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Hadith
389
It was narrated from Abu Wa’il, from Hudhayfah, that he saw a man who did not bow or prostrate completely. When he finished his prayer, Hudhayfah said to him: You have not prayed. He [the narrator] said: And I think he said: If you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The worshipper should be unhurried and at ease in every essential part of the prayer, because being unhurried and at ease is also an essential part of prayer. So he should be unhurried and at ease when standing, when bowing, when prostrating, when rising from bowing, and when sitting between the two prostrations. Being unhurried and at ease means allowing the limbs to settle into the posture that one is doing. Hence when Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man not bowing and prostrating completely, and not doing either in an unhurried manner, he said to him: You have not prayed! With this shortcoming, your prayer does not count, and if you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What is meant by the Sunnah here is the way. This applies to both obligatory and supererogatory prayers, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to move unhurriedly when bowing and prostrating, and in all the essential parts of the prayer. So if you die doing something other than that, you will be going against the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his way in prayer.
This is an example of the Sahabah teaching the Tabi‘in, and transmitting the Sunnahs and rulings to those who came after them. It is also an example of their keenness to teach people as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had been keen to teach them..

390
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Malik [or] ibn Buhaynah that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, he spread his arms so wide [when prostrating] that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is to be done as prescribed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how it is to be done, and taught us its essential parts, etiquette and postures. That includes how to prostrate and the way in which the arms are to be placed whilst prostrating.
This hadith includes a description of the Prophet’s prostration. ‘Abdullah ibn Malik ibn Buhaynah (may Allah be pleased with him) – and this Buhaynah was the mother of ‘Abdullah, as he was also referred to as her son; she is not the parent of Malik – narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to spread out his arms when prostrating. In other words, he held his arms away from his sides, like wings, to such an extent that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. This is by way of exaggeration in spreading the arms and keeping them far away from his sides. What is meant by whiteness is that there was no hair in his armpits, so their colour was like that of the rest of his body; either that was how he was created, or it was because he continually plucked them and always paid attention to that.
It was said that rather he did that because it was by way of including the arms in this act of worship and making sure that they did not look as if there was any laziness or carelessness in this action, and to show that he was striving hard. And it was said that that was because it would make him lighter on the ground and he would not be heavy and thus carry too much weight on his forehead. And it was said that the wisdom behind that is that it is more akin to demonstrating humility and is more helpful in ensuring that the forehead and nose are touching the ground firmly. Moreover, it makes each part stand out on its own. This action is only for men; in the case of women, it is more appropriate for them to bring their limbs together, because what is required in the case of women is to be more concealing.
This hadith highlights the concern of the Sahabah to transmit the actions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to describe them in precise detail.
It also highlights how prostration should be done in the prayer, with humility before Allah (may He be glorified), humbling oneself before Him..

391
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us, that is the Muslim who has the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”.

Commentary : Allah has protected the life, property and honour of the Muslim, and has forbidden transgressing against him or hurting him. He warns the one who transgresses against him without justification under Islamic law of a painful punishment in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains the characteristics of the Muslim who has the right to safety and protection of his property, life and honour: he is the one who prays as we pray, meaning that he offers the five obligatory prayers in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), facing towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is a Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger. Thus his life and property are protected, and he enjoys the protection of Islam, with all the rights that the Muslims enjoy. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
After explaining that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined the Muslims not to break the covenant of Allah with regard to that person, not to act treacherously towards him and not to betray him by transgressing his rights, for any transgression against him is a betrayal of Allah and His Messenger, a breaking of their covenant and undermining the sanctity of Islam.
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

393
It was narrated that Humayd said: Maymun ibn Siyah asked Anas ibn Malik: O Abu Hamzah, what makes the life and property of a person sacred? He said: Whoever bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, faces towards our qiblah, prays as we pray and eats meat slaughtered by us, it is he who is a Muslim, with the same rights and duties as any other Muslim..

Commentary : Islam is very keen to emphasize the sanctity of the Muslim and to protect his property and his life, and all his rights in all aspects.
In this hadith there is a description of the Muslim who has the right to protection, and whose life and property are to be protected, as the Tabi ‘i Maymun ibn Siyah narrated that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): What is it that protects a person from being killed, and protects his property from being seized? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied by telling him that this protection applies to the one who affirms that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, acknowledging the oneness of Allah, and acknowledging that Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is His Messenger, and who prays as we pray – meaning the five obligatory prayers, in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and faces towards our qiblah, meaning that he faces towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is the Muslim who enjoys the same rights that all Muslims enjoy and has the same duties as other Muslims. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and acknowledges that he is the Messenger of Allah.
Even though the isnad of this hadith appears to stop with Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), a report such as this is deemed to be attributable to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It appears in a marfu‘ report (one which has an isnaad going back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) in Sahih al-Bukhari, in a hadith of Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us,  that is the Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what we think is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

