It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: A man came to Ibn Mas‘ud and said: I recited al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah last night. He said: That is too fast, like reciting poetry. I know the pairs of surahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together. And he mentioned twenty surahs from al-Mufassal, two in each rak‘ah..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has enjoined us to reflect upon the Qur’an, as He says: {[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded} [Sad 38:29] and {Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an?} [al-Nisa’ 4:82]. This is the purpose behind reciting it; it is not right to merely pronounce its letters without understanding or reflection. This is further emphasized if the recitation is in prayer. In this hadith, we see that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the action of this man who said to him that he had recited all of al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah. Al-Mufassal includes the surahs from Qaf to the end of the Qur’an, or from Surat Muhammad to the end of the Qur’an. It is called mufassal because its surahs are short and are separated (infisal) from one another with frequent intervals. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) objected to what this man did and said to him: This is like reciting poetry. In other words, his recitation was quick, without reflection, as is done when reciting poetry. He only said that because this manner of reciting was customary among them when reciting poetry. Here Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was denouncing the man’s action because it indicated a lack of reflection on what he was reciting. But if the worshipper recites at a moderate pace whilst reflecting on the meaning, then standing for a longer time increases his reward.
Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he knew the pairs of surahs that were similar in length, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together in prayer, reciting two surahs in each rak‘ah. The number of these surahs was thirty, from al-Mufassal. These surahs are mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). They are: al-Rahman and al-Najm in one rak‘ah; al-Qamar and al-Haqqah in one rak‘ah; al-Tur and al-Dhariyat in one rak‘ah; al-Waqi‘ah and al-Qalam in one rak‘ah; al-Ma‘arij and al-Nazi‘at in one rak‘ah; al-Mutaffifeen and ‘Abasa in one rak‘ah; al-Muddaththir and al-Muzzammilin one rak‘ah; al-Insan and al-Qiyamahin one rak‘ah; al-Naba’ and al-Mursalat in one rak‘ah; al-Dukhan and al-Takwir in one rak‘ah.
If someone were to say: al-Dukhan is not part of al-Mufassal, so how can it be included as being part of al-Mufassal? The answer is that it is by way of convenience. In one report it says: Eighteen surahs from al-Mufassal and two surahs from the “family of Ha-Mim” [i.e., the surahs that begin with Ha-Mim].
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to recite two or more surahs in one rak‘ah..

775.1

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that there was a man of the Ansar who used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Quba’. Every time he led them and wanted to recite a surah, he would recite {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] until he finished it, then he would recite another surah with it, and he would do that in every rak‘ah. His companions spoke to him about that, saying: You always start with this surah, then you think it is not enough, so you recite another surah. Either recite it only, or do not recite it and recite another surah instead. He said: I will not stop reciting it; if you want me to carry on leading you in prayer like this, I will do so, and if you do not like it, I will leave you. They thought that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about that, and he said: “O So-and-so, what prevented you from doing what your companions toldyou to do? What made you persist in reciting this surah in every rak‘ah?” He said: Because I love it. He said: “Your love for it has gained you admittance to Paradise.”.

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlasis one of the greatest surahs in the Qur’an. Even though its words are few, it contains sublime and important meanings, as it clearly explains the concept of Tawhid (the oneness of Allah), the importance of worshipping Him alone and turning to Him alone, and it categorically states that He has no son and no father (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man of the Ansar – whose name was Kulthum ibn Hidm (may Allah be pleased with him) – used to lead his companions in prayer in the mosque of Quba’, which was the first mosque that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) built in Madinah when he arrived in the city as a migrant. It stands at the entrance to Madinah for one who is coming from the direction of Makkah. Every time he wanted to recite a surah after al-Fatihah, he would recite before it {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas], then he would recite another surah. His companions spoke to him and told him that this surah on its own was sufficient for reciting after al-Fatihah, and by reciting it you will have done what is required of you in terms of recitation, so either recite it on its own, or recite the other surah that youwant to recite after it. But the man refused to do that, and gave them the choice between letting him continue to lead them in prayer in this manner, or appointing someone else to lead the prayer, if they did not like him to lead them. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about what this man was doing – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to come to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday to pray there, as it says in al-Sahihayn – so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked him about the reason why he did not agree to what his companions were asking of him, and why he persisted in reciting {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] with every other surah he recited. The man told the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that his love for Surat al-Ikhlas was what made him do that. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of him doing that, and gave him the glad tidings that his love for this surah had gained him admittance to Paradise. It is well-known that admittance to Paradise will only happen in the hereafter, but as it is inevitably going to happen, it is as if it has already happened, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke in the past tense when he gave him this good news.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Surat al-Ikhlas.
It also indicates that it is permissible to recite two surahs [besides al-Fatihah] in one rak‘ah..

779

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah how to pray by his own actions and practice, just as he taught them by means of direct commands and prohibitions. This hadith explains one aspect of the Prophet’s practice in some of the prayers. In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah of Zuhr prayer long, and he would make the second rak‘ah shorter than the first. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also used to do that in Fajr prayer: he would make the first rak‘ah long and make the second shorter.
What is meant by making it long is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the recitation whilst standing lengthy. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to estimate how long the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in Zuhr and ‘Asr prayer. We estimated that his standing in the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr was equivalent to the time it takes to recite “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah], and we estimated that his standing in the last two rak‘ahs was equivalent to half of that. It was said that the reason for making the first rak‘ah long was that he had more energy in the first than in the second. It was also said that he did this so that the people would be able to catch up with the rak‘ah..

