Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "What a good Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maneehah) (the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening) is!"
Maalik narrated: Maneehah is a good act of charity.
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Commentary :
A Muslim should bear in mind that whatever he gives in charity is received by Allah, Exalted is He, and therefore he should carefully handpick what he gives in charity and refrain from donating only his worst or cheapest possessions, because what is spent in charity is in fact what would be preserved (and stored for him in the Hereafter), and whatever he spends of his wealth in this worldly life is lost.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated the benefits of the Maneehah, which is a milch she-camel which has recently given birth, and which gives profuse milk, and is given to people as a gift to avail themselves of its milk and then return it to the owner. The Prophet ﷺ said: “What a good Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maneehah) the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening.”
He ﷺ also lauded the sheep which gives profuse milk when given in charity. He ﷺ said: “(what a good Maneehah) the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening.” When such animals are given in charity, it is one of the best and most rewardable acts of charity, because the giver would be spending from the best and purest items of wealth in his possession, and Allah, Exalted is He, is Good and accepts only that which is good.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to exchange gifts..

2630

Ibn Shihaab Al-Zuhree narrated:
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When the emigrants came Al-Madeenah, they had nothing whereas the Ansaar had land and property. The Ansaar gave them their land on condition that the emigrants would give them half the yearly yield, work on the land, and provide the necessaries for cultivation." His (i.e., Anaas's mother who was also the mother of ‘Abdullah ibn Abee Talhah, gave some date-palms to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who gave them to his freed slave-girl (Umm Ayman) who was also the mother of Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them). When the Prophet ﷺfinished from the fighting against the people of Khaybar and returned to Al-Madeenah, the emigrants returned to the Ansaar the fruit gifts which the Ansaar had given them. The Prophet ﷺ also returned to Anas's mother the date-palms. Allah's Messengerﷺ gave Umm Ayman other trees from his garden in lieu of the old gift.
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Commentary :
The Ansaar had great merits, for they supported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, defended Islam, and warmly welcomed their emigrant brothers, and their generosity and hospitality towards their fellow Muslim brothers were unmatched. Their merits and virtues cannot be missed.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that when the emigrants left Makkah, fleeing from religious persecution and leaving behind their families, homeland, and wealth, and reached Al-Madeenah, they had nothing and were destitute, whereas the Ansaar had land and property. The Ansaar graciously gave them half the yearly yield, they (the Ansaar) worked on the land and provided the necessaries for cultivation, because the emigrants did not know much about cultivation. This meaning is further supported by the report narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and complied in Sunan Al-Tirmithee reading: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, the emigrants came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen people who are more willing to sacrifice when having a lot, nor more patient when having a little than the people whom we are staying amongst. Our provisions are so sufficient, and we share with them their produce such that we fear that all our reward is gone.” Anas's mother, Sahlah or Mulaykah bint Milhaan Al-Ansaariyyah, nicknamed Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her), who was also the mother of ‘Abdullah ibn Abee Talhah, Anas’s half-brother, gave some date-palms to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who gave them to his freed slave-girl and nursemaid Barakah Al-Habashiyyah, nicknamed Umm Ayman, who was also the mother of Usaamah ibn Zayd, the Prophet’s freed-slave (may Allah be pleased with them).
Ibn Shihaab Al-Zuhree narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, an area north of Al-Madeenah where the fortresses of the Jews were located, after Al-Hudaybiyyah on the 1st of Muharram, 7 A.H., Muslims gained wealth and fruits. When he ﷺ returned to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ returned to the Ansaar the fruit gifts which they had given to the emigrants as they had earned spoils of war during the battle of Khaybar. The Prophet ﷺ also returned to Anas's mother the date-palm she had given to him, and compensated Umm Ayman with other trees from his garden in lieu of the old gift. Another version of the hadeeth reads: “from his personal wealth,” referring to his garden.
The hadeeth highlights that the bond of faith-based brotherhood is one of the strongest bonds.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that one should recompense people’s favors whenever he can afford it.
It also underlines how the Prophet ﷺ honored his female slave, Umm Ayman (may Allah be pleased with her). .

2631

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "There are forty virtuous deeds and the best of them is the Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel, sheep, or she-goat which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk gifted to others to avail themselves of their milk) of a she goat, and anyone who does one of these virtuous deeds aspiring to Allah's reward with firm confidence that he will get it, Allah, Exalted is He, will admit him to Paradise because of it.” Hassaan (a sub-narrator) said, "We tried to count those good deeds below the Maneehah; we mentioned replying to the sneezer, removing harmful objects from the road, etc., but we failed to count even fifteen.".

Commentary :
A manifestation of the divine grace is that Allah, Exalted is He, accepts small good deeds and handsomely rewards them with abundant reward out of His generosity and bounty.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ listed forty righteous deeds or qualities that are indicative of faith, righteousness, and kindness. Whoever adheres to such virtuous deeds and qualities is promised Paradise by Allah, Exalted is He, provided that he devotes them exclusively to Him and aspires to nothing but the reward of Allah, Exalted is He.
The best and foremost of these virtuous deeds is the Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel, sheep, or she-goat which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk gifted to others to avail themselves of its milk) of a she goat. This means that one offers the milk of a she-goat as a gift to someone or the milch she-goat itself as a gift to avail himself of it and its milk and then return it to the owner.
Hassaan ibn ‘Atiyyah Al-Shaamee, a sub-narrator of the hadeeth, said that he and other members of the audience tried to count those good deeds that were below the Maneehah in terms of reward such as: returning the greetings of peace, replying to the sneezer (i.e.,when a sneezer praises Allah, his Muslim brother should say to him, ‘Yarhamuka Allaah,’ meaning may Allah have mercy upon you), and removing harmful objects from the road. He stated that they failed to count even fifteen.
Other scholars listed forty virtuous deeds and qualities, and people may differ as to whether they were less than the Maneehah of a she-goat in terms of virtue and reward. Perhaps the best is not to mention them all, as the Prophet ﷺ did, fearing that specifying them would alienate people from other acts of righteousness and kindness, and because if this reward is designated for such an act (donating a she-goat in charity) and the less virtuous deeds and qualities, what about the reward designated for greater ones?! It was also said that wisdom entails that he ﷺ did not specify these virtuous deeds and qualities lest people should look down on other acts of righteousness, as insignificant as they may seem..

