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Hadith
711
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: Mu‘adh would pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in prayer..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated in worship and in fulfilling their duties towards people and striving to benefit them. Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated in this hadith that Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The prayer that he prayed with him was ‘Isha’, as is mentioned in other reports, and his people used to wait for him until he came and led them in praying ‘Isha’. The scholars differed with regard to how we may understand the fact that Mu‘adh prayed ‘Isha’ twice, because in principle the obligatory prayer cannot be done twice except for a reason. This is because of the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud from Sulayman ibn Yasar, that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “… Do not pray any prayer twice in one day.” It was said that it may be that that was what Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him)  did at the beginning of Islam, when those who had knowledge of  Qur’an were few, and the people had no one to lead them in prayer except  Mu‘adh, so he would pray the obligatory prayer with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in prayer, with the prayer being supererogatory in his case, as it says in a report narrated by al-Tahhawi in Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar, from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which it says: Mu‘adh used to pray ‘Isha’ with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in ‘Isha’ prayer, and it would be a voluntary prayer for him and an obligatory prayer for them.
And it was said that it may be that this was done at a time when it was permissible to offer an obligatory prayer twice; that may have been done at the beginning of Islam, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade it, and it is well-known that forbidding a thing usually comes after it has been permissible.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for one who is praying an obligatory prayer to pray behind one who is offering a supererogatory prayer..

713
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became very sick, Bilal came to tell him that it was time to pray, and he said: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he stands in your place he will not be able to make the people hear him. Why don’t you instruct ‘Umar [to lead the prayer instead]? He said: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said to Hafsah: Tell him that Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he stands in your place he will not be able to make the people hear him; why don’t you tell ‘Umar [to lead the prayer instead]? He said: “Indeed you are like the women around Yusuf! Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” When he began the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he stood up, supported by two men, with his feet dragging along the ground, and entered the mosque. When Abu Bakr heard him, he wanted to step back, but the Messenger of Allah (listings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him [to stay where he was]. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came and sat on the left of Abu Bakr, so Abu Bakr prayed standing, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting. Abu Bakr followed the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)..

Commentary : Praying in congregation is very important, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid a great deal of attention to it, as did the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them all). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never stayed away from prayer in congregation and never omitted it; when his sickness grew worse, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) appointed someone to lead the people in prayer in his stead. ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet’s sickness grew worse, he could not go out to pray in congregation. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to tell him that the time for prayer had begun, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed them to tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was afraid that the people would regard Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as a bad omen for taking the place of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and she wanted to protect him from that, so she said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Abu Bakr is a man who weeps a great deal and feels emotional when praying, so if he stands up to lead the people in prayer, the people will not be able to hear him because he weeps so much. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was indeed as she said. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid no attention to her words, and he repeated his instruction: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” So ‘A’ishah said to Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them both): Tell the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he takes your place he will not be able to make the people hear him; why don’t you tell ‘Umar to lead the people instead? When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that, he said: Indeed you are like the women around Yusuf! meaning that they were like the women around Yusuf in that they showed something opposite to what they had in their hearts, and because of their persistence in pursuing what they wanted and were inclined towards. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated his instructions to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and began the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he stood up and walked, supported by two men, namely al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah have mercy on them both), with his feet dragging and making a line along the ground, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was so sick. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should stay where he was. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat to the left of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed standing, following the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who was sitting, and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was standing. Thus the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the imam, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following his prayer, repeating the takbir in a loud voice so that the people could hear, because the Prophet’s voice was so weak at this time. And the people were following the voice of Abu Bakr, who was conveying the takbirs from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he was not acting as an imam for the people. Therefore Abu Bakr and the people were all following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the prayer. Abu Bakr was conveying the takbirs from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that the people could follow the Prophet’s prayer. It was also said that in fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was an imam for Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was an imam for the people behind him, so that prayer had two imams.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow the more difficult option, even if there is a concession [allowing an easier option].
It indicates that it is prescribed to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the importance of praying in congregation.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was the most deserving of them to be his successor (caliph); it also indicates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was next to him in virtue.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower status to discuss instructions given to him by one who is higher in status.
It highlights the etiquette that is to be observed when dealing with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back, because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

717
It was narrated that al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “You should certainly straighten your rows, or Allah will cause dissent to occur among you (lit. will distort your faces).”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of order and sublime aspirations, and it urges the Muslims to be united, helping and supporting one another; there is always fear that they may find themselves in situations where dissent and disputes could arise in their gatherings. The best places for the Muslims to gather is attending prayers in congregation in the mosques.
In this hadith, al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of the Prophet’s instruction to the people to straighten their rows, as he said: “You should certainly straighten your rows.” What is meant is that the people standing in the rows should all stand in one straight line. It also means filling any gaps in the row. “or Allah will cause dissent to occur among you” that is, if you do not straighten the rows, Allah will cause dissent to occur among you. Thus He made a connection between not straightening the rows and the occurrence of dissent and division. This is a warning to those who do not straighten their rows of a punishment that matches their sin, because they differed when they failed to stand in a straight line. What is meant by dissent is the occurrence of enmity, rancour and division among them, because failing to straighten their rows is a visible difference, and visible differences lead to differences in their hearts. Or what is meant is having different aims and goals, in which case the hadith means that Allah will make each of you have different goals. This is because having similar aims and goals in the heart will be reflected in visible harmony and straightening of the rows. But when the rows are not straight, it is indicative of the people having different aims in their hearts. So if the rows continue to be ragged and no attention is paid to that, Allah will soon cause differences to occur in their aims and goals.
It was also said that the meaning of the word translated here as dissent or division refers to distortion of the face in a literal sense, moving it to the back of the head. This is similar to the warning issued to the one who raises his head before the imam does, that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey.
One of the reasons for straightening the row is that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded..

722
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The imam has only been appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him. When he bows, then bow; when he says ‘Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),’ then say ‘Rabbana laka al-hamd (our Lord, to You be praise)’; when he prostrates, then prostrate; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you. Straighten the rows when praying, for straightening the rows is part of praying properly.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is following the imam properly.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that the imam is only appointed to be followed, so the one who is praying behind the imam should follow his actions in prayer. Therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade those who are praying behind an imam to differ from the imam, which means doing the actions of prayer before him, or being too slow in following him, because differing from the imam means that one is no longer regarded as following him. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to explain in detail, after speaking in general terms, how one should follow the imam. Hence he said: “When he bows, then bow.” The word fa, translated here as “then”, indicates that these actions should be done straight after the imam does them, and that the one who is praying behind the imam should not do them before the imam; rather every action that the one who is praying behind the imam does should be done after the imam does it. When the imam says after bowing, Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him), then say Rabbana laka al-hamd (our Lord, to You be praise); what is meant is: O our Lord, to You be all praise. This is one of the greatest expressions of supplication and gratitude to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Based on that, it is sufficient for the one who is praying behind an imam to say the tahmid (Rabbana laka al-hamd) and not the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah) when rising from bowing. When the imam prostrates, then prostrate straight after he prostrates. And if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you, for following the imam also means praying sitting if the imam prays sitting. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined straightening the rows when praying, meaning that the people should stand in a straight line. This meaning also includes filling the gaps in the rows; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the reason for this command as being that making the rows straight is part of praying properly.
This hadith instructs the worshipper to follow the imam, and not do anything before he does it, or do something different to what he is doing. It also instructs the worshippers to straighten the rows when offering a congregational prayer..

