Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "A man from the tribe of Banee Sahm went out in the company of Tameem Al-Daaree and ‘Adiyy ibn Baddaa’. The man from Banee Sahm died in a land where there were no Muslims. When Tameem and ‘Adiyy returned conveying the property of the deceased, they claimed that they had lost a silver bowl with gold engraving. Allah's Messenger ﷺ made them take an oath (to confirm their claim), and then the bowl was found in Makkah with some people who claimed that they had bought it from Tameem and ‘Adiyy! Then two witnesses from the relatives of the deceased got up and swore that their testimony was more valid and truer than that of ‘Adiyy and Tameem, and that the bowl belonged to their deceased fellow. So, this ayah was revealed in connection with this case. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you …} [Quran 5:106]
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Commentary :
Honesty is one of the becoming attributes of a Muslim, and Islam urges Muslims to choose trusted and pious travel companions, to be of real help to them.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Muslim man, who was said to be named Buzayl, from the tribe of Banee Sahm, from Quraysh, was travelling in the company of Tameem Al-Daaree, who was still Christian at that time, and ‘Adiyy ibn Baddaa’, who was also a Christian and died as such. The man from Banee Sahm died in a land where there were no Muslims, and he had written his Wasiyyah (i.e., last will and testament) that was kept in his luggage.He asked them to deliver his property to his family. When Tameem and ‘Adiyy returned conveying the luggage and property of the deceased man to his family, they found the Wasiyyah and discovered that a silver bowl or cup with gold engraving was missing from his belongings. They reported the incident to the Prophet ﷺ and sought his judgment. He made them (i.e., ‘Adiyy and Tameem) take an oath to confirm their claim that they had lost that bowl. It seems that their oath was false, because the bowl was later found in Makkah with some people who claimed that they had bought it from Tameem Al-Daaree and ‘Adiyy ibn Baddaa’! Then two witnesses from the relatives of the deceased, i.e., ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas and Al-Muttalib ibn Abee Wadaa‘ah (may Allah be pleased with them) who belonged to the tribe of Sahm, got up and swore that this bowl belonged to their late relative Buzayl, and that their testimony was more valid and truer than that of ‘Adiyy and Tameem. On this occasion, the ayah about the writing of Wasiyyah and having witnesses attesting to it was revealed. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, testimony [should be taken] among you when death approaches one of you at the time of bequest - [that of] two just men from among you …} [Quran 5:106].
Thisayah urges the testator to have two trustworthy witnesses attesting to his Wasiyyah, especially if there are signs of approaching death, such as illness or old age. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {… or two others from outside}, meaning from other tribes because one would usually seek witnesses from his own relatives and tribe members, and he may also seek non-Muslim witnesses when needed, when there are no Muslim witnesses available. The ayah goes on: {… if you are traveling through the land and the disaster of death should strike you. Detain them after the prayer and let them both swear by Allah if you doubt [their testimony, saying], "We will not exchange our oath for a price, even if he should be a near relative, and we will not withhold the testimony of Allah. Indeed, we would then be of the sinful."} This means that these two witnesses must honor the trust and honestly give whatever the deceased entrusted to them to the beneficiaries of the Wasiyyah and must not withhold anything, {But if it is found that those two were guilty of perjury,} meaning if there are proofs indicating their lying and dishonesty, {let two others stand in their place [who are] foremost [in claim] from those who have a lawful right. And let them swear by Allah, "Our testimony is truer than their testimony, and we have not transgressed. Indeed, we would then be of the wrongdoers."} [Quran 5:106-107]. This means that the two other witnesses, from the deceased’s closest relatives, must testify to the fact that the other witnesses were lying, and must take an oath that theirtestimony is truer than theirs. Accordingly, they would be declared legally entitled to the disputed property..

2781

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
My father was martyred on the day (of the Battle) of Uhud and left six daughters and some debts to be paid. When the time of plucking the date-fruits was due, I went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ, you know that my father was martyred on Uhud and owed much debt, and I wish that the creditors would see you." The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps."' I did accordingly and called him. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly at that time. When the Prophet ﷺ, saw how they behaved, he ﷺ went round the biggest heap for three times and sat over it and said, "Call your companions (i.e., the creditors)." Then he ﷺ kept on measuring and giving them, till Allah, Exalted is He, cleared all my father's debts. By Allah, it would have pleased me that Allah, Exalted is He, would clear the debts of my father even though I had not taken a single date to my sisters. But by Allah, all the heaps were complete, (as they were) and I looked at the heap where Allah's Messengerﷺ was sitting and noticed as if not a single date had been taken thereof!
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Commentary :
Incurring debts is a serious matter given its gravity; it is incumbent on debtors to repay their debts. If a debtor dies before the repayment, his guardian and heirs are required to pay off his debts from his estate.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that his father ‘Abdullah ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyredat the Battle of Uhud, in 3 A.H., and left six young daughters and some debts to be paid. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) promised the repayment of these debts when the date-fruits should be picked. When the time of harvesting dates was due, he (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and asked him to be present when the creditors, who were Jews, should claim their debts, in the hope they would see him and write off part of the debt for his sake. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree stated that the Prophet ﷺ asked the creditors to reduce the debts, but they refused. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺsaid to him, "Go and collect the various kinds of dates and place them separately in heaps,” meaning arrange each kind in a separate heap. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) did as commanded and called the Prophet ﷺ. On seeing him, the creditors started claiming their rights pressingly. When the Prophet ﷺ saw how they behaved, he ﷺ went round the biggest heap three times and sat over it, to be blessed, and said, "Call your companions (i.e., the creditors).” Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) called for the creditors and the Prophet ﷺ kept on measuring and giving them from the very heap over which he ﷺ was sitting, till Allah, Exalted is He, cleared all his father's debts. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he would have been pleased that Allah, Exalted is He, cleared the debts of his late father, even if he could not take a single date to his sisters. However, the dates were blessed by the Prophet ﷺ, and all the heaps were complete, (as if they were untouched). Even after repaying all the creditors, the heap remained the same,as if not a single date had been taken!
The hadeeth highlights a sign of hisﷺ prophethood.
It urges the repayment of debts owed by the deceased.
It is also deduced from it that the unpaid debts owed by one’s dead parents must be repaid by their children. .

