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Hadith
878
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that whilst ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was standing and delivering the khutbah one Friday, a man who was one of the earliest Muhajirin, one of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came in. ‘Umar called out to him: What time is this? He said: I was busy and could not return to my family until I heard the adhan, and I could not do more than just wudu’. ‘Umar said: And just wudu’ too, when you know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?.

Commentary : Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong is one of the most prominent characteristics of this ummah and is one of the causes of its being superior to others. Allah destroyed some of the nations who came before us because they failed to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. Therefore every Muslim is commanded to enjoin what is right as much as he can, and forbid what is wrong as much as he can. Because ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the most assiduous in promoting the truth, he never failed to enjoin what is right, wherever he was. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during his caliphate, his father ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was standing and delivering the khutbah one Friday when a man who was one of the earliest Muhajirin, came in. He was ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan, according to a report in al-Muwatta’. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that he had come late, he said to him: “What time is this?” –rebuking him for coming late. ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by telling him that he had become busy with some matters, so he could not go back to his house until he heard the adhan, so he did wudu’ quickly and did not do ghusl, in order to catch up with Jumu‘ah. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: And just wudu’ too, when you know that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to enjoin us to do ghusl?Here ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) a second time. What he meant was: and you did not do ghusl for Jumu‘ah either; you only did wudu? Is it not enough that you came late and missed out on the virtue of coming early, and you followed that with failing to do ghusl, being content with doing wudu’ only, when you heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoining us to do ghusl on Friday!
The command to do ghusl on Friday is part of the etiquette of coming to the mosque and prayers in congregation. It is advice from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do what is most appropriate and best on such occasions.
This hadith indicates that we should enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, even if that is in front of other people.
It indicates that the leader should check on those under his authority, and instruct them to do that which is best for their spiritual well-being, and to rebuke the one who falls short in doing what is more appropriate. It also indicates that enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong may be done during the khutbah and does not invalidate it.
It indicates that the Muslim is encouraged to come early to Jumu‘ah.
It indicates that it is permissible to just do wudu’ for Jumu‘ah, but highlights the fact that ghusl is better..

880
It was narrated that Abu Sa‘id said: I bear witness that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Ghusl on Friday is obligatory for every adult, and he should brush his teeth and put on perfume if it is available.” ‘Amr said: As for ghusl, I bear witness that it is obligatory. As for brushing the teeth and putting on perfume, Allah knows best whether it is obligatory or not, but this is what it says in the hadith..

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival (eid) of the Muslims, on which they gather to remember Allah (dhikr). Hence there are several points of etiquette to be observed on Fridays. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains some of them. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that doing ghusl on Friday is obligatory for every adult, in the sense that it is so important for every adult male who is required to attend Jumu‘ah that it is almost like an obligatory duty for him. Another of these sunnahs is brushing the teeth and cleaning them with a siwak or by other means, scrubbing the teeth with something that will clean them. Another of these sunnahs is putting on perfume that has a good smell.
Doing ghusl and cleaning the mouth are part of the etiquette of attending the mosques and prayers in congregation. It is advice from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do that which is appropriate on such occasions.
The ‘Amr referred to here is ‘Amr ibn Sulaym, the narrator of the report. The words “As for brushing the teeth and putting on perfume…”, which appear towards the end of the report, indicate that the conjunction does not mean that these actions are all at the same level of importance. It is as if he was certain that ghusl only is obligatory, because this is clearly stated in the hadith; he did not say anything about the other actions, because of the possibility that they may or may not be obligatory. It was also said that as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned together doing ghusl and putting on perfume on Friday, and everyone agrees that there is no blame on the one who does not put on perfume on Friday, if he has no offensive odours that could annoy or offend other people in the mosque, the same applies to the one who does not do ghusl, because the reason for both is the same. The same applies to brushing the teeth..

