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Hadith
371
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on a campaign to Khaybar. We prayed Fajr there when it was still very dark, then the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah rode, and I rode behind Abu Talhah [on his mount]. The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar, and my knee touched the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then his izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and I saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When he entered the town, he said: “Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! When we descend in the territory of a people, {then evil is the morning of those who were warned} [al-Saffat 37:177}.” He said it three times.
The people were coming out to tend their land, and they said: It’s Muhammad! ‘Abdul ‘Aziz said: Some of our companions said that they also said: and the khamis (five), meaning the army. He [Anas] said: We captured it by force, and the prisoners were gathered together. Then Dihyah al-Kalbi (may Allah be pleased with him) came and said: O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. He said: “Go and take a slave woman.” So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. Then a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Prophet of Allah, you have given Dihyah Safiyyah bint Huyayy, the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir; she is only fit for you. He said: “Call him and tell him to bring her back.” So he brought her back and when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said: “Take some other slave woman from among the female captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Thabit said to him [Anas]: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her? He said: Herself [her freedom]; he manumitted her and married her, then on the way back, Umm Sulaym prepared her for him and brought her to him at night, and the next morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom. He said: “Whoever has any food, let him bring it,” and he spread out a leather mat. And the men began to bring dates and ghee – the narrator said: and I think he mentioned sawiq – and they made hays. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the example and teacher for the ummah, and his practice and teachings are a source of knowledge for us, from which we derive guidance in all our affairs and learn the right way to handle all matters in war and peace. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conquered Khaybar in 7 AH. Khaybar was a town inhabited by the Jews, approximately 173 km from Madinah in the direction of Syria. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went on campaign to Khaybar, and they prayed Fajr near Khaybar at the beginning of its time, when it was still very dark. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) rode on their mounts, and Anas rode behind Abu Talhah al-Ansari, the husband of his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the mounts run fast in an alleyway of Khaybar; an alleyway is a narrow street or path that runs between the houses. His izar slipped and uncovered his thigh, and that was because he was going so fast in the streets of Khaybar. The izar is a garment that covers the lower part of the body. When it slipped, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the whiteness of the thigh of the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Khaybar, he said: Allahu akbar! Khaybar is destroyed! Allah has granted us conquest of it. “When we descend in the territory of a people…” – The word translated here as territory originally means courtyard, and refers to a wide space between houses. “…then evil is the morning of those who were warned.” The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said it three times, expressing optimism because of what had already been captured of Khaybar.
The situation in Khaybar when the Muslims entered the town was that the people were going out to their work; they were farmers and tillers of land. They said: It is Muhammad and the khamis – meaning the army. The army was called the khamis (five) because it was composed of a vanguard, rearguard, core, right flank and left flank – a total of five parts.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Muslims captured Khaybar by force, not by means of a peace deal. When the prisoners had been gathered together – meaning the captives, men, women and children – Dihyah al-Kalbi came and asked for a slave woman, saying:  O Prophet of Allah, give me a slave woman from among the captives. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: Go and take a slave woman. So he took Safiyyah bint Huyayy. A man told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that she was not fit for anyone except the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because she was the first lady of Qurayzah and al-Nadir. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed them to call Dihyah and the slave woman whom he had taken from among the captives, and Dihyah brought her back. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked at her, he said to Dihyah: “Take some other slave woman from among the captives.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) manumitted her and married her. Manumission means freeing a person from slavery; this manumission was her mahr (dowry), as was mentioned in the report of Thabit al-Bunani – one of the Tabi‘in – who asked Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the mahr with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) married her, as he said: O Abu Hamzah, what mahr did he give her?  He said: Herself; he manumitted her and married her. Then when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was on his way back to Madinah, Umm Sulaym prepared her and adorned her, then presented her to him at night. Umm Sulaym brought her as a bride to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when night fell, and in the morning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a bridegroom, because he had married Safiyyah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to his companions: whoever has any food, let him bring it. Then he spread a mat of leather on the ground, to put the food on it, and he collected whatever the people had of dates, ghee and sawiq, which is finely-ground flour. They made hays, which is a mixture of dates, ghee and flour. And that was the wedding feast of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him.
It was said: The basis on which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took Safiyyah from Dihyah after giving her to him was that Dihyah willingly brought her back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And it was said in some reports that she fell to the lot of Dihyah, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bought her from him. And it was said that that happened for other reasons that were appropriate to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his being infallible.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer a wedding feast with whatever is available.
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372
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr, and the believing women would attend the prayer with him, wrapped up in their mirts (enveloping garments), then they would go back to their houses and no one would be able to recognize them..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of modesty, chastity and dignity, and it enjoins the covering of women’s bodies and the wearing of hijab and loose-fitting garments that do not show their bodies or the shape of many parts of the body. That is to protect women and the entire society from the dangerous effects of wanton display and unveiling on societies.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the women used to go out to pray Fajr in the mosque and attend the prayer with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they would go back to their houses wrapped in their mirts, meaning that they covered their heads and their bodies with enveloping garments, so that they would not be recognized because of the extent of their covering. This is the hijab that Allah (may He be exalted) enjoins upon women. The mirt is a cloth of wool or other fabric, and it is akin to the milhafah (another type of enveloping garment). After hijab was enjoined, the women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to it and did not show any part of their adornment except what Allah permitted.
According to a report in al-Sahihayn, no one would recognize them because it was still dark; the word translated here as dark refers to the darkness at the end of the night, after dawn has broken. This refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offering Fajr prayer at the beginning of its time.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for women to go out to pray in the mosques at night..

373
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed wearing a khamisah that had some markings on it. He looked at the markings, then when he had finished praying, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” Hisham ibn ‘Urwah said, narrating from his father, from ‘A’ishah: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I kept looking at its markings whilst I was praying, and I was afraid that it would distract me.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), striving to maintain proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed one day wearing a khamisah – which was a garment made of silk mixed with camel hair or wool, on which there were black markings and it was adorned with stripes; it was said that a garment could not be called a khamisah unless it was black and had markings. He looked at the markings, and they almost distracted him from his prayer. So when he had finished his prayer, he said: “Take this khamisah of mine to Abu Jahm, and bring me the anbijaniyyah of Abu Jahm, because it distracted me just now from my prayer.” The anbijaniyyah was a garment made of wool, like velvet, with no markings on it. Abu Jahm ibn Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) had given this khamisah to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he returned it to him and asked him instead for a heavy garment of his, so as to make him feel better and so that his feelings would not be hurt by having his gift returned to him. Hence he told him the reason for returning it. This was also a warning to Abu Jahm lest he be distracted by this or anything else from his prayer.
This hadith indicates that one should keep away from things that will distract one from prayer.
It also highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind to his companions and how he avoided hurting their feelings and sought to console them..

