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Hadith
977
Narrated `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis: I heard Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) answering the question of a man who wanted to know whether he had joined the Prophet ﷺ in the `Eid prayer. He said to him, "Yes. I could not have joined him had I not been young. He ﷺ came out till he reached the mark which was near the house of Katheer ibn As-Salt. There, he offered the ‘Eid prayer and then delivered the ‘Eid sermon. After he finished the prayer, he went towards the women and Bilal walked in his company. He preached to them and advised them and ordered them to give alms. I saw the women putting their ornaments with their outstretched hands into Bilal's garment. Then the Prophet ﷺ along with Bilal returned home..

Commentary : The ‘Eid prayer has a great importance in Islam; and by it, the power of the religion and the unity and gathering of the Muslims are shown. Furthermore, it is an occasion during which people manifest their joy, pleasure, and longing to draw near to Allah, Exalted be He.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, `Abdur Rahman ibn `Aabis reports that ‘Abdullah Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) was asked about his presence at the ‘Eid prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with both of them) mentioned that he [indeed] attended the prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and [then] said: “If I was not young, I would not have [been able] to have seen him” - that is to say: that he witnessed the ‘Eid and joined in its events with the Prophet ﷺ as a young boy, who almost was not able to be present [at the events] due to his young age - if it were not for his closeness from the Prophet ﷺ. Despite his young age, he (may Allah be pleased with them) understood what the Prophet ﷺ did on this day. It is possible that his statement meant that he went with the Prophet ﷺ to the women’s prayer space when he ﷺ wanted to exhort them; [as well as] what he is going to report about them [in this narration later on] because the presence of a boy at a such young age (i.e., child) is to be present with women.

Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ set out towards the location of the ‘Eid prayer near the house of Katheer ibn al-Salt - [which] is a big house in al-Madeenah, and was used as a Qiblah for the site where the two ‘Eid prayers were performed; and a mark was placed on it for that reason [i.e. to serve as an indicator of which direction the Qiblah was for the prayer]. Katheer ibn al-Salt built his house at a time after the Prophet ﷺ. As it was a landmark that is well-known to people, Ibn ‘Abbaas described that the place of the prayer for ‘Eid was near the house of Katheer, and it overlooked the interior of Buṭhaan - [which] is a valley located near the middle of al-Madeenah.

Then, the Prophet ﷺ performed two rakʿahs for the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah [being called], nor any sunnah prayers performed before or after it. Afterwards, he ﷺ delivered the sermon to the people, [which] is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the Friday sermon).

Then, the Prophet ﷺ came to the women, and with him was Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) - whom was the servant of the Prophet ﷺ and would [oftentimes] be entrusted with collecting the alms.

So, the Prophet ﷺ preached and exhorted to them, and bid them to offer alms. After which, the women of the Companions hastened in doing so, [by] even grabbing their jewellery and tossing it into the garment of Bilal. After that, the Prophet ﷺ went to his house with Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet ﷺ used to gather the alms for the purpose of distributing it amongst those in need; like what his ﷺ custom was with voluntary charities and zakaat.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the Imaam should preach and exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men.

This hadeeth highlights the merit and virtue of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), along with the virtue of the women of the Companions and shows how they hastened with eagerness in offering alms.

It teaches us that when women attend the prayers of men and their congregations, they should be separated from the men as a precaution, out of fear that temptation [may rise] against them.

It teaches us that we should set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer will be held, and that the ‘Eid prayer is offered before the sermon is delivered [by the Imaam].

Lastly, we understand from this hadeeth the permissibility of taking young children out towards the place of prayer, so that they may be blessed by attending the prayer, hearing the supplications of the Muslims, and so they may participate in manifesting the rites and ceremonies of Islam with the large number of those who attend.

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979
Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them: I witnessed the `Eid al-Fitr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Bakr, `Umar and `Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them); and all of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before delivering the sermon. Once the Prophet ﷺ finished, (after completing the prayer and the sermon) he gestured with his hand, as if I am now looking at him now, to the men so that they remain seated, as he walked through their rows. He set out with Bilal to the site where the women were seated. Then, he ﷺ recited to them: {O Prophet! When believing women come to you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] After he finished, he said to them, “Are you fulfilling this covenant?" One lady, other than whom none replied, said, "O Allah's Messenger, yes we do!" (The, sub-narrator, al-Hasan did not know who the lady was.) Upon which, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: "Hasten to give alms, let my father and mother be sacrificed for you." Thereupon, he spread out his garment and the women started throwing fatakhs and rings into his garment. .

Commentary : The Prayer of ‘Eid has requisites, recommended actions, and etiquettes, which the Prophet ﷺ, and his Rightly Guided Caliphs always ensured to perform them; and his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated all of that for us, as they saw and learned them from the Prophet ﷺ.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he was present at the ‘Eid prayer which he performed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Abu Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) - and each in [their own] time while [they served] as Caliphs. All of them offered the ‘Eid prayer before the sermon.

