Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): When the Messenger of Allah ﷺcame [to Makkah], he refused to enter the Ka’bah while there were idols inside it. He ﷺcommanded for their removal and they were removed. They removed the pictures of Prophet Ibraaheem and Prophet Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them) holding arrows in their hands. The Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “May Allah fight them. By Allah, they definitely knew that both of them never drew lots by using arrows superstitiously [for the purpose of divination].” Then, he ﷺentered the House, pronounced takbeer in all its corners, and did not offer prayers therein.”.

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the ancient House of Allah that Muslims revere and respect. Hence, it should be purified from all forms of impurities.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports an incident proving that the Prophet ﷺprohibited hanging pictures and statues in houses, mosques and so on. In the 8th year of Hijrah, the Prophet arrived at Makkah, but he refused to enter inside the Ka’bah while the idols are still therein. He ordered to have them removed so the Companions (ras) emptied the Ka’bah from all idols and removed images depicting Prophet Ibraheem and Prophet Ismaa’eel (peace be upon them) holding arrows in their hands. Before Islam, the people used to draw lots by using those arrows i.e., they would write my lord ordered me to proceed on some of them and on the rest would write “my lord ordered me not to proceed” and in some cases they would write “Go ahead” on some of them and “Refrain” on the other. If one of them wanted to travel or engage in any act, he would draw lots by those arrows and act according to the arrow they would draw. Allah, Most High, says: {And you are prohibited from seeking decisions based on diving arrows. This is grave disobedience.” (Quran 5:3).
The Prophet ﷺclarified that these are false pictures and he even invoked Allah against them, because they knew with certitude that Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and Ismaa’eel (peace be upon him) never drew lots by using arrows. The Prophet ﷺentered the House only after purifying it from idols and pictures he ﷺuttered takbeer in its corners and its four sides and he did not offer prayers in it.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Bilaal wherein he confirms that the Prophet ﷺprayed inside the Ka’bah. This reconciliation states that the hadeeth of Bilaal takes precedence over its counterpart, because he entered with the Prophet ﷺthe Ka’bah and observed what the Prophet ﷺdid in it, and also because the Ibn ‘Abbaas – the negator – was not present with the Prophet ﷺthere on that day. Not to mention, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) attributed his negation sometimes to Usaamah and sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It has also been stated that the entrance into the House occurred twice; one occasion, he performed prayers therein, while on the other he did not offer prayers therein.
From the benefits that we can also conclude from this hadeeth is learning that whoever enters the Ka’bah, he should say takbeer in its four directions.
This hadeeth shows that scholars and pious and righteous people should refrain from attending the places where falsehood is present and avoid participating in the gatherings of falsehood and transcend himself over that..

1602

Narrated ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and his Companions (ras) came to Makkah. The polytheists said, “He is coming to you, while the fever of Yathrib has weakened them.” The Prophet (ﷺ)commanded his Companions to walk fast in the first three rounds of Tawaaf and that they walk normally between the two corners. Only the pity for them prevented the Prophet (ﷺ)to order them to walk fast in all the rounds.”
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Commentary : In the sixth year of the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺnegotiated the peace treaty of Hudaybiyyah with Quraysh. One of its provisions stated that he ﷺreturns to al-Madeenah this year and then he ﷺreturns the next year to perform his ‘Umrah, and in return Quraysh will grant him access to the Sacred House for three days.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺcame to Makkah in the sixth year of the Hijrah for the purpose of performing ‘Umrah, he ﷺintended to clarify the lie of Quraysh who spread rumours that the fever of al-Madeenah had weakened the Muslims and had worn their bodies out; thus, he ﷺintended to manifest the strength of the Muslims in front of Quraysh.
To that end, he ﷺcommanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to take fast paces in the first three rounds of Tawaaf apart from the patch between the two corners, namely al-Rukn al-Yamaanee and al-Rukn al-Aswad. He ﷺallowed them to walk at their comfort calmly there so they can take a rest since the Polytheists, who used to stand at a distance to watch the Muslims, were not able to see them in that direction. The Muslims followed the orders of the Prophet ﷺi.e., they walked fast in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walk slowly in the last four rounds. Out of his compassion and softness towards his Companions (ras), he did not perform fast walking rounds in all the rounds. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺwas kind and merciful.
However, when the Prophet ﷺcame after that in the Farewell Hajj, it was a completely different story with him. It is reported on the authority of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) that he said “saw that when Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) came to Makkah and kissed the Black corner that contains the Black Stone, (in the first circumambulation) he moved quickly in three rounds out of seven rounds.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that one should walk fast in the three complete rounds including between the two Rukns - where he should not walk casually. However, this act happened later in time; thus, it will take precedence (in adopting it) and the Sunnah of brisk walking with fast pace has been established since then.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that we are commanded of doing brisk walking with fast pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf.
This hadeeth shows that one round of Tawaaf is given the name of ‘Tawfah.’
It shows that Muslims should demonstrate their force and power by displaying military equipment and weaponry and the likes to the disbelievers and this is not considered as part of the showing off that is criticised.
Amongst its benefits also is that the displays of force can be in deed just as it can been in word and perhaps it being in deed is better..

