Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺsaid, "Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the scnent of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years.".

Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has commanded the believers to honour contracts and fulfil covenants.He, the Glorified, says, {And fulfil the covenant of Allah when you have taken it. [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation.}[Quran 16:91].For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ warned in this hadeeth the one who kills a person with whom a covenant has been made – that is a person who enters the abode of Islam with assurances of safety and protection – that he will not smell the fragrance of Paradise,and its fragrance can be smelled from as far as the distance of travelling forty years.It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, “… the fragrance of Paradise can be found at a distance of seventy years.” [Sunan al-Tirmithee].Other narrations reported something else, distance-wise.The different versions of the hadeeth have been reconciled to conclude thateach distance depends on thedifferences in people, deeds, and variations in ranks. That is to say, some people will sense its fragrance from as far as the distance of a thousand years,while others will sense its fragrance from a distance of forty years, and for others, from a range in between these distances.All of these narrations describe a long distance.
This hadeeth warns against betraying the covenants made with non-Muslims.
It shows that Paradise is for those who fulfil covenants and those who do not betray them..

3169

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): When Khaybar was conquered, a roasted poisoned sheep was presented to the Prophetﷺas a gift (by the Jews). The Prophetﷺordered, "Let all the Jews who have been here, be assembled before me." The Jews were collected, and the Prophetﷺsaid (to them), "I am going to ask you a question. Will you tell the truth?" They said, "Yes." The Prophetﷺasked, "Who is your father?" They replied, "So-and-so." He said, "You have told a lie; your father is so-and-so." They said, "You are right." He said, "Will you now tell me the truth, if I ask you about something?" They replied, "Yes, O Aboo Al-Qaasim; and if we should tell a lie, you can realize our lie as you have done regarding our father." On that he asked, "Who are the people of the (Hell) Fire?" They said, "We shall remain in the (Hell) Fire for a short period, and after that you will replace us." The Prophetﷺsaid, "You may be cursed and humiliated in it! By Allah, we shall never replace you in it." Then he asked, "Will you now tell me the truth if I ask you a question?" They said, "Yes, O Aboo Al-Qaasim." He asked, "Have you poisoned this sheep?" They said, "Yes." He asked, "What made you do so?" They said, "We wanted to know if you were a liar in which case, we would get rid of you, and if you are a prophet then the poison would not harm you."
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Commentary : The Jews constantly displayed much hatred against the Prophet ﷺfrom the moment he was sent as a Prophet and his migration to al-Madeenah,such that they attempted to assassinate him on several occasions.
Inthis hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenAllah allowed the Muslimsto conquer Khaybar in the seventh year of the Hijrah,the Prophet ﷺ intended to protect al-Madeenah from the evil of the Jews who had assembled there. Khaybar was a town in which the Jews used to reside, 153 km away from al-Madeenah, northwards in the direction of the Levant.
As their envy and hatred increased further,a woman from amongst them sent the Prophet ﷺ a gift of lamb containing poison – the name of this woman was Zaynab bint al-Haarith, the wife of Sallaam ibn Mishkam, and the sister of Murahhab(who had been killed during the conquest of Khaybar). In preparation for the assassination, she had asked earlier, “Which part of the lamb is most beloved to him?”She was answered, “The shoulder.” So,she placed more poison in it.When heﷺ partook of the shoulder, he chewed a morsel thereof in his mouth but did not swallow it.It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) that Bishr ibn al-Baraa(may Allah be pleased with him) ate with the Prophetﷺ from that lamb, and he swallowed his morsel [Sunan Aboo Dawood].
When the Prophetﷺ came to learn about the poison, he commanded his Companions to stop eating and then ordered the Jews who were present to stand before him,as they were suspected concerning the poison. The Prophet ﷺ said, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They responded, “Of course.”He asked them a few questions to discover their lies thereafter.He asked them, “Who is your father?” They replied, “So-and-so,” mentioning the name of a person who happened not to be their father in reality.The Prophet ﷺ said, “You have lied. Actually, your father is so-and-so,” that is the Prophet of Allah, Jacob the son of Prophet Abraham, peace be upon them. They replied, “You have spoken the truth.”Again, the Prophetﷺ asked, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They replied, “Of course, Abooal-Qaasim!If we lie, you will recognise our lie, as you recognised about our father.”The Prophet ﷺ asked them, “Who are the dwellers of the fire?”They replied that they would remain therein for a little while, then the Muslims would follow them therein, after the Jews exiting it. The Prophet ﷺrebuked them for making such a statement and ordered them todesist from making this false claim, and informed them that they are more rightful to be disgraced, humiliated, and receive the punishment of the fire, and how evil is that place to stay.He ﷺstated that the Muslims would never follow them(as they will remain therein forever).As for our disobedient ones, their stay is limited and temporary, and they will not abide therein forever.Then, heﷺ asked, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They replied, “Of course, Abooal-Qaasim!”He asked them about the reason for placing poison in the lamb.They replied, “We wanted to seek assurance of your prophethood.If you were a liar, you would die straight away from that poison, thus we would gain relief from you and from what you claim.If you were truthful in your prophethood, then that poison would not hurt you and cause you any harm, as Allah would protect you.”
This hadeeth shows that Allah showed to the Prophet ﷺregarding some events from the unseen.
It shows the betrayal of the Jews and their mistreatment of the prophets.
Itdemonstrates the rebellion of the Jews and their lies..