This hadeeth is a clear demonstration and evidence toward [distinguishing] that the Prayer of ‘Eid preceded the sermon and the matter, which the Prophet ﷺ pursued diligently in and was observed by the Rightly Guided Caliphs (may Allah be pleased with them) and continued this practice thereafter.

Next, ʿAbdullah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a sermon to the people. Ibn ‘Abbaas then states [in his report]: “It is as if I am looking at him,” to confirm in this part of the hadeeth that he remembers the action[s] of the Prophet ﷺ and what he is reporting about it.

[And regarding] his statement: “when [he motioned] with his hands [for them] to remain seated” - this is because the congregation wanted to leave, so he ﷺ ordered them to remain sitting until his needs were met. The other possible interpretation is that they all set out to leave or they wanted to follow him ﷺ, but he ﷺ stopped them and ordered them to remain seated. It is also possible that they wanted to clear and widen the way for the Prophet’s ﷺ passage when he ﷺ began walking between the people and splitting the prayer rows until he came to the prayer area of the women. Thereafter, he ﷺ preached and exhorted the women who were present to realign themselves towards Allah and recited to them the ayah: you to take the oath of allegiance that they will not worship anything other than Allah, will not steal, will not commit illegal sexual intercourse, will not kill their children, and will not utter slander, intentionally forging falsehood (by making illegal children belonging to their husbands)} [Quran 60:12] It is said, the reason the Prophet ﷺ recited this noble ayah was to remind them of the pledge of allegiance which took place between him and the women when the Prophet ﷺ conquered Makkah.

When he finished reciting the ayah, The Prophet ﷺ asked them: “Are you fulfilling your covenants?” - this was to confirm with them [of the time over] that which they pledged their allegiance to him on these great matters.

Then, one woman from amongst them responded: “Yes.” - namely, that is to say: “We are fulfilling our covenants.” And none, other than her, responded to the Prophet ﷺ; thus, her answer was the final say on behalf of everyone.

Ibn Jurayj, the narrator of the hadeeth, said: “al-Hasan ibn Muslim did not know who the respondent was.” It is said: it is possible that this woman was Asmaa’ bint Yazeed ibn al-Sakan(may Allah be pleased with her) who was known as the preacher of women [i.e., she was given this title because she would speak on behalf of the women and always take the initiative to ask the Prophet about the matters of women].

Then, the Prophet ﷺ ordered them to offer alms. Afterwards, Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) spread out his garment, and then said, “Come! Let my father and mother be your sacrifice!” This is an invitation from Bilal [to encourage] them to give alms, and he asked Allah that his father and mother be a ransom for all of them as a protection from all evil. Upon hearing this, all of them hastened to offer alms until they tossed their fatakhs and rings into the garment of Bilal.

The fatakh is a ring which does not have a stone or gem on it.

From the benefits that we can learn from this hadeeth: (i) the virtue of the women among the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their hastening in offering alms. (ii) The Imaam should exhort the women if they do not hear the sermon with the men. And (iii), the permissibility of women giving alms from their wealth and personal jewellery without the permission of their spouses.

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980
Hafsa bint Seereen said, "On ‘Eid we used to forbid our girls to go out for `Eid prayer. A woman came and stayed at the palace of Bani Khalaf, so I went to visit her. She mentioned that her in-law (the husband of her sister) took part in twelve expeditions along with the Prophet ﷺ and her sister was with him in six of them. Her sister mentioned to her that they used to nurse the sick and treat the wounded. Once she asked the Prophet ﷺ: 'O Allah's Messenger! If a woman has no Jilbaab, is there any harm if she does not come out (on `Eid day)?' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Her companion should let her share her Jilbab with her, so they both participate in the good deeds and witness the supplications of the believers.' " Hafsa added, "When Um-`Atiya came, I went to her and asked her, 'Did you hear anything about such-and-such?' Um-`Atiya said, 'Yes, let my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ - whenever she mentioned the name of the Prophet ﷺ she always used to say, 'Let my father be' sacrificed for him -. He said, 'Virgin mature girls staying often screened (or said, 'Mature girls and virgins staying often screened—Aiyoob (the one who narrated it from Hafsa is not sure as which was right) and menstruating women should come out (on the `E’id day). But the menstruating women should keep away from the Musalla. Let all the women should participate in the good deeds [on this day] and witness the supplications of the believers." Hafsa said, "On that I said to Um-`Atiya, 'Also those who are menstruating?' " Um-`Atiya replied, "Yes. Do they not attend `Arafat and such-and-such events?". .

Commentary : Islam has honoured the Muslim woman, protected her dignity, and given her a high status and importance in society, after she did not amount to [nothing] more than a trivial house item before Islam had emerged. The Wise Lawgiver [i.e., Allah] did not forbid the Muslim woman from participating in the demonstration of religious rituals if the religious parameters were maintained. For that reason, she was encouraged to set out towards the site where the ‘Eid prayer is performed - so that she can witness the blessings and the supplications of believers.

