logo

| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
677
It was narrated that Abu Qilabah said: Malik ibn al-Huwayrith came to us – in this mosque of ours – and said: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray; I pray as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray. I said to Abi Qilabah: How did he pray? He said: Like this shaykh of ours – referring to an old man who used to pause briefly when he lifted his head from prostration, before getting up after the first rak‘ah..

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 primary concern and first priority.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Qilabah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Jarmi al-Basri narrates that the Sahabi Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) came to them in their mosques to teach them in a practical manner how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. It was said that the mosque referred to was the mosque of Basra, where he was living. Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with them) said to them: I lead you in prayer, and it is not my intention to pray. In other words, I do not intend to offer any specific prayer when I lead you in prayer now. It was said that what was meant was: my intention is not to lead you in prayer; rather my intention is to teach you by leading you in prayer as I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray, so that I may teach you how he prayed through actions, and not through words. The intention of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) was to teach them how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, and when he taught them that, it was not the time for any particular prayer, and he was not intending to lead them in prayer; rather it was a voluntary prayer that he did with the intention of teaching, and it was not an obligatory or Sunnah prayer.
This report was narrated elsewhere by al-Bukhari, in which Abu Qilabah described in detail how Malik ibn al-Huwayrith prayed. He said: He stood, standing fully upright, then he bowed and bowed fully. Then he raised his head, stood up and paused; what is meant is that he stood up straight, then he bowed and made his back level, so that if water were poured on his back, it would remain there, as it says in the hadith of Wabisah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated by Ibn Majah. Then he raised his head from bowing and stood up straight, returning to his previous posture as it had been before he bowed, then he paused briefly between bowing and prostrating.
Then Abu Qilabah told Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani – who is the one who narrated the hadith from him – when he asked him how he prayed, that the prayer of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) resembled, in the way it looked, the prayer as it was done by their shaykh. Here he was referring to the Sahabi Abu Burayd ‘Amr ibn Salimah al-Jarmi, who was a very old man. He used to sit briefly during the prayer, after doing the prostration of the first rak‘ah, before standing up for the second rak‘ah. This brief sitting is what is called jalsat al-istirahah (sitting of rest). Malik ibn al-Huwayrith (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly stated in another hadith that is narrated by al-Bukhari that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying and sitting briefly to rest in the odd-numbered rak‘ahs of his prayer, when he finished the first rak‘ah before getting up for the second, and when he finished the third before getting up for the fourth. It was said that this brief sitting is the completion of the rak‘ah. It was also said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did it for a reason, either because of old age or sickness. It was also said that it is part of the prayer, but it should be very brief.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to teach and learn.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to sit briefly to rest in the prayer (jalsat al-istirahah)..

680
It was narrated that al-Zuhri said: Anas ibn Malik al-Ansari – who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), served him and accompanied him – told me that Abu Bakr was leading them in prayer during the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, whilst they were standing in rows and praying, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching us as he was standing, as if his face were a page of a Mus-haf. Then he smiled cheerfully, and we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr stepped backwards, towards the row, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to lead the prayer. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, [saying]: complete your prayer, and he let the curtain drop. And he died on that day..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the people who had the greatest knowledge of the high status and position of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They loved him greatly and always observed proper etiquette with him; they were keen to be with him, show respect to him and be close to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They never felt such grief and sorrow as they did when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed away.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque during the final illness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until, on the Monday, when they were standing in rows and praying Fajr, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lifted the curtain of the apartment, watching them as he was standing, as if his face were the page of a Mus-haf, because of the softness and clarity of his skin, and his radiant beauty. Then he smiled cheerfully, rejoicing at their gathering to pray and their unity and adherence to the teachings of Islam.
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: we almost exited the prayer out of joy at seeing him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) stepped backwards to join the row, moving back from the place of the imam to join the congregation, thinking that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was coming out to pray. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to us, telling us to stay where we were and complete the prayer, and he let the curtain drop. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died on that day. That happened in Rabi‘ al-Awwal 10 AH, when he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sixty-three years old. That was the greatest calamity that ever befell the Muslims, when their noble Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith highlights the Prophet’s concern for the prayer and the Muslims, even on the last day of his life in this world.
It identifies the date on which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died, and confirms that it was a Monday.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that he was the most qualified of them to succeed him as caliph..

683
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer during his sickness, so he would lead them in prayer. ‘Urwah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, and saw Abu Bakr leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw him, he moved backwards, but [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] gestured to him [saying]: Stay where you are. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down in line with Abu Bakr, next to him, so Abu Bakr was following the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people were following the prayer of Abu Bakr..

Commentary : Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was the most deserving of the Muslims to be the successor (caliph) of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after his death, regardless of the objections of the objectors and the extreme innovators. There is a great deal of evidence and proof from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning this matter, including this hadith. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell sick, he instructed Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to succeed him in leaving the Muslims in prayer. This was an indication from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as to who was most deserving of succeeding him and most deserving and capable of continuing his mission. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better and felt able to come out to the prayer, he came out, at a time when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, he wanted to move back for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him, telling him to stay where he was. Then he sat in line with him, not ahead of him and not behind him. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the imam, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he was standing and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sitting, and the people were also standing, following the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice, as he was so weak. Thus they were following Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his prayer. And it was said that in fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was an imam for Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was an imam for the people standing behind him, so that prayer had two imams. Based on that, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed as an imam whilst sitting, when the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
This hadith provides evidence that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the most deserving of being his successor (caliph).
It indicates that it is permissible to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the proper etiquette with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that it is permissible for the imam to stop leading the prayer and start following someone else, without interrupting his prayer.
It also encourages the Muslim to regularly attend the prayers in congregation..

687
It was narrated that ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah said: I went to ‘A’ishah and said: Tell me about the sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She said: Yes; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became very ill, and he said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So we did that, and he washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” So he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “Put some water in the tub for me.” Then he sat and washed himself, then he wanted to get up, but he fainted. Then he came round and said: “Have the people prayed?” We said: No, they are waiting for you, O Messenger of Allah. The people were still in the mosque, waiting for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to Abu Bakr, telling him to lead the people in prayer. The messenger came [to Abu Bakr] and said: The Messenger of Allah is instructing you to lead the people in prayer. Abu Bakr – who was a tenderhearted man – said: O ‘Umar, lead the people in prayer. But ‘Umar said to him: You are more deserving of that. So Abu Bakr led the people in prayer during those days. Then later on, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he came out, supported by two men – one of whom was al-‘Abbas – to pray Zuhr, when Abu Bakr was leading the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he wanted to step back, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him not to step back. He said: “Seat me next to him,” so they seated him next to Abu Bakr. Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting. ‘Ubaydullah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he did not object to anything, except that he said: Did she tell you the name of the man who was with al-‘Abbas? I said: No. He said: He was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)..