2633

Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about the emigration. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "May Allah be merciful to you. The matter of emigration is difficult. Have you got some camels?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Do you pay their Zakaah?" He replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ asked, "Do you lend them so that their milk may be utilized by others?" The Bedouin said, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you milk them on the day off watering them?" He replied, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do good deeds beyond the merchants (or the sea) and Allah, Exalted is He, will never disregard any of your deeds." (See Hadeeth No. 260, Vol. 5).

Commentary :
The migration to Al-Madeenah was obligatory on all Muslims in the early days of Islam, to escape religious persecution and depart the land of disbelief to support the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah. The best of the believers were those who migrated to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a Bedouin, i.e., an Arab desert dweller, came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about the emigration, meaning to commit himself to migrate to Al-Madeenah. He was not living in Makkah and it was not incumbent on him to migrate to Al-Madeenah before the conquest of Makkah. This Bedouin asked the Prophet’s permission to move to Al-Madeenah with the Prophet ﷺ, leaving behind his family and land. The Prophet ﷺ feared that he would not be able to endure such estrangement and honor such a commitment. He ﷺ feared that he might not be able to fulfill the due rights of the emigration, and break his covenant. He ﷺ said to him, "May Allah be merciful to you.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which is used in reference to someone who encountered an undeserved adversity. He ﷺ added: “The matter of emigration is difficult,” and only few people are able to shoulder such a duty, and it seemed very difficult for the inquirer. This is why the Prophet ﷺ did not approve this Bedouin’s request and he asked him, “Have you got some camels?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Do you pay their Zakaah?" He replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ further asked, "Do you lend them so that their milk may be utilized by others?" The Bedouin said, "Yes." The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Maneehah, which means a milch she-camel or sheep gifted to someone to avail himself of its milk and then return it to the owner, who may also give the she-camel as a gift, not as a loan, without specifying returning it.
The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you milk them on the day off watering them?" This is because milking the milch she-camels on such day is better as it produces more milk and it is also more convenient for the poor and needy people, who used to go to the places of water to drink from the she-camels’ milk. The Bedouin replied, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do good deeds beyond the merchants (or the sea),” meaning in the villages and towns near your homeland, “and Allah, Exalted is He, will never disregard any of your deeds." The Prophet ﷺ meant that as long as he performed the religious obligations prescribed by Allah, Exalted is He, with regard to himself and his wealth, it did not matter where he lived, even if it was in the farthest place to Al-Madeenah; Allah, Exalted is He, would reward him for his good deeds and such rewards would not be diminished in the slightest.
It was said that this incident took place after the conquest of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no emigration after the conquest of Makkah.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
It was also said that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was merely recommended for Muslims who did not live in Makkah, and was only obligatory on those Muslims in Makkah. It was also said that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was specifically incumbent on the town dwellers (urbanites) and not Bedouins and desert dwellers. Another opinion suggested that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was deemed obligatory on Muslims if only some residents of a given town or city embraced Islam, lest the Muslims residing therein should be subject to the provisions and rulings regarding the disbelievers. However, the dwellers of the cities and towns whose people embraced Islam were not enjoined to migrate to Al-Madeenah.
The hadeeth highlights the great virtues of the emigration and the merits of the emigrants.
It also underlines the virtue of paying the Zakaah on camels and hastening to perform good deeds..

2634

Taawoos narrated that he was told by the most learned one amongst them (i.e., Ibn ‘Abbaas) that the Prophet ﷺ went towards some land which was flourishing with vegetation and asked to whom it belonged. He ﷺ was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet ﷺ said, "It would have been better (for the owner) if he had given it to him gratis rather than charging him a fixed rent.”
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Commentary : All good lies in whatever benefits a person in the Hereafter, and worldly pleasures and gains will ultimately come to cease to exist when this worldly life should end. It is becoming of Muslims to hasten to perform good deeds and aspire to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He, to prepare the needed provisions for the abode of eternal bliss.
In this hadeeth, the Companion ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a farm which was flourishing with vegetation, indicating its large produce.
He ﷺ asked to whom it belonged and was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet ﷺ advised its owner with what was better and more rewardable for him, namely to offer it as a gift for the farmer and earn the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, in the Hereafter. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Al-Maneehah, which referred to a gift or what is offered to someone for free, but not as charity.
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2640

‘Abdullah ibn Abee Mulaykah narrated on the authority of ‘Uqbah ibn Al-Haarith that ‘Uqbah married the daughter of Aboo Ihaab ibn ‘Azeez (may Allah be pleased with them), and then a woman came and said, "I suckled ‘Uqbah and his wife." ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to her, "I do not know that you have suckled me, and you did not inform me!" He then sent someone to the house of Aboo Ihaab to inquire about that but they did not know that she had suckled their daughter. Then ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah and asked him about it. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "How (can you keep your wife) after it has been said (that both of you were suckled by the same woman)?" So, he divorced her and she got married to another man.
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Commentary : Islam decreed that breastfeeding should create a bond (i.e., milk kinship) similar to blood relationships and forbids exactly the same which is forbidden due to blood kinship. Breastfeeding establishes milk kinship, and accordingly the prohibition of marriage is established, just like the case with blood kinship. Hence, it is forbidden for a man to marry his sisters through nursing or his nurse-mother, or his maternal or paternal aunts through nursing, and so on.
In this hadeeth, the Companion ‘Uqbah ibn Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he married the daughter of Aboo Ihaab ibn ‘Azeez ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with them), whose name was Ghunayyah and was also known as Umm Yahyaa, and then a woman came and said, "I suckled both ‘Uqbah and his wife." This woman informed ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) that she had nursed him and the woman he had married. The breastfeeding that establishes establish a milk-mother relationship as per the laws of Islam is feeding a woman’s milk to an infant under two years of age.
‘Uqbah said to her, "I do not know that you have suckled me, and you did not inform me!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) exclaimed that he did not know of that, and that this woman had not even told him that she nursed him before that day!
Thereupon, ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent someone to the house of Aboo Ihaab to ask his in-laws about that, but they did not know that she had nursed their daughter.
‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah and asked him about it. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "How (can you keep your wife) after it has been said (that both of you were suckled by the same woman)?" Meaning, ‘How could you retain such marriage and continue to have sexual relations with her despite being informed that she was your sister through nursing.” So, he (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her to avoid doubts or due to the fact that such a marriage contract was defective. ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her and she got married to another man.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to avoid doubtful matters.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that it is permissible to travel in pursuit of knowledge.
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2641

