| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

3137

Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him):Allah's Messengerﷺsaid (to me), "If the property of Bahrain had come to us, I would have given you so much and so much." But the Bahrain property did not come till the Prophetﷺhad died. When the Bahrain property came. Aboo Bakr(may Allah be pleased with him)ordered somebody to announce, "Any person who has money claim on Allah's Messengerﷺor whom Allah's Messengerﷺhad promised something, should come to us." So, I went to him and said, "Allah's Messengerﷺhad promised to give me so much and so much." Aboo Bakr scooped up money with both hands thrice for me." (The sub-narrator Sufyaan illustrated this action by scooping up with both hands and said, "Ibn al-Munkadir, another sub-narrator, used to illustrate it in this way.") Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): Once I went to Aboo Bakr and asked for the money but he did not give me, and I went to him again, but he did not give me, so I went to him for the third time and said, "I asked you, but you did not give me; then I asked you (for the second time) and you did not give me; then I asked you (for the third time) but you did not give me. You should either give me or allow yourself to be considered a miser regarding my case." Aboo Bakr said, "You tell me that I am a miser with regard to you. But really, whenever I rejected your request, I had the inclination to give you." (In another narration Jaabir added:) So, Aboo Bakr scooped up money with both hands for me and asked me to count it. I found out that it was five hundred. Aboo Bakr told me to take twice that amount. In another narration, it reads: “He said: No sickness is more harmful than miserliness.”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ liked to always keep his promises, which is from the manners of the believers.He ﷺwould often promise his Companions - especially those with needs and debts - to give them from the wealth that came from the booty which he receivedfrom the cities that entered Islam.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ had promised him that if the wealth of Jizyah came to him from Bahrain, he would give him “such-and-such, such-and-such, and such-and-such [an amount];” showing two handfuls three times. Bahrain, at that time,referred to what is known today as Bahrain, as well as Al-Ahsaa and Al-Qateef(which are located in eastern Saudi Arabia).Other accounts have shown, according to al-Bukhaaree and others, that the Prophet ﷺ sent al-‘Alaa ibn al-Hadramee to al-Munthir ibn Saawa, the governor of the Persians in Bahrain, calling him to Islam, so he became Muslim.The Magi of those territories made a peace pact with the Muslims on the condition of paying the Jizyah.When the Prophet ﷺ promised Jaabir to give him a share from the Jizyah of Bahrain, the wealth did not reach al-Madeenah until after the Prophet ﷺ and his soul was taken away.Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) took over the Caliphate after him ﷺ andthen,when the money of Jizyah arrived from Bahrain, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered a man to proclaim - it was stated that that proclaimer was Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) - who called out loudly, “Whoever has given a loan to the Messenger of Allahﷺ or there is a promise of money from him, then let him come to us so that we can fulfil his rights.” Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did this based on his knowledge of what the Prophetﷺ would do in terms of promises and taking loans to fulfil the needs of the people until the wealth of Jizyah or booty came to him.
So, Jaabir came to Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) and told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺhad told him: “So-and-so,” and this is a metaphor for what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had promised him. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) scooped for him three times.It was said that it was like a handful and that it was what fills both palms. The narrator of this hadeeth, Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah, demonstrated it when he explained what it meant, and he scooped using both palms.
In a different narration, it mentions that he came to Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him to give him three times, and each time he did not give him. Thereupon, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, “Either you will give me, or you will be stingy to me.” Miserliness is that a person withholds what is obligatory upon him and does not pay it. Hence, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)remarked to him disapprovingly, “Did you really say, ‘or be stingy to me?!’” I have not held back from giving you at any time, but I really intended to give you.”Aboo Bakr only delayed in giving either due to being busy with something more important than that, or from the fear that it could lead to many others starting to demand for similar things.Aboo Bakr filled his both palms with money and asked him to count it.He counted it and found it to be equivalent to five hundred in number, so Aboo Bakr told him, “Take a similar amount twice again,” just as what the Messenger of Allah ﷺ promised him.
In one narration, it is mentioned that Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)asked him, “And which disease is more severe than miserliness?!” That is, which defect is worse than a person being described as miserly?
This hadeeth demonstrates the goodness of Aboo Bakr as a successor to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, his effortstoward the establishment of his Sunnah ﷺ and his implementation of his promises ﷺ.
It shows that the ruler has the right to allocate a portion of the booty orFay’ to his deputies and the deputies of the Muslims, and it highlights the importance of paying off the debts of the deceased after his death..

3139

Narrated Jubayr ibn Mut`im(may Allah be pleased with him)The Prophetﷺtalked about war prisoners of Badr saying, "Had Al-Mut`im ibn ‘Adi been alive and interceded with me for these mean people, I would have freed them for his sake."
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Commentary : One who fails to thank people, then he has not been thankful to Allah.The Prophetﷺ was the keenest on preserving the rights of people, and he treated them with kindness, and interacted and addressed the people according to their status and appropriate positions, giving them the due value and respect which they deserved.

Al-Mut’im ibn ‘Adiyy was the one who endeavoured to overturn the scroll that Quraysh had suspended on the Ka’bah, which entailed boycotting Banee Haashim and Banee al-Muttalib.Hence, the Prophet ﷺ noted this noble deed of his.

In this hadeeth, Jubayribn Mut’im reports that the Prophet ﷺ said after the Battle of Badr that took place in the second year of the Hijrah, that if al-Mut’im ibn ‘Adiyy was alive and appealed tohim to forgive those dirtypolytheist prisoners, he would have approved his request and would have set them free without ransom. The Prophet ﷺ wanted to express his gratitude to him not only due to his noble endeavours to end the boycott of Banee Haashim that Quraysh had previously initiated,as written on their scroll that was hung on the Ka’bah.It was also becausewhen he ﷺ returned from Taaif to Makkah, he returned under his protection. However, the death of al-Mut’im happened in the month of Safar during the second year of the Hijrah, about seven months before the Battle of Badr.
It is possible that by this statement, the Prophet ﷺ wanted to comfort the heart of his son Jubayribn Mut’im and incline his heart further towards Islam. The statement of the Prophet ﷺcontains anindication of the lofty status of the Prophet ﷺ and belittlement of the condition of those disbelievers, as his words showed that he did not care about them such that he would not mind entrusting their affairs to a polytheist who had some status in his eyes.
The reasons the Prophet ﷺcalled the disbelieving prisoners‘ dirty and stinkingindividuals’ is either due to their ritual impurity due to their disbelief or because those to whom he referred were those whose bodies had turned to stinking corpses thrown into the well of Badr. However, if al-Mut’im interceded with the Prophet ﷺto hand their bodies over, then the Prophet ﷺ would have turned their bodies over to him.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to show compassion to prisoners and effectuate their release without ransom, and that it is allowed to accept the intercession of a noble person on behalf of sinners in order to attract his heart to Islam.
Itshows that one should give the best rewardto someone who did a favour or a kind act for him. .

