Narrated Saalim that he heard his father (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would raise his voice in Talbiyah only from the Mosque i.e., Thoo al-Hulayfah Mosque..

1544

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): ‘Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) rode behind the Prophet ﷺfrom `Arafat to Al-Muzdalifah; and then from Al-Muzdalifah to Mina. Then, he ﷺallowed Al-Fadl to ride behind him from al-Muzdalifah to Mina." He added, "Both of them (Usaamah and Al-Fadl) said, 'The Prophet ﷺ was constantly reciting the Talbiyah till he finished stoning at the Jamarat-Al-`Aqaba.".

1545

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ with his Companions started from al-Madeenah after combing and oiling his hair and putting on two sheets of lhraam (upper body cover and waist cover). He ﷺdid not forbid anyone to wear any kind of sheets except the ones colored with saffron that leave the scent on the skin. In the early morning, the Prophet ﷺ mounted his camel while in Thoo al-Hulayfah and set out till they reached al-Baydaa', where he ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) recited Talbiyah, and then they did the ceremony of Taqleed (which means to put the colored garlands around the necks of the animals for sacrifice). And all that happened on the 25th of Thoo al-Qi'dah. And when he ﷺ reached Makkah on the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah, he ﷺperformed the Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and performed the Tawaaf and walked briskly between al-Safa and al-Marwa. And as he ﷺhad a sacrifice animal and had garlanded it, he did not exit his Ihraam. Then, he ﷺproceeded towards the highest places of Makkah near Al-Hajoon while he was assuming the Ihraam for Hajj. He ﷺdid not go near the Ka`bah after he performed Tawaaf (round it) till he returned from `Arafaat. Then he ﷺordered his Companions to perform the Tawaaf around the Ka`bah and then walk back and forth between al-Safa and al-Marwa, and to cut short the hair of their heads and to finish their Ihraam. And that was only for those people who had not garlanded sacrificial animals. Those who had their wives with them were permitted to contact them (have sexual intercourse), and similarly perfume and (ordinary) clothes were permissible for them..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ clarified all the rulings and etiquettes of Hajj and ‘Umrah in words and actions, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted to us all what they heard and observed from him ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺheaded towards Makkah from al-Madeenah to perform his farewell Hajj, which occurred 5 days before the end of the month of Thool QI’dah. Before departing al-Madeenah, he ﷺcombed his hair, scented his clothes and body with musk and pleasant scents, and put on his clothes of Ihraam. He ﷺdid not forbid anyone to wear any kind of sheets to cover the upper and lower parts of the body. In Arabic, the clothing worn for the upper body and lower body is called Ridaa’ and Izaar, respectively. The only type of clothes that he ﷺdid not allow during Ihraam those that are colored with saffron which would leave smell and color on the skin.
The Prophet ﷺ arrived at Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town that is located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. In the early morning, he ﷺmounted his camel and set out till he ﷺreached al-Baydaa', which is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. And the reason it is called al-Baydaa’ is because it has no buildings, houses or landmarks. He ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) recited the Talbiyah aloud, and the words of which are: “The words are: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” This was his third Talbiyah, because the first one he ﷺrecited was at Thoo al-Hulayfah when he entered the state of Ihraam from the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, and the second one was when he ﷺmounted his camel and stood upright.
The Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah on the early morning of the 4th of Thoo al-Hijjah. He ﷺperformed the arrival circumambulation (Tawaaf) and then performed the rite of walking briskly between al-Safa and al-Marwa. By doing that, he ﷺcompleted the rites of ‘Umrah but he ﷺdid not exit his Ihraam because he had sacrificial animals that had colored garlands around their necks to mark them as the animals allocated for sacrifice. He ﷺmaintained his Ihraam and proceeded towards the highest place of Makkah near Al-Hajoon, which is a mountain overlooking al-Muhassab, which is located about 1.5 miles from the Ka’bah. The Prophet ﷺ did not go to the Ka’bah after he ﷺmade the arrival Tawaaf until after he finished from ‘Arafaat.
The Prophet ﷺordered his Companions who did not have sacrificial animals to perform the rites of circumambulation around the Ka’bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then shorten their hair to exit their Ihraam until the time of Hajj. This order was limited to those who did not have garlanded sacrifice animals. Then, he ﷺclarified that those who exited their Ihraam and had their wives with them are permitted to have sexual intercourse with their wives, and to wear perfume and ordinary clothes. Because of this, this rite was called Tamattu’ (which means in Arabic, enjoyment). On the 8th of Thool Hijjah, they again enter the state of Ihraam for Hajj and complete its rites.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to wear perfume before entering the state of Ihraam, and that it is allowed to do tamattu’ of ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj.