881
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does ghusl on Friday, the same as ghusl for janabah, then sets out early, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a camel in charity. Whoever sets out at the second hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a cow in charity. Whoever sets out at the third hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a horned ram in charity. Whoever sets out at the fourth hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving a chicken in charity. Whoever sets out at the fifth hour, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah by giving an egg in charity. Then when the imam comes out, the angels come to listen to the reminder [the khutbah]..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed His believing slaves to hasten to do good deeds, and He praises those who do that, as He says: {Indeed, they used to hasten to good deeds} [al-Anbiya’ 20:19]. Because coming early to prayer is a good deed, especially in the case of Jumu‘ah prayer, the one who comes early to the prayer attains greater reward and virtue than others.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us of the virtue of coming early to Jumu‘ah prayer. First he encourages the Muslim to do ghusl for this prayer, and tells us that for the one who does a complete ghusl, like that done in the case of janabah, then goes to Jumu‘ah prayer  early, at the beginning of the day, it is as if he sought to draw close to Allah (may He be exalted) by giving a camel in charity. For the one who goes at the second hour, it is as if he gave a cow in charity for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted). For the one who goes at the third hour, it is as if he gave a horned ram in charity; this description emphasizes how beautiful and perfect it is. For the one who goes at the fourth hour, it is as if he gave a chicken in charity, and for the one who goes at the fifth hour, it is as if he gave an egg in charity. The hours referred to in the hadith begin at sunrise, and this division is done according to the length of time between sunrise and the time of the second adhan; the time is divided into five parts, each of which is what is referred to by the word “hour” in this hadith. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that when the imam comes out and ascends the minbar to deliver the khutbah, the angels come in and do not write down the names of those who come in after that, so that they can listen to the Jumu‘ah khutbah and what it contains of remembrance of Allah (may He be exalted). Thus those who come after that miss out on the virtue of coming early, but they do not miss out on the reward for Jumu‘ah.
This hadith highlights the virtue of coming early for Jumu‘ah prayer.
It also urges the Muslim to do ghusl for Jumu‘ah..

883
It was narrated that Salman al-Farisi said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No man does ghusl on Friday, cleaning and purifying himself as much as he can, and puts on perfume, whether it is his own perfume or perfume that is in his house, then goes out, and does not push his way between two people, then he prays whatever is decreed that he should pray, then he listens attentively when the imam speaks, but he will be forgiven whatever sins he commits between this and the following Jumu‘ah.”.

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival of the Muslims, on which they gather to do good and remember Allah (dhikr). Hence the most important acts of etiquette on this day include purifying and cleaning oneself, ensuring that one smells good, coming early to the prayer, avoiding anything that could annoy or offend people, and listening attentively to the khatib. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of the virtues of this etiquette. He begins by urging the Muslim to do ghusl and purify himself, which means cleaning himself thoroughly. What is meant is cleaning oneself by trimming the moustache, clipping the nails and shaving the pubic hair. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned another act of etiquette, which is perfuming oneself, which the Muslim may do with his own perfume or by putting on some of his wife’s perfume. Then when he sets out to go to the mosque, when he enters the mosque he should not push his way between two people. This is a reference to coming early, because if he sets out early, he will not have to step over people’s necks or push his way between those who arrived before him and are sitting down. It was also said that what is meant is that he should not push his way between two men and stand between them, because he may make them feel constrained, especially when it is very hot and there is a large number of people. “then he prays whatever is decreed that he should pray” of supererogatory prayer. “then he listens attentively when the imam speaks”  so he listens properly to the khutbah. Whoever does this will be forgiven for whatever sins he commits in the period between this Jumu‘ah prayer and its khutbah, until the same time the following week.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday.
It indicates that it is encouraged to put on perfume [when attending Jumu‘ah prayer].
It indicates that it is not allowed to step over people on Friday, except for one who can find no other way to reach the prayer place except by doing that.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer whatever supererogatory prayers one wishes before Jumu‘ah prayer.
It indicates that we are urged to listen attentively when the khatib begins to deliver the khutbah..

