It was narrated from Nafi‘ that Ibn ‘Umar used to say: When the Muslims came to Madinah, they would gather and wait for the prayer, because there was no call to prayer. One day they spoke about that, and one of them said: We should have a clapper (naqus) like that of the Christians. Others said: Rather we should have a trumpet like that of the Jews. ‘Umar said: Why don’t you send a man to call people to prayer? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Bilal, get up and call the people to prayer.”.

Commentary : The Muslims used to pray without any adhan (call to prayer) from the time when the prayer was enjoined in Makkah during the Mi‘raj (Prophet’s ascent to heaven), and the matter remained like that until they migrated to Madinah, and until they discussed this matter and the adhan was prescribed, as mentioned in this hadith. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Muslims, after they migrated to Madinah, used to gather and wait for the time of prayer. In other words, they would estimate its time, then they would come and gather for prayer in the mosque. At that time, the adhan had not yet been prescribed. Then one day they spoke about that, wanting to have a signal by means of which they could know that it was time for them to gather for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to consult them and listen to their views, and see how they could work out the best method, based on the general principles of Islam. Some of them suggested a clapper (naqus), which is like the bells that are found in the churches of the Christians. Others suggested a trumpet, like that of the Jews, which they blow into and it makes a sound; those trumpets were made from the horns of animals. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Why don’t you send a man to call people to prayer? This was an example of ‘Umar’s wisdom, virtue and smartness. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) adopted his suggestion, and said to Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): “O Bilal, get up and call the people to prayer.” There are other hadiths which state that the words of the adhan came to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) in a dream, and he told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Bilal to get up and call people to prayer with these words that had come to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) in a dream. These are the words of the adhan until today. In Sunan Abi Dawud and elsewhere, it was narrated that the adhan was shown to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd in a dream, and the next day he went to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and told him about that. He said to him: O Messenger of Allah, whilst I was between sleep and wakefulness, someone came to me and told me about the adhan. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) had seen that in a dream before that, but he had withheld the news for twenty days. Then he told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about it, and he said to him: “What kept you from telling me?” He said: ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd beat me to it, and I felt shy. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Bilal, get up and see what ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd instructs you to do, then do it.”
This hadith constitutes strong proof for one of the basic principles of fiqh, which is the view that one may use an analogy (qiyas) to work out matters of religion, in the process that is known as ijtihad.
It also indicates that there is divine wisdom in the fact that the adhan came from one of the believers, someone other than the Prophet, because the adhan contains praise from Allah for His slave (meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) and highlighting his high status. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And raised high for you your repute} [al-Sharh 94:4].
It highlights the high calibre of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and his wisdom..

606

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the number of people increased, they began to discuss how they could know that it was time to pray by means of something they could recognize. They thought of lighting a fire, or beating a clapper. And [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] instructed Bilal to repeat the phrases of the adhan twice, and the phrases of the iqamah once..

608

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the call to prayer is given, the Shaytan runs away, breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the call. When the call ends, he comes back, then when the iqamah for prayer is given, he runs away again. Then when the iqamah ends, he comes back, until he comes between a man and his thoughts, and says: Remember such and such, remember such and such – mentioning things that he had not remembered, until the man becomes unsure of how much he has prayed.”.

Commentary : Since Allah cast him out from His mercy, Iblis has been trying to mislead humankind, but when he hears the adhan and iqamah – as is mentioned in this hadith – he runs away and flees, breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the calls to prayer, because he is so afraid when he runs away. Then when the adhan ends, the Shaytan comes back to the person to whisper to him and distract him from doing acts of worship. Then when the iqamah is given for the prayer, he runs away again. He only runs away because of what he hears of the testimony of Allah’s oneness (Tawhid) and what he sees of the teachings of Islam being followed, as he does on the Day of ‘Arafah, and because of what he sees of everyone coming together to testify to the oneness of Allah (may He be exalted), and of mercy coming down to them, for he despairs of ever making them give up what they have proclaimed, and he is certain that he will fail because of what Allah bestows upon them of reward for that. Hence he comes back, after the adhan and iqamah have ended, to whisper to the worshipper whilst he is praying, saying to him: “Remember such and such, remember such and such,” seeking to remind him of worldly matters that he is not usually concerned about when he is not praying. The Shaytan keeps whispering to the worshipper until he makes him confused about his prayer, and he does not know how much he has prayed; what is meant is that he forgets the number of rak‘ahs he has prayed and other parts of his prayer, so he adds something to it or omit something, because he is distracted by the whispers of the Shaytan.
This hadith highlights the virtue of the adhan and iqamah, and the impact that they have, as they cause the Shaytan to flee and keep him and his whispers away from the Muslim.
It also points out to the worshipper that he should focus and show humility in his prayer, and avert the whispers of the Shaytan from himself, and that he should show devotion to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) whilst praying..

