It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “What is the matter with people who lift their gaze to heaven whilst praying?” And he spoke so sternly about that that he said: “They should certainly stop that, lest their eyesight be snatched away.”.

Commentary : The best is for the worshipper to look at his place of prostration; this is more appropriate so that he can focus on his prayer, and makes it less likely that he will be distracted by other things. It will stop his gaze wandering, and help him to focus and maintain humility in prayer.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against looking up to heaven whilst praying, using very stern words, but at the same time being tactful. Therefore he said, “What is the matter with people who lift their gaze to heaven whilst praying?” The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) often said, “What is the matter with people who do such and such?” not mentioning them by name, so as to respect their privacy and spare them embarrassment and shame. Rather he spoke about what he wanted to convey without mentioning them by name, so that they would understand what he meant and comply with it. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against lifting one’s gaze to heaven whilst praying by saying: “They should certainly stop that, lest their eyesight be snatched away.” In other words, either they should stop doing that, or else Allah will snatch away their eyesight, and it will not be returned to them, which refers to them becoming blind. This phrase points to an emphatic prohibition and a stern warning against doing that.
The reason for the prohibition on lifting the gaze to heaven whilst praying is that it is a kind of turning away from the qiblah which Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has chosen for the one who prays, and it makes him look as if he is not praying.
This hadith highlights the stern warning that is addressed to the one who lifts his gaze to heaven that his eyesight may be snatched away.
It indicates that it is permissible to use harsh words of rebuke to deter one who is committing sin.
It indicates that the one who is committing sin may be rebuked and exhorted without mentioning him by name in front of other people. .

751

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: I asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about turning the head whilst praying. He said: “That is something that the Shaytan steals from a person’s prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and is an act of worship that is both physical and spiritual. The Muslim should perform it with total humility and focus, and not let the Shaytan have any share of it, so that his prayer will not be rendered invalid and so that nothing will be detracted from the reward for it.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about turning the head whilst praying. Turning the head means moving the face and turning it right or left whilst praying. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) answered by saying that this is something that the Shaytan steals from a person’s prayer. The word translated here as stealing refers to taking or snatching something quickly. What is meant is that turning of the head is something that the Shaytan steals and snatches from the Muslim’s prayer in order to distract him from focusing and showing humility in the prayer. Thus something will be detracted his reward, and that may lead to what is worse than that, namely the prayer being rendered invalid altogether. This indicates that it is prohibited to turn the head whilst praying. .

755

It was narrated that Jabir ibn Samurah said: The people of Kufah complained about Sa‘d to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), so he dismissed him and appointed ‘Ammar as their governor instead. Then they complained to the extent that they said that he [Sa‘d] did not pray properly. So ‘Umar sent for him and said: O Abu Ishaq, these people are saying that you do not pray properly. Abu Ishaq said: By Allah, I used to lead them in prayer and my prayer was exactly as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to lead the prayer, and I did not fall short in this in the slightest. When I led them in ‘Isha’ prayer, I made the first two rak‘ahs long and I made the last two rak‘ahs short. ‘Umar said: This is what we think of you, O Abu Ishaq. Then he sent a man, or some men, with him to Kufah, to ask the people of Kufah about him, and he did not omit any mosque but he asked the people there about him, and they spoke well of him, until he went to a mosque belonging to Banu ‘Abs. There a man whose name was Usamah ibn Qatadah, and he was known by the kunyah Abu Sa‘dah, stood up and said: As you are adjuring us by Allah, I am bound to tell you that Sa‘d did not lead us in campaigns, he did not share out the booty equally, and he was not just when passing judgement. Sa‘d said: By Allah, I shall certainly pray for three things: O Allah, if this slave of Yours is lying, and the reason he said that is to show off and seek a reputation, then cause him to live a long life, make him live in poverty for a long time, and put him to trial and temptation. Later on, when the man who said that was asked what had happened, he would say: I am a very old man who has been subjected to trial and temptation. I have been affected by the supplication of Sa‘d. ‘Abd al-Malik said: I saw him later on; his eyebrows had fallen over his eyes because of old age, and when he saw young women in the street, he would try to say sweet words to them. .

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed the believer to pay attention to all his duties and obligations. So he should pay attention to the obligatory worship that is required of him, and do it as Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has enjoined. He should pay due attention to the job or task that has been assigned to him, and do it as he has been instructed to do it and as it should be done. He should pay due attention to giving other people their rights, and take his own rights in full, without anything being detracted from them. So he should not wrong others and he should not be wronged himself.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people of Kufah complained to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was the governor of Kufah. So ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) dismissed him in order to calm the people down and avoid turmoil, even though he trusted him, and he replaced him with ‘Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) as their governor. ‘Umar appointed Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas as commander-in-chief to fight the Persians in 14 AH, and Allah granted the conquest of Iraq at his hands. He founded the city of Kufah in 17 AH, and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed him as governor of the city until he dismissed him in 21 AH, or 20 AH.
Some of the people of Kufah complained about Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), making several allegations against him. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) investigated the matter, and found that the allegations were all false. They even said that he did not pray properly, but this was due to their lack of understanding and their ignorance about how the prayer is to be done, not because Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) did not pray properly. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for Sa‘d and asked him about their complaints, addressing him by his kunyah: O Abu Ishaq – which was Sa‘d’s kunyah – these people are saying that you do not pray properly. Sa‘d said: By Allah, I used to lead them in prayer and my prayer was exactly as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to lead the prayer, and I did not fall short in this in the slightest. When I led them in ‘Isha’ prayer, I made the first two rak‘ahs long – that was because after al-Fatihah he would recite whatever he could of Qur’an – and I made the last two rak‘ahs short – because he would not recite anything after al-Fatihah. It is as if what they criticized in his prayer was his making the recitation lengthy in the first part of the prayer and making it shorter in the second part of the prayer, but those who criticized him for that were ignorant. Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) singled out ‘Isha’ prayer for mention, because he thought that their complaint was about this prayer. It was also suggested that what he meant when he referred to ‘Isha’ prayer was both Maghrib and ‘Isha’. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: You have followed the Sunnah in your actions, and you have prayed as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. This is what we thought you would do.
At the beginning of the hadith, it says that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) to question him, then he addressed him as one present: “That is what we think of you, O Abu Ishaq.” This indicates that Sa‘d was not there, then he came. ‘Umar sent one man, or some men, to Iraq with him, who were led by Muhammad ibn Maslamah (may Allah be pleased with him). This delegation asked the people of Kufah about Sa‘d. They did not leave any of the mosques of Kufah but they questioned its people about him, and they all spoke well of him and praised him, until he went to a mosque belonging to Banu ‘Abs, who were a tribe of Qays. A man whose name was Usamah ibn Qatadah stood up and said: As you have adjured us and asked us by Allah (may He be exalted) to tell you about Sa‘d, we will tell you that Sa‘d did not go out on campaign in Allah’s cause, he did not share out the booty fairly, and he was not just when judging between people. He said what he said wrongfully and unfairly towards Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him), falsely attributing to him things of which he was innocent. The reason why he stood up and said that was that he was showing off and seeking a reputation. So Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed against him, saying: By Allah, I shall certainly pray for three things: O Allah, if this slave of Yours is lying, and the reason he said that is to show off and seek a reputation, then cause him to live a long life, make him live in poverty for a long time, and put him to trial and temptation. So he prayed against him, asking for three things, the first of which was that he would live a long life. What was meant was that he should live so long that he would reach the worst age, when a man’s bones grow weak and he loses his strength. Thus this was a supplication against the man, not for him. In addition to long life, the second supplication was that Allah would make him very poor for a long time, which is the worst and hardest kind of life in this world. And he added a third thing, which was worse than the first two, which was that Allah should subject him to trial and temptation, so he was subjected to the temptation of women. Thus when this man, whom Sa‘d had prayed against, was asked about the bad situation in which he found himself, he would say: I am a very old man who has been tried and tempted. I have been affected by the supplication of Sa‘d which was answered. His words “a very old man” refer to the fulfilment of the first supplication, “then cause him to live a long life”; his words “who has been tried and tempted” refer to the third supplication. He did not mention the second supplication, “make him live in poverty for a long time”, because it is included in his words, “I have been affected by the supplication of Sa‘d.”
‘Abd al-Malik – one of the narrators of the hadith; he was the son of ‘Umayr ibn Suwayd al-Kufi – said: I saw him after his eyebrows grew long and fell over his eyes because of old age. He would try to chat to young women in the streets, and say sweet words to them in front of people. This proves that the supplication of Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) was answered, and that his supplication against this man came under the heading of praying against a specific wrongdoer in a manner commensurate with his lack of religious commitment, not praying that he fall into sin. Rather it is praying against him in such a way that leads to an increase in the punishment of the wrongdoer.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and indicates that he was a person whose supplication would be answered.
It indicates that it is permissible to make the first rak‘ah lengthy and to make the second rak‘ah shorter.
It highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Thus they used to pray as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
It indicates that warding off mischief takes precedence over attaining good aims. Therefore ‘Umar dismissed Sa‘d even though he was more qualified than those who came after him, in order to put an end to turmoil and ward off mischief.
It indicates that one may address a man of high standing by his kunyah..