3140

Narrated Jubayr ibn Mut`im:I and `Uthmaan ibn `Affaan went to Allah's Messengerﷺand said, "O Allah's Messenger! You have given to Banee Al-Muttalib and left us although they and we are of the same kinship to you." Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Baneeal-Muttalib and Banee Haashim are one and the same." The Prophetﷺdid not give a share to Banee `Abd Shams and Banee Nawfal.
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Commentary : Allah bestowed His grace on the Muslims by helping them conquer the fort of Khaybar in the seventh year of the Hijrah.The Messenger ﷺ acquired therefrom many spoils, and he gave Banee Haashim and Banee ‘Abdul Muttalib of the fifth share which he ﷺ took of the spoils, while he did not give anything to Banee ‘Abd Shams and Banee Nawfal.
Jubayribn Mut’im – who happened to be from Banee Nawfal – reports that he and ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan – who was from Banee ‘Abd Shams - went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺand said, “O Messenger of Allah!You gave Banee ‘Abdul Muttalib from the spoils, and you did not give us anything although they and we have the same status with you,i.e. we are all brothers as we are all the sons of ‘Abd Manaaf.
This is because ‘Abd Shams, Haashim, and al-Muttalib were allmaternal half-brothers whose mother was ‘Aatikah bint Murrah. As for Nawfal, he was their paternal half-brother whose mother was Waaqidah bint ‘Amr al-Maaziniyyah.These four became the masters and leaders of their people after the demise of their father, and so they took the mantle of leadership. Haashim took the responsibility of supplying water to the pilgrims and feeding the needy pilgrims after his father’s demise. It is to him and to his brother al-Muttalib the attribution of the lineage of the close relatives is referred to, and they were one and the same. This is why the Prophet ﷺ stated, “Banoo al-Muttalib and Banoo Haashim are one and the same.” In other words, the same ruling applies to the two of them in terms of the rights that they deserve because there was an oath of alliance between them in the pre-Islamic era.For this reason, when Quraysh besieged Banoo Haashim in the valley and prevented the people from marrying them and trading with them, in that instance, Banoo al-Muttalib tethered alongside Banoo Haashim in the valley, as a protest on behalf of the Messenger of Allahﷺ and for his protection.As a result,the Muslims among the tribe entered the valley as a form of obedience to Allah and His Messengerﷺ, while the disbelievers among them entered the valley as a form of loyalty for the clan, self-esteem and obediencefor Aboo Taalib, the uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.On the other hand, Banoo Nawfal and Banoo ‘Abd Shams did not enter the valley, though they were first cousins. They even fought against them, resisted them, and turned the clans of Quraysh to fight the Messenger ﷺand the Muslims who were with him.
This hadeeth shows that the fifth of the spoils was reserved for the Prophet ﷺ to dispose of it as he wanted, and to give it to his relatives, and withhold from whomever he wanted.
It also shows that one should take care of family members when giving, and shows that close kin should have a sharefrom gifts, because ‘Uthmaan and Jubayr only asked for the gift due to their kinship..

3141

Narrated Saalih ibn Ibraaheem ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf from his father from his grandfather:While I was standing in the row on the Day (of the Battle) of Badr, I looked to my right and my left and found that two young boys from the Ansaar are on my both sides. At that moment, I wished that I stood between two strong and fierce men instead. One of them called my attention saying, "O Uncle! Do you know Aboo Jahl?" I said, " O my nephew! Yes,what do you want from him?" He said, "I have been informed that he abuses Allah's Messengerﷺ. By Him in Whose Hands my life is, if I should see him, then my body will not leave his body till either of us meet his fate." I was astonished at that talk. Then the other boy called my attention saying the same as the other had said. After a while I saw Aboo Jahl walking amongst the people. I said (to the boys), "Look! This is the man you asked me about." So, both of them attacked him with their swords and struck him to death and returned to Allah's Messenger to inform him of that. Allah's Messengerﷺasked, "Which of you has killed him?" Each of them said, "I Have killed him." Allah's Messengerﷺasked, "Have you cleaned your swords?" They said, "No. " He then looked at their swords and said, "No doubt, you both have killed him, and the spoils of the deceased will be given to Mu’aath ibn `Amr ibn al-Jamooh." The two boys were Mu’aath ibn 'Afra and Mu’aath ibn `Amr ibn al-Jamooh.
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Commentary : The children of the Emigrants and the Ansaar grew upon on the pristine nature of Islam.The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) brought them up righteously as they are the best of the people after the prophets and witnessed the Prophet ﷺ walking amidst them.These children grew up loving him, and they learnt to sacrifice themselves for him since their childhood. This hadeeth presents to us one of the aspects that manifested their unconditional love for the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf(may Allah be pleased with him)reports that he was lining up with the other Muslim fighters for the Battle of Badr that happened between the Muslims and the polytheists of Makkah during the second year of the Hijrah.He looked to his right and left, and he found two young boys of a young age from the Ansaar.He wished that he was standing between two strong and fierce men, instead, because an older person would more entrenched in war and more rightful to be beside him than these young fighters.One of these two boys was Mu’aathibn ‘Amr ibn al-Jamooh(may Allah be pleased with him), and the other boy was Mu’aathibn ‘Afraa (may Allah be pleased with him).One of them gestured,such that he looked with his eye towards him or touched him with his hand and asked him, “Uncle, do you know Aboo Jahl?”‘Abd al-Rahmaan answered him, “Of course, and why are you asking about him, o nephew!”The boy replied, “I heard that he abuses the Messenger of Allahﷺ,” and then he swore that if he saw him, he would not let him go, until the one closer to the death between died. ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf was astonished by the statement of this boy, as it was indicative of his perfect chivalry.Then, the second one gestured to him and made exactly the same statement as the first one.It wasn’t long until ‘Abd al-Rahmaan spotted Aboo Jahl, who happened to be roaming amongst the people, moving around and not remaining still at one place.He showed them where their target was and informed them that this particular man was Aboo Jahl, concerning whom they had asked him earlier.Both of them hastened towards him with their swords, meaning they sprinted with their swords to hit him until they killed him.Then they returned to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of their killing of Aboo Jahl.The Prophetﷺ asked them, “Who amongst you killed him?”Both answered, “I killed him.”The Prophet ﷺ inquired, “Have you both cleaned your swords?”Meaning, from the blood that is on it.They both answered, “No.” The Prophet ﷺ looked at their swords to see the extent of their penetration into the body of the killed (by looking at the blood stains on them), to judge who was more effective in extracting his soul, and to decide on giving the killed person’s booty to the one who was more effective in killing him.If they had rubbed their swords clean, then the indication of this reality would not be clear.Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ informed them that each one of them participated with his brother in killing him. Heﷺ gave his acquired booty and armaments to Mu’aathibn ‘Amr ibn al-Jamooh, as he learned that it was his sword that was instrumental in killing him.The reason he said to them, “Both of you killed him,” was to grant comfort to the heart of the other in the sense that he participated in killing him and in acquiring the great rewards that are based on this noble act, though there is a difference between them both in precedence and causation. It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood that he found Aboo Jahal still had his last trace of life, thus, he gave him the last stroke and removed his head from his body [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
This hadeeth shows that the armament of the killed disbeliever in war is not always subject to the one fifth portion (khums), and it can be given to his killer instead.
It confirms the legality of the establishment of financial rights through circumstantial evidence because the Prophet ﷺproved who killed Aboo Jahl by examining the blood on the sword, and judged for him to receive his armaments.
It shows that one should be angry and hasten to fight for the sake of Allah and His Messengerﷺ.
The hadeeth shows that a person should conceal his intention to do good from others, lest they supersede him, and that it is important to avoid belittling anyone, as sometimes one who is belittled with regard to carrying out a task could be greater than what he is perceived as in the hearts, and be more rightful to carry out that task.
Lastly, it shows that it is important for the ruler and the judge to study circumstantial evidence in order to give preference to the statement of one claimants over the statement of another..

