It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on a campaign to Khaybar. We prayed Fajr there when it was still very dark, then the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah rode, and I rode behind Abu Talhah [on his mount]. The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar, and my knee touched the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then his izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When he entered the town, he said: “Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! When we descend in the territory of a people, {then evil is the morning of those who were warned} [al-Saffat 37:177}.” He said it three times.
The people were coming out to tend their land, and they said: It’s Muhammad! ‘Abdul ‘Aziz said: Some of our companions said that they also said: and the khamis (five), meaning the army. He [Anas] said: We captured it by force, and the prisoners were gathered together. Then Dihyah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) came and said: O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. He said: “Go and take a slave woman.” So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. Then a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Prophet of Allah, you have given Dihyah Safiyyah bint Huyayy, the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir; she is only fit for you. He said: “Call him and tell him to bring her back.” So he brought her back and when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said: “Take some other slave woman from among the female captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Thabit said to him [Anas]: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her? He said: Herself [her freedom]; he manumitted her and married her, then on the way back, Umm Sulaym prepared her for him and brought her to him at night, and the next morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom. He said: “Whoever has any food, let him bring it,” and he spread out a leather mat. And the men began to bring dates and ghee – the narrator said: and I think he mentioned sawiq – and they made hays. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the example and teacher for the ummah, and his practice and teachings are a source of knowledge for us, from which we derive guidance in all our affairs and learn the right way to handle all matters in war and peace. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conquered Khaybar in 7 AH. Khaybar was a town inhabited by the Jews, approximately 173 km from Madinah in the direction of Syria. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on campaign to Khaybar, and they prayed Fajr near Khaybar at the beginning of its time, when it was still very dark. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) rode on their mounts, and Anas rode behind Abu Talhah al-Ansari, the husband of his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar; an alleyway is a narrow street or path that runs between the houses. His izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and that was because he was going so fast in the streets of Khaybar. The izar is a garment that covers the lower part of the body. When it slipped, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Khaybar, he said: Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! Allah has granted us conquest of it. “When we descend in the territory of a people…” – The word translated here as territory originally means courtyard, and refers to a wide space between houses. “…then evil is the morning of those who were warned.” The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said it three times, expressing optimism because of what had already been captured of Khaybar.
The situation in Khaybar when the Muslims entered the town was that the people were going out to their work; they were farmers and tillers of land. They said: It is Muhammad and the khamis – meaning the army. The army was called the khamis (five) because it was composed of a vanguard, rearguard, core, right flank and left flank – a total of five parts.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Muslims captured Khaybar by force, not by means of a peace deal. When the prisoners had been gathered together – meaning the captives, men, women and children – Dihyah al-Kalbi came and asked for a slave woman, saying: O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: Go and take a slave woman. So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. A man told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that she was not fit for anyone except the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because she was the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed them to call Dihyah and the slave woman whom he had taken from among the captives, and Dihyah brought her back. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said to Dihyah: “Take some other slave woman from among the captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Manumission means freeing a person from slavery; this manumission was her mahr (dowry), as was mentioned in the report of Thabit al-Bunani – one of the Tabi‘in – who asked Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the mahr with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married her, as he said: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her? He said: Herself; he manumitted her and married her. Then when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was on his way back to Madinah, Umm Sulaym prepared her and adorned her, then presented her to him at night. Umm Sulaym brought her as a bride to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when night fell, and in the morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom, because he had married Safiyyah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to his companions: whoever has any food, let him bring it. Then he spread a mat of leather on the ground, to put the food on it, and he collected whatever the people had of dates, ghee and sawiq, which is finely-ground flour. They made hays, which is a mixture of dates, ghee and flour. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.
It was said: The basis on which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took Safiyyah from Dihyah after giving her to him was that Dihyah willingly brought her back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And it was said in some reports that she fell to the lot of Dihyah, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bought her from him. And it was said that that happened for other reasons that were appropriate to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his being infallible.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer a wedding feast with whatever is available.
.

372

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr, and the believing women would attend the prayer with him, wrapped up in their mirts (enveloping garments), then they would go back to their houses and no one would be able to recognize them..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of modesty, chastity and dignity, and it enjoins the covering of women’s bodies and the wearing of hijab and loose-fitting garments that do not show their bodies or the shape of many parts of the body. That is to protect women and the entire society from the dangerous effects of wanton display and unveiling on societies.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the women used to go out to pray Fajr in the mosque and attend the prayer with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they would go back to their houses wrapped in their mirts, meaning that they covered their heads and their bodies with enveloping garments, so that they would not be recognized because of the extent of their covering. This is the hijab that Allah (may He be exalted) enjoins upon women. The mirt is a cloth of wool or other fabric, and it is akin to the milhafah (another type of enveloping garment). After hijab was enjoined, the women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to it and did not show any part of their adornment except what Allah permitted.
According to a report in al-Sahihayn, no one would recognize them because it was still dark; the word translated here as dark refers to the darkness at the end of the night, after dawn has broken. This refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offering Fajr prayer at the beginning of its time.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for women to go out to pray in the mosques at night..

373

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed wearing a khamisah that had some markings on it. He looked at the markings, then when he had finished praying, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” Hisham ibn ‘Urwah said, narrating from his father, from ‘A’ishah: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I kept looking at its markings whilst I was praying, and I was afraid that it would distract me.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), striving to maintain proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed one day wearing a khamisah – which was a garment made of silk mixed with camel hair or wool, on which there were black markings and it was adorned with stripes; it was said that a garment could not be called a khamisah unless it was black and had markings. He looked at the markings, and they almost distracted him from his prayer. So when he had finished his prayer, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” The anbijaniyyah was a garment made of wool, like velvet, with no markings on it. Abu Jahm ibn Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) had given this khamisah to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he returned it to him and asked him instead for a heavy garment of his, so as to make him feel better and so that his feelings would not be hurt by having his gift returned to him. Hence he told him the reason for returning it. This was also a warning to Abu Jahm lest he be distracted by this or anything else from his prayer.
This hadith indicates that one should keep away from things that will distract one from prayer.
It also highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind to his companions and how he avoided hurting their feelings and sought to console them..

