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Hadith
477
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying [alone] in one’s house or in one’s marketplace. Indeed, if one of you does wudu’ and does it well, and comes to the mosque only intending to pray, he does not take one step but Allah will elevate him in status one degree thereby, and will remove one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer so long as that is the reason he is there, and the angels will send blessings upon him so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, saying: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him – so long as nothing happens..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith and a major pillar of Islam. Islamic teachings urge us to hasten to prayer, and not to stay away from praying in congregation, because of the multiplied reward that that brings.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of prayer in congregation, and tells us that praying in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying alone in one’s house or marketplace. In al-Sahihayn it says that it is twenty-seven times better. This difference depends on the differences in the condition of the worshipper and of the prayer. For some of them it will be twenty-five times better, and for others it will be twenty-seven times better, according to how perfect the prayer is, how properly they performed it, how focused and humble they were when praying, how large the congregation was, the virtues of the members of the congregation, and how sacred the place in which the prayer was offered is. And it was said that there are other factors.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for this increased reward, which is that if the Muslim does wudu’ and does it thoroughly, paying attention to the sunnahs and etiquette of the action, and comes to the mosque intending only to pray, and for no other purpose, he will not take one step but Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby and will erase one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. Then when he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer, so long as his reason for being in the mosque is to pray. The angels will send blessings upon him – that is, they will pray for him – so long as he remains in the place where he prayed. Therefore the blessing of the angels depends on his remaining in the place where he prayed, and this virtue, reward and goodness will continue for him so long as nothing happens, which refers to his invalidating his wudu’; if he does invalidate his wudu’, it will become forbidden for the angels to pray for forgiveness for him, even if he remains sitting in that spot. And it was said that what was meant is so long as he does not commit sin.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the angels pray for him, saying in their supplication: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him. The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness is concealment and pardoning of sins, whereas mercy is showing kindness to him.
This hadith highlights the great virtue and reward of praying in congregation.
It highlights the virtue of waiting for the prayer, and that the one who does that will attain the angels’ prayer for forgiveness for him.
It also urges us to do wudu’ properly..

480
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah [that] the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people… like this?”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) how to recognize fitnahs (tribulations) and how they should deal with them.
This text is a brief part of a hadith in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called out to him to warn him and advise him. He said to him: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people?” The dregs of the people are the lowest and worst of people; one of their characteristics is that they will not commit to a promise or covenant that they made; they will break that promise and will not fulfil it. Honesty will be rare among them, so that no one will appreciate the virtue of honesty and trustworthiness at that time, except a few. “They mingled and became like this,” and he interlaced his fingers. What this means is that they will become so mixed up that one will not be able to tell who among them is good or evil, believer or hypocrite. What is meant by the word in the text “like this” is that in this report, it refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlacing his fingers.
At the end of the report, it says that ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: What should he do in that situation, if he lives until that time and finds himself among such people? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to take what he knew of truth, and leave what he found reprehensible of falsehood; to keep to himself and discipline himself to follow the right path, and not worry about what was happening to the people and what they were doing. This is by way of ensuring that one is protected from trials and tribulations.
All of this may be understood as meaning that if someone is unable to enjoin what is right, or he fears harm in general, then the duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong with the hand and tongue is waived in his case, but he can still resent it in his heart.
In this hadith, we see a warning from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to ‘Abdullah that he would live to see those people, so he forbade him to mix with people like that and urged him, if he lived to see them, to take care of his own self and keep away from those people..

481
It was narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The believers are like a structure, parts of which support other parts,” and he interlaced his fingers..

Commentary : Islam built the Muslim community on a solid foundation of brotherhood and mutual support. Allah (may He be exalted) tells us in His Holy Book that the believers are brothers in faith; brotherhood is contrary to rancour and hatred and dictates mutual love, mutual support, and harmony and love among brethren.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the believers, in their mutual support and holding fast to one another, are like a solid structure that cannot remain standing unless one part supports another, brick by brick. If it begins to develop cracks and becomes unstable, it will collapse and fall. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlaced his fingers to indicate that the way in which the believers stand together and support one another is like interlocked fingers. But just as the numerous fingers of the hands belong to one body and one person, similarly the believers, although they are many individuals, all share a common origin and are bound by the bonds of faith.
The Prophet’s demonstration of interlacing his fingers in this hadith was for the purpose of illustrating what he was teaching his companions. When he likened the believers to a structure, parts of which support other parts, that was giving an example in word, then he clarified it with actions, interlacing his fingers to make clearer to them the likeness that he had given in words, and to make it more understandable..

