| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
1770
Narrated ‘Amr ibn Dinaar that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Thoo al-Majaaz and `Ukaath were the markets of the people during the Pre-Islamic period of ignorance. When the people embraced Islam, they disliked to do bargaining there till the following ayaat were revealed: {There is no harm for you If you seek of the bounty of your Lord (during Hajj by trading, etc.)} (Quran 2:198)
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Commentary : Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, which Allah and the Messenger of Allah ﷺdetailed all that which is lawful for the pilgrim during his Ihraam. Then, his honourable Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted them to us just as they learned them directly from the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that Thoo Majaaz and ‘Ukaath were the two marketplaces for the people in the time of ignorance (i.e. before Islam).   Thoo Majaaz is a place located beside ‘Arafah, It has been said: it is in Minaa. As for ‘Ukaath, it is behind Qarn al-Manaazil, 44km away on the road to San’aa of Yemen. When Islam came, it seems that the Muslims disliked trading during the days of Hajj just like the polytheists and out of their fear of falling into the sin, for becoming busy on the days of the rites of pilgrimage with something else besides the worship, until the statement of Allah Almighty was revealed, {There is no blame on you for seeking the bounty of Your Lord [during Hajj]} [Al-Baqarah: 198], meaning: there is no sin at all in seeking the permissible sustenance by trading and so on during Hajj as grace and sustenance from Allah, the Sublime, and this is a generous bounty from Allah, the Sublime, on them.
A group of Arabs during the period of ignorance thought it was sinful to trade during the days of Hajj. When the ten days of Thoo al-Hijjah entered, they would withhold themselves from buying and selling. No market would be erected for them. They called those who left with them for trade as helpers. They would say: those are ad-Daajj and they are not Haajj.  Ad-Daajj: followers and helpers, and Haajj: pilgrims.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible for one in Ihraam to buy and sell, and that it is allowed to trade in the marketplaces that existed during the time of ignorance and of the polytheists.

1773
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "(The performance of) `Umrah is an expiation for the sins committed (between it and the previous one). And the reward of Hajj Mabrur (the one accepted by Allah) is nothing except Paradise."
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Commentary : Allah, the Mighty and Majestic has made acts of obedience and all acts of goodness as expiations for the sins and elevators of ranks. Among the most majestic of acts of obedience and the highest of them in ranks are Hajj and ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺinforms us of the virtue of the worship of Hajj and ‘Umrah. As for ‘Umrah, the Prophet ﷺhas spoken about it, “‘Umrah to ‘Umrah is an act of expiation for all the sins that have occurred between them,” meaning: one who performs two ‘Umrahs consecutively, these two ‘Umrahs become a means of expiation of the minor sins that have been committed between them and of not being taken to task by them on the Day of Judgement. ‘Umrah: is devotional worship to Allah Almighty by assuming the Ihraam from the Meeqaat and by performing the Tawaaf of the House, walking between the Safaa and Marwah and by exiting the Ihraam by shaving the head or by shortening the hair. As for the Hajj, it is the intention to visit the Sacred Monuments in order to perform the Hajj rites at a specific place and specific time for the devotional worship of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
Then, the Prophet ﷺhighlighted that the reward of a “Mabroor” Hajj is nothing but Paradise.  Mabroor is that [righteous] act with which no sin has been intermixed or it is a pure and accepted act that is free from showing off and acquiring fame, while its pillars and its obligatory acts have been realised within it. The reward of this Hajj before Allah is only Paradise.
This hadeeth contains encouragement to perform ‘Umrah more often..

1774
Narrated Ibn Jurayj: `Ikrimah ibn Khaalid asked Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about performing `Umrah before Hajj. Ibn `Umar replied, "There is no harm in it." `Ikrimah said, "Ibn `Umar also said, 'The Prophet ﷺ had performed `Umrah before performing Hajj.'".

Commentary : Allah, the Sublime and High, has commanded us to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah. Allah states, {Complete the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.} [Al-Baqarah, 2: 196]
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Ikrimah ibn Khaalid ibn al-‘Aasee al-Makhzoomee asked the Companion, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the performance of ‘Umrah before performing the obligation of Hajj, while he does not intend thereby to perform Tamattu’. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) answered that there was nothing wrong in performing ‘Umrah before the Hajj. When a Muslim has not performed Hajj and is able to perform ‘Umrah [first], then there is no blame on him,” because the Prophet ﷺdid that; he performed ‘Umrah before performing Hajj. According to the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Dawood, it reads, “Yes, of course. What stops you from doing that? The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed all his ‘Umrahs before his Hajj and we too performed ‘Umrah.”
‘Umrah is different from Hajj. ‘Umrah: is a devotional act of worship for Allah which is done by performing the Tawaaf of the House, performing the ritual walking between the Safaa and Marwah, and exiting from it by shaving the head or having a haircut. It does not have a specified time in a year. As for Hajj, it entails intending to visit the Sacred Monuments to perform the rites at a specified place and time as a devotional act of worship for the sake of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
This hadeeth encourages us to hasten to perform the acts of obedience whenever it is easy for us to do it. .