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1546

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ prayed four units in al-Madeenah and then two units at Thoo al-Hulayfah and then passed the night at Thool-Hulayfah till it was morning. And when he mounted his Mount and it stood up, he started to recite Talbiyah..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him, so they can teach all the Muslims these rites.
This hadeeth clarifies some of the rites of Hajj when Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Thoohr before departing to Makkah to perform his farewell Hajj, and that he did not shorten the prayer so he ﷺ prayed the four units. Then, when he ﷺ prayed ‘Asr at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he shortened it so he ﷺ prayed two units, as mentioned in another hadeeth in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree. Thoo al-Hulayfah is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it.
The Prophet ﷺ spent the night at Thool al-Hulayfah and left in the morning heading towards Makkah. He ﷺ recited the Talbiyah aloud after he mounted his camel and it stood up. The words of the Talbiyah are: Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that when his camel brought him up to al-Baydaa’, he ﷺ raised his voice in the Talbiyah for the pilgrimage. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. And the reason it is called al-Baydaa’ is because it has no buildings, houses, or landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in the Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Medeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again, so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
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1549

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Talbiyah of Allah’s Messenger ﷺ was: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.”.

1551

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ offered four units of Thoohr prayer at al-Madeenah and we were in his company, and prayed two units of the `Asr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah and then passed the night there till it was dawn; then he rode his mount, and when he reached Al-Baydaa', he praised and glorified Allah and said Takbeer Then he ﷺ and the people along with him recited the Talbiyah with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah. When we reached Makkah, he ﷺ ordered us to exit the lhraam (after performing the ‘Umrah). The people complied and on the day of Tarwiyah, they assumed their Ihraam for Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ slaughtered many camels as sacrificial animals with his own hands with the camels standing. When Allah's Messenger was in al-Madeenah, he ﷺ sacrificed two horned rams that were white speckled with black.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him, so they can teach Muslims these rites.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ prayed Thoohr before departing to Makkah to perform his farewell Hajj, which was in the 10th year of Hijrah, and that he ﷺ did not shorten the prayer, so he ﷺ prayed the four units. Then, when he ﷺ prayed ‘Asr at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he shortened it so he ﷺ prayed two units.
Thoo al-Hulayfah is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. The Prophet ﷺ spent the night there and in the early morning he ﷺ rode his mount, and when he ﷺ reached Al-Baydaa', he praised and glorified Allah and said Takbeer i.e., he said: “Alhamdullah, Subhan Allah, and Allahu Akbar,” then recited the Talbiyah aloud with the intention of performing Hajj and Umrah in one Ihraam. The words of the Tabliyah read: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” However, this was not the beginning of his Ihraam, because he ﷺ entered Ihraam at the Mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah where he ﷺ recited the Talbiyah aloud. His second Talbiyah was when his camel stood up while he ﷺ was on its back, and the third Talbiyah was when he when he ascended Al-Baydaa'.
The people followed the Prophet ﷺ and recited the Talbiyah like him with the intention of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah in one Ihraam. However, after arriving at Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ ordered those who did not have sacrificial animals to exit their Ihraam after completing their ‘Umrah – that is after completing the rites of circumambulation around the Ka’bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and cutting or shaving the head. The Arabic term used for the sacrificial animals of pilgrims is Hady, which refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice. As the Prophet ﷺ was among those who had sacrificial animals, he ﷺ did not exit his Ihraam.
On the day of Tarwiyah, which is the 8th day of Thoo al-Hijjah, they recited the Talbiyah for Hajj. The Prophet ﷺ slaughtered camels while the camels are standing because it is easier to do it that way. Then, he ﷺ slaughtered two horned rams that were white speckled with black when he ﷺ spent ‘Eid al-Adhah in al-Madeenah.
This hadeeth shows the actions of who performs ‘Umrah then exits Ihraam and then assumes Ihraam for Hajj.
It shows that it is permissible to combine ‘Umrah and Hajj in one Ihraam, and that shortening the prayer during travelling is allowed..

