It was narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying whilst carrying Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and of Abu’l-‘As ibn Rabi‘ah ibn ‘Abd Shams. When he prostrated he put her down, and when he stood up, he picked her up again..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and forbearing to old and young alike. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved children and was compassionate towards them.
In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes led them in an obligatory prayer whilst carrying his granddaughter Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Her father’s name was Abu’l-‘As ibn ar-Rabi‘ ibn ‘Abd Shams. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, he carried her on his shoulder, as is narrated in as-Sahihayn, and when he bowed and prostrated, he put her down on the ground. Then when he rose from prostration and stood up for the second rak‘ah, he picked her up again, (and continued like that) until he finished his prayer. This indicates that it is permissible to carry children whilst praying, if there are no impure substances (najasah) on them, such as urine, stools and the like.
This hadith highlights the compassion and good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that a slight movement whilst praying, picking up a child whilst praying, and other actions, even if they are many but not consecutive – rather they are intermittent – do not invalidate the prayer..

517

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad ibn al-Had said: My maternal aunt Maymunah bint al-Harith told me: My bed was next to the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, and sometimes part of his garment would fall on me whilst I was on my bed..

Commentary : Among the Jews, when a woman menstruated, they would expel her from the house; they would not eat with her, or drink with her or be with her in the same room. In Islamic teachings, however, the menstruating woman is not blamed for something that Allah has decreed for her; her entire body is pure (tahir) apart from the place where the hurt (i.e., menses) is.
This hadith is a brief part of a longer hadith in which the Mother of the Believers Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray in her apartment, and the place where he prayed was next to her bed on which she would be sleeping, and when she was menstruating – as is mentioned in a report in al-Sahihayn – sometimes the garment of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would touch her whilst he was praying.
This indicates that the menstruating woman is not impure (najis) and it indicates that her garment that she wears whilst menstruating is pure (tahir). It also indicates that the menstruating woman may be close to one who is praying, and that does not affect his prayer or interrupt it. This is an example of the ways in which Islam makes things easier for women in all circumstances, and honours women, especially at the time of menses, whereas the Jews used to regard the menstruating woman as impure, so no one would go near her or eat with her..

520

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: Whilst the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was standing in prayer at the Kaaba, and a group of Quraysh were sitting in one of their gatherings, one of them said: Look at this show-off! Which of you will go the recently slaughtered camel of the family of So-and-so, and bring its dung, blood and intestines, then wait until he prostrates and put it between his shoulders? The most wretched of them jumped up [and went and brought that filth], then when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated, he put it between his shoulders. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) remained in prostration, and the polytheists fell about laughing, then someone went to Faatimah (peace be upon her) – who was still a young girl – and she came running, whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was still prostrating, and she lifted [that filth] off him and cast it aside, then she turned to them and berated them. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, he said: “O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh; O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh; O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh.” Then he said: “O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon ‘Amr ibn Hisham, ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt and ‘Umarah ibn al-Walid.” ‘Abdullah said: By Allah, I saw them fallen in battle on the day of Badr, then they were dragged to the dry well, the dry well of Badr. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And the people in the dry well were followed with a curse.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sorely mistreated by the polytheists, but he persevered in the face of many difficulties for the sake of spreading his call and conveying the message of his Lord. The polytheists persecuted him in Makkah and elsewhere, but he remained steadfast, seeking reward for that with Allah, in the hope that Allah (may He be glorified) would guide them to enter Islam.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks of one of the kinds of mistreatment that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) endured at the hands of the disbelievers of Quraysh. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was standing in prayer at the Kaaba, and some of the disbelievers of Quraysh were sitting in one of their gatherings, when one of them said: Do you not see this showoff? referring to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He falsely claimed that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying at the Kaaba in order to show off, so that people would see his worship. Then that man said: Which of you will go to the recently slaughtered camel of the family of So-and-so …? What is meant is that a specific person had recently slaughtered a camel; the word translated here as camel refers to an animal that has been slaughtered and is being cut up. He wanted someone to go and take the dung, blood and intestines of that camel and bring it to them, then wait until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated, then place that filth between his shoulders. The most wretched of the people, whose name was ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt, went and did what they had agreed on. The polytheists laughed so much at the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that they found themselves leaning on one another in their laughter. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) remained in prostration, and someone – it may have been Ibn Mas‘ud himself (may Allah be pleased with him) – went to Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) and told her what had happened. At that time she was still very young. Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) came quickly, removed the filth from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then turned to the polytheists and berated them.
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, he prayed against them, saying: “O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh; O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh; O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon Quraysh.” In other words, destroy Quraysh. What is meant is the disbelievers among them, or those whom he named after that. The words were general in meaning but what was meant was specific individuals. Then he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed against specific individuals, as he said: “O Allah, I urge You to wreak vengeance upon ‘Amr ibn Hisham, ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah, Shaybah ibn Rabi‘ah, al-Walid ibn ‘Utbah, Umayyah ibn Khalaf, ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu‘ayt and ‘Umarah ibn al-Walid.” On the day of the battle of Badr – which took place in 2 AH, and was the first and greatest battle – all of those whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed against were killed, and were thrown into a dry well. When they were thrown into the dry well, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And the people in the dry well were followed with a curse,” meaning that Allah followed them with a curse, so that just as they were killed in this world, they will be cast out from the mercy of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in the hereafter.
This hadith highlights a clear miracle of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as his supplication was answered and each of those against whom he had prayed was killed..

521

It was narrated from Ibn Shihab that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz delayed the prayer one day. ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr went to him and told him that al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah delayed the prayer one day when he was in Iraq, then Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari came to him and said: What is this, O Mughirah? Do you not know that Jibril (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came down and prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed; then he prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed; then he prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed; then he prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed; then he prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed – then he said: Thus I have been commanded? ‘Umar said to ‘Urwah: Watch what you are saying! Are you saying that Jibril was the one who defined the times of prayer for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? ‘Urwah said: That is what Bashir ibn Abi Mas‘ud used to narrate from his father.
‘Urwah said: ‘A’ishah told me that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was shining into her apartment, before the apartment became shady..

Commentary : Praying at the beginning of the time for the prayer, and hastening to do so, is among the best of deeds by means of which one may draw closer to Allah (may He be exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the times of prayer in both his words and his actions. The Sahabah after him were careful to offer the prayers on time, and they encouraged one another to do that.
In this hadith, it says that when ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr saw ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz – who at that time was the governor of Madinah, during the caliphate of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan – delaying the prayer, namely ‘Asr prayer, one day, he went to him and told him that al-Mughirah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) delayed the prayer one day when he was in Iraq, and Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) went to him and objected to his doing that. He said to him: Do you not know that Jibril came down and prayed, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed? He was referring to the time when Jibril came down to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and led him in prayer at the times of all five daily prayers; thus he taught the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the times for the prayers began and when the prayers are to be performed. In other words, he explained the times of prayer to him, and that delaying the prayer from that time to the time when ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz prayed was something that was not narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The words “Thus I have been commanded” are the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz said to ‘Urwah: Watch what you are saying! In other words, verify what you are narrating; are you saying that Jibril was the one who defined the times of prayer for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? From this question of ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz – was it Jibril who taught the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the times of the prayers? – it seems that he was not aware of this hadith. So ‘Urwah said to him: That is what Bashir ibn Abi Mas‘ud used to narrate from his father, meaning that this was the isnad (chain of narrators) of the report, so that he would know that it was sahih (sound), with an uninterrupted isnad.
Then ‘Urwah said, as further confirmation: ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) told me that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was shining into her apartment, before the apartment became shady. What is meant is that the sun was still high; in other words, he used to offer the prayer at the beginning of its time.
This hadith urges the Muslim to pray at the beginning of the time for the prayer, especially in the case of ‘Asr prayer, and that delaying the prayer may take it to the time when it is not allowed and it is makruh (disliked) to pray.
It also indicates that it is prescribed for the scholar to advise one who is in a position of authority.
And it indicates that one may request verification of a hadith from the one who narrates it..

526

It was narrated from Ibn Mas‘ud that a man kissed a woman, then he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and told him about that. Then Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) revealed the verse: {And establish prayer at the two ends of the day and in some hours of the night. Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds} [Hud 11:114]. The man said: O Messenger of Allah is this for me? He said: “It is for all of my ummah.”.

Commentary : One of the means that help a person to repent is being keen to increase the number of righteous deeds that he does, so that most of his time will be spent in worshipping Allah and his heart will always be thinking of doing righteous deeds. One of these means of expiating sin is prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man kissed a woman who was not permissible for him. Then he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. Then Allah revealed this verse: {And establish prayer at the two ends of the day} [Hud 11:114]. That is, establish the obligatory prayers at the beginning and end of the day, namely Fajr, Zuhr and ‘Asr; {and in some hours of the night} that is, and establish prayer during the night hours, namely Maghrib and ‘Isha’; {Indeed, good deeds do away with misdeeds} – righteous deeds, such as prayer and other actions, expiate minor sins. The man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): O Messenger of Allah, is this ruling for me alone? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is for all of my ummah.” This was affirmation after affirmation from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that this included both those who were present and those who were absent. In other words, it is for them, and you are one of them.
This expiation is only for minor sins. In the case of major sins, complete repentance is required, fulfilling all the necessary conditions.
This hadith highlights the extent of Allah’s mercy to His slaves, and that He accepts the repentance of those who repent..