756

It was narrated from ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There is no prayer for the one who does not recite the Opening of the Book.”.

Commentary : Prayer has essential parts and obligatory parts without which it is neither valid nor complete. In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) confirms one of the essential parts of the prayer, which is reciting Surat al-Fatihah. He tells us that the prayer of one who does not recite the Opening of the Book (i.e., al-Fatihah) in every rak‘ah is not valid. Therefore reciting al-Fatihah is one of the essential parts of the prayer in every rak‘ah, and the prayer is not valid without it. The imam and the one who is praying on his own must recite it, and the one who is praying behind an imam should listen attentively when the imam recites it in prayers in which recitation is done out loud, because of the hadith narrated by Imam Muslim from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him), in which it says: “… then when he – meaning the imam – recites, listen attentively.”
This hadith indicates that it is enjoined to recite al-Fatihah in the prayer..

757

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the mosque, and a man came in and prayed, then he greeted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with salaam. He returned his greeting, and said: “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” So the man went back and prayed as he had prayed the first time, then he came and greeted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with salaam. He said: “Go back and pray, for you have not prayed.” This happened three times, then the man said: By the One Who sent you with the truth, I cannot do any better than that; teach me. So he said: “When you stand to pray, say takbir, then recite whatever you have learned of Qur’an. Then bow, then pause and be at ease in bowing, then rise until you are standing up straight. Then prostrate, then pause and be at ease in prostration. Then sit up, and pause and be at ease whilst sitting. And do that throughout your prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has explained how to pray in word and deed. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would point out mistakes to the one who did not pray properly, and he would teach him the correct way to offer the prayer.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the mosque, and another man – whose name was Khallad ibn Rafi‘ – came in and prayed, rushing through his prayer. He did not pause and let himself be at ease in his standing, bowing or prostrating. When he had finished praying, he greeted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with salaam, and he returned his greeting, then he instructed him to repeat this prayer, because it had been rendered invalid by his failing to pause and let himself be at ease in the movements of the prayer. So the man prayed again, but without pausing, because he rushed through his prayer and did not allow enough time to pause and be at ease, or to be able to recite properly the words of Qur’an and dhikr connected to each part of the prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to repeat it three times, and it may be that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to repeat the prayer more than once in the hope that he would pay more attention, because of the possibility that he had done that out of forgetfulness or heedlessness, but by repeating it he might pay heed and do it in the right manner without the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) needing to teach him. Or it may be that he made him repeat it by way of showing how serious the matter was, which would be more effective in teaching him. But Khallad said to him, swearing by Allah: By the One Who sent you with the truth, I do not know how to pray any better than what you have seen, so teach me how to make my prayer correct. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: When you stand up to pray, say the opening takbir, then recite what you have learned of Qur’an, namely Surat al-Fatihah. According to a report narrated by Ahmad from Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi he said: “… then recite the Essence of the Book [i.e., al-Fatihah], then recite whatever you wish…” Thus he instructed him to recite, along with al-Fatihah, whatever he was able to of Qur’an.
He said: “Then bow, then pause and be at ease in bowing.” According to the report of Ahmad mentioned above, “when you bow, place your palms on your knees, extend your back and bow properly…” Then raise your head from bowing until you are standing up straight, then prostrate, by placing the forehead, nose, hands, knees and toes firmly on the ground, then pause and be at ease in prostration. Then raise your head from prostration and sit, and pause and be at ease in sitting. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And do that throughout your prayer.” So make sure that you always move at a moderate pace, stand up properly, pause and be at ease when bowing and prostrating, and do not rush in your prayer.
This hadith instructs the Muslim to pause and be at ease in the movements of prayer.
It outlines how to teach people in a gentle manner, without being harsh and rough.
It highlights the good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his kind treatment of his companions..

759

It was narrated that Abu Qatadah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr prayer the Opening of the Book [al-Fatihah] and two surahs, making the recitation in the first rak‘ah longer and in the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would make the people hear a verse sometimes. In ‘Asr he used to recite the Opening of the Book [al-Fatihah] and two surahs, making the recitation in the first rak‘ah longer . And he used to make the recitation in the first rak‘ah of Fajr prayer longer, and in the second rak‘ah shorter..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has explained how to pray in word and deed. The Sahabah were keen to follow his teachings in prayer, and transmitted that to those who came after them.
In this hadith, there is a description of one of the characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer, namely his recitation in different prayers. Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in each of the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr prayer the Opening of the Book [al-Fatihah] and another surah with it, and he used to make the recitation in the first rak‘ah longer, and make it shorter in the second. Sometimes those who were behind him could hear his recitation, so they would know what he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was reciting, even though it is a prayer in which recitation is done quietly, because he would make them hear a verse sometimes. Thus they knew what he was reciting. Sometimes they (may Allah be pleased with them) could recognize that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was reciting from the movement of his beard, as is mentioned in a report narrated by al-Bukhari from Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would do the same in ‘Asr and Fajr; in the first two rak‘ahs he would recite the Opening of the Book [al-Fatihah] and another surah with it, and he would make the recitation in the first rak‘ah longer, and shorter in the second, because one’s energy is greater in the first rak‘ah, so it is appropriate to make the second rak‘ah shorter, so as to avoid making people feel tired.
With regard to the amount that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited in each prayer, in Fajr and Zuhr prayer he would recite the long surahs of al-Mufassal, and his recitation would be longer in Fajr than in Zuhr. In ‘Isha’ and ‘Asr he would recite the medium-length surahs of al-Mufassal, and in Maghrib he would recite the short surahs. Al-Mufassal is a group of surahs in the Qur’an ending with Surat al-Nas; there is a difference of opinion as to where it begins. It was said that it begins from Surat al-Hujurat, until the end of the Qur’an; or that it begins from al-Jathiyah, or from Muhammad, or from Qaf, or from al-Fath, or from al-Saffat, or from al-Saff, and there are other views. It is called Mufassal because there are many breaks (fasl) between the surahs, each of which is marked by the Basmalah. And it was said that this is because its surahs have fewer verses, or fewer abrogated verses, and there are other views.
This hadith proves that the first rak‘ah of every prayer should be longer than the second..

761

It was narrated that Abu Ma‘mar said: I said to Khabbab ibn al-Aratt: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recite Qur’an in Zuhr and ‘Asr? He said: Yes. I said: How did you know that he was reciting? He said: By the movement of his beard..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has explained how to pray in word and deed. The Sahabah were keen to follow his teachings in prayer, and transmitted that to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Khabbab ibn al-Aratt (may Allah be pleased with him) is asked whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited al-Fatihah and another surah in Zuhr and ‘Asr as he did in Maghrib, ‘Isha’ and Fajr, or did he not to recite in those two prayers? Perhaps the reason for this question was that they thought that there was no recitation because the recitation is not done out loud. Khabbab (may Allah be pleased with him) answered: Yes, he used to recite in Zuhr and ‘Asr. They asked him: How did you know that he was reciting, even though the recitation is done quietly? He replied: By the movement of his beard. In other words, we could tell that he was reciting from the movement of his beard whilst he was standing in prayer.
With regard to the amount that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite, in Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the recitation longer in the first rak‘ah and shorter in the second. According to a report narrated by Muslim from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in each of the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr prayer around thirty verses, and in the last two around fifteen verses, or he said: half of that. In ‘Asr, in each of the first two rak‘ahs he would recite around fifteen verses, and in the last two [he would recite] half of that.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to lift one’s gaze and look at the imam, and for the one who is praying behind an imam to look at his imam whilst praying, and pay attention to the imam’s movements when he moves down and up again.
It also indicates that recitation is to be done quietly in Zuhr and ‘Asr..