609

It was narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah al-Ansari al-Mazini, from his father, that he told him that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri said to him: I see that you love sheep and the wilderness. When you are with your sheep or in your wilderness, and you give the call to prayer, raise your voice when you give the call, for no jinn, human or anything else hears the voice of the mu’adhdhin but he will testify in his favour on the Day of Resurrection..

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues, one of which is what Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke of in this hadith, when he said to the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah, who had sheep which he tended: I see that you love sheep and the wilderness. In other words, you love to tend sheep in the desert – which indicates that he would be on his own when the time for prayer came. So he (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed him, if the time for prayer came when he was in that situation, to raise his voice with the adhan. Then he told him a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which it says that no jinn, human or anything else hears this call but he will testify on the Day of Resurrection that the mu’adhdhin did that. He only instructed him to raise his voice when giving the call so that whoever is far away from him could hear it, and thus he would have more witnesses to speak in his favour on the Day of Resurrection. Thus on the Day of Resurrection, he will become famous among those who testify to his virtue and high status. Just as Allah (may He be exalted) will humiliate some people and expose them to shame on the basis of the testimony given by witnesses, by the same token He will honour others, perfect their happiness and bring joy to their hearts.
This hadith highlights the virtue of practicing sunnahs and religious matters openly, even in the wilderness..

611

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you hear the call [to prayer], say what the mu’adhdhin says.”.

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues and are matters of high status before Allah (may He be exalted). In order that the listener will not be deprived of this reward, he is instructed to repeat after the mu’adhdhin, as mentioned in this hadith, in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “When you hear the call [to prayer]”; this refers to the call for the five obligatory prayers. “say what the mu’adhdhin says.” So the listener should say the word of the adhan as the mu’adhdhin does. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us how to do that. In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the muezzin says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great),’ and one of you says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar’; then he says, ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah’; then he says, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-salah (Come to prayer),’ and you say, ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (there is no power and no strength except with Allah)’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-falah (Come to prosperity),’ and you say, ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah’; then he says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,’ and you say, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar’; then he says, ‘La ilaha illa Allah,’ and you say, ‘La ilaha ill-Allah,’ sincerely from the heart, you will enter Paradise.” Thus it is clear that the reward for repeating the adhan after the mu’adhdhin is a means of admittance to Paradise..

613

It was narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he [the mu’adhdhin] said Hayya ‘ala al-salah, he said: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah; and he said: This is what we heard your Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying..

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues and are matters of high status before Allah (may He be exalted). In order that the listener will not be deprived of this reward, he is instructed to repeat after the mu’adhdhin. Our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to repeat the adhan after the mu’adhdhin. This hadith explains some of that, as the Tabi‘i Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrates from Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he heard the mu’adhdhin say Hayya ‘ala al-salah, Mu‘awiyah said: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah, and stated that he did that as he had heard it from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence this is the Sunnah of repeating after the mu’adhdhin and responding to his words in the case of the two phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah.” When the mu’adhdhin says these two phrases, the listener should respond by saying: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah. That is because in the case of phrases other than “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah”, both the listener and the mu’adhdhin share in the reward – such as when saying “Allahu akbar” and “La ilaha illa Allah”, and the other phrases of the adhan – because they are a kind of dhikr. However, with regard to the phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah”, the aim is to call the people to prayer, because these phrases effectively mean: Come to prayer, come to strive. This is what the mu’adhdhin is doing when he says these words. Therefore Allah compensates the listener for what he misses out on of the reward for that, with the reward for saying La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah. And it was said that the listener says La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah at this point because the meaning of the phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah” is: Come with your devotion and clean heart to guidance in the immediate moment, and come to great success later on. So it is appropriate for him to say: This is a momentous matter that I cannot do with the weakness that is inherent in me, unless Allah helps me with His power and strength.
This hadith highlights Mu‘awiyah’s knowledge and keenness to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

614

It was narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, ‘Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’l-da‘wat il-tammati wa’l-salat il-qa’imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wa’l-fadilah, wab‘athhu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa’adtahu (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer that will always be offered, grant Muhammad the privilege and also the eminence, and resurrect him to the praised position that You have promised him),’ will be granted my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.”.

