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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
634
It was narrated from ‘Awn ibn Abi Juhayfah, from his father, that he saw Bilal giving the call to prayer. [He said:] I started watching his mouth as he turned this way and that, this way and that, reciting the adhan..

Commentary : The adhan has been prescribed to alert the people to the beginning of the time for prayer. In order to serve that purpose, the mu’adhdhin should have a loud voice, so that his voice will reach the largest possible number of people.
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah, Wahb ibn ‘Abdillah al-Suwa’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) as he was giving the adhan. He saw him turning right and left as he was giving the call to prayer. According to a report narrated by Muslim, he said: I started watching his mouth as he turned this way and that – meaning, right and left – saying, Hayya ‘ala al-salah, hayya ‘ala al-falah. This indicates that the turning referred to in the hadith should only be done when reciting these two phrases; so the mu’adhdhin should turn to his right when saying “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and to his left when saying “Hayya ‘ala al-falah.” The purpose of turning right and left is to make the voice reach as far as possible, so that the people can hear him.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to turn right and left when giving the call to prayer, whilst saying “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “hayya ‘ala al-falah.”.

635
It was narrated that Abu Qatadah said: Whilst we were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he heard the sound of people coming in. When he finished the prayer, he said: What was that noise? They said: We were rushing to pray. He said: “Do not do that. When you come to prayer, come in a calm and dignified manner, then whatever you catch up with pray, and whatever you miss, make it up.”.

Commentary : Because prayer is a meeting between a person and his Lord, it is appropriate for him to prepare himself for that meeting, and to observe proper etiquette with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah a great deal about this etiquette, including what is mentioned in this hadith. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of people coming in – meaning the sound of their movements and words – whilst he was praying in congregation, he asked them, after he had finished his prayer, about the reason for this movement and noise. They said: We were rushing to catch up with the prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them not to rush like that, and advised them to behave in the calm and dignified manner that is required when coming to prayer; he instructed them to be quiet and unhurried, then whatever you catch up with of his prayer, pray it with him, and whatever you miss of his prayer, make it up after the imam says the salaam. Thus you will attain the reward of having prayed in congregation, so there is no need to rush.
This hadith urges the Muslim to be calm and dignified when coming to prayer..

642
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The iqamah for prayer was given when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was conversing with a man in a corner of the mosque, and he did not get up to pray until the people had fallen asleep..

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, hence he should make sure that there is nothing in his mind or heart to distract him before he starts to pray, because that will help him to focus on his prayer with proper humility (khushu‘).
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the iqamah for prayer was given whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was talking to a man and having a private conversation with him in a corner of the mosque. The prayer in question was ‘Isha’, as is stated clearly in a report narrated by Muslim. He spoke to him for such a long time that he did not get up to pray until after those who were present in the mosque had fallen asleep, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke to that man for so long. Perhaps the conversation was about some religious matter that was urgent and important, otherwise he would not have delayed the prayer for so long that the people fell asleep after such a lengthy wait.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to give precedence to urgent and important matters, concerning which there is the fear that not doing so may lead to harm, or one could be distracted by them if prayer is offered at the beginning of its time.
It indicates that it is permissible to talk after the iqamah for prayer has been given, and before starting to pray.
It indicates that it is permissible to separate the iqamah and prayer in cases of necessity.
It indicates that it is permissible for two people to converse privately in the presence of a group of others..

644
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, I thought of issuing orders that firewood be collected and brought, then issuing orders that the call to prayer be given, and instructing a man to lead the people in prayer, then I would go to some men and burn their houses down with them inside. By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of them knew that he would find a bone with meat on it, or the meat from a sheep’s foot, he would attend ‘Isha’.”.

Commentary : Prayer in congregation is one of the practices and rituals of Islam. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined it and warned against neglecting it and being heedless concerning it. In this hadith, there is a stern warning and threat from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to the one who stays away from prayer in congregation with no excuse. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) swore an oath, saying: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul.” This is an oath by which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) often swore. What it means is: By Allah, in Whose hand is my soul; this is an affirmation of the divine attribute of the hand, in a manner that is befitting to Allah’s majesty. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) swore this oath, saying: “I thought of issuing orders that firewood be collected” – that is, I was about to issue orders that firewood – which is dry material from crops and trees – be collected, then issuing orders that the call to prayer be given, and instructing a man to lead the people in prayer; then I would not join the prayer in congregation, doing something different to my instruction to pray. I would go to some people who have stopped praying in congregation and have been praying in their houses, and burn their houses down with them inside. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) swore the same oath again, for emphasis, saying: “By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of them knew that he would find a bone with meat on it, or the meat from a sheep’s foot, he would attend ‘Isha’.” The word translated here as a bone refers to a bone on which there is a little meat left. What is meant is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was swearing that if those people who stayed away from prayer in congregation with no excuse knew that, if they attended the prayer, they would find some worldly benefit, such as food for example, even if that worldly benefit was of very little significance, they would attend and join the worshippers, because all they cared about was worldly benefit, and they did not care about what would benefit them in the hereafter.
This hadith emphasizes the importance of praying in congregation, and warns against missing it with no excuse.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower standing to lead the prayer in the presence of one who is of higher standing, if that serves a purpose..

645
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-seven times better than prayer offered on one’s own.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the Muslims to pray in congregation, because of the great virtue that there is in doing so. He spoke of its virtue in many hadiths, including this hadith in which he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the difference between the reward of praying in congregation and the reward of praying on one’s own; praying in congregation is twenty-seven times better than praying on one’s own, so the one who prays in congregation attains the reward of the one who prays on his own, plus a twenty-sevenfold reward. This meaning is indicated by what is mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim from Abu Hurayrah: “Prayer in congregation is equivalent to twenty-five prayers offered on one’s own.” Muslim also narrated: “One prayer offered with the imam is better than twenty-five prayers offered on one’s own.” With regard to the difference of numbers mentioned in the reports, twenty-seven and twenty-five, this difference may be due to differences in the situation of each individual worshipper and the way he performs the prayer. Thus one of them may attain a twenty-fivefold reward, and others may attain a twenty-sevenfold reward, depending on how well they pray, the extent to which they do the movements properly and show proper focus and humility (khushu‘), the number of people present in the congregation and their virtues, the virtue of the location, and other matters.
The salaf or early generations (may Allah be pleased with them) did not stay away from prayer in congregation, and they were keen to do it. One of them – as is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) would be brought to attend the prayer in congregation leaning on two men, having to be supported by them because of his feebleness and weakness, because of what he knew of the virtue of praying in congregation and hoping to attain the reward thereof.
This hadith urges the Muslim to pray in congregation and highlights the virtue of doing so..

650
It was narrated that Umm al-Darda’ said: Abu’l-Darda’ came in, looking angry. I said: What has made you angry? He said: By Allah, I do not recognize anything of the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except the fact that they pray together..

