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Hadith
174
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque, at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they did not sprinkle water on any of that..

Commentary : The urine of a dog must be purified if it gets onto the ground, or onto one’s garments and the like, just as it is enjoined to wash a vessel if a dog drinks from it. This hadith may be understood as referring to the opposite of that, because Ibn ‘Umar narrates that dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) did not sprinkle water on any of that. What may be understood from the hadith is that they used to urinate outside the mosque, in the places that they frequented, and they would come and go in the mosque, passing through. It is not permissible for dogs to be allowed to remain in the mosque to the point that they play about and urinate in the building. Rather they used to come and go at some times, and there were no doors or gates on the mosque to prevent the dogs from passing through. When the dogs entered the mosque, it was possible that their saliva might drop on the floor of the mosque, but it was not something definite, and it was not known where it would be. Hence the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not sprinkle water on any of that, because certainty cannot be dispelled on the basis of doubt; they were certain that the mosque was clean and pure, but they were not certain as to whether any of the dogs’ saliva was on the ground, or where it was if that had happened. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that water be sprinkled over the urine of the Bedouin when he was certain that he had urinated and he knew where it was, and the urine of a dog is no less objectionable or impure (najis) than the urine of that Bedouin..

179
It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid that he asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): What do you think of someone who has intercourse but does not ejaculate? ‘Uthman said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis. ‘Uthman said: I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then I asked ‘Ali, al-Zubayr, Talhah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about that, and they all enjoined the same thing..

Commentary : Janabah (impurity following sexual activity) is major impurity and results either from intercourse or the emission of maniy (semen), which exhausts the entire body. Islamic teachings enjoin doing ghusl in that case, to energize and cleanse the body, and to purify it. In this hadith, it says that Zayd ibn Khaalid, who was one of the Tabi‘in, asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): Is there ghusl for one who has intercourse with his wife then gets up and leaves her without ejaculating? ‘Uthman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis, which may be understood as meaning that he does not have to do ghusl. Then ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed that he heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Zayd also asked ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about a man having intercourse with his wife without ejaculating, and they instructed him to do the same as ‘Uthman had instructed him, which was to do wudu’ without doing ghusl.
However, the ruling that is mentioned in this hadith was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” Ghusl is required of everyone who has intercourse with his wife, whether or not he ejaculates. This is the final ruling concerning this issue, as was determined at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and afterwards, and it was proven from all of the Sahabah mentioned here that they issued fatwas requiring ghusl, not wudu’, to the extent that there is consensus in the ummah that ghusl is required of the one whose penis enters the vagina, even if he does not ejaculate..

180
It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar, who came with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” And he said yes. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you were made to hasten, then you should have done wudu’.” Wahb followed that by saying: Shu‘bah told us: Abu ‘Abdillah said: Ghundar and Yahya did not narrate any mention of wudu’ from Shu‘bah..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to hasten to respond to his call, so they attained the highest level of obedience and submission. This hadith proves that, as Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar – whose name was ‘Itban ibn Malik, or someone else – and he came rushing with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) realized that he had been having intercourse with his wife, so he said to him: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” In other words, perhaps you hastened to stop having intercourse before you ejaculated. The man said yes, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught him that if a man hastens to stop having intercourse, and does not ejaculate, then he does not have to do ghusl and wash his entire body; rather it is sufficient to do wudu’. However, this was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” It is not stipulated that ejaculation should occur in order for ghusl to be necessary. The final ruling is that intercourse necessitates ghusl, regardless of whether the man ejaculates or not..

183
It was narrated from Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas told him that he spent the night in the house of Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who was his maternal aunt. [He said:] I lay along the width of the pillow and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife lay along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell asleep, until halfway through the night, or shortly before that or after it. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up, he sat up, wiping the sleep from his face with his hand, then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran. Then he went to a water skin that was hanging up and did wudu’ from it, and did wudu’ well. Then he went and prayed. Ibn ‘Abbas said: I got up and did what he had done, then I went and stood beside him. He put his right hand on my head, and took hold of my right ear and tweaked it. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then Witr. Then he lay down until the mu’adhdhin came to him, then he got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, then he went out and prayed Fajr..