Commentary : The greatest calamity that befell the Muslims was the death of their Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). There were several lessons in the final sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as well as rulings and advice to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him).
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke of the condition of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his final sickness. That was when the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Utbah asked her to tell him about it. So she told him that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) grew very sick, he asked: Have the people prayed, or are they still waiting? It was said to him: They are waiting for you. So he said to them: Put some water in the tub for me. The word translated here as tub refers to a vessel in which water was put for washing clothes. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) washed himself, but when he wanted to get up, he fainted. Fainting is possible in the case of the Prophets (peace be upon them all), because it is a kind of sickness, and it is akin to sleep. This is in contrast to insanity, which is loss of reasoning, and is not possible in the case of the Prophets. That happened to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) three times; he asked whether the people had prayed, then he washed himself, then he fainted when he wanted to stand up. When he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came round the fourth time, he asked: Have the people prayed? He was told that they had gathered and were waiting in the mosque; the people were sitting and waiting for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray ‘Isha’. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent a messenger to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), instructing him to lead the people in prayer. The fact that he sent word to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) instructing him to take his place and lead the prayer highlighted the virtue and seniority of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and was an indication that he was most deserving of being his successor (caliph), because leading the prayer is the job of the caliph. When the messenger sent by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Abu Bakr and told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was instructing him to lead the people in prayer, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) – who was a man who wept a great deal and felt very emotional when praying – said to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Lead the people in prayer. It was as if Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that the Prophet’s instruction to him regarding the prayer only meant that someone should lead the prayer, not that it was he himself who was specifically being instructed to lead the prayer. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know what had happened between the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wives with regard to the issue of ‘Umar leading the prayer instead of Abu Bakr, and that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had insisted that Abu Bakr should lead the prayer, as is mentioned in another report. Otherwise, he would not have tried to delegate the leading of prayer to ‘Umar. But ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: You are more deserving of that, because of the instructions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went and led the people in prayer for several days when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sick.
Moreover, on one of the days of his sickness, when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was leading the people in Zuhr prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, and felt able to go out, so he came out, supported by two men, because he was so weak. Those two men were ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib and al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them). When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him, meaning that he realized that he was there when he heard his voice – and it may be that he turned around when he heard the voice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – he wanted to move back, so that he could pray in the row behind him as one of the congregation. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should not move back, and he should stay where he was, and he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat down next to him. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) followed the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), because they could not see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or hear his voice. Thus the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led the prayer as an imam whilst he was sitting, and the people behind him were standing.
There is a command to follow the imam, so if he prays standing, the one praying behind him should also pray standing, and if he prays sitting, then the one who is praying behind him should also pray sitting, as it says in the hadith narrated by al-Bukhari: “If he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” The response to this is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah said: Then I went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him: Shall I tell you what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told me about the sickness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: Yes, tell me. So I told him what she had told me, and he approved of everything that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had said, and did not object to anything of it, except that he asked: Did ‘A’ishah tell you the name of the second man on whom the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leaning, besides al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him)? ‘Ubaydullah said to him: No, she did not tell me his name. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas said that he was ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow the more difficult option, even if there is a concession [allowing an easier option].
It indicates that it is prescribed to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the importance of praying in congregation.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was the most deserving of them to be his successor (caliph); it also indicates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was next to him in virtue.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower status to discuss instructions given to him by one who is higher in status.
It highlights the etiquette that is to be observed when dealing with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back, because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

688
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, that she said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell. He prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, but he gestured to them that they should sit down. When he finished his prayer, he said: “The imam has only been appointed to be followed, so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in his house when he was unwell and recovering after falling from his horse, as is mentioned in the report of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated in al-Sahihayn. At that time he was not able to stand, because of his injury, so he prayed sitting, and some people prayed behind him standing, so whilst he was praying, he gestured to them to sit down. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, he said: The imam is only appointed to be followed in his actions in the prayer, therefore it is not appropriate to differ from him by doing actions before him or being too slow in following him. “so when he bows then bow; when he rises from bowing, then rise” – that is, follow him when he bows and rises from bowing, and in all the actions of the prayer. The word fa, translated here as “then”, indicates that these actions should be done straight after the imam does them, and that the one who is praying behind the imam should not do them before the imam; rather every action that the one who is praying behind the imam does should be done straight after the imam does it. And if the imam prays sitting, then those praying behind him should pray sitting like him. This indicates that following the imam also includes praying sitting, if the imam prays sitting. However, in the hadith of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the final sickness of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the authenticity of which is agreed upon, it says that he led the prayer sitting whilst the people were standing behind him: “…Then Abu Bakr started to follow the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting…”
The response to this apparent discrepancy is that Abu Bakr had started to lead them in prayer standing, and he did not start out sitting. So if the imam needs to sit down during his prayer, when he started the prayer standing, the one who is praying behind him should complete his prayer standing. Thus we may reconcile the two hadiths. And it was said that the command to sit behind an imam who is sitting was abrogated by the Prophet’s last action, as narrated in this hadith, because it was the last thing that he did, shortly before he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died.
In this hadith, there is the command to follow the imam and not to do any of the actions of the prayer before him, or to differ from him.
It indicates that it is permissible to make gestures and small movements, if necessary, whilst praying..

690
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid said: al-Bara’ – who is not a liar – told me: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” none of us would bend down [to prostrate] until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, then we would prostrate after him..

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) applied this rule when praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is described in this hadith, in which al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) raised his head from bowing and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),” and those who were praying behind him stood up straight after bowing, they would remain standing, and none of them would bend down to prostrate or hasten to prostrate until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prostrated fully, by placing his forehead on the ground. Then they would prostrate after him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

691
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Doesn’t one of you fear – or wouldn’t one of you fear – if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or Allah will turn his form into that of a donkey.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is that the worshipper should follow the imam in all his movements, for the imam has been appointed to be followed.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warns those who pray behind a imam against failing to follow their imam and raising their heads before the imam raises his head after bowing. He warns the one who does that that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey, as he said: “Doesn’t one of you fear, if he raises his head before the imam, that Allah will turn his head into the head of a donkey? Or He will turn his form into that of a donkey.”
This is a question by way of rebuke and denunciation. It may be that the meaning is metaphorical, because the donkey is renowned for stupidity, and it is as if the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was describing the one who does that as being stupid and lacking in understanding, or warning him that he could be deprived of the blessing of understanding, so he will be like a donkey. Or it may be that the meaning is as it appears to be, so Allah would turn his head into the head of a donkey in a real sense. This is a stern warning and deterrent against failing to follow the imam and doing the actions of prayer before him.
This prayer indicates that it is prohibited to do the actions of prayer before the imam.
It also contains a stern warning to the one who raises his head before the imam does..