374

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that ‘A’ishah had a curtain with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Take this curtain of yours away from us, for I kept noticing its images whilst I was praying.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), and should have proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had a curtain, which was a thin cover on which there were colourful images and patterns, with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to remove this curtain, because he could still notice its images whilst he was praying, and that distracted him from focusing properly on his prayer. In a report narrated by Muslim, ‘A’ishah said: So we cut it up and made one or two pillows out of it, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) could sit on them. The pillows were used in a way that was not honourable, and they were not in a position to be respected.
This hadith indicates that one should keep things that could distract the worshipper away from him.
It indicates that it is not allowed to wear things on which there are images, because as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the curtain on which there were images, it is known that the prohibition on wearing clothes with images on them is more emphatic..

375

It was narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir said: A kind of silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he put it on and prayed in it. Then when he finished his prayer, he tore it off as if he disliked it and said: “This is not appropriate for the pious.”.

Commentary : Islam forbids men to wear silk, but it permits women to do so. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would apply commands and prohibitions to himself first, then to his family members and other Muslims around him.
In this hadith, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The giver was Ukaydir, the ruler of Dumat al-Jandal, as is mentioned in another report in Muslim. Ukaydir was a polytheist who became Muslim after that; it was also said that he remained a Christian. The type of silk coat mentioned here had narrow sleeves and a narrow middle, and a slit at the back. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put it on and prayed in it. That was before it was forbidden to wear silk. When he had finished his prayer, he tore it off, because he had received revelation forbidding the wearing of silk, as mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said when he took it off: “Jibril told me not to wear it.” Perhaps this was the beginning of the prohibition. Then he said that it was not appropriate for the obedient slaves of Allah to wear silk. These words of his indicate that that happened before the prohibition came into effect, because the prohibition applies equally to the pious and others..

376

It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent of dyed leather, and I saw Bilal take the leftover wudu’ water of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and I saw the people rushing to take that water. Whoever managed to take some of it would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not manage to take some of it would take some of the moisture from the hands of his companions. Then I saw Bilal take a pointed stick and set it in the ground, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out wearing a red hullah (suit), with his calves showing. He led the people in prayer, facing that pointed stick, and I saw people and animals passing on the other side of the stick..

Commentary : Prayer is the connection between a person and his Lord. In prayer, the worshipper stands conversing with his Lord and turning to Him. Islam enjoins being properly focused when praying, and not being distracted, and it sets out guidelines for the worshipper and for those who are not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the worshipper’s focus will not be interrupted by the actions of either of them [those who are praying and those who are not praying].
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent made of dyed leather, and that Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. The people began rushing and racing to take the Prophet’s leftover wudu’ water, seeking blessing (barakah) from his relics. This seeking blessing from relics is something unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); the Sahabah did not seek blessing from anyone else who came after him, such as the awliya’ (close friends of Allah), the righteous, or anyone else. That is because of the blessing and goodness that Allah put in whatever the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) touched. Whoever managed to take any of this water would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not get any of this water would take from the moisture on the hand of his companion that was left from the water with which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’.
Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw Bilal take a pointed stick, that was half the length of a spear or more, and had a point like the point of a spear, and stuck it firmly in the ground, to act as a screen (sutrah) in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the people in prayer, because he was praying in the open. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, wearing a red hullah – the hullah was a suit consisting of two Yemeni garments, an izar and rida’, woven with red and black stripes, or red and green; it could not be called a hullah unless it was a two-peace garment. He prayed facing towards the stick, which he took as a screen (sutrah), and people and animals passed on the other side of the stick. Thus the stick formed a barrier so that people would not pass directly in front of the imam.
The screen (sutrah) may be in the form of a stick and similar things that have height, especially for one who is praying in an open space. As for praying in the mosque or behind a wall or pillar, these things may serve as a screen for the worshipper..

377

It was narrated that Abu Hazim said: They asked Sahl ibn Sa‘d: Of what was the minbar made? He said: There is no one left among the people who has more knowledge of that than me. It was made of tamarisk wood from al-Ghabah; it was made by So-and-so, the freed slave of So-and-so, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood on it when it was made and put in place. He turned to face towards the qiblah and said takbir, and the people stood behind him. He recited Qur’an, then he bowed and the people bowed. Then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground, then he went back to the minbar, then he bowed, then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground. That is what he did..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to give khutbahs (sermons, speeches) on Fridays and on other occasions when speeches were required, standing on a palm trunk in the mosque. That was what he did in the beginning, then he had a minbar made, as that would be more helpful when standing and leaning on it, so that the people could see him more easily.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What was it made of? He said: There is no one left of the people of Madinah who knows more about the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) than me. That is because he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Madinah. He was also the one who went with the young carpenter to bring the wood for the minbar from the trees and tamarisks of al-Ghabah. The tamarisk is a desert tree. Al-Ghabah was a land nine miles – or approximately 14 km – from Madinah. The camels of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed there to graze.
Then Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when the minbar had been made and put in place, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) climbed onto it, then he led the people in prayer from atop the minbar, with the people praying behind him and following him in prayer. When he wanted to prostrate, he moved backwards so that he could prostrate; that was so that he would not turn his back towards the qiblah, and he prostrated on the ground. According to a report narrated in al-Sahihayn: Then he went back. When he had finished the prayer, he turned to face the people and said: O people, I only did that so that you could follow me and learn how to pray. Thus he explained that he had prayed on the minbar so that the people could see how he prayed, and see his movements and how he moved from one posture to another, and thus they could learn from him and learn his Sunnah.
This hadith indicates that the imam may teach the people how to pray when he is in a higher place than those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a small movement does not invalidate the prayer..