Commentary : ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a smart boy who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learned his Sunnahs from him so that he could act upon them and convey them to those who came after him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he spent the night at the house of his maternal aunt Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He lay down and slept across the width of the pillow, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife Maymunah slept along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) slept until half way through the night, or a little before that or a little after, then he woke up. He sat up and wiped the traces of sleep from his face with his hand, to help him wake up fully. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran, {Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth …} [Al ‘Imran 3:190-200], to the end of the surah. Then he got up and went to an old water skin that was hanging there and did wudu’ from it, doing it properly and thoroughly. Then he stood up to pray tahajjud. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then I got up and did what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done, meaning that he did wudu’, doing it well and thoroughly. Then he stood beside the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray with him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put his right hand on the head of Ibn ‘Abbas and took hold of his right ear, twisting and rubbing it, to wake him up, or to tell him to pay attention to the proper way of standing and where the one who is praying behind someone should stand, or to show affection to him, and the like. It was said that he tweaked his ear only because he stood on his left, so he took hold of his ear and pulled it to make him move around to stand on his right.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed twelve rak‘ahs, saying the taslim after each two rak‘ahs. Then he prayed Witr, meaning that he prayed an odd number of rak‘ahs, whether it was a single rak‘ah or three rak‘ahs. Then he lay down on his side until the mu’adhdhin came to wake him up for Fajr prayer. He got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, which were the two [Sunnah] rak‘ahs of Fajr, then he went out and offered the obligatory prayer of Fajr.
In this hadith we see that it is permissible to recite Qur’an and so on without wudu’, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited these verses after waking up from sleep, before doing wudu’.
It indicates that it is permissible to make the Sunnah prayer of Fajr brief.
It tells us of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do of worship at night. .

185
It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn Yahya al-Mazini, from his father, that a man said to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd, who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’? ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd said: Yes. He called for some water, and poured some water over his hands and washed them twice. Then he rinsed out his mouth and nose three times, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his arms twice each, up to the elbows. Then he wiped his head with his hands, front and back, starting at the front of his head until he brought his hands to the nape of his neck, then brought them back to where he had started. Then he washed his feet..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the Prophet’s Sunnah and teach it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Amr ibn Yahya narrates from his father that a man – who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya; his name was ‘Umarah ibn Abi Hasan al-Mazini, as is mentioned in the reports – asked the Sahabi ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’, according to what he had seen him do. ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) responded to his request and called for water, so that he could give him a practical demonstration of how wudu’ was to be done. He poured water on his hands and washed them twice before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving water around in his mouth, then spitting it out. He cleaned his nose three times, sniffing up water then expelling it, which means that he took water into his nose to clean the inside of it. Then he washed his face three times. The definition of the face is from the hairline to the bottom of the chin, and from one earlobe to the other, right and left. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, washing each one twice, by way of showing the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that twice. Then he wiped his head once with both hands, front and back. In other words, he put his hands on the front of his head, then brought them to the back of his head, until they reached the nape of his neck, and he brought them back to the front of the head. Wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head is the place where the hair grows. Then he washed his feet up to the ankles, as is proven in the reports.
This hadith indicates that the learner may ask one who has knowledge, and teaching may be done by demonstrating actions.
It also indicates that the entire head is to be wiped..

189
It was narrated that Ibn Shihab said: Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ – who is the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sprayed water from their well when he was a child, and ‘Urwah said, quoting from al-Miswar and someone else, each confirming that the other was telling the truth – told me: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, they almost fought over his leftover wudu’ water..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) respected and venerated him very much, and held him in the highest esteem. One of the examples of that is what is mentioned in this hadith. The context is the story of al-Hudaybiyyah, when the polytheists prevented the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions from reaching the Sacred House for ‘umrah, and they sent the delegation to negotiate with him, until they drew up the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah with him. The time for prayer came whilst ‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud, who had come to negotiate with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was there. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to do wudu’, his companions almost fought over his left over wudu’ water, because they were rushing to get it. But the one who narrated that – in this hadith – was Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him); he was the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had playfully sprayed water onto his face from his mouth, when Mahmoud was a small child; that water came from a bucket drawn from the well of the people of Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘.
This was also narrated by ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr, from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with him) and someone else, namely Marwan ibn al-Hakam, each of them confirming that the other was telling the truth; in other words, both al-Miswar and Marwan confirmed one another’s narration of the hadith.
This hadith indicates that leaders and people of virtue may play and joke with children.
It also highlights how the Sahabah venerated and respected the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how they sought blessing (barakah) from his relics and leftover wudu water..

190
It was narrated that al-Ja‘d said: I heard al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid say: My maternal aunt took me to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, my sister’s son is in pain. He patted me on the head and prayed for blessing for me, then he did wudu’, and I drank some of his wudu’ water. Then I stood behind him and looked at the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, like the egg of a partridge..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards his companions, and would pray for them. He would offer supplication for them, pray for healing for those who were sick, and pray for the safe return of those who were absent. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would come to him so that he would pray for them and their children. In this hadith, al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was sick, and he was very young at that time, so his maternal aunt took him to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said to him: My sister’s son is in pain, meaning that he was sick. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) patted him on the head and prayed for blessing for him. Then he did wudu’, and al-Sa’ib drank some of the water that was left over after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. When al-Sa’ib stood behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, which was the size of a partridge egg. The partridge is a type of bird.
The seal of prophethood was a mark between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which had been described in earlier scriptures; it was a sign by which the promised Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be known, after whom there would be no other Prophet. The seal of prophethood is described in the sahih Sunnah as something that stood out between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); it was surrounded by moles, which are dark spots, and was covered with a few hairs.
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took good care of his companions, and how he would pray for blessing for the children and pat their heads.
It highlights the virtue of al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also tells us how the Sahabah sought blessing from the relics and wudu’ water of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

