It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: A man came to Ibn Mas‘ud and said: I recited al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah last night. He said: That is too fast, like reciting poetry. I know the pairs of surahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together. And he mentioned twenty surahs from al-Mufassal, two in each rak‘ah..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has enjoined us to reflect upon the Qur’an, as He says: {[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded} [Sad 38:29] and {Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an?} [al-Nisa’ 4:82]. This is the purpose behind reciting it; it is not right to merely pronounce its letters without understanding or reflection. This is further emphasized if the recitation is in prayer. In this hadith, we see that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the action of this man who said to him that he had recited all of al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah. Al-Mufassal includes the surahs from Qaf to the end of the Qur’an, or from Surat Muhammad to the end of the Qur’an. It is called mufassal because its surahs are short and are separated (infisal) from one another with frequent intervals. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) objected to what this man did and said to him: This is like reciting poetry. In other words, his recitation was quick, without reflection, as is done when reciting poetry. He only said that because this manner of reciting was customary among them when reciting poetry. Here Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was denouncing the man’s action because it indicated a lack of reflection on what he was reciting. But if the worshipper recites at a moderate pace whilst reflecting on the meaning, then standing for a longer time increases his reward.
Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he knew the pairs of surahs that were similar in length, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together in prayer, reciting two surahs in each rak‘ah. The number of these surahs was thirty, from al-Mufassal. These surahs are mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). They are: al-Rahman and al-Najm in one rak‘ah; al-Qamar and al-Haqqah in one rak‘ah; al-Tur and al-Dhariyat in one rak‘ah; al-Waqi‘ah and al-Qalam in one rak‘ah; al-Ma‘arij and al-Nazi‘at in one rak‘ah; al-Mutaffifeen and ‘Abasa in one rak‘ah; al-Muddaththir and al-Muzzammilin one rak‘ah; al-Insan and al-Qiyamahin one rak‘ah; al-Naba’ and al-Mursalat in one rak‘ah; al-Dukhan and al-Takwir in one rak‘ah.
If someone were to say: al-Dukhan is not part of al-Mufassal, so how can it be included as being part of al-Mufassal? The answer is that it is by way of convenience. In one report it says: Eighteen surahs from al-Mufassal and two surahs from the “family of Ha-Mim” [i.e., the surahs that begin with Ha-Mim].
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to recite two or more surahs in one rak‘ah..

775.1

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that there was a man of the Ansar who used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Quba’. Every time he led them and wanted to recite a surah, he would recite {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] until he finished it, then he would recite another surah with it, and he would do that in every rak‘ah. His companions spoke to him about that, saying: You always start with this surah, then you think it is not enough, so you recite another surah. Either recite it only, or do not recite it and recite another surah instead. He said: I will not stop reciting it; if you want me to carry on leading you in prayer like this, I will do so, and if you do not like it, I will leave you. They thought that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about that, and he said: “O So-and-so, what prevented you from doing what your companions toldyou to do? What made you persist in reciting this surah in every rak‘ah?” He said: Because I love it. He said: “Your love for it has gained you admittance to Paradise.”.

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlasis one of the greatest surahs in the Qur’an. Even though its words are few, it contains sublime and important meanings, as it clearly explains the concept of Tawhid (the oneness of Allah), the importance of worshipping Him alone and turning to Him alone, and it categorically states that He has no son and no father (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man of the Ansar – whose name was Kulthum ibn Hidm (may Allah be pleased with him) – used to lead his companions in prayer in the mosque of Quba’, which was the first mosque that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) built in Madinah when he arrived in the city as a migrant. It stands at the entrance to Madinah for one who is coming from the direction of Makkah. Every time he wanted to recite a surah after al-Fatihah, he would recite before it {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas], then he would recite another surah. His companions spoke to him and told him that this surah on its own was sufficient for reciting after al-Fatihah, and by reciting it you will have done what is required of you in terms of recitation, so either recite it on its own, or recite the other surah that youwant to recite after it. But the man refused to do that, and gave them the choice between letting him continue to lead them in prayer in this manner, or appointing someone else to lead the prayer, if they did not like him to lead them. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about what this man was doing – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to come to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday to pray there, as it says in al-Sahihayn – so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked him about the reason why he did not agree to what his companions were asking of him, and why he persisted in reciting {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] with every other surah he recited. The man told the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that his love for Surat al-Ikhlas was what made him do that. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of him doing that, and gave him the glad tidings that his love for this surah had gained him admittance to Paradise. It is well-known that admittance to Paradise will only happen in the hereafter, but as it is inevitably going to happen, it is as if it has already happened, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke in the past tense when he gave him this good news.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Surat al-Ikhlas.
It also indicates that it is permissible to recite two surahs [besides al-Fatihah] in one rak‘ah..