692
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: When the first Muhajirin came to al-‘Usbah – a place in Quba’ – before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had more knowledge of Qur’an than any of them..

Commentary : In Islam, no one has superiority over anyone else except in terms of taqwa (righteousness, fear of Allah). Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} [al-Hujurat 49:13]. It is only on the basis of righteous deeds that one Muslim may be superior to another. The one who is most entitled to lead the prayer is the one who has most knowledge of the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us. If a man has more knowledge of the Qur’an than anyone else present, then he has more right to lead the prayer. So no attention should be paid to race, colour, lineage or position. This hadith is the most eloquent proof of that. In it, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Muhajirin (migrants) from Makkah came to al-‘Usbah, which is a place near Quba’ in al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, approximately two miles south of it, before the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madinah, they were led in prayer by Salim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, who had the most knowledge of Qur’an, meaning that he had memorized more Qur’an. Salim had been a slave belonging to a woman, then he was manumitted, but that did not prevent him from leading the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in prayer, because he had memorized more of the Qur’an than the others. Salim had memorized Qur’an from the Sahabah whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to the believers in Madinah to teach them the Qur’an and Islam, such as Mus‘ab ibn ‘Umayr and others. Salim was not in fact a freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah ibn ‘Utbah ibn Rabi‘ah – who was one of the earliest to become Muslim; rather Salim was the freed slave of a woman of the Ansar who had manumitted him. But he was called the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah because he stayed close to him after he was manumitted, and Abu Hudhayfah had adopted him. Then when the prohibition of adoption was revealed, he continued to be known as the freed slave (mawla) of Abu Hudhayfah.
This hadith indicates that the one who has memorized the most Qur’an is the most deserving of leading the prayer..

693
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslim to obey those in authority with regard to what is right and proper, but not what is wrong and sinful, because of the serious bad consequences that result from rebelling against them. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned against disobedience to those in authority and creating division among the Muslims.
This hadith highlights that, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Hear and obey, even if the one appointed over you is an Ethiopian with a head like a raisin.” In other words, if the one who is appointed to rule you is a man from Ethiopia with a head like a raisin – referring to his black colour and curly hair; this serves to point out that people would usually scorn such a person. What is meant is that the believer must obey the ruler and whomever the ruler appoints in charge of his affairs (as a governor, for example), no matter what his race or colour, so long as he rules the people in accordance with the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), as is mentioned in another report in Sahih Muslim. That is, so long as he adheres to Islam and calls the people to the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), regardless of what he looks like, his level of religious commitment and his manners, provided that he does not enjoin the people to disobey Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

694
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They lead you in prayer, so if they do the right thing, you will be granted the reward, and if they make mistakes, you will be granted the reward and the burden of sin will be on them.”.

Commentary : As the Muslims are instructed to obey their leaders and emulate them in that which does not involve disobedience to Allah (may He be exalted), whether they are leaders in the sense of rulers and caliphs, or leaders who lead the people in prayer, it is only fair that the Muslim should not be held to account for mistakes made by his leader, because he has done what is required of him, which is following the leader, provided that no sin is involved. Hence in this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains to those who pray behind an imam that when the leaders pray, they either pray properly, or they make mistakes in the prayer. If they do the prayer properly, as it should be done, then both they and those who pray behind them will have the reward for that, but if they make mistakes and do not lead the prayer properly, as it should be done, then the burden of sin for the mistakes they have made is theirs alone, and those who pray behind them will have the reward of the prayer.
What is meant by mistake here is not that which is done deliberately, for if a person makes a mistake that is beyond his control, he will not be held to account for it. Rather what is meant by mistake here is the opposite of that which is right and proper, such as introducing an innovation that was not enjoined by Allah, or deliberately going against what Allah has enjoined, on the basis of whims and desires, and so on.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to pray behind any Muslim, whether he is a righteous man or an evildoer..

695
It was narrated from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn Khiyar that he went to ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) – when he was under siege – and said: You are the ruler [and caliph], and we see what calamity has befallen you. The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil), and we feel uncomfortable [praying behind him]. ‘Uthman said: Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing..

Commentary : This hadith testifies to the fair-mindedness of the wronged leader, the Commander of the Faithful, Dhu’l-Nurayn ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him). When he was besieged in his house at the time of fitnah (turmoil) and the leaders of the fitnah besieged him and wanted to depose him wrongfully, on the basis of fabrications and lies, the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy ibn al-Khiyar said to him: You are the ruler and head of state, so you are the caliph and in the position of greater leadership, and he told him that the people were being led in prayer by an imam who was one of the leaders of fitnah and troubles, and wanted to depose him. It was said that this man was ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays al-Balawi, who is the one who brought the people of Egypt to rebel against ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him); he died in 36 AH.  And it was said that Kinanah ibn Bishr, one of the leaders of the Kharijites, also led the people in prayer. When these people attacked Madinah, ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) used to go out and lead the people in prayer, and he continued to do this for a month, then he went out one day and they threw stones at him, which caused him to fall from the minbar, and he was not able to lead the prayer on that day, so Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf led them in prayer. Then they stopped him from doing that, so they were led in prayer sometimes by ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Udays and sometimes by Kinanah ibn Bishr, and continued to do this for ten days. They were the ones of whom it was said that they were the imams of fitnah. At this time, some of the senior Sahabah – such as Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), and others – also led the people in prayer. These noble individuals (may Allah be pleased with them) cannot be described as promoters of fitnah, for they led the prayers with the permission of ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him), and they did not withdraw their allegiance and obedience to him. They continued to defend him until he died (may Allah be pleased with him and make him pleased).
When ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Adiy, he replied by stating that prayer is the best deed that these people could do. This does not mean that ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was praising the promoters and leaders of fitnah; rather the apparent meaning of ‘Uthman’s words suggests that he was granting a concession allowing the people to pray with them, as if he was saying: the fact that they are misguided people who are involved in fitnah will not harm you; if they do good, then go along with them in doing good, and if they do wrong – because they became involved in fitnah or introduced innovations – this will not harm the one who prays behind them, because he is following them in their prayers, but denouncing and rejecting what they have brought of fitnah and innovation.
It was said that what is meant by the words of ‘Ubaydullah, “The one who is leading us in prayer is a leader of fitnah (turmoil)”  is that someone other than their regular imam was leading them in prayer at the time of fitnah, not that that imam was calling them to fitnah and striving for this purpose. This is indicated by the words of ‘Uthman, “Prayer is the best deed that people do, so if the people do good, then do good with them, and if they do wrong, then stay away from their wrongdoing.” He did not speak ill of the one who was leading them in prayer, and stated that his action (prayer) was among the best of deeds, whilst warning ‘Ubaydullah not to get involved in the fitnah.
This hadith indicates that praying behind one whom you do not like to pray behind is better than stopping prayer in congregation altogether.
It also contains a warning against fitnah (turmoil) and becoming involved in it, and against everything that is denounceable, whether it be words, deeds or beliefs..