In this hadeeth, the female taabiʿee, Hafsah bint Seereen mentioned that they used to forbid the young woman who recently reached puberty from leaving her home to head towards the place of the ‘Eid prayer. Perhaps, they used to do this due to their lack of knowledge with its permissibility; or it is as if they would do that because of what happened after the first generation [i.e., the time of the Prophet ﷺ] - when corruption and the like became rampant.

A woman, whose name is not known, came to them and stayed in the palace of Bani Khalaf, which is a palace near al-Basrah, and is attributed to a descendant of the grandfather of Ṭalha ibn ʿAbdullah ibn Khalaf - who is known as Ṭalha al-Ṭalahaat.

After this woman noticed that the people prevented the women from setting out towards the place where the ‘Eid prayer is performed, she reported to them about the husband of her sister - and that he was present [and took part] alongside the Prophet ﷺ in twelve battles, while her sister was present with her husband for six of them. Her sister related [to her] that she remained with the women to tend to the sick and treat the wounded. On ‘Eid, her sister asked the Prophet ﷺ about the ruling of a woman going out to the place where the ‘Eid prayer was to be held if she did not have a loose veil that covered her head and body. The Prophet ﷺ instructed her to borrow one from one of her sisters in Islam, so as she can set out by herself towards the prayer site to take part in the blessings, making supplication, [and observing] the supplications of the believers.

Then, Hafsah bint Seereen relates that when Umm ʿAtiyyah came, she asked her about the report of the woman [whose name was not known] regarding menstruating women attending the ‘Eid prayer. She confirmed and believed it and reported that the Prophet ﷺ would order all of the women - even those who were on their menses and young women who recently reached puberty - to set out towards the prayer area [on] ‘Eid. In other words, Hafsah bint Seereen asked Umm ʿAtiyyah inquiringly: “Does the menstruating woman take part [in the observances] of ‘Eid?” [To this], Umm ʿAtiyyah replied: “Yes, may my father be sacrificed for the Prophet ﷺ.” Then, she mentioned some examples of cases where menstruating woman would participate [in them]. She said: “Doesn’t the menstruating woman present herself at ʿArafaat and other such places, and partake [in their rites]? “

[Things] such as al-Muzdalifah and throwing the pebbles at the Jamaraat. This is just a [simple] listing of the [various] events and large gatherings which a woman can partake in while she is on her menses. By analogy, it is permissible for the menstruating woman to be present at the site of the ‘Eid prayer, but she should remain behind the rows without praying.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth: (i) the menstruating woman should not forgo the remembrance of Allah or refrain from attending places of goodness, such as gatherings of knowledge and Allah’s remembrance - other than [at] the masjid, (ii) the Muslim women can go out [and partake in the observances] of ‘Eid, because when the Prophet ﷺ ordered the one who does not have a jilbaab (a long flowing outer garment) to borrow one. So, this is all the more reason for the one who owns a jilbab to attend it, (iii) this narration is a beautiful demonstration of the noble character that the women of the Ansaar had in striving to veil themselves and forbidding their womenfolk from departing [their homes] without a wide and loose jilbaab that covers their bodies, (iv) it is permissible for women to go out to a battle if there is a benefit in doing so, and there is safety from temptation and corruption, and (v) the great respect and veneration of the Companion (may Allah be pleased with them) for the Prophet ﷺ, even [to the point] that they rarely mentioned him ﷺ without offering their fathers and mothers as a ransom to him ﷺ .
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982
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter - or perform nahr – his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer.

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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites, recommended actions and etiquettes related to the ‘Eid days. One of these [pertinent] topics is the slaughtering of the sacrificial animal, which is a ritual from amongst the significant Islamic rites.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ used to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of ‘Eid prayer, in front of the people. He used to slaughter the sacrificial animal by a horizontal cut through the throat – or by the means of nahr which is similar to the regular method of slaughter, but the slaughtering happens by a vertical movement of the spear to the lower part of the throat. The latter method is preferred for slaughtering camels.

It is said that the Prophet ﷺ used the method of nahr on the camels of sacrifice whereas the regular slaughtering method he used on cows and sheep. This ritual was performed at the site of ‘Eid prayer, whenever he ﷺwas in al-Madeenah.

The reason the Prophet ﷺ slaughtered the sacrificial animals at the site of the ‘Eid prayer is so that the people could see him, in order that they may slaughter [their own animals] with certainty after him and observe his manner of slaughtering the animal, because this kind of acts of worship require clarification [so people can be able to perform it]. The other reason is so that the people can [hasten] to slaughter their sacrificial animals after the prayer, as mentioned in the narration documented in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of al-Baraaa’ ibn ʿAaazib(may Allah be pleased with them) wherein he said: “The first thing to be done on this day is to perform the prayer; then, return [to our abodes], and slaughter our sacrificial animals.”

This teaches us that the sacrifice is not valid [if done] before the ‘Eid prayer, because the sacrifice is a public act of worship that [is generally done] in the vicinity of the people. For this reason, doing it in public is preferable; because, by doing so, the sunnah is revived. Nevertheless, it is permissible to perform the ritualistic sacrifice at any place in the house, even inside the houses, and so on.

Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) diligently applied this Sunnah to the extent it was reported that one time he was ill and could not partake in the ‘Eid prayer; therefore, he ordered Naafiʿ to slaughter his sacrificial animal at the site of the ‘Eid prayer. This was reported by [Imaam] Maalik in the Muwatta’.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we should demonstrate and publicly practise the ritualistic slaughter on the day of ‘Eid..

985
Narrated Jundab(may Allah be pleased with him): On the Day of Nahr, the Prophet ﷺ offered the prayer and delivered the sermon and then slaughtered the sacrifice. Then he said, "Anybody who slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the prayer should slaughter another animal in lieu of it, and the one who has not yet slaughtered should slaughter the sacrifice mentioning Allah's name on it.".

Commentary : The slaughtering of a sacrificial animal is one of the most significant rites of Islam. It is a public ritual in all regions; and is considered an appointed act of worship, and its time enters after the ‘Eid prayer and sermon have been performed.

In this hadeeth, Jundab ibn ʿAbdullah al-Bajalee(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ performed the ‘Eid prayer first on the Day of Nahr. The use of the word nahr here refers to ‘Eid al-Aḍhaa, and it is often called the Day of Nahr because the pilgrims slaughter their sacrificial animals on that day, on the 10th day of DhulHijjah. The Prophet ﷺ offered the ‘Eid prayer without an adhaan or iqaamah, nor any prayers which are performed before or after it. After he ﷺ completed the prayer, he delivered the ‘Eid sermon and exhorted the people. The sermon of ‘Eid is like the sermon delivered on Fridays - and is comprised of two parts and a pause [in between both of them]; except that it is delivered after the prayer and not before it (as is the case for the sermon of Friday). After delivering the ‘Eid sermon, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ slaughtered his sacrificial animal at the Musallaa.

Then, the Prophet ﷺexplained that whoever slaughtered his sacrificial animal before the ‘Eid prayer, effectively, must slaughter another in its place. This is because the first slaughtered animal did not suffice and is not considered a [completion of a] rite, nor as a ritualistic sacrifice. As for the one who did not slaughter his sacrifice before the ‘Eid prayer, then he should slaughter it after the prayer and mention the Name of Allah on it - that is to say: Let him sacrifice it to Allah, because saying bismillah (by the name of Allah) when slaughtering the animal manifests the person’s Islam; differ from those who slaughter for the sake of other things; suppress the Shayṭaan; and be blessed by His Noble Name of Allah – Exalted be He.
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986
Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) related that on Day of ‘Eid, the Prophet ﷺ would return by a different road from the one he had taken when going out..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺtaught us the requisites of ‘Eid, along with its recommended actions and etiquettes. One of these [pertinent topics] is how to go to the site where the ‘Eid prayer is held and returning to one’s [home afterwards]. In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ʿAbdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) states that it was the habit of the Prophet ﷺafter leaving from the ‘Eid prayer and his deliverance of the sermon, to return to his abode from another way other than the route which he took to the Musallaa.

It is said that the wisdom of this practise was so that he ﷺ may spread happiness to all his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them); or so they can benefit from it in fulfilling their needs concerning: knowing the rulings, or [that they may] learn [something] and then carry it out, or give charity, or greet them, and the like.

It is also possible that he ﷺ used to do it in order to visit his kin who were not on his first route, or to lessen the crowd amongst him ﷺ, or so that the two paths [that he treaded] may testify for him, or to make the rites of Islam apparent and established, or to vex the hypocrites and Jews, or to alarm them by the multitude of people who were with him, or to be optimistic about [a] transformation of [their] state[s] towards forgiveness and contentment, or that he intended to multiply the reward by increasing the [number of steps] of the two paths in going to the Musallaa and returning from it. All of these aspects are possible, by the permission of Allah, Exalted be He..

991
Naafi’ related that ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) would [sometimes] offer Witr [in the form of three prayer units] but would make tasleem after the first two units, and then offer the last unit independently so he could [have some time in between] to attend some of his needs..

Commentary : Witr is the last prayer of the night that Muslims perform after their night supererogatory prayers.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee - Naafi’, the servant of ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar, reports that Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) would break the Witr prayer into two parts so as he would perform the concluding part of the prayer (i.e., Taasleem) after the first two units, and then offer the last unit separately. In other words, he would sit to do the tashahhud [i.e., the portion of the prayer where one declares the testimony of faith]; and afterwards, perform the tasleem. Thereafter, he would stand and perform a single unit so that he may try to attend some of his needs”- that is to say, his action was due a need; and that his custom [generally] for the Witr prayer was to perform the three units jointly [i.e., without any breaks or separations].

This is an explanation on how to perform the Witr prayer; it is either prayed three units continuously with one tasleem, or disjointly with two tasleems. In the case of the latter, one should offer two prayer units and conclude it with tasleem [thereafter]. Then, offer the third prayer unit and conclude it with another tasleem..

996
Narrated ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Allah's Messenger ﷺ offered Witr prayer (on different nights) at various hours, extending (from the 'Ishaa' prayer) up to the last hour of the night..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to pray so much at night, and encouraged us to perform the Witr prayer, and to make it the last prayer at night.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) expounds on the manner of the Prophet ﷺ towards the Witr prayer. The Mother of the Believers, ‘Aishah, was the most knowledgeable person of the prayer of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ at night; she was his wife and witnessed what other people were not able to in relation to his prayers at night. She learned its times, counted the number of its units, its [various] forms, and so forth.

She reported that the time of the prayer of the Prophet ﷺ varied with regards to Witr. Sometimes, he prayed it at the first part of the night; other times he prayed it in the middle of night; and some other times, he prayed it at its end. The reason he prayed it at different time is to make ease and accommodation towards his nation; thus, it is possible to offer the Witr prayer at any time of the night. However, the time of night during which the Prophet ﷺ eventually settled on to offer the Witr prayer was near the time before the appearance of morning twilight.

From this hadeeth we learn that the time of the Witr prayer extends [from the first part of the night] to before Fajr prayer, and that the minimum [number of prayer units] for the Witr prayer is one unit or three.
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999
Narrated Sa`eed ibn Yasaar: I was travelling with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar on the road to Makkah. On the way, I feared that it was nearly fajr time, thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer then joined ‘Abdullah. Upon seeing me, he said, “where have you been” I replied, I feared the time of Fajr to enter so I dismounted and prayed the Witr prayer. He said to me: Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?' I said, 'Of course, by Allah, [he ﷺ is an excellent example for me to follow]'. He said, 'The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to pray Witr on his camel.".

Commentary : The requirements of prayer in supererogatory prayers are not as strict in obligatory prayer; thus, it was made easier and considerate of the different circumstances of people.

Witr is the last prayer that a Muslim performs at night after the supererogatory prayers. If a Muslim is traveling, then he is granted some concessions that make the business of travel easier for him, such as shortening the prayers, and so on. From these concessions is the permissibility to pray the Witr while riding [on his mount] without [needing] to dismount from his camel, or [any other] means of transportation.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee, Saʿid ibn Yasaar reports that he was travelling with ʿAbdullaah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) along the path to Makkah, and they had set out [from their place of departure] at night. However, when he became fearful that the time for the Fajr Prayer was approaching and [was] about to enter without praying Witr; he dismounted from his camel and then performed the Witr prayer. Then, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar said to him: “Where have you been?”

Saʿeed replied: “I feared the time of Fajr to enter; thus, I dismounted and performed the Witr prayer.” To which, ʿAbdullah replied: “Is not the Messenger of Allah ﷺ an excellent model and exemplar for you to emulate?”Saʿeed responded: “Yes, by Allah! He ﷺ is an excellent example for me [to follow].”

ThenʿAbdullah related to him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform the Witr prayer while he was traveling atop the back of his camel, setting out to wherever the camel was being led and that he would perform the opening takbir facing towards the Qiblah so that he could enter into the prayer. The validity of the prayer is not affected if the mount moved into in any direction after that. He ﷺ would motion with his head, gesturing for the movements of bowing and prostration. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1000
Ibn ‘Umar narrated: The Prophet ﷺ used to offer (supererogatory) night prayers on his mount, gesturing with his head [for bowing and prostration]. However, he would never do this with compulsory prayers. He also used to pray Witr on his mount..

Commentary : The supererogatory prayer differs from the obligatory prayer with regards to some of its rulings, and some of which have been mentioned in this hadeeth. ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates that the Prophet ﷺ would pray supererogatory prayers during the journey while he was riding atop his mount that he disembarked with in any direction that he proceeded towards. However, he would first perform the opening takbir while facing the Qiblah, and then his mount would move in any direction after that.

He ﷺ used to motion by gesturing, [and this was done] by moving his head to serve as an indication for the movements of bowing and prostration; and the nodding motions for the prostration were lower than the gestures for bowing. He ﷺ would do this for the supererogatory prayers, including the Witr prayer.

As for the obligatory prayers, he ﷺ would not do this while traveling. But rather, he used to dismount from his riding animal and perform the obligatory prayer on the ground, facing the Qiblah. This was to facilitate and alleviate in matter[s] of supererogatory and voluntary prayers. As for that which is obligatory, one may not pray while he is on his mount - other than out of an excuse pertaining to an intense fear or sickness, and the like..

1002
Narrated ‘Asim: I asked Anas ibn Maalik about the Qunoot [in the prayer]. He replied, "Definitely, it was recited." I asked again, "Was it recited before bowing or after it?" Anas replied, "Before bowing." I said: "But so-and-so told me that you informed him that it had been recited after bowing." Anas said, "He must be mistaken! Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot after bowing for a period of one month. It was because he ﷺ sent about seventy men, known as the Reciters, to a group of pagans with whom the Prophet ﷺ had a peace treaty; they were less than them in number. (However, the pagans breached the treaty and killed the seventy Muslim men). Consequently, Allah's Messenger ﷺ recited Qunoot for a period of one month during which he asked Allah to punish them.".

Commentary : The prayer is an act of worship and no act of worship can be sanctioned except on the basis of a textual evidence to that effect. The Prophet ﷺ explained to us all its actions, etiquettes, and what else pertains to it, such as supplications and the Qunoot, which the Sunnah clarified for us, specifically on how to exercise them during times of misfortune.

In this hadeeth, the taabi’ee ‘Aasim al-Ahwal reports that he asked Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the legitimacy of the Qunoot, which is a supplication offered during the prayer. It is prescribed to be recited when the imaam begins the last bowing with the supplication so as the people praying behind him say “Ameen” to his supplication.

The answer of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was that it is legitimate, and that the Prophet ﷺ performed it. Then, ‘Aasim inquired whether it was performed before the bowing or after it? To which, Anas responded by mentioning that it was performed before the bowing. Thereafter, ‘Aasim said to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) - that: “someone informed me that you said: that the Qunoot was performed after the bowing.”

Anas responded by saying, “Kadhaba” - i.e. “He’s mistaken.” The Arabs say this word for the one who is mistaken: “Kadhabta” [which is literally translated as “you have lied”.]

Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ once performed the Qunoot after the bowing for a month. In a wording [of another narration] as transmitted according to al-Bukhaaree, he adds: “From that incident, the Qunoot began to be performed, as we did not say it before that.” The lesson learned from this statement is that Qunoot is performed during the times of calamities that befall upon the Muslims. The story behind this is that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched a group from the Ahl al-Suffah - and it is said of them: that they were al-Qurraa’ (reciters of the Quran) and were 70 in number - to a tribe of the polytheists - and they were the people of Najd, from BaneeʿAamir - so that they could invite them towards Islam and recite the Quran to them. However, when they camped in a place near a well called Bi’rMaʿoona, ʿAamir ibn al-Ṭufayl and a group of people from the Arab tribes moved towards the encampment - and the respective tribes were Riʿl, Dhakwaan, Banu al-Hayyaan, and ʿUsayyah - and attacked and killed them. No one survived, except Kaʿb ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree. This occurred in the 4th year A.H.

Anas’ statement [referring to the al-Qurraa’ being sent] “to a tribe of polytheists [whose numbers] were less than them” - that is to say: the number of the Qurraa’ was less than those to whom they were originally dispatched to. It has been said that this means, rather, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent the Qurraa’ to a tribe of the polytheists who had a treaty with him, and not to those who did not. But they violated the treaty when they betrayed the Qurraa’.

The Prophet ﷺ performed the Qunoot continuously for a month, without any breaks. He ﷺ supplicated against them during the Fajr prayer, like what is [reported] in a narration in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him): who narrates that the Prophet ﷺ said “the Qunoot for one month in the Fajr prayer”: and he would say: “Verily, the ʿUsayyah have disobeyed Allah and His Messenger.” According to Abu Dawood, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ performed the Qunoot for a month consecutively in the Dhuhr, ʿAsr, Maghrib, ʿIshaa’, and Fajr prayers” [i.e., the five obligatory prayers].

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is the permissibility of: (i) performing the Qunoot before bowing [in the last prayer unit], (ii) saying the Qunoot after bowing in the prayer during times of calamity, and (iii) supplicating against the people of treachery, oppressors, and to announce their names and declare them during the prayer.

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1009
Narrated Salim from his father that he said, "The following poetic verse occurred to my mind while I was looking at the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. He did not get down till the rainwater flowed profusely from every roof-gutter:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

These were the words of Abu Talib.".

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of people in manners and the most beautiful of them in character; and his Lord has created him with the most elegant of forms.

In this hadeeth, ʿAbdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrates [about a time] when he saw the face of the Prophet ﷺ while he was praying for rain. [What this] means is: [that] he supplicated and prayed to Allah, Most High, for rainfall, upon which Allah, Exalted be He, answered his prayers and sent forth the rain until every meezaab flowed copiously. Meaning: the rain came down in an abundance. The word meezaab is what the water flows through from a high place [i.e., a gutter on the eaves of a building]. It is as if the rain came pouring down with force from the sky. When Ibn ʿUmar saw that, he remembered the words of Abu Taalib about the Prophet ﷺ:

A man with white complexion that rains is sought by virtue of his countenance,

He cares for the orphans and is the guardian of widows,

Meaning: the people used his supplications as a means of intercession during his lifetime and requested of him to pray for rain on their behalf after they despaired of rain. The Prophet ﷺ was the provider of sustenance for the orphans while [also] taking responsibility for their affairs, financial support, and shelter. And he ﷺ was the protector of the widows and protected them from whatever harm that may have come their way. The words “widows” here is the translation of the Arabic word araamil which is the plural for the word: armalah, and it is used to describe the woman whose husband has passed away [i.e., a widow].