1775
Narrated Mujaahid: ‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr and I entered the Mosque (of the Prophet) and saw `Abdullah ibn `Umar sitting near the dwelling place of ‘Aaishah and some people were offering the Duhaa prayer. We asked him about their prayer, and he replied that it was an innovation. He (‘Urwah) then asked him how many times the Prophet ﷺ had performed `Umrah. He replied, 'Four times; one of them was in the month of Rajab." We disliked to argue with him. Then, we heard `’Aaishah, the Mother of the Believers, cleaning her teeth with Siwaak in the dwelling place. 'Urwah said, "O Mother! O Mother of the Believers! Don't you hear what Aboo `Abd al-Rahmaan is saying?" She said, "What does he say?" 'Urwah said, "He says that Allah's Messenger ﷺ performed four `Umrah and one of them was in the month of Rajab." `’Aaishah said, "May Allah be merciful to Aboo `Abd al-Rahmaan! The Prophet ﷺ did not perform any `Umrah except that he was with him, and he never performed any `Umrah in Rajab."
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Commentary : Muslims in the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would sometimes differ in some [secondary] issues, however, they maintained decorum in disagreements which the Prophet ﷺtaught them. They did not overstep the limits in clarifying the truth, presenting it, and refuting the error.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Mujaahid ibn Jabr reports that a disagreement ensued between the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the time of one ‘Umrah that the Prophet ﷺperformed. He explains that he entered with ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr the Prophet’s Mosque where they found ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sitting and reclining towards the wall of the room of the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and found some people offering the forenoon prayer in the Mosque. They asked him about the ruling of this prayer, and he informed that gathering the Mosque to offer in this form is an innovation that contradicts the Sunnah, and not that the prayer per se is an innovation. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) only criticised praying it continuously, offering it in the Mosque, and its performance in congregation. He did not deny that offering the forenoon prayer is from the Sunnah. It is well established in the two Saheeh Books and in other Hadeeth books that the Prophet ﷺperformed the forenoon prayer (Duhaa Prayer) and also encouraged its performance. The original meaning of religious innovation is to introduce that which did not exist before , i.e. innovating something without having a previous example for it. With that said, if anything of that sort happens in religion that is against the Sunnah upon which the Muslims have approved, and it does not have a foundation in the Book [of Allah] and the Sunnah, then that is a dispraised innovation that is void of goodness and we are discouraged and prohibited from doing it. As this will entail bringing a new thing into religion after its perfection. However, anything of the innovation that does not contradict the principles of Islamic law and the Sunnah, is a good innovation. This understanding is applied to the statement of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the Taraaweeh prayer when he described it as an innovation.
Then, ‘Urwah asked about how many times the Prophet ﷺperformed ‘Umrah. To which, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he ﷺperformed it four times, and one of them he performed it in the month of Rajab. They both disliked arguing with him about it so, they handed over the task of responding to ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
After that, Mujaahid mentioned that he and ‘Urwah heard the sound created by the movement of the teeth cleaning twig on the teeth of ‘Aaishah, the Mother of the Believers, coming from her apartment. Thereupon, ‘Urawah called his maternal aunt ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) with a raised voice asking her about the statement of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) concerning the ‘Umrah of the Prophet ﷺand that one of them happened to be in Rajab. ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) responded to him by saying, “May Allah have mercy on Aboo ‘Abd al-Rahmaan.” The reason she addressed him with his nickname is to show reverence to him, and she supplicated for him as an inference that he had forgotten. Then, she remarked that the Messenger of Allah ﷺIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was present with the Prophet ﷺin all the ‘Umrahs he ﷺperformed. For this reason, she is surprised of hearing that he said one of them was in the month of Rajab. Her statement was made in order to intensify the emphasis on Ibn ‘Umar’s forgetfulness regarding this matter. She only objected to the part of his statement “that one of them was in Rajab.” In a different version of the hadeeth, recorded in Saheeh Muslim, ‘Urwah commented by saying, “[She said that] while Ibn ‘Umar listening. However, he did not say, “yes,” nor “no,” rather he remained silent.” The fact that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not respond to her statement, confirms the authenticity of the statement of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and that definitely an error and forgetfulness had ensued from him.
The hadeeth shows that the one who is more knowledgeable about a subject matter should correct the mistake of others regarding the matter, even if the other person is a scholar.
It shows that even a benevolent, perfect, virtuous person may forget some of the Sunnah he has heard or witnessed.
It highlights the sound knowledge of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and her knowledge of the Sunnah and the conditions of the Prophet ﷺ..