3176

Narrated `Awf ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): I went to the Prophetﷺduring the Battle of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, "Count six signs before the advent of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep, the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given one hundred Dinars, he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape, and then a truce between you and the people of yellow (i.e. the Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers.
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Commentary : Allah supported the Prophet ﷺand informed him of some of the events that would occur before the establishment of the Last Hour. These are signs that will take place before its establishment so that we can be preparedand do as many good deeds as possible before we meet Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
In this hadeeth, ‘Awf ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he came to the Prophet ﷺ during the Battle of Tabuk, which happened in the ninth year of the Hijrah.Tabuk is a city located in the farthest north region of the Arabian Peninsula, right in the middle of the road to Damascus, which is 1252 km away from the Hijaaz.This was the last battle which the Messenger of Allah ﷺfought himself against the Romans.‘Awf found the Prophet ﷺ seated in a tent made of tanned leather.The Prophet ﷺ told him, “Count six things before the advent of the [Last] Hour,” meaning six signs that will appear before the establishment of the Last Hour.Among its closest signswas the demise of the Prophet ﷺ, then the conquest of Jerusalem, which was fully realised in the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him).He then added, “Two kinds of death,” that is a pandemic that will be endemic amongst the people,and it will be like the ‘Qu’aas’ of the sheep, a disease that attacks sheep whereby something flows from form their noses, and they die on the spot.This reality happened during the plague of ‘Amwaas, wherein seventy thousand people died within three days.After heﷺ said, “The overflowing of wealth and its abundance”, to the extent that a person will be given a hundred Dinars, yet he will be unpleased and will not be content with it, because he will think that it is too little, and he will belittle that amount. He further said, “The trial”,which is a test and tribulation that will lead to in-fighting and chaotic situationssuch that no house of the Arabs would be saved from it, but rather this trial would penetrate it and cause it harm.
He then said, “Then there will be a peace treaty between you and the people of yellow,” which refers to the Romans, anddenotes a reconciliation or ceasefire. However, they would not fulfil the covenant, and they would betray the Muslims and break the peace treaty.Hence, they would come to fight the Muslims under eighty banners. Under each flag, there would be twelve thousand soldiers.
This hadeeth highlights some of the signs concerning the proximity of the advent of the Last Hour, some of which have already happened.
Itdemonstrates a sign among the signs of the prophethood of the Messenger ﷺ..

3180

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): "What will your state be when you can get no Dinar or Dirham (i.e. taxes from the Dhimmis)?" on that someone asked him, "What makes you know that this state will take place, O Aboo Hurayrah?" He said, "By Him in Whose Hands Aboo Hurayrah's life is, I know it through the statement of the true and truly inspired one (i.e. the Prophet)." The people asked, "What does the statement say?" He replied, "Allah and His Messenger's asylum granted to Dhimmis will be outraged, and so Allah will make the hearts of these Dhimmis so daring that they will refuse to pay the Jizyah they will be supposed to pay.".

