| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
444
It was narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Salami that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you enters the mosque, let him pray two rak‘ahs before he sits down.”.

Commentary : The prayer to “greet the mosque” (tahiyyat al-masjid) is a Sunnah that was enjoined by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructs the one who comes and enters the mosque at any time – whether that is to pray, to await the prayer, to seek knowledge and so on – to pray two rak‘ahs before he sits down. These are the two rak‘ahs that are done to greet the mosque. This is a general ruling that applies when entering any mosque except al-Masjid al-Haram; in that case the greeting is done by circumambulating the Kaaba seven times. This hadith is specifically addressed to the one who enters the mosque when the call immediately preceding an obligatory prayer (iqamah) has not been given. If the iqamah has been given, then joining the prayer takes precedence over these two rak‘ahs.
This hadith indicates that it is encouraged to pray two rak‘ahs to greet the mosque before sitting down..

446
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the mosque was built of bricks, its roof was made of palm branches, and its pillars were the trunks of palm trees. Abu Bakr did not add anything to it. ‘Umar expanded it, but he continued to build it as it had been built at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), with bricks and palm branches, although he replaced the wooden pillars. Then ‘Uthman changed it and expanded it greatly; he built its walls of engraved stones and plaster, and he made its pillars of engraved stones, and made its roof of teak..

Commentary : Islam enjoins us to avoid extravagance in all things, which includes the building of mosques. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar speaks of the stages that the construction of the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went through. He says that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the mosque was built of bricks, which are used in construction and are made of soft clay that is dried in the sun. Its roof was made of palm branches, and its pillars were made of palm trunks that had been cut from the old garden on the site of which the mosque was built. The mosque remained as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had built it, in terms of its area and shape, and Abu Bakr did not add anything to it or take anything away from it during his caliphate. When ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was appointed caliph, he added to its length and width, but he did not change the method of construction; rather he rebuilt it using the same construction methods as had been used at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), using bricks and palm branches, but he replaced the wooden pillars. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then ‘Uthman changed it and renovated it, and improved its construction. He built its walls of engraved stones and plaster, which is used in construction and to cover walls, and he made its roof of teak, which is a high quality and valuable Indian wood, black in colour.
It was said that the first one to adorn mosques was al-Walid ibn ‘Abdul Malik ibn Marwan, at the end of the era of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), but many people of knowledge refrained from objecting to that for fear of causing friction and turmoil.
This hadith indicates that the Sunnah when building mosques is to be moderate and not to go to extremes in building them, so as to avoid fitnah and competing in the construction of mosques.
It indicates that it is permissible to expand mosques, and to demolish them in order to expand them and rebuild them in a better way than they were initially constructed..

447
It was narrated from ‘Ikrimah: Ibn ‘Abbas said to me and to his son ‘Ali: Go [both of you] to Abu Sa‘id and listen to what he tells you. So we went and found him in a garden, tending it. He took his rida’ and wrapped it around himself, then he began to talk to us, until he came to the story of the building of the mosque. He said: We were carrying bricks one at a time, and ‘Ammar was carrying two bricks at a time. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw him, then he brushed the dust off him and said: “Poor ‘Ammar! The transgressing group will kill him. He will be calling them to Paradise, but they will be calling him to Hell.” And ‘Ammar said: I seek refuge with Allah from tribulations..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to teach his ummah and warn them against tribulation (fitnah) and division. The true Muslim reflects on the words and teachings of the Prophet, and tries as much as he can to save himself and his Muslim community from falling into tribulations that could lead to confusion and misguidance.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ikrimah – who was one of the students of Ibn ‘Abbas and a freed slave of his – narrates that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him and his son ‘Ali ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Abbas: Go to Abu Sa‘id Sa‘d ibn Malik al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), the companion of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and listen to him and learn from him. He only sent them to listen to his words so that they could hear what he could tell them about the Kharijis, as was mentioned in a report narrated by al-Hakim. They were one of the most extreme groups of innovators with whom Allah tested the people of Islam; they regarded Muslims as disbelievers and did not refrain from shedding their blood, even though they strove hard in worship, prayer and fasting. When they went to Abu Sa‘id (may Allah be pleased with him), they found him in a garden of his, working on it and tending it. He took his rida’ and wrapped himself in it, sitting upright with his knees drawn up to his chest, wrapping himself with his turban or with a garment or something else. He may also have done that using his arms. It was said that he sat on his posterior, drew up his legs and wrapped himself in a garment and the like.
Then he told them what he had of knowledge, until he came to the story of the building of the Prophet’s Mosque. He told them that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were carrying bricks for the construction of the mosque one by one. A brick is something made of soft clay that is dried in the sun, then is used for building like stones. But ‘Ammar was carrying two bricks at a time. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw him, so he began to brush dust from him, saying to him: “Poor ‘Ammar!” This is an expression of compassion and pity for a calamity that would befall him. Then he told him that the transgressing group would kill him – this refers to the group of wrongdoers who rebelled and refused to obey the just leader. They are the ones who killed him at the Battle of Siffin. “He will be calling them to Paradise”, that is, the way that leads to Paradise, which is obedience to the leader, just as what leads to Hell is disobedience to him. “but they will be calling him to Hell,” that is, they will think that they are calling him to Paradise, when in reality it is a call to Hell.
These words, “He will be calling them to Paradise, but they will be calling him to Hell,” were a foretelling that that would happen to him, hence when he heard that, ‘Ammar (may Allah be pleased with him) sought refuge with Allah from tribulations, because no one knows, when there are tribulations and internal strife, whether he is earning reward or incurring sin, except on the basis of conjecture. If ‘Ammar was certain that he was going to earn reward, he would not have sought refuge with Allah from reward. This indicates that ‘Ammar was following the right path, unlike those who opposed him.
This hadith indicates that the scholar who has abundant knowledge and is keen for his children to learn may send his children to other scholars so that they may also teach him, even if he himself has more knowledge and understanding, because of what he hopes they will learn from others of knowledge that he does not have.
It indicates that the scholar should prepare himself before he narrates hadith, and sit in a manner that is appropriate to narrating hadith, and that he should not narrate hadith if he is busy with something, until he has finished it, out of respect for hadith. This is how the early generations (salaf) conducted themselves.
In this hadith we see one of the signs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It clearly highlights the virtue of ‘Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him).
It indicates that one should seek refuge with Allah from tribulations.
It indicates that cooperating in building a mosque is one of the best of deeds, because it is something for which a person will continue to earn reward after he dies.
It indicates that we should honour one who is striving in Allah’s cause, and show kindness to him in word and deed.
It indicates that it is prescribed to take care of one’s worldly affairs, such as tending one’s garden oneself..