Commentary : Du‘a’ (supplication) is one of the best acts of worship and a means of drawing closer to Allah, and it is a means of attaining good things and blessings. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us many blessed supplications, and has recommended them at certain times and in certain circumstances; he has also highlighted the immense reward that they bring. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that whoever says, after hearing the adhan and after the mu’adhdhin has finished giving the call to prayer: “‘Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’l-da‘wat il-tammah (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call)” that is, the phrases of the adhan with which people are called to worship Allah (may He be exalted). What is meant by perfect is that they are complete, with no change or alteration; rather they will remain as they are until the Day of Resurrection. “wa’l-salat il-qa’imah (and the prayer that will always be offered)” – which is constantly offered. Give Muhammad al-wasilah (the privilege)” – this refers to a lofty status in Paradise that no one will attain except him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); and also al-fadilah (the eminence)” – this refers to a higher status than all other created beings; it may be understood that al-fadilah is a second lofty status. And resurrect the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to the praised position” – this refers to a position on the Day of Resurrection for which all those who are standing on the Day of Resurrection will praise him; it is the position of great intercession. “alladhi wa’adtahu (that You have promised him)” – that is the status that You have mentioned in Your Book, where You say: {it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station} [al-Isra’ 17:79].
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned the reward for the one who recites this supplication: it is that he will be entitled to and deserve the intercession of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on the Day of Resurrection. His intercession will be for the sinners (to be forgiven), or for others to be admitted to Paradise without being brought to account, or for others to be raised in status on the Day of Resurrection – each according to his situation.
This hadith highlights the virtue of reciting this dhikr after the adhan, and encourages the Muslim to offer supplication at the times of prayer, when the gates of heaven are open for mercy.
It also affirms the great intercession of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

616

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith said: Ibn ‘Abbas addressed us on a muddy day, and when the mu’adhdhin reached the words “Hayya ‘ala al-salah”, he instructed him to call out “Al-salatu fi’l-rihal (Pray where you are).” The people looked at one another, then he said: One who was better than him did this, and this prayer is an obligatory prayer..

Commentary : The teachings of Islam are easy-going and seek to make things easy for people. One example of that is that despite the importance of prayer in congregation in the mosque, Islam takes into consideration people’s circumstances at difficult times, when going to the mosque is hard, such as in the event of high winds, rain, fear, and so on.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith narrates that whilst Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was addressing the Muslims on a muddy day, when there was a great deal of mud because of rain, he instructed the mu’adhdhin to say, when he reached the words “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” to say: “Al-salatu fi’l-rihal (Pray where you are)” – meaning in their houses and homes. Giving the call in this manner is a concession to allow people to pray at home, and not to pray in congregation, so that no one will encounter difficulty in coming to the mosque. When he instructed the mu’adhdhin to do that, those who were present questioned his doing that, and they looked at one another in astonishment, finding that odd, because they had never seen such a concession before that from any of the other Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them all). When Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw their reaction, he said: One who was better than me did that – meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to them that this was not something new that had been introduced into the adhan, and nothing had changed; what he instructed the mu’adhdhin to do was something that the Prophet himself (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done. This indicates that on a rainy or muddy day, the mu’adhdhin may say in the adhan: “Sallu fi rihalikum (pray in your houses).” Thus it becomes clear to the people that it is permissible to pray in their houses on rainy and muddy days. This is what is meant by the words of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “and this prayer is an obligatory prayer”: Jumu‘ah prayer is an obligatory prayer. According to another report, he said: Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, and I did not like to make you come out and walk in the mud. That was because they would be reluctant to stay away from Jumu‘ah prayer, and would put up with hardship in order to go there in the mud. Hence he instructed the mu’adhdhin to say “Sallu fi rihaalikum” so that they would know that doing so was permissible, and they would not be upset about it.
This hadith highlights the easy nature of Islamic teachings, and that the teachings of Islam seek to spare the Muslims hardship by granting concessions allowing them not to pray in congregation in the event of rain, hail and disasters.
It also highlights the knowledge of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

617

It was narrated from Salim ibn ‘Abdillah, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Bilal gives the adhan at night, so [continue to eat and drink] until Ibn Umm Maktum gives the call to prayer.” Then he said: “He is a blind man; he does not give the call to prayer until he is told: Dawn has broken, dawn has broken.”.

618

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Hafsah told me that when the mu’adhdhin started to watch out for the break of dawn, and when the time of Fajr had begun, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray two brief rak‘ahs before the iqamah was given for the prayer..

