Narrated ‘Amr: “We asked Ibn ‘Umar (ra), ‘What do you say concerning a man who has sexual intercourse with his wife in ‘Umrah before doing the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah?’” He replied, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺcame to perform ‘Umrah and performed the seven rounds of Tawaaf, thereafter, he performed two units of prayer behind the standing-place (Maqaam) of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and then he performed “Tawaaf” (i.e., Sa’ee) between al-Safaa and al-Marwah.” Thereafter, he (ra) said, “(Verily, you have an excellent example to follow in the Messenger of Allah).” ‘Amr says, “I asked Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah (ra) about this, he answered, ‘He may not approach his wife [for sexual intercourse] until he has completed “Tawaaf” (i.e., brisk walking) between al-Safaa and Marwah.’”
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Commentary : The Taabi’oon (the generation of Muslims who followed the Companions) used to inquire from the Companions (ras) about that which they did not understand from religion and acts of worship. They were the most eager among the people to know and learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Amr bin Deenaar reports that some people asked 'Abdullah bin Umar (ra) whether it is permissible for a man to have intercourse with his wife while performing ‘Umrah, before performing the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah? The basic principle states that sexual intercourse not only is among the prohibited actions during the state of Ihraam, but also among the severest of them. Only after completing all the rites of ‘Umrah and existing Ihraam, one can have intercourse with wife and enjoy all that was prohibited during Ihraam. Ibn ‘Umar (ra) mentioned that the Prophet ﷺcame to Makkah and performed the seven rounds of Tawaaf, then he ﷺoffered two units of prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraheem, then he proceeded to perform the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and he further commented, “Verily, there is an excellent example for you in the Messenger of Allah,” [Al-Ahzaab: 21] - he meant thereby to inform that the Prophet ﷺnever did any of what the inquired asked about before completing the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah.
The rationale of interpreting this hadeeth is that the Prophet ﷺmade the ‘Umrah a one act of worship that consists of different parts, namely the Tawaaf, praying behind the Maqaam and the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. These are the parts of ‘Umrah. With that said, it is not allowed for a man to have sexual intercourse with his wife during any of these parts.
‘Amr ibn Deenaar asked Jaabir bin ‘Abdullah (ra) concerning this and to which he replied: “A man should not approach his wife [for sexual intimacy] until he performs the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and completes his ‘Umrah, including all its rites and shaves his head or cuts from his hair. Thereafter it is permissible for him to exit from Ihraam and do whatever is permissible for him.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning the permissibility of using the word ‘Tawaaf’ [in Arabic] to denote the rite of brisk walking between the al-Safaa and al-Marwah..

1626

Narrated Umm Salamah (raa), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ: The Messenger of Allah ﷺtold her, while he was in Makkah and intended to exit, whereas Umm Salamah had not performed the Tawaaf of the House yet and she also intended to exit. The Messenger of Allah told her, “When the morning prayer is established, then you perform Tawaaf on your camel whilst people are praying.” She did that and she did not pray until she left..

Commentary : Islam is the religion of tolerance and alleviation from hardships, and the concessions given to the sick and those with excuses in the acts of Hajj and ‘Umrah are just a part of it.
In this hadeeth, Umm Salamah (raa) reports that she could not perform the farewell Tawaaf (Tawaaf al-Wadaa’) because she was ill, as the narration of al-Bukhaaree clarifies. When the Prophet ﷺintended to depart Makkah, she mentioned to him that she is ill and because of which she had not performed the Tawaaf yet. The Prophet ﷺcommanded her, once the Fajr prayer starts, to perform the Tawaaf on her camel behind the people who are offering the prayer. Hence, she did that.
Umm Salamah (raa) performed the two units’ prayer of Tawaaf only after she exited the Sacred Mosque or Makkah. However, offering the two units’ prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraaheem is better.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is the permissibility of performing Tawaaf while mounting a ride if the person is unable to walk due to illness.
The hadeeth shows that women should perform Tawaaf behind the men so as they do not intermingle with them, as that is more concealing (private) for them.
It also shows that one who performs Tawaaf during the congregational prayers due to a valid excuse, then he should only perform Tawaaf behind the people so as to avoiding disturbing them..

