Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
People say that Aboo Hurayrah narrates too many narrations. In fact, Allah, Exalted is He, knows whether or not I say the truth. They also ask, "Why do not the emigrants and Ansaar narrate as much as he does?" In fact, my emigrant brothers were busy trading in the marketplaces, and my Ansaar brothers were busy with their properties. However, I was a poor man who kept the company of Allah's Messengerﷺ and was content with what filled my stomach (i.e., satisfied my hunger and kept me alive). So, I used to be present while they (i.e., the emigrants and Ansaar) were absent, and I used to remember while they forgot (the hadeeths). One day the Prophet ﷺsaid, "Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of it." So, I spread my covering sheet which was the only garment I had, till the Prophet ﷺ finished his statement and then I gathered it over my chest. By Him Who had sent him (i.e., Allah's Messenger) with truth, since then I did not forget even a single word of that statement, until this day. By Allah, but for two ayaat in Allah's Book, I would never have related any narration (from the Prophet ﷺ). (These two ayaat are): {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, * Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.} [Quran 2:159-160]
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Commentary :
The transmission of the Sunnah and narrating the hadeeths of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ are solemn and serious responsibilities, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were remarkably meticulous regarding the narration of hadeeths and the verification of their authenticity. Some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) related numerous hadeeths and reports while others narrated only few, according to the time during which they kept the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and what they heard from him.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) fended off suspicions raised about the fact that he narrated so many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, and stated the reasons for it. Firstly, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “People say that Aboo Hurayrah narrates too many narrations. In fact, Allah, Exalted is He, knows whether or not I say the truth,” meaning that I shall be held accountable before Allah, Exalted is He, if I had deliberately attributed lies to the Prophet ﷺ, and those who thought ill of me shall also be accountable.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that people wondered why the emigrants and Ansaar did not narrate as many Hadeeths as he did, and clarified that his emigrant brothers were busy with trade in the marketplaces, and the Ansaar with tending to their property. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Safq, which literally means handshaking upon concluding business transactions, for people customarily shook hands after concluding sales transactions. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also clarified that the Ansaar were busy taking care of their farms, while he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a poor man who did not engage in trade nor did he own any property. He (may Allah be pleased with him) kept the company of the Prophet ﷺ longer and settled for having enough food to satisfy his hunger and keep him alive! He (may Allah be pleased with him) hardly left the Prophet ﷺ and was always present minded, since he was not preoccupied with any worldly pursuits like his companions. The fact that Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was not preoccupied with worldly engagements and kept the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ longer, were reasons for memorizing and narrating many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ.
Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) stated another reason for narrating many hadeeths on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺ said once: “Whoever spreads his sheet till I finish this statement of mine and then gathers it on his chest, will never forget anything of it.” Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) hastened to spread his garment, which was all he (may Allah be pleased with him)had. It was a striped or colored garment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) kept it spread till Allah's Messenger ﷺ had finished his saying, and then gathered it to his chest as instructed. He (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked that he did not forget even a single word of his statement on that occasion.
The version of this hadeeth recorded by Muslim reads: “After that day, I never forgot anything he ﷺ said.” Another version complied in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree reads: “After than day, I never forgot anything that I heard from him.” This wording indicates generality, meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not forget any of his statements after that incident, rather than his statement in that particular occasion as reflected by the apparent indication of his saying, ‘that statement.’ This interpretation is further emphasized by the fact that Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) had complained to the Prophet ﷺ of his weak memory and the Prophet ﷺ did so to relieve him of that problem, and it is also possible that these were two separate incidents.
Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) stated the reason for narrating hadeeths to begin with, being motivated by two ayaat that warn against withholding knowledge. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means) {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, * Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful.} [Quran 2:159-160].
This is a stern warning against withholding knowledge with which the Prophets of Allah were sent including the clear proofs and guidance that are of benefit to the hearts, after Allah, Exalted is He, had clarified them for His servants in the heavenly revealed books with which he sent His Messengers.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and a sign indicating his prophethood.
It urges Muslims to seek knowledge and give it precedence over seeking wealth.
It also underlines the virtues of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is inferred therefrom that it is allowable for a person to proclaim his good qualities and virtues to dismiss suspicions about himself, but not to praise himself.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that senior Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) engaged in trade and worked to earn their living..