723
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for straightening the rows is part of establishing prayer.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of order and sublime aspirations, and it urges the Muslims to be united, helping and supporting one another; there is always fear that they may find themselves in situations where dissent and disputes could arise in their gatherings. The best places for the Muslims to gather is attending prayers in congregation in the mosques.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructs the worshippers to make the rows straight, and he gives the reason for that: “for straightening the rows is part of establishing prayer.” In other words, it is part of perfecting the prayer and doing it properly. What is meant by straightening the rows is that the people standing in the row should form a straight line. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straightening the rows is part of praying properly”; that is, straightening the rows is more helpful in protecting the prayer from any shortcoming in its obligatory and recommended parts. This will complete the reward for prayer, and that reward is for the one who is keen to complete the row and make it straight.
The scholars have mentioned several reasons regarding the wisdom behind straightening the rows, including the following: that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded. .

724
It was narrated from Bushayr ibn Yasar al-Ansari, from Anas ibn Malik, that he came to Madinah and it was said to him: What do you find different that has changed since the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: I do not find anything that has changed except that you do not straighten the rows..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who came after them, the Tabi‘in, were the keenest of people to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and walk in his footsteps, and to adhere to that until death. The Tabi‘in used to ask the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to teach them what they knew, and if they erred, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, it is narrated that when Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to Madinah from Basra, the people asked him: What do you find different that has changed since the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? This question reflects their great keenness to follow the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, and shows that they were very cautious in avoiding going against that. In this manner, they were striving to avoid going against the commands of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that nothing had changed, except that they did not straighten their rows. This indicates that straightening the rows was something that was well-known at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and that the people changed that after he was gone.
The scholars have mentioned several reasons regarding the wisdom behind straightening the rows, including the following: that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded..

725
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for I can see you behind my back.” One of us would make his shoulder touch the shoulder of the person next to him, and make his foot touch his foot..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would hasten to comply with the instructions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would strive hard to do things as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined them, and to teach this to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to straighten their rows, which means that the people standing in the row should make it a straight and even line, with no one standing out. It also means filling the gaps that may appear in the row. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for this instruction by telling them about one of his miracles, as he said: “for I can see you behind my back.” What is meant is: I only instruct you to do that because I am aware that you are falling short in this regard, because I can see you behind me. It may be that he said this to encourage the weak to straighten their rows, because they did not straighten their rows properly as they thought that he could not see them; that is because many of the weak pay more attention when they are watched than when they are not watched. It may be that some of the hypocrites did not pay attention to straightening the rows, so this was said to them in order to make them pay attention and not cause the rows to be ragged.
What is meant by seeing in the Prophet’s words “for I can see you behind my back” is to be understood as it appears to be, and that he was able to see them in the true sense of the word, which was something extraordinary that was unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); this was one of his miracles.
Then Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) – the narrator of the hadith – explained how they complied with the instruction of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to straighten their rows: each of them would make his shoulder touch the shoulder of the person next to him – the word translated here as shoulder refers to where the top of the arm meets the torso. And each of them would make his foot touch the foot of the person next to him, so as to ensure that the row would be straight, in fulfilment of the command of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see the command to straighten the rows and make them look good whilst praying, and the command to the imam to make sure that the people do that; the people themselves should also make sure that they are doing that.
It indicates that it is permissible to speak between the iqamah and the prayer. .

728
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One night I stood to pray on the left of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He took hold of my hand – or my arm – and made me stand on his right, and gestured with his hand to tell me to pass behind him..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated and keen to do good. As they (may Allah be pleased with them) were so highly motivated, they were extremely keen to be close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to do acts of worship, whether obligatory or supererogatory, as he did them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) encouraged them to do that, and would correct any mistakes that they might make.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night he got up to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stood on his left. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of his hand or his arm – the word translated here as “arm” refers to the upper arm – and made him stand on his right. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should pass behind him, not in front of him. In this way, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) indicated that the right-hand side is nobler and better; hence if only one person is following an imam in prayer, he should stand on his right.
This hadith indicates that it is more appropriate for the one who is following an imam in prayer to stand on the right of the imam.
It also indicates that it is prohibited to pass directly in front of one who is praying. .

729
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying one night in his small enclosure, the walls of which were low. The people could see the figure of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so some of them started to follow him in his prayer, and the following morning they spoke about that. On the following night, he prayed qiyam [voluntary prayers at night] again, and some of the people followed him in his prayer again. They did this for two or three nights, then after that, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed home, and did not come out. The following morning, the people spoke about that, and he said: “I was afraid that praying at night would be made obligatory for you.”.

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was compassionate towards his ummah, and one of the signs of his compassion was that sometimes he would refrain from doing some non-obligatory actions, lest they be made obligatory. This was because his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved to follow his example, and they would hasten to do what he did.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying one night in his small enclosure (hujrah), which was a space that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had taken in the mosque in which to pray. In another report narrated by al-Bukhari from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had a reed mat that he used to spread out by day and set up at night to make a small enclosure, and some people came and stood behind him [to follow his prayer]. This is what is meant by the word hujrah (translated here as small enclosure); it does not refer to the apartment (hujrah) of ‘A’ishah or the apartments of his other wives, in which he and his family lived. The apartments of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had walls that served as screens, so that whoever was outside could not see anyone who was inside.
The prayer that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying later came to be known as Tarawih prayer. The Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated in another report that that was in Ramadan, and she described the walls of the small enclosure in which he was praying as being low and being made of reeds. The people saw the figure of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), meaning that they saw his outline or form from afar as he was praying. That happened at night, so they could not see anything of him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except his form or outline in the dark, and they stood behind him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), following him in his prayer. News of that spread among the Muslims, and the same thing happened on the following two or three nights, and the number of those praying behind him increased. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw how keen they were and that they were gathering behind him for the supererogatory prayer, he stopped doing it. The people mentioned that to him and asked him why he had stopped doing it, so he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them that the reason for that was that he was afraid that this prayer would be made obligatory upon them. That is because the ummah is enjoined to follow the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and as qiyam al-layl was obligatory for him but not for his ummah, he was worried that if he kept coming out to them and they kept praying behind him, Allah might enjoin it on them as He had enjoined it on him, because in principle the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his ummah should be equal with regard to issues of worship. Or it may be that he feared that if they persisted in it, they might then grow weak and be unable to continue doing it, so they would give it up, and thus they would be regarded as having given up following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow in prayer someone who did not intend to act as an imam and lead that prayer.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayer in congregation.
It also highlights the compassion that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) showed to his ummah. .