763

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Umm al-Fadl heard him when he was reciting {By those [winds] sent forth in gusts} [al-Mursalat 77:1]. She said: O my son, by Allah you have reminded me with your recitation of this surah that it was the last thing that I heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he recited it in Maghrib. .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the recitation longer in some prayers and shorter in others, taking into consideration people’s situations and the time of day. This was narrated in the hadiths which explain what he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did in each prayer.
This hadith describes what he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did when he recited in Maghrib prayer. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) recited Surat al-Mursalat, and his mother Umm al-Fadl – whose name was Lubabah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) – heard him and said to him: O my son, you reminded me, with your recitation of Surat al-Mursalat, that it was the last surah I heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when he recited it in Maghrib prayer. At-Tirmidhi narrated, with his isnaad from Umm al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with her), that she said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to us, with a band of cloth tied around his head because of sickness, and prayed Maghrib, and he recited al-Mursalat. And he never prayed it again after that until he met Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
The Sunnah in Maghrib prayer is to make the recitation short. There are many reports about that which indicate that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not make the recitation lengthy in Maghrib; he only made it lengthy sometimes, as Umm al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with her) mentions in this hadith.
It was also narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited Surat al-A‘raf in Maghrib, as it says in a hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him); he also recited Surat al-Tur [in Maghrib], as it says in a hadith also narrated by al-Bukhari, from Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him). All of this indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would sometimes vary the length of his standing [in prayer] according to circumstances.
The hadith under discussion here indicates that his standing and reciting for a long time is something that happened sometimes.
This hadith describes what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did sometimes with regard to recitation in Maghrib prayer. .

764

It was narrated that Marwan ibn al-Hakam said: Zayd ibn Thabit said to me: Why do you recite short surahs in Maghrib when I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reciting the longer of the two long surahs?.

Commentary : May Allah be pleased with the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for they were very keen to find out about the sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and to enjoin others to adhere to it and forbid them to go against it.
This hadith tells us that the Sahabi Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Marwan ibn al-Hakam one day, rebuking him: Why do you recite short surahs in Maghrib – referring to the short surahs of al-Mufassal, from the beginning of Surat al-Bayyinah to the end of the Qur’an – when I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reciting the longer of the two long surahs? What is meant by the two long surahs is al-A‘raf and al-An‘am; the longer of the two is al-A‘raf, so it is as if what he meant here was Surat al-A‘raf.
It was narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited Surat al-Mursalat in Maghrib, as it says in the hadith narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Umm al-Fadl Lubabah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her); he also recited Surat al-Tur [in Maghrib], as it says in a hadith also narrated by al-Bukhari, from Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him). All of this indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would sometimes vary the length of his standing [in prayer] according to circumstances. The hadith under discussion here indicates that this happened sometimes, although in most cases his practice was not to make the recitation in Maghrib lengthy.
This hadith highlights the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to recitation in Maghrib prayer..

765

It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Mut‘im said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reciting al-Tur in Maghrib..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) were the keenest of people to follow in the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all of his affairs, and especially in prayer. In this hadith, we see one aspect of the practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Maghrib prayer, as Jubayr ibn Mut‘im (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that he heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reciting Surat al-Tur after al-Fatihah in Maghrib prayer. It may be that he recited the entire surah, or that he recited part of it. It is proven from him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he recited Surat al-Mursalat in Maghrib prayer, as was narrated in al-Sahihayn from Umm al-Fadl bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her). He also recited Surat al-A‘raf [in Maghrib prayer], as is mentioned in a hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). He also recited {Qul yaa ayyuha’l-kafirun (Say, O disbelievers…)} [al-Kafirun] and { Qul Huwa Allahu ahad (Say,He is Allah , [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas], as was narrated by Ibn Majah from Ibn ‘Umar; and he recited {Wa’t-tini wa’z-zaytun (By the fig and the olive)} [al-Tin], as is mentioned in the hadith narrated by Ahmad from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him). All of this indicates that the length of time for which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him stood [in Maghrib prayer] varied from time to time..

766

It was narrated that Abu Rafi‘ said: I prayed al-‘atamah [i.e., ‘Isha’] with Abu Hurayrah, and he recited {Idha as-sama’ unshaqqat (When the sky has split [open])} [al-Inshiqaq], and prostrated [during his recitation]. I asked him about that, and he said: I prostrated behind Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and I will continue to prostrate when reciting [this surah] until I meet him again..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to emulate the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and follow in his footsteps, and to adhere to this until they died.
In this hadith, Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he prayed al-‘atamah, which is ‘Isha’, with Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). They sometimes called ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah (lit. darkness) because it is prayed at night, when it has become dark.
It is narrated that it is not allowed to call ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, as in the hadith narrated by Muslim from ‘Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “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].” Perhaps Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) did not see anything in the words of the hadith to indicate that it was haram, because the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called it ‘atamah in another hadith, as we see in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Sahihayn. And it was said concerning this that it was because they called Maghrib prayer ‘Isha’, and ‘Isha’ prayer al-‘atamah, according to the time, and that required the explanation to be discussed using their own terminology sometimes. And it was 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.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) recited, {Idha as-sama’ unshaqqat (When the sky has split [open] …)} [al-Inshiqaq], and prostrated at the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says, {And when the Qur'an is recited to them, they do not prostrate [to Allah]} [al-Inshiqaq 84:21]. Abu Rafi‘ asked him about that, and he replied that he had done this prostration behind Abu’l-Qasim – which is the kunyah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and he would continue to do it for the rest of his life, until he met him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) again.
This verse affirms that there is a prostration of recitation (sajdat al-tilawah) in Surat al-Inshiqaq.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is praying to do the prostration of recitation.
It highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to be steadfast in adhering to the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

767

It was narrated from al-Bara’ that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was on a journey, and in one of the rak‘ahs of ‘Isha’ prayer, he recited {Wa’t-tini wa’z-zaytun (By the fig and the olive)} [al-Tin]..

Commentary : Islamic teachings came to make things easy and not cause hardship to people with regard to acts of worship and other matters, especially when travelling, which usually involves more hardship and difficulty. Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was on a journey, and he led them in praying ‘Isha’ prayer in a shortened form, with two rak‘ahs, in one of which he recited the surah {Wa’t-tini wa’z-zaytun (By the fig and the olive)} [al-Tin] after reciting al-Fatihah; according to a report narrated by al-Nasa’i, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited it in the first rak‘ah.
Making the standing in prayer brief was the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when praying ‘Isha’, both when travelling and not travelling, out of compassion towards the people. He told Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) not to make the prayer lengthy, as was narrated in al-Sahihayn from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), when he led the people in prayer and recited Surat al-Baqarah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “O Mu‘adh, are you causing undue hardship to the people?” – he said it three times – “Recite {Wa’sh-shamsi wa duhaha (By the sun and its brightness)} [al-Shams] or {Sabbih isma Rabbik al-A‘la (Exalt the name of your Lord, the Most High)} [al-A‘la], and similar surahs. Al-Tirmidhi narrated from Buraydah ibn al-Husayb (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite in ‘Isha’ prayer {Wa’sh-shamsi wa duhaha (By the sun and its brightness)} [al-Shams] and similar surahs.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to transmit reports of the actions and words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and all his affairs, to his ummah for the purpose of spreading knowledge and encouraging people to act in accordance with his Sunnah..

772

It was narrated from ‘Ata’ that he heard Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) say: In every prayer there is recitation. Whatever the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made us hear, we make you hear, and whatever he hid from us, we hide from you. If you do not recite more than the Essence of the Qur’an [al-Fatihah], that is sufficient, but if you recite more, that is better..

Commentary : Conveying Islam and teaching it to people is obligatory for every Muslim, commensurate with his knowledge and ability to do that.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) gives the best example of that and does his duty of conveying Islam and teaching knowledge to the people, and not withholding or concealing knowledge. Here he is speaking about prayer, and he tells us that the worshipper must recite Qur’an in every prayer, but in some of the prayers he must recite out loud, when reciting al-Fatihah and whatever else he can of Qur’an. In other prayers, he must recite quietly, in a low voice. All of that is to be based on the actions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who recited out loud in Fajr prayer, and in the first two rak‘ahs of Maghrib and ‘Isha’, and he used to recite quietly in all other cases. In the supererogatory night prayers [qiyam al-layl] he sometimes recited quietly and sometimes recited out loud, as is mentioned in a hadith narrated by al-Tirmidhi from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) followed him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in that, and those who came after them followed them. Thus they recited out loud in the parts of the prayer in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited out loud, and they recited quietly in the parts in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited quietly.
Then Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that what is required in terms of recitation is to recite the Essence of the Qur’an, which is al-Fatihah. It is called the Essence of the Qur’an because it includes all the meanings of the Qur’an, and because it is the first surah of the Qur’an. So whoever recites al-Fatihah has done what is required of him, and his prayer is valid, but whoever adds to that recitation whatever he can of Qur’an, that is regarded as supererogatory and the one who does this will be rewarded for it.
This hadith highlights the importance of following the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and avoiding innovation, and being keen to emulate the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that it is obligatory to recite al-Fatihah in every prayer, whether the prayer is one in which recitation is to be done out loud or one in which it is to be done quietly..