Commentary : Loving the religion of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), teaching it to the people, being angry and sad when people forget anything of it, and hastening to advise them and remind them, are all obligatory, and every Muslim must do them to the best of his knowledge and ability. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to do that. In this hadith, Umm al-Darda’ – whose name was Hujaymah; she was the younger Umm al-Darda’ and was a Tabi‘iyyah – narrates that her husband Abu’d-Darda’, whose name was ‘Uwaymir (or ‘Amir) ibn Zayd al-Khazraji, came in one day looking angry. She asked him why he was angry, and he said: By Allah, I do not recognize anything of the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except the fact that they pray together. In other words, he did not recognize anything that they were still adhering to of the teachings of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except their praying in congregation. He said that out of sorrow for what he saw of the people falling short in matters of religion. Undoubtedly this is a relative matter; the people of his time still adhered to most of the teachings of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Rather Abu’d-Darda’ was saddened by the difference between the Prophet’s era and what followed it, and undoubtedly there was a difference between the two, especially following the emergence of turmoil (fitnah) at the time of ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him). Otherwise, their era was among the three best generations of which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best of humanity are my generation, then those who come after them, then those who come after them.”
There is no contradiction between what Abu’l-Darda’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said and the Prophet’s prohibition on describing people as being doomed, as was narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “If a man says, The people are doomed, he is the most doomed of them.” The scholars are unanimously agreed that criticizing the one who says that people are doomed only applies to one who says that by way of looking down on people, thinking himself superior to them, and condemning what he sees of their situation, because he does not know what is in people’s hearts. As for the one who says that by way of expressing sorrow at what he sees in himself and in other people of falling short with regard to religious matters, there is nothing wrong with that. Moreover, Abu’l-Darda’ did not say, The people are doomed and have neglected religious matters. Rather he said it by way of comparing his situation at that particular time with the situation of the Sahabah at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had stated that no time would come, but what came after it would be worse. Narrated by al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to be angry when there is a change in people’s religious commitment, and it is permissible to denounce evil by expressing anger, if one is not able to do more than that..

651
It was narrated that Abu Musa said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people who will have the greatest reward for prayer are those who have to come from the furthest distance, then the next furthest, and the one who waits for the prayer until he prays with the imam will have a greater reward than the one who prays, then goes to sleep..

Commentary : The reward for an act of worship is connected to the sincerity and effort involved. The greater the effort and the greater the sincerity, the greater the reward will be. In this hadith, the Prophet highlights the virtue of walking to the mosque from far away, and the virtue of waiting to pray in the mosque with the imam. He said: “The people who will have the greatest reward for prayer are those who have to come from the furthest distance.” Then he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned that the reason why the reward for the prayer in this case is so great is the distance walked; in other words, the long distance and the many steps taken. That is because the hardship involved is greater than in the case of one who is a neighbour of the mosque, in addition to the patience involved in doing this act of worship. Every prayer in which there is difficulty due to the distance walked brings a greater reward and is better than a prayer in which there is no difficulty. This is encouraging and urging the Muslim to pray in congregation, even if the mosque is far away. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that when Banu Salamah wanted to move closer to the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he said to them: “O Banu Salamah, remain in your land and the reward for your steps will be recorded, remain in your land and the reward for your steps will be recorded.” What is meant is: stay where you are, and in return for the steps that you take to the mosque, more reward will be written for you because of having to walk further to reach the mosque.
Similarly, the one who waits for the prayer so that he may pray with the imam in congregation will have a greater reward than the one who prays on his own as soon as the time for the prayer begins, then goes to sleep. Just as distance has an impact of increasing reward, waiting for a longer time also increases reward, because in both cases extra effort is required..

652
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst a man was walking on a road, he came across a thorny branch on the road, so he removed it. Allah appreciated his action and forgave him.” Then he said: “The martyrs are five: one who dies of a plague, one who dies of a stomach disease, one who drowns, one who dies beneath a collapsed structure, and the martyr who is killed in Allah’s cause.” And he said: “If the people knew what there is in the call (to prayer) and the first row, and they could find no way except drawing lots, they would draw lots for that. If they knew what there is in coming early for prayer, they would race and compete for it. If they knew what there is in ‘Isha’ and Fajr prayer, they would come to them even if they had to crawl.”.

Commentary : Obeying Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and fulfilling His commands are a means of attaining high status in this world and the hereafter. Acts of obedience and worship are many and varied, and people’s motivation to do them also varies. Hence people’s rewards and status before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) also vary.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urges the Muslim to do a number of righteous deeds, and he describes the types of martyrs. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) begins by urging the Muslim to remove harmful things from the road. He speaks of a man who was walking on a road, and came across a thorny branch that was bothering the people; either this branch was on a tree at the level of their heads, and bothered them, or it was at the level of their feet and bothered them. So he removed it, so as to stop it bothering people. Allah accepted that from him and praised him for it, and his reward was that Allah forgave him his sins in return for removing that branch from the road.
Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned types of martyrs who will have the reward of the martyr. It was said that the martyr (shahid) is so called because the angels witness (yashhaduna) his death, so it is witnessed (mashhud). It was also said that it is testified (mashhud) that Paradise is his; or it is because he is alive and present with Allah; or because he has seen (shahida) what Allah has prepared for him of honours. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned five types of martyrs here. The first of them is the one who dies of a plague, which is an epidemic or pandemic. The second is the one who dies of a stomach disease, namely diarrhoea; it was also said that he is the one who dies of oedema or swelling of the stomach, or the one who dies of any internal disease. The third is the one who dies by drowning in water. The fourth is the one who dies beneath a collapsed structure, such as a wall and the like. The fifth is the one who is killed in Allah’s cause; this refers to a Muslim who dies striving in jihad against the disbelievers, by any means of fighting them, before the war ends. He is the one who is described as a martyr in this world and the hereafter, and he is the one whose body is not to be washed or shrouded in anything except the clothes in which he was killed, and no funeral prayer is to be offered for him. That is in contrast to the other four types, who are martyrs in the hereafter only, and will have a reward like that of the martyr. In this world, however, they are to be washed and shrouded, and the funeral prayer is to be offered for them, like any other Muslim who dies. These manners of dying are regarded as martyrdom by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted), because of how difficult and painful they are.
Other reports mention other types of martyrs, apart from the five mentioned here, such as the report in al-Sahihayn: “Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr”; and the report in Sunan al-Tirmidhi: “Whoever is killed defending his religion is a martyr, whoever is killed defending his life is a martyr, and whoever is killed defending his wife is a martyr.” And there are others. This indicates that the number mentioned in this hadith does not mean that martyrs are limited to these five. The variation in numbers is connected to variations in the revelation that came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It is as if the revelation came down to him on separate occasions, and each time told him about some types of martyrs.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlighted the virtue of coming early to the prayer, and the virtue of the first row and coming early to the prayer, and praying ‘Isha’ and Fajr in congregation. He states that if people knew of the virtue and reward of coming early to the prayer, and they knew of the reward of standing in the first row that is immediately behind the imam, then they could find no means of attaining that except by drawing lots for it, they would draw lots, because of what there is in these actions of immense reward. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the Muslims to come early to prayer, and stated that if the Muslims knew of the virtue and reward that there is in coming early to the prayer – whichever prayer it is – they would race and compete for that. Similarly, if the people were aware of the reward that there is for praying ‘Isha’ and Fajr in congregation, they would come to these prayers even if they had to come crawling on their hands and knees, or on their stomachs.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred to ‘Isha’ prayer here as al-‘atamah (lit. darkness), but it was narrated from him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) elsewhere that he forbade calling ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, as is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your prayer; indeed it is ‘Isha’, but they delay milking the camels until it is very dark [yu‘timuna].” It was said concerning this that the prohibition mentioned was not emphatic and did not mean that this is haram, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used this wording on this occasion for a reason, which is that they used to call Maghrib prayer ‘Isha’ and they called ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, based on the time when they offered the prayer. Hence it was necessary to explain things in their dialect sometimes, so that they would not become confused and misunderstand what the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used these words in order to explain that there is no blame on a person for using them, but that is contrary to what is more appropriate.
This hadith highlights the virtue of removing a harmful thing from the road, which is the least of the branches of faith.
It also highlights the virtue of coming early to the mosque and of competing to be in the first row.
It highlights the virtue of coming early for prayer.
It highlights the virtue of praying ‘Isha’ and Fajr..