1628

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): A group of people performed Tawaaf after the Fajr prayer, thereafter, they sat towards a preacher, until when the sun rose, they stood up for prayers. ‘Aaishah (raa) added: “They sat down until it was the time during which it is undesired to offer prayer, they stood up for prayers.”
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Commentary : The companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, may Allah be pleased with him would orient those who came after them to adopt the correct religion and the authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (raa) reports that a group of people performed Tawaaf after the morning prayers, thereafter, they sat towards the preacher, listening to his sermon and reminders. She meant thereby the place of sermon, which could have been the Hijr of Ismaa’eel or the Black Stone. She explained that they remained there until the sunrise time in which prayers are prohibited. Thereafter, they stood up to perform the Sunnah of the Tawaaf at the prohibited time for prayers.
‘Aaishah (raa) condemned their behaviour and found it strange that they delayed the prayer until the time was up for the prayers to be prohibited at the sunrise and before its ascent! It seems as if the mentioned people were intending that time, hence, they postponed the prayers until that time intentionally. For this reason, ‘Aaishah (raa) criticised them in the case where she perceived that the two units’ prayer of Tawaaf are not disliked at the prohibited times. There is a possibility that she understood the prohibition to pray at such time is applicable to all cases.
This hadeeth shows that we are not permitted to offer prayers at the time right after the sunrise..

1629

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibit the prayers at the sunrise and sunset.”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺwas eager in protecting the creed of the Muslims, hence, he ﷺprohibited prayers at specific times; to refrain from emulating the polytheists who prostrate to the sun.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺprohibited from pursuing the prayers at the time of sunrise and sunset, especially the voluntary prayers. With that said, a person should not offer prayers at the time of sunrise until the sun rises to the length of a spear which is nearly equivalent to a quarter or one third of the full hour. Also, one should not perform prayers at the time of sunset until the sun is fully set, that is, ten minutes before maghrib until the time of the Maghrib prayers enters.
In general terms, the prohibition is at the sunrise and sunset and the times that are closer to them, because that is the time in which sun-worshippers prayed and because it is the time in which the Satan gets closer to the sun and thus it becomes between his two horns. This prohibition, however, is specific to the voluntary and supererogatory prayers and not the obligatory ones, such as one who delays his ‘Asr to that time. In that respect, he can pray at the time of prohibition. It is said that the prohibition of offering prayers at these specific times refers to postponing the obligatory prayers for no excuse, to the extent that it is prayed closer to the sunrise or sunset.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning about the forbidden prayer times..

1630

Narrated ‘Abdul ‘Azeez bin Rufay’: “I saw ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (ra) performing Tawaaf after Fajr and offering a two-units-prayer.” ‘Abdul ‘Azeez mentions, “I saw ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubayr offering a two-units-prayer after ‘Asr.” He related that ‘Aaishah (raa) informed that that the Prophet (ﷺ) never entered her house but he offered them (the two units-prayer.) .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺclarified the times during which praying is permissible and the times during which praying is prohibited.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Abdul ‘Azees bin Rufay’ reports that he saw ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubayr bin al-’Awwaam (ras) offering a two-units-prayer after he completed the Tawaaf after the Fajr prayer.
‘Abdul ‘Azees then reports that he again saw ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubair (ra) offering a two-units-prayer after the ‘Asr prayer. This is the time wherein it is disliked to offer prayers. However, ‘Abdullah used to inform the people that ‘Aaishah (raa) told him that whenever the Prophet ﷺentered her house, he used to offer a two-units prayer. It has been stated that the Prophet ﷺprayed it to make up for the two Sunnah prayers of Thuhr when he missed them, thereafter he remained persistent in this act. This is because whenever he ﷺdid an act, he would continue doing it and that it is a part of his unique characteristics, and they are not among the Sunnah prayers affixed to the daily obligatory prayers. ‘Aaishah (raa) narrated how the Prophet ﷺprayed it. It is reported on the authority of ‘Aaishah (raa) that the Prophet ﷺused to offer them and did not offer them in the mosque, fearing that he does not overburden his nation [thereby].” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree].
There are many other narrations wherein the Prophet ﷺprohibited offering [voluntary] prayers after ‘Asr. It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (ra) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺprohibited offering prayers after ‘Asr until Maghrib.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. It is said that it only proves the prohibition being associated with being “after” and it does not prove its generality. Hence, the meaning is at the time of Maghrib and the time closer to it. It is said: The prohibition from praying at this time denotes the forbiddance of postponing the obligatory prayers without any excuse until it falls into the proximity of sunset. .