1778
Narrated Qataadah: I asked Anas how many times the Prophet ﷺ had performed `Umrah. He replied, "Four times. 1. `Umrah of Hudaybiyyah in Thoo al-Qa’dah when the polytheists hindered him; 2. `Umrah in the following year in Thoo al-Qa’dah after the peace treaty with them (the polytheists); 3. `Umrah from Al-Ja'rraanah where he distributed the war booty." I think he meant the booty (of the battle) of Hunayn. I asked, "How many times did he perform Hajj?" He (Anas) replied, "Once. "
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Commentary : Hajj and ‘Umrah are among the most rewarding acts of worship that the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas keen on. He ﷺappreciated the ‘Umrah so much that he performed it multiple times.
In this hadeeth, the Taab’iee Qataadah ibn Di’aamah reports that he asked the Companion, Anas ibn Maalik, (may Allah be pleased with him) about the number of the ‘Umrahs of the Prophet ﷺ. ‘Umrah: is a devotional act of worship for the sake of Allah by entering into the state of Ihraam from the Meeqaat, doing the Tawaaf around the House and the ritual walking between the Safaa and Marwah, and exiting it by shaving the head or cutting the hair short. It is an act of worship that does not have any limited time during the year.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) answered that he ﷺperformed four ‘Umrahs.   The first one was the ‘Umrah of al-Hudaibiyyah in Thoo al-Qa’dah in the sixth year of the Hijrah when the polytheists prevented him from performing it, thus he and his Companions could not reach the House. Hence, they exited their Ihraam and this was considered an ‘Umrah for them. It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas encircled. He shaved his head and had a sexual relationship with his wives, and he slaughtered his sacrificial animals until he performed the ‘Umrah in the following year. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. Al-Hudaibiyyah is a big town closer to Makkah towards the side of Al-Madeenah. The place has been called after the name of the well there. Now, it is a valley at a distance of 22km from Makkah on the way to Jeddah. The name al-Hudaibiyyah became famous in the Sunnah for the treaty which was made between the Prophet and Quraysh.
The second one was ‘Umrah al-Qadaa, which was based upon the reconciliation and agreement the Prophet ﷺmade with the polytheists that he will head back from al-Hudaibiyyah and will return the following year. The return happened in Thoo al-Qa’dah in the seventh year of the Hijrah. It is also known as ‘Umrah al-Qadiyyah, and the reason why it was named as ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’ and al-Qadiyyah is that the Prophet ﷺmade a pact with Quraysh and not because it happened as a Qadaa’ (makeup) of the ‘Umrah which the Prophet was prevented from performing. Had that been the case, then both would have been classified as a single ‘Umrah.
The third ‘one was the ‘Umrah of al-Ji’irraanah, which happened in a place called al-Ji’irraanah, located between Makkah and at-Taaif, seven miles (11km) away from Makkah. The Prophet ﷺhalted at it when he was returning to Al-Madeenah from the battle of Hunayn wherein he distributed the spoils of Hunayn – that is a valley three miles away from Makkah. Then, he entered into the state of Ihraam from there and entered Makkah at night. He ﷺ performed the rites of ‘Umrah. Then, he returned to al-Ji’irraanah. Thus, he became a night-spender there. Hence, it was named as ‘Umrah al-Ji’irraanah. This happened in the eighth year of the Hijrah.
The fourth ‘one was dropped out from this narration; however, it was mentioned in another narration by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim. This is the ‘Umrah that was done with his Hajj – the Farewell Hajj – in the tenth year of the Hijrah. He ﷺperformed Hajj al-Qiraan where ‘Umrah and Hajj were done with one Ihraam. It was said: the fourth ‘Umrah is indirectly mentioned in this hadeeth when he mentioned that he performed the Hajj only once, given that the Prophet ﷺwas a Qaarin (the performer of the Qiraan-kind of Hajj).
Qataadah happened to ask Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), “How many times did the Prophetﷺ perform the Hajj?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that the Prophet ﷺonly performed Hajj once and that was in the tenth year of the Hijrah. It is well-known as the Farewell Hajj..