527

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: I asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Which deed is most beloved to Allah? He said: “Prayer offered on time.” He said: Then which? He said: “Then honouring one’s parents.” He said: Then which? He said: “Jihad in Allah’s cause.” He told me these, and if I had asked for more, he would have told me more..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) – because of their keenness to do that which would bring them closer to the pleasure of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) – often asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the best deeds and those which would bring them closest to Allah (may He be exalted). The responses of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) varied from one person to another, according to their character and situation, and what would be most beneficial for each of them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) asks the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Which deed is most beloved to Allah? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) answered that the most beloved of deeds to Allah (may He be exalted) and the most pleasing to Him is prayer offered at the beginning of its time. That means that the Muslim regularly offers the prayer after hearing the adhan. Mentioning the best time to pray serves to urge and encourage the Muslim to hasten to pray, and not be lazy or delay offering the prayer, because offering the prayer at the beginning of its time indicates that one is keen to do it, and that the Muslim acknowledges the rights of Allah and honours them, that he offers the prayer at the time when it becomes obligatory, without delaying or procrastinating, and that he is not among those of whom Allah (may He be exalted) says: {So woe to those who pray, [But] who are heedless of their prayer} [al-Ma‘un 107:4-5] – they are the ones who delay the prayer from the best time to offer it, or even until its time has ended. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that the next most beloved deed to Allah is honouring one’s parents, by treating them kindly and serving them, and not defiantly disobeying them. That was because Ibn Mas‘ud had a mother, so he needed to be reminded about honouring his parents after the prayer, because prayer is the right of Allah and the rights of parents come after the rights of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted, as He says: {Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination} [Luqman 31:14]. Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) asked which deed was most beloved to Allah (may He be exalted) after honouring one’s parents, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that it is jihad in Allah’s cause, to make the word of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) supreme, offering one’s life and wealth, so that the symbols and rituals of Islam may be practised openly.
What is meant is that the best of deeds is fulfilling the rights of Allah that He has enjoined upon His slaves, the best of which is prayer offered on time, then fulfilling the rights of His slaves, the most important of which is honouring one’s parents. And the pinnacle of deeds is jihad in Allah’s cause.
It was said that the wisdom behind singling out these three things for mention – prayer on time, honouring one’s parents, and jihad – is because these three are the best of deeds after faith. The one who neglects the prayer – which is the foundation of faith – at the time when he is aware of its virtue, is more likely to neglect other matters of religion, be careless about them and take them lightly. Similarly, the one who fails to honour his parents is more likely to neglect other rights of people. By the same token, the one who neglects jihad in Allah’s cause – even though he is able to do it when it becomes an individual obligation for him –is more likely to neglect other deeds by means of which he may draw closer to Allah (may He be exalted).
Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that if he had asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to tell him about more deeds, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not have refused to tell him of the best deeds.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and of Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) to seek out the most sublime of deeds.
It also indicates that Muslims are urged to pray when the time for the prayer begins, to honour their parents, and to strive in jihad in Allah’s cause..

528

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Do you think, if there were a river at the door of one of you in which he bathed five times every day, would there be any trace of dirt left on him?” They said: There would be no trace of dirt left on him. He said: “That is the likeness of the five daily prayers; Allah erases sins by means of them.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best teacher and the most eloquent of the people in speech. One of the effective ways in which he educated and taught people was by making knowledge straightforward and easy to understand, by giving tangible likenesses to make things clearer.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gives the likeness of how sins are erased by means of the five daily prayers, as he likened the five daily prayers to a river at the door of a person in which he bathes five times every day. Just as all dirt would be removed from him, so that there would be no trace of dirt left on him, in like manner the five daily prayers erase sins and misdeeds until there is nothing left of them.
The reason for that is that just as a person may become contaminated with physical dirt on his body and clothes, which he cleanses by means of abundant water, by the same token, the prayers cleanse a person of the dirt of sin, until there is no sin left that has not been expiated and removed, so long as he avoids major sins, as it was narrated in a sahih report by Muslim that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The five daily prayers, one Jumu‘ah to the next, and one Ramadan to the next, are expiation for what comes between them, so long as major sins are avoided.”
The view of many scholars is that the prayers expiate all minor sins, so long as one does not persist in them, because by persisting in them they become major sins. As for major sins, they require complete repentance, fulfilling all the necessary conditions..

529

It was narrated that Anas said: I cannot recognize anything of what you do that is the same as it was at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It was said: What about prayer? He said: Are you not neglecting what you are neglecting in it?.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation and basis of faith, on which the rest is built. Whoever upholds it as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it, will uphold other things, but whoever neglects it will be more neglectful with regard to other duties.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I cannot recognize anything of what you do that is the same as it was at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). According to another report, that was in Damascus, and what he was referring to was the neglect of some sunnahs and much of what was done at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Some of those who heard him were astonished, and it was said: What about the prayer? Meaning that prayer is something that was known at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was still practised. Anas said: Are you not neglecting what you are neglecting in it? What he meant was: that they delayed it from its proper time, or until the time for it ended.
According to a report narrated by Ahmad: “You prayed when the sun was setting.” His aim was to warn them against delaying ‘Asr prayer from the beginning of its time, until the time when prayer is not allowed and it is disliked (makruh) to pray.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to uphold the sunnahs of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to warn against being heedless with regard to prayer..

532

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Prostrate properly, and do not rest your forearms on the ground as a dog does. If you spit, then do not spit in front of you or to your right, for you are conversing with your Lord.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to teach his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) how to pray, and the etiquette and sunnahs of prayer.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructs the Muslim to prostrate properly when praying, by resting on his feet (toes), knees, hands and face. The worshipper should not rest his forearms on the ground when prostrating, as a dog rests, which means placing the hands and the elbows on the ground.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade spitting – which means ejecting mucus from the mouth or nose – whilst praying or whilst one is in the mosque. Thus he forbade the worshipper to spit in front of him, which is the direction of the qiblah, or to spit to his right, because that is the honourable side, and all honourable actions are started on the right. That is because the person – whether he is praying or is in the mosque – is standing before his Lord, so he must adhere to proper etiquette and not do anything that it is not appropriate to do before Him (may He be glorified and exalted). Other reports explain that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper, if he cannot help but spit, to spit to his left or under his foot, in order to bury it, or to spit into the edge of his garment if he cannot spit in any of those directions. The Muslim should take precautions to avoid contaminating the mosque with spittle on the ground, especially if the mosque is carpeted, and he is able to use a handkerchief or the edge of his garment to spit into if he is praying. But if he is not praying, then he can exit the mosque and go somewhere else where he can clean his mouth and nose. This comes under the heading of proper etiquette and respecting the mosque..

539

It was narrated that Abu Dharr al-Ghifari said: We were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on a journey, and the mu’adhdhin wanted to give the call to prayer for Zuhr, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Wait until it cools down.” Then he wanted to give the call to prayer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Wait until it cools down.” Then when we saw the shadow of the high ground begin to appear, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Intense heat is from the exhalation of Hell, so when it is intensely hot, wait until it cools down before you pray.”.

Commentary : There are many examples that illustrate the easy-going nature of Islamic teachings. One example of that is that for each prayer there is a considerable amount of time during which the prayer may be offered, so as to avoid hardship and difficulty.
In this hadith, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that they were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on a journey, and the mu’adhdhin wanted to give the call to prayer for Zuhr, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him to delay it until it had cooled down and the heat had dissipated, so he sat down. Then after a while he wanted to give the call to prayer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Wait until it cools down.” Then when they saw the shadow of the high ground begin to appear, as a result of the delay, at that point the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Intense heat is from the exhalation of hell – meaning from its scorching heat – so when it is intensely hot, wait until it cools down before you pray.” In the case of Zuhr, waiting until it cools down means delaying going out to offer the prayer until it has cooled down and the heat has reduced in comparison to the heat at the beginning of the noontime..

541

It was narrated from Abu Barzah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr and one of us could recognize the person next to him, and in the prayer he would recite between sixty and one hundred verses. He would pray Zuhr when the sun passed the meridian, and he would pray ‘Asr then one of us would go to the furthest part of the city and come back when the sun was still bright – and I forgot what he said about Maghrib – and we would not mind if ‘Isha’ was delayed until one third of the night had passed. Then he said: until half of the night had passed. Mu‘adh said: Shu‘bah said: I met him once, and he said: or one third of the night..

Commentary : The best guidance is the guidance of Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He taught his ummah everything having to do with religious matters, including prayer, its timings and how to do it, because of its great importance in Islamic teachings.
In this hadith, Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr and one of us would recognize the person next to him. This indicates that the dawn had grown so light that a worshipper could recognize the person next to him. That was at the end of the prayer; he would make the prayer lengthy and would not finish it until things had become visible and faces had become recognizable. In the prayer he would recite between sixty and one hundred verses.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray Zuhr straight after the sun had passed the meridian in the middle of the day, when the sun started to decline from the middle of the sky.
He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray ‘Asr at such a time that one of them would be able to go to the furthest part of Madinah and come back, and the sun would still be shining strongly, very hot and bright. This indicates that he offered the prayer at the beginning of its time.
Then the narrator, Abu’l-Minhal, says that he forgot what Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) told him about the time when they used to pray Maghrib.
Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: we would not mind if ‘Isha’ was delayed until one third of the night had passed. Then he said: until half of the night had passed. In other words, sometimes they would pray ‘Isha’ after one third, or one half, of the night had passed, because of its virtue. Concerning the virtue of delaying it there is a report narrated by Abu Dawud, according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Offer this prayer when it is very dark, for you have been given precedence over other nations because of it; no nation before you ever had a prayer like it.”.

542

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When we prayed Zuhr behind the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we would prostrate on our garments to protect ourselves from the heat..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of mercy and ease in all its laws and teachings, and in the application of its teachings, as it takes into consideration an individual’s ability, without causing undue hardship.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) says: When we prayed Zuhr behind the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we would pray on our garments. They used to use the edges of their garments when prostrating, placing the cloth between their foreheads and the ground, to protect themselves from the intense heat. That is because in the summer, when temperatures are high, Zuhr prayer is offered during the hottest time of the day, as a result of which the ground is extremely hot.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to take measures to help one do acts of worship without facing any harm or difficulty..