780

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,for if anyone’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Ibn Shihab said: And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say Amin..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) is immensely merciful and very generous. By His mercy to His slaves, He grants them immense reward for little effort. This hadith highlights one aspect of this mercy, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that when the imam says Amin – which means: O Allah, answer – after reciting al-Fatihah in a prayer in which recitation is done out loud, the one who is praying behind the imam should follow him in saying Amin when he hears him say it. For if a person’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, in timing – or in manner, humility and sincerity – his previous sins will be forgiven. What is meant by the angels is the recording angels or, it was said, the angels who come in succession by night and day. And it was said that it refers to all the angels, based on the general meaning of the phrase, because the plural form preceded by the definite article includes all of them, in the sense that it is said by the recording angels who are present, then those who are above them, until it reaches those on high and the inhabitants of the heavens.
The apparent meaning of the hadith is that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin after the imam says it. It was also said that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin at the same time as the imam, not before him and not after him. With regard to the words, “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,” what is meant is when the imam is about to say Amin.
This hadith highlights the virtue of saying Amin after reciting al-Fatihah for the imam, the one who is praying behind an imam, and the one who is praying on his own..

783

It was narrated from al-Hasan, from Abu Bakrah, that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was bowing, so he bowed before he joined the row. He mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: “May Allah increase you in keenness, but do not do it again.”.

Commentary : Keenness to follow the teachings of Islam and to do the obligatory duties, and hastening to catch up with them,are indicative of a person’s righteousness and sincere faith in Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so long as that keenness and hastening does not make him overstep the mark with regard to commands and prohibitions. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were the keenest of people to do that, especially in the case of prayers in congregation. They did not fail to attend prayer in congregation, except when there was an excuse. In this hadith, Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and found him bowing in prayer. He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) before he rose from bowing, so he bowed on his own before reaching and joining the row, and walked bowing until he came to the row. When he mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after the prayer had ended, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supplication for him, asking that he be increased in keenness to do good, because he knew that he only did that because he was so keen to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he told him not to do that again, because by doing that he was praying on his own behind the row, which is not allowed. It may be that the prohibition referred to walking to the row whilst praying; even though taking one or two steps does not invalidate the prayer, it is better to avoid doing that.
The basic principle is that the one who wants to pray behind an imam should walk towards the congregation in a calm and dignified manner, then whatever he catches up with with the imam he should pray with him, and whatever he misses of the prayer, he should complete it after the imam says the taslim..

784

It was narrated from Mutarrif, that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said that he prayed with ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra and he said: This man reminded us of a prayer that we prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said that he used to say takbir every time he moved up and every time he moved down..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ash-Shikhkhir narrates that he and ‘Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra, in Iraq. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him, after the prayer ended: This man – meaning ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) – reminded us of the prayer that we used to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And he stated that he used to say takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said that because that emphasizes how the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

787

It was narrated that ‘Ikrimah said: I saw a man at the Maqam, saying takbir every time he moved down and up [in prayer], when he stood and when he sat. I told Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) [about that] and he said: Is this not how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, may you be bereft of your mother!.

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that he saw a man – it was said that he was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) – praying in Makkah at the Maqam of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He said takbir every time he moved down and up [in the prayer]. This man found it odd, and according to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he described the man as foolish. When he mentioned that to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the latter rebuked him and told him off, and he informed him that this was how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, because saying takbir at every movement, down or up, was what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in his prayer. And he said to him: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a phrase that was used by way of rebuke, and Ibn ‘Abbas said it to him because he was unaware of the Sunnah, yet despite that he found it odd that someone would do it. What is meant is that the man was saying takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd(Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer..

788

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that in Makkah he offered a four-rak‘ah prayer behind an imam; he was the Sahabi Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the prayer was Zuhr, as it says in the report narrated by Ahmad. He said takbir twenty-two times in the four rak‘ahs. What is meant by the takbirs that ‘Ikrimah counted is that in every rak‘ah there were five takbirs: the takbir for bowing, the two rakbirs for the two prostrations, a takbir for sitting between the two prostrations, and a takbir for rising from the second prostration, in addition to the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) and the takbir for standing up following the first tashahhud. When ‘Ikrimah counted the number of takbirs, he said to Ibn ‘Abbas, finding the actions of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) odd: He is foolish – meaning that he is lacking in reason, because he does not know how to pray and when to say takbir. Ibn ‘Abbas said tohim: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a word that the Arabs say by way of rebuke, and they do not mean it literally. So this was by way of rebuking ‘Ikrimah and objecting to what he had said, and his ignorance of the Sunnah. It was not a supplication against him. Then he explained to him that this prayer, with this number of takbirs, was the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was not due to ignorance on the part of the imam. Abu’l-Qasim is the kunyah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This indicates that the people had become careless and negligent with regard to the takbirs of the prayer and with regard to saying them at the right points in the prayer, to the extent that some of them thought that the norm was what had become widespread among them of heedlessness and not saying the takbirsat the right points. It also indicates that when the scholars among the Sahabah saw this heedlessness and shortcoming on the people’s part, they showed them how to say the takbirs at the correct points, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done.
This hadith highlights the fact that the scholars must correct what the people have changed, and show them the correct way..

789

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to pray, he said takbir when he stood up, then he said takbir when he bowed. Then he said Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise him) when he stood up straight from bowing. Then when he was standing upright, he said Rabbanalaka al-hamd (Our Lord, to You be praise) – ‘Abdullah ibn Salih said, narrating from al-Layth: Walaka al-hamd. Then he said takbir when he went down [to prostrate]; then he said takbir when he lifted his head; then he said takbir when he prostrated; then he said takbir when he lifted his head. Then he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it. And he said takbir when he stood up after the first two rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed us, in the Holy Qur’an, to pray in general terms. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to us very clearly in word and deed,and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in great detail. So there is no room to add or subtract anything.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates part of the description of the Prophet’s prayer, telling us that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood to pray, he said takbir when he began the prayer, which is known as takbirat al-ihram (opening takbir). Then he said takbir when he began to move to the bowing posture, when he prostrated, when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated a second time, when he lifted his head again, and when he stood up following the first two rak‘ahs, after sitting to recite the first tashahhud. Then he would do that throughout the prayer, until he finished it. And he would say when he stood up straight after bowing: Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him), then he would say once he was standing up straight: Rabbanalaka al-hamd. This indicates that the imam who is leading the prayer should recite both the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah) and the tahmid (Rabbanalaka al-hamd); and that the tasmi‘ is the dhikr to be said when rising from bowing, and the tahmid is the dhikr to be said when one has stood upright.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to say takbir with every movement up and down, except when rising from bowing, when one should say “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; Rabbanalaka al-hamd.”.