2353

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
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Commentary :
Eliminating harm is one of the universal principles of the Islamic Laws of Islam. Islam enacted laws and legislations, and established guidelines that protect a Muslim from harm, and from inflicting it on others.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade harming others by denying them water that is in excess of one’s need. He ﷺ said: “Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Kala’ meaning dry or wet grass. The hadeeth means that when one digs up a well in an uncultivated land where grass grows around or near his well, making it a suitable pasture for grazing animals, and there is no other source of water available, the shepherds would essentially need access to this well when grazing their animals. The owner of such a well must not prevent them from accessing the well, and thereby deliberately deny them access to the pasture. The Prophet ﷺ forbade a Muslim from denying others access to his surplus water beyond his needs. He is also forbidden from selling such surplus water to those shepherds, because if he sells them the water that is necessary for grazing their animals, it would be the same as selling them the grass to graze their cattle, and he does not own such grass. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Excess water must not be sold…” [Muslim]. This means that one must not deny others his surplus water when they do not another source of water available to them, because this implies harming Muslims, and harm must be eliminatedas per the laws of Islam.
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2358

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "There are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them, and they will be subjected to a severe punishment. They are: -1. A man who possessed superfluous water on a way and he withheld it from travelers. -2. A man who gave a Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to a ruler only for worldly benefits. If the ruler gives him something, he gets satisfied, and if he withholds something from him, he gets dissatisfied. -3. And a man who displayed his goods for sale after ‘Asr prayer and dishonestly said, 'By Allah, None but Him is worthy of worship, I have been given so much for my goods,' and somebody believes him (and buys them). The Prophet ﷺ then recited the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]
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Commentary :
Inflicting harm on people is a reprehensible act in this worldly life, and it incurs utter loss and ruin on the doer in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that there are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, out of His mercy, kindness, and compassion, nor will He purify them from sins by conferring on them His forgiveness, and He shall not praise them, but will rather pour out His wrath on them and subject them to a severe punishment for their heinous acts.
These three categories are as follows:
“1- A man who possessed superfluous water on a way and he withheld it from travelers,” meaning that such a person withholds surplus water (beyond his needs) from a traveler who is in dire need of water to quench his own thirst or that of an animal whose killing is not enjoined by the Laws of Islam.
“2- A man who gave a Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to a ruler,” to hear and obey him, but not in compliance with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, but rather to gain, “…worldly benefits. If the ruler gives him something, he gets satisfied, and if the ruler withholds something from him, he gets dissatisfied.” This person deserved such severe punishment because his act constitutes insincerity towards the Muslim ruler, which entails insinceritytowards the ruled as well, because it would cause Fitnah (i.e., dissension), especially if this was done by community leaders whom people tend to follow.
“3- And man who displayed his goods for sale after ‘Asr prayer and dishonestly said, 'By Allah, None but Him is worthy of worship, I have been given so much for my goods,' and somebody believes him (and buys them).” Such a seller made a false oath by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, merely to sell his goods. In general, it is prohibited to make a false oath at all times, but the hadeeth particularly referred to making false oaths after ‘Asr prayer, at the end of the day, because traders often fall into such a sin at the end of the day, trying to sell the rest of their goods. It was also said that the gravity of such sin is further emphasized after ‘Asr prayer because it is the time when the recording Angels of the night descend to earth and those of the morning ascend to the heavens to present people’s deeds to Allah, Exalted is He. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ recited the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]. The ayah refers to an exchange; these people exchange material gains for the covenant they had made with Allah, Exalted is He, to believe in the Prophet ﷺ and fulfill the trusts. The reference to oaths in this ayah means the false ones that they took to affirm their statements or actions. The intended meaning is that they trade their covenants with Allah and oaths with fleeting worldly gains and desires such as money, material benefits, and other worldly gains. The price was described here as being ‘small’, to indicate its insignificance, for it was traded for breaching the covenant with Allah and taking false oaths. Therefore, it is fundamentally insignificant, no matter how significant it seemed from a worldly perspective, compared to winning the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and fulfilling his covenants with Him. Then Allah, Exalted is He, stated the punishment designated for those who commit such a major sin. He Says (what means): {…will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77].
The fact that only these three categories of people were mentioned in the hadeeth does not suggest that no other categories of people shall incur the same punishment, such as: the ones who commit the sin of Isbaal (i.e., making one's clothes longer than normal out of conceit), the ones who remind others of their favors to them, as reported in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded in Saheeh Muslim, as well as an adulterous old man, an untruthful king, and an arrogant poor man, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The hadeeth affirms the attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty, without Tashbeeh or Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Speech?). The fact that Allah, Exalted is He, shall not speak to these categories of people, nor shall He look at them essentially means that He shall speak with and look at others.