659
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The angels send blessings upon one of you so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, provided that he does not commit sin, [and they say]: O Allah forgive him; O Allah have mercy on him. One of you remains in a state of prayer so long as the prayer is detaining him, and nothing is preventing him from returning to his family except the prayer.”.

Commentary : Being attached to prayer and waiting for it is indicative of a sincere faith in Allah (may He be exalted), and is a means of attaining immense reward with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of waiting for the prayer in the mosque. He tells us that the angels pray for forgiveness for the believer, so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, or the place that is prepared for prayer. This meaning includes those who are praying and those who are waiting for the prayer. This reward also includes a woman, if she prays in a place in her house that is allocated for prayer, and sits there waiting for the prayer, if what is keeping her from getting up and going about her business is the prayer. This reward is conditional, and it depends on the one who is waiting for the prayer not committing sin by causing offence to someone by backbiting, insulting or the like. And it was said that what is meant by the word translated here as “committing sin” is invalidating his wudu’, because when wudu’ is invalidated the prayer is also invalidated, so he can no longer be in a state of prayer.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that the angels say, praying for forgiveness for the person: “O Allah forgive him; O Allah have mercy on him.” The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness is concealment and pardon of sins, whereas mercy is showing kindness and generosity.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also highlighted the reward for the one who sits, waiting for the prayer. He stated that the worshipper will have reward throughout the period when he is waiting, so long as what is keeping him there and preventing him from going back to his family is nothing except the prayer. This implies that if his intention changes for any reason, the reward mentioned will cease. The same applies if anything else becomes mixed with his intention.
This hadith highlights the virtue of sitting in one’s place of prayer in a state of purity.
It also encourages the Muslim to be devote his time to obeying and worshipping Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and doing good, and remaining steadfast in that..

660
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are seven whom Allah will shade with His shade on the Day when there will be no shade but His: a just ruler; a young man who grows up worshipping Allah; a man whose heart is attached to the mosque; two men who love one another for the sake of Allah, meeting and parting on that basis; a man who is called (to sin) by a woman of status and beauty, but he says, ‘I fear Allah’; a man who gives charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand is giving; and a man who remembers Allah when he is alone and his eyes fill with tears.”.

Commentary : The Day of Resurrection will be a difficult day, filled with terrors, on which the sun will come close to people’s heads and its heat will grow intense. But the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has given us the glad tidings that Allah has slaves whom He will shade with His shade on that Day on which there will be no shade except His.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentions seven types of people in this ummah who will be blessed with His shade on that Day on which no one will find any shade except those whom Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will shade with His shade. What is meant by shade here is the shade of the Throne, as is explained in other hadiths, including the report narrated by Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) , according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever grants respite to the one who owes him money, or lets him off, will be in the shade of the Throne on the Day of Resurrection.” As what is meant is the shade of the Throne, this implies that they will be in the care of Allah (may He be exalted) and honoured by Him. The first of these seven is the just ruler; this is a ruler who treats his subjects justly, protects their rights, takes care of their interests, and judges between them according to the law of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Thus he takes care of their religious and worldly interests. The second is a young man who grows up striving in worshipping his Lord, committed to obeying Him and His commands and prohibitions. The young man is singled out for mention, because worship is harder or more difficult for young people, as the inclination to commit sin is very powerful in their case, and they are overwhelmed by physical desires. But if a young person persists in worship at that age, it is indicative of his being very mindful of Allah and having great fear of Him. The third is a man whose heart is attached to the mosques, so he loves the mosques very much, frequents them and stays in the mosque for a long time, always attending prayers in congregation and obligatory prayers, waiting for prayer after prayer. It is as if his heart is one of the lamps of the mosque. The fourth is two men, each of whom loves the other for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted), seeking His pleasure and obeying Him, and not for any worldly purpose, so they meet one another on this basis and continue to love one another for His sake. The apparent meaning of the phrase “meeting and parting on that basis” is that their love for the sake of Allah is sincere when they meet and when they part. The fifth is a man who is pursued for immoral purposes by a beautiful woman of noble lineage, high status and wealth, but he says, “I fear Allah.” It may be that he utters these words out loud, to deter her from shameful deeds, or he says that to himself in his heart and confirms it by his actions, meaning that fear of Allah prevents him from committing an action that would incur His wrath. The woman of status and beauty is singled out for mention because such a woman is very desirable, and by taking this stance despite all these temptations, this man is able to attain the highest level of obeying and fearing Allah (may He be exalted); this is the character of those who are strong and true in faith (siddiqin). The sixth is a man who gives voluntary charity and goes to extremes in concealing his charity from people, from everything and from his own self, to the extent that his left hand does not know what is right hand is spending. The right hand and left hand are mentioned to emphasize how much he conceals his charity. This likeness is given because the right hand is close to the left and they are always together. What this likeness means is that if his left hand was a man who is alert and notices everything, it would still not be able to find out about it, because he goes to such great lengths to conceal his charity. This is the best approach when giving charity, and is furthest removed from showing off, even though it is permissible to give charity and zakah openly if you are confident that showing off can be avoided, and the intention is to encourage others to also spend in charity, and to set an example for others to follow, and to openly practice the teachings of Islam. The seventh is a man who remembers Allah when he is on his own, either by uttering words of dhikr verbally or by remembering the greatness of Allah (may He be exalted), and the meeting with Him, when he will stand before Him and be brought to account for his deeds, and he remembers that when he is on his own, away from other people, because at that time he is furthest removed from showing off. It was also said that the phrase translated here as “when he is alone” refers to total focus, not paying attention to anyone other than Allah, even if he is amongst people, so his tears flow out of fear of Allah (may He be exalted).
These seven people only attained this blessing by being sincerely devoted to Allah (may He be exalted) and going against their whims and desires. That is because the ruler who has power cannot be just except by going against his whims and desires. The young man who gives precedence to worshipping Allah over the impulses of youth would not be able to do that without going against his whims and desires. With regard to the man whose heart is attached to the mosque, what makes him do that is going against the whims and desires that call him to places of entertainment and leisure. With regard to the giver who hides his charity from his left hand, if he did not suppress his whims and desires, he would not be able to do that. With regard to the one who is called to sin by a beautiful woman of high standing, but he fears Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) and goes against his whims and desires, and the one who remembers Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) when he is on his own and his eyes flow with tears out of fear of Him, only attain this status [of being shaded by Allah’s shade on the Day of Resurrection] by going against their whims and desires. Therefore Allah will save them from the heat, sweat and hardship of the standing on the Day of Resurrection.
This hadith mentions seven types of people, and there are other reports which mention other types in addition to those who are mentioned here. One of these hadiths is that which was narrated by Imam Muslim from Abu’l-Yasar Ka‘b ibn ‘Amr al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who gives respite to a debtor who is in difficulty, or waives the debt, Allah will shade him with His shade.” This blessing will also be granted to: the warrior and those who help him, the honest trader, and the one who helps a slave who has a contract of manumission to pay off what he owes to his master, as is narrated in other reports and hadiths. This indicates that the number of those who will be shaded by Allah’s shade is not limited to these seven.
This hadith highlights the virtue of the seven types of people mentioned here, and the virtue of one who is saved from sin and focuses on obeying his Lord all his life.
It also urges the Muslim to do acts of worship and obedience, because they are means of attaining the pleasure of Allah (may He be exalted) in the hereafter.
It also indicates that one of the blessings that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will bestow on the Day of Resurrection is shelter beneath His shade..