3142

Narrated Aboo Qaatadah (may Allah be pleased with him): We set out in the company of Allah's Messengerﷺon the day (of the battle) of Hunayn. When we faced the enemy, the Muslims retreated, and I saw a pagan throwing himself over a Muslim. I turned around and came upon him from behind and hit him on the shoulder with the sword. He (i.e. the pagan) came towards me and seized me so violently that I felt as if it were death itself, but death overtook him, and he released me. I followed `Umar ibn Al Khattab and asked him, "What is wrong with the people (fleeing)?" He replied, "This is the Will of Allah," After the people returned, the Prophetﷺsat and said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has a proof of that, will possess his spoils." I got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and then sat down. The Prophetﷺagain said, "Anyone who has killed an enemy and has proof of that, will possess his spoils." I (again) got up and said, "Who will be a witness for me?" and sat down. Then the Prophetﷺsaid the same for the third time. I again got up, and Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "O Aboo Qataadah! What is your story?" Then I narrated the whole story to him. A man (got up and) said, "O Allah's Messenger! He is speaking the truth, and the spoils of the killed man are with me. So please compensate him on my behalf." On that Aboo Bakr As-Siddeeq(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "No, by Allah, he ﷺwill not agree to give you the spoils gained by one of Allah's Lions who fights on the behalf of Allah and His Messenger." The Prophetﷺsaid, "Aboo Bakr has spoken the truth." So, Allah's Messengerﷺgave the spoils to me. I sold that armour (i.e. the spoils) and with its price I bought a garden at Banee Salimah, and this was my first property which I gained after my conversion to Islam..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained the rulings on jihad, spoils, and additionally rewarded booty; he also made it clear what every fighter deserves, and when a Muslim deserves receiving the belongings of a slain polytheist.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he came out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺin the year when the Battle of Hunayn took place.Hunayn is a valley, the distance between which and Makkah is three miles.The battle took place in the eighth year of the Hijrahandwas between the Muslims and the people of Taaif, namely the tribes of Hawaazin and Thaqeef.When the Muslims met with the enemy, the Muslims resorted to some sort of manoeuvre, meaning that it entailed moving back and forth and some sort of disarray.He used this word to describe the scenario to avoid using a negative word denoting defeat.This military manoeuvre happened in some sections of the army,but not involving the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and those around him.Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man of the idolators who had gone on top of a man from the Muslims, meaning he had overpowered him and was ready to kill him, or had toppled him and was sitting on him to kill him. He(may Allah be pleased with him) turned to him from behind until he struck him with a sword on the vein of his neck; the Arabic word Habl al-‘Aatik signifies a nerve, or a muscle string located at a place where the robe fits on the neck, or the place between the shoulder blade and neck where one’s robe sits, or between the neck and the shoulder.However,this polytheist was so strong that he stood up after the strike, turned to Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and hugged him until Aboo Qataadah(may Allah be pleased with him) found the severity like the severity of death, but soon death overtook this polytheist, so he let Aboo Qataadah go.Thereafter, Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to join ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab, and asked him, “What is the matter with the people who seemed defeated? And why are they fleeing?” So, ‘Umar told him that the command of Allah is overpowering. That means, whoever trusts in Him and does not admire himself [in terms of his strength and number], the He will help him, and not as what the Muslims did at the beginning, when they were impressed by their multitude, it did not avail them anything, and they were defeated in the early moments of the battle; however, the praiseworthy outcome is for the righteous who place the commands of Allah before their eyes and entrust their affairs to Allah.
Then the Muslims returned to the battle after retreating.That occurred after the Prophet ﷺ called out to them, “I am the Prophet, not a liar. I am the son of [the brave] ‘Abdul Muttalib.”He ordered his uncle al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) to call out to the people to return, as the narrations of Bukhaaree and Muslim explain.Allah, the Glorified, has mentioned what happened then in His Mighty Book; He Almighty states:{Indeed, Allah has given you [believers] victory on many battlefields, even at the Battle of Ḥunain when you took pride in your great numbers, but they proved of no advantage to you. The earth, despite its vastness, seemed to close in on you, then you turned back in retreat.Then Allah sent down His reassurance upon His Messenger and the believers, and sent down forces you could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such was the reward of the disbelievers.}(Quran 9:25-26).
After the end of the battle, the Muslims took the spoils of Hawaazin and Thaqeef, and the Prophet ﷺ sat and said, “Whoever killed a person, he must provide a proof,”i.e. he must have a sign or witnesses, “then he will receive the killed person’s armaments,” that is the arms and other personal belongings the killed person was carrying at that time.
Aboo Qataadah(may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I got up and said,‘Who will testify in my favour that this man was killed by me?’” Then he sat down.Thereafter, he repeated this statement twice - as if he was talking to himself - and in the last instance, the Messenger of Allah asked him, “What is wrong with you, Aboo Qataadah?” So he began narrating to him what had happened.A man exclaimed, “He has spoken the truth, O Messenger of Allah, his booty is with me, accept to give it to me instead.” He meant that he wanted to keep the booty and he was asking the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to give Aboo Qataadah something instead of it. Thereupon, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied to him immediately, “No way, by Allah!” I.e. it is not yours, by Allah, “then he ﷺ shall not turn to a lion among the lions of Allah [to take away his right],” meaning Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him).The comprehensive meaning of this is that if Aboo Qataadah s truthful about the fact that he is the owner of the booty, then it is plausible that the Prophet ﷺ shall not turn to a person who in his bravery is like a lion, who fights in defence of Allah and His Messenger, thereafter, taking away his right from him and handing it over to you without the approval of the former.It is important to satisfy the heart of the fighter who killed a polytheist first.However, if agrees to leave his acquired arms to the other person, he is free to do so, otherwise, his right shall be returned to him in terms of the acquired armaments.The Prophet ﷺ said, “He is right,” meaning, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).Thus, the Prophet ﷺ gave Aboo Qataadah the killed soldier’s armaments after becoming aware of the proof that he was the one who killed the enemy fighter.
Thereafter, Aboo Qataadah narrated that he sold his spoils and bought an orchard in Banee Salamah instead. Banee Salamah is a clan of the Ansaar, and thereafter, Aboo Qataadah stated that this orchard was the first wealth that he acquired or bought in Islam.
From the benefits of this hadeeth is that it expounds the virtue of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) where he issued a fatwa in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, and the Prophet ﷺ approved his ruling and was satisfied with it.
The hadeeth highlights the merit of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him), whom Aboo Bakr(may Allah be pleased with him) called a lion from the lions of Allah, who fights for Allah and His Messenger, which the Prophet ﷺ affirmed.
This hadeeth shows that the killer is more deserving of the special booty of the one whom he killed, that the special booty will not be divided into the one-fifth share (al-Khums), and that it is given to the fighter who killed the enemy fighter before the booty is divided..