731
It was narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set up a small enclosure – he said: I think he said that it was made of reeds – in Ramadan, and prayed in it for a few nights. Some of his companions followed his prayer, and when he became aware that they were there, he stopped doing that. Then he came out to them and said: “I realized what you were doing. O people, pray at home, for the best of prayer is a prayer that a man offers in his house, except for the obligatory prayer.”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated in doing acts of worship and hastening to do good. As a result of their high motivation, they were extremely keen to be close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to do acts of worship, whether obligatory or supererogatory, as he did them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) encouraged them to do that and would direct them to that which is best.
In this hadith, Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set up a small enclosure in his mosque, as a barrier to conceal him from the people; this small enclosure was made from a reed mat (hujrah) that surrounded and marked that spot. The word hujrah (translated here as small enclosure) does not refer to the apartment (hujrah) of ‘A’ishah or the apartments of his other wives (may Allah be pleased with them), in which he and his family lived. The apartments of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had walls that served as screens, so that whoever was outside could not see anyone who was inside. Rather what is meant is that during Ramadan, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) marked off a spot that was enclosed with a reed mat, to conceal him, making the mat like a small enclosure (hujrah) in which he could offer the voluntary prayers without anyone passing directly in front of him, so that he would be able to focus with humility and without distractions. This is something that is prescribed and permissible, if it will not inconvenience other worshippers and the like.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed qiyam al-layl in this small enclosure during Ramadan; this is what later came to be known as Tarawih prayer. The people began to gather and follow his prayer, emulating him. When he saw them doing that, he stopped doing it and did not come out to them; he stopped praying qiyam in the mosque in this small enclosure. Then he said: I realize how keen you are to pray qiyam with me. According to a report narrated from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) by al-Bukhari, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them that the reason why he had stopped praying qiyam, even though he was aware of how keen they were to do it, was the fact that he feared that this prayer would be made obligatory for them. Then he said, “O people, pray at home, for the best of prayer is a prayer that a man offers in his house, except for the obligatory prayer.” This clearly indicates that the best with regard to supererogatory prayers is to pray them at home. This is general in meaning and applies to all supererogatory and Sunnah prayers, except those supererogatory prayers which are symbols of Islam, such as the Eid prayer, eclipse prayer, and prayer for rain (istisqa’), as well as those which are connected to the mosque, such as the two rak‘ahs to greet the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid).
If someone were to say that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supererogatory prayers in the mosque, which would imply that he was not doing that which is more appropriate, the response to this is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered those prayers in the mosque in order to teach people and to show that it is permissible to pray supererogatory  prayers in the mosque. If the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did something in order to teach the people, this was better in his case, even though in the case of others it is not the most appropriate option. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the people to offer supererogatory prayers at home, because this is easier and further removed from showing off, and because it is a means of bringing blessing (barakah) to the house so that mercy will descend upon the house and the Shaytan will be scared away.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow in prayer someone who did not intend to act as an imam and lead that prayer.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayer in congregation.
It indicates that supererogatory prayer offered at home is better than that which is offered in the mosque.
It also highlights the compassion that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) showed to his ummah..

735
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands level with his shoulders when he began to pray and when he said takbir before bowing. When he raised his head from bowing, he also raised his hands and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord to You be praise).” And he did not do that when he prostrated..

Commentary : The manner in which the prayer is to be done is limited to what is narrated in the religious texts, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to his ummah in word and deed.  The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the precise details of the Prophet’s actions, in prayer and otherwise, and to transmit that to those who came after them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates the points at which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands when saying takbir in the prayer. He says: he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands level with his shoulders – and according to a report narrated by Malik ibn al-Huwayrith in al-Sahihayn, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)  said takbir, he would raise his hands level with his ears. This report indicates that it is also permissible to raise the hands level with the ears.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands at the beginning of the prayer, when saying the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), making them level with his shoulders, completely in line with them. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also raised his hands when saying takbir before bowing, and he would raise his hands when he lifted his head from bowing and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord to You be praise).” But he did not do that when he prostrated; in other words, he did not raise his hands when beginning to prostrate, or when rising from prostration. Another of the points at which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands was when getting up after the first tashahhud, as is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi, which is narrated by Abu Dawud and others..

740
It was narrated from Abu Hazim, that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: The people were instructed that a man should place his right hand on his left forearm when praying. Abu Hazim said: I do not think but that he attributed this to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to learn about their religion from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to transmit what they learned to the Muslims who came after them. Prayer was foremost among the things that they wanted to learn and transmit, and it was their top priority.
In this hadith, Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) describes how the hands are to be placed when praying. He said: The people were instructed that a man should place his right hand on his left forearm when praying. What is meant by his saying that they were instructed is that the one who instructed them to do this was the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence the Tabi‘i  Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar al-A‘raj said: I do not think but that Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) attributed this to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith does not explain precisely where the hand is to be placed on the forearm. But it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in many reports that he used to place the palm of his right hand on the back of his left hand, wrist and forearm when praying, as is mentioned in the hadith of Wa’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) that was narrated by Abu Dawud. The wrist is the joint between the forearm and the hand. This is what the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with the m) used to do.
This hadith explains where the hands are to be placed when reciting Qur’an whilst standing in prayer..

743
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to begin their prayer with {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin ([All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds)} [al-Fatihah 1:2]..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to learn about their religion from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to transmit what they learned to the Muslims who came after them. Prayer was foremost among the things that they wanted to learn and transmit, and it was their top priority.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) after him, used to begin their prayer with {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin} [al-Fatihah 1:2]. What is meant is that they did not recite the Basmalah (“Bismillah il-Rahman il-Rahim”) out loud. The first thing that could be heard of their recitation was the verse, {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin}. This does not mean that they did not recite the opening supplication (du‘a’ al-istiftah) or words seeking refuge with Allah (isti‘adhah) at the beginning of the prayer, or recite the Basmalah quietly. Rather what is meant is that the first thing that they recited out loud after the takbir was {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin}.
This hadith indicates that one should not recite the Basmalah at the beginning of Surat al-Fatihah out loud. .

744
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pause between the takbir and recitation – I think he said: for a little while. I said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah. When you are quiet between the takbir and recitation, what do you say? He said: “I say: Allahumma ba‘id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba‘adta bayn al-mashriqi wa’l-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini min al-khataya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma’ghsil khatayaya bi’l-ma’i wa’l-thalji wa’l-barad (O Allah, separate me (far) from my sins as You have separated (far) the east from the west. O Allah, cleanse me of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail).’”.

Commentary : The manner in which the prayer is to be done is limited to what is narrated in the religious texts, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to his ummah in word and deed.  The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the precise details of the Prophet’s actions, in prayer and otherwise, and they transmitted that to us.
This hadith mentions the opening supplication that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite after the opening takbir, and he began his prayer with it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to keep quiet for a little while, because he was saying the opening supplication at that time. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah, what do you say during this period when you are quiet? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him about the opening supplication, and that he began the supplication by saying, “O Allah, separate me (far) from my sins as You have separated (far) the east from the west,” so if it is decreed that I should sin, make the distance between me and the sin as great as the distance that You have created between the east and the west. This applies if what is meant by sin is future sins. However, if what is meant by sin is past sins, then what is meant by separating is erasing and forgiving the sins. The analogy here is that just as the meeting of the east and west is impossible, he wants his approaching sin to be as impossible as the meeting of the east and the west.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt.” What this means is: O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. He only gave this likeness because dirt is more visible on a white garment than a garment of any other colour, and by the same token, the effect of washing is more visible on a white garment than on one of any other colour.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail,” meaning: O Allah, purify me of any sin I commit with all means of purification, such as water, snow and hail. This does not refer only to the things that are mentioned here; rather the point was to emphasize thorough cleansing and erasing of sins.
In this supplication, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed for forgiveness from his sins, even though his previous and future sins had been forgiven; he offered this supplication by way of gratitude to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and teaching his ummah.
There are other opening supplications that may be recited when beginning the prayer, including that which was narrated by Abu Dawud in al-Sunan from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to pray, he said: “Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabarak asmuka wa ta‘ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty. There is no god besides You).” Something similar was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Muslim.
Another supplication was mentioned in a report narrated by al-Bayhaqi from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabarak asmuka wa ta‘ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk.  Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fatara al-samawati wa’l-arda hanifan wa ma ana min al-mushrikin. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati Lillahi Rabb il-‘alamin  (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty. There is no god besides You. Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah. Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds).” And there are other supplications.
The best is to learn the opening supplications that have been soundly narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to alternate between the ones that he recited in prayer, so that you will be doing all of the sunnahs in that regard, and reviving the Sunnah. Moreover, this helps the heart to focus more, because if a person persists only in one thing, it becomes a habit (and he may say the words without reflecting on the meaning).
This hadith indicates that the opening supplication should be recited quietly. .