378

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse and sustained a cut on his leg – or shoulder – and he swore not to come to his wives for a month. He stayed in a loft that had stairs made of palm trunks, and his companions came to him to visit him as he recovered. He led them in prayer sitting, whilst they were standing, and after he said the taslim, he said: “The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says takbir then say takbir; when he bows then bow; when he prostrates then prostrate; and if he prays standing then pray standing.” He came down [from the loft] after twenty-nine days, and they said: O Messenger of Allah, you swore an oath for one month. He said: “This month has twenty-nine days.” .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the rulings and etiquette of praying in congregation, which include following and emulating the imam and listening attentively to his recitation, whilst remaining focused and keeping the rows orderly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse, and sustained a cut on his leg. The word translated here as cut refers to a cut or something a little worse. In addition to that, he also suffered some bruising on his limbs, and pain that prevented him from standing in the prayer. The words “or shoulder” refer to uncertainty on the part of the narrator as to whether the injury was to his leg or his shoulder. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sworn an oath to keep away from his wives for a month. In other words, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had vowed not to enter upon his wives for a month, so he stayed in a loft or room above ground level. It was said that the word translated here as loft refers to the upper part of the house, like a room, or that it refers to a storeroom which is like a ceiling for the space underneath it. The stairs by which he climbed up to this room were made from the trunks of palm trees. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to visit him because he was sick, and when the time for prayer came, he led them in prayer whilst he was sitting and they were standing. After he said the taslim [at the end of the prayer], he said to them: “The imam is only appointed to be followed”, that is, to be emulated in his actions and movements, which includes: “when he says takbir then say takbir.” In other words, follow the imam in the takbir and do not precede him. When he bows, follow him in his bowing, and when he prostrates, follow him in his prostration. “And if he prays standing then pray standing.” In al-Sahihayn it says: “And if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” So the posture of those who are praying behind an imam must be like the posture of the imam in prayer.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came down from his loft and went back to his wives twenty-nine days after he had sworn his oath. The Sahabah pointed out to him that he had sworn to keep away from them for a month, but he said: “This month has twenty-nine days,” meaning that the month in which they were was only twenty-nine days long, because the sighting of the new moon had been confirmed. Otherwise, the month is thirty days, if the new moon is not sighted.
In this hadith, we see that it was possible for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to fall sick like any other human, without that undermining his position and status; in fact it served to increase him in status.
It indicates that one may visit a person if he sustains a minor injury and the like.
It indicates that the imam may pray sitting if he is not able to stand, and those praying behind him should follow him in that.
In this hadith, the Lawgiver shows the way in which congregational prayer is to be performed, in such a manner as to facilitate proper focus in the prayer and to enable worshippers to pray in an orderly manner.
It also confirms that the month is not always complete [with thirty days]..

379

It was narrated that Maymunah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray when I was nearby and was menstruating, and his garment sometimes touched me when he prostrated. And he used to pray on a small mat..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply to the menstruating woman, but it is not one of them that she should not touch anyone and no one should touch her, as was the practice of the Jews with their women. Islam honours women in all circumstances, and permits others to interact with the menstruating woman, speak to her, eat with her, and so on.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) states that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray when she was near him, and she was menstruating. When he prostrated, his garment would touch her, and he would pray on a small mat made of palm leaves stitched together. It was used to keep the worshipper’s face off the ground.
This hadith was quoted as evidence that the body of the menstruating woman is pure (tahir), and that when a worshipper is praying, if he comes into contact with part of the body (such as the hand or foot) or clothes of another person which are clean and pure, that does not invalidate his prayer, even if the body of the other person is deemed to be ritually impure (whether minor or major impurity). If the worshipper’s garment happens to touch a woman, that does not affect his prayer, even if the woman is menstruating, and being close to a menstruating woman does not invalidate prayer. This is one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for women in all circumstances, and one of the ways in which Islam honours women, especially at the time of menses..

380

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that his grandmother Mulaykah invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him. He ate some of the food, then he said: “Get up and let me lead you in prayer.” Anas said: I got up to fetch a mat of ours that turned black from long use. I sprinkled it with water, then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, the orphan and I stood in one row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in attitude and in raising his companions’ spirits. Every time he visited them, he would teach them some rulings and etiquette, and the Sahabah transmitted his teachings and his Sunnah to the ummah so that they could learn the rulings of Islam from it.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that his grandmother Mulaykah, who was his maternal grandmother, invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him, and he accepted her invitation and ate some of that food. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) would invite him to their houses, so that he could lead them in prayer and they could receive his blessing. Then after the meal ended, he instructed them to get up and pray so that he could teach them how to pray in a practical manner, or to bless the place for them by praying in it and offering supplication for them. So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) got up to fetch an old mat that had turned black from long use. He sprinkled it with water, to clean it, soften it and prepare it for people to sit on it, or to remove any uncertainty as to whether it was impure (najis). Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, and Anas and the orphan – who was Damrah or Dumayrah ibn Sa‘d al-Himyari, or someone else, and he had reached the age of discernment – stood behind him, in one row, and his grandmother Mulaykah stood behind them, because the women stand behind the men and children in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left after he prayed.
This is part of Prophetic etiquette, to make one’s visit brief, to leave after having fulfilled the purpose of one’s visit, and to offer supplication for the people who live there.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for the worshipper to prostrate on a carpet or rug to keep his face from touching the ground directly. .

382

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that she said: I would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and my legs would be in his qiblah. When he prostrated, he would nudge me and I would draw up my legs, and when he stood up, I would stretch them out again. And at that time there were no lamps in our houses..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and her legs would be in his qiblah; in other words, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray tahajjud on the mat on which his wife was sleeping, and she would be sleeping in front of him whilst he was praying, so she was between him and the qiblah. When he prostrated, he would touch her with his hand to alert her to the fact that he wanted to prostrate, so she would draw up her legs so that he could prostrate. Then when he stood up again, she would stretch her legs out again. At that time there were no lights or lamps in the houses, because they had very little in the way of worldly comforts. This indicates that darkness was the reason why she was in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whilst he was praying.
This hadith indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that a small movement made whilst praying does not invalidate the prayer..

383

It was narrated from ‘Urwah that ‘A’ishah told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat as if on a bier..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat – and according to a report in Sahih al-Bukhari: on the mat on which they slept. In other words, she was sleeping in front of him, as if on a bier. Thus she described herself as if in the position of the deceased [during the funeral prayer], because there was nothing to distract the one who was praying.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray on any pure (tahir) surface, whether it is a mat or anything else.
It indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that it is valid to pray facing towards one who is sleeping..

385

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: We were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and one of us would put the edge of his garment on the place of prostration because of the intense heat..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease which made things easier for people in their lives and their worship; it permits people to use whatever will help them to maintain proper focus and humility in prayer, and will help them to prostrate, especially at times of heat and cold, both of which will affect the head when it touches the ground directly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would put the edge of their garment in the place of prostration because it was so hot. In other words, one of them would put the edge of his garment under his forehead to protect himself from the scorching heat of the ground which had been heated by the rays of the sun. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of them doing that, and did not tell them not to do it, out of compassion towards them and so as to make things easier for them.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to prostrate on cloth when it is very hot; to that we may add that this is also valid when it is very cold.
It indicates that a small action whilst praying is overlooked, because putting the edge of one’s garment in the place of prostration is an action, but it is small..

