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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.".

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, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a group who would be among his Ummah, meaning the Ummah of those who became Muslims. They are Muslims and would emerge at a time of dissension and discord arising among the Muslims. "Their distinctive mark would be shaven heads", i.e., one of their distinguishing signs is that they shave their heads and remove their hair, or the hair of their heads in particular. This indicates their renouncement of worldly embellishments. They are the most evil creatures, or he said: "among the worst creatures". This is because they are the people who cause evil and corruption among the people in the land. When fighting between them and the people broke out, the closer group to the truth among the two conflicting groups would kill them. Their first emergence occurred during the caliphate of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), and he, along with those with him, fought against them.
"The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave an example of them, or he said, "meaning that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened them, with regard to their departure from the religion, to a man who shoots an arrow at the prey. "Or he said: at the target", i.e., the object shot at, which includes prey and other things. When he throws an arrow at the prey and examines the arrowhead - which is the sharpened, pointed, solid tip of the arrow - he finds no trace of blood on it. Then, the archer examines it more carefully so that he may find what he seeks. So, he looks at the body and finds no trace of blood. And he looks at "the grip", in which the bowstring is placed, and does not find any trace of blood. So, they come out of the religion like a fast arrow that hits the prey, enters it, and comes out so fast that no trace from the prey can stick to it, given its incredible speed. Likewise, they quickly enter the religion and adopt an approach of strictness in it, and they do not take anything from it; instead, they are quick to depart from it.
Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "And you killed them, O people of Iraq", referring to the battle of Nahrawān, 38 A.H., in which ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) fought and defeated them.
The Hadīth contains one of the signs of the Prophet's prophethood, as he informed us about the trials that would take place after his death, which happened as he told.
It warns against following the misguided group(s) that is out of the fold of Islam.
It also demonstrates the distinguishing signs and marks of the Kharijites..

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..