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Hadith
494
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out on the day of Eid, he would instruct that a spear should be set up in front of him, and he would pray facing it with the people behind him. He also used to do that when travelling, and afterwards the leaders adopted that practice..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have something as a sutrah (screen) in front of him, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah for himself, then he is a sutrah for the people praying behind him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the sutrah used by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in prayer. He tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out for the Eid prayer – and he used to offer the Eid prayer in a wide open space called the musalla, not in the mosque – he would instruct his servant to bring a spear – the Arabic word refers to a spear with a broad head – which he would bring out on Eid and other occasions, then it would be stuck into the ground like a column in front of him. Then he would pray facing towards it, with the people behind him. He would also do that when travelling; he would instruct that the spear be brought out and placed in front of him, and he would pray facing towards it. That was not limited to the day of Eid only.
Then Nafi‘ – who narrated the hadith from Ibn ‘Umar – stated that because of the Prophet’s action, leaders would also use a spear in this manner, following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
What is meant is that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on open land, he would pray facing towards the spear. He would set it up in front of him, then pray facing towards it. He did that on the two Eids, because he used to offer those prayers in the open, where there was no structure or sutrah. He also used to do that when travelling, because travellers do not usually find a wall to use as a sutrah, and in most cases the traveller prays in open land..

495
It was narrated that ‘Awn ibn Abi Juhayfah said: I heard my father [say] that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying Zuhr with two rak‘ahs and ‘Asr with two rak‘ahs in al-Bat-ha’, with a short spear in front of him, and women and donkeys were passing in front of him..

Commentary : Having a sutrah (screen) in front of the worshipper whilst praying is the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set out on a journey, and they were with him. He prayed in al-Bat-ha’, which is a place outside Makkah. It is a broad watercourse in which small pebbles collect that are brought by the floodwaters. He led them in praying Zuhr and ‘Asr in shortened form, with two rak‘ahs each, and a short spear was placed in front of him to serve as a sutrah. Hence women and donkeys passed in front of him beyond the sutrah, but they did not interrupt his prayer.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to shorten prayers when travelling..

496
It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: Between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed and the wall there was enough room for a sheep to pass..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him, especially in open spaces, so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
This hadith explains that it is Sunnah for the worshipper to stand close to his sutrah, as Sahl ibn Sa‘d as-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, leaving a small space between the place where he prostrated and the wall, enough room for a sheep to pass. This indicates that he would be so close to the wall that no human could pass in front of him whilst he was praying, so he would be able to push back anyone who tried to pass in front of him. Abu Dawood narrated from Sahl ibn Abi Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you prays facing towards a sutrah, let him stand close to it, so that the Shaytaan will not interrupt his prayer.”.

497
It was narrated that Salamah said: The wall of the mosque by the minbar was so close that a sheep could hardly pass through..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the one who is praying alone to have a sutrah in front of him, especially in open spaces, so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah, he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
This hadith explains that it is Sunnah for the worshipper to stand close to his sutrah. In it, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that between the wall of the Prophet’s Mosque and the minbar there was a small gap, such that a sheep could hardly pass through it, which is a small space. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be open) used to stand next to the minbar to lead the prayers, and his mosque had no mihrab, so between him and the wall was a space like that between the minbar and the wall. This indicates that he used to stand close to the wall which was his sutrah, so that no one could pass in front of him when he was praying, and so that he would be able to push back anyone who tried to pass in front of him. Abu Dawud narrated from Sahl ibn Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you prays facing towards a sutrah, let him stand close to it, so that the Shaytaan will not interrupt his prayer.”.

500
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself, I and another boy would follow him, carrying an iron-tipped stick or a stick or a short spear, and bringing a vessel of water. When he had finished, we would pass the vessel of water to him..

Commentary : Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) began to serve the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was ten years old, and continued to serve the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until Allah took his soul in death, when Anas was twenty years old. In this hadith, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself, meaning to urinate or defecate, he would follow him, accompanied by another servant who was younger than him, as is mentioned in the report of Abu Dawud. They would carry with them an iron-tipped stick, which was a stick with something like an arrowhead, or an ordinary stick, or a short spear. They would also bring a leather vessel filled with water. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had finished relieving himself, one of them would give the vessel to him, and he would clean himself with the water, as mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim, or he would clean himself with pebbles and do wudu’ with the water. He would loosen the hard soil with the short spear or stick when he relieved himself, so as to prevent the urine splashing back.
It was said that he took the short spear to use it as a sutrah and as a sign to people of the place where he was praying, so that they would not interrupt his prayer by walking in front of him. It was also said that the reason for carrying the spear and the water was that the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was committed to being in a state of purity most of the time, and when he did wudu’, he would pray whenever it was possible after doing wudu’. And it was said that he used to carry the stick or the spear to ward off any vermin of the earth that he might come across, because he used to go far away to relieve himself..

501
It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out at midday, and prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr in al-Bat-ha’ with two rak‘ahs each. He set up a small spear in front of him and did wudu’, and the people began to wipe themselves with his leftover wudu’ water..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to narrate the smallest details that happened with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or in his presence, including words, deeds and things that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of, conveying that to the ummah and teaching them.
This text is a small part of a hadith in which Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to them at midday [haajirah], which is the middle of the day when it is very hot. It is called haajirah because at that time people abandon [yahjurun] walking. He prayed in Bat-ha’ Makkah, which is also called al-Abtah; it is a place with small pebbles which was originally the watercourse of the wadi of Makkah. It lies south of the Haram, in front of Jabal Thawr. He prayed Zuhr and ‘Asr, shortening the prayers and putting them together, praying each of them with two rak‘ahs. Then Abu Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he placed a short spear in front of him – according to a report narrated by Muslim, he saw Bilal take a short spear with a sharp point and stick it in the ground to serve as a sutrah towards which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
Then he narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, and the people began to wipe themselves with his leftover wudu’ water or, it was said, the water that dripped from his limbs when he did wudu’. A report narrated by Muslim explains that Bilal took the leftover water with which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’, and the people began racing one another to take the leftover wudu’ water of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), seeking blessing (barakah) from it. This seeking of blessings from relics is only for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); they did not seek blessing from anyone else after him, such as the awliya’ (close friends of Allah), the righteous or anyone else. That is because of the blessing and goodness that Allah instilled in whatever he touched.
This hadith highlights how greatly the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) venerated the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), in ways that did not take them to the point of associating anyone else with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

502
It was narrated that Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd said: I used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ and he would pray at the pillar where the Mus-haf is. I said: O Abu Muslim, I see you are very keen to pray at this pillar. He said: I saw that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen to pray at this spot..

Commentary : The Sahaabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the Sunnah and teachings of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to follow in his footsteps.
In this hadith, the Taabi‘i Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd narrates that he used to come with Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and Salamah used to pray at the pillar where the Mus-haf was. That was the Mus-haf of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him). This indicates that there was a special place for the Mus-haf. It was also said that what appears to be the case is that this pillar was one of the pillars of the old mosque, which is called ar-Rawdah. In ar-Rawdah there were two pillars facing each of which it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. The first is called the “perfumed pillar” (al-ustuwanah al-mukhallaqah), which is also known as the pillar of the Muhajirin; it is in the middle of ar-Rawdah. The second is the “pillar of repentance” (ustuwanah al-tawbah) and it is the pillar to which Abu Lubabah tied himself until Allah accepted his repentance.
Yazid ibn Abi ‘Ubayd asked Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ why he sought to pray at this pillar, and Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he saw that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to pray at that spot, so he was following in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In a report narrated by Ibn Majah, it clearly states that this prayer was a voluntary prayer.
This hadith indicates that there is nothing wrong with always praying in a particular place in the mosque, in the case of voluntary prayers.

503
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I saw the senior companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rushing to reach the pillars at the time of Maghrib. Shu‘bah added, from ‘Amr, from Anas: until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the prayer and its times, and the Sunnah prayers to be offered before and after the obligatory prayers, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They were keen to do supererogatory deeds and Sunnah actions in general in the best manner and at the correct times.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the senior companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) hastening towards the pillars after the adhan of Maghrib. In other words, they would race one another to those spots, so that the pillars might be sutrahs for them whilst they prayed two rak‘ahs before Maghrib prayer. Their aim in racing to the pillars was so that they might use them as sutrahs to screen them from anyone who walked in front of them, because they were praying individually, praying two rak‘ahs until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out of his apartment. This indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) approved of this action of theirs, as he saw them and did not tell them not to do that. According to a report narrated by an-Nasa’i: There was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah; in other words, there was not a long time between them. It is as if they were hastening to pray the two rak‘ahs because the time between the adhan and iqamah was so short.
This hadith indicates that the worshipper may use a pillar in the mosque as a sutrah.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to offer a nafil prayer before Maghrib..

505
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba, along with Usamah ibn Zayd, Bilal and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi, and closed the door, and stayed inside (for a while). I asked Bilaal when he came out: What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do? He said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – and at that time the House was built on six pillars – then he prayed. Isma‘il said to us: Malik told me: and he said: Two pillars on his right..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in high esteem by the Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered it in the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Mecca in the year of the conquest, 8 AH, he entered the Kaaba, and Usamah ibn Zayd, Bilal and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi entered with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered it, he closed the door, lest the people crowd around him and be harmed as a result of pushing and shoving. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed inside the House for a while, then they all came out.
Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do inside the Kaaba? Bilal said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him. At that time, the House was built on six pillars, which were in two rows, with three pillars in each row. Then he prayed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood with the three pillars that are nearest to the door of the House behind him, and he went forward to the front pillars, and prayed in between two of them.
This hadith indicates that the Kaaba had a door that could be opened and closed, which remained the case during the Jahiliyyah and after Islam came. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left it as it was, without changing anything, and he gave the key of the Kaaba to ‘Uthman ibn Talhah, to remain in his custody as it had been before. Closing the door does not prevent people from achieving the same purpose of worshipping Allah around it. All mosques are only built for the purpose of worshipping Allah, so closing them unnecessarily prevents the fulfilment of the purpose for which they were built. However, in the case of the Kaaba, worship is done around it, not inside it. The most specific act of worship that is connected to the Kaaba is tawaf (circumambulation), which is only done around it. After that comes prayer, which is only done facing towards it.
This hadith may be reconciled with the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says: “[The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the Kaaba and said takbir throughout its interior, and he did not pray in it” – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he attributed his negation on one occasion to Usamah and on another occasion to his brother al-Fadl. It was said: It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba on two occasions, on one of which he prayed and on the other occasion he did not pray.
This hadith indicates that it is acceptable to pray inside the Kaaba.
It also indicates that the one who does not know may ask one who has knowledge..

506
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar entered the Kaaba, he would walk forward when he entered, standing with the door behind him. He would walk until there was between him and the wall in front of him approximately three cubits, and he would pray in the place where he thought Bilal had told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. He said: There is nothing wrong with any of us praying in any place in the House..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were known for being very keen to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this report, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the Kaaba, he would seek out the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed). So he would stand with the door behind him, and walk forward until between him and the wall in front of him there was no more than approximately three cubits, intending thereby to pray where Bilal had told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari describes the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal: What did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) do inside the Kaaba? He said: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – and at that time the House was built on six pillars – then he prayed.
Then Ibn ‘Umar said: There is no blame on anyone if he prays in any place in the House he wishes. What is meant is that in order for prayer inside the Sacred House to be valid, it is not stipulated that it should be offered in the same place as that in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, although that is better, even though the purpose may be achieved by praying elsewhere.
This hadith may be reconciled with the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says: “[The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the Kaaba and said takbir throughout its interior, and he did not pray in it” – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he attributed his negation on one occasion to Usamah and on another occasion to his brother al-Fadl. It was said: It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba on two occasions, on one of which he prayed and on the other occasion he did not pray.
This hadith indicates that the Kaaba has a door, and that it may be opened and closed according to what the situation requires.
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray inside the Kaaba..

507
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) made his mount kneel, then he prayed facing towards its side. I said: What if the mount would not sit still? He said: He would take this saddle and adjust it, then pray facing towards the back of the saddle. And Ibn ‘Umar used to do that..

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that both for the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to stand with his mount – meaning the camel that he used to ride – in front of him, perpendicular to it, and he would use it as a sutrah (screen), facing towards it. It was said to Nafi‘ – who was the one who narrated the report from Ibn ‘Umar: What if the mount would not sit still? In other words, what if the camel jumped up and distracted the worshipper because it did not stay still – what should he do? Nafi‘ said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would take the saddle, which was something that would be tied to the camel’s back to give the rider a place to sit, so that if the camel jumped up and he could not pray facing towards it – he would take the saddle as a sutrah instead of the mount, and he would pray facing towards the back of the saddle.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to use an animal as a sutrah when praying.
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray near a camel; this is a different matter to praying in camel pens, as there are sahih hadiths which prohibit doing that..

509
It was narrated that Abu Salih as-Samman said: I saw Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri on a Friday, praying towards something that screened him from the people. A young man from the tribe of Banu Abi Mu‘ayt wanted to pass directly in front of him, so Abu Sa‘id pushed him in the chest. The young man looked, but he could not find any other way to pass except by walking directly in front of him, so he tried again, and Abu Sa‘id pushed him back harder than he had the first time. The young man insulted Abu Sa‘id, then he went to Marwan and complained to him about what Abu Sa‘id had done to him. Then Abu Sa‘id came in after him to see Marwan, who said: What is the matter between you and your brother’s son, O Abu Sa‘id? He said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “If one of you prays facing towards something, using it to screen him from the people, and someone wants to pass directly in front of him, let him push him back, and if he insists, then let him fight him, for he is no more than a devil.”.

Commentary : Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that for both the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Salih as-Samman narrates that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) was praying one Friday facing towards a sutrah that screened him from passersby, when a young man from the tribe of Banu Abu Mu‘ayt wanted to pass directly in front of him, between him and his sutrah, whilst he was praying. Abu Sa‘id put a hand on his chest to push him back and prevent him from passing directly in front of him, but this young man could not find any other way through which he could go, except this way that was directly in front of Abu Sa‘id. So he tried again to pass in front of him, and Abu Sa‘id pushed him back, harder than he had the first time. That young man got angry with Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him) , and he insulted and reviled him, then the young man went to Marwan ibn al-Hakam al-Umawi, who was the governor of Madinah at that time, and complained to him about what had happened between him and Abu Sa‘id, and how the latter had pushed him in the chest and hurt him. Abu Sa‘id came to Marwan after him, and Marwan said to Abu Sa‘id: What is the matter between you and your brother’s son? – meaning, the son of your brother in Islam – What happened between you and him? Why did you treat him in this harsh manner? Abu Sa‘id replied that he had heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: When one of you prays facing towards something to screen him, such as a wall and the like, and someone wants to pass directly in front of him, let him push him back, and if he refuses and insists, then let him fight him – in other words, it is Islamically prescribed to push him back and prevent him from passing in front of him. So the worshipper should push him back gently, then if he does not stop, he may push him more forcefully, and so on. That does not mean fighting in a real sense. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that the one who wants to pass in front of the worshipper is no more than a human devil, for his action is a devilish act. It is only attributed to the Shaytan because interrupting and invalidating acts of worship is something that the Shaytan does.
The hadith indicates that it is enjoined to place a sutrah or barrier in front of the worshipper, to prevent anyone from passing directly in front of him.
It also indicates that the worshipper may push back the one who wants to pass between him and his sutrah, even if there are crowds of people and there is no other way for the person to pass except by passing directly in front of him.
And it indicates that the one who wants to pass in front of one who is praying is like a devil..

510
41-TRIAL-It was narrated from Busr ibn Sa‘id that Zayd ibn Khaalid sent him to Abu Juhaym to ask him what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah the upon him) about the one who passes directly in front of one who is praying? Abu Juhaym said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If the one who walks directly in front of one who is praying knew what he incurs [of sin], standing and waiting for forty would be better for him than passing directly in front of him.” Abu’n-Nadr said: I do not know whether he said forty days or months or years. 167.

Commentary : 34-TRIAL-Prayer is a connection between a person and his Lord, in which the worshipper stands and converses with his Lord, facing towards Him. Islam enjoins focusing with proper humility (khushu‘) in prayer, and not being distracted, and sets out guidelines concerning that for both the worshipper and the one who is not praying, so that the prayer will not be interrupted and the humble focus (khushu‘) will not be disrupted by the action of either of them.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Busr ibn Sa‘id narrates that Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah be pleased with him) sent him to Abu Juhaym (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the hadith of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) concerning the one who passes directly in front of one who is praying. Abu Juhaym stated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warning about the seriousness of passing in front of one who is praying, and that if the one who has the audacity to deliberately walk in front of one who is praying knew about what results from that of severe punishment, he would choose to wait for forty, for that would be better for him than passing directly in front of the worshipper.
Abu’n-Nadr Salim ibn Abi Umayyah, the one who narrated the hadith from Busr, said: I do not know whether he said forty days, or months, or years. According to a report narrated by Ibn Majah: I do not know whether it is forty years or months or days or hours. According to a report narrated by al-Bazzar: Forty years. All of these imply a great amount of sin if one passes directly in front of one who is praying, and that it is more appropriate and preferable to wait until he finishes his prayer, and then pass in front of him, or look for another way.
This hadith contains an emphatic prohibition and stern warning against passing directly in front of one who is praying, and indicates that it is a major sin, because of this warning of what results from that.
It is also refers to the command to have a sutrah or barrier in front of the worshipper, to prevent people from passing directly in front of him. 100.

511
It was narrated from Masruq, from ‘A’ishah, that mention was made in her presence of that which interrupts the prayer. They said: It is interrupted by a dog, a donkey or a woman. She said: You are regarding us (women) as dogs! I would see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying whilst I was between him and the qiblah, lying on the bed. I would need to get up for some reason, and I did not like to face towards him, so I would slip away discreetly..

Commentary : Prayer is a spiritual act of worship in which a person stands before his Lord (may He be glorified), so he should take measures to attain proper focus and humility (khushu‘) and not be distracted whilst praying. The worshipper is instructed to have a sutrah (screen) in front of him whilst praying, so that nothing will pass in front of him that could interrupt his prayer.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Masruq ibn al-Ajda‘ narrates that mention was made in the presence of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) of what interrupts the prayer, meaning that it reduces the reward thereof. What is meant by interrupting is that it detracts from the prayer, because one may be distracted by these things. It does not mean that the prayer is nullified. In other words, what are the things which, if they pass in front of the worshipper when there is no sutrah between him and them, they interrupt his prayer? They said: It is interrupted by the passage of a dog, a donkey or a woman in front of the worshipper. The one who narrated that was Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), as is mentioned in a report narrated by Muslim and some of the other companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). ‘A’ishah objected to that and said: You are regarding us as being like dogs – that is, with regard to the ruling on interrupting the prayer. But these three things are singled out as interrupting the prayer because a woman may be a source of temptation; a donkey may bray and one cannot be sure that it will not suddenly start to bray as it passes by the worshipper and startle him when he is standing before his Lord (may He be exalted); and a dog may scare the worshipper and distract him from his prayer as a result of that; moreover, he may be so averse to the dog that it interrupts his prayer. Because these things lead to interruption, they are regarded as interrupting the prayer.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she would see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying whilst she was sleeping in front of him, between him and the qiblah, lying on the bed. Then she would have some need for which she had to get up, and she did not want to face towards the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she wanted to get up and leave her bed whilst he was praying. So she would go in a discreet manner, as if she were hiding herself, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not see her. This was an objection on her part, because a woman interrupts the prayer in all cases, and that is not limited to the case when she passes in front of the one who is praying.
This hadith highlights the deep understanding of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
It also indicates that it is permissible to pray facing towards one’s wife..

512
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray when I was lying perpendicular to him on his bed, and when he wanted to pray Witr, he would wake me up and I would pray Witr..

Commentary : Prayer is a spiritual act of worship in which a person stands before his Lord. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us the sunnahs and etiquette of prayer, and has explained to us what is permissible and what is not permissible whilst praying.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer the voluntary night prayers in her apartment, whilst she was sleeping in front of him, at right angles to him on his bed. When he had finished praying tahajjud, he would wake her up, then she would get up, do wudoo’ and pray Witr. According to a report narrated in as-Sahihayn, “at that time there were no lamps in the houses.” This indicates that darkness was the reason why she was in front of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was praying.
This hadith indicates that there was no sutrah, but this does not contradict the hadith narrated by Ibn Majah from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade praying behind someone who is talking or sleeping. These hadiths may be reconciled by noting that the prohibition definitely applies if that could distract the worshipper, but if it will not distract him, then the matter is more lenient. The basic principle is that the worshipper should not have anything between him and the qiblah, let alone having in front of him something that could distract him, unless there is a need for that.
This hadith affirms the importance of praying Witr and doing so regularly, and indicates that it is recommended to delay Witr until the end of the night.
It indicates that the presence of a woman in front of the one who is praying does not invalidate his prayer.
It also indicates that it is encouraged to offer supererogatory (nafil) prayers and qiyam al-layl at home..

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..