| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
977
Narrated `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis: I heard Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) answering the question of a man who wanted to know whether he had joined the Prophet ﷺ in the `Eid prayer. He said to him, "Yes. I could not have joined him had I not been young. He ﷺ came out till he reached the mark which was near the house of Katheer ibn As-Salt. There, he offered the ‘Eid prayer and then delivered the ‘Eid sermon. After he finished the prayer, he went towards the women and Bilal walked in his company. He preached to them and advised them and ordered them to give alms. I saw the women putting their ornaments with their outstretched hands into Bilal's garment. Then the Prophet ﷺ along with Bilal returned home..

Commentary : The ‘Eid prayer has a great importance in Islam; and by it, the power of the religion and the unity and gathering of the Muslims are shown. Furthermore, it is an occasion during which people manifest their joy, pleasure, and longing to draw near to Allah, Exalted be He.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis reports that ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) was asked about his presence at the ‘Eid prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with both of them) mentioned that he [indeed] attended the prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and [then] said: “If I was not young, I would not have [been able] to have seen him” - that is to say: that he witnessed the ‘Eid and joined in its events with the Prophet ﷺ as a young boy, who almost was not able to be present [at the events] due to his young age - if it were not for his closeness from the Prophet ﷺ. Despite his young age, he (may Allah be pleased with them) understood what the Prophet ﷺ did on this day. It is possible that his statement meant that he went with the Prophet ﷺ to the women’s prayer space when he ﷺ wanted to exhort them; [as well as] what he is going to report about them [in this narration later on] because the presence of a boy at a such young age (i.e., child) is to be present with women.

Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ set out towards the location of the ‘Eid prayer near the house of Katheer ibn al-Salt - [which] is a big house in al-Madeenah, and was used as a Qiblah for the site where the two ‘Eid prayers were performed; and a mark was placed on it for that reason [i.e. to serve as an indicator of which direction the Qiblah was for the prayer]. Katheer ibn al-Salt built his house at a time after the Prophet ﷺ. As it was a landmark that is well-known to people, Ibn ‘Abbaas described that the place of the prayer for ‘Eid was near the house of Katheer, and it overlooked the interior of Buṭhaan - [which] is a valley located near the middle of al-Madeenah.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ performed two rakʿahs for the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah [being called], nor any sunnah prayers performed before or after it. Afterwards, he ﷺ delivered the sermon to the people, [which] is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the Friday sermon).

Then, the Prophet ﷺ came to the women, and with him was Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) - whom was the servant of the Prophet ﷺ and would [oftentimes] be entrusted with collecting the alms.

So, the Prophet ﷺ preached and exhorted to them, and bid them to offer alms. After which, the women of the Companions hastened in doing so, [by] even grabbing their jewellery and tossing it into the garment of Bilal. After that, the Prophet ﷺ went to his house with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet ﷺ used to gather the alms for the purpose of distributing it amongst those in need; like what his ﷺ custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the Imaam should preach and exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men.

This hadeeth highlights the merit and virtue of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), along with the virtue of the women of the Companions and shows how they hastened with eagerness in offering alms.

It teaches us that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution, out of fear that temptation [may rise] against them.

It teaches us that we should set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer will be held, and that the ‘Eid prayer is offered before the sermon is delivered [by the Imaam].

Lastly, we understand from this hadeeth the permissibility of taking young children out towards the place of prayer, so that they may be blessed by attending the prayer, hearing the supplications of the Muslims, and so they may participate in manifesting the rites and ceremonies of Islam with the large number of those who attend.

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979
Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them: I witnessed the `Eid al-Fitr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them); and all of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before delivering the sermon. Once the Prophet ﷺ finished, (after completing the prayer and the sermon) he gestured with his hand, as if I am now looking at him now, to the men so that they remain seated, as he walked through their rows. He set out with Bilal to the site where the women were seated. Then, he ﷺ recited to them: {O Prophet! When believing women come to you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] After he finished, he said to them, “Are you fulfilling this covenant?" One lady, other than whom none replied, said, "O Allah's Messenger, yes we do!" (The, sub-narrator, al-Hasan did not know who the lady was.) Upon which, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "Hasten to give alms, let my father and mother be sacrificed for you." Thereupon, he spread out his garment and the women started throwing fatakhs and rings into his garment. .

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, which the Prophet ﷺ, and his Rightly Guided Caliphs always ensured to perform them; and his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated all of that for us, as they saw and learned them from the Prophet ﷺ.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he was present at the ‘Eid prayer which he performed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - and each in [their own] time while [they served] as Caliphs. All of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before the sermon.

This hadeeth is a clear demonstration and evidence toward [distinguishing] that the Prayer of ‘Eid preceded the sermon and the matter, which the Prophet ﷺ pursued diligently in and was observed by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and continued this practice thereafter.

Next, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people. Ibn ‘Abbaas then states [in his report]: “It is as if I am looking at him,” to confirm in this part of the hadeeth that he remembers the action[s] of the Prophet ﷺ and what he is reporting about it.

[And regarding] his statement: “when [he motioned] with his hands [for them] to remain seated” - this is because the congregation wanted to leave, so he ﷺ ordered them to remain sitting until his needs were met. The other possible interpretation is that they all set out to leave or they wanted to follow him ﷺ, but he ﷺ stopped them and ordered them to remain seated. It is also possible that they wanted to clear and widen the way for the Prophet’s ﷺ passage when he ﷺ began walking between the people and splitting the prayer rows until he came to the prayer area of the women. Thereafter, he ﷺ preached and exhorted the women who were present to realign themselves towards Allah and recited to them the ayah: you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] It is said, the reason the Prophet ﷺ recited this noble ayah was to remind them of the pledge of allegiance which took place between him and the women when the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah.

When he finished reciting the ayah, The Prophet ﷺ asked them: “Are you fulfilling your covenants?” - this was to confirm with them [of the time over] that which they pledged their allegiance to him on these great matters.

Then, one woman from amongst them responded: “Yes.” - namely, that is to say: “We are fulfilling our covenants.” And none, other than her, responded to the Prophet ﷺ; thus, her answer was the final say on behalf of everyone.

Ibn Jurayj, the narrator of the hadeeth, said: “al-Hasan ibn Muslim did not know who the respondent was.” It is said: it is possible that this woman was Asmaa’ bint Yazeed ibn al-Sakan(may Allah be pleased with her) who was known as the preacher of women [i.e., she was given this title because she would speak on behalf of the women and always take the initiative to ask the Prophet about the matters of women].

Then, the Prophet ﷺ ordered them to offer alms. Afterwards, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) spread out his garment, and then said, “Come! Let my father and mother be your sacrifice!” This is an invitation from Bilal [to encourage] them to give alms, and he asked Allah that his father and mother be a ransom for all of them as a protection from all evil. Upon hearing this, all of them hastened to offer alms until they tossed their fatakhs and rings into the garment of Bilal.

The fatakh is a ring which does not have a stone or gem on it.

From the benefits that we can learn from this hadeeth: (i) the virtue of the women among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their hastening in offering alms. (ii) The Imaam should exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men. And (iii), the permissibility of women giving alms from their wealth and personal jewellery without the permission of their spouses.