790

It was narrated that Abu Ya‘fur said: I heard Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d say: I prayed beside my father, and I put my hands together then placed them between my thighs. My father told me not to do that, and he said: We used to do that, then we were told not to do it, and we were instructed to place our hands on our knees..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the twin declaration of faith, and the Muslim should make sure that he prays regularly and establishes prayer as Allah wants us to do it and as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the postures of prayer, namely bowing and prostrating. He taught that to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and they transmitted it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d narrates that he prayed beside his father, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and he put his hands together, which means putting the palm of the right hand on the palm of the left hand, and he put them between his thighs, above his knees. But his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and informed him that that had been permissible at the beginning of Islam, and they used to do it, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them not to do that, and instructed them to place their hands on their knees when bowing.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to teach it to their children..

792

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

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, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us of one of the characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer, which is the duration of his bowing, prostration, rising from bowing, and sitting between the two prostrations, which were so similar that they were almost equal in length, apart from his standing and sitting. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make these two longer in length than other parts of the prayer. He only made the standing longer because of recitation and he made the sitting longer because of the tashahhud.
The characteristic mentioned in this hadith is the most perfect characteristic in the case of prayer offered in congregation. However, when a man is praying on his own, he may make the bowing and prostration much longer than the standing, and [also do that] in the pause between the two prostrations, and between bowing and prostrating..

797

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite Qunut in the last rak‘ah of Zuhr, Isha’ and Fajr, after saying Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; he would pray for the believers and curse the disbelievers..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah and teach it to those who came after them. They were especially keen to explain his practice in the prayer, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted to those who were present a description of the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which he would recite Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers. Therefore he said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. In other words, I will pray as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so learn from how I pray, so that your prayer will be like that of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then, after rising from bowing in Zuhr, ‘Isha’ and Fajr, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers.
The Qunut referred to here is a supplication (du‘a’) that is offered when standing in the prayer. It is done after rising from bowing in the final rak‘ah. This is a clear statement that the Qunut mentioned in these prayers is something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did. It may be understood to refer to Qunut al-Nawazil (Qunut at times of calamity). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed against the polytheists who killed his companions at Bi’r Ma‘unah. It is also proven that he prayed Qunut against the disbelievers of Quraysh. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to explain to the people that the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes included Qunut, so they should follow his example in that regard.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray Qunut during the prayer, and to curse the unjust, transgressing disbelievers..

798

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would seek to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) by offering supplication (du‘a’) in all situations. This included the supplication of Qunut, which he would offer during his prayer. His companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us about the Qunut of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his prayer. Qunut is the name of the supplication that is offered during the prayer at a particular point when standing, as the imam may say Qunut before bowing or straight after standing up from bowing in the final rak‘ah, and those who are praying behind him should say Amin to his supplication. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that Qunut was offered in Maghrib and Fajr prayers, and the reason for this Qunut was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying against a tribe of the polytheists who had killed approximately seventy reciters of the Qur’an whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to them, to call them to Islam and teach them about the religion. He continued to pray against them, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Qunut for a month, after bowing in Fajr prayer, praying against Ri‘l and Dhakwan, saying: “ ‘Usayyah [a tribe] have disobeyed [‘asat] Allah and His Messenger.” Then he stopped praying against them, when Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the words: {Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision} [Al ‘Imran 3:128].
This hadith indicates that Qunut may be said at times of calamity and turmoil.
It indicates that we may pray against oppressors and those who harm the Muslims..

799

It was narrated that Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi said: One day we were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and when he raised his head from bowing, he said: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him).” And a man behind him said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). When he finished the prayer, he said: “Who is the one who spoke?” The man said: It was me. He said: “I saw thirty-odd angels hastening to be the first to write it down.”.

Commentary : Praising Allah as He deserves to be praised is one of the noblest acts of worship by means of which a person may draw closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and attain great reward in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one day, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said after rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him).” A man who was praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). What is meant is: praise that is free of showing off and seeking reputation, in which there is much good. The one who said that was Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator of the hadith, as is stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud. After finishing the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked who had said those words, and Rifa‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: I was the one who said that, O Messenger of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that he had seen a number of angels – as many as thirty-odd – rushing , each of them wanting to write down these words before the others. The word translated here as “-odd” refers to a number between three and nine.
This hadith highlights the virtue of praising and remembering Allah (may He be glorified).
It indicates that it is prescribed for the one who is praying behind an imam to say some of the dhikr out loud, so long as that will not disturb the people with him..

800

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..

1405

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We used to engage in Mut'ah in return for a handful of dates and flour during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr until 'Umar forbade it in the case of 'Amr ibn Hurayth..

Commentary : The Shar'i marriage is a system that establishes a united family, preserves each party's rights, and highlights human dignity. Mut'ah marriage, on the other hand, damages society and causes loss for women. A man may like a woman and marry her for a specific period in return for a certain compensation. This is no more than fulfilling lust, and it leads to many evils; that's why it was more appropriate to forbid it.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that they used to marry women for enjoyment and fulfilling lust, and this was permissible and then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it unlawful. This kind of relationship was so lowly that they would agree to "a handful of dates and flour" as a dowry or gift from the man to the woman, which is a small amount, equivalent to a meal. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that they continued to do so while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was living among them. Then, when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, they engaged in Mut'ah marriage during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) until 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade it during his caliphate, in the case of the Companion' Amr ibn Hurayth. 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) married a woman by Mut'ah marriage during the reign of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and she got pregnant from him. The statement of Jābir and the action of 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are taken to indicate that the Prophet's prohibition of such marriage did not reach them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Mut'ah marriage in the beginning and then forbade it later during the battle of Khyber until the Day of Judgment, and he declared it unlawful during the Farewell Hajj, as narrated by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others.
The Hadīth indicates that Mut‘ah marriage is forbidden.
It warns against doing anything forbidden by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It also points out that the ruler can force specific rulings on the people to serve the interests of society..

