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Hadith
955
It is narrated on the authority of al-Baraa ibn ‘Azib(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon after offering the ‘Eid prayer in which he ﷺ said, "Whoever offered the prayer like us and slaughtered his sacrificial animal like us then his sacrifice will be accepted by Allah. Whoever slaughtered his sacrifice before the `Eid prayer, then he has not done the sacrifice." Abu Burdah ibn Niyar, the maternal uncle of al-Bara' said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have slaughtered my sheep before the `Eid prayer as I thought today is [not a day to fast but rather] a day of eating and drinking, thus, I liked that my sheep be the first to be slaughtered in my house. I slaughtered my sheep and I ate before coming for the prayer." The Prophet ﷺ said, "The sheep which you have slaughtered is [deemed] a mutton [as it does not qualify as a sacrifice]." Abu Burdah said, "O Allah's Messenger! I have a young she-goat which is dearer to me than two sheep. Will that be sufficient as a sacrifice on my behalf? "The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, it will be sufficient for you, but it will not be sufficient as a sacrifice for anyone else after you."
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺdelivered the sermon of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa after the conclusion of the prayer, and not before it.He ﷺelucidated for the people by highlighting that whosoever prayed the ‘Eid prayer with the Muslims, and then slaughtered their sacrificial animal after the prayer - then they have fulfilled the prescribed act of worship for which the reward of the sacrifice is prescribed. As for whoever slaughtered the sacrificial animal before the prayer, then the slaughtered animal is not deemed as a sacrifice, meaning, he is not given the reward of the sacrifice. Then, Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar - the maternal uncle of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) - stood up and mentioned that he slaughtered his sheep before the prayer, explaining that ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa is a day of eating and drinking, that he wanted his sheep to be the first thing to be slaughtered at his home; and that he ate from it before coming to the prayer. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ answered him by stating that: the sheep which he slaughtered was nothing more than meat and it would not be deemed as a valid sacrifice; thus, there was no reward from doing so. But rather, it is a mere slaughtering for the purpose of eating that has nothing to do with the prescribed act of worship.

Then, Abu Burdah mentioned that he owned nothing other than an ʿanaaqah [i.e., she-goat]. In juxtaposition to the jadhʿah [which] is less than a year in age. It is said: al-Ijdhaaʿ is a duration of time [which] does not last a year from birth, nor surpasses it; thus, it is a name for the offspring of a goat when it strengthens [in maturity]. Abu Burdah explained that he owned nothing except a jadhʿah, [a type] of goat. However, according to him, it was better and more beloved to him than two sheep due to its abundance of meat and high price. For this reason, he asked the Prophetﷺ , “Will that jadhʿah suffice for the sacrifice?” To which, the Prophet ﷺpermitted for him the slaughter of his jadhʿah because he owned nothing else and answered him by stating that it suffices for him alone and does not suffice for anyone from the Muslims after him. This is an indication that the jadhʿah which is less than one year in age does not suffice as a sacrificial animal, whereas the goat which is two years or older does. The age that suffices for the goat to be worthy of sacrificing should have at least lived one year and has entered into the second.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the virtue of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him).

It teaches us to hasten to do good deeds and compete with others in this regard. It indicates that the way of the Prophet ﷺ is one of ease and moderation..

956
Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated The Prophet ﷺ used to proceed to the Musallaa on the days of ‘Eid al-Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adhaa. The first thing to begin with there was the prayer and after that he would stand in front of the people and the people would keep sitting in their rows. Then he would preach, advise, and give them orders. Afterwards, if he wished to send an army for an expedition, he would do so; or if he wanted to give an order, he would do so, and then depart. Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree added, the people followed this tradition till I went out with Marwan, the Governor of Medina, for the prayer of
Eid al-Adha or ‘Eid al-Fitr. When we reached the Musalla, there was a pulpit made by Kathir ibn As-Salt. Marwan wanted to get up on that pulpit before the prayer, but I got hold of his clothes [to stop him]. However, he pulled them and ascended the pulpit and delivered the sermon before the prayer. I said to him, "By Allah, you have changed (the Prophet's tradition)." He replied, "O Abu Saʿeed! Gone is that which you know." I said, "By Allah! What I know is better than what I do not know." Marwan said, "People do not sit to listen to our sermon after the prayer, thus, I delivered it before the prayer.".

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet ﷺ would enjoin the good and forbid the wrongdoing and reprehensible. They were firm and upheld the truth without making any compromise, spoke the truth without fearing the blame of the blamers.