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Revelation during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, but now there is no longer new revelation (i.e., the divine revelation ended by the Prophet’s death). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who performs good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah, Exalted is He, will judge him (and hold him accountable) for that, but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good.
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Commentary : A person should be held accountable for his outward deeds in this worldly life, and only Allah, Exalted is He, knows of his inward intentions, and He will hold him accountable for them before Him. He did not command us to investigate people’s inner thoughts and intentions harbored in their hearts and judge them accordingly.
In this hadeeth, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that sometimes the Prophet ﷺ received the divine revelation to disclose the inner characters and intentions held by some Muslims, because some were hypocrites who manifested good (faith) and concealed evil (disbelief). However, Allah, Exalted is He, exposed them by means of the divine revelation. After the Prophet’s death, the divine revelation ceased, and Muslims could only judge one another based on their outwardly good or evil deeds. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We will trust and favor the one who performs good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret,” meaning that we should judge people based on their outward deeds; if they are outwardly good, they should be trusted and declared as trustworthy and should be honored accordingly, and we should not hold him accountable for his inner thoughts and intentions. Rather, Allah, Exalted is He, will judge him (and hold him accountable) for that. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added that whoever is judged as outwardly evil, by committing a grave sin or an offence warranting a Hadd (i.e., a corporal punishment prescribed by the Laws of Islam for certain crimes), or did what entailed punishment, because none is safe from falling into sin, such a person is no longer trusted nor declared trustworthy and accordingly will not be believed, even if he claims to hold good intentions. Such a statement is not to be believed since we judge him merely based on his outward character and deeds, not his inward intentions.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the basic principle is that a Muslim is trustworthy unless proven otherwise based on what contradicts it.
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2645

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
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2647

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
Once the Prophet ﷺcame to me while a man was in my house. He said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Who is this (man)?" I replied, "My milk-brother!" He said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Be sure about your milk brothers, as milk kinship is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (i.e., before two years of age).”
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Commentary : Islam decreed that breastfeeding should create a bond (i.e., milk kinship) similar to blood relationships and forbids exactly the same which is forbidden due to blood kinship. This is provided that the relevant conditions of nursing are fulfilled, one of which is that the nursed infant is under two years of age.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that once the Prophet ﷺcame to her house to find a man was therein. His name was not mentioned by the narrators, but it is possible that he was the son of Aboo Al-Qu‘s. He ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Who is this (man)?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied that he was her milk-brother. Thereupon, he ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Be sure about your milk brothers, as milk kinship is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (i.e., before two years of age).” This means that one should carefully ensure that the due conditions for the validity of milk kinship are met, one of which is nursing the infant before two years of age, because it is one of the conditions for the validity of nursing, without which the milk kinship is not established as per the laws of Islam.
Not all the infants one’s mother nurses become his or her milk-siblings; milk kinship is only established when the nursed infant is below the age of two. Breastfeeding is only valid (i.e., establishes milk kinship) when the infant’s only food is milk, i.e., under the age of two, otherwise it is invalid. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period].} [Quran 2:233]. This is the condition for the validity of the breastfeeding that establishes milk kinship; the nursed infant must be below the age of two, when the infant’s only food is milk. After the child is weaned, breastfeeding no longer establishes milk kinship.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a milk-brother to visit his milk-sister and stay alone with her..

2649

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
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Commentary :
Fornication(i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) is one of the gravest evils, and it contravenes the (higher objectives of the Laws of Islam including the) preservation of lineage, guarding of chastity (i.e., guarding one’s private parts from unlawful acts), and the mindfulness of the sacred ordinances of Allah, Exalted is He. It also leads to sowing the seeds of the worst enmity and hatred among people, and it is one of the serious crimes for which Allah, Exalted is He, prescribed a fixed punishment.
In this hadeeth, Allah's Messengerﷺ underlined that Allah, Exalted is He, prescribed a specific punishment for Fornication, stated in the Quran and specified in the Sunnah. If a perpetrator of Fornication is married or was previously married, the Hadd (i.e., corporal punishment prescribed by the Laws of Islam for certain crimes) prescribed for such a crime is stoning to death, as defined in the Sunnah. If a perpetrator of Fornication is unmarried, the Hadd is one hundred lashes. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes.} [Quran 24:2]. The Sunnah prescribed an additional punishment besides the lashing, namely, exile for one year. This means that the unmarried perpetrator of Fornicationmust be subjected to 100 lashes and exiled from the town or city where he committed his crime for one year, as a disciplinary punishment. The exile aims to take the perpetrator out of his familiar environment and old life of sin. The place of the exile is left to be determined by the ruler as he deems fit, as long as the perpetrator is being banished from his own country, city, or town to any given distant place.
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2655