543

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed seven [rak‘ahs] and eight [rak‘ahs] in Madinah: Zuhr and ‘Asr, and Maghrib and ‘Isha’. Ayyub said: Perhaps that was on a rainy night? He said: Perhaps..

Commentary : In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when he was in Madinah, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed seven [rak‘ahs], meaning that he put ‘Maghrib and ‘Isha’ together, so he delayed Maghrib until the end of its time, when he prayed it with three rak‘ahs, and when he finished it, the time for ‘Isha’ began and he prayed it with four rak‘ahs.
And he prayed eight [rak‘ahs], meaning that he put Zuhr and ‘Asr together in a similar manner. So he delayed Zuhr until the end of its time, and when he had prayed it with four [rak‘ahs], its time had ended and the time for ‘Asr began, so he prayed ‘Asr with four rak‘ahs.
Ayyub – namely Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, the narrator of the hadith, and the one to whom he spoke was Jabir ibn Zayd – said: Perhaps this delay was on a very rainy night? Jabir ibn Zayd said: Perhaps that was on a rainy night. This was an expression of hope on his part that that had happened on a rainy night, because usually the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not delay a prayer from the beginning of its time except for a valid reason and hardship that required the concession allowing a delay.
This hadith indicates that Islam aims to make things easy and avoid causing difficulty, and that it is permissible to avail oneself of concessions with regard to acts of worship..

547

It was narrated that Sayyar ibn Salamah said: My father and I went to see Abu Barzah al-Aslami, and my father said to him: How did the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offer the obligatory prayers? He said: He used to pray al-hajir [Zuhr] – which you call the first prayer – when the sun passed the zenith. He would pray ‘Asr, then one of us would be able to go to his residence in the furthest part of Madinah when the sun was still bright – and I forgot what he said about Maghrib – and he liked to delay ‘Isha’ – which you call al-‘atamah (lit. darkness) – and he did not like to sleep before it or to talk after it. He would finish Fajr prayer when a man could recognize the person next to him, and he would recite between sixty and one hundred verses..

Commentary : This hadith highlights the eagerness of the Tabi‘in to seek knowledge of the Sunnah and their keenness to follow the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In it, Sayyar ibn Salamah, who was one of the Tabi‘in, went with his father Salamah to see Abu Barzah al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him). Salamah the father of Sayyar asked him about the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and how he used to offer the obligatory prayers that Allah (may He be exalted) prescribed for His slaves. Abu Barzah (may Allah be pleased with him) answered by telling him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to offer al-hajir prayer – the word hajir refers to extreme heat; what is meant here is Zuhr prayer, and it is so called because the time for the prayer begins then. They also used to call Zuhr the first prayer, because it was the first prayer in which Jibril (peace be upon him) led the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer this prayer when the sun passed the meridian and began to decline from the middle of the sky towards the west. What that implies is that he used to pray Zuhr at the beginning of its time.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to hasten to pray ‘Asr; he would pray it so early in its time that one of those who had prayed with him could go to his home in the furthest part of Madinah when the sun was still bright and its light and heat had not changed. The narrator forgot what Abu Barzah said about Maghrib prayer. Then Abu Barzah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked to delay ‘Isha’ prayer because of the virtue that there is in that. Concerning the virtue of delaying it there is the report narrated by Abu Dawud, which says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Offer this prayer when it is very dark, for you have been given precedence over other nations because of it; no nation before you ever had a prayer like it.” This is the prayer you call al-‘atamah (lit. darkness); al-‘atamah refers to the darkness that appears after the red afterglow disappears. This indicates that this prayer should not be called by this name. It is disliked (makruh) to sleep before ‘Isha’, for fear that one may end up praying it after its time has ended. It is also disliked to speak about worldly matters after it, because that may lead to missing out on praying qiyam al-layl and Fajr.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to finish praying, or turn towards the congregation after praying Fajr, when a man could recognize the person next to him. This indicates that the dawn had grown so light that a worshipper could recognize the person next to him. That was at the end of the prayer; he would make the prayer lengthy and would not finish it until things had become visible and faces had become recognizable. In the prayer he would recite between sixty and one hundred verses..

548

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: We would pray ‘Asr, then one of us would go out to Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf, and find them praying ‘Asr..

Commentary : The Sahabah were very keen to teach the people and the Tabi‘in the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the times of the prayer, and how it is to be done.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they used to pray ‘Asr with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then one of them would go out to Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf and find them still praying ‘Asr. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr very early. That was because the houses of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf were in Quba’, two miles away from Madinah. They used to pray ‘Asr in the middle of its time, because they were busy working in their fields, then when they had finished their work, they would get ready to pray by purifying themselves and so on, then they would gather for the prayer. So they would delay the prayer until the middle of its time for that reason.
The beginning of the time for ‘Asr – as is stated in the reports – is when the sun is in the sky and the length of the shadow of a thing is double its height.
This hadith indicates that one may delay ‘Asr so long as the time when praying is disliked (makruh) has not yet begun, because during the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), some of the Sahabah used to offer this prayer later than he did, and what appears to be the case is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was aware of that and approved of it..

805

An-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān al-Kilābi reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The Qur'an and its people who used to act upon it will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment, preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterward. He said: "As if they were two clouds, or two black canopies with 'sharq' (light) between them, or as if they were two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for their companion.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it and act upon it, for it is the extended rope of Allah, and it leads to salvation on the Day of Judgment, particularly Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān, given their great status.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that "The Qur'an and its people who used to act upon it will be brought forth," i.e., those who recite the Qur'an, have faith in its information and believe it, and act upon its rulings. The Qur'an will be an argument for those people on the Day of Judgment. Excluded from this are those who do not believe in its information or establish its limits; the Qur'an will be an argument against them. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "The Qur'an is an argument for you or against you." This is supported by the verse that reads: {This is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you [O Prophet] so that they may reflect upon its verses, and so that people of understanding may take heed.} [Surat Sād: 29]
And by the Prophet's words: "preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān," i.e., they come ahead of the Qur'an. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān to three things, saying: "As if they were two clouds"; in Arabic "Ghamamatān", which means two clouds or two white clouds. A cloud is called such because it clouds the sky and conceals it. "or two canopies," i.e., two clouds that shade their companion from the heat of this situation of standing. He described these two clouds as 'black' because they are thick and piled upon each other. "with 'sharq' between them," i.e., light. The light of 'sharq' is the sun. This indicates that they, albeit thick, do not conceal light. It was said: Sharq means rift, i.e., a gap and break between them. This is like separating every two Surahs in the Mus'haf (copy of the Qur'an) with Basmalah (mentioning Allah's name). "or as if they were two flocks," i.e., two herds or two groups. "of birds in ranks," i.e., extending their wings and being linked to one another. The intended meaning is that they will protect their reciter from the heat of this situation of standing and the distress of the Day of Judgment. 'pleading' i.e., pushing against Hellfire and its keepers or pleading for him in intercession or when he is questioned, when his tongue keeps silent, his lips are distraught, and his arguments are lost. Their companion means: He who acts upon them and what they contain, of rulings and legislations, whether he is a memorizer or a reciter of them.
In the Hadīth: Urging the recitation of the Qur'an and acting upon it; and the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān..

806

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: As Gabriel (Jibrīl) was sitting in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he heard a creak from above. So, he raised his head and said: "That is a gate in the heavens that was opened today; it had never been opened before today." An angel descended from it. He said: "That is an angel that descended to earth; he had never descended before this day." He gave the greeting of peace and said: "Have glad tidings with two lights that have been given to you, which none of the prophets were given before you: Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah. You will not read one letter of them except that you will be given it.".

Commentary : What a great religion Islam is! And how great its numerous glad tidings which Allah Almighty gave to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah are. He, Exalted be He, revealed to him the Reminder, the Qur'an, and made its recitation greatly rewardable; each letter is credited with one good deed, and the virtuous deeds are multiplied. And He, Exalted be He, endowed some Surahs and verses with an additional merit for those who recite them, to urge and encourage their recitation.
In this Hadīth a divine gift is mentioned for those who recite Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that Gabriel (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation, was sitting in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In the version by An-Nasā’i: "As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting and Gabriel (peace be upon him) was with him." This means that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), including Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), about Gabriel (peace be upon him) sitting with him. "he heard" refers to Gabriel (peace be upon him), and it is also probable the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the one who "heard a creak from above," i.e., in heaven. A creak is a sound released because of the movement of something. Gabriel (peace be upon him) - or the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - raised his head to look at the source of this sound. Gabriel (peace be upon him) said that this is a gate in the heaven of the world, which was opened today and had never been opened except today; and an angel descended from it to the earth, and he had never descended before today. This is all to prepare for something great. Indeed, the opening of one of the gates of the heaven for the first time and the descent of an angel other than Gabriel to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for the first time points to the significance of the matter for which he was sent. When the angel descended, he greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: "Have glad tidings" - glad tidings are only given about good things - "with two lights that have been given to you, which none of the prophets were given before you: Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah," i.e., their special reward of their recitation was not given beforehand; otherwise, the entire Qur'an was not given to any prophet before him. Surat al-Fātihah was endowed with this particular merit because it summarizes all the meanings of Imān (faith), Islam, and Ihsān (excellence). It comprises the fundamentals of the Fiqhi rules and knowledge principles. And the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah, beginning from {The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers...} to the end of the Surah, are endowed with this particular merit because they contain praise for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This is because they comply with their content and submit to their meanings and for their supplication to Allah Almighty and return to Him in all their affairs; and also, because those verses contain the response to their supplications after they were taught to them and they said them, and so He made things easier for them and forgave and supported them.
Then, the angel said: "You will not read one letter of them except that you will be given it." This stems from the great bounty of Allah towards His Prophet and his Ummah. He called them two lights because the recitation of each verse in them brings light to the reciter that illuminates his way and leads him to the right path and the true course, given the sublime meanings contained therein, which include acknowledgment of the Lordship and absolute resort to Allah with the great supplication using their words.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the great status of Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah and urging their recitation.
And in it: Pointing out that there are angel messengers to the prophets other than Gabriel
And in it: Showing the honorable status of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with his Lord, as He honored him with such things that He did not honor the previous prophets with, giving him these two lights
And in it: Affirming the existence of the gates of heaven, that they are opened and closed, and that some angels do not descend to earth except for such glad tidings.