In this hadeeth, Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) clarifies the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ with regards to the prayer of the two ‘Eids, explaining the order of events. He states that on the ‘Eids of al-Fiṭr and Al-Aḍhaa, he ﷺ used to set out towards the Musallaa, which is a wide and spacious place، and a well-known locality in al-Madeenah which is about 1000 cubits (The Arabic word dhirāʿ is a unit of measurement which is pretty close to that of a cubit. The average cubit is 0.5 meters. This means the approximate distance here is close to 450 - 500 meters) from the entrance of the masjid.

The first thing that he ﷺ began with was the offering the ‘Eid prayer, then he ﷺ would stand up facing the people to deliver the sermon all the while the people would [remain] seated in their places. During the ‘Eid sermon he ﷺ would admonish, advise, and give the people orders. If he ﷺ wanted to dispatch an army or a troop to a region of the outlying areas [for a mission], he ﷺ would dispatch them accordingly.

Then, Abu Saʿeed mentioned that the people persisted in that manner until Muʿaawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him) appointed Marwaan ibn al-Hakam as a governor over al-Madeenah.

When the ‘Eid of Al-Aḍhaa or al-Fiṭr came, Abu Saʿeed(may Allah be pleased with him) set out with Marwaan to the Musallaa. Then, he saw a pulpit that was built by the famous taabiʿee, Katheer ibn al-Salt al-Kindĩ. Thereafter, Marwaan intended to ascend the pulpit so that he could deliver the ‘Eid sermon before the performance of the prayer. Abu Saʿeed did no more than pull upon the garment of Marwaan forcibly, attempting to prevent him from doing as such. However, Marwaan did not respond to him, and proceeded towards delivering the sermon before the performance of the ‘Eid prayer.

Then, Abu Saʿeed(may Allah be pleased with him) spoke harshly towards him because his actions changed the sunnah [the practice that had been established by the Prophet ﷺ and the people thereafter.] Subsequently, he (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that which he knows is good, because it is the way of the Prophet ﷺ. So, how can it be other than good, [if] it is from him ﷺ?!

Afterwards, Marwaan claimed that his actions were good because the conditions had changed - and that the people did not sit to listen to his Eid sermon after the conclusion of the Eid prayer. For that reason, he delivered the sermon before the prayer so that he could obligate them to listen to it.

This gives us the impression that Marwaan did that as he believed it is a matter that is open to ijtihaad (i.e., exercising an independent judgement), and that he changed the action[s] of the Prophet ﷺ - with beginning with the performance of the prayer, and then the deliverance of the sermon - to his own on the basis of precedence. He advanced a reason for leaving the foregoing in [exchange] to what he mentioned earlier regarding the change in the people’s condition. He discerned that the adherence to the basis of the sunnah - which [when applied here refers to] listening to the sermon - is more important than the observance of a position that is not a condition [for its validity]. However, Abu Saʿeed (ay Allah be pleased with him) understood the actions of the Prophet ﷺ and their sequence as being fixed and not subject to change. Nonetheless, he neither left off the prayer nor refrained from listening to the sermon.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the ‘Eid prayer should be performed outdoor, and not in a masjid, except out of necessity.

It teaches us that the Prophet delivered the sermon at the Musallaa on the two ‘Eids while standing.

It shows us that we should constantly enjoin the good and forbid the prohibited - even if the one to condemn is a person of authority or a ruler.

This hadeeth shows us that it is prescribed to use the pulpit for the purpose of delivering the sermon of ‘Eid and explains that the person delivering the sermon should stand facing the people.

Lastly, it indicates the permissibility of a person’s oath toward the truth in what they convey.

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957
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to offer the prayer of `Eid al-Adhaa and `Eid al-Fitr, and then deliver the sermon after the prayer..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes that the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. His noble Companions transmitted his traditions and the way he performed them for us.

In this hadeeth, Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased the both of them) reports that the way of the Prophet ﷺ handled the prayer of the two ‘Eids was to: deliver the sermon after the prayer, as opposed to the Friday prayer, in which the sermon precedes the prayer, and that sermon of ‘Eid consists of two parts, similar to that of the [ones] delivered on Friday.

The sermon is legislated on Fridays, ‘Eids, and [other] occasions for many reasons. One of them is that the people learn about the matters of religion and worldly affairs. For this reason, whenever the Imaam ascends on to the pulpit, he should make it his goal to teach the people and instruct them - especially on religious correlations that coincide with that sermon. This is based on the report that al-Bukhaaree recorded about the description of the sermon of the Prophet ﷺaccording to Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, he explained that the first thing that he ﷺ began with was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer. Then, after he finished the prayer, he ﷺ turned towards the people, and stood up facing the congregation. The people would [remain] seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he admonished, advised, and gave them orders.  .