884
It was narrated that Tawus said: I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: They said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do ghusl on Friday and wash your heads, even if you are not junub, and put on perfume.” Ibn ‘Abbas said: As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of cleanliness and beauty, and it encourages both. In this hadith, Tawus ibn Kaysan – who was one of the Tabi‘in – narrates that he told ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that some people were narrating a hadith from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which was: “Do ghusl on Friday and wash your heads, even if you are not junub, and put on perfume.” Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know. It is known that the one who does ghusl will wash his head, so the words “and wash your heads” are a confirmation of the words “Do ghusl”, by way of mentioning something specific after mentioning something general, for emphasis and to point out that what is required is complete ghusl, lest anyone think that pouring water over the body without pouring it over the hair and making it reach the scalp is good enough for ghusl on Friday. The words “even if you are not junub” confirm that the command to do ghusl on Friday is not only for those who are junub. The words of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “As for ghusl, then yes; as for perfume, I do not know” mean: As for ghusl, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); as for perfume, I did not hear about it from him. The fact that Ibn ‘Abbas had not heard anything about putting on perfume on Friday does not mean that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say it. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated what he heard. But others heard it. In Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said concerning the etiquette of Jumu‘ah: “…and put on perfume if it is available.”
This hadith indicates that it is forbidden to issue a fatwa without knowledge. Here we see Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) – despite his high status and lofty position among the Sahabah – saying, I do not know. So no one should feel too embarrassed to say, when he does not know something, I do not know.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday.
It indicates that it is encouraged to put on perfume when attending Jumu‘ah prayer..

885
It was narrated from Tawus, from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), that he mentioned what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said with regard to doing ghusl on Friday. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: Can he put on perfume if his wife has some? He said: I do not know..

Commentary : Friday is the best of days; it is the weekly festival (eid) of the Muslims, on which they gather to do good and remember Allah (dhikr). Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined people to do ghusl on that day. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Tawus ibn Kaysan narrates that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said with regard to doing ghusl on Friday. The command in this instance is addressed to one who is not junub, for the purpose of cleaning and purifying himself, because the one who is junub is commanded to remove the janabah on Friday and otherwise. Tawus asked him: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoin putting on perfume, even if the perfume belongs to one’s wife? This is because perfume is one of the things that she uses to beautify herself for her husband, so it is most likely that perfume would be in the possession of women, rather than men. What is meant by perfume is anything that is applied to the body to give a good fragrance.
Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by saying that he had no knowledge of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had said with regard to putting on perfume on Friday, or whether this action was recommended or was enjoined like ghusl. The fact that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) had not heard anything about putting on perfume on Friday does not necessarily mean that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not say it.Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated what he heard. But others heard it. In Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said concerning the etiquette of Jumu‘ah: “…and put on perfume if it is available.” The command to put on perfume depends on one’s ability to do it, for not everyone owns perfume or keeps it at home.
This hadith highlights an important point of etiquette for the scholar and mufti, which is that they should say “I do not know” with regard to anything of which they have no knowledge.
It also indicates that we are urged to do ghusl on Friday..

887
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, or for the people, I would have instructed them to use the siwak at the time of every prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer means standing before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so it is essential to be in a state of purity and look good, and for the mouth and teeth to be clean.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) states that were it not that it would be too difficult for the worshippers among his ummah, he would have instructed them and made it obligatory for them to use the siwak before offering any prayer, whether it was obligatory or supererogatory, and whether the mouth had an odour or was clean. This is by way of encouraging people to do this noble act, which is purifying the mouth and cleaning the teeth when meeting Allah in prayer. The siwak is the root of the arak tree; this hadith may also refer to using any other kind of stick or similar thing to clean the teeth and take away any odour and the like. The Sunnah is to use the siwak when doing wudu’ for prayer too, as it says in a report narrated by al-Bukhari from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). The time to do that when doing wudu’ is after washing the hands and before rinsing the mouth.
This hadith indicates that worshippers are urged to use the siwak whenever possible.
It also highlights the keenness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make things easy for people..

