It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque, at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they did not sprinkle water on any of that..

Commentary : The urine of a dog must be purified if it gets onto the ground, or onto one’s garments and the like, just as it is enjoined to wash a vessel if a dog drinks from it. This hadith may be understood as referring to the opposite of that, because Ibn ‘Umar narrates that dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) did not sprinkle water on any of that. What may be understood from the hadith is that they used to urinate outside the mosque, in the places that they frequented, and they would come and go in the mosque, passing through. It is not permissible for dogs to be allowed to remain in the mosque to the point that they play about and urinate in the building. Rather they used to come and go at some times, and there were no doors or gates on the mosque to prevent the dogs from passing through. When the dogs entered the mosque, it was possible that their saliva might drop on the floor of the mosque, but it was not something definite, and it was not known where it would be. Hence the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not sprinkle water on any of that, because certainty cannot be dispelled on the basis of doubt; they were certain that the mosque was clean and pure, but they were not certain as to whether any of the dogs’ saliva was on the ground, or where it was if that had happened. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that water be sprinkled over the urine of the Bedouin when he was certain that he had urinated and he knew where it was, and the urine of a dog is no less objectionable or impure (najis) than the urine of that Bedouin..

179

It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid that he asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): What do you think of someone who has intercourse but does not ejaculate? ‘Uthman said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis. ‘Uthman said: I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then I asked ‘Ali, al-Zubayr, Talhah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about that, and they all enjoined the same thing..

Commentary : Janabah (impurity following sexual activity) is major impurity and results either from intercourse or the emission of maniy (semen), which exhausts the entire body. Islamic teachings enjoin doing ghusl in that case, to energize and cleanse the body, and to purify it. In this hadith, it says that Zayd ibn Khaalid, who was one of the Tabi‘in, asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): Is there ghusl for one who has intercourse with his wife then gets up and leaves her without ejaculating? ‘Uthman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis, which may be understood as meaning that he does not have to do ghusl. Then ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed that he heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Zayd also asked ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about a man having intercourse with his wife without ejaculating, and they instructed him to do the same as ‘Uthman had instructed him, which was to do wudu’ without doing ghusl.
However, the ruling that is mentioned in this hadith was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” Ghusl is required of everyone who has intercourse with his wife, whether or not he ejaculates. This is the final ruling concerning this issue, as was determined at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and afterwards, and it was proven from all of the Sahabah mentioned here that they issued fatwas requiring ghusl, not wudu’, to the extent that there is consensus in the ummah that ghusl is required of the one whose penis enters the vagina, even if he does not ejaculate..

180

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar, who came with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” And he said yes. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you were made to hasten, then you should have done wudu’.” Wahb followed that by saying: Shu‘bah told us: Abu ‘Abdillah said: Ghundar and Yahya did not narrate any mention of wudu’ from Shu‘bah..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to hasten to respond to his call, so they attained the highest level of obedience and submission. This hadith proves that, as Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar – whose name was ‘Itban ibn Malik, or someone else – and he came rushing with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) realized that he had been having intercourse with his wife, so he said to him: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” In other words, perhaps you hastened to stop having intercourse before you ejaculated. The man said yes, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught him that if a man hastens to stop having intercourse, and does not ejaculate, then he does not have to do ghusl and wash his entire body; rather it is sufficient to do wudu’. However, this was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” It is not stipulated that ejaculation should occur in order for ghusl to be necessary. The final ruling is that intercourse necessitates ghusl, regardless of whether the man ejaculates or not..

183

It was narrated from Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas told him that he spent the night in the house of Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who was his maternal aunt. [He said:] I lay along the width of the pillow and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife lay along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell asleep, until halfway through the night, or shortly before that or after it. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up, he sat up, wiping the sleep from his face with his hand, then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran. Then he went to a water skin that was hanging up and did wudu’ from it, and did wudu’ well. Then he went and prayed. Ibn ‘Abbas said: I got up and did what he had done, then I went and stood beside him. He put his right hand on my head, and took hold of my right ear and tweaked it. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then Witr. Then he lay down until the mu’adhdhin came to him, then he got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, then he went out and prayed Fajr..

Commentary : ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a smart boy who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learned his Sunnahs from him so that he could act upon them and convey them to those who came after him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he spent the night at the house of his maternal aunt Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He lay down and slept across the width of the pillow, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife Maymunah slept along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) slept until half way through the night, or a little before that or a little after, then he woke up. He sat up and wiped the traces of sleep from his face with his hand, to help him wake up fully. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran, {Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth …} [Al ‘Imran 3:190-200], to the end of the surah. Then he got up and went to an old water skin that was hanging there and did wudu’ from it, doing it properly and thoroughly. Then he stood up to pray tahajjud. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then I got up and did what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done, meaning that he did wudu’, doing it well and thoroughly. Then he stood beside the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray with him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put his right hand on the head of Ibn ‘Abbas and took hold of his right ear, twisting and rubbing it, to wake him up, or to tell him to pay attention to the proper way of standing and where the one who is praying behind someone should stand, or to show affection to him, and the like. It was said that he tweaked his ear only because he stood on his left, so he took hold of his ear and pulled it to make him move around to stand on his right.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed twelve rak‘ahs, saying the taslim after each two rak‘ahs. Then he prayed Witr, meaning that he prayed an odd number of rak‘ahs, whether it was a single rak‘ah or three rak‘ahs. Then he lay down on his side until the mu’adhdhin came to wake him up for Fajr prayer. He got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, which were the two [Sunnah] rak‘ahs of Fajr, then he went out and offered the obligatory prayer of Fajr.
In this hadith we see that it is permissible to recite Qur’an and so on without wudu’, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited these verses after waking up from sleep, before doing wudu’.
It indicates that it is permissible to make the Sunnah prayer of Fajr brief.
It tells us of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do of worship at night. .

185

It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn Yahya al-Mazini, from his father, that a man said to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd, who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’? ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd said: Yes. He called for some water, and poured some water over his hands and washed them twice. Then he rinsed out his mouth and nose three times, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his arms twice each, up to the elbows. Then he wiped his head with his hands, front and back, starting at the front of his head until he brought his hands to the nape of his neck, then brought them back to where he had started. Then he washed his feet..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the Prophet’s Sunnah and teach it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Amr ibn Yahya narrates from his father that a man – who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya; his name was ‘Umarah ibn Abi Hasan al-Mazini, as is mentioned in the reports – asked the Sahabi ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’, according to what he had seen him do. ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) responded to his request and called for water, so that he could give him a practical demonstration of how wudu’ was to be done. He poured water on his hands and washed them twice before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving water around in his mouth, then spitting it out. He cleaned his nose three times, sniffing up water then expelling it, which means that he took water into his nose to clean the inside of it. Then he washed his face three times. The definition of the face is from the hairline to the bottom of the chin, and from one earlobe to the other, right and left. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, washing each one twice, by way of showing the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that twice. Then he wiped his head once with both hands, front and back. In other words, he put his hands on the front of his head, then brought them to the back of his head, until they reached the nape of his neck, and he brought them back to the front of the head. Wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head is the place where the hair grows. Then he washed his feet up to the ankles, as is proven in the reports.
This hadith indicates that the learner may ask one who has knowledge, and teaching may be done by demonstrating actions.
It also indicates that the entire head is to be wiped..

189

It was narrated that Ibn Shihab said: Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ – who is the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sprayed water from their well when he was a child, and ‘Urwah said, quoting from al-Miswar and someone else, each confirming that the other was telling the truth – told me: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, they almost fought over his leftover wudu’ water..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) respected and venerated him very much, and held him in the highest esteem. One of the examples of that is what is mentioned in this hadith. The context is the story of al-Hudaybiyyah, when the polytheists prevented the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions from reaching the Sacred House for ‘umrah, and they sent the delegation to negotiate with him, until they drew up the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah with him. The time for prayer came whilst ‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud, who had come to negotiate with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was there. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to do wudu’, his companions almost fought over his left over wudu’ water, because they were rushing to get it. But the one who narrated that – in this hadith – was Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him); he was the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had playfully sprayed water onto his face from his mouth, when Mahmoud was a small child; that water came from a bucket drawn from the well of the people of Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘.
This was also narrated by ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr, from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with him) and someone else, namely Marwan ibn al-Hakam, each of them confirming that the other was telling the truth; in other words, both al-Miswar and Marwan confirmed one another’s narration of the hadith.
This hadith indicates that leaders and people of virtue may play and joke with children.
It also highlights how the Sahabah venerated and respected the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how they sought blessing (barakah) from his relics and leftover wudu water..