748
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they said: O Messenger of Allah, we saw you reaching out for something when you were standing, then we saw you retreating. He said: “I was shown Paradise, and I reached out to take a bunch (of grapes) from it. If I had taken it, you would have eaten from it for as long as this world remains.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) created Paradise and Hell, with a certain nature that is known to Him (may He be glorified and exalted). Allah (may He be exalted) lifted the barrier for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and caused him to see Paradise and Hell, and He shortened the distance between them so that he was able to see both of them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In another report, it is narrated that this occurred on the day when his son Ibrahim died. When the sun is eclipsed, its light disappears. In Arabic, a solar eclipse is usually referred to as kusuf and a lunar eclipse is usually referred to as khusuf, but the terms may be used interchangeably. This is what we see in this report (in which khusuf is used to refer to the sun). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood and led the people in prayer; this prayer is described in other reports, such as that which was narrated by al-Bukhari from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her), in which it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the eclipse prayer. He stood and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he stood up and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he rose from bowing, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he rose from prostration, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy. Then he stood and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he stood up and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he rose from bowing, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he rose from prostration, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he finished his prayer. This was two rak‘ahs of non-obligatory prayer, which differed from all other prayers in that it had two bowings and two recitations [in each rak‘ah]. The Sunnah is to make the recitation lengthy in the eclipse prayer.
During this prayer, it happened that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reached out, as if he wanted to take something, then he moved backwards. When he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him about that, saying to him: We saw you reaching out to take something, then we saw you retreating; in other words, we saw you wanting to take something, then you moved backwards. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them that he had seen Paradise, and Allah had showed him some of its delights; he wanted to take a bunch (of grapes) from it, but he stepped back and did not do that. And he told them that if he had got it for them, they would have eaten from it so long as this world remains. But he did not take it, because the food of Paradise lasts forever and is not subject to change, and it is not possible to eat in this world anything except that which is subject to change and vanish, because Allah created it to have an end, so there can be nothing in this world that is meant to be eternal.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer the eclipse prayer, and describes how it is to be done.
It also indicates that Paradise and Hell have already been created and exist at present, in a manner that is known only to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

1316
Bakr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Muzani reported: While I was sitting with Ibn' Abbās near the Ka'bah, a Bedouin came to him and said: "What is the matter that I see that the children of your uncle supply honey and milk, whereas you supply Nabīdh (water sweetened with dates or raisins)?! Is it due to your poverty or due to your stinginess?" Thereupon, Ibn' Abbās said: "Praise be to Allah, we are neither poor nor stingy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came riding his mount, and Usāmah was sitting behind him. He asked for water, and we gave him a cup of Nabīdh, and he drank and gave the remaining amount to Usāmah, and he said: 'You have done something good and pleasant. Continue doing it.' So, we do not want to change what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.".

Commentary : A true Muslim follows in the footsteps of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and adheres to his guidance, especially concerning what is authentically reported from him. This was the attitude of the Prophet's Companions, who were keen to follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in all his actions and statements.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Bakr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Muzani informs that while he was sitting with Ibn ‘Abbās near the Ka‘bah, a Bedouin - a dweller of the desert - came to him and said: "What is the matter that I see that the children of your uncle", meaning the rest of the Quraysh tribe apart from the children of Al-‘Abbās. "supply honey and milk, whereas you supply Nabīdh?!" The Bedouin was referring to supplying water to the pilgrims. The children of Al-‘Abbās would provide the people with Nabīdh, dates or raisins soaked in water till their taste became sweet. It is not intoxicating. Water in Makkah was subject to change, and so they used to sweeten it by that. He asked him: Is your abandonment of the supply of honey and milk due to poverty or stinginess? Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Praise be to Allah", and he told him that they were neither poor nor stingy; instead, they did so in adherence to the teaching they had received from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had come to Makkah while riding his mount, i.e., his she-camel, and Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding behind him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water, and they brought him a vessel containing Nabīdh, and he drank and made Usāmah drink the amount left over. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "You have done something good and pleasant," i.e., you have done a good and pleasant act by sweetening water with Nabīd made of dates or raisins. This indicates that this drink is not prohibited; otherwise, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not have drunk it, and he would have forbidden it.
Then, clarifying the reason for that, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, we do not want to change what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded" about sweetening water with Nabīdh, when he said: "Continue doing it," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them to continue supplying Nabīdh to the people, and they complied with his command. The meaning: We do not change the supply of Nabīdh into the supply of something else like honey and milk, even if this is deemed more appropriate to people, but we will not change something which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) liked and then commanded us to do. Indeed, this is more appropriate and befitting for us.
The Hadīth shows how the Companions followed the Prophet's guidance and were keen to adhere to his Sunnah.
It points out the merit of supplying drinks to the pilgrims.
It indicates that it is legitimate to drink non-intoxicating Nabīdh.
It includes praise for those who supply drinks to the pilgrims and for every doer of good.
The Hadīth demonstrates that wealthy people may consume the water provided in the mosques or roads, for it is supplied for everyone, not the poor alone..

1318
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We joined the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Hajj and ‘Umrah, and seven persons shared in a Badanah. A man asked Jābir, "Can a Jazūr be shared as a Badanah is shared? He said: "They are but from among the Badanahs." Jābir was present at the Hudaybiyah, and he said: We slaughtered seventy Badanahs during that day, and every seven persons shared in a Badanah. [In a version]: He commanded us that when we ended our Ihrām, we should present the Hady, and a group of us should share in one Hady. This was when he enjoined them to exit their Ihrām for Hajj..

Commentary : The Hady and Nahr (animal slaughter) are among the rituals of Hajj, and they represent a means of drawing closer to Allah and feeding the poor and needy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified its rulings and that it is valid for seven persons to share in one Badanah, which is sufficient for them.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when they were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Hajj and ‘Umrah, every seven persons shared in a Badanah. Badanah: It particularly belongs to camels. And it is said: It refers to camels and cows. In another version by Muslim: "in camels and cows, and every seven persons of us shared in a Badanah." This means that if the Hady is a camel or a cow, it is valid and sufficient to be shared by seven persons.
A man said to Jābir: "Can a Badanah be shared as a Jazūr is shared? Jazūr: young camels. And it is said: a Badanah is offered to the House before assuming Ihrām for the rituals, whereas Jazūr is the camels bought and offered to the House after Ihrām. Hence, the man asked about it and whether it is valid to also share in it? Jābir said to him: "They are, but from the Badanahs", i.e., when Jazūr is bought for the rituals, it becomes like Badanah.
Then, Abu az-Zubayr - who narrated the Hadīth from Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) - informed that Jābir attended the Hudaybiyah, the incident when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims were prevented from entering Makkah to perform 'Umrah. So, he ended his Ihrām and slaughtered the Hady at the place where he was stopped from proceeding. This happened in the sixth Hijri year. Hudaybiyah is the name of a well located near Makkah, almost 20km away on the old Jeddah Road.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they slaughtered seventy Badanahs on that day, and every seven persons shared in one Badanah. And in a version: "He", i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), "commanded us that when we ended our Ihrām, we should present the Hady and a group of us should share in one Hady", i.e., a group up to seven persons would share in one Badanah. "This is when he enjoined them to exit their Ihrām for Hajj"; by Hajj, he meant the Farewell Hajj; and by ‘Umrah, he meant the ‘Umrah of Hudaybiyah, as indicated by his words: "Jābir was present at the Hudaybiyah."
The Hadīth indicates that it is legitimate for seven persons to share in one Badanah to offer it for Hajj..

1318
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: In the year of Al-Hudaybiyah, we slaughtered with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a camel on behalf of seven persons and a cow on behalf of seven persons..