Commentary : The supererogatory prayers make up for any shortcomings that occur in the obligatory prayers, and they are like an arena in which people may compete to earn hasanat (rewards for good deeds) and attain high status before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the sunnah prayers and explain them to the people in word and deed. The sunnah prayer of Fajr is one of the sunnah prayers that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) upheld most assiduously.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the mu’adhdhin started to watch out for the break of dawn – it was said: perhaps what is meant by watching out was that he would sit and wait for the break of dawn, and remain there for that purpose, or that when the mu’adhdhin stood up, ready to give the adhan; that is explained in other reports. In al-Sahihayn, it says: when the mu’adhdhin had finished giving the adhan for Fajr prayer. Al-Bukhari narrated from Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the mu’adhdhin had given the adhan for Fajr. What we may understand from the variation in these reports is that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became certain that the adhan for Fajr would be given soon, and the light of dawn began to appear – which is what confirms that the time for Fajr has begun – at that time, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would stand up and offer two brief sunnah rak‘ahs before standing up to offer the obligatory prayer of Fajr.
This hadith indicates that the sunnah prayer of Fajr is two brief rak‘ahs, which are to be done after the adhan and before the iqamah for the (obligatory) prayer..

621

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one of you should stop eating suhur when he hears the adhan of Bilal, for he gives the adhan – or he gives the call to prayer – at night, so that the one who is praying qiyam may rest, and the one who is sleeping may wake up. And one should not think that the dawn has come – and he gestured with his fingers, up and down – until it is like this – and Zuhayr (one of the narrators) gestured with his two fingers, holding one above the other, then pulling them apart, right and left..

Commentary : The practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was to have two adhans for Fajr prayer. The first was an adhan given at night, allowing enough time before the time for the prayer began so that one who was sleeping could wake up, and one who was praying qiyam could rest, and one who wanted to fast could eat sahur. The second was an adhan given when the time for Fajr began; this is the time when people stop eating and drinking, and begin the fast.
This hadith confirms that, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained, the adhan that Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) gave for Fajr prayer was given before the time for the prayer began, so this adhan should not make anyone stop eating sahur. The word sahur refers to what is eaten, and suhur refers to the action of eating food before the time of Fajr begins, for the one who intends to fast. The reason why he should not stop eating sahur when hearing the adhan of Bilal was that he only gave the adhan at night, before the time for the prayer had begun, in order to alert the one who was praying qiyam al-layl that dawn was approaching, so that he could go back and sleep a little, and thus be able to get up refreshed to pray Fajr, or so that the one who needed to eat sahur could get up and eat sahur, and so that the one who was asleep could get up and get ready to pray.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the difference between the false dawn and the true dawn. The false dawn is of no significance, so the one who wants to fast should not stop eating when he sees it, and the people should not pray Fajr when they see it. The way in which it may be recognized is that it is a vertical line of light that appears in the sky; hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured with his fingers, moving them up and down, to explain with this gesture that the vertical light that appears from top to bottom of the sky is not dawn. Rather the true dawn is that which, when people see it, means that the one who wants to fast should stop eating, and it marks the beginning of the time for prayer. This is the light that appears along the horizon, and is explained in the hadith by the words “until it is like this”, meaning: until the dawn appears like this, referring to the width of the sky. Zuhayr ibn Mu‘awiyah al-Ju‘fi [one of the narrators of the hadith] described the gesture of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by gesturing with his forefingers, holding one above the other, then pulling them apart, right and left, to demonstrate that the true dawn is the light that appears along the horizon in the east, extending south and north.
This hadith indicates that further clarification may be done with gestures in order to make clear what is being taught.
It highlights the difference between the true dawn and the false dawn.
It indicates that the time for Fajr prayer begins and the time for suhur ends after the true dawn has broken..

624

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Between the two calls there is prayer – three times – for whoever wishes.”.

Commentary : One of the wisdoms behind the supererogatory and sunnah prayers is that they make up for any shortcomings that occur in the obligatory prayers, and they are like an arena in which people may compete to earn hasanat (rewards for good deeds) and attain high status before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the sunnah prayers and explain them to the people in word and deed.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains a supererogatory and sunnah prayer that is connected to an obligatory prayer, as he says: “Between the two calls there is prayer.” What is meant by the two calls here is the original adhan before any obligatory prayer, and the second call is the iqamah which comes just before the prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said this three times, to make sure that everyone understood it and to emphasize the importance of what he was saying. And so that no one would think that this prayer was obligatory, after the third time, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “for whoever wishes”; that is, for whoever wishes to pray between the adhan and iqamah. Thus he explained that the matter was broad in scope and based on individual choice and that it was for the purpose of doing more acts of worship and attaining more reward, but it was not obligatory.
This hadith encourages the Muslim to offer the voluntary prayer between the adhan and iqamah.
It also indicates that there should be a pause between the adhan and iqamah, even if it is only short..