1787
Narrated ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: `Aaishah (raa) said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! The people are returning after performing Hajj and `Umrah, but I am returning with one only?" He said, "Wait till you become clean from your menses and then go to al-Tan`eem, assume Ihraam (and after performing `Umrah) join us at such-and-such a place. But it (i.e., the reward of `Umrah) is according to your expenses or the hardship (which you will undergo while performing it).
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Commentary : The Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam, and the Messenger of Allah ﷺdemonstrated the rites of the Pilgrimage by his words and actions. The Companions (ras) have narrated them to us - so that we may be able to live, abide, and implement them on our own observance of Hajj.
In this hadeeth, The Mother of the Believers - ‘Aa’ishah (raa) - reports on some of what happened during the Farewell Pilgrimage. The text of this hadeeth is a part of a longer narration in which she (raa) had narrated about the time when they (i.e., the Companions) departed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺwithout any intention to do anything else, except for performing the Hajj. So, when they arrived at Makkah, he ﷺ ordered that whoever did not bring along a sacrificial offering from outside of Makkah and its Sacred Precinct to release themselves from the state of ihraam (which is the hallowed mode of being that a pilgrim enters when embarking on the Hajj or ‘Umrah) after: circumambulating the Ka‘bah, performing the ritual walk between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and shaving or cutting their hair when performing an ‘Umrah (rather than only a Hajj) to the eighth of Thoo al-Hijjah which is the Day of Quenching Thirst (Tarwiyah). Thereafter, they entered into the state of Ihraam for Hajj. As for ‘Aa’ishah (raa), the onset of her menses which occurred at night while they were at Saraf - which is the name of an area situated about ten miles from Makkah - had prevented her from entering Makkah. She was in a state of ihraam for ‘Umrah, while also initially entering this state with the intention of performing the Hajj as well, thus becoming a pilgrim who performs the Holy Pilgrimage by combining the Hajj and ‘Umrah with a single intention and state of sanctity throughout the whole pilgrimage. Thus, she (raa) didn’t perform the circumambulations for ‘Umrah around the Ka‘bah, due to the onset of her menses which had prevented her from doing so. As for the Farewell Circumambulation, she performed it on the Day of Sacrifice [i.e. the 10th day of ThooHijjah]. So, she (raa) complained to The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and explained that the reason for her sadness was due to the people returning with the completion of two separate rites of worship - namely, Hajj and ‘Umrah - while evidently she was returning with only one. She (raa) highly desired for both, due to her desire to increase her actions of worship - as was the case for all of the Mothers of the Believers (raa) and other Companions (ras). Thereafter, The Prophet ﷺ said to her (raa): “Wait until you are ritually pure from your menses, then set out to al-Tan‘eem”, which is a place about three or four miles from Makkah and is the closest non-sacred area near the Holy Masjid of Makkah. It was called that because the mountain, Jabal Nu’aym, is to its right. And to its left is another mountain named Jabal Naa’im; and the valley’s name therein is Na‘maan. Then he ﷺsaid to her: “Assume the state of a pilgrim’s sanctity”, meaning: “Enter into the state of ihraam, recite the Talbiyah (a prayer that is uttered by the pilgrim as a statement that they are intending to perform the Holy Pilgrimage for Allah alone) and perform the ‘Umrah.” Then, The Prophet ﷺsent her (raa) with her brother, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr (ra). Thereafter, he ﷺsaid to Lady ‘Aa’ishah (raa): ‘Then proceed and join us at such and such a place’; intending al-‘Abtah by this statement, which is the place where the Messenger of Allah ﷺstayed after departing from Minaa; and set off, returning to al-Madeenah. It is called al-Muhassib, and it is an expansive place which spans between: Makkah, Minaa, and the Two Mountains; as well as to the cemeteries in the area. It was called this because of the gravel that collected there due to the strong torrents depositing them there. Now, it is called al-Ja‘fariyyah, and is a dependent region subsumed under the Jummayzah district. Then, The Prophet ﷺ said to her: “However, it is in proportion to your expenses, or hardship.” That is to say: that the reward regarding the performance of ‘Umrah is commensurate with the hardship, toil, fatigue, and struggles faced; along with the expenses incurred during it. So, the more money that is spent and effort expended; the greater the reward, which is then given from Allah, The Almighty. Some of the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that the rewards for worship are multiplied by the exertion that one puts forth and expenses spent during it. And lastly, it shows the permissibility of performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj..

