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Hadith
1562
Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “We set out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (to Makkah) in the year of the Farewell Hajj. Some of us had assumed Ihraam for `Umrah only, some for both Hajj and `Umrah, and others for Hajj only. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) assumed Ihraam for Hajj. Those who had assumed Ihraam for Hajj or for both Hajj and `Umrah did not finish the Ihraam till the Day of Sacrifice..

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.
This hadeeth mentions the three ways for performing Hajj wherein ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she went out with the Prophet in the year of the Farewell Hajj, which was given that name because it was the Prophet’s Last Hajj during which he ﷺaddressed the Muslims in a manner that indicated he is departing this life, and he ﷺdid not live long after it. The farewell Hajj occurred in the 10th year of Hijrah.
Some of the people who joined the Prophet ﷺin his Hajj entered Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah only. This group of people were allowed to only perform ‘Umrah without Hajj even if they intended to perform Hajj after completing ‘Umrah and exiting their Ihraam. This is called Tamattu’ where the pilgrim exit their Ihraam after completing ‘Umrah – if they did not have Hady with them – then enter Ihraam for Hajj on the 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah to start the rites of Hajj and must offer a Hady because they chose the option of Tamattu’. Other groups entered Ihram with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together, which is called Hajj al-Qiraan. And others entered Ihraam with the intention of performing Hajj only, which is called al-Ifraad. The Prophet ﷺentered Ihraam with the intention of Hajj only and then added the ‘Umrah. For that reason, those whose Ihraam was for Hajj only or combined Hajj and ‘Umrah in one Ihraam, and have Hady, they can only exit their Ihraam on the 10th day of Thoo al-HIjjah on which pilgrims slaughter their sacrificial animals (Hady) and exit their Ihraam.
The pilgrim who is performing Ifraad or Qiraan are only required to perform the rites of Ihraam, Tawaaf, and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah one time each. They can only exit their Ihraam on the Day of Sacrifice and only perform the rites of Hajj since all the rites of ‘Umrah are included in the rites of Hajj. The pilgrim who is opting for Qiraan must offer Hady if he is not present at the Sacred Mosque; otherwise, he is not required to offer Hady.
The different hadeeths in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Mulsim show that pilgrims who do not have Hady with them exited their Ihraam after completing the rites of ‘Umrah, which include the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, cutting or shaving the hair, and exiting the Ihraam. Then, waiting until the 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah to enter Ihraam for Hajj and complete the rites..

1563
Narrated Marwahn ibn al-Hakam: I witnessed ‘Uthmaan and ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with them); ‘Uthmaan was forbidding people to perform Tamattu’, but he saw ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) entering Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together. He (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked: “I will not leave the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ)for the opinion of others.”.

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, Marwahn ibn al-Hakam reports that he witnessed ‘Uthman and ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with them) in ‘Asfaan, a village that is located about 128 km from the north of Makkah. ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) used to order people not to perform Tamattu’ i.e., he was against the practice of exiting Ihraam after completing ‘Umrah and then entering Ihraam for Hajj, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) believed that this was exclusive to the year of the Prophet’s last Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also discouraged people to perform Qiraan (i.e., entering Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together) as he wanted to encourage people to perform Ifraad. His orders against it were not intended to state it is forbidden in religion but only to show it is less favorable.
However, when ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that ‘Uthmaan was against the options of Tamattu’ and Qiraan, he entered his Ihraam with the intention of Qiraan (i.e., performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together) and then remarked that he would not leave the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺfor the opinion of someone else. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did that because he wanted to commit to the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺand because he feared that people may misunderstand the orders of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) and assume it is forbidden.
Obviously, ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) was aware that Qiraan and Tamattu are permissible but he ﷺwanted to encourage people to opt for the more recommended option, from his own point of view, just like what happened to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him). Nevertheless, they are rewarded for their efforts in deducing the correct opinion.
Al-Nasaa’iee recorded that Abu Musa inquired from ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) about it, whereupon 'Umar said: “I know that Allah's Messenger ﷺdid that (observed Tamattu'), but I disliked that people should lay with their wives in the shade of the Arak trees, and then go out for Hajj with their heads dripping.” i.e., ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked people to do Tamattu’ because it allows people to have intercourse with their wives until it is the time of Hajj.
It is proven authentic, as reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, when the Prophet ﷺordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to perform Tamattu’, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that Suraaqah ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up when he met the Prophet ﷺat al-‘Aqabah throwing the pebbles, and said: “O Messenger of Allah! Is this exclusive to you? The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid: “No, this forever and forever.”
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that scholars and learned people should disseminate their knowledge and clarify and debate rulers and others whenever it is possible with the intention to seek the best interest of Muslims.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to enter Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together, and that it is better to clarify words through action.
It shows the forbearance of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) and how he did not blame those who held a different opinion than his.
It shows that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not turn a blind eye to a view they believed is weak and always shared the view they found to be stronger.
This hadeeth shows that obedience of rulers and people of authority is only with regard to that which is right and proper.
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1564
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The people (of the Pre-Islamic Period) used to think that to perform `Umrah during the months of Hajj was one of the most heinous sins on earth, and considered the month of Safar as a forbidden (i.e. sacred) month, and they used to say, "When the wounds of the camel's back heal up (after they return from Hajj) and their traces vanish and the month of Safar passes away then (at that time) `Umrah is permissible for the one who wishes to perform it." In the morning of the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reached Makkah, assuming Ihraam for Hajj, and he ordered his Companions to make their intentions of the Ihraam for `Umrah only (instead of Hajj), so they considered his order as something great and were puzzled, and said, "O Allah's Messenger! What kind (of finishing) of Ihraam is allowed?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Finish the Ihraam completely.".