2785

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
A man came to Allah's Messengerﷺ and said, "Instruct me as to such a deed that equals Jihaad (in reward)." He ﷺ replied, "I do not find such deed!" Then he ﷺ added, "Can you, while the Mujaahid (i.e., a Muslim fighter partaking in Jihaad) is on the battlefield, enter your mosque to perform prayers unceasingly and fast without breaking your fast?" The man said, "But who can do that?" Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "A Mujaahid is rewarded even for the footsteps of his horse while it wanders about (for grazing) tied in a long rope."
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Commentary :
Jihaad is the most rewardable good deed in Islam; it is the pinnacle of Islam, by means of which Allah, Exalted is He, honors Muslims, and empowers the monotheists on earth.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and asked him about a good deed that was equal to Jihaad in terms of reward and status in the Sight of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ replied, "I do not find such a deed!" This means that there is no better or more rewardable good deed than Jihaad. Afterward, he ﷺ asked him, "Can you, while the Mujaahid (i.e., a Muslim fighter partaking in Jihaad) is on the battlefield, enter your mosque to perform prayers unceasingly and fast without breaking your fast?" The man inquired, "But who can do that?" There is no doubt that none can endure exerting such enormous effort!
Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) added, underlining the great merits and rewards of Jihaad, "A Mujaahid is rewarded even for the footsteps of his horse while it wanders about (for grazing) tied to a long rope,” meaning that he earns reward in all situations; whenever he eats, sleeps, sells, and buys what he needs – equal to the reward of the one who unceasingly observes fasting, performs prayer, and recites the Book of Allah (unfailingly), and few people are able to do so!
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Jihaad in the cause of Allah, Exalted is He, and urges Muslims to partake in it..

2786

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Somebody asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Who is the best among all people?" He ﷺ replied, "A believer who strives his utmost in Allah's Cause with his life and property." They asked, "Who is next?" He ﷺ replied, "A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah, Exalted is He, and leaving people safe from his mischief.".

Commentary :
Interacting and mixing with people entails that one should be careful and cautious, lest he should fall into what Allah, Exalted is He, has forbidden. As for the one who cannot do so regarding his interactions with others, solitude is better for him.
Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked the Prophet ﷺ about the best among all people in terms of reward and status in the Sight of Allah, Exalted is He, He ﷺ replied, "A believer who strives his utmost in Allah's Cause with his life and property,” meaning that he was martyred, and the reference to spending his property means that he spends on his needs or on those partaking in Jihaad. It is noteworthy that the hadeeth does not mean that such person is the best and most virtuous among all people in general, because this description fits those who attain the ranks of the steadfast affirmers of truth, ensure that people should follow the laws of Allah, Exalted is He, and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, guide them to perform good deeds, and help them with regard to their religious or worldly affairs. However, the Prophet ﷺ meant that such a person was the best among lay Muslims in general, because there may be some devout Muslims who are endowed with (greater shares of) righteousness, knowledge, virtue, and adherence to the Sunnah, who may be better than such person.
People asked, "Who is next?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "A believer who stays in one of the mountain paths worshipping Allah, Exalted is He, and leaving people safe from his mischief." The hadeeth means that such a believer stays in isolation without quarrelling and disputing with others regarding anything, and this takes place in a time of Fitnah (i.e., dissension and civil strife) or for someone who cannot endure people's harm.
His saying ‘in one of the mountain paths,’ is intended as a mere example since such mountain paths are often deserted and therefore would be perfect places of retreat, yet any distant place away from people fits the profile and the hadeeth applies to it.
The hadeeth underlines that the becoming etiquette of the one who seeks solitude entails that he should aim to keep his evil and harm away from Muslims, not to escape theirs, even though it is also entailed, and this aims to discipline his ‘self’ (i.e., humble himself) so that he does not see himself as superior to others, in compliance with the command of Allah, Exalted is He, to display humbleness.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that good deeds vary in terms of virtue and reward..

