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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
549
It was narrated that Abu Umamah ibn Sahl said: We prayed Zuhr with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, then we left and came to Anas ibn Malik, and we found him praying ‘Asr. I said: O uncle, what is this prayer that you were praying? He said: ‘Asr, and this is the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that we used to offer with him..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the Muslims to pray and to offer the prayer at the beginning of its time. The Sahabah were keen to follow the commands and instructions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but some of the rulers and governors after the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs delayed the prayers until the end of their times.
In this hadith, Abu Umamah ibn Sahl says: “We prayed Zuhr with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, then we left and came to Anas ibn Malik, and we found him praying ‘Asr.” ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz had prayed Zuhr at the end of its time, and Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time, upholding the Sunnah. The beginning of the time for ‘Asr – as is stated in the reports – is when the sun is in the sky and the length of the shadow of a thing is double its height.
When Abu Umamah saw him praying ‘Asr just after they had prayed with ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz, he asked him what prayer he had been praying. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he had been praying ‘Asr, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had enjoined, and as we used to pray it with him at this time.
It was said that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Aziz used to pray Zuhr sometimes at the end of its time. That was when he was a governor in Madinah. In this matter, he followed the example of those of Banu Umayyah who used to delay it, until ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr advised him, then he stopped doing that and began to offer the prayers at the beginning of their times.
This hadith highlights the keenness of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), no matter how much people changed it.
It also indicates that with the passage of time, people and rulers became less committed to following the Sunnah..

550
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still high and bright, then someone would go to al-‘Awali and come to the people there when the sun was still high. Some of the areas of al-‘Awali were four miles or so from Madinah..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen about the matter of prayer, and was very keen to teach his companions the beginning and end of the time for each of the five daily prayers.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still high and bright, meaning that it was still clear, before it began to turn yellow or change colour. The beginning of the time for ‘Asr – as is stated in the reports – is when the sun is in the sky and the length of the shadow of a thing is double its height.
If a person went to al-‘Awali after having prayed ‘Asr with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he would come to the people there whilst the sun was still high, but not a high as it had been previously. al-‘Awali refers to villages and clusters of houses around Madinah in the direction of Najd, some of which were four miles or so – or approximately six kilometres – from Madinah. This is indicative of how early the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed ‘Asr, as soon as the time for it began..

552
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who misses ‘Asr, it is as if he lost his family and his wealth.”.

Commentary : ‘Asr prayer is of great importance, for it is the middle prayer. We have been enjoined to uphold all prayers, especially ‘Asr prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the one who misses ‘Asr prayer and does not offer it on time, delaying it until the sun has set with no excuse, it is as if he lost his family and his wealth, and ended up bereft of family or wealth; when he sees the reward [that he missed out on], he will be filled with sorrow and regret like that of one who loses his family and his wealth.
This hadith is a warning against neglecting and missing ‘Asr prayer..

553
It was narrated that Abu’l-Malih said: We were on a campaign with Buraydah on a cloudy day, and he said: Pray ‘Asr early, for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses ‘Asr prayer, his good deeds are rendered invalid.”.

Commentary : ‘Asr prayer is of great importance, for it is the middle prayer. We have been enjoined to uphold all prayers, especially ‘Asr prayer.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu’l-Malih ibn Usamah al-Hudhali narrated that they were on a campaign with Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami, on a cloudy day. This indicates that the sun was not visible in the usual fashion, which would enable them to be certain that the time for prayer had begun. So he instructed them to hasten to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time. It was said that the reason why he mentioned in particular that it was a cloudy day was because that would be a cause of delaying the prayer, either because of one who was overly cautious and wanted to be sure that its time had begun, but would delay it so much that its time would end, or because of one who was preoccupied with something else, so he would think that there was still time, then he would get carried away in what he was preoccupied with until the time for the prayer ended.
Then Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to them that the reason for urging them to pray ‘Asr at the beginning of its time was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever misses ‘Asr prayer,” and deliberately delays it until its time has ended, with no excuse, “his good deeds are rendered invalid,” and the reward for them is lost, so he will have no reward at all.
This hadith indicates that it is better to be on the safe side and offer prayer at the beginning of its time when the weather changes and the sun is not visible as it usually is, for fear that the time for the prayer will end.
It is also a warning against neglecting ‘Asr prayer and missing it..

554
It was narrated that Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah said: We were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he looked at the moon one night – meaning when it was full – and said: “You will see your Lord as you see this moon; you will have no trouble looking at Him. If you can avoid being overwhelmed by something that prevents you from praying before the sun rises and before it sets, then do that.” Then he recited the verse: {and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting} [Qaf 50:39]. Isma‘il said: Do that, so that you will not miss it..