888
It was narrated that Anas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have mentioned to you many times the importance of using the siwak.”.

Commentary : Using the siwak is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, I would have instructed them to use the siwak at the time of every prayer.” The siwak is cleansing for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) confirmed the command to use the siwak, as he said: “I have mentioned to you many times the importance of using the siwak”, to emphasize its importance and enjoin it. The siwak is obtained from the roots of the arak tree. The point of telling them this, even though they were already aware of it, is to highlight and emphasize the importance of using the siwak. Even though the siwak is Sunnah at all times, it is even more important in certain situations, including prayer, wudu’ and reading Qur’an. As Jumu‘ah is one of the prayers for which the Muslims are enjoined to adorn themselves and prepare themselves for it by doing ghusl and putting on perfume, and using the siwak is one of the means of cleansing and purifying oneself, it is even more important on Friday..

890
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came in, holding a siwak with which he was cleaning his teeth. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at it, and I said to him: Give me this siwak, O ‘Abd al-Rahman. So he gave it to me, and I cut off the part where he had been using it, then I chewed it and gave it to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he cleaned his teeth with it while he was leaning against my chest..

Commentary : When his illness grew worse,  the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)asked his wives’ permission to let him stay in the house of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), because she was so dear to him and he loved her very much.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that her brother ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr came in to visit the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his final sickness. ‘Abd al-Rahman was carrying a siwak with which he was cleaning his teeth. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at the siwak; he was unable to speak, but the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) understood that he wanted to use the siwak. So she took it from ‘Abd al-Rahman  and cut off the part where he had been using it, then she chewed it to soften it for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then she gave it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he rubbed his teeth with it while he was leaning against her chest.
This hadith highlights the virtue of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and her status with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It highlights the Prophet’s kind treatment of his wives.
It demonstrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) adhered to the Sunnah of using the siwak even when he was very ill.
It confirms the virtue of using the siwak..

891
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in Fajr prayer on Friday “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah] and “Hal ata ‘ala al-insanihinun min al-dahr”  [Surat al-Insan]. .

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite certain surahs in some of the prayers, in most cases. He did this for various reasons, one of which may have been that the verses were appropriate to the time when they were recited.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in Fajr prayer on Fridays, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite Surat al-Sajdah in the first rak‘ah and Surat al-Insan in the second rak‘ah. This is what he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) usually did most of the time. That was because of what these two surahs contain of mention of what has happened and what will happen, from creation until re-creation (resurrection), such as the creation of Adam (peace be upon him), the gathering of all creatures, their resurrection from the graves to either Paradise or Hell, the stages of the Day of Resurrection, and the fact that it will happen on a Friday. Reciting these two surahs in Fajr prayer on Friday is following the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It was said that this is on condition that one recite other surahs sometimes, lest anyone think that it is not permissible to recite any other surahs [in Fajr prayer on Fridays]..

892
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that he said: The first Jumu‘ah prayer that was established after Jumu‘ah prayer in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in the mosque of [the tribe of] ‘Abd al-Qays in Juwatha in al-Bahrayn..

Commentary : Jumu‘ah prayer is very important in Islamic teachings and in Muslim society, and it can only be done in congregation.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the first Jumu‘ah prayer to be offered, fulfilling all the conditions of the khutbah and gathering, after the Jumu‘ah that the Sahabah prayed for the first time in the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, was the Jumu‘ah that was established in the mosque of ‘Abd al-‘Qays. They were a tribe in Juwatha, which was in al-Bahrayn. Juwatha was a village or the name of a fortress, and in ancient times, the name al-Bahrayn was given to the area which now includes Bahrain, al-Ahsa’ and al-Qatif in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Mosque of ‘Abd al-Qays is located in what is now known as the province of al-Ahsa’.
This hadith indicates that there is no stipulation that Jumu‘ah should only be established in large cities; rather it is permissible in villages too..