1603

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
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Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺtaught us what to do when we arrive at the Sacred House i.e., he ﷺshowed us what we should start with and how to conclude when departing from this Holy Place. Also, he ﷺtaught us the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺarrived at Makkah, he started his Tawaaf by touching and kissing the Black Stone as it is the sign of initiating the rounds of Tawaaf and its termination. He explains that the Prophet ﷺwalked with high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf and thereafter he ﷺwould walk causally in the last four rounds.
The apparent reading of this hadeeth indicates that walking with a high pace covered the first three rounds completely as opposed to the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) concerning ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’, which reads: “The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to walk with high pace in the first three rounds except between the two Rukns. The only reason that prevented him from ordering them to walk with a high pace in all the rounds was to preserve their strength.” This hadeeth explicitly states that walking with a high pace was not done throughout the three rounds, from beginning to end. This is noted in his command that they should walk casually between the two Rukns and to avoid walking with a high pace between them. The scholars addressed this issue and explained that in the last instance, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his Tawaaf in his first arrival on the Farewell Hajj from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times and walked casually the last four rounds. Thereafter, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace from the Black Stone to the Black Stone, including the area between the two Rukns, became the established practice as this happens to be his last practice..

1604

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
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Commentary : The Companions (ras) transmitted the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺin Hajj and ‘Umrah and the general rulings that should be observed when entering the Sacred House.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf while he walked casually in the last four ones, and that happened both in the Farewell Hajj and ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’.
The apparent reading of this hadeeth indicates that walking with a high pace covered the first three rounds completely as opposed to the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) concerning ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’, which reads: “The Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to walk with a high pace in the first three rounds except between the two Rukns. The only reason that prevented him from ordering them to walk with a high pace in all the rounds was to preserve their strength.” This hadeeth explicitly states that walking with a high pace was not done throughout the three rounds, from beginning to end. This is noted in his command that they should walk casually between the two Rukns and to avoid walking with a high pace between them. The scholars addressed this issue and explained that in the last instance, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his Tawaaf in his first arrival on the Farewell Hajj from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times and walked casually the last four round. Thereafter, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace from the Black Stone to the Black Stone, including the area between the two Rukns, became the established practice as this happens to be his last practice..