1634

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): ‘Al-’Abbaas bin 'Abdul Muttalib asked permission from the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay at Makkah during the nights of Mina in order to provide drinking water (from Zamzam) to the pilgrims, and the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed him.’.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺexplained to us the rulings pertaining to the Hajj and ‘Umrah and clarified what is allowed to do and what is not allowed.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that al-‘Abbaas bin ‘Abdul Muttalib (ra) sought permission from the Prophet ﷺto reside at night in Makkah during the nights of Mina, namely the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth nights of Dhu al-Hijjah. This is because the Sunnah is for the pilgrims to spend those nights in Mina, which is a valley surrounded by the mountains, situated towards the east of Makkah on the route between Makkah and the Mount of ‘Arafaat, and it is approximately six kilometers away from the Sacred Mosque, and it is the location of where the rite of throwing pebbles.
The reason for al-‘Abbaas staying at Makkah at night was to provide water for the pilgrims, because they would ask for water of Zamzam at night. They (the service providers) would draw the water out of the well and would pour it into the reservoir from which the pilgrims would drink it. The Prophet ﷺallowed him to stay. Al-‘Abbaas (ra) was responsible for providing water to pilgrims during the time of pre-Islam, and the Prophet ﷺaffirmed that for him. Hence, this service remains for the family of al-‘Abbaas forever.
It can be understood from this hadeeth that staying at night at Mina is forfeited for those providing water for the pilgrims and those who fall under the same rule among those having excuses. This exemption demonstrates the easement of the Islamic law. .

1635

Narrated ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to the drinking place and asked for water. Al-Abbaas (ra) said, "O Fadl! Go to your mother and bring water from her for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Give me [from this] water to drink." Al-Abbaas (ra) said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The people put their hands in it." Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) again said, 'Give me water to drink. So, he drank from that water and then went to the Zamzam (well) and there the people were offering water to the others and working at it (drawing water from the well). The Prophet (ﷺ) then said to them, "Carry on! You are doing a good deed." Then he said, "Were I not afraid that other people would compete with you (in drawing water from Zamzam), I would certainly take the rope and put it over this (i.e., his shoulder) (to draw water)." On saying that the Prophet (ﷺ) pointed to his shoulder..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺwas a great example in humbleness and engaging with people. He ﷺlived like them and refrained from distinguishing himself with anything that Allah has not distinguished him with.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that in the Farewell Hajj, which was in the 10th year of Hijrah, and after having performed the Tawaaf of Ifaadah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺwent to the place where water is provided for pilgrims. This place serves pilgrims during the Hajj season and others throughout the year, and it is located close to the well of Zamzam. When he ﷺarrived there, he asked for water from his uncle, al-‘Abbaas(ra). However, as it was the habit of people to put their hands into the ponds of water provision, al-‘Abbaas asked his son, al-Fadl to go to his mother, Umm al-Fadl, whose full name is Lubaabah bint al-Haarith al-Hilaaliyyah, to bring clean water for the Messenger of Allah ﷺfrom her. The Prophet ﷺrepeated his request to drink from the present place of water from where people drink. Thus, he gave him the water and he drank it.
Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺproceeded to the well of Zamzam where the water was drawn from the well and then poured into the ponds so pilgrims and people can drink from it. The Messenger of Allah ﷺremarked to the people who were working in the site, “Carry on! You are doing a good deed,” – that is providing the pilgrim with water. To show the virtue of their work, he ﷺexplained that he would have participated in the work but if he did so then a great number of people will show up in drawing water with the intention to follow the Prophet ﷺ.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is one may refuse receiving better service and generosity when there is a higher interest that opposes it. just as what the Prophet ﷺdid due to the interest of humbleness that appeared on him.
It also encourages us to provide water to people, especially, the Zamzam water..

1636

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (ra) from Aboo Tharr (ra): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "The roof of my house was made open while I was at Makkah and Jibreel descended. He opened up my chest and washed it with the water of Zamzam. Then, he brought the golden tray full of wisdom and Imaan and poured it in my chest and then closed it. Then he took hold of my hand and ascended to the nearest heaven. Jibreel told the gatekeeper of the nearest heaven to open the gate. The gatekeeper asked, "Who is it?" Jibreel replied, "I am Jibreel.".