448
It was narrated that Sahl said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to a woman saying: “Tell your slave the carpenter to make something of wood for me to sit on.”.

Commentary : In the beginning, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would stand on a palm trunk in the mosque when addressing the people and delivering khutbahs, then he acquired a minbar. In this hadith, Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to a woman – it was said that she was a woman of the Ansar – telling her to instruct her slave and servant, who was a carpenter, to make something of wood for him to sit on when addressing the people. This woman had previously made an offer to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to have something made for him to sit on when addressing the people and so on, because she had a slave who was a skilled carpenter and could make things out of wood. This slave made the minbar, which consisted of three steps and was not very high, as is mentioned in the reports.
This hadith indicates that one should stand and sit on an elevated surface when addressing people and delivering khutbahs, and that minbars may be used in mosques.
It indicates that one may seek the help of craftsmen and skilled people in anything that may be beneficial to the Muslims, and that the one who takes the initiative to do such things is to be appreciated and thanked..

449
It was narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah that a woman said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t I have something made for you to sit on, for I have a slave who is a carpenter? He said: “If you wish.” So she had the minbar made..

Commentary : In the beginning, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to stand on the trunk of a palm tree in the mosque when addressing the people and delivering khutbahs, then he acquired the minbar.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t I have something made for you to sit on? Meaning, on which to sit and stand, instead of the palm trunk from which he addressed the people. I have a slave who is a carpenter – that is, a craftsmen who is skilled in working with wood. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) accepted her offer, and left it up to her so as not to burden her; if she wished, she could do that, and if she wished, she could refrain from doing that, and there would be no sin on her. So the woman instructed her slave to make the minbar for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he did that. The minbar had three steps that were not very high, as is mentioned in the reports.
This hadith indicates that one should stand and sit on an elevated surface when addressing people and delivering khutbahs, and that minbars may be used in mosques.
It indicates that one may seek the help of craftsmen and skilled people in anything that may be beneficial to the Muslims, and that the one who takes the initiative to do such things is to be appreciated and thanked..

450
It was narrated from ‘Ubaydullah al-Khawlani that he heard ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan saying, when the people spoke about him when he went ahead and expanded the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): You are talking too much; I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Whoever builds a mosque – Bukayr said: I think he said: seeking the pleasure of Allah thereby – Allah will build something similar to it for him in Paradise.”.

Commentary : The building of mosques for the worship of Allah is one of the noblest and greatest acts of worship and obedience. Islam urges people to build mosques and respect their sanctity.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Ubaydullah al-Khawlani narrates that when ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan wanted to demolish the Prophet’s Mosque and rebuild it with a better design and shape than it was originally, the people disapproved of that and talked a great deal, because of what he was planning to change in the structure of the mosque from how it had been built at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That was because the mosque had been built of bricks, with a roof of palm branches, then it had been renovated during the caliphate of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), but it had the same layout and was built as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had built it. But ‘Uthman rebuilt it with engraved stones and plaster, as is explained in a report in Sahih al-Bukhari. Hence the people criticized ‘Uthman a great deal. ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) was annoyed with them, and he rebuked them and told them that he had heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Whoever builds a mosque, seeking thereby the pleasure of Allah”, meaning that he did it for His sake alone, and not to show off or enhance his reputation, Allah would grant him the best reward that matched the nature of his deed: Allah would build something like it for him in Paradise. The phrase “like it” does not mean that it would be of the same size or of the same quality and design; rather what is meant is that it would be like it in name only. It was also said that what is meant – and Allah knows best – is that Allah would expand his house in Paradise commensurate with his expansion of the mosque in this world, and the structure of that house would be as solid and well-built as he made the mosque, and he would be caused to benefit from what was built for him in Paradise to the extent that the people benefitted from what he built for them in this world.
This hadith indicates that sincerity is a condition of attaining reward in all good deeds.
It also highlights the virtue of building mosques..

452
It was narrated from Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever passes through any of our mosques or marketplaces carrying arrows, let him hold them by the tip, so as not to injure any Muslim.”.

Commentary : Islam is keen to protect people’s lives and forbids harming them by any means, and it has set out some precautions that are needed for that purpose.
In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed that anyone who passes any crowded place, whether it is a mosque or a marketplace, and he is carrying arrows – which are sticks with sharp pointed heads; the ruling applies to any sharp weapon – should carry them by their heads, holding their sharp edges in his hand or by any other means. While passing through that place, he should be very cautious, so as to avoid injuring anyone with the arrows. This is an affirmation of the sanctity of the Muslims’ lives, and of the necessity of taking precautions not to transgress against them, because mosques are likely to have many people in them, especially at the times of prayer, and marketplaces are also likely to be crowded. This advice to take precautions came from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because he feared that someone might be harmed by that.
This hadith highlights the noble character and compassion of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) towards the believers.
It highlights how sacred the Muslim’s blood is, and it must not be shed whether in small or large amounts.
It highlights the etiquette of carrying weapons; the one who carries a weapon must take precautions and be very careful to avoid causing injury to anyone.
It indicates that it is permissible to pass through mosques, even though they are originally built for the purpose of worship, because there is a need for that..

454
It was narrated from ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr that ‘A’ishah said: I remember the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) standing at the door of my apartment one day, when the Ethiopians were playing in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was screening me with his rida’, whilst I watched them playing..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved his wife ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers, and in the way in which he interacted with her, he set an example of kind treatment and taught us a great deal, paying attention to the age and maturity level of his wife, and letting her have some of what she needs of permissible things [such as entertainment].
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood at the door of her apartment one day, when the Ethiopians were playing with their spears in the mosque. The Ethiopians are a nation of black people; some of them were slaves and servants. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was screening ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) with his garment so that she could watch them playing with their weapons as she stood beside him.
This hadith highlights the good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and his kind and gentle treatment of his wife.
It highlights the virtue of ‘A’ishah, and how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) held her in high esteem.
It indicates that it is permissible to play with spears and the like – such as sticks – so long as it does not involve anything that is prohibited..