Commentary : Honouring contracts and covenants is one of the most important qualities of a true Muslim.The Prophet ﷺ commanded us to honour our covenants and agreements, including those with the non-Muslims and explained the drastic outcome of breaking them without any valid reason.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) warns the Muslims about breaking a covenant with the non-Muslims under the protection of Islamic law and warns about the evil outcome of subjecting them to injustice.He said to those around him among the Tab’ieen, “How would your state be if you did not take a Dinar or a Dirham from the Jizyah and the Kharaaj (land tax)?”Those around him became wonderstruck and asked him about how this could happen while knowing that the wealth of the Jizyah and Kharaaj continuously poured in towards the Muslims from everywhere!He reported to them that the Prophet ﷺ - who is truthful in his speech and who can be trusted regarding that which Jibraail (peace be upon him) informed him – said that this would happen when the Muslims flouted the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger ﷺ, and that is when the Muslims would break the covenant of Allah and of His Messenger ﷺwith the Dhimmis.They would oppress them and transgress against them; thus,they would be punished in this world before the punishment in the Hereafter, in the sense thatAllah, the Mighty and the Majestic would remove the owe and respect for Muslimsfrom people’s hearts. As a result, they would refuse to give what they possess,i.e. they would stop giving what is incumbent upon them to pay, such as the Jizyah and so on.The Muslims would be unable to take anything from them, resulting in their state becoming contracted economically.
The hadeeth exhibits a sign amongst the signs of the prophethood of the Prophetﷺ.
It shows that our adherence to the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and their covenants is the path to our salvation.The more the Muslims deviate from their commands and way, the furtherthey will fail and suffer loss.
This hadeeth shows that the Dhimmis have rights that the leader of the Muslims should enforce and protect and that they have a covenant and protection which should be fulfilled and honoured..

3191

Narrated Imran ibn Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him): I went to the Prophetﷺand tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of BaneeTameem came to the Prophetﷺwho said "O BaneeTameem! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him, and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemen, for BaneeTameem refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His Throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn al-Husayn! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering).
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Commentary : Certainly, Allah is One and Unique,and His attributes areMajestic and Perfect.The Prophet ﷺ has informed us about the beginning and the end of creation so that we can sense the grandeur of Allah, the Sublime.
In this hadeeth, ‘Imraan ibnal-Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him)reports that he once went to see the Prophet ﷺ in the Prophet’s Mosque, and before entering the Mosque, he tied his she-camel to the door. On this day,a group of people from Banoo Tameem visited the Prophet ﷺ, andheﷺ met them in a way that warms up the hearts.He ﷺ told them to accept the glad tiding of what he was saying to them;this would follow from them receiving the good news about entrance into Paradise.They replied, “You have already given us the good news; now give us something.”They repeated this twice.Their most important focus was on worldly gainsso that they did not understand well the good news given to them apart from material gifts.
Afterwards, some people from Yemen entered upon the Prophetﷺ,and he told them toaccept the glad tiding since Banoo Tameem failed to accept it.These people were from the clan al-Ash’aree from Yemen, and their response was different from that of Banee Tameem,i.e. they accepted it happily and then asked him about the universe.Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned to them about the beginning of the creation and the Throne. He ﷺinformed them that there was nothing but Allah, whoseexistence is eternal as He is without a beginning or end. Nothing existed besides Him, neither the water nor the Throne nor anything else.
His Throne was over the water, which is the Throne on which He, the Majestic, rose.It is the topmost of allthe creations and the greatest and the biggest of them all.Allah has described it asgrand in terms of size and the quality of beauty. The Prophet ﷺ added thatAllahwrote everything that will occur until the Day of Judgement, and then He created the Heavens and the Earth. In other words, Allah existed before everything, and there was nothing but Him. Then, He created the water first, and then the Throne – or He created the Throne in the upper side and the water in the lower side - and then created the Pen and the Preserved Tablet, and then the Heavens and Earth. This is the chronological order of the creation.
After, ‘Imraan relates that during this conversation, a person informed him that his she-camel had disappearedi.e.it had escaped from her rope and run away. ‘Imraan pursued her, until she had gone so far that a mirage happened to veil in front of her.Thereupon, ‘Imraan swore that he wished he had left her to disappear and remained in the gathering of the Prophet ﷺ to listen to the remaining hadeeth.
This hadeeth is an urging and encouragement to attend the gatherings of knowledge.
It highlights the virtue of learning the sacred knowledge and listening to it.
It shows that we should give precedence to seeking the sacred knowledge over seeking wealth..