394
It was narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you go to the outhouse, do not face towards the qiblah or turn your back towards it; rather face east or west.” Abu Ayyub said: Then we came to Syria, and we found lavatories that had been built facing towards the qiblah, so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah (may He be exalted)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to teach his ummah all the details of religion, which included teaching his ummah the etiquette of relieving themselves and of entering bathrooms and outhouses.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the one who wants to relieve himself by urinating or defecating from facing towards the qiblah, the direction of the Kaaba, or turning his back towards it, out of respect and veneration for it, for that is the direction that the Muslims face in the prayer; they turn towards it from every place, and that direction represents the sacred House of Allah.
The word translated here as outhouse originally referred to low-lying land, as they used to go there to relieve themselves, then the word began to be used to refer to the action, not the place, because they did not want to refer explicitly to the action.
The words “rather face east or west” mean: face towards the east or the west when you relieve yourselves. This is addressed to the people of Madinah and others for whom the qiblah is in the same direction [namely, south]. As for those for whom the qiblah is towards the east or west, what may be understood is that they are instructed to turn in a different direction, so that they will not be facing towards the qiblah or turning their backs towards it. Then Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then we came to Syria – which now includes the modern countries of Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon – and we found lavatories. A lavatory is a place like a small room that is allocated for relieving oneself. The people of Syria had built these lavatories facing towards the qiblah unintentionally, or because they did not know of the prohibition on doing that, or because they thought that the prohibition did not include these structures. Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah. In other words, we would try to orient our bodies away from the direction of the qiblah as much as possible, and as much as the structure allowed, then we would seek forgiveness of Allah in case we committed some infraction. This is an example of the perfect faith of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), as striving on its own is sufficient in order to avoid this infraction that one might feel ill at ease with if one did not do it. But they still sought forgiveness, so as to be on the safe side, and because they believed in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This seeking of forgiveness would be done outside the lavatories, not inside, because of the prohibition on mentioning the name of Allah (may He be exalted) in outhouses and places where one relieves oneself. This may indicate that the ruling on facing the direction of the qiblah inside the structures built for that purpose is the same as when relieving oneself in the open, without any difference. This is the view of Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him). But it was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that this prohibition applies only to open spaces, so if there is some kind of screen between the individual and the qiblah, there is nothing wrong with it. In al-Sahihayn, it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I climbed on the roof of my sister Hafsah’s house, and I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sitting to relieve himself, facing towards Syria, with his back towards the qiblah. .

397
It was narrated that Mujahid said: Someone went to Ibn ‘Umar and said to him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar said: So I came, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. I found Bilal standing between the two doors, so I asked Bilal: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray inside the Kaaba? He said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter. Then he came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba. .

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mujahid ibn Jabr narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Makkah in 8 AH, he entered the Kaaba and prayed two rak‘ahs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was standing outside when someone came to him and told him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba.  Ibn ‘Umar came, but he found that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. Bilal was with him, standing at the door. With him inside were Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi (may Allah be pleased with him), as is narrated in al-Sahihayn. Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the Kaaba, and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed two rak‘ahs between the two pillars that were on his left when he entered. These two pillars are the two pillars on which the roof rests. In al-Sahihayn it says: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – at that time, the House was resting on six pillars – then he prayed. Between him and the wall of the Kaaba there were three cubits, as is mentioned in the report of Abu Dawud; that is sufficient distance to stand in prayer, and it is sufficient to prostrate. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the front of the Kaaba; what is meant by the front of the Kaaba is the door of the House.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says that [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the House and said takbir whilst walking around inside it, and he did not pray in it – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray inside the Kaaba..

398
It was narrated that ‘Ata’ said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbas say: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the House, he offered supplication whilst walking around inside, but he did not pray until he came out of it. When he came out, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba, and he said: This is the qiblah..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did when he entered the House, meaning the Kaaba. He offered supplication whilst walking around inside, and did not pray inside it, but when he came out of the Kaaba, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the Kaaba, and facing towards the front of it, which refers to the side where the door is. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “This is the qiblah,” meaning that the matter of the qiblah is settled; it is the direction of this House, and this will not be abrogated after today, so pray towards it forever. It may be that he taught them where the imam should stand, as he stands facing the front of it, and not any of its corners or any of the other three sides, although prayer facing any of its sides is valid.
It is proven in al-Sahihayn from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Bilal was asked whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the House, he said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other..

399
It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was hoping that he would be told to face towards the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. So he turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people, namely the Jews, said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?” Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. A man prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then after he prayed, he went out and passed by some of the Ansar who were praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis. He testified that he had just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he had offered that prayer facing towards the Kaaba. So the people turned until they were facing towards the Kaaba..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is held in high esteem by all Muslims, for it is the Ancient House of Allah and the qiblah towards which they face when they pray; they long to see the Kaaba when they go for Hajj.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the qiblah towards which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) faced in his prayer, when he first [came to Madinah], was in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, for sixteen or seventeen months. There is no difference of scholarly opinion that that happened in 2 AH. But he was hoping that his qiblah would be changed to the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. In other words, We see you repeatedly turning your face and looking up to heaven; {and We will surely turn you} that is, we will surely grant you and permit you to turn towards; {to a qiblah with which you will be pleased}, that you love and are inclined towards, for the correct purposes that you have in mind, and that are in harmony with the will and wisdom of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people – namely the Jews – said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. They asked this question in astonishment at the reason for the Muslims’ turning away from Bayt al-Maqdis towards the Kaaba, because they had liked it when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had turned towards Bayt al-Maqdis, as it was also their qiblah. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Sacred House, they objected to that. But Allah (may He be exalted) responded to them by saying: {Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. Some of his companions prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards the Kaaba, then one of the men who had prayed ‘Asr with him – whose name was ‘Abbad ibn Bishr or ‘Abbad ibn Nahik – went out and passed by a group of the Ansar. He found them praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis, so he said to them: I bear witness that I just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards Makkah, and that he was facing towards the Kaaba. When they heard him, they turned around towards al-Masjid al-Haram. They did not interrupt their prayer; rather they completed it facing towards the Kaaba. This reflects how quickly they responded to the command of Allah (may He be exalted).
This hadith highlights the honourable position of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and how dear he was to his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) as He gave him what he had been hoping for, without him asking for it.
It highlights how keen the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were to adhere to their religion.
It indicates that the report of a trustworthy person may be accepted, even if he is only one..

400
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray atop his mount, no matter what direction it was facing. Then when he wanted to offer an obligatory prayer, he would dismount and turn to face the qiblah..