456
It was narrated from ‘Amrah that ‘A’ishah said that Barirah came to her for help with her contract of manumission. She said: If you wish, I will pay your masters, and the wala’ will be for me. But her masters said: If you wish, you can give her what remains (of the cost of her manumission) – on one occasion Sufyan [one of the narrators] said: If you wish, you can manumit her, but the wala’ will be for us. – When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came, she told him about that, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Buy her and set her free, and the wala’ belongs to the one who manumits the slave.” Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up on the minbar – on one occasion, Sufyan said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ascended the minbar – and said: “What is the matter with people who stipulate conditions that are not in the Book of Allah? Whoever stipulates a condition that is not in the Book of Allah, he has no right to it, even if he stipulates it one hundred times.”.

Commentary : Islam urges people to free slaves, and teaches that the reward for one who frees a slave purely for the sake of Allah is that Allah will ransom him from the Fire. Islamic teachings offer guidelines on issues surrounding the manumission of slaves and what results from that of the relationship of wala’ and inheritance that is established between the one who manumits the slave and the slave who is manumitted.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that Barirah bint Safwan (may Allah be pleased with her) – who was a freed slave of ‘A’ishah – came to her, seeking her help to pay off her contract of manumission with her master. The contract of manumission was when a slave made a deal with his master to pay a certain amount of money, and if he did that he would become free. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told her that she would help her with the money, on condition that the wala’ of Barirah after she was manumitted would belong to ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Wala’ refers to mutual support, which dictates that the one who manumitted the slave would inherit from him, meaning that if this former slave died, and had no heir, then the one who manumitted him would inherit from him on the basis of wala’; thus wala’ is like blood ties. But Barirah’s masters said something to ‘A’ishah of which Sufyan ibn ‘Uyaynah, one of the narrators of the hadith, was not sure. On one occasion he said that they said to her: If you wish, you can give her what remains (of the cost of her manumission), meaning that you can do Barirah the favour of paying off what she still owes of her contract of manumission. On another occasion he said: If you wish, you can manumit her, but the wala’ will be for us. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told him what had happened with Barirah, and he told ‘A’ishah to buy Barirah from her masters and manumit her. He also told her that wala’ belongs to the one who manumits the slave; this is the ruling of Islam. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood on the minbar in his mosque and said: “What is the matter with people” – meaning, why do they do that? – “who stipulate conditions that are not in the Book of Allah” and are not in accordance with the laws of Allah (may He be exalted) and his rulings in the Qur’an or Sunnah. This was a hint of criticism on his part, so that the one who did that would not be embarrassed, and so that the people would realize that this matter was addressed to all of them, and would feel that many people did that. Thus the original doer would remain unknown and not feel embarrassed in front of other people; rather he would learn and come to know the correct ruling.
Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them that whoever stipulates a condition that is not in the Book of Allah has no right to what he stipulated and does not deserve it, “even if he stipulates it one hundred times.” The number one hundred was mentioned for emphasis, not that this particular number was meant.
This hadith highlights the good and gentle approach of a leader with his followers, because when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed the matter, he did not confront the one who stipulated that condition himself, as the aim could be achieved in his case and in the case of others without exposing or condemning him.
It highlights the fact that the leader may address the people when an error is committed, to explain the rulings thereon to the people and to denounce the action.
It indicates that one should make a great effort to remove evil and emphasize how abhorrent it is.
It highlights the importance of teaching the Islamic rulings having to do with worldly matters – such as buying and selling in the mosque – and explaining those rulings to people..

458
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that a black man – or a black woman – used to take care of the mosque, and he died. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked about him, and they said: He died. He said: “Why did you not tell me? Show me his grave – or her grave.” He went to her grave and offered the funeral prayer for her..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was as his Lord described him in the Qur’an: {There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Grievous to him is what you suffer; [he is] concerned over you and to the believers is kind and merciful} [al-Tawbah 9:128]. His offering the funeral prayer for the deceased was a mercy to him, and a light with which Allah would illuminate the grave of the deceased.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked about a black man or woman who used to clean and sweep the mosque, and they told him that she had died. So he said to his companions: “Why did you not tell me” and inform me that she had died? According to a report in al-Sahihayn, they thought little of the deceased and did not pay much attention to him. According to a report narrated by al-Nasa’i from Abu Umamah ibn Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him), they said: We did not want to wake you up at night. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked about his or her grave, and he offered the funeral prayer for the deceased at the graveside, after the burial had taken place.
This hadith highlights the virtue of cleaning the mosque, and of asking about a servant or friend when you do not see him for a while.
It indicates that one may reciprocate by offering supplication, and that it is encouraged to attend the funerals of good people.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer at the grave of a deceased person in the same city, for one who did not attend his funeral, and that it is prescribed to announce deaths..

461
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “An ‘ifrit of the jinn came at me suddenly yesterday – or words to that effect – to interrupt my prayer, but Allah gave me the power to suppress him. I wanted to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque so that you could all see him this morning, then I remembered the words of my brother Sulayman, {He said, My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me} [Sad 38:35].” Rawh said: So he sent him away humiliated..

Commentary : The jinn are beings made of fire that can take different forms. They are creatures that are invisible to us, that Allah may show to whomever He wills of his creation. They are accountable like us; some of them are believers and disbelievers and sinners; some of them are good and some of them are evil.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that an ‘ifrit of the jinn attacked him the day before; in other words, he came to him suddenly and at speed whilst he was praying, to interrupt his prayer, distract him from it, and break his focus in the prayer by causing him to become confused and lose concentration, getting between him and his qiblah, and preventing him from conversing with his Lord. But Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) gave him power over that devil, so he was able to push him away. And then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque, so that on the following morning the people could see him tied up in the daylight. But then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) remembered what his brother Sulayman ibn Dawud (peace be upon him) had said: {My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me} [Sad 38:35]. Control over the jinn was part of the dominion that Allah had granted to Sulayman (peace be upon him), so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) refrained from doing that, and he let that jinni run away, defeated and humiliated, as he had failed to cause any harm to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or distract him from his prayer. This hadith does not contradict the verse, because what is meant by Sulayman’s dominion over the jinn is that he was able to subjugate them and make them serve him and obey him.
This hadith indicates that one may do some actions whilst praying, for the purpose of performing the prayer well, without intending to fidget or be heedless, and that one may ward off something harmful whilst praying, even if it cannot be warded off except with violence or forceful shoving.
It highlights the dignity and good attitude of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how he showed respect to Allah’s Prophet Sulayman (peace be upon him).
It indicates that it is permissible to tie up a prisoner in the mosque and leave him there..