1605

Narrated Zayd bin Aslam from his father that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) stated concerning the Black Stone “By Allah, indeed, I know that you are only a stone which does not harm and benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet ﷺtouching you, I would not have touched and kissed you.” Then, he touched and kissed it and said, “There is no need to walk with a high pace [in the first three rounds of Tawaaf], we did it because we wanted to display our strength to the polytheists, and now Allah has destroyed them.” Thereafter, he said, “Nonetheless, it is a thing that the Prophet ﷺdid, therefore, we do not like to forsake it.”
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Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
This hadeeth highlights the total submission of the Companions and the strength of their faith. The Taabi’ee. ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah reports that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) used to kiss the Black Stone, which is a rock set into the southeast corner of the Ka’bah, and it is embedded in a silver frame. He (ra) did so because he saw the Prophet ﷺkissing it and had he not seen him doing so, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not have kissed it, because he knew that it is just a rock that does not harm and benefit per se. The only benefit that one can obtain from kissing it is receiving reward through emulating the command of the Prophet ﷺand following the Sunnah of his kissing. It is said that ‘Umar (ra) only made that statement because people were very close in time to the worship of idols, thus, he feared that the ignorant ones may think that touching and kissing the Black Stone is the same as what the Arabs used to do before Islam. He intended to teach them that it is only the exaltation of Allah and adherence to the command of the Prophet intended by touching and kissing the Black Stone and that it is part of the rites of Hajj. That is because Allah has granted some stones virtues over the others, some pieces of land over the others, and some nights and days over the others. The kissing of the Black Stone has been prescribed as a form showing respect and veneration to its right and to observationally know who obeys the command and refrains from the prohibition. This is similar to the story of Satan when he was commanded to prostate to Adam (peace be upon him).
After, ‘Umar (ra) clarified that walking with a high pace in the first three rounds of Tawaaf was originally legislated due to the rumours the idolators had spread that the fever that hit al-Madeenah had weakened the Prophet ﷺand his Companions. It was only intended to display the strength of Muslims, so the disbelievers of Makkah know that we are strong enough to fight and resist them. It was a way to refute their false rumour. As for now, Allah has defeated disbelief and its people; and Makkah has been conquered, thus, the calling caused us to walk with a high pace in the first three rounds is no longer present, however, it has remained in practise as a legislated Sunnah; thus, we do it, as matter of following him and of acting upon his Sunnah.
Whatever ‘Umar (ra) stated here is his own speech with himself; in order to express the fact that the matter of religion is based on believing and following the Sunnah. His statement is not intended to criticise the acts of the rites. For this reason, he self-redressed and said, “It is a thing that the Messenger of Allah ﷺdid, and we do not love to abandon it, rather it is incumbent upon us to follow it.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning a great maxim about following the Prophet ﷺconcerning what he did even if the wisdom therein remains unknown.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to kiss the Black Stone and indicates the fact that we should not kiss any other objects or stones without textual evidence from religion.
It also demonstrates the importance of clarifying the Sunnah through words and deeds, and that it is compulsory on the ruler to take the initiative to clarify that which he fears people may adopt a corrupt belief about.
From the other benefits we conclude is that Muslims should display their strength and power with arms and weaponry in order to instill awe and fear in the hearts of disbelievers, and that is not included in the unpraiseworthy showing off.
It proves that there are acts of worship that are purely ritualistic and there are those which are rationally understood..

1606

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): "I have never missed the touching of these two Corners (the Black Stone and the Yemenite Corner), neither in hardship nor in prosperity, since I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) touching them." I asked Naafi`: "Did Ibn `Umar (ra) use to walk between the two Corners?" Naafi` replied, "He used to walk in order that it might be easy for him to touch it (the Corner Stone).".

Commentary : Imaan is founded upon complete submission to Allah and His Messenger ﷺin all the commands and prohibitions, irrespective of whether the rationality behind these orders and prohibitions are known or not.
In this hadeeth, Naafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (ra), reports that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) informed about himself that he never always touched the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee, which are to the direction of Yemen – neither in hardship nor in prosperity, neither in distress nor in opulence, nor in other circumstances since he has seen the Prophet ﷺdoing it. The touching here is referred to as Istilaam, which means to pass the hand over them, and to additionally kiss the Black Stone.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ras) used to walk with a normal pace between them so that it becomes more comfortable and easier for him to touch them and to harbour strength on doing it during crowding. This hadeeth indicates that he used to walk with a high pace in the rest of the three rounds of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah. The Prophet ﷺcommanded his Companions during ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’ to walk and not to walk with a high pace between the two Rukns, so they do not get tired, thereafter, they walk a with high pace in the rest of the rounds of Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, of course, in the first three circuits. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺwalked with a high pace in his circumambulation on his first arrival in the Farewell Hajj entirely from the Black Stone to the Black Stone three times, and he walked casually in the rest of the four rounds. Since then, the Sunnah of walking with a high pace, starting from the Black Stone and ending at the Black Stone, in the first three rounds of Tawaaf have become the practised Sunnah because this was the last practice of the Prophet ﷺ.
This hadeeth highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Umar (ra) due to his profound eagerness to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺin all his affairs and to act upon it..