Commentary : Supererogatory prayers are broad in scope, and there is leniency regarding them according to people’s circumstances. If a Muslim is travelling, he is granted concessions that make travel easier for him, such as shortening prayers and putting them together.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to offer supererogatory prayers whilst riding his mount or his she-camel, facing whatever direction his mount was facing. A report narrated by Abu Dawud explains how he prayed atop his mount, as it says: His prostration was lower than his bowing. So he would lean forward when prostrating a little more than when bowing. He did not dismount or insist on facing the qiblah except in the obligatory prayers. Facing towards the qiblah in an obligatory prayer is a condition of the prayer being valid. Whoever offers an obligatory prayer deliberately facing a direction other than the qiblah, without any excuse, his prayer is invalid, whether he is at home or travelling. If he is riding a mount, then he must dismount and turn towards the qiblah to offer an obligatory prayer, and that requirement is not waived except in the case of a legitimate excuse such as rain, sickness, fear and the like. Allah (may He be exalted) says: “And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding” [al-Baqarah 2:239].
This hadith highlights how it is made easier to pray when travelling.
It also indicates that it is valid to offer supererogatory prayers atop one’s mount, and in whatever conveyances come under the same rulings..

401
It was narrated that ‘Alqamah said: ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed – Ibrahim said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something – and when he said the taslim, it was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, has something new been introduced into the prayer? He said: “Why is that?” They said: You prayed such and such. So he knelt and turned to face the qiblah, and prostrated twice, then he said the taslim. When he turned to face us, he said: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it. But I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me, and if one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him think what is most likely to be the case, then complete it on that basis, then let him say the taslim, then prostrate twice.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the individual should strive to maintain proper focus and reflection whilst praying, and not let himself be distracted by worldly matters. But he may make a mistake in the prayer, by omitting or adding to some of its actions. This mistake needs to be compensated for, so the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) is prescribed in such cases.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates what happened to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to making mistakes in the prayer. He narrates that one day the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him – Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, the narrator of the hadith, said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something. It is explained that he added something in al-Sahihayn: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim at the end of his prayer, some of those who had prayed with him asked him: Has something new been introduced into the prayer? The aim was to ask whether something new had been introduced through revelation that had changed the ruling on the prayer, by adding to what was usually done. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Why is that?” This is the question of one who did not realize what he did, and is not sure and does not know what is most likely to be the case. This is in contrast to the people behind him, as they said: You prayed such and such, telling him of what they were certain had happened. Their words “such and such” refer to what had happened, which was something additional and more than usual. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knelt; he sat as for tashahhud, then he prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness. Then he said to them: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it.” And he said: “I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me.”
Perhaps in His wisdom, Allah (may He be exalted) caused the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make this mistake, so that he would teach his ummah what to do if the imam makes a mistake in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the people: … if one of you is not sure, and he forgets whilst praying and does not know whether he has added something to it or omitted something, then “let him think what is most likely to be the case.” In other words, let him work out what happened, then if he thinks something is more likely to be the case, due to some circumstantial evidence, let him complete his prayer based on that, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.
The point in this hadith is that whoever makes a mistake in his prayer, adding or omitting something by mistake because he forgot, then he remembers after saying the salaam, he should turn to face towards the qiblah and do the prostration of forgetfulness, because the prostration of forgetfulness is part of completing the prayer. Even if it is done after saying the salaam, it is still part of the prayer, and it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah when doing it, as is required in the prayer.
This hadith shows us that even the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) could make some mistakes in their actions, but that does not undermine the position of prophethood or undermine any of the teachings of Islam.
It indicates that the prostration of forgetfulness consists of two prostrations.
It indicates that it is valid to do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the taslim at the end of the prayer..

402
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I agreed with my Lord in three cases: I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. And regarding the verse of hijab, I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed. And the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves, and I said to them: Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you, then this verse was revealed..

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were inspired; he was possessed of sharp intuition and deep insight, and sometimes he uttered words of Qur’an before Jibril brought them down, and on other occasions revelation came down, supporting his view from above seven heavens.
This hadith highlights one of the greatest virtues of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). In it, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I agreed with my Lord in three cases. How smart and subtle is the way in which he expressed it, as he paid attention to proper etiquette. He did not say, ‘My Lord agreed with me in three cases,’ because the verses were revealed in approval of and in agreement with his view and what he thought was right. ‘Umar only mentioned that so that the people who were listening to him would think positively of him and would not oppose him when he spoke words of truth, and so that the believers might follow his example in giving precedence to the truth and speaking the truth. Then he mentioned these three things, which were as follows:
Firstly: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. In other words: O people, take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer at which you pray, as an act of worship and devotion to Allah (may He be exalted) and by way of Allah’s honouring Ibrahim. That prayer is offered after having circumambulated the Kaaba (tawaf), with the Maqam in between the Kaaba and the worshipper. The standing place of Ibrahim is the place where he stood; it is the rock on which Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood when he was building the Kaaba, and his footprints can be seen on it. Its location is well-known now, beside the Kaaba.
Secondly: the verse of hijab. ‘Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed, in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful} [al-Ahzab 33:59]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew that it was better for them to observe hijab than not to do so, but he was waiting for the revelation, as is indicated by the fact that he did not go along with ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when he first suggested that to him. Hijab was enjoined in 5 AH, or in Dhul Qa‘dah 4 AH, or 3 AH.
Thirdly: The wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves. There is a long story behind that: when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) to greet her, she would keep him with her for a while and give him a drink of honey that she had received as a gift. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not like the fact that he stayed with her for a while, so she instructed an Ethiopian slave woman of hers, who was called Khadrah, to find out what Hafsah was doing when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see her. Khadrah told her about the honey, and she got jealous, so she sent word to her co-wives, instructing them to tell the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that they could notice the smell of maghafir – which is a sweet gum with an unpleasant odour – from him, because of his drinking that honey. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be troubled if an unpleasant smell came from him, because the angel used to come to him with the revelation. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stopped drinking the honey that he liked. Then news of that reached ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), so he went to the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and admonished and rebuked them. Among the things that ‘Umar said to them was: {Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you}, then this verse [al-Tahrim 66:5] was revealed. This is one of several instances in which ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed with his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) and his Lord agreed with him. There is nothing in the verse to indicate that any other women were better than them, because the condition mentioned (divorce) did not happen; therefore the verse cannot be taken to mean that there were women who were better than them. The verse speaks of what Allah had the power to do, not something that was actually the case, because Allah (may He be exalted) says {if he divorced you [all]}. But Allah (may He be glorified) knew that he would not divorce them. This is like the verse in which Allah says: {And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you} [Muhammad 47:38]; here Allah was speaking of what He had the power to do, in order to alert and alarm them, not that there actually were others who were better than the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It may be that this virtue [being the best of women] was granted to his wives because of their marriage to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and any other woman he married would also rise to that status, but if he divorced any of them, she would no longer enjoy that status.
The fact that ‘Umar listed three cases in this hadith does not necessarily mean that there were not more than that, because there were other instances in which ‘Umar agreed with his Lord and his Lord agreed with him, one of the most famous of which are the story of the captives of Badr, and the story of offering the funeral prayer for the hypocrites. Both stories are narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to examine issues in an effort to find the right answer to some matters of religion..

