Narrated Saalim that he heard his father (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would raise his voice in Talbiyah only from the Mosque i.e., Thoo al-Hulayfah Mosque..

1544

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) rode behind the Prophet ﷺfrom `Arafat to Al-Muzdalifah; and then from Al-Muzdalifah to Mina. Then, he ﷺallowed Al-Fadl to ride behind him from al-Muzdalifah to Mina." He added, "Both of them (Usaamah and Al-Fadl) said, 'The Prophet ﷺ was constantly reciting the Talbiyah till he finished stoning at the Jamarat-Al-`Aqaba.".

1545

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ with his Companions started from al-Madeenah after combing and oiling his hair and putting on two sheets of lhraam (upper body cover and waist cover). He ﷺdid not forbid anyone to wear any kind of sheets except the ones colored with saffron that leave the scent on the skin. In the early morning, the Prophet ﷺ mounted his camel while in Thoo al-Hulayfah and set out till they reached al-Baydaa', where he ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) recited Talbiyah, and then they did the ceremony of Taqleed (which means to put the colored garlands around the necks of the animals for sacrifice). And all that happened on the 25th of Thoo al-Qi'dah. And when he ﷺ reached Makkah on the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah, he ﷺperformed the Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and performed the Tawaaf and walked briskly between al-Safa and al-Marwa. And as he ﷺhad a sacrifice animal and had garlanded it, he did not exit his Ihraam. Then, he ﷺproceeded towards the highest places of Makkah near Al-Hajoon while he was assuming the Ihraam for Hajj. He ﷺdid not go near the Ka`bah after he performed Tawaaf (round it) till he returned from `Arafaat. Then he ﷺordered his Companions to perform the Tawaaf around the Ka`bah and then walk back and forth between al-Safa and al-Marwa, and to cut short the hair of their heads and to finish their Ihraam. And that was only for those people who had not garlanded sacrificial animals. Those who had their wives with them were permitted to contact them (have sexual intercourse), and similarly perfume and (ordinary) clothes were permissible for them..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ clarified all the rulings and etiquettes of Hajj and ‘Umrah in words and actions, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted to us all what they heard and observed from him ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺheaded towards Makkah from al-Madeenah to perform his farewell Hajj, which occurred 5 days before the end of the month of Thool QI’dah. Before departing al-Madeenah, he ﷺcombed his hair, scented his clothes and body with musk and pleasant scents, and put on his clothes of Ihraam. He ﷺdid not forbid anyone to wear any kind of sheets to cover the upper and lower parts of the body. In Arabic, the clothing worn for the upper body and lower body is called Ridaa’ and Izaar, respectively. The only type of clothes that he ﷺdid not allow during Ihraam those that are colored with saffron which would leave smell and color on the skin.
The Prophet ﷺ arrived at Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town that is located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. In the early morning, he ﷺmounted his camel and set out till he ﷺreached al-Baydaa', which is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. And the reason it is called al-Baydaa’ is because it has no buildings, houses or landmarks. He ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) recited the Talbiyah aloud, and the words of which are: “The words are: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” This was his third Talbiyah, because the first one he ﷺrecited was at Thoo al-Hulayfah when he entered the state of Ihraam from the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, and the second one was when he ﷺmounted his camel and stood upright.
The Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah on the early morning of the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah. He ﷺperformed the arrival circumambulation (Tawaaf) and then performed the rite of walking briskly between al-Safa and al-Marwa. By doing that, he ﷺcompleted the rites of ‘Umrah but he ﷺdid not exit his Ihraam because he had sacrificial animals that had colored garlands around their necks to mark them as the animals allocated for sacrifice. He ﷺmaintained his Ihraam and proceeded towards the highest place of Makkah near Al-Hajoon, which is a mountain overlooking al-Muhassab, which is located about 1.5 miles from the Ka’bah. The Prophet ﷺ did not go to the Ka’bah after he ﷺmade the arrival Tawaaf until after he finished from ‘Arafaat.
The Prophet ﷺordered his Companions who did not have sacrificial animals to perform the rites of circumambulation around the Ka’bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then shorten their hair to exit their Ihraam until the time of Hajj. This order was limited to those who did not have garlanded sacrifice animals. Then, he ﷺclarified that those who exited their Ihraam and had their wives with them are permitted to have sexual intercourse with their wives, and to wear perfume and ordinary clothes. Because of this, this rite was called Tamattu’ (which means in Arabic, enjoyment). On the 8th of Thool Hijjah, they again enter the state of Ihraam for Hajj and complete its rites.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to wear perfume before entering the state of Ihraam, and that it is allowed to do tamattu’ of ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj.

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1546

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ prayed four units in al-Madeenah and then two units at Thoo al-Hulayfah and then passed the night at Thool-Hulayfah till it was morning. And when he mounted his Mount and it stood up, he started to recite Talbiyah..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him, so they can teach all the Muslims these rites.
This hadeeth clarifies some of the rites of Hajj when Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Thoohr before departing to Makkah to perform his farewell Hajj, and that he did not shorten the prayer so he ﷺ prayed the four units. Then, when he ﷺ prayed ‘Asr at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he shortened it so he ﷺ prayed two units, as mentioned in another hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree. Thoo al-Hulayfah is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it.
The Prophet ﷺ spent the night at Thool al-Hulayfah and left in the morning heading towards Makkah. He ﷺ recited the Talbiyah aloud after he mounted his camel and it stood up. The words of the Talbiyah are: Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when his camel brought him up to al-Baydaa’, he ﷺ raised his voice in the Talbiyah for the pilgrimage. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. And the reason it is called al-Baydaa’ is because it has no buildings, houses, or landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in the Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Medeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again, so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
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1549

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Talbiyah of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.”.

1551

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ offered four units of Thoohr prayer at al-Madeenah and we were in his company, and prayed two units of the `Asr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah and then passed the night there till it was dawn; then he rode his mount, and when he reached Al-Baydaa', he praised and glorified Allah and said Takbeer Then he ﷺ and the people along with him recited the Talbiyah with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah. When we reached Makkah, he ﷺ ordered us to exit the lhraam (after performing the ‘Umrah). The people complied and on the day of Tarwiyah, they assumed their Ihraam for Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ slaughtered many camels as sacrificial animals with his own hands with the camels standing. When Allah's Messenger was in al-Madeenah, he ﷺ sacrificed two horned rams that were white speckled with black.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him, so they can teach Muslims these rites.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Thoohr before departing to Makkah to perform his farewell Hajj, which was in the 10th year of Hijrah, and that he ﷺ did not shorten the prayer, so he ﷺ prayed the four units. Then, when he ﷺ prayed ‘Asr at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he shortened it so he ﷺ prayed two units.
Thoo al-Hulayfah is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. The Prophet ﷺ spent the night there and in the early morning he ﷺ rode his mount, and when he ﷺ reached Al-Baydaa', he praised and glorified Allah and said Takbeer i.e., he said: “Alhamdullah, Subhan Allah, and Allahu Akbar,” then recited the Talbiyah aloud with the intention of performing Hajj and Umrah in one Ihraam. The words of the Tabliyah read: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” However, this was not the beginning of his Ihraam, because he ﷺ entered Ihraam at the Mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah where he ﷺ recited the Talbiyah aloud. His second Talbiyah was when his camel stood up while he ﷺ was on its back, and the third Talbiyah was when he when he ascended Al-Baydaa'.
The people followed the Prophet ﷺ and recited the Talbiyah like him with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah in one Ihraam. However, after arriving at Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ ordered those who did not have sacrificial animals to exit their Ihraam after completing their ‘Umrah – that is after completing the rites of circumambulation around the Ka’bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and cutting or shaving the head. The Arabic term used for the sacrificial animals of pilgrims is Hady, which refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice. As the Prophet ﷺ was among those who had sacrificial animals, he ﷺ did not exit his Ihraam.
On the day of Tarwiyah, which is the 8th day of Thoo al-Hijjah, they recited the Talbiyah for Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ slaughtered camels while the camels are standing because it is easier to do it that way. Then, he ﷺ slaughtered two horned rams that were white speckled with black when he ﷺ spent ‘Eid al-Adhah in al-Madeenah.
This hadeeth shows the actions of who performs ‘Umrah then exits Ihraam and then assumes Ihraam for Hajj.
It shows that it is permissible to combine ‘Umrah and Hajj in one Ihraam, and that shortening the prayer during travelling is allowed..

1553

Narrated Naafi', 'Whenever Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) finished his Fajr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he would get his mount prepared. Then, he would ride on it, and after it had stood up straight (ready to set out), he would face Al-Qiblah while sitting (on his mount) and reciting the Talbiyah. When he had reached the boundaries of the Haram (of Makkah), he would stop recitation of the Talbiyah till he reached Dhaa Tuwaa (near Makkah) where he would pass the night till it was dawn. After offering the Far prayer, he would take a bath. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had done the same..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him so they can teach Muslims these rites.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the free slave of ‘’Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), reports that Ibn ‘Umar(may Allah be pleased with him), whenever he would offer the Fajr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it, he would order that his mount be prepared and his luggage put over it. Then, after his ride stood up, he would face towards the Qiblah and recite the Talbiyah, which reads: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) would continue reciting until reaching the Haram and spent the night in the valley of Tuwa (Dhee Tuwa), which is located in the higher parts of Makkah at al-Baydaa’, the house of Muhammad ibn Sayf. Then, he would perform the Fajr prayer and take a bath to get ready to enter Makkah during the daytime.
“Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done the same.” i.e., the Prophet ﷺ spent the night in the valley of Tuwa and entered Makkah during the daytime. However, this is not obligatory since it is proven authentic that the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah at night and assumed the state of Ihraam for ‘Umrah from al-Ji’raanah. None of that is from the rites of Hajj but it clarifies the places at which the Prophet ﷺ stayed.
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ recited the Talbiyah for Hajj when he ﷺ reached al-Baydaa’ while he ﷺ was on the back of his camel. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. The reason it was called al-Baydaa’ because it was empty from any constructions and landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Madeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah, so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that one should take a bath before entering Makkah.
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1554

Narrated Naafi’: Whenever Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to go to Makkah, he used to oil himself with a sort of oil that had no pleasant smell. Then, he would go to the Mosque of Al-Hulayfah and offer the prayer, and then ride his mount. Once he was mounted well on his Mount and the Mount stood up straight, he would proclaim the intention of assuming Ihraam. Then, he would say that he had seen the Prophet ﷺ doing the same..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rites of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him so Muslims can learn these rites from them.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’ – the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar -reports that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to oil himself with an oil whose smell does not show before departing al-Madeenah to Makkah to perform Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do that after taking a bath and before wearing his clothes of Ihraam. The reason he opted for the non-scented smell is because he thought using scented oils is not permitted if one is about to enter the state of Ihraam i.e., he was under the assumption that wearing a fragrance is against the requirements of Ihraam. However, it is proven authentic, as in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, that ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) perfumed the Prophet ﷺ with musk before he entered his Ihraam.
After, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would pray in the Mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town at the distance of 10 km from al-Madeenah, and it is the appointed place (MIqaat) of Ihraam for the residents of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would mount his camel and once it stood up, he recited the Talbiyah aloud, which read: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak”.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs others that he saw the Prophet ﷺ did all that whenever he ﷺ wanted to depart al-Madeenah to Makkah to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah and whenever he ﷺ wanted to enter the Ihraam. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ recited the Talbiyah for Hajj when he ﷺ reached al-Baydaa’ while he ﷺ was on the back of his camel. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. The reason it was called al-Baydaa’ is because it was empty from any constructions and landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Medeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to oil oneself before entering the state of Ihraam. As for using fragrant items and perfumes, it is also allowed according to other hadeeths..

1555

Narrated Mujaahid: I was in the company of Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) and the people talked about Ad-Dajjaal and said, "Ad-Dajjaal will come with the word Kaafir (disbeliever) written in between his eyes." On that, Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I have not heard this from the Prophet ﷺ, but I heard him saying, 'As if I saw Moses (peace be upon him) just now entering the valley reciting the Talbyiah. ' ".

Commentary : The Talbiyah is from the rites of Hajj and reciting it aloud manifests this significant ritual and declares the Oneness of Allah, Exalted be He. When a Muslim recites it aloud, plants and inanimate objects recite it along with him.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, Mujaahid ibn Jabr reports that he was in the company of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) and the topic of the false Messiah, Ad-Dajjaal, was brought up. The appearance of Ad-Dajjaal is one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment as he will claim that he is God. The people who were present in this gathering mentioned that the Prophet ﷺdescribed him and said that the word Kaafir (disbeliever) will be written in between his eyes. According to the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, it is narrated on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “…and between his eyes is written "disbeliever," which every believer will read, whether he is literate or illiterate.” The correct view is that people can see it as it is written with actual letters that Allah has made one of the evident signs to expose his identity of ad-Dajjaal. However, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did not hear that part about ad-Dajjaal from the Prophet ﷺ, but he heard him saying: 'As if I saw Moses (peace be upon him) just now entering the valley reciting the Talbyiah” i.e., it is as if I ﷺsee Moses right now with my own eyes descending the valley of al-Azraq, which is located between Makkah and al-Madeenah, reciting the Talbiyah.
It is recorded in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “He (Moses) was keeping his fingers in his ears and was reciting the Talbiyah loudly while passing through that valley.” And this valley is one mile away from Makkah.
This hadeeth shows that reciting the Talbiyah is prescribed whenever we ascend and descend, and while we are passing through a valley. It shows that reciting the Talbiyah while passing through the valley is from the Sunnah of Prophets (peace be upon them)..

1556

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with him) - the wife of the Prophet ﷺ: “We set out with the Prophet ﷺ in his farewell Hajj, and we assumed Ihraam for ‘Umrah. The Prophet ﷺ then said, "Whoever has the Hady (sacrificial animals) with him should assume Ihraam for Hajj along with `Umrah and should not exit the Ihraam till he finishes both." I was menstruating when I reached Makkah, and so I neither did the circumambulation round the Ka`bah nor the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. I complained about that to the Prophet ﷺ on which he replied, "Undo and comb your head hair, and assume Ihraam for Hajj (only) and leave the ‘Umrah." So, I did so. When we had performed the Hajj, the Prophet ﷺsent me with my brother `Abd al-Rahmaan bin Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Tan`eem. So, I performed the `Umrah. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "This `Umrah is instead of your missed one." Those who had assumed Ihraam for `Umrah (Hajj-al-Tamattu’) performed circumambulation round the Ka`bah and did the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and then exited their Ihraam. After returning from Minaa, they performed another circumambulation round the Ka’bah. Those who had assumed Ihraam for Hajj and `Umrah together (Hajj-al-Qiran) performed only one circumambulation..

1557

Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺordered ‘Alee [ibn Abee Taalib] (may Allah be pleased with him) to keep assuming his Ihraam..

1558

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): Jabir said, "Alee bin Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Yemen. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, 'With what intention have you assumed the state of Ihraam?' `Alee said, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ." The Prophet ﷺ said (to him): If I have not brought a Hady, I would have exited my Ihraam.
Muhammad ibn Bakr add from Jurayj: The Prophet ﷺ said to him: The Prophet ﷺsaid to him, 'With what intention have you assumed the state of Ihraam?' `Alee said, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ. 'Offer a Hady and keep the state of Ihraam in which you are now.'.

Commentary : Hajj and ‘Umrah are of a great status and are so much rewarding such that the Prophet ﷺliked to demonstrate all their rites verbally and in action. He ﷺordered them to learn their rites directly from him, so they can teach them to the rest of Muslims.
In this hadeeth, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports the incident when ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺin the farewell Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) travelled from Yemen, where the Prophet ﷺsent him to collect the alms and the one fifth, and on his way to Makkah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the state of Ihraam. After, the Prophet ﷺasked him about the intention of his Ihraam. His answer was that he assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ. It happened that the Prophet ﷺwas one of the pilgrims who had Hady with them; thus, he entered the Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah and Hajj together. However, the Prophet ﷺcommented that if he had not brought a Hady with him, he would have exited his Ihraam and then entered Ihraam again for Hajj. This is because the pilgrim who brings Hady cannot exit his Ihraam until after the Hady is slaughtered on the Day of Sacrifice (Day of Nahr). The Hady refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice.
In another version of the same narration, the Prophet ﷺsaid to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him): 'Offer a Hady and keep the state of Ihraam in which you are now until you complete Hajj.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it is permissible for the pilgrim to enter the state of Ihraam with a general intention and to have it specified before entering the rites.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to combine ‘Umrah and Hajj in one Ihraam (i.e., Tamattu’).
It shows the great love that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had for the Prophet ﷺand how keen they were to follow his example..

1559

Narrated Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) sent me to some people in Yemen and when I returned, I found him at Al-Bat-haa’. He ﷺasked me, "With what intention have you assumed Ihraam (i.e., for Hajj or for ‘Umrah or for both?") I replied, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention like that of the Prophet ﷺ." He ﷺasked, "Have you a Hady with you?" I replied in the negative. He ﷺordered me to perform Tawaaf round the Ka`ba and between Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah and then to finish my Ihraam. I did so and went to a woman from my tribe who combed my hair or washed my head. Then, when `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came (i.e., became Caliph) he said, "If we follow Allah's Book, it orders us to complete Hajj and ‘Umrah; as Allah says: {Perform the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.} (2.196). And if we follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), he ﷺdid not finish his Ihraam till he sacrificed his Hady.".

1560

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "We set out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the months of Hajj, and (in) the nights of Hajj, and at the time and places of Hajj and in a state of Hajj. We dismounted at Sarif. The Prophet (ﷺ) then addressed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and said, "Anyone who has not got a Hady and likes to do ‘Umrah instead of Hajj may do so (i.e., Hajj-al-Tamattu`) and anyone who has got a Hady should not finish the Ihraam after performing ' `Umrah. (i.e., Hajj-al-Qiraan). ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "Some of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) complied while some of them did not." As for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and some of his Companions, they were resourceful and had the Hady with them, they could not perform ‘Umrah (alone) (but had to perform both Hajj and ‘Umrah with one Ihraam). ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and saw me weeping and said, "What makes you weep, O Hantaah?" I replied, "I have heard your conversation with your Companions, and I cannot perform the ‘Umrah." He asked, "What is wrong with you?' I replied, ' I am in a state that does not allow me to offer the prayers (i.e., I have my menses).' He (ﷺ) said, ' It will not harm you for you are one of the daughters of Adam, and Allah has written for you (this state) as He has written it for them. Keep on with your intentions for Hajj and Allah may reward you that." ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Then we proceeded for Hajj till we reached Mina and I became clean from my menses. Then I went out from Mina and performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah." ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "I went along with the Prophet (ﷺ) in his final departure (from Hajj) till he dismounted at Al-Muhassab, and we too, dismounted with him." He called `Abd al-Rahmaan bin Abu Bakr and said to him, 'Take your sister outside the sanctuary of Makkah and let her assume Ihraam for 'Umrah, and when you had finished `Umrah, return to this place and I will wait for you both till you both return to me.' " ' ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, " So we went out of the sanctuary of Makkah and after finishing from the `Umrah and the Tawaaf, we returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) at dawn. He (ﷺ) said, 'Have you performed the `Umrah?' We replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, he (ﷺ) announced the departure amongst his Companions and the people set out for the journey, and the Prophet too left for al-Madeenah.''.

Commentary : There are three ways for performing Hajj: (1) Tamattu’: It is when the pilgrim enters the state of Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, namely Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa’dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah. And after completing the ‘Umrah, he exits his Ihraam and then enters the Ihraam again in the same year to perform Hajj. (2) Al-Qiraan: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform both ‘Umrah and Hajj together. (3) Al-Ifraad: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform Hajj only.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she set out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺin the months and nights of Hajj i.e., she went out with him during the time of Hajj and attended the designated locations of Hajj, underwent the different conditions of pilgrimage, and refrained from all that which is not allowed during pilgrimage. They landed at Sarif, a place six miles (10 km) away from Makkah, and there the Prophet ﷺaddressed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and said to them that he likes whoever does not have Hady – which are the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice to make their Ihraam for ‘Umrah only and then exit their Ihraam, and there is nothing required from them for doing so. This is because when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with her) set out with the Prophet ﷺin this journey, they entered their Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together. After all of them completed the rites of ‘Umrah, he ﷺordered those who did not have Hady to exit their Ihraam and enter Ihraam for Hajj on the day of Tarwiyah. As for those who had Hady, he ﷺordered them to maintain their Ihraam; thus, the rites of ‘Umrah be included in the rites of Hajj. Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) exited their Ihraam while some other Companions did not, which shows that as if the order was optional. It was said that the Prophet ﷺmade it optional for them at the beginning to absorb their shock and be kind to them by showing that they will get the reward of ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj, because at that time, they considered exiting their Ihraam before performing Hajj a serious heinous act, but then he ﷺemphasised his order and made it obligatory upon them, as he ﷺdisliked their reluctance to follow the order. However, after he ﷺmade it obligatory, all of them accepted it and complied except those who had Hady. The Messenger of Allah ﷺand some of his Companions were resourceful and had Hady; thus, they did not exit their Ihraam after completing the ‘Umrah.
Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺfound ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) crying so he ﷺinquired as to what was wrong and addressed her with the name Hantaah, which was said that a person does not know the evil and plots of people! It is possible that it is used as a form of calling to say Hey you! She explained that she heard his instruction to his Companions – that those who do not have Hady to exit their Ihraam after they have completed the ‘Umrah - and then informed him that she cannot perform the rites of ‘Umrah i.e., the Tawaaf and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah because she got her period, although her Ihraam was to do Qiraan (Hajj and ‘Umrah together). However, out of her decorum. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺattempted to make it easier on her and cheer her up so he ﷺinformed her that her menses will not harm her, because it is a thing which Allah has ordained for the daughters of Adam, and that this happens to all women. Then, he ﷺtold her to continue her Hajj with the hope that Allah will allow her to perform it and complete it.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) assumed her Hajj and after she arrived at Mina, she became clean from her menses, which was on the 10th of Thoo al-Hijjah, on the Day of Nahr. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains and is located about 6 km to the south of Makkah, between Makkah and the mountain of ‘Arafah. There, some of the rites of Hajj are performed like the rite of throwing the pebbles. After she became clean, she left Mina and performed Tawaaf round the Ka’bah. Then, she joined the Prophet ﷺand the cohort who departed Minaa on the 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah as others departed it on the 12th of Thoo al-Hijjah. After, she went down with the Prophet ﷺto a place called al-Muhassab, which is a spacious land between Makkah and Minaa. The name of the place is derived from the Arabic word al-Hasbaa’ (pebbles) because pebbles gather there from the water stream.
The Prophet ﷺorderd ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) to take his sister, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and leave the Haram and go to the Tan’eem so she can enter her Ihraam for ‘Umrah in lieu of the ‘Umrah she missed because of her menses. Then, he ﷺordered them to return to al-Muhassab after completing the ‘Umrah where he ﷺwill wait for them. She (may Allah be pleased with her) followed the instructions of the Prophet ﷺand went to the Tan’eem, which is a place located 7 km from the Haram of Makkah and the place from which the people of Makkah enter Ihraam. After she entered her Ihraam for ‘Umrah and completed the final tawaaf, she headed to where the Prophet ﷺwas waiting for her. She arrived about fajr time. After he ﷺlearned that she completed her ‘Umrah, he ﷺinformed his Companions that it is the time to depart, so all the people joined them and on their way to al-Madeenah, he ﷺpassed by the Ka’bah and performed the farewell Tawaaf before Fajr time, as reported in the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim.
This hadeeth shows the mercy of the Prophet ﷺtowards his wife and his attempts to cheer her up and pleases her when she was sad.
It shows that the last rite that pilgrims need to do is to perform the farewell Tawaaf and then leave to their homeland.
.