809

Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be guarded against the Dajjāl (Anti-Christ).".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur’an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it, as it is the extended rope of Allah, causing tranquility of the soul and an abundance of rewards, and it protects a servant from the distresses and trials of worldly life and the horrors and hardships on the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf, Allah will guard, protect, and preserve him from the trial of the Dajjāl, who will emerge at the end of time and claim to be God. The Dajjāl originally refers to someone who often engages in lying and deception. His emergence is one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment, and his trial is the gravest on earth from the creation of Adam to the coming of the Hour, as Allah Almighty will enable him to perform some miracles whereby he will mislead his followers. Verily, the memorization of these verses is a cause of protection against the Dajjāl. It was said: This is due to the wonders and miracles existing in these verses. So, whoever knows them will not wonder at the matter of the Dajjāl or be misled by him; and he will patiently endure the trials of the Dajjāl and his apparent bliss and punishment; or that the protection from the Dajjāl is granted by Allah to those who memorize these verses.
Also, there are means of protection against the trial of the Dajjāl, which are not mentioned in this Hadīth, but are authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in other Hadīths: Knowing the names and attributes of Allah, which makes one know that the Dajjāl is a human being who eats and drinks, and Allah is far Exalted above that; the Dajjāl is one-eyed, whereas Allah is not one-eyed; and no one sees his Lord until he dies, whereas the people, including the believers and disbelievers, will see the Dajjāl when he emerges. It also includes the pursuit of Allah's refuge from the trial of the Dajjāl, particularly in prayer, as reported in a Hadīth by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in the Two Sahīh Collections that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate in prayer: "O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjāl." And it also includes fleeing and turning away from the Dajjāl, for those who will be present at his time, given the suspicions and amazing supernatural incidents that appear with him and by which a person might be tempted.
In the Hadīth: The merit of the ten verses at the beginning of Surat al-Kahf.
And in it: Clarifying that the trial of the Dajjāl is so severe that protection against him is needed.

810

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "O Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" I said: {Allah: none has the right to be worshiped except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining} [Surat al-Baqarah: 255]. Thereupon, he struck me on the chest and said: "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu al-Mundhir!".

Commentary : The glorious Qur'an is the strong rope of Allah and His straight path. Its recitation brings goodness and blessing and affords tranquility of the soul and abundance of reward. Allah endowed some of its Surahs and verses with a special merit.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day asked him: "O Abu al-Mundhir", a surname for ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him). "Do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" i.e., in terms of the reward and benefit for its reciter in this world and the Hereafter. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I said: Allah and His Messenger know best." This stems from the Companions' politeness towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). It was said: ’Ubayy knew which verse was the greatest when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about it, but he did not reply out of respect, modesty, and politeness towards him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). If he had answered him the first time he asked him, he would have thus displayed his knowledge. He also probably did not give the answer because he expected that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would probably tell him that another verse is greater than that or inform him of some other benefit. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated the question, he knew that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted him to answer and wanted to test his memorization and information. Thereupon, he answered him that the greatest verse - as far as he knew - is the one that reads: {Allah: none has the right to be worshiped except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what was before them and what will be after them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge, except what He wills. His Kursī [footstool] extends over the heavens and earth, and safeguarding of both does not weary Him, for He is the Most High, the Most Great.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 255] It is called the verse of Kursī. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved his answer and accepted it as correct, and he struck with his honorable hand on the chest of ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him). This behavior on the Prophet's part was done by way of gentleness, given his approval and acceptance of this answer and his admiration of the answerer. He said to him: "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu al-Mundhir," i.e., may knowledge be blissful for you. This is meant as a supplication for him to find knowledge easily and be versed therein.
The verse of Kursī is the greatest verse in the Qur'an because it combines such fundamental divine names and attributes that are not combined in any other verse. In it, Allah Almighty describes Himself as the worshiped God other than Whom none is truly worthy of worship. He alone is worthy of worship, out of love and exaltation for Him, given the perfection of His attributes. To Him belongs the complete life, which was not preceded by non-existence, will not be followed by an end, and entails all attributes of perfection. He is Self-Sustaining and does not need anyone, and He undertakes the affairs of His creation, including sustenance and other things. All creatures stand in need of Him and cannot exist without Him. His support of their existence entails all actions of perfection. Part of the perfection of His life and sustainability is that He does not suffer drowsiness or get overcome by sleep, and He is the sole Possessor of all that is in the universe. No one dares to intercede with Him unless He gives him permission. He is the One Who knows all the affairs of His creation; past, present, and future, and all else do not possess anything of Allah's knowledge whatsoever except what He taught them, by His will. His Kursī - the place of His feet - encompassed the heavens and the earth, despite their vastness and greatness, and their preservation is not heavy or hard for Him; rather, this is something easy and simple for Him, Exalted be He. He is the Possessor of absolute exaltedness above all His creation. He is Exalted by His Essence above His Throne and High above His creation by His absolute power and perfect attributes. He is the Possessor of absolute greatness in His Essence, attributes, and authority, and all other than Him are humble before Him and so little next to Him. Nothing is greater than Him, Exalted, Glorified, and Blessed be He.
In the Hadīth: A great merit for ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him).
And in it: Praising a person to his face, if it serves a good purpose and if self-admiration is not feared, and so on
And in it: The knowledgeable person's great respect for his virtuous companions.

811

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" They said: "How does one recite a third of the Qur'an? He said: "{Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals a third of the Qur'an.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing, as it is the strong rope of Allah, and it affords tranquility of the soul and abundant reward. Allah Almighty has particularly endowed Surat al-Ikhlās with great merit.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asks his Companions, by way of teaching them: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" Since this is hard to do, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wondered and asked him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): How does one recite one-third of the Qur'an in a night?! In response to them, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the recitation of Surat al-Ikhlās {Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals the recitation of one-third of the Qur'an. So, its reciter obtains the reward for reciting a third of the Qur'an. And it is equal to one-third of the Qur'an based on the consideration of its meanings, as the Qur'an contains rulings, information, and Tawhīd (monotheism), and knowing the names and attributes of Allah Almighty falls under Tawhīd. And this Surah comprises the third category (Tawhīd); so, it equals one-third based on this consideration. In a version of the Sahīh Muslim Collection, it reads: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} one of the parts of the Qur'an." This is because it contains two of Allah's names, which comprise all the attributes of perfection, and they do not exist in any other Surah of the Qur'an. These two names are: "Al-Ahad" (the One) and "As-Samad" (the Eternal Refuge). They point to the Essence of Allah that possesses all the attributes of perfection. To explain that: "The One" gives a feeling about His particular existence, which none shares with Him, and "the Eternal Refuge" gives a feeling about all the attributes of perfection, for He is the One Whose sovereignty reached the pinnacle of sublimity and perfection, and all creatures need Him, whereas He, Exalted be He, does not need anyone.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the merit of Surat al-Ikhlās
And in it: The vast bounty of Allah Almighty towards His servants, as He made the recitation of a short Surah equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an.

811

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made Surat {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} as one of the parts of the Qur'an.".

812

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Gather together, for I will recite to you one-third of the Qur'an." So, there gathered those who gathered. Then, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and recited {Say: "He is Allah, the One"}. Then, he went back in. We said to one another: "I think this is a revelation that came to him from heaven. That is why he went in." Then, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and said: "Indeed, I said to you that I would recite to you one-third of the Qur'an, and it is indeed equal to one-third of the Qur'an.".

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlās is a great surah despite its few words, as it contains great and sublime meanings. In it, the meaning of Tawhīd (monotheism) for Allah is refined, worship is solely devoted to Him, and refuge is sought with Him alone, and the son and father are negated from Him, Exalted be He. This is one of the fundamental topics to which the Qur'an refers.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: 'Gather together' i.e., come together. This command indicates that he will inform them about something important, namely that he will really recite to them one-third of the Qur'an, or what equals its third in terms of the meaning and reward. So, there gathered those who gathered from among the people. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and recited to them Surat al-Ikhlās only: {Say: "He is Allah, the One"}. Then, he entered his room. When they saw that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited nothing but this Surah and did not recite one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the amount and the number of verses, they thought that he entered because the revelation was coming down to him and that he would thereafter come out and recite to them the rest of the third of the Qur'an. Then, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out, it was as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) knew what they were thinking about and that they were waiting to hear from him the rest of the third of the Qur'an. So, he informed them that Surat al-Ikhlās equals one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the reward. Thus, its reciter obtains the reward for reciting a third of the Qur'an. And it is equal to one-third of the Qur'an based on the consideration of its meanings, as the Qur'an contains rulings, information, and Tawhīd, and knowing the names and attributes of Allah Almighty falls under Tawhīd. And this Surah comprises the third category (Tawhīd); so, it equals one third based on this consideration. In a version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection, it reads: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} one of the parts of the Qur'an." This is because it contains two of Allah's names, which comprise all the attributes of perfection, and they do not exist in any other Surah of the Qur'an. These two names are: "Al-Ahad" (the One) and "As-Samad" (the Eternal Refuge). They point to the Essence of Allah that possesses all the attributes of perfection. To explain that: "The One" gives a feeling about His particular existence, which none shares with Him, and "the Eternal Refuge" gives a feeling about all the attributes of perfection, for He is the One Whose sovereignty reached the pinnacle of sublimity and perfection, and all creatures need Him, whereas He, Exalted be He, does not need anyone.
In the Hadīth: The good way in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions, and the Companions' politeness towards him
And in it: Demonstrating the merit of Surat al-Ikhlās and that it equals one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the reward and recompense.