1553

Narrated Naafi', 'Whenever Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) finished his Fajr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah, he would get his mount prepared. Then, he would ride on it, and after it had stood up straight (ready to set out), he would face Al-Qiblah while sitting (on his mount) and reciting the Talbiyah. When he had reached the boundaries of the Haram (of Makkah), he would stop recitation of the Talbiyah till he reached Dhaa Tuwaa (near Makkah) where he would pass the night till it was dawn. After offering the Far prayer, he would take a bath. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had done the same..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rulings of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him so they can teach Muslims these rites.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the free slave of ‘’Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), reports that Ibn ‘Umar(may Allah be pleased with him), whenever he would offer the Fajr prayer at Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town located about 10 kms away from al-Madeenah and the appointed place for entering the state of Ihraam for the people of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it, he would order that his mount be prepared and his luggage put over it. Then, after his ride stood up, he would face towards the Qiblah and recite the Talbiyah, which reads: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak,” which means: “I am here at Your service, O Allah, I am here at Your service. I am here at Your service, You have no partner, I am here at Your service. Surely the praise, and blessings are Yours, and the dominion. You have no partner.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) would continue reciting until reaching the Haram and spent the night in the valley of Tuwa (Dhee Tuwa), which is located in the higher parts of Makkah at al-Baydaa’, the house of Muhammad ibn Sayf. Then, he would perform the Fajr prayer and take a bath to get ready to enter Makkah during the daytime.
“Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had done the same.” i.e., the Prophet ﷺ spent the night in the valley of Tuwa and entered Makkah during the daytime. However, this is not obligatory since it is proven authentic that the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah at night and assumed the state of Ihraam for ‘Umrah from al-Ji’raanah. None of that is from the rites of Hajj but it clarifies the places at which the Prophet ﷺ stayed.
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ recited the Talbiyah for Hajj when he ﷺ reached al-Baydaa’ while he ﷺ was on the back of his camel. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. The reason it was called al-Baydaa’ because it was empty from any constructions and landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Madeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah, so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that one should take a bath before entering Makkah.
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1554