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2363

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "While a man was walking, he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting and eating mud because of excessive thirst. The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So, he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog. Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." People asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Is there a reward for serving animals?" He ﷺreplied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any living being."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, enjoined Muslims to show mercy to all creatures, and decreed that Islam should be the religion of mercy, kindness, and benevolence. Given the significant care and attention assigned to this fundamental Islamic principle, Muslims are enjoined to show mercy to all living beings, including animals, and are promised abundant rewards for it.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “While a man was walking,” the apparent indication of the hadeeth’s wording is that this man belonged to the previous nations; “he felt thirsty and went down a well and drank water from it. On coming out of it, he saw a dog panting.” It means that the dog was out of breath or sticking his tongue out due to excessive thirst, “and eating mud because of excessive thirst,” meaning that it was licking dust out of thirst. “The man said, 'This (dog) is suffering from the same problem as that of mine. So, he (went down the well), filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth and climbed up and watered the dog.” The Prophet ﷺstated that this man took off his shoe, held it in his hand, went down the well, filled his shoe with water, caught hold of it with his teeth, and climbed up and watered the dog, to indicate the difficulties he had to face in the process.The same goes for the reference to holding the shoe with his own teeth to bring water to this thirsty dog. Therefore, “Allah thanked him for his (good) deed and forgave him." Allah, Exalted is He, knew of his act and rewarded it by forgiving his sins. The version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “Allah thanked him for his (good) deed, forgave him, and admitted him to Paradise.” The Prophet ﷺ used the verb ‘thank’ to denote reward, because thanking or appreciation is a form of reward.
When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) heard the story, they asked the Prophet ﷺ whether or not one earns reward for serving animals. He ﷺ replied, "Yes, there is a reward for serving any living being,” meaning that showing mercy and kindness to any living being is a rewardable act in Islam. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth, ‘Kabid,’ literally means ‘liver’ and is used to refer to every living being because the liver needs water to live, otherwise an animal would die. The hadeeth means that doing any merciful act or act of kindness to an animal, by serving it water or food or protecting it from heat or coldn, whether or not it is owned by the doer, others, or is not owned by anyone, is a good act for which Allah, Exalted is He, will reward the doer.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to show kindness to people, because if one earns the forgiveness of Allah, Exalted is He, for serving water to a thirsty dog, this essentially means serving water to a thirsty person is even more rewardable.
It also underlines the virtues of serving water to others,and that it is a great means to draw closer to Allah, Exalted is He.
It also discourages Muslims from abusing or harming animals.
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2367

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Commentary :
One of the distinct blessings that Allah, Exalted is He, shall confer on His Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Resurrection, is His Hawdh (basin) from which he ﷺ shall serve water to the righteous and steadfast Muslims on that difficult day.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ swore by the name of Allah, saying: “By Him in Whose Hands my soul is,” and he ﷺ usually used this wording in his oaths. It means, ‘By Him in Whose Hand my life lies.” It affirms the fact that Allah, Exalted is He, has a Hand, in a manner that befits His Majesty. He ﷺ said: “I will drive some people away,” meaning the apostates, hypocrites, or those who had committed religious innovations and distorted the religion of Islam after the Prophet’s death, “from my Hawdh (i.e., Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough,” meaning like a shepherd would drive away a strange camel, denying it access to water when his camels are drinking therefrom.
The hadeeth affirms the existence of the Prophet’s Hawdh.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to swear by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, to affirm one’s statement without a prior request to take an oath or a necessity warranting it.

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2369

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "There are three types of people whom Allah will neither talk to, nor look at, on the Day of Resurrection. (They are): -1. A man who falsely takes an oath that he has been offered for his goods so much more than what he is given, -2. a man who takes a false oath after ‘Asr prayer to devour a Muslim's property unlawfully, and -3. a man who withholds his superfluous water. Allah will say to him, "Today I will withhold My Grace from you as you withheld the superfluity of what you had not created."
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Commentary :
Inflicting harm on people is a reprehensible act in this worldly life and it incurs utter loss and ruin on the doer in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ said that there are three categories of people at whom Allah, Exalted is He, will not look on the Day of Resurrection, out of His mercy, kindness, and compassion, nor will He speak with them with what would please them. Another version of the hadeeth compiled by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “… nor shall He purify them and for them shall be a severe punishment,” meaning that He shall not purify them from sins by bestowing on them His forgiveness, nor shall He praise them, but will rather pour out His wrath on them and subject them to a severe punishment for their heinous acts.
These three categories are as follows:
The first is a vendor who makes a false oath that he had bought his commodity for a higher price than he actually paid, so as to resell it for higher than the actual price, and the buyer believes him and buys it for a higher price because of his false oath.
The second is a man who makes a false oath after ‘Asr prayer in order to devour a Muslim person's wealth unlawfully.
In general, it is prohibited to make a false oath at all times, but the hadeeth highlights the gravity of making a false oath after ‘Asr prayer in particular, because it is the time when the recording Angels of the day and night meet (when the Angels of the evening descend to earth and those of the morning ascend to the heavens to present people’s deeds to Allah, Exalted is He). Such a time is the conclusion of the day, and a person's deeds are judged according to the concluding and final ones.
The third category includes a man who withholds his superfluous water beyond his needs. The version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, specifically mentioned withholding water from a ‘traveler or passer-by,’ because he is in more need of water to quench his thirst or that of an animal whose killing is not enjoined by the Laws of Islam in his company. Allah, Exalted is He, will say to him, "Today I will withhold My Grace from you as you withheld the superfluity of what you had not created.” This is because he did not exert any effort to originate this water to withhold the excess of it from others. Rather, Allah, Exalted is He, caused rain to descend from the sky and no human being has power or control over it. As that man denied people the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, in the worldly life, He will deny him His grace on the Day of Judgment.
The fact that only these three categories of people were mentioned in the hadeeth does not suggest that no other categories of people shall incur the same punishment, such as: the ones who commit the sin of Isbaal (i.e., making one's clothes longer than normal out of conceit), the ones who remind others of their favors to them, as reported in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded in Saheeh Muslim, as well as an adulterous old man, an untruthful king, and an arrogant poor man, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The hadeeth affirms the divine attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty, without Tashbeeh or Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Speech? It is like this and that). The fact that Allah, Exalted is He, shall not speak to these categories of people, nor shall He look at them essentially means that He shall speak with and look at others.
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2371