3144

Narrated Naafi’:`Umar ibn Al-Khattab said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I vowed to observe I`tikaaf for one day before Islam." The Prophetﷺordered him to fulfil his vow.
Naafi’ added: `Umar gained two female captives from the war prisoners of Hunayn and he left them in some of the houses at Makkah. When Allah's Messengerﷺfreed the captives of Hunayn without ransom, they came out walking in the streets. `Umar said (to his son), "O `Abdullah! See what the matter is." `Abdullah replied, "Allah's Messengerﷺhas freed the captives without ransom." He said (to him), "Go and set free those two slave girls."
Naafi` added: Allah's Messenger did not perform the `Umrah from Al-Ji’raanah, and if he had performed the `Umrah, it would not have been hidden from `Abdullah.
In one version of the hadeeth, regarding the vow, it does not say “ a day”.
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Commentary : There are three versions of this hadeeth, all of which represent the complete compliance of the Companions(may Allah be pleased with them) to the orders of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ, and how they never tookaction until they hadclarified the truth as stated by Allah and His Messengerﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),reports that after Allah granted the Muslims the conquest of Makkah, and it became part of the lands of Islam, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) remembered a matter which he had vowed in the time of ignorance, before Islam.He asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about it, recalling that he had vowed to perform i'tikaaf (seclusion) for a day in the Sacred Mosque (al-Masjid al-Haraam).In the narration of Muslim, it appears that his question occurred at al-Ji’raanah after his return from Taa'if.The Prophet ﷺ ordered him to fulfil his vow by performing i'tikaaf in the Sacred Mosque.
Part of the share of the booty of ‘Umar was receiving two slave girls among the captives of Hunayn. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ showed compassion on the captives of Hunayn and set them free without any ransom. That is when the Prophet ﷺ married the mother of believers Juwairiyyah bint al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her) and made her release her dowry. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ exclaimed, “[These captives] are now the relatives-in-law of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,” as recorded in the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Dawood. Hence, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) set the captives free from their ownership, and they began running on the roads.‘Umar asked his son, ‘Abdullah, to find out what was happening! He looked and asked why they were walking on the roads, thus, he learnt that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had set the captives free. Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered his son to set free the slave girls whom the Messenger ﷺhad given him from the one-fifth share.This was an excellent example to follow what the Prophet ﷺ had done.After all, they were the most eager of people to follow him and pursue his guidance.
The words of the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)are that the Messenger of Allahﷺ did not perform ‘Umrah starting from al-Ji’raanah, and had he performed ‘Umrah from there, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would have known about it.Al-Ji’raanah is a place between al-Taaif and Makkah.It is closer to Makkah, being about 20 km north-east of it.It is narrated in the authentic hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ performed ‘Umrah from there when had finished conquering Hunayn and al-Taaif [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].That was in the eighth year of the Hijrah.Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and a sizeable number of companions did not know about this because the Prophet ﷺassumed the Ihraam for ‘Umrah and only a few companions accompanied him.Heﷺ left al-Ji’raanah at night, performed ‘Umrah at night, and then returned;hence, his ‘Umrah was unnoticed by a large number of people, as narrated by an-Nasaa’ee, Ahmad and others.
This hadeeth encourages us to fulfil a permissible vow, even if a long time has passed, and that whoever makes a vow free from polytheism before he embraces Islam; then after he embraces Islam, he should fulfil his vow.
It shows that it is permissible to make a vow regarding performing seclusion in the Masjid (‘itikaaf).
It also highlights the prompt response of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to obey the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ.
It teaches us to accept the good news that becomes widespread, even if a reliable person never heard of it..

3147

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik:When Allah favoured His Messengerﷺ with the properties of Hawaazin tribe as booty, he started giving to some men from Quraysh even up to one-hundred camels each, whereupon some men from the Ansaar said about Allah's Messenger “May Allah forgive His Messenger! He is giving to (men of) Quraysh and leaves us while it is our swords that are still dropping blood (of the disbelievers)" When Allah's Messengerﷺwas informed of what they had said, heﷺ called the Ansaar and gathered them in a leather tent and did not call anybody else along, with them. When they gathered, Allah's Messengerﷺcame to them and said, "What is the statement which, I have been informed, and that which you have said?" The learned ones among them replied," O Allah's Messenger!The wise ones amongst us did not say anything, but the youngsters amongst us said, 'May Allah forgive His Messenger; he gives the people of Quraysh and leaves the Ansaar, in spite of the fact that our swords are still dribbling (wet) with the blood of the infidels.' " Allah's Messengerﷺreplied, I give to such people as are still close to the period of infidelity (i.e. they have recently embraced Islam and Faith is still weak in their hearts). Won't you be pleased to see people go with fortune, while you return with Allah's Messengerﷺto your houses? By Allah, what you will return with, is better than what they are returning with." The Ansaar replied, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger! We are satisfied' Then the Prophetﷺsaid to them." You will find after me, others being preferred to you. Then be patient till you meet Allah and meet His Messenger at Al-Kawthar (i.e. a fount in Paradise)." (Anas added:) But we did not remain patient.
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was keen to have all people enter Islam, the religion of Allah.He ﷺused to treat people as he saw in their best interests,i.e.if wealth was suitable for someone, he would give him wealth, and if his closeness would suit someone, he would bring him closer to him, and so on.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that a group of people from the Ansaar said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ when Allah bestowed upon him the booty from Hawaazin– which is an Arab tribe - in the 8th year of Hijrah,he ﷺ embarked on giving some men of Quraysh a hundred camels in order to create a stronger bondintheir hearts towards Islam, as they happened to be the leaders of their people.When the Ansaar - who are the people of al-Madeenah - saw what the Prophet ﷺ had done, they felt uneasy about it or they became jealous; they perceived in themselves that they were more entitled to this wealth.So they said, “May Allah forgive the Messenger of Allah ﷺ,” as if they saw it as a mistake for which he ought to be forgiven by Allah, or they said this in a way to show the intensity of their love for him, so that they could avoid frankly saying,‘He made a mistake.’Their justification was that the swords of the Ansaar were the ones that fought with him, and the blood of Quraysh was still on their swordsfrom the wars that took place between them for them to enter Islam. It is as if they wanted him to give them the booty also as he gave it to those men from Quraysh, and as if those who said this grieved and sensed that the Prophet ﷺhad begun leaning toward his family and his tribe of Quraysh, and favouring them by giving gifts.The Messenger of Allah ﷺ learned about what they said.It is said that Sa’d ibn ‘Ubaadah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him of what these men said.The Prophet ﷺ sent a messenger to Ansaar to call them over, assembled them under a tent made of skin, and did not allow anyone else in apart from them, because the invitation was to the Ansaar only.When they had congregated, the Prophet ﷺcame to them asking, “What is the news that has reached me?”He was inquiring from them about what they had said. The understanding men – those who were sensible and wise – said, “Those who are the most opinionated people amongst us – these are the intellectuals and those possessing comprehension – O Messenger of Allah, have not uttered a single word about this.As for those young ones who possess the minimal intellectual ability, they said, ‘May Allah forgive the Messenger of Allah; he gives booty to Quraysh and leaves the Ansaar, while our swords are still dropping droplets of their blood!’” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied to them, “I do give the booty to some men who are very close to the time of their disbelief,” meaning he wanted to harmonize them and strengthen Islam in their hearts; thus, he gave them the wealth; and not because they were from Quraysh, or because of other reasons.
Thereafter, heﷺ told them – thereby giving them glad tidings and expounding his love and his preference of them to others among the Muslims, “Are you not happy that people take the wealth with them.”They take it to their houses and family members, “and you return to your tents and houses with the Messenger of Allah?”That is better than wealth.Then he took an oath saying, “By Allah!What you are returning with,” what you are returning with to your houses and city, “is better than what they are returning with,” these other people who are returning with the wealth.At this point, the Ansaar came to know their high status with the Prophet ﷺ.Their status was far greater than everyone who took the wealth, and this comforted their hearts.They replied, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah!We are pleased.”The Prophet ﷺ then told them, “You will definitely see extreme favouritism after me,” meaning they would witness tyranny inflicted against them and depeivation of the wealth and rights due to them i.e.the leades would end up giving others undue wealth and power.Thereafter, heﷺ said, “Remain patient until you meet Allah, and you meet His Messenger on the Pond.”It means to remain patient over what you will encounter after me in the world until you meet me at the Pond on the Day of Judgment, safely from any competition and mutual hatred in the debris of the world, when you will be given your rewards in full from Allah Almighty.You will then succeed with great rewards for the patience exercised in the world.The Pond of the Prophet ﷺ is a big pond of water to where the believers will go to drink therefrom in the plains of the Day of Judgement.In a narration of Muslim, they replied, “We will remain patient” on the harms.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked, “We did remain patient on the favouritism and tyranny as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded us to do”.
From the benefits of this hadeeth, we can conclude that it is permissible to give the booty to new Muslims and also give them whatever is of the same meaning from the state funds, in order to win their hearts and grant them steadfastness on Islam.
The hadeeth highlights the virtue of the Ansaar, and the special relationship of the Prophet ﷺ with the Anssar, and their special relationship with the Prophetﷺ.
It encourages people toendure the tyranny of leaders and their preference for unworthy people.
The hadeeth affirms the water basin for the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement.