959
ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas sent [a message] to Ibn Zubair at the commencement of the oath of allegiance to him (for Caliphate saying): As there is no Adhan on 'Eid-ul-Fitr, so you should not pronounce it. Ibn Zubair did not pronounce Adhan on that day. He (Ibn 'Abbaas) also sent him (with this message) that the sermon (is to be delivered) after the prayer, and thus it was done. So, lbn Zubair observed the prayer before the sermon..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned from him ﷺ, and they conveyed them to [those] who came after them - like what is [reported] in this hadeeth.

The ṭaabiʿee, ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah, reports that ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) sent a message to ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) at the onset of when he was acknowledged with homage as the Caliph - which was in the year 64 A.H., after the death of Yazeed ibn Muʿaawiyah. In the message, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) informed him [about] the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the prayer of the two ‘Eids, [by stating] that the adhaan was not called for the prayer of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr in the time of the Prophet ﷺ; and that the sermon of ‘‘Eid was delivered after the prayer.

The description of this sermon is mentioned in the report that al-Bukhaaree narrates on the authority of Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him), which is that the first thing that the Prophet ﷺ began with what was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer. Then, he stood up and turned towards the people, facing them. The people would remain seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he would admonish and advise them, and give them orders.

The Eid prayer does not have an adhaan or iqaamah, nor are there any sunnah prayers to be performed before or after it. It is performed at a Musallaa, which is an open land that is wide and spacious.



This hadeeth shows the avidity of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in guiding the caliphs and governors towards the way of the Prophet ﷺ and his sunnah - and explaining it to them.
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961
Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ stood up on the day of ‘Eid al-Fitr and started by offering the ‘Eid prayer. Then, after he commenced the prayer, he delivered the ‘Eid sermon. After he ﷺ had finished (the sermon) he descended the pulpit [stairs] and made his way to the women and exhorted them (to do good deeds). He exhorted them while he was leaning on the hand of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) who had stretched his cloth in which women were throwing alms. I (one of the narrators) asked 'Ata' (the other narrator): “Do you think it is incumbent upon the Imaam [to go] and turn his attention towards the women and exhort them [to do good deeds]?” He said: “Why not! Indeed, it is right for them (to do so).”
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Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned from him ﷺ, and then conveyed them to us.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that on the ‘Eid day, the Prophet ﷺ began with the prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah. Then, after the completion of the prayer, he delivered the sermon and admonished them like he ﷺ did for the sermons on Fridays - except that [in this case] the sermon was after the prayer and not before it.

Afterwards, he ﷺ turned towards the women and devoted his attention to them by preaching and admonishing them so that they may give alms. He ﷺ did this while supporting his weight upon the hand of Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) and leaning on it to hold him ﷺ up. Meanwhile, Bilal spread out his garment so that he could collect the alms from them. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ distributed it amongst those in need, like what his custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

ʿAbd al-Maalik ibn Jurayj asked his shaykh - ʿAṭaa’ ibn AbeeRabaah - a narrator of this hadeeth who reported it from Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with them): “Do you think it is incumbent upon the Imaam [to go] and turn his attention towards the women and exhort them?” ʿAṭaa’ stated that it is indeed incumbent upon the Imaams to exhort the women on the day of ‘Eid - and that there is nothing preventing the Imaams from doing so, following the practice of the Prophet ﷺ.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that women should be segregated and away from men when they attend the prayers of men and their congregations. This practise is done as a precaution, out of fear of temptation [that may rise] against them.

This hadeeth teaches us that the ‘Eid prayer is performed before the ‘Eid sermon, and that it is permissible for the scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes. .

962
ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) related: “I offered the ‘Eid Prayer with Allah's Messenger ﷺ, Abu Bakr, `Umar, and `Uthmaan. All of them offered the prayer before delivering the ‘Eid sermon.”.

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, which the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. All of that was narrated to us through the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he was present and performed the ‘Eid prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - and each in [their own] time while they served as Caliphs. He confirms that all of them prayed the ‘Eid prayer before the ‘Eid sermon.

The statement of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) is a clear evidence that the Prayer of ‘Eid preceded the sermon. The Prophet ﷺ pursued this practice diligently and was observed by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and [those] after him ﷺ, and they continued this practice thereafter.