661
It was narrated that Humayd said: Anas ibn Malik was asked: Did the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) acquire a ring? He said: Yes. One night he delayed ‘Isha’ prayer until halfway through the night, then he turned to us after he had prayed and said: “The people prayed and went to sleep, but you have been in a state of prayer all the time you have been waiting.” [Anas] said: It is as if I can see the glimmering of his ring..

Commentary : Islam permits men to wear rings, so long as they are not made of gold. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had a ring made of silver. In this hadith, that is mentioned along with an explanation of some of the rulings on ‘Isha’ prayer and the virtue of waiting for the prayer. Humayd al-Tawil narrates that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked: Did the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) acquire a ring? He said: Yes. Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wearing his ring one night. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had delayed ‘Isha’ prayer on that night until halfway through the night, which is the best time [for ‘Isha’ prayer] for those who are able to do that. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had finished the prayer at that time, he turned to face those who had prayed with him and said: Other people have prayed ‘Isha’, either at home or in a mosque where they usually pray in congregation, and gone to sleep, whilst you were gaining the reward of prayer throughout this time that you were waiting to pray, until half way through the night. So it is as if you were praying throughout the time that you were waiting.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he saw the glimmering of the silver of the ring of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was addressing them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) acquired a ring when he began to send letters to the kings and rulers, and he was told that they would not accept any letter that did not bear a seal. So he had a ring made of silver, on which were engraved the words “Muhammad Rasulullah (Muhammad the Messenger of Allah)”, as is narrated in al-Sahihayn.
This hadith highlights the virtue of delaying ‘Isha’ prayer until almost half way through the night.
It also highlights the virtue of waiting for prayer after prayer..

662
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever goes to the mosque and comes back, Allah will prepare his place and provision in Paradise every time he goes and comes back.”.

Commentary : The mosques are the best places on earth, and the more a person’s heart is attached to the mosques, and he finds comfort and ease there, and is keen to pray Jumu‘ah and to pray in congregation, and to remember Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in the mosques, the greater his reward will be and the higher his status in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of going to the mosques, and mentions the immense reward that is prepared for the one who has the habit of going to the mosque. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “Whoever goes to the mosque and comes back, Allah will prepare his place and provision in Paradise every time he goes and comes back.”
What is meant is one who is always going to the mosque for the purpose of worship, foremost among which is prayer. It was said that what is meant by the phrase, “Whoever goes to the mosque and comes back” is that he goes and comes back from the mosque all the time; in other words, whoever has the habit of going to the mosque, Allah will prepare for him his place and provision in Paradise every time he goes to the mosque. Thus his going to the mosque is a cause of preparation of his place in Paradise. This is encouragement to attend the prayers in congregation, and to regularly attend the mosque for prayer, because if Allah has prepared his place and provision in Paradise simply for going to the mosque and coming back, what do you think will be prepared for him, and what kind of blessings will he receive for praying in congregation, seeking the reward thereof from Allah and showing sincerity to Allah (may He be exalted) in doing that?.

663
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Malik ibn Buhaynah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw a man praying two rak‘ahs after the iqamah for prayer had been given. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished praying, the people surrounded him [that man] and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Did you pray Fajr with four rak‘ahs? Did you pray Fajr with four rak‘ahs?”.

Commentary : Putting priorities in order, and giving precedence to what is more important and to obligatory prayers over supererogatory prayers is indicative of wisdom and a good understanding of religion. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Buhaynah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw a man praying two rak‘ahs after the iqamah had been given for Fajr prayer. It was said that this man was ‘Abdullah ibn Buhaynah, the narrator of this hadith. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke to him about that. “When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished praying, the people surrounded him [that man]” That is, they gathered around him and asked him what the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had said to him. So he told them that he had rebuked him by saying to him, “Did you pray Fajr with four rak‘ahs?” That was because the man had ignored the obligatory prayer that was about to begin, and started with a supererogatory prayer, as if he regarded the obligatory prayer and the supererogatory prayer as being equal and as being the same thing, so it was as if he had prayed Fajr with four rak‘ahs. This indicates that it is not permissible to begin a supererogatory prayer after the iqamah has been given for an obligatory prayer, because the obligatory prayer takes precedence over the supererogatory prayer, and catching up with the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) with the imam is better than offering a supererogatory prayer. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the iqamah for prayer is given, there is no prayer except the obligatory prayer,” meaning the prayer that is currently due.
This hadith indicates that it is not allowed to begin a supererogatory prayer after the iqamah for prayer has been given..

