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Hadith
494
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out on the day of Eid, he would instruct that a spear should be set up in front of him, and he would pray facing it with the people behind him. He also used to do that when travelling, and afterwards the leaders adopted that practice..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have something as a sutrah (screen) in front of him, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah for himself, then he is a sutrah for the people praying behind him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the sutrah used by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in prayer. He tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out for the Eid prayer – and he used to offer the Eid prayer in a wide open space called the musalla, not in the mosque – he would instruct his servant to bring a spear – the Arabic word refers to a spear with a broad head – which he would bring out on Eid and other occasions, then it would be stuck into the ground like a column in front of him. Then he would pray facing towards it, with the people behind him. He would also do that when travelling; he would instruct that the spear be brought out and placed in front of him, and he would pray facing towards it. That was not limited to the day of Eid only.
Then Nafi‘ – who narrated the hadith from Ibn ‘Umar – stated that because of the Prophet’s action, leaders would also use a spear in this manner, following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
What is meant is that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on open land, he would pray facing towards the spear. He would set it up in front of him, then pray facing towards it. He did that on the two Eids, because he used to offer those prayers in the open, where there was no structure or sutrah. He also used to do that when travelling, because travellers do not usually find a wall to use as a sutrah, and in most cases the traveller prays in open land..

495
It was narrated that ‘Awn ibn Abi Juhayfah said: I heard my father [say] that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying Zuhr with two rak‘ahs and ‘Asr with two rak‘ahs in al-Bat-ha’, with a short spear in front of him, and women and donkeys were passing in front of him..

Commentary : Having a sutrah (screen) in front of the worshipper whilst praying is the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey, and they were with him. He prayed in al-Bat-ha’, which is a place outside Makkah. It is a broad watercourse in which small pebbles collect that are brought by the floodwaters. He led them in praying Zuhr and ‘Asr in shortened form, with two rak‘ahs each, and a short spear was placed in front of him to serve as a sutrah. Hence women and donkeys passed in front of him beyond the sutrah, but they did not interrupt his prayer.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to shorten prayers when travelling..

496
It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: Between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed and the wall there was enough room for a sheep to pass..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him, especially in open spaces, so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
This hadith explains that it is Sunnah for the worshipper to stand close to his sutrah, as Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, leaving a small space between the place where he prostrated and the wall, enough room for a sheep to pass. This indicates that he would be so close to the wall that no human could pass in front of him whilst he was praying, so he would be able to push back anyone who tried to pass in front of him. Abu Dawood narrated from Sahl ibn Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you prays facing towards a sutrah, let him stand close to it, so that the Shaytaan will not interrupt his prayer.”.

497
It was narrated that Salamah said: The wall of the mosque by the minbar was so close that a sheep could hardly pass through..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him, especially in open spaces, so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
This hadith explains that it is Sunnah for the worshipper to stand close to his sutrah. In it, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that between the wall of the Prophet’s Mosque and the minbar there was a small gap, such that a sheep could hardly pass through it, which is a small space. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be open) used to stand next to the minbar to lead the prayers, and his mosque had no mihrab, so between him and the wall was a space like that between the minbar and the wall. This indicates that he used to stand close to the wall which was his sutrah, so that no one could pass in front of him when he was praying, and so that he would be able to push back anyone who tried to pass in front of him. Abu Dawud narrated from Sahl ibn Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you prays facing towards a sutrah, let him stand close to it, so that the Shaytaan will not interrupt his prayer.”.

500
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself, I and another boy would follow him, carrying an iron-tipped stick or a stick or a short spear, and bringing a vessel of water. When he had finished, we would pass the vessel of water to him..

Commentary : Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) began to serve the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was ten years old, and continued to serve the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until Allah took his soul in death, when Anas was twenty years old. In this hadith, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself, meaning to urinate or defecate, he would follow him, accompanied by another servant who was younger than him, as is mentioned in the report of Abu Dawud. They would carry with them an iron-tipped stick, which was a stick with something like an arrowhead, or an ordinary stick, or a short spear. They would also bring a leather vessel filled with water. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had finished relieving himself, one of them would give the vessel to him, and he would clean himself with the water, as mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim, or he would clean himself with pebbles and do wudu’ with the water. He would loosen the hard soil with the short spear or stick when he relieved himself, so as to prevent the urine splashing back.
It was said that he took the short spear to use it as a sutrah and as a sign to people of the place where he was praying, so that they would not interrupt his prayer by walking in front of him. It was also said that the reason for carrying the spear and the water was that the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was committed to being in a state of purity most of the time, and when he did wudu’, he would pray whenever it was possible after doing wudu’. And it was said that he used to carry the stick or the spear to ward off any vermin of the earth that he might come across, because he used to go far away to relieve himself..

501
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out at midday, and prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr in al-Bat-ha’ with two rak‘ahs each. He set up a small spear in front of him and did wudu’, and the people began to wipe themselves with his leftover wudu’ water..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to narrate the smallest details that happened with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or in his presence, including words, deeds and things that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of, conveying that to the ummah and teaching them.
This text is a small part of a hadith in which Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to them at midday [haajirah], which is the middle of the day when it is very hot. It is called haajirah because at that time people abandon [yahjurun] walking. He prayed in Bat-ha’ Makkah, which is also called al-Abtah; it is a place with small pebbles which was originally the watercourse of the wadi of Makkah. It lies south of the Haram, in front of Jabal Thawr. He prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr, shortening the prayers and putting them together, praying each of them with two rak‘ahs. Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he placed a short spear in front of him – according to a report narrated by Muslim, he saw Bilal take a short spear with a sharp point and stick it in the ground to serve as a sutrah towards which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
Then he narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, and the people began to wipe themselves with his leftover wudu’ water or, it was said, the water that dripped from his limbs when he did wudu’. A report narrated by Muslim explains that Bilal took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’, and the people began racing one another to take the leftover wudu’ water of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), seeking blessing (barakah) from it. This seeking of blessings from relics is only for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); they did not seek blessing from anyone else 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 instilled in whatever he touched.
This hadith highlights how greatly the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) venerated the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), in ways that did not take them to the point of associating anyone else with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

502
It was narrated that Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd said: I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ and he would pray at the pillar where the Mus-haf is. I said: O Abu Muslim, I see you are very keen to pray at this pillar. He said: I saw that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen to pray at this spot..

Commentary : The Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the Sunnah and teachings of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to follow in his footsteps.
In this hadith, the Taabi‘i Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd narrates that he used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and Salamah used to pray at the pillar where the Mus-haf was. That was the Mus-haf of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him). This indicates that there was a special place for the Mus-haf. It was also said that what appears to be the case is that this pillar was one of the pillars of the old mosque, which is called ar-Rawdah. In ar-Rawdah there were two pillars facing each of which it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. The first is called the “perfumed pillar” (al-ustuwanah al-mukhallaqah), which is also known as the pillar of the Muhajirin; it is in the middle of ar-Rawdah. The second is the “pillar of repentance” (ustuwanah al-tawbah) and it is the pillar to which Abu Lubabah tied himself until Allah accepted his repentance.
Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd asked Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ why he sought to pray at this pillar, and Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he saw that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to pray at that spot, so he was following in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In a report narrated by Ibn Majah, it clearly states that this prayer was a voluntary prayer.
This hadith indicates that there is nothing wrong with always praying in a particular place in the mosque, in the case of voluntary prayers.

503
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I saw the senior companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rushing to reach the pillars at the time of Maghrib. Shu‘bah added, from ‘Amr, from Anas: until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the prayer and its times, and the Sunnah prayers to be offered before and after the obligatory prayers, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They were keen to do supererogatory deeds and Sunnah actions in general in the best manner and at the correct times.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the senior companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) hastening towards the pillars after the adhan of Maghrib. In other words, they would race one another to those spots, so that the pillars might be sutrahs for them whilst they prayed two rak‘ahs before Maghrib prayer. Their aim in racing to the pillars was so that they might use them as sutrahs to screen them from anyone who walked in front of them, because they were praying individually, praying two rak‘ahs until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out of his apartment. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of this action of theirs, as he saw them and did not tell them not to do that. According to a report narrated by an-Nasa’i: There was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah; in other words, there was not a long time between them. It is as if they were hastening to pray the two rak‘ahs because the time between the adhan and iqamah was so short.
This hadith indicates that the worshipper may use a pillar in the mosque as a sutrah.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to offer a nafil prayer before Maghrib..