374
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that ‘A’ishah had a curtain with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Take this curtain of yours away from us, for I kept noticing its images whilst I was praying.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In it, a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted), and should have proper focus of mind, reflecting on the meaning of the words he recites. The Shaytan should have no share of it and no way to distract the worshipper. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the things that are not allowed when praying. Just as he taught us how to perfect our prayer, he also told us to keep away from anything that may distract the worshipper from his prayer.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had a curtain, which was a thin cover on which there were colourful images and patterns, with which she screened off a part of her house. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to remove this curtain, because he could still notice its images whilst he was praying, and that distracted him from focusing properly on his prayer. In a report narrated by Muslim, ‘A’ishah said: So we cut it up and made one or two pillows out of it, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) could sit on them. The pillows were used in a way that was not honourable, and they were not in a position to be respected.
This hadith indicates that one should keep things that could distract the worshipper away from him.
It indicates that it is not allowed to wear things on which there are images, because as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the curtain on which there were images, it is known that the prohibition on wearing clothes with images on them is more emphatic..

375
It was narrated that ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir said: A kind of silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he put it on and prayed in it. Then when he finished his prayer, he tore it off as if he disliked it and said: “This is not appropriate for the pious.”.

Commentary : Islam forbids men to wear silk, but it permits women to do so. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would apply commands and prohibitions to himself first, then to his family members and other Muslims around him.
In this hadith, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a silk coat was given as a gift to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The giver was Ukaydir, the ruler of Dumat al-Jandal, as is mentioned in another report in Muslim. Ukaydir was a polytheist who became Muslim after that; it was also said that he remained a Christian. The type of silk coat mentioned here had narrow sleeves and a narrow middle, and a slit at the back. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put it on and prayed in it. That was before it was forbidden to wear silk. When he had finished his prayer, he tore it off, because he had received revelation forbidding the wearing of silk, as mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said when he took it off: “Jibril told me not to wear it.” Perhaps this was the beginning of the prohibition. Then he said that it was not appropriate for the obedient slaves of Allah to wear silk. These words of his indicate that that happened before the prohibition came into effect, because the prohibition applies equally to the pious and others..

376
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent of dyed leather, and I saw Bilal take the leftover wudu’ water of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and I saw the people rushing to take that water. Whoever managed to take some of it would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not manage to take some of it would take some of the moisture from the hands of his companions. Then I saw Bilal take a pointed stick and set it in the ground, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out wearing a red hullah (suit), with his calves showing. He led the people in prayer, facing that pointed stick, and I saw people and animals passing on the other side of the stick..

Commentary : Prayer is the connection between a person and his Lord. In prayer, the worshipper stands conversing with his Lord and turning to Him. Islam enjoins being properly focused when praying, and not being distracted, and it sets out guidelines for the worshipper and for those who are not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the worshipper’s focus will not be interrupted by the actions of either of them [those who are praying and those who are not praying].
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a red tent made of dyed leather, and that Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. The people began rushing and racing to take the Prophet’s leftover wudu’ water, seeking blessing (barakah) from his relics. This seeking blessing from relics is something unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); the Sahabah did not seek blessing from anyone else who came after him, such as the awliya’ (close friends of Allah), the righteous, or anyone else. That is because of the blessing and goodness that Allah put in whatever the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) touched. Whoever managed to take any of this water would wipe himself with it, and whoever did not get any of this water would take from the moisture on the hand of his companion that was left from the water with which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’.
Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw Bilal take a pointed stick, that was half the length of a spear or more, and had a point like the point of a spear, and stuck it firmly in the ground, to act as a screen (sutrah) in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the people in prayer, because he was praying in the open. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, wearing a red hullah – the hullah was a suit consisting of two Yemeni garments, an izar and rida’, woven with red and black stripes, or red and green; it could not be called a hullah unless it was a two-peace garment. He prayed facing towards the stick, which he took as a screen (sutrah), and people and animals passed on the other side of the stick. Thus the stick formed a barrier so that people would not pass directly in front of the imam.
The screen (sutrah) may be in the form of a stick and similar things that have height, especially for one who is praying in an open space. As for praying in the mosque or behind a wall or pillar, these things may serve as a screen for the worshipper..

377
It was narrated that Abu Hazim said: They asked Sahl ibn Sa‘d: Of what was the minbar made? He said: There is no one left among the people who has more knowledge of that than me. It was made of tamarisk wood from al-Ghabah; it was made by So-and-so, the freed slave of So-and-so, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood on it when it was made and put in place. He turned to face towards the qiblah and said takbir, and the people stood behind him.  He recited Qur’an, then he bowed and the people bowed. Then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground, then he went back to the minbar, then he bowed, then he raised his head, then he moved backwards and prostrated on the ground. That is what he did..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to give khutbahs (sermons, speeches) on Fridays and on other occasions when speeches were required, standing on a palm trunk in the mosque. That was what he did in the beginning, then he had a minbar made, as that would be more helpful when standing and leaning on it, so that the people could see him more easily.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the minbar of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What was it made of? He said: There is no one left of the people of Madinah who knows more about the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) than me. That is because he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Madinah. He was also the one who went with the young carpenter to bring the wood for the minbar from the trees and tamarisks of al-Ghabah. The tamarisk is a desert tree. Al-Ghabah was a land nine miles – or approximately 14 km – from Madinah. The camels of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed there to graze.
Then Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when the minbar had been made and put in place, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) climbed onto it, then he led the people in prayer from atop the minbar, with the people praying behind him and following him in prayer. When he wanted to prostrate, he moved backwards so that he could prostrate; that was so that he would not turn his back towards the qiblah, and he prostrated on the ground. According to a report narrated in al-Sahihayn: Then he went back. When he had finished the prayer, he turned to face the people and said: O people, I only did that so that you could follow me and learn how to pray. Thus he explained that he had prayed on the minbar so that the people could see how he prayed, and see his movements and how he moved from one posture to another, and thus they could learn from him and learn his Sunnah.
This hadith indicates that the imam may teach the people how to pray when he is in a higher place than those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a small movement does not invalidate the prayer..

378
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse and sustained a cut on his leg – or shoulder – and he swore not to come to his wives for a month. He stayed in a loft that had stairs made of palm trunks, and his companions came to him to visit him as he recovered. He led them in prayer sitting, whilst they were standing, and after he said the taslim, he said: “The imam is only appointed to be followed, so when he says takbir then say takbir; when he bows then bow; when he prostrates then prostrate; and if he prays standing then pray standing.” He came down [from the loft] after twenty-nine days, and they said: O Messenger of Allah, you swore an oath for one month. He said: “This month has twenty-nine days.” .

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the rulings and etiquette of praying in congregation, which include following and emulating the imam and listening attentively to his recitation, whilst remaining focused and keeping the rows orderly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell from his horse, and sustained a cut on his leg. The word translated here as cut refers to a cut or something a little worse. In addition to that, he also suffered some bruising on his limbs, and pain that prevented him from standing in the prayer. The words “or shoulder” refer to uncertainty on the part of the narrator as to whether the injury was to his leg or his shoulder. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sworn an oath to keep away from his wives for a month. In other words, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had vowed not to enter upon his wives for a month, so he stayed in a loft or room above ground level. It was said that the word translated here as loft refers to the upper part of the house, like a room, or that it refers to a storeroom which is like a ceiling for the space underneath it. The stairs by which he climbed up to this room were made from the trunks of palm trees. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to visit him because he was sick, and when the time for prayer came, he led them in prayer whilst he was sitting and they were standing. After he said the taslim [at the end of the prayer], he said to them: “The imam is only appointed to be followed”, that is, to be emulated in his actions and movements, which includes: “when he says takbir then say takbir.” In other words, follow the imam in the takbir and do not precede him. When he bows, follow him in his bowing, and when he prostrates, follow him in his prostration. “And if he prays standing then pray standing.” In al-Sahihayn it says: “And if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you.” So the posture of those who are praying behind an imam must be like the posture of the imam in prayer.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came down from his loft and went back to his wives twenty-nine days after he had sworn his oath. The Sahabah pointed out to him that he had sworn to keep away from them for a month, but he said: “This month has twenty-nine days,” meaning that the month in which they were was only twenty-nine days long, because the sighting of the new moon had been confirmed. Otherwise, the month is thirty days, if the new moon is not sighted.
In this hadith, we see that it was possible for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to fall sick like any other human, without that undermining his position and status; in fact it served to increase him in status.
It indicates that one may visit a person if he sustains a minor injury and the like.
It indicates that the imam may pray sitting if he is not able to stand, and those praying behind him should follow him in that.
In this hadith, the Lawgiver shows the way in which congregational prayer is to be performed, in such a manner as to facilitate proper focus in the prayer and to enable worshippers to pray in an orderly manner.
It also confirms that the month is not always complete [with thirty days]..

379
It was narrated that Maymunah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray when I was nearby and was menstruating, and his garment sometimes touched me when he prostrated. And he used to pray on a small mat..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply to the menstruating woman, but it is not one of them that she should not touch anyone and no one should touch her, as was the practice of the Jews with their women. Islam honours women in all circumstances, and permits others to interact with the menstruating woman, speak to her, eat with her, and so on.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) states that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray when she was near him, and she was menstruating. When he prostrated, his garment would touch her, and he would pray on a small mat made of palm leaves stitched together. It was used to keep the worshipper’s face off the ground.
This hadith was quoted as evidence that the body of the menstruating woman is pure (tahir), and that when a worshipper is praying, if he comes into contact with part of the body (such as the hand or foot) or clothes of another person which are clean and pure, that does not invalidate his prayer, even if the body of the other person is deemed to be ritually impure (whether minor or major impurity). If the worshipper’s garment happens to touch a woman, that does not affect his prayer, even if the woman is menstruating, and being close to a menstruating woman does not invalidate prayer. This is one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for women in all circumstances, and one of the ways in which Islam honours women, especially at the time of menses..

380
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that his grandmother Mulaykah invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him. He ate some of the food, then he said: “Get up and let me lead you in prayer.” Anas said: I got up to fetch a mat of ours that turned black from long use. I sprinkled it with water, then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, the orphan and I stood in one row behind him, and the old woman stood behind us. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in attitude and in raising his companions’ spirits. Every time he visited them, he would teach them some rulings and etiquette, and the Sahabah transmitted his teachings and his Sunnah to the ummah so that they could learn the rulings of Islam from it.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that his grandmother Mulaykah, who was his maternal grandmother, invited the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to a meal that she had made for him, and he accepted her invitation and ate some of that food. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with him) would invite him to their houses, so that he could lead them in prayer and they could receive his blessing. Then after the meal ended, he instructed them to get up and pray so that he could teach them how to pray in a practical manner, or to bless the place for them by praying in it and offering supplication for them. So Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) got up to fetch an old mat that had turned black from long use. He sprinkled it with water, to clean it, soften it and prepare it for people to sit on it, or to remove any uncertainty as to whether it was impure (najis). Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up, and Anas and the orphan – who was Damrah or Dumayrah ibn Sa‘d al-Himyari, or someone else, and he had reached the age of discernment – stood behind him, in one row, and his grandmother Mulaykah stood behind them, because the women stand behind the men and children in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying two rak‘ahs, then he left after he prayed.
This is part of Prophetic etiquette, to make one’s visit brief, to leave after having fulfilled the purpose of one’s visit, and to offer supplication for the people who live there.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for the worshipper to prostrate on a carpet or rug to keep his face from touching the ground directly. .

382
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that she said: I would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and my legs would be in his qiblah. When he prostrated, he would nudge me and I would draw up my legs, and when he stood up, I would stretch them out again. And at that time there were no lamps in our houses..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she would sleep in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and her legs would be in his qiblah; in other words, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray tahajjud on the mat on which his wife was sleeping, and she would be sleeping in front of him whilst he was praying, so she was between him and the qiblah. When he prostrated, he would touch her with his hand to alert her to the fact that he wanted to prostrate, so she would draw up her legs so that he could prostrate. Then when he stood up again, she would stretch her legs out again. At that time there were no lights or lamps in the houses, because they had very little in the way of worldly comforts. This indicates that darkness was the reason why she was in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whilst he was praying.
This hadith indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that a small movement made whilst praying does not invalidate the prayer..

383
It was narrated from ‘Urwah that ‘A’ishah told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat as if on a bier..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray whilst she was between him and the qiblah, lying on the mat – and according to a report in Sahih al-Bukhari: on the mat on which they slept. In other words, she was sleeping in front of him, as if on a bier. Thus she described herself as if in the position of the deceased [during the funeral prayer], because there was nothing to distract the one who was praying.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray on any pure (tahir) surface, whether it is a mat or anything else.
It indicates that a woman does not interrupt or invalidate the prayer of one who is praying in her direction.
It also indicates that it is valid to pray facing towards one who is sleeping..

385
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: We were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and one of us would put the edge of his garment on the place of prostration because of the intense heat..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease which made things easier for people in their lives and their worship; it permits people to use whatever will help them to maintain proper focus and humility in prayer, and will help them to prostrate, especially at times of heat and cold, both of which will affect the head when it touches the ground directly.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would put the edge of their garment in the place of prostration because it was so hot. In other words, one of them would put the edge of his garment under his forehead to protect himself from the scorching heat of the ground which had been heated by the rays of the sun. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of them doing that, and did not tell them not to do it, out of compassion towards them and so as to make things easier for them.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to prostrate on cloth when it is very hot; to that we may add that this is also valid when it is very cold.
It indicates that a small action whilst praying is overlooked, because putting the edge of one’s garment in the place of prostration is an action, but it is small..

386
It was narrated that Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid al-Azdi said: I asked Anas ibn Malik: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in his sandals? He said: Yes..

Commentary : It is permissible to pray wearing sandals, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah, and also to be different from the Jews.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Maslamah Sa‘id ibn Yazid narrates that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), the servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray wearing his sandals on his feet, in any prayer, whether it was supererogatory or obligatory? Anas replied in the affirmative, and said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) indeed did that, and this was a concession to make things easier for the ummah. Moreover, it is narrated in Sunan Abi Dawud from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “Be different from the Jews, for they do not pray in sandals or khuffs.” What appears to be the case is that this is for the purpose of being different from the Jews.
The word translated here as sandals refers to footwear that is worn to protect the feet from the ground when walking. The reports explain that when wearing sandals, it is stipulated that they should be pure (tahir) and free of any impurities (najasah). Whoever finds anything (najasah) on his sandals should rub them with dust, to purify them.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).  .

387
It was narrated that Hammam ibn al-Harith said: I saw Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah urinating, then he did wudu’ and wiped over his khuffs, then he stood up and prayed. He was asked about that, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this. Ibrahim said: They liked that, because Jarir was one of the last to become Muslim..

Commentary : It is permissible to wipe over the khuffs and pray wearing them, so as to make things easier for the Muslim ummah. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Hammam ibn al-Harith narrates that he saw the Sahabi Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) urinating, then he did wudu’ and did not wash his feet; rather he wiped over his khuffs instead. Then he stood up and prayed wearing his khuffs, and did not take them off. He was asked why he had wiped over his khuffs and prayed wearing them, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing something like this; he did no more than wipe over his khuffs, then he prayed wearing them, so I followed his example and emulated his Sunnah. Wiping over the khuffs is a concession that is granted both to the traveller and the one who is not travelling. The maximum time for wiping over the khuffs is three days for one who is travelling, and one day and one night for one who is not travelling. The manner of wiping is to wipe the top of the feet, not the bottom, so long as the individual put his khuffs on when he was in a state of purity, as is the apparent meaning of the reports.
Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i and others among the Tabi‘in liked the hadith of Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah because it indicates that wiping over the khuffs is permitted and that this ruling remains valid and was not abrogated by the verse of wudu’ in Surat al-Ma’idah, which says that it is obligatory to wash the feet. This is the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O you who have believed, when you rise to [perform] prayer, wash your faces and your forearms to the elbows and wipe over your heads and wash your feet to the ankles} [al-Ma’idah 5:6]. That is because Jarir (may Allah be pleased with him) became Muslim after that verse was revealed, as he became Muslim at the end of the Prophet’s life, in the year in which he died, and he saw him wiping over his khuffs. Thus he spoke of what he had seen after the verse of wudu’ had been revealed, so he confirmed that wiping over the khuffs was valid and this ruling remains in effect.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah and Tabi‘in to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

1441
Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came across a woman in the advanced stage of pregnancy at the door of a tent, and he said: "Perhaps he wants to copulate with her." They said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I resolved to curse him with a curse that would enter his grave with him. How would he be his heir while this is not lawful for him?! And how would he employ him while this is not lawful for him?!".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to forbid his Companions from unlawful things and all that Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, prohibited. He would sometimes do so by encouraging them to obtain the reward with Allah Almighty and other times by intimidating them from the penalty and punishment of Allah.
In this Hadīth, Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was on a journey, he passed by a woman in the advanced stage of pregnancy. She was one of the captives and was sitting at the door of a tent. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Perhaps he", meaning her owner and master who obtained her as his share of the captives. "wants to copulate with her" i.e., wants to engage in sexual intercourse with her. However, it is not lawful for the master of a pregnant captive to copulate with her until she gives birth. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that he resolved and intended to supplicate against him to be turned away from Allah's mercy and for that to continue after his death. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intended to curse him because he failed to ascertain the emptiness of her womb, for if he copulates with his captive whom he owns while she is pregnant from someone else, he is thus neglecting to ascertain the emptiness of her womb. However, the cursing did not take place because this man was not aware of the ruling.
His words: "How would he be his heir while this is not lawful for him" means that this slave-girl captive may give birth after six months, and thus, the baby is likely from this captor, and it is likely from someone before him. So, if he is from the captor, then he is his child, and they may inherit from each other; and if he is from someone else, then he and the captor may not inherit from each other, given the lack of blood relationship.
Then, he said: "And how would he employ him," i.e., the child? If he employs him as a slave, it is probable that he came from him, and thus, he will be enslaving his child and cutting off his own lineage, and for this, he will be worthy of cursing. And if he attributes the baby to himself as his child, it is likely that he did not come from him, and thus he will be making him his heir, whereas he is not his heir, and for this, he will be worthy of cursing.
The Hadīth indicates that captivity nullifies previous ownership and dissolves marriage.
It also indicates that when there is a new owner of a female slave, it becomes due to ascertain the emptiness of her womb. So, he may not copulate with her until her womb is verified to be empty of pregnancy.
It also points out that it is forbidden to copulate with a pregnant captive until she gives birth..

1442
Judāmah bint Wahb - sister of ‘Ukkāshah - reported: I was there when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to some people: "I was about to forbid Ghīlah (sexual intercourse during the breastfeeding period), so I considered that the Romans and the Persians do it without any harm done to their children thereby." Then they asked him about coitus interruptus, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the hidden Wa’d (burying a child alive).".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on benefiting the believers and showed sympathy and concern for them. He left nothing that could be of benefit to them without guiding them to it and ordering them to do it. However, he used to correct the lies and suspicions that were spread among people and inherited from the pre-Islamic era of ignorance out of guidance and politeness.
In this Hadīth, the female Companion Judāmah al-Asadiyyah bint Wahb (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she attended with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) an assembly that had some of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was about to," i.e., I was determined to forbid "Ghīlah", which is having intercourse with one's wife during her breastfeeding period, or a woman's conception during the breastfeeding period. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was determined to forbid it because there was a popular belief at that time that it was harmful to the infant. They used to say that if the breastfeeding woman had sexual intercourse with her husband and conceived during her breastfeeding period, her milk would be spoilt and the child would get weak if he fed on it, and the Arabs would hate and avoid him. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw that the Romans and the Persians - two great kingdoms at that time - did this without worrying about it, besides the fact that it did not cause their children any harm; so, he did not forbid it.
Then, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him about the ruling on coitus interruptus, which means removing the man's penis from the woman's vagina before ejaculation and ejaculating outside the vagina to avoid conception. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the hidden Wa’d," considering the coitus interruptus hidden burial of a child alive because it entails wasting the sperm that Allah Almighty has prepared to be a child. So, it resembles killing a child by burying him alive. However, there is no doubt that it is less grave, and this is why he said it is hidden.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to those who asked him about the coitus interruptus: "It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Judgment will be born," i.e., no soul to exist in the knowledge of Allah Almighty except that it will come to exist, whether the coitus interruptus is done or not. Despite the coitus interruptus, there could be a small amount of semen ejaculated which Allah destined to form a child, and on the other hand, there could be normal ejaculation without conception. In short, coitus interruptus or normal ejaculation are equal as both do not lead to having a child except by Allah's decree..

1443
‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d reported: that Usāmah ibn Zayd informed his father Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I practice coitus interruptus with my wife." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Why do you do that?" The man said: "I fear for her child - or for her children." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If this was harmful, it would harm the Persians and the Romans." [In a version]: "If it was for that, then no. This does not harm the Persians or the Romans.".

Commentary : Islam is keen on the safety of Muslims and has guided them to what presents good care of children. This includes the exhortation to provide good suckling.
In this Hadīth, Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I practice coitus interruptus with my wife." 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. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: For what reason do you do this act? The man said: "I fear for her child", who suckles from her. This is because if she gets pregnant, her milk will be spoiled, and the body of the baby will become unsound and weak. Or he meant the famous notion among the Arabs that copulation damages milk and that such milk will be a malady and if the baby drinks it, he will become ill. So, he feared that he would be thin and unwell. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "If this was harmful" - copulation or pregnancy during the period of suckling - "it would harm the Persians and the Romans", for the women of the Persians and the Romans suckle their babies while they are pregnant. So, if pregnancy or copulation during the period of suckling was harmful, it would harm their children. But the reality belies that, as they do not care to avoid this matter and their children are in good condition, and you are like them in this regard..

1451
’Umm al-Fadl reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "One suckling or two or one sucking or two does not make marriage unlawful." [In a version]: (and) instead of (or)..

Commentary : Islam has made suckling a bond like blood relation, and it has established the unlawfulness of marriage by suckling like the unlawfulness of marriage due to blood relations. It has forbidden a man from marrying his sister, mother, maternal aunt, or paternal aunt by suckling, and so on.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs about the amount that does not establish the ruling on suckling that makes marriage unlawful. He says: "One suckling or two or one sucking or two does not make marriage unlawful." This was said in response to someone who asked about one suckling and two. So, he replied that they do not make marriage unlawful, whether this suckling happens before the completion of two years or beyond that. The amount that makes marriage unlawful is five sucklings taken before the completion of two years. In a Hadīth by Muslim, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "In what was sent down in the Qur’an was ten known sucklings that make (marriage) unlawful. Afterwards, they were abrogated by five known ones. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while they were part of what was recited in the Qur’an." And ’Umm Salamah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The only suckling which makes marriage unlawful is what is taken from the breast and enters the bowels and is taken before the time of weaning." Narrated by At-Tirmidhi..

1452
‘Ā’ishah reported: It was revealed in the Qur’an that: ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits (marriage); then it was abrogated and replaced with five times of known (breastfeeding). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while these (words of the abrogating verse) were still being recited as part of the Qur’an..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified for his Ummah all that is lawful and unlawful including the rulings of breastfeeding and the consequent rulings related to lineages.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports the amount that used to establish the ruling of breastfeeding, that makes marriage prohibited at first, whereby the woman becomes prohibited for the man to marry the same, as it is prohibited for him by consanguinity (being descended by the same ancestor). She (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that it was first revealed in the Qur’an that ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits marriage. Then, this number was abrogated, and it became five times of known breastfeeding, i.e., known and satiating during the two years of infancy. In At-Tirmidhi's Collection, ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No prohibition results from breastfeeding, except for what penetrates the intestines from the breast before weaning." So, breastfeeding after two full years does not prohibit anything, as Allah Almighty says: {Mothers may breastfeed their children for two full years, for those who wish to complete the full term of breastfeeding.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 233] Abrogation in the Qur’an has three types: First: What is abrogated in terms of ruling and recitation. Second: That which is abrogated in terms of recitation apart from its ruling. Third: That which is abrogated in terms of ruling apart from its recitation. The first two types of abrogation are found in this Hadīth. (Ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits) was abrogated both in terms of ruling and recitation, whereas the five times of breastfeeding was abrogated in terms of recitation only and its ruling has remained.
The statement of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while these (words of the abrogating verse) were still being recited as part of the Qur’an" meaning: The abrogation by the five times of breastfeeding was revealed at a very late stage to the extent that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while some people were still reciting the part of the five times of breastfeeding as part of the Qur’an because of not being aware of that recent abrogation. Later, when they learned about the abrogation, they stopped reciting it and unanimously agreed that it should not be recited..

1453
Zaynab bint Abi Salamah reported: I heard' Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, say to 'Ā’ishah: By Allah, I do not feel comfortable to be seen by a boy who has passed the age of suckling. She said: Why? Sahlah bint Suhayl came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I see (displeasure) on the face of Abu Hudhayfah because of Sālim entering." She said: Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Suckle him." She said: "He has a beard." He said: "Suckle him, and what is on the face of Abu Hudhayfah will go away." She said: "By Allah, I did not see it on the face of Abu Hudhayfah.".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, Zaynab bint Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that she heard her mother' Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, swearing to 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and saying: "By Allah, I do not feel comfortable" i.e., I do not like it; "to be seen by a boy" from non-Mahram (unrelated) males "who has passed the age of suckling" i.e., he is no longer in need of suckling. Thereupon, ‘Ā’ishah said to ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with both of them): "Why?" i.e., why are you saying this, whereas there is nothing wrong with that if you suckle him or he is suckled by someone who makes him a Mahram (related and non-marriageable) to you? This is evidenced by the fact that "Sahlah bint Suhayl", the wife of Abu Hudhayfah, came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and swore to him that she would see dislike on the face of Abu Hudhayfah because of their foster son Sālim continuing to enter the house as he would usually do when he was young, and he now reached adulthood - particularly after verses had been revealed prohibiting adoption. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him" to be your son by suckling. She said to him: "He has a beard" for he is an adult man. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him and what is on the face of Abu Hudhayfah will go away" i.e., the sign of dislike will vanish from him. Sahlah did so and then she swore that she did not find the sign of dislike on the face of Abu Hudhayfah after she had suckled him.
This Hadīth is problematic in terms of explaining it and deriving rulings therefrom, and difference of opinion actually arose over it among the Prophet's wives. ’Umm Salamah and some of the Prophet's wives believed that this was a dispensation from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to the wife of Abu Hudhayfah alone, and they held that there should be no suckling for adults and that the suckling that makes a person a Mahram is the one provided in young age and which grows the bones and builds the body and flesh.
As for ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she - as reported here - held that suckling causes prohibition of the same things made prohibited by blood relations, whether the suckled one is a child or an adult. She cited as evidence the story of Sālim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and that the ruling is not exclusively restricted to them.
What appears to be right - and Allah knows best - is that suckling of adults does not count, has no effect, and causes no prohibition, and that true suckling is that which occurs during babyhood; and what happened in the story of Sālim is particularly restricted to him and does not apply to anyone other than him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed that not every suckling causes prohibition. In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, he said: "Indeed, suckling is from hunger" i.e., the suckling that counts is the one that occurs at the time when milk is relied upon for food and in the amounts that affect the growth of the baby's body.
The Hadīth points out that suckling causes prohibition of the same things made prohibited by blood relations.
It demonstrates that there is a difference of opinion regarding the suckling of adults and its resultant effects..

1454
Zaynab bint Abi Salamah reported that her mother ’Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, reported: The other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone privately enter their houses by such suckling. They said to ‘Ā’ishah: "By Allah, we do not see this except as a dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim in particular. No one would enter our houses or see us by such suckling.".

Commentary : The Hadīth addresses an incident that took place during the Prophet's lifetime, namely suckling an adult, which means suckling a person after the age of two years and the time of weaning, and beyond, so that he can be Mahram - like suckling in the age of suckling. ’Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, informs that all the wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone privately enter their houses by such suckling that is given to a person after the age of weaning, for they were commanded to observe Hijab. An exception was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who held the view that such suckling makes marriage unlawful like suckling during babyhood. They swore to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "By Allah, we do not see this except as a dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim", the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), "in particular"; not generally for everyone. Therefore, we will not let anyone enter our houses or see us by such suckling.
The dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim in particular is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim in his Sahīh Collection, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: that Sālim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, was with Abu Hudhayfah and his family in their house. His wife Sahlah the daughter of Suhayl came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Sālim has reached the age of manhood and understands what men understand. He enters our house, and I think that Abu Hudhayfah is not comfortable with that." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him and what Abu Hudhayfah feels will go away." She returned and said: "Indeed, I suckled him, and what Abu Hudhayfah felt went away."
It is reported in a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) would ask the daughters of her sisters and brothers to suckle whomever she liked to enter her house - even if he was an adult - five times, and then he would enter her house. However, ’Umm Salamah and the other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone enter their houses by such suckling unless the suckling occurred in the cradle. Hence, the statements and attitudes of other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) constituted evidence that the suckling of an adult does not count, has no weight, and does not establish the unlawfulness of marriage; and that true suckling happens in babyhood, and what happened in the story of Sālim is an exceptional peculiarity that was limited to him and does not apply to anyone else. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized that not every suckling makes marriage unlawful. In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, he said: "Indeed, suckling is from hunger" i.e., the suckling that counts is the one that occurs at the time when milk is relied upon for food and in the amounts that affect the growth of the baby's body..

1456
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: that at the battle of Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army to Awtās. They encountered an enemy, fought, attained victory over them, and took female captives from them. Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them) seemed to have refrained from having intercourse with them, as they had husbands among the polytheists. So, Allah Almighty revealed in this regard: {Also [prohibited are] married women except for female slaves you may own} [Surat an-Nisā': 24], i.e., they are lawful for you when their waiting periods come to an end..

Commentary : The Shariah regulated the religious rulings regarding times of peace and war. Since war results in captives from the men of the enemy and their women, the Qur’an and the Sunnah clarified the rulings concerning them. It prohibited copulation with pregnant and married female captives until they gave birth or until non-pregnant captives were verified to be non-pregnant by having menses.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that during the battle of Hunayn - which took place in the eighth Hijri year, after the Conquest of Makkah, between the Muslims and the people of Tā’if among the two tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf, in a valley called Hunayn, which is situated between Makkah and Tā’if; as the disbelievers had gone out with their property, women, and children; and after Hawāzin and Thaqīf were defeated and Allah granted victory to His Prophet and the Muslims, the fleeing disbelievers withdrew to the valley of Awtās, which is close to Hunayn - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army to them, and they encountered an enemy from the disbelievers, whom they fought, overcame, and defeated. Among their spoils were captives from the polytheist women. Some of the Prophet's Companions refrained - out of fear of committing a sin - from having intercourse with them because they were married women, and a married woman is not lawful for anyone other than her husband. So, they thought that their marriage to their husbands was not severed. Therefore, Allah Almighty revealed verses demonstrating the ruling on copulation with those they refrained from: {Also [prohibited are] married women except for female slaves you may own.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 24] i.e., prohibited for you is marrying married women, except for the women you possess by taking them into captivity, as their marriage to their disbelieving husbands is dissolved. They become lawful for you after their wombs are verified to be empty of the semen of the disbelieving husbands, either by childbirth, in case the woman is pregnant, or by one menstrual period, if she is not pregnant.
The Hadīth indicates that the marriage of polytheists is dissolved if their wives are taken captive, as they go into the ownership of their captors.
It shows how a person should pause, search, and ask about any matter when he is not certain of the reason behind it and its ruling. This is the attitude of anyone who fears Allah Almighty..

1460
‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah and she stayed with him and it was the morning, he said to her: "You are not humbled in the estimation of your husband. If you wish, I will stay with you for seven nights; and if you wish, I will stay with you for three nights, and then visit the others in turn." She said: "Stay for three nights.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was both fair and merciful in dealing with his wives. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān relates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married' Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi' Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) after her husband Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) had died, he stayed in her house for three nights, which was his Sunnah in case the woman was previously married; then when he wanted to leave her house and go to the others, he noticed that she considered the three nights to be little. So, he said to her: "You are not humbled in the estimation of your husband" i.e., you will not be underestimated and your right will not be lost at all. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her the choice, saying: If you wish, I will stay with you for seven nights" - and stay with other wives of mine for the same period - "and if you wish, I will stay with you for three nights, and then visit the others in turn." i.e., if you are content with these three nights, I will go to my wives in turn, one night at a time, till I come back to you. She said: "Stay for three nights" i.e., I am content with the three nights, to avoid his long absence from her..

1460
‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married Umm Salamah, he entered upon her, and when he wanted to leave, she took hold of his garment. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you wish, I can stay longer with you and count it for you; a virgin is entitled to seven, whereas a previously married woman is entitled to three..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set the greatest example in fulfilling justice between his wives and putting the family relations in order in case of polygamy.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi ’Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) after the death of her husband, Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), he entered upon her and consummated the marriage with her. After spending three days with her, he wanted to leave her house for the house of another one of his wives; however, she took hold of his garment so he would stay with her. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) what she was entitled to regarding his overnight stay with her, saying: "If you wish" to have more than three days "I can stay longer with you and count it for you," i.e., calculate for you the total time of my stay with you because of this extra time. In other words: I extend my stay and the rest of my wives become entitled to the same number of days. Then, he informed her that a virgin wife - who had not been previously married - was entitled to seven nights than his other wives if he had sexual intercourse with her; whereas the Thayyib - who had been previously married - was entitled to three days.
In another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah and she stayed with him (during the night), he said to her: "Indeed, you are not inferior in the sight of your family," i.e., you will not be underestimated, and none of your right will be lost; rather, you will take it in full. He then gave her the choice to stay for three days with her without having to make up for them or to stay for seven days with her and make it up for the rest of his wives. The three have the privilege of not having to make up for them, while the seven have the privilege of being successive and fulfilling perfect intimacy. ' Umm Salamah said: "Stay three," so she chose the three because they were not to be made up for, and he would, thus, return to her sooner since he would spend the night with them in turn then come to her. However, if she had chosen seven, he would not return to her except after making it up (days) for his other wives, and he would, thus, be far from her for a long time.
The virgin is exclusively granted seven days given her shyness, which requires extra time, patience, sensibleness, and gentleness, besides the fact that one feels inclined to stay longer with her so that he can stay with her for up to seven days in a row. On the other hand, the previously married woman had already experienced marriage, and her need for intimacy is lesser, besides the fact that one is less attached to her than to the virgin. However, given that she is not familiar yet with the company, she is honored by extending the stay, which is three. After that, he has to start dividing his time, whether he has one, two, or three wives before her.
The Hadīth indicates the recommendation of showing kindness to one's family, children, and others..

1462
Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had nine wives. Giving them an equal share of his time meant he would not return to the first woman except on the ninth day. So, they used to gather every night at the house of the one to whom he would come. He was at 'Ā’ishah's house. When Zaynab came, he stretched his hand towards her, thereupon, she said: This is Zaynab. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) withdrew his hand. There was an altercation between the two until their voices became loud. Iqāmah (second call for prayer) was pronounced for prayer and it happened that Abu Bakr was passing by and he heard their voices. He said: O Messenger of Allah, come for prayer and throw dust in their mouths. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out and ‘Ā’ishah said: Now the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will finish his prayer, and Abu Bakr will come and do such-and-such to me. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, Abu Bakr came to her and spoke to her in harsh words and said: Is this how you behave?!.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on reporting all the Prophet's acts, even what used to happen inside the house of his everyday life affairs. The purpose was to know how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to deal with various situations in life to follow his example.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had nine wives. When giving each wife her share and turn on her day and night, he would not return to the wife who took the first turn in his overnight stay except after nine nights, given that he used to stay a day and a night with each of them. It was the habit of the Prophet's wives to gather every night at the house of the one with whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stay to enjoy his company and be close to him, then, each would go to her room.
One time, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was at ‘Ā’ishah's house, on her day and night, and his wives gathered there as usual. When his wife Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) came, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stretched his hand to her by way of fondling. It is said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought it was ‘Ā’ishah because it was night and it was her night and turn. So, ‘Ā’ishah said: "This" towards whom you stretched your hand is "Zaynab", as if ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) criticized the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for fondling someone other than her since it was her night and her turn in her share of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not stretch his hand towards Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) and stopped. Thereupon, Zaynab and 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) altercated, disagreed, and argued due to jealousy "until their voices became loud," i.e., they were making immense noise.
Meanwhile, the time for prayer was due, and the Iqāmah was pronounced, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by while they were in such a state of arguing noisily and loudly. So, he heard the voice of ‘Ā’ishah and Zaynab disputing. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, come out for prayer" and throw dust in their mouths, which is an indirect reference to rebuking and putting an end to their dispute and loud voices. "Hathyah": the amount that fills both hands.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to those who were with her, after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had left with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): "Now the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will finish his prayer, and Abu Bakr will come and do such-and-such to me," i.e. when Abu Bakr finishes his prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he will come to me and rebuke and scold me severely for what I did, as a father would typically discipline his daughter.
‘Ā’ishah's fears came true, as when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to her, blamed her, rebuked her, and scolded her severely for raising her voice in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Bakr said to ‘Ā’ishah: "Is this how you behave?!" He was blaming her for her dispute with Zaynab in the Prophet's presence.
The Hadīth clarifies the Prophet's fulfillment of justice between his wives and his kindness and courteousness with them.
It signifies how a husband should give each of his wives an equal share of his time.
It also highlights the virtue of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) for showing compassion towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Moreover, it shows that the less qualified person could call the attention of the more qualified one to what is good for him..

1463
‘Ā’ishah reported: I never saw a woman I would like to be in whose Mislākh (skin) more than Sawdah bint Zam‘ah. She was a woman characterized by sharpness. As she became old, she gave her day with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ‘Ā’ishah. She said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have granted my day with you to ‘Ā’ishah." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allocated two days to ‘Ā’ishah; her own day and that of Sawdah..

Commentary : The Mother of the Believers Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was one of the ascetic and devout worshippers. The Prophet's wives acknowledged each other's merits and were quite aware of what distinguished each one of them from the others.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she never wished or liked to be like any of the Prophet's wives or in her place except for Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, as she wished and loved to be like her in worship and obedience, and in her manner and conduct. "Mislākh": skin, and it means: that I become her in terms of the qualities that she admired about her. Her saying: "She was a woman characterized by sharpness" is a way of describing Sawdah, not criticizing her. She meant by that to highlight her strength and solidity in challenging situations. When Sawdah grew old, she granted her day with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ‘Ā’ishah. Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) did this out of her sagacity, as she gave her day to the woman who loved the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) most. So, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had two days with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): her day and Sawdah's day. This does not mean that they were two days in a row; rather, what is meant is clarifying the number of ‘Ā’ishah's days with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in each of his rounds with his wives (may Allah be pleased with them).
The Hadīth points out that Ghibtah (envy free from malice) is in goodness, and it means one's wish to be like another in his praiseworthy qualities.
It also clarifies how the Prophet's wives loved him and sought to please him, and it guides the wives to seek to please her husband by doing what he likes..

1467
Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This world is an enjoyment, and the best of its enjoyments is a righteous woman.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided men and youth to choose the righteous woman for marriage because she is one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon man in this world.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that "the world is a Matā‘," and Matā‘ is what one benefits from and enjoys, and the best worldly enjoyment for man is the religious wife, who gladdens him by looking at her and by her obedience. She is chaste, guarding herself in his absence, and she is honest, protecting his wealth. This is the essence of the righteous woman; she is righteous in her religion and herself and a reformer of her husband's conditions.
Here, he mentioned the woman in specific terms, and qualified her with righteousness to make it known that she is deemed the evilest worldly enjoyment if she does not have such a characteristic. This is because if righteousness does not prevent her from evil, she becomes evil itself. In this case, she does not push her husband or urge him except towards evil, and the least she can do is to make him crave this world until he puts himself into destruction therein..

1468
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, if he witnesses something, let him speak good or remain silent. And take care of women, for the woman was created from a rib and the most crooked part of the rib is its top. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it; and if you leave it, it will remain crooked. So, take good care of women..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advises us to adopt manners and morals that enhance familiarity and love between Muslims.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that "whoever believes in Allah" Who created him perfectly, in terms of belief and acts, by testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and by adhering to the pillars of faith and its characteristics as a whole including words and deeds;
and believes in "the Last Day," which is the Day of Judgment to which he will return and where he will receive recompense for his deeds, and here, belief in Allah and the Last Day were mentioned in particular, among all other things that one should believe in; in reference to the beginning and the end of all things, i.e., if he believes in Allah Who created him and that He will recompense him on the Day of Judgment for his good and evil deeds, then, let him speak good or remain silent. This wording is meant to encourage and promote adherence to the command or the prohibition mentioned in the Hadīth. "If he witnesses something" in general, whether between two, a group, or the like, and there is a need for him to speak about it, then let him consider it carefully; if there is goodness in his words, then he should speak, or else he should keep silent.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to advise men to treat their wives kindly in compliance with the commands of Islam. Given the fact that women are originally created with crookedness, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) drew attention to that saying: "Take care of women" with the following addition in Al-Bukhāri version: "good care", i.e., advise each other to treat them kindly. "For the woman was created from a rib," which is one of the chest bones. In other words, there is crookedness in their original creation. "And the most crooked part of the rib is its top", this description is meant as an exaggeration in describing such crookedness and to emphasize the probability of breaking because the difficulty of straightening the top is apparent. It is said: Perhaps this is meant to refer to the woman's upper part that has her head and tongue, from where the crookedness springs. It is also said: That the form of "A‘waj" (crooked) here is meant as a description not to indicate preference, as colors and defects do not have forms indicating preference. If you try to straighten the rib and make it straight, it will break. Similarly, if you want a woman to be perfectly straight in morals, this will lead to breaking her, which is divorcing her. as mentioned in Muslim's version. "And if you leave it, it will remain crooked" as it was originally created, so it is impossible to straighten it. This is set as an example of the crookedness in women's morals; if sought to be upright, this could lead to divorce. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, take good care of women," i.e.; there is no way except enduring this crookedness patiently. Hence, this should be tolerated with patience, and women should be treated benevolently and kindly.
Or it could be referring to gentle redress; refraining from exaggeration that leads to breaking and from negligence that leads to persistence in crookedness. To sum up, he should not neglect her crookedness if she exceeds her natural deficiency level by committing sins or abandoning duties; however, what is meant is that he should neglect her crookedness regarding what is permissible.
The Hadīth implies guidance to maintaining one's tongue and protecting it from idle talk.
It also sheds light on the importance of appeasement in attracting souls and winning hearts.
Moreover, it shows how women could be handled through pardon and patience with their crookedness..

1469
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let not a believing man hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another - Or he said: another one.".

Commentary : Faith calls to noble morals. Thus, no believing man or woman is free from good manners, as faith requires the existence of praiseworthy qualities in them.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Let not a believing man Yafrak a believing woman," and "fark" means hatred and dislike. The "believing man" and the "believing woman" here refer to the husband and wife. It was said: This is a form of negation that denotes prohibition, i.e., she must not be totally hated. It was also said: It is a prohibition, i.e., the husband must not absolutely hate his wife in such a way that leads to oppressing, abandoning, and turning away from her. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained this by saying that if the husband hates a bad quality in her, he will find another quality that pleases him. She could be rude but at the same time religious, pretty, chaste, or kind to him, or the like. So, he approves of this good quality that suits him and, thus, faces what he dislikes about her with what he likes about her. In this way, what he likes of her good qualities will help him patiently endure what he dislikes of her bad qualities. So, he forgives the bad for the sake of the good and overlooks what he dislikes for the sake of what he likes. And in this way, he will not absolutely hate her to the extent that he breaks up with her.
The Hadīth encourages good treatment and companionship..