendor who makes a false oath that he had bought his commodity for a higher price than he actually paid, so as to resell it for higher than the actual price, and the buyer believes him and buys it for a higher price because of his false oath.
The second is a man who makes a false oath after ‘Asr prayer in order to devour a Muslim person's wealth unlawfully.
In general, it is prohibited to make a false oath at all times, but the hadeeth highlights the gravity of making a false oath after ‘Asr prayer in particular, because it is the time when the recording Angels of the day and night meet (when the Angels of the evening descend to earth and those of the morning ascend to the heavens to present people’s deeds to Allah, Exalted is He). Such a time is the conclusion of the day, and a person's deeds are judged according to the concluding and final ones.
The third category includes a man who withholds his superfluous water beyond his needs. The version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, specifically mentioned withholding water from a ‘traveler or passer-by,’ because he is in more need of water to quench his thirst or that of an animal whose killing is not enjoined by the Laws of Islam in his company. Allah, Exalted is He, will say to him, "Today I will withhold My Grace from you as you withheld the superfluity of what you had not created.” This is because he did not exert any effort to originate this water to withhold the excess of it from others. Rather, Allah, Exalted is He, caused rain to descend from the sky and no human being has power or control over it. As that man denied people the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, in the worldly life, He will deny him His grace on the Day of Judgment.
The fact that only these three categories of people were mentioned in the hadeeth does not suggest that no other categories of people shall incur the same punishment, such as: the ones who commit the sin of Isbaal (i.e., making one's clothes longer than normal out of conceit), the ones who remind others of their favors to them, as reported in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded in Saheeh Muslim, as well as an adulterous old man, an untruthful king, and an arrogant poor man, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The hadeeth affirms the divine attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty, without Tashbeeh or Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Speech? It is like this and that). The fact that Allah, Exalted is He, shall not speak to these categories of people, nor shall He look at them essentially means that He shall speak with and look at others.
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2371

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Horses may be a source of reward to some people, a shelter to others (i.e., means of earning a living), or a burden to others. Those to whom horses may be a source of reward is those who keep them to be used in Allah's Cause (i.e., prepare them for Jihaad) and tie them by a long rope in a pasture (or a garden). They will get a reward equal to what their long rope allows them to eat in the pasture or the garden, and if the horses break free from their rope and cross one or two hills, then all their footsteps and dung will be counted as good deeds for their owner; and if they pass by a river and drink from it, then that will also be regarded as a good deed for their owner even if he has had no intention of watering them then. Horses are a shelter from poverty to the second category of people who keep horses for earning a living so as not to ask others for money, and at the same time fulfill Allah's right (i.e., Zakaah) (from the wealth they earn through using them in trading etc.,) and do not overburden them. Those who keep horses merely out of pride, for showing off, and as a means of harming Muslims, their horses will be a source of sins to them." When Allah's Messenger ﷺwas asked about donkeys, he replied, "Nothing particular was revealed to me regarding them except the general unique ayah which is applicable to everything. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, * And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Quran 99:7-8]."
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Commentary :
Wealth is a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, has bestowed upon human beings, and horses are among the most precious items of wealth and the dearest to their owners.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated the different conditions of horse owners; horses may be a source of reward for their owner, a shelter or shield against poverty for others, or a source of burden and sin for others.
As for the horse owners for whom horses are sources of reward, they keep them for the purpose of Jihaad in the Cause of Allah. They tie them with a long rope in a vast area ofdense pasture. They will get a reward equal to what its long rope allows them to eat from the pasture, and if the horses break free from their ropes and cross one or two hills, and it is also said that it means, ‘if they run for one or two rounds,’ then all their marks or footsteps and dung will be counted as good deeds for their owner. If they pass by a river and drink from it, it will also be regarded as a good deed for their owner, even if he has had no intention of watering them then.
As for the second category, horses are a shelter and shield against poverty for those who keep them as a means of earning a living so as not to beg people for money, and at the same time fulfill Allah's right by paying the due Zakaah on it, which is only due on these horses if they are intended for trade. Or the owner of these horses does not overburden them with carrying weight more than they can handle or ride them to fight in the cause of Allah .In these cases, horses serve as a shelter or shield against poverty for this category.
The third category includes the owners whose horses are a source of burden or sin. They tie them to boast about them, outwardly pretending to obey Allah, Exalted is He, but inwardly harboring enmity towards Muslims. In this case, these horses become a source of sin for such owners.
When Allah's Messenger ﷺwas asked about donkeys, as to whether keeping them yields equal rewards, he ﷺ replied that nothing in particular was revealed to him regarding them except the general unique ayah which is applicable to everything. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, * And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Quran 99:7-8].The meaning is that if the donkey owners keep them with the intention of doing good, they would certainly be rewarded, and if not, they would miss out on such a reward.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of keeping horses and the great benefits and blessings tied to their forelocks, if they are used to perform acts of obedience to Allah, Exalted is He.
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2372

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A man came to Allah's Messengerﷺ and asked about Al-Luqatah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth). The Prophet ﷺ said, "Identify (the detailed description of) its container and its tying material and then make a public announcement of it (i.e., to identify the owner) for one year and if its owner shows up and claims it, give it to him; otherwise utilize it as you like." The man said, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet ﷺ said, “Take it, for it is for you, your brother, or the wolf.” The man said "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Why should you take it; it has got its water-container (i.e., its stomach) and its hooves, can reach the places of water, and can eat the trees till its owner finds it?”
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Commentary :
One of the higher objectives of the Laws of Islam is to preserve people’s wealth and protect it from robbery, theft, and loss, or from someone taking it when it is lost.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined the religious ruling on the Luqtah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth) and the lost animal. Zayd ibn Khaalid Al-Juhanee (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man, named ‘Umayr Aboo Maalik, asked the Prophet ﷺ about the Luqtah and how to dispose of it. In Islamic terminology, Luqtah means a lost and found item of wealth, and belongings that are respected and recognized by the Laws of Islam (as wealth) and owned by a human being, or items of wealth that are not secured (i.e., locked up in a secure place), or self-secured (e.g., able to defend itself and escape like camels or birds), or not possible to stealby nature (e.g. immovable property). He ﷺ said: "Identify (the description of) its container,” where it is kept, “and its tying material.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Wikaa’ meaning string or rope with which its container is tied. He ﷺ commanded the person who finds the Luqtah to identify its detailed description, leaving no room for doubt, to be able to recognize its owner and verify his truthfulness, and so that it would not get mixed with his own property. He ﷺ added: “… and then make a public announcement of it for one year,” meaning in gatherings and places where he believes its owner might be found. “If its owner shows up and claims it,” before or after publicly announcing it, “give it to him; otherwise utilize it as you like." If its owner does not show up, it belongs to the one who found it and he is entitled to use it freely, but should keep it as a trust. Whenever its owner is found, it should be returned to him.
Afterward, the man asked the Prophet ﷺ about the lost animal and he ﷺ said, "It is for you,” if you publicly announce it and could not find its owner, “your brother,” meaning another person who would pick it up, “or the wolf,” meaning that it may remain lost and would be devoured by wolves. A lost sheep becomes the property of the one who finds it as long as he publicly announces it and its owner does not show up to claim it.
Then the man asked about a lost camel. The Prophet ﷺ exclaimed, "Why should you take it?” The version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “The Prophet ﷺ was annoyed so much that his cheeks became red.” It was said that he ﷺ got angry because of the inquirer’s lack of knowledge and misunderstanding; he failed to realize the meaning of the Prophet’s statement and made a wrong analogy. Luqtah means an item of wealth that is misplaced and lost from its owner and he does not know its place, but this does not apply to a lost camel; it may walk for days and find its way back to its usual place or a place where it would be found by its owner.
The Prophet ﷺ underlined the reason by saying, “… as it has got its water-container (i.e., its stomach),” meaning that if it finds a well, it will drink enough water to survive until it finds another well, or it rather means that camels can endure thirst better than any other animal. The Prophet ﷺ added: “… and its hooves,” which refers to its ability to walk long distances and find water in deserted places. He ﷺ likened it to a traveler who has a waterbag and shoes. He ﷺ added, “… and it can reach the places of water and can eat the trees till its owner finds it,” or it find its way to him. This is the difference between sheep and camels, the latter is endowed with the strength to survive until its owner finds it, whereas sheep perish whenever they go astray from the shepherd and are separated from the herd.
The hadeeth highlights how Islam assigns care and attention to all affairs that are of concern to people, and become part of their lives directly or indirectly..