Narrated Naafi’: Whenever Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to go to Makkah, he used to oil himself with a sort of oil that had no pleasant smell. Then, he would go to the Mosque of Al-Hulayfah and offer the prayer, and then ride his mount. Once he was mounted well on his Mount and the Mount stood up straight, he would proclaim the intention of assuming Ihraam. Then, he would say that he had seen the Prophet ﷺ doing the same..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ explained to his Companions all the rites of Hajj in words and actions and ordered them to learn their rites from him so Muslims can learn these rites from them.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’ – the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar -reports that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to oil himself with an oil whose smell does not show before departing al-Madeenah to Makkah to perform Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do that after taking a bath and before wearing his clothes of Ihraam. The reason he opted for the non-scented smell is because he thought using scented oils is not permitted if one is about to enter the state of Ihraam i.e., he was under the assumption that wearing a fragrance is against the requirements of Ihraam. However, it is proven authentic, as in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, that ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) perfumed the Prophet ﷺ with musk before he entered his Ihraam.
After, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would pray in the Mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, which is a town at the distance of 10 km from al-Madeenah, and it is the appointed place (MIqaat) of Ihraam for the residents of al-Madeenah and those who travel through it. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would mount his camel and once it stood up, he recited the Talbiyah aloud, which read: “Labbayk-Allaahumma labbayk, labbayka laa shareeka laka labbayk, inna al-ḥamda, wal ni`matah, laka wal Mulk, laa shareeka lak”.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs others that he saw the Prophet ﷺ did all that whenever he ﷺ wanted to depart al-Madeenah to Makkah to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah and whenever he ﷺ wanted to enter the Ihraam. It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ recited the Talbiyah for Hajj when he ﷺ reached al-Baydaa’ while he ﷺ was on the back of his camel. [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. Al-Baydaa’ is a place near Thoo al-Hulayfah on the road to Makkah. The reason it was called al-Baydaa’ is because it was empty from any constructions and landmarks.
It is possible that the reason the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) differed on the place from which the Prophet ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah is that each group reported what they witnessed i.e., the Prophet ﷺ came out from al-Medeenah with the intention of performing hajj, and when he ﷺ prayed at the mosque of Thoo al-Hulayfah, he raised his voice in Talbiyah so those who heard him reported it. Then, he ﷺ mounted his camel and when it stood up, he ﷺ raised his voice in Talbiyah again so those who heard him reported it. This is because the people were coming in groups, so they heard him raising his voice calling the Talbiyah when his camel stood up with him on its back, and they thought that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ had raised his voice in the Talbiyah only when his camel stood up with him on its back. Then, when he ﷺ ascended the height of al-Baydaa', he raised his voice in the Talbiyah. Some people heard it at that moment, and they thought that he had raised his voice in the Talbiyah when he ascended the height of al-Baydaa'. Each group reported that which they witnessed and caused them to differ in opinion about the place from which he ﷺ started his Talbiyah and Ihraam. However, the truth is that he recited the Talbiyah three times.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to oil oneself before entering the state of Ihraam. As for using fragrant items and perfumes, it is also allowed according to other hadeeths..

1555

Narrated Mujaahid: I was in the company of Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) and the people talked about Ad-Dajjaal and said, "Ad-Dajjaal will come with the word Kaafir (disbeliever) written in between his eyes." On that, Ibn `Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I have not heard this from the Prophet ﷺ, but I heard him saying, 'As if I saw Moses (peace be upon him) just now entering the valley reciting the Talbyiah. ' ".

Commentary : The Talbiyah is from the rites of Hajj and reciting it aloud manifests this significant ritual and declares the Oneness of Allah, Exalted be He. When a Muslim recites it aloud, plants and inanimate objects recite it along with him.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, Mujaahid ibn Jabr reports that he was in the company of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) and the topic of the false Messiah, Ad-Dajjaal, was brought up. The appearance of Ad-Dajjaal is one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment as he will claim that he is God. The people who were present in this gathering mentioned that the Prophet ﷺdescribed him and said that the word Kaafir (disbeliever) will be written in between his eyes. According to the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim, it is narrated on the authority of Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamaan (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “…and between his eyes is written "disbeliever," which every believer will read, whether he is literate or illiterate.” The correct view is that people can see it as it is written with actual letters that Allah has made one of the evident signs to expose his identity of ad-Dajjaal. However, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did not hear that part about ad-Dajjaal from the Prophet ﷺ, but he heard him saying: 'As if I saw Moses (peace be upon him) just now entering the valley reciting the Talbyiah” i.e., it is as if I ﷺsee Moses right now with my own eyes descending the valley of al-Azraq, which is located between Makkah and al-Madeenah, reciting the Talbiyah.
It is recorded in Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “He (Moses) was keeping his fingers in his ears and was reciting the Talbiyah loudly while passing through that valley.” And this valley is one mile away from Makkah.
This hadeeth shows that reciting the Talbiyah is prescribed whenever we ascend and descend, and while we are passing through a valley. It shows that reciting the Talbiyah while passing through the valley is from the Sunnah of Prophets (peace be upon them)..

1556

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with him) - the wife of the Prophet ﷺ: “We set out with the Prophet ﷺ in his farewell Hajj, and we assumed Ihraam for ‘Umrah. The Prophet ﷺ then said, "Whoever has the Hady (sacrificial animals) with him should assume Ihraam for Hajj along with `Umrah and should not exit the Ihraam till he finishes both." I was menstruating when I reached Makkah, and so I neither did the circumambulation round the Ka`bah nor the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah. I complained about that to the Prophet ﷺ on which he replied, "Undo and comb your head hair, and assume Ihraam for Hajj (only) and leave the ‘Umrah." So, I did so. When we had performed the Hajj, the Prophet ﷺsent me with my brother `Abd al-Rahmaan bin Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Tan`eem. So, I performed the `Umrah. The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "This `Umrah is instead of your missed one." Those who had assumed Ihraam for `Umrah (Hajj-al-Tamattu’) performed circumambulation round the Ka`bah and did the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah and then exited their Ihraam. After returning from Minaa, they performed another circumambulation round the Ka’bah. Those who had assumed Ihraam for Hajj and `Umrah together (Hajj-al-Qiran) performed only one circumambulation..

1557

Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺordered ‘Alee [ibn Abee Taalib] (may Allah be pleased with him) to keep assuming his Ihraam..

1558

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): Jabir said, "Alee bin Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) returned from Yemen. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, 'With what intention have you assumed the state of Ihraam?' `Alee said, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ." The Prophet ﷺ said (to him): If I have not brought a Hady, I would have exited my Ihraam.
Muhammad ibn Bakr add from Jurayj: The Prophet ﷺ said to him: The Prophet ﷺsaid to him, 'With what intention have you assumed the state of Ihraam?' `Alee said, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ. 'Offer a Hady and keep the state of Ihraam in which you are now.'.

Commentary : Hajj and ‘Umrah are of a great status and are so much rewarding such that the Prophet ﷺliked to demonstrate all their rites verbally and in action. He ﷺordered them to learn their rites directly from him, so they can teach them to the rest of Muslims.
In this hadeeth, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports the incident when ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺin the farewell Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) travelled from Yemen, where the Prophet ﷺsent him to collect the alms and the one fifth, and on his way to Makkah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the state of Ihraam. After, the Prophet ﷺasked him about the intention of his Ihraam. His answer was that he assumed Ihraam with an intention as that of the Prophet ﷺ. It happened that the Prophet ﷺwas one of the pilgrims who had Hady with them; thus, he entered the Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah and Hajj together. However, the Prophet ﷺcommented that if he had not brought a Hady with him, he would have exited his Ihraam and then entered Ihraam again for Hajj. This is because the pilgrim who brings Hady cannot exit his Ihraam until after the Hady is slaughtered on the Day of Sacrifice (Day of Nahr). The Hady refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice.
In another version of the same narration, the Prophet ﷺsaid to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him): 'Offer a Hady and keep the state of Ihraam in which you are now until you complete Hajj.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it is permissible for the pilgrim to enter the state of Ihraam with a general intention and to have it specified before entering the rites.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to combine ‘Umrah and Hajj in one Ihraam (i.e., Tamattu’).
It shows the great love that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had for the Prophet ﷺand how keen they were to follow his example..

1559

Narrated Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) sent me to some people in Yemen and when I returned, I found him at Al-Bat-haa’. He ﷺasked me, "With what intention have you assumed Ihraam (i.e., for Hajj or for ‘Umrah or for both?") I replied, "I have assumed Ihraam with an intention like that of the Prophet ﷺ." He ﷺasked, "Have you a Hady with you?" I replied in the negative. He ﷺordered me to perform Tawaaf round the Ka`ba and between Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah and then to finish my Ihraam. I did so and went to a woman from my tribe who combed my hair or washed my head. Then, when `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came (i.e., became Caliph) he said, "If we follow Allah's Book, it orders us to complete Hajj and ‘Umrah; as Allah says: {Perform the Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.} (2.196). And if we follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (ﷺ), he ﷺdid not finish his Ihraam till he sacrificed his Hady.".