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺheard a man (reciting the Quran) in the Mosque, and he ﷺ said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy upon him. No doubt, he made me remember such-and such ayaat of such-and-such chapter which I dropped (from my memory).” ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ performed the Tahajjud prayer (i.e., late night prayer) in my house, and then he ﷺ heard the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him) who was praying in the Mosque, and said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Is this ‘Abbad's voice?" I said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "O Allah! Be merciful to ‘Abbaad!”
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Commentary :
The Quran is the sacred Speech of Allah, Exalted is He, and He commanded us to preserve it in our hearts and minds and to keep on revising what we have memorized of it, lest we should forget it.
In this hadeeth, ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺheard a man reciting the Quran in the Mosque, and said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy upon him. No doubt, he made me remember such-and such ayaat of such-and-such chapter which I dropped (from my memory),” meaning that he ﷺ forgot such ayaat and remembered them upon hearing them from him.
In another version of the hadeeth, ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ performed the Tahajjud prayer (i.e., late night prayer) in her house, and heard the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him) who was praying in the Mosque. He ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Is this ‘Abbad's voice?" He ﷺ wanted to verify that it was the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "O Allah! Be merciful to ‘Abbaad!”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is conceivable that the Prophet ﷺ might forget some of that which he ﷺ had already conveyed to the Ummah.
It is also inferred therefrom that one should supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in favor of the one who does him a favor, even if this favor is unintended.
The hadeeth underlines the merits of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also inferred that one should supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in favor of his fellow Muslim brothers in their absence.
It is also deduced therefrom that it is allowable to recite the Quran aloud and raise one’s voice at night in the mosque, and this is not disliked as long as it does not disturb and harm others, nor imperil the doer to falling into Riyaa’ (i.e., showing off and seeking to impress others to win their praise) and arrogance..