482
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying one of the two afternoon prayers – Ibn Sirin said: Abu Hurayrah named it but I forgot it – he led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and went to a piece of wood that was set up in the mosque and reclined against it, as if he was angry. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who usually hastened to leave left through the doors of the mosque, and others said: The prayer has been shortened. Among the people were Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, but they felt that they could not speak to him, out of awe. Among the people there was also a man who had long arms, and he was called Dhul Yadayn (He of the two arms). He said: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? He said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” Then he said: “Is it as Dhul Yadayn says?” They said: Yes. So he went forward and prayed what he had omitted, then he said the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir. Perhaps they asked him: Then did he say the taslim? He said: I was told that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said: Then he said taslim..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying. But he may make mistakes, omitting or adding some actions in the prayer. This error or forgetfulness needs to be compensated for, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prescribed doing the two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdatay as-sahw) in such cases.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying one of the afternoon prayers, Zuhr or ‘Asr. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and leaned against a piece of wood that had been set up in the middle of the mosque. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand, as if he was angry. Those who usually left quickly after the prayer had exited the mosque, thinking that the prayer had become two rak‘ahs. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were among those who had prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but they were afraid to speak to him about this matter, out of awe and respect for him. But a man called Dhul Yadayn spoke up and said to him: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” That was because he thought that he had not made a mistake. Then he asked the people who had prayed behind him: Did it really happen that I only prayed two rak‘ahs? They said: Yes. So he went forward to the imam’s place, then he prayed two rak‘ahs to complete the obligatory four. Then he said the tashahhud and the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness, then he said the taslim. The two prostrations were to make up for the mistake and forgetting, and to make up for the shortcoming. They also serve to annoy the Shaytan if there was not actually any shortcoming in the prayer, for the Shaytan tries to confuse the Muslim when he is praying, and tries to spoil his prayer and make it defective. So Allah (may He be exalted) has given the worshipper a way to make up for any shortcoming in his prayer and a way to handle any confusion caused by the Shaytan, and a way to annoy the Shaytan and send him away empty-handed, having failed to achieve his goal. By doing the prostration of forgetfulness the person’s prayer is completed.
This hadith highlights the importance of the prostration of forgetfulness, and that it may be done after the taslim..

483
It was narrated that Musa ibn ‘Uqbah said: I saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah looking for certain places on the road and praying in those spots. He narrated that his father used to pray in those spots, and that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying in those spots. Nafi‘ told me, from Ibn ‘Umar, that he used to pray in those spots. I asked Salim, and I only think that he agreed with Nafi‘ about all those spots, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him. His son Salim used to follow his example in that regard, as mentioned in this hadith, in which the Tabi‘i Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah seeking out certain places on his journey and making an effort to find them, so that he could pray in them. What appears to be the case is that these places were mosques on the roads that led from Madinah, and other places on his journeys. He narrated that his father ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to seek out those places and pray in them, because he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in those places .
Then Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he asked Nafi‘, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, about these places, and he told him that that was correct, and that Ibn ‘Umar would seek to pray in those places. Salim ibn ‘Abdillah and Nafi‘ agreed on the location of each of those places, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’. Ar-Rawha’ was a village 80 km distant from Madinah. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was well-known for following the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that included praying in the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. This narrative from Ibn ‘Umar indicates that he went to great lengths, because he was known to be very keen to follow the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

484
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah when he went for ‘umrah and when he went for Hajj; he would halt beneath a thorny tree on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah. When he returned from a campaign via that route, or he returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of the valley, and when he emerged from the bottom of the valley, he would make his camel kneel in al-Batha’ which is on the eastern edge of the valley. He would halt there and rest until morning came, not at the mosque that is built of stone and not on the high ground where the mosque is. There was a deep valley in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray, at the bottom of which there were sandhills. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray there. Then the flash flood brought debris, stones and sand into al-Batha’ and buried the place where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt during his journey to Makkah, and that he used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah, which was a village approximately fourteen kilometres from the Prophet’s Mosque; it is the miqat of the people of Madinah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt there when he wanted to do ‘umrah, and he halted there when he went for Hajj, sitting beneath a thorny tree. The word samurah, translated here as thorny tree, refers to a tall tree with branches going in different directions; it offered little shade, and had small leaves and short thorns, and produced high-quality wood. It was also said that it was a kind of tree called talh, which is a huge type of thorny tree.
The phrase “on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah” means that a mosque was built after that, and it was not there at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) returned from a campaign via that road, or returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of Wadi al-‘Atiq, which is one of the most famous wadis of Madinah. When he came up out of the bottom of the valley, he would make his mount or she-camel that he was riding kneel in the wide watercourse where pebbles collect from the flow of the floodwaters. This is the area on the east side of the valley. He halted to rest in that area, then he would stay there until morning came; he did not halt at the mosque that is built of stone, or on the high ground where the mosque was built. But there was a deep valley where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray, and at the bottom of this deep valley there was sand that had collected and piled up. This was the same place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. But with the passage of time, the floodwaters rushed through Wadi al-‘Atiq and made it level with the rocks and sand that it carried from al-Batha’ – the wide watercourse – until the debris carried by the flood buried that place in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

