It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: A man came to Ibn Mas‘ud and said: I recited al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah last night. He said: That is too fast, like reciting poetry. I know the pairs of surahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together. And he mentioned twenty surahs from al-Mufassal, two in each rak‘ah..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has enjoined us to reflect upon the Qur’an, as He says: {[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded} [Sad 38:29] and {Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’an?} [al-Nisa’ 4:82]. This is the purpose behind reciting it; it is not right to merely pronounce its letters without understanding or reflection. This is further emphasized if the recitation is in prayer. In this hadith, we see that ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the action of this man who said to him that he had recited all of al-Mufassal in one rak‘ah. Al-Mufassal includes the surahs from Qaf to the end of the Qur’an, or from Surat Muhammad to the end of the Qur’an. It is called mufassal because its surahs are short and are separated (infisal) from one another with frequent intervals. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) objected to what this man did and said to him: This is like reciting poetry. In other words, his recitation was quick, without reflection, as is done when reciting poetry. He only said that because this manner of reciting was customary among them when reciting poetry. Here Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) was denouncing the man’s action because it indicated a lack of reflection on what he was reciting. But if the worshipper recites at a moderate pace whilst reflecting on the meaning, then standing for a longer time increases his reward.
Then Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he knew the pairs of surahs that were similar in length, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite together in prayer, reciting two surahs in each rak‘ah. The number of these surahs was thirty, from al-Mufassal. These surahs are mentioned in a report narrated by Abu Dawud, from Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him). They are: al-Rahman and al-Najm in one rak‘ah; al-Qamar and al-Haqqah in one rak‘ah; al-Tur and al-Dhariyat in one rak‘ah; al-Waqi‘ah and al-Qalam in one rak‘ah; al-Ma‘arij and al-Nazi‘at in one rak‘ah; al-Mutaffifeen and ‘Abasa in one rak‘ah; al-Muddaththir and al-Muzzammilin one rak‘ah; al-Insan and al-Qiyamahin one rak‘ah; al-Naba’ and al-Mursalat in one rak‘ah; al-Dukhan and al-Takwir in one rak‘ah.
If someone were to say: al-Dukhan is not part of al-Mufassal, so how can it be included as being part of al-Mufassal? The answer is that it is by way of convenience. In one report it says: Eighteen surahs from al-Mufassal and two surahs from the “family of Ha-Mim” [i.e., the surahs that begin with Ha-Mim].
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to recite two or more surahs in one rak‘ah..

775.1

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that there was a man of the Ansar who used to lead them in prayer in the mosque of Quba’. Every time he led them and wanted to recite a surah, he would recite {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] until he finished it, then he would recite another surah with it, and he would do that in every rak‘ah. His companions spoke to him about that, saying: You always start with this surah, then you think it is not enough, so you recite another surah. Either recite it only, or do not recite it and recite another surah instead. He said: I will not stop reciting it; if you want me to carry on leading you in prayer like this, I will do so, and if you do not like it, I will leave you. They thought that he was one of the best of them, and they did not want anyone else to lead them in prayer. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about that, and he said: “O So-and-so, what prevented you from doing what your companions toldyou to do? What made you persist in reciting this surah in every rak‘ah?” He said: Because I love it. He said: “Your love for it has gained you admittance to Paradise.”.