2378

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
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Commentary :
It was customary for the needy and poor people to go to the places where camels were brought to drink, to avail themselves of their milk.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ urged the camel owners not to deprive the poor and needy of their milk. He ﷺ said: “One of the rights of a she-camel,” meaning the customary rights of the poor and needy in the she-camels as recognized by Arabs, “is that it should be milked at a place of water,” to offer some of the she-camels’ milk to them. They specified the places of water to make it easier and more convenient for the poor and needy to access them, compared to going to the owners’ houses, and it is also better to milk the she-camels after they are watered to produce more milk.
However, this does not mean that it is obligatory on the owners of the she-camels to milk them in the places of water, but it was rather customary, and the Laws of Islam graciously deemed it recommended for the benefit of the poor.
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2379

‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say "If somebody buys date-palms after they have been pollinated, the fruits will belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulates the contrary. If somebody buys a slave having some property, the property will belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulate that it should belong to him.".

Commentary :
Islam regulates the contracts and business transactions conducted by people to ensure preservation of their wealth and interests, and that no party would wrong the other.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that whoever buys date palms after they have been pollinated, the fruits will belong to the seller, meaning that he is entitled to access the palm trees to irrigate, take care of them, or pick the fruits.The buyer has no right to deny him access, because he is entitled to his right and cannot exercise it without having access to the palm trees. The hadeeth goes on: “… unless the buyer stipulates the contrary,” and the seller agrees to it and thus the seller would not have any right to access the palm trees.
The same applies to the case when somebody buys a slave who has some property. The property will belong to the seller who sold the slave, because a slave does not own anything as per the laws of Islam, unless the buyer stipulates that the whole of this property or a specific part of it should belong to him.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the conditions stipulated in sales contracts are binding as long as they do not entail deeming lawful what is unlawful or deeming unlawful what is lawful.
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2381

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the sales called Al-Mukhaabarah (i.e., a sharecropping agreement whereby a plot of land is rented for part of its yield, or the cultivation of a sowed land in return for a specific portion of its produce, and the rent is paid in kind from the land's produce), Al-Muhaaqalah (i.e., a sale transaction in which grains in ears, before or as they are harvested from a field in their unprocessed state, are sold for dry processed grain), and Al-Muzaabanah (i.e., a sale that involves the exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones, where the quantity of the dry fruits is actually known by precise measurement, but the quantity of the fresh fruits to be handed over in exchange is estimated while they are in their unpicked state, on trees) and the selling of fruits till they are free from blights. He ﷺ forbade the selling of the fruits except for money, except the ‘Araayaa (i.e., palm trees assigned by their owner for the needy, donating their fruit to themin return for an estimated weight of picked and ripe dates based on dry measurement).
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Commentary :
Islam assigned significant care and attention to the preservation of people's wealth, and keenly ensured that it must not be wasted. Therefore, it forbade some types of transaction, which outwardly seem to be (valid) sale transactions, but inwardly involve unlawfully devouring others’ wealth, or those involve Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and ambiguity, which may incur harm on the seller or the buyer.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade Mukhaabarah, which referred to a sharecropping agreement whereby a landlord hires a worker (farmer) to cultivate the land in return for a fixed share of the crops like one-third or one-fourth, produced by a specified part of the land. It was reported that the prohibition in this regard was abrogated; the Prophet ﷺ made an agreement with the people of Khaybar to cultivate the palm trees in return for half the date fruits, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
He ﷺ also forbade the Muhaaqalah sale, which is a transaction in which grains in ear, before or as they are harvested from a field in their unprocessed state, are sold for dry processed grain, because it involves ambiguity since the wheat is still in ear.
He ﷺ also forbade Muzaabanah, which is a transaction that involves the exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones, where the quantity of the dry fruits is actually known by precise measurement, but the quantity of the fresh fruits to be handed over in exchange is estimated while they are in their unpicked state (on trees), or grapes for raisins. The Prophet ﷺ deemed such transactions forbidden, because they involved ambiguity of the measure and weight of the fruits.
He ﷺ also forbade selling only the unpicked fruits (rather than the fruits or dates and trees or palm trees) before they ripen, by showing signs of ripeness in terms of color or shape, because after the fruits ripen, they become safe from pests that may spoil or reduce the yield.
He ﷺ also forbade the sales of plat tree fruits after they ripen for dates, to avoid taking excess in the event of a barter of foodstuff, which is Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury, etc.). Rather, the fruits should be sold for Dinars or Dirhams (i.e., money), or contemporary fiatmoney.
He ﷺ excluded one form of Muzaabanah transaction known as Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked fully ripen dates (rutab) for an estimated weight of picked dates on the ground based on dry measurement). This transaction involves selling unpicked dates to a poor person to eat therefrom whenever he wishes in return for an estimated measure of dates. The transaction was deemed allowable because some (poor) people would have no palm trees or money during the season of fresh dates and wished to feed their dependents fresh dates, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ gave them that legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Araayah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s.
The hadeeth highlights how the Laws of Islam promotes ease and facilitation and eliminates inconvenience for people.
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2387