465
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that two of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left the Prophet’s house on a dark night, and each of them had something like a lamp lighting the way in front of them. When they parted, a light went with each one of them until he reached his family..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) singles out whomever He wills from among His righteous slaves for honour and karamahs (extraordinary events bestowed upon the close friends of Allah), and He may cause extraordinary feats to happen at their hands, by way of highlighting their honourable status and righteousness, as He supported His prophets with miracles.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of a karamah (extraordinary event) that happened to two of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). They were ‘Abbad ibn Bishr and Usayd ibn Hudayr, as is narrated in Sahih Muslim. They were with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on a dark night, and when they left him, Allah (may He be exalted) caused two lights to go in front of them, as an honour to them, and as a miracle for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as He granted to some of his companions karamahs such as this when they needed lights. It was said that the reason for that is what was narrated by Abu Dawud from Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Give glad tidings to those who frequently walk in the dark to the mosques of perfect light on the Day of Resurrection.” Allah hastened for them some of that which He had stored up in the hereafter. This light moved with them like lamps, to illuminate the way for them. Then when they parted, for each of them to go to his house, a light went with each of them until he reached his home. According to a report narrated by Ahmad, each of them had a stick in his hand, and the stick of one of them lit up, so that they could walk in its light, then when they parted ways, the stick of the other one lit up too.
This hadith highlights the virtue of these two Sahabis.
It affirms that karamahs may happen to the close friends of the Most Gracious in all eras and times, until the onset of the Hour..

470
It was narrated that al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid said: I was standing in the mosques when a man threw a pebble at me. I looked and saw that it was ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. He said: Go and bring these two men to me. So I brought them to him, and he said: Who are you – or where are you from? They said: We are from al-Ta’if. He said: If you were people of this land, I would have given you a painful punishment for raising your voices in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The mosques are houses of Allah on earth, and Islam urges us to respect their sanctity and protect them from all ills, including the raising of voices in them, by way of honouring them and out of respect for the worship that is done in them. The Prophet’s Mosque is especially sacred and is to be respected more than other mosques.
In this hadith, al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was standing in the mosque, and a man threw a pebble at him. When he looked to see who had thrown the pebble, he found that it was the caliph ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). ‘Umar said to him: Go and bring these two men to me. They were two men who had raised their voices in the mosque. So al-Sa’ib went and brought them to him, then ‘Umar asked them: Who are you – or where are you from? They said: We are from al-Ta’if, which is a city approximately 500 km from Madinah. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If you were inhabitants of Madinah, I would have punished you with a beating and flogging, because you are raising your voices in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah! ‘Umar only differentiated between the people of Madinah and others regarding this matter because the people of Madinah were not unaware of the sanctity and venerable status of the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), unlike those who were not local residents, who might be unaware that one should show such great respect to this mosque. Hence he let them off because of their lack of awareness.
This hadith indicates that people who are ignorant of rulings may be excused, if those rulings are matters of which they are unaware.
It indicates that it is forbidden to raise one’s voice in the Prophet’s Mosque.
It highlights the virtue of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his respect for the Prophet’s Mosque.
It indicates that the leader may discipline one who raises his voice in the mosque when talking and arguing..

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It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: A man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was on the minbar: What do you say about prayer at night? He said: “[One should pray] two [rak‘ahs] by two, then when he fears that dawn is approaching, he should pray one [rak‘ah], which will make what he has prayed odd-numbered.” He used to say: Make the last of your prayers odd-numbered, for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined that..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about prayer, both obligatory and supererogatory, which included voluntary prayers at night (qiyam al-layl), after Allah praised His Messenger and the believers for that in His Book: {Indeed, your Lord knows, [O Muhammad], that you stand [in prayer] almost two thirds of the night or half of it or a third of it, and [so do] a group of those with you} [al-Muzzammil 73:20].
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whilst he was addressing the people from his minbar in his mosque. Perhaps he was addressing the people on Friday (Jumu‘ah) or on some other occasion. The man asked him how the prayers at nights were to be done, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that they are to be done two by two; in other words: pray two rak‘ahs then say the taslim, then pray two more, and so on, and then when the worshipper fears that the time for Fajr prayer is about to begin – and the same applies to one who prays at the beginning of the night then sleeps until the time of Fajr – he should end his qiyam with a single rak‘ah, so as to make the even-numbered prayers that he has offered odd-numbered, then say the taslim after that. Then Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed his companions to make the last of their prayers before sleeping, or before the break of dawn, odd-numbered, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined that.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Witr in different ways, with different numbers of rak‘ahs. By examining all of the reports, it becomes clear that it is permissible to pray Witr with three, five, seven, nine or eleven rak‘ahs. If a person prays Witr with three rak‘ahs, there are two ways of doing that which are both prescribed. The first is to offer three rak‘ahs one after another with one tashahhud; the second way is to say the taslim after two rak‘ahs then offer one rak‘ah on its own. But if he prays Witr with five or seven rak‘ahs, then they should be done continuously, with no tashahhud except one tashahhud at the end, followed by the taslim. If he prays Witr with nine rak‘ahs, they should be done continuously, and he should sit for the tashahhud in the eighth rak‘ah, then stand up without saying the taslim, and recite tashahhud in the ninth, followed by the taslim. If he prays Witr with eleven rak‘ahs, he should say the taslim after each two rak‘ahs, then pray one rak‘ah on its own at the end. The least perfect way of praying Witr is to pray two rak‘ahs and say the taslim, then to pray one rak‘ah on its own, then say the taslim. It is permissible to pray Witr with one taslim, but that should be with one tashahhud, not two..