404
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. They said: Has something been added to the prayer? He said: “Why is that? They said: You prayed five [rak‘ahs].” So he knelt and prostrated twice..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the individual should strive to maintain proper focus and reflection whilst praying, and not let himself be distracted by worldly matters. But he may make a mistake in the prayer, by omitting or adding to some of its actions. This mistake needs to be compensated for, so the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) is prescribed in such cases.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one day the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made a mistake in Zuhr prayer, and offered the prayer with five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim at the end of his prayer, some of those who had prayed with him asked him: Has something been added the prayer? The aim was to ask whether something new had been introduced through revelation that had changed the ruling on the prayer, by adding to what was usually done. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Why is that?” This is the question of one who did not realize what he did. They said: You prayed five [rak‘ahs]. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knelt; he sat as for the tashahhud, then he prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness.
The point in this hadith is that whoever makes a mistake in his prayer, adding or omitting something by mistake because he forgot, then he remembers after saying the salaam, should turn to face towards the qiblah and do the prostration of forgetfulness, because the prostration of forgetfulness is part of completing the prayer. Even if it is done after saying the salaam, it is still part of the prayer, and it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah when doing it, as is required in the prayer.
This hadith shows us that even the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) could make some mistakes in their actions, but that does not undermine the position of prophethood or undermine any of the teachings of Islam.
It indicates that the prostration of forgetfulness consists of two prostrations.
It indicates that it is valid to do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the taslim at the end of the prayer..

405
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah, and that upset him to the extent that it could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand and said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord, or his Lord is between him and the qiblah. So no one of you should spit in the direction of his qiblah; rather [he may spit] to his left or beneath his feet.” Then he took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah of the mosque. Sputum refers to what is ejected from the mouth or nose of spittle, mucus and the like. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was upset by that and got so angry that his anger could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand, to remove it and clean it, then he said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord” – the root meaning of the word translated here as conversing refers to private talk between two people. What is meant is that he should observe proper etiquette in this situation, because the worshipper is conversing with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Then he forbade any Muslim to spit in the direction of his qiblah, because spitting is usually a sign of disrespect, so it is not appropriate to the high esteem in which the direction of the qiblah is held. But if he must spit whilst he is in the mosque, let him spit to his left, for that is the direction for such dirty things, or beneath his feet, so that he may cover it with his foot in the earthen floor. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.” Thus he explained by his actions, so that the listener would understand better, and also to make it clear to the one who would not be able to bury his sputum. Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
This hadith highlights the true nature of ihsan, which refers to a person constantly bearing in mind how close Allah (may He be exalted) is to him, that Allah is watching him and that He knows all about him.
It is also refers to honouring and respecting the qiblah, and highlights the superiority of the right over the left.
It also indicates that sputum is pure (tahir). .

415
It was narrated that Qatadah said: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Spitting in the mosque is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that spitting on the floor of the mosque is a sin, for which the doer deserves punishment from Allah (may He be exalted). The expiation for that sin is to bury it in the ground and cover it with earth. Whoever commits this bad deed and regrets it, and wants Allah to pardon him and erase this bad deed of his, should hasten to remove it from the mosque, by burying it if the mosque has an earthen floor, or by wiping it away and removing it, if the mosque is carpeted.
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. The worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
A report in al-Sahihayn explains that if someone cannot help but spit, he should spit to his left, or beneath his foot, or into the edge of his garment..

416
It was narrated from Hammam [that he heard] Abu Hurayrah [narrate] that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you stands in prayer, let him not spit in front of him, for he is conversing with Allah so long as he is in his prayer place; [and let him not spit] to his right, for on his right there is an angel. Let him spit to his left, or beneath his foot, then bury it.” .

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate, and he should bear in mind that he is conversing with his Lord in His house.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: When one of you stands in prayer, then he is conversing with his Lord. This is affirming that Allah (may He be exalted) is close to His slave who is praying. What is meant is that the worshipper should bear in mind when praying that Allah is close to him, and that He can see him and hear him, and that he is conversing with Him; He hears what he says, and He responds to his conversing with Him. Therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the worshipper not to spit in front of him, or to his right. If he cannot help but spit, then let him spit to his left, because his devil-companion stands on his left when he is praying, or let him spit beneath his feet, then cover it by burying it in the ground, if the place where he is praying is not carpeted and has an earthen floor. But if the place where he is praying is carpeted, then he should spit into the edge of his garment and the like, as is mentioned in al-Sahihayn in the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him).
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant..

833
‘Ā’ishah reported: 'Umar made a mistake. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has only forbidden seeking the rising of the sun and its setting..