190

It was narrated that al-Ja‘d said: I heard al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid say: My maternal aunt took me to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, my sister’s son is in pain. He patted me on the head and prayed for blessing for me, then he did wudu’, and I drank some of his wudu’ water. Then I stood behind him and looked at the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, like the egg of a partridge..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards his companions, and would pray for them. He would offer supplication for them, pray for healing for those who were sick, and pray for the safe return of those who were absent. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would come to him so that he would pray for them and their children. In this hadith, al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was sick, and he was very young at that time, so his maternal aunt took him to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said to him: My sister’s son is in pain, meaning that he was sick. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) patted him on the head and prayed for blessing for him. Then he did wudu’, and al-Sa’ib drank some of the water that was left over after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. When al-Sa’ib stood behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, which was the size of a partridge egg. The partridge is a type of bird.
The seal of prophethood was a mark between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which had been described in earlier scriptures; it was a sign by which the promised Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be known, after whom there would be no other Prophet. The seal of prophethood is described in the sahih Sunnah as something that stood out between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); it was surrounded by moles, which are dark spots, and was covered with a few hairs.
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took good care of his companions, and how he would pray for blessing for the children and pat their heads.
It highlights the virtue of al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also tells us how the Sahabah sought blessing from the relics and wudu’ water of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

191

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd that he poured water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them, then he washed – or rinsed his mouth and nose – from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his arms up to the elbows, twice each, and he wiped his head, front and back, and washed his feet up to the ankles. Then he said: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and taught it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Yahya al-Mazini narrates that a man came to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, and he said yes. Then he called for water, and when it was brought to him, he poured some water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving the water around in it, in order to wash it thoroughly. Then he spat the water out of his mouth, and sniffed up water into his nose to make it reach the highest part of the nose, and then blew it out of his nose, to cleanse his nose of any dirt that might be inside it. He cleaned his mouth and nose from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, twice each, washing each of them twice in order to show the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that.
Washing the forearms cannot be done except after washing the face, but he did not mention it here, although he mentioned it in another report in al-Bukhari, which says that he washed his face three times. It was said that perhaps he wanted to make the description brief here, because the issue of washing the face is clearly mentioned in the verse of wudu’, and there is no need to mention it here. It was also said that perhaps one of the narrators forgot to mention washing the face, as he was also not sure about whether he washed or rinsed his mouth. It was also suggested that the reason why the face was not mentioned is that it may be that what is omitted is the word face; in other words, then he washed his face. It was omitted because it is clear [from the context], and the word aw (or) in the phrase “or rinsed his mouth” means “and”, and the phrase “from one handful of water” refers to rinsing the mouth and nose only.
Then he wiped his head, placing his hands on the front of his head, then bringing them to the back of his head, until he reached the nape of his neck, then bringing them back to the front of his head again. He did that once, and wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head here is the place where the hair grows. And he washed his feet up to the ankles.
Then ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after he had finished his wudu’: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’. In other words, his wudu’ was a precise imitation of the wudu’ of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was done to teach those around him of the Tabi‘in and others who wanted to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’ in a practical manner.
It also indicates that one should wash the hands before putting them in the vessel when starting to do wudu’..

193

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, that he said: Men and women both used to do wudu’ at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Islam honours women and does not treat them as outcasts, as was the case during the jahiliyyah. It permits some things to both women and men, whilst paying attention to the guidelines on gender interactions.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that both men and women used to do wudu’ at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other words, they would both do wudu’ from one vessel, as is mentioned in other reports narrated by Ibn Majah. What is meant is that such actions were well known at that time, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not object to that or try to change it. This was quoted as evidence by those who think that water left over by women may be used by men, and water left over by men may be used by women, and if that were not allowed, they would not have done that, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have told them not to do that.
It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did ghusl to purify themselves of janabah from a single vessel, and that he also did that with Maymunah. What is meant by them both doing wudu’ – as was narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – is that the men would do wudu’ and leave, then the women would come and do wudu’..

201

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would do ghusl using a sa‘ of water, up to a maximum of five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. .

Commentary : Islamic teachings forbid extravagance, and extravagance refers to anything that is surplus to a person’s requirements, even with regard to using water for ghusl or wudu’. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do ghusl using a sa‘ or five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. The sa‘ is a unit of measurement equivalent to four mudds or eight ratls. In modern terms, it is said that the ratl is equivalent to approximately 380 grams, or less than half a litre; or it is said that it is equivalent to 538 grams, or more than half a litre. The mudd is equivalent to one quarter of a sa‘ or, it was said, it is equivalent to one and a third ratls, or two ratls. It is the amount of water that may be held in the joined palms of both hands.
This report tells us how much water was sufficient for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), not that it is not permissible to use more than that. Rather people vary in that regard; some people cannot do wudu’ and ghusl properly except with more than that, but whatever the case, it is essential to avoid being extravagant with water. This comes under the heading of proper use of resources and making the best use of them by disposing of them properly, and using only is much as is needed..

202

It was narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that he wiped over his khuffs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked ‘Umar about that, and he said: Yes, if Sa‘d tells you something from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it..

Commentary : Wiping over the khuffs is proven in sound, clear texts. This was narrated by a large number of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). The number of those who narrated it is more than eighty of the Sahabah, including the ten who were given the glad tidings of Paradise, and no one denies that except an innovator. In fact, wiping over the khuffs is one of the minor issues of fiqh which distinguishes Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah from others who have deviated and are misguided. This is one of the hadiths in which it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he wiped over the khuffs. The khuff is a kind of footwear made of thin leather that is worn on the foot and covers the ankles and more. This report mentions Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked his father ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) about this hadith. He said to him: If Sa‘d narrates something to you from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it. That was because they trusted Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with them all).
This hadith highlights the virtue of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also highlights how the Sahabah spoke highly of one another..

205

It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn Umayyah said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban and khuffs..

Commentary : One of the distinguishing characteristics of Islamic teachings is that they make things easy for the accountable. Islam came to make easy that which is difficult for people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us about wudu’, how to do it and the etiquette thereof.
In this hadith, ‘Amr ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban, which is something that is wrapped around the head. Wiping over it is done when wanting to wipe the head, which is an essential part of wudu’. It is done by wiping a wet hand over whatever is visible of the hair, and completing the action by wiping over the turban, without taking it off the head. Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when it came to washing the feet, which is another essential part of wudu’, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wiped over the khuffs instead of washing the feet. The khuff is something made of leather that covers the foot, and is usually worn for warmth. Wiping is done on the top of the feet, not the bottom, and the length of time for which one may wipe over the khuffs is one day and night for one who is not travelling, and three days and nights for one who is travelling.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to wipe over the turban and khuffs when doing wudu’..

214

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer. I said: What did you [the Sahabah] used to do? He said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it..

Commentary : Wudu’ will be the light of the believer on the Day of Resurrection, for wudu’ will brighten his face and limbs, and the Muslims will be recognized in the place of gathering by this characteristic, which is unique to this ummah. Because wudu’ has this virtue, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every obligatory prayer, so as to attain this reward and virtue, as Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from him. Doing wudu’ for every prayer is Sunnah, but it is permissible for the Muslim to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’, so long as he has not invalidated it. This is what Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) meant when he said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it by minor impurity that invalidates wudu’, such as passing wind, urinating or defecating. It is proven in Sahih Muslim, in the hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer, but on the day of the conquest [of Makkah] he offered all the prayers with one wudu’. ‘Umar said to him: You have done something that you never used to do. He said: “I did it deliberately”, meaning that he did it in order to show that it is permissible to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’.
This hadith highlights the virtue of doing wudu’ for every prayer..