3193

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Allah the Most Superior said, "The son of Adam vilifies Me, and he should not slight Me, and he disbelieves in Me, and he ought not to do so. As for his vilifiing Me, it is that he says that I have a son; and his disbelief in Me is his statement that I shall not recreate him as I have created (him) before."
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Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ reports from His Lord, the Majestic and High, that He states thatthe son of Adam vilifies Him asthey dare to attribute to Allah that which necessitates imperfection and defects.It is not allowed for anyone to describe Allah, the Sublime, with anything that may entail imperfection or defects.Then, Allah states that people disbelievein Him, whereas they ought not to disaffirm Allah, the Sublime.After, Allah, the Sublime, explains His meaning of this vilification and disaffirmation by elaborating that those who have vilified the Lord of the universe are those Jews, Christians and polytheists who have claimed that He, the Sublime, has a child.This does not befit Him, the Mighty and the Majestic, as this entails assimilation, resemblance, imperfection and need.Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic, is One, and the Only One (Unique) who {begets not and nor was he begotten and there is no one like unto Him.}[Quran 112: 3-4].Those who disaffirmed Allah are the ones who rejected the resurrection and considered it to be a distant reality whilst acknowledging that Allah is the One Who created them without having a previous template. He who created them in the beginning from nothing is able to resurrect and recreate them the second time because re-creation is an easier process!
We learn from this hadeeth that attribution of a son to Allah is an act of vilification of Allah Almighty, a rejection of His Oneness, and giving His resemblance to others besides Him, and that is an act of ascribing partners to Him (Shirk).
The hadeeth shows that rejection of resurrection is,in essence, disaffirmation of Allah Almighty and His promise.
It shows that Allah is the One Who started the creation and that it is Him who will recreate it. This confirms that the world has come into being, and also confirms the resurrection and re-creation of the humans after their demise, and that Allah is the One who will bring them back to life on the Day of Judgement, to reward them for their actions..

3195

Aboo Salamah ibn `Abd al-Rahmaan had a dispute with some people on a piece of land. He went to `Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her) and told her about it. She said, "O Aboo Salamah, avoid the land, for Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths.' ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ warned people against taking others’ property, by force or authority, unlawfully.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Aboo Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf reports that he had a dispute with some people over a piece of land. He mentioned his dispute to ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and she advised him to be cautious so that he did not take anything from it unlawfully, because the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths’”. Themeasure a of span in the hadeeth,no matter how little it is, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths on the Day of Judgment as a punishment. It is said that it means the stolen part of the earth will swallow him until his neck is encircled with it. It is also said that it means the weight of this land will be around his neck on the Day of Judgment, and it will remain like that until all the people finish their reckoning. It is mentioned in Musnad Ahmad that the Prophet ﷺ said,“The property of a Muslim that is taken unlawfully will be deprived of Allah’s blessings.”.

3199

Narrated Aboo Tharr (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺ asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {And the sun runs its fixed course for a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing} [Quran 36:38] .

Commentary : Allah has predestined everything from the beginning of creation to its end.

In this hadeeth, Aboo Tharr al-Ghafaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ asked him at the time of sunset about where the sun goes after its disappearance. Aboo Tharr replied that Allah and His Messenger know better, which is an answer that displays his politeness as he refrained from putting an answerbefore the Prophet ﷺ, and so he left it to Allah and His Messengerﷺ. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺsaid that it travels till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne. This prostration is real and regardless of where it prostrates, it will be underneath the Throne. Afterwards, it takes permission to rise again from the east to go on its course again and then it is granted permission. It continues to take permission to rise again from the east to proceed on its course until Allah does not permit it, and commands it to return from where it came. Thereupon, the sun will rise from the west, which is one of the major signs of the Hour.That is an interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {And the sun runs its fixed course for a term (decreed)} [Quran 36:38].The sun continues to go on its fixed course until the end of this world, {that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing} [Quran 36:38]. The sophisticated accurate movement of the sun in its orbit is evidence of the existence of Allah, Most High, who upholds and arranges the affairs of this world in a fashion that befits His Wisdom, Knowledge, and Might.