2787

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, "The example of a Mujaahid in Allah's Cause (i.e., a Muslim fighter partaking in Jihaad) - and Allah knows better who sincerely strives in His Cause - is like a person who fasts and prays unceasingly. Allah, Exalted is He, guarantees that He will admit the Mujaahid in His Cause into Paradise if he is killed, otherwise He will return him to his home safely with rewards and spoils of war."
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Commentary :
Ikhlaas (i.e., sincere devotion of one’s worship exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He) is one of the conditions for the acceptance of worshipful acts and good deeds. In fact, a worshipful or good act may incur destruction upon the doer if he does not sincerely devote it exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He. Conayahly, it could be a reason for attaining reward and bliss (in the Hereafter) if he sincerely devotes it exclusively to Him.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated the divine promise for a Mujaahid who participates in Jihaad in the cause of Allah, Exalted is He, when he sincerely devotes his deed to Him alone. He ﷺ said: “… and Allah knows better who sincerely strives in His Cause,” meaning that Allah, Exalted is He, knows best people’s intentions and knows those who partake in Jihaad with the intention of upholding the truth and raising the Words of Allah (i.e., His Religion) and those who merely seek worldly gains, fame, and to be labeled “heroes.” Whoever participates in Jihaad sincerely for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, devoting his intention exclusively to Him, earns the reward of a person who observes obligatory fasting at daytime and also devotes his nights to worship while displaying humbleness and sincerity to Him. This worshipper earns the rewards of both worshipful acts by the grace of Allah, Exalted is He. He ﷺ likened such person to a fasting person because the latter abstains from eating and drinking and sexual activity, and similarly a Mujaahid refrains from carrying out his everyday activities and devotes himself entirely to Jihaad. Moreover, a person who observes fasting and prays at night is devoting his day and night to worship unceasingly, and similarly a Mujaahid earns unceasing rewards for all his time devoted to Jihaad.
Then the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, guarantees that He will grant a Mujaahid in His cause one of two great rewards: martyrdom and entering Paradise, or returning him to his home safely with the rewards of partaking in Jihaad, whether without the spoils of war, with both the reward and the spoils of war.
The hadeeth highlights the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon the Mujaahid.
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2790

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever believes in Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger, establishes prayer perfectly, and fasts the month of Ramadan, will rightfully be granted Paradise by Allah, no matter whether he fights in Allah's Cause or remains in the land where he is born." People said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Shall we acquaint people with such good news?" He ﷺ said, "Paradise has one-hundred ranks which Allah has reserved for the Mujaahideen (pl. Mujaahid) who fight in His Cause, and the distance between each of two ranks is like the distance between the Heaven and the Earth. So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise." (The sub-narrator added, "I think the Prophet ﷺ also said, 'Above it (i.e., Al-Firdaws) is the Throne of The Especially Merciful (i.e., Allah), and from it originate the rivers of Paradise.")
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Commentary :
The sincere good deeds that are devoted exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He, are a reason for winning the Pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He. Prayer, fasting and Jihaad are examples of the good deeds that help the doer ascend to higher ranks of righteousness in the sight of Allah and enter Paradise.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlines that whoever believes in Allah, Exalted is He, and does not associate partners with Him, sincerely believes in His Messenger ﷺ as the last Messenger of Allah for humanity, establishes the five obligatory prayers (i.e., Fajr, Duhr, Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishaa’), by fulfilling their conditions and pillars as due, and fasts the month of Ramadan, out of sincerity of faith and in the hope of earning reward, will rightfully be granted Paradise by the grace and mercy of Allah, Exalted is He, no matter whether he was able to partake in Jihaad and fight in Allah's Cause or remained in the land where he is born and did not participate in Jihaad. This is because each Muslim shall be rewarded according to his or her abundant or few good deeds.People vary in terms of their good deeds in the worldly life and their ranks in Paradise shall vary accordingly.
The Prophet ﷺ did not make mention of Zakaah and Hajj in this hadeeth and it was said that it is because the hadeeth was not intended to list the pillars of Islam. Therefore, he ﷺ made mention of these worshipful acts because they are the more common for most people. Zakaah is not due except on a wealthy person when certain conditions are met, and similarly, Hajj is only obligatory on whoever is able to perform it, and is required once in a lifetime.
When the Prophet ﷺ said so, people said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Shall we acquaint people with such good news?" They wanted to bear such glad tidings to others. It was narrated on the authority of Mu‘aadh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Should I not inform the people of this?" The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Leave people to perform good deeds.” [Al-Tirmithee]. It means, ‘Do not inform people of what I have said about the fact that those who believe in Allah, Exalted is He, and carry out the obligatory worshipful acts would enter Paradise lest this should drive them to stop performing any extra good deeds and miss out on attaining higher ranks earned by those who partake in Jihaad.’
The Prophet ﷺ stated the one who believes in Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messengerﷺ, establishes the prayer, and fasts Ramadan shall earn such reward whether he participates in Jihaad and fights in Allah's Cause or remains in the land where he is born, meaning does not partake in Jihaad. However, he ﷺ further explained it by his following statement, reading: "Paradise has one-hundred ranks which Allah has reserved for the Mujaahideen (pl. Mujaahid) who fight in His Cause…” Such a statement explained that the situation of the two people (i.e., the one who partakes in Jihaad and the one who does not) is not the same in all regards, but it rather means that the performance of the previously-mentioned deeds is the condition for entering Paradise rather than attaining equal ranks therein; there are various ranks and levels in Paradise (attained by performing other worshipful acts). He ﷺ informed them of the ranks designated for those who partake in Jihaad, and the distance between each of two ranks is like the distance between Heaven and Earth, to urge Muslims to participate in Jihaad, fight against the disbelievers, and support Islam. There are numerous ranks in Paradise whose exact number was not reported in Laws of Islam texts, and one hundred of such ranks are designated for those who partake in Jihaad. Afterward, he ﷺ said: “So, when you ask Allah (for something), ask for Al-Firdaws which is the best and highest part of Paradise." In the Arabic language, the term Firdaws means a grove where there are trees, flowers, and plants. The Arabic term used by the Prophet ﷺ to describe its location is Awsat, lit., the middle part, and it means the best and highest (rank of Paradise). This is similar to the ayah that reads (what means): {And thus we have made you a midmost (i.e., the most just and moderate) community,} [Quran 2:143].The Arabic word used in the ayah is Wasataa, meaning the most just and moderate. It was also said that Wasataa here means the most vast and highest part of Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ added: 'Above it (i.e., Al-Firdaws) is the Throne of The Especially Merciful (i.e., Allah),’ meaning that its ceiling is the Throne of Allah, Exalted is He, which is higher than all the ranks of Paradise. It is the greatest, highest, and best of all Allah’s Creation.
The rivers of Paradise originate from Al-Firdaws, and they were referred to in the ayah that reads (what means): {… wherein are rivers of water unaltered, rivers of milk the taste of which never changes, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of purified honey.} [Quran 47:15].