216

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah, and he heard the sound of two people being punished in their graves. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” Then he said: “Nay [it is serious]; one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from his urine getting on him, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” Then he called for a stalk of a palm leaf, broke it in two, and placed one piece of it on each grave. It was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that? He said: “Perhaps they will reduce [the punishment] for them so long as they do not dry out, or until they dry out.”.

Commentary : The grave is the first stage of the hereafter, and punishment and bliss in the grave are real. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained some deeds that lead to punishment in the grave, as mentioned in this hadith, in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah – this refers to uncertainty on the part of Jarir ibn ‘Abdul Hamid, one of the narrators of the hadith. Al-Bukhari narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad, where he said: one of the gardens of Madinah, with certainty, beyond any doubt. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of two dead people being punished in their graves, and he said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” In other words, they are not being punished for something you regard as serious, although in fact it is serious before Allah (may He be exalted). Hence he said “Nay,” to indicate that the matter is indeed serious.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for their punishment, which was that one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from urine contaminating his body and clothes, and the other used to walk around spreading malicious gossip among the people, so he would tell one person what someone else had said with the intention of causing harm, stirring up trouble and creating hatred among people.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called for the stalk of a palm leaf; he broke it into two halves, and placed one piece of it on each of the two graves. The Sahabah asked him: Why did you do that? And he told them that he had done that in the hope that Allah (may He be exalted) would reduce the punishment for them until the palm stalks that he had placed on their graves dried out. It was said that the reason why he chose palm stalks was that they are slow to dry out. It was also said that this may be interpreted as meaning that he offered supplication for them and prayed that their punishment would be reduced so long as the palm stalks remained fresh and moist, not that there is anything inherently special about palm stalks, or that that which is fresh and moist has some special impact that are not found in a dry stalk. It was said that what is meant is that the palm stalk glorifies Allah so long as it remains fresh and moist, thus the reduction of the punishment was by the blessing of that tasbih.
This hadith affirms the punishment of the grave and confirms that it is real; we must believe in it and accept it.
It also warns against not taking precautions to protect oneself from urine; this applies also to other types of impurity that could contaminate one’s body or garments.
It also warns against malicious gossip, and highlights the bad consequences thereof..

217

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to answer the call of nature, I would bring the water to him and he would wash himself with it..

Commentary : The teachings of Islam urge Muslims to purify themselves both physically and in intangible ways. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how to purify ourselves after relieving ourselves.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks of when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself – the Arabic term refers to going out to a spacious, flat piece of land where they used to go to relieve themselves, because they used to go out to places where there were no people, before they acquired outhouses and bathrooms in their houses. Hence Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he used to bring water to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so that he could wash himself and clean the site of the urine and faeces, to make sure that it was clean. What is mostly known of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is that he used to clean himself with pebbles, as is proven in the reports. The hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) highlights the fact that it is valid to clean oneself with water.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he used to follow him wherever he went to see how he could serve him, and so that he could do whatever was asked of him. He knew how much the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved to purify himself with water after Allah praised those who purify themselves..

763

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: I spent the night in the house of my maternal aunt Maymūnah and observed how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed. He said: He got up and relieved himself. He then washed his face and hands and then went to sleep. Then, he got up and went near the water-skin and loosened its strap and then poured some water in a bowl and inclined it with his hand. He then performed a good ablution between the two extremes and then stood up to pray. I came and stood by his left side. He said: He took hold of me and made me stand on his right side. The prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was completed with thirteen Rak‘ahs. He then slept till he began to snore, and we would know that he was asleep by his snoring. Then, he went out for the prayer and prayed, and he kept saying during his prayer - or his prostration: "O Allah, place light in my heart, light in my hearing, light in my sight, light on my right, light on my left, light in front of me, light behind me, light above me, light below me, and make light for me," or he said: "Make me light." [In a version]: I met Kurayb, and he said: Ibn ‘Abbās reported: I was in the house of my maternal aunt Maymūnah, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came there... then he narrated the rest of the Hadīth as narrated by Ghundar and said these words: "Make me light," and he was not doubtful..

Commentary : Our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in terms of worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and take his Sunnah, apply it, and convey it to those who came after them. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was keen on that since he was young.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he spent the night in the house of his maternal aunt Maymūnah bint al-Hārith, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was spending the night in her house, in her allocated night. He said: "and I observed how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed" i.e., he wanted to watch how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would pray in the night. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came into his house after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and talked with his wife for a while and then went to sleep, as related in versions of the Two Sahīh Collections. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up and relieved himself and then washed his face and hands. Then, he went to sleep. Then, he got up from sleep once again and headed to the skin, a vessel made of tanned and stitched leather for holding fluids and water - and loosened its strap. Then, he poured water from it in a bowl, which is a spacious and big vessel. So, he placed the water that was in the skin on this bowl so that it would be easier for him to use it. Then, he performed a good ablution between the two extremes, i.e., between what is light and quick and what is deliberate and perfect. It is more probable that he minimized the use of water while washing the body parts of ablution thrice. This is because he described it as good, and so it would not be less than thrice. It is reported in the version of the Two Sahīh Collections that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered his house after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and went to sleep. Then, he got up and used the Siwāk - a small stick made from the Arak tree - and brushed his teeth and cleansed his mouth, and then he made ablution as he recited the verses that read: {Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth and the alternation of the night and day are signs for people of understanding, those who remember Allah while standing, sitting, and lying on their sides, and reflect upon the creation of the heavens and earth [saying]: "Our Lord, you have not created all this in vain. Glory be to You. Protect us from the punishment of the Fire. Our Lord, whoever You cause to enter the Fire, You have surely disgraced him, and the wrongdoers will have no helpers. Our Lord, we have heard the caller to faith calling, ‘Believe in your Lord,’ so we believed. Our Lord, forgive us our sins, expiate our misdeeds, and cause us to die among the righteous. Our Lord, give us what You have promised us through Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break Your promise."} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 190-194] It is reported in a version by Muslim that he recited to the end of the Sūrah.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to pray. Shortly thereafter, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) came and stood beside the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after making ablution like that of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as reported in the Two Sahīh Collections. He stood on the Prophet's left side. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held him by the hand, turned him around from behind his back, and made him stand on his right side. This points out and emphasizes how the Imām and the one who is led in prayer should stand when the congregational prayer includes two persons only, even if it is supererogatory.
Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered thirteen Rak‘ahs as Qiyām al-Layl, praying two Rak‘ahs each and then observing Witr with one Rak‘ah, thus completing thirteen Rak‘ahs.
In a version by Muslim: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "offered two Rak‘ahs and prolonged the standing, bowing, and prostration therein and then left" after he finished the two Rak‘ahs. "He then slept till he began to snore" i.e., he breathed with a sound. This is an indication of deep sleep. "Then he did that three times," i.e., he got up from sleep and offered two Rak‘ahs and then slept, until he offered in that night "six Rak‘ahs. Meanwhile, he used the Siwāk, performed ablution, recited those verses, and then observed Witr with three Rak'ahs," i.e., he concluded his prayer with Witr consisting of three Rak‘ahs. It was said: This version opposes the other versions of this same Hadīth regarding the sleep between the Rak‘ahs, the repetition of ablution, and the number of Rak‘ahs. He did not mention in other versions the sleep between the Rak‘ahs and the number of Rak‘ahs as thirteen. He probably did not include in this prayer the first two light Rak‘ahs with which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to commence prayer in the night, as explicitly mentioned by Hadīths in the Sahīh Muslim Collection and others. Therefore, he said: "He offered two Rak‘ahs and prolonged therein" indicates that they came after the two light Rak‘ahs. So, the two light Rak‘ahs were followed by the two long Rak‘ahs, and then the six mentioned Rak‘ahs, and then the three Rak‘ahs after them, as mentioned by him; the total became thirteen Rak‘ahs.
After the prayer, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) slept so deeply that a sound coming out with his breathing was heard. Then, his Muezzin Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) came to tell and notify him of the Fajr prayer, as demonstrated by the versions in the Two Sahīh Collections. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out for the Fajr prayer. The versions in the Two Sahīh Collections point out that he did not renew his ablution after waking up. This is particularly reserved for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), for his eyes would sleep but his heart would not, and so his ablution would not be broken.
Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kept supplicating in his prayer or in his prostration. And it is reported in a version by Muslim that he made this supplication while going out for the prayer, saying: "O Allah, place light in my heart" i.e., to enlighten it, grant it the ability to distinguish between the truth and falsehood, protect it from corrupt beliefs, and keep it away from spite, envy, and the like. "Light in my hearing," is to hear what exhorts obedience to You, not disobedience. "Light in my sight," is to keep it away from everything that Allah ordered us to lower our gaze from. In a version by Muslim: "light in my tongue," i.e., so that it becomes keen to mention You and speak the truth and all the good deeds to be performed by the tongue. "Light on my right, light on my left," i.e., on my sides, or in my body parts. "Light in front of me, light behind me, light above me, light below me, and make light for me," i.e., an overall summary of these detailed items. Or he said: "Make me light." By it, he meant a huge light comprising all lights; those that he mentioned here and those he did not mention. So, the light would encompass him and surround him with what preserves him from making mistakes. The intended meaning: clarifying the truth and its light and guiding to it, and that He places in every organ of these organs and in every direction of these directions a light by which he would be guided in following the truth and acting upon it, and it would guide those who want to follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the true path; and so that the devil would not have a possibility of influence.
It was said: The light for which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked is the one that would preserve him in this world from sins and draw him closer to the performance of good deeds. It was also said: Rather, it is a light that Allah will grant him on the Day of Judgment. And it was said: It probably combines both, i.e., by the worldly light, he obtains knowledge and guidance, and by the afterlife light, he obtains illumination for the darkness on the Day of Judgment.
In the Hadīth: Mentioning some of the Prophet's peculiar characteristics.
And in it: Resorting to Allah with sincere supplication
And in it: A boy may pass the night in the house of one of his mahrams (non-marriageable female relatives) in the presence of her husband.
And in it: Offering a supererogatory prayer in congregation.

