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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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..