The hadeeth urges Muslims to perform the obligatory acts of worship prescribed by Allah, Exalted is He.
It also urges Muslims to partake in Jihaad and fight in Allah’s Cause to support His religion.It is deduced from the hadeeth that Al-Firdaws is the highest garden in Paradise.

It also comforts those who miss out on partaking in Jihaad, to learn that they may not miss out on a great reward. Rather, if they believe in Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ and perform the obligatory worshipful acts, they will earn Paradise, even if they shall attain lower ranks therein than those allocated for the ones who partake in Jihaad.
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2795

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺsaid, "Nobody who dies and finds good from Allah (in the Hereafter) would wish to come back to this world even if he were given the whole world and whatever is in it, except the martyr who, on seeing the superiority of martyrdom, would like to come back to the world and get killed again (in Allah's Cause)."
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Commentary : Allah has promised a great reward for those who die in His way. Allah, Most High, says: { Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed.} [Quran 9:111].

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺinforms us that nobodywho dies and finds good from Allah after departing this life would like to come back to this world, even if he were given the whole world and whatever is in it, except the martyr.On seeing the superiority of martyrdom and its great reward, he would like to come back to the world and get killed again, to attain and enjoy more of Allah's favours. Even the pious, whose good deeds were of all kinds except martyrdom,would not like to return to this life.

It is said that the reason those who die in the way of Allah are described as Shaheed in Arabic is because the word entails the meaning of witnessing i.e., their souls witness the land of peace as opposed to the souls of others who are only able to witness it on the Day of Judgment. One view suggests that the word entails that Allah, Most High, and His angels (peace be upon them) witness that they are from the dwellers of Paradise. Others said it means that upon the departure of his soul, the martyr witnesses what Allah has prepared for him from reward and honour.

This hadeeth highlights the high status of martyrs,and the significant reward that Allah has made for them, and it encourages us to fight for the cause of Allah and in His way..

2798

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik:(may Allah be pleased with him)The Prophetﷺdelivered a sermon and said, "Zayd took the flag and was martyred, and then Ja'far took the flag and was martyred, and then `Abdullah ibn Rawaahah took the flag and was martyred too, and then Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed took the flag though he was not appointed as a commander and Allah made him victorious." The Prophetﷺfurther added, "It would not please us to have them with us"and in another narration: "theProphetﷺsaid while shedding tears, 'It would not please them to be with us.'"
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Commentary : Allah prepared for martyrs the highest ranks in Paradise and a great reward that is beyond imagination.This superior status made the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) so keen on having this honour and dying in the cause of Allah, and many of them attained this honour and died in the way of Allah on battlefields.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that while the Prophetﷺwas delivering a sermon, Allah revealed to him that the three commanders of the Muslim army had beenmartyred. This was in the battle of Mu'tah, which is situated in al-Balqaa' in the south of Jordan and occurred in the 8th year of Hijrah. The battle was between the Muslims and the Romans. Upon receiving the revelation, the Prophet ﷺ shared from his noble pulpit the news with his Companions in al-Madeenah. The first one who was martyred was Zayd in Haarithah (may Allah be pleased with him), the commander and flag bearer of the army. After his martyrdom, Ja'far ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), the paternal cousin of the Prophet ﷺ, took the flag and was martyred, and then `Abdullah ibn Rawaahah(may Allah be pleased with him) took the flag and was martyred too. The Prophet ﷺ delivered the news ashis eyes shed tears out of his grief over them. Then, he ﷺ remarked: "It would not please us to have them with us" i.e., the great honour and high ranks those martyrs receive is much better for them than being with us in this life. According to the other version of the hadeeth, it reads: "It would not please them to be with us" i.e., after seeing all the honour and rewards preparedfor them, they no longer desire this worldly life except for the purpose of fighting again in the way of Allah to attain the honour of martyrdom repeatedly.