673
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: If the dinner of one of you is served and the iqamah is given for prayer, let him start with dinner and let him not rush until he has finished it. Dinner would be served for Ibn ‘Umar and the iqamah will be given for prayer, and he would not go to pray until he had finished eating, even though he would be hearing the recitation of the imam..

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which he stands before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) with humility and beseeching Him, hoping for the mercy of Allah and fearing His punishment. Hence he should make sure that there is nothing in his mind or heart to distract him before he starts to pray, so that he will not lose anything of his reward, and so that he may attain reward from Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in full, with nothing detracted from it.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that if the serving of food coincides with the time of ‘Isha’ and the iqamah for the prayer, the individual should start with dinner and not rush to go to pray until he has finished eating. Food would be served to Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – whether that was dinner or any other meal – whilst the iqamah was being given for Maghrib or any other prayer, and he would not go and pray until he had finished eating, even if the imam started to pray. He would continue eating even though he could hear the recitation of the imam in the prayer. This was indicative of Ibn ‘Umar’s deep understanding of religion, because it is part of a person’s deep understanding to attend to his needs so that he will be able to focus on his prayer with no worldly matters to distract him, and he will be able to stand before the Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) and offer his prayer in the most perfect manner.
This hadith encourages the Muslim to free himself from worldly distractions whilst praying.
It highlights the virtue of giving precedence to attaining proper focus and humility in prayer over the virtue of praying when the time for the prayer begins, even if one misses out on praying in congregation, provided that one does not make that a habit..

676
It was narrated that al-Aswad said: I asked ‘A’ishah: What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do in his house? She said: He used to be at the service of his family, then when the time for prayer came, he would go out to pray..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed men to treat women well, and he urged them to show kindness to them. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best example to this ummah, so he was the best, most compassionate and kindest of people when dealing with his family and in his treatment of them. One example of that is what the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) speaks of in this hadith. When she (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked about how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in his house, and what he used to do, she said: He was at the service of his family, meaning that he would help them with the tasks that they did. That includes the fact that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – as is narrated in Musnad Ahmad – used to look after himself, milk his sheep, patch his clothes, and mend his sandals. And when the time for prayer came, he would go out to pray with no delay. This was by way of teaching the ummah so that they might emulate their Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who did whatever he could and did whatever household tasks he was able to do, and would look after himself in some cases. This indicates that there is nothing contrary to dignity in doing such things, whilst also being keen to fulfil obligatory duties to Allah. This is a way of achieving balance between all the duties and obligations that life may place on a man’s shoulders.
This hadith indicates that one should go to pray when the time for prayer comes, and not be distracted by engaging in any worldly matters, whether one is an imam or member of the congregation.
It indicates that leaders and people of virtue and prominence may take care of their own affairs, and that this is one of the actions of the righteous, following the example of their leader (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

934
Abu Mālik al-Ash‘ari reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Four in my Ummah are among the affairs of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance that have not been abandoned: boasting of noble ancestries, defaming lineages, seeking rain from the stars, and wailing. And he said: If the wailing woman does not repent before her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on bringing his Ummah out from Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance) with all its evils, sins, and polytheism to Islam and its laws with all its goodness and monotheism.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) depicts matters that were and are still practiced by some people, and such matters belong to the people of Jāhiliyyah. So, he warned us against them and pointed out that whoever adopts any of such matters is, in fact, adopting one of the pre-Islamic traits and must abandon it and adhere instead to what has been legislated by Islam concerning such a trait and its likes. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that four characteristics exist in the Ummah of Islam that are from the affairs and usual attributes of the people of Jāhiliyyah. He said that such traits would last in the Ummah and would not be abandoned as other pre-Islamic practices have been abandoned, for if they are abandoned by one party, others will come and adhere to them.
The first thing of such matters: It is "boasting of noble ancestries," which is taking pride in, bragging about, and exalting the characteristics, virtues, and bounties that are either in him or his family. "Hasab" (noble ancestry) refers to the personal traits one enumerates, such as bravery, eloquence, etc. "Boasting of noble ancestries" means acting arrogantly and loftily by enumerating one's virtues and his forefathers' remarkable feats, which entails deeming oneself better than others and looking down upon them. In the version of Abu Dāwūd, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has removed from you the pride of Jāhiliyyah and its boastfulness about the ancestors. It is either a pious believer or a miserable sinner. People are the children of Adam, and Adam is from dust."
The second repugnant matter: "Defaming lineages," which means finding fault with people's lineages like discrediting the lineage or negating one's attribution to his father, is a malicious claim because it results in dividing Muslims and causing turmoils and evils, besides slandering people.
The third matter is: It is "seeking rain from the stars," which refers to supplicating and seeking water through rainfall by believing that the stars are the cause of such rain, as they used to say in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance: we have been given rain because of such-and-such star; whereas, having a belief that it is actually the cause for rainfall is disbelief. Rain is part of Allah's mercy towards His slaves and falls according to His decree. It is one of the things that Allah Almighty spoke about, saying: {Indeed, Allah has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will do tomorrow, nor does any soul know in which land it will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Surat Luqmān: 34]
Fourth matter: "Wailing" means weeping over the dead by shouting, screaming, expressing impatience, and enumerating the deceased person's traits and virtues by saying, for instance: Alas for the brave one! Alas, for the lion! Alas, for the mountain!
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) , warned the wailing women if they did not repent for wailing before their death, saying, "If the wailing woman does not repent before" the time of "her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment," the wailing woman, who did not repent, will be made to stand and will be gathered among the standing people to be exposed on the Day of Judgment, as a recompense for her wailing, while wearing a garment of pitch, which is molten copper or paint used for painting. It is also said: that it is grease with which the scabby camel is rubbed to burn the mange, and its heat could reach the inside. "And a chemise of mange," "dir‘" (chemise) is a kind of women's shirts, i.e., she will be wearing another chemise of mange. This means that all her skin will be scabious and will act like a chemise covering her skin and sticking to her the way a chemise covers and sticks to her. He restricted repentance to the time before death to make it known that one of the conditions of repentance is for the repentant to repent while having hopes that he will still live and might commit the act for which he is repenting. This is supported by what is mentioned in the Book of Allah: {However, repentance is not for those who commit evil deeds until death approaches one of them; he then says, “Now I repent.”} [Surat an-Nisā’: 18]
Such a punishment is for wailing and enumerating the dead person's merits because both acts involve objection to Allah's decree. As for crying out of sadness and mercy for the deceased person, there is nothing wrong with that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His slaves. Verily, Allah shows mercy to those of His slaves who are merciful." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The Hadīth includes one of the signs of the Prophet's prophethood.
It warns against boasting of noble ancestries and against slandering lineages.
It calls for preserving people's honor and refraining from slander.
It clarifies the fact that one's value depends on his personality and deeds, not on his forefathers' feats.
It warns against wailing over the dead.
It emphasizes that rain comes from Allah Almighty, and the stars have nothing to do with it. So, water should be sought from none but the Creator and the Omnipotent, who can make the rainfall..