3150

Narrated `Abdullah:On the day (of the battle) of Hunayn, Allah's Messengerﷺfavoured some people in the distribution of the booty (to the exclusion of others); he gave Al-Aqra' ibn Haabis one-hundred camels and he gave 'Uyaynah the same amount, and also gave to some of the eminent Arabs, giving them preference in this regard. A man n came and said, "By Allah, justice has not been observed in this distribution, nor has Allah's Pleasure been aimed at." I said (to him), "By Allah, I will inform the Prophet (of what you have said), "I went and informed him, and he said, "If Allah and His Messenger did not act justly, who else would act justly. May Allah be merciful to Moses, for he was harmed with more than this, yet he kept patient."
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Commentary : The Prophetﷺ was keen to see all people enter Islam, the religion of Allah.Heﷺ would invite the leaders and those who held influential positions in their communities and would win their hearts, in the hope of their entrance into Islam and that their people would follow suit and enter Islam and remain steadfast on it.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that the Prophet ﷺspecified some people and granted them preference in the distribution of the spoils.He gave them extraat the Battle of Hunayn, which occurred in the eighth year of the Hijrah.Hunayn is a valley that is three miles away from Makkah.This battle occurred against the people of Taaif, namely the tribes of Hawaazin and Thaqeef.He gave al-Aqra’ ibn Haabis – one whose heart it was desirable to win – a hundred camels.He gave ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazaaree the same amount, and he gave some other people among the notables of the Arabs.He gave them precedence and preference over others among those who had stronger faith, were veterans in companionship, and were enduring in trials due to their faith.A man said when he witnessed this, “By Allah, verily, this distribution contains no fairness and nor has the happiness of Allah has been intended thereby.”The statement of this man levelled an accusation at the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him) heard him saying this; thus,he swore that he would inform the Messenger of Allah about it. That was because the person spoke whilst backbiting the Prophet ﷺ, which is indicative of the corruption found in the heart of this man.That was because he did not head to the Prophet ﷺ with his opinion for the Prophet ﷺ to explain to him the wisdom behind it or to reassess himself if he had really made a mistake.When the Prophet ﷺ learnt about it, he became unhappy – as it has been mentioned in Saheeh Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Who will be fair if Allah and His Messenger are not fair?”This statement shows that what the Messenger of Allah did was from the command of Allah and that he was only applying the orders of his Lord.Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ said, “May Allah have mercy on Moses(peace be upon him).He was harmed by people with more than this,” meaning, more than what I have been annoyed and harmed with.“He remained patient.” We have an excellent example in him, as he was taken out of Egypt and exiled,andthereafter, Allah granted him victory over his enemy and brought forth for him signs before his people.Despite this, they opposed him in many issues, andhe remained patient over them.Some of the prophets (peace be upon them) are consoled by others.The Prophet ﷺ consoled himself by Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) in his perseverance over his people.He remained patient over this person.
Thishadeeth reveals the Prophet’s ﷺforbearance, and it teaches us to ignore the ignorant person.
It highlights the virtue of Prophet Moses(peace be upon him) and indicates consolation by those who have passed away among the righteous counterparts.
It shows that it is permitted to narrate a statement that is not good when it is stated if itis transmitted out of one’s fervour for the truth, so its utterer is known and is warned against..

3153

Narrated `Abdullah ibn Mughaffal(may Allah be pleased with him): While we were besieging the fort of Khaybar, a person threw a leather container containing fat, and I ran to take it, but when I turned, I saw the Prophet (standing behind), so I felt embarrassed in front of him.
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Commentary : The fortress of Khaybar was a fortress of the Jews.The Prophet ﷺ left to fight them in the seventh year of the Hijrah.In this war, many injunctions were revealed concerning the issues pertaining to the spoils and special booty, cultivation on lands and so on.The Prophet ﷺ clarified what is allowed and what is disallowed during these events.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that during the encirclement of the fortress of Khaybar, someone threw a bag containing fat. The Arabic word Jiraab signifies a container made of leather. ‘Fat’ means fat grease. ‘Abdullah says, “I ran quickly to take it,” meaning, I jumped quickly to grab it and take it for myself.‘Abdullah turned and saw the Prophet ﷺ looking at him. So,he (may llah be pleased of him) felt shy of him,andrealisedthat he # wanted it.
The narration in Saheeh Muslim indicates the Prophet’s approval and affirmation of his taking it as it contains that he ﷺ smiled when he saw him.
This amount of food is allowed for the soldiers to take according to their needs without wasting it and hoarding it. If one has enough to sustain him, then he should not take anything extra above that. This allowance is fine, despite there being prohibition from embezzlement in other things of the spoils such as clothing and animals, so that they are not used up or kept from the one who is entitled tohis share.
This hadeethserves as evidence that consuming the fats of the animals slaughtered by the people of the Book are permessible;even if its consumption isprohibited for them, it is allowed for us.Had it been prohibited, the Prophet ﷺ would have reprimanded him from taking it and notified him of its prohibition..