765

Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani said: I will definitely watch the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tonight. He offered two short Rak‘ahs, and then he offered two long, long, long Rak‘ahs. Then, he offered two Rak‘ahs, which were shorter than the two preceding ones. Then, he offered two Rak‘ahs, which were shorter than the two preceding ones. Then, he offered two Rak‘ahs, which were shorter than the two preceding ones. Then, he offered two Rak‘ahs, which were shorter than the two preceding ones. Then, he performed Witr. That was thirteen Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to know the Prophet's Sunnahs and guidance in all matters and to follow and comply with him in terms of his worship (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Hence, they used to ask about things hidden from them, including his guidance on Qiyām al-Layl.
In this Hadīth, the Companion Zayd ibn Khālid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he wanted to know how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed during the night. So, he said to himself: "I will definitely watch" i.e., I will look and observe carefully. This is an affirmation from him that he would adhere to the manner of the Prophet's performance of prayer, i.e., his prayer during the night. He would observe the number of its Rak‘ahs and how long he would stand therein. In the version by Abu Dāwūd: "I rested my head on his threshold, or Fustāt (tent)" i.e., he treated it as a pillow. "Fustāt": a large tent made of hair. The word 'tent' indicates that he was on a journey, for the Prophet's houses were not tents. So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered two short Rak‘ahs, in which he did not stand or recite for long. With such two Rak‘ahs, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to commence Qiyām al-Layl, as their shortness activates the body. Then, "he offered two long, long, long Rak‘ahs," He said it three times to point to their great length. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered eight Rak‘ahs, with every two Rak‘ahs being shorter than the two Rak‘ahs that preceded them. Then, he concluded his prayer with one Rak‘ah. It is reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Witr can be one, three, or five Rak‘ahs and so on. The number of Rak‘ahs performed by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at that time was thirteen, which is the maximum reported about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The minimum reported about him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is seven Rak‘ahs.
Prayer in the night starts after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and extends to shortly before dawn. One is not required to sleep before performing it.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's diligence in worship and prayer, and how this teaches the Ummah to engage in worship diligently and not to neglect it..

766

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey and we reached a Mashra‘ah (water passage from the river). He said: "O Jābir, will you not engage in Ishrā‘ (drinking water)?" I said: 'Yes.' He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then got down and I drank. He said: Then, he went away to relieve himself, and I placed for him water for ablution. He said: Then, he came back and performed ablution, and then stood and prayed in one garment, having its ends tied from the opposite sides. I stood behind him and he caught hold of my ear and made me stand to his right side..

Commentary : This Hadīth demonstrates some of the Prophet's actions during travel, including his clemency towards travelers and riding animals, and points out how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed prayer on some of his journeys. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "I was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey and we reached a Mashra‘ah" i.e., a path for crossing the water from the bank of a river, sea, or the like. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Jābir, will you not engage in Ishrā‘?" Ishrā‘ is to drink with the mouth directly or by taking a handful of water without the use of any tool, like a cup. Taking water with the mouth mostly happens in the case of animals, and people may also drink in this way or take water in their hands. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges him to come to the Mashra‘ah and take what he needs of water, drink from it, and water his animals. This shows the Prophet's leniency towards people and animals during travel, so that they can rest, drink, and water their mounts. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got off his mount, and Jābir drank and watered his mount. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to a remote place to answer the call of nature, urinating and defecating. Meanwhile, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) prepared water for him for purification and ablution. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) relieved himself, he came and performed ablution. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and prayed in one garment, "having its ends tied from the opposite sides" i.e., he took the end of the garment which he dropped over his right shoulder from underneath his left hand, and its end which he dropped over his left shoulder from underneath his right hand. Then, he tied them over his chest so as to hold the garment and prevent it from falling.
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) came and stood for prayer behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) held Jābir from the tip of his ear, dragged him, and made him stand to his right side. This is how the Imām and the one praying with him should stand when only two persons engage in a congregational prayer, be it obligatory or supererogatory.
The Hadīth mentions praying in one garment.
It demonstrates how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to serve the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

767

‘Ā’ishah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up in the night to pray, he would commence his prayer with two light Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Qiyām al-Layl is the source of honor for the believer. So, a Muslim should be keen to pray in the night, following the Prophet's example. The Prophet's prayer at night was constant, and he would engage in prayer until his feet would swell, in gratitude towards Allah and praise for His blessings.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up at night to pray, he would start his prayer with two light Rak‘ahs, in preparation for the prolonged prayer, whose Rak‘ahs were described by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in these words: "and do not ask about their beauty and length," as reported in the Two Sahīh Collections. In his Sahīh Collection, Al-Bukhāri narrated that Masrūq ibn al-Ajda‘ reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the night, and she said: "Seven, nine, and eleven Rak‘ahs apart from the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr." Prayer in the night starts after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and extends to shortly before dawn. One is not required to sleep before performing it..

768

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When any of you gets up at night to perform Qiyām al-Layl, let him start his prayer with two short Rak‘ahs.".

Commentary : Qiyām al-Layl is the source of honor for the believer, and its merit is great. It is the best prayer after the obligatory prayers. The pure Shariah encourages its performance and demonstrates its great reward and virtue.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates part of the understanding related to Qiyām al-Layl. He informs that when someone wants to perform Qiyām al-Layl, he should commence his prayer with two short Rak‘ahs. This is to break the desire for sleep, and their shortness is more suitable for repelling it, given the successive movements involved therein. Moreover, if he offers long Rak‘ahs at the beginning, this will be heavy for his body, and he will probably reduce his Rak‘ahs of Qiyām al-Layl, due to the heaviness he feels. But if he is gradual in prolonging the prayer, he may become more active and desire to increase the prayer and make it longer, after this gradation. This is because he has prepared his body and activated it with these two Rak‘ahs. It is said: Starting Qiyām al-Layl with two short Rak‘ahs serves to initiate loosening the knots that the devil ties on a person's head after he sleeps, and these knots are completely loosened when the prayer is completed..