1791
Narrated `Abdullah bin Aboo Awfaa: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) performed `Umrah and we too performed `Umrah along with him. When he entered Makkah, he performed the Tawaaf (round the Ka`bah) and we too performed it along with him, and then he came to As-Safaa and Al-Marwah (i.e., performed the rite of brisk walking) and we also did it along with him. We were shielding him from the people of Makkah lest they may hit him with an arrow." One of my friends asked him (i.e., `Abdullah bin Awfaa), "Did the Prophet (ﷺ) enter the Ka`bah (during that `Umrah)?" He replied in the negative. Then he said, "What did he (the Prophet ﷺ) say about Khadeejah (raa)?" He (Abdullah bin `Awfaa) said, "(He said) 'Give Khadeejah the good tidings that she will have a palace made of Qasab in Paradise and there will be neither noise nor any trouble in it."
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Commentary : The Companions (ras) loved the Messenger of Allah more than they loved themselves; so, they were eager to be near him at his home and during his ﷺtravels; and they (ras) were willing to offer their lives in sacrifice for him ﷺ. In this hadith, ‘Abd Allah ibn Abee ‘Awfaa (ra) reports that they were performing ‘Umrah with The Prophet ﷺ, and that was during the ‘Umrah that was made up when the polytheists had prevented The Prophet ﷺ from offering the ‘Umrah in the year when the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah was signed during the sixth year after Hijrah, when he ﷺ made peace with them with the condition that he ﷺ and the Muslims could return to the city of Makkah for ‘Umrah the next year - which took place in the month of Thoo al-Qa‘dah in the seventh year after Hijrah. So, when The Messenger of Allah entered Makkah, he ﷺcircumambulated the Ka‘bah seven times. Likewise, the Companions (ras) did so with him ﷺ. Thereafter, he ﷺ performed the ritual walk between al-Safaa and Marwah, and they (ras) did so with him ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺbegan the first lap of this rite by walking from the hill of Safaa to hill of Marwah, and the second round is opposite of that i.e., from Marwah to Safaa. The third round is similar to the first, and so forth until the rite of the ritual walk is completed on the seventh lap. The Companions (ras) used to gather around The Prophet ﷺ and shield him from the polytheistic people of Makkah during their circumambulation of the Ka‘bah and ritualistic walk; out of fear that they would throw something and injure The Prophet ﷺ. Then, a man asked the narrator of this hadeeth about whether or not The Messenger of Allah had entered the Ka‘bah on this ‘Umrah; to which he responded that he ﷺ didn’t enter it at that time. In this hadeeth, the man who had asked ‘Abd Allah ibn Abee ‘Awfaa (ra) then proceeded to inquire about what The Prophet ﷺ said about Khadeejah (raa). To this, Ibn Abee ‘Awfaa (ra) reports that The Prophet ﷺ said: “Bear good tidings that Khadeejah (ra) will have a house in Paradise made of brilliant pearls.” That is to say: a palace in Paradise which is made out of hollowed pearls and sapphires. “and there will be no tumult, nor difficulty therein.” Meaning: There will be no crying from the people of this world in it, nor hardship befalling its occupant; because there is no house of this world in which its people come together; except that there is turmoil and uproar between them, and its amelioration and adjustment is only temporarily achieved through toil and hardship. So, he ﷺ related that Khadeejah’s (raa) - The Mother of the Believers - palaces in Paradise differ from what the aforementioned; there is no semblance of the ruin that afflicts the people of this world. Likewise, the rest of the houses of the people in Paradise will not have any manifestations of spiritual or physical hardship. The reason why these two qualities which mentioned in the portion of the hadeeth which states: “...and there will be no tumult, nor difficulty therein” are negated is that when The Prophet ﷺcalled for faith and belief in Allah, Lady Khadeejah (raa) responded willingly, and didn’t require him ﷺto raise a sound, nor was there any dispute or hardship in it. Rather, she (raa): removed every hardship for him ﷺ, kept him ﷺ company in every moment of loneliness, and made every difficulty easy for him ﷺ. So, it is suitable that her home which her Lord brought word of corresponds to the qualities equivalent to that. One of the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights the merit of The Mother of the Believers, Khadeejah (raa), and her glad tidings and place in Paradise..

1796
Narrated `Abdullah the slave of Asma bint Aboo Bakr: I used to hear Asmaa', whenever she passed by Al-Hajoon, saying, "May the prayers of Allah be upon His Messenger Muhammad. Once we dismounted here with him, and at that time we were traveling with light luggage; we had a few riding animals and a little food ration. I, my sister, `Aaishah, Al-Zubayr and such and such persons performed `Umrah, and when we had passed our hands over the Ka`bah, (i.e., performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and between Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah) we finished our Ihraam. Later on, and we assumed Ihraam for Hajj the same evening.".

Commentary : The Companions (ras) accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Farewell Pilgrimage; so, they learned from him the rites, and conveyed them to the rest so that we could have an insight into one of the ordinances of our religion.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Kaysaan, the freed slave of ‘Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (ras) reports that whenever she (i.e. ‘Asmaa’) passed by al-Hajoon, she would say: “May the prayers of Allah be upon His Messenger, Muhammad - here is where we dismounted and stopped for a rest.”  That was during the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after Hijrah. al-Hajoon is a place near Makkah and is a mountain overlooking al-Muhassab and is about a mile and a half away from The Sacred House of Allah.
Then, she (raa) recalled their condition on the day that they dismounted and stopped with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; and that the mounts which they were riding were few in number, the luggage they were carrying was light, and the food which they took along as provisions amounted to little. This was intended to be a comparison to the poverty and dire straits they were in at the time of her recollection.
After, she (raa) relates that she had performed ‘Umrah with her sister, The Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah, her husband al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwaam, and some others (ras). It is as if she mentioned the names of the individuals who did not bring along a sacrificial offering with them; since it has been established that the Prophet ﷺhad ordered those who did not carry along a sacrificial animal to rescind the Hajj for an ‘Umrah, then to prepare themselves and begin and enter into a new state of Ihraam for the Pilgrimage.
Once they performed Tawaaf round the Ka‘bah, they released themselves from their ‘Umrah. The meaning of her statement: “When we passed our hands over the Ka‘bah, we released ourselves from the state of Ihraam we had for our pilgrimage” refers to ‘passing our hands over its (i.e., The Ka‘bah) corner, which is The Black Stone.  ‘Asmaa’ (raa) withheld anything in this narration related to the circumambulations around the Ka‘bah, and also did not mention the ritualistic walk performed between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and cutting the hair for the sake of brevity. Or, because these are widely known rites that are performed during an ‘Umrah. Then, they entered the state of Ihraam for Hajj after that, on the Day of Quenching Thirst, which is the eighth day of Thoo al-Hijjah.  By doing so, they offered the ‘Umrah in conjunction with the Hajj; however, the ‘Umrah was offered just before the commencement of Hajj. The Arabic word al-‘ashiyy (i.e., the evening) mentioned in the hadeeth refers to the end of the day, or from sunset to dawn. It has also been said by others: that it could also mean until the sun sets. 
It has been established that Lady, ‘Aa’ishah (raa) did not perform Tawaaf round the Ka‘bah because she was on her menses that day; as is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, in a hadeeth narrated by her - where she relates: “I was one of those people who was performing ‘Umrah; however, I got my menses before entering Makkah, and had menstruated until the Day of ‘Arafah. Then, I complained about this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, to which he ﷺ replied: ‘Discontinue your ‘Umrah, undo the hair on your head and comb it. Then, prepare yourself and enter into the state of Ihraam for Hajj.” ‘Asmaa’ (raa) did not exclude her [i.e., ‘Aa’ishah (raa)] in the hadeeth either due to the fact that the story regarding her menses was well-known or she had forgotten to exclude her in the narration..