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It was narrated from ‘Abbad ibn Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that he saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lying down in the mosque, with one leg on top of the other. It was narrated from Ibn Shihab, that Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyib, said: ‘Umar and ‘Uthman also used to do that..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) used to observe how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lived, in order to learn his Sunnahs, as Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) instructed them to do in His Book: {There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern} [al-Ahzab 33:21].
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd ibn ‘Asim (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lying down – that is, sleeping – on his back in the mosque, with one of his legs on top of the other, and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with them both) also used to lie down in the mosque as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done.
It is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that it is prohibited to lie down placing one leg on top of the other, as it is narrated in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one of you should lie down, then place one of his legs on top of the other.” This prohibition may be understood in the case of the ‘awrah becoming uncovered, because raising one leg on top of the other means bending one leg so that the knee of that leg is high, whilst the other leg is lifted to rest on the knee of the first leg. Even though it is possible that the ‘awrah may become uncovered in this position, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did that in such a way that nothing of it could be seen. It was also said that this prohibition was abrogated by this hadith, and the action of the two caliphs ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan, who did that after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), is quoted as evidence for that abrogation, because it is not possible that they were unaware of what of his Sunnah abrogated or was abrogated.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to lie down in the mosque in any position, so long as there is no risk of the ‘awrah becoming uncovered..

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Aisha said, "I would drink when I was menstruating then hand it (the vessel) to the Prophet ﷺ who would put his mouth where mine had been then drink. I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating then hand it to the Prophet ﷺ who would put his mouth where mine had been.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best and most merciful one to his family. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, told us about the Prophet's manners with her while she was menstruating. When she drank and handed the vessel to him, he used to place his mouth and drink from the same place from where she was drinking. Similarly, when she ate flesh from a bone, he used to eat from the same place from where she was eating. All of these manners were to give her comfort, protect her from sadness during this difficult period, kindly deal with her, and confirm that it is Islamically allowable to mix with menstruating women. It was unlike what Jews and people of pre-Islamic ignorant times believed that they neither ate nor drank with her during her period. Finally, this Hadith confirms the Prophet's kindness to his wives, especially during menstruation, for women are in dire need of kindness at that time..

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Anas narrated that the Jews, when a woman menstruated, used to leave eating and living with her. The companions asked the Prophet ﷺ about that, so Allah revealed, "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say, "That is a harm," therefore keep away from women during menses." to the end of the verse (Al-Baqarah: 222). As a result, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Do everything except sexual intercourse.” When the Jews were reported about that, they said, 'This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it.' Usaid ibn Hudair and ‘Abbad ibn Beshr came and said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, the Jews are saying such and such. Will we not have intercourse with them (i.e. during menstruation)?' The face of Allah's Messenger ﷺ changed so we thought he was angry with them. When they went out, they were met by a gift of milk which was being brought to the Prophet ﷺ. He asked for them and gave them a drink. Thereupon, they knew that he was not angry with them.".

Commentary : Islam honored women more than any other civilization or system. It granted her rights, status, and a respected opinion. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Jews, who were living in Medina before the Prophet's advent, used to leave eating or living with menstruating women, believing that they were impure. The Companions asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about how to treat women during this period, so Allah revealed, "They ask you concerning menstruation. Say, 'That is a harm,' therefore keep away from women during menses and go not to them till they are purified. And when they have purified themselves, then go into them as Allah has ordained for you. Truly, Allah loves those who turn to Him in repentance and loves those who purify themselves." (Al-Baqarah: 222) The meaning is a Muslim has to avoid intercourse with his wife during her menstruation period which is a harm. After her blood stopped and she performed a complete bathing, he was allowed to have intercourse with her in the way that Islam has permitted i.e. penetrating one's penis into her vagina, not her anus. At the end of the verse, Allah confirmed that he loved those who frequently repent and purify. Then, the Prophet (ﷺ) permitted them to do everything like kissing, embracing, etc. during this period except intercourse. Above all, a Muslim can live and eat with them during this period. In Sahih Muslim, Aisha said, "I would drink when I was menstruating then hand it (the vessel) to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been then drink. I would eat flesh from a bone when I was menstruating then hand it to the Prophet (ﷺ) who would put his mouth where mine had been." When the Jews knew about the Prophet's guidelines, they said, "This man does not want to leave anything we do without opposing us in it." Both the two companions, Usaid Ibn Hudair and 'Abbad ibn Beshr came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and informed him about the Jews' comment. Due to their anger with the Jews, they asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to oppose the Jews' habit and have intercourse with menstruating wives. Thereupon, the Prophet's face changed to the point that the attending companions thought he was angry with them both, for his teachings were to clarify Allah's laws in this case not to agree nor contradict any sect in Medina as they both thought. After they went out, he feared that they were sad about what happened. To remove any difficult feelings, he asked them to come back to drink the milk that he received as a gift. Therefore, they knew that he was not angry with them. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's forbearing and kindness to his companions, (2) It shows that the Prophet (ﷺ) is only angry when facing something that contradicts Allah's teachings, and (3) It confirms that all Islam's teachings are from Allah..

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Abdullah ibn Qais, said, "I asked Aisha about how the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to perform Witr prayer." He mentioned the hadith and said, "I asked her, 'What did he do after having sexual intercourse? Did he take a bath before going to sleep or did he sleep before taking a bath?' She said, 'He did all of these acts. He may have taken a bath then slept or performed ablution then slept.' I said, 'All praise is due to Allah Who has made things easy.'".

Commentary : In some acts of worship, the Prophet ﷺ used to perform them in various methods, as his guidance regarding the night prayer, witr prayer, and bathing after intercourse. All of his acts were a source of guidance for his nation. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Qais informed that he asked Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, about how the Prophet ﷺ used to perform Witr prayer. His saying, “He mentioned the hadith” meant that he wanted to summarize the hadith and mention its other part showing the Prophet’s act after having intercourse at night. In Sunan Abu Daoud, Abdullah narrated the first part in which Aisha answered, “He may perform witr prayer at the beginning of the night or performed it at its end.” Abdullah asked, “What about his recitation? Did he recite in a loud or low voice?” She answered, “He used to do all of that. Sometimes he recited in a loud voice and sometimes in a low voice.” The Prophet ﷺ used to perform witr prayer in various ways. He performed it with three, five, seven, nine, and eleven rak’as. He may have recited the Quran during his night prayer in a low voice or a loud voice that those around him could hear. Additionally, Abdullah asked her about the Prophet’s bathing due to intercourse at night. She explained that the Prophet ﷺ may have taken a bath before sleeping or just performed ablution. Abdullah’s saying: “All praise is due to Allah Who has made things easy” may be a comment on all of her answers or her answer about the Prophet’s bath after intercourse. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Islam facilitated the rules of bathing due to intercourse, (2) It clarified the Muslim predecessors’ keenness to ask about the rules of Islam and follow the Prophet’s acts, deeds, and cases..