770

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her): "With what did the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to commence his prayer when he got up at night. She said: "When he got up at night, he would commence his prayer with: "Allahumma rabba jibrā’īl wa mikā’īl wa isrāfīl, fātira as-samawāt wa al-ard, ‘ālim al-ghayb wa ash-shahādah, anta tahkumu bayna ‘ibādaka fima kānū fihi yakhtalifūn, ihdini lima ikhtulifa fīhi min al-haqq bi eznik, innaka tahdi man tashā’ ila sirātin mustaqīm" (O Allah, Lord of Gabriel (Jibrīl), Michael (Mikā'īl), and Israfil (Isrāfīl), Originator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You judge between Your slaves concerning that over which they used to differ. Guide me, by Your permission, to the truth about which people differed. Verily, You guide whom You will to the straight path)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray at night as much as Allah willed him to pray, and he adopted certain Sunnahs and ethics in his house. The Tābi‘is were keen to know his worship in detail and would ask about the acts of worship the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform at home so that they could follow his guidance and adhere to his Sunnah.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf asked ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers: With what words or deeds did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to commence his prayer when he got up at night? In other words, how would he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commence the prayer? In response, she told him that when he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up at night, he would commence his prayer with this supplication: "O Allah, Lord of Gabriel, Michael, and Israfil," i.e., I supplicate to You, my Lord, and the Lord of all that is great, such as those great angels, and You are Greater than them and than all Your creation. It befits You to answer supplications. Those particular angels are singled out due to their great status. Gabriel is the angel entrusted with revelation, and Michael is the angel in charge of rains, plants, and provisions, and he occupies a great status and high rank and is honorable in the sight of Allah Almighty. He has assistants who apply what he commands them with the order of his Almighty Lord. And Isrāfīl is the angel entrusted with blowing the Trumpet at the command of his Lord, the blow of panic and swooning, and the blow for standing before the Lord of the worlds.
If a person knows the status of the angels, those great and noble creatures, and knows their traits, he will know the greatness of their Creator, Exalted be He, and His great power and dominion. Indeed, the greatness of a created being stems from the greatness of the Creator. He will also give thanks to Him for His care about His servants, as He entrusted some of those angels with preserving them, supplicating for Allah's forgiveness for them, and recording their deeds. Also, he who knows the angels and genuinely believes in them and will love them for what they do, as they worship Allah Almighty and obey Him in the perfect manner, and they ask for Allah's forgiveness for the believers, supporting them, and so on.
"Originator of the heavens and the earth," i.e., their Creator and Maker. "Knower of the unseen and the seen," i.e., I supplicate to You, O Knower of the unseen and the seen, for You know what is hidden from Your servants and what is apparent and visible to them. "You judge," i.e., You judge with reward and punishment. "on the Day of Judgment between Your slaves concerning that over which they used to differ" regarding the matter of religion in this worldly life. You punish the sinners, if You will, and reward the obedient ones. People differed after they had been following the Fitrah of Islam (natural disposition), and then the prophets and messengers came to guide them. They differed over the path of guidance and the straight path with which they came, and that is the truth from their Lord.
"Guide me, by Your permission, to the truth about which people differed," i.e., make me steadfast and increase me in guidance to the straight path which the prophets and messengers called to, by Your help and facilitation. "Verily, You guide whom You will to the straight path," which is the path of the truth that has no crookedness in it. This is the religion of Islam with which Allah sent Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and it was called 'path' because it leads to the destination just as a real path does. This phrase serves as a reason for asking Him for guidance, i.e., because You guide whomever You will. This supplication represents complete humbleness before Allah Almighty.
In the Hadīth: Clarifying the dhikr with which Qiyām al-Layl is commenced
And in it: Pointing out that a person should ask Allah Almighty to guide him to the true path
And in it: Clarifying that guidance lies in the Hand of Allah Almighty; none can grant it except Him, Exalted be He.