The three martyred Companions mentioned in the hadeeth were appointed by the Prophet ﷺ as general commanders of the Muslim army. After they all died in the battle, Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed(may Allah be pleased with him)took the flag, though he was not appointed by the Prophet ﷺ as a commander, and Allah made him victorious. He took the initiative after seeing that taking the leadership would serve the best interest of the Muslims. The victory mentioned in the hadeeth refers to the success of his military tactics when he ordered the army to leave their positions and retreat to save the strength and supplies of the Muslims. This was because the number of the Romans and their allies who fought was two hundred thousand; 100,000 from the Romans and 100,000 from the Christians of the Levant, while the number of the Muslims was only three thousand. In response to the tactic of Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him), the Romans retreated too despite their large number and advantage of arms and troops.But they had no choice because of the fierceness of the battle and the large number of casualties in their army. It is reported on the authority of Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "Nine swords were broken in my hand on the Day of Mu'tah, and nothing was left in my hand except a Yemenite sword." [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. The Prophet ﷺ considered this a victory for the Muslims.

From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that being compassionate and merciful is a praiseworthy quality, and that one should take the initiative to help, support, and benefit the Muslims, whenever he is able to and sees that it will serve their best interests.

This hadeeth highlights the virtue and merit of Khaalid ibn al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him),and it shows that it is permissible to shedtears for the deceased. It also offers one of the miracles of the Prophet ﷺ..

2801

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ sent seventy men from the tribe of Banee Saleem to the tribe of Banee‘Aamir. When they reached there, my maternal uncle said to them, "I will go ahead of you, and if they allow me to convey the message of Allah's Messenger ﷺ (it will be all right); otherwise, you will remain close to me." So, he went ahead of them, and the pagans granted him security but while he was reporting the message of the Prophet ﷺ , they beckoned to one of their men who stabbed him to death. My maternal uncle said, "Allah is Greater! By the Lord of the Ka`bah, I am successful." After that they attached the rest of the party and killed them all except a lame man who went up to the top of the mountain. (Hammam, a sub-narrator said, "I think another man was saved along with him)." Angel Gabriel informed the Prophet ﷺ that they (i.e., the martyrs) met their Lord, and He was pleased with them and made them pleased. We used to recite, {Inform our people that we have met our Lord, He is pleased with us, and He has made us pleased.}Afterwards, this ayah was abrogated. The Prophet ﷺ invoked Allah for forty days to curse the murderers from the tribes of Ra’l, Thakwaan, Banee Lihyaan and Banee‘Usaiyyah who disobeyed Allah and his Messenger..

Commentary : The Reciters were among the best of people during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ; they used to learn and teach the Quran and help the Muslims whenever they werein need.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dispatched 70 men from the Reciters to the tribe of Banee' Aamir ibn Sa'sa'ah, who were based in Najd, to invite them to Islam.

The seventy men that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched are mentioned in this narration to be from the tribe of Banee Saleem, which is wrong. The correct narration, as recorded in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, states that they were from the Ansaar, and headed by Haraam ibn Milhaan, the maternal uncle of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them). When they reached there, Haraam said to his group, "I will go ahead of you, and if they allow me to convey the message of Allah's Messenger ﷺ (it will be all right); otherwise, you will remain close to me." After he approached the tribe of Banee ‘Aamir, they assured him of safety and so he started to convey the message of Islam to them. However, they beckoned to one of their men who stabbed him with his spear to death. Thereupon, Haraam exclaimed in excitement for attaining martyrdom: “Allah is the Greatest! By the Lord of the Ka’bah, I have succeeded.”

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) then mentioned that after killing his maternal uncle, they pusued the others, killing the 70 companions except a lame man, named Ka’b ibn Zayd al-Ansaaree, who climbed a mountain and managed to escape to safety. The sub-narrator mentioned that there was another man who managed to escape, and it was said that he was ‘Amr ibn Umayyah al-Damree. Angel Gabriel reported the incident to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him that they met their Lord, and He was pleased with them and made them pleased. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) goes on to say: “We used to recite, {Inform our people that we have met our Lord, He is pleased with us, and He has made us pleased.}, but it was then abrogated and cancelled.” This incident made the Prophet ﷺ fall into great grief and angered him; thus, he ﷺ invoked Allah against the tribes of Ra’l, Thakwaan, Banee Lihyaan and Banee ‘Usaiyyah – who disobeyed Allah and His Messenger ﷺand killed his noble Companions - for forty consecutive days in the Fajr prayer, as reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.