Commentary : Allah, Exalted be He, protected His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, purified him, and looked after him since he was born.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Tharr (ra) reports that Prophet ﷺrelated an incident that occurred to him before his emigration from Makkah. He ﷺ mentioned that while he was at his house, angel Jibreel descended from the sky and entered from the roof of his house after it split open. Then, Jibreel descended upon the Prophet ﷺand opened his noble chest. Thereafter, he washed it with the Zamzam water to comfort him due to the virtue of the water of Zamzam. It is said that the wisdom behind washing his noble heart with Zamzam water was to enable his heart to witness the dominions of heavens and earth, Paradise and Hellfire, because from the characteristics of the Zamzam water is that it fortifies the heart and calms the panic.
Then, angel Jibreel brought a tray of gold, a wide tray containing wisdom and Imaan, then he poured the contents into his noble chest and closed it as it was before. After that, he took hold of the Prophet’s hand and ascended with him to the lowest heaven during the trip of Mi’raaj. Upon reaching the lowest heaven, Jibreel requested the gatekeeper and the guard of the lowest heaven to open for him. However, the guard, before opening the gate, he asked who he was, so he informed him that he is Jibreel (peace be upon him) and so he opened
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning about the virtue of the water of Zamzam.
It also shows one of the events that are from the unseen that the Prophet ﷺrelated, and that is among the signs of his Prophethood..

1637

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): I gave Zamzam water to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he drank it while standing. `Aasim (a sub-narrator) said that `Ikrimah took the oath that on that day the Prophet (ﷺ) had not been standing but riding a camel..

Commentary : The Companions (ras) transmitted all what they saw of the actions and statements of the Prophet # during the Farewell Hajj.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that he gave the Messenger of Allah Zamzam water, and that he ﷺdrank from that water standing.
‘Aasim, a sub-narrator of the hadeeth, mentions that ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbaas, swore that the Prophet ﷺwas actually riding his camel when he drank the Zamzam water. It is said that the oath of ‘Ikrimah was based on what he learnt about the prohibition of the Prophet ﷺ of drinking water standing. The statement of ‘Ikrimah has also another dimension that aligns with the wording of the hadeeth i.e., the Arabs use the word standing to describe the one riding on a camel when he halts at a point, meaning, that he is riding on it and the camel is standing. On that ground, the hadeeth does not indicate that he ﷺdrank water standing on his feet, rather, it is possible that he was sitting on his camel.
However, it is reported that ‘Alee (ra) drank the Zamzam water standing and said, “I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺdoing as what you saw me doing.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree] This is an explicit statement concerning the drinking of the Prophet ﷺstanding on his feet. It is possible though that this was to clarify the permissibility.
The hadeeth benefits the permissibility of drinking whilst standing..

1639

Narrated Naafi’: `Abdullah the son of Ibn `Umar (ra) entered the house of his father where he saw his camel being prepared for travelling. He said, "I fear that this year, a battle might take place between the people, and you might be prevented from going to the Ka`bah. I suggest that you should stay here." Ibn `Umar said, "Once Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) set out for the pilgrimage, and the pagans of Quraysh intervened between him and the Ka`bah. So, if the people intervened between me and the Ka`bah, I would do the same as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done . {Verily, in Allah's Messenger you have a good example.} [Quran 33:21]. Then he added, "I make you a witness that I have intended to perform Hajj along with `Umrah." After arriving at Makkah, Ibn `Umar (ra) performed one Tawaaf only.
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Commentary : Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship reserved for those who have the means and capacity to perform it. All its rites and actions are learned from the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra), reports that ‘Abdullah, the son of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar, entered upon his father, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra). He noticed that he had his camel which he rides in his travelling prepared. It was because Ibn ‘Umar (ra) intended to perform Hajj and prepared his camel to ride on it and set out to Makkah. However, ‘Abdullah, the son, was worried about the safety of his father and feared upon him lest a fight breaks out that year between the Muslims, that they may prevent him from visiting the Ka’bah. This event occurred in the year seventy-two of the Hijrah when al-Hajjaaj bin Yusuf al-Thaqafee came on the orders of ‘Abd al-Maalik ibn al-Marwaan to fight ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr in Makkah. So, Ibn ‘Umar (ra) answered his son saying that the Messenger of Allah ﷺdid once set out, and the disbelievers of Quraysh prevented him from reaching the Ka’bah. This happened in the sixth year of the Hijrah when he ﷺreturned from his ‘Umrah and he made the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah. He ﷺexited his Ihraam by slaughtering the animal and shaving the head accompanied by making intention therein.
For this reason, Ibn ‘Umar (ra) informed his son that if he was denied access to Makkah, and it was impossible for him to reach it, then he will do exactly as what the Messenger of Allah ﷺdid when he ﷺwas prevented from reaching the Ka’bah i.e., he will exit his Ihraam at the place where the Prophet ﷺwas prevented. Then, he (ra) recited the ayah: {Certainly, there is an excellent example for you in the Messenger of Allah.} [Quran 33:21]. Then, he (ra) made them witnesses that he intended to perform Hajj along with ‘Umrah. He did not suffice doing this by just making intention, instead, he intended to announce for those who would like to follow him.
‘Abdullah bin ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar continued to say that his father (Ibn ‘Umar) performed one set of Tawaaf for both the Hajj and ‘Umrah after standing at ‘Arafah. It is said that it the Tawaaf mentioned here refers to both the rites of Tawaaf and the brisk walking between al-Safaa and Marwah, which is known as the Tawaaf of Hajj al-Qiraan that only requires doing them for one time. The one who performs Hajj al-Qiraan confines to the rites of Hajj, as the acts and rites of ‘Umrah are incorporated into the rites of Hajj. As such, the one doing Hajj al-Qiraan can only exit from the Ihraam on the day of sacrifice, the tenth day of Thoo al-Hijjah.
From the benefits we learn from the hadeeth is the importance of leaving to perform the rites of Hajj despite suspecting fear on the way if one hopes to find safety.
The hadeeth shows the keen interest of Ibn ‘Umar (ra) to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺand his attempt to follow his example in all his actions. .