386

It was narrated that Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid al-Azdi said: I asked Anas ibn Malik: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in his sandals? He said: Yes..

Commentary : It is permissible to pray wearing sandals, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah, and also to be different from the Jews.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid narrates that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray wearing his sandals on his feet, in any prayer, whether it was supererogatory or obligatory? Anas replied in the affirmative, and said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) indeed did that, and this was a concession to make things easier for the ummah. Moreover, it is narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “Be different from the Jews, for they do not pray in sandals or khuffs.” What appears to be the case is that this is for the purpose of being different from the Jews.
The word translated here as sandals refers to footwear that is worn to protect the feet from the ground when walking. The reports explain that when wearing sandals, it is stipulated that they should be pure (tahir) and free of any impurities (najasah). Whoever finds anything (najasah) on his sandals should rub them with dust, to purify them.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

387

It was narrated that Hammam ibn al-Harith said: I saw Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah urinating, then he did wudu’ and wiped over his khuffs, then he stood up and prayed. He was asked about that, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this. Ibrahim said: They liked that, because Jarir was one of the last to become Muslim..

Commentary : It is permissible to wipe over the khuffs and pray wearing them, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Hammam ibn al-Harith narrates that he saw the Sahabi Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) urinating, then he did wudu’ and did not wash his feet; rather he wiped over his khuffs instead. Then he stood up and prayed wearing his khuffs, and did not take them off. He was asked why he had wiped over his khuffs and prayed wearing them, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this; he did no more than wipe over his khuffs, then he prayed wearing them, so I followed his example and emulated his Sunnah. Wiping over the khuffs is a concession that is granted both to the traveller and the one who is not travelling. The maximum time for wiping over the khuffs is three days for one who is travelling, and one day and one night for one who is not travelling. The manner of wiping is to wipe the top of the feet, not the bottom, so long as the individual put his khuffs on when he was in a state of purity, as is the apparent meaning of the reports.
Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i and others among the Tabi‘in liked the hadith of Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah because it indicates that wiping over the khuffs is permitted and that this ruling remains valid and was not abrogated by the verse of wudu’ in Surat al-Ma’idah, which says that it is obligatory to wash the feet. This is the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles} [al-Ma’idah 5:6]. That is because Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) became Muslim after that verse was revealed, as he became Muslim at the end of the Prophet’s life, in the year in which he died, and he saw him wiping over his khuffs. Thus he spoke of what he had seen after the verse of wudu’ had been revealed, so he confirmed that wiping over the khuffs was valid and this ruling remains in effect.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Tareq ibn Shehab narrated, “Marwan was the first one to deliver a sermon before the Eid prayer. A man stood up and said, ‘Prayer should precede sermon.’ He (Marwan) said, ‘It has been done away with.’ Abu Saeed remarked, ‘This man has performed what he should do. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, ‘Whoever among you sees something abominable should modify it with his hand, if he is not able to do it, then (he should modify it) with his tongue, and if he is not able to do it, then (he should modify it) with his heart, which is the least level of faith.’”.

Commentary : Allah honors and prefers the Muslim nation to other nations, for it enjoins goodness, forbids evil, and gently advises people, the qualities that transform any society into a virtuous one. This hadith related that the first person who delivered the Eid speech before performing the prayer was Marwan ibn Al-Hakam, the governor of Medina assigned by Caliph Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufian. He became the caliph in the year of 64 after Prophetic immigration. It was mistakenly narrated that the first person did that was Omar, Othman, Muawiyah, or Abdullah ibn Az-Zubeir. On the contrary, it was proven that the Prophet ﷺ and his four Caliphs used to pray before delivering the Eid speech as Ibn Abbas narrated in the two Sahihs, “I witnessed the Eid with the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, Omar, and Othman. They all prayed before the speech." In the narration of Bukhari, Marwan mentioned why he did that. He said, "People do not sit to listen to our speech after the prayer, so I delivered it before the prayer." Most of the people used to leave after the prayer and only some listened to Marwan's speech. He may have done that thinking that it was something in which he could follow his own opinion. Once he changed the Prophet's tradition, one of the attendees came and denounced his behavior. That person may have been Abu Masoud as in Imam Abderazzaq's narration but it was narrated in Sahih Bukhari that he was Abu Saeed himself, this hadith's narrator. Perhaps, this situation happened more than once and that every time Marwan was contradicted by someone. On the other hand, if it happened once, it would be possible that Abu Saeed first denounced Marwan's behavior, as in Bukhari's narration, then Abu Masoud. Marwan's response, "It has been done away with" may mean that: (1) People used to leave, for they were in a hurry, or (2) He left the proven tradition of praying before delivering the speech on purpose. Abu Saeed approved the man’s denouncing Marwan and said, "This man has performed what he should do." He denounced the evil with his tongue, for he could not change the ruler's behavior by his hands. Then Abu Saeed narrated the Prophet's hadith. The hadith states that if a person sees something evil and corrupting, he has to change it with his hand provided that his knowledge and ability. If he cannot change it with his hands, he has to wisely and kindly remind people about its prohibition. Changing the reality may be achieved by gentleness and wisdom away from swords. If he is unable to change it by word or tongue, he has to denounce it with his heart and resolve that if he were able to remove it, he would do it. Denouncing evil with one's heart is the lowest reaction that a believer has to bring, so the Prophet ﷺ said as in Ibn Masoud's narration in Sahih Muslim, "Beyond that, there is no faith even as the extent of a mustard seed." This hadith shows that there are two conditions of the obligation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil: (1) Knowledge of whether that action is good or evil, for the ignorant person cannot determine that, and (2) The ability to do so, for it is enough for the unable person to hate the evil with his heart. Abu Saeed's comment confirmed that Marwarn was the first one to display that behavior, for if the Prophet ﷺ or his companions showed that behavior, Abu Saeed would not call it evil as in his comment. Moreover, Abu Saeed held Marwan to prevent him from delivering the speech but the latter insisted on doing so. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges us to gradually enjoin the goodness and forbid the evil, each based on his ability, (2) It confirms the legitimacy of opposing rulers' behavior if they accept advice in public and this does not lead to another evil, (3) It clarifies that denouncing evil is a part of faith, (4) It shows that one's faith is subject to increase and decrease, (5) It stresses that Islam's rites cannot be changed or reordered. Once rulers try to do so, they have to be opposed as long as a person is able to do so and his denouncing will not lead to a greater evil..

Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Allah has not sent a prophet to a nation before me but he (a prophet) had disciples and companions following his way and obeying his command. Afterward, there came successors who said what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded to do. Whoever strove against them with his hand was a believer, whoever strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and whoever strove against them with his heart was a believer. There is no faith beyond that even to the extent of a mustard seed.” Abu Rafi' said, “I narrated this hadith to Abdullah ibn Umar but he disapproved of the narration. When Ibn Masoud came and stayed at Qanat, Abdullah ibn Umar asked me to accompany him to visit him (Ibn Masoud) during his illness. I went with him and asked Ibn Masoud about the Hadith when we sat (before him). He narrated it in the same as I narrated it to Ibn Umar.”.

Commentary : The Prophets' calls are of common features. All were resisted by some or lots of their people. All were followed by some of their people who afterward conveyed their calls. Over decades and centuries, people began to gradually move away from the truth. The one adhering to this truth had to resist them as much as he could. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that all Prophets that Allah had sent had disciples and companions following their ways and obeying their commands. Afterward, there came successors and hypocrites who said what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded to do while claiming and complimenting themselves on following their prophet's guidance. On the contrary, they were committing and spreading corruption. Every believer has to strive against those people based on his ability. Whoever strives against and tries to remove their evil with his hand or tongue is a believer. Moreover, whoever hates their evil with his heart is a believer, for he wishes he had been able to remove these evils with his hand or tongue but he was unable to do so. There is no faith beyond that even to the extent of a mustard seed, for if one does not hate the evil even if with his heart but pleases it, it is an approval of disbelief. This hadith shows that there are two conditions of the obligation of enjoining the good and forbidding the evil with hands or tongue: (1) Knowledge of whether that action is good or evil, for the ignorant person cannot determine that, and (2) The ability to do so, for it is enough for the unable person to hate the evil with his heart. Striving against evils by one's hands is only for those being able to change them without a conflict such as those in charge and rulers. Striving against evils by one’s tongue is by showing and calling for the truth. Striving against evils by one's heart is by rejecting, hating, and displeasing them. Abu Rafi' said, “I narrated this hadith to Abdullah ibn Omar but he disapproved of the narration.” Ibn Omar’s disapproval may be interpreted that he wanted to check the authenticity of the hadith, for one may unwillingly increase, decrease, or even distort his own narrations. He did not mean to accuse Abu Rafi’, for all people were vulnerable to forget. Ibn Omar knew that Abu Rafi’ was a great companion with a high level of justice and honesty. When Ibn Masoud came to Medina, Ibn Omar commanded Abu Rafi’ to go with him to visit Ibn Masoud. When they sat with him, Abu Rafi’ asked Ibn Masoud about this hadith, so Ibn Masoud narrated it to him just as Abu Rafi’ had narrated it to Ibn Omar. Abu Rafi’ did that to make sure of the hadith context and defend his narration. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It includes one of the signs of the Prophet’s prophethood, (2) It stresses the necessity of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, according to people’s conditions, (3) It clarifies the virtue of the Prophet’s companions, for they presented his properties and selves for the sake of this religion, (4) It shows that changing the evil is part of the Islamic faith, and (5) It refers that one’s faith increases and decreases..

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Hearts’ callousness and sternness is in the East while faith is among the people of the Hijaz.’”.

Commentary : People vary in faith, piety, behavior, and even the degrees of their evil acts. The Prophet used to teach us people's various attributes so that we can deal with them in the proper way they deserve. In this hadith, he informed us that we find people of hard hearts, lack of understanding, and refusing the truth due to disbelief in the East. A narration in the two Sahihs reported by Abu Masoud Uqbah ibn Amr clarified that they are the people of Rabi’a and Mudar. This was during the era of the Prophet ﷺ. They were hard people due to the harsh conditions they were living in. It was said that he may have meant all areas of the East: Middle, Near, and Far. After the Prophet's death, these two tribes had many trials such as: (1) Many people disbelieved once again, and (2) Some claimed prophethood as Museilemah, the Liar. The Prophet meant that they were subject to obey the devil and disbelieve the Islamic message. On the other hand, he informed us that we find deep faith, tranquillity, and comfort in the people of Hijaz, i.e. Mecca, Medina, and their environs. It is called "hijaz," for some potential reasons: (1) It separates Najd from Sara, (2) It separates Ghaur from Levant, or (3) It is surrounded by mountains. Finally, this hadith confirms the virtue of the people of Hijaz over other people..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘You will not enter Paradise until you believe and you will not believe until you love one another. May I tell you something you can do to make you love one another? Spread the greetings of salam (peace) among you.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to teach his companions and nation the virtues of righteous deeds that display a feeling of affection among them and raise their ranks in the Hereafter. He also warned us against reasons for hatred and disharmony. Spreading the greetings of peace is one of the causes of love and harmony among Muslims. In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ clarified that only believers will enter Paradise and added that love among believers is part of the perfect faith. He said, "You will not enter Paradise until you believe." He means that our faith is neither complete nor benefits us until we love one another. Then he guides us to the best attributes for getting that kind of love in Muslim society which is to declare, act upon, and spread peace among Muslims. Peace is the greeting that Allah, the Almighty, has prescribed for His servants. Once a Muslim passes by another Muslim, relative or stranger, he greets him with peace. Allah made spreading peace a reason for love and affection among Muslims, which is a reason for getting a perfect faith and prevailing the word of Islam. On the other hand, hatred and conflict are reasons for spreading division among Muslims. The form of that greeting as in the narration of Abu Daoud and others is to say, “Peace, mercy, and blessings of Allah be upon you.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits such as: (1) The command to spread the greeting of peace among Muslims, for it spreads love and safety among them and (2) It is proof that love is a reason for the perfect faith..

Tamim Ad-Dary narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Religion is sincerity." They said, "To whom?" He said, "To Allah, to his Book, to his Messenger, to the leaders of Muslims and their common folk.".