896
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “We are the last but we will be the first on the Day of Resurrection. They were given the Book before us, and it was given to us after them. This is the day concerning which they differed, but Allah guided us to it. Tomorrow is for the Jews, and the day after tomorrow is for the Christians.” Then he fell silent, then he said: “It is obligatory for every Muslim to do ghusl one day out of every seven days, in which he washes his head and his body.”.

Commentary : Our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the best of the prophets, and his ummah is the best of nations. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights some of the ways in which his ummah surpasses the previous nations, and he lists some of their characteristics which distinguish them from those nations. He states that he and his ummah are the lastin chronological terms, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the last of the prophets and messengers, and there will be no prophet after him, but on the Day of Resurrection they will be ahead of the previous nations, the People of the Book, in virtue and status, as they will come after the Muslim ummah with regard to the reckoning, judgement and admission to Paradise.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred to the People of the Book, the Jews and Christians, stating that they were given the Book – meaning the Torah and Gospel – before us, and we were given the Holy Qur’an, which is the greatest of the Books that Allah (may He be exalted) sent down to His slaves, after them.
Then he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) referred to Friday, which is the day concerning which the People of the Book before us differed, after they had been told that it was their day and were commanded to venerate it. But they abandoned it and resorted to choosing a day based on their own reasoning.So the Jews venerated Saturday, because it was the day on which Allah finished creation, as they thought that this was the virtue that made this day special and deserving of veneration. The Christians venerated Sunday, because creation began on that day. But Allah guided us to Friday, by means of revelation which tells us that this day should be venerated, or on the basis of scholarly views that are in harmony with the intended meaning of the text. Therefore Saturday is for the Jews and Sunday is for the Christians.
It was said that because the Jews chose Saturday and the Christians chose Sunday, and Allah guided us to Friday – which comes before those two days – this shows that we went ahead of them in this world and we will go ahead of them in the hereafter.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that it is a duty for every Muslim – what is meant is those who are accountable – to do ghusl one day in every seven, which is Friday, in which he should wash his head and his body.
What is meant by doing ghusl is pouring water over the body and head for the purpose of purification and cleanliness. Thus the individual is required, at the very least, to wash himself with water every seven days. The head is singled out for mention, even though it is part of the body, to indicate that special attention should be paid to it..

900
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Umar said: One of ‘Umar’s wives used to attend Fajr and ‘Isha’ prayers in congregation in the mosque. It was said to her: Why do you go out when you know that ‘Umar dislikes that, because he is a man of protective jealousy? She said: What is preventing him from telling me not to do this? He said: What is preventing him is the word of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah.”.

Commentary : There are rulings which apply specifically to women when attending prayers in the mosques, how they should go out, and what they should look like, in terms of modesty, adornment, covering, and avoiding dubious situations, and barring any means that could lead to them being a source of fitnah (temptation).
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one of the wives of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – namely ‘Atikah bint Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl – used to attend Fajr and ‘Isha’ prayers in congregation in the mosque. She was told that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the women going out at this time, the reason being that he felt protective jealousy (ghirah) concerning them. She asked why he let her do that and did not forbid her to do it, and she was told that what was preventing him from forbidding her to do this was the word of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “Do not prevent the female slaves of Allah from going to the mosques of Allah,” and allow them to go to the mosque to pray, seek knowledge and the like. Describing them as “the female slaves of Allah” is more eloquent than simply calling them women.
There are some reports which say that this permission was only granted for prayer at night, such as ‘Isha’ and Fajr – as is mentioned in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Ibn ‘Umar, according to which the Prophet of Allah said: “If your womenfolk ask you for permission to go out at night, give them permission” – because it is dark, so they will be concealed and there will be no fear of fitnah (temptation) for her or because of her. This is what the wife of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her) used to do. Abu Dawud and Ahmad also narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Let them go out unadorned,” meaning that they should not be wearing perfume or any kind of adornment, so that they will not be a cause of fitnah (temptation) to men.
This hadith indicates that women are permitted to pray in the mosque, if there is no fear of fitnah (temptation)..