It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ recited Qunoot daily for a monthat the Thuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Ishaa and Fajr prayers. Heﷺ wouldinvoke Allah against the clans of Ra’l, Thakwaan, Banee Lihyaan and Banee ‘Usaiyyah, and those who were standing behind him would say: "Allah listens to him who praises Him” in the last unit of the prayer, and then say: “Amen.” [Sunan Aboo Dawood]. After the revelation of the ayah: {Not for you, [O Muḥammad, but for Allah], is the decision whether He should [cut them down] or forgive them or punish them, for indeed, they are wrongdoers.} [Quran 3:128], the Prophet ﷺ refrained from invoking Allah against them, as reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.

From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is that it is permissible to invoke Allah against oppressors, traitors, and those who harm the Muslims.

The hadeeth shows that complete submission to Allah and His Messenger ﷺ causes us to attain Allah’s pleasure and safety from His punishment.

It shows that Qunoot is to be recited in times of affliction and hardship.

It shows the eagerness of the Companions to attain martyrdom, and their happiness at attaining it.

It serves as evidence that the people of the truth may suffer harm from those who are upon falsehood, and that does not indicate that the people of the truth are wrong. Rather, it serves as a grace for them and as a tribulation for the people of falsehood..

2802

Narrated Jundab ibn Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him):In one of the Battles a finger of Allah's Messengerﷺ(got wounded and) bled. Heﷺ said, "You are just a finger that bled, and what you got is in Allah's Cause."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, guaranteed Paradise for His believing servants who sacrifice their lives and wealth for His sake. Allah, Most High, says: {Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah, so they kill and are killed.} [Quran 9:111].

In this hadeeth, Jundub ibn Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the finger of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was wounded in one battle – it is said that it was the battle of Uhud – so he ﷺ addressed his finger by saying“You are just a finger that bled, and what you got is in Allah's Cause” i.e., take it easy, for you have not been wounded in vain, for you have been injured and bled only in the cause of Allah and His pleasure. It is said that lines that the Prophet ﷺ uttered are not considered poetry and that it is natural rhyming that comes unintentionally. Allah, Most High, said: {We have not taught him poetry nor is it befitting him} [Quran 36:69]. Others suggested that it is a couplet from the poetry of ‘Abdullah ibn Rawaahah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ quoted,as he found it to fit the situation.

From the benefits that can be concluded from the hadeeth is learning that Prophets can suffer harm sometimes to increase their reward;indeed,they are the highest rank of people in enduring trials and hardships. .

2805

Narrated Anas(may Allah be pleased with him): My paternal uncle Anas ibn An-Nadr was absent from the Battle of Badr. He said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I was absent from the first battle you fought against the pagans. (By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance to fight the pagans, no doubt. Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight." On the day of Uhud when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, "O Allah! I apologize to You for what these (i.e., his companions) have done, and I denounce what these (i.e., the pagans) have done." Then he advanced and Sa`d ibn Mu’aath met him. He said "O Sa`d ibn Mu’aath ! By the Lord of An-Nadr, it is Paradise! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (the mountain of) Uhud," Later on Sa`d said, "O Allah's Messenger! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e., Anas ibn An-Nadr) did. We found more than eighty wounds by swords and arrows on his body. We found him dead, and his body was mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognize him by his fingers." We used to think that the following ayah was revealed concerning him and other men of his sort: {Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah..........} (Quran 33.23) His sister Al-Rubay' broke a front tooth of a woman and Allah's Messengerﷺordered for retaliation. On that Anas (ibn An-Nadr) said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth shall not be broken." Then the opponents of Anas's sister accepted the compensation and gave up the claim of retaliation. So, Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "There are some people amongst Allah's servants whose oaths are fulfilled by Allah when they take them."
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Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) exerted all their efforts and set the best examples of sacrifice and sincerity to raise the Word of Allah and support His religion.Anas ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him) is a Companion whoset a remarkable example of sincerity, truthfulness, commitment, and sacrifice for raising the word of Allah, Exalted is He.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that his paternal uncle, Anas ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not witness the battle of Badr, which occurred during the month of Ramadan in the 2nd year of Hijrah. This is because the Prophet ﷺ did not announce general mobilization,since the original mission of the Prophet ﷺ and his expedition was to raid the trade caravan of Aboo Sufyaan, but a change of plan happened, and Allah willed that fighting to take place, to grant the Muslims their first victory. In the month of Shawaaal in the third year of Hijrah, the drums of war started to beat again when Quraysh prepared a large army to fight the Muslims. Anas ibn al-Nadr seized the opportunity and asked the Prophet ﷺ to allow him to participate in the battle,as he had missed the first battle, promising Allah that his actions would speak louder on the battlefield.