Commentary : Sincere advice is one of the features of our true religion. Muslims should advise each other in a good manner, and without making a greater evil than the benefit they want to achieve. This should be with loving and knowing the rights of the one who is advised in the society for his being a Muslim. This hadith clarifies the methods of this supreme behavior. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that sincere advice is Islam's essence and a means for its spreading. It is to say or do something that contains goodness for a person(s) sincerely. It is to seek goodness for the one who is advised. Moreover, it is a comprehensive term with various meanings. The Prophet's companions asked him to whom they offer it, so he answered, "To Allah, to his Book, to his Messenger, to the leaders of Muslims and their common folk." As for one's dealing with Allah, it means glorifying His command, showing mercy on His creation, calling people to believe in Him, and avoiding any acts of polytheism while worshiping him only. As for one's dealing with the Quran, it means to believe that it is Allah's word, deeply love and glorify it, recite it as it should be recited, face those distorting its authentic interpretations, ratify its stories, ponder over its lessons and miracles, act upon its rules, spread its knowledge, and call people to believe in it. As for one's dealing with the Messenger, it means to believe, follow, obey his commands, and avoid what he forbade. Moreover, it means to be loyal to those who are loyal to him and hate those who hate him. In addition, it means glorifying him, spreading his teachings, and facing people's accusations against him. As for one's dealing with leaders of Muslims, it means helping them in what is right, obeying them in goodness, gently reminding them if they neglect something, and avoiding disobeying them unless we see them doing an act of clear disbelief that Allah obviously showed in his religion, which is conditional on ability and avoiding having greater harms. The Muslim's leaders may include the scholars as well. As for one's dealing with Muslim scholars, it means accepting what they narrated and thinking well of them. As for one's dealing with common Muslim folk, it means gently teaching them Islam's laws, providing them with what is beneficial, having mercy on them, respecting them, avoiding cheating or envying them, loving for them what one loves for himself, hating for them what one hates for himself, and defending their properties and honor. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It confirms that advising people is the essence of Islam, and (2) It urges people to advise all people types, from the ruler to lay people..

Abu Hurairah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'There are three signs of a hypocrite ... even if he fasted, prayed, and claimed he is a Muslim.'".

Commentary : Hypocrisy has two types: (1) Doctrinal: It expels the person from Islam, for he shows Islam and conceals disbelief and (2) Practical: It does not expel the person from Islam, for he just imitates the hypocrites in their morals, which is a major sin. This hadith identifies some attributes of hypocrites by clarifying the second type of hypocrisy. This hadith is part of another hadith in which the Prophet ﷺ informed that a hypocrite has three signs: (1) He used to tell lies and fabricate unrealistic stories. Lying is to say something contrary to reality. Its greatest form is to lie to Allah, the Almighty, and His Messenger ﷺ. It also includes lying in one's acts, so the hypocrite is a liar, for he shows faith but conceals disbelief inwardly. The Prophet ﷺ indicated that lying sometimes is permissible for some overriding interests. Bukhari and Muslim narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “He is not a liar who reconciles between people, so he conveys or says goodness.” Islam urges us to reconcile between people even if it is achieved by lying to settle quarrels and avoid feelings of hatred and enmity, (2) He used to break his promises willingly, and (3) He used to betray people's trust. He loses, betrays, and uses their trust. The Prophet ﷺ informed that whoever used to act upon these three attributes is a hypocrite even if he performs the practical acts of worship such as prayer, fasting, etc. This hadith clarifies that these qualities belong to hypocrites so whoever behaves like that resembles hypocrites. It does not mean he is a hypocrite who shows Islam and conceals disbelief, for the Prophet ﷺ did not mean that he is a hypocrite who will be eternally in the lowest degree of Hell..

Jarir narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If any slave escapes from his masters, he becomes an infidel till he returns to them.”.

Commentary : Islam regulated the relations between masters and slaves. It called for kindly treating slaves and urged masters to emancipate them. It also encouraged slaves to care for Allah's and their masters' rights, for their masters bought them so it does not make sense that their properties may be wasted. Islam makes obeying masters, for the sake of Allah, is one of the greatest acts of worship. In this hadith, Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that if any slave flees from his masters, he is a disbeliever. It may mean that he denies his master's rights or behaves like disbelievers do. It may also mean that his behavior leads to disbelief. It does not mean the literal meaning of disbelief. It means that he disbelieves Allah's graces by fleeing from his master until he returns to him willingly or unwillingly. Allah neither pleases him nor accepts his righteous deeds until his return, repentance, and righteousness. The complete narration of this hadith is that Mansour ibn Abdurrahman (the hadith narrator on the authority of Amer Ash-Sha’by) said after his narration, "By Allah, it is a Prophetic hadith, but I hate that it may be narrated on my authority here in Basra.” This means that Mansour traced back this hadith to the companion but he then swore that it was the Prophet's hadith to let his knowledgeable companions know about that. He feared that his transmitted narration to the Prophet may have spread in Basra which was full of Kharijites and Mutazilites who believed that one would eternally remain in Hell due to his sins. The former added that he is a disbeliever, depending on the apparent meaning of this hadith. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The slave’s fleeing from his masters is a major sin that contradicts the faith's requirements of obeying them and (2) Muslim predecessors cautioned against the wrong concepts that people of heresies may deduce from the Islamic texts that may apparently support their heresies..

Jarir ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "If a slave escapes (from his master), not a single prayer will be accepted from him.”.

Commentary : The slave’s obedience to his master according to the obedience of Allah, the Almighty, is one of the greatest acts of worship. Allah organized the relations between masters and slaves. He urged masters to gently deal with them and recommended them to set them free. On the other hand, he encouraged slaves to preserve Allah's and their masters' rights. A master buys his slave with his money, so he has the right not to waste his money. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that if a slave escapes from his master, "not a single prayer will be accepted from him.” This is because the slave is completely owned by his master so if he escapes, his master misses some benefits. It was said that the hadeeth refers to a slave who considers escaping lawful so he becomes a disbeliever and neither his prayer nor any other acts of worship are accepted from him. The Prophet ﷺ exclusively mentioned prayer for its greatness and virtue. It was said that the hadeeth is general and that rejecting his worship does not necessitate its invalidity. The escaped slave's prayer (who does not think that escaping is lawful) is correct, for he fulfils its pillars, but it is still unaccepted because it is associated with disobeying his master. There is no contradiction in that, for rejecting his worship means losing the reward but its validity means he is neither required to re-perform it nor he may be punished as the one used to abandon the prayer. Finally, this hadith confirms that a slave's escaping from his master is a great sin which contradicts faith's requirements commanding him to obey his master..

