| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

477

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

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

480

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

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

481

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

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

482

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

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

483

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

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

484

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

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

485

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

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

486

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

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

487

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

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

488

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

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

489

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

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

490

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

491

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

492

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

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

493

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

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

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