The battle of Uhud witnessed a dramatic change after the Muslim archers did not follow the strict orders of the Prophet ﷺthat they should remain stationed in their positions on the mountain of Uhud until further orders.After the Muslims defeated Quraysh in the beginning, those archers left their positions thinking the battle was over and because they wanted to collect the spoils of war. However, Anas ibn al-Nadr denounced their actions and declared himself innocent from that disobedience of the order of the Prophet ﷺ.Hedetached himself completely from the actions of pagans against the Muslims and the Prophet ﷺ in particular. As he (may Allah be pleased with him) advanced to fight the disbelievers of Quraish, Sa’d ibn Mu’aath (may Allah be pleased with him) met him on his way, so he said to Sa’d: “O Sa’d ibn Mu’aath, it is Paradise!” i.e., I want Paradise as it is my aim. Then, he swore by Allah by saying “By the Lord of [my father] al-Nadr,I can smell the scent of Paradise at the mountain of Uhud,” which could be theactual scent of Paradise or a sweet scent that made him think of the scent of Paradise. After seeing his actions, bravery, and achievements on the battlefield, Sa’d ibn Mu’aath (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “O Messenger of Allah! I cannot achieve or do what he (i.e., Anas ibn al-Nadr) did.”

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked that they found more than eighty wounds by swords, spears, and arrows on his body. Also,the pagans mutilated his dead body so badly that none except his sister – al-Rubay’ bint al-Nadr - could recognize him, by the tip of his finger. Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked that the Muslims believed the ayah: {Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah...} (Quran 33.23) was revealed about Sa’d ibn al-Nadr and his like.

This hadeeth highlights the virtue and merit of Sa’d ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him), and the virtue ofcommitment and devotion to fulfill one’s promise to Allah, regardless of the hardship one may experience. It shows that the order not to put one’s life in danger does not apply to the case of fighting in the way of Allah to attain martyrdom.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)wenton to add that once, the sister of Anas ibn al-Nadr broke the front tooth of another woman, so the issue was raised to the Prophet ﷺ and heﷺ ordered for retaliation i.e., her front tooth be broken just like she broke the front tooth of the woman, as Allah, Most High, said: {and for wounds equal retaliation.} [Quran 5:45]. On that Anas (ibn An-Nadr) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! By Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth shall not be broken." i.e., he said it out of his hope that Allah would soften the heart of the woman to forgive her and drop the case for the sake of Allah. It is also possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know at that time about the option either to accept equal retaliation or offer compensation. The outcome of the case was that the woman accepted compensation and relinquished her right toretaliation. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said "There are some people amongst Allah's servants whose oaths are fulfilled by Allah when they take them,” i.e., they would take oaths while being confident in Allah’s generosity and favours, and Allahwould allow theiroaths to be fulfilled,sotheywouldnot have to offer oath expiation, due to their status with Allah.
This hadeeth highlights the virtue of Anas ibn al-Nadr (may Allah be pleased with him),and his strong faith and certainty in Allah, Exalted is He, and it shows that it is permissible to give up the claim of retaliation and accept financial compensation instead..

2808

Narrated Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him): A man whose face was covered with an iron mask (i.e., clad in armour) came to the Prophetﷺand said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Shall I fight or embrace Islam first? "The Prophetﷺsaid, "Embrace Islam first and then fight." So, he embraced Islam, and was martyred. Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, A Little work, but a great reward”.
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Commentary : It is from Allah’s favour upon a person to inspire him to do a good deed before passing from this life. It is from Allah’s grace over his servant to facilitate for him righteous deeds with which he concludes his life on this earth, to attain the eternal pleasures in the Hereafter, even if a person did only few good deeds in this life.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that a man whose face was covered with an iron mask came to the Prophet ﷺ asking him if he should enter Islam first and then fight or fight first and then enter Islam. The Prophet ﷺ advised him to embrace Islam first and then join the fight. The man complied and he was martyred in the battle, so the Prophet ﷺ remarked that this man did very little after embracing Islam, but he will be rewarded in abundance because of his martyrdom, and that his place in Paradise is secured although he did not offer one prayer.

The man came to the Prophet ﷺwhile the Muslims were preparing to go to war. It is said that the man was from the Ansaar from the tribe of al-Aws from Banee al-Nabeet, and it is said that his name was ‘Amr ibn Thaabit ibn Waqsh.

From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that Allah, out of His favour and grace, rewards His servants in abundance for fewgood deeds. It also shows that the priority of the Prophet ﷺ was that people enter Islam and worship Allah alone. .

2815

Narrated Jaabir ibn `Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him):"Some people drank alcohol in the morning of the day (of the battle) of Uhud and were martyred (on the same day)." Sufyaan was asked, "(Were they martyred) in the last part of the day?)" He replied, "Such information does not occur in the narration."
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Commentary : Allah does not punish or hold a person accountable for doing that which He has not forbid or warned against yet – even if He knows that such an action will be made forbidden at a later stage. This is because accountability is established after the order to do or refrain from something is confirmed.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that some of the Companions who participated in the battle of Uhud drank alcohol in the morning of the day of the battle. On the same day, they were martyred on the battlefield. However, as this happened before Allah revealed that consuming alcohol is completely prohibited, they are not to be held accountable for it. The fact that Allah knew in His eternal knowledge that drinking alcohol would be prohibited at a later stage does not deprive them from the reward of martyrdom. This is because the ruling of prohibition requires the existence of an order against that thing; therefore, people are not held accountable for their actions before the relevant orders and rulings are established.