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Horses may be a source of reward to some people, a shelter to others (i.e., means of earning a living), or a burden to others. Those to whom horses may be a source of reward is those who keep them to be used in Allah's Cause (i.e., prepare them for Jihaad) and tie them by a long rope in a pasture (or a garden). They will get a reward equal to what their long rope allows them to eat in the pasture or the garden, and if the horses break free from their rope and cross one or two hills, then all their footsteps and dung will be counted as good deeds for their owner; and if they pass by a river and drink from it, then that will also be regarded as a good deed for their owner even if he has had no intention of watering them then. Horses are a shelter from poverty to the second category of people who keep horses for earning a living so as not to ask others for money, and at the same time fulfill Allah's right (i.e., Zakaah) (from the wealth they earn through using them in trading etc.,) and do not overburden them. Those who keep horses merely out of pride, for showing off, and as a means of harming Muslims, their horses will be a source of sins to them." When Allah's Messenger ﷺwas asked about donkeys, he replied, "Nothing particular was revealed to me regarding them except the general unique ayah which is applicable to everything. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, * And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Quran 99:7-8]."
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Commentary :
Wealth is a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, has bestowed upon human beings, and horses are among the most precious items of wealth and the dearest to their owners.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated the different conditions of horse owners; horses may be a source of reward for their owner, a shelter or shield against poverty for others, or a source of burden and sin for others.
As for the horse owners for whom horses are sources of reward, they keep them for the purpose of Jihaad in the Cause of Allah. They tie them with a long rope in a vast area ofdense pasture. They will get a reward equal to what its long rope allows them to eat from the pasture, and if the horses break free from their ropes and cross one or two hills, and it is also said that it means, ‘if they run for one or two rounds,’ then all their marks or footsteps and dung will be counted as good deeds for their owner. If they pass by a river and drink from it, it will also be regarded as a good deed for their owner, even if he has had no intention of watering them then.
As for the second category, horses are a shelter and shield against poverty for those who keep them as a means of earning a living so as not to beg people for money, and at the same time fulfill Allah's right by paying the due Zakaah on it, which is only due on these horses if they are intended for trade. Or the owner of these horses does not overburden them with carrying weight more than they can handle or ride them to fight in the cause of Allah .In these cases, horses serve as a shelter or shield against poverty for this category.
The third category includes the owners whose horses are a source of burden or sin. They tie them to boast about them, outwardly pretending to obey Allah, Exalted is He, but inwardly harboring enmity towards Muslims. In this case, these horses become a source of sin for such owners.
When Allah's Messenger ﷺwas asked about donkeys, as to whether keeping them yields equal rewards, he ﷺ replied that nothing in particular was revealed to him regarding them except the general unique ayah which is applicable to everything. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, * And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Quran 99:7-8].The meaning is that if the donkey owners keep them with the intention of doing good, they would certainly be rewarded, and if not, they would miss out on such a reward.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of keeping horses and the great benefits and blessings tied to their forelocks, if they are used to perform acts of obedience to Allah, Exalted is He.
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2372