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "A person who believes in Allah and the Last Day never bears a grudge against the Ansar.".

Commentary : The Ansar, the people of Medina from the Prophet's companions before his immigration, reached a high rank in Islam for their great effort in supporting Islam, sheltering the Messenger and his immigrant companions, loving him, and his love for them. They used to present all that they had for him to the extent that lots of people became their enemies due to Islam. As a result, the Prophet ﷺ urged all Muslims to love them. Moreover, he made loving them a sign of one's truthful and perfect faith and hating them is a sign of one's hypocrisy and lack of faith. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that a person who believes in Allah and the Last Day never bears a grudge against the Ansar, for whoever knows their right, initiative to support and spread Islam, and fighting against all people in defending the prophet will definitely love them out of necessity, which is a sign of his sincere faith. On the other hand, if one hates them, it is a sign of hypocrisy and corrupted intention. Because these great people with those supreme attributes are loved by only believers and hated by only hypocrites. Whoever loves them is loved by Allah and whoever hates them is hated by Allah as in the hadith narrated in the two Sahihs. Finally, this hadith contains some lessons: (1) It shows the Ansar’s virtues, (2) It confirms that loving them is a sign of one's sincere faith while hating them is a sign of corruption or lack of faith, and (3) It calls every Muslim to give Medina's people their rights..

Ali said, "By Him Who split up the seed and created something living, it is the illiterate Prophet's promise ﷺ that he gave me that none but a believer would love me and none but a hypocrite would bear grudge against me.".

Commentary : Ali ibn Abi Taleb had great status with the Prophet ﷺ for the following reasons: (1) His father, Abu Taleb, used to support and defend the Prophet against Qureish disbelievers, (2) He is the husband of Fatema, the Prophet's daughter, his most beloved daughters, and (3) The father of Prophet's grandsons, Al-Hasan and Al-Husein. In this hadith, Ali swore in Allah Who split up the seed, placed it in the soil, and created the plant by His power. He swore in Allah Who created the men and souls. His saying, "It is the Prophet's promise ..." means a covenant. His saying, "illiterate ..." is the attribute with which the Prophet was described in the previous books and in two places in the Quran: (1) "Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel." {Al-A'raaf: 157) and (2) "So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the unlettered prophet, who believes in Allah and His words." {Al-A'raaf: 158) It was the Prophet's promise to Ali that he had a virtue that all believers would love him, but hypocrites would hate him. It means that if one loves and knows Ali's prestige, his closeness to the Prophet, the Prophet's love for him, and his support of Islam, it is proof of his authentic faith and truthfulness as he is doing what Allah and his Prophet please. On the contrary, if one hates him, it is proof of his hypocrisy and evil intention. It is an additional recommendation for Ali, for the Prophet ﷺ recommended us to care about his companions and follow their methods. Also, he guided us to give a high prestige to his rightly guided caliphs, including Ali. It is neither proof of Ali's specific guardianship, nor his caliphate after the Prophet's death. It may have been the Prophet's appreciation for Alai and call for Muslims to give him his considerable prestige and avoid belittling him after the Prophet's death. On the other hand, it was a sign of prophethood, for the Prophet knew that some people would go to extremes when dealing with Ali after the Prophet's death whether they would love him exaggeratedly or belittle him. As a result, he confirmed the believers' hearts would love Ali and the hypocrites' hearts would hate him..

Abdullah ibn Omar narrated, “The Messenger of Allah said, “O Women, give charity and frequently ask Allah for forgiveness, for I saw you form the majority of Hell.” A wise woman from them asked, “O Messenger of Allah, why will we form the majority of Hell?” He answered, “You frequently curse and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen someone lacking in discernment and religion more overwhelming a wise man than you.” She asked, “What is the lack of discernment and religion?” He answered, “As for the lack of discernment, the testimony of two women is equal to a man’s one. She does not pray for some days and breaks fast in the month of Ramadan. This is the lack of religion.”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to preach to women just as he did to men, ask them to protect themselves against evilness, and frequently remind them of rectify their faults. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that after the Prophet ﷺ delivered his speech on the day of eid, he preached to women only, as in the narration in the Two Sahihs that Abu Saeed Al-Khudry reported that the Prophet ﷺ commanded them to give charity and ask Allah for forgiveness. He justified this matter by the fact that he knew that most of the people of Hell were women. Giving charity is a means to increase good deeds and avoid Allah's anger and punishment. When hearing so, a wise woman asked about the reason. He showed two reasons: (1) They used to frequently curse those who did not deserve it. Cursing is to supplicate Allah to expel someone from his mercy, which was a habit of women before Islam and (2) They used to be ungrateful to their husbands. He explained it in another narration in the Two Sahihs when he addressed men, "If you treated one of them kindly forever, but she later saw something (disliked) from you, she would say, 'I never saw any good from you.'" She may be ungrateful to her husband while he treats her kindly. This continuous deliberate behavior enlarges this sin to be a major one. His help, protection, sacrifice, and care should be met with her gratitude and appreciation. Allah commands us to thank whoever gives us a favor. How is it the case with a woman's husband who gives her all that he owns throughout his entire life?! Then, he ﷺ described them with three attributes: (1) A woman has the ability to affect her wise husband's decision whether it is right or wrong. What about the unwise husband? (2) A lack of discernment: This is because a man's testimony is equivalent to two women's testimony. Allah said, "... so that if one of them (two women) errs, the other can remind her." (Al-Baqarah: 282), (3) A lack of religion: This is because she does not pray for some days and breaks fast in the month of Ramadan due to her menstruation. The Prophet ﷺ did not mean to blame them for these attributes with which Allah created them but wanted to warn men against the tricks that women sometimes use. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A person has the right to discuss the scholar and others if he does not understand his words, (2) Encouragement of charity acts, frequent seeking of Allah’s forgiveness, and all other acts of obedience, (3) One's righteous deeds eliminate his evil deeds, (4) Some Islamic texts may call something disbelief but do not mean the disbelief in Allah such as disbelief in marital life, benevolence, grace, and truth..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When a son of Adam recites a verse mentioning prostration then he prostrates, the devil withdraws weeping and saying, ‘Woe to him! - in another narration, ‘Woe to me!’ - The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate, has done so, and will be rewarded with Paradise but I have been commanded to prostrate, have refused, and will be punished with Hell.’ In another narration, ‘ … have disobeyed, and will be punished with Hell.’”.