814

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you not seen that some verses were revealed tonight the like of which has never been seen before?! They are: {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak} and {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.}".

Commentary : What a great religion Islam is! And how great its numerous glad tidings which Allah Almighty gave to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah are. He, Exalted be He, revealed to him the Reminder, the Qur'an, and made its recitation greatly rewardable; each letter is credited with one good deed, and the virtuous deeds are multiplied. And He, Exalted be He, endowed some Surahs and verses with an additional merit for those who recite them, to urge and encourage their recitation.
In this Hadīth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you not seen that some verses were revealed tonight the like of which has never been seen before?!" This is an exclamatory question, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wondered at the great merit of these verses, the like of whose meanings and blessings were not revealed in other Surahs to him before. Then, he identified those verses, saying that they are the two Surahs: "{Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak} and {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.}" They are the two refuge-seeking Surahs. They mention the pursuit of refuge, resorting, and asking for protection from Allah, the Lord of creation and the Lord of mankind. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used these two Surahs in seeking refuge with Allah Almighty and performing Ruqyah (faith healing) for himself.
Surat al-Falaq contains the verses that read: {Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak, from the harm of all what He has created; from the harm of the darkening night when it spreads around, from the harm of the sorceresses who blow on knots, and from the harm of the envier when he envies."} The meaning is: Say, O you, the Messenger—I resort to the Lord of the Morning. The Surah begins by describing the One with whom refuge is sought as the Lord of the Daybreak, for this is the time for the outpouring of lights and the descent of goodness and blessings. I seek refuge in this Lord, Who possesses this description, from what is harmful among the creatures. He solely attributes to the One with Whom refuge is sought what He created. He begins with the general words: {from the harm of all what He has created}, i.e., from the evil of His creation, the evil committed by the accountable servants in the form of sins and mutual harm among themselves, and what is done by unaccountable creatures of animals, such as the predatory beasts and insects, by eating, nipping, stinging, and biting, and the different kinds of harm Allah caused to exist in other than animals, like burning in the fire and killing by poison.
Then, He follows it with that whose harm is more hidden in terms of time, and it is the opposite of the break of the day, namely the coming of darkness, with His words: {from the harm of darkening [night] when it spreads around.} This is because harm spreads more easily at this time and getting rid of it becomes more difficult.
He particularly mentions the time in which wickedness is hidden, like the sorceresses who blow on knots and the enviers, and He links the envier with the conditional {when he envies}, because when an envier displays his envy, his evil and harm becomes more effective. Allah combines the evils in this Surah and concludes them with envy, so that it should be known that it is the meanest trait.
And Surat an-Nis is the verses that reads: {Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind, from the harm of the lurking whisperer, who whispers into the hearts of mankind, from among jinn and mankind."} [Surat an-Nās: 1-6] The meaning: Say - O you the Messenger -: I resort to the Lord of mankind and seek refuge in Him. He is the Sovereign of mankind and does whatever He wills to them. There is no other sovereign for them but Him and no true deity for them but Him. I seek refuge in Him from the evil of the devil who throws his whisperings to man if he fails to remember Allah and he goes backwards if he remembers Him. He throws his whisperings into the hearts of people. Such a whisperer could be among humankind and jinns alike.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the great significance of the two refuge-seeking Surahs
And in it: Pointing out that there is nothing in the Qur’an like the two refuge-seeking Surahs in terms of the meanings, blessings, and pursuit of Allah's refuge through them.

817

‘Āmir ibn Wāthila reported: Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Abdul-Hārith met ‘Umar at ‘Usfān, and ‘Umar had employed him as a governor of Makkah. He said: "Whom have you appointed as a governor over the people of the valley?" He said: "Ibn Abza." He said: "Who is Ibn Abza?" He said: "He is one of our freed slaves." He said: "Have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over them?!" He said: "He is a reciter of the Book of Allah Almighty and he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance." ‘Umar said: "Indeed, your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah elevates by this Book some people and degrades others.'".

Commentary : The Commander of the Faithful ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) was keen that the rulings of Islam should be applied in all corners of the state. Therefore, he used to ask the governors about their conditions and how they acted in different situations, correcting their errors and holding them accountable for them. He would put in a high status the knowledgeable people of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the Shar‘i rulings, in compliance with the principles of the honorable Shariah.
In this Hadīth, ‘Āmir ibn Wāthila (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Companion Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Abd al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him), was one of those who embraced Islam at the time of the Conquest of Makkah and was approved by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate as a ruler and governor of Makkah, and stayed there until he died. Nāfi‘ met ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), who stopped at ‘Usfān on the way to Hajj. He called him for a meeting, and he met him in ‘Usfān, a village 80km north of Makkah on the way to Madīnah. When they met, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Whom have you appointed as a governor over the people of Makkah in your place for the period of your absence as you meet the Commander of the Faithful? The valley here refers to the valley of Makkah and Tā’if. He informed him that he had appointed Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abza (may Allah be pleased with him), as a governor over them, a freed slave of Nāfi‘ ibn al-Hārith. He embraced Islam during the Prophet's lifetime and lived in Kufa. ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed him as a governor of Khorasan.
‘Umar said to him, disapprovingly: "Have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over them?!" i.e., have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over the people of Makkah, the people of the Sacred City, and the people of nobility and high status?! It was said: ‘Umar's disapproval of his appointment as a governor over them was not because he belittled or disdained him, but because of the non-fulfillment of the purpose behind such an appointment, namely to set people's affairs in order and manage them, which requires the governor appointed over them to be a man of awe, greatness, and noble status in the hearts of the general public. To this end, he should be free and of noble descent and high standing; otherwise, people would disrespect and disobey him. Thus, the objective of such a post would fail.
Clarifying the reason behind appointing him over them, Nafi‘(may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He is a reciter of the Book of Allah Almighty," i.e., he is a memorizer of it and knowledgeable about its rulings. "And he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance," i.e., about the division of inheritance according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In other words, Allah Almighty elevated this governor over them by virtue of these things, and they know him to be like that, so they would respect and revere him and obey his command; thus, their affairs would be set aright, and their conditions would become stable. Hence, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), liked what he heard about the traits of Ibn Abza and approved the action of Nafi‘ ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him), and thereupon said: "Indeed, your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah elevates by this Book" the noble Qur'an "some people." Allah elevates those who believe in it, recite it, and sincerely act according to it. He elevates them in this world, by making them lead a good life, and in the Hereafter, by making them among the people of high ranks along with those upon whom Allah bestowed His favor. "and degrades others,", lowering their status; those are the people who do not believe in it, or believe in it yet neglect it and abandon its application. So, He causes them to live in misery and straits in this world and makes them the lowest of the low in the Hereafter.
In the Hadīth: Putting a freed slave in authority over free people if he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance
And in it: Knowledge and the Qur'an redress the deficiency in one's lineage
And in it: The merit of knowledge
And in it: The approach of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as he used to follow up on his governors and observe how they ruled their subjects, lest they might neglect their rights, and thus, he would be the one to blame, for he was the chief caretaker.
And in it: The merit and honor of the knowledge of inheritance, for it is the knowledge to which Allah Almighty gave high status, as He Himself undertook the division of inheritance in His glorious Book and did not leave it to anyone..