771

‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) got up to pray, he would say: "I have turned my face to the One Who created the heavens and the earth, in exclusive devotion, and I am not one of the polytheists. Verily, my prayer, my Nusuk (worship, sacrifice), my life, and my death are for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; there is no partner with Him, and this is what I have been commanded (to profess and believe), and I am of the Muslims. O Allah, You are the Sovereign, there is no god but You. You are my Lord, and I am Your slave. I have wronged myself and I have admitted my sin; so, forgive all my sins, for no one can forgive sins but You. Guide me to the best of morals, for no one can guide to them but You, and turn away from me the worst of morals, for no one can deliver me from them but You. Here I am, in answer to Your call, in support of Your command. All goodness lies in Your Hands and evil does not stem from You. I exist by You and I turn to You. Blessed and Exalted are You. I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You." When he bowed, he would say: "O Allah, it is for You that I bowed, it is in You that I believed, and it is to You that I submitted. Humbled to You are my hearing, my eyesight, my brain, my bones, and my sinew." When he rose from bowing, he would say: "O Allah, our Lord, praise is due to You, (praise) that fills the heavens and the earth, that fills what exists between them, and that fills anything You wish afterward." When he prostrated, he would say: “O Allah, it is to You that I prostrated myself, it is in You that I believed, and it is to You that I submitted. My face has prostrated to the One Who created it, shaped it, and split open its faculties of hearing and seeing. Blessed is Allah, the best of Creators." Then, one of the last things he would say between the Tashahhud and Taslīm is: "O Allah, forgive my past and future sins, my hidden and apparent sins, my transgression, and the sins that You know of more than I do. You are the One Who puts forward and the One Who holds back. There is no god but You.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) loved prayer and used to offer a lot of voluntary and supererogatory prayers during the day and night, and he adopted certain Sunnahs and etiquettes related to prayer. The Prophet's Companions were keen to know his worship in detail, so that they could follow his guidance and adhere to his Sunnah.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up to offer the obligatory or supererogatory prayer, he would supplicate to Allah Almighty with what is known as the opening supplication, which lies between the Takbīr of Ihrām (Takbīr at the start of prayer) and the recitation of Surat al-Fātihah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his supplication: "I have turned my face," i.e., I sincerely devoted my worship to Allah Who "created the heavens and the earth," i.e., He originated their creation without a precedent example. In all this, I am Hanīf (upright, exclusively devoted), turning away from Shirk (polytheism) towards Tawhīd (monotheism). Among the Arabs, a Hanīf person would refer to one who followed the religion of Abraham (Ibrāhīm) (peace be upon him), and this is Islam. Then, he further demonstrated and clarified the meaning of Hanīf, saying: "and I am not one of the polytheists." I do not associate anything as a partner with Allah, and I am not one of those described as polytheists. The word polytheist is used to refer to every disbeliever, including idol worshipers, Jews, Christians, Magians, and others.
Then, he supplicated, saying: "Verily, my prayer" which I perform. Prayer is a comprehensive term that refers to Takbīr, recitation, bowing, prostration, Tashahhud, and others. "my Nusuk", which is worship. Nasīkah is everything that brings closeness to Allah Almighty, and it is used to refer to sacrifice by which one draws close to Allah Almighty. A Nāsik is one who sincerely devotes his worship to Allah Almighty. Also, "my life and my death are for Allah," for He is the One Who created and predestined them, or He is the Possessor and Disposer of them. No one else has any control over them. And it was said: The righteous acts in life and the good things that follow death, like a will or managing affairs, or the worship I perform during my life and the condition in which I die, are sincerely devoted to the Countenance of Allah. "the Lord of the worlds," for He is the One Who possesses them, raises them, and reforms and manages their affairs. There is no partner with Him in His dominion. And I have been commanded regarding all of this - to embrace complete Tawhīd (monotheism) that comprises sincerity in words and beliefs. And I am one of the Muslims who submit to Allah's command, yield to Him in obedience, and acknowledge all these attributes of Allah Almighty. This is an affirmation of the meanings of Tawhīd and acceptance of the religion of Allah Almighty.
Then, he praised Allah Almighty, acknowledged his own sin, and asked Him for forgiveness, saying: "O Allah, You are the Sovereign," i.e., the real Owner of all creatures. "and I am Your slave," acknowledging that You are my Owner and the Disposer of my affairs, and Your judgment regarding me is surely executed. "I have wronged myself and I have admitted my sin," i.e., I have wronged myself by falling short in fulfilling Your rights, and I have admitted this shortcoming. "so, forgive all my sins," i.e., O Lord, pardon my shortcomings. "for no one forgives sins but You." This is an admission and acknowledgment of the attribute of forgiveness for Allah alone. In this, he acknowledged his shortcomings and mentioned that before asking for forgiveness, out of politeness, as Adam and Eve (peace be upon both of them) said: {Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves; if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers.} [Surat al-A‘rāf: 23]
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Guide me to the best of morals," i.e., direct me to the most perfect and most excellent morals, enable me to adopt them, and make me steadfast upon them. "for none can guide to them but You." Guidance lies in Your Hand alone. The hearts of people are between two of the Fingers of the Most Compassionate, and He overturns them as He wishes. "and turn away from me the worst of morals," i.e., keep me away from ugly and reprehensible manners. "for none can deliver me from them but You." This is an acknowledgment that Allah Almighty alone is the One Who can repel the Divine Decree and keep the worst of them from His servants.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Here I am, in answer to Your call," i.e., I persist in obedience to You and compliance with Your command in a repeated manner. "in support of Your command," i.e., supporting Your command one time after another and following Your religion one time after another. "All goodness lies in Your Hands". This is an acknowledgment that all goodness that reaches the servants or hoped to reach them does actually lie in the Hands of Allah, Exalted be He. "and evil does not stem from You". Evil is not attributed to You. Or evil is not committed to attain closeness to You. Or evil does not ascend to You. Rather, it is good speech that ascends. Then, he said: "I exist by You and I turn to You," i.e., my success is through You, and I take refuge in You and belong to You; or I exist by You creating me and my return is to You; or upon You I rely, and to You I turn for refuge.
"Blessed and Exalted are You." This is praise for Allah Almighty involving two things: The first is 'Blessed'; this is because Allah Almighty is the Most Worthy of blessing. The word 'blessed' means: Your favors are plentiful, overwhelming, and reachable to all creation. Indeed, the blessing is plentiful and enduring favors and goodness. The second is 'Exalted'; it comes from exaltedness in essence and attributes. Indeed, Allah Almighty is Exalted by His essence and by His attributes. He is Exalted by His essence above all creation, and His exaltedness is an innate, timeless, and eternal attribute. Then, he said: "I seek Your forgiveness and repent to You," i.e., I ask You to forgive me and eliminate my sins. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to open his prayer with this great supplication.
And when he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed, he would say in his Rukū‘: "O Allah, it is for You that I bowed." You alone, and I do not bow to any human being or any of Your creation. "it is in You that I believed" in Your sacred essence, excellent names, and sublime attributes. "and it is to You that I submitted," i.e., I humbled myself and surrendered, or I turned my face to You in sincere devotion. "Humbled," i.e., obedient and surrendered to You "are my hearing, my eyesight." He singled them out from among all senses because most evils are committed by them. When we humble ourselves, the insinuations decrease. Also, humbled to You are "my brain, my bones, and my sinew." Sinew: it connects and ties the joints with the bones. They are more delicate than bones.
When he rose from bowing and said, "Allah hears whoever praises Him," he would say thereafter: "O Allah, our Lord, praise is due to You, (praise) that fills the heavens and the earth, that fills what exists between them, and that fills anything You desire afterward." It means: I turn to You, O Allah, with complete praise that befits Your blessings and favors, as many as You will. This is meant for the quantity of numbers. If praise were material objects, then due to You is praise that fills the heavens and the earth, that fills what exists between them. It was said: This refers to the scrolls in which praises are recorded. "and that fills anything You desire afterward," i.e., that fills what is beyond the heavens and the earth, as You will, which is not known to the people. This is intended for teaching the Prophet's Ummah, for Allah Almighty already forgave his past and future sins.
Then, when he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated himself, he would say during his prostration: "O Allah, it is to You that I prostrated myself, it is in You that I believed, and it is to You that I submitted. My face has prostrated to the One Who created it," i.e., it yielded, humbled itself, and submitted to Allah Almighty. He singled out the face from among all the body parts used in prostration because it is the noblest among them, as Allah Almighty is the One Who shaped it and split open its faculties of hearing and seeing. So, the One Who created this face, put in it features by which it is identified, and split open in it eyes and ears and gave them discernment through seeing and hearing is the One worthy of worship, prostration, and submission. "Blessed is Allah": Extolled, Glorified, and Exalted far above, for He is the Creator Who alone brought everything out of nothing into existence and gave His creation the best shape, and He, Exalted be He, is "the best of all creators," who fashion and give due proportions.
"Then", after he finished bowing and prostration," one of the last things he would say between the Tashahhud and Taslīm is: "O Allah, forgive my past" sins, "and my future" deeds. It was said: What I did before the Prophethood and what I did thereafter. It was also said: The future things in Your knowledge which You predestined for me. And it was said: It means: If a sin is committed by me in the future, make it connected to Your forgiveness. Indeed, the pursuit of forgiveness before the commission of sins aims at forgiving a sin if it is committed. "my hidden and apparent sins," i.e., forgive all my sins, for they are: either past or future, and hidden or apparent; and forgive me. "my transgression" when I exceed the bounds. "and the sins that You know of more than I do": My sins which I do not know, in terms of their number and rulings. "You are the One Who puts forward and the One Who holds back": No one can put forward what You hold back or hold back what You put forward. "There is no god but You": No one is truly worthy of worship except You, Exalted be You. We are not capable of enumerating the praise of You. You are as You have praised Yourself. So, he concluded with this praise of Allah Almighty, which is the word of Tawhīd and the word of sincere devotion.
This is a Hadīth that comprises a lot of ath-kaar that are to be said in some positions in prayer, namely the commencement, bowing, and prostration.
In the Hadīth: It was part of the Prophet's guidance to say the opening supplication.
And in it: The dhikr to be said during bowing, prostration, and after rising from bowing, and the supplication before Taslīm.
And in it: teaching politeness in extending praise to Allah Almighty, that we should ascribe to Him only the good things, not the bad ones, out of politeness..