The sermon of ‘Eid consists of two parts, with a break between the two of them - like the sermon delivered on Friday.

The sermon is legislated on Fridays, ‘Eids, and [other] occasions for many reasons. One of them is that the people learn about the matters of religion and worldly affairs. For this reason, whenever the Imaam ascends on to the pulpit, he should make it his goal to teach the people and instruct them - especially on religious correlations that coincide with that sermon. This is based on the report that al-Bukhaaree recorded about the description of the sermon of the Prophet ﷺ according to Abu Saʿeed al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, he explained that the first thing that he ﷺ began with was the performance of the ‘Eid prayer, then after he finished the prayer, he ﷺ turned towards the people, and stood up facing the congregation. The people would [remain] seated in their rows as he ﷺ delivered the sermon to them, during which he admonished, advised, and gave them orders.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the eagerness of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) towards preserving and implementing the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ..

964
Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ performed a two-units-prayer on the Day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr and he did not perform any prayer before or after it. Then, he went towards the women along with Bilal and instructed them to pay alms and so they started giving their earrings and necklaces in charity..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, that the Prophet ﷺ always ensured to perform. His noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated all of that for us, as they saw and learned them from the Prophet ﷺ.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports on the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the prayer of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr. He relates that the Prophet ﷺ performed a two-units prayer for the ‘Eid prayer without performing any sunnah prayers before or after it. After, he ﷺ delivered a general sermon to the people [present], like what is mentioned in the other reports.

Then, he ﷺ, with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him), went towards the women and reminded and exhorted them - so that they may give alms. Thereupon, they became moved by his reminder and words and began to toss from what money and goods they had with them. So [many of] the women tossed their earrings (al-khurs) and necklaces (al-sikhaab).

[On] al-khurs: [the word is written and pronounced] with a dammah [or a] kesrah on the letter khaa’. The pendant [of the earring] is a single bead. It was said that the link [for it] is made of gold or silver.

[On] al-Sikhaab: [it is] a thread with beads strung on it that is worn by boys and girls. It was [also] said [that] it is a necklace that was made of carnation, cloves, and the like; and nothing on it is made of pearls, gems, gold, and silver. It was also said that it refers to every necklace, whether it is comprised of gems or not.

The Prophet ﷺ gathered the alms for the purpose of distributing it amongst those in need; like what his custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution - out of fear of temptation [that may rise] against them, [or] they be looked upon unnecessarily, or the like.

It shows us that it is permissible for the male scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes..

966
Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair: I was with Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when a spear head pierced the sole of his foot causing his foot to be stuck to the paddle of the saddle. I got down and pulled it out of his foot. This incident happened in Mina. Al-Hajjaj learned of the incident so he visited Ibn ‘Umar to inquire about his health, and said, "Alas! If only we had known the one who wounded you," Ibn `Umar said, "You are the one who wounded me." Al-Hajjaj said, "How is that?" Ibn `Umar said, "You have allowed arms to be carried on a day on which nobody used to carry them, and you allowed arms to be carried in the Haram even though it was not allowed before.".

Commentary : There are times and places that Allah -Exalted be He, honours and sets a sanctity [over them] that no one should desecrate; except, he who is sinful at heart. Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafee was an oppressive, iniquitous tyrant.

In this hadeeth, the ṭaabiʿee, Saʿeed ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he was with ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them both) on Hajj, when the tip of a spear pierced ibn ʿUmar on the sole of his foot, which is the area that raises while walking. This event occurred while the two of them were in Minaa, [which is] located in Makkah. [Minaa] is a valley near the Sacred Precinct of Makkah that the pilgrims descend into, in order to throw their pebbles [at the Jamaraat]. This incident narrated in the hadeeth occurred while Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf was the leader of the Hijaz, one year after the killing of ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr in the year 74 A.H.

When Ibn ʿUmar was wounded [by the spearhead], his foot was affixed to the stirrup - which is where a man’s foot is placed [so that they may mount] onto the saddle for helping to [maintain control while] riding their mounts. As Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) was not able to descend from his saddle; thus, when Saʿeed ibn Jubayr saw this occur, he pulled out the spearhead from the foot of Ibn ʿUmar.

When [news] of Ibn ʿUmar’s injury reached Al-Hajjaaj, he paid him a visit; and [upon seeing him] said: “If only we had known the one who wounded you!” - [i.e.] “We would have punished him.”

Then, Ibn ʿUmar replied: “You are the one who injured me,” - that is to say: “this happened because of your own actions.”

Al-Hajjaaj said: “How?” [To this], Ibn ʿUmar told him that: he was the one responsible for [allowing] the carrying of weapons on the day of ‘Eid, that the days of Minaa during the Hajj coincide with ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa for all Muslim communities, that it was a day on which weapons were not carried; and, lastly, that he allowed weapons to enter Minaa - while this was not allowed before.

It is reported in the sunnah that weapons should not be carried at events [for] which there is no need to do so. This is legislated out of fear that arms could cause harm [accidently] to others when it is crowded.

In the agreed upon hadeeth, that the Prophet ﷺ said to [a person] he saw carrying a weapon in the masjid: “Hold onto the arrows by their heads.” He ordered him to do that so it would not injure anyone. But if Muslims fear their enemy may be present, then it is permitted for them to bear arms, such as when Allah, Exalted be He, legislated the carrying of weapons during the prayer when peril [presents itself].

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Minaa is a part of the sacred site of Makkah.

It teaches us that carrying weapons at sacred sites is prohibited, as Allah made it a haven for the Muslims, and that carrying arms on the day of ‘Eid is prohibited.

It shows the vigour of the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ, and their courage on upholding and preserving the truth.

Lastly, it teaches us that whoever mandates anything, or is the cause of anything of which a harm falls upon another - then it is permissible to attribute that harm to him.


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968
Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) related that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon on the day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and then said, "The first thing we should do on this day of ours is to pray and then return and slaughter (our sacrifices). Whoever does so he acted according to our Sunnah; and whoever slaughtered before the prayer then it was just meat that he offered to his family and would not be considered as a sacrifice in any way. My maternal uncle Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar got up and said, "O, Allah's Messenger! I slaughtered the sacrifice before the prayer, but I have a young she-goat which is better than an older sheep." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Slaughter it in lieu of the first and such a goat will not be considered as a sacrifice for anybody else after you.".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he heard the Prophet ﷺ while he was delivering a sermon on the day of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa. During the sermon, the Prophet ﷺ elucidated on his traditions and habitual actions during ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa: [and] that is, he would first begin with the ‘Eid prayer. Afterwards, he ﷺ would slaughter his sacrificial animal. By doing so, then, truly, the person has acted according to his Sunnah and upon his guidance ﷺ, and thus, he has obtained the prescribed reward. The ‘Eid prayer is to be performed without an adhaan or iqaamah. The slaughtering of the sacrificial animal is requested from the one who is capable and possesses the wealth and ability to purchase a sacrificial animal. It is said: the intended [meaning] by wealth [here] is that the individual should rightfully own the nisaab of zakat [i.e., the minimum amount necessary for one to pay the zakat]. [All of this is done] so that one may draw closer to Allah - the Mighty and Majestic - by it.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ clarified that whoever did not do this [in the described manner above], such as slaughtering the sacrificial animal before the prayer; then, the slaughtered animal is not deemed as a sacrifice, and no reward [of the sacrifice becomes] his - that is to say, their deed would not be considered valid as an act of worship [or] legitimate sacrifice. But rather, [his sacrifice] would be treated as meat that he offered to his family.

Then, Abu Burdah ibn Niyaar - the maternal uncle of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) - stood up and mentioned that he slaughtered his sheep before the prayer, explaining that - like what is [mentioned] in another report [narrated] by al-Bukhaaree - that ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa is a day of eating and drinking, that he wanted his sheep to be the first thing to be slaughtered at his home, and that he ate from it before coming to the prayer. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ answered him by stating that: the sheep which he slaughtered was nothing more than meat and it would not be deemed as a valid sacrifice; thus, the prescribed reward of this act of worship is not attained.

In this hadeeth, [there is] an emphasis on the sequence regarding the actions of ‘Eid, and that the performance of the prayer is first, then the deliverance of the sermon, and lastly the slaughter.

Afterwards, Abu Burdah mentioned that he owned nothing other than a jadhʿah [i.e., she-goat.] The [word] jadhʿah conveys the meaning of something that is less than one year old. It is said [that] al-Ijdhaaʿ is a duration of time [which] does not last a year from birth, nor surpasses it; thus, Jadhaʿh is a name for the offspring of a goat when it strengthens [in maturity].

He explained that he owned nothing except a jadhʿah, [a she-goat]. However, according to him, it was better and more beloved to him than a sheep which has aged - due to its abundance of meat and high price. The Prophet ﷺ allowed him to slaughter his she-goat [despite its age not meeting the requirements of sacrificial animals] since it was all he had. Then, he ﷺ explained to him that [this ruling] suffices for him alone and does not suffice for anyone from the Muslims after him. This is an indication that the jadhʿah which is less than one year in age does not suffice as a sacrificial animal, whereas the goat which is over one year does i.e., the age that suffices for the goat to be worthy of sacrificing should have at least lived one year and has entered into the second.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the virtue of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him), and that the way of the Prophet ﷺ is one of ease and moderation.
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969
Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) related that the Prophet ﷺ said, "No good deeds done on other days are superior to those done on these." The companions inquired, "Not even Jihad?" He replied, "Not even Jihad, except that of a man who does it by putting himself and his property in danger (for Allah's sake) and does not return with any of those things.".

Commentary : From the mercy of Allah, Exalted be He, towards His servants, is that He bestows His favours upon them by granting them [certain] blessed days. During of which, He multiplies rewards and provides abundant bounties for them - both mercifully and generously. Some of these blessed days include [but are not limited to] the first ten days in the month of DhulHijjah.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ is directing us towards the virtue of good deeds in the first ten days of DhulHijjah. He ﷺ explained that the rewards [for] virtuous acts during [this time] are multiplied [in a way that they] do not multiply during the rest of the year. It is therefore incumbent upon the Muslim to seize the opportunity and increase [in] pious deeds during these days. Among the greatest of pious deeds [to engage oneself in] during this time is the remembrance of Allah, Exalted be He. And the greatest [forms] of Allah’s remembrance [include] the recitation of the Quran, and the utterances of: “Allaahu Akbar” [i.e., Allah is the Greatest - al takbeer], “Laailaahaillaallaah [i.e., There is no god worthy of worship except Allah - al tahleel, and saying “Alhamdulillaah” repeatedly [i.e., All praise is due to Allah - al tahmeed].

In the Musnad of Imaam Ahmad and other [hadeeth collections, it is narrated] that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There are no more virtuous days in the sight of Allah and there are no days in which good deeds are more pleasing to Him than these ten days. On these days, fill your time with engaging more in tahleel, takbeer, and tahmeed.”

The good deeds include the obligatory religious duties, obligations, all of the known pious actions, and voluntary acts of worship - [ranging] from prayer, alms, [charity], and fasting – particularly on the day of ʿArafah.

All that was done from amongst the religious duties during these ten days is better than the religious duties that were performed at any other time. Likewise, the supererogatory actions during these ten days are more excellent than if they were done at any other time.

The good deeds also include refraining from that which is prohibited or objectionable. Whoever leaves [actions] of disobedience during these days, then there is no doubt that his reward is greater than if he were to leave the sins on other days.

Upon hearing this, [some] of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet ﷺ about jihaad [occurring] on other than these ten days, whether virtuous deeds are superior to it also. Their question about jihad in particular [was asked so they might] be able to distinguish it from what had been determined for them [by the Prophet ﷺ] about it being one of the most virtuous deeds; and for that [reason] the days of DhulHijjah were weighed up against it.

The Prophet ﷺ responded: Yes, the good deeds performed during these days are better than jihaad occurring on [any] others, except [if] a man set out, risking himself and his property, for the sake of Allah - and then lost his wealth and his soul departed for the sake of Allah. This [form] of jihaad which is depicted [here] is better than any good deeds [that are] performed during these ten blessed days. This [serves as] a demonstration to the excellence of this form of jihaad; and a commemoration [to the fact] that he reached a level that hardly varies with the honour of the days and times [which Allah has appointed as such], [along with those that] lack honour.

The apparent meaning of this hadeeth is that these ten days are more virtuous than the last ten of Ramadan. It has been said that the ten days of DhulHijjah are the best of all days, while the [last] ten of Ramadan are the best of all nights - due to the presence of Laylat al-Qadr therein.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that we learn the magnitude of the virtues of the first ten days of DhulHijjah over the other days of the year.

It also shows the significance of the matter of martyrdom for the sake of Allah, giving oneself and wealth together [for His sake], and that this is the highest degree of jihaad.

Lastly, it teaches us that the good deeds of less merit – as opposed to other good deeds - done during the distinguished time becomes similar to the good deeds of high merit at other times.

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970
Narrated Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee: I was with ‘Anas ibn Maalik as we were going from Mina to `Arafat, I asked him about the Talbiyah, "How did you use to say Talbiyah while you were in the company of the Prophet ﷺ?" Anas replied: "People used to say Talbiyah and their saying was not objected to and they used to say Takbir and that was not objected to either."