It is as if Abu Taalib alluded to in this poem to what happened during the time of ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib - when he prayed for rain on behalf of Quraysh, while the Prophet ﷺ, who was with him, was a young boy. It is possible that he praised him ﷺ with this for noticing the signs of that in him, even if he did not witness these events with him.

From hadeeth, we learn that the Prophet ﷺ possessed outstanding qualities with respect to the beauty of his appearance and disposition; and that he ardently helped people in any way he was able to, and that he did not stop praying for rain until every gutter flowed profusely.

It shows us that composing and reciting poetry in praise of Islam and the Messenger ﷺ is praiseworthy and should not be censured.


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1010
Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) related that ‘Umar b. al-Khattab used to pray for rain using al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib as a means of intercession to Allah whenever they experienced a drought. He used to say, "O Allah! We interceded through our Prophet to You and You then sent us rain; and now we intercede through our Prophet’s uncle to You, therefore, give us water.” He said they were then given water..

Commentary : Allah, Exalted be He, holds the treasures of the heavens and earth in His hand, and it is out of His mercy that he sends down abundant rain after people despaired from it ceases. When this occurs, the istisqaa’ has been prescribed for them - which is to request [Allah] to send down rain out of Allah’s mercy and compassion.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenever it failed to rain during the time of his caliphate, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭaab(may Allah be pleased with him) would pray for rain (al-istisqaa’) - which is to head out to pray with humility, hope and fear, requesting for rain to be sent down; and the prayer of istisqaa’ is a two-units prayer in length.

The word al-Qahṭ used here refers to when it is dry, there is little water, and an absence of rain [i.e., periods of drought].

In this kind of circumstance, ʿUmar would appoint al-‘Abbaas ibn Abd al-Muṭṭalib - the paternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺ - to supplicate on behalf of the people; [and ʿUmar] would say: ‘O Allah! Verily, we used to ask our Prophet ﷺ to call upon You, so that he may be a means for us to You, because of his favour with You. And You heard his prayers and would send rain to us. And after the death of the Prophet ﷺ, we now ask the uncle of our Prophet ﷺ to serve as a means for us to You [ i.e., by his supplication and prayers for rain, so that it may come down]. So, bless us with rain!’

When ʿUmar used to do that; Allah, Exalted be He, would send down the rain upon them, due to the invocations for rainfall by al-Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him).

This form of intercession is not an intercession through the righteous man and the [qualities being attributed] to himself, his rank, or his righteousness. But rather, it is an intercession through his invocation and appeals for help towards Allah, Exalted be He. ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not intercede through the supplication of the Prophet ﷺ after his death, because doing this after his passing is impossible. For this reason, he resorted to a possible form of intercession; thus, choosing al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) due to his close familial relationship with the Prophet ﷺ from one perspective; and his righteousness, faith, and piety on the other.

So ʿUmar asked him to supplicate on their behalf, appealing for an abundant and beneficial rainfall.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is we recognize the permissibility of the istisqaa’ prayer, and intercession is sought from the living, and not the dead.

This haadeeth also refutes those who seek intercession to Allah through the dead. .

1013
Narrated Shareek ibn ‘`Abdullah ibn Abi Namir: “I heard Anas ibn Maalik saying, "On a Friday, a person entered the Mosque through the gate facing the pulpit while Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the sermon. The man stood in front of the Prophet ﷺ and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock have died, and the roads have been cut off; so please pray to Allah for rain.' " Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain! O Allah! Bless us with rain!' " Anas added, "By Allah, we could not see any trace of cloud in the sky and there was no building or a house between us and (the mountains of) Sila." Anas added, "A heavy cloud like a shield appeared from behind it (i.e., Sila' Mountain). When it came in the middle of the sky, it spread and then rained." Anas further said, "By Allah! We could not see the sun for a week. Next Friday a person entered through the same gate and at that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ was delivering the Friday's sermon. The man stood in front of him and said, 'O Allah's Messenger! The livestock are dying, and the roads are cut off, please pray to Allah to withhold rain.' "Anas added, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ raised both his hands and said, 'O Allah! Round about us and not on us. O Allah! On the plateaus, on the mountains, on the hills, in the valleys and on the places where trees grow.' So, the rain stopped, and we came out walking in the sun." Shareek asked Anas whether it was the same person who had asked for the rain (the last Friday). Anas replied that he did not know..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us to turn towards Allah, Most High, by supplicating to Him for all of our affairs, and during times of misfortune specifically; thus, we invoke Him to take away the affliction from us. In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man entered through one of the entrances of al-Masjid al-Nabawee - and this entrance was facing opposite of the pulpit - while the Messenger ﷺ was on the pupil delivering the Friday sermon. The man stood facing the Messenger ﷺ directly and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! The livestock have died, because of the lack of available nourishment and sustenance needed to live due to the restriction of rain, and the roads have been cut off - namely, the paths. The camels could not travel upon them due to their emaciation or weakness because of the scarcity of herbage, or cessation of nourishment [being available]; therefore, they were not brought along, or nothing could be carried by them. For these reasons, I ask you to call upon Allah to send down an abundant rainfall upon us.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ acceded to the man’s invocation and raised his hands in supplication and said: “O Allah! Bless us with rain!”, and he repeated it three times, because one of his customs was that whenever he made supplication, he would do so three times, and if he asked [for anything from his Lord], he would do it three times, as reported in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him).

Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with them) then reported that the sky was so clear when the Prophet ﷺ was supplicating while standing on his pulpit (i.e., there were no gathering clouds, nor any small, scattered, isolated clouds, nor did they see any winds or any other indicator that would suggest that rain is approaching.)  Anas mentioned that between them and Salʿa - which is a mountain near al-Madeenah - there were no house[s] or building[s] obstructing their view. However, after the Prophet ﷺ supplicated, a cloud suddenly appeared from behind Salʿa that was similar to that of a turs in roundness - [but] not in scale.  The tursis a weapon of war, that was used for protecting the combatant from the strikes of arrows and swords [i.e. a shield].  

On his statement[s]: “When it reached the middle” [this] refers to the [new] small, scattered, isolated cloud which appeared before them.

“of the sky, it spread; then it began to rain.” - namely, the cloud continued circling until it reached the horizon, and then spread [across the sky] at that moment.  This served as a sign [that Allah, Most High, would] fill the earth with rain.

[Later], Anas swore that they did not see the sun for a period of six days because the presence of clouds and rain persisted.  Then, a man -it is possible that it was the same man [as last time], or someone else - entered the following Friday (the day of Friday) from the [same] entrance which the first petitioner entered, while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Friday’s sermon.  The man stood in front of him ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah!  The livestock have died due to the large amount of rain, because the pasture[s] have been cut off; thus, the livestock have died from not being able to graze the land.  And the roads have [also] been cut off, so it is impossible for them to take the paths due to the large amount of water.  So, I ask you to call upon Allah so as clouds withhold the water within and not send down any [more] rainfall or water.’ The Prophet ﷺ then rose his hands, and then said: ‘O Allah!  Around us…” - namely, that He sends the rain down around us, and not upon us.  What is meant here is to divert the rainfall away from the buildings and send it down where they will not be harmed by it.

‘O Allah!  Upon the Aakaam...’ - [Aakaam] is the plural for the word akamah, and it is a [mass] of naturally collected earth, or a massive plateau, or a small mountain, and what projects from the earth or mountains.

‘And al-Aajaam....” - they are tall structures that resemble palaces that served as some of the fortresses of al-Madeenah.

“And al-Dhiiraab…” -  [Dhiraab] is the plural for the word Dharib, and it can be a large rock formation that projects from the earth, or small hills that cannot be considered mountain[s].

“And valleys, and places where trees grow.” - meaning: O Allah send the rains down to areas where trees and grasslands grow - and not on the trodden paths. 

Accordingly, the rain ceased falling around al-Madeenah, and they departed from the masjid while walking in the sun.  That was from the great bounties that Allah placed over His Prophet ﷺ, and through which He manifested his high status in the sight of Allah, Exalted be He.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that this is one sign of many that demonstrate the [truthful] prophethood of our beloved Prophet ﷺ.

It teaches us to observe the etiquette of supplication - the Prophet ﷺ did not call upon Allah to cease the rains categorically, because it is possible that there may be a need for its continuation.

The hadeeth shows us that supplicating Allah for the removal of any harm does not contradict our reliance upon Allah, and that it is permissible to speak with the khateebwhile he is on the pulpit delivering the sermon - out of necessity..

1022
Narrated Abu Ishaaq: 'Abdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaari went out with Al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib, and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and invoked for rain. He ('Abdullah bin Yazeed) stood up but not on a pulpit and invoked Allah for rain and then offered a two-units prayer with loud recitation without calling the Adhaan or Iqaamah. .

Commentary : The Prayer for Rain (Istisqaa’) was prescribed for the sake [that we can] ask for rain and water when it has been cut off and restricted from when it usually descends. In this prayer, the imaam leads the people in prayer and performs two-units of it with complete humility and submission for Allah, asking Him to send down the rainfall upon them. 

In this hadeeth, the taabiʿee, Abu Ishaaq al-Sabee’ee reports that ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed al-Ansaaree - who was the governor of Kufah at the time of ʿAbdullah ibn al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) - went out with al-Baraa’ ibn ʿAazib and Zayd ibn Arqam(may Allah be pleased with them) and they performed the Istisqaa’ prayer - which is the appeal for water when it has long failed to appear.  So, ʿAbdullah ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) stood on his two legs and did not ascend upon the pulpit - to show imploration and weakness before Allah.  Then, he asked for Allah’s forgiveness. This is because supplicating and beseeching Allah in fervent supplication are some of the greatest ways in which we can ward off calamity and remove harm. Then, he performed a two-unit prayer with those behind him during which he recited clearly with an audible voice.  The two-units prayer is performed without an adhaanor iqaamah being called..

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..