772

Hudhayfah reported: I prayed with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once at night and he started reciting Surat al-Baqarah. I thought that he would bow in Rukū‘ at the end of one hundred verses, but he continued. I thought that he would probably recite it (the Surah) in one Rak‘ah, but he continued. I thought he would perhaps bow in Rukū‘ on completing (this Surah). He then started reciting Surat an-Nisā’ and read it all, and then he started reciting Surat Āl ‘Imrān and read it all. He was reciting slowly; when he came across a verse containing Tasbīh (glorifying Allah), he would glorify, and when he came across asking, he would ask, and when he came across seeking refuge, he would seek refuge. Then, he bowed in Rukū‘ and said: "Subhān rabbiya al-‘azhīm" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Majestic). His bowing lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing. Upon rising from Rukū‘, he said: "Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears whoever praises Him). He then remained standing nearly the same length of time as he had spent bowing. He then prostrated and said: "Subhān rabbiya al-a‘la" (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High), and his prostration lasted nearly the same length of time as his standing. Another version adds: "Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah; rabbana laka al-hamd" (Allah listens to he who praises Him; praise be to You, Our Lord)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) liked standing before his Lord, and so he used to prolong the prayer and perfect it by long recitation, bowing, prostration, and supplication. His prayer was also marked by humility, submissiveness, and subservience before Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he performed Qiyām al-Layl one night with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started his recitation after Surat al-Fātihah with Surat al-Baqarah. Hudhayfah thought that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would bow after reciting one hundred verses, but he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went past one hundred verses. So, Hudhayfah thought that he would probably recite Surat al-Baqarah in one Rak‘ah, but he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued the recitation after finishing Surat al-Baqarah and started reciting Surat an-Nisā’ and read it all. Then, he started reciting Surat Āl ‘Imrān and read it all. This stems from his prolongation of the prayer and the excellence of recitation in Qiyām al-Layl. This prolongation and this manner in this prayer was probably done by him at a time that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) happened to particularly enjoy what he was up to and was so engrossed therein away from anything else. This accords with his statement in the agreed-upon Hadīth: "If any of you leads the people in prayer, let him shorten it, because among them are the weak, the sick, and the elderly people. And if any of you prays alone, let him prolong as much as he wishes."
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was "reciting slowly," i.e., unhurriedly, and deliberately. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would glorify Allah, by saying "Suhān Allah", when he came across a verse containing Tasbīh. And when he came across a verse that urges the asking of Allah Almighty, he would ask of Him. In a version by Abu Dāwūd: "And he did not come across a verse of mercy except that he would pause at it and make supplication." "and when he came across [a verse] seeking refuge," as the verse mentions Hellfire or contains a threat, "he would seek refuge" with Allah and resort to Him for salvation from His punishment. This all adds to the length of the prayer.
After all that, he bowed in Rukū‘. "and he said: 'Subhān rabbiya al-‘azhīm' (Glory be to my Lord, the Most Majestic)." He adopted this wording in Tasbīh, and it means: We glorify Allah Almighty and praise Him for His greatness. This is an exaltation of Allah Who possesses this attribute. "His bowing lasted about the same length of time as his standing," i.e., the duration of bowing. He stayed therein for nearly the same length of time he had spent standing. Then, he rose from bowing and said: "Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah" (Allah hears whoever praises Him). This is an informative sentence in the sense of a supplication. In other words: O Allah, answer the supplication of he who praises You. Another version adds: "Rabbana laka al-hamd" (praise be to You, Our Lord). This is one of the best supplications and forms of gratitude to Allah Almighty.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained standing nearly the same length of time as he had spent in bowing - before descending to prostrate. "He then prostrated and said: 'Subhān rabbiya al-a‘la' (Glory be to my Lord, the Most High)." He reserved this dhikr and praise for prostration, and it means: Glorifying the Almighty Sovereign and exalting Him above any imperfection. This is the exaltation of Allah Who possesses the attribute of exaltedness.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Qiyām al-Layl in terms of the length of the prayer and recitation and the prolongation of bowing, prostration, and standing.
And in it: Considering the meanings of the verses and pausing to make supplications in accordance with their content, during the prayer..

778

Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you performs the prayer in his mosque, he should leave a portion of his prayer for his house, for indeed Allah puts goodness in his house on account of his prayer.".

Commentary : Prayer is of great significance in the life of a Muslim. So, he should regularly perform it and fulfill its Sunnahs and pillars in the required manner, and he should perform a lot of voluntary prayers, for they compensate for any shortcomings in the obligatory ones. He should also keep a portion of goodness for his house by offering supererogatory prayers therein.
This Hadīth contains Prophetic guidance and education, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed us: When a Muslim performs the obligatory prayer in the mosque, "he should leave a portion of his prayer for his house," i.e., he should offer some of them in his house. This refers to supererogatory prayers. This is because prayer at home is more hidden and farther away from show-off, and so that the house may be blessed on account of that, and mercy and angels descend in it, and the devil runs away from it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that Allah puts goodness in the house of this performer of supererogatory prayers on account of his prayers; this goodness encompasses his wife and children and brings blessing to their sustenance and life spans and an increase in their guidance and piety, and the house is filled with dhikr and worship, and the angels descend to supplicate for the inhabitants of the house and ask for Allah's forgiveness for them..

779

Abu Mūsa reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The house in which Allah is mentioned and the house in which Allah is not mentioned are like the living and the dead.".

Commentary : In the mentioning of Allah lies the life and vigor of people's souls, and in its abandonment lies slackness, idleness, and lethargy. The houses of Muslims should be protected against the devil, be filled with light, and blessing. This can be achieved by performing acts of worship therein, like dhikr, prayer, supplication, and so on.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) holds a comparison between two types of houses, to make the matter easier to understand. One type is a house where Allah is mentioned, and the other is a house where Allah is not mentioned. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that the house where Allah is mentioned is "like the living," i.e., a sound and healthy person, as his inner being shines with Imān (faith) and his outward appearance is adorned with the light of worship. People love him, and they seek support and benefit from him. On the other hand, the house where Allah is not mentioned is like the dead, i.e., like a corpse. No one approaches it, and there is no good in it or use of it. Its inside is false, and its outside is defective.
The meaning of this Hadīth can be an example for houses and those who live therein. The houses where Allah is mentioned abound with a life of Imān, blessing, and goodness for their inhabitants. By contrast, the houses where Allah is not mentioned are desolate like graves, and their inhabitants only go to them for sleep, which is a minor death. They are devoid of goodness and blessing, even if what appears to people is contrary to that.
Also, the meaning may appropriately apply to the inhabitants of houses, namely human beings. Whoever mentions Allah, his heart becomes alive and the impact of that manifests in him. Thus, he becomes useful in this world and the Hereafter. As for a person who does not mention Allah, his heart is lifeless and devoid of Imān and the effects of an Imān-oriented life. He is like a dead person whose deeds come to a halt and cannot obtain any good from his worldly life. This is supported by the version by Al-Bukhāri: "The one who mentions Allah and the one who does not mention Allah are like the living and the dead."
In the Hadīth: Urging remembrance of Allah Almighty at home, and that our houses should not be devoid of it.

780

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not turn your houses into graves. Indeed, Satan runs away from the house in which Surat al-Baqarah is recited.".

Commentary : The houses of Muslims should be protected against the devil, filled with light, and blessing. This can be achieved by performing acts of worship therein, like dhikr, prayer, supplication, recitation of the Qur'an, and so on. Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing to the place where it takes place, for the Qur'an is the extended rope of Allah, which contains tranquility of the soul and expels the devils from the houses where it is recited, particularly Surat al-Baqarah.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Do not turn your houses into graves," i.e., do not make them similar to the graves, devoid of dhikr and worship, and allocate for them a share of the recitation of the Qur'an and prayer. It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Perform some of your prayers in your houses, and do not turn them into graves."
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that the devil flees and runs away from the house where Surat al-Baqarah is recited, because he despairs of alluring the inhabitants of that house due to the blessing of this Surah, or because he sees their seriousness and diligence regarding religion and worship. When the Qur'an in general is recited in a house, it becomes spacious for its inhabitants, its blessings increase, it gets frequented by the angels, and the devils are expelled from it. On the other hand, when the Qur'an is not recited in a house, it becomes straitened for its inhabitants, its blessings decrease, the angels run away from it, and the devils visit it.
The Hadīth indicates the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and its superiority to other Surahs, and it is indeed superior, for it combines Shar‘i rulings more than any other Surah of the Qur'an. It contains the characteristics of the believers, the traits of the hypocrites, an explanation of the stories of the Children of Israel, the forbiddance of sorcery and usury, and mentions of the Qiblah, prayer, fasting, Hajj, ‘Umrah, divorce, waiting periods, debts, conditions, mortgage, and legal retribution, as well as other rulings.
In the Hadīth: Urging recitation of the Qur'an and a lot of dhikr in the houses
And in it: Informing people that the Qur'an and dhikr make houses and hearts alive and populated..

787

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you gets up to pray at night and the Qur'an becomes difficult for his tongue, and he is unaware of what he is reciting, he should lie down.".

Commentary : Qiyām al-Layl is the source of honor for the believer, and it has great merit. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged its regular observance and that a person should engage in it while in a state of activeness and vigor, for this is more beneficial and appropriate.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions that when a Muslim gets up to perform a supererogatory prayer or recite the Qur'an during the night, "and the Qur'an becomes difficult for his tongue," i.e., it becomes hard for his tongue, and he cannot recite it in a correct manner that accurately conveys its words and meanings, due to heavy sleepiness, to the extent that he is not aware of what he is reciting from the Qur'an, and he will probably fall into some distortion or error. If this happens, he should go to sleep and not pray or recite the Qur'an while in this condition. He should take a rest until his vigor is restored to him.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged his Ummah to perform acts of worship that do not put them in hardship, while acceptance of their worship lies with Allah. This comes from Allah's mercy towards the Muslim Ummah, as He removed undue restrictions and difficulties from them in their worship, and He wanted ease for them, not hardship. Allah Almighty says: {Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 185] Allah Almighty also says: {Allah does not burden any soul greater than it can bear.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 286]
In the Hadīth: Urging us to come to prayer while in a state of humility, focus, and activeness.