773

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set out with a group of his companions, heading towards the market of ‘Ukaz, when the devils had been prevented from hearing news of heaven, and the burning flames had been sent against them. So the devils went back to their people, who said: What is the matter with you? They said: We have been prevented from hearing news of heaven, and burning flames have been sent against us. They said: You have only been prevented from hearing news of heaven because of something new that has happened, so travel throughout the earth, east and west, and find out what has happened to prevent you from hearing news of heaven. Those who headed towards Tihamah went to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in Nakhlah, on his way to the market of Ukaz, and he was leading his companions in praying Fajr. When they heard the Qur’an, they listened to it, then they said: This, by Allah, is what has prevented us from hearing the news of heaven. When they returned to their people, they said: O our people, {Indeed, we have heard an amazing Qur'an. It guides to the right course, and we have believed in it. And we will never associate with our Lord anyone} [al-Jinn 72:1-2]. Then Allah revealed to his Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): {Say, [O Muhammad], It has been revealed to me that a group of the jinn listened …} [al-Jinn 72:1]. Thus what the jinn had said was revealed to him..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent to the two races, humankind and the jinn, and with him Allah brought to an end the series of messages, so no one is to be believed with regard to matters of the unseen, or anything transmitted from Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), of which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not speak.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the devils used to eavesdrop on heaven before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sent. When Allah sent His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), He sent burning flames against the devils; the word shihab (translated here as burning flame) refers to a firebrand that is very bright, as if it is a meteor speeding through the sky. After that, the devils were no longer able to do what they had done before of sitting and eavesdropping on news from heaven. This is what Allah tells us about in the verses in which He says: {And we have sought [to reach] the heaven but found it filled with powerful guards and burning flames. And we used to sit therein in positions for hearing, but whoever listens now will find a burning flame lying in wait for him} [al-Jinn 72:8-9].
When the devils saw what had happened, and realized that they had been prevented from listening to news from heaven, they said: This must be because of something new that has happened. Their people among the jinn – and it may be that what is meant is their leaders and rulers – said to them: Go and look everywhere, and find out what has happened that has prevented you from listening to news from heaven as you used to do. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was with a group of his companions in the market of ‘Ukaz, which was in some part of Makkah; it was a market at which the Arabs would gather, and they would do trade with one another and recite their poetry, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would go out to them and call them to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). When the jinn set out towards Tihamah, which is a place in Makkah, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in Nakhlah, which is another place in Makkah, and he was leading his companions in Fajr prayer. When the jinn heard the Qur’an, they realized that this was the reason why they were being pelted with burning flames and being prevented from spying on the news of heaven. So they went back to their people and told them about what they had heard of the Qur’an, and Surat al-Jinn was revealed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), telling him about what had happened and what the jinn had said to one another.
This hadith confirms the existence of the jinn, and that they have no knowledge of the unseen or of anything of the news of heaven except what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has told of.
It indicates that recitation is to be done out loud in Fajr prayer.
It indicates that the one who wishes to call people to Allah should go to people in the places where they gather in order to call them and teach them about their religion..

774

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited out loud where he was commanded to recite out loud, and recited quietly where he was commanded to recite quietly. {And never is your Lord forgetful} [Maryam 19:64]. {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern} [al-Ahzaab 33:21].

Commentary : The way to learn about the teachings of Islam is from the Holy Qur’an and the soundly-narrated Prophetic Sunnah. In the Qur’an, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) explained what He wanted to explain, and left other issues to be explained by his Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his Sunnah. The prayer is one of matters that are explained in detail in the Prophet’s Sunnah. This principle is what ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) understood and confirmed in this hadith. He stated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited out loud in prayer where Allah (may He be exalted) had commanded him to recite out loud, and he recited quietly where Allah (may He be exalted) had commanded him to recite quietly. This was not because Allah (may He be exalted) had forgotten about that and not mentioned it in the Qur’an – exalted be He far above such a thing. Rather it was because He (may He be exalted) willed that the details of the prayer should be explained by His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), whom we are enjoined to follow with regard to what he recited out loud and what he recited quietly, because he is the best pattern or example, whom Allah has commanded us to follow and not differ from his Sunnah. There are many reports which state that recitation should be done out loud in Fajr prayer and the first two rak‘ahs of Maghrib and ‘Isha’, and it should be done silently in Zuhr and ‘Asr, the last rak‘ah of Maghrib and the third and fourth rak‘ahs of ‘Isha’. Ibn ‘Abbas described how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited quietly, and it cannot be said that he did not recite at all, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was still leading the prayer, so he must have been reciting, whether he did so quietly or out loud. .

1050

Abu al-Aswad reported: Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari sent for the reciters of the people of Basra. Three hundred men who had recited the Qur'an came to him. He said: "You are the best among the people of Basra and their reciters. So, recite it. And let not hope of a long life delude you, and thus your hearts would harden as the hearts of those before you had hardened. We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to Barā‘ah in terms of length and toughness, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley, and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust". We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This will be written as a testimony on your necks, and you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to direct his Companions and advise them to refrain from keenness on worldly life and hope for an extended stay in it. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did the same with the Tābi'is.
In this tradition, Abu al-Aswad ad-Dīli informs that Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for the reciters among the people of Basra to come to him and gather there. Basra is a city located in the south of Iraq. "Three hundred men, who had recited the Qur'an" and memorized it "came to him." He advised and directed them, saying: You are the best among the people of Basra and you are the people of the Qur’an among them. Then, he instructed them to read the Qur’an and recite it in the most proper manner, which entails understanding its meanings, reflecting upon its verses, and acting upon its rulings. And he said to them: "And let not hope of a long life delude you and thus your hearts would harden," i.e., do not have high hopes for worldly life and do not wish to stay therein for long, as this corrupts the hearts by dragging them to greed and hardness, and thus they will not soften to Dhikr or derive benefit from admonition or rebuke. As a result, you will have such hardness and aversion within your hearts that had befallen the nations before you due to their hopes for an extended stay in the life of this world. This includes a reference to the verse that reads: {Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and the truth that has been revealed? They should not be like those who were given the Scriptures before, whose hearts grew hard after the passage after a long period of time, and many of them were evildoers.} [Surat al-Hadīd: 16]
Then, he informed that they used to recite a long Surah of the Qur’an, whose recitation was abrogated, and they would liken it to Surat Barā’ah, which is Surat at-Tawbah, in terms of length and toughness. He further said that he was made to forget it. Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) made an exception and informed that he memorized from the meanings of this Surah such words that contain dispraise of attention on worldly life and the love and desire for having a lot of it. He said: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley." A valley is any gap between mountains or hills. "and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust", i.e., he continues to be keen on worldly life till he dies, and his inside gets filled with the dust of his grave. The inside may also be intended to refer to the heart, and the meaning is that he does not get bored of the love for wealth. This is because man is naturally inclined to love wealth and has an unquenchable greed for it, and he has no limit to stop except a matter like his own, namely dust.
Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that they used to recite a Surah which they would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, which are the Surahs that begin with "subhān, sabbaha, yusabbihu, sabbih ism rabbika" (glory be to, glorified, glorifies, glorify the name of your Lord), and that he was made to forget it; and he memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This is a question that signifies disapproval and rebuke for those who attribute to themselves good things that they do not do, either in relation to the past, in which case they would be liars, or concerning the future, and this would be a contradiction; both are dispraised. "This will be written as a testimony on your necks and you will be asked about this on the Day of Judgment" i.e., these false statements will be recorded against you, for what you said and did not do is a testimony from you, and you are liable for it, and you will be held accountable, and it will entail an evil recompense on the Day of Judgment.
This abrogation, which Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) told about in this Hadīth, is one of the abrogation types: the abrogation of words and recitation. Abrogation is of three types: First: Abrogation of rulings, while words and recitation endure. Second: Its opposite; and that is the abrogation of words and recitation, while the ruling endures. Third: Abrogation of the ruling along with the words and recitation. This is the abrogation which Allah Almighty mentions in the verse that reads: {We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 106] And also in the verses that read: {We will teach you [the Qur’an], so you will not forget*, except what Allah wills.} [Surat al-A‘la: 6-7] These two Surahs are among the Surahs Allah Almighty willed to be forgotten after He revealed them. This is because Allah Almighty does whatever He wills and is Able to do all things He wishes. Indeed, this is all possible. Let not one wrongly assume, because of this and the like of it, that any part of the Qur’an was lost. In fact, this is untrue, as established by the verse that reads: {It is We Who have sent down the Reminder, and it is We Who will preserve it.} [Surat al-Hijr: 9] This is also established by the consensus among the Companions and those after them that the Qur’an, which we are required to recite and act upon its rulings as a form of worship, is the text contained between the two covers of the Mus'haf, without addition or omission.
The Hadīth shows keenness to present advice to the Muslim reciters.
It contains dispraise of the keenness on worldly life and the hope for a long stay therein.
It includes dispraise of lying and bragging about something one did not do.
The Hadīth also mentions that a person's speech is recorded and he will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment.
And it indicates that a believer should be chiefly concerned about working for the Hereafter and he should not be deceived by worldly life and its desires..