3154

Narrated Ibn `Umar:In our battles, we used to acquire honey and grapes, as war booty which we would eat and would not store.
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Commentary : Fighting in the path of Allah is the top part of the hump [the pinnacle] of Islam.Allah permitted the spoils of war and fighting for hisProphet ﷺ.Conversely, He has prohibited embezzlement of the spoils, apart from the fact that the fighter is allowed to take what food from the spoils he may urgently require.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that they used to acquire honey and grapes in their wars from the wealth of those they used to fight with and from their items of benefit.The one who acquired it would take it and eat it due to their necessity for food and drink, and they did not report that to the Prophet ﷺas being among the wealth set aside for distribution.
This allowance concerns the food and drinksthat the warriors need, without wasting it or hoarding it. One who has a sufficient amount with him, then he should avoid taking anything more above the required amount.But there is a prohibition in place of embezzlement of items of spoils such as clothes and animals;this also ensures that they are not used up and wasted for the ones who ought to receive them.
This hadeeth expounds the facilitation of Islam concerning some items of war, by taking into account the circumstances of the fighters in the way of Allah..

3155

Narrated Ibn Abi `Awfaa (may Allah be pleased with him): We were afflicted with famine during the besiege of Khaybar, and when it was the day of (the battle of) Khaybar, we slaughtered the domestic donkeys and when the pots got boiling (with their meat), Allah's Messenger made an announcement that all the pots should be upset and that nobody should eat anything of the meat of the donkeys. We thought that the Prophetﷺprohibited that because the one fifth share had not been taken out of the booty (i.e. donkeys); other people said, "He prohibited eating them for ever." The sub-narrator added, "I asked Sa’eed ibn Jubayr who said, 'He has made the eating of donkeys' meat illegal definitely and indefinitely [always].”
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Commentary : Allah has legislated, for His servants, laws that take their interests into account and has legislated what is good for them in their religion and worldly affairs.Henceforth, Allah, the Sublime, has permitted for them the good and pure things to eat and prohibited them from those things that contain harm to them.Many events occurred during the battle of Khaybar wherein provisions relating to that which is lawful and that which is forbiddenfrom food, drink, spoils and so on were revealed.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Awfaa (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Muslims were hit by famine, that is, situations of extreme hunger - due to lack of food, and that was during the Khaybar invasion, in the seventh year of the Hijrah.Khyber was a town inhabited by the Jews, 153 km away from al-Madeenah, toward the north on the road to the Levant.The Jews had gathered there, so the Prophet ﷺ wanted to secure al-Madeenah from their evil.
When it was the day of the Battle of Khaybar and the forts were conquered,and the Muslim army entered the town, they confiscated the domesticated donkeys used by humans for their needs.They slaughtered them with knives at their slaughterhouse and cooked them, without the permission of the Prophet ﷺ.When the pots started boiling with meat inside, a crier for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, was Aboo Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), proclaimed, “Overturn the pots,” meaning that the Prophetﷺ had commanded them to empty the pots with their contents and that they should not taste anything of the meat of the domestic donkeys.
‘Abdullah ibn Abee Awfaa relates that some of the Companions said,“The Prophet ﷺ forbade it because the fifth share was not taken from it.”Some others said thatthe Prophetﷺ forbade it “definitely and indefinitely [always].”This is the position which the Follower Sa’eed ibn Jubayr settled on, and he stated, “The Prophet ﷺ prohibited it forever.”
This hadeeth shows that it is forbidden to eat the meat of domesticated donkeys, and it demonstrates hastening to change the evil and to remove it when it appears..

3156

Narrated `Amr ibn Dinaar:I was sitting with Jaabir ibn Zayd and `Amr ibn Aws;so Bajaalahnarrated to them while they were sitting at the steps of Zamzamthat in the year 70 after Hijrah, Mus`ab ibn Al-Zubayr was the leader of the pilgrims of Basrah. He added: I was the clerk of Jaz’ ibn Mu’aawiyyah, the paternal uncle of al-Ahnaf. A letter came from `Umar ibn Al-Khattab(may Allah be pleased with him) one year before his death, which contained the following: " Separate between each relative among the Magians " `Umar did not take the Jizyah from the Magian infidels till `Abd al-Rahmaan ibn `Awf testified that Allah's Messengerﷺhad taken the Jizyah from the Magians of Hajar.
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ and those after him from the Rightly Guided Caliphs would send out missions, companies, and armies, in order to spread Islam, especially after the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah, and after the conquest of Makkah. Whoever made a treaty with them and entered Islam, his blood and wealth were protected.However, whoever opposed and did not enter it, they were given a choice between paying the Jizyah or fighting.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Amr ibn Dinaar reports that he was sitting with Jaabir ibn Zayd and ‘Amr ibn Aws. Bajaalah ibn ‘Abdah– who was among the senior Tab’een – mentioned a narration that happened in the year seventy of the Hijrah.That was the year in which Mus’ab ibn al-Zubayr, the governor of Iraq, performed the Hajj on behalf of his brother, ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr, who had taken over the caliphate then and was ruling most of the Islamic Lands.Mus’ab performed Hajj with the people of Basrah.Bajaalah ibn ‘Abdah mentioned the narration at the steps of Zamzam.These were special steps then situated at the well of Zamzam down which it was descended to the bottom of the well to draw out the water.He said, “I used to be the scribe of Jiz’ ibn Mu’aawiyah, the paternal uncle of al-Ahnaf ibn Qays.He was the governor of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) over al-Ahwaaz in the eastern region of Iraq.The letter of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) came to us a year before his death,” in other words, in the year twenty-two of the Hijrah, that is because ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was martyred in the year twenty-three of the Hijrah.The order was: “Separate between each relative among the Magi (who were fire worshipers).” This could carry the meaning ofcancelling the marriages conducted between the close relatives among them(marriages that are regarded as illegal in Islam: a relative of this sort being called Mahram.So, aman would be separated from his mother or a brother away from his sister so as to prevent them from making apparent this aspect of their religion.This is similar to his stipulation for the Christians to stop displaying their cross and creed so that the weak Muslims were not tempted thereby and so that the symbols of disbelief did not enjoy emergence or superiority under Islam.
Then he reported that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take the Jizyah from the Magians. Jizyah is a specific small amount that was taken from non-Muslims under the protection of the Muslim state and others.It was named thus as a recompense for protecting their blood.‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was of the opinion that it should only be taken from the People of the Book, the Jews and Christians, until ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf witnessed that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to collect it from the Magi of Hajar; these were a people of Bahrain.In those days the term Bahrain was used to geographically encompass Bahrain, as well as al-Ahsaa and al-Qateef in the eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.These areas were conquered in the time of the Prophet ﷺ, in the eighth or the tenth year of the Hijrah at the hands of al-‘Alaa ibn al-Hadramee.
This hadeeth shows that the honour of Islam and its symbols should be manifested, and the display of the rituals and customs of the infidels in the lands of Islam should be prevented.
It shows that the Jizyah is taken from the People of the Book and from the Magi as well.
It teaches us to only resort to the rulings that Allah and His Messenger ﷺhave dictated and never go beyond them. .