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Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When any one of you has intercourse with his wife and wants to repeat it, he should perform ablution." In another narration, he added, "An ablution should be between these two acts.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his nation the related matters to intercourse such as its permissible and prohibited acts and how to purify oneself afterward. In this hadith, he guided a husband who had intercourse with his wife to perform ablution if he wanted to do it again before bathing. It was reported in Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah that Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that ablution activated a person to have intercourse once again. Moreover, ablution reduces impurities by cleaning one's penis, which has some benefits: (1) From a medical perspective, it strengthens one's penis, (2) It enables the body to relieve before coming back again, and (3) It completes the pleasure by removing the couple's sperm attached to one’s penis, which may reduce pleasure. It was said that the mentioned ablution referred to only washing a man's penis as exaggerating cleanliness, for it was reported in Sunan Abu Daoud that Aisha (ﷺ) said, “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to sleep after having intercourse without touching water.” Some said that her saying, “without touching water” meant bathing which did not contradict ablution. It is possible that the Prophet’s command to perform ablution is, as mentioned, with the aim of seeking cleanliness and activity, for what was reported in Sahih Muslim that Aisha narrated, "The Prophet (ﷺ) used to have intercourse with his wives (one after another) with a single bathing." She did not mention that he performed ablution. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is legitimate to perform ablution between two intercourses, whether it is with the same woman or another one, (2) It is not obligatory to perform bathing immediately after intercourse. It is obligatory when wanting to perform acts of worship like prayer which necessitates bathing, and (3) The legitimacy of frequent intercourse..

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Aisha narrated that a woman asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), "Is it obligatory upon a woman to bathe if she has a wet dream and sees her semen?" He answered, "Yes." Aisha said to her, "May your hand be covered with dust and injured!" The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Leave her alone. Is the resemblance due to something other than that?! If her semen prevails over her husband's, the kid resembles his maternal uncles and if his semen prevails over her semen, the kid resembles his paternal uncles.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was a teacher for his nation. He used to teach it all the etiquette of intercourse and purity. In this hadith, Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that a woman (Umm Sulaim as Anas ibn Malek narrated in Sahih Muslim) asked the Prophet (ﷺ) if it was obligatory upon a woman to bathe if having a wet dream and seeing semen. He answered, “Yes.” He welcomed her question while Aisha expressed her refusal of that type of question. He saw that it was an important religious matter that a person had to inquire about. In Abu Daoud’s narration, he said, “Women are counterparts of men,” which meant that Islam addressed them with the same legislation as men. Out of his modesty, he implicitly indicated that both genders may have had a wet dream. He thought that the woman understood what he meant through his concise answer. He clarified that the kid resembled his maternal or paternal uncles based on which semen (father’s or mother’s) preceded the other, which was subject to Allah’s will. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies how the Prophet (ﷺ) took much care of teaching women the rules of Islam, and (2) It confirms that it is permissible for women to directly ask scholars..

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Thawban, the servant of the Prophet ﷺ, said, “While I was standing beside the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, one of Jews’ rabbis came and said, ‘Peace be upon you, O Muhammad.’ I pushed him so strongly back that he was about to fall. He said, ‘Why did you push me?’ I said, ‘Why did you not say, ‘O Messenger of Allah?’ The Jew said, ‘We called him by the name his family named him.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said, ‘My name is Muhammad which my family named me.’ The Jew said, ‘I came to ask you (something).’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Will you benefit from something if I tell you about it?' He said, ‘I lend my ears to it.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ drew lines on the ground with a stick and said, ‘Ask.’ The Jew asked, ‘Where will people be on the Day when the earth changes into another earth and the heavens too?’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘They will be in darkness beside the Bridge.’ He asked, ‘Who will be the first to cross?’ The Prophet answered, ‘The poor immigrants.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their gift when they enter Paradise?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘The side part of a whale’s liver.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their food afterward?’ The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘The Paradise’s bull which is eating from its different quarters will be slaughtered for them.’ The Jew asked, ‘What will be their drink?’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘They will drink from a well called Salsabil.’ The Jew said, ‘You have told the truth. I came to ask you about a thing none among the people on the earth knows except a prophet and one or two men.’ The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Will you benefit if I answer you?’ The Jew, ‘I lend my ears to it.’ The Jew resumed, ‘I came to ask you about the kid.’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘A man’s sperm is white and a woman’s sperm is yellow. If they gather and the man’s sperm precedes the female's, it will be a male kid, Allah willing. If the woman’s sperm precedes the man's, it will be a female kid, Allah willing. The Jew said, ‘You have told the truth. Verily, you are a prophet.’ Then he left. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘He asked me about such and such things that I have had no knowledge till Allah gave me that.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was a mercy to the worlds. He was a teacher, educator, and caller to Allah with wisdom and good preaching. In this hadith, his servant, Thawban, narrated that a Jewish rabbi came and greeted the Prophet ﷺ saying, “Peace be upon you, O Muhammad.” Thawban rejected his way of addressing the Prophet ﷺ by his name and neglecting his description of prophethood. Thawban pushed him so strongly that the Jew was about to fall. When the Jew asked Thawban about the reason for pushing him, Thawban wondered, “Why did you not say, O Messenger of Allah?” The Jew answered that he called the Prophet ﷺ by the name his family called him. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ approved his point of view. The name Muhammad means the frequently praised one who has all praised attributes. The Prophet ﷺ asked him if he wanted to ask to get benefits or aimed to challenge and argue. The Jew confirmed that he was keen to hear and judge the Prophet’s words. The Prophet ﷺ started to draw lines with a wooden stick on the ground, which was an Arab way during thinking. Then, the Prophet ﷺ allowed him to ask. The Jew asked about where the people would be on the day when the earth and the heavens would be altered. The Prophet ﷺ informed him that they would be in the darkness beside the bridge over Hell. In the Two Sahihs, Sahl ibn Sa’d narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “The people will be gathered on the Day of Resurrection on reddish white land like a pure loaf of bread where none has landmarks.” In addition, the Jew asked who would be the first to cross that bridge so the Prophet ﷺ answered that they would be his poor companions who immigrated from Mecca to Medina with their faith, left their family and properties, and supported him for Allah’s pleasing. The Jew asked about the gift they would get once getting to Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ clarified that it would be the side part of a whale’s liver which was the best of its parts. The Jew asked about their lunch (or food as in the other narration) so the Prophet ﷺ answered that it would be Paradise’s bull which was eating from its different quarters. This referred that it was a bull with unique characteristics that were not similar to other bulls or it was the only bull in Paradise. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ, “Will I inform you of their food?” The Prophet answered him, “Yes.” The Jew answered, “Bull and whale. Seventy thousand people will eat from the side part of the whale’s liver.” They may be those seventy persons who will enter Paradise without reckoning so they will be preferred and given the best food. The mentioned number may have meant exaggeration not confining. When the Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ about their drink after eating that bull, he replied that they would drink from a well called Salsabil in Paradise as Allah Almighty said, “And they will be given to drink there of a cup (of wine) mixed with ginger. A spring there, called Salsabil.” (Al-Insan: 17, 18) It water is running so fast. Salsabil means that its water is sweet and easy to enter one’s throat. The Jew believed what the Prophet ﷺ told and added that he came to ask the Prophet ﷺ about something none among the people on the earth knew except a prophet and one or two men. It was a metaphor that only a few people knew it. It was known to a prophet or a few persons that a Prophet informed them about it. The Prophet ﷺ asked him if he wanted to benefit from him if he told him something. The Jew confirmed that he was keen to hear and judge the Prophet’s words. The Jew asked the Prophet ﷺ about how the embryo's gender was determined. The Prophet ﷺ answered that the man’s sperm was white and thick while that of the woman was yellow and thin. If they gathered in a woman’s womb and the man’s sperm preceded the female's, it would be a male kid, Allah willing. If the woman’s sperm preceded the man's, it would be a female kid, Allah willing. The Jew confirmed the Prophet’s truthfulness, for all he mentioned was consistent with what he learned from Torah. He also acknowledged the Prophet’s message but did not bear witness to it. This indicates that the mere acknowledgment without belief in Islam has no benefit, for the Prophet did not confirm that the Jew became Muslim. Once the Jew left, the Prophet ﷺ said that he did not know how to answer the Jew’s questions except after Allah informed him. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It contains some signs that confirm the Prophet’s message, for he told about some matters of the unseen world, (2) The high level of the Prophet’s morals, and (3) It clarifies the virtue of the poor immigrants who Allah will honor with preceding others in crossing the bridge..