Commentary : Hady (sacrificial animals) and Nahr (slaughtering) are from the rituals of Hajj, and they represent a means of drawing closer to Allah and of feeding the poor and the needy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified its rulings pointing out that it is valid for seven persons to share one camel or one cow and this will be sufficient for them.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) slaughtered their sacrificial animals with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the year of Al-Hudaybiyah, the 6th year after Hijrah. Al-Hudaybiyah is the name of a well located near Makkah, almost 20 km away on the old Jeddah Road. The year of Al-Hudaybiyah is the year when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out to perform ‘Umrah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assumed Ihrām (ritual state of consecration) for ‘Umrah from Dhul-Hulayfah and brought the Hady with him. However, when the polytheists prevented him from reaching the House, they slaughtered the Hady. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Badanah was shared by seven and the cow was shared by seven, and this was sufficient for them. "Badanah" here means a camel.
The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of sharing the Hady..

1324
Abu az-Zubayr reported: I asked Jābir about riding the Hady (sacrificial animal) and he said: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Ride it gently if you have nothing else until you find a mount.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a mercy to the worlds and made obedience to his commands and avoidance of his prohibitions the cause of salvation in this world and the Hereafter. His way was to make things easy for people in their worship and life.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu az-Zubayr Muhammad ibn Muslim reports that Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) was asked about riding the Hady, which refers to whatever is offered as a gift to the House from the livestock as a means of drawing closer to Allah. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), thus, mentioned the Prophet's statement: "Ride it gently," i.e., in a way that does not cause it harm, "if you have nothing else" and are forced to ride it "until you find a mount," i.e., another animal to ride other than Hady.
In the two Sahīhs, the Hadīth of Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reads: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a man driving a sacrificial camel, so he said to him: Ride it. The man said: O Messenger of Allah, it is a sacrificial camel. He said on the third or fourth time: "Ride it, woe to you," or a similar statement! So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to ride it to take a rest after getting tired from walking..

1325
Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali reported: Sinān ibn Salamah and I set out to perform 'Umrah. Sinān proceeded while having a sacrificial camel with him, which he was driving. The camel stopped in the way, being completely exhausted, and this state of it made him helpless - if it stopped proceeding further, how would he be able to take it along with him? He said: "When I come to the town, I will surely ask about that." I moved on in the morning, and as we encamped at Al-Bat'hā', he said: "Let us go to Ibn' Abbās to talk to him." He said: He mentioned to him the affair of his sacrificial camel, and he said: "You have come upon the well-informed one. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent sixteen sacrificial camels with a man, and he put him in charge of them. He proceeded and then returned and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what should I do with those of them which become too exhausted to move?' He said: 'Slaughter them and then dye their hooves in their blood, and then put in on the sides of their humps. Neither you nor anyone of those in your company may eat from it.'" [In a version]: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent eighteen sacrificial camels with a man... and the rest of the Hadīth is the same. He did not mention the first part of the Hadīth..

Commentary : Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a mercy to the worlds and made obedience to his commands and avoidance of his prohibitions the cause of salvation in this world and the Hereafter. His way was to make things easy for people in their worship and life, especially in those matters that involve hardship and harm.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali informs that he set out on a journey along with his brother Sinān ibn Salamah to perform ‘Umrah, Sinān had a sacrificial camel which he was driving. Badanah in Arabic and the plural is Budn, refers to a camel or cow brought and presented to the Sacred House of Allah. "The camel stopped in the way, being completely exhausted," i.e., it fell due to exhaustion before reaching where it would be slaughtered. So, Sinān was confused and did not know what to do about it. "If it stopped proceeding further", i.e., if it became tired and exhausted, what should he do with it? So, he swore, saying: "When I come to the town", meaning Makkah, "I will surely ask about that", which means: I will pose a thorough question about that. When he reached Makkah - in the forenoon - he alighted at Al-Bat'hā', a place containing small pebbles. It was initially the channel of the valley of Makkah, and it lies south of the Sacred Precincts, opposite Mount Thawr. It is also called Al-Abtah. He asked Mūsa ibn Salamah to go along with him to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). When they went to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), Sinān told him about the sacrificial camel and what happened to it. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have come upon the well-informed one", i.e., you have come across a person well aware of the truth of what you have asked about and knowledgeable of all its aspects, apparent and hidden. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās said to him: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent" from Madīnah to Makkah "sixteen sacrificial camels with a man, and he put him in charge of them." He said: "He proceeded," i.e., he departed from the Prophet's gathering. "and then returned" and asked the Messenger of Allah, saying: "What should I do with those who become too exhausted to move?" i.e., they got exhausted and could not move on and reach the place of slaughter. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Slaughter them", i.e., slaughter them in the place where you would leave them, and then dye the hooves hung around their necks in their blood, and then put the blood "on the sides of their humps" so that they could be recognized by anyone passing them by after that and known to be Hady that have been spoiled, and thus he could eat from them freely and would not think them to be dead animals. This is because the routes people took on their journeys were well-known to everyone. Also, it was a common habit for the dwellers of the desert - the Bedouins - and others to follow the positions of the pilgrims to pick up whatever they left behind in the places of their rest.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Neither you nor anyone of those in your company may eat from it", i.e., your companions who travel with you. This is intended to block the means to wrong action, lest some people may slaughter the Hady or deem them defective before the right time.
The Hadīth indicates that a person may send presents to Makkah or appoint someone to do so on his behalf in case he does not go by himself..

1326
Dhu’ayb Abi Qabīsah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to send the sacrificial camels under his charge and say: If any of these is completely exhausted and you fear it may die, then slaughter it and dip its shoe in its blood, then strike its side therewith; however, neither you nor anyone of your companions should eat it..

Commentary : Hady is the name given to what is offered as a gift and slaughtered at the Haram (sanctuary) from the camels, cows, sheep, and goats. In this Hadīth, Abu Qabīsah Dhu’ayb ibn Halhalah al-Khuzā‘i narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to send the Budn, which refers to the livestock gifted to Allah's Sacred House, with him and then say to him: "If any of these is completely exhausted," i.e., afflicted with a disease or overcome by exhaustion that is likely to cause its death before reaching the place where it should be slaughtered, "then slaughter it" on the spot, "And dip its shoe" that is tied in its blood, "then strike" with this shoe stained with blood on its side, i.e., put the two sandals on the side of the camel's hump as a known sign to be recognized by whoever passes by it. Thus, whoever comes after them will look at it and realize that it is a damaged Hady and that it is permissible to eat from it without thinking it to be a dead animal. This is because the routes that people took in their travels were known to others as well, besides the fact that it was a regular habit of the desert dwellers from among the Bedouins and others to follow the traces of the pilgrims' lodgings to pick whatever they left behind therein. "But neither you nor any of your companions should eat it," i.e., he should not eat from it whether he is poor or rich, which entails blocking the means to what is unlawful lest some people should slaughter the Hady or make it defective prior to its due time.
The Hadīth encourages the act of sending Hadys to Makkah and appointing a proxy in case one does not go there himself..