.

Commentary : The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam, and it is a significant act of worship which encompasses many types of religious observances. The one who performs Hajj sincerely for Allah, in accordance with the guidance of the Messenger ﷺ, he will receive a great reward from Allah, Most Exalted. For that [reason], observing the etiquettes of the Hajj is necessary, just as Prophet ﷺ taught us.

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee reports that he asked ‘Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the permissible forms of Allah’s remembrance the pilgrims can say while departing from Minaa towards ʿArafaat, which occurs on the morning of the Day of ʿArafah, the ninth day [in the month of] DhulHijjah.

Minaa is a valley surrounded by mountains and is located east of Makkah, and is on the path between Makkah and Mount ʿArafaat, close to 6 kilometres away from the Masjid Al-Haram. Some of the rituals of Hajj are performed in Minaa, such as throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat.

ʿArafaat is a mountain on the path between Makkah and Ṭaa’if, and is approximately: 22 kilometres away from Makkah, 10 kilometres from Minaa, and 6 kilometres from Muzdalifah. The most important ritual of Hajj is performed nearby, which is the stay at [the plains] of ʿArafah on the ninth day of DhulHijjah.

‘Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) then informed Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr al-Thaqafee that when they performed the Hajj with the Prophet ﷺ, on his ﷺ Farewell Pilgrimage, in the 10th year A.H - some of pilgrims recited the talbiyah, so he then said: “LabbaykAllaahummaLabbayk!” - [i.e., “Here I am, O Lord, Here I am!], and raised their voices while doing it.

Some of the others recited the takbeer: “Allaahu Akbar!” - [i.e., “Allah is the Greatest!”] and raised their voices while doing so. Either way, the Prophet ﷺ did not reproach them [while they did this].

This is a confirmation from the Prophet ﷺ about the permissibility of Allah’s remembrance, whether it is the takbeer or the talbiyah. It has been said that the intended meaning behind this is that one can insert anything that pertains to Allah’s remembrance during one’s utterance of the talbiyah; [but] he should not leave the talbiyah in its entirety - because it is narrated on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ that heﷺ did not stop reciting the talbiyah until the throwing of the pebbles at Jamarat al-ʿAqabah.

The talbiyah, rather, is prescribed for the pilgrim. As for those who are not performing the Hajj, the takbeer[aat] is prescribed for them to recite from the morning on the Day of ʿArafah following the performance of their obligatory prayers until the mid-afternoon prayer (ʿAsr) on the last of the days of Tashreeq [i.e., the 13th of DhulHijjah].

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the initiation of the takbeer on the day of ʿArafah is permissible - even if the person who is uttering it was in the state of ihram [i.e., the state of ritual sanctity that one enters into for the Hajj] and intending to stay in ʿArafah, although the prescribed words to utter for the one in a state of ihram is the talbiyah.

This shows that the range of the matter with reference to the performance of dhikr on the Day of ʿArafah is open.
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971
Narrated Umm ʿAtiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her): “We used to be ordered to come out on the Day of `Eid and even bring out the virgin girls from their houses and menstruating women so that they might stand behind the men and say Takbir along with them and invoke Allah along with them and hope for the blessings of that day and for purification from sins.”.

Commentary : Demonstrating the rites of Islam is a significant aim [in trying to fulfil] the objectives of this religion. The ‘Eid prayer is one of the important rites which, through its performance, is a blessing for the Muslims and serves as a call to Islam [for all in the vicinity]. For that [reason], every Muslim is commanded to set out to the place where the ‘Eid prayer is being performed, even the young and old women, and those who are menstruating - for whom which prayer is not incumbent upon! This is so that they can witness the blessings of this event and the calling of Muslims.

In this hadeeth, Umm ʿAtiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet ﷺ ordered all of the women to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer was held.

Whether it was the ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa; even the young virgin girls departed from their homes and chambers [which they often remained in] for the sake of remaining concealed from the unnecessary viewing of others; and likewise - [for] the woman during her menses, all of them were ordered to go out towards the place where the ‘Eid prayer was performed in the time of the Prophet ﷺ. However, those women who were on their menses used to sit at the very back behind the people, following the lead of the people, thus, said with them the takbeer[aat], called upon Allah in supplication. All this as they hoped for the obtainment of blessings, rewards, and purification from [their] sins on this day.