3158

Narrated `Amr ibn `Awf Al-Ansaaree: Allah's Messengerﷺsent Aboo 'Ubaydah ibn Al-Jarraah to Bahrain to collect the Jizyah. Allah's Messengerﷺhad established peace with the people of Bahrain and appointed Al-`Alaa' ibn Al-Hadramee as their governor. When Aboo 'Ubaydah came from Bahrain with the money, the Ansaar heard of Aboo 'Ubaydah's arrival which coincided with the time of the Fajr prayer with the Prophetﷺ. When Allah's Messengerﷺled them in the Fajr prayer and finished, the Ansaar approached him, and he looked at them and smiled on seeing them and said, "I feel that you have heard that Aboo. 'Ubaydah has brought something?" They said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger! He said, "Rejoice and hope for what will please you! By Allah, I am not afraid of your poverty, but I am afraid that you will lead a life of luxury as past nations did, whereupon you will compete with each other for it, as they competed for it, and it will destroy you as it destroyed them."
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Commentary : Poverty and prosperity are both trials from Allah; Exalted is He, and tribulations with which Allah tests His chosen servants so that the forbearance of those who are patient and the gratitude of the grateful are revealed.The Prophet ﷺ used to seek Allah’s protection from poverty and used to warn about the temptations of richness and wealth.
In this hadeeth, ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf al-Muzanee reports that the Messenger of Allahﷺ sent Aboo ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarraah (may Allah be pleased with him) to Bahrain to bring its Jizyah.This is the tax that was imposed on the Magi, who were among its residents in lieu of leaving them to live peacefully and granting them protection after he had made a pact with them on that.Bahrain in those days was a term used for a vast land that covers present-day Bahrain, as well as al-Ahsaa and al-Qateef, situated in the eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.This area was conquered in the eighth year of the Hijrah.The Prophet ﷺ appointed al-Munthiribn Saawa as the governor of the region.Then, when he passed away, the Prophet ﷺ appointed al-‘Alaa ibn al-Hadramee as the governor.
When Aboo ‘Ubaydah brought this wealth, it happened to coincide with the time of Fajr, when the people attended the prayers.After the Prophet ﷺ completed the prayer and turned away from it and turned to the people, the Ansaar presented themselves in front of him.It was as if they requested something through this gesture due to their being well aware of the Prophet’s noble character.They wanted to distribute the wealth brought by Aboo ‘Ubaydah between them.They did that at that time because they were overburdened by the dire need and hunger which they endured, and not because of their greediness for worldly pleasures or for their interest in it.The Prophet ﷺ understood what they wanted, and he smiled, and then he said, “I think you have heard that Aboo ‘Ubaydah has brought something?”They replied, “Of course, O Messenger of Allah.”Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Receive good news and be anticipating”i.e. be hopeful of what will please you.This is a kind of calming them down from the hardship which they were in, and good news for them by hastening the prosperity upon them.
Then heﷺswore by Allah that he did not worry about poverty afflicting them; however, he feared that the world wouldbe offered to them, meaning prosperity and excessive wealth, as it was offered to those nations before them.Thereafter they may engage in acquiring it, which could lead to their downfall, due to conflicts concerning it, inclination towards it and engagement with it by turning away from the hereafter, as happened to the nations before them.
In this statement, there is a warning about what would happen in the future, and allthat the Prophet ﷺ informed of really happened.Their economy prospered and they became affluent afterwards; hence, mutual jealousy and in-fighting occurred. All thattestifies to the truthfulness of the information that the Prophetﷺ foretold.
This hadeeth shows that there is no aberration in seeking gifts from the leader, and that the ruler should give good news to his followers and should expand their hopes.
It highlights that competition in worldly matters may drag one to the destruction of one’s religion..