485
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed where the small mosque is that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha. ‘Abdullah knew the place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He used to say: it is there on your right when you stand in the mosque to pray. That mosque is on the right-hand side of the road when you are going towards Makkah, a stone’s throw or thereabouts from the larger mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) identifies one of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journey from Madinah to Makkah, and states that he prayed beside the small mosque that is close to the large mosque in the highest area of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah.
This hadith indicates that in ar-Rawha’ there were two mosques, one of which was a large mosque and the other was a small one. The large mosque was in the highest part of ar-Rawha’, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in that spot; rather he prayed in the small mosque to the right of that mosque.
Ibn ‘Umar knew the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, and he described it as being to the right of one who enters the mosque. This small mosque was on the right-hand side of the road, and the distance between the two mosques was a stone’s throw, which is not very far.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

486
Ibn ‘Umar used to pray facing towards the small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’; that small mountain was at the edge of the road, before the mosque that is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque has been built there, but ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar did not pray in that mosque. He used to stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of it, facing towards that small mountain. ‘Abdullah used to depart from ar-Rawha’ in the morning, and he did not pray Zuhr until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he came from Makkah, if he passed it shortly before Fajr, or at the end of the night, he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards the small mountain; what is meant is ‘Irq az-Zibah, which is a small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari explains that in this area there were two mosques close to one another: one of them was small, which was the one near which Ibn ‘Umar used to pray, and the other was a large mosque that was a stone’s throw away from the small mosque. That small mountain ended at the side of the road, near the big mosque which is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque was built there, but ‘Abdullah did not pray in that mosque; rather he would stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of the mosque, facing towards the small mountain.
As he was returning from the area of ar-Rawha’, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not pray until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he was coming from Makkah on his way back to Madinah, if he passed by that place shortly before Fajr or at the end of the night – meaning the time between the false dawn and the true dawn; the difference between that and saying shortly before Fajr is that the latter means towards the end of the period mentioned, which is less than an hour – he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there.
Ibn ‘Umar did not clearly say that the reason why he prayed facing towards that small mountain was that he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying there, but the fact that he always prayed in that spot whether he was going or coming back, and that he halted to rest there so that he could pray there, indicates that he only did that by way of emulating the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In Sahih al-Bukhari there is a report which says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on the site of the small mosque that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

487
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt beneath a huge thornless tree before ar-Ruwaythah on the right-hand side of the road, facing towards the road in a vast and flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground just two miles before ar-Ruwaythah. The top of that tree had broken and fallen inside it; the tree was standing on its trunk, and inside and around the trunk a great deal of sand had piled up..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted during his journey from Madinah to Makkah. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted beneath a huge thornless tree, near the village of ar-Ruwaythah; it is approximately 100 km from Madinah. This tree was on the right-hand side of the road, facing it, in a vast, flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground [when he resumed his journey]; between that high ground and the official staging-post in ar-Ruwaythah that was set up by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate was approximately 3 km. This approximate definition was given by Ibn ‘Umar to identify the old location, because so many structures had been set up by the state after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This is assuming that the pronoun in the word “he emerged” refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that the staging-post referred to is one of the stations set up by the state during the caliphate of ‘Umar to collect official correspondence. It was also said that the pronoun may refer to the place, and that what is meant by the word translated above as staging-post is a road that people followed. In that case, what is meant is that the distance from the location of this tree and the place where the road started to descend was two miles.
Then Ibn ‘Umar began to describe how this tree was at the time that he was speaking. Its top had broken off and fallen into its hollow interior, and fallen onto its trunk; it was now standing on its trunk like a structure that was not very wide at the bottom. In and around its trunk a great deal of sand had piled up.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

488
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed at the edge of an area of higher ground beyond al-‘Arj as you are going towards the hill. Near that mosque there are two or three graves, and on the graves there are piles of stones, on the right-hand side of the road near the rocks of the road, among the rocks. ‘Abdullah used to leave al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day, then he used to pray Zuhr in that mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, and he calls those places masajid (“mosques”; lit. places of prostration) because they are places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated and prayed, or because in the end mosques were built there, after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed in those places. He tells us that he prayed on the edge of an area of higher ground, which refers to an area of wide, elevated land through which floodwaters would flow; it may also refer to a place where water flows from the top of the wadi and what goes down to lower ground. That place is located beyond al-‘Arj, which is a place between Makkah and Madinah. It is so called because it is crooked (ta‘rij). There are several places called al-‘Arj: it was said that it is a village on the road to Makkah from Madinah, 14 miles from ar-Rawha’. It was said that al-‘Arj is five miles from the Prophet’s Mosque. It was said that al-‘Arj is a village on the outskirts of at-Ta’if; it was said that al-‘Arj is a mountain pass in which there is a bend, between Makkah and Madinah, on the road, and it is mentioned with as-Suqya.
Then Ibn ‘Umar tried to identify the features of that place, stating that it is in the region of al-‘Arj as you are going towards the high ground, and beside that mosque there are two or three graves, on which there are large white stones. It is on the right-hand side of the road, near the rocks of the road. The word translated here as rocks may refer to big trees, or to rocks that are found on the road.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to set out from al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day – meaning at midday, when it is very hot – and he would pray Zuhr in that mosque, which is the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