1798
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): When the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived at Makkah, some boys of the tribe of Banee `Abd al-Muttalib went to receive him, and the Prophet (ﷺ) made one of them ride in front of him and the other behind him.
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Commentary : All of the hearts of all of the Companions, both young and old, were attached to the Messenger of Allah ﷺdue to his most excellent disposition, nobility and utmost kindness, and what Allah bestowed upon him. He, The Most Exalted, guided the hearts of the worshippers to him ﷺ. This hadeeth demonstrates some of his character towards them.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah in the Year of the Conquest, which was in the eighth year after Hijrah, a group of young boys set out to receive him ﷺ. These young boys were from Banee ‘Abd al-Muttalib, whom was the Prophet’s grandfather. Then, he ﷺ placed one of them in front of him, and the others behind him upon the back of the riding animal. This is an indication to their delight and joy for seeing the Prophet ﷺ; and likewise, it highlights his ﷺ pleasure and happiness with them. This was due to his ﷺ modesty and beautiful fidelity.
This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of receiving those arriving from Hajj, battle, or lawful travel as a means to honour and respect them and reacquaint themselves with them.
And lastly, it shows that two or more people can ride on an animal; if the riding animal is capable and it is humane to do so..

1800
Narrated Anas (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) never entered upon his family from a journey at night. He used to return either in the morning or in the afternoon.
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺexhibited the most pious examples of excellent comportment, and good relations between a man and his wife.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺwould never return to his family if he arrived from a journey at night. Rather, he ﷺwould come in the morning - which is from when the Dawn Prayer enters to sunrise - and the afternoon, which is from noon when sun reaches its zenith in the sky - i.e., the time when the Midday Prayer enters - to when it sets.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺdid that because a man’s arrival at night oftentimes comes as a surprise to his wife, and she may not be ready to receive and welcome her husband, as he had been away from her for a while.  So, it is fitting that he ﷺ didn’t come to her suddenly at night. The Prophet ﷺ - as attested in Saheeh Muslim in a hadeeth narrated by Jaabir (ra) - had prohibited a man from: coming to his family at night, suspecting their treachery, or seek out their misgivings. That is to say: to believe that they are traitors, reveal their faults, and unveils whether or not they have been disloyal. Thus, it is strongly disliked for the one who travels away from his home for a long period of time to come to his wife suddenly in the depths of night. As for the one whose journey is nearby, and his wife expects his arrival; it should be fine for him to return home at night..

1802
Narrated Anas (ra: "Whenever Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) returned from a journey, he, on seeing the high places of al-Madeenah, would make his she-camel proceed faster; and if it were another animal, even then he used to make it proceed faster."
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Commentary : The enlightened city of al-Madeenah was one of the most beloved cities to the Prophet ﷺ; as it is the place he ﷺ emigrated to, and the site from which he ﷺreceived aid and support, in which he established an Islamic sovereignty that, from it, spread to all of the surrounding Arab and non-Arab lands.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) expounds on some of the manifestations of the Prophet’s love for this city.  He (ra) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺ arrived from his travels and saw the steps of al-Madeenah - which are its elevated paths which lead to the city- he ﷺ would make his she-camel hasten its pace along its way. If he was mounted on a riding animal other than a she-camel, even then he ﷺ would urge it to hasten its pace; so that he would arrive at al-Madeenah quickly; it was out of his fervent love anddesirefor being in the city, because it is his home, and therein reside his family and children who are the most beloved of people to him ﷺ. Allah has formed the souls of man to love and long for their homelands. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did that, and in doing so proved to be the most noble exemplar and ordered his community to hasten in their return to their families at the end of their travels.
This hadeeth highlights the merit of the enlightened city of al-Madeenah and its denizens and exemplifies the love and longing the Prophet ﷺhad for it..