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A man came to Allah's Messengerﷺ and asked about Al-Luqatah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth). The Prophet ﷺ said, "Identify (the detailed description of) its container and its tying material and then make a public announcement of it (i.e., to identify the owner) for one year and if its owner shows up and claims it, give it to him; otherwise utilize it as you like." The man said, "What about a lost sheep?" The Prophet ﷺ said, “Take it, for it is for you, your brother, or the wolf.” The man said "What about a lost camel?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Why should you take it; it has got its water-container (i.e., its stomach) and its hooves, can reach the places of water, and can eat the trees till its owner finds it?”
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Commentary :
One of the higher objectives of the Laws of Islam is to preserve people’s wealth and protect it from robbery, theft, and loss, or from someone taking it when it is lost.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined the religious ruling on the Luqtah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth) and the lost animal. Zayd ibn Khaalid Al-Juhanee (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man, named ‘Umayr Aboo Maalik, asked the Prophet ﷺ about the Luqtah and how to dispose of it. In Islamic terminology, Luqtah means a lost and found item of wealth, and belongings that are respected and recognized by the Laws of Islam (as wealth) and owned by a human being, or items of wealth that are not secured (i.e., locked up in a secure place), or self-secured (e.g., able to defend itself and escape like camels or birds), or not possible to stealby nature (e.g. immovable property). He ﷺ said: "Identify (the description of) its container,” where it is kept, “and its tying material.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Wikaa’ meaning string or rope with which its container is tied. He ﷺ commanded the person who finds the Luqtah to identify its detailed description, leaving no room for doubt, to be able to recognize its owner and verify his truthfulness, and so that it would not get mixed with his own property. He ﷺ added: “… and then make a public announcement of it for one year,” meaning in gatherings and places where he believes its owner might be found. “If its owner shows up and claims it,” before or after publicly announcing it, “give it to him; otherwise utilize it as you like." If its owner does not show up, it belongs to the one who found it and he is entitled to use it freely, but should keep it as a trust. Whenever its owner is found, it should be returned to him.
Afterward, the man asked the Prophet ﷺ about the lost animal and he ﷺ said, "It is for you,” if you publicly announce it and could not find its owner, “your brother,” meaning another person who would pick it up, “or the wolf,” meaning that it may remain lost and would be devoured by wolves. A lost sheep becomes the property of the one who finds it as long as he publicly announces it and its owner does not show up to claim it.
Then the man asked about a lost camel. The Prophet ﷺ exclaimed, "Why should you take it?” The version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “The Prophet ﷺ was annoyed so much that his cheeks became red.” It was said that he ﷺ got angry because of the inquirer’s lack of knowledge and misunderstanding; he failed to realize the meaning of the Prophet’s statement and made a wrong analogy. Luqtah means an item of wealth that is misplaced and lost from its owner and he does not know its place, but this does not apply to a lost camel; it may walk for days and find its way back to its usual place or a place where it would be found by its owner.
The Prophet ﷺ underlined the reason by saying, “… as it has got its water-container (i.e., its stomach),” meaning that if it finds a well, it will drink enough water to survive until it finds another well, or it rather means that camels can endure thirst better than any other animal. The Prophet ﷺ added: “… and its hooves,” which refers to its ability to walk long distances and find water in deserted places. He ﷺ likened it to a traveler who has a waterbag and shoes. He ﷺ added, “… and it can reach the places of water and can eat the trees till its owner finds it,” or it find its way to him. This is the difference between sheep and camels, the latter is endowed with the strength to survive until its owner finds it, whereas sheep perish whenever they go astray from the shepherd and are separated from the herd.
The hadeeth highlights how Islam assigns care and attention to all affairs that are of concern to people, and become part of their lives directly or indirectly..

2378

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
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Commentary :
It was customary for the needy and poor people to go to the places where camels were brought to drink, to avail themselves of their milk.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ urged the camel owners not to deprive the poor and needy of their milk. He ﷺ said: “One of the rights of a she-camel,” meaning the customary rights of the poor and needy in the she-camels as recognized by Arabs, “is that it should be milked at a place of water,” to offer some of the she-camels’ milk to them. They specified the places of water to make it easier and more convenient for the poor and needy to access them, compared to going to the owners’ houses, and it is also better to milk the she-camels after they are watered to produce more milk.
However, this does not mean that it is obligatory on the owners of the she-camels to milk them in the places of water, but it was rather customary, and the Laws of Islam graciously deemed it recommended for the benefit of the poor.
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2379

‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say "If somebody buys date-palms after they have been pollinated, the fruits will belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulates the contrary. If somebody buys a slave having some property, the property will belong to the seller unless the buyer stipulate that it should belong to him.".

Commentary :
Islam regulates the contracts and business transactions conducted by people to ensure preservation of their wealth and interests, and that no party would wrong the other.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that whoever buys date palms after they have been pollinated, the fruits will belong to the seller, meaning that he is entitled to access the palm trees to irrigate, take care of them, or pick the fruits.The buyer has no right to deny him access, because he is entitled to his right and cannot exercise it without having access to the palm trees. The hadeeth goes on: “… unless the buyer stipulates the contrary,” and the seller agrees to it and thus the seller would not have any right to access the palm trees.
The same applies to the case when somebody buys a slave who has some property. The property will belong to the seller who sold the slave, because a slave does not own anything as per the laws of Islam, unless the buyer stipulates that the whole of this property or a specific part of it should belong to him.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the conditions stipulated in sales contracts are binding as long as they do not entail deeming lawful what is unlawful or deeming unlawful what is lawful.
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2381