1607

Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺclarified the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah verbally and in action, and he ﷺexplained that which is allowed and that which is not allowed in ‘Umrah and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺperformed circumambulation (Tawaaf) at the Farewell Hajj whilst riding on his camel that he ﷺutilised on journeys. He added that the Prophet ﷺpointed towards the Black Stone with his crook – that is a staff whose head is crooked, sufficing with it from kissing the Stone, then he would kiss the crook instead as it is mentioned in the narration in Saheeh Muslim.
That occasion has been called Farewell Hajj because the Prophet ﷺwas like someone bidding farewell to them during the sermon of Hajj, thereafter, he did not live for longer. This happened in the tenth year of the Hijrah. His mounting of the camel during that hajj was due to illness. It is said that it was due to disliking turning away the people from the Black Stone, meaning, if he ﷺperformed Tawaaf walking, the people would turn away from the Stone every time the Messenger of Allah ﷺpassed by it, out of their reverence for him that he is not crowded around. It is also said that he did so, so the people are able to listen to his speech and be able to see his place and so that they can follow his lead.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that when a person is unable to kiss the Stone, he can touch it with his hands or using a stick.
This hadeeth highlights the easement of Islam in the acts of worship and Tawaaf round the Ka’bah by riding for the one who is unable to perform it by walking..

1609

Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Commentary : The Prophet expressly demonstrated the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah by words and deeds and he clarified what is permissible and what is not allowed therein.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) narrates that he has never seen the Prophet ﷺtouching and kissing any part of the Ka’bah apart from the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee. The Prophet ﷺdid that because they are founded upon the foundations that Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon him) laid down. The Corner of the Black Stone has two merits, the first of which is containing the Black Stone, and the second is it being built on the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). As for the second Corner, (al-Rukn al-Yamaanee), it only has the latter virtue (being built upon the foundations of Ibraaheem). For this reason, the Black Stone has been given more attention; hence, it has been prescribed for us to kiss it. Allah, Most High, says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} (Quran 33:21).
It is worth noting that kissing the Black Stone is among the Sunnah acts for the one who is able to do so without harming people. If one is unable to do so, then he should just place his hand on it, then he should lift it up and kiss it (the hand). If he cannot do that, then he should stand facing towards it and pointing with hands towards it and thereafter pronounce takbeer.
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1611

Narrated al-Zubayr ibn ‘Arabee: A man asked Ibn `Umar (ra) about the touching of the Black Stone. Ibn `Umar said, "I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) touching and kissing it." The questioner said, "But what if there were a throng (much rush) round the Ka`bah and the people overpowered me, (what would I do?)" He replied angrily, " May you leave ‘what ifs’ in Yemen! I saw Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) touching and kissing it.".

Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance, we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, al-Zubayr ibn ‘Arabee reports that a man asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (ra) about the touching and kissing of the Black Stone. Ibn ‘Umar (ra) informed him that he saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺtouching and kissing the Black Stone. The man however asked: “What if I am overcrowded and people crowd around me such that I am unable to reach the Black Stone or I am overpowered to reach it due to any other reason, hence I cannot reach it and kiss it?” Ibn ‘Umar (ra) counselled him saying, “May you leave ‘what ifs’ in Yemen!” i.e., give up this excuse and follow the Sunnah by touching and kissing the Black Stone. It is as if Ibn ‘Umar (ra) comprehended from his excessive questioning that he wants to gradually give it up, which eventually leads to failing to respect and venerate it as demanded by the religion.
Ibn ‘Umar (ra) held the opinion that touching and kissing the Black Stone should never be forgone, even during excessive overcrowding; as a form of following the Prophet ﷺ. However, it is worth being aware that kissing the Black Stone is among the Sunnah acts for the one who is able to do so without harming people. If one is unable to do so, then he should just place his hand on it, then he should lift it up and kiss it (the hand). If he cannot do that, then he should stand facing towards it and pointing with hands towards it and thereafter pronounce takbeer.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is knowing that it is allowed for a scholar to interrupt the questioner when he keeps asking what if questions.
The hadeeth also shows that all goodness is in following the Sunnah to the best of one’s abilities. .