1803
Narrated Aboo Is-haaq: I heard al-Baraa' saying, "This ayah was revealed regarding us, for the Ansaar on returning from Hajj never entered their houses through the proper doors but from behind. One of the Ansaar came and entered through the door, and he was taunted for it. Therefore, the following was revealed: -- {It is not righteousness that you enter the houses from the back, But the righteous man is He who fears Allah, Obeys His order and keeps away from What He has forbidden So, enter houses through the proper doors.} (Quran 2:189)
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Commentary : One of the wisdoms of Allah, The Almighty is that He didn’t reveal The Noble Qur’aan all at once. Rather, He sent it down gradually, according to the progression in what Allah intended of it in building up and educating the Muslim community.  He, The Most Exalted, revealed it as a treatment for sinful habits, and a resolution for problems that have occurred, and events which may come about in the future.
In this hadith, al-Baraa‘ ibn ‘Aazib (ra) relates that when the Ansaar, before Islam, had returned from performing the Hajj or ‘Umrah, they wouldn’t enter their homes through their front doors.  But rather, they would enter them from the backs of their homes - as this was what many Arabs used to do. So, they would scale the walls of their homes from behind, or create an opening along the wall and enter it that way. They used to view that violating or omitting this practice as a major disgrace, and saw their own action as one of righteousness and piety. So, when Islam came to their (i.e. The Ansaar’s) lands, a man from amongst them entered through the front door of his house instead; for which the Ansaar censured him for that. Then, Allah The Almighty, revealed through His Words the following ayah: “Enter your preferred English translation for Q2:189 here.” Thus, Allah, The Almighty, had informed them that this act which they believed to be pious, was in actuality void of any good. Rather, actual piety is when the servant is fully aware of His Mighty and Majestic Lord; by complying with His commands, abstaining from what He has prohibited, and not devoting themself to anything which Allah, The Most High, did not legislate. Therefore, He ordered for them to arrive and enter their houses through the main doors, just as what is the norm today, and which would eventually become customary for them, as there is no evidence prohibiting that during the time when one is in a state of sanctity for Hajj or ‘Umrah. So, the people abandoned this practice, and began to enter their homes through their doors instead.
This hadeeth highlights that the customs of people do not make what is unlawful permissible. And that when Allah, The Almighty, prohibits anything, He opens for His servants something which is permissible to take its place; for when He disallowed them from coming to their homes and entering them from behind, He made it abundantly clear as to what action should take its place.

1804
Narrated AbooHurayrah (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Traveling is a kind of torture as it prevents one from eating, drinking, and sleeping properly. So, when one's needs are fulfilled, one should return quickly to one's family."
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ did not omit a single good, whether it be something upright in religion or of this world; except that he ﷺ would always direct others to it and urge them towards it. He ﷺ never left any evil which would harm the believer in his religious or temporal affairs; except that he ﷺ warned them to take heed against it.
In this hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺmentioned that traveling to another land other than the one which he resides in is a type of hardship. What is intended by this reference is a worldly suffering. Then, he ﷺ explained this further with his ﷺ statement: “as it prevents one from eating, drinking, and sleeping,” namely, the completion of the aforementioned, along with the pleasure that comes from it; due to some of the struggles one can face in their travels, such as: the heat, the cold, fear, the separation from family and friends, and the harshness of life. So, the traveller delays his eating and sleeping from their usual and prescribed time - and oftentimes does not receive a sufficient amount or derive the usual pleasure which comes from these necessities of life.
Then, the Prophet ﷺadvised the traveller who has fulfilled the need for which he is journeying for and has finished with it; that it is incumbent upon them to hasten and return to their homeland and family; for the sake of curtailing these hardships which will continue on his journey, and to make up for the suffering that afflicted him in the interim - and then obtain, repose, and gentleness with his family thereafter. This was expressed with an avidity, which is the rhetorical purpose that was intended behind it; implying by a mode of expression that traveling for a worldly purpose is akin to a trade-off; leaving aside, however, obligatory travelling, such as the Hajj or a military expedition.
The notion that travelling is a form of torment does not prevent it from being beneficial and therapeutic for the vast majority of people; because movement and physical exercise are beneficial, especially for the people of ease and luxury. It's like a bitter medicine that remedies one’s health, even if taking it is disliked.
This hadeeth highlights that it is strongly disliked to go abroad away from his family without a need. It urges the traveller to hasten in returning from their travels to their family, especially those who are feared to pass away during his absence.
It shows that living with one’s family is an aiding comfort in upholding the interests both in religion and worldly affairs.
And lastly, it encourages one to stay where they are; so that their social circles and other groups of people do not miss him, and that the obligatory rights due to their family and close relatives are observed..