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the sales called Al-Mukhaabarah (i.e., a sharecropping agreement whereby a plot of land is rented for part of its yield, or the cultivation of a sowed land in return for a specific portion of its produce, and the rent is paid in kind from the land's produce), Al-Muhaaqalah (i.e., a sale transaction in which grains in ears, before or as they are harvested from a field in their unprocessed state, are sold for dry processed grain), and Al-Muzaabanah (i.e., a sale that involves the exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones, where the quantity of the dry fruits is actually known by precise measurement, but the quantity of the fresh fruits to be handed over in exchange is estimated while they are in their unpicked state, on trees) and the selling of fruits till they are free from blights. He ﷺ forbade the selling of the fruits except for money, except the ‘Araayaa (i.e., palm trees assigned by their owner for the needy, donating their fruit to themin return for an estimated weight of picked and ripe dates based on dry measurement).
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Commentary :
Islam assigned significant care and attention to the preservation of people's wealth, and keenly ensured that it must not be wasted. Therefore, it forbade some types of transaction, which outwardly seem to be (valid) sale transactions, but inwardly involve unlawfully devouring others’ wealth, or those involve Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and ambiguity, which may incur harm on the seller or the buyer.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade Mukhaabarah, which referred to a sharecropping agreement whereby a landlord hires a worker (farmer) to cultivate the land in return for a fixed share of the crops like one-third or one-fourth, produced by a specified part of the land. It was reported that the prohibition in this regard was abrogated; the Prophet ﷺ made an agreement with the people of Khaybar to cultivate the palm trees in return for half the date fruits, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
He ﷺ also forbade the Muhaaqalah sale, which is a transaction in which grains in ear, before or as they are harvested from a field in their unprocessed state, are sold for dry processed grain, because it involves ambiguity since the wheat is still in ear.
He ﷺ also forbade Muzaabanah, which is a transaction that involves the exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones, where the quantity of the dry fruits is actually known by precise measurement, but the quantity of the fresh fruits to be handed over in exchange is estimated while they are in their unpicked state (on trees), or grapes for raisins. The Prophet ﷺ deemed such transactions forbidden, because they involved ambiguity of the measure and weight of the fruits.
He ﷺ also forbade selling only the unpicked fruits (rather than the fruits or dates and trees or palm trees) before they ripen, by showing signs of ripeness in terms of color or shape, because after the fruits ripen, they become safe from pests that may spoil or reduce the yield.
He ﷺ also forbade the sales of plat tree fruits after they ripen for dates, to avoid taking excess in the event of a barter of foodstuff, which is Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury, etc.). Rather, the fruits should be sold for Dinars or Dirhams (i.e., money), or contemporary fiatmoney.
He ﷺ excluded one form of Muzaabanah transaction known as Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked fully ripen dates (rutab) for an estimated weight of picked dates on the ground based on dry measurement). This transaction involves selling unpicked dates to a poor person to eat therefrom whenever he wishes in return for an estimated measure of dates. The transaction was deemed allowable because some (poor) people would have no palm trees or money during the season of fresh dates and wished to feed their dependents fresh dates, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ gave them that legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Araayah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s.
The hadeeth highlights how the Laws of Islam promotes ease and facilitation and eliminates inconvenience for people.
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2387

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
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Commentary :
Islam warns against unlawfully devouring people’s wealth, and urges Muslims to deem themselves above such a sinful act and keenly display graciousness when repaying debts.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined the merits of a debtor who intends to repay his debts and sternly warns against taking loans while intending to devour the creditor’s wealth unlawfully and refrain from repayment. He ﷺ clarified that whoever takes people’s wealth by virtue of loans or any other business transactions with the sincere intention to repay them, Allah, Exalted is He, will facilitate his affairs and bless him with the means to repay it or handsomely compensate his creditor in the Hereafter if the debtor fails to repay it in the worldly life. On the other hand, if someone takes people’s wealth by virtue of loans or any other business transactions with the intention to waste or refrain from repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, shall destroy his wealth, by rendering it of no real benefit in the worldly life, as a punishment for his evil intention and he shall also face the consequences of refrainment from repayment in the Hereafter.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a good intention is an effective means to be blessed with Rizq (i.e., provision), have one’s needs fulfilled, and relish relief of distress, and that an evil intention is a cause for ruin and loss. .