698
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I slept at Maymunah’s house, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night. He did wudu’, then he stood and prayed, and I stood on his left. He took hold of me and put me on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. Then he went to sleep, until he was breathing heavily, for when he slept he would breathe heavily. Then the mu’adhdhin came to him, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was an intelligent boy who was highly motivated with regard to both worship and seeking knowledge. Signs of brilliance appeared in him from an early age, and he was keen to be close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learn from him.
In this hadith, he (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he stayed overnight in the house of his maternal aunt, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was at her house that night, and Ibn ‘Abbas described for us what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that night. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, then he got up and did wudu’, then he stood up and prayed qiyam al-layl (voluntary prayers at night). Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) also got up, and did the same as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he stood on his left. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of him and make him stand on his right, then he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. This is the number of rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on that night. There are other reports which speak of him praying different numbers of rak‘ahs in qiyam; it was narrated that he prayed seven, nine and eleven rak‘ahs. The differences may be understood as referring to different times and situations. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, and began to breathe so heavily that the sound of it could be heard, which is something that happens to some people when they sleep, and it is not blameworthy or odd. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep, he usually breathed heavily. Then Bilal came to him to tell him that it was time to pray Fajr, so he went out and prayed, and he did not do wudu’ again, because the Prophet’s eyes slept but his heart did not sleep, so his wudu’ could not be invalidated, because his heart was awake.
This hadith indicates that a young boy may visit and sleep in the houses of his relatives and female mahrams.
It highlights where the one who is praying behind an imam should stand in relation to the imam if only the two of them are praying; the one who is following the imam should stand on his right.
It indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to sleep and did not renew his wudu’ for prayer after having slept. This is because his eyes would sleep but his heart did not sleep.
It also indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayers in congregation..

703
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you leads the people in prayer, let him make it brief, for among them are the weak, the sick and the elderly. But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best teacher and educator for his companions and his ummah after him. He would choose for the people what would be best for them and for others, in both religious and worldly matters. He used to make things easy for the people with regard to worship, especially the prayer, so that people would not be put off and become bored or tired. One example of that is what is mentioned in this hadith, in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised imams to pay attention to the situation of worshippers when praying. Hence he said to them: When one of you leads the people in prayer as an imam, let him make it brief – that is, with regard to the recitation, bowing and prostrating. The reason for instructing them to make it brief is that among the worshippers there are those who are physically weak or sick, elderly people, and others who have excuses. These people cannot endure a lengthy prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: But when one of you prays on his own, let him make it as long as he wishes, because he knows what he is able to do, and he is able to cut it short if he becomes too tired and the like. This is in contrast to those who are praying behind an imam, for they are detained, as it were, behind the imam until he finishes the prayer.
This hadith highlights how Islamic teachings pay attention to people’s situation and how much energy they have when doing acts of worship. It also highlights the fact that Islam is a religion of ease..

706
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make his prayers brief yet he would do them perfectly and properly. .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he led the people in prayer. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This is what is referred to in the other report, which says that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the briefest of people in offering prayer, yet it was perfect and complete. This is what is required of the imam: he should make the prayer brief, because he must pay attention to the situation of all the people who are praying behind him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the imam ‘Uthman ibn Abi’l-‘As, as we see in the report narrated by Abu Dawud in his Sunan: “Follow the pace of the weakest of them”; in other words, make your prayer appropriate for the weakest of those who are praying behind you, for there may be among the worshippers those who can endure a lengthy prayer, and others who cannot endure it. Therefore what is required of the imam is to take everyone into consideration by making the prayer brief yet complete and perfect. But when a person is praying on his own, he may make the prayer as long as he wishes, because he knows himself best and what he is able to do.
This hadith urges the imam to show kindness to those who are praying behind him, and to make the prayer brief, without detracting from the perfection of the prayer..

708
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). If he heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief for fear that the child’s mother would be troubled..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) found joy in prayer, and he used to do the prayer perfectly and properly, with all its essential parts and movements, whilst making it brief for the people and taking their circumstances into consideration.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that he never prayed behind any imam whose prayer was more brief or more perfect than the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), for he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer a brief prayer, that was not long, yet at the same time it was done perfectly and properly in terms of bowing, prostrating, standing and reciting. His making the prayer brief did not detract from the perfection of the prayer by falling short in any of its essential parts. This was out of consideration on his part for people’s situations.
Then Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) gave an example of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would cut the prayer short out of consideration for the needs of those who were praying behind him. He said: If the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of a child crying, he would make the prayer brief, by reciting a short surah, lest the child’s mother be distracted from her prayer, because she would be growing anxious about her child crying.
This hadith urges imams to show kindness to those who are praying behind him and to take their situations into consideration, and not cause them any undue hardship.
It also indicates that the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most perfect prayer, and that the worshipper should be keen to make his prayer like the Prophet’s prayer, so that he will be following his example and thus earn great reward. .

1284
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the morning of ‘Arafah, and some of us were saying Takbīr and some of us were saying Ihlāl (Talbiyah). As for us, we were saying Takbīr. He said: I said: "By Allah, your affair is strange! How did you not say to him: What did you see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing?!".