779

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah how to pray by his own actions and practice, just as he taught them by means of direct commands and prohibitions. This hadith explains one aspect of the Prophet’s practice in some of the prayers. In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah of Zuhr prayer long, and he would make the second rak‘ah shorter than the first. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also used to do that in Fajr prayer: he would make the first rak‘ah long and make the second shorter.
What is meant by making it long is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the recitation whilst standing lengthy. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to estimate how long the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in Zuhr and ‘Asr prayer. We estimated that his standing in the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr was equivalent to the time it takes to recite “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah], and we estimated that his standing in the last two rak‘ahs was equivalent to half of that. It was said that the reason for making the first rak‘ah long was that he had more energy in the first than in the second. It was also said that he did this so that the people would be able to catch up with the rak‘ah..

780

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,for if anyone’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Ibn Shihab said: And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say Amin..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) is immensely merciful and very generous. By His mercy to His slaves, He grants them immense reward for little effort. This hadith highlights one aspect of this mercy, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that when the imam says Amin – which means: O Allah, answer – after reciting al-Fatihah in a prayer in which recitation is done out loud, the one who is praying behind the imam should follow him in saying Amin when he hears him say it. For if a person’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, in timing – or in manner, humility and sincerity – his previous sins will be forgiven. What is meant by the angels is the recording angels or, it was said, the angels who come in succession by night and day. And it was said that it refers to all the angels, based on the general meaning of the phrase, because the plural form preceded by the definite article includes all of them, in the sense that it is said by the recording angels who are present, then those who are above them, until it reaches those on high and the inhabitants of the heavens.
The apparent meaning of the hadith is that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin after the imam says it. It was also said that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin at the same time as the imam, not before him and not after him. With regard to the words, “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,” what is meant is when the imam is about to say Amin.
This hadith highlights the virtue of saying Amin after reciting al-Fatihah for the imam, the one who is praying behind an imam, and the one who is praying on his own..

783

It was narrated from al-Hasan, from Abu Bakrah, that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was bowing, so he bowed before he joined the row. He mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: “May Allah increase you in keenness, but do not do it again.”.

Commentary : Keenness to follow the teachings of Islam and to do the obligatory duties, and hastening to catch up with them,are indicative of a person’s righteousness and sincere faith in Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so long as that keenness and hastening does not make him overstep the mark with regard to commands and prohibitions. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were the keenest of people to do that, especially in the case of prayers in congregation. They did not fail to attend prayer in congregation, except when there was an excuse. In this hadith, Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and found him bowing in prayer. He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) before he rose from bowing, so he bowed on his own before reaching and joining the row, and walked bowing until he came to the row. When he mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after the prayer had ended, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supplication for him, asking that he be increased in keenness to do good, because he knew that he only did that because he was so keen to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he told him not to do that again, because by doing that he was praying on his own behind the row, which is not allowed. It may be that the prohibition referred to walking to the row whilst praying; even though taking one or two steps does not invalidate the prayer, it is better to avoid doing that.
The basic principle is that the one who wants to pray behind an imam should walk towards the congregation in a calm and dignified manner, then whatever he catches up with with the imam he should pray with him, and whatever he misses of the prayer, he should complete it after the imam says the taslim..

784

It was narrated from Mutarrif, that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said that he prayed with ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra and he said: This man reminded us of a prayer that we prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said that he used to say takbir every time he moved up and every time he moved down..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ash-Shikhkhir narrates that he and ‘Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra, in Iraq. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him, after the prayer ended: This man – meaning ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) – reminded us of the prayer that we used to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And he stated that he used to say takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said that because that emphasizes how the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

787

It was narrated that ‘Ikrimah said: I saw a man at the Maqam, saying takbir every time he moved down and up [in prayer], when he stood and when he sat. I told Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) [about that] and he said: Is this not how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, may you be bereft of your mother!.

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that he saw a man – it was said that he was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) – praying in Makkah at the Maqam of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He said takbir every time he moved down and up [in the prayer]. This man found it odd, and according to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he described the man as foolish. When he mentioned that to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the latter rebuked him and told him off, and he informed him that this was how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, because saying takbir at every movement, down or up, was what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in his prayer. And he said to him: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a phrase that was used by way of rebuke, and Ibn ‘Abbas said it to him because he was unaware of the Sunnah, yet despite that he found it odd that someone would do it. What is meant is that the man was saying takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd(Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer..

788

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that in Makkah he offered a four-rak‘ah prayer behind an imam; he was the Sahabi Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the prayer was Zuhr, as it says in the report narrated by Ahmad. He said takbir twenty-two times in the four rak‘ahs. What is meant by the takbirs that ‘Ikrimah counted is that in every rak‘ah there were five takbirs: the takbir for bowing, the two rakbirs for the two prostrations, a takbir for sitting between the two prostrations, and a takbir for rising from the second prostration, in addition to the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) and the takbir for standing up following the first tashahhud. When ‘Ikrimah counted the number of takbirs, he said to Ibn ‘Abbas, finding the actions of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) odd: He is foolish – meaning that he is lacking in reason, because he does not know how to pray and when to say takbir. Ibn ‘Abbas said tohim: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a word that the Arabs say by way of rebuke, and they do not mean it literally. So this was by way of rebuking ‘Ikrimah and objecting to what he had said, and his ignorance of the Sunnah. It was not a supplication against him. Then he explained to him that this prayer, with this number of takbirs, was the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was not due to ignorance on the part of the imam. Abu’l-Qasim is the kunyah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This indicates that the people had become careless and negligent with regard to the takbirs of the prayer and with regard to saying them at the right points in the prayer, to the extent that some of them thought that the norm was what had become widespread among them of heedlessness and not saying the takbirsat the right points. It also indicates that when the scholars among the Sahabah saw this heedlessness and shortcoming on the people’s part, they showed them how to say the takbirs at the correct points, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done.
This hadith highlights the fact that the scholars must correct what the people have changed, and show them the correct way..

789

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to pray, he said takbir when he stood up, then he said takbir when he bowed. Then he said Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise him) when he stood up straight from bowing. Then when he was standing upright, he said Rabbanalaka al-hamd (Our Lord, to You be praise) – ‘Abdullah ibn Salih said, narrating from al-Layth: Walaka al-hamd. Then he said takbir when he went down [to prostrate]; then he said takbir when he lifted his head; then he said takbir when he prostrated; then he said takbir when he lifted his head. Then he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it. And he said takbir when he stood up after the first two rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed us, in the Holy Qur’an, to pray in general terms. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to us very clearly in word and deed,and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in great detail. So there is no room to add or subtract anything.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates part of the description of the Prophet’s prayer, telling us that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood to pray, he said takbir when he began the prayer, which is known as takbirat al-ihram (opening takbir). Then he said takbir when he began to move to the bowing posture, when he prostrated, when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated a second time, when he lifted his head again, and when he stood up following the first two rak‘ahs, after sitting to recite the first tashahhud. Then he would do that throughout the prayer, until he finished it. And he would say when he stood up straight after bowing: Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him), then he would say once he was standing up straight: Rabbanalaka al-hamd. This indicates that the imam who is leading the prayer should recite both the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah) and the tahmid (Rabbanalaka al-hamd); and that the tasmi‘ is the dhikr to be said when rising from bowing, and the tahmid is the dhikr to be said when one has stood upright.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to say takbir with every movement up and down, except when rising from bowing, when one should say “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; Rabbanalaka al-hamd.”.