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
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Commentary :
Islam warns against unlawfully devouring people’s wealth, and urges Muslims to deem themselves above such a sinful act and keenly display graciousness when repaying debts.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined the merits of a debtor who intends to repay his debts and sternly warns against taking loans while intending to devour the creditor’s wealth unlawfully and refrain from repayment. He ﷺ clarified that whoever takes people’s wealth by virtue of loans or any other business transactions with the sincere intention to repay them, Allah, Exalted is He, will facilitate his affairs and bless him with the means to repay it or handsomely compensate his creditor in the Hereafter if the debtor fails to repay it in the worldly life. On the other hand, if someone takes people’s wealth by virtue of loans or any other business transactions with the intention to waste or refrain from repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, shall destroy his wealth, by rendering it of no real benefit in the worldly life, as a punishment for his evil intention and he shall also face the consequences of refrainment from repayment in the Hereafter.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a good intention is an effective means to be blessed with Rizq (i.e., provision), have one’s needs fulfilled, and relish relief of distress, and that an evil intention is a cause for ruin and loss. .

2388

Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Once, while I was in the company of the Prophet ﷺ, he saw the mountain of Uhud and said, "I would not like to have this mountain turned into gold for me unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar remains of it with me for more than three days (i.e., I will spend all of it in Allah's Cause), except that Dinar which I will keep for repaying debts." Then he ﷺ said, "Those who are rich in this worldly life would have little reward in the Hereafter except those who spend their money here and there (in Allah's Cause), and they are few in number." Then he ﷺ ordered me to stay at my place and went not far away. I heard a voice and intended to go to him but I remembered his order, "Stay at your place till I return." On his return I said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!(What was) that noise which I heard?" He ﷺ said, "Did you hear anything?" I said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) came and said to me, 'Whoever amongst your followers dies, worshipping none along with Allah, will enter Paradise.'" I said, "Even if he did such-and-such things (i.e., even if he stole or committed Fornication)" He (Angel Jibreel) said, "Yes."
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Commentary :
Wealth is one of the trials put by Allah, Exalted is He, to His servants (as tests), and the refrainment from striving in pursuit of much wealth safeguards one from its evil temptations. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ did not like wealth much and used to generously spend it in charity whenever he acquired it.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Dharr ibn Jundub ibn Junaadah Al-Ghaffaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that he was once in the company of the Prophet ﷺ when he saw the mountain of Uhud, a mountain north of Al-Madeenah about 4 km from the Prophet's Mosque. He ﷺ said that he would not like to have this mountain turned into gold for him unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar of it remained with him for more than three days, except a Dinar which he would keep for repaying his debts.
Afterward, he ﷺ stated that those who acquire abundant wealth in this worldly life will earn fewer rewards in the Hereafter, except those who spend their wealth in Allah's Cause. He ﷺ was then walking with Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him). He ﷺ ordered Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) to stay at his place until he ﷺ came back, and went not far away. Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard a voice and intended to go to him but remembered his order, "Stay at your place till I return." In compliance with the Prophet’s command, Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained, and when he ﷺ returned, he said, “O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! (What was) that noise which I heard?” He ﷺ said, “Did you hear anything?” Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Yes.” He ﷺ told him that it was Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) bearing the glad tidings that whoever amongst his followers dies, worshipping none besides Allah, Exalted is He, will enter Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ asked Angel Jibreel, “Even if he did such-and-such things (i.e., even if he stole or committed Fornication)?” Angel Jibreel said, "Yes." This means that whoever dies while adhering to Tawheed, worshipping none but Allah, Exalted is He, shall enter Paradise, even if he shall be subjected to any punishment in Hellfire before entering it; he shall not abide in Hellfire endlessly.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to assign care and attention to the gravity of incurring debts and the obligation of repayment, and encourages them to spend in charity.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ displayed the highest degree of the enjoined renouncement of worldly pleasures, so much that he ﷺ disliked to keep any worldly gains for himself and wished to spend them all in charity for those who deserve them, and keep only what suffices the fulfillment of others’ financial rights.
