| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

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..

300

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..

302

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..

307

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..

308

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..

314

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..

315

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..

323

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..

326

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.".

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..

338

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..

341

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..

342

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..

343

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

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. .

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..

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..

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..

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.".

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.”.

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

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.".

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.".

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.".

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.".

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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