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlasis one of the greatest surahs in the Qur’an. Even though its words are few, it contains sublime and important meanings, as it clearly explains the concept of Tawhid (the oneness of Allah), the importance of worshipping Him alone and turning to Him alone, and it categorically states that He has no son and no father (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man of the Ansar – whose name was Kulthum ibn Hidm (may Allah be pleased with him) – used to lead his companions in prayer in the mosque of Quba’, which was the first mosque that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) built in Madinah when he arrived in the city as a migrant. It stands at the entrance to Madinah for one who is coming from the direction of Makkah. Every time he wanted to recite a surah after al-Fatihah, he would recite before it {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas], then he would recite another surah. His companions spoke to him and told him that this surah on its own was sufficient for reciting after al-Fatihah, and by reciting it you will have done what is required of you in terms of recitation, so either recite it on its own, or recite the other surah that youwant to recite after it. But the man refused to do that, and gave them the choice between letting him continue to lead them in prayer in this manner, or appointing someone else to lead the prayer, if they did not like him to lead them. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to them, they told him about what this man was doing – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to come to the mosque of Quba’ every Saturday to pray there, as it says in al-Sahihayn – so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked him about the reason why he did not agree to what his companions were asking of him, and why he persisted in reciting {QulHuwa Allahu ahad (Say, “He is Allah , [who is] One…)} [al-Ikhlas] with every other surah he recited. The man told the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that his love for Surat al-Ikhlas was what made him do that. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of him doing that, and gave him the glad tidings that his love for this surah had gained him admittance to Paradise. It is well-known that admittance to Paradise will only happen in the hereafter, but as it is inevitably going to happen, it is as if it has already happened, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke in the past tense when he gave him this good news.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Surat al-Ikhlas.
It also indicates that it is permissible to recite two surahs [besides al-Fatihah] in one rak‘ah..

779

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah how to pray by his own actions and practice, just as he taught them by means of direct commands and prohibitions. This hadith explains one aspect of the Prophet’s practice in some of the prayers. In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah of Zuhr prayer long, and he would make the second rak‘ah shorter than the first. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also used to do that in Fajr prayer: he would make the first rak‘ah long and make the second shorter.
What is meant by making it long is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made the recitation whilst standing lengthy. In Sahih Muslim it is narrated that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to estimate how long the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in Zuhr and ‘Asr prayer. We estimated that his standing in the first two rak‘ahs of Zuhr was equivalent to the time it takes to recite “Alif-Lam-Mimtanzil” [Surat al-Sajdah], and we estimated that his standing in the last two rak‘ahs was equivalent to half of that. It was said that the reason for making the first rak‘ah long was that he had more energy in the first than in the second. It was also said that he did this so that the people would be able to catch up with the rak‘ah..

780

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,for if anyone’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, his previous sins will be forgiven.” – Ibn Shihab said: And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say Amin..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) is immensely merciful and very generous. By His mercy to His slaves, He grants them immense reward for little effort. This hadith highlights one aspect of this mercy, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that when the imam says Amin – which means: O Allah, answer – after reciting al-Fatihah in a prayer in which recitation is done out loud, the one who is praying behind the imam should follow him in saying Amin when he hears him say it. For if a person’s saying Amin coincides with that of the angels, in timing – or in manner, humility and sincerity – his previous sins will be forgiven. What is meant by the angels is the recording angels or, it was said, the angels who come in succession by night and day. And it was said that it refers to all the angels, based on the general meaning of the phrase, because the plural form preceded by the definite article includes all of them, in the sense that it is said by the recording angels who are present, then those who are above them, until it reaches those on high and the inhabitants of the heavens.
The apparent meaning of the hadith is that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin after the imam says it. It was also said that the one who is praying behind the imam should say Amin at the same time as the imam, not before him and not after him. With regard to the words, “When the imam says Amin, then say Amin,” what is meant is when the imam is about to say Amin.
This hadith highlights the virtue of saying Amin after reciting al-Fatihah for the imam, the one who is praying behind an imam, and the one who is praying on his own..

783

It was narrated from al-Hasan, from Abu Bakrah, that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was bowing, so he bowed before he joined the row. He mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: “May Allah increase you in keenness, but do not do it again.”.

Commentary : Keenness to follow the teachings of Islam and to do the obligatory duties, and hastening to catch up with them,are indicative of a person’s righteousness and sincere faith in Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), so long as that keenness and hastening does not make him overstep the mark with regard to commands and prohibitions. The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were the keenest of people to do that, especially in the case of prayers in congregation. They did not fail to attend prayer in congregation, except when there was an excuse. In this hadith, Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and found him bowing in prayer. He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) before he rose from bowing, so he bowed on his own before reaching and joining the row, and walked bowing until he came to the row. When he mentioned that to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after the prayer had ended, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supplication for him, asking that he be increased in keenness to do good, because he knew that he only did that because he was so keen to catch up with the rak‘ah with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he told him not to do that again, because by doing that he was praying on his own behind the row, which is not allowed. It may be that the prohibition referred to walking to the row whilst praying; even though taking one or two steps does not invalidate the prayer, it is better to avoid doing that.
The basic principle is that the one who wants to pray behind an imam should walk towards the congregation in a calm and dignified manner, then whatever he catches up with with the imam he should pray with him, and whatever he misses of the prayer, he should complete it after the imam says the taslim..

784

It was narrated from Mutarrif, that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said that he prayed with ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra and he said: This man reminded us of a prayer that we prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said that he used to say takbir every time he moved up and every time he moved down..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ash-Shikhkhir narrates that he and ‘Imran ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed behind ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) in Basra, in Iraq. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him, after the prayer ended: This man – meaning ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) – reminded us of the prayer that we used to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And he stated that he used to say takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer. ‘Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) said that because that emphasizes how the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to pray.
This hadith describes the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

787

It was narrated that ‘Ikrimah said: I saw a man at the Maqam, saying takbir every time he moved down and up [in prayer], when he stood and when he sat. I told Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) [about that] and he said: Is this not how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, may you be bereft of your mother!.

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that he saw a man – it was said that he was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) – praying in Makkah at the Maqam of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He said takbir every time he moved down and up [in the prayer]. This man found it odd, and according to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he described the man as foolish. When he mentioned that to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), the latter rebuked him and told him off, and he informed him that this was how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, because saying takbir at every movement, down or up, was what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in his prayer. And he said to him: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a phrase that was used by way of rebuke, and Ibn ‘Abbas said it to him because he was unaware of the Sunnah, yet despite that he found it odd that someone would do it. What is meant is that the man was saying takbir every time he lowered his head and raised it during the prayer. So he said takbir every time he went down, bowing and prostrating, and every time he rose from both. But he used to say when rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah, Rabbanawalaka al-hamd(Allah hears those who praise Him; our Lord, to You be praise),” and similar phrases that have been narrated for this point in the prayer, and he did not say takbir. This is an exception from takbir, but what is said here refers to what is most often the case, so takbir is mentioned because this is what is said in most of the movements of the prayer..

788

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Conveying and teaching religion to the people, and correcting any shortcomings, is obligatory upon every Muslim, commensurate with his level of knowledge and ability. The Tabi‘in used to keep close to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in order to learn from their knowledge, and if they made a mistake, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, narrates that in Makkah he offered a four-rak‘ah prayer behind an imam; he was the Sahabi Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), and the prayer was Zuhr, as it says in the report narrated by Ahmad. He said takbir twenty-two times in the four rak‘ahs. What is meant by the takbirs that ‘Ikrimah counted is that in every rak‘ah there were five takbirs: the takbir for bowing, the two rakbirs for the two prostrations, a takbir for sitting between the two prostrations, and a takbir for rising from the second prostration, in addition to the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) and the takbir for standing up following the first tashahhud. When ‘Ikrimah counted the number of takbirs, he said to Ibn ‘Abbas, finding the actions of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) odd: He is foolish – meaning that he is lacking in reason, because he does not know how to pray and when to say takbir. Ibn ‘Abbas said tohim: May you be bereft of your mother! This is a word that the Arabs say by way of rebuke, and they do not mean it literally. So this was by way of rebuking ‘Ikrimah and objecting to what he had said, and his ignorance of the Sunnah. It was not a supplication against him. Then he explained to him that this prayer, with this number of takbirs, was the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was not due to ignorance on the part of the imam. Abu’l-Qasim is the kunyah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This indicates that the people had become careless and negligent with regard to the takbirs of the prayer and with regard to saying them at the right points in the prayer, to the extent that some of them thought that the norm was what had become widespread among them of heedlessness and not saying the takbirsat the right points. It also indicates that when the scholars among the Sahabah saw this heedlessness and shortcoming on the people’s part, they showed them how to say the takbirs at the correct points, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done.
This hadith highlights the fact that the scholars must correct what the people have changed, and show them the correct way..

789

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up to pray, he said takbir when he stood up, then he said takbir when he bowed. Then he said Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise him) when he stood up straight from bowing. Then when he was standing upright, he said Rabbanalaka al-hamd (Our Lord, to You be praise) – ‘Abdullah ibn Salih said, narrating from al-Layth: Walaka al-hamd. Then he said takbir when he went down [to prostrate]; then he said takbir when he lifted his head; then he said takbir when he prostrated; then he said takbir when he lifted his head. Then he did that throughout the entire prayer until he finished it. And he said takbir when he stood up after the first two rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has instructed us, in the Holy Qur’an, to pray in general terms. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to us very clearly in word and deed,and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in great detail. So there is no room to add or subtract anything.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates part of the description of the Prophet’s prayer, telling us that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood to pray, he said takbir when he began the prayer, which is known as takbirat al-ihram (opening takbir). Then he said takbir when he began to move to the bowing posture, when he prostrated, when he lifted his head from prostration, when he prostrated a second time, when he lifted his head again, and when he stood up following the first two rak‘ahs, after sitting to recite the first tashahhud. Then he would do that throughout the prayer, until he finished it. And he would say when he stood up straight after bowing: Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him), then he would say once he was standing up straight: Rabbanalaka al-hamd. This indicates that the imam who is leading the prayer should recite both the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah) and the tahmid (Rabbanalaka al-hamd); and that the tasmi‘ is the dhikr to be said when rising from bowing, and the tahmid is the dhikr to be said when one has stood upright.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to say takbir with every movement up and down, except when rising from bowing, when one should say “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; Rabbanalaka al-hamd.”.

790

It was narrated that Abu Ya‘fur said: I heard Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d say: I prayed beside my father, and I put my hands together then placed them between my thighs. My father told me not to do that, and he said: We used to do that, then we were told not to do it, and we were instructed to place our hands on our knees..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest of the pillars of Islam after the twin declaration of faith, and the Muslim should make sure that he prays regularly and establishes prayer as Allah wants us to do it and as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the postures of prayer, namely bowing and prostrating. He taught that to the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), and they transmitted it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d narrates that he prayed beside his father, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) and he put his hands together, which means putting the palm of the right hand on the palm of the left hand, and he put them between his thighs, above his knees. But his father (may Allah be pleased with him) told him not to do that, and informed him that that had been permissible at the beginning of Islam, and they used to do it, then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them not to do that, and instructed them to place their hands on their knees when bowing.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to teach it to their children..

792

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all things, and to transmit that to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us of one of the characteristics of the Prophet’s prayer, which is the duration of his bowing, prostration, rising from bowing, and sitting between the two prostrations, which were so similar that they were almost equal in length, apart from his standing and sitting. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make these two longer in length than other parts of the prayer. He only made the standing longer because of recitation and he made the sitting longer because of the tashahhud.
The characteristic mentioned in this hadith is the most perfect characteristic in the case of prayer offered in congregation. However, when a man is praying on his own, he may make the bowing and prostration much longer than the standing, and [also do that] in the pause between the two prostrations, and between bowing and prostrating..

797

It was narrated from Abu Salamah that Abu Hurayrah said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite Qunut in the last rak‘ah of Zuhr, Isha’ and Fajr, after saying Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah; he would pray for the believers and curse the disbelievers..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him and may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah and teach it to those who came after them. They were especially keen to explain his practice in the prayer, as we see in this hadith, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) transmitted to those who were present a description of the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which he would recite Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers. Therefore he said: I shall surely show you how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so that you can understand it. In other words, I will pray as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, so learn from how I pray, so that your prayer will be like that of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then, after rising from bowing in Zuhr, ‘Isha’ and Fajr, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed Qunut, praying for the believers and cursing the disbelievers.
The Qunut referred to here is a supplication (du‘a’) that is offered when standing in the prayer. It is done after rising from bowing in the final rak‘ah. This is a clear statement that the Qunut mentioned in these prayers is something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did. It may be understood to refer to Qunut al-Nawazil (Qunut at times of calamity). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed against the polytheists who killed his companions at Bi’r Ma‘unah. It is also proven that he prayed Qunut against the disbelievers of Quraysh. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to explain to the people that the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes included Qunut, so they should follow his example in that regard.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray Qunut during the prayer, and to curse the unjust, transgressing disbelievers..

798

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would seek to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) by offering supplication (du‘a’) in all situations. This included the supplication of Qunut, which he would offer during his prayer. His companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to spread his Sunnah.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us about the Qunut of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) during his prayer. Qunut is the name of the supplication that is offered during the prayer at a particular point when standing, as the imam may say Qunut before bowing or straight after standing up from bowing in the final rak‘ah, and those who are praying behind him should say Amin to his supplication. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) explained that Qunut was offered in Maghrib and Fajr prayers, and the reason for this Qunut was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying against a tribe of the polytheists who had killed approximately seventy reciters of the Qur’an whom the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had sent to them, to call them to Islam and teach them about the religion. He continued to pray against them, as was narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Qunut for a month, after bowing in Fajr prayer, praying against Ri‘l and Dhakwan, saying: “ ‘Usayyah [a tribe] have disobeyed [‘asat] Allah and His Messenger.” Then he stopped praying against them, when Allah (may He be exalted) revealed the words: {Not for you, [O Muhammad, but for Allah], is the decision} [Al ‘Imran 3:128].
This hadith indicates that Qunut may be said at times of calamity and turmoil.
It indicates that we may pray against oppressors and those who harm the Muslims..

799

It was narrated that Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ al-Zuraqi said: One day we were praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and when he raised his head from bowing, he said: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him).” And a man behind him said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). When he finished the prayer, he said: “Who is the one who spoke?” The man said: It was me. He said: “I saw thirty-odd angels hastening to be the first to write it down.”.

Commentary : Praising Allah as He deserves to be praised is one of the noblest acts of worship by means of which a person may draw closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and attain great reward in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one day, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said after rising from bowing: “Sami‘a Allahu limanhamidah(Allah hears those who praise Him).” A man who was praying behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Rabbanawalaka al-hamduhamdankathirantayyibanmubarakanfihi (Our Lord, to You be praise, much good and blessed praise). What is meant is: praise that is free of showing off and seeking reputation, in which there is much good. The one who said that was Rifa‘ah ibn Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator of the hadith, as is stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud. After finishing the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked who had said those words, and Rifa‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: I was the one who said that, O Messenger of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that he had seen a number of angels – as many as thirty-odd – rushing , each of them wanting to write down these words before the others. The word translated here as “-odd” refers to a number between three and nine.
This hadith highlights the virtue of praising and remembering Allah (may He be glorified).
It indicates that it is prescribed for the one who is praying behind an imam to say some of the dhikr out loud, so long as that will not disturb the people with him..

800

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..

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..

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

It was narrated from Abu Qatadah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to make the first rak‘ah longer in Zuhr prayer, and make the second rak‘ah shorter, and he would also do that in Fajr prayer..

It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: I prayed behind an old man in Makkah, and he said takbir twenty-two times. I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: He is foolish. He said: May your mother be bereft of you! It is the Sunnah of Abu’l-Qasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

It was narrated that al-Bara’ said: The bowing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), his prostration, his [sitting] between the two prostrations, and when he lifted his head from bowing – except when he was standing and sitting – were almost equal in length..

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Qunut was said in Maghrib and Fajr..

It was narrated that Thabit said: Anas used to describe the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to us, and he said: When he prayed and raised his head from bowing, he would stand so long that we would think: he has forgotten..