820

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: As I was in the mosque, a man entered, prayed, and recited in a manner that I found to be strange. Afterward, a man entered and recited in a manner different from the other. When we finished the prayer, we all went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and I said: "This man recited in a manner that I found to be strange, and another man entered and recited in a manner different from his recitation." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them to recite, and when they did so, he expressed approval of both. This made me inclined to disbelieve in him, even to an extent I had never reached in Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance). When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) noticed how I was affected, he gave me a pat on the chest. Thereupon, I broke into a sweat and was filled with fear as though I were looking at Allah Almighty. He said to me: "O ’Ubayy, a message was sent to me: Recite the Qur'an in one mode, but I replied to Him: Make matters easy for my Ummah. So, He sent me the second message: Recite it in two modes. I replied to Him: Make matters easy for my Ummah. So, He sent me the third message: Recite it in seven modes. And you may ask Me for something in return for each reply I sent to you. I said: O Allah, forgive my Ummah; O Allah, forgive my Ummah. And I delayed the third request until the Day when all humankind, even including Abraham (Ibrāhīm) (peace be upon him), will seek my intercession. [In a version]: ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b told me that he was sitting in the mosque when a man entered, prayed, and recited in a manner... and he related a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Companions the Qur'an to perfection, and he would recite it to them in modes and manners that suited various dialects, all of which belong to Arabic, to make things easy and simple for the Muslims.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was sitting in the Prophet's Mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not present at the time - and ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the memorizers of the Book of Allah Almighty - as a man entered and prayed. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) heard him recite the Qur'an in a way he found to be strange, i.e., ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know this way of recitation and did not hear it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, another man entered and recited in a way different from the recitation of the earlier man. When they all finished the prayer, they went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of his rooms. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This man recited in a way I found to be strange, as his recitation differed from that of mine. And another man entered and recited in a way different from the recitation of the earlier one. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered both men to recite so that he could hear their recitation and make sure whether it was correct or wrong. The two men recited, and he expressed approval of the recitation of both and said that both were good, or he said to each of them: You have done well. When ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) express approval of their recitation, he thought about denying the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and felt confused and surprised in a way he could not describe and the like of which he had not experienced during Jāhiliyyah, when he was in misguidance and disbelief, which are worthier of this kind of denial. Jāhiliyyah: It is the period during which people were polytheists before the Prophet's mission, and it was called as such because of the prevalence of their ignorance.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived that ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) experienced the whisperings and promptings of Satan, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck him with his noble hand on his chest, to reassure him. As a result, sweat flowed from all over the body of ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him), as if he were looking at Allah out of fear and embarrassment about the devil's whispering that influenced him. This indicates that it was a prompting from the devil, which disappeared immediately after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck with his hand on ’Ubayy's chest, and the sweat overflowed from him.
At this point, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed ’Ubayy - by way of reassuring him and making things clear to him - that Allah Almighty revealed to him that he should recite the Qur'an in one mode, i.e., in one way. "but I replied to Him," i.e., to Allah Almighty through Gabriel (Jibrīl) (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation. "Make matters easy," i.e., he asked Him, Exalted be He, to make the recitation of the Qur'an simple and easy for the Muslim Ummah. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was going back to his Almighty Lord to ask Him to facilitate things for his Ummah, as he is reported to have done regarding prayer. Allah Almighty replied to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the second time: "Recite it in two modes," and on the third time Allah facilitated the matter for the Ummah by its recitation in seven modes. In other words, the Qur'an was revealed in seven ways or seven dialects, intended to make the matter simple and easy. It was said: The Qur'an was first revealed in the language of the Quraysh tribe and the surrounding eloquent Arabs. Then, it was made permissible for the Arabs to recite it in their own languages which they habitually used, along with their different words and rules of parsing. He did not oblige any of them to shift from their language to another because it involved difficulty. This was also for their tribalism and their need for facilitation, so that they could understand the intended meanings. This mentioned permissibility was not granted based on personal inclinations such that everyone could change any word to its equivalent in his language. Rather, the criterion in this regard was to hear it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Then, the Almighty Lord said to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "In return for each reply I sent to you," i.e., in return for each time you came back to Me to ask for facilitation and ease for your Ummah and I replied to you, "you may ask Me for something," i.e., an answered supplication, which you should make, and you will not be disappointed or rejected regarding it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, forgive my Ummah; O Allah, forgive my Ummah" twice. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the third request until the Day of Judgment. It is the Grand Intercession. All humankind will need his intercession, when everyone will say "myself, myself," even Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him).
In the Hadīth: Allah's facilitation of things for the Ummah and His mercy towards them
And in it: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the best among the prophets and all humankind.
And in it: The superiority of Abraham (peace be upon him) over all the other prophets, except for our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
And in it: The Prophet's compassion towards his Ummah
And in it: It shows how much the Companions cared about the Qur'an, defended it, and preserved it and its words as they had heard it, without deviation from it.
And in it: Pointing out that the Qur'an was revealed in seven modes
And in it: Pardoning people for the devil's promptings and not holding them accountable for them
And in it: Showing the noble status of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him), for the devil did not gain control over him and so he could not allure him as he allured many others who were predestined by Allah to suffer misery by persisting in denial. Rather, Allah Almighty inspired him to repent through the Prophet's striking on his chest and his supplication for him.
And in it: Establishing the intercession for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

821

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was by a pond belonging to Banu Ghifār when Jibrīl (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) came to him and said: "Allah Commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in one letter." He said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." He then came to him for the second time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in two letters." He (the Prophet) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then, he came to him for the third time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in three letters." He (the Prophet) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then, he came to him for the fourth time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in seven letters, and in whichever letter they recite, they will be right.".

Commentary : The Noble Qur’an is the speech of Allah Almighty revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Allah has made its recitation easy for people so that they reflect upon its verses. A form of this facilitation and flexibility is that Allah has permitted its recitation in seven letters and in Qirā’āt (modes of recitation) that He taught to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who taught them to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who reported these Qirā’at to those who succeeded them.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was by "Adā’ah (pond) belonging to Banu Ghifār." Adā’ah: still water. It is said that it is a place in Makkah, as Ghifār was a tribe from Kinānah, and their location was near Makkah. It is also said that it is a place in Madīnah attributed to Banu Ghifār because they settled therein.
Gabriel (peace be upon him) - the angel entrusted with the revelation - came to him and said: "Allah Almighty commands you to recite the Qur'an to your Ummah," referring to the Ummah that responded to his call, "in one letter," i.e. in one manner. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness," i.e. I ask Allah Almighty for His ease, facilitation, and forgiveness for them. The Prophet's request for forgiveness was out of fear of negligence committed on their side regarding how they must recite. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, my Ummah cannot bear that," i.e., they cannot stand to agree on one letter given their different dialects. So, uniting them into one dialect is hard for them and challenging for their tongues. Then, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him for the second time and informed him that Allah Almighty commands him to make his Ummah recite the Qur’an in two letters. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said the same thing he said the first time. Then, Gabriel came to him for the third time and informed him that Allah commands him to make his Ummah recite in three letters. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said what he had said in the two previous times. Then for the fourth time, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur’an in seven letters," thus, each one could recite in the manner that suits him, and that is easy for him, "and in whichever letter they recite, they will be right" and correct and their recitation will be sufficient and valid. His saying: "seven letters", means It was revealed in seven manners or seven dialects, which refers to facilitation and ease. It is said that the Qur'an was first revealed in the language of Quraysh and those who lived next to them from among the eloquent Arabs. Then, the Arabs were allowed to recite it in their usual languages despite the difference between them in words and grammatical rules. None of them was asked to leave his language for another one, given the difficulty involved and the pride they had and to make it easy for them to understand the intended meaning. This mentioned permissibility was not granted based on personal inclinations in such a way that everyone would change any word to its equivalent in his language; instead, the criterion here was to hear it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth reflects the Prophet's keenness in facilitating and making things easy for his Ummah.
It also sheds light on the mercy of Allah Almighty towards His slaves by lightening their burden and revealing the Qur’an in seven letters..

822

Abu Wā’il reported: A man called Nahīk ibn Sinān came to ‘Abdullah and said: "O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān, how do you recite this letter? Do you recite it as 'alif' (first letter of the Arabic alphabet) or as 'yā’' (last letter of the Arabic alphabet) {min mā’in ghayri āsin (of fresh water)} [Surat Muhammad: 15] or: min mā’in ghayri yāsin?" He said: 'Abdullah replied, "And have you memorized the whole Qur'an except for this?!" He said: "Indeed, I do recite the Mufassal (from Surat Qāf till the end of the Qur'an) in one Rak'ah (unit of prayer)." 'Abdullah said: "Like the hasty recitation of poetry! Verily, there are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go beyond their collarbones. But if it were to reach the heart and settle therein, then it would be of benefit. The best (acts) of prayer are Rukū' (bowing) and Sujūd (prostration). I am well-acquainted with the Nazhā’ir (pairs of similar Surahs) which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine two Surahs in every Rak'ah." Then, 'Abdullah stood up and 'Alqamah followed him; he came out and said: "He informed me about them." [Another version reads]: A man from Banu Bajīlah came to ‘Abdullah, and he did not say: Nahīk ibn Sinān. [Another version reads]: 'Alqamah came to enter upon him, so we said: "Ask him about the Nazhā’ir that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in one Rak'ah." So, he entered upon him and asked him, then, he came out and said: "Twenty Surahs of the Mufassal according to the order (of the Surahs) set by 'Abdullah.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty commanded reflection upon the Qur’an, as He says: {This is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you [O Prophet] so that they may reflect upon its verses, and so that people of understanding may take heed.} [Surat Sād: 29] Allah Almighty also says: {Do they not then ponder on the Qur’an?} [Surat an-Nisā’: 82] This is the purpose of its recitation, not just the mere recitation of its letters without understanding or reflection.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi'i Abu Wā’il, brother of Ibn Salamah, reports that a man - and in another version: "from Banu Bajīlah" - called Nahīk ibn Sinān came to 'Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "O Abu' Abdur-Rahmān, how do you recite this letter?" i.e., how do you recite this verse in the Qur'an? "Do you recite it as 'alif' or 'yā"? {{min mā’in ghayri āsin} or (min mā’in ghayri yāsin)?" This means: Does the word start with an alif or a yā'? "Āsin" water is water that has a changed taste and color, whereas "Yāsin" water is smelly and stinking water that affects whoever goes in it with its steam. Thereupon, ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: "And have you memorized the whole Qur'an except for this?!" i.e. Have you memorized the whole Qur'an and perfected its words except for this verse and the word you are asking about?! As if he was shocked and rebuking him. Nahīk ibn Sinān gave him an answer denoting how he believed that he had perfected the recitation of the whole Qur’an, as he informed him that he used to recite the Mufassal (short Surahs) in one single Rak‘ah, which indicates the great extent of his memorization and perfection. It is said: The Mufassal starts from Surat Muhammad, and it is said: Surat Qāf, until the end of the Noble Qur’an. It was called so because of the frequent separation between its Surahs with the line "Bismillāh ar-Rahmān ar-Rahīm" (In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful). ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) did not answer his question because he got the impression that he was not seeking guidance; rather, he said to him: "Like the hasty recitation of poetry?!" "Hadhdh" (hasty recitation) means excessive hastiness and extreme speed, i.e., do you recite the Qur’an hastily without reflecting upon it as if you are reciting poetry?! As if Ibn Mas‘ūd was criticizing him for reciting the Mufassal in one single Rak‘ah without reflecting upon and contemplating the verses.
Then, Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Verily, there are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go beyond their collarbones," which is an indirect reference to incomprehension, i.e., there are people who recite the Qur'an without reflecting upon its verses or contemplating its meanings. Hence, it does not reach their hearts through contemplation and humility, and it does not ascend to heaven, and they do not, thus, receive a reward for it. "Turquwah" (collarbone): It is the protruding upper chest bone from the beginning of the shoulder to the bottom of the neck.
Then, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that when the Qur’an is recited in a reflective and contemplative manner, and the heart consequently grasps its meanings and understands its lessons, it becomes of benefit to its reciter, and this is what is required of a Muslim and is the objective of reciting the Qur’an. Then, he clarified to him that the acts of prayer that have a better and bigger reward are more Rukū‘ and Sujūd, not the lengthy recitation in which the reciter does not reflect upon the meanings of the verses.
Then, he taught him, saying: I am well-acquainted with the Surahs, which are called "Nazhā’ir" and which are the Surahs that have similar meanings or have a similar length, that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine in his Rak'ahs during prayer reciting two of them in every Rak'ah.
Ibn Mas‘ūd then stood up and entered his house, followed by the Tābi'i' Alqamah ibn Qays, who wanted to ask him about these Surahs which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine. Then, ‘Alqamah came out and said to the people: Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me about them.
Another version reads: 'Alqamah informed them that the Nazhā’ir are "twenty Surahs from the Mufassal," i.e., twenty of the small Surahs according to the order of the Mus-haf that was arranged by 'Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd whose order varied from that of Zayd ibn Thābit. These Surahs were mentioned by Abu Dāwūd on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and they are: Ar-Rahmān and An-Najm in a Rak‘ah, Al-Qamar and Al-Hāqqah in a Rak‘ah, At-Tūr and Adh-Dhāriyāt in a Rak‘ah, Al-Wāqi‘ah and Al-Qalam in a Rak‘ah, Al-Ma‘ārij and An-Nāzi‘āt in a Rak‘ah, Al-Mutaffifīn and ‘Abasa in a Rak‘ah, Al-Muddaththir and Al-Muzzammil in a Rak‘ah, Al-Insān and Al-Qiyāmah in a Rak‘ah, An-Naba’ and Al-Mursalāt in a Rak‘ah, and Ad-Dhukhān and At-Takwīr in a Rak‘ah. If it is said Ad-Dukhān is not from the Mufassal, how did he count it from the Mufassal? The answer: It is a metaphor, as it was mentioned in a version in the Two Sahīh Collections: Eighteen Surahs from the Mufassal and two Surahs from the {Hā Mīm} family.
The Hadīth encourages reflection upon the Qur’an and abstention from reciting it hastily.
It also emphasizes the status and knowledge of Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him)..