This shows the merit of this glorious day, and the mercy and forgiveness that Allah pours forth onto His servants, and that kind of Allah’s remembrance and pious acts [of all be observed].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is to notice the strong encouragement of performing lots of Allah’s remembrance on this day..

972
ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) related that on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa a spear used to be thrusted into the ground in front of the Prophet ﷺ, and then he would pray..

Commentary : In this hadeeth, a practical demonstration of some of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ [can be observed] with regards to the prayer in general, and the two ‘Eid prayers specifically; ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that a spear would be thrusted into the ground in front of the Prophet ﷺ before starting the two ‘Eid prayers so that it could serve as a barrier (sutrah) for him ﷺ. This was done for the purpose of demarcating his ﷺ place of prayer so that no one could pass in front of him.

The spear [that is mentioned here] is a short pole with a broad spearhead, and it has a shorter length than the rumh [i.e., which was a longer type of spear often used by horsemen in combat].

The Prophet ﷺ used to do this for the two ‘Eid prayers, because he would perform these two prayers outdoor at the Musallaa, where the land is wide and spacious, and there are no structures or barriers.

This was also the habit of the Prophet ﷺ during his travels; because: in most instances, the traveller cannot find a wall [so that he may] be shielded by it when he wants to pray; and most of what he prays [is done so] outdoor in lands that are expansive [and lack structure, etc].

It is therefore incumbent upon whoever is praying by themselves to place an object to serve as a barrier between himself and the direction of the Qiblah - so that no one may pass and interrupt [his] performance of the prayer - specifically in open places. As for the congregational prayer, it is sufficient that the Imaam places a barrier in front of himself, as this will serve as a barrier for the ones praying behind him.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the Prophet ﷺ was so keen to place a barrier in front of him whenever he wanted to pray..

973
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) related that the Prophet ﷺ would go out in the morning* to the place of prayer with a short spear in front of him which was carried and set up in front of him in the place of prayer, and he would pray towards its direction..

Commentary : Out of earnest concern, the Prophet ﷺ would utilise an object to serve as a barrier in prayer. This hadeeth is a practical demonstration of one of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the placing a barrier in front of him in prayer. Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to arrive at the place where the prayer of ‘Eid would be performed and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would bring along a short spear for him.

In another version of the same hadeeth in al-Bukhaaree, it’s narrated as: “A short spear was thrusted into the ground in front of him”. The short spear here refers to a strong rod that is similar to the spear but shorter. The short spear was brought by the Companions so that it would be set up in front of him ﷺ and serve as a barrier. This was done for the purpose of demarcating his ﷺ place of prayer, so that no one could pass in front of him ﷺ.

This was also the habit of the Prophet ﷺ during his travels; because: in most instances, the traveller cannot find a wall so that he may be shielded by it when he wants to pray; and most of what he prays [is done so] outdoor in lands that are expansive [and lack structure, etc].

It is therefore incumbent upon whoever is praying by themselves to place an object to serve as a barrier between himself and the direction of the Qiblah - so that no one may pass and interrupt [his] performance of the prayer - specifically in open places. As for the congregational prayer, it is sufficient that the Imaam places a barrier in front of himself, as this will serve as a barrier for the ones praying behind him.
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975
Narrated ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them): I went out with the Prophet ﷺ on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or Al-Aḍhaa. The Prophet ﷺ prayed and then delivered the sermon and then went towards the women, preached, and advised them and ordered them to give alms..

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes. which the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ learned directly from him, and then conveyed them to us.

This hadeeth elaborates on some of the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ with regards to the ‘Eid prayer. ʿAbdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he went with the Prophet ﷺ on the day of ‘Eid al-Fiṭr or ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa to offer the prayer of ‘Eid.

The Prophet ﷺ used to pray it at al-Musallaa, which is a wide and spacious area. Then, he began with the performance of the prayer - [which], for the ‘Eid prayer[s] do not have an adhaan or iqaamah; nor are there any sunnah prayers which are performed before or after it. Then, he ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people, [and it] is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - [which] is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it.

Afterwards, he ﷺ went towards the women near the place where they prayed; so that he could preach and remind them and urge them to give alms.

The Prophetﷺ gathered the alms for the purpose of distributing it among those in need; like what his ﷺ custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution, out of fear that temptation [may rise] against them.

The hadeeth teaches us to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer is held to attend the ‘Eid prayer, and that it is performed before the sermon is delivered.

We understand from this hadeeth the importance of preaching and reminding women, and exhort them to give alms, and that it is permissible for the male scholar to teach women Islamic knowledge and exhort them in women’s only classes..

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.