This hadeeth highlights the might and power of the Allah and His authority and control of the universe and all the creation. Itdebunks and scolds those who worshipped the creation in this worldly life, so they know their worship to them was invalid and false.
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3200

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺsaid, "The sun and the moon will be folded upon the Day of Resurrection.".

Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, the Truth and the Sovereign, is the only one worthy and deserving of our worship and glorification, and it is Him, the only God, to whom our worship and deeds must be devoted. He is the Creator of everything and under His will and power falls everything in this cosmos; hence, it is invalid for a person to worship anything other than Him or beside Him.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informs us that the sun and moon will be folded up on the Day of Judgment,i.e. they will be deprived of their light.It is said that they will be folded up and then thrown into Hellfire to debunk and scold those who worshipped them in this worldly life, so they know their worship of them was invalid and false. It is said that they were created from Hellfire; thus, they will return to it on the Day of Judgment. However, placing them in Hellfire does not mean they are punished there, for Allah, Exalted is He, has created angels for Hellfire to punish the dwellers of Hellfire.

This hadeeth highlights the Might and Power of Allah to bring creation into existence and terminate the existence of the creation. It shows that all created beings are subject to Allah, Most High.
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3206

Narrate`Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her): If the Prophetﷺsaw a cloud in the sky, his face would change and he would walk back and forth, go out and come in. However, if it rained, he would feel relaxed." `Aaishah inquired from him about his reaction to seeing the cloud. The Prophetﷺsaid, I do not know (am afraid), it may be similar to what happened to some people referred to in theQuran in the following ayah: {Then when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain!' Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened a wind wherein is severe torment} [Quran 64:24]. .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was in constant fear of Allah, Most High, and always concerned that his nation may be subjected to Allah’s punishment because of the sins of their sinners.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺsaw rain clouds, he would march up and down, and his face would show signs of concern and distress because he feared that those clouds carried the punishment of Allah. However, once rain fell, his concern and worry would fade away. ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him about that, so he said that his fear was out of his concern that it might be like the clouds that brought Allah’s tormentto thepeople of Prophet Hood (peace be upon him)about whom Allah, Exalted is He, said: {Then when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain!' Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened.A wind wherein is severe torment.} [Quran 64:24].

If one were to ask, why did the Prophet ﷺfear Allah would punish his people while he was still alive among them,while Allah, Most High, says: {But Allah would never punish them while you ˹O Prophet˺ were in their midst.} [Quran 8:33] it has beensaid is that it is possible the ayah is specific and only applicable to those mentioned in the ayah, or it is only applicable to a particular time, or that the state of fear of Allah necessitates that he should not feel secure against Allah’s planning.In particular,the Prophet ﷺwould act to teach his nation, and one aspect of this is teaching them to never feel secure against Allah’s planning, because Allah, Most High, says: {Did they feel secure against Allah’s planning? None would feel secure from Allah’s planning except the losers.} [Quran 7:99].

This hadeeth shows that nobody should feel immune against Allah’s punishment and torment, and that we should be prepared by being mindful of Allah and resorting to Him in situations of fear and troubles.

It reminds us to reflect on the previous nations who were subjected to Allah’s torment and punishment, to learn from their mistakes and avoid that which caused their punishment.

It highlights the compassion and mercy of the Prophet ﷺ towards his nation, as Allah, Most High, descried him: {He is concerned by your suffering, anxious for your well-being, and gracious and merciful to the believers.} [Quran 9:128]..

