| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
549
It was narrated that Abu Umamah ibn Sahl said: We prayed Zuhr with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, then we left and came to Anas ibn Malik, and we found him praying ‘Asr. I said: O uncle, what is this prayer that you were praying? He said: ‘Asr, and this is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that we used to offer with him..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the Muslims to pray and to offer the prayer at the beginning of its time. The Sahabah were keen to follow the commands and instructions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but some of the rulers and governors after the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs delayed the prayers until the end of their times.
In this hadith, Abu Umamah ibn Sahl says: “We prayed Zuhr with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, then we left and came to Anas ibn Malik, and we found him praying ‘Asr.” ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz had prayed Zuhr at the end of its time, and Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time, upholding the Sunnah. The beginning of the time for ‘Asr – as is stated in the reports – is when the sun is in the sky and the length of the shadow of a thing is double its height.
When Abu Umamah saw him praying ‘Asr just after they had prayed with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, he asked him what prayer he had been praying. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he had been praying ‘Asr, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had enjoined, and as we used to pray it with him at this time.
It was said that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz used to pray Zuhr sometimes at the end of its time. That was when he was a governor in Madinah. In this matter, he followed the example of those of Banu Umayyah who used to delay it, until ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr advised him, then he stopped doing that and began to offer the prayers at the beginning of their times.
This hadith highlights the keenness of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), no matter how much people changed it.
It also indicates that with the passage of time, people and rulers became less committed to following the Sunnah..

550
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still high and bright, then someone would go to al-‘Awali and come to the people there when the sun was still high. Some of the areas of al-‘Awali were four miles or so from Madinah..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen about the matter of prayer, and was very keen to teach his companions the beginning and end of the time for each of the five daily prayers.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still high and bright, meaning that it was still clear, before it began to turn yellow or change colour. The beginning of the time for ‘Asr – as is stated in the reports – is when the sun is in the sky and the length of the shadow of a thing is double its height.
If a person went to al-‘Awali after having prayed ‘Asr with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he would come to the people there whilst the sun was still high, but not a high as it had been previously. al-‘Awali refers to villages and clusters of houses around Madinah in the direction of Najd, some of which were four miles or so – or approximately six kilometres – from Madinah. This is indicative of how early the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed ‘Asr, as soon as the time for it began..

552
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who misses ‘Asr, it is as if he lost his family and his wealth.”.

Commentary : ‘Asr prayer is of great importance, for it is the middle prayer. We have been enjoined to uphold all prayers, especially ‘Asr prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the one who misses ‘Asr prayer and does not offer it on time, delaying it until the sun has set with no excuse, it is as if he lost his family and his wealth, and ended up bereft of family or wealth; when he sees the reward [that he missed out on], he will be filled with sorrow and regret like that of one who loses his family and his wealth.
This hadith is a warning against neglecting and missing ‘Asr prayer..

553
It was narrated that Abu’l-Malih said: We were on a campaign with Buraydah on a cloudy day, and he said: Pray ‘Asr early, for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses ‘Asr prayer, his good deeds are rendered invalid.”.

Commentary : ‘Asr prayer is of great importance, for it is the middle prayer. We have been enjoined to uphold all prayers, especially ‘Asr prayer.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu’l-Malih ibn Usamah al-Hudhali narrated that they were on a campaign with Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami, on a cloudy day. This indicates that the sun was not visible in the usual fashion, which would enable them to be certain that the time for prayer had begun. So he instructed them to hasten to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time. It was said that the reason why he mentioned in particular that it was a cloudy day was because that would be a cause of delaying the prayer, either because of one who was overly cautious and wanted to be sure that its time had begun, but would delay it so much that its time would end, or because of one who was preoccupied with something else, so he would think that there was still time, then he would get carried away in what he was preoccupied with until the time for the prayer ended.
Then Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to them that the reason for urging them to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses ‘Asr prayer,” and deliberately delays it until its time has ended, with no excuse, “his good deeds are rendered invalid,” and the reward for them is lost, so he will have no reward at all.
This hadith indicates that it is better to be on the safe side and offer prayer at the beginning of its time when the weather changes and the sun is not visible as it usually is, for fear that the time for the prayer will end.
It is also a warning against neglecting ‘Asr prayer and missing it..