901
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith said: Ibn ‘Abbas said to his mu’adhdhin on a rainy day: When you have said,AshhaduannaMuhammadanRasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say Hayya ‘ala al-salah (Come to prayer); rather say Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses). It was as if the people objected to that, but he said: One who is better than me did that. Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, but I did not want to make you come out and walk in mud and slippery conditions..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Muslim cannot afford to miss it, whether he is at home or travelling, whether during peacetime or wartime. But the teachings of Islam take people’s situation into consideration when they have no choice and when conditions are hard, and whether it is a time of fear or a time of safety.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Muhammad ibn Sirin narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to his mu’adhdhin on a very rainy day: When you reach in youradhan the words AshhaduannaMuhammadanRasulullah(I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say Hayya ‘ala al-salah (Come to prayer); say instead of that: Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses), so that the people will hear this concession and not come out. This was in relation to Jumu‘ah prayer, as is mentioned at the end of the report. It was as if the people objected to what he said about there being a concession allowing them not to attend Jumu‘ah because of the rain. So Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: One who is better than me did that, meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then Ibn ‘Abbas explained the reason for this, as he said: Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, meaning that it is obligatory for every accountable man who hears the call and is not travelling, but I did not like to cause you hardship and difficulty, and there is a concession that makes the matter flexible for you. It was said that what was meant by the phrase translated above as “causing hardship” is: I did not want to be the cause of you incurring sin when you feel reluctant to come, and perhaps some of you may feel angry or say words that are not appropriate because of walking in the mud, which could lead to you slipping and falling. Rain is one of the excuses for which a concession is granted with regard to an obligatory duty, and it is one of the valid excuses for which prayer in congregation may be waived.
It was said that the phrase “Sallu fi buyutikum (Pray in your houses)” gives people the choice, and does not mean that they must pray at home; it is up to the worshipper and he has the choice: if he wishes, he may stay at home, and if he wishes, he may go out to the mosque.
This hadith highlights one aspect of how things may be made easier for people in such situations.
It also indicates that rain is one of the reasons for which Jumu‘ah prayer and prayers in congregation may be waived. .

902
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: The people used to come on Friday from their homes and from al-‘Awali; they would come in the dust, with dust and sweat having accumulated on them, and with the smell of sweat emanating from them. One of them came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in my house, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I wish you would purify yourselves for this day of yours.”.

Commentary : Friday is an important day, and it is the best day of the week, on which the Muslims gather for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the people to purify themselves, clean themselves and make themselves look good on this day, especially those who wanted to attend  Jumu‘ah prayer.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the people used to come to attend Jumu‘ah prayer from their houses and from al-‘Awali, which refers to some areas near Madinah, to pray with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his mosque. “they would come in the dust [fi’l-ghubar]” – in a report narrated by Muslim, it says: “they would come in ‘abayas [fi’l-‘aba’]”. The dust of the road would get onto them, and they would sweat; such things cause a person’s clothes to become dirty, and result in an unpleasant smell, which is not appropriate for the Muslim himself, let alone when he is attending prayers in congregation and Jumu‘ah prayer in the mosque.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What appears to be the case is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) noticed a smell when this man came near him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw what state the man was in, he said: “I wish you would purify yourselves for this day of yours!” According to a report narrated in al-Sahihayn he said:, “I wish that you would do ghusl” – meaning: for when you come to pray on Friday. This was so as not to cause annoyance to people with the smell of sweat. What is meant by purifying oneself is to wash oneself, making the water reach all of the body and head, seeking to purify and clean oneself.
This hadith indicates that we are urged to be clean and to avoid unpleasant smells on the body, especially on Friday..

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..