Commentary : The five obligatory prayers have definite times; however, the supererogatory and voluntary prayer is permissible at any time except that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has forbidden praying at certain times. Out of their extreme keenness to carry out obligations and the acts of Sunnah, avoid prohibitions, and maintain the trust of reporting the Shariah, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to correct each other's mistakes and comment on one another.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "'Umar made a mistake," referring to 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) in reporting the absolute prohibition of prayer after 'Asr. She reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had only forbidden "seeking the rising of the sun and its setting." i.e., he forbade intentionally and deliberately praying when the sun rises or sets but did not forbid praying in general after dawn or after ‘Asr. It is said: Rather, the prohibition of prayer during these two times is not a mistake, and ‘Ā’ishah's opinion was based on her own deduction and interpretation. As for the Hadīth text narrated by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), others from the Companions also narrated it, and more than one understood it the way ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) understood it.
The reason behind the prohibition of prayer during these two times is that the sun rises and sets along with the devil's horn and because some of the disbelievers used to prostrate to the sun and offer prayer to it during these two times. Hence, he forbade praying during them to oppose those disbelievers. Other narrations were reported about permitting prayer at sunrise and sunset, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections: "Whoever catches up with one Rak'ah before the sun rises, he has caught up with the Morning prayer..." When combined with this Hadīth, it is understood that the prohibition refers to the voluntary and supererogatory prayer during such times. As for the one who could not catch up with the prayer at the beginning of its time for a valid excuse, he is permitted to pray at the end of its time and to catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset. Or perhaps the prohibition refers to the act of seeking the rising and setting of the sun on purpose, as for the one who does not do this on purpose - like the one who wakes up from his sleep or the one who remembers after being forgetful - it is permissible for him to pray and there is no blame on him.
The Hadīth warns against keenness on praying at the time when the sun rises and sets..

835
Abu Salamah reported that he asked 'Ā’ishah about the two prostrations that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, she said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr, but then he got distracted or forgot them, so he prayed them after 'Asr; then, he continued observing them, for whenever he offered a prayer, he would stick to observing it.".

Commentary : Prayer is the best matter, and a Muslim is allowed to offer voluntary prayer at any time of night or day except for the times in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited voluntary prayer, namely after dawn until sunrise and after 'Asr until sunset.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi'i Abu Salamah ibn' Abdur-Rahmān ibn' Awf reports that he asked the Mother of the Believers, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about the two Rak'ahs (unit of prayer) that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, and why he prayed them, or whether the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed them regularly or not. Thereupon, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr," i.e., as a supererogatory and Sunnah Qabliyyah (before the obligatory prayer) of the 'Asr prayer. "Then, he got distracted from them or forgot them," being doubtful about the reason why he did not pray them before 'Asr that time. "Then, he continued observing them" after that, "as whenever he offered a prayer, he would continue observing it" regularly.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, the reason why he did not pray the two Rak'ahs before 'Asr is mentioned, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said while talking to' Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her): "O Daughter of Abu' Umayyah, you asked about the two Rak'ahs after 'Asr. Some people of 'Abdul-Qays came to me and distracted me from the two Rak'ahs after Zhuhr, so those are the two (Rak'ahs I was praying)." This indicates that the two Rak‘ahs were offered to make up for the missed Sunnah Ba‘diyyah (after the obligatory prayer) of Zhuhr and not to make up for the missed two Rak‘ahs before ‘Asr..

836
Mukhtār ibn Fulful reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik about the voluntary prayer after ‘Asr, and he said: "'Umar used to strike hands for a prayer (offered) after 'Asr, and we used to offer two Rak'ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." I asked him, "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them?" He said: "He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us.".

Commentary : Prayer is one of the best acts that bring closeness to Allah Almighty; hence, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on it as a means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty.
This Hadīth emphasizes the Muslims' keenness to learn the religion. The Tābi‘i Mukhtār ibn Fulful narrates that he asked Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) about offering voluntary prayer after the ‘Asr prayer. Anas informed him that during the Caliphate of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he used to strike hands for praying after 'Asr, which is an indirect reference to his prohibition of such a prayer because he did not see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing this. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) used to follow the Prophet's example in everything; so, whenever he did something, they would race to do it, and whenever he abandoned something, they would leave it. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to forbid praying after ‘Asr for fear of offering a prayer during the prohibited time, namely at sunset. Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And we used to offer two Rak‘ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), i.e., between the Adhān (call to prayer) and the Iqāmah (second call to prayer). Mukhtār ibn Fulful asked him: Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied saying: He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us, which denotes his approval of the permissibility of this voluntary prayer.
The Hadīth encourages the act of offering supererogatory prayers.
It also points out the Prophet's approval of offering prayer before Maghrib..

840
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We stood in two rows behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the enemy was between us and the Qiblah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said takbīr and we all did. He then bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we all did. He then prostrated with the row behind him, while the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prostration and the row behind him stood, the back row prostrated and then stood up. Then, the back row moved to the front and the front row moved to the back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we also raised our heads. Then, he and the row behind him, which was back in the first Rak‘ah, prostrated, whereas the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row prostrated. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ended the prayer with taslīm and we all did the same. Jābir said: ''As those guards of yours do with their leaders.'.

Commentary : The prayer of fear is the prayer whose time comes when the Muslims are engaged in fighting the enemy. Since prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, it does not cease to be due under any condition, even during war.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reports on one of the ways of performing the prayer of fear during war, as he witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The entire army was lined up behind him in two successive rows, with the enemy standing between them and the Qiblah. This indicates that everyone will face the enemy, whether those who stand for prayer or those who stand for guarding. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commenced the prayer and said the takbīr of ihrām, and the whole army said takbīr with him. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the recitation, and they all bowed. Then, he raised his head from Rukū‘, and they all raised their heads. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated, and the row behind him prostrated, whereas the back row remained standing to guard those who were prostrating in front of them. They stood in the face of the enemy and opposite them, lest the enemy might attack while they were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the two prostrations, and the row behind him, that prostrated the first time, stood up, the back row came down to prostrate. Then, when they finished the prostration, they stood up. Then, the back row stepped forward and stood in the place of the first row—after becoming equal to them in terms of standing behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the second Rak'ah—and the first row stepped back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the standing and recitation, and the entire army bowed. Then he raised his head from Rukū‘, and the entire army raised their heads. Then he came down to prostrate, and so did the row behind him, who stood in the back in the first Rak'ah, whereas the back row got up and stood in the face of the enemy to guard those who were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row came down to prostrate, and after they finished the prostration and tashahhud, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made taslīm, and all worshipers made taslīm after him, for they completed their prayer.
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him: ''As those guards of yours have a certain protocol with their leaders," i.e., the servants of the ruler who are assigned to protect and guard him, their prayer is like the prayer the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he faced the enemy.
Numerous ways are reported for performing the prayer of fear, and this is one of the versions about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. He performed it on different days and in diverse ways in which he sought what is more cautious for prayer and more effective for guarding. This prayer has different forms, but they are all consistent in intent.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the manner and form of the prayer of fear
And in it: Demonstrating the significance of congregational prayer, as its performance was prescribed in the state of fear. So, it is more appropriate for a person who is safe and secure to observe it.
And in it: Taking precautions against the enemy at the time of the battle by all means
And in it: The religion enjoins the acts of worship that preserve a person before Allah in the Hereafter and enjoins the pursuit of means that preserve a person in worldly life
And in it: It shows the ease of the Shariah for those accountable to perform prayer.