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980
Hafsa bint Seereen said, "On ‘Eid we used to forbid our girls to go out for `Eid prayer. A woman came and stayed at the palace of Bani Khalaf, so I went to visit her. She mentioned that her in-law (the husband of her sister) took part in twelve expeditions along with the Prophet ﷺ and her sister was with him in six of them. Her sister mentioned to her that they used to nurse the sick and treat the wounded. Once she asked the Prophet ﷺ: 'O Allah's Messenger! If a woman has no Jilbaab, is there any harm if she does not come out (on `Eid day)?' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Her companion should let her share her Jilbab with her, so they both participate in the good deeds and witness the supplications of the believers.' " Hafsa added, "When Um-`Atiya came, I went to her and asked her, 'Did you hear anything about such-and-such?' Um-`Atiya said, 'Yes, let my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ - whenever she mentioned the name of the Prophet ﷺ she always used to say, 'Let my father be' sacrificed for him -. He said, 'Virgin mature girls staying often screened (or said, 'Mature girls and virgins staying often screened—Aiyoob (the one who narrated it from Hafsa is not sure as which was right) and menstruating women should come out (on the `E’id day). But the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla. Let all the women should participate in the good deeds [on this day] and witness the supplications of the believers." Hafsa said, "On that I said to Um-`Atiya, 'Also those who are menstruating?' " Um-`Atiya replied, "Yes. Do they not attend `Arafat and such-and-such events?". .

Commentary : Islam has honoured the Muslim woman, protected her dignity, and given her a high status and importance in society, after she did not amount to [nothing] more than a trivial house item before Islam had emerged. The Wise Lawgiver [i.e., Allah] did not forbid the Muslim woman from participating in the demonstration of religious rituals if the religious parameters were maintained. For that reason, she was encouraged to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer is performed - so that she can witness the blessings and the supplications of believers.

In this hadeeth, the female taabiʿee, Hafsah bint Seereen mentioned that they used to forbid the young woman who recently reached puberty from leaving her home to head towards the place of the ‘Eid prayer. Perhaps, they used to do this due to their lack of knowledge with its permissibility; or it is as if they would do that because of what happened after the first generation [i.e., the time of the Prophet ﷺ] - when corruption and the like became rampant.

A woman, whose name is not known, came to them and stayed in the palace of Bani Khalaf, which is a palace near al-Basrah, and is attributed to a descendant of the grandfather of Ṭalha ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Khalaf - who is known as Ṭalha al-Ṭalahaat.

After this woman noticed that the people prevented the women from setting out towards the place where the ‘Eid prayer is performed, she reported to them about the husband of her sister - and that he was present [and took part] alongside the Prophet ﷺ in twelve battles, while her sister was present with her husband for six of them. Her sister related [to her] that she remained with the women to tend to the sick and treat the wounded. On ‘Eid, her sister asked the Prophet ﷺ about the ruling of a woman going out to the place where the ‘Eid prayer was to be held if she did not have a loose veil that covered her head and body. The Prophet ﷺ instructed her to borrow one from one of her sisters in Islam, so as she can set out by herself towards the prayer site to take part in the blessings, making supplication, [and observing] the supplications of the believers.

Then, Hafsah bint Seereen relates that when Umm ʿAtiyyah came, she asked her about the report of the woman [whose name was not known] regarding menstruating women attending the ‘Eid prayer. She confirmed and believed it and reported that the Prophet ﷺ would order all of the women - even those who were on their menses and young women who recently reached puberty - to set out towards the prayer area [on] ‘Eid. In other words, Hafsah bint Seereen asked Umm ʿAtiyyah inquiringly: “Does the menstruating woman take part [in the observances] of ‘Eid?” [To this], Umm ʿAtiyyah replied: “Yes, may my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ.” Then, she mentioned some examples of cases where menstruating woman would participate [in them]. She said: “Doesn’t the menstruating woman present herself at ʿArafaat and other such places, and partake [in their rites]? “

[Things] such as al-Muzdalifah and throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat. This is just a [simple] listing of the [various] events and large gatherings which a woman can partake in while she is on her menses. By analogy, it is permissible for the menstruating woman to be present at the site of the ‘Eid prayer, but she should remain behind the rows without praying.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth: (i) the menstruating woman should not forgo the remembrance of Allah or refrain from attending places of goodness, such as gatherings of knowledge and Allah’s remembrance - other than [at] the masjid, (ii) the Muslim women can go out [and partake in the observances] of ‘Eid, because when the Prophet ﷺ ordered the one who does not have a jilbaab (a long flowing outer garment) to borrow one. So, this is all the more reason for the one who owns a jilbab to attend it, (iii) this narration is a beautiful demonstration of the noble character that the women of the Ansaar had in striving to veil themselves and forbidding their womenfolk from departing [their homes] without a wide and loose jilbaab that covers their bodies, (iv) it is permissible for women to go out to a battle if there is a benefit in doing so, and there is safety from temptation and corruption, and (v) the great respect and veneration of the Companion (may Allah be pleased with them) for the Prophet ﷺ, even [to the point] that they rarely mentioned him ﷺ without offering their fathers and mothers as a ransom to him ﷺ .
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982
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter - or perform nahr – his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer.

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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites, recommended actions and etiquettes related to the ‘Eid days. One of these [pertinent] topics is the slaughtering of the sacrificial animal, which is a ritual from amongst the significant Islamic rites.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer, in front of the people. He used to slaughter the sacrificial animal by a horizontal cut through the throat – or by the means of nahr which is similar to the regular method of slaughter, but the slaughtering happens by a vertical movement of the spear to the lower part of the throat. The latter method is preferred for slaughtering camels.

It is said that the Prophet ﷺ used the method of nahr on the camels of sacrifice whereas the regular slaughtering method he used on cows and sheep. This ritual was performed at the site of ‘Eid prayer, whenever he ﷺwas in al-Madeenah.

The reason the Prophet ﷺ slaughtered the sacrificial animals at the site of the ‘Eid prayer is so that the people could see him, in order that they may slaughter [their own animals] with certainty after him and observe his manner of slaughtering the animal, because this kind of acts of worship require clarification [so people can be able to perform it]. The other reason is so that the people can [hasten] to slaughter their sacrificial animals after the prayer, as mentioned in the narration documented in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of al-Baraaa’ ibn ʿAaazib(may Allah be pleased with them) wherein he said: “The first thing to be done on this day is to perform the prayer; then, return [to our abodes], and slaughter our sacrificial animals.”

This teaches us that the sacrifice is not valid [if done] before the ‘Eid prayer, because the sacrifice is a public act of worship that [is generally done] in the vicinity of the people. For this reason, doing it in public is preferable; because, by doing so, the sunnah is revived. Nevertheless, it is permissible to perform the ritualistic sacrifice at any place in the house, even inside the houses, and so on.

Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) diligently applied this Sunnah to the extent it was reported that one time he was ill and could not partake in the ‘Eid prayer; therefore, he ordered Naafiʿ to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of the ‘Eid prayer. This was reported by [Imaam] Maalik in the Muwatta’.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we should demonstrate and publicly practise the ritualistic slaughter on the day of ‘Eid..

985
Narrated Jundab(may Allah be pleased with him): On the Day of Nahr, the Prophet ﷺ offered the prayer and delivered the sermon and then slaughtered the sacrifice. Then he said, "Anybody who slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the prayer should slaughter another animal in lieu of it, and the one who has not yet slaughtered should slaughter the sacrifice mentioning Allah's name on it.".

Commentary : The slaughtering of a sacrificial animal is one of the most significant rites of Islam. It is a public ritual in all regions; and is considered an appointed act of worship, and its time enters after the ‘Eid prayer and sermon have been performed.

In this hadeeth, Jundab ibn ʿAbdullah al-Bajalee(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ performed the ‘Eid prayer first on the Day of Nahr. The use of the word nahr here refers to ‘Eid al-Aḍhaa, and it is often called the Day of Nahr because the pilgrims slaughter their sacrificial animals on that day, on the 10th day of DhulHijjah. The Prophet ﷺ offered the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah, nor any prayers which are performed before or after it. After he ﷺ completed the prayer, he delivered the ‘Eid sermon and exhorted the people. The sermon of ‘Eid is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the sermon of Friday). After delivering the ‘Eid sermon, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ slaughtered his sacrificial animal at the Musallaa.

Then, the Prophet ﷺexplained that whoever slaughtered his sacrificial animal before the ‘Eid prayer, effectively, must slaughter another in its place. This is because the first slaughtered animal did not suffice and is not considered a [completion of a] rite, nor as a ritualistic sacrifice. As for the one who did not slaughter his sacrifice before the ‘Eid prayer, then he should slaughter it after the prayer and mention the Name of Allah on it - that is to say: Let him sacrifice it to Allah, because saying bismillah (by the name of Allah) when slaughtering the animal manifests the person’s Islam; differ from those who slaughter for the sake of other things; suppress the Shayṭaan; and be blessed by His Noble Name of Allah – Exalted be He.
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986
Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) related that on Day of ‘Eid, the Prophet ﷺ would return by a different road from the one he had taken when going out..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites of ‘Eid, along with its recommended actions and etiquettes. One of these [pertinent topics] is how to go to the site where the ‘Eid prayer is held and returning to one’s [home afterwards]. In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) states that it was the habit of the Prophet ﷺafter leaving from the ‘Eid prayer and his deliverance of the sermon, to return to his abode from another way other than the route which he took to the Musallaa.

It is said that the wisdom of this practise was so that he ﷺ may spread happiness to all his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); or so they can benefit from it in fulfilling their needs concerning: knowing the rulings, or [that they may] learn [something] and then carry it out, or give charity, or greet them, and the like.

It is also possible that he ﷺ used to do it in order to visit his kin who were not on his first route, or to lessen the crowd amongst him ﷺ, or so that the two paths [that he treaded] may testify for him, or to make the rites of Islam apparent and established, or to vex the hypocrites and Jews, or to alarm them by the multitude of people who were with him, or to be optimistic about [a] transformation of [their] state[s] towards forgiveness and contentment, or that he intended to multiply the reward by increasing the [number of steps] of the two paths in going to the Musallaa and returning from it. All of these aspects are possible, by the permission of Allah, Exalted be He..

991
Naafi’ related that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) would [sometimes] offer Witr [in the form of three prayer units] but would make tasleem after the first two units, and then offer the last unit independently so he could [have some time in between] to attend some of his needs..

Commentary : Witr is the last prayer of the night that Muslims perform after their night supererogatory prayers.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee - Naafi’, the servant of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar, reports that Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) would break the Witr prayer into two parts so as he would perform the concluding part of the prayer (i.e., Taasleem) after the first two units, and then offer the last unit separately. In other words, he would sit to do the tashahhud [i.e., the portion of the prayer where one declares the testimony of faith]; and afterwards, perform the tasleem. Thereafter, he would stand and perform a single unit so that he may try to attend some of his needs”- that is to say, his action was due a need; and that his custom [generally] for the Witr prayer was to perform the three units jointly [i.e., without any breaks or separations].

This is an explanation on how to perform the Witr prayer; it is either prayed three units continuously with one tasleem, or disjointly with two tasleems. In the case of the latter, one should offer two prayer units and conclude it with tasleem [thereafter]. Then, offer the third prayer unit and conclude it with another tasleem..

996
Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Allah's Messenger ﷺ offered Witr prayer (on different nights) at various hours, extending (from the 'Ishaa' prayer) up to the last hour of the night..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to pray so much at night, and encouraged us to perform the Witr prayer, and to make it the last prayer at night.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) expounds on the manner of the Prophet ﷺ towards the Witr prayer. The Mother of the Believers, ‘Aishah, was the most knowledgeable person of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at night; she was his wife and witnessed what other people were not able to in relation to his prayers at night. She learned its times, counted the number of its units, its [various] forms, and so forth.

She reported that the time of the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ varied with regards to Witr. Sometimes, he prayed it at the first part of the night; other times he prayed it in the middle of night; and some other times, he prayed it at its end. The reason he prayed it at different time is to make ease and accommodation towards his nation; thus, it is possible to offer the Witr prayer at any time of the night. However, the time of night during which the Prophet ﷺ eventually settled on to offer the Witr prayer was near the time before the appearance of morning twilight.

From this hadeeth we learn that the time of the Witr prayer extends [from the first part of the night] to before Fajr prayer, and that the minimum [number of prayer units] for the Witr prayer is one unit or three.
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999
Narrated Sa`eed ibn Yasaar: I was travelling with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar on the road to Makkah. On the way, I feared that it was nearly fajr time, thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer then joined ‘Abdullah. Upon seeing me, he said, “where have you been” I replied, I feared the time of Fajr to enter so I dismounted and prayed the Witr prayer. He said to me: Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?' I said, 'Of course, by Allah, [he ﷺ is an excellent example for me to follow]'. He said, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray Witr on his camel.".

Commentary : The requirements of prayer in supererogatory prayers are not as strict in obligatory prayer; thus, it was made easier and considerate of the different circumstances of people.

Witr is the last prayer that a Muslim performs at night after the supererogatory prayers. If a Muslim is traveling, then he is granted some concessions that make the business of travel easier for him, such as shortening the prayers, and so on. From these concessions is the permissibility to pray the Witr while riding [on his mount] without [needing] to dismount from his camel, or [any other] means of transportation.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, Saʿid ibn Yasaar reports that he was travelling with ʿAbdullaah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) along the path to Makkah, and they had set out [from their place of departure] at night. However, when he became fearful that the time for the Fajr Prayer was approaching and [was] about to enter without praying Witr; he dismounted from his camel and then performed the Witr prayer. Then, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar said to him: “Where have you been?”

Saʿeed replied: “I feared the time of Fajr to enter; thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer.” To which, ʿAbdullah replied: “Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?”Saʿeed responded: “Yes, by Allah! He ﷺ is an excellent example for me [to follow].”

ThenʿAbdullah related to him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the Witr prayer while he was traveling atop the back of his camel, setting out to wherever the camel was being led and that he would perform the opening takbir facing towards the Qiblah so that he could enter into the prayer. The validity of the prayer is not affected if the mount moved into in any direction after that. He ﷺ would motion with his head, gesturing for the movements of bowing and prostration. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1000
Ibn ‘Umar narrated: The Prophet ﷺ used to offer (supererogatory) night prayers on his mount, gesturing with his head [for bowing and prostration]. However, he would never do this with compulsory prayers. He also used to pray Witr on his mount..

Commentary : The supererogatory prayer differs from the obligatory prayer with regards to some of its rulings, and some of which have been mentioned in this hadeeth. ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ would pray supererogatory prayers during the journey while he was riding atop his mount that he disembarked with in any direction that he proceeded towards. However, he would first perform the opening takbir while facing the Qiblah, and then his mount would move in any direction after that.

He ﷺ used to motion by gesturing, [and this was done] by moving his head to serve as an indication for the movements of bowing and prostration; and the nodding motions for the prostration were lower than the gestures for bowing. He ﷺ would do this for the supererogatory prayers, including the Witr prayer.

As for the obligatory prayers, he ﷺ would not do this while traveling. But rather, he used to dismount from his riding animal and perform the obligatory prayer on the ground, facing the Qiblah. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1002
Narrated ‘Asim: I asked Anas ibn Maalik about the Qunoot [in the prayer]. He replied, "Definitely, it was recited." I asked again, "Was it recited before bowing or after it?" Anas replied, "Before bowing." I said: "But so-and-so told me that you informed him that it had been recited after bowing." Anas said, "He must be mistaken! Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot after bowing for a period of one month. It was because he ﷺ sent about seventy men, known as the Reciters, to a group of pagans with whom the Prophet ﷺ had a peace treaty; they were less than them in number. (However, the pagans breached the treaty and killed the seventy Muslim men). Consequently, Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot for a period of one month during which he asked Allah to punish them.".

Commentary : The prayer is an act of worship and no act of worship can be sanctioned except on the basis of a textual evidence to that effect. The Prophet ﷺ explained to us all its actions, etiquettes, and what else pertains to it, such as supplications and the Qunoot, which the Sunnah clarified for us, specifically on how to exercise them during times of misfortune.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee ‘Aasim al-Ahwal reports that he asked Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the legitimacy of the Qunoot, which is a supplication offered during the prayer. It is prescribed to be recited when the imaam begins the last bowing with the supplication so as the people praying behind him say “Ameen” to his supplication.

The answer of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was that it is legitimate, and that the Prophet ﷺ performed it. Then, ‘Aasim inquired whether it was performed before the bowing or after it? To which, Anas responded by mentioning that it was performed before the bowing. Thereafter, ‘Aasim said to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) - that: “someone informed me that you said: that the Qunoot was performed after the bowing.”

Anas responded by saying, “Kadhaba” - i.e. “He’s mistaken.” The Arabs say this word for the one who is mistaken: “Kadhabta” [which is literally translated as “you have lied”.]

Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ once performed the Qunoot after the bowing for a month. In a wording [of another narration] as transmitted according to al-Bukhaaree, he adds: “From that incident, the Qunoot began to be performed, as we did not say it before that.” The lesson learned from this statement is that Qunoot is performed during the times of calamities that befall upon the Muslims. The story behind this is that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched a group from the Ahl al-Suffah - and it is said of them: that they were al-Qurraa’ (reciters of the Quran) and were 70 in number - to a tribe of the polytheists - and they were the people of Najd, from BaneeʿAamir - so that they could invite them towards Islam and recite the Quran to them. However, when they camped in a place near a well called Bi’rMaʿoona, ʿAamir ibn al-Ṭufayl and a group of people from the Arab tribes moved towards the encampment - and the respective tribes were Riʿl, Dhakwaan, Banu al-Hayyaan, and ʿUsayyah - and attacked and killed them. No one survived, except Kaʿb ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree. This occurred in the 4th year A.H.

Anas’ statement [referring to the al-Qurraa’ being sent] “to a tribe of polytheists [whose numbers] were less than them” - that is to say: the number of the Qurraa’ was less than those to whom they were originally dispatched to. It has been said that this means, rather, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent the Qurraa’ to a tribe of the polytheists who had a treaty with him, and not to those who did not. But they violated the treaty when they betrayed the Qurraa’.

The Prophet ﷺ performed the Qunoot continuously for a month, without any breaks. He ﷺ supplicated against them during the Fajr prayer, like what is [reported] in a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): who narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said “the Qunoot for one month in the Fajr prayer”: and he would say: “Verily, the ʿUsayyah have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” According to Abu Dawood, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Qunoot for a month consecutively in the Dhuhr, ʿAsr, Maghrib, ʿIshaa’, and Fajr prayers” [i.e., the five obligatory prayers].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the permissibility of: (i) performing the Qunoot before bowing [in the last prayer unit], (ii) saying the Qunoot after bowing in the prayer during times of calamity, and (iii) supplicating against the people of treachery, oppressors, and to announce their names and declare them during the prayer.

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1009
Narrated Salim from his father that he said, "The following poetic verse occurred to my mind while I was looking at the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. He did not get down till the rainwater flowed profusely from every roof-gutter:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

These were the words of Abu Talib.".

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of people in manners and the most beautiful of them in character; and his Lord has created him with the most elegant of forms.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates [about a time] when he saw the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. [What this] means is: [that] he supplicated and prayed to Allah, Most High, for rainfall, upon which Allah, Exalted be He, answered his prayers and sent forth the rain until every meezaab flowed copiously. Meaning: the rain came down in an abundance. The word meezaab is what the water flows through from a high place [i.e., a gutter on the eaves of a building]. It is as if the rain came pouring down with force from the sky. When Ibn ʿUmar saw that, he remembered the words of Abu Taalib about the Prophet ﷺ:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

Meaning: the people used his supplications as a means of intercession during his lifetime and requested of him to pray for rain on their behalf after they despaired of rain. The Prophet ﷺ was the provider of sustenance for the orphans while [also] taking responsibility for their affairs, financial support, and shelter. And he ﷺ was the protector of the widows and protected them from whatever harm that may have come their way. The words “widows” here is the translation of the Arabic word araamil which is the plural for the word: armalah, and it is used to describe the woman whose husband has passed away [i.e., a widow].

It is as if Abu Taalib alluded to in this poem to what happened during the time of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib - when he prayed for rain on behalf of Quraysh, while the Prophet ﷺ, who was with him, was a young boy. It is possible that he praised him ﷺ with this for noticing the signs of that in him, even if he did not witness these events with him.

From hadeeth, we learn that the Prophet ﷺ possessed outstanding qualities with respect to the beauty of his appearance and disposition; and that he ardently helped people in any way he was able to, and that he did not stop praying for rain until every gutter flowed profusely.

It shows us that composing and reciting poetry in praise of Islam and the Messenger ﷺ is praiseworthy and should not be censured.


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1010
Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) related that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab used to pray for rain using al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib as a means of intercession to Allah whenever they experienced a drought. He used to say, "O Allah! We interceded through our Prophet to You and You then sent us rain; and now we intercede through our Prophet’s uncle to You, therefore, give us water.” He said they were then given water..

Commentary : Allah, Exalted be He, holds the treasures of the heavens and earth in His hand, and it is out of His mercy that he sends down abundant rain after people despaired from it ceases. When this occurs, the istisqaa’ has been prescribed for them - which is to request [Allah] to send down rain out of Allah’s mercy and compassion.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever it failed to rain during the time of his caliphate, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭaab(may Allah be pleased with him) would pray for rain (al-istisqaa’) - which is to head out to pray with humility, hope and fear, requesting for rain to be sent down; and the prayer of istisqaa’ is a two-units prayer in length.

The word al-Qahṭ used here refers to when it is dry, there is little water, and an absence of rain [i.e., periods of drought].

In this kind of circumstance, ʿUmar would appoint al-‘Abbaas ibn Abd al-Muṭṭalib - the paternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺ - to supplicate on behalf of the people; [and ʿUmar] would say: ‘O Allah! Verily, we used to ask our Prophet ﷺ to call upon You, so that he may be a means for us to You, because of his favour with You. And You heard his prayers and would send rain to us. And after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, we now ask the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ to serve as a means for us to You [ i.e., by his supplication and prayers for rain, so that it may come down]. So, bless us with rain!’

When ʿUmar used to do that; Allah, Exalted be He, would send down the rain upon them, due to the invocations for rainfall by al-Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him).

This form of intercession is not an intercession through the righteous man and the [qualities being attributed] to himself, his rank, or his righteousness. But rather, it is an intercession through his invocation and appeals for help towards Allah, Exalted be He. ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not intercede through the supplication of the Prophet ﷺ after his death, because doing this after his passing is impossible. For this reason, he resorted to a possible form of intercession; thus, choosing al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) due to his close familial relationship with the Prophet ﷺ from one perspective; and his righteousness, faith, and piety on the other.

So ʿUmar asked him to supplicate on their behalf, appealing for an abundant and beneficial rainfall.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we recognize the permissibility of the istisqaa’ prayer, and intercession is sought from the living, and not the dead.

This haadeeth also refutes those who seek intercession to Allah through the dead. .

1013
Narrated Shareek ibn ‘`Abdullah ibn Abi Namir: “I heard Anas ibn Maalik saying, "On a Friday, a person entered the Mosque through the gate facing the pulpit while Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the sermon. The man stood in front of the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock have died, and the roads have been cut off; so please pray to Allah for rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain!' " Anas added, "By Allah, we could not see any trace of cloud in the sky and there was no building or a house between us and (the mountains of) Sila." Anas added, "A heavy cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e., Sila' Mountain). When it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained." Anas further said, "By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. Next Friday a person entered through the same gate and at that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the Friday's sermon. The man stood in front of him and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock are dying, and the roads are cut off, please pray to Allah to withhold rain.' "Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah! On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.' So, the rain stopped, and we came out walking in the sun." Shareek asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for the rain (the last Friday). Anas replied that he did not know..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us to turn towards Allah, Most High, by supplicating to Him for all of our affairs, and during times of misfortune specifically; thus, we invoke Him to take away the affliction from us. In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man entered through one of the entrances of al-Masjid al-Nabawee - and this entrance was facing opposite of the pulpit - while the Messenger ﷺ was on the pupil delivering the Friday sermon. The man stood facing the Messenger ﷺ directly and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The livestock have died, because of the lack of available nourishment and sustenance needed to live due to the restriction of rain, and the roads have been cut off - namely, the paths. The camels could not travel upon them due to their emaciation or weakness because of the scarcity of herbage, or cessation of nourishment [being available]; therefore, they were not brought along, or nothing could be carried by them. For these reasons, I ask you to call upon Allah to send down an abundant rainfall upon us.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ acceded to the man’s invocation and raised his hands in supplication and said: “O Allah! Bless us with rain!”, and he repeated it three times, because one of his customs was that whenever he made supplication, he would do so three times, and if he asked [for anything from his Lord], he would do it three times, as reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him).

Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with them) then reported that the sky was so clear when the Prophet ﷺ was supplicating while standing on his pulpit (i.e., there were no gathering clouds, nor any small, scattered, isolated clouds, nor did they see any winds or any other indicator that would suggest that rain is approaching.)  Anas mentioned that between them and Salʿa - which is a mountain near al-Madeenah - there were no house[s] or building[s] obstructing their view. However, after the Prophet ﷺ supplicated, a cloud suddenly appeared from behind Salʿa that was similar to that of a turs in roundness - [but] not in scale.  The tursis a weapon of war, that was used for protecting the combatant from the strikes of arrows and swords [i.e. a shield].  

On his statement[s]: “When it reached the middle” [this] refers to the [new] small, scattered, isolated cloud which appeared before them.

“of the sky, it spread; then it began to rain.” - namely, the cloud continued circling until it reached the horizon, and then spread [across the sky] at that moment.  This served as a sign [that Allah, Most High, would] fill the earth with rain.

[Later], Anas swore that they did not see the sun for a period of six days because the presence of clouds and rain persisted.  Then, a man -it is possible that it was the same man [as last time], or someone else - entered the following Friday (the day of Friday) from the [same] entrance which the first petitioner entered, while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Friday’s sermon.  The man stood in front of him ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah!  The livestock have died due to the large amount of rain, because the pasture[s] have been cut off; thus, the livestock have died from not being able to graze the land.  And the roads have [also] been cut off, so it is impossible for them to take the paths due to the large amount of water.  So, I ask you to call upon Allah so as clouds withhold the water within and not send down any [more] rainfall or water.’ The Prophet ﷺ then rose his hands, and then said: ‘O Allah!  Around us…” - namely, that He sends the rain down around us, and not upon us.  What is meant here is to divert the rainfall away from the buildings and send it down where they will not be harmed by it.

‘O Allah!  Upon the Aakaam...’ - [Aakaam] is the plural for the word akamah, and it is a [mass] of naturally collected earth, or a massive plateau, or a small mountain, and what projects from the earth or mountains.

‘And al-Aajaam....” - they are tall structures that resemble palaces that served as some of the fortresses of al-Madeenah.

“And al-Dhiiraab…” -  [Dhiraab] is the plural for the word Dharib, and it can be a large rock formation that projects from the earth, or small hills that cannot be considered mountain[s].

“And valleys, and places where trees grow.” - meaning: O Allah send the rains down to areas where trees and grasslands grow - and not on the trodden paths. 

Accordingly, the rain ceased falling around al-Madeenah, and they departed from the masjid while walking in the sun.  That was from the great bounties that Allah placed over His Prophet ﷺ, and through which He manifested his high status in the sight of Allah, Exalted be He.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that this is one sign of many that demonstrate the [truthful] prophethood of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

It teaches us to observe the etiquette of supplication - the Prophet ﷺ did not call upon Allah to cease the rains categorically, because it is possible that there may be a need for its continuation.

The hadeeth shows us that supplicating Allah for the removal of any harm does not contradict our reliance upon Allah, and that it is permissible to speak with the khateebwhile he is on the pulpit delivering the sermon - out of necessity..

1022
Narrated Abu Ishaaq: 'Abdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaari went out with Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib, and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and invoked for rain. He ('Abdullah bin Yazeed) stood up but not on a pulpit and invoked Allah for rain and then offered a two-units prayer with loud recitation without calling the Adhaan or Iqaamah. .

Commentary : The Prayer for Rain (Istisqaa’) was prescribed for the sake [that we can] ask for rain and water when it has been cut off and restricted from when it usually descends. In this prayer, the imaam leads the people in prayer and performs two-units of it with complete humility and submission for Allah, asking Him to send down the rainfall upon them. 

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee, Abu Ishaaq al-Sabee’ee reports that ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree - who was the governor of Kufah at the time of ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) - went out with al-Baraa’ ibn ʿAazib and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and they performed the Istisqaa’ prayer - which is the appeal for water when it has long failed to appear.  So, ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) stood on his two legs and did not ascend upon the pulpit - to show imploration and weakness before Allah.  Then, he asked for Allah’s forgiveness. This is because supplicating and beseeching Allah in fervent supplication are some of the greatest ways in which we can ward off calamity and remove harm. Then, he performed a two-unit prayer with those behind him during which he recited clearly with an audible voice.  The two-units prayer is performed without an adhaanor iqaamah being called..

196
Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "I will be the first intercessor in Paradise. Not a prophet among prophets has followers like me. There is a prophet who was believed by only one man from his nation.".

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are abundant and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all must believe and follow him. This hadith mentions some of his merits such as he will be the first to enter Paradise after Allah accepts his intercession to open it, as in Imam Muslim's narration. Later his intercession will be accepted for two types of people: (1) The disobedient to be admitted to Paradise, and (2) Those who entered Paradise but got lower ranks. Imam Ahmad narrated that the Prophet said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and I am not boasting. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It indicates that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs' narration or even two-thirds as Imam Ahmad, Tirmedhy, and Ibn Maja reported. Moreover, he confirmed that there was a prophet who was only believed by one man from his nation. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Divine dignity of the Prophet, and (2) It proves the Prophet's intercession on the Day of Judgement..

196
Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I will be the first to intercede in (allowing people to enter) Paradise and have the most followers in comparison with other prophets.”.

Commentary : The Prophet's merits are great and supreme. He was sent to all people including Jews and Christians so all people must believe and follow him. In this hadith, he mentioned some of his virtues such as he will be the first one to enter Paradise and intercede for people to be admitted to Paradise as in Muslim's narration. Afterward, he will be granted the right to intercede for those who committed sins to enter Paradise or those who entered lower ranks to raise their ranks. In Ahmad's narration, he said, “I will be the first to enter Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and it is no boast. When I come to the gate of Paradise and take its ring, they will ask, 'Who is this?' I will answer, 'Muhammad.' They will open it for me. I will enter and see the Mighty facing me. I will prostrate to Him and He will say, 'O Muhammad, raise your head, speak so you will be responded, say so your requests will be accepted, and intercede so your intercession will be granted.' I will raise my head and say, 'O God, my nation, my nation.' He will say, 'Go to your nation. Whoever you find in his heart a weight of barley grain of faith, admit him to Paradise.' So I will accept. Whoever I find that in his heart, I will admit him to Paradise.” In addition, he will have the most followers on that day in comparison with other prophets. It means that having more followers means having a supreme followed one. Allah dignifies this nation for dignifying his Prophet. No nation will be like his nation on the Day of Resurrection, for it will form half of Paradise's people as in the two Sahihs. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the divine dignity of the Prophet Muhammad, (2) It proves his right of intercession, and (3) It confirms the virtue of having many followers to the straight path, for the one being followed is given his followers' rewards..

197
Anas ibn Malek narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘I will come to the gate of Paradise on the Day of Resurrection and ask to open it. The keeper will ask, ‘Who are you?’ I will say, ‘Muhammad.’ He will say, ‘It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) has great virtues. He is the master of Prophet Adam’s sons. Allah has sent him to all people, including Jews and Christians. It is obligatory for anyone to believe his prophethood and message. In this hadith, he mentioned that he would knock at Paradise’s gate on the day of Judgement and ask to get in. The keeper asked him about his identity. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, “Muhammad.” He answers with his proper name that people and angels know. The keeper would say when hearing the Prophet’s name (ﷺ), “It is just you for whom I have been ordered to open before anyone else.” Thus, the Prophet informed us that he would be the first one to enter Paradise. This is a divine honor to our Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) by giving him the priority of entering Paradise and even its highest levels..

202
Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-'As ﷺ narrated that the Prophet ﷺ recited Prophet Ibrahim's saying in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) and Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) then raised his hands, wept, and said, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Allah, the Almighty, said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad (and Allah knows best) and ask him, 'What makes you weep?'" Gabriel came and asked him, so the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed him about what he asked Allah (and Allah knows best). Thus, Allah said, "O Gabriel, go to Muhammad and say to him, 'Verily, We will please you with regard to your nation and not displease you.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was compassionate and merciful, so he used to frequently and deeply supplicate Allah not to perish his nation as the previous nations, as in this report. In this hadith, he recited Prophet Ibrahim's supplication to his nation in the Quran, "O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he, verily, is of me." (Ibrahim: 36) Prophet Ibrahim means that whoever follows me and abandons worshipping idols, he is one of my followers who deserves forgiveness and mercy. Whoever disobeys and continues worshipping idols, it is up to Allah. If He Wills, He guides him and if He Wills, He goes him astray. Allah does not forgive those dying while being polytheists as He said, "Verily, Allah does not forgive that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives, except that, anything else to whom He wills; and whoever sets up partners with Allah (in worship), he has indeed invented a tremendous sin." (An-Nisa’: 48) Then, he recited Prophet Jesus' saying in the Quran, "If You punish them, they are Your slaves, and if You forgive them, verily You, only You, are the All‑Mighty, the All‑Wise." (Al-Ma'idah: 118) Afterward, the Prophet (ﷺ) wept and supplicated Him, "O Allah, my nation, my nation!" Due to his deep love for his nation, he asked Allah's mercy, kindness, and goodness to them. Although Allah knows all that the breasts conceal, he sent Gabriel to ask the Prophet (ﷺ) about the reason for his weeping. It was said that this was to show the Prophet's prestige and honor. Gabriel asked the Prophet (ﷺ) who informed him about what he asked Allah. Thus, Allah asked Gabriel to inform the Prophet (ﷺ) that He would please and grant him what he asked and not displease him with regard to his nation, as Allah said, "And verily, your Lord will give you (all good) so that you shall be well‑pleased." (Ad-Duha: 5) This is one of the best glad tidings to Muslim nation. On the other hand, this hadith explains the Quranic verse, "Verily, there has come to you a Messenger from amongst yourselves. It grieves him that you should receive any injury or difficulty. He is anxious over you; for the believers full of pity, kind, and merciful." (At-Tawbah: 128). Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's kindness and supplication to his nation, (2) It shows the Prophet’s supreme prestige with Allah Who promised to please him with regard to his nation, and (4) It includes a great glad tiding to the Muslim nation..

203
Anas narrated that a man asked, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, where is my father?” The Prophet ﷺ answered, “In Hell.” When the man turned away, the Prophet ﷺ called him and said, “Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.”.

Commentary : It is established in Islam that if a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell. Some people frequently asked the Prophet useless questions until he fed up. As a result, he used to rebuke them and others to help them stop this kind of question. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that a man asked, "O Messenger of Allah, where is my father?” He asked whether his father was in Paradise or Hell. The Prophet replied, "In Hell.” This is because the man’s father died while being a disbeliever. When the man turned away, the Prophet called him and said, "Verily, my father and your father are in Hell.” It is due to the Prophet's good behavior and treatment of his companions. When he noticed the man’s sadness, he wanted to console him to find contentment, for if there had been a son who wanted to benefit his disbelieved father, the Prophet would have been the first one to do so. It was the revelation that informed the Prophet of his own father's destiny. This is because whoever died before the Prophet's message of Islam and followed the Arabs’ practice of worshiping idols was one of the people of Hell. As a matter of fact, the people of that period received the call of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him) and other prophets. In addition, some of them followed his message and lived with Jews and Christians, so they knew about prophets and the necessity of faith, but the majority intentionally disobeyed and associated others in worshipping Allah. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) If a person dies while being a disbeliever, he will enter Hell, and his close relatives will not benefit him, and (2) It clarifies the Prophet’s good treatment and honorable character..

211
Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Verily, the least tormented one of the people of Hell is who will wear two shoes of fire so his brain will boil due to the heat of his shoes.”.

Commentary : The severe punishment of Allah is inconceivable. The torment of the sinners mentioned in the Quran and Prophetic tradition just illustrates a picture of this severity and requires every human being to fear it on the Day of Resurrection. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that the least tormented one in Hell is the one who would wear two shoes of fire. Allah said, "... will have cut out for them garments of fire." (Al-Hajj: 19) Although he is the least tormented one in Hell, his brain will boil due to just the heat of his shoes. Some said that all of his body is tormented while others said it is just his feet, out of kindness. It was said that it is the Prophet's uncle Abu Taleb, for the Prophet's saying, when his uncle was mentioned, as in the two Sahihs, “My intercession may benefit him on the Day of Resurrection so that he may be placed in a shallow part of fire reaching only up to his ankles and causing his brain to boil.” The hadith included him and other ones who would be punished likewise. The hadith refers that the people of Hell are those abiding in it forever such as the disbelievers. This does not include the believers who committed major sins, as in the hadith reported in Bukhari and Muslim that Allah will say to the least tormented one in Hell, “I asked you a much easier thing than this, that is, not to worship others besides Me, but you refused and insisted to worship others besides Me.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the severity of Hell's torment to the extent that the least torment one will wear two shows causing his brain to boil and (2) It warns us against Hell and urges us to do what keeps us away from it..

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Aisha narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship and fed the poor. Will it benefit him?'" He answered, "It will not benefit him, for he did not ever say, 'O my God, forgive my sins on the Day of Recompense.’”.

Commentary : Believing in Allah is a prerequisite to getting His pleasing, entering Paradise, and being saved from Hell. Therefore, Allah, the Almighty, has sent people His messengers to call them to believe in Him and abandon all forms of disbelief and polytheism. In this hadith, Aisha narrated that she asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about one of her relatives, Abdullah ibn Jud'an. He was a Qureish leader from the tribe of Banu Tamim ibn Murrah during the pre-Islamic ignorant times before the Prophet's mission. It was called so, for it was full of ignorant practices. At that time, Ibn Jud'an used to establish ties of relationship, feed the poor, and follow lots of manners that Islam would encourage later. She was wondering if these righteous acts would benefit him in the hereafter and save him from Allah's punishment of the polytheists due to his disbelief. The Prophet (ﷺ) told her that all of his works would not benefit him, for he never believed in neither Allah nor the Last Day. A disbeliever will not get a reward in the hereafter for his righteous acts, for he nullified them by his disbelief. This is an indication that if he had embraced Islam, these acts would have benefitted him. As for his acts’ reward in this worldly life, Imam Muslim reported that Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Allah does not unjustly prevent a believer from even a good deed’s reward. He is rewarded in this world and in the Hereafter. As for the disbeliever, he is given a reward for the good deeds he did for the sake of Allah in the world and when he comes to Hereafter, there is no rewards for him.” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of faith, the prerequisite for accepting righteous deeds, (2) It shows the terrible results of disbelief which nullifies the reward of the righteous deeds..

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Abu Malek Al-Hareth ibn ‘Asem Al-Ash'ary narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Purity is half of faith, al-hamdulillah fills the scale, and subhanallah and al-hamdulillah fill what is between the heavens and Earth. Prayer is a light, charity is proof, and patience is illumination. The Quran is proof for or against you. All people go out early in the morning and sell themselves, either setting themselves free or ruining themselves.".

Commentary : This is a great hadith and one of the Islamic foundations in which the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned all that concerns a Muslim in his life and the afterlife. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that purification is half of faith. It means one of the two following meanings: (1) All Islamic aspects aim to purify a Muslim inwardly from evil attributes and outwardly from impurities as in purification, or (2) The word faith means prayer as in Allah's saying, "And Allah would never make your faith be lost." (Al-Baqarah: 143) So, the hadith means that purification is half of prayer which is not accepted without it. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that the saying of al-hamdulillah (all praise is due to Allah) will fill one's scale on the Day of Resurrection with reward when Allah weighs all people's deeds. It is a real scale to weigh their deeds, which does not resemble the worldly scales. It is one of the matters of the unseen world that we all must believe in. Al-hamdulillah means to acknowledge that Allah, alone, deserves all types of gratitude. The Prophet (ﷺ) added that subhanallah (glory be to Allah) meant to describe Allah with the complete perfection he deserves and negate all that contradict this perfection. These two sentences fill what is between heaven and Earth, for they contain praising Allah, negating all that contradicts His perfection, and showing the servant's need for his Creator. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that prayer is a light. This means one of the following possibilities: (1) It is a light on a Muslim's face in this life and in his way in the afterlife, unlike those who do not pray, (2) It guides a servant to the straight path and makes him away from sins, immorality, and indecency, or (3) It means all the above-mentioned possibilities, for it is a light in his heart, face, grave, and hereafter. Moreover, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that charity is proof of a Muslim's truthful faith, unlike a hypocrite who does not give charity, for he does not believe. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) added that patience is a shining light. It is a light with heat and burning power like the sun, unlike the moon. He mentioned this similarity, for patience was a difficult attribute that required struggling oneself in preventing prohibited desires and whims. The recommended patience is during three cases: (1) Patience in obeying Allah, (2) Patience in avoiding disobeying Him, and (3) Patience during calamities and hardships. Thus, patience will be a light for us throughout the straight way. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed one's stand with the Quran in the hereafter. He confirmed that it would be proof for a person if he kept reciting and acting upon it in this life. On the other hand, it would be proof against him when he left reciting or acting upon it. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned that all people went out early in the morning and sold themselves, either setting themselves free from Hell by obeying Allah or ruining themselves in Hell by obeying their whims and the devil. Thus, hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of purification and its reward, (2) It mentions some sayings and deeds of faith that set the believers free from Hell, (3) It clarifies that a person will be held accountable for his actions, so he is free to choose the way he wants to himself..

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Mus'ab ibn Sa'd narrated, "Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer said to him, 'O Ibn Omar, will you not supplicate Allah to me?' Ibn Omar replied, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution). You were the governor of Al-Basrah.'".

Commentary : The Prophet's companions used to advise people on religious and worldly matters in accordance with people’s cases and abilities. The caliph Uthman ibn Affan appointed Abdullah ibn Amer ibn Kuraiz a ruler over Basra after Abu Musa Al-Ash’ary in 29 H. Later, Uthamn appointed him over Basra and Fares after Othman ibn Abi Al-'As. Later, the caliph Mu'aweya ibn Abi Sufyan appointed him a ruler over Basra and then dismissed him after three years. Afterward, Abdullah lived in Medina until he died in 57 or 58 H. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer when he was sick. Ibn 'Amer asked him to supplicate Allah to him, for the Prophet's companion Abdullah ibn Omar was one of the righteous persons at that time. So, Ibn 'Amer was keen to ask for his supplication during this hardship. Abu Nu'aim narrated in his Mustakhraj, "When Abdullah ibn Omar visited Ibn 'Amer during his illness, people were praising Ibn 'Amer but Ibn Omar kept silent. Ibn Amer said to him, ‘O Abu Abdderrhman, what does prevent you from saying (alike)?’ Ibn Omar wisely answered, ‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say, 'No prayer is accepted without ablution and no charity is accepted due to ghulul (taking spoils before authorized distribution).’” Ablution is a prerequisite to make prayer accepted and charity is not accepted if it is taken from spoils before authorized distribution. Generally, this hadith includes taking illegal money. Ibn Omar meant that Allah did not accept charity from illegal sources and Ibn 'Amer used to illegally take people's properties during his rule over some cities. Ibn Omar wanted to scold him for his old sins and urge him to repent to Allah although Ibn ‘Amer was dismissed in 29 H. and died in 57 or 58 H. Ibn Omar wanted to urge other rulers to perform righteous deeds and fear Allah. He also wanted to warn them against oppression and negligence. Ibn Omar scolded him although the Prophet (ﷺ), his companions, and the righteous ones after them used to supplicate Allah for people of sins. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated, "Tufail ibn Amr Ad-Daousy and his companions came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, the tribe of Daous disobeyed and refused so supplicate Allah against them.' Someone said, 'Daous will be destroyed.' The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'O Allah, guide the tribe of Daous and let them come.’” Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges Muslims to visit the patient, (2) It confirms the scholars' advice to rulers with wisdom and good words, (3) It contains the virtue of ablution, (4) It contains the virtue of giving charity from legal properties, (5) It shows the legitimacy of asking righteous people for supplication to Allah, (6) It clarifies Ibn Omar's deep keenness in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, without flattery, and (7) It indicates that having illegal properties prevents accepting one's supplication..

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Humran, the servant of Uthman, narrated, "I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer.'" In another narration, "If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers obligatory prayer ...".

Commentary : The Prophet's Companions used to teach and convey Prophetic clear guidance to people. In this hadith, Human, the servant of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, narrated, “I heard Uthman - when he was in the courtyard of the mosque and asked for water to perform ablution after the caller to (afternoon) prayer came to him - said, 'By Allah, I am narrating to you a hadith. If there had not been a verse in the Book of Allah, I would have never narrated it to you.’” The verse he meant was Allah’s saying, "Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the Book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers." (Al-Baqarah: 159) It means that Allah will expel them from His mercy and people ask Him to expel them from His mercy as well. It was only this verse that encouraged Uthman to narrate this Prophetic hadith although he preferred not to narrate it temporarily, for he was afraid that people may have been deceived by their little obedience to Allah. In the end, he decided to narrate it and confirmed that he heard the Prophet saying, “If a Muslim properly performs ablution and offers prayer, Allah will forgive him the sins committed to the next prayer." The prayer mentioned here is the obligatory one and the sins mentioned here are the minor, for repentance is a prerequisite to forgive the major sins. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Caliph Uthman was keen to teach people goodness, (2) It warns against concealing Islamic knowledge, (3) It urges people to learn and properly abide by ablution's etiquette and conditions, (4) It stressed on the virtue of properly performing ablution, and (5) The legitimacy of swearing without being asked to swear..

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Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As said, "I was with Uthman who asked for ablution water and said, 'I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning their reward, for it is Allah's grace that he makes performing these acts, with caring about their conditions, a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, Amr ibn Saeed ibn Al-'As narrated that when he was with Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, Uthman asked for ablution water and told him that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "When the time for a prescribed prayer is due and a Muslim properly performs its ablution, submissiveness, and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins as long as he did not commit a major sin. This applies for all times." Submissiveness in prayer means that all Muslim's limbs are facing Allah and recalling His greatness. Also, the above-mentioned sins are the minor ones, for forgiving the major sins necessitate repentance. The major sins are those sins that are called in the Quran, the authentic Sunnah, or consensus major sins, necessitate severe punishment, or its doer was cursed or highly reprehensible. This favor from Allah is general and applied to all times, not confined to a specific time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the virtue of frequently persevering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiving minor sins, and (2) It confirms the virtue of ablution and submissiveness in prayer..

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Humran ibn Aban narrated, “I used to fetch water of ablution for Uthman. There was not a day that he did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. Uthman said, ‘The Messenger of Allah ﷺ told us after completing this prayer, (one of the narrators called Mes'ar said, ‘I think it afternoon prayer.’) ‘I do not know whether I should tell you something or keep quiet.’ We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, if it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.’ So, he said, ‘If a Muslim purifies in a complete way as enjoined upon him by Allah and offers these five prayers, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them.’”.

Commentary : Due to Allah’s grace, He makes performing acts of worship a reason for forgiveness. Thus, the Prophet ﷺ used to encourage people to perform them, by mentioning its reward. In this hadith, Humran ibn Aban, the servant of Othman ibn Affan, narrated that he used to fetch water of ablution for Othman. There was not a day that Othman did not take a bath with a small quantity of water. He was keen to purify himself, out of cleanliness and seeking great rewards mentioned in this hadith. Then, Othman narrated that one day the Prophet ﷺ finished the afternoon prayer and gave his companions the choice between speaking to them or keeping silent to draw their attention for knowledge. They replied, “If it is good, tell us about it, and if it is otherwise, Allah and His Prophet ﷺ know best.” Their response indicates their high good manners with the Prophet ﷺ. He told them that if a Muslim completely performs ablution and offers the five prayers at their appointed times - as in other narrations -, they will expiate what (sins) committed between them. In another narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “Unless the major sins are committed.” Thus, the above-mentioned forgiveness is applied to the minor, not the major sins which Allah may forgive or punish its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of ablution, (2) It clarifies the virtue of regularly offering the acts of worship, which is a reason for forgiveness, and (3) It confirms the legitimacy of a ruler’s preaching to people, for Othman was then the caliph..

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Uthman ibn Affan narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'Whoever properly performs ablution for prayer, walks to (attend) the obligatory prayer, and prays with the people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive him his sins.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar of Islam that has a great reward. As a result, mere walking to perform prayer in a mosque is a reason for forgiving one’s sins and raising his ranks in Paradise. Similarly, Allah makes ablution and prayer reasons for purifying people from the effects of their sins. Also, he promises that performing acts of worship based on their conditions is a reason for forgiveness. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever properly and perfectly performs ablution then walks to perform an obligatory prayer with people, with the congregation, or in the mosque, Allah will forgive his sins. The repeated "or" may be due to a narrator's doubt so the hadith means that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people in a mosque and if they finished it, he would perform it alone in the mosque. Also, it may mean that a Muslim performs an obligatory prayer with people whether in a mosque or somewhere else, so the hadith focusses on performing it with people. As a result, Allah will forgive all of his sins. On the other hand, it was proven in the Quranic and Prophetic texts that it is the minor, not the major sins that will be forgiven, for forgiving major sins necessitates repentance, decisive intention not to commit them again along with some other prerequisites. Finally, the hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Encouragement to properly and perfectly perform ablution, and (2) The virtue of congregational prayer and its great reward..

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Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The five (daily) prayers, the periods from one Friday prayer to the (next) Friday prayer, and from Ramadan to Ramadan expiate the (sins) committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins.".

Commentary : People are created weak, overcome by themselves and devils through committing sins. Allah grants them things that expiate their sins on condition that they avoid major sins, such as performing acts of worship with their prerequisites. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that performing the five daily prayers, performing Friday's prayer to the next one, and fasting Ramadan month to the next one expiate the sins committed in between provided that one shuns the major sins. Repentance is a prerequisite to expiate them. The major sin is the sin that the Quran, the Sunnah, or the scholars' consensus: (1) Stipulated as a major sin, (2) Mentioned a severe punishment or a specific penalty of its doer, and (3) Deeply dispraised or cursed its doer. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows Allah's comprehensive mercy, his grace of forgiveness, and his great reward for small acts of worship, and (2) It confirms the virtue of prayer and fasting in expiating sins..

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Uqbah ibn Amer narrated, "We were entrusted with the task of caring about camels. On my turn, I took them back in the evening after grazing them in the pastures, I found the Messenger of Allah ﷺ standing and addressing people. I heard him saying, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (inwardly and outwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." I said, "What a fine thing is this!" Someone in front of me said, "The words before them were better." When I cast a glance, I saw that it was 'Umar who said, "I have seen that you have just come." He narrated, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." In another narration, "Whoever performs ablution and says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship, but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger.".

Commentary : Allah’s mercy and reward may be for the simplest acts of worship. Thus, simple acts like ablution, prayer, fasting, charity, and others are means to purify people and forgive their sins on the condition that they avoid the major sins. In this hadith, Uqbah ibn Amer narrated that the companions were alternatively responsible for grazing camels outside Medina, for they did not have servants for this task. After finishing his tiring task, Uqbah went to the Prophetic Mosque and found the Prophet (ﷺ) standing and addressing people, "If any Muslim performs ablution properly, then performs two rak'ahs with his face and heart (outwardly and inwardly), Paradise will be guaranteed for him." His words, "... with his face and heart ..." meant to be sincere and submissive and avoid turning face or making heart busy with thoughts other than prayer details. As a result, the reward is Paradise. Uqbah was astonished by this simple act of worship with the glad tiding and supreme reward. Uqbah lately came to the speech, so he did not hear the speech from the beginning. Omar commented on Uqbah’s opinion, "The words before them were better." Omar told him what he (Uqbah) missed of the Prophetic words, "If anyone amongst you performs ablution properly, then says, 'I testify that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is the servant and messenger of Allah, the eight gates of Paradise will be opened for him, so he can enter by whichever of them he wishes." Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies Allah’s great reward. He limitlessly rewards his servants for their simple acts of worship, (2) The virtue of ablution and supplications said afterward, (3) It clarifies the virtue of the two rak'ahs after ablution and urges people to perform them as described in the hadith, (4) It illustrates the companions' keenness to learn and spread the Prophetic knowledge, (5) It stresses that sincerity, devotion to worship, and avoiding worldly concerns are the spirit of worship, (6) It shows the virtue of the two testimonies of monotheism, (7) It describes supreme attributes of the Companions like humility, serving themselves, grazing their camels in spite of their prestige with Allah, (8) It shows the legitimacy of cooperation in the matters of living..