2388

Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Once, while I was in the company of the Prophet ﷺ, he saw the mountain of Uhud and said, "I would not like to have this mountain turned into gold for me unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar remains of it with me for more than three days (i.e., I will spend all of it in Allah's Cause), except that Dinar which I will keep for repaying debts." Then he ﷺ said, "Those who are rich in this worldly life would have little reward in the Hereafter except those who spend their money here and there (in Allah's Cause), and they are few in number." Then he ﷺ ordered me to stay at my place and went not far away. I heard a voice and intended to go to him but I remembered his order, "Stay at your place till I return." On his return I said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!(What was) that noise which I heard?" He ﷺ said, "Did you hear anything?" I said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) came and said to me, 'Whoever amongst your followers dies, worshipping none along with Allah, will enter Paradise.'" I said, "Even if he did such-and-such things (i.e., even if he stole or committed Fornication)" He (Angel Jibreel) said, "Yes."
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Commentary :
Wealth is one of the trials put by Allah, Exalted is He, to His servants (as tests), and the refrainment from striving in pursuit of much wealth safeguards one from its evil temptations. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ did not like wealth much and used to generously spend it in charity whenever he acquired it.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Dharr ibn Jundub ibn Junaadah Al-Ghaffaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that he was once in the company of the Prophet ﷺ when he saw the mountain of Uhud, a mountain north of Al-Madeenah about 4 km from the Prophet's Mosque. He ﷺ said that he would not like to have this mountain turned into gold for him unless nothing of it, not even a single Dinar of it remained with him for more than three days, except a Dinar which he would keep for repaying his debts.
Afterward, he ﷺ stated that those who acquire abundant wealth in this worldly life will earn fewer rewards in the Hereafter, except those who spend their wealth in Allah's Cause. He ﷺ was then walking with Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him). He ﷺ ordered Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) to stay at his place until he ﷺ came back, and went not far away. Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) heard a voice and intended to go to him but remembered his order, "Stay at your place till I return." In compliance with the Prophet’s command, Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) remained, and when he ﷺ returned, he said, “O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! (What was) that noise which I heard?” He ﷺ said, “Did you hear anything?” Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Yes.” He ﷺ told him that it was Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) bearing the glad tidings that whoever amongst his followers dies, worshipping none besides Allah, Exalted is He, will enter Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ asked Angel Jibreel, “Even if he did such-and-such things (i.e., even if he stole or committed Fornication)?” Angel Jibreel said, "Yes." This means that whoever dies while adhering to Tawheed, worshipping none but Allah, Exalted is He, shall enter Paradise, even if he shall be subjected to any punishment in Hellfire before entering it; he shall not abide in Hellfire endlessly.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to assign care and attention to the gravity of incurring debts and the obligation of repayment, and encourages them to spend in charity.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ displayed the highest degree of the enjoined renouncement of worldly pleasures, so much that he ﷺ disliked to keep any worldly gains for himself and wished to spend them all in charity for those who deserve them, and keep only what suffices the fulfillment of others’ financial rights.
The hadeeth highlights the politeness of Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) with the Prophet ﷺ and his thoughtfulness and compassion for Him, keenly ensuring his safety and that nothing should happen to him that may slightly harm him. This is a manifestation of the enjoined thoughtfulness towards elders. Moreover, a young person should not invade the privacy of the elders when they are alone, nor should he spy on them, sit with them, or keep their company except with their permission.
It is also inferred therefrom that young people are enjoined to comply with the elders’ orders rather than doing what defiantly contravenes their instructions, even if it seemed the sound opinion to ward off an evil, until it is verified, and then warding off the certain evil should be given precedence.
The hadeeth also underlines the divine grace conferred upon the nation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ that a perpetrator of major sins who dies while adhering to Tawheed shall not be perpetuated in Hellfire, abiding therein endlessly.
It is also inferred therefrom that a follower may ask whom he follows about what benefits him with regard to his religious affairs, or adds to his knowledge, or helps him obtain any other benefits, and that a student may ask his teacher to verify the correctness of his own knowledge on a given matter against what he has learned and seemed contradictory.
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2396

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said:
When my father died, he owed a Jew thirty Awsuq (i.e., plural of Wasaq, which equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg). I requested him to give me respite for repaying but he refused. I requested Allah's Messengerﷺ to intercede with the Jew. Allah's Messenger ﷺwent to the Jew and asked him to accept the fruits of my trees in place of the debt but the Jew refused. Allah's Messenger ﷺ entered the garden of the date-palms, wandering among the trees and ordered me (saying), "Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due." So, I plucked the fruits for him after the departure of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and gave his thirty Awsuq, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for myself.” Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): I went to Allah's Messengerﷺ to inform of what had happened, but found him praying ‘Asr prayer. After the prayer I told him about the extra fruits which remained. Allah's Messenger ﷺtold me to inform (‘Umar) Ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) of it. When I went to ‘Umar and told him about it, ‘Umar said, "When Allah's Messengerﷺ walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah would definitely bless it."
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Commentary :
A Muslim is enjoined to strive to fulfill the needs of his Muslim brothers, especially those who explicitly ask for his help. He should (hasten to their help and) stand by them until their need is fulfilled.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) related that his father ‘Abdullah ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) had died in the Battle of Uhud while owing a debt of thirty Awsuq (i.e., plural of Wasaq, which equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg) to a Jewish man. It was said that the man’s name was Aboo Al-Shahm. A Wasaq equals 60 Saa‘s, the Saa’ equals four Mudds, and the Mudd is the measure of two open medium-sized handfuls. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Jewish creditor to give him respite until he was able to repay the debt, but he refused. Therefore, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to intercede for him with the Jewish creditor, and the Prophet ﷺ asked him to take the dates of Jaabir’s palm trees against the debt, but he refused. The Prophet ﷺ entered Jaabir’s garden, wandered among the trees, and verified that the dates were not enough to repay the debt. He ﷺ said to Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): "Pluck (the fruits) and give him his due." He (may Allah be pleased with him) plucked the dates for him after the departure of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and gave the thirty Awsuq that his late father owed, and still had seventeen Awsuq extra for himself, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Allah's Messengerﷺ to inform him of what had happened and how his palm trees were blessed, but found the Prophet ﷺ praying ‘Asr prayer. After the prayer, he (may Allah be pleased with him) told him about the extra dates which remained. Allah's Messenger ﷺtold him to inform (‘Umar) Ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) of it. When he went to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) and told him about it, ‘Umar said, "When Allah's Messengerﷺ walked in your garden, I was sure that Allah, Exalted is He, would definitely bless it.” The Prophet ﷺ named ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in particular because he showed interest in Jaabir’s story.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may personally fulfill the needs of the ruled and intercede with one of them for another.
The hadeeth includes a clear sign on the Prophet’s ﷺprophethood, performing a miracle by blessing a small quantity of fruits to be enough to repay all the due debts and have some extra fruits left.
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2399