The hadeeth highlights the politeness of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) with the Prophet ﷺ and his thoughtfulness and compassion for Him, keenly ensuring his safety and that nothing should happen to him that may slightly harm him. This is a manifestation of the enjoined thoughtfulness towards elders. Moreover, a young person should not invade the privacy of the elders when they are alone, nor should he spy on them, sit with them, or keep their company except with their permission.
It is also inferred therefrom that young people are enjoined to comply with the elders’ orders rather than doing what defiantly contravenes their instructions, even if it seemed the sound opinion to ward off an evil, until it is verified, and then warding off the certain evil should be given precedence.
The hadeeth also underlines the divine grace conferred upon the nation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that a perpetrator of major sins who dies while adhering to Tawheed shall not be perpetuated in Hellfire, abiding therein endlessly.
It is also inferred therefrom that a follower may ask whom he follows about what benefits him with regard to his religious affairs, or adds to his knowledge, or helps him obtain any other benefits, and that a student may ask his teacher to verify the correctness of his own knowledge on a given matter against what he has learned and seemed contradictory.
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2396

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said:
When my father died, he owed a Jew thirty Awsuq (i.e., plural of Wasaq, which equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg). I requested him to give me respite for repaying but he refused. I requested Allah's Messengerﷺ to intercede with the Jew. Allah's Messenger ﷺwent to the Jew and asked him to accept the fruits of my trees in place of the debt but the Jew refused. Allah's Messenger ﷺ entered the garden of the date-palms, wandering among the trees and ordered me (saying), "Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due." So, I plucked the fruits for him after the departure of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and gave his thirty Awsuq, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for myself.” Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): I went to Allah's Messengerﷺ to inform of what had happened, but found him praying ‘Asr prayer. After the prayer I told him about the extra fruits which remained. Allah's Messenger ﷺtold me to inform (‘Umar) Ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) of it. When I went to ‘Umar and told him about it, ‘Umar said, "When Allah's Messengerﷺ walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah would definitely bless it."
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Commentary :
A Muslim is enjoined to strive to fulfill the needs of his Muslim brothers, especially those who explicitly ask for his help. He should (hasten to their help and) stand by them until their need is fulfilled.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) related that his father ‘Abdullah ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) had died in the Battle of Uhud while owing a debt of thirty Awsuq (i.e., plural of Wasaq, which equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg) to a Jewish man. It was said that the man’s name was Aboo Al-Shahm. A Wasaq equals 60 Saa‘s, the Saa’ equals four Mudds, and the Mudd is the measure of two open medium-sized handfuls. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Jewish creditor to give him respite until he was able to repay the debt, but he refused. Therefore, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to intercede for him with the Jewish creditor, and the Prophet ﷺ asked him to take the dates of Jaabir’s palm trees against the debt, but he refused. The Prophet ﷺ entered Jaabir’s garden, wandered among the trees, and verified that the dates were not enough to repay the debt. He ﷺ said to Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): "Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due." He (may Allah be pleased with him) plucked the dates for him after the departure of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and gave the thirty Awsuq that his late father owed, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for himself, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Allah's Messengerﷺ to inform him of what had happened and how his palm trees were blessed, but found the Prophet ﷺ praying ‘Asr prayer. After the prayer, he (may Allah be pleased with him) told him about the extra dates which remained. Allah's Messenger ﷺtold him to inform (‘Umar) Ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) of it. When he went to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) and told him about it, ‘Umar said, "When Allah's Messengerﷺ walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah, Exalted is He, would definitely bless it.” The Prophet ﷺ named ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in particular because he showed interest in Jaabir’s story.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may personally fulfill the needs of the ruled and intercede with one of them for another.
The hadeeth includes a clear sign on the Prophet’s ﷺprophethood, performing a miracle by blessing a small quantity of fruits to be enough to repay all the due debts and have some extra fruits left.
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2399