830

Abu Basrah al-Ghifāri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the ‘Asr (afternoon) prayer at Al-Mukhammas and said: "This prayer was presented to those before you, but they wasted it. So, whoever observes it will have his reward doubled, and there is no prayer after it until the Shāhid appears." Shāhid: the star..

Commentary : Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. The 'Asr prayer has a great merit. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges Muslims to observe it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Basrah al-Ghifāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led some of his Companions in the ‘Asr prayer at Al-Mukhammas, which is the name of a path in Mount ‘Ayr on the way to Makkah. Then, he informed them that the 'Asr prayer was enjoined upon the preceding nations, but they did not observe it properly, not performing it in its due time, taking it lightly, and abandoning it. Then, Allah gave it to the Ummah of Islam, "so, whoever observes it will have his reward doubled"; the first reward is for observing it, unlike those who neglected it, and the second is a recompense for his deed like the rest of prayers. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then forbade them from offering any supererogatory prayer until the sun sets and the "Shāhid", which is the star, appears. It was called "Shāhid" (witness) because it appears and is present at night and because a star does not appear and is not seen except after sunset. This does not contradict the confirmed texts that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Maghrib by sunset, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections and others.
This is a prohibition of prayer at sunset because it was when those who worshipped the sun used to pray. The word "after" here is not meant in a general sense; rather, it is meant to refer to the time of sunset and what is close to it. It is said that the prohibition of prayer during this time is only meant to prohibit delaying the obligatory prayer without a valid excuse until it is performed close to sunset. This prohibition does not include performing obligatory prayers or making up for missed prayers; it is exclusive to the supererogatory prayer.
The Hadīth encourages the observance of prayer.
It also encourages the observance of prayers in their due time.
It clarifies the merit of this Ummah as it carefully maintains a prayer that was not maintained by the preceding nations.
It also points out that the reward of whoever observes the ‘Asr prayer is doubled..

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‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir al-Juhani reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to forbid us from praying or burying our deceased ones at three times: when the sun begins to rise until it is fully risen; when the sun is at its highest point in the sky at noon until it passes its zenith; and when the sun starts setting until it fully sets..

Commentary : Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to all humankind as a guide, bringer of good news, and a warner. There is no goodness for them concerning their life or death except that he guided them to it and urged them to do it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to preserve for the Muslims their creed. For example, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from praying or burying their dead at three times, which are: "When the sun begins to rise;" this is at the beginning of its rise and appearance. In modern estimation, this is nearly 15 minutes after sunrise. He forbade this because it is a time in which the sun-worshipers used to pray and prostrate to it, as it is a time in which the the sun rises between the two horns the devil. The second time: "When the sun is at its highest point in the sky at noon;" this is at midday, when the sun is in the middle of the sky. This is a time when any standing object at noon no longer has a shadow towards the east or the west, and it is the time of extreme heat. He forbade this timing because Hellfire is flared up during it. The forbidden time continues until the sun passes its zenith for a little towards the west, and there comes the noon at which the time of the Zhuhr prayer comes. The third timing: "and when the sun starts setting," i.e., it moves towards setting until it completely sets, and the disc of the sun disappears. This is a time in which the sun sets between the two horns of the devil. This prohibition does not apply to the obligatory prayers that are performed within their appointed times or as missed prayers; rather,, it applies to supererogatory prayers.
In the Hadīth: The prohibition of praying at these times
And in it: The prohibition of burying the dead at these times.

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‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: In Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance), I used to think that people were misguided and that they were not on the right path, as they worshipped idols. Then, I heard of a man in Makkah who was telling new things. So, I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was hiding, for his people were aggressive toward him. So, I acted gently until I entered his place. I said to him: "Who are you?" He said: "I am a Prophet." I said: "What is a Prophet?" He said: "Allah sent me.'' I said: "What did He send you with?" He said: "He sent me with [a message] of maintaining kinship ties, breaking the idols, and upholding the oneness of Allah without associating anything with him." I said: "Who is with you on that?" He said: "A free man and a slave man.'' He said: At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilāl were with him. I said: "I shall follow you.'' He said: "You cannot do that today. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? However, return to your people, and when you hear that I have succeeded in my mission, come to me.'' So, I went to my people. Later, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to Madīnah. It was until some of my people went to Madīnah that I said: "What happened to this man who came to Madīnah?" They said: "People are hastening to him. His own people wanted to kill him, but they could not." So, I went to Madīnah and entered his place and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He said: "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of what Allah has taught you, which I am ignorant of. Tell me about prayer." He said: "Perform the morning prayer. Then, do not pray until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises between two horns of a devil. It is when the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it. Then, pray, for the prayer is witnessed and attended, until the shadow of the lance shrinks. Then, do not pray, for at that time Hell is fired up. Then, pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and attended, until you perform ‘Asr. Then, do not pray until the sun sets, for it sets between two horns of a devil. It is when the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it." I further said: "O Prophet, tell me about ablution.'' He said: "When any of you approaches his ablution water and rinses his mouth and nose, the sins of his face, his mouth, and nose will ‘fall’. Then, when he washes his face as Allah commanded him, the sins of his face fall with water from the edges of his beard. Then, when he washes his hands up to the elbows, the sins of his hands fall with water from his fingertips. Then, when he wipes over his head, the sins of his head fall with water from the ends of his hair. Then, when he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet fall with water from his toes. Then, when he stands up for prayer, praises Allah Almighty, extols Him, glorifies Him as He deserves, and empties his heart for Allah, he becomes free from his sins as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.'' ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah narrated this Hadīth to Abu ’Umāmah, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, Abu Umāmah said to him: "O ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah, think about what you are saying. Will a man be getting all of this on one occasion?" ‘Amr said: "O Abu ’Umāmah, I am old in age, weak in bones, and close to death. I do not need to tell lies about Allah or the Messenger of Allah. Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) only once, twice, thrice - and he counted up to seven times - I would not have narrated it. However, I heard it more than that.".