1054

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported that: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Successful is the one who accepts Islam and is provided with mere subsistence and Allah makes him content with what He has given him.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to admonish his Companions, advise them, and encourage them to aim at sublime matters, so that the worldly life would be in their hands, not in their hearts, and what they gained thereof would help them in acts of worship.
This Hadīth contains guidance from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his Ummah that a person should not tire himself in seeking more than mere subsistence, for what is commendable in sustenance is the amount that enables a person to perform worship and for which he should work as much as needed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that success is attained and gained by a person who embraces Islam rightly, for he gets rid of Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism), which is the sin that Allah does not forgive, and he is provided with mere subsistence, no more or less, and what makes him self-sufficient and saves him from necessities and wants. This means lawful sustenance, for no success comes with unlawful sustenance. And his words: "and Allah makes him content with what He has given him," i.e., Allah grants him contentment with the mere subsistence he has; so, he does not aspire to pursue more than that.
The Hadīth shows that success and triumph are attained by embracing Islam for the sake of Allah and being pleased with what Allah gives him.
It demonstrates the merit of contentment, and that it is one of the means of success..

1056

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth, and I said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, there are other than those more deserving of it than them?" He said: "They gave me the choice that they either ask of me importunately or regard me as a miser, and I am not a miser.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous and bountiful among the people. He would give like one who fears no poverty. This was to teach his Ummah and serve certain Shar‘i purposes that were probably not known or grasped at the time by anyone other than him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) says The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth among the people, and he gave some people, whereas ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) held that others were more deserving of being given than them. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to him why he gave to them and not those who were more deserving to be given than them. This is because those he gave were people of ignorance and lying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that they begged in an importunate manner due to their weak faith and drove him, by their very importunate attitude, to either give them what they asked for or they would describe him as a miser and defame him, while in fact, he is not a miser. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to them and protected his honor by his giving, lest they might lie about him. Miserliness is not part of his character (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he gave to them to appease them and win their friendliness. Similarly, he said in a Hadīth of the Two Sahīh Collections: "Indeed, the worst people in rank in the sight of Allah is the one whom people leave or abandon for fear of his discourteousness." Thus, he endured their rudeness and treated them forbearingly to win their friendliness and protect himself from being described as a miser, a trait that does not befit him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth indicates that we can appease the people of ignorance and harshness and win their friendliness, if this achieves a good interest.
It also shows that patience and forbearance were part of the Prophet's character.
The Hadīth demonstrates and directs a person to spend out of his money to protect his honor and himself from the people of ignorance..

1060

Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, Safwān ibn Umayyah, ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis, to every one of them, one hundred camels, and gave to ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than that. Thereupon, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās said: You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘ Both Badr and Hābis in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly I am in no way inferior to any one of these two. And he whom you lower today will not be elevated He said: So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed one hundred camels for him. [And in a version]: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils of the battle of Hunayn and gave Abu Sufyān ibn Harb one hundred camels... And he narrated the same Hadīth, with the addition: And he gave ‘Alqamah ibn ‘Ulāthah one hundred. [And in a version]: He did not mention poetry..

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals a part of how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to win people's hearts to Islam by giving them money, each according to the strength of Īmān in his heart or his tenderness, and how he was considerate of the circumstances of each one of them.
The circumstances surrounding this Hadīth: After the battle of Hunayn, which took place in the eighth Hijri year between the Muslims and the two tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils he seized from this battle between the Muslims, preferring some of them over others. He gave some of them a hundred camels and others less than that. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a hundred camels to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, the Quraysh leader, Safwān ibn' Umayyah, who had embraced Islam after the Conquest of Makkah and was one of the Quraysh notables during Jāhiliyyah and Islam, 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazāri, who had embraced Islam before the Conquest of Makkah and was marked by the typical roughness of desert dwellers, and Al-Aqra' ibn Hābis at-Tamīmi, who had come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and partook in the Conquest of Makkah, and he was an arbitrator during Jāhiliyyah; he gave each one of these persons a hundred camels. On the other hand, he gave ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than a hundred. So, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās became angry and said these poetic verses: "You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘" Booty: the spoils. Al-‘Ubayd: the name of the horse of ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās. The meaning: Do you give the booty which I took part in seizing from Hunayn with my weapon and horse to ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis and the like of them, by giving them more than me?! By his words "Both Badr and Hābis", he meant the grandfather of ‘Uyaynah and the father of Al-Aqra‘. ‘Uyaynah is the son of Hisn ibn Hudhayfah ibn Badr, and Al-Aqra‘ is the son of Hābis. And his words: "in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly". Surpass means: is higher than. Assembly: the meeting place of the clans and tribes. "I am in no way inferior to any one of these two" The meaning: My father was not inferior to theirs, neither am I inferior to them. He seemed to have been gripped with fear that his status might be lowered. Therefore, he said: "And he whom you lower today" by decreasing his share of the booty "will not be elevated", i.e., the people will not elevate him after this day.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a hundred camels like the others who were given a hundred, so as to win his heart and dispel the thought of inferiority or that he might be lower in rank than others.
The Hadīth shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would win the hearts of some people with money for an apparent interest.
The ruler may prefer some over others if he sees a certain benefit in doing so.
It is permissible to recite poetry and is permissible to listen to it..

1064

Abu Sa‘īd reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a people who would be among his Ummah, who would emerge out of the dissension of people. Their distinctive mark would be shaven heads. He said: "They would be the worst creatures - or among the worst creatures. The nearer of the two groups, the truth would kill them." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave an example of them, or he said: "A man throws an arrow at the prey - Or he said: at the target - and looks at the arrowhead and finds no trace, and he looks at the body and finds no trace. Then, he looks at the grip and finds no trace." He said: Abu Sa‘īd said: "And you killed them, O people of Iraq.".

1066

Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani reported that he was in the army led by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that set out to fight the Kharijites. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O people, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'There would arise within my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur’an, and your recitation would be nothing compared to their recitation, your prayer would be nothing compared to their prayer, and your fast would be nothing compared to their fast. They would recite the Qur’an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. They would pass through Islam as an arrow passes through the prey. If the army that is to encounter them were to know what had been decreed for them by the tongue of their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they would completely rely upon that and cease to work. The sign of this is that there would be among them a man with an upper arm and without an arm, and the head of his upper arm would be like the nipple of the breast on which there would be some white hairs.' So, will you go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and leave them behind among your children and your property?! By Allah, I hope they are those people, for they have shed inviolable blood and raided the animals of the people. So, go forth in the name of Allah." Salamah ibn Kuhayl said: Zayd ibn Wahb made me alight at a place, till we crossed a bridge. When we encountered them - and ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi was the leader of the Kharijites on that day - he said to them: "Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths, for I fear that they would appeal to you as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā'." They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords, and people fought against them with their spears and they were killed on top of one another. Only two men were killed from among the people on that day. Then, ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: "Search for the Mukhdaj (the maimed one) among them." They searched but did not find him. So, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself stood up till he came upon people who had been killed on top of one another. He said: "Move them away from one another." So, they found him near the ground. Thereupon, he proclaimed Takbīr and then said: "Allah told the truth, and His Messenger conveyed it." He said: Then, ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni stood before him and said: "O Commander of the Believers, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, did you hear this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god." He repeated the request for an oath from him three times, and he swore each time..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against religious innovations and extremism, for it leads to the corruption of societies. Extremism, along with the lack of proper understanding of the religion, may result in considering the Muslim communities as people of religious innovations and Kufr (disbelief) and lead to revolt against the rulers unjustly.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani relates that he was with ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the army that marched toward the Kharijites. This happened in 38 A.H., in the battle of Nahrawān, located nearly 35km southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. They were those who criticized ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for the arbitration over his fighting against Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and they fought him and declared the Muslims as disbelievers and regarded the shedding of their blood as lawful. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed his army to make them firm and urge them to fight and display patience in doing so. He informed that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) point out some traits of the Kharijites, mentioning that they would be a people within the Muslim Ummah, and they would "recite the Qur'an," i.e., recite it a lot. They would also perform prayer and observe fast often, to the extent that if people compared their condition to the condition of others, they would regard the worship of others as nothing next to them. "They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them", i.e., it provides an argument for them in proving their claims, whereas this is not the case in reality; instead, it serves as an argument against them with Allah Almighty. In the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): "It does not get beyond their collarbones." Likewise, their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. Prayer here probably refers to the recitation in prayer. The collarbone is the bone that extends from the neck cavity to the shoulder. They do not understand the Qur’an, draw benefit from its recitation, ponder its verses, or reflect upon its meanings. So, they do not reach their hearts through reflection and Khushū‘ (humility and focus) and do not ascend to heaven. Therefore, they obtain no reward for them. "They would pass through" i.e., they would depart from Islam quickly and not get attached to anything in it, just as an arrow passes through prey, i.e., like a powerful and fast arrow that penetrates the target and passes through prey, due to its power and speed, entering from one side and coming out from the opposite one; and it leaves no trace of blood or flesh. Then, they would not go back to the religion, as the arrow does not go back to its place in the bow.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) states that if the army that would kill and defeat them were to know the reward and recompense that their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them about and determined for them, they would abandon work and solely rely upon this glad tiding which was given to them for killing the Kharijites.
The distinctive mark of those Kharijites is "that there would be among them a man with an upper arm", which extends from the shoulder to the elbow, "and without an arm", which extends from the elbow to the hand. And the head of his upper arm would be like "the nipple of the breast", and there would also be some white hairs on the top of his upper arm.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed criticism of the army in the form of questioning: Do you want to go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and fight them and leave those Kharijites behind to stay among your women and children and loot your property?! The meaning: This is not proper and should not happen. By this, he intended to urge them to fight the Kharijites first before marching toward Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant.
Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "By Allah, I hope they are those people" who are amongst us, revolted against us, and departed from obedience to us, "the people" whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described to us. Indeed, they went to extremes in shedding the blood of Muslims, and it is blood whose shedding is forbidden. They killed 'Abdullāh ibn Khabbāb and the mother of his child. "and they raided the animals of the people", i.e., they raided people's property and stole their grazing livestock. Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, go forth in the name of Allah", i.e., with the blessing of the name of Allah, seek help from Him and put your trust in Him. This indicates that actions should begin with the mention of Allah.
Salamah ibn Kuhayl al-Hadrami al-Kūfi - one of the Hadīth narrators - informs that the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb mentioned to him the locations of their travel to fight the Kharijites, one by one, until they reached the bridge at which the fighting took place - the bridge of Dizjān. This is also mentioned in As-Sunan Al-Kubra Collection of An-Nasā’i. A bridge is a structure built over water for crossing on it. This is the bridge of Nahrawān, where the Kharijites gathered.
Zayd ibn Wahb related that when the two armies encountered each other for fighting, the leader of the Kharijites on that day was ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi, who said to the Kharijites: Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths. He wanted the two armies to start fighting. Thus, there would be no possible alternative to fighting, such as a truce or appeal, which means that they would ask and adjure them by Allah, and this might cause some of his companions to leave him, and, as a result, his army would become weaker. Confrontation with spears puts the two armies at a distance from each other, and this carries the possibility that some of them may feel pity upon seeing the blood and call for the cessation of fighting. On the other hand, fighting with the swords breaks out quickly and ends with defeating one of the two armies. Ibn Wahb hoped that he would be victorious in this battle. "as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā’." This is a village near Kufa, after which a sect of the Khrijites was named, as their first gathering took place there, "the day" here refers to the day in which the Kharijites gathered, numbering eight thousand - and a different number was also mentioned - and they alighted at Harūrā’. Their leaders were ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Kawwā’ al-Yashkuri and Shabath at-Tamīmi. ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) sent his cousin ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to them. He debated with them, and as a result, many of them came back with him. Then, ‘Ali went out to them, appealed to them, and engaged in a discussion with them. Consequently, they obeyed him and entered Kufa along with him.
When the Kharijites listened to ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb, they obeyed him and "threw their spears" i.e. they threw them away and engaged in fighting against the army of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) with swords. So, this opinion led to victory for the Muslims and ‘Ali's army, the preservation of their blood, and their empowerment. "and people fought against them with their spears" i.e., the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stabbed them with their spears like trees. The Arabic text uses a verb derived from 'shajar', which means trees. So, the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) threw the spears at them before they could reach them. Then, they engaged in battle with them and killed so many of them; only two men were killed on the side of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). His words "they were killed on top of one another" mean that they were piled upon one another due to the large number of them who were killed, forming heaps.
Then, after the end of the battle, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered them to search for "the Mukhdaj" man, i.e., his body is incomplete. This is the man described at the beginning of the Hadīth. They searched for him but could not find him. So, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself rose and moved to a heap of dead bodies from the Kharijites. He ordered that they be separated from one another, and they found underneath them the man he was looking for dead. Thereupon, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed Takbīr in wonder at seeing the Mukhdaj man with the description given by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he said after the Takbīr: "Allah", Exalted be He, "told the truth" in what He revealed to His Prophet; "and His Messenger conveyed" His message to us and to the people, in truth.
Then, Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani informed that the Tābi‘i ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni called out to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): "O Commander of the Believers", and he adjured him by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, to tell him whether he heard this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In response, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god" i.e., yes, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "He repeated the request for an oath from him three times". He asked him to swear to let this be heard by the people present and affirm that to them, and in order to reveal to them the miracle informed by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and show them that ‘Ali and his Companions are the worthier among the two groups in claiming the truth, and that they are rightful in fighting them.
The Hadīth points to the danger of ignorance in religion and dogmatic thinking.
It mentions the great reward of killing the Kharijites.
It warns against extremism in religion and affectation in worship.
Those who revolt against the just rulers should be fought against.
The Hadīth mentions some traits of the Kharijites.
It shows the merit of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him).
An oath may be requested for verifying something unfamiliar, so as to affirm it to those who hear about it..

1067

Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, there is from my Ummah after me - or there would be from my Ummah after me - a people who would recite the Qur’an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it; they are the worst among the creation and the creatures.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed the Companions about many of the trials that took place during their generation and that would take place after their generation. One of the trials they witnessed during their time was the trial of the Kharijites.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made reference to that. He mentioned people who would be in his Ummah after him; among their characteristics is that they "would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats." They recite the Qur'an but do not get affected by it, understand it, or act upon its verses. So, they will not be recompensed for that by rewards, and their recitation does not go beyond their tongues, so no good deed is accepted from them. This is not something required; instead, it is required to ponder and reflect upon the Qur'an as it influences the heart. This all means that Imān (faith) did not settle firmly in their hearts. "they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it", i.e., they come out of the religion like the coming out of a fast arrow, which hits the prey and enters and comes out of it with a high speed, without any trace of the prey sticking to it; this is due to its quick coming out of the target. The "ramiyyah" (prey) is the animal that is hunted and hit with an arrow after getting chased. This is a description of the Kharijites, who do not obey the rulers and revolt against them and declare people as disbelievers on account of major sins that are below Shirk (polytheism) and Kufr (disbelief). They kill the people of Islam and leave the people of idols (disbelievers). After all that, they do not return to the religion again, as they do not repent or reconsider their matter. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remarked: "They are the worst among the creation and the creatures." It is said: "Khalq" (creation) refers to humankind, and "khaliqah" (creatures) refers to animals. It is also said: They both have the same meaning. So, this refers to all creation. They are the worst among all creation because they fight the best people, thus corrupting the land after it was in good condition.
The Hadīth includes one of the Prophet's prophecies, as he told about something that would happen after his death, and it did happen as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed.
It warns against misunderstanding the Qur’an and not pondering its verses, goals, and objectives; and it points out that this causes corruption on earth.
It also indicates that one of the consequences of poor reflection upon the verses of Allah is to depart from the religion..