943
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made a speech one day and mentioned a man from among his Companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud of bad quality and was buried at night. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked that a man should be buried at night until prayer was offered over him, except when one is forced to do that. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good.".

Commentary : The burial of a Muslim is part of the honor granted to him by Allah Almighty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Ummah how to take care of the dead Muslims, including washing, shrouding, burying, and following the funeral procession, as well as other duties and Sunnah acts.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to his Companions one day and admonished them. In his sermon, he mentioned a man from among his companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud that was unbelievably bad or not completely concealing; moreover, he was buried and put into his grave at night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked, prohibited, and banned his Companions from repeating an act like this with their dead brother, given his rights upon them. This includes burial at night. Indeed, a dead person should be buried during the daytime so that a lot of people can offer prayer for him, more than the people who would pray for him at night, or so that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could offer the prayer for him, which is another reason for those who died during his lifetime. This also means that the burial of a dead person should be delayed until the morning, if it is hoped that those who will bless him will join the prayer.
And he clarified to them that burial at night should only occur in the case of necessity, like fearing that the body may decay. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good." This is intended to direct, teach, and enjoin excellence in shrouding the dead. Excellence, however, does not mean extravagance or immoderation in choosing the shroud or that it should be expensive. Rather, the intended meaning is that it should be clean, pure, thick, concealing, and of the same type of clothing he mostly wore in his life, neither finer nor lower in quality.
In the Hadīth: We are enjoined to use a good shroud, without extravagance or stinginess.
And in it: Demonstrating the Prophet's care about the conditions of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) whether they were alive or dead.

947
‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer over a dead person, and all of them intercede for him, except that their intercession for him will be accepted.".

Commentary : The religion of Islam is a religion of bounty and abundant giving from Allah, as He made the Muslims intercessors for one another. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslim and made that one of the rights due to the Muslims among themselves.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a Muslim dies and a group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer for him, "and all of them intercede for him," i.e., they ask Allah Almighty to pardon his sins and crimes and they supplicate for him, in such a case, people's intercession for him will be accepted and their supplication for him will be answered. But two conditions should be met here: First: Those who intercede for him should be sincere in their supplication and should ask Allah to forgive him. Second: They should be Muslims and numbering a hundred persons, and they should include no one who associates anything with Allah.
Other Hadīths are reported with lesser than this number, such as forty or three rows. It was said: Informing that the intercession of forty people is accepted does not necessarily mean that the intercession of a lesser number is not accepted, and the same holds true for the number of forty people along with three rows. Hence, all Hadīths are applicable, and the intercession is valid with the lesser of two numbers, the three rows or forty persons.
In the Hadīth: Urging the increase of a group offering the funeral prayer, and they are required to reach this number, which is one of the requirements for salvation
And in it: Those offering the funeral prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
And in it: Stressing the significance of sincerity in supplicating for the dead..

948
Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbās, related from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās that a son of his died in Qudayd - or in ‘Usfān - and he said: "O Kurayb, look and see how many people gathered for him." He said: I went out and found that people had gathered for him. I informed him about that, and he said: "Do you think they are forty?" He said: 'Yes.' He said: "Bring him out, for indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies, and forty men, who associate nothing with Allah, attend his funeral except that Allah will accept their intercession for him.'".

Commentary : The bounty and giving of Allah Almighty is great. He made the Muslims intercessors for one another, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslims and rendered it one of the rights of Muslims upon one another.
In this Hadīth, Kurayb, the freed slave of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, relates that a son of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) died, and he was present with him, "in Qudayd", a place of water between Makkah and Madīnah, which is located 150km away from Makkah and lies to its northeast, "or in ‘Usfān", a town located 80km to the northwest of Makkah. These are two places close to Makkah. ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered Kurayb to go out and tell him about the number of people who had gathered to attend his funeral procession and prayer. Kurayb went to see the people and then informed them about their gathering and number. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Do you think?" i.e., do you estimate their number to be forty men? Kurayb replied: 'Yes.' In the version by Ibn Mājah, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "How many do you see? Forty?" I said: "No, they are more than that." So, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked those with him to bring the funeral of his son to the people gathered in the mosque to offer prayer for him and bury him. Then, he said: "For indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies and forty men... attend his funeral'", praying and supplicating for him, and they believe in Allah and associate none with Him in worship. In the version by Ibn Mājah: "No forty believers intercede for a believer." intercession here means request. Those attending the funeral prayer ask Allah Almighty to pardon the sins of the deceased, "except that Allah will accept their intercession for him", i.e., He will accept their intercession for that dead Muslim, out of His grace and bounty, and forgive him.
It is required to increase the number of those who attend the funeral prayer as much as possible, and they are required to reach this number that entails success. This is conditional upon two things: First: They should be intercessors for him, i.e., sincere in supplicating and asking Allah's forgiveness. Second: They should be Muslims and include none who associates anything with Allah.
Other reported Hadīths mention a different number, like one hundred or three rows. So, it is said that intercession by a hundred people will be accepted, but it does not necessarily mean that intercession by a lesser number will not be accepted. The same holds true for the forty men and the three rows. Hence, all the relevant Hadīths are applicable. Intercession is valid by the lesser of the two: by three rows or forty persons; this is because when Allah Almighty promises forgiveness two times in one sense, and one of them is easier than the other, it is His unchanging way that He does not decrease the promised bounty after that. Instead, He gives more out of his bounty and favor from Him toward His servants. It is also probable that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was informed about the acceptance of intercession by a hundred persons. He was informed about it, and then he was informed about the acceptance of intercession by forty persons and then by three rows, even if their number is lesser, yet he was informed about that.
The Hadīth mentions that those who attend the prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
It urges Muslims to attend the prayer for the deceased and increase the number of those who attend..

957
‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: Zayd used to make four Takbirs upon our funerals, and he once made five Takbirs. So, I asked him (about that) and he said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make Takbirs like that.".

Commentary : The funeral prayer is one of the due rights to one another among the Muslims. It is mercy towards the dead person, as it was prescribed for supplication for him. A Muslim who offers prayer for a dead person should earnestly supplicate for him to be forgiven and shown mercy.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla relates that the Companion Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) would mostly make four Takbīrs upon "the funerals," a term that refers to the dead person in the bier. This was the approach of most of the scholars among the Companions. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) one day made five Takbīrs at a funeral. So, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla asked him about the reason behind the fifth Takbīr, and Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would make five Takbīrs in some funeral prayers.
The objective of the prayer for a dead person is to supplicate and ask forgiveness for him. Supplication for the dead person occurs after the third Takbīr. A person should supplicate inaudibly with the best things he can recall, and he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead one..