1612

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
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Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance, we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺdid circumambulate round the Ka’bah in the Farewell Hajj, as recorded in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, while mounted on his camel that he used on journeys.
Every time he ﷺreached the Black Stone, he would face towards it and point towards it. It has been narrated that he was carrying a crook on his hand – a staff with a crooked head – and was pointing with crook (towards it), then he would kiss the crook [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. He ﷺheld this sufficient from performing touching and kissing the Black Stone.
His mounting of the camel during that hajj was due to illness. It is said that it was due to disliking turning away the people from the Black Stone, meaning, if he ﷺperformed Tawaaf walking, the people would turn away from the Stone every time the Messenger of Allah ﷺpassed by it, out of their reverence for him that he is not crowded around. It is also said that he did so, so the people are able to listen to his speech and be able to see his place and so that they can follow his lead.
From the benefits that can be deduced from this hadeeth is that if one is unable to kiss the Stone, then one can still touch it with his hand, stick, or anything of that sort.
The hadeeth highlights the easement of Islam concerning the acts of worship, and that it is permissible to perform the Tawaaf whilst riding if one is unable to perform it walking..

1614

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): "The first thing the Prophet (ﷺ) did on reaching Makkah was the ablution and then he performed Tawaaf round the Ka`bah and that was not `Umrah (alone), (but Hajj-al-Qiraan). ‘Urwah added: Later Aboo Bakr and `Umar (ras) did the same in their Hajj." And I performed the Hajj with my father Al- Zubayr, and the first thing he did was Tawaaf round the Ka`bah. Later I saw the Emigrants and the Ansaar doing the same. My mother (Asmaa') told me that she, her sister (`Aaishah), al-Zubayr and such and such persons assumed Ihraam for `Umrah, and after they passed their hands over the Black Stone, they finished the Ihraam. (i.e., after doing Tawaaf of the Ka`bah and brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah)..

Commentary : The Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Prophet ﷺtaught it to his Companions practically and verbally, and they in turn transmitted to us the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aaishah (raa) reports that the first thing that the Prophet ﷺdid in the Farewell Hajj, which he performed in the tenth year of the Hijrah when he came to Makkah, was that he performed ablution. Thereafter, he performed seven rounds of Tawaaf, known as Tawaaf al-Qudoom. Following that, he performed no ‘Umrah after the Tawaaf, because he did not interrupt his Hajj by performing ‘Umrah as he drove the animal for sacrifice with him. As for the Companions who did not drive their animals for sacrifice, the Prophet ﷺcommanded them to allow ‘Umrah to intervene before their Hajj and that they perform Hajj al-Tamattu’. As for those who drove their animals for sacrifice, the ‘Umrah will be incorporated into the Hajj and they will perform Hajj al-Qiraan.
The Taabi’ee, ‘Urwah bin al-Zubair informed that both Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (ras) performed Hajj in their reign, and they did just like the Prophet ﷺ. Thereafter, ‘Urwah reports that he saw the Emigrants and the Ansaar doing exactly the same as what the Prophet ﷺdid.
His mother, Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (raa) related to him that she and her sister ‘Aaishah, the Mother of the Believers (raa), al-Zubayr bin al-‘Awwaam, and so-and-so – enumerating some of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ - all assumed Ihraam for ‘Umrah and that once they had touched and kissed the Black Stone, completed their Tawaaf and performed the rite of brisk walking between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, and then they had shaved or cut their hair upon which they exited their Ihraam. That is because their ‘Umrah was complete.
It is said: The reason why he said, “Once they had touched the Rukn, they freed themselves from Ihraam,” and did not mention other acts thereafter, because of the common knowledge about them and their obviosity.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that ablution is prescribed for Tawaaf, and that one who assumes Ihraam for Hajj, should start first with performing the Tawaaf.
This hadeeth shows that it is prescribed to touch the Black Stone..

1617

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): When the Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the Ka`bah, he walked with a high pace during the first three rounds and in the last four rounds, he used to walk with a normal pace; and while doing Tawaaf between al-Safaa and al-Marwah, he used to do tawaaf in the midst of the rainwater passage.”.