2661

Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
"Whenever Allah's Messengerﷺ intended to go on a journey, he ﷺ would draw lots amongst his wives and would take with him the one upon whom the lot fell. During a one of the battles, he ﷺ drew lots amongst us and the lot fell upon me, and I proceeded with him after Allah, Exalted is He, had decreed the obligation of wearing Hijaab for women. I was carried in a Hawdaj (i.e., camel's litter for women) and dismounted while still in it. When Allah's Messengerﷺwas through with his battle and returned home, and we approached Al-Madeenah, he ﷺordered us to proceed at night. When the order of setting off was given, I walked till I was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing, I returned (to the camp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that my necklace over my chest was missing. So, I returned to look for it and was delayed because of that. Those who were carrying me on the camel, came to my Hawdaj and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that time, women were light in weight, thin and lean, and did not eat much. So, those people did not feel the difference in the heaviness of the Hawdaj while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. At that time, I was a young lady. They set the camel moving and proceeded on. I found my necklace after the army had gone, and came to their camp to find nobody! So, I went to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would discover my absence and come back in my search. While in that state, I felt drowsy and slept. Safwaan ibn Mu‘attal Al-Sulamee Al-Dhakwaanee was behind the army and reached my abode in the morning. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a sleeping person, he came to me, and he had seen me before the obligation of the Hijaab. So, I got up when I heard him saying, "Inna lillaah wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon (i.e., Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)." He (may Allah be pleased with him) made his camel knell down, got down from his camel, and put his leg on the front legs of the camel and then I rode and sat over it. Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with him) set out walking, leading the camel by the rope till we reached the army who had halted to take rest at midday. Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell into destruction, (i.e., therumor-mongers who circulated such false accusations) and the leader of the false accusers was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool. After that we returned to Al-Madeenah, and I fell ill for one month while people were spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. I was feeling during my ailment as if I were not receiving the usual kindness from the Prophet ﷺwhich I used to receive from him when I got sick. But he ﷺ would come, greet me and say, 'How is that (girl)?' I did not know anything of what was going on till I recovered from my ailment and went out with Umm Mistah to the Manaasi‘ (i.e., a vast open place near Baqee‘ at Al-Madeenah), where we used to answer the call of nature, and we used not to go to answer the call of nature except from night to night and that was before we had lavatories near our houses. This habit of ours was similar to the habit of the old Arabs (who used to relieve themselves) in the open country (or away from houses). So, I and Umm Mistah bint Ruhm went out walking. Umm Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined.' I said, ‘What a harsh word you have said! Why would you abuse a man who took part in (the battle of) Badr?' She said, 'O dear girl, you did not you hear what they said?' Then she told me the rumors of the false accusers. My sickness was aggravated, and when I returned home, Allah's Messengerﷺ came to me, and after greeting he ﷺ said, 'How is that (girl)?' I asked him to allow me to go to my parents. I wanted then to be sure of the news through them; I Allah's Messengerﷺ allowed me, and I went to my parents and asked my mother, 'What are people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Do not worry much about this matter. By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, but women would forge false news about her.' I said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are people really talking about this matter?' That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning, Allah's Messenger ﷺcalled ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib and Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) when he ﷺ saw the divine revelation delayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah). Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said what he knew of the good reputation of the Prophet’s wives and added, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Allah, Exalted is He, has no imposed restrictions on you, and there are many other women, yet you may ask her female servant who will tell you the truth.' On that, Allah's Messengerﷺcalled Bareerah and said, 'O Bareerah. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Bareerah said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the (domestic) goats to eat.' On that day, Allah's Messengerﷺ ascended the pulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.' Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!By Allah, I will relieve you of him. If that man is from the Aws tribe, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e., the Khazraj tribe, then order us, and we will carry out your order.' On that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, the chief of the Khazraj tribe - who has been a pious man before this incident, but was motivated by his blameworthy zeal for his tribe – got up and said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' On that Usayd ibn Hudhayr got up and said (to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah) (may Allah be pleased with them), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, we will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites!' Thereupon, the two tribes: the Aws and Khazraj got so agitated and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger ﷺwas standing on the pulpit. He ﷺ got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet. On that day, I kept on weeping so much so that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning, my parents were with me and I had wept for two nights and a day, till I thought my liver would burst from weeping. While they were sitting with me and I was weeping, a woman from the Ansaar asked my permission to enter, and I allowed her to come in. She sat down and started weeping with me. While we were in that state, Allah's Messengerﷺ came and sat down and he had never sat with me since the day they forged the accusation. No divine revelation regarding my situation came to him for a month. He ﷺ recited Tashah-hud (i.e., the two testimonies of faith: none is worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger) and then said, 'O ‘Aa’ishah! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, then Allah, Exalted is He, will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, He accepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messengerﷺ finished his speech, my tears ceased completely and there remained not even a single drop of it. I requested my father to reply to Allah's Messengerﷺ on my behalf. My father (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger ﷺ!” I said to my mother, 'Talk to Allah's Messengerﷺ on my behalf.' She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger ﷺ.’ I was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Quran. I said, 'I know, by Allah, that you have listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it as a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me and if I falsely confessed to you that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would believe me. By Allah, I only compare my situation with you except to the situation of Yoosuf’s father (i.e., Prophet Ya‘qoob) who said (what means): {…so patience is most fitting. And Allah (Alone) is the one sought for help against that which you describe.} [Quran 12:18] Then I turned to the other side of my bed hoping that Allah, Exalted is He, would prove my innocence. By Allah I never thought that He would send divine revelation concerning my situation, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked about in the Holy Quran. I had hoped that Allah's Messengerﷺ might have a dream in which Allah, Exalted is He, would prove my innocence. By Allah, The Prophet ﷺ had not got up and nobody had left the house before the divine revelation came to him. So, there overtook him the same state which used to overtake him, (when he ﷺ used to have, when receiving the divine revelation). He ﷺ was sweating so much so that the drops of the sweat were dropping like pearls though it was a (cold) wintry day. When that state of Allah's Messengerﷺ was over, he was smiling and the first word he said, ‘Aa’ishah! Thank Allah, for Allah has declared your innocence.' My mother told me to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ!I replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him and will not thank anyone but Allah, Exalted is He.' So, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you.} [Quran 24:11] When Allah, Exalted is He, gave the declaration of my innocence, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to provide for Mistah ibn Uthaathah (may Allah be pleased with him), for he was his relative, said, 'By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah because of what he said about ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).' But Allah, Exalted is He, later revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah , and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 24:22] Thereupon, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'Yes! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he used to help before. Allah's Messengerﷺ also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (i.e., the Prophet's wife about me saying, 'What do you know and what did you see?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I do not claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except good about ‘Aa’ishah." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Zaynab was competing with me (with her beauty and the Prophet's love for her), yet Allah, Exalted is He, protected her (from being malicious), for she was endowed with piety and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He.”
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Commentary :
The incident of Ifk (i.e., false allegation against ‘Aa’ishah) is when the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was slandered and falsely accused of committing Fornication. It was one of the most serious incidents that served as a real test for the sincerity of the faith of many Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, revealed in the Quran a clear statement of her innocence, out of His grace conferred upon her, the Prophet ﷺ, and the whole Muslim community.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that whenever Allah's Messengerﷺ intended to go on a journey, he ﷺ would draw lots amongst his wives, and would take with him, the one upon whom the lot fell. He ﷺ drew lots amongst his wives for one of his battles, namely, the Battle of Banee Al-Mustaliq (also known as Al-Muraysee‘) in 5 A.H., and the lot fell on her. This took place after Allah, Exalted is He, had revealed the ayahabout the obligation of Hijaab (i.e., head veil) for women. She (may Allah be pleased with her) set out with him, and was carried down in a Hawdaj (i.e., camel's litter for women) while still inside it (when they came to a halt). On the way back from that Ghazwah (i.e., a battle led by the Prophet ﷺ), as they approached Al-Madeenah, Allah's Messenger ﷺannounced at night that it was time for departure. When they announced the news of departure, she (may Allah be pleased with her) got up and went away from the army camp to answer the call of nature before the departure. She (may Allah be pleased with her) walked till she was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing, she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned (to the camp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that her necklace was missing. It was a necklace made of Dhafaar beads (i.e., Yemenite beads partly black and partly white). Therefore, she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned to look for it in the place where she had relieved herself, and was delayed because of that. Meanwhile, people who used to carry her on her camel came and lifted the Hawdaj onto the back of the camel, thinking that she was inside of it. In those days, women were light in weight for they did not get fat, and flesh did not cover their bodies in abundance, as they used to eat only little amounts of food that satisfied their hunger.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) waited in the place where she used to stay, thinking that they would eventually discover her absence and come back in search of her. While she (may Allah be pleased with her) was sitting there, she was overtaken by sleep. Safwaan ibn Al-Muʻattal Al-Sulamee Al-Dhakwaanee (may Allah be pleased with him) was behind the army to pick up what might have fallen or been forgotten by the Muslim army. He (may Allah be pleased with him) found her sleeping, and he had seen her before the obligation of the Hijaab was decreed. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said aloud, "Inna lillaah wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon (i.e., Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)," to wake her up. She woke up, veiled her face, and they did not speak a single word afterward. She (may Allah be pleased with her) rode his camel and he (may Allah be pleased with him) led it till they reached the army while they were taking a rest.
Her saying, ‘Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell into destruction,” referred to the rumor-mongers who slandered her and circulated such false allegations against her, led by ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salool, the chief of the hypocrites, and they incurred their own destruction accordingly. Some Companions also circulated these false allegations including: Hassaan ibn Thaabit, Mistah ibn Uthaathah, and Hamnah bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Jahsh’s sister (may Allah be pleased with them).
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added that after they returned to Al-Madeenah, she fell ill for one month while people were circulating and spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. She (may Allah be pleased with her) was unaware of what people were saying about her, but she had some doubts since she (may Allah be pleased with her) sensed that she was not receiving the usual kindness and compassion from the Prophet ﷺwhich she (may Allah be pleased with her)used to receive from him when she got sick. Rather, he ﷺ would enter her room, greet her saying, 'How is that (girl)?' He ﷺ would ask, with half a heart, how she was, without informing her of what was being said about her. She (may Allah be pleased with her) did not know anything of what was going on till she recovered from her ailment and went out with Umm Mistah bint Abee Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Manaasi‘ (i.e., a vast open place near Baqee‘ at Al-Madeenah), where people used to answer the call of nature. Women did not use to go to answer the call of nature except at night to spare themselves any inconvenience and unwanted gazes, and that was before people had lavatories near their houses. As customary among Arabs, people used to relieve themselves in vast open areas in specified spots in the desert (away from houses, for they disliked to have lavatories near their houses). So, she and Umm Mistah bint Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with them) went out walking. Umm Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined!' ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, ‘What a harsh word you have said! Why would you abuse a man who took part in (the battle of) Badr?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) informed ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) of the false allegations and rumors the slanderers had circulated about her. Her sickness and pain were aggravated.