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 noble Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the morning of the day of ‘Arafah during the Farewell Hajj, in the tenth Hijri year. ‘Arafah: a mountain lying on the way between Makkah and Tā’if and located nearly 22km from Makkah, 10km from Mina, and 6km from Muzdalifah. The most important ritual of Hajj is performed in ‘Arafah, which is standing at ‘Arafah on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Some of the people with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were "saying Takbīr" i.e., saying: Allahu akbar (Allah is the Greatest), and some of them were "saying Ihlāl" i.e., proclaiming Talbiyah, as in another version by Muslim. Ihlāl is to raise one's voice with Talbiyah. This indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved their Dhikr, be it Takbīr or Talbiyah. And it is said: The intended meaning is that he would incorporate some Dhikr into Talbiyah, not that he abandoned Talbiyah altogether, as it is reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not cease Talbiyah till he threw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "As for us, we were saying Takbīr" i.e., he (may Allah be pleased with him) and those with him chose to say Takbīr in this Hajj of theirs.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn Abi Salamah - one of the Hadīth narrators - said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar: "By Allah, your affair is strange! How did you not say to him" i.e., to Ibn ‘Umar as he was narrating this Hadīth which he cited as proof for Takbīr instead of Talbiyah; "What did you see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing?!" I.e., which Dhikr among these Dhikrs you knew or saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: is it Takbīr or Talbiyah? By this, 'Abdullāh ibn Abi Salamah wanted to know what is best, for the Hadīth includes Takbīr and Talbiyah. So, he sought to learn what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was saying to know which of the two Dhikrs was better and abide by it.
The Hadīth mentions Tahlīl and Takbīr by Muhrims during the day of ‘Arafah.
It shows the keenness of the Tābi‘īs to know what is best among the Sunnahs and etiquettes..

1288
Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr reported: We returned along with Ibn ‘Umar until we reached Jam‘. He led us in the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers with one Iqāmah. Then, he left as he said: "This is how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer in this place.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet's example in everything, especially the acts of worship, including the obligation of Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr relates what was done by ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) during Hajj. He informs that they returned from ‘Arafāt along with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) until they reached 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. It is called Jam‘ because people gather (Yajtami‘) therein. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers with one Iqāmah and did not offer a supererogatory prayer between them. He then left. The manner of doing that: He pronounces Iqāmah for prayer and offers the Maghrib prayer as three Rak‘ahs and then makes Taslīm. Then, he offers the ‘Ishā’ prayer as two Rak‘ahs. Indeed, he did so because he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing it. Then, he said: "This is how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer in this place," i.e., in Muzdalifah. This was explained by another version narrated by Muslim, in which Ibn ‘Umar said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) combined the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers in Jam‘ - i.e., in Muzdalifah - offering the Maghrib as three and the ‘Ishā’ as two Rak‘ahs, with one Iqāmah. In a version by Al-Bukhāri, Ibn ‘Umar mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers with one Iqāmah for each of them.
The Hadīth mentions that the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers are to be combined in Muzdalifah..

1292
’Umm Habībah reported: We used to do it during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): We would set forth during Ghalas (pre-dawn darkness) from Jam‘ to Mina. And in a version: We would set forth during Ghalas from Muzdalifah..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet's example in everything, especially the acts of worship, including the obligation of Hajj, whose pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes must be taken from the Prophet's guidance, which clarifies in detail what the Qur'an mentions in brief terms.
In this Hadīth, ’Umm Habībah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's wife, informs that, during the Prophet's lifetime, they used to set forth from Jam‘ - and in a version: Muzdalifah - to Mina at the time of Ghalas. Ghalas: the darkness of the latter part of the night mixed with the light of morning. The meaning: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would send the weak members of his family - the elderly, the women, and the children, as well as the sick - fearing crowdedness for them. So, weak people would stand at Al-Mash'ar al-Harām during the night, remembering Allah Almighty and supplicating Him with what came to their minds. Then, they would head to Mina before the Imām stood at Al-Mash'ar al-Harām and before he left for Mina. Some of them would reach Mina during the Fajr prayer so that they would throw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah. Some of them would reach Mina after that time, and they would throw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, which is the largest Jamrah. This is intended to facilitate things for women and the weak during the rituals of Hajj, as they were allowed to hasten their departure from Muzdalifah to Mina before the rise of the sun.
Jam‘ (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 therein 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. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains and located east of Makkah, between Makkah and Mount 'Arafah. It is situated nearly 6km away from the Sacred Mosque. Mina is the place where the rituals of Hajj are performed, and the pilgrims stay during the day of Tarwiyah, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, and the days of Tashrīq. It is the site of throwing the Jamarāt, which happens between sunrise and sunset during these days of Hajj. The Hady are also slaughtered there..

1294
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent me from Jam‘a at the time of Sahar with the luggage of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). I said: Were you informed that Ibn ‘Abbās said: He had sent me in the latter part of the night? He said: No, but only like that: at the time of Sahar. I said to him: Ibn ‘Abbās said: We threw the Jamrah before dawn, and where he performed the Fajr prayer? He said: No, but only like that..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet's example in everything, especially the acts of worship, including the obligation of Hajj, whose pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes must be taken from the Prophet's guidance, which clarifies in detail what the Qur'an mentions in brief terms.
This Hadīth demonstrates the vast mercy of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) toward the weak members of his Ummah, even during the performance of worship, as he used to enjoin facilitation for people. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him from Muzdalifah to Mina at the time of Sahar. Sahar: the time shortly before dawn. It is said: It extends from the last third of the night to the rise of dawn. "with the luggage of the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Luggage is the belongings of a traveler which are heavy to carry. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent Ibn ‘Abbās along with the weak members of his family, including the elderly, the women, and the children, as well as the sick, for fear that they might be hurt in the crowdedness. So, the weak people would stand at Al-Mash‘ar al-Harām during the night, remembering Allah Almighty and supplicating Him with whatever came to their minds. Then, they would head to Mina before the Imām stood at Al-Mash‘ar al-Harām and before he left for Mina. Some of them reached Mina at the time of the Fajr prayer, and so they threw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, and some others arrived at Mina after that time, and they threw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, which is the largest Jamrah.
Jam‘a is Muzdalifah, and 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 therein 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.
Ibn Jurayj asked his Shaykh ‘Atā’ ibn Abi Rabāh: Were you informed that Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He had sent me in the latter part of the night"? He replied: No! Rather, he said: "at the time of Sahar" i.e., without specifying a certain hour. So, Ibn Jurayj asked him: Did Ibn ‘Abbās say: We threw the Jamrah before dawn, and where did he perform the Fajr prayer? He replied: No! He did not mention to me when he threw the Jamrah or where he prayed. He did not tell me anything beyond what I have mentioned to you.
The Hadīth shows how Islam facilitates things for the weak people during Hajj and allows them to throw the Jamrah before dawn before people come in crowds.
It demonstrates the integrity in transmitting the Sunnah and traditions from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)..