625

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the mu’adhdhin gave the adhan, some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up and rushed towards the pillars, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out whilst they were like that, praying two rak‘ahs before Maghrib, and there was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah. ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and Abu Dawud narrated from Shu‘bah: There was only a short time between them..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to do anything that would bring them closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). That included offering supererogatory and sunnah prayers before and after the [obligatory] prayers.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik says that when the mu’adhdhin gave the adhan for Maghrib, some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up and rushed towards the pillars that held up the roof of the mosque. The purpose behind rushing to the pillars was so that they could use them as sutrahs to screen them from those who were walking in front of them, so that they could pray individually before Maghrib prayer, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out of his apartment to pray Maghrib whilst they were like that, rushing and hastening to pray two rak‘ahs before Maghrib prayer. A report narrated by Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) adds: A stranger would come and think that the prayer had already been offered, because of the large numbers of people who were praying these two [voluntary] rak‘ahs.
This is indicative of the large numbers of people who did these two rak‘ahs. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And there was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah; in other words, there was not much time, so they would pray those two rak‘ahs within a brief period of time. This is what was explained and affirmed by Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjaj al-Wasiti, one of the narrators of this hadith, when he said: There was only a short time between them.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray two supererogatory rak‘ahs before Maghrib.
It also indicates that the one who is praying on his own should have a sutrah (screen)..

632

It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: Ibn ‘Umar gave the adhan on a cold night in Dajnan, then he said: Pray where you are staying. Then he told us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would instruct a mu’adhdhin to give the call to prayer, then say immediately afterwards: Ala sallu fi’l-rihal (Attention! Pray where you are), on a cold or very rainy night, when travelling..

Commentary : Islam urges the Muslim to regularly pray in congregation in the mosques, but if it is difficult to attend the prayer in congregation, then Islam grants a concession allowing the Muslim not to pray in congregation. The types of excuses allowing that include severe cold and rain.
This hadith highlights that, as Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar gave the call to prayer on an extremely cold night in Dajnan, which is a mountain in Tihamah, twenty-five miles from Makkah. Then Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, straight after giving the adhan: Pray where you are; that is, in the places where you are staying and your tents. And he told him that this was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as he would instruct a mu’adhdhin to give the adhan, then say straight after finishing the adhan: Ala sallu fi’l-rihal (Attention! Pray where you are). That would be on a cold or very rainy night, whilst travelling. The apparent meaning of the report is that this concession is only for travel, but the scholars stated that this concession is general and also applies to anyone who is not travelling but could find it difficult to attend the prayer in congregation.
This report states that when this phrase, “Sallu fi rihalikum (pray where you are)” is to be said is immediately after finishing the adhan. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated in the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas that it is to be said in place of the phrases Hayya ‘ala al-salah and Hayya ‘ala al-falah. Whichever of the two options the caller chooses, there is nothing wrong with it.
This hadith highlights the kindness of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and how He makes things easy for His slaves.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to stay away from attending prayers in congregation when there is fear of harm that could result from that..

633

It was narrated from ‘Awn ibn Abi Juhayfah that his father said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, when Bilal came to him and told him that it was time to pray. Then Bilal brought out a long stick and set it up in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, then he gave the iqamah for prayer..

Commentary : The Sahabah showed a great deal of etiquette with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that they (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow his guidance and practice in all things, and to transmit it to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah Wahb ibn ‘Abdillah al-Suwa’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in prayer, as he says: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, which is a place outside Makkah al-Mukarramah; it was originally a watercourse that runs through the valley of Makkah. It is located south of the Haram, in front of Jabal Thawr. Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and told him that the time for prayer had begun, then Bilal came out with a long stick and set it up in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to be a sutrah for him and to mark the place where he would be praying, so that no one would pass in front of him. He used to do that on his journeys, because the traveller usually cannot find a wall to use as a sutrah, and he usually prays in open ground. However, if he prays in the mosque, or behind a wall or fence, that forms a natural sutrah.
Then Bilal gave the iqamah for prayer. That happened during the Farewell Pilgrimage. This report clearly refers to the iqamah without an adhan, but in another report, al-Bukhari mentions the adhan.
This hadith highlights the great respect that the Sahabah showed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also refers to giving the adhan and iqamah whilst travelling.
It also indicates that the one who wants to pray should set up a sutrah if he fears that people will pass directly in front of him..

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

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