853
Abu Burdah ibn Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari related: ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar said to me: "Did you hear your father narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour on Friday?" I said: "Yes, I heard him say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer.''".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some creatures over others and favored some places over others, like favoring Makkah over all other places; and He favored some times over others, like favoring Friday over other days of the week.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Burdah ibn Abi Mūsa al-Ash‘ari informs that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Did you hear your father - that is Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) - narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour of Friday. By this, he meant the hour when supplications are answered - about which Al-Bukhāri and Muslim narrated a Hadīth - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim asks Allah for what is good except that He will grant it to him." So, Allah responds to he who supplicates and asks of Him by granting him his request or better than that, averting affliction or evil from him, or keeping it in store for him until the Day of Judgment. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to ask about its specific time, as to which part of the day it is exactly. In response, Abu Burdah told him that he heard a Hadīth regarding this from his father (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is between the time when the Imām sits down" on the pulpit after ascending it. And it was said: When he sits down between the two sermons - until the Friday prayer is finished.
There is a difference of opinion over the specification of this hour, with numerous views involved. The strongest among these views are two: First: What is mentioned in the Hadīth: It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer. Second: It is from after the ‘Asr until sunset, in the latter time of Friday.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the time of the hour of answered supplications on Friday
And in it: We are urged to look for the time of answered supplications on Friday and utilize them..

854
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best day the sun has risen upon is Friday: on it Adam was created, on it he was admitted into Paradise, and on it he was driven out of it. The Hour will not come except on Friday.".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creations over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than others.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the best day among the days of the week upon which the sun rises is Friday. One of the characteristics of this day is that Allah Almighty created Adam, the father of humanity (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty made him dwell in Paradise, and on this day, Adam and his wife were driven out of Paradise, and he descended to earth for viceregency thereon. His departure from it is the departure of someone who will return to it, for Paradise is originally his dwelling, as Allah Almighty says: {Dwell in Paradise, you, and your wife.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 35] The day Adam (peace be upon him) came out of Paradise is the day he assumed viceregency on earth and came down to it. The Hour - i.e., the Day of Judgment - will not come except on Friday between dawn and sunrise.
It was said that the mention of these important events and these few issues, which took place on Friday, is not meant for mentioning the merit of this day, since what happened on Friday, like driving Adam out and the coming of the hour, is not regarded as meritorious; rather, this is intended to highlight the significance of the events that took place on it, like the beginning and end of creation. It was also said: Rather, these are merits because the departure of Adam from Paradise is a reason for producing these progeny and huge descendants and the existence of the messengers, the prophets, and the pious people. Also, the events of the Hour enjoy great significance, for they constitute a reason for Allah to hasten His promise to the believers and His threat to the disbelievers, the appearance of the recompense of the prophets, the people of the truth, the pious persons, and others, and the display of their honor and noble statue. On the Day of Judgment, the banners of the Muslims will go high in confirmation of their Imān (faith).
In the Hadīth: The superiority of Friday to the other days.

856
Abu Hurayrah and Hudhayfah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah diverted from Friday those who were before us. For the Jews there was Saturday, and for the Christians there was Sunday. And Allah brought us and guided us to Friday. He made Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and they, likewise, will come after us on the Day of Judgment. We are the last among the people in this world and the first ones on the Day of Judgment for whom judgment will be passed before all creation." In a version: among whom judgment will be passed. [And in a version]: We were guided to Friday, and Allah diverted from it those who were before us..

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creation over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than the others.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Allah Almighty diverted from Friday and from holding it in high regard to the nations who came before us. This was because they opposed their prophets. The Jews chose Saturday, claiming that Allah had finished the creation on Saturday. And the Christians chose Sunday, claiming that Allah Almighty began the creation on it. Then, Allah brought the Ummah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who believed in him and acknowledged his message, so Allah guided us to Friday and directed us, out of His bounty and mercy, to extolling and worshiping Him on it. "So He made Friday" an Eid for the Muslims, "Saturday" an Eid for the Jews, "and Sunday" an Eid for the Christians.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Jews and the Christians will come after this Ummah of Muhammad on the Day of Judgment, as they came after them in the order of days. So, they will be after them in terms of the reckoning, the judgment, and entering Paradise. Although this Ummah existed in this world later than the previous communities, they will be ahead of them in the Hereafter, in that they will be the first to be resurrected and reckoned and the first to be judged among the people, to enter Paradise. In a version: "among whom judgment will be passed" instead of "for whom judgment will be passed," i.e., judgment will be passed among them with regard to their rights.
In the Hadīth: Allah Almighty honored this Ummah and preferred it over the other nations that came before it..

857
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes a bath and then comes to the Friday prayer, and then prays as much as is written for him, and then keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays along with him, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven, with an addition of three days.".