Commentary : Islam urges the Muslim to attend the prayers in congregation in general, and to attend ‘Asr and Fajr prayer in particular. The emphasis on these two prayers is because the angels gather at these two times, and take up people’s deeds.
In this hadith, Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that they were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he looked at the moon on the night when it is full, which is the night of the fourteenth of the Hijri month, and said: You – O believers – will see your Lord on the Day of Resurrection as you see this moon, in a real sense, with no doubt about that. The phrase “you will have no trouble” means: You will not crowd one another when you look at Him as you do when there is uncertainty as to whether what you are looking for is visible or not, as you do when looking for the new moon, and so on. In a variant reading of the same phrase, the meaning indicated is that there will be no unfairness with regard to seeing Him, and no toil involved, so it will not be the case that some of you see Him whilst others do not; rather you will all see Him. A third variant indicates that you will not push and shove one another, or dispute.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged them, saying, “If you can avoid being overwhelmed” that is, if you are able to avoid causes of being overwhelmed which make you unable to pray, such as sleeping or being busy with things that keep you from praying, then avoid them. So do not neglect to pray before the sun rises, namely Fajr, or before the sun sets, namely ‘Asr. “… then do that,” i.e., offer these two prayers at these two times. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited the verse: {and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting} [Qaf 50:39].
This hadith highlights the virtue of offering the two prayers of Fajr and ‘Asr..

555
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Angels come to you in succession, angels by night and angels by day, and they meet at Fajr prayer and ‘Asr prayer. Then those who spent the night among you ascend [to heaven] and Allah asks them, although He knows best about them: ‘In what state did you leave My slaves?’ They say: ‘We left them when they were praying, and we came to them when they were praying.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to urge and encourage his companions to do any deeds that were good and beneficial for them, because of the increased virtue and reward that those actions brought.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the angels take turns in guarding the people. One group guards them by night and another group guards them by day, then the angels of the day and the angels of the night meet at two times, the first of which is at Fajr prayer, when the angels of the day come down at the beginning of the prayer, and the angels of the night are still present, so they meet them. And the angels of the night meet the angels of the day at ‘Asr prayer which is the second time. Then the angels of the night ascend after Fajr prayer, and the Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) asks them – although He knows best about them – In what state did you leave My slaves? He has no need to ask them that, because He is all-knowing about them; rather He asks them about that among those on high by way of emphasizing the status of the sons of Adam and to highlight their virtue and boast about them before the angels. So they say: We left them when they were praying Fajr and we came to them when they were praying ‘Asr; they are always praying. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) asks the angels of the day the same question, and they give the same answer as the angels of the night.
This hadith indicates that prayer is the most sublime act of worship, because the question and answer in this hadith have to do with it.
It also indicates that Fajr and ‘Asr are among the greatest of the prayers.
It indicates that Allah (may He be exalted) speaks with His angels as He wills, without likening that speech to human speech, or denying it, or interpreting it in a way other than the apparent meaning..

556
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you catches up with a ‘sajdah’ of ‘Asr prayer before the sun sets, let him complete his prayer. And if he catches up with a ‘sajdah’ of Fajr prayer before the sun rises, let him complete his prayer.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is limited to the way it is prescribed in the religious texts. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) defined its times, and explained the beginning and end of each time, and how one may catch up with the prayer before its time ends.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) described the minimum amount of the prayer that one may do (before the time for it ends) so that he may be regarded as having caught up with the prayer, and that the one who delays doing an obligatory prayer until its time has almost ended, but he manages to catch up with even one ‘sajdah’ before its time ends, is regarded as having caught up with the prayer within its time, even if he does the remaining rak‘ahs after the time for the prayer has ended. What is meant by ‘sajdah’ (lit. prostration) here is a complete rak‘ah, with its ruku‘ (bowing) and sujud (prostration). The prayer may be called sujud (lit. prostration), just as it may also be called ruku‘ (bowing).
It was also said that what is meant by sajdah in the phrase “If one of you catches up with a sajdah” is sajdah in the true sense (that is, prostration), and not an entire rak‘ah. If catching up with the prayer has to do with the ruling on the prayer, it is the same whether one catches up with a complete rak‘ah or less than that. It is sufficient to catch up with the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) [before the time for the prayer ends], because this is the issue of catching up with the prayer (and avoiding falling into sin by missing the prayer), therefore catching up with the rak‘ah is the same as catching up with the takbirat al-ihram.
These two prayers (Fajr and ‘Asr) are singled out for mention, to the exclusion of others – even though this ruling is not specific to them; rather it includes all the prayers – because they are done at the two ends of the day, and if the worshipper has offered part of the prayer, then the sun rises or sets, he will realize that the time for the prayer has ended. So if the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not explain this ruling, the worshipper would think that he had missed the prayer and his prayer had been rendered invalid because the time had ended. Moreover, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had forbidden praying at the time of sunrise and sunset. Therefore he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the prayer of the one who catches up with a rak‘ah of these two prayers (before the time for them ends) is valid, lest the worshipper think that his prayer had been rendered invalid with the ending of these two times.
This applies to one who has a legitimate excuse for not having offered the obligatory prayer at the beginning of its time. He may pray at the end of that time, and catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset; otherwise, the best of deeds is offering prayer on time.
It was said that what is meant in this hadith is that if a person is among those who are accountable and required to pray, and is able to catch up with as much as one rak‘ah of the prayer before the sun rises, then he is regarded as having caught up with it and fulfilled the obligation of praying Fajr. This applies only to those with legitimate excuses; if a menstruating woman becomes pure (and rushes to do ghusl), or an insane person recovers his sanity, or a Christian becomes Muslim, or a boy reaches puberty, if any of these people catches up with one rak‘ah then he or she has fulfilled the obligation of praying..

557
It was narrated from Salim ibn ‘Abdillah, from his father, that he told him that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “The duration of your stay, in comparison to the nations who came before you, is like the time between ‘Asr prayer and sunset. The people of the Torah were given the Torah, and they acted upon it until midday and became exhausted. They were given one qirat (carat; a measure of gold) each. Then the people of the Gospel were given the Gospel, and they acted upon it until the time of ‘Asr prayer, then they became exhausted. So they were given one qirat each. Then we were given the Qur’an, and we strove until sunset, and we were given two qirats each. The people of the (previous) two Books said: ‘O our Lord, You have given these people two qirats each, and You gave us one qirat each, although we did more work?’ Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) said: ‘Have I wronged you with regard to your reward?’ They said: ‘No.’ He said: ‘That is My grace that I bestow upon whomever I will.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlighted the precedence given to this ummah over the nations who came before them, namely the Jews and Christians. That is because of their good response to the commands of Allah and His Messenger.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “The duration of your stay, in comparison to the nations who came before you”, namely the followers of Musa and ‘Isa (peace be upon them), “is like the time between ‘Asr prayer and sunset.” This is indicative of how close the onset of the Hour is. This is a likeness that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave of the efforts of the three nations. The people of the Torah – namely the Jews – were given the Torah, which is the Book that Allah (may He be glorified) sent down to Musa (peace be upon him), and they acted in accordance with what it contained, until midday, whereupon they became exhausted and fell short, and were unable to complete the full day’s work. So Allah gave each of them his reward, one qirat each.
Then the people of the Gospel – namely the Christians – were given the Gospel, which is the Book that Allah (may He be glorified) sent down to ‘Isa (peace be upon him), and they acted in accordance with what it contained until the time of ‘Asr prayer, whereupon they became exhausted and stopped striving. They were given their reward, one qirat each.
Then we – namely the Muslim ummah – were given the Qur’an, and we strove until sunset, then Allah gave us our reward, two qirats each, which is double the reward given to the previous nations.
The people of the two Books – the Jews and the Christians – said: O our Lord, You have given these people two qirats each, and you gave us one qirat each, although we strove more! In other words, You have given them more than us, although they did less work than us. But Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) said: Have I wronged you and detracted anything from your reward? They said: No, You have not detracted anything from our reward. He said: Everything that I give of reward is by My grace, and I bestow it upon whomever I will.
This hadith indicates that this ummah is given precedence and a great reward, even though its efforts are less.
It also indicates that deeds are judged by the last of them..

558
It was narrated from Abu Musa, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “The likeness of the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians is that of a man who hired some people to do work for him until nightfall, so they worked until midday, then they said: We have no need of your wages. So he hired some other people, and said: Work for the rest of the day, and you will have what I promised [to the people before you]. So they worked until the time of ‘Asr prayer, then they said: Whatever we have done is for you. Then he hired another group of people, and they worked for the rest of the day, until the sun set, and they received in full the wages of the two previous groups..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlighted the precedence given to this ummah over the nations who came before them, namely the Jews and Christians. That is because of their good response to the commands of Allah and His Messenger.
In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he said: The likeness of the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians – that is, with their Prophets – is that of a man who hired some people to do some work for him until nightfall, so they worked until midday, but they did not complete their work, and they said: We have no need of your wages, and we will not ask you for anything. What is meant by these people is the Jews.
Then the man hired some other people, and said: Complete the work that they began, and I will give you what I had promised them of wages. So they worked until the time for ‘Asr prayer came, then they said: What we have done is not valid, and we have no need of the wages that you promised us. What is meant by these people is the Christians.
Then the man hired some other people, and they worked for the rest of that day, until the sun set. And they received in full the wages of the two earlier groups. What is meant by these people is the Muslim ummah.
This is the likeness of the Muslims who accepted the guidance brought by the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the likeness of the Jews and Christians, who disbelieved and rejected the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see that precedence is given to this ummah, and they are granted their reward in full, despite the fact that their effort was less.
It also indicates that deeds are judged by the last of them.
And it indicates that likenesses may be given for the purpose of teaching and explaining..

559
It was narrated that Rafi‘ ibn Khadij said: We would pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then one of us would leave and still be able to see as far as his arrows would fall..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very concerned about the matter of prayer, which included his being concerned to teach his companions the beginning and end of the time for each of the five daily prayers.
In this hadith, Abu Rafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that they would pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would finish the prayer and leave the mosque, and one of them would still be able to see as far as his arrows would fall when shot from a bow. What is meant is that there was still enough light after sunset for them to be able to see where their arrows would land, even though that was so far away. This is a metaphor to indicate that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Maghrib at the beginning of its time, as soon as the sun set. The time for Maghrib begins when the sun disappears.
This hadith indicates that we should hasten to pray Maghrib and keep it brief..

560
It was narrated that Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali said: al-Hajjaj came and we asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah, and he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot, ‘Asr when the sun was still bright, Maghrib when the sun dropped below the horizon, and ‘Isha’ at different times; if he saw that the people had gathered, he would hasten to pray, and if he saw that they were slow to come, he would delay it. And they, or the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), would pray Fajr when the light of dawn began to appear..

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) has commanded us to establish prayer, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to establish it; he instructed us to do its essential parts and sunnahs properly, observe the etiquette of prayer, and do it on time.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali narrated that al-Hajjaj ibn Yusuf al-Thaqafi came to Madinah as its governor during the caliphate of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, following the killing of Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) in 73 AH. The people asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) about delaying the prayer, and how they should pray, and when? That was because al-Hajjaj used to delay the prayer. So Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) told them that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot [bi’l-hajirah]; he would pray immediately after the sun passed the meridian, at the time when it was extremely hot. The word hajirah refers to extreme heat, but comes from a root that refers to stopping or refraining, because the people stop their dealings and their comings and goings at this time, due to the extreme heat, and they take a nap.
He used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still clear, pure in colour and bright, and he would pray Maghrib when the sun disappeared and its disk dropped below the horizon. He would pray ‘Isha’ at different times; if he saw that the Sahabah had gathered, he would hasten to pray ‘Isha’, but if they were slow, he would delay the prayer. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray Fajr at the beginning of its time, when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night.
Jabir answered the people’s questions by specifying these times to indicate that they should adhere to the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that they should offer each prayer at the beginning of its time. A report narrated by Abu Dawud from Ibn Mas‘ud indicates that when he asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) what he should do if he lived to see governors delaying the prayers, he told him: “Offer the prayer on time, and make your prayer with them supererogatory (nafil).” This was prophetic advice to the Muslims at such times, telling them that they should offer the prayer at the beginning of its time amongst themselves, or in their houses, and not to do that openly, then they should pray with the governors at the later time when they offered the prayer in congregation, or they issued instructions that the prayer was to be offered at that time, so as not to cause division in the Muslim community by openly opposing those in authority and not praying with them, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslims to obey those in authority so long as they establish the prayer – as is stated in other reports. But there is a report which prohibits offering the same prayer twice in one day, if there is no reason to do so. However, in this case, there is a valid reason for repeating it, which is obeying those in authority and not causing division in the community. So the first prayer is regarded as obligatory, and the second prayer is regarded as supererogatory.
This hadith indicates that Zuhr prayer should be offered at the beginning of its time, after the sun passes the meridian.
It indicates that it is prescribed to delay ‘Isha’ prayer according to when the worshippers prefer to gather.
It highlights the virtue of praying at the beginning of the time for the prayer, and warns against delaying it; and it tells us that we should continue to attend the prayers with the leaders of the Muslims, even if they are wrongdoers..

561
It was narrated that Salamah said: We used to pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the sun disappeared below the horizon..

Commentary : Allah has ordained specific times for the obligatory prayers during which they must be done, as He (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [an-Nisa’ 4:103]. This hadith describes the time for Maghrib prayer, as Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to pray Maghrib with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when the sun was concealed and disappeared below the horizon, and the horizon was like a screen or curtain that prevented us from seeing it. The time for praying Maghrib lasts until the dusk or red afterglow disappears, as it is narrated in Sahih Muslim from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “… and the time for Maghrib prayer lasts so long as the dusk has not disappeared…”
This hadith indicates that we should hasten to pray Maghrib when the sun sets.
It also describes the beginning of the time for Maghrib prayer..

563
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your Maghrib prayer.” The Bedouins used to call it ‘Isha’..

Commentary : One aspect of proper etiquette towards Allah and His Messenger is to keep the names of things as Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) and His Messenger named them, especially the names of the prayers. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin” meaning the Bedouin of the Jaahiliyyah, “with regard to the name of your Maghrib prayer.” The Bedouin are the desert-dwelling Arabs who do not reside in towns, and only enter the towns when necessary. Al-‘Arab (the Arabs) was the general name for the people of Arabia at that time, regardless of whether they lived in the desert or in cities and towns. What is meant is: do not be influenced by their habits, for they call Maghrib ‘Isha’; do not use the word ‘Isha’ to refer to Maghrib as they do, because they used to change the names, and they would call ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah (lit. darkness), because they used to delay milking the she-camels until the time when it was extremely dark. Then Islam came to correct this mistake, and taught them the proper name for each prayer.
This hadith criticizes calling Maghrib ‘Isha’.
It indicates that if the names given to things by Islam differ from their customary names, we should give precedence to the Islamic names over the customary names.
It indicates that the Muslim should not imitate the practices of the Jahiliyyah even with regard to names; rather he should follow Islamic teachings in all his affairs, because there is divine wisdom in the selection of names and other things, so it is not appropriate to choose something different..

564
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him led us in ‘Isha’ prayer one night – which is what the people call al-‘atamah (lit. darkness) prayer – then when he finished, he turned to us and said: “Do you see this night of yours? In one hundred years from this night, there will be no one left of those who are on the face of the earth tonight.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah and informed them of everything that was in their best interests, which includes telling them of some future events of which Allah (may He be exalted) had granted him knowledge. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying ‘Isha’ one night; this is the prayer that the people call al-‘atamah. The fact that he mentioned here that ‘Isha’ was called al-‘atamah indicates that the use of this name had become very common, even though the name for this prayer as ‘Isha’ is mentioned in the Book of Allah, in the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {and after the night prayer [salat al-‘Isha’]} [al-Nur 24:58]. There were also reports which forbid calling ‘Isha’ al-‘atamah, as in the hadith narrated by Muslim from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), according to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not be influenced by the Bedouin with regard to the name of your prayer; indeed it is ‘Isha’, but they delay milking the camels until it is very dark [yu‘timuna].” Those who were aware of the prohibition on that needed to mention it in order to make people aware of the matter. However, it is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he called it ‘atamah, as in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that is narrated in al-Sahihayn: “If they knew what there is in al-‘atamah (i.e., ‘Isha’ prayer) and al-subh (i.e., Fajr prayer), they would come to them, even if they had to crawl.” It was said that the mention of this prayer as al-‘atamah was addressed to those who only knew of ‘Isha’ by this name, so he mentioned it by the name with which they were familiar, or he mentioned that to explain that there is nothing wrong with mentioning it by that name, even though it is different from what is more appropriate.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer and turned to face those present, and told them that after one hundred years, none of those on the face of the earth would remain. This does not mean that no one who was alive then would not live past the age of one hundred years; rather it meant that everyone on the face of the earth that night would not live longer than one hundred years from that night, whether he was young or old at that time. This is an example of knowledge of the unseen that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) granted to him; it is one of the proofs of the truthfulness of his prophethood (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

565
It was narrated that Muhammad ibn ‘Amr, who was the son of al-Hasan ibn ‘Ali, said: We asked Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah about the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: He used to pray Zuhr when it was very hot, ‘Asr when the sun was bright, and Maghrib when the sun dropped below the horizon. With regard to ‘Isha’, if a large number of people had gathered he would hasten to pray, but if they were few he would delay it. And he would pray Fajr when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night..

Commentary : Allah has ordained specific times for the obligatory prayers during which they must be done, as He (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [an-Nisa’ 4:103].. By His mercy towards His slaves, Allah has allocated plenty of time (for each prayer), out of consideration for their circumstances and situations. This hadith highlights the best time at which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered each prayer. Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Zuhr at the time when it is very hot, which is the middle of the day when heat is most intense. This time is called hajirah in Arabic, which comes from a root that refers to stopping or refraining, because the people stop their dealings and their comings and goings at this time, due to the extreme heat, and they take a nap..
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray ‘Asr when the sun was still bright, before it had become yellow or changed. He would pray Maghrib when the sun disappeared, meaning that the disc of the sun dropped below the horizon. In the case of ‘Isha’ prayer, if a large number of people had gathered he would hasten to pray it, but if their numbers were few, he would delay it. In other words, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid attention to the situation of the worshippers. If they were present at the beginning of the time for the prayer, which is when the red afterglow disappears, they would pray, but if they had not yet come, he would delay it until almost half of the night had passed, for that is the best time for it, if it does not cause hardship. Then he would pray Fajr when the first light of dawn began to mix with the darkness of night.
This hadith highlights the best times for offering the five daily prayers..

265
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "When anyone amongst you squats for answering the call of nature, he should neither turn his face nor back towards the qibla (prayer direction).".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions all the Islamic manners to the extent that he taught them the manners of entering the toilet. In this hadith, he forbade us to turn our faces or backs toward the prayer direction. This is out of glorifying and preserving the Kaaba, the Sacred House of Allah in Mecca. Instead, a Muslim has to avoid these two directions. In the two Sahihs, Abu Ayyoub Al-Ansary narrated that the Prophet said, “Turn toward the East or the West.” Finally, this hadith is one of the hadiths that clarifies the etiquette of relieving oneself..

269
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Be careful about the two things that necessitate cursing." They (the companions) asked, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, what are those two things that necessitate cursing?" He answered, "Relieving oneself in the people's way or under their shades.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to keep public places clean and warned Muslims against falling into bad habits that harm people in those places. In this hadith, he warned against: (1) Two things that necessitate cursing their doers, or (2) Two things that people curse. Cursing is expulsion from Allah's mercy. When the Prophet's companions asked him about these two acts, he replied, "Answering the call of nature in the people's way or under their shades." He forbade these acts, for they spread filths and impurities of nasty smell in people's way and under their shadows. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Islamic law’s keenness to keep individuals and societies away from what hurt them, which may lead to curse and insult each other, and (2) It urges Muslims to stick to reasons for bringing love, happiness, and hope goodness for each other and removing harms and difficulties..

270
Anas ibn Malek narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered a garden while a little servant was following him with a jar of water and he was the youngest amongst us. He (the servant) placed it next to a lote-tree. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ relieved himself then came out after cleaning himself with water.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was modest so he used to conceal himself when answering the call of nature. In this hadith, the noble companion Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) entered an orchard or garden full of palm trees with a little boy who was the youngest companion present in this situation. The boy was carrying a jar of enough water for ablution and placed it next to a lote-tree for the Prophet (ﷺ). After answering the call of nature, the Prophet (ﷺ) used this water to purify himself from traces of urine and feces then came out of the garden. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) One has to conceal himself and be away from people while answering the call of nature, and (2) The legality of cleaning oneself with water..

273
Huthaifa ibn Al-Yaman narrated, "I was with the Prophet ﷺ and when he came to some people's garbage, he urinated while standing. I went aside but he said to me, 'Come closer.' I came closer till I stood behind his heels. Then he performed ablution and wiped over his leather socks.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to take much care of teaching Muslims the matters of purification and the etiquette of relieving oneself. In this hadith, Huthaifa ibn Al-Yaman, the noble Companion, narrated that he was with the Prophet (ﷺ) when he urinated in a garbage while standing, unlike his well-known habit of urinating while sitting. The Prophet (ﷺ) may have done it for one of the following reasons: (1) He did not find something to sit on, (2) He had something that prevented him from sitting such as a wound, or (3) To protect his private parts in this garbage. Huthaifa went aside until the Prophet (ﷺ) finished relieving himself. Afterward, the Prophet (ﷺ) asked him to come closer to take water for ablution. In the end, the Prophet (ﷺ) wiped over his leather socks instead of taking off and washing his feet. To wipe over them, a Muslim should wear leather socks after performing a complete ablution. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is permissible to urinate while standing, and (2) The legitimacy of wiping over the socks..

274
Al-Mughira ibn Shu’ba narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ lagged (during traveling) and I also lagged with him. After relieving himself, he asked me, ‘Do you have any water?’ I brought to him a jar of water. He washed his palms and face. When he tried to get his forearms out, the gown’s sleeve was tight. Therefore, he brought them out from under the gown and threw it over his shoulders. He washed his forearm and wiped his forelock, turban, and socks. Then he mounted and I mounted. When we reached the people, they were already praying and led by Abdurrahman ibn Awf who completed a rak'a. When he (Abdurrahman) perceived (the presence of) the Prophet ﷺ, he began to step back, but the Prophet ﷺ signed to him (to continue) so he (Abdurrahman) continued the prayer with them. When he completed it, the Prophet ﷺ and I got up to offer the rak'a we missed.”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ did not stop teaching his companions whether he was home or traveling. He was particularly keen to teach them the matters of purity and the etiquette of answering the call of nature. In this hadith, Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ and he lagged behind his companions during their traveling to fight in Tabouk battle, Battle of Hardship, in 8th AH as in another narration in the Two Sahihs. After relieving himself, the Prophet ﷺ asked Al-Mughirah for water to perform ablution. Al-Mughirah provided him with a leather jar of water. The Prophet ﷺ washed his palms and face. His gown’s sleeve was too tight to wash his arms to elbows. Therefore, he brought them out from under the gown and threw it over his shoulders to wash his arms and keep his gown dry. Although the basic principle is to wipe the entire head once during ablution, the Prophet ﷺ wiped his forelock and turban. He wiped the visible front part of his head and wiped his turban instead of the entire head. Then, he did not wash his feet but wiped over his socks. To wipe over one’s socks, it is a prerequisite to wear them after an initial ablution, as Al-Mughirah narrated in the Two Sahihs, “When I was with the Prophet ﷺ on a journey, I dashed to take off his socks (so he could wash his feet) but he said, ‘Leave them, for I wore them after performing ablution.’ So he wiped over them.” Then, the Prophet ﷺ and Al-Mughirah rode their animals. When they reached the people, they were already praying and led by Abdurrahman ibn Awf who completed a rak'a. The companions began praying, for the Prophet ﷺ was late. When Abdurrahman realized the Prophet’s presence, he wanted to step back and let the Prophet ﷺ lead them in prayer but the Prophet ﷺ signed to him to keep leading them in prayer. Once Abdurrahman completed the prayer, both the Prophet ﷺ and Al-Mughirah got up to offer the rak'a they missed. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is legitimate that the virtuous one can be led in prayer by a person of lower rank, (2) A Muslim should be keen to perform prayer at their specific times, (3) It clarifies the virtue of Abderrahman ibn Awf, and (4) It is legitimate to wipe over the turban and socks..

275
Bilal narrated that the Prophet ﷺ wiped over his leather socks and head cover. In another narration, he said, "I saw the Prophet ﷺ ...".

Commentary : Islamic law aims to ease people's different acts of worship such as wiping over the socks, turban, and veil instead of washing one’s feet or wiping one’s head. In this hadith, the noble companion Bilal ibn Rabah explained that the Prophet (ﷺ) sometimes wiped over his socks during ablution instead of washing his feet on the condition that he had worn them after a complete previous ablution as proved in the hadith narrated by Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’ba in the two Sahihs that he said, "When I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) on a journey, I dashed to take off his socks (so he could wash his feet) but he said, 'Leave them, for I wore them after performing ablution.' So he wiped over them." Khuff is a thin leather sock. Likewise, Bilal saw the Prophet wiping over his turban out of ease of his nation's acts of worship..

276
Shureih ibn Hane' said, "I came to 'A'isha to ask her about wiping over the leather socks. She said, 'Go to Ibn Abi Taleb, for he used to travel with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.' We asked him and he answered, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ appointed three days for a traveler and one day for a resident.".

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease that takes people’s conditions during worship into consideration. As a result, it allows the traveler and resident to wipe over (with water) their leather slippers (khuff) instead of washing their feet. In this hadith, Shureih ibn Hane' asked 'A'isha, Mother of the Believers about the duration and conditions of wiping over (with water) the leather slippers instead of washing one's feet. She guided him to ask Ali ibn Abi Taleb, for he used to travel with the Prophet (ﷺ). Ali told him that the Prophet (ﷺ) appointed three days for a traveler and one day for a resident to wipe over their leather slippers. After the appointed duration ends, they both should take off the leather slippers to wash their feet. Afterward, they wear them and resume wiping over them. To wipe over the leather slippers, a Muslim should wear them after performing a complete ablution, as stated in the hadith narrated by Al-Mughirah ibn Shu’bah in the Two Sahihs in which he said, "When I was with the Prophet (ﷺ) on a journey, I dashed to take off his socks (so he could wash his feet) but he said, 'Leave them, for I wore them after performing ablution.' So he wiped over them." Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Companions' supreme etiquette, and (2) People's questions about Islam should be forwarded to the more knowledgeable scholars..

277
Buraida ibn Al-Haseeb narrated that the Prophet ﷺ offered all prayers on the day of the Conquest with one ablution and wiped over his leather shoes. Omar said to the Prophet ﷺ, “You have done something today that you have not been accustomed to.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “I have done it on purpose, O Omar.”.

Commentary : Islam is a tolerant religion that is based on ease, not hardship. Allah has just legislated acts of worship that his servants can bear and perform. In this hadith, Buraida ibn Al-Haseeb narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) offered all prayers on the day of Conquering Mecca with one ablution and wiped over his leather shoes (khuff) in the eighth year of the Hijra. It was his habit to perform ablution for each prayer, as in Sunan Abu Dawud. As a result, Omar asked him, "You have done something today that you have not been accustomed to." The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that he did that on purpose to teach people that it is permissible to offer all daily prayers with one ablution, out of easiness, for ablution is not required if it is still valid. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The Prophet's Companions used to observe him to follow his actions and teachings, (2) The permissibility of a student's asking his teacher about his deeds that may contradict his habits, out of learning, (3) The permissibility of wiping over the socks..

279
Abu Hurairah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'The purification of a utensil of any one of you, after licked by a dog, is to wash it seven times, using earth for the first time.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) forbade the unnecessary purchasing of a dog because it contained impurity and the angel never entered houses containing dogs or statues. The Prophet (ﷺ) guided us on how to purify a utensil if a dog would lick it with saliva, tongue, or mouth. In this hadith, he guided us to wash the utensil seven isolated times, using earth for the first time. This number of washing is either done out of devotion as the Prophet commanded, or because of the dog's impure saliva. In An-Nasa’i’s narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "One of them is with earth,” so he confirmed that using earth was one time without stipulating to make it the first one. On the other hand, he commanded to use earth, for it could kill diseases emanating and transmitting from dogs to utensils, but using only water could not remove them completely. He commanded to repeat using water to make sure of their cleanliness. On the other hand, there is no difference between types of dogs in this regard, whether it is permissible to own it, such as a hunting dog, or not. Finally, this hadith confirms the importance of following the ways to prevent diseases..

280
Abdullah ibn Mughaffal narrated, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) commanded killing dogs. Then, he said, 'What is their trouble with dogs?' Then, he granted permission to keep dogs for hunting and guarding sheep and added, 'When the dog licks the utensil, wash it seven times and rub it with earth the eighth time.'" In another narration, the narrator said, "He granted permission to keep dogs for hunting, guarding sheep, and protecting cultivated land.".

Commentary : Dogs are animals with many different characteristics. Some are beneficial while others are harmful. The Prophet (ﷺ) showed how to deal with these various types. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Mughaffal narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ), for a while, ordered killing dogs. Later, he abrogated the former rule and said, "'What is their trouble with dogs?" Moreover, he granted permission to keep dogs for hunting, guarding sheep, and protecting cultivated land. Also, he guided people on how to wash utensils that dogs licked. They should be washed seven times with water and rubbed with earth the eighth time. It proves that both dogs' saliva and leftovers are impure. In Sahih Muslim, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) ordered to wash that type of vessels with water seven times, and the first washing should be with the earth. Washing it seven times is out of devotion or due to the impure saliva. In Nasa'i's narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “One of them is with the earth," So, it is not a prerequisite to make the first washing with the earth. Using the earth is due to its ability to kill diseases of dogs' saliva stuck to vessels, which water only is not able to remove. Repeated washing with water is to make sure that a vessel becomes pure. There is no difference between types of dogs in this regard, whether or not, it is permissible to own it. Finally, this hadith confirms how Islam prevents anything that may cause harm to Muslims..

281
Jaber narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade urinating in stagnant water..

Commentary : Islam urges us to preserve water sources to keep them pure and away from all types of pollution that may change any of its descriptions. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade urinating in stagnant water for this act will lead to pollute and make the water dirty when people use it. It also makes it unsuitable for bathing. In another hadith, he also forbade bathing in it. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "None of you is allowable to urinate in stagnant water, which is not flowing, then wash in it." A Muslim is commanded to preserve all types of water, flowing or stagnant, especially the latter, for it is unrenewable and subject to be corrupted if a person throws impurities into it such as urine and the like..

283
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "None of you could wash in stagnant water if he engaged in intercourse." Abu Huraira was asked, "O Abu Hurairah, how does one do it?" Abu Hurairah answered, "It was to be taken out in handfuls.".

Commentary : Islam urges us to preserve water sources to keep them pure and away from all types of pollution that may change any of its descriptions. In this hadith, Abu As-Sa'eb, the servant of Hesham ibn Zuhra, narrated that Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade washing oneself due to intercourse or ejaculation in unrenewable stagnant water, for this act will lead to pollute and make the water dirty when people use it. It also makes it unsuitable for bathing as long as its characteristics (color, taste, or smell) change. The word "janabah" is applied to anyone who ejaculates or has intercourse. It is called that because a Muslim "yatajannab" (avoids) prayer and some acts of worship until he purifies himself. Abu As-Sa'eb asked Abu Hurairah about how to use the stagnant water for performing ablution. Abu Hurairah told him to scoop from it and perform ablution outside. This is for keeping the water pure and suitable for usage. A Muslim is commanded to preserve all types of water, flowing or stagnant, especially the latter, for it is unrenewable and subject to be corrupted if a person throws impurities into it..

290
Abdullah ibn Shehab Al-Khawlany narrated, "I stayed in the house of 'A'isha and had a wet dream, so I dipped and left both of my clothes in water. A maid-servant of A'isha saw me and informed her. 'A'isha called and asked me, 'Why did you do that with your clothes?' I answered, 'I saw in a dream what a sleeper saw.' She said, 'Did you find anything on your clothes?' I said, 'No.' She said, 'If you have found anything, you should have washed it. I remember when I scraped it (semen) off the garment of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with my nails when it was dry.'".

Commentary : Islam is keen on purifying and cleaning Muslim’s body and clothes and removing any hardships that may unintentionally happen. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Shehab Al-Khawlany mentioned that he visited Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, and stayed at place that she prepared for her students of knowledge and guests out of honor, with a veil and curtain between her and them. Abdullah said that he once slept, had a wet dream, and thought it stuck to his clothes. The wet dream is to dream of having intercourse with the other gender, which is often accompanied by ejaculation. When Abdullah woke up, he dipped his clothes in water to purify them. A maid-servant of Aisha saw him and then informed her about what he did. The narration of At-Tirmidhy mentions, “She ordered (someone) to give him a yellow blanket to sleep in. He had a wet dream and was too shy to send it back to her while having traces of semen. He dipped it in water and sent it to her." This is evidence that he was in a place other than the one in which she stayed. She asked him about the reason for his dipping his clothes in the water. He answered her about the reason. Aisha asked him if he saw anything (traces of semen) on his clothes. He answered that he did not, which indicated that he may not have ejaculated on them. She clarified that they should be washed if they had traces of semen. Then, she told him that she used to scrape it (semen) off the garment of the Prophet (ﷺ) with her nails when it (semen) was dry, which was an approval from the Prophet (ﷺ). Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Aisha was keen on teaching her students, especially when she saw something urgent such as this incident, (2) It is a part of etiquette to refrain from using explicit words to preserve the modesty of whom we are addressing, (3) It clarifies the Prophet’s simple style in clothing, and (4) It illustrates how a woman serves her husband like washing his clothes and the like..

295
Maimouna, the Prophet's wife, said, “The Prophet ﷺ used to lie with me when I was menstruated, and there was a cloth between me and him.".

Commentary : Allah said, "And they ask you about menstruation. Say, 'It is an annoyance. So keep away from women during menstruation, and do not approach them until they are purified.'" (Al-Baqarah: 222) Thus, Allah forbade sexual intercourse during menstruation, but it is permissible to do anything other than penetration during this period as Maimouna, Mother of the Believers, narrated in this hadith that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to lie down with her (a metaphor for intercourse) while she was menstruating but there was a garment in between. This is explained by Abu Daoud's narration that one of the Prophet's wives said, "When the Prophet wanted to do something (i.e. kissing, embracing) with (his) menstruating wife, he would put a garment on her private part.”.

299
Abu Hurairah narrated, "While the Prophet ﷺ was in his mosque, he asked Aisha, 'Get me the garment.' She replied, 'I was menstruating.' He remarked, “Indeed, your menstruation is not in your hand.”.

Commentary : Menstrual blood is impure, unlike any place that it does not touch it. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that when the Prophet (ﷺ) was in his mosque and asked his wife Aisha, who was in her room, to get him the garment or the mat (as in Muslim's narration which is called khumra). It is a small mat that is large enough to be prostrated on and is called khumra, for it covers and isolates one’s face from the ground. Aisha answered that she was menstruating, thinking that all menstruating woman's body was impure so she could neither touch the garment nor enter the mosque. Thus, the Prophet clarified that only the menstrual spot, which is the vulva, was impure, unlike her remaining body. As a result, her hands were pure because they did not menstruate, so she gave him the garment with her hand. Allah had lifted from this Muslim nation the burdens that the Children of Israel had shouldered. They used to get a woman out of her home during menstruation. Additionally, they neither ate nor drank with her. All praise is due to Allah who made us from the nation of the best Prophet..