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Hadith
389
It was narrated from Abu Wa’il, from Hudhayfah, that he saw a man who did not bow or prostrate completely. When he finished his prayer, Hudhayfah said to him: You have not prayed. He [the narrator] said: And I think he said: If you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The worshipper should be unhurried and at ease in every essential part of the prayer, because being unhurried and at ease is also an essential part of prayer. So he should be unhurried and at ease when standing, when bowing, when prostrating, when rising from bowing, and when sitting between the two prostrations. Being unhurried and at ease means allowing the limbs to settle into the posture that one is doing. Hence when Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man not bowing and prostrating completely, and not doing either in an unhurried manner, he said to him: You have not prayed! With this shortcoming, your prayer does not count, and if you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What is meant by the Sunnah here is the way. This applies to both obligatory and supererogatory prayers, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to move unhurriedly when bowing and prostrating, and in all the essential parts of the prayer. So if you die doing something other than that, you will be going against the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his way in prayer.
This is an example of the Sahabah teaching the Tabi‘in, and transmitting the Sunnahs and rulings to those who came after them. It is also an example of their keenness to teach people as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had been keen to teach them..

390
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Malik [or] ibn Buhaynah that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, he spread his arms so wide [when prostrating] that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is to be done as prescribed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how it is to be done, and taught us its essential parts, etiquette and postures. That includes how to prostrate and the way in which the arms are to be placed whilst prostrating.
This hadith includes a description of the Prophet’s prostration. ‘Abdullah ibn Malik ibn Buhaynah (may Allah be pleased with him) – and this Buhaynah was the mother of ‘Abdullah, as he was also referred to as her son; she is not the parent of Malik – narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to spread out his arms when prostrating. In other words, he held his arms away from his sides, like wings, to such an extent that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. This is by way of exaggeration in spreading the arms and keeping them far away from his sides. What is meant by whiteness is that there was no hair in his armpits, so their colour was like that of the rest of his body; either that was how he was created, or it was because he continually plucked them and always paid attention to that.
It was said that rather he did that because it was by way of including the arms in this act of worship and making sure that they did not look as if there was any laziness or carelessness in this action, and to show that he was striving hard. And it was said that that was because it would make him lighter on the ground and he would not be heavy and thus carry too much weight on his forehead. And it was said that the wisdom behind that is that it is more akin to demonstrating humility and is more helpful in ensuring that the forehead and nose are touching the ground firmly. Moreover, it makes each part stand out on its own. This action is only for men; in the case of women, it is more appropriate for them to bring their limbs together, because what is required in the case of women is to be more concealing.
This hadith highlights the concern of the Sahabah to transmit the actions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to describe them in precise detail.
It also highlights how prostration should be done in the prayer, with humility before Allah (may He be glorified), humbling oneself before Him..

391
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us, that is the Muslim who has the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”.

Commentary : Allah has protected the life, property and honour of the Muslim, and has forbidden transgressing against him or hurting him. He warns the one who transgresses against him without justification under Islamic law of a painful punishment in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains the characteristics of the Muslim who has the right to safety and protection of his property, life and honour: he is the one who prays as we pray, meaning that he offers the five obligatory prayers in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), facing towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is a Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger. Thus his life and property are protected, and he enjoys the protection of Islam, with all the rights that the Muslims enjoy. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
After explaining that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined the Muslims not to break the covenant of Allah with regard to that person, not to act treacherously towards him and not to betray him by transgressing his rights, for any transgression against him is a betrayal of Allah and His Messenger, a breaking of their covenant and undermining the sanctity of Islam.
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

393
It was narrated that Humayd said: Maymun ibn Siyah asked Anas ibn Malik: O Abu Hamzah, what makes the life and property of a person sacred? He said: Whoever bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, faces towards our qiblah, prays as we pray and eats meat slaughtered by us, it is he who is a Muslim, with the same rights and duties as any other Muslim..

