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

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

806

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

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

812

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

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

813

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

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

818

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

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

821

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

823

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

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

825

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

827

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

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

828

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

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

831

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

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

834

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

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

837

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

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

838

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

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

841

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

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

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.".

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..

Book of Hadith

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