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Hadith
126
It was narrated that al-Aswad said: Ibn al-Zubayr said to me: ‘A’ishah used to tell many things exclusively to you; what did she tell you about the Kaaba? I said: She told me that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O ‘A’ishah, were it not that your people only recently left disbelief behind, I would have demolished the Kaaba [and rebuilt it], and I would have given it two doors, a door for the people to enter and a door for them to exit.” And Ibn al-Zubayr did that..

Commentary : The Kaaba is the House of Allah on earth and the qiblah of the Muslims. Allah has honoured it, caused people to hold it in high esteem and love it, and has made it a destination for the Hajj.
In this hadith, the Tabi’i al-Aswad ibn Yazid al-Nakha‘i narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr said to him: ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to narrate some hadiths exclusively to you. ‘Abdullah asked him what she had told him about the Kaaba, and he told ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that she had narrated to him what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had said about demolishing and rebuilding the Kaaba. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to demolish it and rebuild it, giving it two doors, a door through which the people could enter and another through which they could exit. But he did not do that, because Quraysh used to venerate the Kaaba greatly, so he was afraid that – because they had only recently left disbelief behind and entered Islam – they might think that he was changing its structure so that he could have exclusive honour and pride in that regard.
This change was in fact made by Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), meaning that he rebuilt the Kaaba in the manner that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had wanted. Then al-Hajjaj came and put it back as it had been, and those who came after him left it as it was, for fear that the people might start to tinker with the Kaaba, repeatedly demolishing it and rebuilding it, which would undermine the esteem in which people held it.
This hadith indicates that a matter that serves some interest may be abandoned lest it lead to some evil consequences.
It indicates that one may refrain from objecting to a reprehensible action lest doing so lead to something even more reprehensible.
It indicates that if, in the running of his people’s affairs, the ruler is faced with two options, he should choose that which best serves their interests, even if it is not the best option, so long as it is not haram.
It indicates that the ruler may strive to soften the hearts of his subjects so that they will not be resentful, and he should avoid what he fears could lead to them developing resentment, so long as that does not involve failing to do something that is enjoined in Islamic teachings..

127
‘Ali said: Speak to people at the level they can comprehend; do you want Allah and His Messenger to be rejected?.

Commentary : People’s ability to understand issues and make sense of them varies. Part of the scholar’s insight and proper understanding is that he should speak to each individual and group at the level that their minds can grasp and will not be put off by.
In this report, the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) advises us to speak to people at their intellectual level about issues that they will be able to understand, and to refrain from talking about that which will be confusing for them and difficult to understand, lest that lead to them rejecting what Allah and His Messenger said, and not believing them. If people hear something that their minds cannot comprehend, they will quickly reject it. Hence the scholar can use various approaches to present his knowledge when speaking to people. So he should speak to ordinary people in a manner that they can understand, then speak exclusively to intelligent people and seekers of knowledge about some subtle matters, and explain them to them.
This hadith indicates that one should pay attention to the circumstances of the audience and their ability to understand.
It also indicates that we should choose a clear and straightforward approach when calling people to Islam..

128
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, when Mu‘adh was riding behind him on his mount: “O Mu‘adh ibn Jabal!” He said: Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “O Mu‘adh!” He said: Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. That happened three times. He said: “There is no one who bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, sincerely from the heart, but Allah will forbid him to the Fire.” Mu‘adh said: Should I not tell the people about that, so that they will be of good cheer? He said: “Then they would rely on that [and not strive].” But Mu‘adh narrated it before he died, for fear of incurring sin [by withholding knowledge]..

Commentary : The testimony of Tawhid is a matter of great virtue, by means of which a person enters Islam and exits disbelief, and by virtue of it he will be saved on the Day of Resurrection from abiding forever in the Fire.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), when he was riding behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on his mount. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called out to Mu‘adh, repeating the call three times, to highlight the importance of what he was going to tell him. Each time, Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by saying: Labbayka ya Rasulallah wa sa‘dayk (Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah). In other words, I respond to you, O Messenger of Allah, time after time; or, I am adhering to obedience to you time after time, seeking bliss and well-being in this world and the hereafter each time I respond to you. This means that he was responding to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and affirming his willingness to obey him in whatever instructions he gave him. As Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) responded well and listened attentively, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that there is no one who testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, so none is worshipped rightfully except Him, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, sincerely from the heart, but Allah will forbid him to the Fire, meaning that He will forbid him to abide therein forever. The phrase “sincerely from the heart” means that what matters is that saying and uttering the twin declaration of faith (al-shahadatayn) should be based on what one believes in the heart. This is by way of excluding the hypocrite, because the words of the twin declaration of faith will not benefit the hypocrite on the Day of Resurrection, for he did not say these words sincerely from the heart. Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to let him tell the people about this, so that they would rejoice and be of good cheer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was concerned lest the people rely on it, and therefore strive less and do fewer acts of worship. So Mu‘adh did not narrate it to anyone until just before he died, for fear of falling into the sin of withholding knowledge.
It was said that the apparent meaning of the report indicates that all those who utter the twin declaration of faith will not enter the Fire, because of the general and emphatic meaning of the hadith, but the definitive proof of Ahl al-Sunnah indicates that a group of believers who sinned will be punished in the Fire for the sins that they committed, then they will be brought forth from the fire through intercession.
This hadith gives great glad tidings to those who affirm the oneness of Allah that if the one who committed major sins dies affirming the oneness of Allah, he will not abide in the Fire forever.
It also indicates that there are some types of knowledge that may be told to all people, and some types that may be given only to the elite.
It highlights the humbleness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It highlights the high status of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) in terms of knowledge, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told some knowledge exclusively to him.
It indicates that words may be repeated for a purpose and to make a point.
It indicates that one may respond by saying, Labbayka wa sa‘dayk (here I am at your service)..

129
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said:  I was told that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Mu‘adh ibn Jabal: “Whoever meets Allah not associating anything with Him will enter Paradise.” He said: Should I not tell the people this good news? He said: “No, for I fear that they will rely on that [and stop striving].”.

Commentary : The heart cannot be sound unless it is completely free of shirk, which is contrary to Tawhid, because the worst type of wrongdoing and evil in this world is shirk or associating others with Allah, for that is the cause of a person abiding forever in the Fire.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that whoever dies as a believer, associating nothing with Allah, in the sense that he worships Allah alone, knowing that none is rightfully worshipped except Him, and believing this in his heart, as indicated by these reports, will enter Paradise by the grace of Allah, either straight away or after being punished, but this does not include the hypocrites. Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to let him tell the people about that so that they might rejoice and be of good cheer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him not to do that, for fear that they would rely on that and would strive less and do fewer acts of worship. According to the report narrated by al-Bukhari, Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith just before he died, for fear of falling into the sin of withholding knowledge.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Tawhid and the danger of shirk.
It indicates that that there are some types of knowledge that may be told to all people, and some types that may be given only to the elite.
It highlights the status and knowledge of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told some knowledge exclusively to him.
It indicates that it is prescribed for the seeker of knowledge to ask about that concerning which he is not certain.
It also gives great glad tidings to those who affirm the oneness of Allah..

130
It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: Umm Sulaym came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, Allah is not too shy to tell the truth; does a woman have to do ghusl if she has an erotic dream? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “[Yes], if she sees water.” Umm Salamah covered her face, and said: O Messenger of Allah, can a woman have an erotic dream? He said: “Yes, may your hands be rubbed with dust. How else would her child resemble her?”.

Commentary : All shyness (haya’) is good, for it is part of faith and is one of the praiseworthy characteristics that both men and women should seek to acquire.
In this hadith, Zaynab, the daughter of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates that Umm Sulaym – who was the mother of Anas ibn Malik and the wife of Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah (may Allah be pleased with them all) – came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the presence of Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She introduced her question by saying: Allah is not too shy to tell the truth, so He would not refrain from explaining the truth and making it clear. That was because what she was going to say to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was something that women usually feel too shy to mention in the presence of men. Then she asked her question: Does a woman have to do ghusl if she has an erotic dream, and sees in her dream that a man is having intercourse with her? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying that ghusl is required of her if she sees “water”, meaning discharge, when she wakes up. If she does not see it, then she does not have to do ghusl. Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) covered her face out of embarrassment at this question, because the emission of a discharge in women is indicative of strong desire for men, and she asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in astonishment: Can a woman have an erotic dream? In other words, can a woman see discharge and have an erotic dream like men? He answered: Yes, a woman may have an erotic dream and see discharge. Then he said to her: “May your hands be rubbed with dust,” meaning: May you become poor and left with nothing. This was a saying among the Arabs, but they did not mean it literally as a prayer against the one to whom it was addressed. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: How else would her child resemble her? In other words, for what other reason would her child resemble her, if she did not emit a discharge of her own? The discharge of the man is thick and white, and the discharge of the woman is thin and yellow. It was narrated that whichever of the two discharges overwhelms the other, the child will resemble that parent.
This hadith indicates that there is no need to feel shy when seeking knowledge and asking questions about religion, because it is truth.
It highlights the fact that women emit discharge and may see erotic dreams like men, and because of this discharge the child may resemble the mother.
It also indicates that it is enjoined for the one who has an erotic dream to do ghusl if he (or she) sees “water” (discharge) after waking up.
And it indicates that the child may resemble his father or his mother..

131
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Among trees, there is one tree whose leaves do not fall, and it is like the Muslim. Tell me what it is.” The people started listing the trees of the desert. ‘Abdullah said: It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I felt too shy to say anything. Then they said: Tell us what it is, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “It is the palm tree.” ‘Abdullah said: I told my father about what had occurred to me, and he said: If you had said it, that would have been dearer to me than such and such..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a wise teacher and great educator. He used to give likenesses to the people to explain some ideas.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked his companions about the tree whose leaves do not fall, which he likened to the Muslim. They started to think only about trees of the desert, each of them listing different types of desert trees, but the palm tree completely slipped their minds. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) thought to himself that it was the palm tree, but he was too shy to mention what he had in mind, out of respect for the senior Sahabah present, who could not give the right answer. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave them the answer, telling them that it was the palm tree. The palm tree is like the Muslim in the sense that it offers a great deal of goodness: it constantly offers shade (because it does not lose its leaves), it bears good fruit, and it offers many other benefits. It is full of benefits, goodness and beauty. Similarly, the believer is all good because he does many acts of worship, has good characteristics, and persists in doing righteous deeds, giving charity and doing all kinds of good deeds. So it is as if he never stops doing good, so he constantly does good deeds just as the leaves of the palm tree are always there, then it gives fruits at the right time.
Then ‘Abdullah told his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) of what had occurred to him, that it was the palm tree, but he had felt too shy to mention that. His father said to him: If you had said it and told the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that it is the palm tree, that would have been dearer to me than having such and such; in other words, then being given such and such, such as red camels, for example. Ibn Hibban added in his Sahih: I think he said: Red camels. ‘Umar only wished for that so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer supplication for his son, and he would thus attain the blessing of his supplication, as ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) did, and so that it would be clear that his son possessed smartness and understanding from an early age, and thus would become prominent when he grew up.
In this hadith we see that a knowledgeable person may ask questions of those who want to learn, in order to see how smart they are and how much they understand.
It also indicates that one should show respect to elders, as Ibn ‘Umar did. But if the elder cannot work it out, then the younger person may speak up.
This hadith also highlights the intelligence of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), for Allah (may He be exalted) gifted him with intelligence.
It highlights the virtue of the palm tree and how it is like the Muslim, and how it is blessed because of what it bears of fruits.
It indicates that a man may be keen for his son to show that he has more knowledge than one who is older than him.
It indicates that a father may express happiness with the intelligence and smartness of his son..

132
It was narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib said: I was a man who emitted a great deal of madhiy, so I told al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that; he asked him and he said: “Do wudu’ for it.”.

Commentary : Islam is the religion of mercy and compassion towards people, and seeks to make things easy for them. It is also the religion of purity and cleanliness. One of the things that proves this is the fact that Islam makes things easy for people and pays attention to their circumstances.
In this hadith, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I was a man who emitted a great deal of madhiy, which is a thin, white liquid that is usually emitted when desire is provoked, and when playing with one’s wife and kissing her, or looking with desire, or remembering, or after urinating. It usually precedes the omission of maniy (semen) or follows it. According to a report narrated by Abu Dawud, ‘Ali said: I began to do ghusl for it during the winter until I got cracks in the skin of my back. Thus it is clear that the reason why he asked this question was that he was doing ghusl a great deal, which had a harmful effect on his body, because he thought that this came under the heading of janabah. So he asked al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the omission of madhiy and what is required of the one who experiences that. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) only felt too shy to ask the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because he was the husband of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This was a praiseworthy kind of shyness, because it did not prevent him from learning what he did not know and sending someone to ask in his stead.
So al-Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, and he told him, “Do wudu’ for it.” Therefore the one who emits madhiy must do wudu’ only, not ghusl. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to wash his penis in addition to doing wudu’.
This hadith highlights good conduct with one’s in-laws, and that the husband should not mention anything having to do with intercourse and intimacy with women in the presence of his wife’s father, brother, son and other relatives.
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to find out about issues of purification (taharah) and other Islamic rulings.  .

133
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that a man stood up in the mosque and said: O Messenger of Allah, from where do you instruct us to enter ihram? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of Madinah should enter ihram from Dhul Hulayfah; the people of al-Sham [Greater Syria] should enter ihram from al-Juhfah; and the people of Najd should enter ihram from Qarn.” Ibn ‘Umar said: They claim that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And the people of Yemen should enter ihram from Yalamlam.” Ibn ‘Umar used to say: I did not learn this from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : There are miqats for Hajj, from which the pilgrim must enter ihram; there are rulings concerning them which are explained in detail in the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar tells us that a man stood up in the Prophet’s Mosque and asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): From where do you instruct us to enter ihram? In other words, from where should we begin to recite the talbiyah, raising our voices in reciting it, with the intention of entering ihram for Hajj or ‘umrah?
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the people of Madinah to enter ihram from Dhul Hulayfah, which is a place outside Madinah on the road to Makkah, it is the miqat of the people of Madinah. The distance between it and Makkah is 420 km; therefore it is the furthest of the miqats from Makkah. For the people of al-Sham and those who pass through [their land], the miqat is al-Juhfah, which is located between Makkah and Madinah, at a distance of approximately 190 km from Makkah. It is a village near Rabigh. For the people of Najd and those who pass through [their land], the miqat is Qarn, i.e., Qarn al-Manazil, which nowadays is called al-Sayl al-Kabir. Its location is 55 km north of the city of al-Ta’if; it is 75 km from Makkah. Najd is the land between the Hijaz and Iraq; Najd now forms the centre of the Arabian Peninsula; in the middle of Najd lies the city of Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Najd includes many regions, including Qasim, Sudayr, al-Aflaj, al-Yamamah, al-Washm and others.
Then Ibn ‘Umar stated that he did not know that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the people of Yemen to enter ihram from Yalamlam, which is a mountain to the south of Makkah, 85 km away.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to convey the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the manner he said them, even if they did not understand some of what he said. .

134
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that a man asked him: What may the muhrim (pilgrim in ihram) wear? He said: “He should not wear a chemise, or a turban, or trousers, or a burnouse, or any garment that has been dyed with safflower or saffron. If he cannot find sandals, then let him wear khuffs (a kind of leather footwear that covers the ankle) but let him cut them down so that they come below the ankles.”.

Commentary : Islamic teachings explain the rulings of ihram for Hajj and ‘umrah, which includes the clothing that it is prescribed for the muhrim to wear and the rulings concerning it. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What may the muhrim wear? So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained what it is not permissible for the muhrim to wear, and that he should not wear a turban, which is wrapped around the head and is the same size as the head and made to fit it, because it comes under the heading of a garment that is made to fit; or a chemise, which is what covers the upper part of the body and is made to fit its shape; or trousers, which are worn instead of the izar (waist-wrapper) to cover the lower half of the body; or a burnouse, which is a garment with a hood to cover the head, because it is made to fit the body. The guideline on these prohibited things is that any garment that is made to fit the body and may be worn without having to wrap it and tie it should not be worn by the muhrim.
He should not wear any garment that has been dyed with safflower, which is a plant that has a good fragrance, or with saffron, which is a kind of perfume. The prohibition here is on wearing garments that have been dyed with safflower or saffron. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that it is permissible for the muhrim to wear khuffs after cutting off their tops, if he cannot find any sandals, so as to leave the ankles bare. The khuff is a kind of footwear made of thin leather that covers the ankles and more.
Although the man’s question was about what the muhrim may wear, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned in his answer what could be limited instead of what could not be limited, in order to be concise and brief, because the questioner asked about what may be worn, but the answer has to do with what may not be worn, since the basic principle is that things are permissible, and if he had listed what may be worn, it would have taken too long. In fact there was the fear that the one who heard that might misinterpret what he heard, and think that it applied only to the muhrim. Moreover, what matters here is what is not allowed, not what it is permissible to wear, because there is no particular type of clothing that is required; rather the muhrim is required to avoid a few specific things.
This hadith indicates that an answer may be given in more detail than the questioner asked about, if there is an interest to be served by that..

135
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The prayer of one whose wudu’ was invalidated will not be accepted until he does wudu’.” A man from Hadramawt asked: What could invalidate wudu’, O Abu Hurayrah? He said: Breaking wind, either silently or loudly. .

Commentary : This hadith discusses what invalidates wudu. The one whose wudu’ is invalidated is not allowed to do anything for which wudu’ is required, such as praying. Purifying oneself after wudu’ has been invalidated is a condition of prayer being valid.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The prayer of one whose wudu’ was invalidated will not be accepted until he does wudu’.” In other words, until he purifies himself with water. Anyone who prays when his wudu’ has been invalidated, his prayer will not be accepted and it is not valid. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained what invalidates wudu’ in this hadith as breaking wind, either silently or loudly; in both cases, it refers to wind being expelled from the back passage. However, this is not the only thing that invalidates wudu’, as urination and defecation both invalidate wudu’ too, and they also come under the heading of minor impurity. Janabah and having intercourse also invalidate wudu’, but they come under the heading of major impurity; and there are other things that invalidate wudu’. He only mentioned one of the things that invalidate wudu’, because he was answering someone who asked him about one whose wudu’ is invalidated whilst he is praying, so he gave an answer concerning one who is praying and finds that his wudu’ is invalidated involuntarily, because urination, defecation and touching do not usually happen when praying. This is similar to the case in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the one who is not sure whether his wudu’ became invalid whilst he was praying: “One should not stop [praying] unless he hears a sound or notices a smell,” because this is the usual way in which a person’s wudu’ may become invalid whilst praying, and it cannot be imagined that any of the other cases would be applicable in prayer. It is as if he answered the questioner with regard to something of which he was unaware, or with regard to what he needed to know in most cases, or what often happens when praying..

136
It was narrated that Nu‘aym al-Mujmir said: I climbed up to the top of the mosque with Abu Hurayrah and he did wudu’, then he said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Indeed my ummah will be called on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces and limbs, because of the traces of wudu’.” So whoever among you is able to expand the area of his face that will shine, let him do so..

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) has ordained for the believers characteristics and features by which they will be distinguished from others in the hereafter, and by which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will recognize his followers on the Day of Resurrection, as signs of faith and Islam, such as the traces of wudu’, which will appear in the form of light that will be visible on the parts of the body that are washed in wudu’.
In this hadith, Nu‘aym al-Mujmir narrates that he climbed up to the roof of the Prophet’s Mosque with Abu Hurayrah, who did wudu’ in a complete and thorough manner, giving each part its due share of water and washing. Then he told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had given the glad tidings to his ummah who responded to his call, that Allah (may He be exalted) would give them a distinct sign on the Day of Resurrection and would call them before all people with shining faces and limbs, because of the traces of wudu’. The word translated here as shining faces refers to white markings on the forehead [of a horse]; what is meant here is the light that will appear on the faces of the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The word translated here as shining limbs refers to white markings on the legs [of a horse]; what is meant here is also light, for wudu’ leaves traces on the face, legs and arms that will be white and light on the Day of Resurrection. This is something that will be unique to this ummah among all other nations. Because wudu’ leaves these traces, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised people to expand this brightness, as he said: So whoever among you is able to expand the area of his face that will shine, let him do so. So he should expand the brightness of his face and limbs. He mentioned the brightness on the face only, because it also implies brightness on the limbs. And it was said that he mentioned the brightness on the face only, to the exclusion of the limbs, because the face is the noblest part that is washed in wudu’ and it is what is first seen and noticed in a person. However the report narrated by Muslim mentions both, as it says: “Let him expand the area of his face and limbs that will shine.”.

137
It was narrated from ‘Abbad ibn Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that a man complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who sometimes thought that he felt something whilst praying. He said: “One should not stop [praying] unless he hears a sound or notices a smell.”.

Commentary : This hadith forms the basis for one of the major fiqhi guidelines, which is that certainty cannot be dispelled by uncertainty. In it, it says that ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and complained to him that a man may sometimes think that he feels something whilst praying, meaning that he thinks that he has passed wind. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by telling him that he should not exit his prayer unless he is certain that he has passed wind, which is when he hears a sound or notices a smell, because he is certain that he was in a state of purity [when he started praying], and that certainty cannot be dispelled because of mere uncertainty; rather he should be certain that his wudu’ has been invalidated and that he has indeed passed wind. Hearing a sound and noticing a smell are mentioned because that is what usually happens when wudu’ is invalidated whilst praying. It cannot be imagined that it would be invalidated in any other way. It is as if he answered the questioner by telling him what he needed to know in most cases, or what usually happens when praying, because urinating, defecating, touching and other things that invalidate wudu’ do not usually happen when one is praying.
It was said that what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant is that one should be certain that wudu’ has been invalidated; he did not mean that he should literally have heard it or smelt it, because wind may come out with no sound and no smell, or there may be something wrong with his hearing or sense of smell, so he does not hear the sound or notice the smell. In that case, the person’s wudu’ is invalidated if he is certain that he has passed wind..

140
It was narrated from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar, from Ibn ‘Abbas, that he did wudu’ and washed his face. He scooped up a handful of water, rinsed his mouth with it and rinsed his nose, then he scooped up another handful of water and did like this; he brought up his other hand and washed his face with both hands. Then he scooped up a handful of water and washed his right forearm with it. Then he scooped up another handful of water and washed his left forearm with it. Then he wiped his head. Then he scooped up a handful of water, sprinkled it on his right foot and washed it, then he scooped up another handful of water and washed his foot with it, meaning the left foot. Then he said: This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing wudu’..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah and to learn it and teach it to the Muslims who came after them in both word and deed. That includes the description of how the Messenger of Allah blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’.
In this hadith, the scholar of the ummah, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the steps of wudu’ in practical terms. He began by washing his face, but what is meant by the phrase, when he said that he started with the face, is something additional to what is obligatory and what is Sunnah, based on the fact that he mentioned the face a second time, after he mentioned rinsing the mouth with a new handful of water. So he began washing his face by rinsing his mouth, which means moving the water around in the mouth, then spitting it out. Then he rinsed his nose, by sniffing water into the nose then blowing it out, to clean the inside of the nose.
Then he took a handful of water in one hand, then brought up his other hand, and washed his face with it once, using both hands, because one hand may not reach all over the face properly. The definition of the face in terms of length is from the hairline to the chin and beard, and in terms of width it is from one ear to the other. Then he took another handful of water and washed his right forearm with it, up to the elbow, then he took another handful of water and washed his left forearm with it, up to the elbow. Then he wiped his head, and wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head here is where the hair grows. According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood: Then he took a handful of water, shook it off his hand, then wiped his head. According to another report narrated by Abu Dawood: He wiped his head and ears, inside and out.
Then he took a handful of water and sprinkled it on his right foot, meaning that he poured the water little by little, until he washed his foot. Then he took another handful of water and washed his left foot with it. He washed his feet up to the ankles, as is narrated in the reports. It was said that the reason for mentioning sprinkling, rather than washing, was to highlight how little water is used to wash a part for which it is likely that people would use too much water. This is supported by the words “until he washed it.” This is an indication that what is meant by sprinkling is washing. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after he finished: This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing wudu’. So ‘Abdullah’s wudu’ was a precise imitation of the wudu’ of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was done to teach those around him of the Tabi‘in and others who wanted to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see that teaching by doing is more effective than teaching by speaking alone..

142
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse, he would say: “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from al-khubthi wa’l-khaba’ith.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would teach his ummah the prescribed etiquette in all situations, which includes remembering Allah and seeking refuge with Him from the evils of the devils before entering places where people relieve themselves.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse to relieve himself – and outhouse is a word used to refer to any place where people relieve themselves by urinating or defecating – he would offer supplication by saying: O Allah, I seek refuge with You – so I resort to and seek protection with Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) from al-khubthi wa’l-khaba’ith. It was said that what is meant is male and female devils; so that he is seeking refuge from their schemes and their evil, and the whispers and intrusive thoughts that they cast into people’s minds and hearts. It was also suggested that al-khubth refers to evil or disbelief, or that al-khubth refers to the devils and al-khaba’ith refers to sins..

143
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse, so I brought some water for wudu’ and placed it there for him. He said: “Who placed this here?” He was told [who had done it], and he said: “O Allah, grant him understanding of religion.”.

Commentary : This hadith highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). In it, he tells us that he brought water to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that he could do wudu’. After he came out of the outhouse – which is a word used to describe any place where people relieve themselves, by urinating or defecating – he asked who had put the water there for him, and he was told that it was Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). The one who told him that was the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbas, Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), because that happened in her house, as is mentioned in the report of Ahmad. The apparent meaning suggests that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not ask for water; rather Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) took the initiative and hastened to bring the water, because he was a smart and intelligent boy and he used to follow the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed for him and said: “O Allah, grant him understanding of religion,” that is, bless him with understanding and deep insight into matters of religion. This prayer for him to be granted understanding of religion was appropriate, because he had done the right thing, which was indicative of his intelligence. This also indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was happy that he took the initiative of bringing water for him when he went to the outhouse. The blessing of this supplication was demonstrated in ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), as his knowledge and virtue became well-known, and he was one of the Sahabah who narrated a great deal from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He narrated approximately one thousand six hundred and sixty hadiths, and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted him about major issues.
This hadith indicates that one may reward a person by offering supplication for him when he does a favour, offers help or does an act of kindness.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to serve scholars and people of knowledge, and pay attention to their needs, without being instructed to do so..

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..

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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..