The battle of Uhud took place between the Muslims and Quraysh in the month of Shawwaalin the third year of Hijrah. The battle is named after the mountain of Uhud, which is one of the mountains of al-Madeenah.

Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah – one of the sub-narrators of this hadeeth – was asked whether they were martyred in the last part of the day on which they drank alcohol. He stated that the narration does not mention such information. According to one version of the hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree: “All of them were martyred on the day, and this happened before it was made forbidden.”.

2819

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Once Prophet Sulaymaan, son of Prophet Dawood (peace be upon them) said, '(By Allah) Tonight I will have sexual intercourse with one hundred (or ninety-nine) women each of whom will give birth to a knight who will fight in Allah's Cause.' On that his companions said: if Allah wills, but he did not say, 'Allah willing.' Therefore, only one of those women conceived and gave birth to a half-man. By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad's life is, if he had said, "Allah willing', (he would have begotten sons) all of whom would have been knights striving in Allah's Cause."
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Commentary : There is nothing that occurs except that Allah wished and willed it to occur. Considering this, one is encouraged to detachhimself from personal whims and desires andmake his desires and wants subject to Allah’s will in order to obtain them.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that Prophet Sulaymaan, son of Prophet Dawood (peace be upon them) swore that he would have sexual intercourse with one hundred - or ninety-nine – women, each of whom would give birth to a knight who would fight in Allah's Cause. The doubt about the number of women is from the narrator of this hadeeth. His companion, the angel who used to convey Allah’s revelation to him -and it is said he was someone else - said to him to say, “if Allah wills.” However, he did not say it, out of forgetfulness. The fact that he forgot to utter the words does not entail or mean that his heart was not relying upon Allah when he made that statement. He wasaProphet of Allah (peace be upon him), who was infallible like the other Prophets of Allah (peace be upon them). Simply, he forgot to utter the words “if Allah wills” with his tongue, but his heart was mindful of Allah and relying upon Him.

The Prophet ﷺ continued that only one woman of them conceived,and gave birth to a half-man, because he did not utter the words. The Prophet ﷺ swore by Allah that if he had said, "if Allah wills”, he would have begotten 100 sons, all of whom would have been knights striving in Allah's Cause, as he said. The Prophet ﷺ swore using the words: “By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad's life is,” which he ﷺ often used whenever he wanted to swear and emphasise a point.

From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that one should strive to have sons with the intention of sending them to fight in the way of Allah.

This hadeeth confirms the divine attribute of Hand, which is understood as it befits Allah, Exalted is He..

2821

Narrated Jubayr ibn Mut`im(may Allah be pleased with him): While I was walking with Allah's Messenger ﷺand the people returning from Hunayn were walking along with him. Some people caught hold of the Prophet ﷺ and started begging of him so much so that he had to stand under a thorny tree, causing his cloak to be hooked onthe thorns. The Prophet ﷺ stopped and said, "Give me my cloak. If I had as many camels as these thorny trees, I would have distributed them amongst you, and you will not find me a miser or a liar or a coward.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was a teacher who exercised the highest level of compassion, mercy, kindness, forbearance and gentleness.

In this hadeeth, Jubayr ibn Mu’tim (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that after the Battle of Hunayn, which was in the 8th year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ walked with the people while they were on their way back to al-Madeenah. It happened that some of the people who participated in the Battle of Hunayan were new to Islam (i.e., new reverts). As such, some of them crowded around the Prophet ﷺ asking for spoils, to the extent that he had to stand next to a thorny tree. His cloak got caught on the thorns, so he ﷺ asked for his cloak and then addressed the people by saying: “If I had as many camels as these thorny trees, I would have distributed them amongst you,” i.e., if I had camels, cows, and sheep equivalent to the large number of trees I would have distributed between you without leaving anything from them for myself. He ﷺ intended to inform them that if he would give away all his property to them, then it is more befitting to know that he will not keep forhimself any of their spoils.

The Prophet ﷺclarified that he was neither a miser, coward, nor liar,but rather that he wasthe opposite, namely honest, generous, and brave. These three qualities are mentioned together,and each one of them necessitates the other two.

This hadeeth shows that it is permissible for one to mention the good qualities he possesses to those who do not know him well,to prove to them that he is a person that can be relied upon.

It also condemns the attributes of lying, miserliness and cowardice. .

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 Jundab ibn Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him):In one of the Battles a finger of Allah's Messengerﷺ(got wounded and) bled. Heﷺ said, "You are just a finger that bled, and what you got is in Allah's Cause."
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‘Ā’ishah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray at night until his last prayer would be the Witr..

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

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Jundab ibn Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him):In one of the Battles a finger of Allah's Messengerﷺ(got wounded and) bled. Heﷺ said, "You are just a finger that bled, and what you got is in Allah's Cause." .

‘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 Jundab ibn Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him):In one of the Battles a finger of Allah's Messengerﷺ(got wounded and) bled. Heﷺ said, "You are just a finger that bled, and what you got is in Allah's Cause."
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