Commentary : Tamattu’ in Hajj means entering into ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj, completing it and then exiting the state of ihram before subsequently entering ihraam for Hajj during the same year. After arriving at Makkah during the months of Hajj and completing ‘Umrah, pilgrims may exit their Ihraam and enjoy all that which is lawful until the commencement of the Hajj rites.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Arabs before Islam used to consider performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj one of the most heinous sins and forbade performing ‘Umrah until the end of the month of Muharram, and that they would consider the month of Safar one of the forbidden (sacred) months, and reallocate the sanctity of months, whenever they liked, and postponed the sacred months to the end of Safar, which is the condemned practice that Allah mentions in the Quran: {Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief} [Quran 9:37]. They used to believe that only after the wounds that appear on the camel's back because of carrying the luggage in their long trips heal up, the traces of their footprints vanish, and the month of Safar expires, which is one of the sacred months because of their reallocation, performing `Umrah becomes permissible for the one who wishes to perform it.
However, when the Prophet ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) arrived at Makkah in the morning of the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah to perform Hajj, he ﷺordered his Companions to perform ‘Umrah and then exit their Ihraam, so they can enjoy all that which is lawful until the time of Hajj begins. As this was against the customary practice that people were used to, they inquired from him whether they are allowed to enjoy all that which is lawful or just part of it. The Prophet ﷺinformed them that exiting their Ihraam would allow them to enjoy all that which is not allowed for them during their Ihraam for ‘Umrah, including intercourse. By this, he ﷺput an end to the customary practices of the people of pre-Islam, namely the reallocation of sacred months and forbidding performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and established the law of Islam..

1565
Narrated Abu Moosa (may Allah be pleased with him): I met the Prophet (ﷺ)and he ordered him to exit his Ihraam..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺsent Abu Moosa (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen to serve as a judge and teach them religion. When the Prophet ﷺtravelled to perform his farewell Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah, Abu Moosa (may Allah be pleased with him) left Yemen to Makkah and assumed his Ihraam with an intention like that of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Abu Moosa (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he travelled to Makkah from Yemen to join the Prophet ﷺin his Hajj, and that he (may Allah be pleased with him) met the Prophet ﷺin al-Bat-haa’ of Makkah, which is a place that has small pebbles, and it was originally a water stream in the valley of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺordered him and those who do not have Hady with them to exit their Ihraam after completing their ‘Umrah and wait until the Day of Tarwiyah (i.e., the eighth day of Thoo al-Hijjah) to assume a new Ihraam for Hajj. It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺasked him if he had Hady, which refers to the sacrificial animals that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram, which includes camels, cows, goats and sheep. He replied that he did not have any Hady with him so he ﷺordered him to perform the rite of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then cut or shave his head to exit his Ihraam. As for the Prophet ﷺ, he had Hady with him, thus he performed Qiraan (i.e., entering Ihraam for both `Umrah and Hajj together as a single rite.)..