962
Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh reported: Nāfi' ibn Jubayr saw me standing as we were attending a funeral. He was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be held. He said to me: "What makes you stand?" I said: "I am waiting for the funeral to be held, as per a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri." Thereupon, Nāfi 'said: "Verily, Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam related to me that 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and then sat down.".

Commentary : With its tolerant Shariah, Islam affirms the value of the human soul, from its birth to its death, and holds it in high status, as revealed by these rulings enjoined with regard to it, even after its departure from life. This clearly manifests that Islam devotes attention to the funerals and burial of the dead and taking them to the graves and Barzakh (the period between death and resurrection), where they wait for the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh informs that the Tābi‘i Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr saw him while he was at a funeral - a term that refers to a deceased in a bier - and was standing for the funeral. Meanwhile, Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr "was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be placed" in the grave. Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr asked him why he was standing - a disapproving questioning. Wāqid ibn ‘Amr answered him: that he was waiting for the funeral to take place, in accordance with the Hadīth in which Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you follow a funeral, do not sit down until it takes place." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Explaining why he was sitting, Nāfi‘ responded to him with the Hadīth narrated by Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam from ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with both of them), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would initially stand up for funerals but later abandoned standing and would sit down. ‘Ali's words "and then sat down" may also mean that he would sit down after the funeral passed him by and went away from him.
The Hadīths reported on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) standing and sitting for funerals, indicating that his sitting abrogated his standing. It is also said that this is not abrogation; instead, it points out that standing is unnecessary..

963
‘Awf ibn Mālik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer, and I memorized his supplication as he said: "O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him. Make him safe and pardon him. Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one, broaden his entry, and wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave, or from the punishment of Hellfire." He said: Until I wished I had been that deceased person..

Commentary : The objective of prayer for a deceased person is to supplicate for him and ask Allah's forgiveness for him. Many supplications are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), to be said in the funeral prayer. It is preferred that the praying person use these supplications that are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But there is nothing wrong if one says other supplications. Supplication for the deceased person is made after the third Takbīr; one should supplicate secretly with the best of what he can recall, yet he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead person.
In this Hadīth, ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he attended a funeral prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and part of his supplication which ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) memorized is: "O Allah, forgive him" by blotting out the sins and misdeeds. "and have mercy on him" by accepting the acts of piety. "Make him safe," i.e., avert unpleasant things from him and make him safe from the punishment. "and pardon him," i.e., pardon the sins he committed and his shortcomings in the acts of worship. "Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one." The word Nuzul originally means the food prepared for the guest. It here refers to what Allah gives to His servant when he meets Him and honors him therewith. "broaden his entry," i.e., broaden the place of his entry in which he enters - that is his grave - lest it may become narrow for him. This is part of the bliss of the believer in the grave. The grave is either broadened for the one buried in it or made narrow for him. "and wash him with water, snow, and hail." Hail is pellets of ice descending from the clouds of the sky, which means: Purify him from the sins and misdeeds thereby, just as these things are means of purification from uncleanness and dirt. He combined them for emphasis. In other words, purify him from sins by the various kinds of forgiveness. He mentioned snow and hail because they are cold, and he mentioned water because it cleans, whereas the punishment for sins is hot. So, it was appropriate to mention snow along with water. Thus, water will do the cleaning, and snow and hail will do the cooling. "and cleanse him of sins." This is a supplication for cleansing in the sense of purification from sins, as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Thus, what is conceived is compared to what is perceived. This affirms what is mentioned before and is meant to emphasize purification from sins and misdeeds. "Give him in exchange a home better than his home," i.e., compensate him and give him palaces or a vast grave that is better than his house in this transient world. And give him in exchange "a family better than his family," those who are his relatives in the world, such as his mother, maternal aunt, daughters, father, son, and the like. The wife is excluded from this, as he singled her out after that. It was also said: Family here refers to servants. "and a spouse better than his spouse," i.e., give him a wife from the houris (Hūr al-‘Īn) or from the women of the world in Paradise. It was also said: The exchange of family and wife means the exchange of traits, not people. "Admit him into Paradise." This is a supplication for him to enter Paradise directly, without prior punishment. "and protect him from the punishment of the grave" after he enters it. Or he said: "Protect him from the punishment of Hellfire" in the Hereafter.
‘Awf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) added that after hearing this supplication from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he wished he had been that deceased person, given the great reward and forgiveness entailed by this supplication for him, and so as to reap benefit of the Prophet's supplication, for the Prophet's prayer and supplication are more likely to be accepted and materialized than others.
In the Hadīth: Supplication in the funeral prayer, which is the most important part of its objective
And in it: Establishing the existence of the punishment of the grave.

965
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for Ibn ad-Dahdāh. Then, an unsaddled horse was brought to him, and a man hobbled it and rode it. It kept bounding with him on its back, and we followed it and ran after it. He said: A man among the people said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." [And in a version]: For Abu ad-Dahdāh..

Commentary : This Hadīth describes one of the Prophet's conditions and guidance regarding funerals: following the funeral on foot or riding. It also includes a lot of ethics. Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for the Companion Ibn ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him). In the version by An-Nasā’i: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out for the funeral of Abu ad-Dahdāh." He is Thābit ibn ad-Dahdāh an ally of the Ansār, nicknamed Abu ad-Dahdāh. It is also said: Abu ad-Dahdāha. The Prophet's prayer brings Allah's mercy to the dead person. Then, "an unsaddled horse" was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In another version by Muslim: "An unsaddled horse was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which he rode after leaving the funeral of Ibn ad-Dahdāh." So, it indicates that he rode the horse after finishing the burial. "and a man hobbled it," i.e., he held it and prevented it from moving until the prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode it. The horse kept bounding and moving, i.e., jumping and taking short steps. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was moving at the front, and the people were walking behind him.
Then, Simāk ibn Harb informed that one of those sitting with Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated in Musnad Ahmad, related: A man who was sitting with us in the gathering of Jābir ibn Samurah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about Abu ad-Dahdāh: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." This is a glad tiding by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding Abu ad-Dahdāh. In Arabic, ‘Adhq means palm tree, and ‘idhq means a branch in a palm tree. The intended meaning here is the branch, for he said: hanging or drooping.
The reason behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this statement is found in a Hadīth narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad Collection, in which Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When this verse: {Who is it that will lend to Allah a goodly loan.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 245] was revealed, Abu ad-Dahdāh gave in charity a garden comprising six hundred palm trees, and his wife was in the garden. He came and said: O ’Umm ad-Dahdāh, go out, for I have lent it to my Almighty Lord. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the heavy bunches in Paradise for Abu ad-Dahdāh." Heavy here indicates that the bunches have abundant fruits. It is as if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this statement upon the death of this man.
The Hadīth shows the merit and virtue of Abu ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him).
A group may walk along with their leader while he is riding.
There is nothing wrong if a follower serves his leader, with his consent..