1328
Tāwūs reported: I was in the company of Ibn' Abbās when Zayd ibn Thābit said: "Do you give Fatwa that a menstruating woman may depart without the last thing she does being Tawāf around the House?" Ibn' Abbās said, "If not, then ask the Ansāri woman so-and-so as to whether the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her to do that." He said: Then, Zayd ibn Thābit returned to Ibn' Abbās, laughing as he said: "I only found that you spoke the truth.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty says: {Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 185] Allah Almighty also says: {and He has not imposed upon you any hardship in religion.} [Surat al-Hajj: 78] This clearly manifests the facilitation of things for people and the removal of hardship from them during the rituals of Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Tāwūs ibn Kaysān informs that he was with the Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) when Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: You issued a Fatwa that a menstruating woman may leave Makkah without performing the Farewell Tawāf! Ibn ‘Abbās replied to him, saying: "If not" i.e., if you do not accept my view, then leave it and go ask the Ansāri woman so-and-so - this is ’Umm Sulaym bint Milhān (may Allah be pleased with her) - as to whether the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined her to do that. So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) went and asked her, and she agreed with the view of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that ‘Ā’ishah, the Prophet's wife, reported that Safiyyah bint Huyay, the Prophet's wife, got her menses during the Farewell Hajj. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Will she delay us?!" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, she has performed the Ifādah Tawāf around the House." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then, let her depart."
When Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) knew the right thing, he went back to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), laughing, as he found his view to be correct. Then, he said: "I only found that you spoke the truth." So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed with the view adopted by Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). This is what we are required to do when a dispute arises over something; we should refer to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and when a sincere person finds proof that disproves his own opinion, he complies with it and scraps stubbornness.
The Hadīth shows the politeness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), their righteousness, their keenness to follow the Sunnah, and their readiness to go back to what is right when it becomes manifest.
It indicates that if a woman gets her menses, she can depart and leave the Farewell Tawāf.
It also demonstrates that some rulings may be unknown to some scholars..

1331
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka‘bah while there were six pillars in it. He stood near a pillar and supplicated, and he did not pray..

Commentary : The Conquest of Makkah took place in the eighth Hijri year. It was a blessed victory for the Muslims. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered it, he did so in modesty and humility toward Allah Almighty, Who bestowed this victory upon him.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah during the day of the Conquest of Makkah, and "there were six pillars" in it, i.e., six columns, and he stood near a pillar and supplicated while standing and did not pray therein. However, the opposite of that is established by a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah with Usāmah ibn Zayd, Bilāl, and 'Uthmān ibn Talhah al-Hajabi, and he locked it behind him and remained inside. I asked Bilāl when he came out: What did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) do? He said: "He took up a position with one pillar on his left, one pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him - the House had six pillars at the time - and then he prayed. They are reconciled by giving precedence to the Hadīth reported by 'Abdullāh ibn' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), as Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) was with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) inside the Ka'bah; or that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah twice; he prayed at one time and did not pray at the other..

1333
‘Atā’ reported: When the House (the Ka‘bah) was burned during the time of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah as the people of the Levant invaded it, and what happened to it happened, Ibn az-Zubayr left it until the people came to the season, seeking to encourage - or incite - them against the people of the Levant. When the people departed, he said: "O people, advise me regarding the Ka'bah. Should I demolish it and then rebuild it or repair its damaged part?" Ibn ‘Abbās said: "An opinion has occurred to me concerning it; that you repair the damaged part of it and leave a House upon which the people embraced Islam and stones upon which the people embraced Islam and upon which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sent." In reply, Ibn az-Zubayr said: "If the house of one of you was burned, he would not be pleased until he renewed it. So, what about the House of your Lord? I will make Istikhārah (consult my Lord) for three and then determine my affair." When the three were over, he decided to demolish it. The people kept away from him, fearing that something from heaven might descend upon the first one to climb it. Then, a man climbed and threw down some stones from it. When the people saw that nothing harmed him, they went one after another and demolished it to the ground. Ibn Az-Zubayr erected pillars and hung curtains on them until its structure rose up. Ibn az-Zubayr also said: I heard ‘Ā’ishah say: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not for the fact that the people have recently left Kufr (disbelief) and that I do not have enough funds to enable me to build it, I would incorporate five cubits from the Hijr into it and make for it a door through which people enter and a door through which they exit." He said: "Today, I have the funds, and I do not fear people." He said: "He added to it five cubits from the Hijr till there appeared a foundation the people could see it. He built the structure upon it. The length of the Ka‘bah was 18 cubits, and when he added to it, he regarded it as short. So, he increased its length by ten cubits and made two doors for it: one for entrance and the other for exit. When Ibn az-Zubayr was killed, Al-Hajjāj sent a message to ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān informing him about that and telling him that Ibn az-Zubayr had placed the structure upon a foundation that was seen by the upright people in Makkah. In reply, ‘Abdul-Malik sent a message to him saying: "We do not have anything to do with Ibn Zubayr's smearing. As for the addition he had made to its length, approve it. As for the addition he had made to it from the Hijr, revert it to its structure and wall up the door he had opened." So, he demolished it and restored it to its structure..