Commentary : Islam emerged in a world filled with oppression, Shirk (polytheism), and ignorance. The brightness of its teachings was strange to those who lived in complete darkness. Its earlier followers suffered severe tribulations, as they were very few and their enemies regarded them as weak and humiliated, and they would subject them to subjugation and harm, for they did not possess the means of protection either by being large in number or by strength. This was before Allah Almighty endowed them with Hijrah (emigration) to Madīnah, where He provided them with refuge, empowered them, helped them, and made them victorious over their enemies. In this Hadīth, the Companion ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him)—who was the half-brother of Abu Dharr from the mother's side; their mother was Ramlah, from Banu al-Waqī‘ah ibn Harām ibn Ghifār, and he was from Banu Sulaym—says that in Jāhiliyyah, people were polytheists. It was called as such due to the prevalence of their ignorance. He used to think that people were misguided and did not follow anything of the truth or the religion that would benefit them with Allah Almighty. "as they worshipped idols." An idol is anything worshiped apart from Allah, be it made of stone, wood, or trees, and whether it takes the form of a human being or not. Later, he heard about the emergence of a man - meaning the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - in Makkah who was telling new things concerning Allah Almighty, i.e., the new things related to the prophethood, the message, and the revelation of Allah to him, and the command He sent to him about Tawhīd (monotheism) and the falsity of associating partners with Allah Almighty. So, he mounted his riding animal and traveled to Makkah to learn about the affair of this Prophet. He found the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) hiding from the disbelievers because they were aggressive to him. So, he searched for him in Makkah in a gentle and kind manner so that the Quraysh disbelievers would not repel him, until he found the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "What are you?" i.e., what about your condition and your affair? He did not say, "Who are you?" because he did not want to ask about himself but about his traits. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "I am a Prophet," one of the prophets of Allah, as Allah sent revelation to me. He asked him about the reality that distinguishes a prophet from others, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied to him that Allah sent him to all humankind. He further asked him: "What did He send you with?" In reply, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that He sent him with a message of upholding the ties of kinship, who are a person's relatives and all those who are related to him by blood, whether he is an inheritor of them or not. The tie becomes more affirmed if they have a closer blood relationship. The Prophet's response here was appropriate for the questioner or considering the time and condition. The upholding of kinship ties is probably singled out in consideration of the condition of the Arabs, or because other obligations had not yet been prescribed. And he informed him that Allah Almighty sent him with a message of breaking and destroying the idols, prohibiting the devotion of worship to them, and that oneness must be attributed to Allah alone and worship be devoted to Him alone, not associating any of the creation as partners with Him. ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Who is with you on that" Tawhīd and religion? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A free man and a slave man." ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at the time had with him Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), by whom he meant the free man, and Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him), by whom he meant the slave man, among those who believed in him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), believed his message, and followed his religion. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "I shall follow you" and this religion, referring to his conversion to Islam. Hence, I shall accompany you and be with you in this position you are in. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You cannot do that on this day of yours," i.e., at the present time. This is due to the weakness of the Muslims. It is feared that you will be harmed by the Qurayshi disbelievers. He did not reject his conversion to Islam, but rejected the idea that he would remain with him, citing as the reason for that the few supporters of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the strength of the disbelievers and the severe animosity they displayed. So, he ordered him to go back to his people, remain among them, and continue to be Muslim, and when he hears about the dominance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his victory over the polytheists and the spread of his call across the land, he should come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is an example of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talking about future and unseen things, and it falls under the signs of his prophethood (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to his people Banu Sulaym. Then, after a while, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emigrated to Madīnah after staying in Makkah as a prophet for thirteen years, calling people to Tawhīd and the abandonment of Shirk. Meanwhile, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was living among his people. So, he began to look out for news about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in Madīnah, asking travelers who would pass him by. This continued until there came a group, between three and nine persons, from the people of Yathrib, which was the old name for Madīnah, before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) changed it to Taybah and Tābah. He asked them: "What happened to this man who came to Madīnah?" He posed the question in this way so as to conceal his condition from whom he asked, lest they might be enemies of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and so they would not tell him the truth, if they knew he was following his religion. This reflects the good understanding, wisdom, and intelligence of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him). They answered him: People are hastening to him to follow his religion and enter Islam. "His people wanted to," i.e., the Quraysh disbelievers wanted to "kill him" by various methods of cunning and deception, "but they could not." Rather, Allah turned their plots back on their necks and protected His Prophet from that. It was said: This is intended to refer to what the Quraysh tribe plotted against the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after his Hijrah, including the battles of Badr, ’Uhud, and Al-Ahzāb, and others. But they could not eliminate him, as Allah Almighty granted him victory over them. Also, the intended meaning is probably what Allah Almighty mentions in the verse that reads: {And [remember] when the disbelievers plotted against you to take you as captive, kill you, or expel you. They plan, and Allah also plans, but Allah is the Best of those who plan.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 30] This is when they plotted against him in these ways. So, Allah permitted him to immigrate, and after he went to Madīnah, Allah Almighty revealed to him "Surat al-Anfāl" wherein He mentions His favors upon him and the affliction he had suffered.
Then, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he came to Madīnah - after the battles of Badr, ’Uhud, the Trench, and Khaybar - and entered the Prophet's place and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He replied: Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah. So, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked to tell him about what Allah taught the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of which ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was ignorant. He also asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to tell him about the prayer and its time. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed him to offer the morning prayer - and its time begins with the appearance of the true dawn - and then desist from prayer until the sun appears and rises to the height with which prayer is no longer disliked; that's 15 minutes after sunrise, according to modern estimation. This demonstrates the times in which prayer was prohibited, and he explained to him the reason behind this prohibition, saying that the sun rises between two horns of a devil, and at that time the disbelievers who worship the sun prostrate themselves to it. The meaning: The devil adorned to some people the worship of the sun at this time, and he used to take sunrise between the two horns in his head and approach it, and so it would rise between his two horns. And the same happens at the time of sunset. It is as if those who prostrate to the sun do prostrate to him. So, this is meant to keep away from imitation of the disbelievers at their time of prayer. This prohibition pertains to supererogatory prayers whose performance is not associated with a specific reason. A Muslim should not offer them at these two times. As for the missed obligatory prayers, they may be performed at all times of prohibition.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that after that time he could offer as many supererogatory prayers as he wished, as related in the version by Abu Dāwūd, "for the prayer is witnessed and attended," i.e., the angels attend it to write down its reward and bear witness for those who perform it. So, it is closer to acceptance and the attainment of mercy. So, he prays "until the shadow of the lance shrinks," i.e., the shadow rises with the lance or in the lance, and nothing of it remains on the ground. This refers to the Arab martial lance, which is nine mediocre spans long. The lance was particularly mentioned because when the Arabs wanted to know the time, they would erect their lances on the ground and then look at their shadows.
When things no longer have a shadow, one should refrain from offering supererogatory prayers that are not associated with a specific reason, for this time is one in which "Hell is fired up," i.e., it is intensely kindled. "when the shadow becomes longer" towards the east, "then pray" any prayer you want to offer. "for the prayer is witnessed and attended." Continue to pray as much as you wish "until you perform ‘Asr." Then, stop offering supererogatory prayers after ‘Asr, until the sun sets, for it sets between two horns of a devil, and this is a time at which the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it, as previously mentioned.
Then, ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about ablution and how to perform it. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When any of you approaches his ablution water," i.e., brings water to perform ablution therewith. "and rinses his mouth" by moving water inside the mouth and then discharging it out. "and nose" by inserting water into the nose and then blowing it out to remove any filth inside. the sins of his face, his mouth, and nose "fall." "Then, when he washes his face as Allah commanded him," i.e., in the verse that reads: {when you rise up for prayer, wash your faces.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 6] "the sins of his face will fall with water from the edges of his beard." He mentioned the beard in light of what is more common; yet, it also applies to those who have no beard, such as the beardless men or women. "Then, when he washes his hands up to the elbows," which are the joints in the middle of the arm, "the sins of his hands fall with water from his fingertips. Then, when he wipes over his head, the sins of his head fall with water from the ends of his hair." He mentioned hair in light of what is more common, yet it also applies to those who have no hair. "Then, when he washes his feet up to the ankles" - the two protruding bones at the joint connecting the foot and leg - "the sins of his feet fall with water from his toes." If a person performs ablution in this way and enters the prayer, praises Allah, lauds Him by the well-established attributes, lauds Him by exalting Him above what does not befit Him, and extols Him by ascribing to Him the attributes of glory, might, and honor of which He is worthy; "and empties his heart for Allah," Almighty, i.e., he empties his heart from the impurity of attachment to and reliance upon other than Allah, "he becomes free from his sins" and misdeeds and gets purified from them as he was pure from all sins "on the day his mother gave birth to him."
‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadīth before Abu ’Umāmah, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, Abu ’Umāmah said to him: "O ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah, think about," i.e., consider, ponder, "what you are saying" about this abundant reward in return for this little act in one situation and one place; a man is given this great reward! The wording by An-Nasā’i: "Is all of this given in one situation?!" This does not denote suspicion by Abu ’Umāmah of ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with both of them). It is only wonder at the immensity of Allah's bounty. ‘Amr replied: "O Abu Umāmah, I am old in age," "weak in bones," i.e., my bones have become thin and lean - a reference to his weakness. "and close to death." "I do not need" or am prompted "to tell lies about Allah" Almighty" or the Messenger of Allah" (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The meaning: The usual causes of lying are non-existent in me. I am not a liar. So, "Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) only once, twice, thrice - and he counted up to seven times," i.e., he said: four times, until he said: seven times. "I would not have narrated it. However, I heard it more than that." In the version by An-Nasā’i: "My ears heard it, and my heart understood it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." This means he was scrupulous in narrating these words about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Besides, his heart kept it for himself, and he did not undergo forgetfulness. This is all due to keenness to ascertain the validity of the narration.
In the Hadīth: Urging the upholding of kinship ties, as Allah Almighty couples it with Tawhīd
And in it: Supererogatory prayers may be offered at any time, except for the prohibited times.
And in it: Demonstrating the time of the morning prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the times in which it is prohibited to offer non-obligatory prayers
And in it: The merit of performing ablution perfectly
And in it: The merit of Khushū‘ (humility and focus) in prayer
And in it: It is prohibited to imitate the disbelievers in their worship
And in it: Showing the merit of Abu Bakr and Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with both of them), as they embraced Islam ahead of others
And in it: Showing the merit of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his wisdom, for he realized during Jāhiliyyah that people were misguided, as they worshiped idols apart from Allah Almighty, and he embraced Islam early on.
And in it: It points out that a Muslim should ask about the best times and places in which he should seek closeness to his Lord and perform a lot of worship to Him.
And in it: News should be verified, even if the reporter is truthful, for he may undergo forgetfulness or the like..

Book of Hadith

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