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "I am closer to the believers than their own selves in this worldly life and in the Hereafter, and if you like, you can read Allah's Statement (which means): {The Prophet is worthier of the believers than themselves.} [Quran 33:6] So, if a true believer dies and leaves behind some property, it will be for his inheritors (from the father's side), and if he owed debts to be paid or needy offspring, then they should come to me as I am the guardian of the deceased."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was sent to usher people out of the darkness (of misguidance) into the light (of divine guidance). He ﷺ was a mercy bestowed on the worlds, and was exceptionally kind to the elderly and merciful to the young. He ﷺ thoughtfully cared for the distressed, assigned care and attention to all those around him, and identified with their feelings.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that he ﷺ was closer to all the believers, meaning worthier of them, than their own selves, with regards to all their worldly and religious affairs. Hisﷺstatement conforms with the ayah that reads (which means): {The Prophet is more worthy of the believers than themselves.} [Quran 33:6]. He ﷺ was kinder to people than their own selves; their self-enjoined selves ushered them into what incurredtheir own destruction, while he ﷺ called them to their deliverance. The Prophet ﷺ did not mention in this hadeeth the due rights he ﷺ has over the believers with regard to such proximity. In return, the believers are required to give precedence to obeying the Prophet ﷺ over their own desires, even if it is difficult for them, and to love him more than they love themselves. It was narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “None of you truly believes until he loves me more than his own father, child, and all people.”
He ﷺ stated that if a Muslim dies and leaves behind wealth, he will be inherited by his own heirs and relatives on his father’s side, meaning that his heirs are worthier of inheriting his estate. However, whoever dies while owing debts or leaving behind dependents, i.e., young children, wife and those who need financial support, the Prophet ﷺ is closer to him than all people. He ﷺ committed himself to repay his debts and provide for his dependents!
In the beginning, the Prophet ﷺ refrained from leading the funeral prayer for a deceased person if he owed unpaid debts, unless someone repaid them or he had left wealth to repay them, because these debts are other people’s rights that must be fulfilled. It is noteworthy that it was not incumbent on the Prophet ﷺ to refrain from leading the funeral prayer for an indebted deceased person(he ﷺ was not enjoined to do so), but he ﷺ refrained from it to urge people to repay their debts, lest they would miss out on having him lead their funeral prayer. After the conquests and the riches bestowed upon Muslims by Allah, Exalted is He, and the gravity of incurring debts was emphasized within the hearts and minds of Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ used to repay the debts of the deceased who left behind no wealth. We implore Allah, Exalted is He, to send His peace and blessings on the Prophet ﷺ, and reward him handsomely for his care and love for us; Allah is the Al-Forgiving and Especially Merciful.
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763

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

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

765

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

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

766

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

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

767

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

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

768

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

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

770

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

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

771

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

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

772

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

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

778

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

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

779

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

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

780

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

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

787

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

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

802

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

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

803

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

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

804

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
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Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
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Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
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‘Ā’ishah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up in the night to pray, he would commence his prayer with two light Rak‘ahs..

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

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

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

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle." .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water." .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.” .

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not withhold superfluous water, for that will prevent people from grazing their cattle."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, I will drive some people away from my Hawdh (i.e.,Basin) on the Day of Resurrection as strange camels are expelled from a private trough.”.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "One of the rights of a she-camel is that it should be milked at a place of water."
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Whoever takes the money of the people with the intention of repaying it, Allah, Exalted is He, will repay it on his behalf, and whoever takes it in order to destroy it, then Allah will destroy him.”
.