Commentary : The Ka‘bah is the Sacred House of Allah and the Qiblah of the Muslims. It is the first house to be appointed for humankind. Abraham and Ishmael (Ismā‘īl) (peace be upon both of them) had constructed it at the command of Allah Almighty, and it was demolished and built more than once.
In this Hadīth, ‘Atā’ ibn Abu Rabāh relates that when the Sacred House was burned, which happened when Al-Husayn ibn Numayr as-Sakūni surrounded ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) in Makkah after the incident of Al-Harrah in Madīnah, in 63 A.H., at the command of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah, the then Caliph of the Levant. Ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in dispute with him over the caliphate at the time. So, the people of the Levant entered the Sacred House to fight ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr and the Ka‘bah was burned, and its wall inclined due to the throwing of a catapult, a tool that throws stones. This burning and damage that happened to the Ka‘bah were not intended to occur to it; rather, the intended purpose was to besiege Ibn Az-Zubayr. So, the catapult strikes were targeting him, not the Ka‘bah.
During the siege, there came news about the death of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah in 64 A.H. Thereupon, the Levant army returned to its land. Then Ibn Az-Zubayr rose and declared himself as the Caliph, and the pledge of allegiance was given to him as the Caliph, and he commanded the obedience of the people of the Hejaz, Egypt, Iraq, and Khurāsān. After the departure of the Levant army, ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) left the House in its damaged state until people came from every place for the season of Hajj and gathered there. Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to "embolden them", i.e., encourage them to fight the people of the Levant, or "incite them", i.e., stir up rage in their hearts by making them see the burned House, and so they would fight the people of the Levant. When the people turned back to their homeland after the end of Hajj rituals, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the people of Makkah or the notables among them: "O people, advise me regarding the Ka'bah", i.e., give me your opinion: Should I demolish it and then rebuild it anew, or repair its weakened and damaged part? In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "An opinion has occurred to me concerning it", i.e., an opinion has appeared and become clear to me, which is that you repair the weakened and damaged part in it and restore it to its former condition and leave the Ka'bah in the state which the people were familiar with when they embraced Islam. "and stones upon which the people embraced Islam", meaning the stones of the Ka'bah without alteration, and upon which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sent, and he did not change them. Ibn az-Zubayr said: "If the house of one of you was burned, he would not be pleased," i.e., the owner of the burned house until he renewed it. "So, what about the House of your Lord?!" In other words, the House of Allah Almighty is more worthy of being repaired and renovated. Then, he said to them: "I am going to make Istikhārah (consult my Lord) for three", i.e., I will perform the Istikhārah prayer and seek goodness and help from my Lord for three times or three days, and then I will make up my mind. When the three days were over, he realised that he should demolish and rebuild it, and he was determined to do that. As a result, the people avoided him. They turned away, fearing punishment would descend upon the first person to go above the House to demolish it, like what happened to the Companions of the Elephant. They remained in that situation till a man from them ascended the Ka‘bah and began to pull out the stones. When the people saw no punishment hit him, they moved and headed to the House one after another in constant succession. They demolished it and removed its stones until it was leveled to the ground. "Ibn az-Zubayr erected pillars and hung curtains on them until its structure rose up." The purpose was to make these pillars and curtains a Qiblah for worshippers so that they could identify the location of the Ka'bah through them. These curtains remained till the structure went up and became visible to the people. At that point, he removed them, as the objective was achieved, which was to build the high structure of the Ka'bah.
Then, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned a Hadīth which he heard from his maternal aunt ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not for the fact that the people have recently left Kufr", i.e., they have recently embraced Islam and departed from Kufr. "and that I do not have enough funds" i.e., I do not possess enough money to enable me to build it, I would incorporate into the House "from the Hijr" - which is the circular structure around the Ka'bah from the side opposite the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, and it takes the shape of a semicircle adjacent to the Levantine and Iraqi Corners, and this Hijr is part of the Ka'bah - "five cubits"; In another version by Muslim: "and I added to it six cubits from the Hijr." This is because the Quraysh did not have enough money to construct the Ka‘bah. So, they built it according to their available means and left the remaining part outside and called it Hijr. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to include it in the House. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and make for it a door through which people enter", which is the eastern door, "and a door through which they exit", which is the western one. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) decided not to demolish the Ka'bah and incorporate the Hijr into it out of fear of possible Fitnah (confusion, strife), so he left it as it was. After narrating the Hadīth, Ibn az-Zubayr said: "Today I have the funds", and I possess money sufficient for this purpose, and I do not fear Fitnah for the people as Imān (faith) is well established in their hearts. So he added to the Sacred House, incorporated into it five cubits from the Hijr, and dug an area in the ground of the Hijr till he reached the foundation of the House, upon which Abraham (peace be upon him) constructed the building, and the people saw and observed it. Ibn Az-Zubayr built the structure upon it. "The length of the Ka'bah was 18 cubits, and when he added to it, he regarded it as short," i.e., he considered it to be short. So, Ibn az-Zubayr increased its length by ten cubits. A cubit is about 69 cm. "and he made for it two doors: one for entrance and the other for exit." So, Ibn Az-Zubayr built the Ka'bah according to the design intended by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
When Ibn az-Zubayr was killed in 73 A.H., and the caliphate was established for Banu Umayyah, Al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf ath-Thaqafi sent a message to ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān - the then Caliph of the Levant - informing him "that Ibn az-Zubayr had placed the structure upon a foundation" i.e., upon the foundation of Abraham, which he revealed when the Hijr was dug; "that was seen" i.e., observed "by the upright people", those whose testimony is acceptable, "in Makkah"; so, should he leave it in the way Ibn az-Zubayr built it or demolish it and then rebuild it according to its old design? ‘Abdul-Malik sent a reply to Al-Hajjāj: "We do not have anything to do with Ibn Zubayr's smearing", i.e., we have nothing to do with the blame for the crime Ibn Az-Zubayr perpetrated by demolishing the Ka‘bah. In other words, we are innocent of his crime of demolishing the House. "As for the addition he had made to its length, approve it", i.e., keep it as it is. "As for the addition he had made to it from the Hijr, revert it to its structure," i.e., demolish it and restore it to its former structure, as it was during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "and seal up the door he had opened"; this is the other door, which Ibn Az-Zubayr added. So, Al-Hajjāj demolished the House and restored it to its former structure.
The Hadīth highlights the significance of seeking the opinion of those with sound judgment and experience.
It mentions the repair of the damaged part of the Sacred House.
It indicates the permissibility of abandoning something recommended and legitimate for fear that people may fail to understand it.
It also indicates that an interest may be abandoned for the sake of being safe from falling into evil.
It shows how the ruler should win the hearts of his subjects and work to protect them.
The Hadīth demonstrates how the Companions were keen to comply with what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted.
It points out that the Istikhārah prayer should be performed with regard to important matters..

1336
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came across a caravan at Ar-Rawhā’. He said: Who are the people? They replied: The Muslims. Then, they asked: Who are you? He said: The Messenger of Allah. So, a woman lifted up a boy to him and said: Is Hajj counted for this one? He said: Yes, and you will have a reward..

Commentary : Islam has laid down certain conditions for a Muslim to be held accountable for religious duties and obligations. One of these conditions is making Hajj obligatory only upon the adult, sane, and free Muslim who has the ability.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "came across a caravan," i.e., a traveling group. A caravan specifically refers to the owners of camels. And it is originally used to refer to ten or less than that. "At Ar-Rawhā’", is a village located almost 80 km away from Madīnah, that was on the way back from the Farewell Hajj, as mentioned in the narration of An-Nasā’i. He asked them: "Who are the people?" They answered him saying that they were from the Muslims. Then, they asked him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Who are you?" He replied: "The Messenger of Allah". Perhaps they did not recognize him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because they had not seen him before, as they did not emigrate, i.e., they embraced Islam in their countries and did not emigrate before this incident.
On knowing that he was the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a woman from among them lifted up a little boy - one who had not reached the age of puberty - and she asked: "Is Hajj counted for this one?", i.e., does this little boy obtain the reward of Hajj? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered her, saying: "Yes" he gets the reward of voluntary Hajj, "and you will have a reward," i.e., because of making him avoid what the Muhrim (one in state of ritual consecration) avoids, and doing what the Muhrim does, and teaching him if he is discerning, or the reward of being his deputy in Ihrām (state of ritual consecration), throwing the pebbles, standing, and carrying him during Tawāf (circumambulating the Ka‘bah) and Sa‘y (walking at a brisk pace between Safa and Marwah) if he is undiscerning. His saying: "And you will have a reward" is meant to encourage her.
A boy's Hajj is valid, and he gets a reward for it; however, it does not exempt him from the obligation, and he will have to perform the obligatory Hajj after reaching puberty.
The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of performing Hajj on behalf of the minor in general.
It also makes it clear that the boy is rewarded for his act of obedience and his virtuous deeds are recorded for him.
The Hadīth also affirms the reward of the boy's guardian if he makes him perform Hajj.
It also denotes that whoever does not know something must ask the scholars about the rulings he does not know.
It points out that whoever helps someone offer an act of obedience gets rewarded..

1342
‘Ali al-Azdi reported that Ibn ‘Umar taught them: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mounted his camel to set out on a journey, he would say Takbīr three times and then say: "Subhāna al-ladhi sakhkhara lana hādha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinīn wa inna ila rabbina lamunqalibūn. Allāhumma inna nas’aluka fi safarina hādha al-birra wa at-taqwa wa min al-‘amali ma tarda. Allāhumma hawwin ‘alayna safarana hādha watwi ‘anna bu‘dah. Allāhumma anta as-sāhibu fi as-safar wa al-khalīfatu fi al-ahl. Allāhumma inni a‘ūdhu bika min wa‘thā’ as-safar wa ka’ābat al-manzhar wa sū’ al-munqalab fi al-māli wa al-ahl (Glory be to Him Who has subjected this for us, for we could not have done it by ourselves, and we will surely return to our Lord. O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for goodness and piety, and for deeds that are pleasing to You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and make its distance short for us. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the One in Whose care we leave our family behind. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from this journey's hardships, from the terrible sights, and from a misfortunate return to our property and our family)." On returning, he would say the same and add: "Āyibūn tā’ibūn ‘ābidūn lirabbina hāmidūn (We are returning in safety, turning to our Lord in repentance, worshiping Him, and praising Him).".