1406

Sabrah al-Juhani reported: I married a woman from Banu' Āmir by Mut'ah marriage during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for two red Burds (cloaks). Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from Mut'ah..

Commentary : Islam has established the Shar‘i marriage system on the most just standard to preserve progeny and honor, and it has forbidden all means of enjoying women that were widespread in Jāhiliyyah and which do not protect their rights. It began to legislate that gradually so that people could adopt it rightly.
In this Hadīth, Sabrah ibn Ma‘bad al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he married women by Mut‘ah marriage during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Mut‘ah is one of the kinds of marriage in which a man enjoys a woman in return for compensation agreed by them and for a specified period, and the marriage ends with the elapse of that period. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he married a woman from Banu ‘Āmir by Mut‘ah marriage and gave her two red Burds, a reference to her dowry. Burd: a striped garment opened from the front and placed on the shoulders like a cloak, yet it is smaller than it. A person can wrap it around himself or let it hang down. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade Muslims from Mut‘ah marriage. Another version by Muslim points out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it in the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
The Mut'ah marriage was known during the early stages of Islam, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid them from it during their travels, given their need for it. However, he forbade them from it during their stay and residence in their countries. The ruling of the Mut'ah marriage passed through various phases, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from it more than once. Then, he ordered them to engage in it at various times until he made it permanently forbidden. Forbidding the Mut'ah marriage was reported in many narrations, which point out that the prohibition was during the Conquest of Makkah, and this is the most famous opinion, or during the battle of Awtās, or the battle of Khaybar, or during the Prophet's last days in the Farewell Hajj. It was a permanent prohibition, not a temporary one, thus leaving no room for any difference of opinion among the jurists and the leading scholars of the Ummah. Only some of the Shiites hold a different opinion, and their opinion does not count..

1406

Ar-Rabī‘ ibn Sabrah reported that his father joined battle along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Conquest of Makkah. He said: We stayed in it for fifteen; thirty including days and nights. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted us to engage in Mut‘ah marriage to women. A man from my people and I went out. I surpassed him in beauty, and he was close to ugliness. Each of us had a Burd (cloak). My Burd was old, while the Burd of my cousin was new and fresh. When we reached the south of Makkah - or its north - we came across a girl like a young smart long-necked she-camel. We said: "Would you agree that one of us engage in Mut‘ah marriage with you?" She said: "What would you give?" Each of us spread out his Burd, and she began to look at the two men and my companion saw her looking on her side. He said: "The Burd of this is old, and my Burd is new and fresh." She said: "The Burd of this is not bad," three times or twice. Then, I engaged in Mut‘ah marriage with her, and I did not come out of it until the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it unlawful. [In a version]: He added: She said: Is this valid? And he said: The Burd of this is old and worn-out..

Commentary : Islam has established the Shar‘i marriage system on the best methods for preserving progeny and honor, and it has forbidden the ways of enjoying women, which were prevalent during Jāhiliyyah and did not protect their rights. It was legislated gradually so people could adopt it rightly and not turn away all at once.
In this Hadīth, Sabrah ibn Ma‘bad (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he joined the battle along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Conquest of Makkah, in 8 A.H., and they stayed there for fifteen nights along with fifteen days. Thus, the total of nights and days was thirty. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave them permission to engage in Mut'ah marriage with women in return for compensation they would agree for a specific period, and it would come to an end with the elapse of this time. So, Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) went out along with a man from his people, who was his cousin, as will be mentioned in this narration. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was more good-looking than him, and the other man was close to ugliness, i.e., unpleasant look and bad appearance. Each of them had a Burd he wanted to give to the woman he would marry by Mut‘ah. Burd: a striped garment opened from the front and placed on the shoulders like a cloak, yet it is smaller than it. A person can wrap it around himself or let it hang down. The garment of Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was old and worn out, whereas the Burd of his cousin was new. They kept searching until they reached the south of Makkah or its north. There, they came across a girl like "a young smart long-necked she-camel", i.e., she had a long, straight neck and shapely figure. They presented themselves to her so that she could choose one of them to marry her by Mut'ah. In another version, she asked them: "Is this valid?" She meant the validity of this kind of marriage as to whether it is lawful and permissible to enjoy a woman for a certain period of time! He replied to her in the affirmative, as narrated in the Mustakhraj of Abu ‘Awānah. She asked them: What would you offer in return for this marriage? Thereupon, each of them spread out his Burd. She began to look at the two men and compare between them. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And my companion was looking at her while she was looking on her side. When he saw her in this state, he said: The Burd of this is old, and my Burd is new and fresh, seeking to attract her to himself and keep her away from Sabrah. And in a version, he said: "The Burd of this is old and worn-out." She said: The Burd of this young man is not bad - three times or twice - as if she was reconsidering the matter and thinking of choosing the more youthful of the two men, regardless of how good the Burd was. She chose Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and he married her by Mut‘ah. Sabrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he did not leave her until the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared the Mut‘ah marriage unlawful. In another version by Muslim: "I stayed with her for three. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever has any of these women with whom he engaged in Mut‘ah marriage should let her go."
The Hadīth points out that Mut‘ah marriage was permanently prohibited after it had been permissible.
It affirms the existence of abrogation in the Sunnah..

1406

‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reported: 'Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr stood up in Makkah and said: "Allah has made blind the hearts of some people as He has deprived them of eyesight that they give a Fatwa in favor of Mut'ah", alluding to a certain man. He called him and said: "You are uncouth and coarse. By my life, Mut'ah was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious", referring to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, Ibn Az-Zubayr said to him: "Do it yourself, and by Allah, if you do that, I will stone you with your stones.".