1297
Jābir reported: I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) throwing pebbles while riding his mount on the day of Nahr, and he was saying: "Learn your rituals, for I do not know whether I will be performing Hajj after this Hajj of mine.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet's example in everything, especially the acts of worship, including the obligation of Hajj, whose pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes must be taken from the Prophet's guidance, which clarifies in detail what the Qur'an mentions in brief terms.
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj - which was in the tenth Hijri year - throwing Jamrat al-‘Aqabah while riding his mount - his she-camel which he used for traveling - during the day of Nahr, i.e., his throwing of Jamrah during the day of Eid, on the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, and that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw the Jamrah while riding so as to display his act to the people. He was saying to the people: "Learn your rituals," i.e., learn from me and memorize the rulings I practised during my Hajj through words and deeds. Take them from me, apply them, and teach them to others. Clarifying the reason for that, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "for I do not know whether I will be performing Hajj after this Hajj of mine." This was a signal for bidding farewell to them, informing them about his imminent death, urging them to be keen on learning from him and seizing the opportunity of accompanying him and learning the matters of the religion. Hence, this was called the Farewell Hajj.
The Hadīth mentions that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined his Ummah to learn the matters of the religion, especially the rituals, from him, and not to act according to their personal whims; rather, they should follow the Sunnah he laid down for them..

1298
’Umm Al-Husayn reported: I performed the Farewell Hajj along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and saw him when he threw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah and returned while he was riding the mount, and Bilāl and Usāmah were with him. One of them was leading his camel, while the other was raising his cloth over the head of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to protect him from the sun. She said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talked at length, and then I heard him saying: "If a maimed slave - I think she said: black - is appointed to govern you, and he leads you according to the Book of Allah Almighty, listen to him and obey him.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet's example in everything, especially the acts of worship, including the obligation of Hajj whose pillars, Sunnahs, and etiquettes must be taken from the Prophet's guidance, which clarifies in detail what the Qur’an mentions in comprehensive terms.
In this Hadīth, the female Companion ’Umm Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that she performed the Farewell Hajj along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). It was called as such because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seemed to have been bidding farewell to the Companions, and he passed away shortly thereafter. It took place during the tenth Hijri year. She saw him when he threw Jamrat al-‘Aqabah al-Kubra in the morning of the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, and he left on his mount, which is used for traveling. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was riding a she-camel during this Hajj. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw the pebbles while he was riding so as to display his act to the people. The Companions with him were Bilāl ibn Rabāh and Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with both of them). One of them was leading the she-camel and pulling it from the front, and the other was raising his clothing over the head of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to shade him from the sun. The version by An-Nasā’i pointed out that the one leading the she-camel was Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) and the one raising his clothing was Usāmah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Then, ’Umm Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with her) informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talked at length; In the version by An-Nasā’i: "Then, he delivered a sermon to the people. He praised Allah and lauded Him and mentioned many things" i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned many rulings during this sermon. One of these is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If a maimed slave," i.e., with an amputated limb, nose, or ear ", is appointed to govern you," i.e., is appointed as your leader. Yahya ibn al-Husayn said: "I think she", i.e., his grandmother, "said: black". In the Hadīth reported by Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "as if his head is like a raisin," A person in whom these traits are combined is in utmost lowliness. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) meant to indicate that people usually disdain him.
If he assumes authority and "leads you according to the Book of Allah Almighty, listen to him and obey him", i.e., listening and obeying is due upon the subjects to such a governor, as long as he adheres to Islam and calls to the Book of Allah Almighty. If, however, he rules according to his personal inclination and in contradiction to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, no obedience is due to him.
The Hadīth mentions that Jamrat al-‘Aqabah is thrown on the day of Nahr.
It demonstrates that Jamrat al-‘Aqabah may be thrown while riding.
It also indicates that a Muhrim can shade his head with a cloth or the like.
The Hadīth points out the obligation to obey the rulers as long as they enjoin things involving obedience to Allah, not disobedience to Him..

1299
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) throwing the Jamrah with the like of pebbles of Khadhf..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified how to perform Hajj through his statements and acts, and he commanded Muslims to learn the rituals from him. Hence, a Muslim must follow the Prophet's example.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) informs that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during Hajj throwing Jamrat al-‘Aqabah in the morning of the day of Nahr, the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, and he threw it with pebbles like those of Khadhf. Khadhf: throwing a pebble or a stone or holding it between one's forefingers and throwing it. This is meant to demonstrate the size of the thrown pebbles in terms of smallness and largeness. So, the pebbles the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw were larger than chickpeas and smaller than hazelnuts. This denotes the prohibition of exaggeration in religion, like the belief that throwing large stones is more profound than throwing small ones. The throwing comprises seven pebbles each time, and they should be separated and thrown one after the other.
The Hadīth shows the facilitation of Islam in throwing the Jamarāt, and that the stones should be small to avoid causing harm to the people during the rituals..

1299
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw pebbles at the Jamrah (stoning pillar) on the Day of Nahr (10th of Dhul-Hijjah) at Duha (forenoon), but threw after that when the sun passed its zenith..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the manner of performing Hajj through his statements and acts and he commanded Muslims to learn the rituals from him. Hence, Muslims must follow the Prophet's example.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw pebbles at the Jamrah, namely Jamrat al-‘Aqabah, on the Day of Nahr, i.e., the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, which is the Day of Eid al-Ad'ha that was so-called given the slaughtering of Hady and ’Ud-hiyahs that occur on that day. "Duha", i.e., is the forenoon time that starts from sunrise until Zawāl (when the sun reaches its zenith). As for the pebbles to be thrown on the Days of Tashrīq (11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah), the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) threw them after the sun had passed its zenith, and Zawāl starts from noon.
The Jamrahs that should be stoned are three, which are: The first Jamrah: It is called "As-Sughra" (the smallest) or "Ad-Dunya" (the nearest). It is the first Jamrah after Al-Khayf Mosque at Mina. It was called "Dunya", which is derived from "dunuww" (nearness), on account of its being the nearest Jamrah to Al-Khayf Mosque. The second Jamrah: It is called "Al-Wusta" (the middle one). It lies after the first Jamrah and before Jamrat al-‘Aqabah. Jamrat al-‘Aqabah: It is also called "Al-Jamrah al-Kubra" (the biggest Jamrah). It lies at the end of Mina in the direction of Makkah, and it is not part of Mina..

1300
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Istijmār is by odd numbers, throwing the pebbles is by odd numbers, Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah is by odd numbers, Tawāf is by odd numbers; and when any of you engages in Istjimār, he should do so by odd numbers.".

Commentary : This Hadīth demonstrates some Islamic Sunnahs and etiquettes and Shar‘i teachings. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that Istijmār - which is to remove or dry up urine and stools with stones - should be done by odd numbers, i.e., Witr, which is three times. If cleaning is not done three times, he must do it more times until it is achieved. But if it is achieved by an odd number, there should be no more times. And if it is done an even number of times, he should wipe it one more time to make it odd. Likewise, throwing the Jamarāt in Hajj should be done with seven pebbles, which is an odd number. And Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah should comprise seven rounds, which is an odd number. And the Tawāf around the Ka‘bah should consist of seven rounds, which is an odd number.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and when any of you engages in Istjimār, he should do so by odd numbers." It is said that the statement at the beginning of the Hadīth is intended to refer to the number of times of doing it, and the statement here refers to the number of stones involved. Or the statement is repeated to give particular emphasis and attention to this matter, as it may be neglected with its daily repetition, unlike other things. So, the earlier statement is intended for information, and the latter is intended for urging and showing care. And it is said: Istijmār here refers to the use of incense, which is done by putting a stick of incense on a Jamrah of fire (ember); and it should also be done by an odd number..

1305
Anas ibn Mālik reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Mina, he went to the Jamrah (stoning pillar) and threw pebbles at it. After that, he went to his lodging in Mina and sacrificed. Then, he said to the barber: "Shave from here," pointing at his right side, then, at the left side. Then, he distributed it (his hair) among the people. [Another narration reads]: He said to the barber: "Here," and pointed with his hand at the right side like this. Then, he distributed his hair among those who were near him. He said: Then, he pointed at the barber and at the left side. So, he (the barber) shaved it, and he (the Prophet) gave it to ’Umm Sulaym. Another narration reads: He said: He started with the right half, and he distributed it among the people, each one taking a hair or two. Then, he asked for the left half to be shaved, and he did the same with it. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Here, Abu Talhah," and he gave it to Abu Talhah..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the manner of performing Hajj and ‘Umrah through his statements and acts, and he commanded Muslims to learn the rituals from him. Hence, Muslims must follow the Prophet's example.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reached Mina after spending the night at Muzdalifah. Then, he stoned Jamrat al-‘Aqabah al-Kubra on the morning of Eid al-Ad'ha, the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah. Stoning is to be done by using small pebbles the size of a chickpea and smaller than a hazelnut, or the size of a bean seed. Mina: It is a valley surrounded by mountains. It is located on the eastern side of Makkah, on the way between Makkah and ‘Arafah Mount. It is almost six kilometers away from the Sacred Mosque. It is the place where the Jamrahs are stoned and where the Hadys (sacrificial animals) are slaughtered.
Then, after throwing the pebbles, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to his dwelling place in Mina and slaughtered his Hadys, which were a hundred. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered sixty-three of them with his own hand and ordered ‘Ali to slaughter the rest of the hundred, as mentioned in Sahīh Muslim.
After that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the barber to shave his hair, pointing at his right side so the barber would start with it, then at the left side. Shaving or shortening the hair is the ritual that ends the acts of Hajj and ‘Umrah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then started giving people this hair for the sake of Tabarruk (seeking blessings) from the Prophet's hair. He distributed the hair shaved off the right side among people, then he took the hair shaved off the left side and gave it to ’Umm Sulaym, as mentioned in one of the narrations. In another narration: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave the hair of the left side to Abu Talhah.
The Hadīth clarifies some of the acts of Hajj that are to be performed in Mina, including stoning Al-Jamrah al-Kubra, then shaving the hair starting with the right side followed by the left side.
The Hadīth also indicates the act of seeking blessings from the Prophet's traces, which is something unique to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It also clarifies the purity of human hair.
Moreover, the Hadīth makes it clear that shaving the head is better than shortening, following the Prophet's example..

1305
Anas ibn Mālik reported: After the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had thrown the pebbles at the Jamrah, slaughtered his sacrifice, and shaved, he turned his right side (of his head) to the barber who shaved it. Then, he called Abu Talhah al-Ansāri and gave it to him. After that, he (the Prophet) turned the left side to him (the barber) and said: "Shave it," and he did. He (the Prophet), then, gave it to Abu Talhah and said: "Distribute it among people.".

Commentary : The Prophet's Companions used to hasten to get any of the Prophet's traces seeking blessings thereby, and this Hadīth presents one of those incidents. Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had thrown pebbles at Jamrat al-‘Aqabah al-Kubra in Mina on the morning of Eid al-Ad'ha, the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, during the Farewell Hajj on the tenth Hijri year, and after he had slaughtered his sacrifice, i.e., slaughtered his sacrificial animal and Hady, and wanted to shave his hair, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned the right side of his head to the barber, as he preferred beginning with the right side in everything, and the barber shaved it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, called Abu Talhah al-Ansāri, the husband of ’Umm Sulaym who was the mother of Anas (may Allah be pleased with them), and gave him the hair that was shaved off. He chose him in particular because of his special status. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned the left side of his head to the barber and said: Shave it, and he did. He, then, gave it to Abu Talhah and said: "Distribute it among people," i.e., among his Companions. Perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed his hair between them to remain as a blessing and as a reminder among them, as if by doing this he was referring to the approach of his death and to the end of the time of companionship.
In Ahmad's narration, Abu Talhah gave it to ’Umm Sulaym, his wife, who used to mix it in her perfume. It has been established that some of the Companions used to take the Prophet's sweat and add it to their perfume. Others used to seek the traces of his fingers on the food to eat from where he ate, and others used to drink from the leftovers of his drink. All this went along with their compliance with the Sunnah, their following of the Prophet's guidance out of love for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and out of seeking blessings from his honorable traces. This is exclusive to the Prophet's tangible traces.
The Hadīth refers to the act of seeking blessings from the Prophet's hair and keeping it.
The Hadīth also shows how the Imam or the leader consoles his companions and followers by distributing gifts and presents to them.
It also highlights the act of beginning with the right side of the head when shaving.
It denotes the merit of Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) that was obvious in saving his share, then giving him the other half, and granting him the honor of distributing it among people.
The Hadīth also shows consolation between friends in terms of gifts and presents and the fact that consolation does not necessarily entail equality..