1809
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was prevented from performing (`Umrah) Therefore, he shaved his head, had sexual relations with his wives, slaughtered his Hady, and performed ‘Umrah in the following year.
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Commentary : Obstruction with reference to the Hajj and ‘Umrah refers to being prevented and impeded from approaching the Sacred Mosque in Makkah by an enemy, illness, or something else. If a Muslim intended to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah; and then is detained from completing his Hajj or ‘Umrah; then he is a muhsar, which is a technical term used for someone facing a situation similar to what has been aforementioned and is obstructed from completing their pilgrimage.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Messenger of Allah ﷺhad been prevented from performing the ‘Umrah that he came to offer in the year of Hudaybiyah, which was in the sixth year after Hijrah, when the polytheists inhibited him ﷺfrom entering Makkah that year. So, when The Prophet ﷺ was obstructed, and prevented from completing his ‘Umrah, he ﷺ released himself from it at the place where he was prevented from carrying on at Hudaybiyyah - which is a large village near Makkah, that borders the city. It was named after a well that was there before, and now there is a valley between it and Makkah about twenty-two kilometres on the way to Jeddah - So after leaving his ﷺ ‘Umrah, he slaughtered his Hady - which is a name for the sacrificial animal - whether it be: a camel, cow, sheep, or goat - that is offered and slaughtered in the Sacred Precinct. Thereafter, “he shaved his head,” and this is another one of the last rites of ‘Umrah and it requires one to release themselves from the state of Ihraam. Then, he ﷺ had intimate relations with his wives i.e., that their sexual intercourse was lawful for him, or that he ﷺinitiated the act. The narrator only mentioned this to confirm that he ﷺhad released himself from the state of Ihraam one enters for the pilgrimage.
Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺreturned to perform ‘Umrah the next year, which occurred in the seventh year after Hijrah, while it was known as the Make Up ‘Umrah and it has also been called the ‘Umrah of the Judgment. It has been called the Make Up ‘Umrah and The ‘Umrah of the Judgment because he ﷺbecause he ﷺforced Quraysh to accept the terms of the treaty that was signed there, and not because it had been performed as a make-up for the ‘Umrah which was prevented in the previous year..

1810
Narrated Saalim: Ibn`Umar (ra) used to say, "Is not (the following of) the tradition of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) sufficient for you? If anyone of you is prevented from performing Hajj, he should perform the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and then exit the Ihraam as then everything will become legal for him which was illegal for him (during the state of Ihraam), and he can perform Hajj in a following year and he should slaughter a Hady or fast in case he cannot afford the Hady."
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Commentary : Obstruction with reference to the Hajj and ‘Umrah refers to being prevented and impeded from approaching The Holy Mosque in Makkah by an enemy, illness, or something else. If a Muslim intended to perform the Holy Pilgrimage or ‘Umrah; and then is detained from completing his Hajj or ‘Umrah; then he is a muhsar, which is a technical term used for someone facing a situation similar to what has been aforementioned, and is obstructed from completing their pilgrimage.
In this hadeeth, Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reports that his father, ‘Adullagh ibn ‘Umar (ra) used to say: “Is not what came from the traditions and practices of your Prophet ﷺsufficient for you? If anyone of you have been obstructed, and prevented from performing one of Hajj’s most essential integrals - which is standing at ‘Arafah - due to one of the legitimate excuses; but somehow managed to enter Makkah; then it is incumbent upon him to abandon his ‘Umrah, and then perform the circumambulation round the Ka‘bah, perform the ritual walk between al-Safaa and al-Marwah if he is able to do that, shaves or cuts his hair, and then takes off the garments one wears while in the state of Ihraam required for Hajj.  Thereafter, everything that is normally licit for him becomes permissible, even intercourse with his wife. He may continue to be released from his Ihraam for Hajj until he performs his Hajj the following year. It is incumbent upon the one who is prevented from completing the pilgrimage (i.e. a muhsar) to slaughter a hady - which is a camel, cow, sheep, or goat - that is offered and slaughtered as a sacrifice in the Sacred Precinct. And if he is not able to find a sacrificial animal, he must fast for ten days; three days on the Hajj, and seven when he returns.
Ibn ‘Umar (ra) made the legal ruling in regard to obstruction during the Hajj and ‘Umrah the same; because The Prophet ﷺ wasn’t ever prevented from performing the Holy Pilgrimage; but he was impeded on the ‘Umrah of al-Hudaybiyah in the sixth year after Hijrah. So, Ibn ‘Umar drew a legal analogy by comparing the Hajj to the ‘Umrah. And this analogy is based on the time when one releases himself from the consecrated state of Hajj, which hasn’t been stipulated when one was prevented from completing it. Yet, if it was stipulated, it is still permissible, and nothing additional would be obligatory upon him; due to what has been narrated in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, in a report narrated by The Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah (raa), who relates that: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ went to see Dubaa‘ah bint al-Zubayr and said to her: ‘Perhaps you wish to perform the Hajj?’ She replied: ‘By Allah, I am not well, and am often in constant agony.’ So, he ﷺsaid to her: “Perform the Holy Pilgrimage, but condition it first it by saying: ‘O Allah, I shall release myself from the consecrated state of Hajj (i.e.ihraam) wherever you detain me.”
One benefit that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it presents a proof of legal analogy since this method of reasoning was utilised by the Companions (ras)..

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.

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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..

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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.

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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.

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‘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..

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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..