Commentary : Friday is a momentous day, and it is the best of the days of the week. On it, the Muslims gather for the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to purify ourselves and beautify our appearance on this day, especially at the time of the Friday prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a person takes a bath, pouring water all over his body - the bath on Friday is affirmed regarding every male adult Muslim who is obligated to perform the Friday prayer - and then goes to the mosque and attends it early before the Imām ascends the pulpit, and he offers supererogatory prayers as much as is predestined for him and as Allah wills him to pray, performing two Rak‘ahs at a time, as reported about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the supererogatory prayer; and then he keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays the two-Rak‘ah Friday prayer with him, his reward will be that Allah will forgive his sins from this time in which he performs the Friday prayer to the similar time the next Friday, in addition to three days. Thus, a good deed is multiplied ten times, as Friday becomes equivalent to ten days.
The intended meaning here is that Allah forgives the minor sins; as for the major sins, they require full repentance. In Sahīh Muslim Collection, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The five prayers, and the Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan are expiations of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided."
The etiquettes reported in the Sunnah in relation to Friday include applying perfume, wearing the best clothes for the Friday prayer, going to the mosque early, and not passing through the rows.
In the Hadīth: The merit of taking a bath on Friday
And in it: Urging the performance of supererogatory prayers before the Imām ascends the pulpit on Friday
And in it: We are urged to listen to the sermon.

858
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported: We used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then return and give rest to our Nawādih (camels used for carrying water). Hasan said: I said to Ja'far: What time was that? He replied: At the sun's decline, its zenith..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has set an appointed time for prayer; thus, a Muslim is not allowed to offer the prayer before or delay it after its time except with a valid excuse.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that people used to pray - referring to the Friday prayer as clarified by another version of Muslim - with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, after finishing the prayer, they would return from the mosque to their houses, where they would rest and give rest to their Nawādih, the plural of Nādih, which is the camel used for carrying water. It is said: "Rawāh" (from which "nurīh" (give rest) is derived) means returning with the livestock from the pasture.
Then, Hasan ibn' Ayyāsh - one of the Hadīth narrators - reported that he asked his Shaykh, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, about this hour when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Friday prayer. Ja‘far informed him that the time of prayer was the time of the sun's decline, which is the time when the sun moves from the middle of the sky, and it is a sign of the beginning of the Zhuhr prayer or the Friday prayer. It is possible that his question was about the time of their return, and in this case, their prayer would be before the sun's decline.
The Hadīth indicates exaggeration in hastening the Friday prayer and that they used to delay their lunch and siesta on that day until after the Friday prayer because they were recommended to go early to this prayer. So, if they got distracted by anything of this before the Friday prayer, they would fear missing it or missing the chance of going there early..

860
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: We used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after the sun had passed the meridian, and then we would return and try to find "al-Fay'' (the shadow)..

Commentary : The Friday sermon is one of the rites of religion and it has a profound impact on the lives of Muslims, as everyone, young and old, attends it, listens to the preacher, and learns the matters of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘(may Allah be pleased with him) says that they used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "after the sun had passed the meridian," which happens when the sun moves from the middle of the sky. Then, they would return and try to find "al-Fay,’'' the place on which the sun ray falls and then goes away and leaves behind a shadow.
In a version of the Two Sahīh Collections it is reported by Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), and the wording here is by Muslim: "When the walls had no shadow for us to take shelter in it." This is because they used to go for Friday prayer early and return before the walls had shadows in which they could take shelter, as the heat was severe in Madīnah and they would look for places having shadows to sit there and take rest.
In the Hadīth: The keenness to perform prayer at its earliest time.

862
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to deliver the Khutbah (sermon) while standing. He would then sit down, stand up, and give the Khutbah while standing. Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied. By Allah, I prayed more than two thousand prayers with him..

Commentary : The Friday Khutbah is one of the religion's rituals, and it greatly impacts Muslims' lives. It is attended by the young and the old, who all listen to the Khatīb (preacher) and learn the affairs of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he used to offer the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He used to see him delivering the Friday Khutbah while standing on the pulpit. After the first Khutbah, he would then sit for a short while on the pulpit. Then, he would get up and deliver the Khutbah while standing, preaching to people and teaching them their religion. Jābir ibn Samurah, then, said to the Tābi‘i Simāk ibn Harb: "Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied," i.e., made a mistake, as the Arabs used to say to the one who made a mistake: He lied. "By Allah, I prayed with him more than two thousand prayers," which confirms the great extent of his knowledge and memorization of the manner adopted by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in his prayers and sermons, including delivering his Khutbah on Friday while standing.
The Hadīth clarifies the Prophet's guidance in delivering the Friday sermon..

864
Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah reported: He entered the mosque while ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam was delivering a Khutbah (sermon) while sitting, so he said: Look at this deceitful person; he is delivering a sermon while sitting, whereas Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11].

Commentary : Enjoining good and forbidding evil are the characteristics of the Islamic nation and among its best merits and causes of its superiority over other nations. The most entitled among people to this, and the first ones addressed with this in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu ‘Ubaydah ‘Āmir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd narrates that Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque, referring to the mosque of Kūfah, a city in Iraq, to offer the Friday prayer. He found ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam - nephew of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān ibn Harb whom Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) assigned as the ruler of Kūfah in 58 AH, then after a year or more, he was dismissed - preaching to people while sitting on the pulpit, not standing as known in the Friday sermon. Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) condemned this saying: "Look at this deceitful person," because he was angry at the one who had violated the Prophet's Sunnah, "he is preaching while sitting," not doing what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did and not following his example, although the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this practice persistently. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, you have an excellent example in the Messenger of Allah.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it.} [Surat al-Hashr: 7] Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pray as you saw me pray." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri] Hence, his example should be followed when it comes to prayer and the delivery of the Friday sermon.
Then, he supported his words with a verse from Allah's Book, in which Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11] Here, Allah mentioned that His Prophet was standing while delivering the Friday sermon.
The Hadīth draws the preacher's attention to standing while delivering the Khutbah.
It also calls the scholars' attention to enjoining good and forbidding evil.
The Hadīth sheds light on how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to intensely get angry with whoever violated the Sunnah, even if it was someone who must be obeyed and respected from among the rulers, for no obedience is due to a creature when it comes to disobeying the Creator..