505
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba, along with Usamah ibn Zayd, Bilal and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi, and closed the door, and stayed inside (for a while). I asked Bilaal when he came out: What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do? He said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – and at that time the House was built on six pillars – then he prayed. Isma‘il said to us: Malik told me: and he said: Two pillars on his right..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in high esteem by the Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered it in the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Mecca in the year of the conquest, 8 AH, he entered the Kaaba, and Usamah ibn Zayd, Bilal and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi entered with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered it, he closed the door, lest the people crowd around him and be harmed as a result of pushing and shoving. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed inside the House for a while, then they all came out.
Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do inside the Kaaba? Bilal said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him. At that time, the House was built on six pillars, which were in two rows, with three pillars in each row. Then he prayed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood with the three pillars that are nearest to the door of the House behind him, and he went forward to the front pillars, and prayed in between two of them.
This hadith indicates that the Kaaba had a door that could be opened and closed, which remained the case during the Jahiliyyah and after Islam came. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left it as it was, without changing anything, and he gave the key of the Kaaba to ‘Uthman ibn Talhah, to remain in his custody as it had been before. Closing the door does not prevent people from achieving the same purpose of worshipping Allah around it. All mosques are only built for the purpose of worshipping Allah, so closing them unnecessarily prevents the fulfilment of the purpose for which they were built. However, in the case of the Kaaba, worship is done around it, not inside it. The most specific act of worship that is connected to the Kaaba is tawaf (circumambulation), which is only done around it. After that comes prayer, which is only done facing towards it.
This hadith may be reconciled with the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says: “[The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the Kaaba and said takbir throughout its interior, and he did not pray in it” – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he attributed his negation on one occasion to Usamah and on another occasion to his brother al-Fadl. It was said: It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba on two occasions, on one of which he prayed and on the other occasion he did not pray.
This hadith indicates that it is acceptable to pray inside the Kaaba.
It also indicates that the one who does not know may ask one who has knowledge..

506
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar entered the Kaaba, he would walk forward when he entered, standing with the door behind him. He would walk until there was between him and the wall in front of him approximately three cubits, and he would pray in the place where he thought Bilal had told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. He said: There is nothing wrong with any of us praying in any place in the House..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were known for being very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this report, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the Kaaba, he would seek out the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed). So he would stand with the door behind him, and walk forward until between him and the wall in front of him there was no more than approximately three cubits, intending thereby to pray where Bilal had told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari describes the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal: What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do inside the Kaaba? He said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – and at that time the House was built on six pillars – then he prayed.
Then Ibn ‘Umar said: There is no blame on anyone if he prays in any place in the House he wishes. What is meant is that in order for prayer inside the Sacred House to be valid, it is not stipulated that it should be offered in the same place as that in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, although that is better, even though the purpose may be achieved by praying elsewhere.
This hadith may be reconciled with the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says: “[The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the Kaaba and said takbir throughout its interior, and he did not pray in it” – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he attributed his negation on one occasion to Usamah and on another occasion to his brother al-Fadl. It was said: It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba on two occasions, on one of which he prayed and on the other occasion he did not pray.
This hadith indicates that the Kaaba has a door, and that it may be opened and closed according to what the situation requires.
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray inside the Kaaba..

507
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made his mount kneel, then he prayed facing towards its side. I said: What if the mount would not sit still? He said: He would take this saddle and adjust it, then pray facing towards the back of the saddle. And Ibn ‘Umar used to do that..

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that both for the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to stand with his mount – meaning the camel that he used to ride – in front of him, perpendicular to it, and he would use it as a sutrah (screen), facing towards it. It was said to Nafi‘ – who was the one who narrated the report from Ibn ‘Umar: What if the mount would not sit still? In other words, what if the camel jumped up and distracted the worshipper because it did not stay still – what should he do? Nafi‘ said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would take the saddle, which was something that would be tied to the camel’s back to give the rider a place to sit, so that if the camel jumped up and he could not pray facing towards it – he would take the saddle as a sutrah instead of the mount, and he would pray facing towards the back of the saddle.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to use an animal as a sutrah when praying.
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray near a camel; this is a different matter to praying in camel pens, as there are sahih hadiths which prohibit doing that..

509
It was narrated that Abu Salih as-Samman said: I saw Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri on a Friday, praying towards something that screened him from the people. A young man from the tribe of Banu Abi Mu‘ayt wanted to pass directly in front of him, so Abu Sa‘id pushed him in the chest. The young man looked, but he could not find any other way to pass except by walking directly in front of him, so he tried again, and Abu Sa‘id pushed him back harder than he had the first time. The young man insulted Abu Sa‘id, then he went to Marwan and complained to him about what Abu Sa‘id had done to him. Then Abu Sa‘id came in after him to see Marwan, who said: What is the matter between you and your brother’s son, O Abu Sa‘id? He said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “If one of you prays facing towards something, using it to screen him from the people, and someone wants to pass directly in front of him, let him push him back, and if he insists, then let him fight him, for he is no more than a devil.”.

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that for both the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Salih as-Samman narrates that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) was praying one Friday facing towards a sutrah that screened him from passersby, when a young man from the tribe of Banu Abu Mu‘ayt wanted to pass directly in front of him, between him and his sutrah, whilst he was praying. Abu Sa‘id put a hand on his chest to push him back and prevent him from passing directly in front of him, but this young man could not find any other way through which he could go, except this way that was directly in front of Abu Sa‘id. So he tried again to pass in front of him, and Abu Sa‘id pushed him back, harder than he had the first time. That young man got angry with Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) , and he insulted and reviled him, then the young man went to Marwan ibn al-Hakam al-Umawi, who was the governor of Madinah at that time, and complained to him about what had happened between him and Abu Sa‘id, and how the latter had pushed him in the chest and hurt him. Abu Sa‘id came to Marwan after him, and Marwan said to Abu Sa‘id: What is the matter between you and your brother’s son? – meaning, the son of your brother in Islam – What happened between you and him? Why did you treat him in this harsh manner? Abu Sa‘id replied that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: When one of you prays facing towards something to screen him, such as a wall and the like, and someone wants to pass directly in front of him, let him push him back, and if he refuses and insists, then let him fight him – in other words, it is Islamically prescribed to push him back and prevent him from passing in front of him. So the worshipper should push him back gently, then if he does not stop, he may push him more forcefully, and so on. That does not mean fighting in a real sense. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that the one who wants to pass in front of the worshipper is no more than a human devil, for his action is a devilish act. It is only attributed to the Shaytan because interrupting and invalidating acts of worship is something that the Shaytan does.
The hadith indicates that it is enjoined to place a sutrah or barrier in front of the worshipper, to prevent anyone from passing directly in front of him.
It also indicates that the worshipper may push back the one who wants to pass between him and his sutrah, even if there are crowds of people and there is no other way for the person to pass except by passing directly in front of him.
And it indicates that the one who wants to pass in front of one who is praying is like a devil..

510
41-TRIAL-It was narrated from Busr ibn Sa‘id that Zayd ibn Khaalid sent him to Abu Juhaym to ask him what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah the upon him) about the one who passes directly in front of one who is praying? Abu Juhaym said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If the one who walks directly in front of one who is praying knew what he incurs [of sin], standing and waiting for forty would be better for him than passing directly in front of him.” Abu’n-Nadr said: I do not know whether he said forty days or months or years. 167.

Commentary : 34-TRIAL-Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that for both the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Busr ibn Sa‘id narrates that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) sent him to Abu Juhaym (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the hadith of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning the one who passes directly in front of one who is praying. Abu Juhaym stated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warning about the seriousness of passing in front of one who is praying, and that if the one who has the audacity to deliberately walk in front of one who is praying knew about what results from that of severe punishment, he would choose to wait for forty, for that would be better for him than passing directly in front of the worshipper.
Abu’n-Nadr Salim ibn Abi Umayyah, the one who narrated the hadith from Busr, said: I do not know whether he said forty days, or months, or years. According to a report narrated by Ibn Majah: I do not know whether it is forty years or months or days or hours. According to a report narrated by al-Bazzar: Forty years. All of these imply a great amount of sin if one passes directly in front of one who is praying, and that it is more appropriate and preferable to wait until he finishes his prayer, and then pass in front of him, or look for another way.
This hadith contains an emphatic prohibition and stern warning against passing directly in front of one who is praying, and indicates that it is a major sin, because of this warning of what results from that.
It is also refers to the command to have a sutrah or barrier in front of the worshipper, to prevent people from passing directly in front of him. 100.

511
It was narrated from Masruq, from ‘A’ishah, that mention was made in her presence of that which interrupts the prayer. They said: It is interrupted by a dog, a donkey or a woman. She said: You are regarding us (women) as dogs! I would see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying whilst I was between him and the qiblah, lying on the bed. I would need to get up for some reason, and I did not like to face towards him, so I would slip away discreetly..

Commentary : Prayer is a spiritual act of worship in which a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified), so he should take measures to attain proper focus and humility (khushu‘) and not be distracted whilst praying. The worshipper is instructed to have a sutrah (screen) in front of him whilst praying, so that nothing will pass in front of him that could interrupt his prayer.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Masruq ibn al-Ajda‘ narrates that mention was made in the presence of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) of what interrupts the prayer, meaning that it reduces the reward thereof. What is meant by interrupting is that it detracts from the prayer, because one may be distracted by these things. It does not mean that the prayer is nullified. In other words, what are the things which, if they pass in front of the worshipper when there is no sutrah between him and them, they interrupt his prayer? They said: It is interrupted by the passage of a dog, a donkey or a woman in front of the worshipper. The one who narrated that was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), as is mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim and some of the other companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). ‘A’ishah objected to that and said: You are regarding us as being like dogs – that is, with regard to the ruling on interrupting the prayer. But these three things are singled out as interrupting the prayer because a woman may be a source of temptation; a donkey may bray and one cannot be sure that it will not suddenly start to bray as it passes by the worshipper and startle him when he is standing before his Lord (may He be exalted); and a dog may scare the worshipper and distract him from his prayer as a result of that; moreover, he may be so averse to the dog that it interrupts his prayer. Because these things lead to interruption, they are regarded as interrupting the prayer.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she would see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying whilst she was sleeping in front of him, between him and the qiblah, lying on the bed. Then she would have some need for which she had to get up, and she did not want to face towards the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she wanted to get up and leave her bed whilst he was praying. So she would go in a discreet manner, as if she were hiding herself, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not see her. This was an objection on her part, because a woman interrupts the prayer in all cases, and that is not limited to the case when she passes in front of the one who is praying.
This hadith highlights the deep understanding of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray facing towards one’s wife..

512
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray when I was lying perpendicular to him on his bed, and when he wanted to pray Witr, he would wake me up and I would pray Witr..

Commentary : Prayer is a spiritual act of worship in which a person stands before his Lord. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the sunnahs and etiquette of prayer, and has explained to us what is permissible and what is not permissible whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer the voluntary night prayers in her apartment, whilst she was sleeping in front of him, at right angles to him on his bed. When he had finished praying tahajjud, he would wake her up, then she would get up, do wudoo’ and pray Witr. According to a report narrated in as-Sahihayn, “at that time there were no lamps in the houses.” This indicates that darkness was the reason why she was in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was praying.
This hadith indicates that there was no sutrah, but this does not contradict the hadith narrated by Ibn Majah from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade praying behind someone who is talking or sleeping. These hadiths may be reconciled by noting that the prohibition definitely applies if that could distract the worshipper, but if it will not distract him, then the matter is more lenient. The basic principle is that the worshipper should not have anything between him and the qiblah, let alone having in front of him something that could distract him, unless there is a need for that.
This hadith affirms the importance of praying Witr and doing so regularly, and indicates that it is recommended to delay Witr until the end of the night.
It indicates that the presence of a woman in front of the one who is praying does not invalidate his prayer.
It also indicates that it is encouraged to offer supererogatory (nafil) prayers and qiyam al-layl at home..

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..