1640

Narrated Naafi’: Ibn `Umar (ra) intended to perform Hajj in the year when Al-Hajjaaj attacked Ibn Al-Zubayr. Somebody said to Ibn `Umar (ra), "There is a danger of an impending war between them." Ibn `Umar recited, {Verily, in Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) you have a good example.} If it happened as you say, then I would do the same as Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done. I make you witness that I have decided to perform `Umrah." Then he set out and when he reached Al-Baydaa', he said, "The rites and ceremonies of both Hajj and `Umrah are similar. I make you witness that I have made Hajj compulsory for me along with `Umrah." He drove (to Makkah) a Hady which he had bought from (a place called) Qudayd and did not do more than that. He did not slaughter the Hady or finish his Ihraam, or shave or cut his hair till the day of slaughtering the sacrifices (10th Dhu al-Hijjah). Then he slaughtered his Hady and shaved his head and considered the first Tawaaf (between al-Safaa and al-Marwah) as sufficient for Hajj and `Umrah. Ibn `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) did the same.".

Commentary : Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship reserved for those who have the means and capacity to perform it. All its rites and actions are learned from the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, reports that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) wanted to perform Hajj in the year when al-Hajjaaj marched on Ibn al-Zubayr. This happened in the year seventy-two of the Hijrah, when al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafee marched on the orders of ‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwaan in order to fight ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr in Makkah. Ibn ‘Umar (ra) made a firm intention to perform Hajj in that year. It was feared on him that the fighters might prevent him and refuse him to visit the Sacred House. In response, he recited the ayah, {Certainly, there is an excellent example for you in the Messenger of Allah,} [Quran 33:21] and made clear that he would do exactly as the Messenger of Allah ﷺdid previously [during the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah].
Then, he made them witnesses that he has imposed the rites of ‘Umrah upon himself initially, then he made Hajj and ‘Umrah obligatory upon himself at the outskirts of al-Baydaa’. Linguistically, al-Baydaa’ stands for a desert that is barren. However, here, it means a location above the two landmarks of Dhoo al-Hulayfah when it ascended from the valley. On the outskirts of al-Baydaa’ there is a water well, and the place is about 420 km away from Makkah. He drove with him a sacrificial animal which he bought on the way at Qudayd, a place close to al-Juhfah. It is a water area in al-Hijaaz, located between Makkah and al-Madeenah. It is a place outside the sanctuary of the Haram, though it is within the Meeqaat zone. It is 150 km away from Makkah in the north-eastern side of it.
Ibn ‘Umar (ra) did not slaughter his sacrificial animal [before its due time on the grounds of any emergency], nor did he undo part of his conditions of Ihraam, neither did he shave his head nor did he have a haircut until the day of sacrifice (Day of Nahr) approached, that is the tenth of Dhu al-Hijjah. He then sacrificed the animal and shaved his head. He viewed that he had accomplished both the Tawaaf of Hajj and ‘Umrah with his initial single Tawaaf, as the person who performs Hajj al-Qiraan confines on the rites of Hajj and the rites of ‘Umrah are incorporated into the rites of Hajj. The pilgrim in this case continues in Ihraam and he only exits it on the Day of Sacrifice.
From the benefits that can be concluded in this hadeeth is the permissibility of heading towards the rites of Hajj despite anticipating fear when safety is assured.
This hadeeth highlights the staunch following of Ibn ‘Umar (ra) of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah and following his footsteps in all actions and deeds..

