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..

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.".

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.".

Book of Hadith

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