Commentary : Islam is very keen to emphasize the sanctity of the Muslim and to protect his property and his life, and all his rights in all aspects.
In this hadith there is a description of the Muslim who has the right to protection, and whose life and property are to be protected, as the Tabi ‘i Maymun ibn Siyah narrated that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): What is it that protects a person from being killed, and protects his property from being seized? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied by telling him that this protection applies to the one who affirms that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, acknowledging the oneness of Allah, and acknowledging that Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is His Messenger, and who prays as we pray – meaning the five obligatory prayers, in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and faces towards our qiblah, meaning that he faces towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is the Muslim who enjoys the same rights that all Muslims enjoy and has the same duties as other Muslims. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and acknowledges that he is the Messenger of Allah.
Even though the isnad of this hadith appears to stop with Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), a report such as this is deemed to be attributable to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It appears in a marfu‘ report (one which has an isnaad going back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) in Sahih al-Bukhari, in a hadith of Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us,  that is the Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what we think is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

394
It was narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you go to the outhouse, do not face towards the qiblah or turn your back towards it; rather face east or west.” Abu Ayyub said: Then we came to Syria, and we found lavatories that had been built facing towards the qiblah, so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah (may He be exalted)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to teach his ummah all the details of religion, which included teaching his ummah the etiquette of relieving themselves and of entering bathrooms and outhouses.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the one who wants to relieve himself by urinating or defecating from facing towards the qiblah, the direction of the Kaaba, or turning his back towards it, out of respect and veneration for it, for that is the direction that the Muslims face in the prayer; they turn towards it from every place, and that direction represents the sacred House of Allah.
The word translated here as outhouse originally referred to low-lying land, as they used to go there to relieve themselves, then the word began to be used to refer to the action, not the place, because they did not want to refer explicitly to the action.
The words “rather face east or west” mean: face towards the east or the west when you relieve yourselves. This is addressed to the people of Madinah and others for whom the qiblah is in the same direction [namely, south]. As for those for whom the qiblah is towards the east or west, what may be understood is that they are instructed to turn in a different direction, so that they will not be facing towards the qiblah or turning their backs towards it. Then Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then we came to Syria – which now includes the modern countries of Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon – and we found lavatories. A lavatory is a place like a small room that is allocated for relieving oneself. The people of Syria had built these lavatories facing towards the qiblah unintentionally, or because they did not know of the prohibition on doing that, or because they thought that the prohibition did not include these structures. Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah. In other words, we would try to orient our bodies away from the direction of the qiblah as much as possible, and as much as the structure allowed, then we would seek forgiveness of Allah in case we committed some infraction. This is an example of the perfect faith of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), as striving on its own is sufficient in order to avoid this infraction that one might feel ill at ease with if one did not do it. But they still sought forgiveness, so as to be on the safe side, and because they believed in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This seeking of forgiveness would be done outside the lavatories, not inside, because of the prohibition on mentioning the name of Allah (may He be exalted) in outhouses and places where one relieves oneself. This may indicate that the ruling on facing the direction of the qiblah inside the structures built for that purpose is the same as when relieving oneself in the open, without any difference. This is the view of Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him). But it was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that this prohibition applies only to open spaces, so if there is some kind of screen between the individual and the qiblah, there is nothing wrong with it. In al-Sahihayn, it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I climbed on the roof of my sister Hafsah’s house, and I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sitting to relieve himself, facing towards Syria, with his back towards the qiblah. .

397
It was narrated that Mujahid said: Someone went to Ibn ‘Umar and said to him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar said: So I came, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. I found Bilal standing between the two doors, so I asked Bilal: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray inside the Kaaba? He said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter. Then he came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba. .

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mujahid ibn Jabr narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Makkah in 8 AH, he entered the Kaaba and prayed two rak‘ahs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was standing outside when someone came to him and told him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba.  Ibn ‘Umar came, but he found that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. Bilal was with him, standing at the door. With him inside were Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi (may Allah be pleased with him), as is narrated in al-Sahihayn. Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the Kaaba, and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed two rak‘ahs between the two pillars that were on his left when he entered. These two pillars are the two pillars on which the roof rests. In al-Sahihayn it says: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – at that time, the House was resting on six pillars – then he prayed. Between him and the wall of the Kaaba there were three cubits, as is mentioned in the report of Abu Dawud; that is sufficient distance to stand in prayer, and it is sufficient to prostrate. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the front of the Kaaba; what is meant by the front of the Kaaba is the door of the House.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says that [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the House and said takbir whilst walking around inside it, 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 was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray inside the Kaaba..

398
It was narrated that ‘Ata’ said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbas say: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the House, he offered supplication whilst walking around inside, but he did not pray until he came out of it. When he came out, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba, and he said: This is the qiblah..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did when he entered the House, meaning the Kaaba. He offered supplication whilst walking around inside, and did not pray inside it, but when he came out of the Kaaba, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the Kaaba, and facing towards the front of it, which refers to the side where the door is. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “This is the qiblah,” meaning that the matter of the qiblah is settled; it is the direction of this House, and this will not be abrogated after today, so pray towards it forever. It may be that he taught them where the imam should stand, as he stands facing the front of it, and not any of its corners or any of the other three sides, although prayer facing any of its sides is valid.
It is proven in al-Sahihayn from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Bilal was asked whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the House, he said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other..

399
It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was hoping that he would be told to face towards the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. So he turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people, namely the Jews, said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?” Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. A man prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then after he prayed, he went out and passed by some of the Ansar who were praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis. He testified that he had just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he had offered that prayer facing towards the Kaaba. So the people turned until they were facing towards the Kaaba..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is held in high esteem by all Muslims, for it is the Ancient House of Allah and the qiblah towards which they face when they pray; they long to see the Kaaba when they go for Hajj.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the qiblah towards which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) faced in his prayer, when he first [came to Madinah], was in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, for sixteen or seventeen months. There is no difference of scholarly opinion that that happened in 2 AH. But he was hoping that his qiblah would be changed to the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. In other words, We see you repeatedly turning your face and looking up to heaven; {and We will surely turn you} that is, we will surely grant you and permit you to turn towards; {to a qiblah with which you will be pleased}, that you love and are inclined towards, for the correct purposes that you have in mind, and that are in harmony with the will and wisdom of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people – namely the Jews – said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. They asked this question in astonishment at the reason for the Muslims’ turning away from Bayt al-Maqdis towards the Kaaba, because they had liked it when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had turned towards Bayt al-Maqdis, as it was also their qiblah. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Sacred House, they objected to that. But Allah (may He be exalted) responded to them by saying: {Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. Some of his companions prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards the Kaaba, then one of the men who had prayed ‘Asr with him – whose name was ‘Abbad ibn Bishr or ‘Abbad ibn Nahik – went out and passed by a group of the Ansar. He found them praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis, so he said to them: I bear witness that I just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards Makkah, and that he was facing towards the Kaaba. When they heard him, they turned around towards al-Masjid al-Haram. They did not interrupt their prayer; rather they completed it facing towards the Kaaba. This reflects how quickly they responded to the command of Allah (may He be exalted).
This hadith highlights the honourable position of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and how dear he was to his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) as He gave him what he had been hoping for, without him asking for it.
It highlights how keen the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were to adhere to their religion.
It indicates that the report of a trustworthy person may be accepted, even if he is only one..

400
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray atop his mount, no matter what direction it was facing. Then when he wanted to offer an obligatory prayer, he would dismount and turn to face the qiblah..

Commentary : Supererogatory prayers are broad in scope, and there is leniency regarding them according to people’s circumstances. If a Muslim is travelling, he is granted concessions that make travel easier for him, such as shortening prayers and putting them together.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to offer supererogatory prayers whilst riding his mount or his she-camel, facing whatever direction his mount was facing. A report narrated by Abu Dawud explains how he prayed atop his mount, as it says: His prostration was lower than his bowing. So he would lean forward when prostrating a little more than when bowing. He did not dismount or insist on facing the qiblah except in the obligatory prayers. Facing towards the qiblah in an obligatory prayer is a condition of the prayer being valid. Whoever offers an obligatory prayer deliberately facing a direction other than the qiblah, without any excuse, his prayer is invalid, whether he is at home or travelling. If he is riding a mount, then he must dismount and turn towards the qiblah to offer an obligatory prayer, and that requirement is not waived except in the case of a legitimate excuse such as rain, sickness, fear and the like. Allah (may He be exalted) says: “And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding” [al-Baqarah 2:239].
This hadith highlights how it is made easier to pray when travelling.
It also indicates that it is valid to offer supererogatory prayers atop one’s mount, and in whatever conveyances come under the same rulings..

