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

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

751

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

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

755

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

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

756

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

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

757

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

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

759

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

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

761

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

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

763

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

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

764

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

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

765

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

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

766

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

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to emulate the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and follow in his footsteps, and to adhere to this until they died.
In this hadith, Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he prayed al-‘atamah, which is ‘Isha’, with Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). They sometimes called ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah (lit. darkness) because it is prayed at night, when it has become dark.
It is narrated that it is not allowed to call ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, as in the hadith narrated by Muslim from ‘Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your prayer; indeed it is ‘Isha’, but they delay milking the camels until it is very dark [yu‘timuna].” Perhaps Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) did not see anything in the words of the hadith to indicate that it was haram, because the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called it ‘atamah in another hadith, as we see in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in al-Sahihayn. And it was said concerning this that it was because they called Maghrib prayer ‘Isha’, and ‘Isha’ prayer al-‘atamah, according to the time, and that required the explanation to be discussed using their own terminology sometimes. And it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used these words in order to explain that there is no blame on a person for using them, but that is contrary to what is more appropriate.
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) recited, {Idha as-sama’ unshaqqat (When the sky has split [open] …)} [al-Inshiqaq], and prostrated at the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says, {And when the Qur'an is recited to them, they do not prostrate [to Allah]} [al-Inshiqaq 84:21]. Abu Rafi‘ asked him about that, and he replied that he had done this prostration behind Abu’l-Qasim – which is the kunyah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and he would continue to do it for the rest of his life, until he met him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) again.
This verse affirms that there is a prostration of recitation (sajdat al-tilawah) in Surat al-Inshiqaq.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is praying to do the prostration of recitation.
It highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to be steadfast in adhering to the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

767

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

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

772

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

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

773

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

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

774

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

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

1160

Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): “Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast three days of each month?" She said: 'Yes.' I said to her: "Which days of the month did he use to fast?" She said: "It did not matter to him which days of the month he fasted.".

Commentary : People would ask the Prophet's wives about his custom regarding matters unclear to them or those they liked to learn about.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah informs that she asked ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her): "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to fast three days of each month?" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged the observance of fasting for three days every month, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections. In response to her, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 'Yes', he used to fast them, and this was the minimum he would fast in a month. Then, Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah asked for the specification of these days; whether they were at the start, middle, or end of the month, and whether they were successive or separated? ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told her that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not care about fixing these days; rather, she would find him fasting at the start of the month and at its middle and at its end. It was said: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably did not observe three specific days in a persistent manner, lest it might be thought they were specified.
In a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast - meaning at the Ghurrah of each month - three days, i.e., the start of the month. The Ghurrah of something is its beginning. It was also said: He meant the white days in the middle of the month during which the moon becomes full, namely the 13th, 14th, and 15th days. This is because Ghurrah also refers to whiteness. So, the Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd, who reported the Hadīth, probably mentioned the usual practice based on his knowledge of the Prophet's conditions and that he used to fast these days. Also, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fast so often outside Ramadan until it was said: He does not cease fasting. And he would refrain from fasting until it was said: He does not fast. Nonetheless, he used to fast on certain days, like the days at the start of the month and its middle, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays.
The bottom line is that there were numerous conditions for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding fasting. Every Companion reported what he knew about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or what he saw, or what was suitable in a certain situation; all the reports about the Prophet's fasting are authentic, which falls under permissibility and flexibility for those who want to fast as they wish while being keen to adhere to the Prophet's Sunnah and keep away from the days in which fasting is prohibited.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the practice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to fast often and diligently.

1162

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about his fasting. He said: . The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry. Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We are pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, with Muhammad as a Messenger, and with our pledge of allegiance as a pledge of allegiance." He said: He was asked about fasting of Ad-Dahr (all days), and he said: May he not fast or break his fast, or he has not fasted or broken his fast. He said: He was asked about fasting for two days and not fasting for one day, and he said: Who could bear that?! He said: He was asked about fasting one day and not fasting for two days, and he said: I wish that Allah had given us the strength for that. He said: He was asked about fasting one day and not fasting for one day, and he said: That is the fasting of my brother David (Dāwūd) (peace be upon him). He said: He was asked about fasting on Monday, and he said: That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (as a Prophet), or the revelation was sent down to me on that day. He said: And he said: Fasting three days every month and from Ramadan to the next Ramadan is (equivalent to) the fasting of Ad-Dahr (all days). He said: He was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, and he said: It expiates the past year and the coming one. He said: He was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Āshūrā’, and he said: It expiates the past year..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) liked that a Muslim should perform the deeds he can bear and do regularly. People used to ask about his guidance (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding matters confusing and unclear to them, or about things they would like to know, so that they could follow his example and attain success.
In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about his fasting, meaning: the fasting of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In the version by Ahmed, it is mentioned that the questioner was a Bedouin, an Arab living in the desert. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry and the effect of anger became manifest on his face, due to this man's statement and question. He probably got angry because he disliked the question, as he would need to answer it and feared that his answer would lead to some evil, namely that the questioner might think it to be obligatory or too little, or he might restrict himself to it while his condition allowed for more than that. As for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he restricted himself to it due to his preoccupation with the interests and rights of Muslims, and the rights of his wives and guests and those who came to him, lest his example might be followed by anyone, and this would cause harm to some people. The questioner should have said: How much should I fast? Or: How should I fast? Thus, he would pose the question regarding himself, to which he would give him an answer based on his condition, as he gave answers to others on the basis of their respective conditions. Moreover, the Prophet's fasting did not follow one pattern. Rather, it would differ with the difference of conditions. He would sometimes fast often and at other times less often, and a situation like that makes it hard to answer the question.
When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) noticed the Prophet's anger, he - out of politeness and respect towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and as an apology and appeasement to him, and out of pity towards the questioner - said: "We are pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, with Muhammad as a Messenger," i.e., we are pleased with His planning and predestination for us, and we have taken Him as our God and Deity, apart from anyone else. And we are pleased with Islam as a religion, as we have chosen it from among all religions and entered it being content and submissive, and we did not seek a religion other than Islam. And we are pleased with Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a Messenger. We are pleased with all he brought from Allah Almighty and accepted that with submission and delight, and we believed what he said, obeyed his commands, and shunned his prohibitions, and we loved, followed, and supported him.
"and with our pledge of allegiance as a pledge of allegiance," which refers to the pledge of allegiance over Hijrah and Jihad. This shows complete faith and submission to Allah and to His Messenger and religion.
When the Prophet's anger subsided, ‘Umar asked him - as related in another version by Muslim - in a more accurate and rational manner that was closer to the truth. He posed his question in a general way that would benefit all people. He asked him about fasting for all days, which is the fasting for all the days of the year consecutively, and about the state of he who observes such fasts, as to whether it is commendable or dispraised. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May he not fast or break his fast;" or he said: "He has not fasted or broken his fast." The meaning: He does not struggle against the severity of hunger and thirst because he gets used to fasting and so it becomes easier for him, and he does not need the patience over the effort upon which the reward is conditional. Hence, he becomes like one who did not fast. And since he does not gain the comfort and pleasure felt by those who break their fast, it is as if he did not break his fast. It was said: This means supplication against him, by way of deterring him. It may also be an informative statement, meaning that it is as if this person did not break the fast because he ate nothing, and he did not observe the fast because his fast was not prescribed by the Lawgiver.
Then, he asked him about a person fasting for two days and not fasting for one day. Thus, the days he fasts are double the days he does not fast, which makes this act of worship more common than the usual way of life. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who could bear that?!", i.e., who can do that being able to continue fasting while discharging his other duties of the day?! He seemed to have disliked it, for it mostly goes beyond people's capacity, and so it is not encouraged by an easy and tolerant religion. It was said: It indicates that the reason for prohibition is weakness, which means: If anyone can bear it, there is nothing wrong with that.
Then, he asked him about a person fasting one day and not fasting for two days. Thus, the days he does not fast are double the days he fasts, and he continues to do that for all his life. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied to him, saying: I wish that Allah had given us the strength for that. He seemed to have approved of this type of fasting and hoped to observe it. It was said: That his wish pertains to others in his Ummah, for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would bear it and more than that, and it is authentically reported that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe continuous fasts. It was said: This means that because of his preoccupation with his wives, guests, activities, and people, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not observe this amount of fasting on a continuous basis. This is not because of his weakness to bear fasting, or his lack of patience over abstinence from eating for this period.
Then, he asked him about a person who fasts one day and does not fast for one day, and who takes that as a habit. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the fasting of my brother David (Dāwūd) (peace be upon him)." This indirectly indicates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged this fasting, for it is very moderate and it takes the two aspects of worship and habit into the best consideration, and it is one of the most beloved fasts to Allah Almighty, as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. This is because it is not ongoing fasting nor ongoing abandonment of fasting.
Then, he asked him about the reason behind fasting on Monday. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the day on which I was born and a day on which I was commissioned (as a Prophet)," i.e., the day of the beginning of my prophethood; so, it is the day most worthy of being fasted. Or he said: "the revelation was sent down to me therein;" the revelation began to come down on it.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that fasting three days every month - which applies to specification, like the fasting of the white days: the 13th, 14th, and 15th days; or to generality, like fasting three days at the beginning of the month, its middle, or at its end, successively or sporadically - and the fasting of Ramadan every year is equivalent to the fasting of all days. That is, Allah, out of His grace and generosity, multiplies the reward for every act of goodness and worship, involving words or deeds, tenfold. So, a good deed is multiplied to ten similar good deeds. Likewise, the fasting of one day is recorded as fasting of ten days. Accordingly, if a person fasts three days, it is as if he fasts thirty days, which is a whole month. Thus, by fasting three days every month, it is as if he fasts the entire year, in addition to the obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan.
And he asked him about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that whoever fasts it, Allah forgives for him the sins of two years: the past year and the coming year. This fasting is to be observed by non-pilgrims, for it is disliked for a pilgrim to fast on the day of ‘Arafah. This is because fasting on this day will make the pilgrim too weak to stand and supplicate. As for non-pilgrims, they are addressed by this Hadīth to the relevant merit and attainment of rewards from Allah Almighty. The day of ‘Arafah is the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. It was called as such because it comprises one of the pillars of Hajj, namely standing at ‘Arafah in Makkah.
Then, he asked him about the fasting of the day of ‘Āshūrā’, which is the tenth day of the month of Muharram. This is the day in which Allah saved Moses (peace be upon him) and his people from Pharaoh. So, Moses fasted it in gratitude to Allah for His favor in destroying the oppressors. In response, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah forgives by fasting this day the sins of the past year.
This expiation includes minor sins, not the major ones. As for major sins, they can only be expiated by repentance or mercy from Allah, or it is hoped the major sins will be alleviated. It was said: The expiation for the coming year is that He will preserve him from committing sins in it. It was also said: that He will give him an amount of mercy and reward that expiates for the past year and the next one if it comes and he commits sins therein.
These questions by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) point to his proper understanding. He first calmed the anger of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and then asked him about certain types of fasting that comprise all that a Muslim can observe, and he knew their rulings, while demonstrating which of them are valid and which are not and pointing out the merit of some of them. Meanwhile, he taught us all of that. So, whoever wishes can observe the valid fast and choose what is more suitable for himself and his ability.
The Hadīth points out the merit of fasting on Monday.
It also points out the merit of fasting on the day of ‘Āshūrā’.
It also shows the merit of fasting on the day of ‘Arafah.
And it demonstrates the merit of fasting during the month of Ramadan.
The Hadīth points out that Allah is Kind to His servants, and He facilitates things for them and removes hardships and restrictions from them.
The Hadīth prohibits fasting for all days.
And it forbids overburdening oneself in worship with things beyond one's capacity..

1163

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in a Marfū‘ Hadīth: He [i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)] was asked: "Which prayer is the most excellent after the obligatory prayer? And which fasting is the most excellent after the month of Ramadan?" He said: "The most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer in the middle of the night, and the most excellent fasting after the month of Ramadan is fasting Allah's month of Al-Muharram.".

Commentary : Prayer and fasting are among the pillars of Islam. Allah determined the obligatory prayer as five prayers during the day and night and determined the obligatory fasting as the fasting of the month of Ramadan. But, if anyone wants to perform these two forms of worship on a voluntary basis, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specified its meritorious times during which the servant obtains the best reward.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the best times and conditions for offering prayer and observing fast voluntarily. So, someone asked him: What are the best prayers after performing the five obligatory prayers, which must be offered? These are the best forms of worship whereby a servant can seek closeness to Allah Almighty before thinking about supererogatory and additional worship, in case he wants to offer that voluntarily. In a clarifying and demonstrating reply, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer in the middle of the night." This is because prayer during the night is more likely to be free from Riyā’ (show-off) and closer to sincerity, and the praying person can offer it in a focused and carefree manner away from daytime preoccupations. Plus, this is more helpful in remembering the Qur’an and not forgetting some of the verses. The middle of the night means: the last third of the night.
And he was asked about the most excellent fasting after the obligatory fasting of Ramadan, and he replied that the most excellent fasting after the month of Ramadan is fasting Allah's month of Al-Muharram, which is one of the sacred months within which Allah prohibited fighting. The month is attributed to Allah by way of extolment. It is the first month in the Hijri calendar, which is a reason for him to start it with the doing of good and receive it with worship. This is one of the best deeds, just as the first part of the day is received with Dhikr. So, it is hoped that this expiates for the rest of the year, akin to the merit of Dhikr in the early part of the day. It is also probable that since fighting was prohibited during Muharram, seizing its time for fasting was a good opportunity because the times during which fighting is permissible may entail that the believer does not fast, for fasting causes weakness.
The Hadīth points out the merit of prayer in the middle of the night.
It demonstrates the merit of fasting during the month of Muharram.
It also indicates that supererogatory and voluntary worship can be offered after performing the obligations..

1164

Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days in Shawwāl, it will be like a perpetual fast.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast some days every month on a voluntary basis, and he urged his Companions to do the same. He also urged the fasting of some days within the months of the year, given their abundant reward.
In this Hadīth, he directed the Muslims to fast six days in Shawwāl, after Ramadan, and pointed out that if anyone fasts the entire Ramadan and then fasts six days in Shawwāl, successive or sporadic - for fasting them successively or sporadically falls under the adherence to the Sunnah - he will obtain a reward equivalent to fasting the entire year. This stems from the great bounty of Allah towards His Muslim servants, as He multiplies the reward for them. This is explained by the verse that reads: {Whoever comes with a good deed will be rewarded tenfold.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 160] The month of Ramadan is equivalent to ten months, and fasting six days after Eid al-Fitr completes the year.
The Hadīth points out the merit of fasting six days in the month of Shawwāl..

1166

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr, and then some members of my family woke me up, and I was caused to forget it. So, seek it in the remaining ten days." [And in a version]: I forgot it..

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr is a great night whose status Allah points out in Surat al-Qadr. In this night the Qur’an was revealed; worship in it is better than worship in a thousand months; the angels descend in it with the permission of Allah; and it contains safety, security, and peace. It is known to occur, but its time is unknown. Several versions are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the specification of Laylat al-Qadr. This Hadīth is one of those versions, and in it the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr," i.e., I was made aware of the specification of Laylat al-Qadr and on which night it occurs, but "some members of my family woke me up." This indicates that the Prophet's sighting of it was in a dream. However, his dreams (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the dreams of the prophets (peace be upon them) were divine revelations. This does not denote that he did not learn about it during wakefulness. As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was caused to forget it, he said: "So, seek it in the remaining ten days," i.e., try to find it in the remaining ten days, which are the last ten days of the month of Ramadan as a whole. Other versions in the Two Sahīh Collections state that it occurs on odd-numbered days within the last ten days of Ramadan. The Prophet's statement: "seek it" denotes encouragement to try to find it. This should be done by engaging in worship, supplication, and pious acts.
This Hadīth mentions that the reason behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forgetting Laylat al-Qadr was that some members of his household awakened him. And it is mentioned in a Hadīth in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection, reported by ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him), that the reason behind that was a dispute and conflict between two men. And also in a Hadīth in the Sahīh Muslim Collection, reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), with the wording: "There came two men contending with each other and along with them was the devil." To reconcile these two Hadīths, this may either be taken to denote plurality; thus, the vision in the Hadīth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a dream. The forgetfulness happened because of awakening, and the vision in the Hadīth reported by others happened during wakefulness, while the forgetfulness occurred because of the mentioned dispute. Or it may be taken to suggest the occurring of the two stories, in which case the forgetfulness happened twice for two reasons. Or this may probably mean: Some members of my family awakened me, and I heard the dispute between the two men and got up to mediate between them. So, I was caused to forget it, due to my preoccupation with the two men.
The Hadīth indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was subject to forgetfulness, in what Allah willed.
It points out that Laylat al-Qadr lies in the last ten days of Ramadan.
It urges us to seek Laylat al-Qadr..

1168

‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr and then I was caused to forget it. I saw myself prostrating in water and mud on its morning." He said: We had rain during the twenty-third night. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer and left, and indeed the trace of water and mud was on his forehead and nose. He said: ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays used to say: The twenty-third..

Commentary : There is no doubt that the greatest month in the sight of Allah is the month of Ramadan, and the greatest night is Laylat al-Qadr. Therefore, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) diligently tried to specify it. So, numerous Hadīths were reported on determining this night.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr and then I was caused to forget it," i.e., I came to know on which day it occurs. Then, this knowledge was taken away from me. Jibrīl (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) informed him of its specific time in that year. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw in a dream - and the dreams of the prophets are true and truth, and constitute revelation from Allah Almighty - that its sign is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was prostrating in water and mud. Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) related that it rained on the twenty-third night. The Prophet's vision of himself prostrating in water and mud came true. He led them in Qiyām al-Layl and departed after the prayer as the trace of water and mud was on his forehead and nose due to prostrating over them. This was confirmation of the Prophet's dream. The roof of his mosque was made of palm leaf stalks. Based on this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) used to determine Laylat al-Qadr to be the twenty-third night every year. Several Hadīths are reported specifying the time of Laylat al-Qadr. The scholars had a lot to say on reconciling these Hadīths or favoring some above others. This includes: that Laylat al-Qadr moves every year within the last ten days of Ramadan. It was called Laylat al-Qadr because of its high status and rank, or because the pious deeds performed therein are of great significance. Out of Allah's wisdom, He concealed it from people for them to diligently seek it within the nights, and thus, they will engage more in worship, which brings benefits to them.
The Hadīth mentions prostration on water and mud.
It states that the dreams of the prophets are true.
It urges us to seek Laylat al-Qadr and utilize it for the performance of righteous deeds, given the increased merit and reward therein.
It affirms prostration on the forehead and nose..

1170

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were talking about Laylat al-Qadr in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose and it was like a half of plate?".

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr is a great night. Allah points out its status in Surat al-Qadr. The Qur’an was revealed therein. Worship in it is better than worship in a thousand months. The angels descend in it with the permission of Allah, and it contains safety, security, and peace. It is known to occur, but its time is unknown. Several versions are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the specification of Laylat al-Qadr or the nature of its night.
This Hadīth is one of those versions, and it identifies one of the characteristics of Laylat al-Qadr. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they talked to one another about Laylat al-Qadr and its status and significance, the merit of performing Qiyām al-Layl therein, and its signs which were mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose, and it was like a half of plate?" He likened the moon to half of a food plate. The meaning: Who amongst you remembers the night in which half of the moon appeared like half of a food plate? This was the sign of Laylat al-Qadr in this month known to them and in that year, or the sign of Laylat al-Qadr in all years. This indicates that Laylat al-Qadr can be seen and verified by whomever Allah wills..

1175

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in the last ten days than he would strive in other than them..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was most keen on attaining rewards, and he was good at utilizing the virtuous times, including the last ten days of Ramadan, which are the best nights of the year, and they contain Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree), which is better than a thousand months.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that when the last ten days of Ramadan came - starting from the night of the 21th day until the end of the month - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in them than he would strive at other times, i.e., more than his diligence in other nights. This is due to the significance and merit of those nights and in pursuit of Laylat al-Qadr. He would engage more in righteous deeds and worship, draw close to Allah Almighty, retire in his praying place, and keep away from women. This is demonstrated by another version in the Two Sahīh Collections: "When the ten days came, he would pray all night, wake up his family, show diligence, and tie up his lower garment firmly."
The Hadīth demonstrates keenness to engage diligently in worship during the last ten days of Ramadan.
It indicates that one should strive to have the best possible ending of Ramadan..

1176

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days..

Commentary : The month of Dhul-Hijjah is one of the sacred months. It includes the ten days at its beginning, during which righteous deeds are greatly meritorious. They include the day of ‘Arafah, the ninth day. And they include the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, the tenth day. A number of Hadīths are reported on their merit.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. In another version narrated by Muslim, she said: "He did not fast the ten days." The ten days here refer to the nine days from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah, for fasting on the day of Eid is forbidden.
This Hadīth indicates that it is disliked fasting the ten days; whereas other Hadīths point to the merit of performing pious deeds - which include fasting - in those ten days. It is authentically narrated in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are no deeds on any day better than deeds in these," i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. It is probable that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not observe fasting on these days because he would sometimes abandon certain deeds, though he would like to perform them, for fear that they might be ordained upon his Ummah. The merit of fasting the day of ‘Arafah by non-pilgrims is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I expect from Allah that it expiates the sins of the preceding year and the next one.".

1184

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaim Talbiyah with his hair matted, saying: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak." (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service, here I am at Your service. You have no partner; the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner). He would not say anything more than these words. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two Rak‘ahs in Dhul-Hulayfah, and when his she-camel stood upright with him on its back near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, he proclaimed Talbiyah with these words. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) used to proclaim Talbiyah like the Talbiyah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with these words and would say: Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka wa sa‘dayk, wa al-khayr fi yadayk, labbayka wa ar-raghba’ ilayka wa al-‘amal (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service. Here I am at Your service, in bliss. Good is in Your Hands. Here I am at Your service; things are sought of You, and deeds are done for Your sake)..

Commentary : This Hadīth demonstrates the manner of the Prophet's Talbiyah upon assuming Ihrām for Hajj. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "proclaimed Talbiyah," i.e., he said Talbiyah in a loud voice, "with his hair matted," i.e., he put something like glue in his hair to prevent it from drooping or to keep insects away. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his Talbiyah: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk" (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service), i.e., I repeat my response to You in complying with Your command to perform Hajj; so, I respond to Your command time and again. "labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk" (Here I am at Your service; You have no partner), i.e., You alone are Sovereign in Your dominion, without any opponent or partner. "inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka" (the praise, the favor... belong to You), i.e., praise, gratitude, and laudation are due to You alone, and every favor comes from You, and You are the Giver of it. "wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak" (and the dominion belongs to You; You have no partner). He mentioned the dominion after the praise and favor to generalize the causes of obedience and demonstrate the aspects of submission and worship. Then, he followed that with the words "la sharīka lak" (You have no partner) to dispel any resemblance to Him and affirm that He alone is the Possessor of the dominion, the praise, and the favor. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not say anything beyond these words in his Talbiyah and the assumption of Ihrām. It is said: The wisdom behind Talbiyah is to note Allah's honor to His servants as they come to His House after a call from Him.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered two Rak‘ahs in the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah. This refers to the Zhuhr prayer performed in a shortened form, as related in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim and reported by Ibn ‘Abbās. Dhul-Hulayfah is a place lying outside Madīnah, on the way to Makkah. Dhul-Hulayfah is located 6 or 7 miles, nearly 9 or 10km, away from Madīnah. It is the Miqāt of the people of Madīnah and the non-residents who pass by it. It is known today among the ordinary people as Abiyār ‘Ali or Ābār ‘Ali. It lies about 420km away from Makkah. On the day he arrived in Dhul-Hulayfah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the ‘Asr prayer therein as two Rak‘ahs. Then, he performed the Maghrib, ‘Ishā’, Fajr, and Zhuhr prayers there. Thus, he offered five prayers there and stayed for a day and night. "and when his she-camel stood upright with him on its back near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah," i.e., he rode his she-camel, and it stood up in preparation for moving, "he proclaimed Talbiyah with these words," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) raised his voice as he said this supplication mentioned earlier.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) would assume Ihrām and raise his voice as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do and say: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka wa sa‘dayk" (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service. Here I am at Your service, in bliss), i.e., bliss after bliss, and I repeat that time and time again. "Wa al-Khayr fi yadayk" (Good is in Your Hands); good comes from You alone. "Labbayka wa ar-raghba’ ilayka wa al-‘amal." (Here I am at Your service; things are sought from You, and deeds are done for Your sake), i.e., things are sought from You and asked of You.
This addition was from the words of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Other additions to Talbiyah are reported from some of the Companions, who added them by way of increasing what is good. It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not criticize the Talbiyah proclaimed by any of his Companions..

1185

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The polytheists used to say: "Labbayk la sharika lak" (Here I am at Your service; there is no partner with You.) He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would say: "Woe to you! Enough, enough." They would say: "illa sharika howa lak; tamlikuhu wa ma malak" (Except a partner with You, whom You possess and all what he possesses." They would say that while performing Tawāf around the House!.

Commentary : Talbiyah for Hajj among the Muslims involves proclamation of the Tawhīd of Allah, sincere devotion to Him, and keeping away from Shirk. As for the polytheists, they used to proclaim Talbiyah for Hajj with Shirk.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the polytheists used to say while performing Tawāf around the Ka‘bah: "Labbayk, there is no partner with You." So, they would commence the Talbiyah with Tawhīd. Since the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) knew what they would add after that, he would say to them when they pronounced Talbiyah with Tawhīd: "Woe to you!" i.e., you will be in ruin and destruction for what you add to the Talbiyah. "Enough, enough!" i.e., your statement of Tawhīd is sufficient. Limit your Talbiyah to it and do not add the subsequent words: "illa sharika howa lak; tamlikuhu wa ma malak" (Except a partner with You, whom You possess and all what he possesses." By the partner, they meant their idols. This phrase in Arabic (tamlikuhu wa ma malak) has two potential meanings: First: You possess him and what is in his possession. Second: You possess him and he possesses nothing. They acknowledge that he is not worthy of any worship, for he is capable of nothing for himself or others, and that indeed the Sovereign is Allah. Nonetheless, they associate him with Allah in worship, out of ignorance or stubbornness, transgression, and arrogance! Allah Almighty says: {They have taken besides Him other gods who can create nothing but are themselves created. Nor do they have the power to harm or benefit themselves, nor do they have the power to cause death, give life or resurrect the dead.} [Surat al-Furqān: 3]
Moreover, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that they used to say that while performing Tawāf around the Sacred House of Allah by way of seeking closeness to Allah Almighty through false words, which are rejected..

1186

Sālim reported: When Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that Ihrām should start from Al-Baydā’, he would say: Al-Baydā’ about which you tell a lie about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)! The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not proclaim Talbiyah except at the tree when his camel stood up with him on its back..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the rituals of Hajj from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj, as he enjoined them to do, and they passed them on to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, Sālim ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar mentions that when his father ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that raising one's voice with Talbiyah in Hajj or ‘Umrah should start from Al-Baydā’, he would deny that and say: "Al-Baydā’ about which you tell a lie about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)!" i.e., you allege that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started his Talbiyah in his Hajj when he reached Al-Baydā’. You are mistaken in this. He attributed lying to them, for they said something contrary to reality. This does not mean intentional lying. Indeed, the Arabs tend to say to one who made an error: You lied. Al-Baydā’ is a place near Dhul-Hulayfah from the direction of Makkah. It was called Baydā’ for the absence of landmarks therein such as buildings and the like. What is meant here is the elevated and high place opposite Dhul-Hulayfah from the direction of Makkah.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained what is right to them, namely that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not raise his voice with Talbiyah "except at the tree" located near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, which is a village situated 6 or 7 miles (nearly 10km) away from Madīnah, and it is the Miqāt for the people of Madīnah and the non-residents who pass by it. This happened when he set out for the Farewell Hajj. He raised his voice with Talbiyah as he rode his camel and made it stand up to leave, after he had assumed Ihrām at that location.
The difference between the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) over the places from which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Talbiyah is probably caused by the fact that each of them talked about what he saw. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left Madīnah for Hajj. When he prayed in the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, he proclaimed Talbiyah for Hajj, which some people heard and memorized from him. Then, he rode his she-camel, and it stood up, he proclaimed the Talbiyah, of which some people became aware, for they were coming in groups. So, they heard him and said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed the Talbiyah when his she-camel stood up with him on its back. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proceeded, and when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’, he proclaimed the Talbiyah, which some people became cognizant of and said: Indeed, he proclaimed the Talbiyah when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’. So, each of them transmitted what he had heard. This shows that the difference arose over the starting of the Talbiyah and the assumption of Ihrām from the Miqāt. This confusion is cleared up by a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, in which Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, he proclaimed the Talbiyah in his place of prayer, proclaimed the Talbiyah when his she-camel stood up with him on its back, and proclaimed the Talbiyah when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’.".

1195

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Zayd ibn Arqam came, and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās said to him, reminding him: "How did you tell me about the meat of the game presented as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in a state of Ihrām?" He said that he said: "He was presented with a slice of the meat of the game, and he refused it, saying: "Indeed, we will not eat it; we are in a state of Ihrām.".

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. During it, some permissible things become forbidden for those who assume Ihrām for Hajj. One of these is that Allah Almighty says: {But hunting land animals is forbidden to you as long as you are on pilgrimage.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 96]
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Tāwūs ibn Kaysān al-Yamāni relates that Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Kufa to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), and Ibn ‘Abbās asked him to relate to him what he had previously told him about the Prophet's action when some meat from a hunted land animal was presented to him as a gift while he was in a state of Ihrām for Hajj. In other words, did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) accept it and eat therefrom or refuse it? So, Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was presented with some meat and he knew that it was part of a hunted land animal, he refused the gift and did not accept it from the person who offered it to him. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to the man who presented the gift that he refused it because he was in a state of Ihrām, and a Muhrim may not eat from hunted land animals.
In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ate from his game while being in a state of Ihrām. However, Abu Qatādah was not in a state of Ihrām when he hunted this animal from which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ate. Reconciling the two Hadīths, the scholars said that he refused the first gift because the man hunted it for his sake, whereas he deemed the second game lawful because no role was played by a Muhrim in its hunt, and he did not hunt it for his sake. So, if a non-Muhrim hunts an animal for himself and then presents part of it to a Muhrim, there is nothing wrong with that, and the Muhrim may eat from it.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's guidance upon refusing a gift, and that he would mention the reason for refusing it. This stems from his good manners (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1197

Mu‘ādh ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Uthmān at-Taymi reported: We were with Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullāh as we were in a state of Ihrām. A bird was presented to him as a gift. Meanwhile, Talhah was sleeping. Some of us ate and some of us refrained. When Talhah woke up, he agreed with those who ate it and said: "We ate it along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. During it, some permissible things become forbidden for those who assume Ihrām for Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Uthmān at-Taymi says that they were one day with the Companion Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) as the people were in a state of Ihrām for Hajj or ‘Umrah. Meanwhile, a grilled or cooked bird was gifted to Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), and it probably was a hunted bird. Talhah was reclining, asleep. So, he did not know about the bird gifted to him, and the ruling on eating therefrom was not clear to those in the state of Ihrām. Therefore, the people fell under two categories; some of them ate from this bird, and others feared and refrained from eating from the gifted bird thinking that a Muhrim may not eat from it. "When Talhah woke up, he agreed with those who ate it," i.e., he described their action as right, by words or deeds. Clarifying the reason behind his approval of those who ate, Talhah said: We ate the like of that along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while we were in a state of Ihrām. So, eat from what was gifted to me.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, Ibn ‘Abbās reported: As-Sa‘b ibn Jaththāmah al-Laythi presented to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the meat of a zebra while he was in Al-Abwā’ or Waddān (they are two places). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declined to eat therefrom. Upon noticing the unpleasant feeling on his face, he said to him: "Indeed, we only declined it because we are in a state of Ihrām."
Reconciling between the two Hadīths, it is to be said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the bird for them because the Muhrims played no role in hunting it. This is also explicitly mentioned in a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, in which Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he hunted a zebra, and when they asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said to them: "Did anyone of you command him or point to him with something?" They said: 'No.' So, he said: "Then, eat what is remaining of its meat."
As for declining the meat of the hunted animal from As-Sa‘b ibn Jaththāmah, this is because he hunted it for the Prophet's sake, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in a state of Ihrām, and a Muhrim may not eat from the meat of a prey which was hunted for him. Had he not been in a state of Ihrām, he would have accepted it and eaten it.
The Hadīth shows how the Companions used to explain the rulings of the religion to the contemporary Tābi‘is..

1202

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got himself cupped and paid the cupper his wage, and he put medicine in his nose..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has made good things lawful for His slaves and made unlawful for them anything evil and impure concerning food, drink, gains, trade, etc. The Shariah has also urged Muslims to have self-esteem and to elevate themselves from lowly things.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "got himself cupped," i.e., he asked someone to cup him. Cupping is to extract some blood from the body by pricking the area of pain and then absorbing and extracting this blood after collecting it by means of a cup, which is an instrument resembling a funnel. Cupping provides treatment for a variety of pains. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid the person who cupped him his wage for that. This is part of the Prophet's actual acts of Sunnah. If it was prohibited to give a wage to a cupper, he would not pay this cupper a wage. The scholars took the Hadīths prohibiting the earning by a cupper and stating that it is impure to denote purification and exaltation above lowly earnings and to urge noble manners and lofty matters. Or perhaps the prohibition was in the early days of Islam, and it was subsequently abolished. So, when he paid the cupper his wage, he abrogated the previous ruling.
Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned another medicine which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used, saying: "and he put medicine in his nose." To use it, a person lies down and places something below his shoulders to raise them, and then he puts drops of the medicine into his nose, so that they can reach his brain. Then, the illness comes out with sneezing.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's use of medicine and his pursuit of the proper means of treatment.
It mentions that the cupper took a wage for cupping..

Book of Hadith

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