1308
Ibn ‘Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Tawāf al-Ifādah (pouring forth) on the Day of Nahr, then returned and prayed Zhuhr in Mina. Nāfi‘ said: Ibn ‘Umar used to perform Tawāf al-Ifādah on the Day of Nahr, then return and pray Zhuhr in Mina, and mention that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did this..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the rituals of Hajj in his words and acts, which were reported by the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) just as they had learned them from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, the great Companion, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), reports that during the Farewell Hajj on the 10th year of Hijrah, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "performed Tawāf al-Ifādah on the Day of Nahr", i.e., he performed Tawāf al-Ifādah at the Sacred House, referring to the Tawāf that comes after standing at ‘Arafah and throwing pebbles at Al-Jamrah al-Kubra. It was called so because the pilgrim performs it after his Ifādah (setting forth) from Mina to Makkah. The Day of Nahr is the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah and the Day of Eid al-Ad'ha. It was called so because of Nahr (slaughtering) the Hady and Ud-hiyahs on that day. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned after that and prayed Zhuhr in Mina, which is a valley surrounded by mountains, located on the eastern side of Makkah on the way between Makkah and ‘Arafah Mount. Mina is known to be the place of performing the rituals of Hajj and the place where the pilgrims spend the night on the Day of Tarwiyah, the Day of Nahr, and the Days of Tashrīq, as it is the place where the Jamrahs (stoning pillars) are stoned between sunrise and sunset during those days of Hajj, and it is the place where the sacrificial animals are slaughtered.
It was said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Zhuhr in Makkah, as mentioned in Sahīh Muslim on the authority of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode and set forth towards the House and prayed Zhuhr in Makkah." It was said: What happened is that after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had performed Tawāf al-Ifādah, the time for Zhuhr prayer became due. So, he prayed Zhuhr in Makkah at its earliest time. Then, he returned to Mina and found the people waiting to pray with him. So, he led them in prayer once again. In this way, the Hadīths could be understood together without needing to give preponderance to some of them over the other.
Nāfi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar and the one who narrated this Hadīth from him, said that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) was very keen on following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in all his actions, whether as a traveler or a resident..

1310
Nāfi‘ reported: that Ibn ‘Umar regarded Tahsīb (stopping at Al-Muhassab after the completion of Hajj) as an act of Sunnah, and he used to perform the Zhuhr prayer in Hasbah during the day of Nafr. Nāfi‘ said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) engaged in Tahsīb, and the caliphs did it after him..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the Tawqīfi acts of worship whose rituals were demonstrated by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj. The Prophet's actions during his Hajj were Sunnah and guidance for those who came after him. The Companions were keen to follow the Prophet's guidance and act like him in all the affairs of Hajj and other things.
In this Hadīth, Nāfi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, informs that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) regarded Tahsīb as an act of Sunnah, i.e., one of the Prophet's actions. Tahsīb: to halt at Muhassab after completing Hajj following the days of throwing the Jamarāt. Muhassab: Al-Abtah or Al-Bat'hā’. It is a place lying between Mina and Makkah and is closer to Mina. It is said: It is the place of throwing the Jamarāt at Mina, and it used to be called Khayf Bani Kinānah. Khayf: The place that goes down from the mountain and rises above the valley. It is located outside Makkah from the direction of Madīnah.
Nāfi‘ informed that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to perform the Zhuhr prayer at Al-Hasbah during the day of Nafr (departure), which is the day of returning from Mina after the completion of the Hajj rituals. The pilgrims have two days of Nafr (departure): First: The second day from the days of Tashrīq. Second: The third day from the days of Tashrīq, which is the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah; and this is the day intended here, for it was the day during which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) departed in his Hajj.
Nāfi‘ said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) engaged in Tahsīb, and the caliphs did it after him," i.e., they stopped at Al-Muhassab. This is the view of Ibn' Umar that stopping at this place is one of the Sunnahs of Hajj. However, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and others would not stop at this place during Hajj after the Prophet's passing. The relevant Hadīths point out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped at this place after the completion of the Hajj rituals, for this was easier for his departure to Madīnah and so that his Companions and those who would leave with him could gather there.
The Hadīth shows how the Companions would pursue the Prophet's guidance and were keen to follow his Sunnah..

1310
Ibn ‘Umar reported: that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar used to alight in Al-Abtah..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the Tawqīfi acts of worship whose rituals were demonstrated by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj. The Prophet's actions during his Hajj were Sunnah and guidance for those who came after him. The Companions were keen to follow the Prophet's guidance and act like him in all the affairs of Hajj and other things.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs "that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" during his lifetime "and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them)" during their caliphate "used to alight in Al-Abtah." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted there on the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah after he returned from Mina after the completion of the Hajj rituals. Al-Abtah: It is Al-Muhassab; it is a place lying between Mina and Makkah and is closer to Mina. It is said: It is the place of throwing the Jamarāt at Mina, and it used to be called Khayf Bani Kinānah. Khayf: The place that goes down from the mountain and rises above the valley. It is located outside Makkah from the direction of Madīnah.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped there after the end of the days of throwing the Jamarāt, and Rāfi‘, his freed slave (may Allah be pleased with him), had set up a tent for him in this place. After that, Abu Bakr and 'Umar followed the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in that, and they would stop in this place at the same time and some of the Companions, like 'Abdullāh ibn' Umar, considered it to be one of the Sunnahs of Hajj, as narrated in the Sahīh Muslim Collection.
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped at this place because this was easier for his departure to Madīnah and so that his Companions and those who would leave with him could gather there, as narrated in a version by Muslim, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "that she would not do that, and she said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted there because it was an easier place for his departure."
The Hadīth shows how the Companions - such as Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) - would pursue the Prophet's guidance and were keen to follow his Sunnah..

1313
Abu Rāfi‘ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not command me to stop at Al-Abtah when he departed from Mina, but I came and set up his canvas therein, and he came and alighted. [Another version] adds: And he was in charge of the Prophet's belongings..

Commentary : The rituals of Hajj are among the Tawqīfi acts of worship which were demonstrated by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj. The Prophet's actions during his Hajj were Sunnah and guidance for those who came after him. The Companions were keen to follow the Prophet's guidance and act like him, and they were also keen to demonstrate what is part of the Sunnah and what is not part of the Sunnah, yet it was accidentally done by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Abu Rāfi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) - the Prophet's freed slave and servant - "and he was in charge of the Prophet's belongings" i.e., he was responsible for the Prophet's personal items; he informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not enjoin him when he departed from Mina, to stop at Al-Abtah, which means a spacious place, and it here refers to a location between Mina and Makkah. It is also called Al-Muhassab and Khayf Bani Kinānah. Al-Abtah today comprises buildings and markets. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) departed from Mina after throwing the pebbles on the 13th day of Dhul-Hijjah, following the completion of the Hajj rituals.
Abu Rāfi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "but I came and set up his canvas therein." Canvas is a tent made of wool or other material. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came, alighted, and rested in this tent set up at Al-Abtah - and this happened before the Farewell Tawāf. In a Hadīth in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection, Anas ibn Mālik reported: "that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishā’ prayers and then had a sleep in Al-Muhassab, after which he rode toward the House and performed Tawāf around it."
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted in this place after completing the Hajj rituals, for it was easier for his departure to Madinah and so that his Companions and those who would leave with him could gather there, as narrated in a version by Muslim, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted there because this place was easier for his departure.".