191
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd that he poured water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them, then he washed – or rinsed his mouth and nose – from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his arms up to the elbows, twice each, and he wiped his head, front and back, and washed his feet up to the ankles. Then he said: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and taught it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Yahya al-Mazini narrates that a man came to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, and he said yes. Then he called for water, and when it was brought to him, he poured some water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving the water around in it, in order to wash it thoroughly. Then he spat the water out of his mouth, and sniffed up water into his nose to make it reach the highest part of the nose, and then blew it out of his nose, to cleanse his nose of any dirt that might be inside it. He cleaned his mouth and nose from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, twice each, washing each of them twice in order to show the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that.
Washing the forearms cannot be done except after washing the face, but he did not mention it here, although he mentioned it in another report in al-Bukhari, which says that he washed his face three times. It was said that perhaps he wanted to make the description brief here, because the issue of washing the face is clearly mentioned in the verse of wudu’, and there is no need to mention it here. It was also said that perhaps one of the narrators forgot to mention washing the face, as he was also not sure about whether he washed or rinsed his mouth. It was also suggested that the reason why the face was not mentioned is that it may be that what is omitted is the word face; in other words, then he washed his face. It was omitted because it is clear [from the context], and the word aw (or) in the phrase “or rinsed his mouth” means “and”, and the phrase “from one handful of water” refers to rinsing the mouth and nose only.
Then he wiped his head, placing his hands on the front of his head, then bringing them to the back of his head, until he reached the nape of his neck, then bringing them back to the front of his head again. He did that once, and wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head here is the place where the hair grows. And he washed his feet up to the ankles.
Then ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after he had finished his wudu’: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’. In other words, his wudu’ was a precise imitation of the wudu’ of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was done to teach those around him of the Tabi‘in and others who wanted to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’ in a practical manner.
It also indicates that one should wash the hands before putting them in the vessel when starting to do wudu’..

193
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, that he said: Men and women both used to do wudu’ at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Islam honours women and does not treat them as outcasts, as was the case during the jahiliyyah. It permits some things to both women and men, whilst paying attention to the guidelines on gender interactions.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that both men and women used to do wudu’ at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other words, they would both do wudu’ from one vessel, as is mentioned in other reports narrated by Ibn Majah. What is meant is that such actions were well known at that time, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not object to that or try to change it. This was quoted as evidence by those who think that water left over by women may be used by men, and water left over by men may be used by women, and if that were not allowed, they would not have done that, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have told them not to do that.
It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did ghusl to purify themselves of janabah from a single vessel, and that he also did that with Maymunah. What is meant by them both doing wudu’ – as was narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – is that the men would do wudu’ and leave, then the women would come and do wudu’..

201
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would do ghusl using a sa‘ of water, up to a maximum of five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. .

Commentary : Islamic teachings forbid extravagance, and extravagance refers to anything that is surplus to a person’s requirements, even with regard to using water for ghusl or wudu’. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do ghusl using a sa‘ or five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. The sa‘ is a unit of measurement equivalent to four mudds or eight ratls. In modern terms, it is said that the ratl is equivalent to approximately 380 grams, or less than half a litre; or it is said that it is equivalent to 538 grams, or more than half a litre. The mudd is equivalent to one quarter of a sa‘ or, it was said, it is equivalent to one and a third ratls, or two ratls. It is the amount of water that may be held in the joined palms of both hands.
This report tells us how much water was sufficient for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), not that it is not permissible to use more than that. Rather people vary in that regard; some people cannot do wudu’ and ghusl properly except with more than that, but whatever the case, it is essential to avoid being extravagant with water. This comes under the heading of proper use of resources and making the best use of them by disposing of them properly, and using only is much as is needed..

202
It was narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that he wiped over his khuffs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked ‘Umar about that, and he said: Yes, if Sa‘d tells you something from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it..

Commentary : Wiping over the khuffs is proven in sound, clear texts. This was narrated by a large number of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). The number of those who narrated it is more than eighty of the Sahabah, including the ten who were given the glad tidings of Paradise, and no one denies that except an innovator. In fact, wiping over the khuffs is one of the minor issues of fiqh which distinguishes Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah from others who have deviated and are misguided. This is one of the hadiths in which it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he wiped over the khuffs. The khuff is a kind of footwear made of thin leather that is worn on the foot and covers the ankles and more. This report mentions Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked his father ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) about this hadith. He said to him: If Sa‘d narrates something to you from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it. That was because they trusted Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with them all).
This hadith highlights the virtue of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also highlights how the Sahabah spoke highly of one another..

205
It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn Umayyah said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban and khuffs..

Commentary : One of the distinguishing characteristics of Islamic teachings is that they make things easy for the accountable. Islam came to make easy that which is difficult for people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us about wudu’, how to do it and the etiquette thereof.
In this hadith, ‘Amr ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban, which is something that is wrapped around the head. Wiping over it is done when wanting to wipe the head, which is an essential part of wudu’. It is done by wiping a wet hand over whatever is visible of the hair, and completing the action by wiping over the turban, without taking it off the head. Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when it came to washing the feet, which is another essential part of wudu’, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wiped over the khuffs instead of washing the feet. The khuff is something made of leather that covers the foot, and is usually worn for warmth. Wiping is done on the top of the feet, not the bottom, and the length of time for which one may wipe over the khuffs is one day and night for one who is not travelling, and three days and nights for one who is travelling.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to wipe over the turban and khuffs when doing wudu’..

214
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer. I said: What did you [the Sahabah] used to do? He said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it..

Commentary : Wudu’ will be the light of the believer on the Day of Resurrection, for wudu’ will brighten his face and limbs, and the Muslims will be recognized in the place of gathering by this characteristic, which is unique to this ummah. Because wudu’ has this virtue, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every obligatory prayer, so as to attain this reward and virtue, as Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from him. Doing wudu’ for every prayer is Sunnah, but it is permissible for the Muslim to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’, so long as he has not invalidated it. This is what Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) meant when he said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it by minor impurity that invalidates wudu’, such as passing wind, urinating or defecating. It is proven in Sahih Muslim, in the hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer, but on the day of the conquest [of Makkah] he offered all the prayers with one wudu’. ‘Umar said to him: You have done something that you never used to do. He said: “I did it deliberately”, meaning that he did it in order to show that it is permissible to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’.
This hadith highlights the virtue of doing wudu’ for every prayer..

216
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah, and he heard the sound of two people being punished in their graves. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” Then he said: “Nay [it is serious]; one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from his urine getting on him, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” Then he called for a stalk of a palm leaf, broke it in two, and placed one piece of it on each grave. It was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that? He said: “Perhaps they will reduce [the punishment] for them so long as they do not dry out, or until they dry out.”.

Commentary : The grave is the first stage of the hereafter, and punishment and bliss in the grave are real. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained some deeds that lead to punishment in the grave, as mentioned in this hadith, in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah – this refers to uncertainty on the part of Jarir ibn ‘Abdul Hamid, one of the narrators of the hadith. Al-Bukhari narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad, where he said: one of the gardens of Madinah, with certainty, beyond any doubt. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of two dead people being punished in their graves, and he said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” In other words, they are not being punished for something you regard as serious, although in fact it is serious before Allah (may He be exalted). Hence he said “Nay,” to indicate that the matter is indeed serious.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for their punishment, which was that one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from urine contaminating his body and clothes, and the other used to walk around spreading malicious gossip among the people, so he would tell one person what someone else had said with the intention of causing harm, stirring up trouble and creating hatred among people.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called for the stalk of a palm leaf; he broke it into two halves, and placed one piece of it on each of the two graves. The Sahabah asked him: Why did you do that? And he told them that he had done that in the hope that Allah (may He be exalted) would reduce the punishment for them until the palm stalks that he had placed on their graves dried out. It was said that the reason why he chose palm stalks was that they are slow to dry out. It was also said that this may be interpreted as meaning that he offered supplication for them and prayed that their punishment would be reduced so long as the palm stalks remained fresh and moist, not that there is anything inherently special about palm stalks, or that that which is fresh and moist has some special impact that are not found in a dry stalk. It was said that what is meant is that the palm stalk glorifies Allah so long as it remains fresh and moist, thus the reduction of the punishment was by the blessing of that tasbih.
This hadith affirms the punishment of the grave and confirms that it is real; we must believe in it and accept it.
It also warns against not taking precautions to protect oneself from urine; this applies also to other types of impurity that could contaminate one’s body or garments.
It also warns against malicious gossip, and highlights the bad consequences thereof..

217
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to answer the call of nature, I would bring the water to him and he would wash himself with it..

Commentary : The teachings of Islam urge Muslims to purify themselves both physically and in intangible ways. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how to purify ourselves after relieving ourselves.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks of when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself – the Arabic term refers to going out to a spacious, flat piece of land where they used to go to relieve themselves, because they used to go out to places where there were no people, before they acquired outhouses and bathrooms in their houses. Hence Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he used to bring water to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so that he could wash himself and clean the site of the urine and faeces, to make sure that it was clean. What is mostly known of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is that he used to clean himself with pebbles, as is proven in the reports. The hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) highlights the fact that it is valid to clean oneself with water.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he used to follow him wherever he went to see how he could serve him, and so that he could do whatever was asked of him. He knew how much the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved to purify himself with water after Allah praised those who purify themselves..

241
Abdullah ibn Amr narrated, "We returned from Mecca to Medina with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When we came to some water on the way, some of us were in a hurry at the time of Asr prayer and performed ablution hurriedly. When we reached them, their heels were dry and not touched by water. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Woe to the heels because of Hell! Complete the ablution.'".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to preach and teach his companions the rules of Islam so he rebuked those not completing ablution. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that while returning from Mecca to Medina with the Prophet ﷺ, they came to some water and some of them wanted to get Asr prayer before its time ended, as the narration of Bukhari showed. As a result, they hurriedly performed ablution. The Prophet's habit was to walk behind people to urge those being late, accompany the weak, and then lead them all in prayer. In this case, the above-mentioned people wanted to delay the prayer till its last time, hoping to pray with him. When he reached them, he noticed their dry heels that were not touched by the water of ablution. As a result, he rebuked them saying, "Woe to heels because of Hell," for they did not complete their ablution. Then, he commanded them to thoroughly complete their ablution. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges us to completely perform ablution and thoroughly wash all its members, (2) It warns against leaving to wash the back of the foot, and (3) It confirms that the unwashed members will be a reason for punishment..

243
Omar ibn Al-Khattab narrated that a man performed ablutions but missed to wash a spot equal to a toenail. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he said to him, "Go back and perform ablutions properly." He went back then prayed..

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to check his companions' worship just like a teacher who used to check his students' progress. It was his habit to teach them his teachings and rectify their mistakes. In this hadith, Omar ibn Al-Khattab narrated that when a man performed ablution but missed washing a spot equal to a toenail (a metaphor for a small size), the Prophet (ﷺ) referred to this mistake and said, "Go back and perform ablution properly." The man completed his ablution (or repeated it as said) and prayed after the Prophet (ﷺ) accepted his ablution. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It illustrated how the Companions rapidly responded to implement the Prophet's commands, (2) It urges us to complete ablution and warns against neglecting to wash even a small spot of ablution parts, and (3) It clarifies how imams and scholars should teach common people the matters of Islam and rectify their mistakes..

244
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When a Muslim servant, or a believer, performs ablution and washes his face, every sin he looked at with his eyes leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his hands, every sin he committed with his hands leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his feet, every sin his feet walked to leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water) until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.".

Commentary : Allah blessed His servants by making the performance of acts of worship according to their conditions a reason for forgiveness. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning their reward. His saying, "servant" was to confirm to worship Allah alone. The sentence, "or a believer" was a doubt from one of the hadith narrators. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that a Muslim's previous sins, like prohibited looks, touches, and walking, committed by his eyes, hands, and feet would come out of them with water or the last drop of water during ablution. As a result, a Muslim will emerge cleansed of all his minor sins, for the major sins are only forgiven after repentance, according to the abundant proofs in the Quran and Sunnah. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The virtue of ablution and that it is a reason for forgiving sins, and (2) It encourages Muslims to frequently perform ablution..

245
Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be please with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If anyone performs the ablutions well, his sins will come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.”.

Commentary : Allah blessed His servants by making the performance of acts of worship according to their conditions a reason for forgiveness. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning the rewards for them. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us that if a Muslim performs ablutions well with caring about its recommended acts and manners, his sins will come out from his body to the extent that they will come out from under his hands' and feet's nails. This is specific to minor sins, for the major sins require repentance. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of ablutions, for it expiates sins, and (2) It urges us to observe the etiquette and recommended acts of ablutions..

247
Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My cistern is bigger than the distance between Aila and Aden. Its water is whiter than ice and sweeter than honey mixed with milk. Its cups are more than stars. Verily, I will prevent people from it just as a man prevents people's camels from his cistern." They said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, will you recognize us on that day?" He said "Yes, you will have distinctive marks that nobody of other nations has. You will come to me with blazing foreheads and bright limbs due to traces of ablution.".

Commentary : Al-Kawthar river and Prophetic cistern are grants from Allah to his Prophet (ﷺ) on the Day of Resurrection out of His generosity and kindness to him and his nation. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us that the distance between his cistern’s two ends is bigger than that between Aila and Aden. Aila is now called Aqaba, a coastal city in Jordan, but Aden is a city in Yemen by the Indian Ocean, which confirms its vast space. Additionally, he told us that he would prevent hypocrites and apostates from it just as a man prevents people's camels from his cistern. As a result, one of his companions asked him how he would recognize them on that day. He answered that they would have distinguished marks that nobody from the previous nations had. They would have blazing foreheads and bright limbs just like horses due to traces of ablution. Finally, this hadith proves the Prophetic vast cistern and confirms the virtue of ablution..

249
Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ came to the graveyard and said, “Peace be upon you, an abode of the believing people. We, if Allah wills, will join you. I wish I saw our brothers.” The companions said, “Are not we your brothers, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He said, “You are my companions. Our brothers have not come yet (to this world).” They said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how do you recognize those who have not come from your nation yet?” He said, “Suppose a man has horses with white blazes on foreheads and legs beside among black horses. Does he not recognize his horses?” They said, “He will, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” He said, “They would come with white faces and legs owing to ablution. I would arrive at the cistern before them. Verily, some people would be driven away from my Cistern as the stray camel is driven away. I would call out, ‘Come on, come on.’ Then, it would be said (to me), ‘They changed (your guidance) after you.’ I would say, ‘Be off, be off.’”.

Commentary : Allah confirms that the believers will have characteristics that distinguish them from others in the Hereafter, by which the Prophet ﷺ will recognize them on that day. They will have blazing limbs due to the effect of ablution. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Baqi cemetery, greeted his dead companions, and said, “Peace be upon you, an abode of the believing people. We, Allah willing, will join you.” They preceded the alive ones who would join them, Allah willing, when their life ended. Then, the Prophet ﷺ wished that he had seen his brothers, so his companions wondered and asked him, “Are not we your brothers?” He answered that they were his companions but his brothers had not come yet to this world. He clarified that whoever saw and believed him was one of his companions, but whoever believed him without seeing him among his nation were his brothers. They asked him how he would recognize his brothers on the Day of Resurrection among his nation although he did not see them. He answered, “Suppose a man has horses with white blazes on their foreheads and legs among black horses. Does he not recognize his horses?” This will be the Muslims’ case on that day. They will be distinguished by their white foreheads, hands, and legs owing to the ablution. The Prophet ﷺ will arrive at his cistern before them, from which he will water those coming to him from his nation. On the other hand, he mentioned that the angels would expel some Muslims from his cistern just as a camel herder expelled a camel that was not his own because it competed with his camels for food and drink. Before knowing the reason for expelling, the Prophet ﷺ will call them to come, but the angels will confirm that these people changed his guidance after his death, so he will say to them, “Be off, be off.” It is a supplication against them to be expelled from Allah’s mercy or the Prophet’s cistern. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the legitimacy of visiting Muslims’ cemetery and clarifies the supplications that a Muslim should say in this event, (2) The Prophet’s love and longing for his followers, (3) It shows the virtue of ablution in Islam, (4) It indicates the punishment of deviation from Islam, which is a reason for being expelled from the Prophet’s cistern on the Day of Resurrection, (5) The virtue of having blazing foreheads and bright limbs due to traces of ablution on that day, (6) The legitimacy of wishing goodness for others and meeting virtuous people, and (6) The Prophet ﷺ does not know the unseen world except what Allah reveals to him..

250
Abu Hazem narrated, "I was (standing) behind Abu Huraira while he was performing ablution for prayer. He extended his hand until it went up to his armpit. I said to him, 'O Abu Huraira, what is this ablution?' He said, 'O sons of Faroukh, are you here? if I had known that you had been here, I would have never performed ablution like this. I heard my beloved one (ﷺ) say, 'The believer's adornment reaches the places where ablution reaches.'".

Commentary : Ablution and purity are among the believers' rites. Their effects will appear as lights on Muslims on the Day of Resurrection, through which the Prophet will recognize them at his basin. In this hadith, Abu Hazim Al-Ashja’i narrated that he was standing behind Abu Hurairah during his performing ablution for prayer. Abu Hurairah washed his hands and arms until he reached his armpits, hoping to wash the longest part of his arms. Abu Hazim asked him about the reason for this ablution that he had never seen anyone perform. Abu Hurairah was surprised that Abu Hazem was there and confirmed that if he had known he was seeing him, he would not have performed it this way. As for his saying "Sons of Faroukh," it meant the non-Arab. Abu Hurairah meant that a leader should take much care about his public acts, so he has to refrain from doing some acts of allowable lenience or strictness if he thinks that people may imitate him. They may follow his lenience without necessity or his strictness thinking it is an obligation. Then, Abu Hurairah clarified the reason for his way of ablution. He heard the Prophet confirm that the believer's whiteness, in Paradise, would reach the places where the ablution reached. As a result, Abu Hurairah wanted his ablution to reach the longest part of his arms. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the believers' honor, as they will be singled out for the whiteness of faces and feet, (2) A scholar has to avoid doing some acts before the public if he fears that they do not realize what he does, (3) It shows the virtue of exaggeratedly washing the forehead and feet through washing beyond the obligatory place..

251
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Will I tell you about something for which Allah obliterates sins and elevates ranks?” They said, “Of course O Allah's Messenger!” He said, “Properly performing ablution in spite of difficulties, taking many steps to mosques, and waiting for the next prayer after observing the current one. That is the defense of the frontier.”.

Commentary : Prayer is of great prestige in Islam, for it is one of its pillars and bases. The Prophet (ﷺ) clarified that Allah boasted about His worshiping servants and those waiting for prayer's appointed times before His angels. In this sense, the Prophet (ﷺ) told his companions about three reasons for which Allah obliterated sins and elevated ranks. First: Properly washing each member during ablution despite difficulties like coldness or pain. Second: Frequently going to mosques to attend congregational prayers. Third: Waiting for the next obligatory prayer after performing the current obligatory one. Then, he explained that those sticking to these three acts were just like those defending the frontier, which was one of the greatest acts of worship in the sight of Allah. This Prophetic similarity confirmed that these acts were means to fight and block devilish whispers and one's prohibited whims. In another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) repeated it thrice, "That is the defense of the frontier,” to confirm their great reward..

253
Shuraih said, "I asked Aisha, 'What was the first thing the Prophet ﷺ used to do when entering home?'" She replied, "He used to use siwak (tooth-stick.".

Commentary : The siwak is a means to get Allah's pleasing and purify our mouths, as the trustworthy Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed. He regularly observed this habit and verbally and practically urged his nation to keep it. In this hadith, Shuraih ibn Hane' narrated that he asked Aisha, Mother of the Believers, about the first thing that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to do at any time he entered home after greeting as known from his sunnah. She told him that the first thing was to use siwak to cleanse and purify his mouth. This was a part of his manners and caring about his wife. As a result, he was a role model that we should follow. Finally, this hadith confirmed the keenness of the companions' students to ask about the Prophet's tradition so they could follow him..

254
Abu Musa Al-Ash'ary narrated, "I came to the Prophet ﷺ while the siwak's end was on his tongue.".

Commentary : The siwak is a means to get Allah's pleasing and purify our mouths, as the trustworthy Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed. He regularly observed this habit and verbally and practically urged his nation to keep it. In this hadith, the noble companion Abu Musa Al-Ash'ary narrated that he once came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while the siwak's end on his tongue. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to use siwak in order to clean the teeth of anything stuck to them and get a nice smell. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms how the Companions were keen to transmit and follow the Prophet's tradition, and (2) It shows the legitimacy of using the siwak in the presence of people..

256
Ibn 'Abbas narrated that he spent a night at the Prophet's house. The Prophet ﷺ got up in the last part of the night. He went out, looked towards the sky, and then recited a verse from Surat Aal-Imran, “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day” until he reached, “Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” Then, he returned to his house, used the tooth-stick, performed the ablution, prayed, and then lay down. Then, he got up again, went out, looked towards the sky, and recited this verse (mentioned above). Then, he returned, used the tooth-stick, performed the ablution, and prayed..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was keen to perform the night prayer and encouraged his companions to perform it to the extent that he never missed it while being a resident or traveling. In this hadith, the great companion Abdullah ibn Abbas mentioned that he spent a night in his aunt Maimouna’s house, a wife of the Prophet ﷺ. He found that the Prophet ﷺ got up in the last part of the night, went out, looked at the sky, and recited Allah’s sayings, “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying), ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” (Aal Imran: 190, 191) In Muslim’s narration, he said, “He recited these verses until he finished the sura.” These verses mean: Verily, the perfect creation of the heavens and the earth from nothing and the alternation of night and day have clear signs guiding those having sound minds to the Creator and His attributes. They are those remembering Allah in all of their cases whether they are standing, sitting, or lying down. They are always pondering over the creation of heavens and earth then supplicate Allah, “Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” Then, the Prophet ﷺ went home and used the siwak, which was a stick made of the roots of the arak tree, to clean his mouth and always smell good. Afterward, he performed ablution and night prayer then slept for a while. Later, he got up and exactly repeated what he did the first time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It encourages Muslims to use siwak when waking up at night, (2) It confirms the possibility of a little kid’s (who does not reach puberty) spending the night with his female relative that he is forbidden to marry, even if her husband is present, (3) It clarifies the legitimacy of performing the night prayer, reciting the above-mentioned verses when waking up at night, and pondering over its great signs, (4) It recommends that a person looks at the sky to contemplate Allah’s wonderful creation, (5) It contains the permissibility that a person sleeps between his night prayers and repeats the Prophet’s above-mentioned deeds of using the siwak, reciting those two verses, and performing ablution..

258
Anas ibn Malek narrated, "We were given a time limit with regard to trimming the mustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hairs. We were not allowed to leave that for more than forty days.".

Commentary : Islamic law collects the best of everything, so its rules are in harmony with pure human nature, including rules caring about internal and external human cleanliness. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (as in Abu Dawud's and Al-Nasa’i's narration) talked about four issues that a Muslim was not allowed to leave for more than forty days. (1) Trimming the mustache: A Muslim should trim the hair growing on the upper lip. In the Two Sahihs, Ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet said, "Do the opposite of what the polytheists do. Let the beard grow long and clip the mustache." (2) Trimming the nails: This is because they contain dirties that prevent water during purification and ablution. (3) Plucking armpit hair: This is because its smell stinks due to sweat if it is uncut for a long time. Plucking is better if one bears it but removing it by any means is allowable. (4) Shaving the pubic hair: It is the hair growing around one's private parts. Finally, a Muslim is not allowed to leave them for more than forty days. However, it is better to cut them before. Adhering to these acts of cleanliness leads to protect one's body from filth and beautify its outer appearance. Thus, a Muslim combines internal and external cleanliness and purity..

261
Aisha said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'There are ten matters of pure nature: (1) Trimming the mustache, letting the beard grow, Siwak (tooth-stick), rinsing the nose (in ablution), clipping the nails, washing the knuckles, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving the pubic hairs, and washing one's private parts (after relieving oneself)." Zakareyya said that Mus'ab (hadith narrator) said, "I forgot the tenth which may have been rinsing the mouth.".

Commentary : Islamic law collects the best of everything, so its rules are in harmony with pure human nature, including rules caring about internal and external human cleanliness. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned ten matters of pure original nature with which all people were given birth. They are: (1) Trimming the mustache: A Muslim should trim the hair growing on the upper lip, as Ibn Omar narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet said, "Do the opposite of what the polytheists do. Let the beard grow long and clip the mustache," (2) Letting the beard grow: It is to let the hair of chin and cheeks grow without trimming it, (3) Using siwak (tooth-stick): It is a stick cut from arak tree which is used to clean and freshen the mouth and teeth, and remove unpleasant odors, (4) Rinsing the nose: It is to sniff water into the nose then blow it out to remove any dirt or filth, (5) Trimming fingers’ and toes’ nails: It is to trim them before exceeding forty days, for they contain dirties that may harm a person, as Anas narrated in Sahih Muslim, (6) Washing the knuckles: It is to wash any dirties that they may collect, (7) Plucking the armpit hairs: Plucking is better if one bears it but if a person removes it by any means, he follows the Prophetic tradition as well, (8) Shaving the pubic hair: It is to remove the hair growing around male’s or female’s private parts, (9) Washing one's private parts after relieving himself, and (10) Rinsing the mouth: It is to cleanse one’s mouth then spit out the water, especially after eating or eating something with unpleasant smell. Moreover, Abu Hurairah narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned circumcision as a matter of pure human nature. It is to cut the foreskin from a baby's penis or the top of the piece of skin that looks like a rooster’s comb from a female baby’s gentile. Finally, there is no doubt that these matters are related to religious and worldly benefits, such as improving one’s appearance, cleansing the body generally and in detail, having keenness on purification, kindly keeping people away from any unpleasant smells that may harm them, and avoiding the practices of the disbelievers like Magus, Jews, and Christians..

262
Salman, the Persian, said, "The polytheists said to us, 'We see that your friend taught you how to go to the toilet.' I said, 'Yes, he forbade us from cleaning ourselves with our right hand, facing the prayer direction (during relieving ourselves), and using dung or bones for cleaning (ourselves from impurities). He also said, 'None of you should clean with less than three pebbles.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to teach his nation all aspects of Islam and correct the mistakes and habits they followed during the period before Islam. Thus, he taught them the etiquette of relieving oneself. The polytheists used to mock his companions and wondered, as Salman narrated, that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions all Islamic matters even if how they should purify themselves after answering the call of nature. As a result, Salman proudly answered them, "Yes" and added that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught them to avoid the right hand in purifying oneself from urine or feces, due to respecting and dedicating it to honorable and noble things while dedicating the left one to remove filths and impurities. Purification is to use water or something similar to remove what comes out from one's penis, vagina, or anus. Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited them from facing the prayer direction while answering the call of nature. This is applied to doing so in deserts not in houses or similar close places. Abu Daoud reported that Marwan ibn Al-Asfar narrated, "I saw Ibn Omar when he making his camel kneel and facing the prayer direction. He sat down to urinate, so I asked him, "O Abu Abdurrahman, was it not forbidden?" He replied, "It is only forbidden if you do it in deserts, but there is no problem if there is something between you and the prayer direction." Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) and prohibited them from using dung or bones in purification. The former material is impure and the latter is the food of jinn. In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ) answered the Jinn when they asked him for food, "Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is your provision. When it falls in your hand, it will be completely covered with flesh, and every dung is fodder for your animals." Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited them from purifying themselves (after answering the call of nature) with less than three pure and dry pebbles. A Muslim can use more than three pebbles until he makes sure he is completely purified. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's keenness to guide his nation to all useful points, even the most minute details, (2) It contains some of the etiquette that a Muslim has to follow while relieving himself, and (3) A Muslim has to be proud of Islamic teachings, especially in front of those mocking and ridiculing him..

263
Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the use of bone or camels' droppings for wiping (after excretion).".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions all the Islamic manners to the extent that he taught them the manners of entering the toilet. He detailed how they should clean themselves and the manners they should follow before and after relieving themselves. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Abdullah clarified that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade them to cleanse themselves with animals' bones and dry droppings. In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not cleanse yourself with them, for they are the food of your brothers (Jinn)." Cleansing is done with what is pure such as water, stones, and what is similar to them like napkins..