1566
Narrated Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (ﷺ): I said: O Messenger of Allah! Why is it that everyone has finished Ihraam and you still have not finished ihram from your ‘Umrah?" He (ﷺ) replied, "I have matted my hair and garlanded my sacrificial animal and will not exit my Ihraam until I have sacrificed the animal.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺperformed his farewell Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah and explained its rites verbally and in action and ordered them to learn the rites directly from him.
In this hadeeth, Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, reports that when the Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah, he ﷺordered those who did not have Hady to make their Ihraam for ‘Umrah instead of Hajj, and to exit their Ihraam after completing the rites of ‘Umrah. They followed the order and on the 8th day of Thoo al-Hijjah (the Day of Tarwiyah), they assumed a new Ihraam for Hajj.
As for the Prophet ﷺand those who had Hady, they maintained their Ihraam. Thereupon, Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) inquired from the Prophet ﷺabout the reason that made him not to exit his Ihraam too although he ﷺordered them to exit their Ihraam. The Prophet ﷺexplained to her that he ﷺbreaded and matted his hair, which is a practice done to keep the hair neat and not dusty, which is something that pilgrims need during Ihraam. Matting the hair takes place after taking the bath and before wearing the clothes of Ihraam.
The Hady refers to the sacrificial animals that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram, which includes camels, cows, goats and sheep, and garlanding the Hady means to put a chain around their neck to serve as a mark that these animals are Hady. With that said, he ﷺclarifies that having the Hady is the reason he ﷺdid not exit Ihraam and that he can only exit it after slaughtering the Hady on the 10th of Thoo Al-Hijjah and during the days of Tashreeq (i.e., the three days after Eid al-Adha).
This hadeeth shows that women used to ask the Prophet ﷺabout what they do not understand in religion..

1567
Narrated Aboo Jamrah, Nasr ibn ‘Imraan ad-Duba’ee: "I intended to perform Hajj-at-Tamattu`, but some people advised me not to do so. I asked Ibn `Abbaas about it and he ordered me to perform Hajj-at- Tammatu'. Later I saw in a dream someone saying to me, 'Hajj-Mabroor and an accepted `Umrah.' I related that dream to Ibn `Abbaas. Thereupon, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'This is the tradition of the Prophet ﷺ.' Then he said to me, 'Stay with me and I shall give you a portion of my property.' " Shu`bah asked Aboo Jamrah, "Why did he do so?" He (Abu Jamrah) said, "Because of the dream which I had seen.".

Commentary : Tamattu’ in Hajj means entering into ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj, completing it and then exiting the state of ihraam before subsequently entering ihraam for Hajj during the same year. After arriving at Makkah during the months of Hajj and completing ‘Umrah, pilgrims may exit their Ihraam and enjoy all that which is lawful until the commencement of the Hajj rites.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, Nasr ibn ‘Imraan al-Dub’ee reports that he entered Ihraam with the intention of performing Tamattu’ i.e., he entered Ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj. However, some people informed him he should not do it. This happened during the time of ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them) who used to forbid people from performing Tamattu’ because both ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab and ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan (may Allah be pleased with them) used to discourage people to perform Tamattu’ and to enter Ihraam with the intention of performing Hajj alone or ‘Umrah alone i.e., each one to perform in a separate journey.
After hearing the objection of people, Nasr ibn ‘Imraan asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) about it. He advised him to disregard the objection of people and maintain his intention of Tamattu’, because the Prophet ﷺ ordered his Companions to do Tamattu’ in his farewell Hajj. Afterwards, Nasr related to Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) a dream wherein he saw a man say to him, “This is a Hajj-Mabroor and an accepted `Umrah,” and according to a different version of the hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, it reads: “'Hajj-Mabroor and an accepted `Tamattu’” i.e., the man invoked Allah so that He accepts his Hajj and ‘Umrah. The meaning of Hajj Mabroor is the Hajj that is performed sincerely to Allah alone without being debased with ostentation and flaunting and is not performed using money from unlawful sources. The dream he was a glad tiding to inform him that his action is correct. The Prophet ﷺsaid: "Nothing is left of the prophetism except Al-Mubashshirat." They asked, "What are Al-Mubashshirat?" He replied, "The true good dreams that conveys glad tidings.” [agreed upon].
After he informed Ibn ‘Abbass (may Allah be pleased with him) of his dream, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: You have done the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ (i.e., performing Tamattu’) then he asked him to stay over with him and offered him a share of his money because of the true dream he saw that corresponded with the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ, which Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) upheld and advocated.
This hadeeth highlights the cooperation and collaboration of the righteous predecessors on pious and good deeds, and that they acknowledged and praised whoever does good deeds.
It shows that it is permissible to perform Tamattu’ of ‘Umrah with Hajj.
From the other benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is that we should honour the one who delivers good needs to us, and it shows that the scholar rejoices when he knows that his verdict matches the truth..