489
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at the large trees on the left-hand side of the road in a watercourse before Harsha; that watercourse is connected to the edge of Harsha, and between it and the road there is the distance an arrow travels. ‘Abdullah used to pray facing towards a large tree, which was the closest of the large trees to the road, and the tallest of them..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at some large trees on the left-hand side of the road, in a watercourse, which is a sloping place, before Harsha and near to it. Harsha is a mountain in the land of Tihamah, at the place where the roads to Syria and Madinah meet. It is part of al-Juhfah from which the sea is visible. Today it is called Rabigh. That slope is connected to the edge of Jabal Harsha; between it and the road there is the distance that an arrow travels, or the distance that a horse runs, which is two thirds of a mile.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards a tree, which was the closest tree to the road, and also the tallest. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

490
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in the watercourse that was the closest part of Marr az-Zahran, in the direction of Madinah, when he came down from as-Safrawat. He would halt at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah, and between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt and stay in the watercourse, which is sloping land near Marr az-Zahran. This is a wadi which the common folk call “Batn Marw”, near ‘Arafah; it is so called because of the bitterness (mararah) of its water. It is a wadi that is five miles from Makkah, in the direction of Madinah.
The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted was at the point where he descended from as-Safrawat, which is an area of valleys or mountains after Marr az-Zahran. He halted at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah. Between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

491
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa and stay there overnight until morning, and he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah. The place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was on a broad area of high ground, not in the mosque that was built there; rather it was further than that, on a broad area of high ground..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa – which is the name of a well or a place near Makkah – until morning came, then he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah from Madinah. The place where he prayed was on a broad area of high ground, which was a spacious area that was higher than the land surrounding it, or a rocky hill. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in the mosque that was built there subsequently; rather he prayed further than that mosque, according to what Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition..

492
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face two gaps in the mountain that stood between him and the high mountain in the direction of the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar stood with the mosque that had been built there to the left of the mosque that is on the high ground, and the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. Leave ten cubits or thereabouts between you and the high ground, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed..
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. In this hadith, he describes where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in Dhu Tuwa, which is a well-known valley in Makkah, between the two mountain passes. It is close to Makkah, at its border. It is known now as az-Zahir. In it there is Bi’r Dhi Tuwa, which is an ancient well that was dug by ‘Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf. It is in the highest place in Makkah, at al-Bayda’, the home of Muhammad ibn Sayf.
Ibn ‘Umar tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face towards two gaps in the mountain that was between him and the high mountain, facing towards the Kaaba. The gap in a mountain is the entrance to the road to the mountain, or what slopes down the middle or side of the mountain.
Then Nafi‘ – who is the one who narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, and the most famous of his freed slaves – said: Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) described the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He stood with the mosque that was subsequently built there to the left of the second mosque which is on the edge of the high ground. The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. You go past the high ground – which is elevated land – for about ten cubits or thereabouts, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba. It was said: what appears to be the case is that there were two mosques that were built after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but nothing is known of them today. This was possible in the past, because it was empty space, but now the area is built-up so it is not possible (to pray there).
Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

493
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas that he said: I came riding on a female donkey, and at that time I was on the brink of puberty; the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leading the people in Mina with no wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row, then I dismounted, left the donkey to graze and joined the row, and no one objected to me doing that..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have something as a sutrah (screen) in front of him, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, the imam is the sutrah for the people praying behind him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came riding on a female donkey, and he was on the brink of puberty, but had not yet reached it. What is meant by that is the age of accountability. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying in Mina with no sutrah, such as a wall and the like, in front of him. Mina is a wadi near the Makkan Haram zone where the pilgrims halt on the day of at-tarwiyah, which is the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) passed in front of some of the rows of worshippers, riding on his donkey, when the imam – namely the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – had no sutrah, then he dismounted and left the donkey to eat grass and graze freely, wandering about in front of the rows, and he joined them in prayer, and no one objected to him doing that.
This hadith indicates that it is acceptable for the imam to pray without a sutrah, and that the imam is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a minor who has reached the age of discernment may acquire knowledge and it is permissible for one who acquired knowledge as a minor to convey it to people as an adult..

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.