1068

Sahl ibn Hanīf reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A people will go astray toward the east, with shaven heads.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on teaching his Ummah and warning them against trials. A true Muslim ponders the Prophet's statements and teachings and tries his best to save himself and his Muslim community from falling into misleading trials.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that there will emerge a group of people who will deviate from the true and correct path and go astray in the darkness of religious innovations and misguidance. They will never be guided to the truth; they will be lost and follow the wrong paths. They will emerge from the east, which refers to the direction of the sunrise. Those people who go astray from the true path are described as having shaven heads, which indicates their abandonment and renouncement of worldly life. The intended meaning is that shaving their heads was a habit that they persistently engaged in and for which they were known. This trait was mentioned with regard to the Kharijites, that they are marked by shaving their heads, until it became a slogan for them, by which they were identified.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns his Ummah in this Hadīth against the trial of going astray in misguidance and tells us about the signs of deviation.
One of the signs of deviation and misguidance is leading a life of false asceticism..

1072

‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith reported: Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith and Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib got together and said: "By Allah, if we sent these two young men - I and Al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbās - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they spoke to him, he would put them in charge of these Zakah funds, and they would pay as the people pay and get a share as the people get." He said: As they were talking about that, 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib came and stood before them, and they mentioned it to him. Thereupon, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said: "Do not do this, for, by Allah, he would not do that." Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith turned to him and said: "By Allah, you are only doing this out of jealousy toward us. By Allah, you became the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), but we felt no jealousy toward you." 'Ali said: "Send them." So, they set out, and 'Ali lay on the bed. He said: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Zhuhr prayer, we went ahead of him to his room and stood near it till he came, took hold of our ears, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves." Then, he entered, and we entered his place. He was on that day in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh. He said: We urged each of us to speak. Then, one of us spoke, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most righteous and the best of people in upholding kinship ties. We have reached the marriageable age. We have come so that you may put us in charge of some of these Zakah funds, and we would submit them to you as the people submit and get a share as they get." He said: He kept silent for a long time until we wished to speak with him. He said: Zaynab pointed to us from behind the curtain, telling us not to talk to him. He said: Then, he said: "Zakah does not befit the family of Muhammad, for it is the impurities of people. Call Mahmiyah to me - and he was in charge of the Khums funds - and Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn' Abdul-Muttalib." They both came to him, and he said to Mahmiyah: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās. He married her to him. And he said to Nawfal ibn al-Hārith: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., me. He married her to me. And he said to Mahmiyah: "Pay such and such from the Khums funds as a dowry on behalf of both of them.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty honored His Prophet and the believing members of his household and purified them of all filth and impurities. An example is that Zakah is forbidden for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his household. They may not take from it or accept it.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith, the Prophet's cousin, met with his uncle Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle, and they said: By Allah, if we sent these two young men - meaning: 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah and Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them) - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they talked to him, and he appointed them as Zakah collectors, and they would submit as the people submit and get a share like the people, as a wage for the Zakah work. They wanted this money to help them get married, as they reached the marriageable age and could not afford marriage, as narrated in the version by Abu Dāwūd. As Al-‘Abbās and Rabī‘ah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were talking and discussing this matter, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), also a cousin of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), came and stood before them. They mentioned to him what they were discussing and told him about what they intended to do. So, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade them from doing that and swore that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not agree to their request in this regard. Thereupon, Rabī‘ah turned to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him tough words and swore that he did not forbid them from sending the two young men and asking the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to put them in charge of Zakah funds except because of jealousy toward them and his desire to be the only one among them with closeness to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he swore by Allah to ‘Ali that he won the relationship with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) by marriage - meaning his marriage to his daughter Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) - and they felt no jealousy toward him because of that. When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from him, he asked them to send them so that they could be certain about his advice to them. "and ‘Ali lay on the bed." In another version by Muslim: "'Ali threw his cloak and lay on it, and he said: I am the father of Hasan, and I am the Qarm (chief). By Allah, I would not move from my place till your sons return to you with the reply to that for which you sent them to the Messenger of Allah the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Qarm: the stud among animals. It refers to a master and chief who possesses knowledge and wise judgment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant: I spoke what I said to you from knowledge, and I would not move from my place, and I would wait for the reply they would come with from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He knew that the reply would be as he told them.
So, ‘Abdul-Muttalib and Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with both of them) left and headed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). 'Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr prayer, they went ahead of him to the room he would enter after the prayer, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her). They waited for him at the door till the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came, took hold of their ears by way of jesting, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves" i.e., the talk you harbor within your chests. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered his room, and they entered after him so as to proceed with their talk and let him hear them. Each of them wanted the other to start the talk with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in awe of him. Then, one of them talked. He said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most benevolent of all people", i.e., the best among people in benevolence and doing good to others. "and the best of people in upholding kinship ties" i.e., you are most keen on maintaining the ties of kinship. "We have reached the marriageable age." Thus, they presented the reason for their following requests. "We have come so that you may put us in charge of" collecting "some of these Zakah funds", which are to be calculated and taken from money owners and kept and given to you and distributed to the due recipients. "and we would submit to you as the people submit" i.e., we would transfer the Zakah funds and hand them over to you like others. "and get a share as they get" as a wage for the Zakah work. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent for so long that they wanted to repeat their speech and request. Meanwhile, Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) began to point to them with her garment or hand from behind the curtain to not talk to him. After his long silence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made clear to them that Zakah may not be given to the household of Muhammad, i.e., it is forbidden for him and his family, whether it is given for work or because of poverty, destitution, or some other reason. "for it is the impurities of people", i.e., it purifies their wealth from the sin of hoarding and their souls from the sin of stinginess. Or it is the impurities of people because it expiates for sins, removes afflictions, and acts as a ransom for the person in this regard. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to call Mahmiyah ibn Jaz’ ibn ‘Abd Yaghūt az-Zubaydi (may Allah be pleased with him) to him. He was a man from Banu Asad, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had put him in charge of the Khums (one-fifth of the spoils), and to call Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the brother of Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Mahmiyah and Nawfal came and appeared before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mahmiyah ibn Jaz' to marry his daughter to Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās, which Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) did. And he ordered Nawfal ibn al-Hārith to marry his daughter to Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Both of them (may Allah be pleased with both of them) complied. Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was in charge of the Prophet's expenses from the Khums. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pay an amount which he specified for him as a dowry on behalf of each of them to his wife. The Khums refers to the share of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the spoils, as revealed in the verse that reads: {Know that whatever spoils you obtain, one-fifth belongs to Allah and the Messenger, his close relatives, the orphans, the needy and the [stranded] travelers.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 41]
The Hadīth indicates that Zakah funds are to be paid to the ruler and the authority holder.
It shows the Prophet's modesty and cheerfulness and how he would jest with and show compassion toward the young.
Words of praise may be said before asking for something.
The Hadīth mentions that it is forbidden to give Zakah to the household of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It indicates that the Prophet's household were not employed for the collection of charity and Zakah.
It also shows that a person should seek to obtain the wherewithal for marriage.
It demonstrates a father's interest in helping his son get married to maintain his chastity.
The Hadīth also points out the merit of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), as he was more knowledgeable about this matter than those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
And it shows the extreme politeness of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) as she pointed to the two young men not to repeat the speech to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1087