1561

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'We went out with the Prophet (ﷺ) with the intention of performing Hajj only and when we reached Makkah, we performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and then the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered those who had not driven the Hady along with them to finish their Ihraam. Thereupon, the people who had not driven the Hady along with them finished their Ihraam. The Prophet's wives, too, had not driven the Hady with them, so they too, finished their Ihraam." `Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "I got my menses and could not perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah." So, when it was the night of Hasbah, I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Everyone is returning after performing Hajj and `Umrah, but I am returning after performing Hajj only.' He (ﷺ) said, 'Did not you perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah the night we reached Makkah?' I replied in the negative. He (ﷺ) said, 'Go with your brother to Tan`eem and assume the Ihraam for `Umrah, (and after performing it) come back to such and such a place.' On that Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'I feel that I will detain you all.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O 'Aqra Halqa! Did not you perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah on the Day of Sacrifice? (i.e., Tawaaf-al-ifaadah) Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He said, (to Safiyyah). 'There is no harm for you to proceed on with us.' " `Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "(after returning from `Umrah), the Prophet (ﷺ) met me while he was ascending (from Makkah) and I was descending to it, or I was ascending, and he was descending.".

Commentary : There are three ways for performing Hajj: (1) Tamattu’: It is when the pilgrim enters the state of Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, namely Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa’dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah. And after completing the ‘Umrah, he exits his Ihraam and then enters the Ihraam again in the same year to perform Hajj. (2) Al-Qiraan: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform both ‘Umrah and Hajj together. (3) Al-Ifraad: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform Hajj only.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, reports that she set out with the Prophet ﷺin his farewell hajj, which occurred in the 10th year of Hijrah. They departed al-Madeenah with the intention to perform Hajj; thus, when they arrived at Makkah, they performed the arrival Tawaaf without her because she had her period when they entered Makkah. The Prophet ﷺordered those who did not have Hady to exit their Ihraam after performing ‘Umarh, which is done by performing Tawaaf then perform the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and finally to cut [or shave] the hair. This is how pilgrims break their ‘Umrah from Hajj, and it happened that the wives of the Prophet ﷺdid not have Hady thus they exited their Ihraam after completing the rites of ‘Umrah.
The Hady mentioned in the hadeeth refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she menstruated thus could not perform the Tawaaf of ‘Umrah. As for the Tawaaf of Hajj, she mentioned according to another narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, that she was in her Ihraam for Hajj and when she arrived at Mina on the 10th day of Thoo al-Hijjah, which is the Day of Sacrifice, she became clean then she left Mina and performed Tawaaf al-Ifaadah then she left with the Prophet ﷺin the group who leave Mina on the 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah.
When it was the night of Hasbah, which is the night that they spent at al-Muhassab i.e., a spacious land between Makkah and Mina. The name of the place is derived from the Arabic word al-Hasbaa’ (pebbles) because pebbles gather there from the water stream. This was when the Prophet ﷺleft preparing to travel back to al-Madeenah. There, she (may Allah be pleased with her) said to the Prophet ﷺ: “Everyone is returning after performing Hajj and `Umrah, but I am returning after performing Hajj only,” because she was keen on doing as many good deeds and acts of worship as possible just like the other Mother of the Believers and Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). She wanted to perform ‘Umrah like everyone else. The Prophet ﷺordered her to go with her brother ‘Abd al-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Tan’eem and enter Ihraam for ‘Umrah from there. He ﷺdid that to please her and make her happy and then appointed al-Muhassab, where he ﷺwas spending the night, the place of meeting after she completes her ‘Umrah.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) then relates that Safiyyah bint Huyyay (may Allah be pleased with her) thought that she will delay the people because she menstruated and could not perform the farewell Tawaaf. She menstruated on the night of Sacrifice and thought that everyone will have to wait for her until she be clean and perform it. The Prophet ﷺremarked: “Aqra Halqa” which is an expression that was customary among the Arabs who would utter it out of habit without intending its meaning, which is an invocation against the person. However, the Prophet ﷺasked her if she performed the tawaaf al-Ifaadah and she confirmed that she completed it. Thereupon, he ﷺinformed him that it was not a problem, and that she does not have to do it because menstruating women are not obliged to do it.
Then, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) mentions that she met the Prophet ﷺat al-Muhassab, which is the starting point from which people depart to outside Makkah. She mentioned that she met him ﷺwhile he was ascending (from Makkah) and she was descending to it, or she was ascending, and he ﷺwas descending.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to perform ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and exit Ihraam.
It shows the kind treatment and compassion of the Prophet ﷺfor women..

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..

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