1618

`Ataa’ informed us that when Ibn Hishaam forbade women to perform Tawaaf with men, he said to him, 'How do you forbid them while the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform Tawaaf with the men?' I asked, 'Was this before decreeing the use of the hijaab or after it? `Ataa’ replied, 'On my life! I saw it after the order of hijaab.' I said, 'How did they mix with the men?' `Ataa’ said, 'The women never mixed with the men! `Aa'ishah (raa) used to perform Tawaaf separately and never mixed with men. Once it happened that `Aa'ishah (raa) was performing the Tawaaf and a woman said to her, 'O Mother of Believers! Let us touch the Black Stone.' `Aa'ishah said to her, 'Go yourself,' and she herself refused to do so. The wives of the Prophet (ﷺ) used to come out in night, in disguise, and used to perform Tawaaf with men. But whenever they intended to enter the Ka`bah, they would stay outside till the men had gone out. `Ubayd bin `Umayr and I used to visit `Aa'ishah (raa) while she was residing at Jawf Thabeer." I asked, "What was her veil?" `Ataa said, "She was wearing an old Turkish veil, and that was the only thing (veil) which screened between us and her. I saw a pink cover on her.".

Commentary : Hajj is an act of worship that cannot be sanctioned except on the basis of textual evidence from the Quran or the Sunnah to that effect. The Prophet ﷺtaught it to his Companions practically and verbally, and they in turn transmitted to us the details of this worship as they saw it and performed it with the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee ‘Ataa’ bin Abee Rabaah reports that he was wondered at the position of Ibn Hishaam when he prohibited women to perform Tawaaf with men in Hajj and ‘Umrah, and he explained to him that the wives of the Prophet ﷺperformed Tawaaf with men at the same time, however, behind them.
The full name of Ibn Hishaam is: Ibraaheem bin Hishaam bin Ismaa’eel, the governor of al-Madeenah and the maternal uncle of the Caliph Hishaam bin ‘Abdul Malik bin Marwaan.
Here, ‘Abdul Malik bin Jurayj asked his Shaykh ‘Ataa’ bin Rabaah, “Was their Tawaaf with men after the revelation of the ayah of Hijaab (veil) – that is being the ayah: {If you (believers) ask them something, then ask them behind a Hijaab (barrier),” [Quran 33:53], of before it?” Its revelation was concerning the Prophet’s marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh in the fifth or the third year of the Hijrah. ‘Ataa’ responded, “On my life,” which is intended for the emphasis of his statement and does not denote taking an oath, that he had found them doing Tawaaf with men and that was after the revelation of the ayah of Hijaab.
Ibn Jurayj then asked about the nature of their intermingling with men. He replied that they did not intermix with men and explained that ‘Aaishah (raa) would perform Tawaaf at a distance, meaning, further away from the men and would not intermingle with them. A woman requested her to walk and go to touch and kiss the Black Stone, but ‘Aaishah (raa) plainly refused that.
‘Ataa’ informs that the wives of the Prophet ﷺand other women would generally go out for Tawaaf at night in disguise (veiled). They would perform Tawaaf with men, however, when they sought entrance to the Sacred House, they would halt standing aside and waiting when the men exited.
‘Ataa’ relates that he and ‘Ubayd bin ‘Umayr al-Hijaazee, the judge of Makkah, would visit ‘Aaishah (raa) while she would be residing at Jawf Jabal Thabeer. It is a hill at Muzdalifah on the left route from there to Mina and right route from Mina to ‘Arafaat. She veiled herself in a small Turkish tent made of wool which pegged into the ground. It had a screen which covered its door. This is the only partition between us and her. I saw a rose dress on her, a red garment, whose colour was rose. The other version of the narration in Musannaf ‘Abdur Razzaaq reads: “[I saw] a blouse dyed in red [on her], while I was a child.” He thereby (by being a child) clarified the reason for seeing her.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about how women did Tawaaf in disguise covered unrecognisably with clothing that which veiled them from the eyes of the men.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible for women to perform Tawaaf at night, and to perform Tawaaf behind men.
It shows that it is prescribed to settle down and reside in the proximity of Makkah and the Sacred House..