1560

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "We set out with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) in the months of Hajj, and (in) the nights of Hajj, and at the time and places of Hajj and in a state of Hajj. We dismounted at Sarif. The Prophet (ﷺ) then addressed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and said, "Anyone who has not got a Hady and likes to do ‘Umrah instead of Hajj may do so (i.e., Hajj-al-Tamattu`) and anyone who has got a Hady should not finish the Ihraam after performing ' `Umrah. (i.e., Hajj-al-Qiraan). ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "Some of the Companions of the Prophet (ﷺ) complied while some of them did not." As for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and some of his Companions, they were resourceful and had the Hady with them, they could not perform ‘Umrah (alone) (but had to perform both Hajj and ‘Umrah with one Ihraam). ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to me and saw me weeping and said, "What makes you weep, O Hantaah?" I replied, "I have heard your conversation with your Companions, and I cannot perform the ‘Umrah." He asked, "What is wrong with you?' I replied, ' I am in a state that does not allow me to offer the prayers (i.e., I have my menses).' He (ﷺ) said, ' It will not harm you for you are one of the daughters of Adam, and Allah has written for you (this state) as He has written it for them. Keep on with your intentions for Hajj and Allah may reward you that." ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Then we proceeded for Hajj till we reached Mina and I became clean from my menses. Then I went out from Mina and performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah." ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "I went along with the Prophet (ﷺ) in his final departure (from Hajj) till he dismounted at Al-Muhassab, and we too, dismounted with him." He called `Abd al-Rahmaan bin Abu Bakr and said to him, 'Take your sister outside the sanctuary of Makkah and let her assume Ihraam for 'Umrah, and when you had finished `Umrah, return to this place and I will wait for you both till you both return to me.' " ' ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, " So we went out of the sanctuary of Makkah and after finishing from the `Umrah and the Tawaaf, we returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) at dawn. He (ﷺ) said, 'Have you performed the `Umrah?' We replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, he (ﷺ) announced the departure amongst his Companions and the people set out for the journey, and the Prophet too left for al-Madeenah.''.

Commentary : There are three ways for performing Hajj: (1) Tamattu’: It is when the pilgrim enters the state of Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, namely Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa’dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah. And after completing the ‘Umrah, he exits his Ihraam and then enters the Ihraam again in the same year to perform Hajj. (2) Al-Qiraan: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform both ‘Umrah and Hajj together. (3) Al-Ifraad: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform Hajj only.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she set out with the Messenger of Allah ﷺin the months and nights of Hajj i.e., she went out with him during the time of Hajj and attended the designated locations of Hajj, underwent the different conditions of pilgrimage, and refrained from all that which is not allowed during pilgrimage. They landed at Sarif, a place six miles (10 km) away from Makkah, and there the Prophet ﷺaddressed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and said to them that he likes whoever does not have Hady – which are the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice to make their Ihraam for ‘Umrah only and then exit their Ihraam, and there is nothing required from them for doing so. This is because when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with her) set out with the Prophet ﷺin this journey, they entered their Ihraam with the intention of performing ‘Umrah and Hajj together. After all of them completed the rites of ‘Umrah, he ﷺordered those who did not have Hady to exit their Ihraam and enter Ihraam for Hajj on the day of Tarwiyah. As for those who had Hady, he ﷺordered them to maintain their Ihraam; thus, the rites of ‘Umrah be included in the rites of Hajj. Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) exited their Ihraam while some other Companions did not, which shows that as if the order was optional. It was said that the Prophet ﷺmade it optional for them at the beginning to absorb their shock and be kind to them by showing that they will get the reward of ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj, because at that time, they considered exiting their Ihraam before performing Hajj a serious heinous act, but then he ﷺemphasised his order and made it obligatory upon them, as he ﷺdisliked their reluctance to follow the order. However, after he ﷺmade it obligatory, all of them accepted it and complied except those who had Hady. The Messenger of Allah ﷺand some of his Companions were resourceful and had Hady; thus, they did not exit their Ihraam after completing the ‘Umrah.
Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺfound ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) crying so he ﷺinquired as to what was wrong and addressed her with the name Hantaah, which was said that a person does not know the evil and plots of people! It is possible that it is used as a form of calling to say Hey you! She explained that she heard his instruction to his Companions – that those who do not have Hady to exit their Ihraam after they have completed the ‘Umrah - and then informed him that she cannot perform the rites of ‘Umrah i.e., the Tawaaf and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah because she got her period, although her Ihraam was to do Qiraan (Hajj and ‘Umrah together). However, out of her decorum. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺattempted to make it easier on her and cheer her up so he ﷺinformed her that her menses will not harm her, because it is a thing which Allah has ordained for the daughters of Adam, and that this happens to all women. Then, he ﷺtold her to continue her Hajj with the hope that Allah will allow her to perform it and complete it.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) assumed her Hajj and after she arrived at Mina, she became clean from her menses, which was on the 10th of Thoo al-Hijjah, on the Day of Nahr. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains and is located about 6 km to the south of Makkah, between Makkah and the mountain of ‘Arafah. There, some of the rites of Hajj are performed like the rite of throwing the pebbles. After she became clean, she left Mina and performed Tawaaf round the Ka’bah. Then, she joined the Prophet ﷺand the cohort who departed Minaa on the 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah as others departed it on the 12th of Thoo al-Hijjah. After, she went down with the Prophet ﷺto a place called al-Muhassab, which is a spacious land between Makkah and Minaa. The name of the place is derived from the Arabic word al-Hasbaa’ (pebbles) because pebbles gather there from the water stream.
The Prophet ﷺorderd ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) to take his sister, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and leave the Haram and go to the Tan’eem so she can enter her Ihraam for ‘Umrah in lieu of the ‘Umrah she missed because of her menses. Then, he ﷺordered them to return to al-Muhassab after completing the ‘Umrah where he ﷺwill wait for them. She (may Allah be pleased with her) followed the instructions of the Prophet ﷺand went to the Tan’eem, which is a place located 7 km from the Haram of Makkah and the place from which the people of Makkah enter Ihraam. After she entered her Ihraam for ‘Umrah and completed the final tawaaf, she headed to where the Prophet ﷺwas waiting for her. She arrived about fajr time. After he ﷺlearned that she completed her ‘Umrah, he ﷺinformed his Companions that it is the time to depart, so all the people joined them and on their way to al-Madeenah, he ﷺpassed by the Ka’bah and performed the farewell Tawaaf before Fajr time, as reported in the hadeeth in Saheeh Muslim.
This hadeeth shows the mercy of the Prophet ﷺtowards his wife and his attempts to cheer her up and pleases her when she was sad.
It shows that the last rite that pilgrims need to do is to perform the farewell Tawaaf and then leave to their homeland.
.

1561

Narrated ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her): 'We went out with the Prophet (ﷺ) with the intention of performing Hajj only and when we reached Makkah, we performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and then the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered those who had not driven the Hady along with them to finish their Ihraam. Thereupon, the people who had not driven the Hady along with them finished their Ihraam. The Prophet's wives, too, had not driven the Hady with them, so they too, finished their Ihraam." `Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "I got my menses and could not perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah." So, when it was the night of Hasbah, I said, 'O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Everyone is returning after performing Hajj and `Umrah, but I am returning after performing Hajj only.' He (ﷺ) said, 'Did not you perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah the night we reached Makkah?' I replied in the negative. He (ﷺ) said, 'Go with your brother to Tan`eem and assume the Ihraam for `Umrah, (and after performing it) come back to such and such a place.' On that Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'I feel that I will detain you all.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O 'Aqra Halqa! Did not you perform Tawaaf round the Ka`bah on the Day of Sacrifice? (i.e., Tawaaf-al-ifaadah) Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He said, (to Safiyyah). 'There is no harm for you to proceed on with us.' " `Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added, "(after returning from `Umrah), the Prophet (ﷺ) met me while he was ascending (from Makkah) and I was descending to it, or I was ascending, and he was descending.".

Commentary : There are three ways for performing Hajj: (1) Tamattu’: It is when the pilgrim enters the state of Ihraam with the intention to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, namely Shawwaal, Thoo al-Qa’dah, and Thoo al-Hijjah. And after completing the ‘Umrah, he exits his Ihraam and then enters the Ihraam again in the same year to perform Hajj. (2) Al-Qiraan: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform both ‘Umrah and Hajj together. (3) Al-Ifraad: It is when the pilgrim enters the Ihraam with the intention to perform Hajj only.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, reports that she set out with the Prophet ﷺin his farewell hajj, which occurred in the 10th year of Hijrah. They departed al-Madeenah with the intention to perform Hajj; thus, when they arrived at Makkah, they performed the arrival Tawaaf without her because she had her period when they entered Makkah. The Prophet ﷺordered those who did not have Hady to exit their Ihraam after performing ‘Umarh, which is done by performing Tawaaf then perform the brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and finally to cut [or shave] the hair. This is how pilgrims break their ‘Umrah from Hajj, and it happened that the wives of the Prophet ﷺdid not have Hady thus they exited their Ihraam after completing the rites of ‘Umrah.
The Hady mentioned in the hadeeth refers to the cows, camels, sheep, and goats that pilgrims slaughter in the Haram as sacrifice.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she menstruated thus could not perform the Tawaaf of ‘Umrah. As for the Tawaaf of Hajj, she mentioned according to another narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, that she was in her Ihraam for Hajj and when she arrived at Mina on the 10th day of Thoo al-Hijjah, which is the Day of Sacrifice, she became clean then she left Mina and performed Tawaaf al-Ifaadah then she left with the Prophet ﷺin the group who leave Mina on the 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah.
When it was the night of Hasbah, which is the night that they spent at al-Muhassab i.e., a spacious land between Makkah and Mina. The name of the place is derived from the Arabic word al-Hasbaa’ (pebbles) because pebbles gather there from the water stream. This was when the Prophet ﷺleft preparing to travel back to al-Madeenah. There, she (may Allah be pleased with her) said to the Prophet ﷺ: “Everyone is returning after performing Hajj and `Umrah, but I am returning after performing Hajj only,” because she was keen on doing as many good deeds and acts of worship as possible just like the other Mother of the Believers and Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). She wanted to perform ‘Umrah like everyone else. The Prophet ﷺordered her to go with her brother ‘Abd al-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Tan’eem and enter Ihraam for ‘Umrah from there. He ﷺdid that to please her and make her happy and then appointed al-Muhassab, where he ﷺwas spending the night, the place of meeting after she completes her ‘Umrah.
‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) then relates that Safiyyah bint Huyyay (may Allah be pleased with her) thought that she will delay the people because she menstruated and could not perform the farewell Tawaaf. She menstruated on the night of Sacrifice and thought that everyone will have to wait for her until she be clean and perform it. The Prophet ﷺremarked: “Aqra Halqa” which is an expression that was customary among the Arabs who would utter it out of habit without intending its meaning, which is an invocation against the person. However, the Prophet ﷺasked her if she performed the tawaaf al-Ifaadah and she confirmed that she completed it. Thereupon, he ﷺinformed him that it was not a problem, and that she does not have to do it because menstruating women are not obliged to do it.
Then, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) mentions that she met the Prophet ﷺat al-Muhassab, which is the starting point from which people depart to outside Makkah. She mentioned that she met him ﷺwhile he was ascending (from Makkah) and she was descending to it, or she was ascending, and he ﷺwas descending.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to perform ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and exit Ihraam.
It shows the kind treatment and compassion of the Prophet ﷺfor women..

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..

831

‘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.

832

‘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

| Hadiths