3208

Narrated `Abdullah ibn Mas'ood(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺthe true and truly inspired, said, "Each one of you is constituted in the womb of the mother for forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.Then God sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his deeds, his livelihood, the date of his death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then the soul is breathed into him. One amongst you acts [like the people deserving Paradise] until between him and Paradise there remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has predestined the fate of the creation and penned it in His Preserved Tablet, so it takes place afterwards according to what He had decreed.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ reports that the foetusgoes through four stages in the womb. The first stage, which is ovulation, takes forty days, wherein an egg and sperm travel in opposite directions to meet for implantation; hence pregnancy happens. In the second stage, it becomes a clot of thick blood clinging to the womb for a similar period. In the third stage, it develops into a piece of flesh whose size is as little as that which a human can chew in his mouth for a similar period. In the final stage, its form and shape begin after completing four months. Thereupon, Allah sends the angel that is responsible for wombs to write down all the good and evil deeds that he will do throughout his lifetime, his livelihood, the date of his death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched when he dies.Each person will die upon that which Allah has written.A person would act like the people deserving Paradise until he is so close to entering Paradise when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him, and he begins to act like the dwellers of Hell and thus enters Hell.And another person would act in the way of the denizens of Hell until he is so close to entering Hellfire when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him, and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.

This scenario is further explained in another hadeeth. It is narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Saa’idee (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “that a person performs deeds like the deeds of the people of Paradise apparently before people and he would be amongst the dwellers of Hell, and a person acts apparently like the people of Hell, but (in fact) he would be among the dwellers of Paradise.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].That means, a person who spends life in good deeds but before passing he deviates, and a person whose life is spend in bad deeds but dies upon goodness.This is because the state of such a person as it appears to people is different to that reality which Allah knows.

This hadeeth highlights the belief in fate and predestination, regarding deeds and provisions, and lifespan. It warns us from being befooled of that which is apparent to us, because deeds are judged based on how they end.

It shows that good deeds and bad deeds are just signs indicating the reality of a person and do not necessarily reflect the reality or the end of people, which Allah has predestined and decreed.
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3209

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophetﷺsaid, "If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, 'Allah loves so-and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.' Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven, 'Allah loves so-and-so; therefore you should love him also,' and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth."
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Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains the benefits of being loved by Allah, Most High, in this life,and the rewarding outcome in the Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ explains that if Allah loves a person, He will call Gabriel telling him that He loves so-and-so; thus, Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven, “Allah loves so-and-so; therefore you should love him also,” and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and the inhabitants of the Heaven here refer to the angels. As a result, this person is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth such that most of the believers who know him would be inclined to him, and his good reputation lasts. It is said that it means Allah makes the hearts of His believing servants inclined to him and praise him.
Love is one of the established attributes of Allah, Exalted is He, and it is understood according to its apparent meaning in a way that befits Allah, the Most-High. As for how Gabriel andthe angels love him, it means they would praise him and ask Allah to forgive him, or love as people know it,i.e. their hearts become inclined to him and long for him because of his obedience and Allah’s love for him..

3210

Narrated `Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her): “I heard Allah's Messengerﷺsaying, "The angels descendto the clouds and mention the matter decreed in the Heaven. The devils then listen stealthily to them, come down to inspire the soothsayers with it, and the latter would add to it one-hundred lies of their own."
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Commentary : Islam eradiates all forms of superstition and stands against the manipulation of people’s hopes and dreams such that it considers it from the major sins. To this end, Islam reinforces in the hearts of believers that no one knows the future and the unseen except Allah, who alone can bring forth benefit and avert harm. The Muslim is required, therefore, to attach his heart to Allah and submit all his affairs to Him alone.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that the angels descend from above to the clouds wherein they mention that which has been decreed in the Heaven. This is because the angels would hear all the events that Allah decrees every day and every moment. The angels mention them to each other, so the devils eavesdrop and then share what they heard to soothsayers and fortune-tellers who, in their turn, add one hundred lies to thenews they received from devils.

This hadeeth was an answer given by the Prophet ﷺ in response to a question that ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) posed to him - as recorded in Saheeh Muslim – as she inquired from him abouthow the soothsayers before Islam could foretell some events that took place afterwards as they mentioned.

The eavesdropping of devils of the conversations of the dwellers of the heavens used to happen before Allah’s revelation to the Prophet ﷺ. However, this eavesdropping was stopped immediately upon the advent of Islam when Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the message of Islam. Allah, Most High, says: {We used to take up positions there for eavesdropping, but whoever dares eavesdrop now will find a flare lying in wait for them.} [Quran 72:9].