1619

Narrated Umm Salamah (raa): I complained to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) that I was sick, so he said, "Perform the Tawaaf while riding behind the people (who are performing the Tawaaf on foot)." I performed the Tawaaf while Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was offering the prayer by the side of the Ka`bah and was reciting: {By the Mount of Toor and by a Decree Inscribed.}.

Commentary : Islam is the religion of tolerance and easiness, which manifests in all aspects of life and worship. One of these aspects is its tolerance with the sick and those who have valid excuses preventing them from performing the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
In this hadeeth, Umm Salamah (raa) narrates that she mentioned to the Messenger of Allah ﷺthat she was afflicted with an illness that prevented her from performing Tawaaf on foot. The Prophet ﷺgranted her concession to perform Tawaaf while mounting her camel and instructed her to do it behind the people. Hence, she performed Tawaaf in that manner.
At that moment, the Messenger of Allah ﷺwas offering the Fajr prayer towards the Ka’bah, very close to its wall because the Maqaam of Ibraaheem then was completely adjacent to the House before ‘Umar (ra) transferred it from that place. Nonetheless, the Ka’bah in its entirety is the direction of the Qiblah. The Prophet ﷺprayed whilst reciting the Surah of al-Toor.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that the sick is allowed to perform Tawaaf whilst riding if he cannot walk.
The hadeeth shows that women should perform Tawaaf behind the men and not intermingle with them, because that is more concealing to them.
It also shows that those who perform Tawaaf at the time of congregational prayer due to a valid excuse, they should only perform Tawaaf behind the people to avoid disturbing them..

1620

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺclarified the rites and actions of Hajj and ‘Umrah by words and actions and explained that which is allowed and that which is not allowed in them. He ﷺused to facilitate the acts of worship for his Companions so they do not create hardship for themselves or endure burdens.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that during the Tawaaf, the Prophet ﷺnoticed a person who had tied his hand to another person using a rope, a lengthy piece made and cut from leather or a string or something else, for example a towel or the like. Thereupon, he ﷺsevered it with his own hand, because the only possible way to remove this evil is by cutting it off. Then, the Prophet ﷺsaid, “Lead him by your hand,” meaning, without attaching him to something.
It is said that the one driven was blind or because it is only animals that are dragged by a rope and so on, which involves piercing and slightly mutilating [the animals]. It is also said that the people before Islam used these kinds of acts as a way of ritually getting closer to Allah, henceforth, the Prophet ﷺprohibited it. It has also been stated that the both men did that because one of them had made a vow to do that, thus, the Prophet ﷺprohibited that and clarified that such vows are not valid, as it is in a narration according to Saheeh al-Bukhaaree.
From the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to speak good [to others] whilst doing Tawaaf. It shows us that if one performing Tawaaf sees an evil act, it allowed for him to change it using his hands..

805

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

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

806

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

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

809

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

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

810

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

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

811

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

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

811

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

812

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

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

814

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

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

817

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

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

820

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

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

821

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

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

822

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

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

830

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
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Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
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Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
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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).".

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.".

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.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.” .

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.” .

Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.” .

Narrated Saalim ibn ‘Abdullah from his father (ras): “I have never seen the Prophet (ﷺ) touching any part of the Ka’bah apart from the two Yemeni Corners.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.” .

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.” .

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).".

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.".

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.".

Narrated Saalim who narrates from his father: “I saw the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when he came to Makkah, he would touch and kiss the Black Stone at the beginning of his Tawaaf and he walked hastily in the [first] three rounds out of the seven ones.”
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Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) walked with a high pace in the three rounds of Tawaaf and walked causally in the following four rounds in Hajj and ‘Umrah.”
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Narrated Ibn ’Abbaas (ra): “Ibn ‘The Prophet (ﷺ)performed the circumambulation at the Farewell Pilgrimage on a camel and touched the corner with a crooked stick.”
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): “The Prophet (ﷺ) performed the Tawaaf of the House whilst riding on a camel. Whenever he reached the Black Stone, he pointed towards it.”
.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that while the Prophet (ﷺ) was performing Tawaaf, he passed by a person who tied his hand with another person by using a rope or a string or something else. The Prophet ﷺcut it off with his hand and told him, “Lead him with your hand.”
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