Kurayb reported: that ’Umm al-Fadl sent him to Mu‘āwiyah in the Levant. He said: I came to the Levant and fulfilled her errand. Then, the crescent of Ramadan was sighted while I was in the Levant. I saw the crescent on the night of Friday. Then, I came to Madīnah at the end of the month. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked me about the sighting of the moon and said: "When did you see the crescent?" I said: "We saw it on the night of Friday." He said: "Did you see it yourself?" I said: "Yes, and the people saw it and fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah." He said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday; so, we will continue fasting until we have completed thirty days, or we see it." I said: "Will you not be content with the sighting of Mu‘āwiyah and his fasting?" He said: "No, this is what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined upon us." Yahya ibn Yahya was doubtful about whether it is "Will we not be content?" or "Will you not be content?".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Kurayb ibn Abi Muslim says that ’Umm al-Fadl Lubābah bint al-Hārith, the wife of Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and the mother of ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them), sent him to Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was then the caliph of Muslims. Kurayb went to the Levant and finished her errand. Then, the crescent of the month of Ramadan appeared while he was in the Levant. The crescent was sighted on the night of Friday. There are over 1,120km between the Levant and Madīnah, the center of the caliphate during the era of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān, from which the state was run, and which was followed by all the Muslim provinces.
Then, Kurayb said that he went back to Madīnah once again at the end of the month of Ramadan. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him about the journey and the fulfillment of his mother's errand. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned the crescent and asked him: When did you see the crescent in the Levant? Kurayb told him that they saw it on the night of Friday. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) further asked: "Did you see it" with your own eyes? In response, Kurayb said: Yes, and the people also saw it, and they fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday," i.e., one night after it was sighted in the Levant. Therefore, we will continue to fast until we complete the thirty days of the month or see the crescent before that with the month being 29 days. This results from the different sightings of crescents from different places. So, Kurayb asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): Will you - or he said: will we - not be content with the sighting by the people of the Levant of the crescent of Ramadan at its beginning, and with them is Caliph Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him)? Thus, you fast with their fasting at the start of the month and break your fast with their break of the fast. In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās said: 'No' i.e., we are not content with their sighting. Rather, we observe the fast or complete the month according to our sighting. He probably said that given the great distance between Hejaz and the Levant which allows for different crescent sightings. Also, news could not reach Madīnah from the Levant on the same night. Hence, they comply with the Prophet's command to observe the fast and break the fast based on sighting the crescent. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy, complete it as thirty." This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we must rely on sighting the crescents to know the beginnings and ends of the lunar months.
It also points out that the people of each region should fast based on their sighting of the crescent..

1088

Abu al-Bakhtari reported: We saw the crescent of Ramadan while we were at Dhāt ‘Irq. So, we sent a man to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about that. In response, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen, but if the weather is cloudy, then complete the period.".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Bakhtari Sa‘īd ibn Fayrūz at-Tā’i informs that they saw the crescent of Ramadan one day while they were at a place called Dhāt ‘Irq. This is the locational Miqāt of the pilgrims of the people of Iraq. It lies 42 miles (100km) to the northeast of Makkah. They sent a man to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the crescent of Ramadan and the related rulings, especially if the weather is too cloudy for the people to see it. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen," i.e., indeed, Allah extended the period of sighting the crescent till the people could see it. If it is not possible to see it until the end of the twenty-ninth day of the month, and you cannot see it for one reason or another, like the clouds being in the way, you should observe the complete period of the month of Sha'bān as thirty days. This also applies to all Hijri lunar months. This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we should ask the people of knowledge about obscure and confusing matters.
It also points out that we should leave doubt to certainty when the crescent is hidden by completing the month as thirty days..

1094

Samurah ibn Jundub reported: I heard Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way until it spreads this way.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) defined the time in which a fasting person should refrain from eating during the month of Ramadan; that is the time of "al-Fajr as-Sādiq" (the true dawn). He pointed out that a Muslim may eat and drink till the Adhān of the real dawn.
In its meaning, this Hadīth is linked to other versions which demonstrate that there were two Adhāns for Fajr during the Prophet's lifetime: The first Adhān was proclaimed by Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him). This is the one about which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way." This teaches the Muslims that they may eat and drink when they hear the Adhān of Bilāl, for it was only intended to give notice that the time of Fajr was approaching. The Adhān of Bilāl was proclaimed at the time when the whiteness of the horizon grows long in the sky. And it was meant to make the sleeping person wake up and alert the one standing in prayer. It was followed by the second Adhān, which was proclaimed by Ibn ’Umm Maktūm. Upon hearing it, the people would abstain from food and drink and start fasting.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed the people to the sign of the true dawn. He commanded them to eat and drink till "it spreads this way" i.e., until dawn appears extended on the horizon..

1096

‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge and enjoin the Muslims to have the Suhūr meal, given the blessing it contains for the fasting person.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal," i.e., the Suhūr meal - for he who wants to observe fasting, obligatory, or supererogatory - differentiates between the nature of our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book - the Jews and the Christians. This is because Allah made permissible for us some of what He has prohibited for them. So, our difference from them in this regard represents gratitude for this favor. They do not have a Suhūr meal, while we are enjoined to have it. The best time for this meal is the time of Sahar, which comes shortly before the rise of the true dawn.
This meal is stressed because at this time most people will probably be sleeping, and sleep and its enjoyment may overcome and distract them from the significance of this meal. Then, as a result of abandoning this meal, they will be weakened in undertaking their activities during the daytime.
The Hadīth urges us to have the Suhūr meal.
It shows the Prophet's keenness on being distinguished and different from the People of the Book in the acts of worship common between us and them..

1099

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān; due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: That is because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: Being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not mentioned in the Hadīth..

Commentary : The Shariah urges and encourages us to use the dispensations, particularly if they entail something that may lead to a certain harm or hardship.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan," i.e., days of fasting in Ramadan were due upon me, for I did not fast them due to things that happen to women, like menstruation, illness, etc. "and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān," i.e., she could not make up for these days throughout the year except in Sha‘bān. "due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." She used to keep herself prepared and ready for his affairs (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and for pleasing him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at all times. This shows her extreme politeness and love for him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and it indicates the great rights of the husband upon one's wife.
The Hadīth indicates the legitimacy of delaying the fast of Ramadan until the next Sha‘bān.
It also demonstrates the flexibility provided in the acts of worship and religious obligations.
The Hadīth also shows the significance of the rights of the husband and being busy with obeying him and tending to his affairs..

1104

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing prayer during Ramadan, I came and stood by his side. Then, another man came and stood likewise till we became a group. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived that we were behind him, he lightened the prayer. Then, he went to his abode and performed such a prayer that he would not perform with us. In the morning, we asked him, "Did you perceive us during the night?" He said: "Yes, it was this that prompted me to do what I did." He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl (continuous Qiyām and fasting) at the end of the month, and some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What about those men who observe Wisāl?! You are not like me. By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me, I would observe Wisāl in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration abandon their exaggeration!".

Commentary : Acts of worship must be performed exactly as the Shariah prescribed them. We were commanded to fear Allah as much as we can, without overburdening ourselves or adopting a strict approach in religion, for people differ in terms of their abilities and capacities, and lest people become bored of worship and the religious injunctions.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once performed a supererogatory prayer in Ramadan during a night in the mosque. Meanwhile, he came and stood on his right side, praying with him. Then, another man came and also stood to pray with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, people continued to come and pray behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) till they became "Raht" (a group), which is less than ten persons or more, up to forty men. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived they were praying behind him, he began to lighten the prayer to facilitate the matter and make it easy for them. This contrasts with his usual performance of Qiyām al-Layl when he prayed alone. After he made Taslīm ending the prayer, he entered "his abode" i.e., his house, where he performed a long prayer the like of which he did not perform with him. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that in the morning after that night, they said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Did you perceive us?" i.e., did you feel our presence during that night when we prayed behind you? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Yes' i.e., I perceived you praying behind me. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "it was this that prompted me to do what I did", i.e., it was what you did as you prayed behind me that drove me to lighten the prayer, go to my house and pray there, and refrain from coming out to you, lest it may be made obligatory for you. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the most lenient and merciful among people toward his Ummah.
Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl, performing Qiyām all night long and observing fast day and night without breaking it. This Wisāl was at the end of the month of Ramadan. So, some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl and act like him, thinking that the Prophet's prohibition was meant for discouraging, not unlawfulness. As a result, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry and disapproved of them, as Wisāl was not prescribed for the Ummah. Rather, it is one of his peculiar traits (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "What about those men who observe Wisāl" of fasting?! "You are not like me", i.e., in this matter, you are not like me. Rather, you are required to do what is easier for you. It is authentically reported in the Two Sahīh Collections that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would spend the night with his Lord so Allah would provide him with food and drink. This stems from the Prophet's complete compassion and mercy toward his Ummah and his fear that they might get bored of worship and fall short of some tasks of the religion. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore to them: "By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me" i.e., if the days of the month of Ramadan increased, as they sighted the crescent one or two days after their observance of Wisāl, according to a Hadīth narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). "I would observe Wisāl," i.e., he would continue this Wisāl of his, "in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration", those who overburden themselves, adopt a strict approach, and oblige themselves to do things that were not prescribed for them, "abandon their exaggeration." i.e., so that they would abandon it because of tiredness and hardship, and thus they would themselves be sure of the leniency of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) toward them when he prohibited them from Wisāl. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would indeed increase Wisāl for them to deter and punish them for their lack of compliance with his command (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth points out the Prophet's leniency toward his Ummah and that he would not burden them with things beyond their capacity.
It warns of exaggeration in the acts of worship.
And it warns against overburdening oneself with supererogatory acts of worship..

Book of Hadith

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