790

It was narrated that Abu Ya‘fur said: I heard Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d say: I prayed beside my father, and I put my hands together then placed them between my thighs. My father told me not to do that, and he said: We used to do that, then we were told not to do it, and we were instructed to place our hands on our knees..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the twin declaration of faith, and the Muslim should make sure that he prays regularly and establishes prayer as Allah wants us to do it and as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the postures of prayer, namely bowing and prostrating. He taught that to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and they transmitted it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d narrates that he prayed beside his father, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and he put his hands together, which means putting the palm of the right hand on the palm of the left hand, and he put them between his thighs, above his knees. But his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and informed him that that had been permissible at the beginning of Islam, and they used to do it, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them not to do that, and instructed them to place their hands on their knees when bowing.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to teach it to their children..

792

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us of one of the characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer, which is the duration of his bowing, prostration, rising from bowing, and sitting between the two prostrations, which were so similar that they were almost equal in length, apart from his standing and sitting. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make these two longer in length than other parts of the prayer. He only made the standing longer because of recitation and he made the sitting longer because of the tashahhud.
The characteristic mentioned in this hadith is the most perfect characteristic in the case of prayer offered in congregation. However, when a man is praying on his own, he may make the bowing and prostration much longer than the standing, and [also do that] in the pause between the two prostrations, and between bowing and prostrating..

797

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite Qunut in the last rak‘ah of Zuhr, Isha’ and Fajr, after saying Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; he would pray for the believers and curse the disbelievers..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah and teach it to those who came after them. They were especially keen to explain his practice in the prayer, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted to those who were present a description of the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which he would recite Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers. Therefore he said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. In other words, I will pray as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so learn from how I pray, so that your prayer will be like that of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then, after rising from bowing in Zuhr, ‘Isha’ and Fajr, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers.
The Qunut referred to here is a supplication (du‘a’) that is offered when standing in the prayer. It is done after rising from bowing in the final rak‘ah. This is a clear statement that the Qunut mentioned in these prayers is something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did. It may be understood to refer to Qunut al-Nawazil (Qunut at times of calamity). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed against the polytheists who killed his companions at Bi’r Ma‘unah. It is also proven that he prayed Qunut against the disbelievers of Quraysh. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to explain to the people that the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes included Qunut, so they should follow his example in that regard.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray Qunut during the prayer, and to curse the unjust, transgressing disbelievers..

798

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would seek to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) by offering supplication (du‘a’) in all situations. This included the supplication of Qunut, which he would offer during his prayer. His companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us about the Qunut of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his prayer. Qunut is the name of the supplication that is offered during the prayer at a particular point when standing, as the imam may say Qunut before bowing or straight after standing up from bowing in the final rak‘ah, and those who are praying behind him should say Amin to his supplication. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that Qunut was offered in Maghrib and Fajr prayers, and the reason for this Qunut was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying against a tribe of the polytheists who had killed approximately seventy reciters of the Qur’an whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to them, to call them to Islam and teach them about the religion. He continued to pray against them, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Qunut for a month, after bowing in Fajr prayer, praying against Ri‘l and Dhakwan, saying: “ ‘Usayyah [a tribe] have disobeyed [‘asat] Allah and His Messenger.” Then he stopped praying against them, when Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the words: {Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision} [Al ‘Imran 3:128].
This hadith indicates that Qunut may be said at times of calamity and turmoil.
It indicates that we may pray against oppressors and those who harm the Muslims..

799

It was narrated that Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi said: One day we were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and when he raised his head from bowing, he said: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him).” And a man behind him said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). When he finished the prayer, he said: “Who is the one who spoke?” The man said: It was me. He said: “I saw thirty-odd angels hastening to be the first to write it down.”.

Commentary : Praising Allah as He deserves to be praised is one of the noblest acts of worship by means of which a person may draw closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and attain great reward in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one day, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said after rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him).” A man who was praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). What is meant is: praise that is free of showing off and seeking reputation, in which there is much good. The one who said that was Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator of the hadith, as is stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud. After finishing the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked who had said those words, and Rifa‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: I was the one who said that, O Messenger of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that he had seen a number of angels – as many as thirty-odd – rushing , each of them wanting to write down these words before the others. The word translated here as “-odd” refers to a number between three and nine.
This hadith highlights the virtue of praising and remembering Allah (may He be glorified).
It indicates that it is prescribed for the one who is praying behind an imam to say some of the dhikr out loud, so long as that will not disturb the people with him..

800

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..

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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