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "I am closer to the believers than their own selves in this worldly life and in the Hereafter, and if you like, you can read Allah's Statement (which means): {The Prophet is worthier of the believers than themselves.} [Quran 33:6] So, if a true believer dies and leaves behind some property, it will be for his inheritors (from the father's side), and if he owed debts to be paid or needy offspring, then they should come to me as I am the guardian of the deceased."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was sent to usher people out of the darkness (of misguidance) into the light (of divine guidance). He ﷺ was a mercy bestowed on the worlds, and was exceptionally kind to the elderly and merciful to the young. He ﷺ thoughtfully cared for the distressed, assigned care and attention to all those around him, and identified with their feelings.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that he ﷺ was closer to all the believers, meaning worthier of them, than their own selves, with regards to all their worldly and religious affairs. Hisﷺstatement conforms with the ayah that reads (which means): {The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves.} [Quran 33:6]. He ﷺ was kinder to people than their own selves; their self-enjoined selves ushered them into what incurredtheir own destruction, while he ﷺ called them to their deliverance. The Prophet ﷺ did not mention in this hadeeth the due rights he ﷺ has over the believers with regard to such proximity. In return, the believers are required to give precedence to obeying the Prophet ﷺ over their own desires, even if it is difficult for them, and to love him more than they love themselves. It was narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “None of you truly believes until he loves me more than his own father, child, and all people.”
He ﷺ stated that if a Muslim dies and leaves behind wealth, he will be inherited by his own heirs and relatives on his father’s side, meaning that his heirs are worthier of inheriting his estate. However, whoever dies while owing debts or leaving behind dependents, i.e., young children, wife and those who need financial support, the Prophet ﷺ is closer to him than all people. He ﷺ committed himself to repay his debts and provide for his dependents!
In the beginning, the Prophet ﷺ refrained from leading the funeral prayer for a deceased person if he owed unpaid debts, unless someone repaid them or he had left wealth to repay them, because these debts are other people’s rights that must be fulfilled. It is noteworthy that it was not incumbent on the Prophet ﷺ to refrain from leading the funeral prayer for an indebted deceased person(he ﷺ was not enjoined to do so), but he ﷺ refrained from it to urge people to repay their debts, lest they would miss out on having him lead their funeral prayer. After the conquests and the riches bestowed upon Muslims by Allah, Exalted is He, and the gravity of incurring debts was emphasized within the hearts and minds of Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ used to repay the debts of the deceased who left behind no wealth. We implore Allah, Exalted is He, to send His peace and blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, and reward him handsomely for his care and love for us; Allah is the Al-Forgiving and Especially Merciful.
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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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
.

‘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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle." .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water." .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.” .

‘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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
.