865
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah reported that they heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the heedless.".

Commentary : The Friday prayer is of great significance in Islam. Allah Almighty made it obligatory for non-traveling men to go out for it when the Muezzin makes the Adhān, calling for it, and He urged them to attend this prayer and warned against neglecting it. An example is this Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers," i.e., they abandon and fail to perform it out of negligence and laziness, without an excuse. If they do not comply and attend the Friday prayer, Allah will seal their hearts, by putting a seal and cover over them, and deny them His grace and bounty and place in them ignorance, roughness, and hardness. "and then they will be among the heedless" away from doing the deeds that benefit them and leaving what harms them. Thus, they will be among those overtaken by heedlessness, as they forgot Allah, and so He forgot them. This serves as a strong deterrent against the abandonment and neglect of the Friday prayer..

866
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I used to perform the prayers with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length and his sermon was moderate in length..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to enjoin the facilitation of worship and not going into hardship in performing it, and he would set an example of this through his own practice, so that every Muslim would imitate him.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he would persistently perform the obligatory prayers - the five prayers and the Friday prayer - with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length, suitable for the young and old and not hard for anyone. He would do that to avoid making the prayer too long for people.
As for the Muslim-narrated Hadīth in which ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The lengthiness of a man’s prayer and the shortness of his sermon are a sign of his proper understanding; so, make the prayer long and the sermon short." The intended meaning here is that prayer should be long compared to the sermon, not so long in a way that proves hard for the worshipers.
In the Hadīth: We are urged not to prolong the sermon and the five prayers..

867
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon, his eyes would turn red, his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense, as if he were warning of an army, saying: "They will attack you in the morning, or they will attack you in the evening." And he would say: "I and the Hour have been sent like these two," holding his index and middle fingers. Then, he would say: "To proceed: Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah; the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad; the evilest matters are those that are newly invented; and every innovation is misguidance." He would then say: "I am nearer to every believer than himself. So, whoever leaves behind some wealth, it is for his family, and whoever leaves behind a debt or dependent children, then they are both my responsibility." [In a version]: In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah, laud Him, and then he would subsequently speak, as his voice went loud; then, he narrated the same Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was an eloquent preacher, and he would say what moves people, admonishes them, gives them glad tidings, and warns them. He would also use the tools of rhetorical effects, such as raising and lowering the voice and using the movement of the hand and the body, as well as other things in which preachers should follow his example.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do in the Friday sermon. He says that when he delivered a sermon to the people and reminded them of the promise and warning, and the commands and prohibitions, "his eyes would turn red," i.e., their redness would become greater than usual. "his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense," which means that he would interact with the topic of the sermon; hence, this would happen to him. By intense anger, he meant to describe his condition as a person in anger, and this was probably because some of them were found to disobey his commands and prohibitions, and some were neglectful of their duties. This is how a preacher's condition should be - consistent with the topic he speaks about. He should not enjoin something while his outward appearance denotes the opposite. "as if he were warning of an army," alluding to the loudness of his voice (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) among them. The warner of an army is a person who watches the enemy and informs the people about their condition so that they can get prepared. So, the Prophet's admonition was given in this manner, due to his care about the people and his desire to warn them of the Hereafter and their lack of preparedness for it. Thus, it was as if he was warning them of the emergence of an attacking army that would come to them in the morning or in the evening.
One of the statements the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make in his sermons: "I have been sent and the Hour is like these two," joining his two fingers: the forefinger and the middle finger, i.e., the period between the Prophet's time and the coming of the Day of Judgment is short like the distance between the forefinger and the middle finger. He is the last Prophet before the Hour. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is one of the signs of the imminence of the Hour. After his mission, the time remaining for the coming of the Hour is less than the time that passed.
At the start of the sermon, he used to say: "To proceed;" is a phrase to separate between parts of speech when the speaker wants to shift from one topic to another. The meaning: I say after the previous testimony of faith and praise of Allah Almighty. "Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah;" there is no speech except that the speech of Allah is better than that. The speech of Allah means the noble Qur'an. "the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad;" guidance is the way of life and manner. There is no way and path except that the path of the Prophet is better than that. So, his path, way of life, and manner - including Tawhīd, rulings, and acts of worship - should be followed. "the most evil matters," i.e., the ugliest religious matters, not the worldly ones. "are those that are newly invented," i.e., inventions and innovations that have no basis in the Shariah that attests to their validity and permissibility. These are called Bida‘ (innovations). "and every innovation is misguidance," i.e., and every invention in the religion in a way not done by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions is misguidance and deviation and departure from the Prophet's path; it is not part of the guidance and the right course he came with.
In one of the Prophet's statements in his sermons, he said: "I am nearer to every believer than himself," i.e., I am the most entitled among people to him regarding all matters of worldly life and the Hereafter. As Allah Almighty says: {The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than their own selves.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 6] He is the most compassionate of all people towards them. Their souls call them to ruin, while he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) calls them to salvation.
He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if any Muslim dies and leaves behind some wealth, his inheritors and relatives - i.e., his inheriting relatives - are more entitled to this wealth, which they take as an inheritance; and if anyone leaves behind a debt or dependents - children, wife, and those who cannot provide for themselves - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has a greater claim to him, repaying his debt and supporting those children and women he left behind. This stems from the Prophet's good character, his support of the Muslims, and his keenness that they should not be neglected.
And in a version: "In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah and laud Him," i.e., he would begin it with praise and laudation. Part of what was reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Khutbat al-Hājah (the sermon of need) which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions is to say: "Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray, and whoever Allah leads astray, none can guide. I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger." This praise and laudation is valid to say at the start of every sermon.
In the Hadīth: We are urged to follow the Prophet's guidance in the sermon.
And in it: A preacher should interact with the topic while addressing the sermon to influence the people.
And in it: Beginning the sermon with praise and lauding Allah.