Commentary : Traveling involves hardship and fatigue, but Allah Almighty, out of His mercy, has created for His slaves and guided them to make ships that they could ride on the sea; camels, horses, and cars that they could ride on land; and airplanes that they could ride in the air. They carry them to their destinations without any fatigue or hardship. So, when they settle on them, they remember the favor that Allah Almighty has bestowed on them by subjugating and making such mounts and vehicles easy for them to ride.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) teaches some of his companions the supplication for traveling. He informed them that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode and settled on his mount - which was the camel, and this includes all types of animals that could be ridden and the modern means of transportation - to set out from Madīnah on some journey, he would remember Allah and say: "Allāhu akbar (Allah is the Greatest)", three times. The Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying Takbīr when riding and settling on the mount was acknowledging the greatness of Allah Almighty and the fact that He is greater than everything. He, thus, proclaimed His greatness to thank Him for that, so Allah would grant him extra bounty from Himself. Then, he would say: "Glory be to Him Who has subjected this for us" and has made it submissive to us, referring to the mount. "For we could not have done it by ourselves," i.e., we could not have been able to subjugate it and use it if Allah Almighty had not subjected it for us. "and we will surely return to our Lord," i.e., surely, we will return and go back to our Lord after death. It is as if the traveler who rides on what Allah has subjected for him remembers the last journey in this world, which is one's journey to Allah Almighty when he dies and people carry him on their shoulders.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would praise Allah and supplicate Him saying: "O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for goodness and piety," Birr (goodness): adherence to obedience. Taqwa (piety): refraining from sins; thus, obeying the commands and avoiding the prohibitions. Then, he would ask his Lord to grant him deeds so that He becomes pleased with him. After that, he would ask Allah to make the journey easy for him and make its distance short for him. Following his supplication, he would say: "O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey," i.e., You accompany me on my journey and, thus, You make it easy for me. "And the One in Whose care we leave our family behind," in my absence, so, You surround them with Your care and protection, as Allah Almighty is with man on his journey and the One Who takes care of his family in his absence because Allah Almighty encompasses all things.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would seek refuge with Allah from some of what afflicts man during his journey including: "This journey's hardships," i.e., its severity, difficulty, and the fatigue it causes. and "the terrible sights," i.e., the change in the face as if one is sick, and the feeling of defeat as a result of seeing what one likes undergoing something bad, which causes grief and sadness. It was also said: It means seeking refuge with Allah from every sight that results in grief when looking at it. "A misfortunate return," indicates when returning and seeing what displeases him in his family and property. In the Hadīth of ‘Abdullah ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) - in Sahīh Muslim and Musnad Ahmad - it was mentioned that he would start with "the family" on returning, as he would say: "And from a misfortunate return to our family and our property" instead of "our property and our family." The Hadīth also states: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge from "Hawr" after "Kawr", i.e., from scarcity after abundance and from the change in state from obedience to sin. He also sought refuge from the supplication of an oppressed person, i.e., I seek refuge with You from oppression, as it leads the oppressed person to engage in supplication, and there is no barrier between it and Allah, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections.
On returning, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would say these aforementioned words and would add: Āibūn (We are returning), i.e., we are returning from the journey safely. Tāibūn: (We are repenting), i.e., turning to our Lord from sins to obedience. Ābidūn, lirabbina hāmidūn (We are worshiping Him, and praising our Lord,) i.e., praising Allah Almighty with His attributes of perfection and majesty and showing gratitude to Him for His blessings and favors. It means: We are on our way back to our country, homeland, and families, and we are determined to return to Allah in sincere repentance coupled with righteous deeds, including showing gratitude to Allah, worshiping Him on a regular basis, and drawing close to Him by prayer and frequent prostrations.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to remember Allah's worship and the fact that he was a slave of Allah Almighty all the time.
The Hadīth urges the act of Allah's remembrance when setting out on a journey and on returning therefrom..

1348
‘Ā’ishah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no day on which Allah sets free more of His slaves from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah. He verily draws near, then He boasts about them before the angels saying: 'What do these [people] want?'".

Commentary : Allah has favored some days over others, and these favored days are occasions for Allah's grants and gifts that He offers His slaves, forgiving sins and elevating degrees, and the Day of ‘Arafah is one of these virtuous days.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that saving people from torment and setting them free from the Fire takes place on a larger scale on the Day of ‘Arafah than on any other day. ‘Arafah is a spot located on the way between Makkah and Tā’if. It is almost 22 kilometers away from Makkah, 10 kilometers away from Mina, and 6 kilometers away from Muzdalifah. It is the place where the pilgrims stand on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah supplicating to Allah and asking for His forgiveness. "He" the Almighty verily "draws near" in a manner that befits His majesty and greatness, in compliance with what Allah Almighty has established for Himself, without Tashbīh (drawing comparison) or Tamthīl (likening Him to His creatures). Then, He boasts before the angels about the Muslims standing at ‘Arafah, demonstrating their merit and the excellence of what they do, and praising them before the angels. The word "bahā’" (boast) originally means beauty and grace. So, Allah boasts about them and praises them in the angels' presence. "Saying: What do these [people] want?", i.e., what do these people want by leaving their families and homelands, spending their money, and exhausting their bodies? The answer is omitted, and it is assumed to be: They only sought Allah's forgiveness and pleasure, which indicates that they are granted forgiveness, as Allah does not boast about sinners and wrongdoers except after repenting and being granted forgiveness.
The Hadīth establishes the attribute of drawing near to Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty and greatness.
It also establishes the attribute of boasting for Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty and greatness..

1356
Jābir reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is not lawful for any of you to carry a weapon in Makkah.".

Commentary : Makkah is a sacred city as it has the Sacred House and sacred sites. The Shariah has legislated for its special rulings that affirm such meanings. It has legislated therein means of security that have not been legislated in any other spot on earth.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade carrying weapons in Makkah. Perhaps the reason behind this is to prevent it from being a cause of terrifying a Muslim or doing harm to anyone. Undoubtedly, this enhances the sense of security in a place like Makkah where the Islamic sacred sites are found. The prohibition here is meant when there is no necessity for carrying a weapon. However, if there is a necessity - like fighting the disbelievers and their likes - it is permissible to carry weapons like what happened in the Year of the Conquest when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah with his armies carrying their weapons. Allah granted him permission to do so to spread His religion and make His word superior. Hence, Allah made this Sanctuary lawful for him for part of the day, from sunrise to ‘Asr prayer. Then, he declared among people that its sanctity had returned to its former state..

1358
Jābir ibn Abdullah al-Ansāri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah, Qutaybah said: - [another narration reads]: He entered on the day of the Conquest of Makkah - wearing a black turban without being in Ihrām (state of ritual consecration)..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to observe the Prophet's states to learn from him, especially during calamities like wars and battles, and reported all this to those who came after them. They described his appearance, his clothes, and all his states.
In this Hadīth, the great Companion, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah on the day of the Conquest, 8 AH, wearing a black turban on his head. He was not wearing the clothes of Ihrām and did not have the intention to make Ihrām on that day because he did not want to perform the rituals; rather, he wanted to conquer Makkah.
In the two Sahīh Collections, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered in the year of the Conquest wearing a helmet on his head." It is likely that the helmet was over the turban to protect his honorable head from iron rust, or the turban was over the helmet, or perhaps he was wearing the helmet when first entering, then he took it off and put on the turban later. Thus, each one of them reported what he had seen..

1359
‘Amr ibn Hurayth reported: It is as if I am looking at the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the pulpit, wearing a black turban, the two ends of which he has let hang down between his shoulders..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to observe the Prophet's conditions to learn from him, and they conveyed what they saw to those who came after them and described his appearance, clothes, and all conditions.
In this Hadīth, ‘Amr ibn Hurayth (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of his sermons on the pulpit - and this took place at the time of the Conquest of Makkah, as narrated by Al-Humaydi in his Musnad Collection - wearing a black turban on his head and letting the two ends of his turban hang down between his shoulders. The words "two ends" are reported like this, in the plural form, whereas it is narrated by Abu Dāwūd in the singular form 'end', which is more preponderant.
The Hadīth makes mention of wearing a black turban..