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Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ used to bath with the water left over by Maimuna (his wife)..

Commentary : Islam honored women and did not treat them like outcasts, as was the case in pre-Islamic times in which men neither mixed, ate, nor drank with women during menstruation or postpartum, believing their filthiness. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe from the water remaining after his wife Maimunah's bathing (Ibn Abbas's aunt) due to intercourse or menstruation as Ibn Majah's narration confirmed. The Prophet's wife used to scoop water with her hand, but the water was still pure as Imam An-Nasa'i narrated, "Some of the Prophet's wives had taken a bath due to intercourse then the Prophet (ﷺ) performed ablution from her remaining water. Afterward, she mentioned that to him, but he replied, “Water is not made impure by anything." He meant that water was pure, and a Muslim could use it as long as none of its characteristics changed..

325
Safina, the servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to take a bath with one sa' (four water handfuls) and performed ablution with one mudd (a handful of water)." In another narration, he said, "One mudd sufficed for his ablution.".

Commentary : Islamic law forbids extravagance and Allah warns those following this behavior. Extravagance is the excessive usage of anything. A Muslim should be economical even when using water in ablution or bathing. In this hadith, Safina, the companion and servant of the Prophet, confirmed that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe, due to intercourse, with one sa' (eight water handfuls). Sa’ equals eight pounds. A pound in modern quantities is about 380 or 538 grams. It is a little less or more than a liter. Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform ablution with one mudd (two handfuls of water). This hadith shows the amount that sufficed him, not the amount that a person cannot exceed, for people vary in using water for ablution or bathing. Anyway, using water extravagantly is forbidden in Islam that commands its followers to preserve and wisely use water resources as needed..

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Safina, the servant of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to take a bath with one sa' (four water handfuls) and performed ablution with one mudd (a handful of water)." In another narration, he said, "One mudd sufficed for his ablution.".

Commentary : Islamic law forbids extravagance and Allah warns those following this behavior. Extravagance is the excessive usage of anything. A Muslim should be economical even when using water in ablution or bathing. In this hadith, Safina, the companion and servant of the Prophet, confirmed that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to bathe, due to intercourse, with one sa' (eight water handfuls). Sa’ equals eight pounds. A pound in modern quantities is about 380 or 538 grams. It is a little less or more than a liter. Additionally, the Prophet (ﷺ) used to perform ablution with one mudd (two handfuls of water). This hadith shows the amount that sufficed him, not the amount that a person cannot exceed, for people vary in using water for ablution or bathing. Anyway, using water extravagantly is forbidden in Islam that commands its followers to preserve and wisely use water resources as needed..

330
Umm Salama narrated, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I am a woman that braids my head. Should I undo it to take a bath after intercourse?’ He said, ‘No, it is sufficient that you only pour three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over the rest of your body so you will be purified.'".

Commentary : The required bathing in Islam is to wash the entire body with water, as shown in the Prophetic tradition. In this hadith, Um Salama, the Mother of the Believers, narrated that she said to the Prophet (ﷺ) that she used to braid her head so is it required for her to undo it in case of taking a bath due to sexual intercourse. He answered her that it was sufficient that she poured three handfuls of water on her head and then poured water over the rest of her body. If she did that, she would become purified. In another narration, she asked, "Should I undo it to take a bath due to intercourse or menstruation?" This narration indicates that a woman does not need to undo her braids during bathing due to intercourse or menstruation. On the other hand, it was said that adding the word "menstruation" was not narrated by the most trustworthy narrators. Accordingly, the braids should be undone during bathing due to menstruation, not intercourse. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim should ask about the religious rules that he does not know, (2) It clarifies how the female Companions were keen to learn the Islamic rules, especially those relating to menstruation, and (3) It explains how a woman takes a bath due to intercourse or menstruation..

