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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
677
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith came to us – in this mosque of ours – and said: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray; I pray as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray. I said to Abi Qilabah: How did he pray? He said: Like this shaykh of ours – referring to an old man who used to pause briefly when he lifted his head from prostration, before getting up after the first rak‘ah..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to teach the Muslims about their religion, and prayer was their primary concern and first priority.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Jarmi al-Basri narrates that the Sahabi Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them in their mosques to teach them in a practical manner how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. It was said that the mosque referred to was the mosque of Basra, where he was living. Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with them) said to them: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray. In other words, I do not intend to offer any specific prayer when I lead you in prayer now. It was said that what was meant was: my intention is not to lead you in prayer; rather my intention is to teach you by leading you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray, so that I may teach you how he prayed through actions, and not through words. The intention of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) was to teach them how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, and when he taught them that, it was not the time for any particular prayer, and he was not intending to lead them in prayer; rather it was a voluntary prayer that he did with the intention of teaching, and it was not an obligatory or Sunnah prayer.
This report was narrated elsewhere by al-Bukhari, in which Abu Qilabah described in detail how Malik ibn al-Huwayrith prayed. He said: He stood, standing fully upright, then he bowed and bowed fully. Then he raised his head, stood up and paused; what is meant is that he stood up straight, then he bowed and made his back level, so that if water were poured on his back, it would remain there, as it says in the hadith of Wabisah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated by Ibn Majah. Then he raised his head from bowing and stood up straight, returning to his previous posture as it had been before he bowed, then he paused briefly between bowing and prostrating.
Then Abu Qilabah told Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani – who is the one who narrated the hadith from him – when he asked him how he prayed, that the prayer of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) resembled, in the way it looked, the prayer as it was done by their shaykh. Here he was referring to the Sahabi Abu Burayd ‘Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmi, who was a very old man. He used to sit briefly during the prayer, after doing the prostration of the first rak‘ah, before standing up for the second rak‘ah. This brief sitting is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (sitting of rest). Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly stated in another hadith that is narrated by al-Bukhari that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying and sitting briefly to rest in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs of his prayer, when he finished the first rak‘ah before getting up for the second, and when he finished the third before getting up for the fourth. It was said that this brief sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it for a reason, either because of old age or sickness. It was also said that it is part of the prayer, but it should be very brief.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to teach and learn.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to sit briefly to rest in the prayer (jalsat al-istirahah)..

680
It was narrated that al-Zuhri said: Anas ibn Malik al-Ansari – who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), served him and accompanied him – told me that Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer during the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, whilst they were standing in rows and praying, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching us as he was standing, as if his face were a page of a Mus-haf. Then he smiled cheerfully, and we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr stepped backwards, towards the row, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to lead the prayer. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, [saying]: complete your prayer, and he let the curtain drop. And he died on that day..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the people who had the greatest knowledge of the high status and position of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They loved him greatly and always observed proper etiquette with him; they were keen to be with him, show respect to him and be close to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They never felt such grief and sorrow as they did when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed away.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque during the final illness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, when they were standing in rows and praying Fajr, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching them as he was standing, as if his face were the page of a Mus-haf, because of the softness and clarity of his skin, and his radiant beauty. Then he smiled cheerfully, rejoicing at their gathering to pray and their unity and adherence to the teachings of Islam.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped backwards to join the row, moving back from the place of the imam to join the congregation, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to pray. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, telling us to stay where we were and complete the prayer, and he let the curtain drop. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died on that day. That happened in Rabi‘ al-Awwal 10 AH, when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sixty-three years old. That was the greatest calamity that ever befell the Muslims, when their noble Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith highlights the Prophet’s concern for the prayer and the Muslims, even on the last day of his life in this world.
It identifies the date on which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died, and confirms that it was a Monday.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that he was the most qualified of them to succeed him as caliph..

683
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer during his sickness, so he would lead them in prayer. ‘Urwah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, and saw Abu Bakr leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him, he moved backwards, but [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] gestured to him [saying]: Stay where you are. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down in line with Abu Bakr, next to him, so Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr..

Commentary : Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most deserving of the Muslims to be the successor (caliph) of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after his death, regardless of the objections of the objectors and the extreme innovators. There is a great deal of evidence and proof from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning this matter, including this hadith. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell sick, he instructed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to succeed him in leaving the Muslims in prayer. This was an indication from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as to who was most deserving of succeeding him and most deserving and capable of continuing his mission. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better and felt able to come out to the prayer, he came out, at a time when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, he wanted to move back for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him, telling him to stay where he was. Then he sat in line with him, not ahead of him and not behind him. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the imam, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he was standing and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sitting, and the people were also standing, following the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice, as he was so weak. Thus they were following Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his prayer. And it was said that in fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was an imam for Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was an imam for the people standing behind him, so that prayer had two imams. Based on that, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed as an imam whilst sitting, when the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith provides evidence that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the most deserving of being his successor (caliph).
It indicates that it is permissible to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the proper etiquette with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that it is permissible for the imam to stop leading the prayer and start following someone else, without interrupting his prayer.
It also encourages the Muslim to regularly attend the prayers in congregation..

687
It was narrated that ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah said: I went to ‘A’ishah and said: Tell me about the sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She said: Yes; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became very ill, and he said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So we did that, and he washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” Then he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. The people were still in the mosque, waiting for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to Abu Bakr, telling him to lead the people in prayer. The messenger came [to Abu Bakr] and said: The Messenger of Allah is instructing you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr – who was a tenderhearted man – said: O ‘Umar, lead the people in prayer. But ‘Umar said to him: You are more deserving of that. So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer during those days. Then later on, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men – one of whom was al-‘Abbas – to pray Zuhr, when Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he wanted to step back, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him not to step back. He said: “Seat me next to him,” so they seated him next to Abu Bakr. Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting. ‘Ubaydullah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he did not object to anything, except that he said: Did she tell you the name of the man who was with al-‘Abbas? I said: No. He said: He was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)..

Commentary : The greatest calamity that befell the Muslims was the death of their Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). There were several lessons in the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as well as rulings and advice to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him).
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke of the condition of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his final sickness. That was when the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah asked her to tell him about it. So she told him that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) grew very sick, he asked: Have the people prayed, or are they still waiting? It was said to him: They are waiting for you. So he said to them: Put some water in the tub for me. The word translated here as tub refers to a vessel in which water was put for washing clothes. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) washed himself, but when he wanted to get up, he fainted. Fainting is possible in the case of the Prophets (peace be upon them all), because it is a kind of sickness, and it is akin to sleep. This is in contrast to insanity, which is loss of reasoning, and is not possible in the case of the Prophets. That happened to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) three times; he asked whether the people had prayed, then he washed himself, then he fainted when he wanted to stand up. When he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came round the fourth time, he asked: Have the people prayed? He was told that they had gathered and were waiting in the mosque; the people were sitting and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent a messenger to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), instructing him to lead the people in prayer. The fact that he sent word to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) instructing him to take his place and lead the prayer highlighted the virtue and seniority of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and was an indication that he was most deserving of being his successor (caliph), because leading the prayer is the job of the caliph. When the messenger sent by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Abu Bakr and told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was instructing him to lead the people in prayer, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was a man who wept a great deal and felt very emotional when praying – said to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Lead the people in prayer. It was as if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that the Prophet’s instruction to him regarding the prayer only meant that someone should lead the prayer, not that it was he himself who was specifically being instructed to lead the prayer. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know what had happened between the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wives with regard to the issue of ‘Umar leading the prayer instead of Abu Bakr, and that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had insisted that Abu Bakr should lead the prayer, as is mentioned in another report. Otherwise, he would not have tried to delegate the leading of prayer to ‘Umar. But ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You are more deserving of that, because of the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went and led the people in prayer for several days when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sick.
Moreover, on one of the days of his sickness, when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in Zuhr prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, and felt able to go out, so he came out, supported by two men, because he was so weak. Those two men were ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them). When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, meaning that he realized that he was there when he heard his voice – and it may be that he turned around when he heard the voice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – he wanted to move back, so that he could pray in the row behind him as one of the congregation. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should not move back, and he should stay where he was, and he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down next to him. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice. Thus the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the prayer as an imam whilst he was sitting, and the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he approved of everything that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had said, and did not object to anything of it, except that he asked: Did ‘A’ishah tell you the name of the second man on whom the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leaning, besides al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him)? ‘Ubaydullah said to him: No, she did not tell me his name. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said that he was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow the more difficult option, even if there is a concession [allowing an easier option].
It indicates that it is prescribed to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the importance of praying in congregation.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was the most deserving of them to be his successor (caliph); it also indicates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was next to him in virtue.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower status to discuss instructions given to him by one who is higher in status.
It highlights the etiquette that is to be observed when dealing with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back, because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

688
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, that she said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell. He prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, but he gestured to them that they should sit down. When he finished his prayer, he said: “The imam has only been appointed to be followed, so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell and recovering after falling from his horse, as is mentioned in the report of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated in al-Sahihayn. At that time he was not able to stand, because of his injury, so he prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, so whilst he was praying, he gestured to them to sit down. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, he said: The imam is only appointed to be followed in his actions in the prayer, therefore it is not appropriate to differ from him by doing actions before him or being too slow in following him. “so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise” – that is, follow him when he bows and rises from bowing, and in all the actions of the prayer. The word fa, translated here as “then”, indicates that these actions should be done straight after the imam does them, and that the one who is praying behind the imam should not do them before the imam; rather every action that the one who is praying behind the imam does should be done straight after the imam does it. And if the imam prays sitting, then those praying behind him should pray sitting like him. This indicates that following the imam also includes praying sitting, if the imam prays sitting. However, in the hadith of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the final sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the authenticity of which is agreed upon, it says that he led the prayer sitting whilst the people were standing behind him: “…Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting…”
The response to this apparent discrepancy is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
In this hadith, there is the command to follow the imam and not to do any of the actions of the prayer before him, or to differ from him.
It indicates that it is permissible to make gestures and small movements, if necessary, whilst praying..

690
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid said: al-Bara’ – who is not a liar – told me: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” none of us would bend down [to prostrate] until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, then we would prostrate after him..

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) applied this rule when praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is described in this hadith, in which al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) raised his head from bowing and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” and those who were praying behind him stood up straight after bowing, they would remain standing, and none of them would bend down to prostrate or hasten to prostrate until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, by placing his forehead on the ground. Then they would prostrate after him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

691
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Doesn’t one of you fear – or wouldn’t one of you fear – if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or Allah will turn his form into that of a donkey.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warns those who pray behind a imam against failing to follow their imam and raising their heads before the imam raises his head after bowing. He warns the one who does that that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey, as he said: “Doesn’t one of you fear, if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or He will turn his form into that of a donkey.”
This is a question by way of rebuke and denunciation. It may be that the meaning is metaphorical, because the donkey is renowned for stupidity, and it is as if the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was describing the one who does that as being stupid and lacking in understanding, or warning him that he could be deprived of the blessing of understanding, so he will be like a donkey. Or it may be that the meaning is as it appears to be, so Allah would turn his head into the head of a donkey in a real sense. This is a stern warning and deterrent against failing to follow the imam and doing the actions of prayer before him.
This prayer indicates that it is prohibited to do the actions of prayer before the imam.
It also contains a stern warning to the one who raises his head before the imam does..

692
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: When the first Muhajirin came to al-‘Usbah – a place in Quba’ – before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had more knowledge of Qur’an than any of them..

Commentary : In Islam, no one has superiority over anyone else except in terms of taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} [al-Hujurat 49:13]. It is only on the basis of righteous deeds that one Muslim may be superior to another. The one who is most entitled to lead the prayer is the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us. If a man has more knowledge of the Qur’an than anyone else present, then he has more right to lead the prayer. So no attention should be paid to race, colour, lineage or position. This hadith is the most eloquent proof of that. In it, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Muhajirin (migrants) from Makkah came to al-‘Usbah, which is a place near Quba’ in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, approximately two miles south of it, before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madinah, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had the most knowledge of Qur’an, meaning that he had memorized more Qur’an. Salim had been a slave belonging to a woman, then he was manumitted, but that did not prevent him from leading the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in prayer, because he had memorized more of the Qur’an than the others. Salim had memorized Qur’an from the Sahabah whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to the believers in Madinah to teach them the Qur’an and Islam, such as Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and others. Salim was not in fact a freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah – who was one of the earliest to become Muslim; rather Salim was the freed slave of a woman of the Ansar who had manumitted him. But he was called the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah because he stayed close to him after he was manumitted, and Abu Hudhayfah had adopted him. Then when the prohibition of adoption was revealed, he continued to be known as the freed slave (mawla) of Abu Hudhayfah.
This hadith indicates that the one who has memorized the most Qur’an is the most deserving of leading the prayer..

693
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslim to obey those in authority with regard to what is right and proper, but not what is wrong and sinful, because of the serious bad consequences that result from rebelling against them. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against disobedience to those in authority and creating division among the Muslims.
This hadith highlights that, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.” In other words, if the one who is appointed to rule you is a man from Ethiopia with a head like a raisin – referring to his black colour and curly hair; this serves to point out that people would usually scorn such a person. What is meant is that the believer must obey the ruler and whomever the ruler appoints in charge of his affairs (as a governor, for example), no matter what his race or colour, so long as he rules the people in accordance with the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as is mentioned in another report in Sahih Muslim. That is, so long as he adheres to Islam and calls the people to the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), regardless of what he looks like, his level of religious commitment and his manners, provided that he does not enjoin the people to disobey Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

694
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They lead you in prayer, so if they do the right thing, you will be granted the reward, and if they make mistakes, you will be granted the reward and the burden of sin will be on them.”.

Commentary : As the Muslims are instructed to obey their leaders and emulate them in that which does not involve disobedience to Allah (may He be exalted), whether they are leaders in the sense of rulers and caliphs, or leaders who lead the people in prayer, it is only fair that the Muslim should not be held to account for mistakes made by his leader, because he has done what is required of him, which is following the leader, provided that no sin is involved. Hence in this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains to those who pray behind an imam that when the leaders pray, they either pray properly, or they make mistakes in the prayer. If they do the prayer properly, as it should be done, then both they and those who pray behind them will have the reward for that, but if they make mistakes and do not lead the prayer properly, as it should be done, then the burden of sin for the mistakes they have made is theirs alone, and those who pray behind them will have the reward of the prayer.
What is meant by mistake here is not that which is done deliberately, for if a person makes a mistake that is beyond his control, he will not be held to account for it. Rather what is meant by mistake here is the opposite of that which is right and proper, such as introducing an innovation that was not enjoined by Allah, or deliberately going against what Allah has enjoined, on the basis of whims and desires, and so on.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to pray behind any Muslim, whether he is a righteous man or an evildoer..

695
It was narrated from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn Khiyar that he went to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) – when he was under siege – and said: You are the ruler [and caliph], and we see what calamity has befallen you. The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil), and we feel uncomfortable [praying behind him]. ‘Uthman said: Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing..

Commentary : This hadith testifies to the fair-mindedness of the wronged leader, the Commander of the Faithful, Dhu’l-Nurayn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). When he was besieged in his house at the time of fitnah (turmoil) and the leaders of the fitnah besieged him and wanted to depose him wrongfully, on the basis of fabrications and lies, the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn al-Khiyar said to him: You are the ruler and head of state, so you are the caliph and in the position of greater leadership, and he told him that the people were being led in prayer by an imam who was one of the leaders of fitnah and troubles, and wanted to depose him. It was said that this man was ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays al-Balawi, who is the one who brought the people of Egypt to rebel against ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him); he died in 36 AH.  And it was said that Kinanah ibn Bishr, one of the leaders of the Kharijites, also led the people in prayer. When these people attacked Madinah, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) used to go out and lead the people in prayer, and he continued to do this for a month, then he went out one day and they threw stones at him, which caused him to fall from the minbar, and he was not able to lead the prayer on that day, so Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf led them in prayer. Then they stopped him from doing that, so they were led in prayer sometimes by ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays and sometimes by Kinanah ibn Bishr, and continued to do this for ten days. They were the ones of whom it was said that they were the imams of fitnah. At this time, some of the senior Sahabah – such as Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), and others – also led the people in prayer. These noble individuals (may Allah be pleased with them) cannot be described as promoters of fitnah, for they led the prayers with the permission of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), and they did not withdraw their allegiance and obedience to him. They continued to defend him until he died (may Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased).
When ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy, he replied by stating that prayer is the best deed that these people could do. This does not mean that ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was praising the promoters and leaders of fitnah; rather the apparent meaning of ‘Uthman’s words suggests that he was granting a concession allowing the people to pray with them, as if he was saying: the fact that they are misguided people who are involved in fitnah will not harm you; if they do good, then go along with them in doing good, and if they do wrong – because they became involved in fitnah or introduced innovations – this will not harm the one who prays behind them, because he is following them in their prayers, but denouncing and rejecting what they have brought of fitnah and innovation.
It was said that what is meant by the words of ‘Ubaydullah, “The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil)”  is that someone other than their regular imam was leading them in prayer at the time of fitnah, not that that imam was calling them to fitnah and striving for this purpose. This is indicated by the words of ‘Uthman, “Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing.” He did not speak ill of the one who was leading them in prayer, and stated that his action (prayer) was among the best of deeds, whilst warning ‘Ubaydullah not to get involved in the fitnah.
This hadith indicates that praying behind one whom you do not like to pray behind is better than stopping prayer in congregation altogether.
It also contains a warning against fitnah (turmoil) and becoming involved in it, and against everything that is denounceable, whether it be words, deeds or beliefs..

698
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I slept at Maymunah’s house, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night. He did wudu’, then he stood and prayed, and I stood on his left. He took hold of me and put me on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. Then he went to sleep, until he was breathing heavily, for when he slept he would breathe heavily. Then the mu’adhdhin came to him, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was an intelligent boy who was highly motivated with regard to both worship and seeking knowledge. Signs of brilliance appeared in him from an early age, and he was keen to be close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learn from him.
In this hadith, he (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he stayed overnight in the house of his maternal aunt, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night, and Ibn ‘Abbas described for us what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that night. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, then he got up and did wudu’, then he stood up and prayed qiyam al-layl (voluntary prayers at night). Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also got up, and did the same as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he stood on his left. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of him and make him stand on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. This is the number of rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on that night. There are other reports which speak of him praying different numbers of rak‘ahs in qiyam; it was narrated that he prayed seven, nine and eleven rak‘ahs. The differences may be understood as referring to different times and situations. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, and began to breathe so heavily that the sound of it could be heard, which is something that happens to some people when they sleep, and it is not blameworthy or odd. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, he usually breathed heavily. Then Bilal came to him to tell him that it was time to pray Fajr, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again, because the Prophet’s eyes slept but his heart did not sleep, so his wudu’ could not be invalidated, because his heart was awake.
This hadith indicates that a young boy may visit and sleep in the houses of his relatives and female mahrams.
It highlights where the one who is praying behind an imam should stand in relation to the imam if only the two of them are praying; the one who is following the imam should stand on his right.
It indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep and did not renew his wudu’ for prayer after having slept. This is because his eyes would sleep but his heart did not sleep.
It also indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayers in congregation..

703
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him make it brief, for among them are the weak, the sick and the elderly. But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best teacher and educator for his companions and his ummah after him. He would choose for the people what would be best for them and for others, in both religious and worldly matters. He used to make things easy for the people with regard to worship, especially the prayer, so that people would not be put off and become bored or tired. One example of that is what is mentioned in this hadith, in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised imams to pay attention to the situation of worshippers when praying. Hence he said to them: When one of you leads the people in prayer as an imam, let him make it brief – that is, with regard to the recitation, bowing and prostrating. The reason for instructing them to make it brief is that among the worshippers there are those who are physically weak or sick, elderly people, and others who have excuses. These people cannot endure a lengthy prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes, because he knows what he is able to do, and he is able to cut it short if he becomes too tired and the like. This is in contrast to those who are praying behind an imam, for they are detained, as it were, behind the imam until he finishes the prayer.
This hadith highlights how Islamic teachings pay attention to people’s situation and how much energy they have when doing acts of worship. It also highlights the fact that Islam is a religion of ease..

706
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make his prayers brief yet he would do them perfectly and properly. .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he led the people in prayer. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This is what is referred to in the other report, which says that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the briefest of people in offering prayer, yet it was perfect and complete. This is what is required of the imam: he should make the prayer brief, because he must pay attention to the situation of all the people who are praying behind him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the imam ‘Uthman ibn Abi’l-‘As, as we see in the report narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan: “Follow the pace of the weakest of them”; in other words, make your prayer appropriate for the weakest of those who are praying behind you, for there may be among the worshippers those who can endure a lengthy prayer, and others who cannot endure it. Therefore what is required of the imam is to take everyone into consideration by making the prayer brief yet complete and perfect. But when a person is praying on his own, he may make the prayer as long as he wishes, because he knows himself best and what he is able to do.
This hadith urges the imam to show kindness to those who are praying behind him, and to make the prayer brief, without detracting from the perfection of the prayer..

708
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). If he heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief for fear that the child’s mother would be troubled..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that he never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This was out of consideration on his part for people’s situations.
Then Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) gave an example of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would cut the prayer short out of consideration for the needs of those who were praying behind him. He said: If the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief, by reciting a short surah, lest the child’s mother be distracted from her prayer, because she would be growing anxious about her child crying.
This hadith urges imams to show kindness to those who are praying behind him and to take their situations into consideration, and not cause them any undue hardship.
It also indicates that the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most perfect prayer, and that the worshipper should be keen to make his prayer like the Prophet’s prayer, so that he will be following his example and thus earn great reward. .

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.