Commentary : Islam came to preserve honor, as the preservation of honor is one of the five necessities that all divine legislations came to preserve, and these are: religion, life, honor, mind, and wealth.
This Hadīth points out that the issue of Mut‘ah marriage was subject to disagreement among some of the Companions. During the days of his caliphate in the Hejaz, ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to deliver a speech in Makkah, and he said: "Allah has made the hearts of some people blind", i.e., to the truth "as He has deprived them of eyesight", making them unable to see that they give a Fatwa to the people permitting Mut'ah marriage, which is a contract entailing enjoyment of a woman for a specific period in return for a certain dowry. By this statement of his, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was "alluding to a certain man", namely 'Abdullāh ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), who lost his eyesight in the latter part of his life. Thereupon, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) - who was attending the sermon - called him and said: "You are uncouth and coarse", i.e., you are simple-minded, rude, and harsh. Then, he said: "By my life, Mut‘ah was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious", referring to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is an oath he took over this matter. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) had his personal interpretation of the texts that prohibit Mut‘ah marriage, as he maintained that it is permissible in case of necessity or the like. So, Ibn az-Zubayr said to him: "Do it yourselves, and by Allah, if you do that, I will stone you with your stones" i.e., Mut‘ah marriage is unlawful. So, if you do it after that, you will become an adulterer and you will be punished by stoning to death.
Indeed, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth when he said that it was practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But Ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in the right, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while the prohibition of Mut'ah was the latter of the two relevant rulings.
The Hadīth shows that Mut‘ah marriage is prohibited.
It also indicates that the ruler can talk to the scholars regarding their Fatwas and choose for the people what serves the best interests of society..

1406

Sabrah al-Juhani reported: that he was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said: "O people, I had permitted you to engage in Mut‘ah with women, and indeed Allah has forbidden that until the Day of Judgment. So, he who has any of these women should let her go, and do not take back anything you have given them.".

Commentary : The Mut‘ah marriage is a fixed-term marriage, with the word 'tamattu‘' (enjoyment) verbally stated, in return for an amount of money. In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "O people, I had permitted you to engage in Mut‘ah with women" i.e., in the beginning, but the matter has finally been decided now. He clarified to the people that Allah, Exalted be He, forbade the Mut‘ah marriage altogether till the Day of Judgment.
The Mut'ah marriage was known during the early stages of Islam, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid them from it during their travels, given their need for it. However, he forbade them from it during their stay and residence in their countries. The ruling of the Mut‘ah marriage passed through various phases; the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from it more than once; then, he ordered them to engage in it at various times until he made it permanently forbidden. Forbidding the Mut'ah marriage was reported in many narrations, which point out that the prohibition was during the Conquest of Makkah in the eighth Hijri year, and this is the most famous opinion, or during the battle of Awtās, also in the eighth Hijri year, or during the battle of Khaybar in the seventh Hijri year, or the Prophet's last days in the Farewell Hajj. It was a permanent prohibition, not a temporary one. So, the right thing is that Mut‘ah marriage was abrogated more than once. It was permitted during the battle of Khaybar and then forbidden therein, and then it was permitted in the year of the Conquest of Makkah, which is the year of the battle of Awtās, and then it was permanently forbidden. No difference of opinion remains among the jurists and the scholars of the Ummah over this issue, and none disagrees with that except some Shiites, whose view does not count.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded those engaged in Mut'ah marriage to separate from the women married to them, for they were not lawful to them. He also commanded that the man should not take anything of what he gave to the woman in return for enjoying her, even if the separation took place before the appointed period, as she deserved that by copulation with her..

1406

Khālid ibn al-Muhājir ibn Sayfullāh reported: that while he was sitting in the company of a man, a man came to him and asked for a Fatwa on Mut‘ah. He enjoined him to engage in it. Thereupon, Ibn Abi ‘Amrah al-Ansāri said to him: 'Wait.' He said: "What is it?! By Allah, it was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious." Ibn Abi ‘Amrah said: "It was a dispensation in the early days of Islam for one who was driven to it by necessity, just like carrion, blood, and pork. Then Allah finally established the religion and prohibited it altogether.".

Commentary : When Islam came, it was keen to preserve the five necessities that all divine legislations came to preserve, and these are: religion, life, honor, mind, and wealth. It began to be legislated for society gradually so that people could adopt it rightly and not forsake it all at once.
In this Hadīth, the noble Tābi‘i Khālid ibn al-Muhājir ibn Sayfullāh informs that while he was sitting with a man - who was ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), according to the Mustakhraj of Abu ‘Awānah - a man came to him and sought a Fatwa from him about the ruling on marrying women by Mut‘ah marriage for a specific period in return for compensation agreed between them; Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), permitted him to marry women by Mut‘ah marriage. Thereupon, the Tābi‘i Ibn Abi ‘Amrah al-Ansāri - Muhammad ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Hārithah - said to Ibn ‘Abbās: 'Wait!' i.e., stop and do not rush. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "What is it?!" i.e., what is the matter that could prevent me from giving this Fatwa?! It seems he was criticizing him. By this, Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to reject Ibn Abi' Amrah's disapproval of his Fatwa. Then, he swore by Allah that it was practiced during the lifetime of the leader of the pious, referring to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The meaning: How could you criticize me while the people practiced it during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), at his command?! In reply, Ibn Abi ‘Amrah said that Mut‘ah was a dispensation for Muslims in the early days of Islam for those driven to it by necessity, just like a person driven by necessity to eat carrion, blood, and pork, if he is on the verge of death due to severe hunger. Then Allah completed the religion, perfected His commands and prohibitions, and permanently forbade marrying women by Mut‘ah marriage. Indeed, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke the truth when he swore that it was practiced during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But Ibn Abi ‘Amrah was right, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while the prohibition of Mut‘ah was the latter of the two relevant rulings.
The Hadīth demonstrates that some of the Shar‘i rulings were superseded (abrogated).
It indicates that taking an oath for emphasis is legitimate.
It also shows that a great scholar may be unaware of some Shar‘i issues..

1409

‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām) must neither marry, nor give someone in marriage, nor get engaged.".

Commentary : Performing Hajj to Allah's Sacred House - for whoever finds a way thereto - is one of the pillars of Islam and one of its great rituals. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught us its pillars and how to make Ihrām (ritual state of consecration) for it. He clarified what the Muhrim is allowed to do and what he is not allowed to do.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The Muhrim must neither marry," i.e., the Muhrim - who intends by his Ihrām Hajj, ‘Umrah, or both - must not contract marriage for himself and must not marry a woman. "Nor give someone in marriage," i.e., or give someone in marriage through guardianship or proxy. Since he himself is forbidden from getting married during the period of Ihrām; therefore, he is not to give someone in marriage during this period. Also, he should not "get engaged," as this involves hinting at a proposal of marriage. The secret behind such a prohibition is the fact that the Muhrim has engaged in an act of worship that takes up most of his time, so he must not be occupied with anything else that is not consistent with the state of such an act of worship. Allah has forbidden Rafath - which is sexual intercourse with women and what leads to it - while performing Hajj and its relevant acts, for marriage during the state of Ihrām calls one to commit Rafath. The purpose of this journey is to be devoted to Allah and to be occupied only with remembering Him, calling upon Allah loudly, declaring Allah's oneness, and making Dhikr and nothing else..

1409

Nubayh ibn Wahb reported: that ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Ma‘mar intended to marry his son Talhah to the daughter of Shayba ibn Jubayr during Hajj. Abān ibn ‘Uthmān was the leader of pilgrims at that time. He sent someone to Abān saying: "I intend to marry Talhah ibn ‘Umar, and I like that you attend that." In reply, Abān said to him: "I find you to be a thickheaded Iraqi. I heard ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'A Muhrim should not marry.'".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Nubayh ibn Wahb relates that the Tābi‘i ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh wanted to marry his son Talhah to the daughter of Shaybah ibn Jubayr while they were in a state of Ihrām during Hajj. So, they wanted the Tābi‘i Abān ibn ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān to attend the contract. Abān, who was the leader of the Hajj convoy at the time, said to him: "I find you to be a thickheaded Iraqi" i.e., ignorant of the Sunnah. In some versions: 'a Bedouin', and a Bedouin is someone who lives in the desert. It is said: 'Iraqi' here is erroneous, unless he knew that the doctrine of the people of Kufa at the time permitted a Muhrim to marry, in which case 'Iraqi' would be correct, and it would mean: You are adopting their doctrine. Thickheaded denotes roughness along with ignorance.
Then, ‘Abān told them that he heard ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A Muhrim should not marry" i.e., a Muhrim should not get married. In a version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection: "And he should not marry others off," i.e., a man should not give a woman in marriage either as her guardian or representative. This is because a Muhrim is too busy to engage in marriage contracts, as this would necessarily distract his mind and make him unable to perform worship perfectly, for it involves proposing, asking, inviting, and meeting..

1411

Maymūnah bint al-Hārith reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her when he was Halāl (outside the state of Ihrām). He said: She was my maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbās..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth pillar of Islam. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the rituals of Hajj in his words and deeds, which were reported by the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) just as they had learned them from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). During Hajj, some of what is permissible becomes forbidden for the one who assumes Ihrām.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Yazīd ibn al-Asamm reports that his maternal aunt, Maymūnah bint al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with her), wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her when he was Halāl, i.e., was not a Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām). In Abu Dāwūd's narration, Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married me when we were both Halāl (outside the state of Ihrām) at Sarif." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) contracted marriage with her on his way to Makkah to make ‘Umrah al-Qadā’ (deferred ‘Umrah) in 7 AH, before assuming Ihrām. Their marriage became known after he had assumed Ihrām. Then, he consummated marriage with her when he was outside the state of Ihrām on the way back to Madīnah in an area called Sarif, which is almost 10 kilometers away from Makkah, and it was said: 16 kilometers away, and there are other opinions as well.
Then, Yazīd reported that Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) was his maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) in reference to Ibn ‘Abbas's mistake in what he reported about the Prophet's marrying Maymūnah while being a Muhrim. However, Maymūnah (may Allah be pleased with her) certainly knew herself better than Ibn ‘Abbās. Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām) must neither marry, nor give someone in marriage, nor get engaged." [Narrated by Muslim].

1424

Abu Hurayrah reported: As I was in the company of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a man came to him and told him that he married a woman from the Ansār. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Did you look at her?" He said: 'No.' He said: "Go and look at her, for indeed, there is something in the eyes of the Ansār.".

Commentary : Islam established the Shar‘i marriage system to preserve progeny and honor and it is keen on the continuity of cordiality and love between the two spouses and legislated means to this end from the beginning of engagement so that it would be more likely for them to continue their life together.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he was present with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when a man came and informed him that he proposed marriage to a woman from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - and wanted to marry her. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Did you look at her?" This is an instruction urging the man to look at the woman before proposing marriage, as this would encourage him to marry her or cause him to refrain from her. The man replied that he did not look at her. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to go and look at her. In a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd and reported by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him): "When one of you asks a woman in marriage; if he is able to look at what will induce him to marry her, let him do so." This points out that a man should look at the woman by himself if he can, so as to see what encourages him to like and marry her.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified the reason behind his instruction to look at her, saying: "for indeed there is something in the eyes of the Ansār, " i.e., some disliked blueness, smallness, or the like. This signals that a man should usually look at the face and hands, as her beauty can be recognized from the face, and the tenderness of her body can be known through her hands. The looking should happen before betrothal, lest it will be hard for her if he decides to retract his proposal, in case he does not like her.
The Prophet's instruction serves a great interest. There may be something in the woman that would badly affect the continuity of their relationship after marriage, and he can identify it by looking at her, so he will leave her before the consummation of marriage; this would be lighter, simpler, and easier than consummating the marriage and divorcing her after that.
The Hadīth indicates that a man should look at his fiancée before marrying her.
It points out the excellence of the pure Shariah and its perfect guidelines, as it takes into consideration the interests of people by which their livelihood can be set in order in this world and the Hereafter without undergoing regret and sorrow over what was missed..

1426

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah: "How much was the Sadāq (dowry) paid by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" She said: "His dowry for his wives was twelve ’Uqiyyahs and one Nashsh. Do you know what the Nashsh is?" I said: "No." She said: "It is a half ’Uqiyyah, so this equals five hundred dirhams, and it was the dowry that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid to his wives.".

Commentary : Sadāq is the dowry and the money paid to the woman when getting married. Allah Almighty has made it a right that is due to the woman. Allah Almighty says: {Give women their marriage dowries graciously.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 4]
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reports that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): How much was the dowry paid by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his wives? She told him that it was twelve ’Uqiyyahs and one Nashsh. The ’Uqiyyah is forty dirhams, and the dirham refers to a coin made of pure silver, and one ’Uqiyyah is equal to 28.35 grams. The Nashsh is half a Uqiyyah. So, the dowry paid by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his wives was five hundred dirhams. It means that this is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mostly paid to his wives, simply because Al-Bukhāri narrated that the dowry of Safiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was emancipating her, and likewise the dowry of Juwayriyah bint al-Hārith was emancipating her. Moreover, An-Najāshi paid four thousand dirhams to Umm Habībah (may Allah be pleased with her) when he gave her in marriage to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). And no mention was made about the dowry of Zaynab bint Jahsh. So, the dowry does not have to be something specific; rather, it depends on everybody's ability and capability..

1428

Anas reported: When the waiting period of Zaynab was over, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Zayd: "Make mention of me to her." He said: "Zayd went off until he came to her while she was fermenting her flour." He said: When I saw her, I felt her greatness in my chest, so much that I could not look at her; that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made mention of her. So, I turned my back toward her and turned upon my heels. I said: "O Zaynab, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has sent a message making mention of you." She said: "I will not do anything until I consult my Lord." So, she stood at her place of worship, and the Qur’an was revealed. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came and entered her place without permission. He said: I recall when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) served us bread and meat at midday. Then, the people went out, and some men remained talking in the house after the meal. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out, and I followed him. He began to go to his wives' rooms and greet them, and they would say: "O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your wife?" He said: I do not know whether I told him that the people had come out or he told me. He said: He moved on until he entered the house, and I went to enter with him. Thereupon, he placed the curtain between me and him, and the Hijab was sent down. He said: The people were preached by the preaching they received. He added in another version: {O you who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless you are given permission for a meal; not so early as to wait for the meal to be prepared... but Allah is not shy of [telling] the truth.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 53].

Commentary : Zaynab bint Jahsh, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was the daughter of Umaymah bint 'Abdul-Muttalib, the paternal aunt of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had married Zaynab off to his freed slave Zayd ibn Hārithah (may Allah be pleased with him), whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had adopted before Allah prohibited adoption. However, Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) saw herself as superior to Zayd, and they used to have such disputes between spouses until Zayd divorced her.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the divorce waiting period of Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) came to an end, after Zayd ibn Hārithah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her; and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised Zayd regarding his wife before he divorced her, as revealed in the verse that reads: {And [remember, O Prophet] when you were saying to the one who was favored by Allah and favored by you: "Keep your wife and fear Allah."} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 37] And in the other part of the verse, Allah Almighty said to His Prophet: {and you were fearing people, while it was more fitting that you should fear Allah. When Zayd no longer desired her, We gave her to you in marriage.} Allah Almighty informed His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Zayd would divorce Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and that she would be his wife after Zayd divorced her. He, however, concealed that within himself, fearing that the hypocrites might defame him and spread rumors to the effect that he forbade that a man should marry the wife of his son, and he married the wife of Zayd, who used to be called Zayd ibn Muhammad before that was forbidden and adoption was abolished.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): "make mention of me to her" i.e., go and propose marriage to her on my behalf and mention me in her presence and say that I want to propose to her. Zayd left and reached her and saw her "fermenting her flour" i.e., preparing her dough for baking. Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when his sight fell on her, he found it hard to look at her, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to propose to her. He treated her like the mothers of the believers and averted his gaze from her and turned his back toward her. He stepped backward and stood some distance away from her. This happened before Hijab was prescribed in the Qur’an.
Then Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) told her that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him to propose marriage to her on his behalf. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that she would not give any response until she consulted her Lord and waited to see what Allah would do regarding her matter. So, she stood at her praying place in the house to offer the Istikhārah (consultation) prayer and "the Qur’an was revealed" i.e., the verses in Surat al-Ahzāb were revealed. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) and entered her place without seeking permission, as she became his wife after Allah Almighty married her off to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from above seven heavens.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he remembered when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had served them bread and meat in the wedding banquet for his marriage to Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her). All this happened when it was midday and the heat of the sun became intense. Those who ate from the banquet went out and there remained some people who engaged in talking within the house of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and left them in the house, talking. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) came out after him because he was his servant and would always accompany him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to the houses of his wives to check on them and learn about their conditions, and the Prophet's wives would ask him: "O Messenger of Allah, how did you find your wife?" In a version narrated by Al-Bukhāri, it was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "How did you find your wife? May Allah bless you." It is said: She said that by way of jesting. But it is more likely that she intended supplication for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to be blessed in his family and to be rest assured about them. In a version narrated by Muslim, the reply of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was: 'Fine.'
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he could not remember: Was he the one who told the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the people, who had lingered and engaged in talking after the banquet, did leave, or it was the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who told him about that? When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) became sure that they had come out of the house, he quickly went and entered the house of Zaynab. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to enter with him, as usual, but the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put a curtain between the two of them; this was because the verses on Hijab in Surat al-Ahzāb were revealed: {O you who believe, do not enter the houses of the Prophet unless you are given permission for a meal; not so early as to wait for the meal to be prepared. But if you are invited, then enter, and when you have eaten, then disperse, without lingering for conversation. Such [behavior] causes annoyance to the Prophet; he is too shy to express it to you, but Allah is not shy of [telling] the truth.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 53]
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people were preached by the preaching they received", i.e., they complied with the command of Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, and the statement of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they came to know the error they committed as they stayed for long in the house of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and engaged in conversation.
The Hadīth points out the merit of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her).
It indicates that a person should entrust his affairs to Allah Almighty in all his conditions.
It demonstrates the modesty of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It urges performance of the Istikhārah prayer before undertaking any matter.
It also urges checking on one's family to rest assured about them..

1431

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any of you is invited, let him accept the invitation. If he is fasting, let him pray (for the inviter); if he is not fasting, let him eat.".

Commentary : A manifestation of tolerance of Islam is taking into consideration solidarity and affection between people. Hence, it encourages responding to the inviter and deems it one of the rights that the Muslim owes to his brother, all for the sake of having a society where the spirit of love, brotherhood, solidarity, and coherence prevails.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that if one is invited for food - whether a banquet or something else - by his Muslim brother, he must accept the invitation and go. If one who received the food invitation happens to be fasting, whether it be a voluntary fast, a missed fast, or a vow; since the inviter would not have invited him if it had been an obligatory fast during Ramadān, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guides the fasting person to clarify his status in another version of Muslim, saying: "Let him say: I am fasting" as an apology to the inviter and a way of informing him that he is fasting and cannot eat his food. "Let him pray," i.e., let him pray for the house dwellers to be granted goodness and blessings and let him engage in supplicating for them. Let him also inform his Muslim brother, who invited him, that his abstention is only because of fasting and not because he does not want to eat his food. It was the Arabs' habit to abstain from eating the food of the one towards whom they held evil intentions. If the person invited is not fasting, then let him eat from the food.
The Hadīth signifies a command to accept the invitation for food.
It also encourages supplicating for the food providers (the host)..

1437

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, one of the most important trusts in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment is a man who is intimate with his wife, and she is intimate with him, and then he divulges her secret." Ibn Numayr said: [Another version reads]: Verily, the most important..

Commentary : Having a healthy marital relationship and seeking love and mercy are among the means of protecting this bond and this pledge that Allah has made solemn and has described as being solemn given its strength and significance.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the most serious breach, betrayal, and violation of trust, and the gravest in terms of punishment in the sight of Allah on the Day of Judgment, the day of recompense, is the man's betrayal to his wife. "a man who is intimate with his wife, and she is intimate with him" is an indirect reference to sexual intercourse and physical contact between the spouses, i.e., everything related to marital secrets and what each spouse entrusts to the other. Then after this, the man divulges her secret, i.e., the hidden physical defects. It could also mean describing what occurs between the spouses regarding the enjoyment and what the woman says or does during the intercourse. In fact, this is a severe threat and a warning for one who reveals his spouse's secret. The advice is addressed to both spouses along with the warning against divulging each other's secrets. Thus, the man must not reveal her secret and vice versa. However, he mentioned one of them - the husband - to refer to the other, or he made no mention of the wife divulging her husband's secret because the woman, in principle, tends to conceal and hide whatever is indecent and she rarely does this because of her bashfulness, unlike the man who is expected to do this..

1439

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: A man asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: "I have a slave-girl and I practice coitus interruptus with her." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, this would not prevent something willed by Allah." He said: The man came and said: "O Messenger of Allah, the slave-girl I mentioned to you has become pregnant." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am the servant and Messenger of Allah.".

Commentary : All the destinies of created beings lie in the Hand of Allah alone. He is the Knower of the unseen things. A Muslim should rely upon Allah, pursue the proper means, and then entrust his affairs to Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about coitus interruptus and informed that he had a slave-girl with whom he practiced coitus interruptus lest she would get pregnant; so, is it permissible for him to practice coitus interruptus with her or not? Coitus interruptus is practiced by removing the male sex organ out of the woman's vulva before ejaculation, and the man ejaculates outside the vulva, to prevent pregnancy. Replying to him, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, this would not prevent something willed by Allah." The meaning: Indeed, if Allah Almighty predestined the creation of a soul, it would surely be created; and that the fluid and semen may outrun you, and you cannot stop it, and your keenness in this regard would not avail you. The semen could quickly come out without the man practicing coitus interruptus feeling it to execute what Allah predestined. There is no soul determined in the knowledge of Allah Almighty that it will be born except that it will exist in reality, whether coitus interruptus is practiced or not. Likewise, ejaculation may happen inside, and no pregnancy takes place. So, coitus interruptus and ejaculation inside are alike in terms of the fact that pregnancy can only happen by Allah's predestination.
Then, after some time, that man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and spoke to him about this slave-girl with whom he had practiced coitus interruptus and told him that she got pregnant. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I am the servant and Messenger of Allah" i.e., what I say to you is true; so, adopt it and be certain of it, for indeed it will surely come to pass.
The Hadīth shows the keenness of the Companions in learning the matters of their religion from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We used to engage in Mut'ah in return for a handful of dates and flour during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr until 'Umar forbade it in the case of 'Amr ibn Hurayth..

Sabrah al-Juhani reported: I married a woman from Banu' Āmir by Mut'ah marriage during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for two red Burds (cloaks). Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us from Mut'ah..

‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Muhrim (one in the state of Ihrām) must neither marry, nor give someone in marriage, nor get engaged.".

Maymūnah bint al-Hārith reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her when he was Halāl (outside the state of Ihrām). He said: She was my maternal aunt and the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbās..

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any of you is invited, let him accept the invitation. If he is fasting, let him pray (for the inviter); if he is not fasting, let him eat.".