1568
Narrated Aboo Shihaab: I left for Makkah for Hajj Tamattu` assuming Ihraam for `Umrah. I reached Makkah three days before the day of Tarwiyah (8th of Thoo al-Hijjah). Some people of Makkah said to me, "Your Hajj will be like the Hajj performed by the people of Makkah (i.e., you will lose the superiority of assuming Ihraam from the Miqaat). I went to `Ataa' asking him his view about it. He said, "Jaabir bin `Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated to me, 'I performed Hajj with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) on the day when he drove camels with him. The people had assumed Ihraam for Hajj al-Ifraad (i.e., Hajj only). However, the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered them to finish their Ihraam after completing the Tawaaf round the Ka`bah, and the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and to cut short their hair and then to stay there (in Makkah) till the day of Tarwiyah (i.e., 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah) and then to assume Ihraam for Hajj, and they were ordered to make the Ihraam with which they had come as for `Umrah only. They asked, 'How can we make it `Umrah (Tamattu`) as we have intended to perform Hajj?' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'Do what I have ordered you. Had I not brought the Hady with me, I would have done the same, but I cannot finish my Ihraam till the Hady reaches its destination (i.e., is slaughtered).' So, they did (what he ordered them to do).".

Commentary : Tamattu’ in Hajj means entering into ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj, completing it and then exiting the state of ihraam before subsequently entering ihraam for Hajj during the same year. After arriving at Makkah during the months of Hajj and completing ‘Umrah, pilgrims may exit their Ihraam and enjoy all that which is lawful until the commencement of the Hajj rites.
In this hadeeth, the Taab’iee, Aboo Shihaab, ‘Abd Rabbih ibn Naafi’ reports that he arrived at Makkah with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj in two separate Ihraam (i.e., to perform ‘Umrah first then exit Ihraam, so he later enters Ihraam to perform Hajj). He arrived at Makkah 3 days before the day of Tarwiyah, which takes place in the 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah. The word Tarwiyah in Arabic is derived from a word which means drinking, and the reason this day is called the Day of al-Tarwiyah is that pilgrims on this day prepare their water supply and allow their camels to drink enough water before heading towards the Arafah.
However, some of the residents of Makkah informed him that he is considered as one of the residents of Makkah who do not need to enter Ihraam from a particular Miqaat and enter Ihraam from where they are in Makkah i.e., he loses the virtue of entering Ihraam from the Miqaat. Upon hearing this, he consulted ‘Ataa’ ibn Abee Rabaah, the known Taabi’ee, to know whether this is true or not. ‘Ataa informed him that Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he performed Hajj with the Prophet ﷺin the farewell Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah, when he ﷺdrive the camels with him from al-Madeenah to Makkah. The camels mentioned here refer to the Hady, which is the term used to refer to the camels, cows, goats, and sheep that pilgrims bring along with them to slaughter in the Haram. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added that they entered Ihraam with the intention of performing Hajj only. However, after they arrived at Makkah, the Prophet ﷺordered them to complete the rites of ‘Umarh then exit their Ihraam, so they can enjoy all that a person who is in a state of Ihram cannot enjoy, including intercourse with wives, and to remain in this state until the Day of Tarwiyah on 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah. On that day, he ﷺordered them to enter Ihraam for Hajj and to head towards ‘Arafah.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet ﷺ 'How could they make it `Umrah while they intended to perform Hajj!’ He ﷺordered them to comply with his order and mentioned to him that he would have performed ‘Umrah and finished his Ihraam and waited till the Hajj time like them, but that would not be allowed, and he cannot perform any of the things that a Mahram cannot do until the Hady are slaughtered in Minaa on the 10th of Thoo al-Hijjah. Thereupon, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) complied immediately and acted upon his order.
By this, the Prophet ﷺdenounced and ended the practices of pre-Islam that did not allow ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and established the law of Islam that gives people room in the matters of ‘Umrah and Hajj.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to perform ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and highlights the obedience of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to the Prophet ﷺ. .

1570
Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): We travelled with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ [to perform Hajj. We recited the Talbiyah upon putting on the Ihraam, saying: “O Allah! Here I am [at your service]; O Allah! Here I am. Here I am [at your service], intending Hajj.” Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺordered us to make it ‘Umrah..