The Prophet ﷺ has prohibited us from visiting soothsayers and fortune-tellers. It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever visits a soothsayer or a fortune-teller and believes him, he has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad.” [Musnad Ahmad].

This hadeeth serves as a warning against listening to soothsayers, falsifiers and fortune-tellers. .

3212

Narrated Sa’eed ibn Al-Musaiyyab:`Umar came to the Mosque while Hassaan was reciting a poem. (`Umar disapproved of that). On that Hassaan said, "I used to recite poetry in this very Mosque in the presence of one (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ) who was better than you." Then he turned towards Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) and said (to him), "I ask you by Allah, did you hear Allah's Messengerﷺsaying (to me), "Retort on my behalf. O Allah! Support him (i.e. Hassaan) with the Holy Spirit?" Aboo Hurayrah said, "Yes.".

Commentary : The ruling on poetry is the same as the ruling on speech or words, of which it is a part; therefore, what is good is good, and what is bad is bad.One of the prominent poets among the Companions was Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him).

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab reports that one day ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him)found Hassaan ibn Thaabit recitingpoetry in the Mosque. The facial gesture of ‘Umar showed his disapproval, but Hassaan informed him that he used to recite poetry in the Mosque in the presence of him who is better than ‘Umar, meaning the Prophet ﷺ. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) looked at Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him, “I ask you by Allah, did you hear Allah's Messengerﷺ saying to me, ‘Retort on my behalf. O, Allah! Support Hassaan with the Holy Spirit?’”Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed it. The reason Hassaan did that wasthat ‘Umar was known for his strictness about the hadeeths of the Prophet ﷺ, and he would only accept it if two men testified to the correctness of the hadeeth.

The background story of the statement of the Prophet ﷺ to Hassaan ibn Thaabit is that some poets from Quraysh lampooned the Prophet ﷺ. Hence, he ﷺ asked his Companions to respond to them and lampoon Quraysh. A couple of Companions stepped forward to take this mission, and Hassaan ibn Thaabit was one of them. However, the poetry of Hassaan was the most effective and most intimidating to Quraysh. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah to support Hassaan with the holy spirit (i.e. angel Gabriel). It has been said that the Prophet ﷺ made this supplication so Allah would protect him through the angel Gabriel from falling into scurrility, as it would backlash, causing more damage.

The hadeeth highlights the virtue of Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him), and shows that it is permissible to recite poetry in the Mosque to defend the truth and encourage the good..

3217

Narrated`Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her):The Prophetﷺsaid to her: "O `Aaishah! This is Gabriel, and he sends his salutations to you." `Aaishah said, "I send my salutations to him, and may Allah's Mercy and Blessings be on him," and addressing the Prophetﷺshe said, "You see what I do not see."
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Commentary : Allah, the Exalted, invested His Prophet ﷺwith exclusive qualities and privileges, like selecting him to receive His revelation and entrusting him to be His Messenger who conveyed all that which he received from revelation.

In this hadeeth,‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, reports that the Prophet ﷺ said to her that Gabriel sends his greeting to her using the greeting of Islam (i.e. Assalam ‘Alaykom). She replied to his greeting with the perfect greeting of Islam, saying, “Wa ‘Alaykom Assalam wa rahmatu Allahi wa Barakaatuh,” and then remarked, “You see what I do not see,” i.e. O Messenger of Allah! You can see Gabriel, but I cannot see him; thus, rejoice in the blessings of revelation and prophethood and the ability to see the noble, righteous angels.

The hadeeth clearly highlights the virtue of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her). It shows one of the incidents where the Prophet ﷺ was the only one able to see the angel, Gabriel, although the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw him in another incident in the form of Dahiyyah al-Kalbyy (may Allah be pleased with him).

This hadeeth proves the existence of angels, including the archangel Gabriel – Allah’s trusted messenger to His Prophets and Messengers.
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763

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

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

765

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

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

766

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

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

767

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

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

768

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

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

770

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

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

771

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

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

772

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

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

778

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

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

779

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

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

780

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

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

787

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

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

802

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

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

803

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

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

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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

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