966
‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās reported: Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd (a niche in the side of the grave) for me and set up mud bricks over me as was done with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to seek out the Prophet's guidance and try to emulate him in all his conditions, both in his lifetime and death. In this Hadīth, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) set a clear example in following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās relates that his father Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd for me," i.e., dig a niche for me where I will be buried. Lahd is the crevice dug in the side of the grave to place the dead person therein. Then, he said: "and set up mud bricks over me," i.e., place over me the bricks made of mud. The bricks should be lined and arranged above one another without any adhesive in between. The version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj has this addition: "And throw dust upon me." Then, clarifying the reason for his choosing that, for he wanted what was done to the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to be done to his grave too.
In the Hadīth: The dead person is buried in the Lahd and the stones are set up over him..

967
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: A red velvet cloak was put in the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was highly revered during his lifetime and after his death, and he is favored in the sight of Allah and was held in high esteem among his Companions. He passed away and was buried in the place where he died, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers' Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died, a red velvet cloak was put in his grave. The cloak is a garment with edges, which are strings remaining at its two sides, apart from its reinforced border. This cloak was thrown by Shokrān, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), according to the version by At-Tirmidhi. It is said: He disliked that it should be worn by anyone after him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to wear it and sit over it. So, Shokrān did not like that it be used by anyone after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

968
Thumāmah ibn Shufayy reported: We were with Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis. A companion of ours died. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd commanded that his grave be leveled. Then, he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) command that it be leveled.".

Commentary : Burial is one of the things by which a dead person is honored. A Muslim should follow the Prophet's guidance in all matters. One of these is the manner of burying the dead and the shape and condition of the grave after burial. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow this Prophetic guidance.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Thumāmah ibn Shufayy relates that he was with the Companion Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) on an expedition "in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis" is a Greek island situated east of the Mediterranean Sea and located midway between the main Greek islands and Cyprus. Rūdis was conquered in 53 A.H., during the reign of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him). A Muslim man from their companions passed away. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded that this man be buried. After the dust was thrown over him, he commanded that his grave be leveled and blotted out and that it should not be raised or prominent. Then, Fadālah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanding that it be leveled" i.e., the grave should be leveled to the ground and not be raised a lot; rather, it should be raised as high as a hand span, and it should be flattened or embossed, which is more appropriate so that it can be recognized as a grave and thus be protected from being sat on or trodden.
The Hadīth contains the command that the graves should be leveled and not be raised above the ground.
It indicates that those killed in wars should be buried, and their corpses should not be left without concealment..

969
Abu al-Hayyāj Al-Asadi reported: ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said to me: "Shall I not send you with the same instructions as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) sent me with? Do not leave any statue without blotting it out or any raised grave without leveling it." [In a version]: And he said: and any image without blotting it out..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to remove anything that pointed to the traces of Jāhiliyyah, which included their keenness on extolling images, the dead, and the graves.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Hayyāj al-Asadi relates that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Shall I not send you for something the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent me for, and appoint you as a leader in charge of that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed me as a leader in charge of it? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered ‘Ali not to leave any 'statue', i.e., an image of a living being, without eliminating and abolishing it, by cutting off its head, changing its face, and so on; and not to leave any raised grave without leveling it and making it like the surrounding area. Taswiyah (leveling) may also mean making it sound and compliant with the Shariah. Or it means: flattening, that it should not be raised a lot above the ground, but only as high as a hand span. It is more appropriate to make it flat or a saddle high. What is intended here is the grave upon which a structure is built, and it becomes raised, not the grave upon which sand, pebbles, or stones are placed for identification, so that no one should trample or sit on it, and there is no use in building over it; hence, it was prohibited.
In the Hadīth: The command to remove statues and idols
And in it: The command to level raised graves
And in it: Removing what is wrong with one's hand in case a person has authority or ability to do so.

970
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade plastering a grave, sitting on it, and building over it..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the keenest among people on eliminating the traces of Jāhiliyyah, like building over the graves and raising them, for this involves a waste of money and boastfulness, as well as other things that do not befit the Hereafter and the state of death and decay. He was also keen on directing the Muslims to what shows honor for one another both in this life and after death.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "plastering the grave." In a version by Muslim: "It was forbidden to plaster the graves with gypsum," i.e., to build them with gypsum and paint them, for this involves veneration and immoderation. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "sitting on it," as this denotes disregard for the right of his fellow Muslim. In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal, which will burn his clothes and get to his skin than to sit on a grave!" This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition against sitting on a grave. And he forbade "building over it." This probably means building over the very grave to raise it, or building around it, like constructing a tent, a mosque, or the like around the grave. Both are prohibited, for this belongs to the practices of the people of Jāhiliyyah and it involves a waste of money.
So, the prohibition mentioned in the Hadīth comprises two types: going to excess as well as neglect regarding the graves. The dead people should not be insulted by trampling and sitting on their graves, nor should people show them immoderate reverence by constructing a building there and extolling them in a way that leads to certain forbidden things and evils..

971
Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal and it burns his clothes and gets to his skin than to sit on a grave.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, in this Hadīth, he prohibited sitting on the graves and was vehement in this prohibition. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed and warned that if a person sits on a piece of inflaming fire and this live coal burns his clothes and reaches his skin, which involves tremendous harm and severe pain, this burning of his clothing and skin is better and easier for him than sitting on a grave. This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition from sitting on graves. He forbade sitting on graves because this constitutes belittlement of the rights of fellow Muslims, even if they are dead.
The usual practice regarding the graves is only to visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī' cemetery. He would say: "Assalāmu ‘alaykum ahl ad-diyār min al-mu’minīn wa al-muslimīn, wa inna in shā’ Allah la lāhiqūn; as’al Allah lana wa lakam al-‘āfiyah" (Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for you and us). Narrated by Muslim..

972
Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not sit on the graves and do not pray towards them.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, he prohibited sitting on the graves, and he was vehement in this prohibition.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Do not sit on the graves," for this shows disregard for the rights of fellow Muslims. In another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that sitting on lively embers is better than sitting on the graves. The usual practice regarding the graves is to only visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī‘ cemetery. He would say: "Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for us and you." [Narrated by Muslim] Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and do not pray towards them," i.e., do not pray, facing the graves. This is to differ from the Jews and the Christians who used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous ones as places of worship, in exaltation of them. And they would probably do there things that are only due to the Creator, the Almighty Lord. This applies to praying upon the grave, towards it, or between two graves, for this leads to the exaltation of the graves and to worshiping them as was the practice during Jāhiliyyah. Excluded from this prohibition is the funeral prayer at the graves, as authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In the Hadīth: It is prohibited to sit on the graves.
And in it: It is prohibited to pray at the graves, between them, or towards them..