Commentary : Tamattu’ in Hajj means entering into ihraam for `Umrah during the months of Hajj, completing it and then exiting the state of ihraam before subsequently entering ihraam for Hajj during the same year. After arriving at Makkah during the months of Hajj and completing ‘Umrah, pilgrims may exit their Ihraam and enjoy all that which is lawful until the commencement of the Hajj rites.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he travelled with the Prophet ﷺin his journey to perform the farewell Hajj in the 10th year of Hijrah. He explained that they assumed their Ihraam and recited the Talibyah for Hajj but later the Prophet ﷺordered them to break their Ihraam and make it for ‘Umrah only and enter Ihraam again for Hajj when its rites begin. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) complied to his order and acted upon it.
The reports in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim clarifies that he ﷺordered those who did not drive the Hady with them in this journey to finish their Ihraam after performing the rites of ‘Umrah, namely Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and Marwah and cutting or shaving the hair. Then, he ﷺordered them to enter Ihraam for Hajj on the 8th day of Thoo al-Hijjah and complete the rites.
By this, the Prophet ﷺdenounced and ended the practices of pre-Islam that did not allow ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and established the law of Islam that gives people room in the matters of ‘Umrah and Hajj.
This hadeeth highlights the obedience of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to the Prophet ﷺ..

1571
Narrated ‘Imraan (may Allah be pleased with him): We performed Hajj al-Tamattu’ during the time of the Prophet ﷺand the Quran revealed [that it is valid and legitimate], and whatever a person said regarding it was his personal opinion..

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, ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that they performed Hajj al-Tammttu’ during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺand the Quran revealed that it is valid and legitimate. Allah, Most High, said: {And when you are secure, then whoever performs ʿUmrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals.} [Quran 2:196]. Nothing in the Quran was revealed to forbid it and the Prophet ﷺnever prohibit it during his lifetime; thus, the ruling cannot be abrogated regardless of the personal opinions of people i.e., those who uphold it is allowed and those who uphold it should be avoided. This is because saying that it is recommended to perform Hajj alone (i.e., Hajj al-Ifraad) does not abrogate that which the Prophet ﷺestablished i.e., Hajj al-Qiraan and Hajj al-Tamattu’.
The first one who discouraged people to perform Hajj al-Tamattu’ was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) during his ruling, and ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan upheld the same view during his ruling too. Their discouragement was not intended to mean it was invalid but rather to encourage people to attain the reward of Ifraad, so they can visit the Ka’bah more than once i.e., to travel to perform Hajj and travel again to perform ‘Umrah, each one separately.
This hadeeth shows that the Companions differed in concluding some rulings and that the Mujtahid amongst them objected to each other relying on textual evidence.
It also confirms the fiqh rule: “No Ijtihaad is allowed when textual evidence is established.”.

1572
Ibn 'Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) received a question regarding Hajj al-Tamattu' to which he responded: "The Emigrants, the Ansaar, and the wives of the Prophet(ﷺ) and all those who joined them in the farewell Hajj, assumed our Ihraam with the intention of performing Hajj only. However, when we reached Makkah, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Give up your intention of doing the Hajj (at this moment) and perform 'Umrah, except those who had garlanded the Hady." So, we performed Tawaaf round the Ka'bah and [brisk walking] between As-safaa and Al-Marwah, slept with our wives and wore ordinary (stitched) clothes. The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "Whoever has garlanded his Hady is not allowed to finish the Ihraam till the Hady has reached its destination (has been sacrificed)." Then on the night of Tarwiyah (8th Thoo al-Hijjah, in the afternoon) he ﷺordered us to assume Ihraam for Hajj and when we have performed all the rites of Hajj, we came and performed Tawaaf round the Ka'bah and (brisk walking) between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then our Hajj was complete, and we had to sacrifice a Hady according to the statement of Allah: {He must slaughter a Hady such as he can afford, but if he cannot afford it, he should observe fasts three days during the Hajj and seven days after his return} (Quran 2:196] and that is after returning to their homelands. And the sacrifice of the sheep is sufficient. So, the Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) offered the two rites, (i.e., Hajj and 'Umrah) in one year. Indeed, Allah revealed (the permissibility) of such practice in His Book and it is in the Sunnah of His Prophet (ﷺ) and he ﷺrendered it permissible for all the people except those living in Makkah. Allah says: {This is for him whose family is not present at the Al-Masjid-Al-Haram, (i.e., non-resident of Makkah).}
The months of Hajj which Allah mentioned in His book are: Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa'dah and Thoo al-Hijjah. Whoever performed Hajj-al-Tamattu' in those months, then slaughtering [a sacrificial animal] or fasting is compulsory for him.
The words: Rafath means intercourse, Fusooq means all kinds of sin, and Jidaal means to argue and dispute..

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, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) answers a question that was posed to him about Tamattu’ in Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned to the questioner that the Emigrants, the Ansaar, the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, and all the people who accompanied them in the farewell Hajj recited the Talbiyah aloud intending Hajj only. The reason it was called the farewell Hajj is because the Prophet ﷺaddressed the people in his sermons in this journey, which occurred in the 10th year of Hijrah, as if he is about to depart this life. However, when they arrived at Makkah, the Prophet ﷺordered those who did not drive Hady with them to change their intention to ‘Umrah instead of Hajj – to oppose the practices of people before Islam who used to prohibit people to perform ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj. As for those who had garlanded their Hady, they were ordered to maintain their Ihraam for Hajj and never exit Ihraam except after they complete all the rites of Hajj.
The Hady refers to the camels, cows, sheep, and goats that are offered as a sacrifice and slaughtered in the Haram, and the garlanding is done by putting a necklace or chain around the neck of the Hady to distinguish them and mark them as the Hady. Those who were ordered to change their Ihraam, performed the rites of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, cut or shaved their hair and exited their Ihraam; thus, were able to have intercourse with their wives and wear ordinary clothes that people who are in state of Ihraam are not allowed to wear. As for those who garlanded their Hady and maintained their Ihraam for Hajj, they were not allowed to do anything from that which is not allowed for people who are in the state of Ihraam until the Hady is slaughtered in Minaa in the 10th day of Thoo al-Hijjah and during the days of Tashreeq (i.e., the 3 days of Eid al-Adhah).
On the 8th of Thoo al-Hijjah, in the evening of the Day of Tarwiyah, the Prophet ﷺthen ordered those who completed ‘Umrah and exited their Ihraam to assume Ihraam for Hajj from Makkah, and after completing the rites of Hajj, namely standing on ‘Arafah, passing the night in Muzdalifah, throwing the stones, shaving or cutting hair, to perform Tawaaf round the Ka’bah (i.e., Tawaaf al-Ifaadah) and do the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah to conclude their Hajj. Due to their Tamattu’, the Prophet ﷺobliged them to slaughter a sacrificial animal because Allah, Most High, says: {whoever performs ʿUmrah [during the Hajj months] followed by Hajj [offers] what can be obtained with ease of sacrificial animals.} [Quran 2:196]. The pilgrim has the option to slaughter a camel, cow, goat, or sheep. This is considered a compensatory sacrifice that the pilgrim who offered it is not permitted to eat from it. If he could not afford it, then he is obliged to fast 10 days, the first 3 days during Hajj time and the other 7 days after completing Hajj and returning to their homelands and place of residence, which is the interpretation of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) to the part in the ayah that says: “{…and seven days after his return} (Quran 2:196]. it is better to fast the 3 days before the day in which pilgrims stand on ‘Arafah, because it is recommended for pilgrims not to fast on that day.
After, he (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that slaughtering a sheep or a goat suffices as a compensation animal, thereby, the pilgrims who performed Tamattu’ performed both ‘Umrah and Hajj in the same year. This practice is mentioned in the Quran as Allah, Most High, says: {then whoever performs ʿUmrah during the Hajj months followed by Hajj} [Quran 2:196] and is prescribed by the Prophet ﷺwhen he ﷺordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to do it. The Prophet ﷺallowed people to perform Tamattu’ (i.e., perform ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj) because at that time people believed it to be prohibited and a heinous sin. As such, those who performed Tamattu’ are obliged to offer a compensation sacrifice (i.e., Hady) unless they were from the residents of Makkah. This is because the residents of Makkah are not obliged to offer a compensation sacrifice; Allah, Most High, says: {These offerings are for those who do not live near the Sacred House} [Quran 2:196] i.e., those who live from the Sacred House at a distance that allows one to shorten the prayer. The months of Hajj which Allah mentioned in the Quran are: Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa’dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah, thus, whoever performed Tamattu’ in these months is obliged to slaughter an animal as a compensation sacrifice, and if the pilgrim could not afford it, then he needs to fast 3 days during Hajj time and 7 days after returning to his place of residence and homeland.
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) then offered his interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {Whoever commits to ˹performing˺ pilgrimage, let them stay away from Rafath, fusooq, and Jidaal during pilgrimage.} [Quran 2:197] He said: Rafath is intercourse, fusooq is sins, and Jidaal arguing and disputing with others. This is to say, he who enters Ihraam for Hajj in the months of Hajj, he must not engage in intimate relationships and intercourse, and it is more emphasised that he should avoid sins due to the special virtue of the place and time (Haram of Makkah and months of Hajj), and refrain from arguments that lead to dispute and enmity..

1573
Narrated Naafi’: On reaching the sanctuary of Makkah, Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to stop reciting the Talbiyah and then he would pass the night at Dhee Tiwaa and then offer the Fajr prayer and take a bath. He (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to do the same..

Commentary : ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was known of being so keen on following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺin all his actions and conditions. He (may Allah be pleased with him) used to stop reciting the Talbiyah upon arriving at the beginning of the sanctuary of Makkah (Haram). The words of Talbiyah are: “Labbayka Allahumma Labayk, Labbayaka Laa Shareeka Laka Labbayk, Inna al-Hamda wal Ni’mata Laka wal Mulk, Laa Shareeka Lak”. It is possible that he would stop reciting it completely or resume it later and then stop reciting it on the day of ‘Eid when starting the rite of throwing stones since at that point of time he would start the process of finishing Ihraam. It is said that the reason Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stopped reciting the Talbiyah upon arriving at the beginning of the Haram is because he believed pilgrims at the Haram should be glorified and exalted because the Talbiyah is no longer needed upon arriving at the intended place mentioned in it. The way he stopped reciting the Talbiyah was by engaging in other acts of worship and rites like Tawaaf and so on.
After, he would pass the night at Dhee Tiwaa, which is a valley near Makkah located at the borders of Makkah and is known today in the name of al-Zaahir. The well of Dhoo Tiwaa is situated in this valley next to al-Baydaa’, the house of Muhammad ibn Sayf. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to spend the night there and pray Fajr there before taking a bath to prepare himself for entering Makkah during daytime.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to relate that the Prophet ﷺused to do the same i.e., stops reciting the Talbiyah, spends the night, prays Fajr, and takes a bath at Dhee Tiwaa. It is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to refer to bathing there only. According to this narration, the Prophet ﷺspent the night at Dhee Tiwaa and entered Makkah during the daytime. However, this is not considered obligatory because it has been proven authentic that the Prophet ﷺentered Makkah during nighttime and entered Ihraam for ‘Umrah from al-Ji’raanah. While these are not from the rites of Hajj, but it clarifies the places at which he ﷺused to stay.
This hadeeth shows that the Sunnah is to take a bath before entering Makkah and to enter it during daytime..

1575
Narrated Naafi’ that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) used to enter Makkah from the high Thaniyya and used to leave Makkah from the low Thaniyyah..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved the Prophet ﷺwholeheartedly and followed his example in all their actions; thus, they ensured to describe and relate all his actions in every place he travelled to.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺwould enter Makkah from the high Thaniyyah, which is the area from which people descend to the cemetery of the people of Makkah, alias al-Ma’laah. It is situated next to al-Muhassab in the area of Kadaa, which is also known as al-Hajoon. It used to be an area that it is too difficult to climb and walk on, but then it was paved. And when he ﷺwanted to depart Makkah, he ﷺwould leave from the low Thaniyyah. The name of this area today is Kudaa and it has been paved, and the main road of the area leads to Jarwal.
The word Thaniyyah in Arabic means an obstacle that is in a mountain or a high road. The reason he ﷺliked to enter from the high Thaniyyah and leave from the low Thaniyyah as each one is the best route to his intended destination. It was said that the Prophet ﷺdid that was because he ﷺliked not to use the same road for entering and leaving, out of optimism and hope that conditions will change to better just like it was his guidance in going to Eid prayer (i.e., he would go from one road and return from another) so both roads testify to his deed and the people on these roads enjoy his blessings..

1579
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Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved the Prophet ﷺwholeheartedly and followed his example in all their actions; thus, they ensured to describe and relate all his actions in every place he travelled to.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet # entered Makkah on the day it was conquered from the high thaniyyah, which is situated near Kadaa’ where people ascend from it to the cemetery of the people of Makkah, alias al-Ma’laah, near al-Muhassab – also known as al-Hajoon. It was a bumpy and rough path that was difficult to climb, but now it is made accessible and paved. The wisdom behind choosing to enter Makkah from the high place is to show his glorification to the place and to leave Makkah from the lower place is to show detest for leaving it. It is said that as the Prophet ﷺleft Makkah in disguise, he wanted to enter it from a notable visible place. It is also said that the wisdom behind entering from the high place is that through it, he enters Makkah facing the House.
Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah mentioned that his father ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr used to enter Makkah from two different places, from the area of Kadaa’ which the Prophet ﷺused to enter Makkah, and from Kudaa which is down the road of Makkah, a.k.a. the lower Thaniyyah, which has been paved and it has been paved and is on the main road leading to Jarwal..

1582
Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (ra): “When the Ka`bah was built, the Prophet (ﷺ) and al-`Abbaas (ra) went to bring stones (for its construction). Al- `Abbaas said to the Prophet (ﷺ), "Take off your waist sheet and put it on your neck." (When the Prophet (ﷺ) took it off) he fell on the ground with his eyes open towards the sky and said, "Give me my waist sheet." And then he (ﷺ) tied his waist sheet round his waist.”.

Commentary : Allah, Exalted be He, has protected the Prophet ﷺand looked after him since he was born and from before he ﷺwas entrusted to the revelation. Allah made him free from every defect and shortcoming, and this hadeeth gives an example of how Allah protected and looked after the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺ a helped Quraysh in rebuilding the Ka’bah as he participated in carrying the stones. This event took place long time before he became a Prophet i.e., he was 15 years old at that time.
At that time, he was wearing a waist sheet (Izaar) that covered the lower half of his body from waist to down while he ﷺwas carrying the stones. His uncle, al-‘Abbaas (ra), suggested that he should take off his waist sheet and put it on his neck to protect his body from the stones he carried. He ﷺfollowed his advice but once he did that, he ﷺfell down on the ground as he could not stand the showing of his private parts and falling off was more covering to his body. This is because Allah adorned in him with perfect shyness and implanted in his nature all best qualities.
This incident manifests the protection that Allah bestowed upon the Prophet ﷺand how He enabled him to uphold the best character. After falling down, he ﷺasked his uncle to hand him his waist sheet and so he did. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺtied his waist sheet round his waist.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning the virtue of partaking in the building of the Ka’bah.
This hadeeth shows that we should always be keen on covering the body parts that we are not allowed to show in the presence of others..

1583
Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Don't you see that when your people built the Ka’bah, they shortened from Ibraaheem’s foundations?" I said, "O Allah's Messenger! Why don't you restore it to Ibraaheem’s foundations?" He (ﷺ) said, "Were your people not so close to infidelity, then I would do so." The sub-narrator, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) said, “If ‘Aaishah (raa) has heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying that, I do not think that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) left touching the two corners of the Ka’bah, facing Al-Hijr except because it was not built on all the foundations of Ibraaheem.”
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Commentary : The honourable Ka’bah is the House of Allah on earth, and the direction (Qiblah) of the Muslims in their prayers, which Allah, Exalted be He, has glorified its status by making it a destination for pilgrimage and the place to which hearts [of all believers] incline.
In this hadeeth ‘Aaishah raa relates that the Prophet ﷺexplained to her that Quraysh did not build the Ka’bah on all of the foundations that Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon him) constructed, for they excluded the Hijr! This was due to the lack of lawful funds that they managed to collect, since they stipulated that the money used to build the Ka’bah must be from the most lawful money, and that no money earned from unlawful resources to be used. In response, ‘Aaishah raa asked the Prophet ﷺ: “Would you not restore it to the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him)?” She intended thereby that he ﷺdemolishes the current building upon which the foundations are built and then re-builds it in a structure that accommodates all the foundations. However, the Prophet ﷺtold her that had it not been for the closest time of Quraysh to disbelief (i.e., had not the people of Quraysh been new to Islam), he ﷺwould have restored it to the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and he ﷺwould have built it anew on all its foundations.
The description of the construction of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) of the House was that it was curved around the two corners of al-Rukn ash-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee; thus, the Hijr of Ismaa’eel was a part of it, and it had two corners, which are the two Yamaanee corners. But when Quraysh built it in the pre-Islamic era, they made four corners for it, and placed the Hijr of Ismaa’eel behind it, as they wanted to perfectly complete the circumambulation of the Ka’bah, and it is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee.  Hence, al-Hijr is part of the Ka’bah.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar ra commented on this hadeeth by saying: “If ‘Aaishah (raa) heard this from the Prophet ﷺ.” This is neither intended to doubt her statement nor to weaken her report, for she is after all a mastered memoriser. However, doubt-based statements have normally occurred within the speech of the Arabs for the purpose of confirmation i.e., he (ra) wanted to acknowledge her statement. Then, he (ra) goes on to say that this explains the reason the Messenger of Allah ﷺrefrained from kissing or touching the two corners to derive blessing from them, which are adjacent to the Hijr, and are called al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee.  He ﷺonly did it with the other two corners i.e., al-Rukn al-Yamaanee and al-Rukn al-Shaamee.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils to repel the greater of them. This is because the harm done from making no changes to the construction of the Ka’bah is lesser than the dissension that may be caused by this and having some Muslims turning away from Islam.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts - by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite).
It defines that which can be touched and kissed from the Ka’bah, namely the Black Stone and the Yamaanee Corner, and not others..

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..