1641

Narrated Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Nawfal al-Qurashee: I asked `Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (regarding the Hajj of the Prophet (ﷺ). `Urwah replied, "Aaishah (raa) informed me, 'When the Prophet (ﷺ) reached Makkah, the first thing he started with was the ablution, then he performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and his intention was not `Umrah alone (but Hajj and `Umrah together).' " Later Abu Bakr performed the Hajj and the first thing he started with was Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and it was not `Umrah alone (but Hajj and `Umrah together). And then `Umar (ra) did the same. Then `Uthman (ra) performed the Hajj and the first thing he started with was Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and it was not `Umrah alone. And then Mu’aawiyah and `Abdullah ibn `Umar (ras) did the same. Then, I performed Hajj with my father al-Zubayr and the first thing he started with was Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and it was not `Umrah alone. Then I saw the Emigrants and Ansaar doing the same and it was not `Umrah alone. And the last person I saw doing the same was Ibn `Umar (ra), and he did not do another `Umrah after finishing the first. Now here is Ibn `Umar present amongst the people! They neither ask him nor anyone of the previous ones. And all these people, on entering Makkah, would not start with anything unless they had performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah, and would not finish their Ihraam. And no doubt, I saw my mother and my aunt, on entering Makkah doing nothing before performing Tawaaf round the Ka`bah, and they would not finish their lhraam. .

Commentary : Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Companions (ras) transmitted the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, a Taabi’ee by the name of ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr reports that his maternal aunt ‘Aaishah (raa), the Mother of the Believers, informed him that during the Farewell Hajj which the Prophet ﷺin the tenth year of the Hijrah, the first thing when he came to Makkah was that he performed ablution, then, he did circumambulate seven times around the Ka’bah as part of Tawaaf al-Qudoom (Tawaaf of Arrival). Thereafter, there was not a standalone ‘Umrah after the Tawaaf. That is because the Prophet ﷺdid not interrupt his Hajj by having an independent ‘Umrah beforehand due to his driving of the sacrificial animal with him. As for the Companions who did not drive with them the sacrificial animals, he ﷺcommanded them to interrupt their Hajj by performing a standalone ‘Umrah and to perform Hajj at-Tamattu’. As for the ones who had driven their animals for sacrifice, they incorporated the ‘Umrah into the Hajj rites and performed Hajj al-Qiraan.
Thereafter, ‘Urwah bin al-Zubayr mentioned that he had performed Hajj with Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar and, Uthmaan (ras). The first thing that they started with was the Tawaaf around the Ka’bah, known as Tawaaf al-Qudoom. Thereafter, there was no standalone ‘Umrah, neither did they perform brisk walking between the Safaa and al-Marwah, nor did they benefit from the ‘Umrah [by exiting the Ihraam] whilst waiting for the Hajj. ‘Urwah goes on to add that after this, the Caliph Mu’aawiyah bin Aboo Sufyaan and ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ras) as well as his father did the same.
‘Urwah states further that he also saw the Emigrants as well as the Ansaar doing the same, that is, commencing with Tawaaf. After this, he relates that the last person he saw doing this was ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra). He explained that the first thing that the latter started with during arrival was performing Tawaaf al-Quddom around the Ka’bah. And he did not interrupt his Hajj by sufficing first with a completed ‘Umrah.
Then, ‘Urawah revealed his shock that despite Ibn ‘Umar (ra) being alive amidst the people, yet they have failed to ask him about this issue, neither have they bothered to ask the previous pious predecessors regarding it who would inform them that they only commenced Tawaaf al-Quddom upon their arrival. And they did never exit from their state of Ihraam, rather they remained in the state of Ihraam until completing all the rites of Hajj. Furthermore, ‘Urwah mentioned that his mother, Asmaa’ bin Aboo Bakr and his maternal aunt ‘Aaisha (may Allah be pleased with them), both did the same like the Emigrants and the Ansaar. They would initiate with performing the Tawaaf of the Ka’bah and they would not interrupt the Hajj by initially completing the whole ‘Umrah.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning about the importance of performing Tawaaf al-Quddom and the fact that the Companions implemented it after seeing the Prophet ﷺdoing it.
This hadeeth shows that the actions of the righteous caliphs and the pious predecessors can be used as evidence.
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1643

Narrated ‘Urwah: I asked `Aaishah (raa): "How do you interpret the statement of Allah: {Verily! (the mountains) Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah, and whoever performs the Hajj to the Ka`bah or performs `Umrah, it is not harmful for him to perform Tawaaf between them (Al-Safaa and al-Marwah.) (Quran 2:158). By Allah! (it is evident from this revelation) there is no harm if one does not perform Tawaaf between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah." `Aaisha said, "O, my nephew! Your interpretation is not true. Had this interpretation of yours been correct, the statement of Allah should have been, 'It is not harmful for him if he does not perform Tawaaf between them.' But in fact, this ayah was revealed concerning the Ansaar who used to assume lhraam for worshipping an idol called "Manaat" which they used to worship at a place called Al-Mushallal before they embraced Islam, and whoever assumed Ihraam (for the idol), would consider it not right to perform Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. When they embraced Islam, they asked Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) regarding it, saying, "O Allah's Messenger! We used to refrain from Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah." So, Allah revealed: {Verily; (the mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah.} " ‘Aaishah (raa) added, "Surely, Allah's Messenger set the tradition of Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, so nobody is allowed to omit the Tawaaf between them."
I told Aboo Bakr ibn `Abd al-Rahmaan of `Aaishah's narration and he said, 'I have not heard of such knowledge, but I heard learned men saying that all the people, except those whom `Aaishah (raa) mentioned and who used to assume lhraam for the sake of Manaat, used to perform Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. When Allah referred to the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and did not mention Al-Safaa and al-Marwah in the Quran, the people asked, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! We used to perform Tawaaf between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah and Allah has revealed (the ayaat concerning) Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and has not mentioned Al-Safaa and al-Marwah. Is there any harm if we perform Tawaaf between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah?' So, Allah revealed: {Verily As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.} Aboo Bakr said, "I heard that this ayah was revealed concerning the two groups, those who used to refrain from Tawaaf between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah in the Pre- Islamic Period and those who used to perform the Tawaaf then, and after embracing Islam, they refrained from the Tawaaf between them as Allah had enjoined Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and did not mention Tawaaf(of Al-Safaa and al-Marwah) till later, after mentioning the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah.'.

Commentary : Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Companions (ras) transmitted to us all the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr reports that he asked his maternal aunt, ‘Aaishah (raa), the Mother of the Believers, about the meaning of the ayah: {{Verily! (the mountains) Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah, are among the symbols of Allah, and whoever performs the Hajj to the Ka`bah or performs `Umrah, it is not harmful for him to perform Tawaaf between them (Al-Safaa and al-Marwah.) (Quran 2:158). He wanted to verify his interpretation of the ayah i.e., he understood it to mean that pilgrims are not obliged to perform the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. She told him that he erred in his interpretation of the ayah and explained that it was revealed concerning the Ansaar because before entering Islam, they used to travel to worship an idol called "Manaat", located at Al-Mushallal, which is a mountain between Makkah and al-Madeenah and from which people would descend to Qudayd. They used to believe that brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah is a great sin because it contained two idols – Isaaf and Naa’ilah - that other people worshipped, and they despised those two idols. However, after embracing Islam, the Ansaar asked the Prophet ﷺabout it so Allah revealed the ayah to clarify that the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah is not a sin as they used to think, because it is from the rites that Allah has dictated in Hajj and ‘Umrah.
Al-Zuhree said: I related the hadeeth of ‘Aaishah (raa) to Aboo Bakr ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan and he liked it. Then, he remarked that he was not aware of this knowledge before, but he heard some people of knowledge saying otherwise. He explained that they did not limit the cause of revelation to the Ansaar who used to refrain from performing the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, but that it was about those who used to assume lhraam for the sake of Manaat and would perform the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. However, as Allah, Exalted be He, mentioned the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and did not mention Al-Safaa and al-Marwah in the Quran, the people went to the Prophet ﷺand mentioned that they used to perform the rite of walking between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah, but the ayah that Allah revealed only mentioned Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and did not mention the rite of brisk walking between Al-Safaa and al-Marwah. So, they were concerned if it is sinful to keep doing it. The reason they had such concern was because they presumed it was from the practices of people before Islam. Thereupon, Allah revealed: {Verily As-Safa and Al-Marwah are among the symbols of Allah.}
Aboo Bakr then added that he heard that this ayah was about both groups, the Ansaar who used to refrain from doing it before Islam and the other group who used to practise it before Islam.
This hadeeth shows the importance of discussing and studying knowledge between scholars and their students to correct any misunderstanding.

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1648

Narrated ‘Aasim: I asked Anas bin Maalik (ra): "Did you use to dislike to perform Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah?" He said, "Yes, as it was of the ceremonies of the days of the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance, till Allah revealed: {Verily! (The two mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. It is therefore no sin for him who performs the pilgrimage to the Ka`bah, or performs `Umrah, to perform Tawaaf between them.} " (2.158).

Commentary : The Companions (ras) would teach the people the matters of their religion just like how they have learned it directly from the Prophet ﷺ. Hence, they would answer their questions and correct any misconception and misunderstanding.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, ‘Aasim ibn Sulaymaan al-Ahwal reports that he asked Anas ibn Maalik (ra) whether the Companions used to dislike performing the rite of walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah? He answered that the Muslims disliked it at the beginning because it was one of the ritual ceremonies that disbelievers practiced before Islam to worship idols. However, after Allah revealed the ayah: {Verily! (The two mountains) As-Safa and Al-Marwa are among the symbols of Allah. It is therefore no sin for him who performs the pilgrimage to the Ka`bah, or performs `Umrah, to perform Tawaaf between them.} " (Quran 2:158), people stopped to dislike it as they came to know that it is not as they presumed, and that it is from the rites of Allah that He legislated to be part of the actions of Hajj and ‘Umrah. Not to mention, the Prophet ﷺlegislated that people perform it.
From the benefits of the hadeeth is learning about the importance of scholars and their students reviewing and studying knowledge. .

1649

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and rite of walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah to display his strength to the disbelievers..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺconcluded the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah with Quraysh in the 6th year of Hijrah. One of the agreed-on conditions was that the Muslims would go back this year without entering Makkah, but next year they would be allowed to enter Makkah and spend three days to perform ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah in the 7th year of Hijrah to perform ‘Umrah, he ﷺordered his Companions (ras) to perform the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and between al-Safaa and al-Marwah with high pace to display the strength of Muslims to the disbelievers and show them that they can fight them. The order of the Prophet ﷺwas to perform Tawaaf with high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, except between the two Corners, where he ﷺordered them to walk with a normal pace so they can rest. As for the last 4 rounds of Tawaaf, he ordered them to walk with a normal pace. Likewise, he ﷺordered them to perform brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah in the marked passage in the valley. All this happened while the disbelievers were watching from far.
From the other benefits we conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should display their strength and power with arms and weaponry in order to instill awe and fear in the hearts of disbelievers, and that is not included in the unpraiseworthy showing off.
It shows that indirect messages are not limited to words, but also include actions. Sometimes, sending indirect messages through actions is more effective and appropriate.
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763

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

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

765

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

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

766

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

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

767

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

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

768

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

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

770

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

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

771

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

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

772

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

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

778

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

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

779

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

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

780

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

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

787

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

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

802

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

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

803

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

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

804

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibit the prayers at the sunrise and sunset.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): ‘Al-’Abbaas bin 'Abdul Muttalib asked permission from the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay at Makkah during the nights of Mina in order to provide drinking water (from Zamzam) to the pilgrims, and the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed him.’.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): I gave Zamzam water to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he drank it while standing. `Aasim (a sub-narrator) said that `Ikrimah took the oath that on that day the Prophet (ﷺ) had not been standing but riding a camel..

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and rite of walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah to display his strength to the disbelievers..

‘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..

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.".

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.".

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.".

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.".

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.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibit the prayers at the sunrise and sunset.” .

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): ‘Al-’Abbaas bin 'Abdul Muttalib asked permission from the Prophet (ﷺ) to stay at Makkah during the nights of Mina in order to provide drinking water (from Zamzam) to the pilgrims, and the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed him.’.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): I gave Zamzam water to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and he drank it while standing. `Aasim (a sub-narrator) said that `Ikrimah took the oath that on that day the Prophet (ﷺ) had not been standing but riding a camel..

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah and rite of walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah to display his strength to the disbelievers..

‘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..

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.".

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.".

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.".

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.".

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.".

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibit the prayers at the sunrise and sunset.”
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