When she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned home, Allah's Messengerﷺ halfheartedly asked her, 'How is that (girl)?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him to allow her to go to her parents, and he ﷺ gave her permission to do so. She (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to verify the news by asking them. Her mother said, 'O my daughter! Do not worry much about this matter.” Trying to make her feel better, she (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, but the women would forge false news about her.' She meant that a woman in her position would not be safe from being a target of people’s gossip and rumors; people and other co-wives would usually spread rumors about a beautiful wife loved by her husband. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are people really talking about this matter?' She meant that such lies and slander were common products of jealousy harbored by co-wives and other people. That night ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning, indicating her deep distress and sadness.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) added that the Prophet ﷺconsulted with ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib and Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) about divorcing her when the divine revelation was delayed. Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said what he knew of the good reputation and righteousness of the Prophet’s wives and added, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' On the other hand, ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, comforting the Prophet ﷺ, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Allah, Exalted is He, has not imposed restrictions on you, and there are many other women,” suggesting divorce to relieve the Prophet’s distress and anxiety. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also suggested that the Prophet ﷺ should ask her female servant, since servants usually have a closer look into the private life of their masters. On that, Allah's Messengerﷺcalled Bareerah and said, 'O Bareerah. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Bareerah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the (domestic) goats to eat,' out of her innocence. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “By Allah, I know about her as does a jeweler know about the pure piece of gold!” She acquitted ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) of the lies that the hypocrites had fabricated against her.
It is noteworthy that scholars held different opinions as to whether or not the Prophet ﷺ knew of ‘Aa’ishah’s innocence before the divine revelation acquitted her, but they all agreed that he ﷺ did not believe such rumors.
Some held that he ﷺ knew of her innocence, and so did ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), but he ﷺ had to wait for the divine revelation since people had circulated such false accusations. This is because the wives of the Prophets of Allah would never commit Fornication, because it would involve disgracing the Prophets of Allah with what is unbecoming of their refined status.
Others maintained that he ﷺ had some doubts, but her innocence seemed more likely to him, and when the divine revelation acquitted her, he ﷺ knew it with certainty. This is evidenced by the fact that he ﷺ consulted ‘Alee and Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with them) about divorcing her and asked Bareerah (may Allah be pleased with her), indicating his doubts. They also argued that he ﷺ would have continued to have some doubts if the divine revelation had not acquitted her, although there were no proofs to support such false claims. There is a difference between the absence of proofs to substantiate the slanderer's claims warranting the execution of the prescribed Hadd, and the innocence revealed by Allah, Exalted is He.
Others believed that Allah, Exalted is He, wanted to highlight the refined status of His Messenger and his family. Therefore, He took the Prophet ﷺ out of the equation, defended him, acquitted his wife, and refuted his enemies’ claims Himself. Allah, Exalted is He, wanted to rebuke the slanderers Himself rather than letting the Prophet ﷺ answer to them and exonerate his wife. Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ was the actual target of such harm, but they threw such false accusations against his wife. It was inappropriate for the Prophet ﷺ to testify of her innocence, although he ﷺ was certain of it, or believed that she (may Allah be pleased with her) most likely did not commit such sin. He ﷺ did not believe that she (may Allah be pleased with her) could ever commit such sin, Allah forbids! This is why he ﷺ said: “Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering the reputation of my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.”
He ﷺ had enough reasons to believe that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was innocent more than any of the believers, but given his perfect patience, steadfastness, kindness, good faith in his Lord and his trust in Him, he ﷺ chose to adhere to patience, steadfastness, and good faith in Allah, Exalted is He, until the divine revelation should absolve her from such accusations. The divine revelation proved her innocence, bringing joy to his heart, emphasizing his refined status, and proving to all Muslims that Allah, Exalted is He, held him in such high regard, honored him, and defended him Himself!
The Prophet ﷺ ascended the pulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, one of the chiefs of the Khazraj tribe, who had slandered his wife, as he was the leader of such accusers and slanderers. He ﷺ said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.' This indicated the good moral character of Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with him), and that he was a trustworthy and pious man who was known for good conduct, as acknowledged by the Prophet ﷺ and all people.
The Ansaar were divided into two major tribes: the Aws and Khazraj. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him), the chief of the Aws tribe, got up and said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!By Allah, I will relieve you of him. If that man is from the tribe of the Aws, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e., the Khazraj tribe, then order us, and we will carry out your order.' This indicated Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh’s good manners and his knowledge of the limits of his chiefdom; he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not explicitly declare killing a person who belonged to the Khazraj tribe like he did with a man from his own tribe, and left the ruling to be decided by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, pledging to execute the punishment that would be pleasing to him. On hearing that, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, the chief of the Khazraj tribe, who was a senior and pious Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), got up, motivated by his prejudice and blameworthy zeal for his tribe and said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie,” meaning, ‘You are wrong,’ as Arabs used to refer to mistakes as lies, “you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) said so because he believed that Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him)had crossed the line and should not have interfered in the private affairs of the Khazraj tribe. On that, Usayd ibn Hudhayr, one of the chiefs of the Aws tribe, got up and said (to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, we will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites!' These statements were made only because they were quarreling, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean to accuse him of hypocrisy, but was rather exaggerating in rebuking him. Moreover, such insults are worthless and have no weight, because they were said in a state of anger.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “Thereupon, the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj got so agitated and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger ﷺwas standing on the pulpit. He ﷺ got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) kept on weeping so much so that neither did her tears stop, nor could she sleep. She (may Allah be pleased with her) continued to weep for two nights and a day, so much so that she thought that her liver would burst from weeping. This is because grief is especially harmful to the liver more than any other body organ. A woman from the Ansaar visited her, sat down and started weeping with her, to give her consolation. While they were in this state, Allah's Messengerﷺ came and sat down, and he had never sat with her since the day they forged those accusations. No divine revelation regarding her situation came to him for a month, to clear her name and inform the Prophet ﷺ of the truth, but he ﷺ received the divine revelation regarding other matters during that period.
He ﷺ recited Tashah-hud (i.e., the two testimonies of faith: none is worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger) and then said, 'O ‘Aa’ishah! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, then Allah, Exalted is He, will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin,” meaning if you happened to fall into sin, which was unlike you, “then repent to Allah and ask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, He accepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messengerﷺ finished his speech, her tears ceased completely and there remained not even a single drop; she (may Allah be pleased with her) was in awe of what he ﷺhad said! She (may Allah be pleased with her) requested her father and mother (may Allah be pleased with them) to reply to Allah's Messengerﷺ on her behalf and defend her, but they both said: “By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messengerﷺ!” They were in a tough spot, considering the lofty status of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on one hand, and their own daughter who was falsely accused of such a heinous and immoral act on the other hand!
Therefore, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied herself, although she was a young girl then and did not have much knowledge of the Quran. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said so to explain the reason for her forgetting the name of Prophet Ya‘qoob, when she compared her situation to his situation and the harm afflicted by his sons on him and Prophet Yoosuf. She (may Allah be pleased with her) then related to him the accusations made against her and Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with them), and underlined that these rumors and false claims dwelled in people’s minds so much that they accepted such (slanderous) speech as truth. If she told them that she was innocent, and Allah knew that she was, they would not believe her, and if she falsely confessed that she was guilty, and Allah knew that she was not, they would have believed her! She (may Allah be pleased with her) added that she could not do anything but to adhere to patience and aspire to relief and acquittal from Allah, Exalted is He, as Prophet Ya‘qoob said (what means): {…so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.} [Quran 12:18]. Only Allah, Exalted is He, would clear her name, prove her innocence, and defend her! She (may Allah be pleased with her) turned to the other side of her bed hoping that Allah, Exalted is He, would prove her innocence. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “By Allah, I never thought that He would send divine revelation concerning my situation, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked about in the Holy Quran.” She (may Allah be pleased with her) only hoped that Allah's Messengerﷺ might have a dream in which Allah, Exalted is He, would prove her innocence. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “By Allah, he ﷺ had not got up and nobody had left the house before the divine revelation came to the Prophet ﷺ, who was overtaken by the same state which used to overtake him, (when he ﷺ received divine revelation). He ﷺ was sweating so much that the drops of the sweat were dropping like pearls, though it was a (cold) wintry day. “When that state of Allah's Messengerﷺ was over,” and the revelation ended, “he ﷺwas smiling and the first word he ﷺ said was asking Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) to thank Allah, Exalted is He, for declaring her innocence. Her mother told her to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, to thank him for such glad tidings, but she (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him and will not thank but Allah,’ because He declared her innocence. On this occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. * Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"? * Why did they [who slandered] not produce for it four witnesses? And when they do not produce the witnesses, then it is they, in the sight of Allah, who are the liars. * And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter, you would have been touched for that [lie] in which you were involved by a great punishment. * When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous. * And why, when you heard it, did you not say, "It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O Allah]; this is a great slander"? * Allah warns you against returning to the likes of this [conduct], ever, if you should be believers.} [Quran 24:11-17]. In these ayaat, Allah, Exalted is He, referred to their false claims as lies. The Arabic word used was “Ifk,” meaning false allegations. Allah, Exalted is He, stated that these slanderers fabricated lies against her and underlined their promised punishment in this worldly life and the Hereafter.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to provide for Mistah ibn Uthaathah, for he was his relative; the mother of Mistah was named Salmaa, who was the maternal cousin of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). Mastah (may Allah be pleased with him) circulated such allegations and this angered Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, 'By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah because of what he said about ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).' On that occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 24:22]. The ayah means, ‘those who swore not to provide for their (poor) relatives because they have wronged them!’ Thereupon, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'Yes! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he used to help before, and expiated for breaking his oath.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) also added: “Allah's Messengerﷺ also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (i.e., the Prophet's wife) about me saying, 'What do you know and what did you see?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I do not claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except good about ‘Aa’ishah.’" ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was competing with me (with her beauty and the Prophet's love for her),” meaning that she (may Allah be pleased with her) was also beautiful and used to boast about her beauty and the Prophet’s love for her, “yet Allah, Exalted is He, protected her (from being malicious), for she (may Allah be pleased with her) was endowed with piety and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He,” and she did not fall into sin by circulating such rumors like those who did.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to draw lots between one’s wives to choose one to accompany him when traveling.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and her conclusive acquittal from the false accusations made against her by the explicit divine revelation and a ayah in the Quran which shall be recited unto the Day of Judgment.
It is inferred therefrom that one should recite Istirjaa‘ (i.e., saying ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return,’ a Dhikr that Muslims are instructed to say when afflicted by any sort of calamity) at times of adversity befalling one or any of his loved ones regarding his or their worldly or religious affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a man should be considerate and kind towards his wife.
It is also deduced that one should check upon the sick person.
The hadeeth also underlines the merits of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who partook in the Battle of Badr and defends them.
It is also inferred therefrom that one should consult with his close family members and friends about his personal affairs and problems.
It is deduced that a ruler should address the ruled when adversities should befall them.
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of Safwaan ibn Al-Mu‘attil (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also inferred therefrom that one should hasten to block the ways that could lead to Fitnah (i.e., dissension) and disputes.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a sinner’s repentance is acceptable; he should be urged to repent, for sincere repentance to Allah, Exalted is He, is a reason for having one’s sins forgiven.
It is also inferred that one should hasten to give glad tidings to the one upon whom a clear blessing is conferred or who is relieved of an adversity.
The hadeeth also urges the forgiveness and pardon of a wrongdoer.
It also encourages Muslims to spend in charity and help the less fortunate.
The hadeeth also highlights the merits of the Mother of the Believers Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
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2662

‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakrah narrated on the authority of his father that he (may Allah be pleased with him)said: “A man praised another man in front of the Prophet ﷺ. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck; you have cut off your companion's neck," repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is such-and-such, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him to such-and-such,' if he really knows what he says about him."
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Commentary :
Praising or dispraising people is a very serious matter, and Islam has set certain guidelines for crediting or discrediting people. It stipulated having a good knowledge of the praised or dispraised person, and also warned against ascribing false attributes to any person.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Bakrah Nafee‘ ibn Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man praised another in front of the Prophet ﷺ.Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Woe to you,” the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which literally means ‘woe to you,’ indicating rebuke, and it is used in reference to someone who has made a serious mistake incurring an undeserved adversity. He ﷺ added, “… you have cut off your companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck," meaning that you have seriously harmed your friend. This is because such praise may drive him to fall into conceit and arrogance. He ﷺ repeated it several times, to warn against such an act and indicate its gravity. He ﷺ then clarified that if someone has to praise another person, in a situation where such praise is required by the Laws of Islam, e.g., for a witness, or for any Laws of Islam-approved benefit, one should say, “…'I think that he is such-and-such, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him to be such-and-such,' if he really knows what he says about him." In such situations, one should settle for mentioning the good qualities of the praised person and phrase it as explained in the hadeeth, saying, ‘I think that so-and-so is trustworthy, righteous, or honest,’ for example, rather than decisively stating that this person will have a good or bad fate in the Hereafter, because only Allah, Exalted is He, knows his true inner character, and He shall reward or punish him accordingly. Therefore, one must not decisively state that a given person is good or righteous nor evil or wicked.
The hadeeth warns against attributing qualities to a given person of which the speaker has no knowledge.
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2664