331
Ubeid ibn Umeir narrated, "Aishah heard that Abdullah ibn Amr ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing. She said, 'What a strange issue from Ibn 'Amr! He ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing! Did he not command them to shave their hair? The Messenger of Allah ﷺ and I used to bathe from a single vessel. I never poured more than three handfuls of water over my head.'".

Commentary : Facilitation is one of the noble virtues of Islamic law. This facilitation is obvious in various issues such as purification and ablution. In this hadith, Ubeid ibn Umeir Al-Laithy narrated that Aishah heard that Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-Aas ordered women to undo their (plaits of) hair while bathing so water would reach all hair. He may have made it obligatory. When she heard that, she wondered and declined his opinion, for it was so difficult that they undo their plaits. So she mocked and added, "Did he not command them to shave their hair?" Her proof is that the Prophet (ﷺ) and she used to bathe from a single vessel. She never poured more than three handfuls of water over her head. Aisha is the most well-known one of these details. On the other hand, there is another related hadith in which Um Salama narrated, "I asked, ’O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), I am a woman that braids my head. Should I undo it to take a bath after intercourse?’ He said, ‘No, it is sufficient that you only pour three handfuls of water on your head and then pour water over the rest of your body so you will be purified.'" This hadith confirms that a woman is not required to undo her plaits while bathing due to intercourse..

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Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "A man must not look at a man's private parts nor must a woman look at a woman's private parts. A man must not lie naked under one cover with another man nor must a woman lie naked under one cover with another woman.".

Commentary : Islam blocks all pretexts leading to committing sins and provides humanity with the noblest ideals and the right path to worldly life and the Hereafter. To achieve this goal, Islam commands lowering one’s gaze and forbids looking at private parts, which may lead to committing immoral acts. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ prohibits a man from looking at another man's private parts and also prohibits a woman from looking at another woman's private parts. These teachings involve two commands: (1) Covering one's private parts, and (2) Lowering one’s gaze. Allah pardons the first unintentional glance which may aim to distinguish the way, for example. Islam prohibits us from looking at or touching people's private parts without a need. However, it is permissible to look and touch them if there is a legitimate need such as a medical check, provided that there is a need and without a lust. By the way, this prohibition is not applied to spouses during intercourse. As a rule, a man's private part is from his navel to his knees and a woman's private part is her entire body except her face and hands. On the other hand, the Prophet ﷺ prohibits a man from lying naked under one cover with another man or a woman lying naked under one cover with another woman, for this will lead to touching their private parts. Undoubtedly, touching them is more prohibited than looking at them, for it leads to greater dangers. This prohibition is specifically mentioned, for some people may think that when men meet each other or women meet each other, they are not commanded to lower their gaze or cover their private parts. One's private parts must be covered for every male or female person, except for some categories that Islam excludes..

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Al-Meswar ibn Makhrama said, "While I was walking and carrying a heavy stone, both my light lower garment and the stone fell. I could not place the stone until I put it in its proper place. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to me, 'Return and wear your garment and do not walk naked.".

Commentary : Modesty is the manner of Islam. Allah prescribed for His servants what preserves their modesty and covers their private parts. In this hadith, Al-Meswar ibn Makhrama narrated that while he was carrying a heavy stone, his lower garment's tie loosed so his private parts were exposed. He was unable to place the stone and tie his garment because of its heavy weight. He continued to carry it until he placed it in its proper place. When the Prophet (ﷺ) saw that, he commanded him to go back and wear his garment to cover his private parts. The Prophet (ﷺ) added, "... and do not walk naked." This is a general Islamic rule. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) A Muslim has to cover his private parts, (2) It is forbidden for Muslims to be or walk naked in front of people except being naked in front of a woman's husband or man's wife..

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Abdullah ibn Ga'far narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ one day made me mount behind him and confided to me something secret which I would not disclose to anybody. The thing that the Prophet ﷺ most liked to conceal himself behind while relieving himself was a hillock or a stand of date palm trees.".

Commentary : Concealing one's private parts is one of the etiquette of relieving oneself so a Muslim is required to preserve them away from people's eyes. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Ga'far narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) one day made him mount behind him and confided to him something secret. Ga’far was honest and would not disclose it to anybody. This indicated his perfect virtue and supreme status with the Prophet to the extent that he let him in on a secret. Afterward, Abdullah narrated, "The thing that the Prophet most liked to conceal himself behind while relieving himself was a hillock or a stand of date palm trees." It was the Arabs' custom that they relieved themselves in gardens but they later used bathrooms. Finally, this hadith confirms the importance of concealing all one's body while answering the call of nature..

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Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated, "I went to Quba' with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on Monday. When we reached (the habitation) of Banu Salim, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) stood at the door of Itban and called him loudly. So he came out dragging his lower garment. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'We made the man haste.' Itban said, 'O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), if a man leaves his wife suddenly (during intercourse) without ejaculation, what is he required to do?' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'Washing oneself is obligatory due to ejaculation.'".

Commentary : Purity is the symbol of believers. The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to teach his companions the matters of purification and they used to ask him about any inquiries they had. In this hadith, Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that he went out with the Prophet (ﷺ) on Monday to Quba’. It is a close village located south of Media on the way of coming caravans from Mecca. When they arrived at Banu Salem, a sect of Khazraj tribe, The Prophet (ﷺ) stood at the door of Itban bin Malik Al-Ansari and called him in a loud voice. As a result, Itban came out dragging his lower garment, which is a metaphor for his rapid response to the Prophet (ﷺ). The Prophet (ﷺ) thought he made Itban haste. Itban asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about the necessity of bathing if a man left his wife suddenly during intercourse without ejaculation. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that bathing is only obligatory if a man ejaculates. This rule was applied at the beginning of Islam, then abrogated by the hadith reported in the Two Sahihs that Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “When a man sits between her four parts (his wife) and has intercourse, bathing is compulsory." In Muslim’s narration, he said, "Even if he does not ejaculate.” So, bathing is obligatory for anyone who has intercourse with his wife, whether or not he ejaculates semen. It was the established rule during or after the Prophet's lifetime. Finally, this hadith confirms the legitimacy of loud calling a household to inform them of one's presence..