401
It was narrated that ‘Alqamah said: ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed – Ibrahim said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something – and when he said the taslim, it was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, has something new been introduced into the prayer? He said: “Why is that?” They said: You prayed such and such. So he knelt and turned to face the qiblah, and prostrated twice, then he said the taslim. When he turned to face us, he said: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it. But I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me, and if one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him think what is most likely to be the case, then complete it on that basis, then let him say the taslim, then prostrate twice.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the individual should strive to maintain proper focus and reflection whilst praying, and not let himself be distracted by worldly matters. But he may make a mistake in the prayer, by omitting or adding to some of its actions. This mistake needs to be compensated for, so the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) is prescribed in such cases.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates what happened to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to making mistakes in the prayer. He narrates that one day the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him – Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, the narrator of the hadith, said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something. It is explained that he added something in al-Sahihayn: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim at the end of his prayer, some of those who had prayed with him asked him: Has something new been introduced into the prayer? The aim was to ask whether something new had been introduced through revelation that had changed the ruling on the prayer, by adding to what was usually done. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Why is that?” This is the question of one who did not realize what he did, and is not sure and does not know what is most likely to be the case. This is in contrast to the people behind him, as they said: You prayed such and such, telling him of what they were certain had happened. Their words “such and such” refer to what had happened, which was something additional and more than usual. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knelt; he sat as for tashahhud, then he prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness. Then he said to them: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it.” And he said: “I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me.”
Perhaps in His wisdom, Allah (may He be exalted) caused the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make this mistake, so that he would teach his ummah what to do if the imam makes a mistake in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the people: … if one of you is not sure, and he forgets whilst praying and does not know whether he has added something to it or omitted something, then “let him think what is most likely to be the case.” In other words, let him work out what happened, then if he thinks something is more likely to be the case, due to some circumstantial evidence, let him complete his prayer based on that, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.
The point in this hadith is that whoever makes a mistake in his prayer, adding or omitting something by mistake because he forgot, then he remembers after saying the salaam, he should turn to face towards the qiblah and do the prostration of forgetfulness, because the prostration of forgetfulness is part of completing the prayer. Even if it is done after saying the salaam, it is still part of the prayer, and it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah when doing it, as is required in the prayer.
This hadith shows us that even the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) could make some mistakes in their actions, but that does not undermine the position of prophethood or undermine any of the teachings of Islam.
It indicates that the prostration of forgetfulness consists of two prostrations.
It indicates that it is valid to do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the taslim at the end of the prayer..

402
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I agreed with my Lord in three cases: I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. And regarding the verse of hijab, I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed. And the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves, and I said to them: Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you, then this verse was revealed..

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were inspired; he was possessed of sharp intuition and deep insight, and sometimes he uttered words of Qur’an before Jibril brought them down, and on other occasions revelation came down, supporting his view from above seven heavens.
This hadith highlights one of the greatest virtues of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). In it, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I agreed with my Lord in three cases. How smart and subtle is the way in which he expressed it, as he paid attention to proper etiquette. He did not say, ‘My Lord agreed with me in three cases,’ because the verses were revealed in approval of and in agreement with his view and what he thought was right. ‘Umar only mentioned that so that the people who were listening to him would think positively of him and would not oppose him when he spoke words of truth, and so that the believers might follow his example in giving precedence to the truth and speaking the truth. Then he mentioned these three things, which were as follows:
Firstly: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. In other words: O people, take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer at which you pray, as an act of worship and devotion to Allah (may He be exalted) and by way of Allah’s honouring Ibrahim. That prayer is offered after having circumambulated the Kaaba (tawaf), with the Maqam in between the Kaaba and the worshipper. The standing place of Ibrahim is the place where he stood; it is the rock on which Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood when he was building the Kaaba, and his footprints can be seen on it. Its location is well-known now, beside the Kaaba.
Secondly: the verse of hijab. ‘Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed, in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful} [al-Ahzab 33:59]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew that it was better for them to observe hijab than not to do so, but he was waiting for the revelation, as is indicated by the fact that he did not go along with ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when he first suggested that to him. Hijab was enjoined in 5 AH, or in Dhul Qa‘dah 4 AH, or 3 AH.
Thirdly: The wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves. There is a long story behind that: when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) to greet her, she would keep him with her for a while and give him a drink of honey that she had received as a gift. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not like the fact that he stayed with her for a while, so she instructed an Ethiopian slave woman of hers, who was called Khadrah, to find out what Hafsah was doing when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see her. Khadrah told her about the honey, and she got jealous, so she sent word to her co-wives, instructing them to tell the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that they could notice the smell of maghafir – which is a sweet gum with an unpleasant odour – from him, because of his drinking that honey. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be troubled if an unpleasant smell came from him, because the angel used to come to him with the revelation. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stopped drinking the honey that he liked. Then news of that reached ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), so he went to the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and admonished and rebuked them. Among the things that ‘Umar said to them was: {Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you}, then this verse [al-Tahrim 66:5] was revealed. This is one of several instances in which ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed with his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) and his Lord agreed with him. There is nothing in the verse to indicate that any other women were better than them, because the condition mentioned (divorce) did not happen; therefore the verse cannot be taken to mean that there were women who were better than them. The verse speaks of what Allah had the power to do, not something that was actually the case, because Allah (may He be exalted) says {if he divorced you [all]}. But Allah (may He be glorified) knew that he would not divorce them. This is like the verse in which Allah says: {And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you} [Muhammad 47:38]; here Allah was speaking of what He had the power to do, in order to alert and alarm them, not that there actually were others who were better than the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It may be that this virtue [being the best of women] was granted to his wives because of their marriage to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and any other woman he married would also rise to that status, but if he divorced any of them, she would no longer enjoy that status.
The fact that ‘Umar listed three cases in this hadith does not necessarily mean that there were not more than that, because there were other instances in which ‘Umar agreed with his Lord and his Lord agreed with him, one of the most famous of which are the story of the captives of Badr, and the story of offering the funeral prayer for the hypocrites. Both stories are narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to examine issues in an effort to find the right answer to some matters of religion..

404
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. They said: Has something been added to the prayer? He said: “Why is that? They said: You prayed five [rak‘ahs].” So he knelt and prostrated twice..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the individual should strive to maintain proper focus and reflection whilst praying, and not let himself be distracted by worldly matters. But he may make a mistake in the prayer, by omitting or adding to some of its actions. This mistake needs to be compensated for, so the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) is prescribed in such cases.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one day the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made a mistake in Zuhr prayer, and offered the prayer with five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim at the end of his prayer, some of those who had prayed with him asked him: Has something been added the prayer? The aim was to ask whether something new had been introduced through revelation that had changed the ruling on the prayer, by adding to what was usually done. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Why is that?” This is the question of one who did not realize what he did. They said: You prayed five [rak‘ahs]. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knelt; he sat as for the tashahhud, then he prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness.
The point in this hadith is that whoever makes a mistake in his prayer, adding or omitting something by mistake because he forgot, then he remembers after saying the salaam, should turn to face towards the qiblah and do the prostration of forgetfulness, because the prostration of forgetfulness is part of completing the prayer. Even if it is done after saying the salaam, it is still part of the prayer, and it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah when doing it, as is required in the prayer.
This hadith shows us that even the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) could make some mistakes in their actions, but that does not undermine the position of prophethood or undermine any of the teachings of Islam.
It indicates that the prostration of forgetfulness consists of two prostrations.
It indicates that it is valid to do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the taslim at the end of the prayer..

405
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah, and that upset him to the extent that it could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand and said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord, or his Lord is between him and the qiblah. So no one of you should spit in the direction of his qiblah; rather [he may spit] to his left or beneath his feet.” Then he took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah of the mosque. Sputum refers to what is ejected from the mouth or nose of spittle, mucus and the like. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was upset by that and got so angry that his anger could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand, to remove it and clean it, then he said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord” – the root meaning of the word translated here as conversing refers to private talk between two people. What is meant is that he should observe proper etiquette in this situation, because the worshipper is conversing with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Then he forbade any Muslim to spit in the direction of his qiblah, because spitting is usually a sign of disrespect, so it is not appropriate to the high esteem in which the direction of the qiblah is held. But if he must spit whilst he is in the mosque, let him spit to his left, for that is the direction for such dirty things, or beneath his feet, so that he may cover it with his foot in the earthen floor. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.” Thus he explained by his actions, so that the listener would understand better, and also to make it clear to the one who would not be able to bury his sputum. Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
This hadith highlights the true nature of ihsan, which refers to a person constantly bearing in mind how close Allah (may He be exalted) is to him, that Allah is watching him and that He knows all about him.
It is also refers to honouring and respecting the qiblah, and highlights the superiority of the right over the left.
It also indicates that sputum is pure (tahir). .

415
It was narrated that Qatadah said: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Spitting in the mosque is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that spitting on the floor of the mosque is a sin, for which the doer deserves punishment from Allah (may He be exalted). The expiation for that sin is to bury it in the ground and cover it with earth. Whoever commits this bad deed and regrets it, and wants Allah to pardon him and erase this bad deed of his, should hasten to remove it from the mosque, by burying it if the mosque has an earthen floor, or by wiping it away and removing it, if the mosque is carpeted.
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. The worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
A report in al-Sahihayn explains that if someone cannot help but spit, he should spit to his left, or beneath his foot, or into the edge of his garment..

416
It was narrated from Hammam [that he heard] Abu Hurayrah [narrate] that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you stands in prayer, let him not spit in front of him, for he is conversing with Allah so long as he is in his prayer place; [and let him not spit] to his right, for on his right there is an angel. Let him spit to his left, or beneath his foot, then bury it.” .

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate, and he should bear in mind that he is conversing with his Lord in His house.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: When one of you stands in prayer, then he is conversing with his Lord. This is affirming that Allah (may He be exalted) is close to His slave who is praying. What is meant is that the worshipper should bear in mind when praying that Allah is close to him, and that He can see him and hear him, and that he is conversing with Him; He hears what he says, and He responds to his conversing with Him. Therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the worshipper not to spit in front of him, or to his right. If he cannot help but spit, then let him spit to his left, because his devil-companion stands on his left when he is praying, or let him spit beneath his feet, then cover it by burying it in the ground, if the place where he is praying is not carpeted and has an earthen floor. But if the place where he is praying is carpeted, then he should spit into the edge of his garment and the like, as is mentioned in al-Sahihayn in the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him).
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant..

1591
Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Khaybar, making deals with the Jews with the Wuqiyyah of gold for two or three dinars, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not sell gold for gold except weight for weight..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams.
In this Hadīth, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Battle of Khaybar in 7 AH. They were making deals with the Jews and buying from them one Wuqiyyah of gold worth forty silver dirhams for "two or three dinars", and the dinar was equal to 12 dirhams. It could mean they were selling one' Uqiyyah of gold, beads, and others for two or three dinars. It is known that this amount of pure gold is not to be sold for two or three dinars, and this was the reason why the Companions made such a transaction, as they thought it was permissible because the gold was mixed with other things. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from selling gold for gold "except weight for weight," i.e., each must be equal to the other in terms of weight without any addition or surplus.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus)..

1592
Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah reported: That he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and said to him: Sell it then buy with it barley. The servant went and took one Sā‘ and part of a Sā‘. When he came to Ma‘mar, he informed him of that, whereupon, Ma‘mar said to him: Why did you do that?! Go ahead and return it and do not take except like for like, as I used to hear the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Food for food, like for like. He said: Our food at that time was barley. It was said to him: It is not like it. He said: I am afraid that it could be similar..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a Sā‘ of wheat for two Sā‘s thereof, or one hundred grams of gold for one hundred and ten grams thereof.
In this Hadīth, Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and ordered him to sell it for cash, i.e., for dirhams and dinars, then buy barley with its price. The boy went and bought one Sā‘ of barley and part of a Sā in return for the wheat directly without selling the wheat first and then buying the barley with its price. Perhaps he did that because buying barley was the goal and it was achieved by this.
When the servant returned to Ma‘mar, he informed him of what he had done, i.e., selling one Sā‘ of wheat for one Sā‘ and more of barley. Ma‘mar asked him: Why did you do that?! This is an objecting question. Then, he ordered him to return and bring back the wheat and return the barley and not to take the barley from him except like for like in terms of weight. Then, he clarified to him the reason for returning the extra barley, as he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Food for food," i.e., when selling one of them for another, it should be "like for like," i.e., in terms of weight and amount without any addition or surplus, and the two foods here refer to those of the same type, as it was mentioned in a version in Sahīh Muslim Collection that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Our food at that time was barley," i.e., it was the staple food during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Some of those who were present objected that barley and wheat are not of the same type, i.e., wheat and barley are two different types, therefore, surplus between them is not unlawful. Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am afraid that it could be similar," i.e., a similar case. In other words, he was afraid it was included among the similar types and, thus, should have the same ruling of the prohibition of Riba since wheat and barley are close and each of them is called food. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did this out of religious prudence and as a precautionary measure.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It shows how the Companions were cautious not to fall into committing what is unlawful..

1594
Abu Nadrah reported: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf (currency exchange), and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. I informed Abu Sa‘īd about it, saying: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf, and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. He said: Did he say that?! We will write to him not to give you this Fatwa (legal opinion). He said: By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) brought dry dates, but he rejected them and said: It seems those are not from the dry dates of our land. He said: This year, there was something wrong with the dry dates of our land - or with our dry dates - so I took that and made some addition, whereupon he said: You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this. If you have doubts about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the gravest major sins. The Shariah has forbidden all sales that involve a possibility of Riba and has permitted lawful sales that are free of Riba. The pre-Islamic era of ignorance was swarming with Riba-based sales, so Islam rectified and refined such sale transactions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Nadrah al-Mundhir ibn Mālik al-‘Abdi narrates that he asked the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) about Sarf, which is selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus and an addition in the taken or given item, like selling a dinar for two dinars or a dirham for two dirhams; whether it is a Riba-based sale or not. Ibn ‘Abbās answered by saying that it is not Riba in case it is exchanged hand to hand, i.e., at the time that the act of selling took place. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) did not deem selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus Riba, and he believed that Riba is not unlawful except in case of a deferred payment.
So, Abu Nadrah informed Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Fatwa of Ibn ‘Abbās, whereupon Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he would write to Ibn ‘Abbās not to give such a Fatwa and would review it with him, clarify the truth, and advise him. Then, Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated his supporting reference and evidence in forbidding the Riba of surplus and addition. He swore and said: "By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)," who are the servants, "brought dry dates, but he rejected them," the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rejected them because they were not from the dry dates produced by their land and not the ones known among them. It was said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This year, the dry dates of Madīnah were of bad quality. So, the servant took some of the bad dry dates and exchanged them for others and brought those good dry dates to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in return for the defective ones and gave the buyer an excess in the weight and amount of the defective dry dates. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this," i.e., what you did and the addition you made in the weight is from Riba. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from eating from the dry dates he had brought. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him by way of teaching: "If you find some doubt about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like," thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from taking dry dates for dry dates. So, if there was something wrong with his dry dates, he should first sell them for money, then buy with that money whatever he liked of the dry dates, and there should be no surplus between the two.
It seems that Ibn ‘Abbās gave that Fatwa of permissibility based on the apparent indication of the Prophet's statement mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections: "Riba is only in Nasī’ah (deferred payment)." This apparently indicates exclusiveness, as if he said: There is no Riba except in the deferred payment. However, there is a report in the Sahīh Muslim Collection indicating that Ibn ‘Abbās reconsidered his stance regarding his Fatwa, as Abu as-Sahbā’ narrated: "That he asked Ibn ‘Abbās about it in Makkah, and he disliked it," i.e., he disliked the permissibility of surplus in Sarf.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It indicates the invalidity of the transaction that involves Riba.
It highlights the fact that the Shariah rulings are to be sought only through the Qur‘an and the Sunnah.
It shows how the Companions used to correct each other whenever they made a mistake..