554
It was narrated that Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah said: We were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he looked at the moon one night – meaning when it was full – and said: “You will see your Lord as you see this moon; you will have no trouble looking at Him. If you can avoid being overwhelmed by something that prevents you from praying before the sun rises and before it sets, then do that.” Then he recited the verse: {and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting} [Qaf 50:39]. Isma‘il said: Do that, so that you will not miss it..

Commentary : Islam urges the Muslim to attend the prayers in congregation in general, and to attend ‘Asr and Fajr prayer in particular. The emphasis on these two prayers is because the angels gather at these two times, and take up people’s deeds.
In this hadith, Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that they were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he looked at the moon on the night when it is full, which is the night of the fourteenth of the Hijri month, and said: You – O believers – will see your Lord on the Day of Resurrection as you see this moon, in a real sense, with no doubt about that. The phrase “you will have no trouble” means: You will not crowd one another when you look at Him as you do when there is uncertainty as to whether what you are looking for is visible or not, as you do when looking for the new moon, and so on. In a variant reading of the same phrase, the meaning indicated is that there will be no unfairness with regard to seeing Him, and no toil involved, so it will not be the case that some of you see Him whilst others do not; rather you will all see Him. A third variant indicates that you will not push and shove one another, or dispute.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged them, saying, “If you can avoid being overwhelmed” that is, if you are able to avoid causes of being overwhelmed which make you unable to pray, such as sleeping or being busy with things that keep you from praying, then avoid them. So do not neglect to pray before the sun rises, namely Fajr, or before the sun sets, namely ‘Asr. “… then do that,” i.e., offer these two prayers at these two times. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited the verse: {and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting} [Qaf 50:39].
This hadith highlights the virtue of offering the two prayers of Fajr and ‘Asr..

555
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Angels come to you in succession, angels by night and angels by day, and they meet at Fajr prayer and ‘Asr prayer. Then those who spent the night among you ascend [to heaven] and Allah asks them, although He knows best about them: ‘In what state did you leave My slaves?’ They say: ‘We left them when they were praying, and we came to them when they were praying.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to urge and encourage his companions to do any deeds that were good and beneficial for them, because of the increased virtue and reward that those actions brought.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the angels take turns in guarding the people. One group guards them by night and another group guards them by day, then the angels of the day and the angels of the night meet at two times, the first of which is at Fajr prayer, when the angels of the day come down at the beginning of the prayer, and the angels of the night are still present, so they meet them. And the angels of the night meet the angels of the day at ‘Asr prayer which is the second time. Then the angels of the night ascend after Fajr prayer, and the Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) asks them – although He knows best about them – In what state did you leave My slaves? He has no need to ask them that, because He is all-knowing about them; rather He asks them about that among those on high by way of emphasizing the status of the sons of Adam and to highlight their virtue and boast about them before the angels. So they say: We left them when they were praying Fajr and we came to them when they were praying ‘Asr; they are always praying. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) asks the angels of the day the same question, and they give the same answer as the angels of the night.
This hadith indicates that prayer is the most sublime act of worship, because the question and answer in this hadith have to do with it.
It also indicates that Fajr and ‘Asr are among the greatest of the prayers.
It indicates that Allah (may He be exalted) speaks with His angels as He wills, without likening that speech to human speech, or denying it, or interpreting it in a way other than the apparent meaning..

556
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you catches up with a ‘sajdah’ of ‘Asr prayer before the sun sets, let him complete his prayer. And if he catches up with a ‘sajdah’ of Fajr prayer before the sun rises, let him complete his prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is limited to the way it is prescribed in the religious texts. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) defined its times, and explained the beginning and end of each time, and how one may catch up with the prayer before its time ends.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) described the minimum amount of the prayer that one may do (before the time for it ends) so that he may be regarded as having caught up with the prayer, and that the one who delays doing an obligatory prayer until its time has almost ended, but he manages to catch up with even one ‘sajdah’ before its time ends, is regarded as having caught up with the prayer within its time, even if he does the remaining rak‘ahs after the time for the prayer has ended. What is meant by ‘sajdah’ (lit. prostration) here is a complete rak‘ah, with its ruku‘ (bowing) and sujud (prostration). The prayer may be called sujud (lit. prostration), just as it may also be called ruku‘ (bowing).
It was also said that what is meant by sajdah in the phrase “If one of you catches up with a sajdah” is sajdah in the true sense (that is, prostration), and not an entire rak‘ah. If catching up with the prayer has to do with the ruling on the prayer, it is the same whether one catches up with a complete rak‘ah or less than that. It is sufficient to catch up with the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) [before the time for the prayer ends], because this is the issue of catching up with the prayer (and avoiding falling into sin by missing the prayer), therefore catching up with the rak‘ah is the same as catching up with the takbirat al-ihram.
These two prayers (Fajr and ‘Asr) are singled out for mention, to the exclusion of others – even though this ruling is not specific to them; rather it includes all the prayers – because they are done at the two ends of the day, and if the worshipper has offered part of the prayer, then the sun rises or sets, he will realize that the time for the prayer has ended. So if the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not explain this ruling, the worshipper would think that he had missed the prayer and his prayer had been rendered invalid because the time had ended. Moreover, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had forbidden praying at the time of sunrise and sunset. Therefore he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the prayer of the one who catches up with a rak‘ah of these two prayers (before the time for them ends) is valid, lest the worshipper think that his prayer had been rendered invalid with the ending of these two times.
This applies to one who has a legitimate excuse for not having offered the obligatory prayer at the beginning of its time. He may pray at the end of that time, and catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset; otherwise, the best of deeds is offering prayer on time.
It was said that what is meant in this hadith is that if a person is among those who are accountable and required to pray, and is able to catch up with as much as one rak‘ah of the prayer before the sun rises, then he is regarded as having caught up with it and fulfilled the obligation of praying Fajr. This applies only to those with legitimate excuses; if a menstruating woman becomes pure (and rushes to do ghusl), or an insane person recovers his sanity, or a Christian becomes Muslim, or a boy reaches puberty, if any of these people catches up with one rak‘ah then he or she has fulfilled the obligation of praying..

557
It was narrated from Salim ibn ‘Abdillah, from his father, that he told him that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “The duration of your stay, in comparison to the nations who came before you, is like the time between ‘Asr prayer and sunset. The people of the Torah were given the Torah, and they acted upon it until midday and became exhausted. They were given one qirat (carat; a measure of gold) each. Then the people of the Gospel were given the Gospel, and they acted upon it until the time of ‘Asr prayer, then they became exhausted. So they were given one qirat each. Then we were given the Qur’an, and we strove until sunset, and we were given two qirats each. The people of the (previous) two Books said: ‘O our Lord, You have given these people two qirats each, and You gave us one qirat each, although we did more work?’ Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) said: ‘Have I wronged you with regard to your reward?’ They said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘That is My grace that I bestow upon whomever I will.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlighted the precedence given to this ummah over the nations who came before them, namely the Jews and Christians. That is because of their good response to the commands of Allah and His Messenger.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “The duration of your stay, in comparison to the nations who came before you”, namely the followers of Musa and ‘Isa (peace be upon them), “is like the time between ‘Asr prayer and sunset.” This is indicative of how close the onset of the Hour is. This is a likeness that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave of the efforts of the three nations. The people of the Torah – namely the Jews – were given the Torah, which is the Book that Allah (may He be glorified) sent down to Musa (peace be upon him), and they acted in accordance with what it contained, until midday, whereupon they became exhausted and fell short, and were unable to complete the full day’s work. So Allah gave each of them his reward, one qirat each.
Then the people of the Gospel – namely the Christians – were given the Gospel, which is the Book that Allah (may He be glorified) sent down to ‘Isa (peace be upon him), and they acted in accordance with what it contained until the time of ‘Asr prayer, whereupon they became exhausted and stopped striving. They were given their reward, one qirat each.
Then we – namely the Muslim ummah – were given the Qur’an, and we strove until sunset, then Allah gave us our reward, two qirats each, which is double the reward given to the previous nations.
The people of the two Books – the Jews and the Christians – said: O our Lord, You have given these people two qirats each, and you gave us one qirat each, although we strove more! In other words, You have given them more than us, although they did less work than us. But Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) said: Have I wronged you and detracted anything from your reward? They said: No, You have not detracted anything from our reward. He said: Everything that I give of reward is by My grace, and I bestow it upon whomever I will.
This hadith indicates that this ummah is given precedence and a great reward, even though its efforts are less.
It also indicates that deeds are judged by the last of them..