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ called me to present myself in front of him on the eve of the Battle of Uhud, while I was fourteen years of age, and he ﷺ did not allow me to take part in that battle, but he ﷺ called me in front of him on the eve of the battle of the Trench when I was fifteen years old, and he ﷺ allowed me (to join the battle)." Naafi‘ said, "I went to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez, who was the Caliph at that time, and related the above narration to him, and he said, "This age (fifteen) is the limit between childhood and manhood," and wrote to his governors to give salaries to those who have reached the age of fifteen..

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam decreed that reaching puberty should be the criterion for a person’s competence for religious assignments. When a male person reaches puberty, he becomes competent for religious assignments and obligations as per the laws of Islam, and would be held accountable for all his actions (and sayings), and the same goes for girls when they start experiencing menstruation.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messenger ﷺ called young men to decide whether or not they were fit to take part in the battles yet, and this was before the battle of Uhud, in 3 A.H. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was fourteen years of age at that time, and he ﷺ did not allow him to take part in that battle, for he ﷺ believed that he was still young and unfit to partake in the battles. In 5 A.H., he ﷺ called him again before the battle of the Trench, when he was fifteen years old, and he ﷺ allowed him (to join the battle).
Some scholars objected, saying that since the Battle of the Trench took place in 5 A.H., Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) should have been sixteen years old and not fifteen. In response, it was said that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he had just turned fourteen before the Battle of Uhud, and had already turned fifteen by the Battle of the Trench, and this was(linguistically) correct and commonly acceptable in the Arabic language.
Naafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and the narrator of the hadeeth, said, "I went to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez, who was the Caliph at that time, and related the above narration to him, and he deduced from it that the age limit between childhood and manhood is fifteen, and accordingly wrote to his governors to give salaries to those who have reached the age of fifteen should they partake in the battles.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that a ruler should keenly do what serves the best interests of the ruled, including specifying the age limit for partaking in battles and joining the Muslim army..

2674

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
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Commentary :
The Laws of Islam of Islam clearly outlined the proper way to settle legal disputes, especially in the absence of clear evidence that warrants judging in favor of one litigant, namely, by oath-taking. Stern warnings have been reported about making false oaths, and many Laws of Islam texts warned against the severe punishment for such an act in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that two people (litigants) referred their dispute to the Prophet ﷺ, and none of them had evidence conclusively substantiating his right, or such evidence was false and inadmissible. The Prophet ﷺ offered them to take an oath; each litigant would be requested to take an oath while the other remained silent, out of reverence for the oath. When he ﷺ saw each of them hastening to take the oath first, he ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn to choose the one who should take an oath first, and accordingly would be declared entitled to the disputed property or right.
It was said that the Prophet ﷺ only commanded that lots should be drawn to choose the one who should take an oath first after he ﷺ saw them both hastening to take the oath, lest they should take two oaths at the same time and thus the litigant who had the right to the disputed property would lose his right to it. Rather, each litigant is entitled to take an oath independently. When the litigants are equally entitled to a disputed right or property, none of them should be given the chance to take the oath first to claim the right or refute the accusations made against him (and accordingly become legally entitled to the disputed right or property) except after employing the method of lot-casting.
It is an act of Sunnah to opt for casting lots in such situations, and it is prescribed and applicable when both litigants are equally entitled to a disputed right or property (and unable to provide conclusive or admissible evidencesubstantiating their rights).
The hadeeth highlights the seriousness (and solemnity) of oath-taking in Islam.
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763

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

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

765

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

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

766

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

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

767

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

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

768

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

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

770

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

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

771

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

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

772

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

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

778

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

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

779

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

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

780

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

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

787

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

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

802

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

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

803

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

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

804

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
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Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
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It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
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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 Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother." .

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year. .

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first. .

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
.

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
.

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
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