3159

Narrated Jubayr ibn Haiyyah: `Umar sent the Muslims to theoutskirts ofbig cities to fight the disbelievers. When Al-Hurmuzaan embraced Islam, `Umar said to him. "I would like to consult you regarding these cities which I intend to invade." Al-Hurmuzaan said, "Yes, the example of these cities and their inhabitants who are the enemies of the Muslims, is like a bird with a head, two wings and two legs; if one of its wings got broken, it would get up over its two legs, with one wing and the head; and if the other wing got broken, it would get up with two legs and a head, but if its head got destroyed, then the two legs, two wings and the head would become useless. The head stands for Khosrau, and one wing stands for Caesar and the other wing stands for Persia. So, order the Muslims to go towards Khosrau." So, `Umar sent us (to Khosrau) appointing Al-Nu`maan ibn Muqrin as our commander. When we reached the land of the enemy, the representative of Khosrau came out with forty-thousand warriors, and an interpreter got up saying, "Let one of you talk to me!" Al-Mugheerah replied, "Ask whatever you wish." The other asked, "Who are you?" Al-Mugheerah replied, "We are some people from the Arabs; we led a hard, miserable, disastrous life: we used to suck the hides and the date stones from hunger; we used to wear clothes made up of fur of camels and hair of goats, and to worship trees and stones. While we were in this state, the Lord of the Heavens and the Earths, Elevated is His Remembrance and Majestic is His Highness, sent to us from among ourselves a Prophet whose father and mother are known to us. Our Prophet, the Messenger of our Lord, has ordered us to fight you till you worship Allah alone or give Jizyah (i.e. tribute); and our Prophet has informed us that our Lord says:-- “Whoever amongst us is killed (i.e. martyred), shall go to Paradise to lead such a luxurious life as he has never seen, and whoever amongst us remain alive, shall become your master." Al-Nu' maan said to Al-Mugheerah, "If you had participated in a similar battle, in the company of Allah's Messengerﷺhe would not have blamed you for waiting, nor would he have disgraced you. But I accompanied Allah's Messenger in many battles, and it was his custom that if he did not fight early by daytime, he would wait till the wind had started blowing and the time for the prayer was due (i.e. after midday).
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Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Jubayr ibn Hayyah reports that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) – during his caliphate – sent fighters to the outskirts of big cities.It means that he sent them to different cities and towns to fight the polytheists. However,Hurmuzaan, one of the leaders of the Persians, whose real name was Rustum, entered Islam willingly.He embraced Islam after the Battle of al-Qaadisiyyah, which happened in the year fourteen of the Hijrah.‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) drew him closer to him and would consult him [concerning the state of affairs of the Persians].This occurred after the defeat of the Persians and after the Muslims occupied the Metropolises of Persia.‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he would consult him about these battles,i.e.the battles of Persia, Isfahan, and Azerbaijan.This was because he was more aware of their affairs than anyone else.Hurmuzaanagreed to give advice to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he gave an example about this land, meaning, about its campaign.He explained that its example in terms of the people residing in it among the enemies of the Muslims is as the example of a bird having a head, two wings, and legs.If one of the wings is clipped, the two legs with a wing and head will still stand up to move.If the other wing is clipped, then the two legs and the head will still stand up to move forward. However, if it is slaughtered (meaning beheaded), then the two legs, the wings, and the head become immobile, the whole body will become useless.If the head is removed, everything else will fall apart.The head here was Kosrae;one wing was Caesar (Qaysar), the emperor of the Romans, and the other wing was the Persians.Then, he gave advice to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to command the Muslims to set out to fight and to start the fight withKosrae, as he was the head, and his beheading would entail clipping the two wings.
When it was the twentieth year of the Hijrah, ‘Umar took the warriors out to battle and appointed al-Nu’maan ibn Muqarrin (may Allah be pleased with him) as their commander.The army set out at night until they had entered the land of the enemy, Nahawand. Now it is an Iranian city which is situated in the highlands toward the south of the Zagros Mountains.The governor of Kosrae came out to attack them – he was known as Bundaar – in an army of forty thousand strong men from the people of the Persian mountains and Kerman (which is now an Iranian city which is situated in the central region of the country), and with the people of other regions too, such as Nahawand and Isfahan (Isfahan is now an Iranian city and the provincial capital of the province of Isfahan, 340 km away from Tehran).A hundred and ten thousand enemy soldiers set out to counterattack the Muslim army.A translator stood up and said, “A spokesperson should speak to me.”Al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah replied, “Ask whatever you wish to ask.”He asked him, “Who are you, people?” He asked purposefully in the context of a person who somehow does not know them with the intention of belittling them. Al-Mugheerah answered, “We are a people from the Arabs who were once in anunfortunate state and in severe calamity.We would suck the skins (meaning the skins of the animals [to survive]).”This is a metaphor for having very little food and he meant thereby hunger.“We would wear wool.”That is a metaphor for having very little clothing.“We used to worship trees and stones.”This is an expression for their severe ignorance.They remained in that state until the Exalted and Mightily Majestic Lord of the earths and heavens, “sent a Prophet amongst us, whose father and mother were known to us.”This means they were fully aware of the family tree of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.He meant thereby to venerate the Messenger of Allahﷺ and to exalt him and purify him from the belief that he came to create bloodbath.“Our Prophet and the Messenger of Our Lord ﷺ commanded us to fight you until you worship Allah Alone or that you pay us the Jizyah.”The Persians used to be Magi, worshipping fire.
He continued, “Our Prophet ﷺ has transmitted to us the message from Our Lord that anyone amongst us killed in fighting for the cause of Allah, then he goes to the bliss in Paradise, and no Paradise of that sort has ever been seen before. As for the one who stays alive amongst us and has not been martyred, then he attains victory and owns your necks (you) by imprisoning you.”In this statement, there is an indication that a Muslim fights until he attains either victory or martyrdom.
Al-Nu’maan (may Allah be pleased with him) delayed the fighting, while al-Mugheerah wanted to fight straight after his statement with theinterpreter.Al-Nu’maan told al-Mugheerah, “Perhaps Allah has made you witness,”i.e. made you present in a similar situation, in other words, in such a tense situation with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. However,he ﷺdid not make you regret regarding the prudence and forbearance exercised during the hardship you encountered with him.He did not humiliate and degrade you. I witnessed fighting with the Messenger of Allahﷺ in many battles which he set out for.If he did not fight in the beginning of the day at sunrise, then he would wait until winds would start to blow, until the prayers would come after the inclination of the sun at noonday,” that is the disappearance of the intensity of the heat.That was part of the Prophetic kindness towards the army and soldiers, so that they were able to fight better in more temperate weather conditions.According to Aboo Dawood, “… thereafter, the divine help of victory would descend.”That manoeuvre would be part of the causes of the victory (divine help) which Allah has promised His servants.
This hadeeth shows that it is allowed to take the Jizyah from the Magi.
It highlights the merits of al-Numaan ibn al-Muqarrin(may Allah be pleased with him) and reveals the military expertise of al-Mugheerah ibn Shu’bah, and his strength, magnanimity, eloquence, and articulation.
It expounds the virtue of consultation, and that there is no wrong for someone who is of a higher status to consult someone who is below him in status.
It also contains exemplification in order to clarify the intent of speech.
It shows the necessity to take the causes of the victory during war and facing the enemy..

3163

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):Once the Prophetﷺcalled the Ansaar to grant them part of the land of Bahrain. On that they said, "No! By Allah, we will not accept it unless you grant a similar thing to our brothers from Quraysh as well." He said, "That will be theirs if Allah wishes." But when the Ansaar persisted in their request, he said, "After me, you will see others given preference over you in this respect (in which case) you should be patient till you meet me at the Pond (of Al-Kawthar).
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺappreciated and recognized the value and worth of everyone among the Emigrantsand the Ansaar.Heﷺ would advise them tolook after each other so as to maintain the brotherhood and bondsand help each otherto remain on the truth.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that the Prophet ﷺcalled the Ansaar in order to appoint for each one of them a portion feudally from the Jizyah and the land tax in Bahrain.It does not mean making them owners of the lands because the land conquered through a peace treaty cannot be distributed and feudally divided.The Prophet ﷺ had made a peace treaty with the people of Bahrain and imposed on them Jizyah.The area of Bahrain was considered to include what is now known as Bahrain, as well as al-Ahsaa and al-Qateef, situated in the eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.The Ansaar replied, “No, by Allah.We will not accept until it is also written for our Emigrant brothers from the Quraish whatever is going to be allocated for us.”This was not in opposition to the command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; rather they had understood that the Prophetﷺ intended to repay their kindness, and their statement was due to selflessness and their love for the Emigrants. The Prophet ﷺ replied, “That will be theirs if Allah wills it.”In a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, it says, “That was not with the Prophet ﷺ”i.e.the Prophet ﷺ did not haveat that time enough to give the Emigrants like what he wanted to allocate for the Ansaar.It was also said that the meaning is that the Prophet ﷺ did not want to do [what the Ansaar were kindly proposing for the Emigrants], because he had already divided the lands of banoo al-Nadeer for the Emigrants earlier.However, the Ansaar were insistent that the Prophet ﷺ prescribe that for the Emigrants first, to the extent that the Prophet ﷺ had to say to them, “You will see [favouritism] after me,”from the rulers who will favor themselves over the Ansaar with the worldly things, will favour others over them, and will not give them a large portion in state affairs,“hence, remain patient until you meet me at the Pond” wherein they will receive great rewards and abundant recompense, which will be inlieu of this favouritism. The Pond of the Prophet ﷺ is a huge collection of water where the believers will go to get water on the plains of the Day of Judgement.In the narration of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) states, “However, we could not forbear” the favouritism and tyranny as the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had commanded us to do.
This hadeeth highlights the selflessness of the Ansaar,how they gave preference to others over themselves and kindly exceeded the bounds in generosity.
It encourages us to remain forbearing during calamities, and it affirms the Pond (Pond) for the Prophet ﷺ on the Day of Judgement..

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.

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

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

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

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

Book of Hadith