Commentary : There are Quranic verses that one is prescribed to prostrate after reciting them, which the Prophet's noble tradition specified. It is an act of worship and a reward for those who prostrate. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that when a Muslim prostrates after reciting this type of verse, the devil withdraws weeping due to the reward that a Muslim gets for his obedience and prostration. He is crying and saying, "Woe to him!" In another narration, "Woe to me!" It means, "Oh, my sorrow, oh my doom." He regrets his previous disobedience to Allah. The son of Adam has been commanded to prostrate, has done so, and will be rewarded with Paradise due to his obedience. On the other hand, Satan has been commanded to prostrate but has refused. In another narration, "I have disobeyed, and will be punished with Hell." He deserved to enter Hell for disobeying Allah's command. Allah says, "And [mention] when We said to the angels, 'Prostrate before Adam;' so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant ..." (Al-Baqarah: 34) He is deeply sad for some reasons: (1) His failure in luring the son of Adam to commit sins, (2) His committing a fatal sin of being arrogant to Allah's command, and (3) Muslim's being deserved to enter Paradise for his obedience, while Satan is condemned to be expelled from Allah’s mercy. Blessed are those believers whose hearts become fearful when Allah is mentioned, their faith increases when Allah's verses are recited to them, and those who trust in their God. As for what a Muslim can say during this prostration, he can say the same supplications he says during the prostration of prayer, such as glorification. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) The virtue of prostration which is a reason for entering Paradise and (2) A Quran reciter is permissible to prostrate after reciting a verse of prostration..

Gaber said, "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, 'Verily, between a man and polytheism and unbelief is the abandonment of prayer.'".

Commentary : Prayer is an obligatory act for every assigned Muslim. It is the second pillar of Islam and the greatest practical pillar after monotheism testimony. In this hadith, the Messenger ﷺ strongly warned against abandoning it and confirmed that between a man and polytheism is to abandon prayer. If he abandons it out of denial of its obligation, he is unanimously a disbeliever but if he abandons it out of negligence or laziness, he is a disbeliever according to the opinion of many scholars and the consensus of the Prophet's companions. If he sometimes performs and neglects it, he is also included in the description mentioned in the hadith, which is consistent with Allah's sayings, "But there came after them successors who neglected prayer and pursued desires; so they are going to meet evil. Except those who repent, believe and do righteousness; for those will enter Paradise and will not be wronged at all." (Maryam: 59, 60) In this verse, Allah condemned those neglecting prayer either abandoning it completely, abandoning some of its pillars and conditions, neglecting its duties, or performing it after its appointed times, etc. He condemned those being busy with their own whims and desires and preferring them to Allah's obedience and Paradise. Thus, he deserves to be punished except those who rectify their mistakes, struggle in the path of truth, regularly perform prayer, refrain from following their whims. They will enter Paradise and be saved from Hell. One has to caution against abandoning or neglecting this great worship. On the other hand, polytheism and disbelief may be used in the same sense, which is disbelief in Allah, the Almighty. There may be a distinction between them, so polytheism is specific to worshipping idols while acknowledging Allah, the Creator, like the infidels of Qureish. In this meaning, disbelief is more general than polytheism. Finally, this hadith deeply warns against abandoning or neglecting prayer..

Abdullah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "None will enter Hell as long as he has the weight of a mustard seed of faith in his heart and none will enter Paradise as long as he has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance in his heart.”.

Commentary : Faith is a reason for salvation from Hell and winning Paradise while arrogance is an attribute that refers to corrupted hearts and a reason for entering Hell. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ informed that a Muslim will neither enter Hell nor even remain there forever if his heart has the weight of a mustard seed of faith. Mustard is a plant with very small black fruits. It is a linguistic usage referring to smallness. It is Allah's great blessing that he will save the believers for their faith, even if He holds them accountable for their deeds first and admits them to Paradise by His grace and mercy. Afterward, the Prophet informed that a Muslim will not enter Paradise if his heart has the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance. Arrogance is to give oneself a high prestige that it does not deserve and belittle people. Allah is the only one that deserves this attribute. Mentioning the infinitesimal mustard seed indicates that even the slightest amount of arrogance in a Muslim's heart is a reason for not initially entering Paradise until he is held accountable for this arrogance which may necessitate punishment. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is proof that faith increases and decreases in hearts and (2) It forbids arrogance..

Abdullah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'He who has in his heart the weight of a mustard seed of arrogance will not enter Paradise.' A man said, 'Verily, a person loves that his dress should be fine and his shoes should be fine.' The Prophet said, 'Verily, Allah is beautiful and likes beauty. Arrogance is to reject the truth and despise people.'".

Commentary : Arrogance is an attribute that indicates the corruption of hearts, which Islam forbade because it means self-aggrandizement while despising others. It is only Allah who deserves to be proud, for everyone else is His servant. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explained the severe consequences of arrogance and dispelled some people’s misconceptions related to good appearance. He told us that Allah would not admit anyone to Paradise if his heart had the weight of an atom (or dust particle) of arrogance. This indicates that even the slightest bit of arrogance in one's heart is a reason for not initially entering Paradise. He should be reckoned first then will be punished or forgiven. One of the Prophet's companions thought that arrogance includes beautifying one’s clothing and appearance. So, he asked the Prophet ﷺ if a person loves that his clothes should be fine, is this considered arrogance? The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Verily, Allah is beautiful and likes beauty." He confirmed that Allah loved this manner as long as it did not lead to despising people. One's caring for his appearance is an indication of Allah's blessings upon him. Then the Prophet ﷺ clarified that the intended meaning of arrogance is to reject the truth and look down on people. So, this bad manner leads to oppress and disdain people. As a result, he will not initially enter Paradise but be punished for this great sin. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is forbidden to be arrogant and reject the truth, (2) Islam allows beautifying oneself by wearing beautiful clothes and shoes, (3) It proves that the name “the Beautiful” is one of Allah's names..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths