It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith used to show us how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He would do that at a time other than the time of prayer. He stood fully upright and paused, then he bowed perfectly and paused, then he raised his head and stood up straight, pausing for a little while. He led us in a prayer like the prayer of this shaykh of ours, Abu Burayd. When Abu Burayd raised his head from the second prostration, he would sit up straight, then he would get up..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to teach the Muslims about their religion, and prayer was their top priority and foremost concern.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd tells us that Malik ibn al-Huwayrithused to teach them how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in practical terms, by demonstrating it to them. The apparent meaning of this report indicates that he (may Allah be pleased with him) showed them how each essential part of the prayer was to be done, and he did not teach them that at the time of prayer; rather it was at a time other than the time of prayer, so his prayer was a voluntary prayer that was done with the intention of teaching; it was not an obligatory or supererogatory prayer. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) began to teach them about the prayer, he stood fully upright, then he bowed properly, meaning that he made his back level, such that if water were to be poured on his back it would stay there, as it says in the hadith ofWabisah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated by Ibn Majah. Then he raised his head from bowing and stood up straight, returning to the same posture as before he bowed. “For a little while” means that he paused briefly between bowing and prostrating.
Then Abu Qilabah told Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani, who narrated this hadith, that the prayer of Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) resembled, in the way it was done, the prayer as done by their shaykh, meaning Abu Burayd. His name was ‘Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmi, as stated by Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani. When the Sahabi ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his head from the final prostration – which means the second prostration in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs – he would sit up straight, meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) would sit up completely, and did not get up from prostration immediately. This is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest), and it was said that this is the completion of the rak‘ah. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that for a reason, either old age or sickness. It was also said that it is, in fact, intended to be part of the prayer, but it should be brief. Then ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) got up for the final rak‘ah, to complete his prayer.
This hadith indicates that one should pause and be at ease in each of the essential parts of the prayer.
It indicates that it is encouraged to learn and teach others.
It indicates that the jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible..

806

It was narrated from Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib and ‘Ata’ ibn Yazid al-Laythi that Abu Hurayrah told them that some people said: O Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the moon on the night when it is full and there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun when there are no clouds in the way?” They said: No. He said: “You will surely see Him like that. The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection, and He will say: ‘Whoever used to worship something, let him follow it.’ So some of them will follow the sun, some of them will follow the moon, some of them will follow the false gods, then there will remain this ummah, including its hypocrites. Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord.’ They will say: ‘We will stay here until our Lord comes to us, and when our Lord comes, we will recognize Him.’ Then Allah will come to them and say: ‘I am your Lord,’ and they will say: ‘You are [indeed] our Lord.’ He will call them, and the sirat (bridge) will be set up over Hell, and I will be the first of the Messengers to cross it with his ummah. On that Day, no one will speak except the Messengers, and the words of the Messengers on that Day will be: ‘O Allah, grant safety, grant safety.’ In Hell there will be hookslike the thorns of al-sa‘dan; have you seen the thorns of al-sa‘dan?” They said: Yes. He said: “They will be like the thorns of al-sa‘dan, but no one knows how big they are except Allah. They will snatch the people on the basis of their deeds. Some of them will be doomed by their deeds, and some of them will be cut into tiny pieces, then saved. Then when Allah wants to show mercy to whomever He wills of the people of Hell, Allah will command the angels to bring forth anyone who used to worship Allah. So they will bring them forth, and they will recognize them by the marks of prostration, for Allah has prohibited the Fire to consume the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, and all of the son of Adam will be consumed by the Fire except the mark of prostration. They will be brought forth from the Fire, having been burned to cinders, then the water of life will be poured onto them, and they will grow like a seed grows in the mud left by a flood. Then Allah will finish judging between the people, and there will be left a man between Paradise and Hell – he will be the last of the people of Hell to enter Paradise – with his face turned towards Hell. He will say: ‘O Lord, turn my face away from Hell, for its smell is poisoning me and its flames are burning me.’ He will say: ‘If that is done for you, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: ‘No, by Your glory.’ And he will give Allah whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then Allah will turn his face away from the Fire. And when He turns him towards Paradise and he sees its beauty and opulence, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, bring me closer to the gate of Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had asked for?’ He will say:’ O Lord, I hope that I am not going to be the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah will say: ‘If you are given that, will you not ask Me for anything else?’ He will say: No, by Your glory, I will not ask for anything else.’ And he will give his Lord whatever promises and pledges he wishes. Then He will bring him closer to the gate of Paradise, and when he reaches its gate and sees its beauty, and what it contains of delights and happiness, he will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, then he will say: ‘O Lord, admit me to Paradise.’ Allah will say to him: ‘Woe to you, O son of Adam; how treacherous you are! Did you not give Me your promises and pledges that you would not ask for anything except what you had been given?’ He will say: ‘O Lord, do not make me the most wretched of Your creation.’ Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will smile at him, then He will give him permission to enter Paradise. Then he will say: ‘Wish.’ So he will wish until, when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say: ‘What about such and such?’thus his Lord will remind him, until when he has run out of wishes, Allah (may He be exalted) will say: ‘You will have this and as much again.’” Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah will say: ‘You will have this and ten times as much.’” Abu Hurayrah said: I do not remember anything from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except that he said “You will have this and as much again.” Abu Sa‘id said: I heard him say: “You will have this and ten times as much.”.

Commentary : The believers’ seeing their Lord on the Day of Resurrection will be the greatest blessing that is granted to them. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to learn more about this and they asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about it, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the people asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection? He responded with a clear explanation that left no room for doubt about their seeing Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) on the Day of Resurrection. He said: Do you have any doubt about seeing the moon on the night when it is full, when there are no clouds in the sky? They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. Then he asked them: Do you have any doubt about seeing the sun when there are no clouds in the sky? They said: No. So he said: You will surely see Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) in like manner, beyond a doubt, very clearly. This was comparing the clarity of seeing, not comparing the two objects seen, for there is nothing like unto Allah (may He be glorified).
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of different types of people and what their situation will be on the Day of Resurrection, for just as people differ in terms of their beliefs in this world, by the same token their situations will differ on the Day of Resurrection.
Allah (may He be exalted) will say to them: Whoever used to worship something, let him follow what he used to worship. So some of them will follow the sun, some of them will follow the moon, and some of them will follow the false gods. The word tawaghit (sing. taghut; translated here as false gods) refers to the Shaytan, idols and every leader of misguidance, or everything that was worshipped besides Allah and was content with that, and barred people from worshipping Allah. There will remain the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), including its hypocrites. As the hypocrites tried to conceal themselves by pretending to belong to this ummah in this world, in the hereafter they will follow them when reality becomes clear to them, hoping to benefit thereby, until {a wall will be placed between them with a door, its interior containing mercy, but on the outside of it is torment} [al-Hadid 57:13]. It may be that they will be gathered with them because of what they showed outwardly of being Muslim, so they will be kept as they are until Allah distinguishes between the good and the bad. Then Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will come to them, and His coming will be in a manner befitting His essence, without interpreting the matter in a manner other than it appears to be, or denying it, or likening His attributes to those of His creation – but it will be in a manner other than what they know of Him, as a test from Him, to differentiate between them and those who used to worship others. Then He will say: I am your Lord. But they will seek refuge with Allah from Him, because He will not have appeared to them with the attributes that they recognize; rather He will appear with attributes that no one knows except Him (may He be exalted), because with them will be the hypocrites who do not deserve to see Him, and they will be prevented from seeing their Lord. So they will say: We will stay here until our Lord appears to us, and when our Lord appears, we will recognize Him. Then Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will appear to them, with the attributes that are known to them, after the believershave become distinct from the hypocrites. Then He will say to them: I am your Lord. When they see that, they will recognize Him (may He be exalted) thereby, so they will say: You are [indeed] our Lord.
Then the Lord will call them, and the Sirat will be set up across the middle of Hell, or over it. The Siratis a bridge that will extend over the top of Hell; it will be narrower than a hair and sharper than a sword. The people will cross it on the Day of Resurrection, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will be the first of the Messengers (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) to cross the Sirat, along with his ummah. The supplication of the Messengers at that time will be: “O Allah, grant safety,” out of pity and compassion for them. In Hell there will be many-branched hooks of iron on which people’s flesh will be caught. They will be like the thorns of al-sa‘dan, which is a thorny plant that is good for camels to graze on; it is mentioned by way of comparison. It will snatch people quickly, because of their bad deeds, or according to their deeds. Some of them will be doomed, and some of them will be cut into small pieces like mustard seeds; in other words, the hooks of the Sirat will cut them into pieces until they fall into the Fire. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will save from it whoever used to worship Allah alone, namely the sincere believers, for the disbeliever will never be saved from it and will abide therein for eternity.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that on the Day of Resurrection, the angels will recognize the believers by the marks of prostration, for the Fire will not consume the marks of prostration. There is a difference of scholarly opinion as to what is meant by the marks of prostration. It was said that it is the seven parts of the body (the forehead, the two hands, the two knees, and the two feet). It was also said that what is meant is the forehead only, and this is supported by what is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim: “Then some people will be brought forth from the Fire, having been burned in it, except for their faces.” They will be brought forth from the Fire having been burned and turned black, then the water of life will be poured over them; whoever drinks it or has it poured over him will never die. Then they will grow as a seed grows in mud and the like, which is what is meant by the mud left by a flood; this phrase refers to mud and other things carried by floodwaters. The word translated here as seed refers to the seeds of desert plants that are not used for food. His growth is likened to the growth of the seed of desert plants, because they are white and grow quickly.
Then Allah will judge between people, and one man – who will be the last of the people of Hell to enter Paradise – will remain between Paradise and Hell, facing towards the Fire. He will say: O Lord, turn my face away from the Fire, for its stench is killing me, meaning that it has poisoned and destroyed me, for it is like poison in my nose, and its flames have burned me, referring to its extreme heat. Allah (may He be exalted) will say: Perhaps if I do what you want for you, you will aspire and ask for more. The man will swear by the glory of our Lord that he will not ask for anything else, and Allah will accept his promise and oath to that effect. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will turn his face away from the Fire. Then when he is facing towards Paradise, he will see its beauty and opulence, so he will say: O Lord, bring me nearer to the gate of Paradise. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: Did you not give your promise and oath that you would not ask for anything except what you already asked for? He will say: O Lord, I gave you my promises, but Your generosity raised my hopes; I do not want to be the most wretched of Your creation. If you leave me in this situation, and do not admit me to Paradise, I will surely be the most wretched of Your creation. Then Allah (may He be exalted) will smile at him in a manner that is befitting to Him, without interpreting that in a manner other than the apparent meaning, and without denying it or likening Allah to His creation. Our Lord will say to him: Perhaps if I grant you what you want, you will ask for something else. Allah (may He be exalted) will only say that, although He knows best what has happened and will happen, so as to show how the son of Adam breaks his promises. The man will swear by the glory of our Lord that he will not ask for anything else, and Allah will accept his promise and oath to that effect. Then Allah will bring him close to the gate of Paradise, and when he reaches its gate and sees its beauty and what it contains of splendors and delights, he will be dazzled. He will keep quiet for as long as Allah wills that he should keep quiet, out of shyness before his Lord, then he will ask his Lord to admit him to Paradise. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: Woe to you, O son of Adam; how treacherous you are! The word wayhaka (translated here as woe to you) is a word of compassion, whereas the word waylaka (which may also be translated as woe to you) is a word of punishment. And it was said that they both mean the same thing. Treachery means failing to fulfil promises. This man will not break his promise out of ignorance; rather he will do that because he will be aware that breaking his promise in this case is more appropriate than keeping it, because asking of his Lord is more appropriate than fulfilling his oath.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that Allah will give this man permission to enter Paradise, then He will say: Wish. So the man will wish until, when he runs out of wishes and has told his Lord everything that he wants and hopes for, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will say to him: You will have what you wish for and as much again. When Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was in the gathering in which Abu Hurayrah narrated this hadith –heard that, he told him that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying: “You will have this, and ten times as much.” It was said concerning this that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) initially told the people what is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah, then Allah, by His generosity, increased what He will give to this person, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of that, and Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated it from him, but Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not hear that.
This hadith affirms that the believers will see their Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) on the Day of Resurrection.
It indicates that prayer is the best of deeds, because of what it involves of bowing and prostration, for the Fire will not consume the mark of prostration.
It affirms the existence of the Sirat, and that the believers will cross it.
It highlights the virtue of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his ummah, for they will be the first to cross the Sirat, before all other nations.
It indicates that some of the believers will be punished by being admitted to Hell, then Allah (may He be exalted) will show mercy to them by bringing them forth from it.
It indicates that the punishment of the believer will be different from the punishment of the disbeliever, because it will not include all of their bodies; rather the mark of prostration will be safe, and will be a sign for them, by which the intercessors will recognize them and bring them forth from the Fire.
It affirms some characteristics that are unique to the Essence of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Ahl al-Sunnah affirm for Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) what He has affirmed for Himself, without likening Him to His creation, or discussing how those attributes are, and without denying them or misinterpreting them. Rather they accept this and say: We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord..

812

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones: on the forehead – and he pointed to his nose – the two hands, the two knees, and the toes of the two feet, and we should not tie up our garments or hair.”.

Commentary : Prostration is an important and essential part of the prayer, and is a way in which a person shows submission and humility to his Lord. Allah (may He be exalted) enjoined it in several places in His holy Book.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains the correct way to prostrate. He tells us that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) commanded him to prostrate on seven “bones”, meaning bones of the body. These seven parts are the forehead, which is the part of the face above the nose and eyes, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pointed to his nose, explaining that the forehead and nose together form one of these seven, and confirming that the one who prostrates should make his nose touch the ground. [These seven] also include the two hands, the two knees and the toes of the two feet and what is next to them. The two hands, the two knees and the two feet are the other six parts. And we should not tie up our garments or hair. Tying up the garment means tucking it up so that it will not drop or hang down. Tying up the hair means tying it with something so that it will not drop down and fall loose. What is meant is that we should not tuck up our hair or garments when prostrating on the ground in order to protect them; rather we should leave them as they are, so that they will fall on the ground and prostrate with the other parts of the body. The wisdom behind that is that if a person lifts up his garment and hair, and prevents them from touching the ground, he will be like one who is arrogant. It was also said that the hair will prostrate with the head if it is not tied up or wrapped up..

813

It was narrated that AbuSalamah said: I went to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri and said: Will you not come out with us to the palm trees so that we may talk? So he came out. I said: Tell me what you heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about Laylat al-Qadr. He said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observedi‘tikaffor the first ten days of Ramadan, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. ThenJibril came to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So he observed i‘tikaf for the middle ten days, and we observed i‘tikaf with him. Then Jibrilcame to him and said: What you are seeking is still ahead of you. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to address us on the morning of the twentieth of Ramadan, and said: “Whoever was observing i‘tikafwith the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), let him come back, for Laylat al-Qadr was shown to me, but I was caused to forget it. It is in the last ten nights, on an odd-numbered night, and I saw myself [in a dream] prostrating in mud and water.” The roof of the mosque was made of palm branches, and we did not see anything in the sky, then asmall cloud came and it rained, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in prayer,then I saw the traces of mud and water on the face of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and on the tip of his nose, in fulfillment of his dream..

Commentary : The month of Ramadan is the greatest of months in the sight of Allah (may He be exalted), and the greatest of its nights is Laylat al-Qadr. Hence the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) strove hard in seeking it and trying to determine which night it was. There are many reports that speak of when that night occurs, including this hadith, in which the Tabi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awfnarrates that he went to Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him to go with him to a piece of land in which there were palm trees, and he asked him to tell him what he had heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about whenLaylat al-Qadr occurs. He told him that one year, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf for the first ten days of Ramadan. Then after that Jibril came to him and told him: Laylat al-Qadr, that you are seeking, is in the nights yet to come. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaffor the middle ten nights, and the Sahabah observed i‘tikaf with him. On the morning of the twentieth of Ramadan, Jibril came to him a second time, and told him something similar to what he had said the first time, referring to the last ten nights of the month. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed his companions, saying: Let whoever has observed i‘tikaf for the first ten days or the middle ten days, and has left the mosque, come back, for I have been told about Laylat al-Qadr, or I have been told when it will be – for Jibril (peace be upon him) had told him when it would be that year, but he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told his companions that he had forgotten it;however, he was certain that it would be in the last ten nights, on an odd-numbered night, which would be the twenty-first, or the twenty-third, or the twenty-fifth, or the twenty-seventh, or the twenty-ninth, one of the last ten nights of Ramadan.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of the sign of that night in that year, on the basis of a dream that he had seen, and the dreams of the prophets are true. He dreamt that he was prostrating in water and mud. Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The roof of the Prophet’s Mosque was made of palm branches, and nothing appeared in the sky to suggest that it was going to rain, then suddenly asmall cloud appeared – referring to a thin piece of cloud, then rain fell and the Muslims prayed, and the Prophet’s dream about prostrating in water and mud was fulfilled. The traces of mud appeared on the forehead of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and on the tip of his nose. This happened on the morning of the twentieth, which was the night before the twenty-first, as it says in a report narrated in al-Sahihayn. Thus the dream of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came true.
This hadith indicates that we are encouraged to seek out Laylat al-Qadr and make the most of it by doing righteous deeds, because of what this brings of increased virtue and reward.
It indicates that we are encouraged to observe i‘tikaf in Ramadan.
It confirms that when prostrating, we should make sure that the forehead and nose touch the ground. .

818

It was narrated from Abu Qilabah that Malik ibn al-Huwayrith said to his companions: Shall I not tell you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? And that was at a time that was not the time for prayer. He stood up, then he bowed and said takbir, then he raised his head and stood,pausing for a little while. Then he prostrated, then he raised his head and paused for a little while. And he prayed a prayer like the prayer of ‘Amr ibn Salimah, this shaykh of ours. Ayyub said: He used to do something that I never saw them do: he would sit in the third and fourth [rak‘ahs]. He said: We came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stayed with him, and he said: “When you go back to your families, pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time; pray such and such a prayer at such and such a time…When it is time to pray, let one of you give the call to prayer, and let the oldest of you lead you in the prayer.”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit them to those who came after them, especially the prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to his companions how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: Shall I not show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed? This was not at the time for an obligatory prayer, so his prayer was a voluntary prayer that was done with the aim of teaching; it was not an obligatory or supererogatory prayer. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) started to pray, he stood and said the takbir to start the prayer (takbirat al-ihram). Then he bowed and said takbir; the takbir for bowing came after it, not before it. Then he raised his head and stood, pausing for a little while between bowing and prostrating. Then he prostrated, then he raised his head and paused for a little while between the two prostrations, then he did the second prostration.
The Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd narrated that Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in a prayer like the prayer of ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was their shaykh and imam.
Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani – who narrated this hadith from Abu Qilabah and was one of the students of ‘Amr ibn Salimah (may Allah be pleased with him) – said that he used to do something that he did not see anyone else do, which was that he used to sit briefly between the third and fourth [rak‘ahs]. What is meant is that he used to sit briefly, after the second prostration in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs, then stand up after that. This is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest). It was said that this sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah, and it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it for a reason, either because of old age or because of sickness. It was also said that it is part of the prayer, but it should be brief.
Then Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) told them, after finishing his prayer, that they came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after they had become Muslim, and they stayed with him. When they asked his permission to go back to their families, he gave them permission and told them the times of the prayers when they must pray. Then he instructed them, when the time for prayer began, whether they were at home or travelling, that one of them should give the call to prayer and that the oldest of them should lead them in the prayer.
We may reconcile between this and the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), “The people should be led in prayer by the one who has the most knowledge of the Book of Allah”– which is narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Mas‘ud al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) – by noting that giving precedence on the basis of age is applicable when the people praying are all equal in terms of knowledge of Qur’an and recitation. This may be understood from the story in this case, because they had become Muslim and migrated together, and they had all accompanied the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stayed with him, and they were equal in terms of what they had learned from him, so there was no criteria to determine who should lead the prayer except age.
This hadith indicates that jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible.
It indicates that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) varied in their knowledge of the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that some of them had knowledge that others did not have.
It indicates that prayer may be done at a time other than the time for prayer, for the purpose of teaching.
It indicates that the Muslim should be keen to teach his family about how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed..

821

It was narrated from Thabit that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I will do my best to lead you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lead us in prayer. Thabit said: Anas ibn Malik used to do something that I have not seen you do. When he raised his head from bowing, he would stand for so long that one would think that he had forgotten, and [he would sit up] between the prostrations for so long that one would think that he had forgotten..

823

It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith al-Laythi told us that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying, and in the odd-numbered rak‘ahsof his prayer, he did not get up until he had first sat up straight..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, then they were keen to teach this to the Muslims who came after them.
In this hadith, Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) – who used to watch the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he prayed, so that he could learn how he prayed and teach it to those who came after him – tells us that in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs of his prayer – meaning the first and third rak‘ahs – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not get up to start the following rak‘ah straight after prostrating in these odd-numbered rak‘ahs. Rather he would sit briefly, which is called jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest). It was said that this sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah, and it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that for a reason, either because of old age or sickness. And it was said that it is in fact part of the prayer, but it should be brief.
This hadith indicates that jalsat al-istirahah (the sitting of rest) is permissible..

825

It was narrated that Sa‘id ibn al-Harith said: Abu Sa‘id led us in prayer and recited the takbir out loud when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated, when he raised [his head again], and when he stood up following the [first] two rak‘ahs, and he said: This is what I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do..

827

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdillah that he told him that he used to see ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels when sitting during the prayer, so I did that too. At that time I was very young, and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told me not to do that, and said: The Sunnah in prayer is to hold your right foot upright and tuck your left foot underneath you. I said: But you do that. He said: My feet do not carry me. .

Commentary : Conveying the teachings of Islam and teaching them to the people is obligatory upon every Muslim, to the extent of his knowledge and ability, and no Muslim should refuse to convey the teachings even if he is not able to put them into practice himself because of sickness, weakness and the like.
In this hadith, it says that the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Umar saw his father (may Allah be pleased with him) kneeling with his buttocks resting on his heels when he sat to recite the tashahhud. This manner of sitting means that a person sits on his buttocks, and tucks his right and left feet under him and sits on them. When his son ‘Abdullah saw him doing that in the prayer, he imitated him and did the same as he did. But Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and when his son said to him,” But you do that,” he told him the reason why he did it, which was that his feet were not able to carry him because of old age or sickness. And he told him that the Sunnah is to sit with the right foot held upright, and to sit on the left foot which is tucked underneath one.
This is the description of sitting to recite the first tashahhud if the prayer consists of four rak‘ahs. In the final tashahhud, the Sunnah is to sit in the manner called tawarruk, because of the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari from Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him): When he [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] sat following the [first] two rak‘ahs, he sat on his left foot, holding the right foot upright, and when he sat in the final rak‘ah, he pushed his left foot forward a little and held the other foot upright, and sat on his buttocks on the ground..

828

It was narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Halhalah, from Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn ‘Ata’, that he was sitting with a group of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we mentioned the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi said: I know best among you about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). I saw him when he said takbir; he lifted his hands level with his shoulders. When he bowed, he placed his hands firmly on his knees, then he made his back straight. When he lifted his head, he stood up straight until each vertebra returned to its place. When he prostrated, he put his hands [on the ground] without resting his forearms on the ground or holding them close to his body, and his toes pointed towards the qiblah. When he sat after the first two rak‘ahs, he sat on his left foot and held his right foot upright. When he sat in the final rak‘ah, he brought his left foot forward a little underneath him, held his right foot upright, and sat on his buttocks..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to watch the movements of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow his practice in all things, and to transmit it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Abu Humayd as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) describes how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to a group of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who were talking about the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): I am the one among you who has most knowledge of how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. It was said to him – as is mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud: how is that, for by Allah you did not keep closer to him than us, and you did not accompany him for longer than us? He said: I kept watching him pray until I learned how he prayed. What he meant was that even though he did not accompany the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for the longest time, he made up for that by watching the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until he had memorized how he prayed. Then he began to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He told them that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), he would raise his hands level with his shoulders, and when he bowed he would place his hands firmly on his knees, then make his back straight, meaning that when he bowed, he kept his back straight, from the neck, without any bend in it. When he lifted his head from bowing, he would stand up straight until each vertebra returned to its place; the vertebrae are the bones of the spine. What is meant is that he would stand up straight after bowing, then pause briefly whilst standing. When he prostrated, he placed his hands on the ground, without resting his forearms on the ground, which is a posture that resembles that of wild animals and the like. He also did not rest his belly on any part of his thighs, or bring his arms in close to the body or hold them underneath his belly. He would make his toes point towards the qiblah. Then [Abu Humayd] described how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat between the two prostrations: he would hold his right foot upright and tuck his left foot under him and sit on it. This is the manner of sitting that is called iftirash. When he sat in the final tashahhud, he would bring his left foot forward a little and hold his right foot upright, and he would sit on his buttocks. This is the manner of sitting that is called tawarruk.
This hadith encourages the Muslim to study and seek knowledge, and to verify what is learned by checking with people of knowledge.
It indicates that it is permissible for a man to describe himself as being more knowledgeable than others, if that will not lead to self-admiration and he wants to explain that to others who hear him.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), how he paused and how he stood up straight in the prayer..

831

It was narrated that Shaqiq ibn Salamah said: ‘Abdullah said: When we prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we said: Peace be upon Jibril and Mika’il; peace be upon So-and-so and So-and-so. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to us and said: “Indeed Allah is al-Salaam, so when one of you prays, let him say: Al-tahiyyatuLillahiwa’l-salawatuwa’l-tayyibat. Al-salaamu ‘alaykaayyuha’l-Nabiyyuwarahmatullahiwabarakatuhu. Al-salaamu ‘alaynawa ‘ala ‘ibadillah’i-salihin (All compliments, prayers and pure words are due to Allah. Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah). If you say that, it will include every righteous slave of Allah in heaven and on earth. [Then say:]Ashhaduan la ilahailla Allah waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasuluhu (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger).”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to pray and what supplications to say in the prayer. He has taught us what is to be said and when, including the tashahhud following the first two rak‘ahs and the final tashahhud of every prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that in their prayer, in the tashahhud, they used to say, “Peace be upon Allah (al-salaamu ‘ala Allah),” as is clearly stated in another report in al-Sahihayn. Then they would say, “Peace be upon Jibril and Mika’il, and peace be upon So-and-so and So-and-so,” mentioning the names of other angels. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard them, he turned to face them and said to them: Indeed Allah is al-Salaam – meaning that it is not right to say Peace be upon Allah. He objected to them saying that, and taught them that what they were saying was the opposite of what should be said, for all well-being (salamah) and mercy belongs to Him and comes from Him, for He is the owner and giver thereof. And it was said that he instructed them to direct their salutation of salaam to people, because people are in need of well-being, whereas Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) does not need that. Al-Salaam is one of the names of Allah (may He be exalted), which is indicative of His being free of (salamah) all shortcomings and defects.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught them what they should say in the tashahhud. “Al-tahhiyatuLillah (all compliments are due to Allah) – this refers to salutations, or to being free of defects and shortcomings. It was also said that it refers to sovereignty, everlastingness or greatness. It was also said that what is meant by compliments is all types of glory and greatness. What is meant is that all of this belongs to Allah (may He be exalted) by right. “Al-salawat (prayers)” – it was said that what is meant here is the five daily prayers, or all acts of worship, or supplications, or mercy. And it was said that tahiyyat (translated here as compliments) refers to verbal acts of worship and salawat (translated here as prayers) refers to physical acts of worship, and tayyibat (translated here as pure words) refers to financial acts of worship. With regard to the word “wa’l-tayyibat (translated here as ‘and pure words’)”, this refers to a good word, or it refers specifically to the remembrance of Allah (dhikr). It was also said that it refers to righteous deeds in general. “Al-salaamu ‘alaykaayyuha’l-Nabiyyuwarahmatullahiwabarakatuhu” – salaam here is meant in the sense of greeting; what is meant is that we direct to you greetings and salutations. And it was said that what is meant is well-being and safety, in which case the meaning is: May you be safe from any harm. And it was said that it refers to the name of Allah al-Salaam, in which case the meaning is: May you be blessed by virtue of the divine name al-Salaam. Barakah (blessing) is an increase in goodness. “Al-salaamu ‘alayna (peace be upon us)” is addressed to ourselves; “wa ‘ala ‘ibadillahi’l-salihin (and upon the righteous slaves of Allah)” refers to those who obey the commands of Allah and carry out their duties towards Him and towards His slaves. Thus the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught them to refer to him separately, because of his honourable status and the great rights that he has over them, then he taught them to mention themselves in particular, because it is more appropriate to be more concerned about themselves. Then he instructed them to send greetings and salutations to all of the righteous, indicating that supplication for the believers should include all of them. Then he told them that when they say “Al-salaamu ‘alaynawa ‘ala ‘ibadillah’i-salihin (Peace be upon us and upon the righteous slaves of Allah),”the benefit of this salaam will reach every righteous slave on earth or in heaven. This includes the angels, the jinn and humans.
“Ashhaduan la ilahailla Allah (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah)” – a report narrated by Abu Dawud from Ibn ‘Umar adds the words “wahdahu la sharikalah (alone, with no partner or associate).” This is testifying to the oneness of Allah (may He be glorified), and there is none that is deserving of worship except Him. The words “waashhaduannaMuhammadan ‘abduhuwarasuluhu (and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger)” are an affirmation that Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah is a Messenger from Allah to all people, and that he is the last of the Messengers whom all people are required to obey and follow..

834

It was narrated from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Teach me a supplication that I may offer in my prayer. He said: “Say: Allahummainnizalamtunafsizulmankathiran, wa la yaghfirul-dhunubailla anta, faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indikawarhamni, innaka anta al-Ghafurul-Rahim (O Allah, indeedI have wronged myself greatly, and no one forgives sins except You, so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful).”.

Commentary : No one can avoid falling short in his duty to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and committing some sins. In this hadith, we see a concise supplication that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) when he asked him to teach him a supplication that he could offer in his prayer. What appears to be the case is that he wanted something that he could say following the final tashahhud and sending blessings on the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: Say: “Allahummainnizalamtunafsizulmankathiran (O Allah, indeed I have wronged myself greatly),” by committing sins and falling short in my duty to Allah (may He be exalted). “wa la yaghfirul-dhunubailla anta (and no one forgives sins except You)” – and this is an admission of sin and an acknowledgement that sin is the action of the person himself, and it is an admission and acknowledgement that no one forgives sins except Allah, because of His perfect sovereignty. “faghfir li maghfiratan min ‘indikawarhamni, innaka anta al-Ghafurul-Rahim (so grant me forgiveness from You and have mercy on me, for indeed You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful)” – this is like the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {and who can forgive sins except Allah?} [Al ‘Imran 3:135]. This is an affirmation of the oneness of the Creator (may He be glorified and exalted), and seeking His forgiveness by means of this admission.
This supplication is an example of concise speech, as it contains an admission of serious shortcomings – which is the fact that the individual has wronged himself greatly – and seeking the greatest blessing, which is forgiveness and mercy, for forgiveness conceals and erases sins, and mercy is the sending of blessings and granting of good. Thus the former is akin to being drawn away from the Fire and the latter is akin to being admitted to Paradise, and this is the great triumph..

837

Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, the women would get up and leave when he finished his taslim, and he would stay where he was for a while, before he got up to leave..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen that women should not mix with men, and he would take measures to prevent them mixing with men, because of the great mischief that results from that. In this hadith, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim at the end of the prayer, the women would get up as soon as he finished the taslim, and hasten to leave the mosque, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not rush to get up. Rather he would stay where he was for a little while after finishing the prayer, so that the women would have the chance to exit the mosque and leave before the men started leaving, lest some of the men who were leaving after the prayer come in close contact with the women. All of this was by way of barring means that could lead to evil, and keeping men and women separated for fear of fitnah (temptation). In congregational prayers, the women’s rows were at the back, with the children’s rows in front of them, and in front of the children were the men’s rows, behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that the imam should pay attention to the circumstances of those praying behind him, and he should take measures to avoid any situation that could lead to impropriety.
It indicates that one should avoid being in any dubious situation in which one could be accused of mischief.
It indicates that men should not mix with non-mahram women in the streets, let alone in houses..

838

It was narrated that ‘Itban ibn Malik said: We prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and we said the taslim when he said the taslim..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, ‘Itban ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates a report about when to say the taslim when praying behind an imam. He tells us that the taslim of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), when they were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), came at the same time as the taslim of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other words, they would begin to say their salaam after he began to say his salaam and before he finished saying it. And it was said that this is not what is meant; rather what is meant is that they said the taslim straight after he finished his, with no lag, and this was expressed by suggesting this it happened at the same time, because when things come immediately after one another, it is almost like they are happening at the same time..

841

It was narrated from Abu Ma‘bad, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that raising the voice in dhikr when the people have finished an obligatory prayer is something that used to take place at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And Ibn ‘Abbas said: I used to know that they had finished the prayer when I heard that..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them. Part of the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions was to remember Allah (dhikr) after the prescribed prayers, and to raise their voices in doing that.
In this hadith, Abu Ma‘bad, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that Ibn ‘Abbas(may Allah be pleased with him) told him that raising the voice in dhikr is something that was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), meaning the dhikrs and du‘a’s that followed the prayer, such as seeking forgiveness (istighfar), glorifying Allah (tasbih), praising Him (tahmid) and magnifying Him (takbir), when the people had finished the obligatory prayer. This is something that happened and was practised at the time of the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What is meant by finishing the prayer is the taslim. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) would know that the people had finished the prayer when he heard the dhikr. This highlights the fact that it is permissible to say dhikr out loud following the prayer. This hadith may be understood as meaning that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only said it out loud in order to teach the people what to say in dhikr, not that he always did that..

1235

Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: that a man from the people of Iraq said to him: "Ask 'Urwah ibn az-Zubayr on behalf of me about a man who proclaims Talbiyah for Hajj and when performs Tawāf around the House, may he end his Ihrām or not? If he tells you that he may not end his Ihrām, tell him that there is a man who advocates this opinion." He said: I asked him, and he said: "He who proclaims Talbiyah for Hajj may not end his Ihrām except with Hajj." I said: "There is a man who advocates this opinion." He said: "How bad his opinion is!" Then, the man came across me and asked me, and I related to him, and he said: "Say to him: There is a man who reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that, and what about Asmā’ and Az-Zubayr who did that?" He said: I came to him and mentioned that to him, and he said: "Who is this?" I said: "I do not know." He said: "Why does he not come to me by himself and ask me?! I think he is an Iraqi." I said: "I do not know." He said: "He told a lie, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj, and Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed me: that the first thing he began with when he came to Makkah was to make ablution and then perform Tawāf around the House. Then, Abu Bakr performed Hajj, and the first thing he began with was Tawāf around the House, and there was nothing else. Then, ‘Umar did the same. Then, ‘Uthmān performed Hajj, and I saw that he first began with Tawāf around the House, and there was nothing else. Then Mu‘āwiyah and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar. Then, I performed Hajj with my father, Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām, and the first thing he began with was Tawāf around the House, and there was nothing else. Then, I saw the Muhājirūn and Ansār do that, and there was nothing else. Then, the last one I saw doing that was Ibn ‘Umar; then, he did not break it with ‘Umrah. This is Ibn ‘Umar with them; why do they not ask him? And none among the past would start with anything when they set their feet before Tawāf around the House, and then they would not end their Ihrām. I saw that when my mother and maternal aunt came, they would not start with anything before the House, around which they would perform Tawāf, and then they would not end their Ihrām. My mother told me that she and her sister, Az-Zubayr, and so-and-so and so-and-so came to perform ‘Umrah only, and after they wiped over the corner, they ended their Ihrām. He told a lie in what he mentioned about that..

Commentary : In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Nawfal al-Madani relates that a man from the people of Iraq said to him: "Ask ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr on behalf of me about a man who proclaims Talbiyah for Hajj." To proclaim Talbiyah is to say it in a loud voice. It here refers to assuming Ihrām for Hajj. And he reaches Makkah "and when he performs Tawāf" al-Qudūm "around the House", he may end his Ihrām once he performs Tawāf, without making Tawāf between Safa and Marwah, or not? It is said that the man meant to ask about dissolving Hajj and turning it into ‘Umrah. If the reply of ‘Urwah is that "he may not end" his Ihrām once he performs Tawāf, "tell him that there is a man" - meaning ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) - who advocates the opinion that Hajj may be dissolved and turned into ‘Umrah and Ihrām may be ended right after Tawāf.
Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān informed that he posed the question to ‘Urwah as requested by this man. So, ‘Urwah said: He who proclaims Talbiyah for Hajj "may not end" his Ihrām except with Hajj and after completing all the rituals of Hajj. In response, Muhammad informed him that a man believed that he might end his Ihrām once he performed Tawāf. Thereupon, ‘Urwah said: "How bad his opinion is!" He criticized this view held by him. Then, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān said: "The man" who asked me to pose the question to 'Urwah "came across me," i.e., he intercepted and met me and asked me about the reply of 'Urwah. I related to him what 'Urwah had said. Thereupon, the man said to Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān: Say to him: "There is a man", meaning Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), who held the view that if a person has not brought the Hady and he proclaimed Talbiyah for Hajj, he should end his Ihrām for Hajj after performing Tawāf; and that whoever wants to continue his Hajj should not approach the House until he has returned from 'Arafāt. He based his opinion on the command given by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his Companions who did not bring the Hady to turn it into 'Umrah. Ibn' Abbās reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that, i.e., he gave this instruction to his Companions who did not bring the Hady in the Farewell Hajj. This is known to have been the view adopted by Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), and the majority disagreed with him.
He also urged him to ask him about Asmā' bint Abi Bakr and Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with both of them), 'Urwah's parents, and the fact that they ended their Ihrām once they performed Tawāf. So, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān went to ‘Urwah and mentioned that to him. Thereupon, ‘Urwah asked him about the questioner who sent him with these questions. Muhammad told him that he did not know him. ‘Urwah said: Why does he not come to me himself and ask me? I think he is an Iraqi. This is because they were known at the time for their rigidity in religious matters. Muhammad replied: I do not know. ‘Urwah said: He lied as he attributed this action to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and also attributed it to Asmā' and Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with both of them). Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj, and Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) - she was his maternal aunt - informed me: "that the first thing he began with", i.e., when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Makkah, was to make ablution and then perform Tawāf al-Qudūm around the House. Then, he completed the activities and rituals of Hajj. And that when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) set out for Hajj after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the first thing he would start with was Tawāf around the House. "And there was nothing else," i.e. he did not change Hajj, dissolve it, and turn it into 'Umrah or Hajj of Qirān. Then, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb and ‘Uthmān did like him, and then Mu‘āwiyah, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar, and Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with them), and then the Muhājirūn and Ansār; they would start with Tawāf al-Qudūm. Then, Ibn' Umar was the last one I saw doing that - i.e., starting with Tawāf. "Then, he did not break it with 'Umrah," i.e., he did not dissolve it and turn it into 'Umrah. Instead, he continued his Ihrām until he finished it. "This is Ibn 'Umar" present "with them, why do they not ask him?" about the matters of their religion, if they are truthful in following the Sunnah! Likewise, there was none among the Companions who passed by except that they would start with Tawāf around the House when they set their feet, and then they would not end their Ihrām right after Tawāf.
Then, ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr informed that he saw that when his mother Asmā’ bint Abu Bakr and his maternal aunt ‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with both of them), came to Makkah, the first thing they would do was Tawāf al-Qudūm around the House, and they would not end their Ihrām right after Tawāf. "My mother told me that she and her sister" 'Ā’ishah, the affirmer of the truth, came to Makkah, and with them were "Az-Zubayr and so-and-so and so-and-so", listing names of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), "to perform 'Umrah only" in the past, "After they wiped over the corner," i.e., the Black Stone, and started Tawāf from there, completed their Tawāf around the House and their Sa'i between Safa and Marwah, and shaved their heads, "they ended their Ihrām." "He", i.e., the questioner, "told a lie in what he mentioned about that", i.e., the ending of Ihrām right after Tawāf.
The Hadīth demonstrates that the first thing to be done within the Sacred Precincts is to start with the Tawāf al-Qudūm.
It also indicates that if a person assumes Ihrām for Hajj only, there is nothing wrong with him performing Tawāf around the House.
The Hadīth points out that one of the etiquettes that a questioner should observe is to pose his question by himself, if possible..

1236

Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: As we set out in Ihrām, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever has Hady should remain in Ihrām, and whoever does not have Hady should end Ihrām." I did not have Hady, and so I ended Ihrām. Az-Zubayr had Hady, and so he did not end Ihrām. She said: I wore my clothes and went out and sat beside Az-Zubayr. Thereupon, he said: "Stay away from me." I said: "Do you fear that I would jump on you?!".

Commentary : Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when a pilgrim intends to perform ‘Umrah along with Hajj. As he comes to Makkah and performs ‘Umrah, he ends his Ihrām and enjoys all that is lawful till the beginning of the rituals of Hajj on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah.
In this Hadīth, Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) mentions part of what happened during the Farewell Hajj. She informs that they set out in Ihrām for Hajj during the tenth Hijri year. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reached Makkah, performed Tawāf around the House, and made Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah, he enjoined his Companions who had Hady - a name for the livestock, camels, cows, and sheep offered to the Ka‘bah as an act of worship to Allah - to remain in Ihrām till they would end it after standing at ‘Arafah and complete the rituals of Hajj; thus, they performed Hajj of Qirān, performing Hajj and ‘Umrah together. As for those who did not have Hady with them, they should perform ‘Umrah and end Ihrām and then wait in Tamattu‘ till the day of Tarwiyah, the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, on which they would assume Ihrām for Hajj; thus, they performed Hajj of Tamattu‘.
Asmā’ (may Allah be pleased with her) related that she was among those who did not have Hady, so they performed ‘Umrah with Tamattu‘. Meanwhile, her husband Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who brought the Hady, and so he remained in Ihrām. After she ended her Ihrām, she put on her clothes. This probably refers to her adorned clothes, for women are not forbidden from wearing stitched clothes under Ihrām. The version narrated by An-Nasā’i supports this: "and I put on some of my perfume." So, she (may Allah be pleased with her) went out of her tent and sat beside her husband, Az-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwām (may Allah be pleased with him). Thereupon, he asked her to get up and stay away from him. In a version by Muslim: "Keep away from me, keep away from me." He (may Allah be pleased with him) seemingly feared he might do something forbidden for a Muhrim, such as touching a woman with desire and the like. Expressing disapproval of him, she (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Do you fear that I would jump on you?!" i.e., that I will attack you and throw myself over you?! She meant: Do not think that I have come to spoil your Hajj or that she would cause him to engage in some of the things forbidden under Ihrām.
The Hadīth demonstrates the legitimacy of performing ‘Umrah with Tamattu‘ during the months of Hajj.
It indicates that if a performer of Tamattu‘ Hajj does not bring the Hady with him and ends his Ihrām after performing ‘Umrah, all the things forbidden for him under Ihrām become permissible for him till he assumes Ihrām for Hajj..

1238

Muslim al-Qurri reported: I asked Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Mut'ah of Hajj, and he declared it permissible, whereas Ibn Az-Zubayr forbade it. He said: This is the mother of Ibn Az-Zubayr narrating that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it permissible. So, visit her and ask her. He said: We entered her place and found a blind, bulky woman. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it permissible. [In a version]: As for ‘Abdur-Rahmān, his Hadīth mentions the Mut‘ah, but he did not say the Mut‘ah of Hajj. As for Ibn Ja‘far, he said: Shu‘bah said: Muslim said: I do not know whether it is the Mut‘ah of Hajj or the Mut‘ah of women..

Commentary : Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when the pilgrim assumes Ihrām for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj and then ends his Ihrām, after which he assumes Ihrām for Hajj in the same year. So, if he comes to Makkah during the months of Hajj and performs ‘Umrah, he may end his Ihrām and enjoy all that is lawful until the rituals of Hajj begin.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Muslim ibn Mikhrāq al-Qurri informs that he asked ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Tamattu‘ in ‘Umrah till the coming of Hajj, and he declared it permissible, i.e., it is legitimate and permissible. ‘Abdullāh ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade Tamattu‘. This is a difference of opinion between them based on the different reports reaching each of them about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This is the mother of Ibn Az-Zubayr" - meaning Asmā’ bint Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) - "narrating that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it permissible"; and he enjoined them to visit her and ask her about the ruling on the Mut‘ah of Hajj. Muslim ibn Mikhrāq al-Qurri informed that when they entered her place, they found her to be a blind bulky woman, i.e., a big woman; and she became blind toward the end of her life. She told them that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it - i.e., the Mut‘ah of Hajj - permissible. This is the same view held by Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him).
Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjāj - one of the Hadīth narrators - related that Muslim al-Qurri, in one of his versions, said: "I do not know whether it is the Mut‘ah of Hajj or the Mut‘ah of women" i.e., he means the Mut‘ah mentioned in the Hadīth, whether it refers to the Mut‘ah of Hajj or the Mut‘ah of women. The mentioned Mut‘ah which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared permissible is more likely to be the Mut‘ah of Hajj, for it is mentioned in the narration of Rawh ibn ‘Ubādah from Shu‘bah, who memorized Hadīths better than others. The Mut‘ah marriage is to marry a woman for a specified period, using the word Tamattu‘, in return for a sum of money. This kind of marriage was permissible at the beginning. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it ever since the Battle of Khaybar till the Day of Judgment..

1240

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Talbiyah for Hajj. [In a version]: We set out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaiming Talbiyah for Hajj. In all their versions: He performed the morning prayer in Al-Bat'hā’ - except for Al-Jahdami, who did not make mention of it..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. All its rituals must be taken from the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet's Companions were keen to convey that to the Tābi‘is.
This Hadīth is an abridged version of another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, in which ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Talbiyah for Hajj" i.e., he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out of Madīnah intending to perform Hajj. So, he assumed Ihrām for Hajj and raised his voice in saying Talbiyah. His assumption of Ihrām and proclamation of Talbiyah took place in Dhul-Hulayfah, which is known today as "Ābār ‘Ali". He arrived in Makkah as four nights of Dhul-Hijjah had passed, in the tenth Hijri year. He performed the Fajr prayer at Al-Bat'hā’ on the morning of the fourth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Al-Bat'hā’: a place outside Makkah, and it is a broad channel containing small pebbles. It is also called Al-Muhassab. When he performed the Fajr prayer, he enjoined them to dissolve their Ihrām of Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah. This is because during Jāhiliyyah "they used to consider the performance of ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj to be one of the worst immoralities in the world." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to forbid them from that and demonstrate the lawfulness of doing so, and that whoever wants to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj may perform it, and there is nothing wrong with that, and he becomes a performer of Tamattu‘ Hajj. When a person comes to Makkah during the months of Hajj and performs ‘Umrah, he may end his Ihrām and enjoy all the lawful things till the beginning of the Hajj rituals, and then he assumes Ihrām for Hajj.
It is said: He enjoined those who did not have the Hady to do that. As for those who brought the Hady, they should remain in their Ihrām for Hajj and not end it, for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Had I not had the Hady with me, I would have ended my Ihrām." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim..

1241

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is an ‘Umrah which we have treated as Tamattu‘. So, whoever does not have the sacrificial animals should end Ihrām completely, for ‘Umrah has been incorporated in Hajj until the Day of Judgment.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out for Hajj in the tenth year, in Dhul-Hijjah. It was called the Farewell Hajj. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded some of his Companions, after they had come to Makkah and performed Tawāf around the House and Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah, to end their Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah, which was called Tamattu‘ in performing ‘Umrah before Hajj.
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) said: "This is an ‘Umrah which we have treated as Tamattu‘"; thereby, he refers to the command he gave to some of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to end their Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah. Meanwhile, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in a state of Qirān, performing ‘Umrah along with Hajj, and he did not end his Hajj to turn it into ‘Umrah along with them. However, he attributed Tamattu‘ to himself because he was the one who commanded them to do so and approved it for them. Those who were commanded to engage in Tamattu‘ were those who did not have the sacrificial animals, a term that refers to cattle, such as camels, cows, and sheep, that are offered at the Ka‘bah as a means of closeness to Allah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to end Ihrām completely, i.e., all the things forbidden because of Ihrām were then permissible for them. Then, clarifying the reason behind his command about ending Ihrām, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that ‘Umrah was incorporated into Hajj until the Day of Judgment, i.e., ‘Umrah can be performed in the months of Hajj, unlike the past practice of the people of Jāhiliyyah. The intention for ‘Umrah was incorporated into the intention for Hajj, such that if a person intends to perform Hajj, it becomes legitimate for him to end Hajj by the performance of ‘Umrah, in case he did not bring the sacrificial animals with him. As for those who bring the sacrificial animals with them, they should remain in their Ihrām until the completion of the rituals of Hajj, and this is called Qirān Hajj.
The Hadīth shows that ‘Umrah can be performed in the months of Hajj..

1243

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zuhr prayer in Dhul-Hulayfah. Then, he called for his she-camel and marked it on the right side of its hump, removed the blood from it, and tied two of its shoes around its neck. Then, he mounted his riding camel, and when it brought him up to Al-Baydā’, he pronounced Talbiya for Hajj. [In a version]: When the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Dhu al-Hulayfah. He did not say: He offered the Zhuhr prayer therein..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam which Allah Almighty commanded His servants to fulfill. It must be performed by him who can, physically and financially. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj only once. So, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted the detailed aspects of this Hajj, so that we can learn the manner of Hajj enjoined by Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr prayer while going out to Hajj in Dhul-Hulayfah in a shortened form, i.e., as two Rak‘ahs. This is because he was traveling to Makkah, and Dhul-Hulayfah is close, located 6 or 7 miles (nearly 10km) away from Madīnah and 420km from Makkah. It is nowadays known among ordinary people as Abiyār ‘Ali or Ābār ‘Ali, and it is the Miqāt for the people of Madīnah and those who pass by it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called for "his she-camel," which was part of the sacrificial animals to be slaughtered in the Sacred Precincts. "And marked it on the right side of its hump," the highest area on the back of the camel. Marking a sacrificial camel is to slit one side of its hump until it bleeds. This is used as a mark indicating that the camel is a sacrifice; thus, no one will take it. And if it strays away, it will be brought back, and if it gets mixed up with other camels, it remains distinct. "Removed the blood from it and tied two shoes around its neck" to be another mark defining it as a sacrifice. "Then, he mounted his riding animal," which is a mount prepared for traveling. At that time, it was a she-camel called Al-Qaswā’. "And when it brought him up," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ascended while on the back of the riding animal to an area called 'Al-Baydā’'', a place adjacent to Dhul-Hulayfah, the location of Miqāt for the people of Madīnah. Al-Baydā’ in the Arabic language means the empty desert. But here it refers to a certain place between Makkah and Madīnah, and it is located above the two signposts of Dhul-Hulayfah for those who ascend from the valley. At the beginning of Al-Baydā’ lies a well of water.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in Al-Baydā’, he pronounced Talbiyah for Hajj, i.e., he assumed Ihrām for Hajj and raised his voice in proclaiming the Talbiyah of Hajj.
In a Hadīth of the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not pronounce Talbiyah except from the mosque, meaning the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah." The difference between the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) regarding the locations from which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Talbiyah is probably because each of them talked about what he saw. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out from Madīnah for Hajj, and when he prayed in the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, he pronounced Talbiyah for Hajj. So, some people heard that from him and memorized it. Then, he rode, and when his she-camel stood up with him on its back, he proclaimed Talbiyah. Some people became aware of his act, as they would come in groups. They heard it and said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pronounced 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 height of Al-Baydā’, he pronounced Talbiyah. Some people became aware of what he did, and so they said: Indeed, he pronounced Talbiyah when he ascended the height of Al-Baydā’. So, each of them transmitted what he heard. This clearly indicates that the difference arose over starting the proclamation of Talbiyah and the assumption of Ihrām from the Miqāt. This confusion is cleared by the Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, in which Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I swear by Allah, he proclaimed Talbiyah at the place where he prayed, and he proclaimed Talbiyah when his she-camel stood up with him on its back, and he proclaimed Talbiyah when he ascended the height of Al-Baydā’."
The Hadīth points out what the pilgrim should do if he brings the sacrificial animal with him, marking it, causing some of its blood to flow, and hanging a sign around its neck.
It also indicates that Talbiyah and Ihrām should be proclaimed at the locational Miqāt..

1244

Abu Hassān al-A‘raj reported: A man from Banu al-Hujaym said to Ibn ‘Abbās: "What is this Fatwa of yours which has engaged the attention of people, or has become a matter of dispute among them - that he who performs Tawāf around the House has ended his Ihrām?!" He said: "The Sunnah of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), even if you dislike it.".

Commentary : Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when the pilgrim assumes Ihrām for ‘Umrah during the days of Hajj and then ends his Ihrām, after which he assumes Ihrām for Hajj in the same year. So, if he comes to Makkah during the months of Hajj and performs ‘Umrah, he may end his Ihrām and enjoy all that is lawful until the rituals of Hajj begin.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Hassān al-A‘raj informs that a man from Banu al-Hujaym - a branch of the tribe of Tamīm - said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "What is this Fatwa of yours which has engaged people's attention or has become a matter of dispute among them." In Arabic, Tashaghghafat means: It gripped people's attention; and Tashaghghabat: It made them confused regarding their matter. The Fatwa is that he who performs Tawāf around the House has ended his Ihrām. It apparently suggests that he (may Allah be pleased with him) advocated Tamattu‘ in Hajj, whereas ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with both of them), during their respective caliphates, and some of the Companions forbade it and enjoined people to perform Hajj of Ifrād. So, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified to them that he who performs Tawāf around the House and makes Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah has ended his Ihrām by shaving his head or cutting his hair and dissolved his Hajj and turned it into ‘Umrah, in case he has not brought the Hady with him; as for he who brought the Hady, he should continue his Ihrām until he completes the other rituals of Hajj. His words: "The Sunnah of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" mean: What Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) urged them to do is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determined for his Companions in the Farewell Hajj, and it continued to be done after him, and it was not mentioned therein that the ruling was abrogated or that it particularly applied to them at that time. It is well known that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them to end their Ihrām by Tawāf and Sa'i and shaving or cutting hair. This happened at the top of Marwah, as stated in the Hadīth reported by Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Muslim. And his words: "even if you dislike it" mean: You obey and comply even if you are unwilling.
Some took the words of Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) here to mean that one should end Ihrām after Tawāf al-Qudūm. But, this potential meaning is ruled out because it contradicts the Prophet's action and what was authentically reported from him, and it also runs counter to the view adopted by the majority of scholars..

1252

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, the son of Mary (Mariyam) will certainly proclaim Talbiyah in the valley of Ar-Rawhā’ for Hajj or ‘Umrah or both of them together." [In a version]: "By the One in Whose Hand the soul of Muhammad is.".

Commentary : The Ummah of Islam enjoys great significance, for it is the last of the prophets' communities in the world, and its Prophet is the seal of the prophets; he was sent to all humankind as a bringer of good news and a warner, and his Da'wah is enduring till the end of time.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears by Allah Who possesses the soul of His servant and Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and has the power to seize it - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would often take this oath - that Jesus ('Īsa) the son of Mary (peace be upon both of them) will proclaim Talbiyah, which will happen at the end of time and is regarded as one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment. To proclaim Talbiyah is to say it in a loud voice. This indicates that he will set out for Hajj to the House of Allah Almighty, which will come to pass in the valley of Ar-Rawhā’, a place lying between Makkah and Madīnah. His Talbiyah will be for Hajj or Umrah only or for Hajj and Umrah together.
Prophet Jesus the son of Mary (peace be upon him) is alive in heaven. It is authentically narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that he (peace be upon him) will descend to the earth before the Day of Judgment "as a just judge; he will break the cross, kill the pigs, and abolish jizyah (a tax imposed on non-Muslim inhabitants in an Islamic state.)"
The Hadīth mentions Talbiyah for Hajj and ‘Umrah in Ifrād or Qirān.
It points out that the prophets perform Hajj and ‘Umrah..

1265

Abu At-Tufayl reported: I said to Ibn ‘Abbās: "I think that I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: "Describe him to me." He said: I said: "I saw him near Marwah on the back of a she-camel, and people had thronged around him." Ibn' Abbās said: "This is the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), for they were neither pushed aside from him nor turned away.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would observe the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in all his conditions to learn from him the Sunnahs, the etiquettes, and the teachings of the religion, especially in such situations that required such that they had not previously witnessed him, like Hajj and ‘Umrah. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined them to learn the rituals from him.
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Abu At-Tufayl ‘Āmir ibn Wāthilah (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he thinks he saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He probably intends to refer here to one of the situations during the Farewell Hajj. But he did not emphasize that for fear that he might have seen someone else and mistook him for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) due to the crowdedness in the Sacred Mashā‘ir.
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to describe the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to him. Abu At-Tufayl informed that he saw him near Mount Marwah on the back of a she-camel as people surrounded him to learn their rituals from him. He rode the she-camel so that everyone could see him. In response, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed to him that the person he had seen riding his she-camel near Marwah was the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He told him why he rode the she-camel, and that was because the people "were neither pushed aside from him nor were they turned away." In some versions: "they were not forced", i.e., no one would force them to turn away from him.
Another version by Muslim points out that riding is not an act of Sunnah, and that walking and Ramal between Safa and Marwah was more beloved to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "There was a large crowd around the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: This is Muhammad, this is Muhammad. Even virgins came out of their houses. He said that people would not be beaten back in front of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When a large crowd surrounded him, he rode(the she-camel. However, walking and jogging are better..

1267

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not touch any of the corners of the House except the Black Corner and the one next to it from the direction of the houses of Al-Jumahiyyīn..

Commentary : The Sacred House was built with four corners. The first two are the Corner of the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, which are called the Two Yemenis, thus attributing both to what is more dominant of them. As for the two other corners, they are called The Two Levantines.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not touch any of the corners of the House except the two corners only. First: The Black Corner. He used to kiss or point to it with a stick or the like and then kiss it. This is because it comprises two merits, one of which is that it rests upon the foundations of Abraham (Ibrāhīm) (peace be upon him), and the other is that it contains the Black Stone. It is situated in the corner of the Ka‘bah that lies next to the gate from the eastern direction. The second Corner: "the one next to it". This is the Yemeni Corner, and the merit by which it is characterized is that it rests upon the foundations of Abraham also; this is why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would touch, kiss, and wipe over it, apart from the other two corners. His words "from the direction of the houses of Al-Jumahiyyīn" refer to Banu Jumah, a subtribe of the Quraysh whose houses were opposite the Yemeni Corner at the time. As for the other two corners, they do not possess any of these two merits. So, they are not kissed or touched.
The Hadīth defines what should be touched and kissed of the Ka‘bah, which is the Corner of the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, apart from the others..

1273

Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Tawāf around the House during the Farewell Hajj while riding his mount. He touched the Stone with his curved-end stick so that the people could see him, and he should be conspicuous, and they could ask him for the people crowded around him..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the rituals and activities of Hajj and ‘Umrah through words and deeds and pointed out what is permissible from among them and what is not.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Tawāf around the House during the Farewell Hajj, and that was the Hajj performed by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in 10 A.H. It was called as such because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seemed to have been bidding farewell to them, and he passed away shortly after that. "while riding his mount"; mount refers to every animal prepared for riding. During that Hajj, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was riding his she-camel, he was touching the Black Stone with his curved-end stick, Mihjan in Arabic. In a Hadīth in the Sahīh Muslim Collection, Abu At-Tufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "and he kissed the curved-end stick." This is because one of the Sunnahs of Tawāf is to kiss the Black Stone, and since he was unable to touch the Stone with his hand, he touched it with a stick and kissed what touched the Stone. Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode his she-camel to make it easier for people to see him and for him to be at a high place so that the people could recognize him and ask him about anything they would find confusing regarding the rituals of Hajj. He did so because the people "crowded around him"; so, he feared for them due to this crowdedness and did not want to be obliged to turn them away from himself. Therefore, his riding was easier for him and them and more beneficial in terms of following his example, and so that they could see him and ask him about whatever they wished.
The Hadīth denotes the permissibility to perform Tawāf while riding a mount, and this also applies to similar things like wheelchairs, particularly if riding serves a certain benefit, such as giving Fatwas to people and teaching them.
It also mentions touching the Black Stone and indicates that if a person is unable to touch it with his hand - because he is riding something or there is crowdedness - he may touch it with a stick or the like..

1274

‘Ā’ishah reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Tawāf around the Ka‘bah during the Farewell Hajj on the back of his camel, and he touched the Corner (the Black Stone), disliking that the people should be pushed away from him..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach people through words and deeds, and he would facilitate the matters of religion for them at times of hardship and necessity. For example, he would facilitate the rituals and acts of Hajj that were hard for people.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's wife, informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Tawāf on the back of his camel, which was prepared for traveling, during the Farewell Hajj, that was the Hajj performed by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in 10 A.H. It was called as such because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seemed to have been bidding farewell to them, and he passed away shortly after that. "and he touched the Corner" i.e., the Black Stone. In the Two Sahīh Collections: "and he touched the Stone with a Mihjan" i.e., a curved-end staff. In a Hadīth narrated by Muslim, Abu At-Tufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "and he touched the curved-end staff." This is because one of the Sunnahs of Tawāf is to kiss the Black Stone.
Clarifying the reason for that, she said: "disliking that the people should be pushed away from him", which means that if he performed Tawāf on foot, it would be feared that people around him would be pushed away. So, out of compassion towards the people, he rode his camel to prevent that from happening. This was a method for turning them away from him without pushing, forcing, or shouting at them. Certainly, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not accept that people be pushed away from him. But he rode his camel lest one of those around him would volunteer to push the people away from him. In a version by An-Nasā’i in As-Sunan Al-Kubra Collection - and also in some versions in the Sahīh Muslim Collection -: "the people be pushed away from him"; "pushed away" instead of "beaten". The pronoun in Arabic may be referring to the Stone, and the meaning would be: If he performed Tawāf on foot, the people would turn away from the Stone each time the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed by it, to avoid putting him in crowding, out of reverence for him. And the pronoun may be referring to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the meaning would be: Anyone who tried to reach him to ask him, see him, or follow his example would be unable to do so because of the large crowds around him, and so he would turn away without having his need fulfilled.
Also one of the reasons behind his riding during Tawāf was what Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "so that the people could see him, and he should be conspicuous, and they could ask him, for the people crowded around him,", i.e. so that the people could recognize him and ask him about anything they found confusing regarding the rituals of Hajj. He rode his she-camel because the people crowded around him, so he feared this crowdedness for them and did not want to be obliged to turn them away from himself. Therefore, his riding was easier for him and them and more beneficial in terms of following his example.
The Hadīth denotes the permissibility to perform Tawāf while riding a mount, and this also applies to similar things, like wheel wheelchairs, mainly if riding serves a particular benefit, such as giving Fatwas to people and teaching them.
It also mentions touching the Black Stone and indicates that if a person cannot touch it with his hand - because of riding something or crowdedness - he may touch it with a stick or the like..

1279

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Neither the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) nor his Companions performed Tawāf between Safa and Marwah except for one Tawāf. [In a version]: Except for one Tawāf; his first Tawāf..

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. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught us its pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes.
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), in his Hajj, did not perform Tawāf between Safa and Marwah, except for one Tawāf, neither did his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Another version adds: "his first Tawāf". Tawāf here refers to Sa‘i between the mount of Safa and Marwah, which is one of the pillars of Hajj and ‘Umrah. It consists of seven rounds, the first of which starts from Safa and ends at Marwah, and the second round starts from Marwah and ends at Safa, and so on. Those of his Companions who performed Qirān Hajj - combining Hajj and ‘Umrah with one Ihrām - did not perform Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah except for once, because one Tawāf and one Sa‘i is sufficient for the performer of Qirān Hajj, as the rituals of ‘Umrah are incorporated into the rituals of Hajj. As for those who performed Tamattu‘ Hajj - assuming Ihrām for ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj and then ending its Ihrām and assuming Ihrām for Hajj - they performed two Sa‘is: one Sa‘i for their ‘Umrah and another Sa‘i for their Hajj on the Day of Nahr. This is demonstrated by a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Those who proclaimed Talbiyah for ‘Umrah performed Tawāf around the House and between Safa and Marwah. Then, they ended Ihrām, and then they performed another Tawāf after returning from Mina," i.e., those who performed Tamattu‘ Hajj. "As for those who combined Hajj and ‘Umrah, they performed one Tawāf," i.e., those who performed Qirān Hajj..

1282

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: Al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbās, who rode behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), reported that on the evening of ‘Arafah and the morning of Jam‘, he said to the people when they returned: "Adopt tranquility!" Meanwhile, he held back his she-camel till he entered Muhassir, which is part of Mina, and said: "Get the Khadhf pebbles whereby the Jamrah is thrown." [In a version]: He did not mention: And he added: As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand like a person engaging in Khadhf..

Commentary : Tranquility and solemnity are among the commendable traits encouraged by the Shariah, especially in worship and such situations that entail displaying them more than any other time, like Hajj, given that there are plenty of people and crowdedness therein, which requires moderateness in walking to avoid hurting others.
In this Hadīth, Al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that he was riding behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on his mount during the season of Hajj at the end of the day of ‘Arafah, which is the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, at the time of heading to Muzdalifah, and "on the evening of ‘Arafah"; it is said: It occurs after sunset, for this is the time of the Imām's departure and the time of breaking the fast. It is also said: It is the time of standing from the afternoon to the dawn of the day of Nahr, for this is a time in which people stand at ‘Arafah and come to it in this manner. And it is said: The evening extends from noon to sunset. ‘Arafah is a name for the well-known area where the pilgrims must stand on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Jam 'is Muzdalifah. It is a valley located between the two Mashā‘ir of Mina and 'Arafāt, and the pilgrims stay there after leaving 'Arafāt, and then they perform therein the Maghrib and 'Ishā' prayers, combined and shortened, and they collect from it the pebbles for throwing Jamarāt at Mina. The pilgrims stay there till the morning of the next day, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, after which they head to Mina.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to the people: "Adopt tranquility!" This is a Prophetic instruction on etiquette and Sunnah related to departing from 'Arafah and Muzdalifah, which also applies to all crowded situations. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prevented his she-camel from hastening amid crowds and made his mount move slowly. Thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set a practical example of walking with calmness and tranquility and without hastening in crowdedness. He proceeded in this manner until he entered the valley of Muhassir, a small valley passing between and separating Mina and Muzdalifah.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the valley of Muhassir, he instructed the people on the size of the pebbles they should collect; he said: "Get the Khadhf pebbles", and these are small pebbles similar to the seeds of beans. In another version: "As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand like a person engaging in Khadhf." This is intended for clarification and greater demonstration of the size of the pebbles to be thrown at the Jamarāt and that they should be small, like the Khadhf pebbles. It is not intended that the throwing should be in the manner of Khadhf, which is done with the tips of the forefinger and the thumb.
Then, Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with him) informed: that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kept proclaiming Talbiyah till he finished the throwing of Jamrat al-‘Aqabah on the day of Nahr, which is the tenth of Dhul-Hijjah. Thereupon, he stopped Talbiyah. This is the largest Jamrah, which lies to the west of Mina in the direction of Makkah. The wording of Talbiyah reads: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka wal-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, here I am at Your service. Indeed, the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner)." The time of Talbiyah begins upon the assumption of Ihrām for Hajj or ‘Umrah.
The Hadīth demonstrates how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would care about people and direct them in such situations where needed.
It indicates that the pebbles should be small and they should be thrown gently, so as not to hurt people with strong throwing or large pebbles..

1283

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Yazīd reported: that ‘Abdullāh proclaimed Talbiyah when he departed from Jam‘. So, it was said: "Is this a Bedouin?" Thereupon, ‘Abdullāh said: "Have people forgotten or gone astray?! I heard the one to whom Surat al-Baqarah was revealed say in this place: Labbayka allahumma labbayk (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service).".

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. Its pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes must be taken from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Yazīd informs that ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed Talbiyah when he departed from Jam‘, which is Muzdalifah. It is the third among the sacred Mashā‘ir by which the pilgrims pass and is located between Mina and ‘Arafāt. The pilgrims stay there after leaving ‘Arafāt at the end of the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah, and then they perform therein the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers, combined and shortened, and they collect from it the pebbles for throwing Jamarāt at Mina. The pilgrims stay there till the morning of the following day, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, after which they head to Mina. The wording of Talbiyah - according to a Hadīth reported by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections - reads: "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, here I am at Your service. Indeed, the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner)." When the people heard him proclaiming Talbiyah in this place and at this time, they expressed disapproval of his Talbiyah and thought that he was a Bedouin from the dwellers of the desert who had no understanding or knowledge about the rulings of the religion. Al-Bayhaqi narrated in Al-Kubra Collection: "They said: O Bedouin, this is not a day for Talbiyah; it is a day for Takbīr." Expressing disapproval of those who criticized his Talbiyah upon departing from Muzdalifah, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Have people forgotten or gone astray?!" In other words, have those people forgotten the Prophet's Sunnah in Talbiyah in a situation like this and therefore they criticized it, or they have knowingly abandoned the Sunnah?! Then, He said: "I heard the one to whom Surat al-Baqarah was revealed" - meaning the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - "say in this place: 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, and I observe Your command time and again. He mentioned Surat al-Baqarah in particular because most of the rulings on the rituals occur therein. So, it is as if he said: This is the practice of the one to whom the rituals were revealed, from whom the Shariah was taken, and who clarified the rulings; so, adopt it.
The Hadīth mentions that Talbiyah is to be proclaimed in Muzdalifah.
It shows how the Companions used to teach people and remind them of the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Book of Hadith

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