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Hadith
297
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to rest in my lap when I was menstruating, then he would recite Qur’an..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply specifically to the menstruating woman, but she herself is not impure (najis), because the believer never becomes impure, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said. Being close to a menstruating woman does not mean that the one who wants to recite Qur’an should not do so. This is what ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of in this hadith, in which she says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to rest in her lap when she was menstruating. What is meant by the word translated here as resting is leaning on one side whilst sitting. It was also said that what is meant here is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to put his head in her lap when she was menstruating, and whilst he was in that position, he would recite Qur’an; that did not prevent him from reciting.
In this hadith we see how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
This hadith indicates that being close to his menstruating wife does not prevent a husband from reciting Qur’an, and the menstruating woman may listen to Qur’an without any reservations.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

301
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: He used to put his head out to me when he was observing i‘tikaf and I would wash his hair, when I was menstruating..

Commentary : Among the Jews, when one of their women menstruated, they would banish her from the house, and they would not eat with her, drink with her or be in the same room as her. In our religion, however, the menstruating woman is not to be blamed for something that Allah has ordained for her, so her body is pure, apart from the place where the impurity is.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to put his head out to her in her apartment, when he was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque, and she would wash his hair for him, when she was menstruating. According to another report narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, she would comb his hair when she was menstruating. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would bring his head close to her when she was in her apartment and the rest of his body was in the mosque, and he was aware of her condition and that she was menstruating, yet despite that she would touch him with her hands and take care of him, without any reservation or prohibition. Her apartment was attached to the mosque.
The hadith refers to cleaning a man’s hair, and other things that come under the heading of adorning oneself.
It indicates that a menstruating woman may care for her husband and help him with personal hygiene.
It indicates that if the one who is observing i‘tikaf puts his head, hand or foot outside the mosque, that does not invalidate his i‘tikaf.
It speaks of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

302
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When one of us was menstruating, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to be intimate with her, he would tell her to wrap something around herself at the beginning of her menses, then he would be intimate with her. She said: Who among you is able to control his desire as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was able to control his desire?.

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And they ask you about menstruation. Say, It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure} [al-Baqarah 2:222]. What is meant by keeping away from wives in this verse is not having intercourse with them; as for anything other than that, the husband may do it, meaning that he may do everything except intercourse. This is what the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke of in this hadith, where she says: When one of us – meaning one of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – was menstruating and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to be intimate with her by kissing and so on, other than intercourse, he would tell her to wrap something around her waist at the beginning of her period, so she would wrap herself in an izar (lower garment or waist wrapper) to cover the area between the navel and the knees. That would happen at the beginning of her menses, or when the bleeding was at its heaviest. Then he would be intimate with her, so he would approach her and touch her, but he would not have intercourse with her.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Who among you is able to control his desire as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was able to control his desire? 
This hadith indicates that one should not be put off by a menstruating woman or show dislike to her, in contrast to the Jews, who would not eat with a woman or sit with her if she was menstruating.
It speaks of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

309
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf, and one of his wives was with him, when she was suffering from istihadah and was bleeding. Sometimes she would put a basin beneath her to catch the blood. He [one the narrators] claimed that ‘A’ishah saw safflower water and said: It is as if this is something that So-and-so used to see..

Commentary : Islamic teachings explain how women should purify themselves following menses and nifas (postpartum bleeding). Some women suffer from menses that last longer than the usual time, and they bleed heavily for longer than the days of the usual period. Islam makes things easier for them in that case.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf in his mosque, isolating himself from people for the purpose of worship, and one of his wives observed i‘tikaf with him. It was said that she was Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, or that she was Ramlah Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, or that she was Zaynab bint Jahsh. She was suffering from istihadah and was bleeding; istihadah is irregular bleeding that a woman experiences after the end of her normal menses. The blood of istihadah is thin and is not like menstrual blood. Sometimes she would put a basin – meaning a large vessel – beneath her to catch this copious bleeding, lest it contaminate her garment or the mosque.
Khalid ibn Mihran, one of the narrators of this hadith, said regarding the phrase “he claimed”: The word claim may refer to something that one is certain about, even though it is most often used with regard to something one is uncertain about, or to suggest that it is false. ‘Ikrimah claimed that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saw some safflower water – which comes from a kind of plant and is yellow in colour; it is used as a dye but does not have a fragrance – and said: This yellow is something that resembles what So-and-so used to see at the time of her istihadah. This indicates that the blood of istihadah may be yellow and thin, and is not dark like menstrual blood.
This hadith indicates that a woman who is suffering from istihadah may observe i‘tikaf if she is certain that her bleeding will not contaminate the mosque..

312
It was narrated that Mujahid said: ‘A’ishah said: One of us would have only one garment in which she menstruated. If any blood got onto it, she would put some of her saliva on it and scratch it with her nails..

Commentary : This hadith is indicative of the hard life that the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lived, and that they were content with very little of worldly comforts. In it, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: One of us would have only one garment; what she meant by one of us is the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the Mothers of the Believers. Even though they lived in the house of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), one of them would own only one garment, and they were content with what Allah allocated to them. What ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says in this hadith is not contradicted by what is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), that she had more than one garment, because what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was referring to in this hadith was their situation at the beginning of Islam, for they were living a life of hardship and scarcity. When Allah granted conquests to the Muslims and their circumstances improved, women would have special garments to wear during their menses, separate from their other garments. It may be that what ‘A’ishah meant by “one garment” is a garment specifically for menses. There is nothing in the context to rule out the idea that she had other garments that she wore when she was not menstruating. That is also in harmony with the hadith of Umm Salamah in this regard.
If any menstrual blood got on the garment of one of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), she would put some of her saliva on it, then scratch it with her fingernail. Then she would rub it and scratch it with her nail until the traces of blood were removed. It was said that she would do that, because this blood that was removed by scratching was little and could be overlooked. Hence she did not say here that she washed it with water. Similarly, she did not say that she prayed in this garment after removing the traces of blood by using her saliva and scratching it with her fingernail. Rather she used her saliva to remove the traces of blood, and she did not intend to purify the garment. There is a report from her in Sahih al-Bukhari which mentions washing the garment after scratching and rubbing it, and she says: “Then she may pray in it,” which indicates that when she wanted to pray in the garment, she would wash it so that she would be able to pray in it after that.  .

314
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that a woman asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about doing ghusl to purify herself following her menses, and he told her how to do ghusl. He said: “Take a piece of cloth on which there is musk and purify yourself with it.” She said: How do I purify myself? He said: “Purify yourself with it.” She said: How? He said: “Subhan Allah! Purify yourself!” I pulled her to me and said: Follow the traces of blood with it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught women how to purify themselves and do ghusl following their menses to remove the blood. He described how to do that in a refined and polite manner, to avoid any embarrassment. He taught all of that to his wives, so that they could teach it to the Muslim women.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that a woman – it was said that she was Asma’ bint Shakal, or that she was someone else – came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and asked him how she should do ghusl after her menses ended. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told her how to do ghusl, and instructed her to take a piece of wool or cotton on which there was some musk or perfume, then purify the site of the bleeding and where the blood had got to. But the woman did not understand what was meant, so she asked again how she should purify herself with this perfumed piece of cotton. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Subhan Allah! Purify yourself!” He was astonished that she did not know how to purify herself with it, when that was something obvious that no one should be unaware of. At that point, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) pulled her aside and brought her close to herself, and told her: Follow the traces of blood with it; apply it to your private part and anywhere else that the blood got onto, to clean it and remove the smell of menstrual blood.
This hadith highlights how modest and shy the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was, and how well-mannered he was.
It indicates that one should show shyness and embarrassment when speaking of private matters, especially when that is mentioned by men in the presence of women, or by women in the presence of men, and that one should use metaphors and euphemisms, and avoid mentioning them explicitly. One should show shyness and embarrassment if such things are mentioned, and avoid speaking of them explicitly.
It highlights the role of wise and knowledgeable women in conveying information and teaching other women..

318
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has appointed an angel in charge of the womb, and he says: ‘O Lord, is it to be a nutfah (sperm drop)? O Lord, it is it to be a ‘alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood)? O Lord, is it to be a mudghah (chewed piece of flesh)?’ Then when Allah wants to complete its creation, he says: ‘Male or female? Doomed or blessed? What is his provision and lifespan?’ And it is decreed in his mother’s womb.”.

Commentary : Everything that Allah creates is already decreed and will be as He wants it to be. There is nothing that happens in His dominion except it happens by His decree and with His knowledge. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has appointed an angel over the womb, which is the place where the embryo develops, as mentioned in this hadith. When the nutfah (sperm drop) is formed, this angel says: O Lord, is it to be a nutfah? This is a question from the angel to the Lord (may He be glorified and exalted). In other words, is it to be a nutfah, so that I should write it, for no one knows what is in the wombs except Allah; rather the angel is appointed to keep a record and write things down. The same thing happens in the following stages: O Lord, is it to a ‘alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood)…? And so on. The word nutfah refers to the sperm when it meets the ovum of the woman and fertilizes it. This is the first stage in the development of a human being. When it becomes a ‘alaqah, the angel says: O Lord, is it to be a ‘alaqah? The ‘alaqah is a piece of congealed blood that hangs on the wall of the uterus. When it becomes a mudghah, the angel says: O Lord, is it to be a mudghah? The mudghah is a small piece of flesh, the size of what a man can chew in his mouth. Then when Allah (may He be exalted) wills to complete the creation of this person, the angel asks the Lord (may He be exalted): Male or female? Doomed or blessed? In other words: Will You create it as a male or a female? Will he be one of those who are doomed (destined for Hell) or one of those who are blessed (destined for Paradise)? Then he asks about his provision and lifespan, and he writes down all of that when the person is still in his mother’s womb.
This is indicative of the might and eternal knowledge of Allah, and how He decrees all the affairs of His creation. So the individual should be moderate and not exhaust himself in seeking worldly provision, for everyone will be enabled to follow the path for which he was created; the one who is to be one of the people of Paradise will do the deeds that will enable him to reach Paradise, and the one who is to be one of the people of Hell will choose, by his own free will, the deeds that will lead him to Hell. Allah (may He be glorified) guides those who are blessed to do that which is good and makes available to them the means to do these deeds, and He causes those who are doomed to do evil and has made available for them the means of doing those deeds. That is because Allah has made clear to all the path of good and the path of evil. Thus each person acts with insight and knowledge, and chooses whatever he wants. Whoever chooses to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, Allah will enable him to do that, then He will admit him to Paradise, and He knows from eternity that he will be one of its people. By the same token, whoever chooses to do the deeds of the people of Hell, Allah will leave him to his own devices, until He admits him to Hell on the Day of Resurrection, and He knows from eternity that he will do the deeds of the people of Hell.
However, this does not contradict the command to work and strive in this world in pursuit of provision, and to seek Paradise by doing righteous deeds. Rather what we may understand from this hadith is that we should be moderate in striving (to earn a living), and not grieve over what we miss out on. The individual should strive his utmost and compel himself to do righteous deeds, and he should not neglect striving on the grounds that he is relying on what has already been decided from eternity about what his destiny is.
This hadith indicates that the fate of every person is written and decreed when he is still a foetus in his mother’s womb, after he has been formed and his limbs and faculties have taken their final shape. .

321
It was narrated from Mu‘adhah that a woman said to ‘A’ishah: Is the prayer of one of us valid [if she makes up the prayers] after she becomes pure? She said: Are you a Haruri? We used to menstruate at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he did not instruct us to do that – or, we did not do that..

Commentary : The Haruris are the Kharijis; they first emerged in the region of Harura’, near Kufah in Iraq, two miles from Kufah (approx. 3.5 km), and were named after that place. They are the ones who denounced ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for accepting arbitration in his conflict with Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), then they fought him. They regarded the Muslims as disbelievers and believed it was permissible to shed their blood. Hence when this woman came to ask ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) whether a woman should make up her prayers when she becomes pure following her menses, ‘A’ishah said to her, objecting to that notion: Are you a Haruri? Meaning: are you one of this group of Kharijis? Because some of them used to tell the menstruating woman to make up her missed prayers, which was a sign of extreme tendencies in religious matters. Then she told her that the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) but he did not instruct them to make up missed prayers. This is a matter concerning which there is consensus among the Muslim scholars, that a woman who menstruates does not have to make up the prayers missed during her menses, because prayer is an obligation that is repeated on a daily basis, so there is no need to make it up. This is by way of making things easier for women, and not making things too difficult for them by requiring them to make up the prayers that they missed during their menses..

326
It was narrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah said: We used not to regard the brownish and yellowish discharge as being of any significance..

Commentary : Menstrual blood has its own characteristics which women know. It is dark and thick blood that comes on certain days of every month. When this bleeding ceases, the woman should do ghusl and resume praying, as she has become pure. If she sees a yellowish or brownish discharge, or blood that is different from menstrual blood, after the time of her usual menses has ended – and this is what is known as istihadah (irregular bleeding) – she should not regard it as being of any significance, and it is deemed to not be menses. This is what the Sahabiyyah Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was speaking of when she said: We used not to regard the brownish and yellowish discharge as being of any significance. What is meant in this hadith by yellowish and brownish discharge is discharge that a woman may see, which may resemble pus with its yellowish colour. If the woman sees that outside of the days of her usual menses – as is clearly stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud – she should not regard it as being of any significance, because they did not regard it as coming under the rulings on menses at the time of the Prophet (lessons and peace of Allah be upon him), so they did not stop praying or fasting because of it; rather a woman would do wudu’ for each prayer..

327
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Umm Habibah suffered from istihadah for seven years. She asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, and he instructed her to do ghusl. And he said: “That is a vein.” And she used to do ghusl for every prayer..

Commentary : Menstrual bleeding is something normal and natural, which happens to women every month in most cases, lasting for a certain number of days each month, which a woman usually knows. That is in contrast to the bleeding of istihadah, which is bleeding that happens to a woman because of sickness or health problems. Hence it lasts longer than the usual duration of menses, and lasts longer than the maximum duration of menses. Some women continue to bleed without stopping. Any bleeding that lasts longer than menses is regarded as istihadah.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), suffered from istihadah, and her istihadah lasted for seven years. She asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) how she should purify herself in order to be able to pray and do other acts of worship, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to do ghusl after the days of her original menses had passed. He explained to her that that was bleeding from a vein and not the usual bleeding of menses. Based on that, the ruling for the woman who is suffering from istihadah is that she should do ghusl after the days of her usual menses have passed, and she should not pay any attention to the bleeding that does not stop after the time of her usual menses has ended, because that is the bleeding of istihadah. So she should do wudu’ for each prayer, and put something [like a cloth or pad] to protect herself from the blood, as is mentioned in the reports narrated by Abu Dawud and others from Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with him).
With regard to the words “she used to do ghusl for every prayer”, it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only instructed her to do ghusl following [the time of her normal] menses and resume prayer, and doing ghusl for every prayer was voluntary on her part. It was also said that what is by the phrase translated here as “do[ing] ghusl for every prayer” is simply washing off the blood that got onto her, because that comes under the heading of removing impurity (najasah), which is a condition of prayer being valid. And it was said that the ruling on doing ghusl that is mentioned in this hadith was abrogated by the hadith of Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh in which there is the command to do wudu’ for every prayer, not ghusl. The two hadiths may be reconciled by interpreting the instruction [to do ghusl] in the hadith of Umm Habibah as referring to something that was recommended (but not obligatory).
In this hadith, we see that istihadah does not prevent a woman from praying or doing other acts of worship..

329
It was narrated from Tawus that Ibn ‘Abbas said: A concession was granted to the menstruating woman [during Hajj] to leave [Makkah without doing the farewell tawaf] if she menstruates..

Commentary : The farewell tawaf is one of the actions of Hajj; it is the final tawaf that the pilgrim does before leaving Makkah.
In this report, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that if a woman gets her menses during Hajj and starts to bleed before doing the farewell tawaf, then she is granted a concession allowing her to omit it, and nothing further is required of her. The farewell tawaf is waived for the menstruating woman if she has already done tawaf al-ifadah, which is the essential tawaf of Hajj, as we see in this hadith, and she may depart and return to her homeland. This is one of the ways in which Islamic teachings make things easy for people..

330
Ibn ‘Umar used to say in the beginning that she should not depart, then I heard him saying that she may depart, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) granted a concession to women..

Commentary : The farewell tawaf is one of the actions of Hajj; it is the final tawaf that the pilgrim does before leaving Makkah.
In this report, the Tabi‘i Tawus ibn Kaysan narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to say, in the beginning, that if a woman gets her menses before doing the farewell tawaf, she should not return home until she becomes pure and does that tawaf. Then he changed his view, and said that she may depart and return home, because the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) granted women a concession to that effect. That applies if the woman has done tawaf al-ifadah, which is the essential tawaf of Hajj, before she menstruates; in that case she may depart and return to her homeland without doing the farewell tawaf. This is one of the ways in which Islamic teachings make things easy for people.
From this hadith we learn that if there are two conflicting views, then the view that is based on a religious text takes precedence..

332
It was narrated from Samurah ibn Jundub that a woman died after giving birth, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for her, and he stood in line with her middle..

Commentary : The funeral prayer that is offered for the deceased is a mercy from Allah to His slaves, because in this prayer the people offer supplication for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the funeral prayer for those of the Sahabah who died, both men and women, and he taught his ummah the Sunnahs and etiquettes that are required when offering the funeral prayer.
In this hadith, Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman who died after giving birth. In al-Sahihayn, it says that she died during her nifas (post-partum bleeding). The deceased woman was Umm Ka‘b al-Ansariyyah, as named by Muslim in his report. After giving birth, a woman is in nifas. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for her because even though the woman who is bleeding following childbirth (nifas) is not allowed to pray, that does not prevent the funeral prayer being offered for her if she dies during that time. The same applies to menstrual bleeding; the funeral prayer may be offered for a menstruating woman if she dies during her menses. By the same token, the funeral prayer may be offered for one who is junub, if he dies. In each of these cases, the deceased should be washed and the funeral prayer offered for him or her. It may be that what is meant by the Arabic wording of the original text is that the woman died of a stomach disease; perhaps she experienced internal bleeding, or perhaps it came out through her private part like menstrual blood. So if a woman dies in such a case, she is to be washed and the funeral prayer is to be offered for her.
When offering the funeral prayer for a woman, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in line with her middle and offered the prayer for her; that was so as to conceal the woman from the eyes of the worshippers behind him. This is in contrast to a man, as the Sunnah is to stand in line with his head..

333
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad said: I heard my maternal aunt Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), say that she would be menstruating and not praying, and that she would be lying down next to the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would prostrate as he was praying on a small mat made of reeds. [She said:] When he prostrated, part of his garment touched me..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply to the menstruating woman, but it is not one of them that she should not touch anyone and no one should touch her, as was the practice of the Jews with their women. Islam honours women in all circumstances, and permits others to interact with the menstruating woman, eat with her, speak to her and so on.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), narrates that at the time of her menses, when she was bleeding, she would not pray at that time, but despite that she would be lying on the floor next to the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated in his room. He would be praying on a small mat made of reeds that was used to protect the hands and face from the heat and cold of the ground, and when he prostrated, his garment would touch her. This indicates that the menstruating woman is not impure (najis). It also indicates that the garment she wears when menstruating is pure (tahir) and that she may be close to one who is praying, and that does not affect or interrupt his prayer. This is one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for women in all circumstances, and one of the ways in which Islam honours women, especially at the time of menses..

334
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on one of his journeys, and when we were in al-Bayda’ or Dhat al-Jaysh, a necklace of mine broke. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) started to look for it, and the people helped him, but they were not at a watering place, so the people came to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and said: Do you not see what ‘A’ishah has done? She made the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people halt, and they are not at a watering place and they do not have any water with them. Abu Bakr came, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had put his head on my thigh and gone to sleep, and he said: You have detained the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people, and they are not at a watering place and they do not have any water with them. ‘A’ishah said: Abu Bakr rebuked me and said whatever Allah willed he should say, and he started to poke me in my side with his hand, and nothing prevented me from moving except the fact that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sleeping on my thigh. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up in the morning, and when he got up there was no water. Then Allah revealed the verse of tayammum, so they did tayammum. Usayd ibn al-Hudayr said: This is not the first of your blessings, O family of Abu Bakr. Then we made the camel that I had been riding stand up, and we found the necklace under it..

Commentary : Islam came to make things easy for people with regard to purification and wudu’, and it enjoins doing tayammum with clean earth and the like when water is not available, or one is unable to use it. In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that they went out with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on one of his journeys; that was the campaign of Banul Mustaliq in 6 AH. Then when they were in al-Bayda’ or Dhat al-Jaysh, which are two places after Dhul Hulayfah, between Makkah and Madinah, a necklace of hers broke. It was made of Zafar beads, as is explained in other reports; they were Yemeni beads that were brought from Zafar on the coast. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted there to look for it, and the people halted with him, but they were not carrying water with them and there was no watering place in that location. So the people came to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to complain about what his daughter ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had done to them, as she was the reason why they had halted in that place where there was no water. According to a report in al-Sahihayn, the time for prayer came and they had no water with them, so they prayed, then they complained about that to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to her to rebuke her for that, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sleeping, resting his head on her thigh, using it as a pillow. This indicates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was not worried, even though there was no water. It may be that he fell asleep before he knew that there was no water. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to her, rebuking her: You have detained the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people, and delayed their travel! And he said whatever Allah willed he should say of rebukes, and he started poking ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in her side with his fingertips, so that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not be disturbed by that. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to get up and move away from him, and nothing prevented her from doing that except the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asleep, resting his head on her thigh. When morning came, he woke up and he needed to do wudu’, but he could not find any water at that time. Then Allah (may He be exalted) sent down the verse of tayammum that is in Surat al-Ma’idah: {[But if you] do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it} [al-Ma’idah 5:6]. The word tayammamu (seek clean earth) in the verse is either in the past tense, meaning that the people did tayammum because of this verse, or it is in the imperative form, so it is a command to do tayammum, as appears to be the case from the phrasing of the text. Allah revealed the words {then seek clean earth…}, and this is by way of making things easier for them; it was a concession allowing them to do tayammum if they could not find water. The verse explains how to do tayammum, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put it into practice in his Sunnah. The way it is done is by striking the hands once on some clean earth or clean dust, then wiping the face and hands. At this point, Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This is not the first of your blessings, O family of Abu Bakr, for your blessings are many, and this is one of them. Perhaps he was referring thereby to the incident of the slander (al-ifk).
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that after that, they made the camel that she had been riding stand up, and they found the lost necklace under it. It is as if Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) caused them to be delayed and made them stay in that place so that He might reveal to them a way of making things easier for them.
This hadith highlights the fact that tayammum is prescribed, and mentions the reason why it was prescribed.
It indicates that a father may rebuke her daughter even if she is grown-up and married.
It indicates that a woman may complain to her father, even if she has a husband.
It indicates that a man may visit his daughter, even if her husband is present, if he knows that her husband approves of it.
It indicates that women may wear jewellery and use necklaces so as to adorn themselves for their husbands.
It highlights the virtue of ‘A’ishah and that the Muslims were blessed many times through her. .

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..