558
It was narrated from Abu Musa, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “The likeness of the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians is that of a man who hired some people to do work for him until nightfall, so they worked until midday, then they said: We have no need of your wages. So he hired some other people, and said: Work for the rest of the day, and you will have what I promised [to the people before you]. So they worked until the time of ‘Asr prayer, then they said: Whatever we have done is for you. Then he hired another group of people, and they worked for the rest of the day, until the sun set, and they received in full the wages of the two previous groups..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlighted the precedence given to this ummah over the nations who came before them, namely the Jews and Christians. That is because of their good response to the commands of Allah and His Messenger.
In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: The likeness of the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians – that is, with their Prophets – is that of a man who hired some people to do some work for him until nightfall, so they worked until midday, but they did not complete their work, and they said: We have no need of your wages, and we will not ask you for anything. What is meant by these people is the Jews.
Then the man hired some other people, and said: Complete the work that they began, and I will give you what I had promised them of wages. So they worked until the time for ‘Asr prayer came, then they said: What we have done is not valid, and we have no need of the wages that you promised us. What is meant by these people is the Christians.
Then the man hired some other people, and they worked for the rest of that day, until the sun set. And they received in full the wages of the two earlier groups. What is meant by these people is the Muslim ummah.
This is the likeness of the Muslims who accepted the guidance brought by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the likeness of the Jews and Christians, who disbelieved and rejected the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see that precedence is given to this ummah, and they are granted their reward in full, despite the fact that their effort was less.
It also indicates that deeds are judged by the last of them.
And it indicates that likenesses may be given for the purpose of teaching and explaining..

559
It was narrated that Rafi‘ ibn Khadij said: We would pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then one of us would leave and still be able to see as far as his arrows would fall..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very concerned about the matter of prayer, which included his being concerned to teach his companions the beginning and end of the time for each of the five daily prayers.
In this hadith, Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that they would pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would finish the prayer and leave the mosque, and one of them would still be able to see as far as his arrows would fall when shot from a bow. What is meant is that there was still enough light after sunset for them to be able to see where their arrows would land, even though that was so far away. This is a metaphor to indicate that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Maghrib at the beginning of its time, as soon as the sun set. The time for Maghrib begins when the sun disappears.
This hadith indicates that we should hasten to pray Maghrib and keep it brief..

560
It was narrated that Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali said: al-Hajjaj came and we asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah, and he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot, ‘Asr when the sun was still bright, Maghrib when the sun dropped below the horizon, and ‘Isha’ at different times; if he saw that the people had gathered, he would hasten to pray, and if he saw that they were slow to come, he would delay it. And they, or the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), would pray Fajr when the light of dawn began to appear..

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) has commanded us to establish prayer, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to establish it; he instructed us to do its essential parts and sunnahs properly, observe the etiquette of prayer, and do it on time.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali narrated that al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi came to Madinah as its governor during the caliphate of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, following the killing of Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) in 73 AH. The people asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) about delaying the prayer, and how they should pray, and when? That was because al-Hajjaj used to delay the prayer. So Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) told them that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot [bi’l-hajirah]; he would pray immediately after the sun passed the meridian, at the time when it was extremely hot. The word hajirah refers to extreme heat, but comes from a root that refers to stopping or refraining, because the people stop their dealings and their comings and goings at this time, due to the extreme heat, and they take a nap.
He used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still clear, pure in colour and bright, and he would pray Maghrib when the sun disappeared and its disk dropped below the horizon. He would pray ‘Isha’ at different times; if he saw that the Sahabah had gathered, he would hasten to pray ‘Isha’, but if they were slow, he would delay the prayer. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray Fajr at the beginning of its time, when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night.
Jabir answered the people’s questions by specifying these times to indicate that they should adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that they should offer each prayer at the beginning of its time. A report narrated by Abu Dawud from Ibn Mas‘ud indicates that when he asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) what he should do if he lived to see governors delaying the prayers, he told him: “Offer the prayer on time, and make your prayer with them supererogatory (nafil).” This was prophetic advice to the Muslims at such times, telling them that they should offer the prayer at the beginning of its time amongst themselves, or in their houses, and not to do that openly, then they should pray with the governors at the later time when they offered the prayer in congregation, or they issued instructions that the prayer was to be offered at that time, so as not to cause division in the Muslim community by openly opposing those in authority and not praying with them, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslims to obey those in authority so long as they establish the prayer – as is stated in other reports. But there is a report which prohibits offering the same prayer twice in one day, if there is no reason to do so. However, in this case, there is a valid reason for repeating it, which is obeying those in authority and not causing division in the community. So the first prayer is regarded as obligatory, and the second prayer is regarded as supererogatory.
This hadith indicates that Zuhr prayer should be offered at the beginning of its time, after the sun passes the meridian.
It indicates that it is prescribed to delay ‘Isha’ prayer according to when the worshippers prefer to gather.
It highlights the virtue of praying at the beginning of the time for the prayer, and warns against delaying it; and it tells us that we should continue to attend the prayers with the leaders of the Muslims, even if they are wrongdoers..

561
It was narrated that Salamah said: We used to pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the sun disappeared below the horizon..

Commentary : Allah has ordained specific times for the obligatory prayers during which they must be done, as He (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [an-Nisa’ 4:103]. This hadith describes the time for Maghrib prayer, as Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the sun was concealed and disappeared below the horizon, and the horizon was like a screen or curtain that prevented us from seeing it. The time for praying Maghrib lasts until the dusk or red afterglow disappears, as it is narrated in Sahih Muslim from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “… and the time for Maghrib prayer lasts so long as the dusk has not disappeared…”
This hadith indicates that we should hasten to pray Maghrib when the sun sets.
It also describes the beginning of the time for Maghrib prayer..

563
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your Maghrib prayer.” The Bedouins used to call it ‘Isha’..

Commentary : One aspect of proper etiquette towards Allah and His Messenger is to keep the names of things as Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) and His Messenger named them, especially the names of the prayers. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin” meaning the Bedouin of the Jaahiliyyah, “with regard to the name of your Maghrib prayer.” The Bedouin are the desert-dwelling Arabs who do not reside in towns, and only enter the towns when necessary. Al-‘Arab (the Arabs) was the general name for the people of Arabia at that time, regardless of whether they lived in the desert or in cities and towns. What is meant is: do not be influenced by their habits, for they call Maghrib ‘Isha’; do not use the word ‘Isha’ to refer to Maghrib as they do, because they used to change the names, and they would call ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah (lit. darkness), because they used to delay milking the she-camels until the time when it was extremely dark. Then Islam came to correct this mistake, and taught them the proper name for each prayer.
This hadith criticizes calling Maghrib ‘Isha’.
It indicates that if the names given to things by Islam differ from their customary names, we should give precedence to the Islamic names over the customary names.
It indicates that the Muslim should not imitate the practices of the Jahiliyyah even with regard to names; rather he should follow Islamic teachings in all his affairs, because there is divine wisdom in the selection of names and other things, so it is not appropriate to choose something different..

564
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him led us in ‘Isha’ prayer one night – which is what the people call al-‘atamah (lit. darkness) prayer – then when he finished, he turned to us and said: “Do you see this night of yours? In one hundred years from this night, there will be no one left of those who are on the face of the earth tonight.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah and informed them of everything that was in their best interests, which includes telling them of some future events of which Allah (may He be exalted) had granted him knowledge. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying ‘Isha’ one night; this is the prayer that the people call al-‘atamah. The fact that he mentioned here that ‘Isha’ was called al-‘atamah indicates that the use of this name had become very common, even though the name for this prayer as ‘Isha’ is mentioned in the Book of Allah, in the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {and after the night prayer [salat al-‘Isha’]} [al-Nur 24:58]. There were also reports which forbid calling ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, as in the hadith narrated by Muslim from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your prayer; indeed it is ‘Isha’, but they delay milking the camels until it is very dark [yu‘timuna].” Those who were aware of the prohibition on that needed to mention it in order to make people aware of the matter. However, it is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he called it ‘atamah, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated in al-Sahihayn: “If they knew what there is in al-‘atamah (i.e., ‘Isha’ prayer) and al-subh (i.e., Fajr prayer), they would come to them, even if they had to crawl.” It was said that the mention of this prayer as al-‘atamah was addressed to those who only knew of ‘Isha’ by this name, so he mentioned it by the name with which they were familiar, or he mentioned that to explain that there is nothing wrong with mentioning it by that name, even though it is different from what is more appropriate.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer and turned to face those present, and told them that after one hundred years, none of those on the face of the earth would remain. This does not mean that no one who was alive then would not live past the age of one hundred years; rather it meant that everyone on the face of the earth that night would not live longer than one hundred years from that night, whether he was young or old at that time. This is an example of knowledge of the unseen that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) granted to him; it is one of the proofs of the truthfulness of his prophethood (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

565
It was narrated that Muhammad ibn ‘Amr, who was the son of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, said: We asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah about the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: He used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot, ‘Asr when the sun was bright, and Maghrib when the sun dropped below the horizon. With regard to ‘Isha’, if a large number of people had gathered he would hasten to pray, but if they were few he would delay it. And he would pray Fajr when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night..

Commentary : Allah has ordained specific times for the obligatory prayers during which they must be done, as He (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [an-Nisa’ 4:103].. By His mercy towards His slaves, Allah has allocated plenty of time (for each prayer), out of consideration for their circumstances and situations. This hadith highlights the best time at which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered each prayer. Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr at the time when it is very hot, which is the middle of the day when heat is most intense. This time is called hajirah in Arabic, which comes from a root that refers to stopping or refraining, because the people stop their dealings and their comings and goings at this time, due to the extreme heat, and they take a nap..
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still bright, before it had become yellow or changed. He would pray Maghrib when the sun disappeared, meaning that the disc of the sun dropped below the horizon. In the case of ‘Isha’ prayer, if a large number of people had gathered he would hasten to pray it, but if their numbers were few, he would delay it. In other words, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid attention to the situation of the worshippers. If they were present at the beginning of the time for the prayer, which is when the red afterglow disappears, they would pray, but if they had not yet come, he would delay it until almost half of the night had passed, for that is the best time for it, if it does not cause hardship. Then he would pray Fajr when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night.
This hadith highlights the best times for offering the five daily prayers..

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..