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Hadith
223
It was narrated from Umm Qays bint Mihsan that she brought a small son of hers, who was not yet eating solid food, to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat the child in his lap, and the child urinated on his garment. So he called for water and sprinkled it [on the urine], and he did not wash it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pay attention to matters of purification and explain the rulings thereon, which included the method of purifying the urine of nursing infants.
In this hadith, the Sahabiyyah Umm Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she brought a small son of hers to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Her describing the child as not yet eating solid food indicates that the child was still breast-feeding. It was their custom to bring their children to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that he could pray for them and bless them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took the child from her and sat him in his lap, and the child urinated on his garment, but he did no more than sprinkle water on the garment, and he did not wash it. This is by way of making it easy to purify garments from the urine of breast-feeding infants who are not yet eating solid food. In other reports, it is proven that he sprinkled water over the urine of a boy, but washed the urine of a girl.
This hadith highlights the good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how he comforted and uplifted adults by honouring their children and sitting them in his lap, and so on..

226
It was narrated that Abu Wa’il said: Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari was very strict concerning urine, and he said: Among the Children of Israel, if urine got on the garments of one of them, he would cut it off. Then Hudhayfah said: I wish he would stop [being so strict]; the Messenger of Allah came to the garbage dump of some people and urinated standing..

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease, and it made easier for the Muslims many of the rulings that had been imposed on previous nations. One example of that is how it made the matter of purification and removing impurities, if they contaminate someone, easy.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Wa’il Shaqiq ibn Salamah narrates that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) was very strict in taking precautions regarding urine, to the extent that it was said that he would urinate in a bottle, for fear of any of it contaminating him. He said that among the Children of Israel, if urine contaminated the garment of one of them, he would cut it off, meaning that he would cut off the part of his garment that had become contaminated with urine. Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I wish Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari would stop being so strict regarding this matter, because it is contrary to the Sunnah. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to the garbage dump of some people, and urinated standing, and undoubtedly when one stands, there is bound to be some splashback, but he did not go to the trouble of urinating in a bottle and the like. This is by way of not causing too much hardship for people, because in principle whatever impurity (najasah) contaminates a person’s clothes or body may be purified with water, so if the Muslim pays attention to what he thinks was most likely contaminated with urine and the like, he should pour water over it where it can be seen, then it becomes pure. It was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urinated standing in that place because it was not possible to sit in that garbage dump, or because the impurity that would contaminate him if he sat would be greater than if he stood.
This hadith indicates that it is allowed to urinate standing if you are certain that you will not be contaminated with urine..

227
It was narrated that Asma’ said: A woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: What do you think if one of us menstruates and the blood gets onto her garment – what should she do? He said: “Scratch it, then rub it with water and sprinkle water on it, and pray wearing it.”.

Commentary : Being clean and free of impure substances (najasah) is one of the essential conditions of prayer, and menstrual blood is impure in and of itself.
In this hadith, Asma’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that a woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to ask him about a garment that becomes contaminated with menstrual blood. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to scratch it, meaning that she should rub it in order to remove the impurity. That applies if the blood has dried on the garment. Then she should rub it with water, meaning that she should rub it with her fingers whilst pouring water onto it, so that the stain that the garment had absorbed will be loosened and removed. Then she should sprinkle water on it, pouring water on it little by little, until the traces of blood are removed by washing it. After cleaning the garment in this manner, it will be permissible for her to pray in it.
This hadith indicates that no specific number of times is stipulated in order to remove impurity by washing; rather what is required is simply to clean the garment. Then if any trace is left on it that is too difficult to remove, it may be overlooked. This is how Islam makes things easy for people.   .

228
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, I am a woman who bleeds continually and never becomes pure. Should I stop praying? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No; rather that is a vein and is not menses. When the usual time of your menses comes, then stop praying, and when that time ends, wash the blood from yourself, then pray.” – He [one of the narrators] said: My father said: Then you should do wudu’ for each prayer, until that time comes again..

Commentary : The women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), despite their shyness and modesty, would ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about matters having to do with purification that concerned them exclusively, such as menses (hayd) and irregular bleeding (istihadah).
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with her) came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: I am a woman who bleeds continually (istihadah) and I never become pure, meaning that the bleeding never stopped. Irregular bleeding (istihadah) is non-menstrual bleeding that occurs after a woman’s normal period ends. Then she asked whether that bleeding came under the same rulings as menses, meaning that she should stop praying until it ended. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to her that that was irregular bleeding, and it was bleeding caused by illness, that came from the rupture of a vein in the uterus that is called al-‘adhil. It is not regarded as menstrual bleeding according to Islamic teachings, and it does not come under the same rulings as menses. So when the time of the usual monthly period comes, which is the time when a woman usually used to menstruate before she began to suffer from irregular bleeding, she should stop praying when that time begins, whether it occurs at the beginning of the month, or in the middle, or at the end. Then when the time of her normal menses ends she should wash the traces of blood from herself and start praying again. What is meant is that she should continue to refrain from prayer, fasting and other things that are forbidden whilst menstruating for what had been the duration of her regular menses before she began to suffer from irregular bleeding. Then when that time ends, and she has completed the number of days that her menses used to last, at that point she is no longer menstruating, so she should wash the site of the bleeding in order to clean it, then do a complete ghusl in order to remove impurity (hadath).
Hisham [one of the narrators] narrated from his father, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: Then she should do wudu’ for every prayer during the time of irregular bleeding, until the next menses comes.
This hadith indicates that the Sahabah used to refer to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning any issues that they encountered, and ask him about rulings, seeking answers concerning these matters..

231
It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn Maymun said: I asked Sulayman ibn Yasar about a garment that gets contaminated with semen. He said: ‘A’ishah said: I would wash it from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go out to pray, with damp spots on the garment from its having been washed..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take care of his body and garments by washing and cleaning them, whether that was in accordance with an Islamic ruling, or simply seeking to be clean.
In this report, ‘Amr ibn Maymun asked Sulayman ibn Yasaar about the ruling on a garment if it becomes contaminated with semen, which is the liquid that is emitted from a man’s penis when having intercourse or a wet dream; it is a thick, white substance. He replied by quoting what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had narrated, that she used to wash the semen from the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and she did not wash the entire garment. Then he would go out of her apartment to pray in the mosque, with damp spots on his garment, and he would pray wearing it. This indicates that a garment may be purified by washing away the semen. This washing applies if the semen is still wet. If it has dried, it may be scratched off the garment, as is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim: I used to scratch it off the garment of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

237
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Every wound that a Muslim sustains in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was at the time when he was stabbed; it will be flowing with blood, the colour of which will be the colour of blood, but its fragrance will be the fragrance of musk.”.

Commentary : Martyrdom in Allah’s cause is a great virtue, and the martyrs have a high status before Allah (may He be glorified). This hadith highlights some of the virtues of those who are martyred in Allah’s cause; in it the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) states that every wound that a Muslim sustains when fighting in Allah’s cause will appear on the Day of Resurrection as it was in this world when he was stabbed, flowing with blood. But even though its colour will be the colour of blood, its fragrance will be perfume, like the fragrance of musk. It was said that the wisdom behind the blood appearing on the Day of Resurrection as it was [when he was stabbed in this world] is that it will testify to the virtue of the individual and will testify against the one who killed him. The benefit of its fragrance is that this fragrance will spread in the place of standing, also to highlight the virtue of the person. Hence it is not prescribed to wash the bodies of martyrs who die in battle..

239
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: “No one of you should urinate into standing water that does not flow, then wash himself with it.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of purity and cleanliness, and it guides the Muslim to that which will preserve his cleanliness. One of the most important means of achieving cleanliness is water, so Islam instructs us to protect it and not let it be contaminated with impurities, or to throw filthy things into it.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbids urinating into standing water, which is stagnant water that does not flow and is not renewed, and then washing oneself with it. This prohibition is so that this action will not lead to the water becoming impure or being spoiled so that people find it off-putting. Moreover, such water is not fit to be used for washing oneself.
In a report narrated by Muslim, there is an explanation of how to wash oneself with standing water. In that report it says: he should scoop the water out from it, meaning that he should take water from that pond or pool, then wash himself away from it. This also comes under the heading of protecting clean and pure water that is fit to be used, because the Muslim is enjoined to protect and preserve all kinds of water, whether flowing or stagnant. The emphasis is on being careful to preserve stagnant water because it is not renewed, and it is more likely to change or become spoiled if something is thrown into it, let alone if what is thrown into it is something impure (najis), such as urine and the like. .

241
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spat into his garment..

Commentary : The lives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were not lives of ease and luxury; rather hardship and roughness were the hallmarks of the lives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions. Hence there was no sign of luxury in his life, and instead of handkerchiefs, they would use the edge of their garments. In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spat into his garment. Spitting refers to expelling saliva or mucus from the mouth by blowing it out. It may be understood that this happened during the prayer, because the Muslim is required to respect the qiblah and the mosque, and he is enjoined to bury his phlegm if he has no choice but to spit it out [whilst praying], as is proven in various reports.
This hadith indicates that spittle and phlegm are pure (tahir)..

243
It was narrated from Abu Hazim that he heard Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi when the people asked him, and there was no one between me and him: With what were the wounds of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated? He said: There is no one left who knows more about that than me. ‘Ali brought his shield, in which there was water, and Fatimah washed the blood from his face, then a small reed mat was taken and burned, and applied to his wounds..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was injured during the battle of Uhud; he received cuts to his head and face. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar al-Madini narrates that Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was treated for the injuries that he had sustained on the day of Uhud. He replied: There is no one left who knows more about that than me. That was because he was the last of the Sahabah to die in Madinah; he died in 91 AH at the age of one hundred years. He narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) brought water in his shield, which is a piece of personal armour that is used to protect a fighter from being struck by arrows and swords. Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) washed the blood from the wounds, and when she saw that the bleeding would not stop, she burned a small reed mat, then took the ashes and put them on the wound in order to stop the bleeding.
This hadith indicates that trials and calamities befell the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) so that they might attain immense reward, so that their nations and others would know what befell them and thus follow their example, and so that they might know that they were human beings who experienced what other humans experience.
It indicates that a woman may interact with her father and mahrams, show kindness to them and treat them when they are sick or injured.
It indicates that it is valid to seek medical treatment.
It indicates that one who has no knowledge may ask one who does have knowledge about something that he does not know..

244
It was narrated that Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari said: I came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and I found him cleaning his teeth with a siwak that he had in his hand, saying, “Agh, agh” with the siwak in his mouth, as if he was retching..

Commentary : The siwak is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. It is a confirmed Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he would enjoin people to use it. It is cleansing for the mouth and pleasing to the Lord, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said.
This hadith highlights how extensively the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would clean his mouth with the siwak, as Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was cleaning his teeth with a siwak, reaching to the furthest part of the throat, to the extent that he made a sound as if he were going to vomit, saying “Agh, agh.” This is describing the sound made when he using the siwak, because of how extensively he was cleaning his teeth and mouth with it.
This hadith highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

245
It was narrated that Hudhayfah said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to pray at night, he would clean his mouth with a siwak..

Commentary : The siwak is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. It is one of the most emphatically confirmed Sunnahs of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as he often cleaned his teeth with a siwak and enjoined others to do likewise. It is more important to use it at some times than others, such as what is mentioned in this hadith, which speaks of offering voluntary prayers at night (qiyam al-layl). Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to get up to pray qiyam al-layl and tahajjud, he would clean his mouth with the siwak, meaning that he would pass it over his teeth and rub them with it. He did that to take away any bad smell, so that he could recite Qur’an and offer du‘a’ in his prayer.
This hadith highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

246
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I saw myself [in a dream] cleaning my teeth with a siwak. Then two men came to me, one of whom was older than the other, and I gave the siwak to the younger one, but it was said to me: Give it to the older one, so I gave it to the older of the two.”.

Commentary : The dreams of the Prophets are true. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw in a dream that he was cleaning his teeth with a siwak, which is a stick cut from the arak tree. It is used to clean the mouth and teeth, to perfume the mouth and to remove bad smells. Then two men came to him, one of whom was older than the other, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the siwak to the younger of them. Then it was said to him: Give it to the older one, meaning: give precedence to the older one. The one who told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to give it to the older one was Jibril (peace be upon him). So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave it to the older one.
This hadith indicates that proper etiquette is to give precedence in a gathering to one who is older over one who is younger. This is the Sunnah when saying salaam and greeting people, when offering drinks and perfume, and other matters.
It highlights the virtue and importance of the siwak..

247
It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you go to your bed, do wudoo’ as for prayer, then lie down on your right side and say: Allahumma aslamtu wajhi ilayka wa fawwadtu amri ilayka wa alja’tu zahri ilayka raghbatan wa rahbatan ilayka, la malja’a wa laa manjaa minka illa ilayka. Allahumma amantu bi kitabika alladhi anzalta wa bi nabiyyika alladhi arsalta (O Allah I submit my face to You, and I entrust my affairs to You, and I seek Your protection, in hope and in fear of You. Indeed there is no refuge nor safe haven from You except with You. O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed and in Your Prophet whom You have sent).
Then if you die during the night, you will have died in a state of fitrah (sound human nature). Make these the last words that you speak.”
He said: I repeated it back to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and when I reached the words. “Allahumma amantu bi kitabika allahi anzalta (O Allah, I believe in Your Book which You have revealed),” I said: “Wa rasulika (And Your Messenger).” He said: “No. Wa nabiyyika alladhi arsalta (and Your Prophet whom You sent).”
.

Commentary : This hadith highlights the etiquette of going to sleep, and what is to be said when laying down in one’s bed, as al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “When you go to your bed”, meaning: when you want to go to sleep, then do wudu’ properly before you go to bed, as if you were doing wudu’ for prayer. Then lie down on your right side, because it is more effective in giving you energy and making you content with a little sleep, and it is more effective in helping you to wake up at the end of the night, and is more beneficial for the heart. Then say: “O Allah I submit my face to You” meaning: I submit my soul to You when going to sleep, and entrust it to You for safekeeping.
“and I entrust my affairs to You”, so I put my trust in You in all my affairs, hoping that You will suffice me in all things, and protect me from all ills.
“and I rely totally on You”, seeking Your protection and turning to You, so that You will keep me under Your watchful eye that never sleeps. Saying “and I seek Your protection” after “and I entrust my affairs to You” indicates that after entrusting to Allah his affairs that he needs to be in order and that are essential to his well-being, he turns to Allah for protection from that which could cause him harm and damage from various causes, both internal and external.
And I only do that “in hope” that is, hoping for Your mercy, “ and in fear of You” that is, fearing You and Your punishment, for there is no escape from You except to You, and no protection from Your punishment except by turning to Your pardon and forgiveness, O Most Merciful of those who show mercy.
“I believe in Your Book which You have revealed” namely the Qur’an, and I believe “in Your Prophet whom You have sent”, namely Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him of the reward for the one who does that, which is that the one who dies that night in that state, will have died adhering to the religion of Islam and to the Sunnah of the best of mankind.
Because al-Bara’ was so keen to memorize this du‘a’, he repeated it back to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but he said “Rasulika (Your Messenger)” instead of “Nabiyyika (Your Prophet)”, so the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) corrected him. The reason why he corrected him was that he wanted it to refer to both positions, being a Prophet and being a Messenger, and to refer to both blessings. And it was said that that was so as to avoid any ambiguity, because the word rasul (messenger) could also include Jibril (peace be upon him) and others. And it was said that this is dhikr and du‘a’, so it should be limited to the exact wording that was narrated, because of the possibility that there might be something special about these exact words that is not applicable to other words.
This hadith highlights how greatly the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) cared for his ummah in this world and the hereafter, and how he wanted them to die in a state of obedience and closeness to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
It encourages us to do wudu’ and offer du‘a’ before going to sleep, so that the last thing the Muslim does is remembering Allah (may He be exalted). .

248
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would start by washing his hands, then he would do wudu’ as for prayer, then he would put his fingers in the water [that he had poured on his head] to make the water to reach the roots of his hair. Then he would pour water over his head three times, using both hands, then pour water over his entire body..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved to be in a state of purity and to keep himself clean all the time. He often taught his companions how to purify themselves and what purification was.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to purify himself and do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah – the word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself – he would begin by washing his hands, before putting them into the water, by pouring water over them and washing them first. Then after that, he would do wudu’ as if for prayer, a complete wudu’. Then after that he would put his fingers in the water [that he had poured on his head] to make the water reach the scalp. Then he would pour a handful of water over his head three times. Then after that he would pour water over his entire body, making it reach all of his skin.
This hadith highlights the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to doing ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah.
It highlights the fact that purification and cleanliness are characteristics of Islam and the Muslims.
It indicates that a little water is sufficient to do ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah..

251
It was narrated that Abu Salamah said: A’ishah’s brother and I went to visit ‘A’ishah, and her brother asked her about the ghusl of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She called for a vessel that was approximately the size of a sa‘ and did ghusl, pouring water over her head. Between us and her there was a screen. Yazid ibn Harun, Bahz and al-Jadiy narrated from Shu‘bah that it was the size of a sa‘..

Commentary : In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) describes how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl. What is meant by ghusl is that which removes the janabah (state of impurity) that results from emitting maniy (semen) or having intercourse. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl with an amount of water that would fill a vessel that holds a sa‘. The sa‘ is a unit of measurement equivalent to four mudds or eight ratls. There is a difference of opinion regarding the equivalent to the ratl in terms of modern units of measurement. 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.
Then Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdul Rahman ibn ‘Awf said that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) explained to him and her brother, ‘Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq – or it was said that it was ‘Abdullah ibn Yazid, her foster-brother – in practical terms how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did ghusl with this amount of water. She called for a vessel the size of a sa‘, and did ghusl from it.
There was a screen between her and them, hence they did not see anything but the pouring of water on her head. Abu Salamah was the son of ‘A’ishah’s foster sister; he had been breast-fed by Umm Kalthum, the daughter of Abu Bakr. So the two men present were her mahrams. Hence they saw nothing of her ghusl except the pouring of water onto her head, for that is what is permissible for a man to see of the woman who is his mahram. Were it not that they saw that, there would have been no point in calling for water to be brought and purifying herself in their presence, because if she did all of that behind a screen, where they could not see her at all, it would have been sufficient for her to teach them in words only. She only put the screen to cover the lower part of her body, and what it is not permissible for a mahram to look at..

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..