802

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Would any one of you, when he returns to his family, like to find three large, fat, and pregnant she-camels?" We said: 'Yes.' He said: "Three verses that one of you recites in his prayer are better for him than three large, fat, and pregnant she-camels.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing, for it is the extended rope of Allah, and it affords tranquility of the soul and abundance of rewards, and it leads to salvation on the Day of Judgment. If the recitation is in prayer, the merit becomes greater and the reward more abundant.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked his Companions: "Would any one of you like, when he returns to his family," i.e., when he returns home, where his wife and children are, to find in their place or house "three pregnant she-camels?" A "khalifah" is a pregnant she-camel. It used to be one of the most precious properties among the Arabs. and 'large' and 'fat'. If a she-camel is also large and fat, it becomes even dearer. They replied to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the affirmative, by the necessity of nature and looking forward to the reward. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that reciting three verses in prayer is better than the three pregnant she-camels. The reward for the recitation of three verses in prayer is better and more meritorious than the reward for possessing those she-camels. This is because the recitation of three verses belongs to the enduring good things that are beneficial in the Hereafter, whereas the she-camels are among the supplementary and transient things in the world. He mentioned three verses because this is the minimum number to form a plural number. Yet, this matter is not limited to reciting three verses only. Rather, the more verses a worshiper recites in his prayer, the greater the reward he will get in proportion to their number.
In the Hadīth: Urging recitation of the Qur'an in prayer.

803

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out while we were in As-Suffah and asked: "Which of you would like to go out every morning to But'hān or Al-‘Aqīq and bring two large-humped she-camels without being guilty of sin or severing ties of kinship?" We replied: "O Messenger of Allah, we would like that." He said: "Does not one of you go out in the morning to the mosque and learn or recite two verses of the Book of Allah Almighty? That is better for him than two she-camels, and three verses are better for him than three she-camels, and four verses are better for him than four she-camels, and so on.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Companions the merit of the noble Qur'an and demonstrate the reward for learning, teaching, and reciting it.
In this Hadīth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to them while they were sitting in As-Suffah, a shaded area in the Prophet's Mosque, where the poor Muhājirūn (Immigrants) used to take refuge. He asked them: "Which of you would like to go out every morning to But'hān", a place near Madīnah that stretches from its south to its west, "or to Al-‘Aqīq", a valley in Madīnah whose water gathers from Al-‘Aqīq area, which is located more than 100km to the south of Madīnah and it stretches to its outskirts. He mentioned But'hān and Al-‘Aqīq in particular because they were the closest places to Madīnah where camel markets were held. "and bring two large-humped she-camels"; he mentioned such camels as an example because they are among the most precious property to the Arabs; and that he will gain the two she-camels without being guilty of sin such as stealing or severing kinship ties with them? The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) replied that they would like and love that. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to those who want to obtain this goodness: "Does not any of you go out in the morning to the mosque", going there early, "and learn or recite two verses of the Book of Allah Almighty? That is better for him than two she-camels" i.e., the goodness that stems from learning two verses or reciting them is better in the sight of Allah than obtaining two she-camels and the benefit to be gained through them. Likewise, three verses are better than three she-camels, and four verses are better than four she-camels. His words "and so on" mean that if he learns or recites more verses, he will get what is better than the same number of she-camels. This indicates that learning the Qur'an is better than the pursuit of wealth, as a general rule; and this is more so when a person has a lot of free time.
The Hadīth points out the merit of seeking knowledge and the merit of learning the Qur'an.
It demonstrates how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to preach to his Companions and guide them. Leaders should learn from this and follow the Prophet's example in dealing with their subjects..

804

Abu ’Umāmah al-Bāhili reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Recite the Qur'an, for it will come as an intercessor on the Day of Judgment for its reciters. Recite the two illuminating ones: Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān, for they will come as if they were two clouds, two shades, or two flocks of birds in ranks defending their reciters. Recite Surat al-Baqarah, for reading it is a blessing; abandoning it is a cause of regret, and the Batalah (sorcerers) cannot handle it." Mu‘āwiyah said: It has been conveyed to me that the Batalah are sorcerers. [In a version]: But he said, "As if they were" regarding both of them, and did not mention the statement of Mu'wiyah: "It has been conveyed to me.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it and comply with it, for it is the extended rope of Allah. And it affords tranquility of the soul and abundance of rewards, leads to salvation on the Day of Judgment, and provides protection against magicians in the worldly life, particularly Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges the recitation of the Qur'an and commands doing so persistently. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the Qur'an will be embodied in a form seen by the people on the Day of Judgment, as Allah will give people's deeds a form and weight so that they will be placed on the scale. The Qur'an will intercede for those who recite and act upon it and plead for them before Allah Almighty, seeking forgiveness for them and that they be saved from Hellfire and admitted into Paradise, or that their ranks in Paradise be elevated.
He repeated the word 'recite' to urge the recitation of certain Surahs and to emphasize their special merit regarding intercession. His words are: "the two illuminating ones" refer to Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān which were called as such because they are two lights, or because of the abundance of the lights of the Shar‘i rulings and the excellent names therein. Undoubtedly, the light of the speech of Allah is greater and brighter, and each Surah in the Qur'an is an illuminating one, given the rulings and admonitions contained in it and because it provides healing for the chests, illumination for the hearts, and multiplication of the rewards for its reciters. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) singled out the recitation of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān to demonstrate their high status and affirm their special merit regarding intercession for those who persistently recite them and act upon what they contain. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that they will be embodied and take a specific form and appear as if they were "two clouds" that will shade their companion from the heat of this situation of standing. Clouds are given this name because they cloud and conceal the sky. "or two shades." A "ghayāyah" or shade is anything that provides a person with a cover above his head, like a cloud and so on. "or two flocks," i.e., two groups or parties, "of birds in ranks." This is a flock of birds extending their wings and being linked to one another. The intended meaning is that they will protect their receiver from the heat of this situation of standing and the distress of the Day of Judgment. Also, they will push against Hellfire and its keepers, or plead for intercession for him, or when he is questioned, when his tongue does not speak, his lips are sealed, and his arguments are lost.
His words: "Reciting Surat al-Baqarah" constitutes a specification in addition to the previous specification. He first mentioned the Qur'an as a whole, and then singled out the two illuminating Surahs, and then singled out Surat al-Baqarah from both of them. This indicates its high status and great merit. He said: "for taking it" - by persistently reciting it, pondering its meanings, and acting upon what it contains - "is a blessing," i.e., increase, growth, and a great benefit for its reciter. "abandoning it is regret," i.e., deploring and feeling sorrowful over the missed reward. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that "the Batalah," i.e., the sorcerers, cannot overcome it. This means that they cannot recite it because of their deviation from the truth and engrossment in falsehood; or that they cannot repel it and penetrate its protection for he who recites and memorizes it, as it shields its reciter and memorizer from magic. It was said: The "Batalah" refers to idle and lethargic people, for they cannot memorize or recite it due to its length, whereas they are prone to laziness. Another version uses 'and' not 'or': "and as if they were two shades, and as if they were two flocks of birds in ranks." Reconciling the two versions, the 'or' in the first version is not used for doubt, giving choices in likening the two Surahs, or hesitation. Rather, it is for diversification and division of the reciters, for a group of them will see the two Surahs as two clouds, another group will see them as two shades, and another group as two flocks of birds stretching out their wings.
In the Hadīth: Urging the recitation of the Qur'an, the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān, and the significance of Surat al-Baqarah in particular..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths