Bukhari and Muslim hadiths

843

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The poor came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: The wealthy have taken the high levels in Paradise and eternal bliss. They pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth that enables them to perform Hajj and ‘umrah, and to go for jihad, and give charity. He said: “Shall I not tell you of something which, if you adhere to it, you will catch up with those who went ahead of you, and no one after you will be able to catch up with you, and you will be the best of those who are around you, except one who does likewise? Glorify Allah (tasbih), praise Him (tahmid) and magnify Him (takbir) thirty-three times after every prayer.” We differed among ourselves. Some of us said that this means glorifying Allah thirty-three times, praising Him thirty-three times and magnifying Him thirty-four times. So I went back to him and he said: “You should say Subhan Allahwa al-hamduLillahwa Allahu akbar, until you have said the entire sentence thirty-three times.”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to do righteous deeds and seek reward for them, and to do that which would raise them in status and enable them to attain the pleasure of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, we see one example of this keenness, as Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the poor Muslims came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: Those who have much wealth have taken the high and lofty levels in Paradise, and attained everlasting bliss. That is because they pray as we pray, both obligatory and supererogatory prayers, and they fast as we fast. Based on that, their prayer and fasting are like ours, so we and they are equal in reward. But they have surplus wealth, meaning that they have extra money, with which they perform Hajj and ‘umrah, go for jihad, and give in charity. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him of something by means of which they could make up for this shortcoming, as he said: Shall I not tell you and inform you of something which, if you adhere to it, you will catch up with those who went ahead of you to the high levels in Paradise, so you will be equal to them in position and virtue, and no one who comes after you will catch up with you in virtue who does not do this deed, and you will be the best of those around you, except for one who does likewise; perhaps he will be better than you or like you. It was said that what the poor wanted was to attain high levels in Paradise and everlasting bliss as well; they did not mean that the wealthy should never have an advantage over them, because if the wealthy also do this action, they will still have an advantage over them.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them to glorify Allah, praise Him and magnify Him following every obligatory prayer, thirty-three times. The apparent meaning of the words “we differed among ourselves” is that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that, as is also the case with regard to the phrase “so I went back to him”; and the one to whom Abu Hurayrah went back was the Prophet (listings and peace of Allah be upon him). Based on that, this difference of opinion happened among the Sahabah. But in a report narrated by Muslim, it says: Sumayy – the one who narrated the hadith from Abu Salih – said: I narrated this hadith to one of my family, and he said: You have misunderstood it. Rather he said: “Glorify Allah thirty-three times, praise Allah thirty-three times, and magnify Allah thirty-three times.” So I went back to Abu Salih and told him that, then he took me by the hand and said: Allahu akbar wasubhan Allah wa’l-hamduLillah; Allahu akbarwasubhan Allah wa’l-hamduLillah – until you have said this entire sentence thirty-three times. One of us said: We glorify Allah thirty-three times, and we praise Him thirty-three times, and we magnify Him thirty-four times.
So I went back to him and he said: You should say Subhan Allahwa’l-hamduLillahwa Allahu akbar, until you have said the whole sentence thirty-three times. This indicates that Sumayy is the one who went back to Abu Salih, and that the one who disagreed with him was one of his family.
This hadith highlights the virtue of tasbih and all other dhikrs, especially after the prayer.
It also highlights the virtue of charity and the greatness of the reward for it..

845

It was narrated that Samurah ibn Jundab said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed a prayer, he turned to face us..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the best example for the believers in all his words and deeds. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow his guidance in all things, and to transmit it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Samurah ibn Jundab (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would turn to face the people after the prayer. The wisdom behind the Prophet’s turning to face the people is that he did that instead of leaving the place where he had prayed, because by standing up, he would indicate to the people that he had finished praying, and if the imam remains in his place (without turning around), that could confuse newcomers, and some people might think that the prayer had not yet ended. And it was said that the reason why he turned to face the congregation was to teach them what they needed to know. Based on that, this action is only for those who are in a position like his, and should be done for the purpose of teaching and exhorting the people, as some versions of the same report state that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed the people and exhorted them. And there are other views..

846

It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani that he said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying Fajr in al-Hudaybiyyah after it had rained during the night. When he finished praying, he turned to face the people and said: “Do you know what your Lord said?” They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “This morning, some of My slaves became believers in Me and some became disbelievers. As for the one who said, We got rain by the grace and mercy of Allah, such a one is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the heavenly bodies. As for the one who said, We got rain by virtue of the position of the moon, such a one is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the heavenly bodies.”.

Commentary : During the Jahiliyyah, the people believed that the stars and other heavenly bodies could bring about rainfall in a real sense. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to bring his ummah forth from Jahiliyyah (the time of ignorance), with all that it entailed of the evils and sins of shirk, to Islam and its teachings, with all that they contain of goodness and Tawhid (affirmation of the oneness of Allah).
In this hadith, Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Fajr at al-Hudaybiyyah – which is a village near Makkah; it is called al-Hudaybiyyah after the name of a well in the village – after it had rained at night. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim at the end of the prayer, he turned to face the people and asked them: Do you know what your Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) said? They replied: Allah and His Messenger know best. This is an example of the good manners of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), as they referred the matter to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and to His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He said: Allah (may He be exalted) said: “This morning, some of My slaves became believers in Me and some became disbelievers.” What is meant is that with regard to the falling of rain, the people fell into two categories: a category who believed in Allah (may He be exalted) and did not associate anything with Him, and a category who disbelieved in the oneness of Allah (may He be exalted). As for the one who said, We got rain by the grace and mercy of Allah, he attributed the falling of rain to Allah (may He be exalted); such a one is a believer in the oneness of Allah, and a disbeliever in the heavenly bodies. As for the one who said, We got rain by virtue of the position of the moon, such a one is a disbeliever in Allah and a believer in the heavenly bodies. Hence the one who attributes rainfall and other natural phenomena to the movement and the rising and setting of heavenly bodies, believing that it is the heavenly bodies that are the real cause of those events, is a mushrik (polytheist) and a disbeliever in Tawhid al-Rububiyyah (the oneness of divine Lordship). That does not apply to the one who means, when he says that, that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has made the position of the moon a sign of imminent rain, or the time for rain, or a cause of it. Such a person is a believer, not a disbeliever, but at the same time he must understand that the fall of rain happens by the wisdom, mercy and might of Allah (may He be exalted), and not by means of anything else, because sometimes rain may fall at the time of a certain position of the moon, and sometimes it may not be connected to that; rather it happens however Allah wills, and there is no god worthy of worship except Him. What is best for every believer is to say what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us: “We got rain by the grace and mercy of Allah.”
In this hadith, we see that the imam may pose a question to his companions in order to prompt them to reflect on the subtleties of an issue.
It also indicates that the imam may turn to face the congregation after the prayer..

848

It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: Ibn ‘Umar would pray [supererogatory prayers] in the same place where he had prayed the obligatory [Sunnah] prayer, and al-Qasim also did that..

Commentary : ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of the Sahabah to follow the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), to the extent that he would strive to find out about the actions and words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this report, Nafi‘, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer the supererogatory [Sunnah]prayer in the same place in which he had offered the obligatory prayer, without moving from that spot. Al-Qasim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr al-Siddiq, who was one of the seven fuqaha’ of Madinah,also did that; he would offer the supererogatory [Sunnah] prayer in the same place in which he had offered the obligatory prayer. This was also the view of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and those who followed him. It was said with regard to this action of Ibn ‘Umar that he did not do that if he was leading the prayer; rather he would do it when he was praying behind an imam.
In Sahih Muslimit is narrated from ‘Amr ibn ‘Ata’ (may Allah have mercy on him) that Nafi‘ ibn Jubayr sent him to al-Sa’ib ibn UkhtiNamir to ask him about something that Mu‘awiyah saw him doing in the prayer. He said: Yes, I prayed Jumu‘ah with him in al-Maqsurah, and when the imam said the taslim, I stood up in the same place and prayed [the supererogatory prayer]. When he came in, he sent for me and said: Do not do what you did again; when you have prayed Jumu‘ah, do not connect another prayer to it until you have spoken or moved, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed us to do that, not to connect another prayer [to Jumu‘ah prayer by offering it immediately after the first prayer] until we had spoken or moved. This indicates that the worshipper should move from his spot if he wants to offer a supererogatory prayer after an obligatory prayer..

849

It was narrated from Umm Salamah that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, he would stay in his spot for a little while. Ibn Shihab said: I think, and Allah knows best, that he did that so that the women who wanted to exit the mosque could leave..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen that women should not mix with men, and he would take measures to prevent them mixing with men.
In this hadith, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim at the end of the prayer, he would stay in his spot for a little while. It was said that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to stay there for a little while so that the women could leave first, then he and the men with him would get up, because of a report narrated by al-Bukhari which says that when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, the women would get up when he finished the taslim, whilst he would remain for a little while before getting up. This was so that the women could exit the mosque and leave, before the men started leaving, lest some of the men who were leaving after prayer come in close contact with the women. All of this was by way of barring means that could lead to evil, and keeping men and women separated for fear of fitnah (temptation).
In congregational prayers, the women’s rows were at the back, with the children’s rows in front of them, and in front of the children were the men’s rows, behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that the imam should pay attention to the circumstances of those praying behind him, and he should take measures to avoid any situation that could lead to impropriety.
It indicates that one should avoid being in any dubious situation in which one could be accused of mischief.
It indicates that men should not mix with non-mahram women in the streets, let alone in houses..

851

It was narrated that ‘Uqbah said: I prayed ‘Asr behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. He said the taslim, then he got up quickly, stepping over the necks of the people, until he reached one of the apartments of his wives. The people were alarmed at his haste, then he came out to them and saw that they were astonished at his haste, so he said: “I remembered some gold that we had, and I did not like it to distract [or detain] me, so I issued orders for it to be distributed.”.

Commentary : The best is for the Muslim to hasten to carry out obligatory duties and any obligations that he has, especially with regard to the rights of other people. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is the best example of that.
‘Uqbah ibn al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he prayed ‘Asr behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. He said the taslim, then he got up quickly and stepped over the people’s necks until he reached one of the apartments of his wives. Then he noticed that they were confused by what he had done, so he explained to them the reason for that. He said: I remembered some gold that we had, meaning that there was some gold in my house, and I did not like it to distract me, meaning I did not like it to occupy my thoughts and distract me from turning to Allah (may He be exalted), or I did not want to be detained because of it on the Day of Resurrection, so I went and got it so that I could issue instructions that it be distributed.
This hadith indicates that if someone keeps charity that should be given to the [poor] Muslims, whether it is a bequest or zakah and the like, there is the fear that he may be detained because of it on the Day of Resurrection.
It indicates that one should hasten to do acts of worship and good deeds that may bring one closer to Allah.
It highlights the virtue of hastening to deliver charity, and warns against delaying that.
It indicates that it is permissible for the imam to leave before the people, after saying the taslim, so long as that will not harm the people.
It indicates that it is permissible to step over people if there is no choice but to do so..

852

It was narrated that al-Aswad said: ‘Abdullah said: None of you should give the Shaytan any share of his prayer, thinking that he cannot exit [after the prayer] except to his right. I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) often exiting to his left. .

Commentary : The Muslim should not let the Shaytan have any control over him, or let him cause him to become confused about his worship to the extent that he thinks that what is recommended is obligatory, and the like. In this hadith, Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) advises his companions not to give the Shaytan any share of their prayer. That was because they used to see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), after he got up following prayer, leaving to the right, so they thought that leaving to the right was obligatory, and that leaving to the left was not permissible. So Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to make it clear to them that there was nothing wrong with leaving to the left, and that on many occasions he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) leaving to his left after the prayer. That was because Ibn Mas‘ud feared that this would become something that had to be done in this manner and it would be thought that nothing else was permissible. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to leave to the right in most cases because he liked to start with the right-hand side in all his affairs.
This hadith indicates that leaving to the right and the left are both permissible, and there is nothing wrong with either of them..

853

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said during the Khaybar campaign: “Whoever has eaten from this plant – meaning garlic – let him not approach our mosque.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of refinement and good manners in various aspects of life. One example of that is the attention that it pays to cleanliness and good smells, and consideration for the rights and feelings of others, as they have the right over another Muslim to find him looking good and smelling good.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that during the Khaybar campaign, which took place in 7 AH between the Muslims and the Jews – and Khaybar is a town located approximately 173 km north of Madinah, on the road to Syria – the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that whoever had eaten garlic should not approach the mosque. What is meant is that he should not attend the prayers in congregation, lest he cause annoyance and offence to other worshippers, let alone the angels. This applied to those who had eaten garlic raw; as for those who ate it after cooking it with fire, this ruling did not apply to them, because the smell had disappeared. There is a report narrated by Muslim according to which ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O people, you eat two plants which I think are nothing butbad (khabith), namely onions and garlic. I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when he noticed the smell of these things coming from a man in the mosque, he would issue instructions that he be taken out to al-Baqi‘. So whoever wants to eat them, let him cook them to death.
The reason why the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade that at Khaybar is mentioned in a report narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: No sooner had Khaybar been conquered but we, the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to eat garlic, because the people were hungry, and we ate a large amount of it. Then we went to the mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) noticed the smell, so he said: “Whoever has eaten anything of this evil plant, let him not come near us in the mosque.” The people said: It has been prohibited, it has been prohibited. News of that reached the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so he said: “O people, it is not for me to prohibit something that Allah has permitted to me, but it is a plant of which I hate the smell.”
By analogy, we may say that this also applies to gatherings for prayers that are held in places other than the mosque, such as the places in which the Eid prayer and funeral prayer are held, and other gatherings for worship, as well as gatherings for seeking knowledge, dhikr, weddings and the like. But this does not apply to markets and similar places. Included with garlic are onions and leeks, and any other kinds of food and other things that have an unpleasant smell. We may add to that anyone who has halitosis (bad breath) or unpleasant odours coming from wounds.
This hadith indicates that it is enjoined to show good manners when attendingplaces where people pray, by making sure to refrain from anything of which the smell could be offensive..

855

Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah claimed that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has eaten garlic or onions, let him keep away from us – or: let him keep away from our mosque – and let him stay at home.” A pot containing vegetables was brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he noticed a smell coming from it. He asked about it, and was told what kind of vegetables were in it. Then he said: “Pass it on,” referring to one of his companions who was with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw that he was reluctant to eat it, he said: “Eat, for I converse with one with whom you do not converse.”.

Commentary : Making sure to maintain cleanliness and a good smell is indicative of sound human nature and religious commitment. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a good example with regard to cleanliness in terms of personal hygiene, in his actions and in what he instructed others to do.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advises the one who has eaten garlic or onions to keep away from the mosque and stay at home, so that he will not annoy his brethren who are attending the prayer in congregation with the smell of garlic and onions. Garlic and onions are foods that are permissible in principle; this prohibition only applies to attending the mosque, not to eating garlic, onions and similar foods. This is indicated by the fact that a pot was brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which there were vegetables, and when he noticed a smell coming from it and was told what was in it, he passed it on to one of his companions so that he could eat from it. The Sahabi mentioned in the hadith is Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him). When Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) saw that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had not eaten from it, he did not want to eat either. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw that he was reluctant to eat it, he said to him: “Eat, for I converse with one with whom you do not converse” – referring to the angels of revelation, for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would refrain from anything that had a bad smell, because he was expecting the angels and the revelation to come at any time.
It was said that this hadith was quoted as evidence that eating these things is a valid excuse for not attending prayer in congregation. However, it may be said that this wording is by way of deterring people from eating these things, and that should not be taken as meaning that eating it is an excuse for not going to the mosque, unless there is a compelling reason for eating them, and that is unlikely, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed it on to one of his companions. This proves that what he said was not by way of deterring people from eating these things.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade causing annoyance and offence to other Muslims. .

857

It was narrated that al-Sha‘bi said: Someone who passed by an isolated grave with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told me that he stood to lead them in prayer, and they formed rows behind him. I said: O Abu ‘Amr, who narrated that to you? He said: Ibn ‘Abbas. .

Commentary : The funeral prayer is a right that the Muslim has over his fellow Muslims; it includes offering supplication for the deceased, seeking forgiveness for him and praying for mercy.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by an isolated grave, meaning a grave that was far away from other graves. Those of his companions who were with him formed rows behind him, and he led them in offering the funeral prayer.
The one who said in the hadith, “I said: O Abu ‘Amr, who narrated that to you?” was Sulayman al-Shaybani. Abu ‘Amr is al-Sha‘bi, who narrated the report from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased after he has been buried in the grave.
It also indicates that the Sunnah in the funeral prayer is to form rows, as in all other prayers, and the imam should stand in front of them..

866

It was narrated from Hind bint al-Harith that Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told her that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when the women said the taslim at the end of the obligatory prayer, they would get up [to leave the mosque], and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the men who had prayed with him would stay where they were for as long as Allah willed. Then when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up, the men would get up too..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very keen that women should not mix with men even in the mosque, and the entire community adhered to this refined Islamic etiquette. Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) narrates that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when the women said the taslim at the end of the obligatory prayer, they would get up [to leave the mosque], and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would remain in his place after they got up. The men who had prayed with him would also remain for as long as Allah willed, then when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up, the men also got up. This was lest the men mix with the women.
In congregational prayers, the women’s rows were at the back, with the children’s rows in front of them, and in front of the children were the men’s rows, behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that the imam should pay attention to the circumstances of those praying behind him, and he should take measures to avoid any situation that could lead to impropriety.
It indicates that one should avoid being in any dubious situation in which one could be accused of mischief.
It indicates that men should not mix with non-mahram women in the streets, let alone in houses..

869

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: If the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew of how women have begun to conduct themselves, he would have prevented them [from going to the mosques] as the women of the Children of Israel were prevented. I said to ‘Amrah: Were they prevented? She said: Yes..

Commentary : Islam has permitted women to go out and attend Jumu‘ah prayer and prayers in congregation in the mosques, on condition that no fitnah (temptation) or mischief be caused by their going out.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that if the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had seen how the situation of women changed and how they began to beautify themselves and wear perfume when going out to the mosque, or how little they cared about what is required of modesty, decency and the like, he would have forbidden them to go out, so as to ward off fitnah and mischief, just as the women of the Children of Israel were forbidden to go out to pray. It may be that their law did not allow them to go out, or it may be that they were forbidden after having been permitted, or something else may be the case. The one who asks in the hadith “Were they prevented?”is Yahya ibn Sa‘id al-Ansari. He asked ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd al-Rahman, who narrated the hadith from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), whether the women of the Children of Israel were forbidden to go out.
There are rulings which apply specifically to women when attending prayers in the mosques, how they should go out, and what they should look like, interms of modesty, adornment, covering, and avoiding dubious situations.Any acts of worship which must be done in accordance with Islamic guidelines. This does not mean that a woman should not be very clean and pure when going out of her house in general terms, but she should not have any fragrance or anything in her appearance that could attract the attention of men.
This hadith indicates that anything that may lead to impropriety is forbidden, and precautions must be taken against such things..

871

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in the house of Umm Sulaym. An orphan and I stood behind him, and Umm Sulaym stood behind us..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sometimes prayed in the houses of his companions, for the purpose of teaching and so that they might seek blessing (barakah) from his visit.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in the house of Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her), who was the mother of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). Anas and an orphan boy – whose name was Damrah or Dumayrah ibn Sa‘d al-Himyari, or something else – stood behind him, and Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) stood on her own behind the row in which Anas and the orphan boy stood. This hadith explains where women should stand when offering a congregational prayer with men; they should stand behind the men’s rows, because the issue of women is based on concealment and covering, so as to protect them and protect society; their standing behind the man is more covering for them and is more effective in barring means that could lead to mischief, because there is the fear that men may be tempted by them and distracted from focusing on the prayer and being sincere and mindful, because of what they have of a natural inclination towards women, aswomen look attractive to men and that takes precedence over all their other desires..

873

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray Fajr when it was still dark, and the believing women could leave when they would not be recognized – or they would not recognize one another – because it was so dark..

Commentary : Islam enjoins women to cover their bodies, and to wear hijab and loose garments that do not show the body or show its shape.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr when it was still dark. What is meant is the darkness at the end of the night, after dawn has broken. This is a metaphor which indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray Fajr at the beginning of its time.
The women would leave and would not be recognized because it was so dark. This means that the women would hasten to leave the mosque after the prayer had finished, when it was still dark, so they would not be recognized because of the darkness. After hijab was enjoined, the women of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) adhered to it and did not show anything of their adornment except what Allah had permitted.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for women to go out and pray in the mosques..

877

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you wants to come to Jumu‘ah, let him do ghusl.”.

Commentary : Keenness to be clean and smell good is one of the good manners and characteristics that the Muslim learns from his religion. This becomes more important when meeting people and sitting with them, especially in the case of Jumu‘ah and prayers in congregation. In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoins doing ghusl on Fridays. So if the Muslim wants to go to the mosque to pray Jumu‘ah, he should do ghusl and wash his entire body, as he does in ghusl in the case of janabah. The purpose of this is to clean himself and to remove any unpleasant smells, lest he annoy or offend other attendees.
This is part of the etiquette of attending the mosque and prayers in congregation. This is advice from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do what is most appropriate and best on such occasions..

656

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah reported: ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone. I sat in front of him, and he said: "O son of my brother, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night, and whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night.'".

Commentary : Allah Almighty multiplied the reward for the congregation prayer until it surpassed the prayer offered individually by twenty-seven degrees, and its merit increases if it is offered during the night, given its closeness to sincerity to Allah Almighty. Indeed, it is one of the greatest acts aimed at getting close to Allah.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i (the generation after the Companions) ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah relates that ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone waiting for the time of ‘Ishā’ prayer to come so that he would offer it in congregation. ‘Abdur-Rahmān said: "I sat in front of him." It is as if he sat to learn from him and ask him about the reason for his sitting and waiting. So, ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "O son of my brother." He meant the brotherhood of Islam, not that of blood. "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night." In other words, he will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship from the early part of the night to its middle and spends this time in prayer and dhikr (remembrance of Allah). "And whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night." He will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship all night long and spends this time in prayer and dhikr. So, the reward for offering the Fajr prayer in congregation is double the reward for offering the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, which indicates that getting up for the Fajr prayer is more meritorious than getting up for the ‘Ishā’ prayer. This is because the Fajr prayer is harder and more difficult for the performer and more tough for the devil. Indeed, he who goes to sleep and then gets up finds it harder than one who wants to sleep. Or it means that each of them equals half of the night, and together they amount to one night. So, whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for all the night, as related in a version by Abu Dāwūd and At-Tirmidhi: "Whoever attends the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation obtains the reward of praying for half the night, and whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation obtains the reward of praying for one night." In any case, this urges and encourages the regular observance of the Fajr and ‘Ishā’ prayers in congregation. This particular merit afforded to them may be because of the hardship involved in attending the mosques to pray them, like the darkness and the fact that in those times people usually take rest, most likely sleep, or spend private time with their families.
The Hadīth indicates that some prayers are characterized by a certain merit not shared with other prayers..

657

Jundub ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever performs the Fajr prayer is under the protection of Allah; so, let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection; and so, He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.".

Commentary : One of the best signs of faith is the strict observance of the obligatory prayers. Allah Almighty affords great merit to those who persistently observe these prayers.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation - as reported in the version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj - "is under the protection of Allah," i.e., under His safety and guarantee. He singled out the Fajr prayer from all the other prayers due to the hardship involved in its performance and because only those with sincere faith can perform it persistently; they, therefore, deserve to be under the protection, safety, and guarantee of Allah Almighty.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection, or else He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire." The prohibition here pertains to what entails accountability for violating Allah's guarantee and protection. The Prophet's words here have one of two possible meanings: First: Whoever performs the Fajr prayer obtains a guarantee from Allah. So, no one should harm or oppress him. Whoever oppresses or harms him, Allah will call him to account regarding His protection. Second: Do not abandon the Fajr prayer, lest the guarantee between you and your Lord will be violated, and so He will call you to account regarding it. Whoever does so, Allah will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.
In the Hadīth: Urging the performance of the Fajr prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the great bounty of Allah and His vast mercy towards this Ummah, as He prescribed an immense reward for the Fajr prayer
And in it: Clarifying Allah's revenge against those who harm His pious servants
And in it: Demonstrating that nothing on the earth or in heaven escapes the power of Allah, and if He wants to exact revenge upon anyone, he cannot escape Him.

660

Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited us, and there was no one other than me, my mother, and my maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. He said: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." It was not a time of prayer, he proceeded to lead us in prayer. A man said to Thābit: "Where did he make Anas stand with him?" He said: "He made him stand to his right." Then, he supplicated for us, the members of the household, with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. My mother said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant; supplicate Allah for him." He said: He supplicated for me with all goodness, and the last of his supplication for me was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him.".

Commentary : One of the things urged and encouraged by Islam is to accept invitations, for this displays brotherliness and cordiality among the Muslims. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) built a good relationship with his Companions, and he used to visit them in their houses so as to teach them and supplicate for them.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid a visit to them in their house, and there was none but he and his mother - ’Umm Sulaym - and his maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." This was not a time for an obligatory prayer. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would like the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to pray for them in their houses, in pursuit of blessing. So, he led them in a two-Rak‘ah voluntary prayer. Thereupon, a man asked Thābit al-Bunāni, who narrated from Anas: Where did Anas stand while he was praying with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on which side did he make him stand? He told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made him stand on his right side, for when one person prays behind an Imām, he should stand to his right; whereas the women stand in a row behind both of them.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for the family of Anas with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. The mother of Anas said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant" i.e., your boy who serves you. She said "your little servant" by way of gentleness and appeasement, not belittlement. Hence, she said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "supplicate Allah for him." She probably made this request so that his supplication for him would be compensation for him in return for his kindness to you by extending service for a long time. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) granted her request and supplicated for him with all goodness, and the last supplication he made was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him." Anas found the blessing of the Prophet's supplication in his wealth and children. He was the wealthiest person among the Ansār, and he saw lots of children descending from him. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri, he said: "Indeed, I am one of the richest among the Ansār and my daughter ’Umaynah told me that when Al-Hajjāj came to Basra, more than 120 of my offspring had been buried." In a version by Muslim: "and my children and grandchildren are more than one hundred today."
The Hadīth contains supplication for the increase of wealth and children.
It comprises supplication for goodness in this world and the Hereafter, for all this lies in the Hand of Allah Almighty.
And it includes preferring one's child over oneself; and making requests in a gentle manner..

663

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: There was a man from the Ansār whose house was the farthest house in Madīnah, and he would not miss the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: We felt bad for him, and I said to him: "O so and so, if you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand and shield you from the vermin of the earth." He said: "By Allah, I do not like that my house be close to the house of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: I was troubled by that and came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him. He said: He sent for him, and he said the same to him and mentioned that he hoped for a reward for his steps. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for.".

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were the most keen among people on doing good, and they would constantly look for deeds that increased their rewards with Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that there was a man from the Prophet's Companions from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - and it is mentioned in Musnad that he was the cousin of ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with both of them), whose house was the farthest house from the Prophet's Mosque. Despite the remoteness of his house, he would not miss the prayer in the mosque with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) felt pity for him for the hardship and tiredness he would go through while coming and going back. So, they said to him: If you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand; and it will shield you from the vermin of the earth. Vermin is a term that refers to creatures with lethal poison, like serpents, and it may also refer to creatures that are not to be killed, such as insects.
He swore by Allah to them that he would not like his house to be adjacent to the Prophet's house; rather, he liked that it be far away from it, so that his reward would increase with the increase of steps he would take from his house to the mosque. He did not intend to negate his love for being close to the house of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) out of hatred for him, but in the hope of a greater reward with the increase of those steps. ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) assumed by his statement that he meant hatred for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I was troubled by that" i.e., I found that to be grave and was distressed by it, given the repugnance and horridness of what he said and its evil connotation, namely that he hated the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In a version by Ahmed, he said: "I have not heard a statement about him more hateful to me than it." ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) interpreted his statement wrongly and thought ill of it because Madīnah abounded with hypocrites at the time, and they were keen to live away from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b came to the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him about what this man said. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent for him, and he said the same to him as he said to ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and he mentioned to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that what made him say so was that he hoped for and pursued reward and recompense from Allah for his walking. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for", i.e., Allah Almighty will give you the reward for your steps which you took for the sake of Allah, Exalted be He, and kept in store with Him. Hoping for reward means that one performs a deed for the sake of Allah and thereby seeks recompense and reward from Allah.
The Hadīth points out the merit of walking to the mosques..

664

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that their houses were situated far from the mosque, as they lived on the outskirts of Madīnah. These are the dwellings of Banu Salamah, a group of the Ansār. They wanted to sell these dwellings, given their remoteness, and buy dwellings close to the mosque, seeking to be the neighbors of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from that and explained to them the reward of which they didn't know. He said to them: "With every step there is a degree for you." When your house is more distant from the mosque, every step you take brings a high rank in Paradise, and the more steps you take, the greater the reward. Thus, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged them to stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in a Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated", i.e., that parts of Madīnah become empty of people and houses. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth shows the Prophet's concern about his Ummah and his keenness to direct them to what is good and to make the best use of it..

665

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The area around the mosque became empty. So, Banu Salimah wanted to move near the mosque. News of this reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to them: "I was told that you want to move near the mosque." They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, we want to." Thereupon, he said: "O Banu Salimah, your houses, your footsteps are recorded; your houses, your footsteps are recorded.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the area around the Prophet's Mosque became empty; "so, Banu Salimah wanted" [some of it]. Banu Salimah was a group of the Ansār, and their houses were far away from the Prophet's Mosque, located behind Mount Sal’, west of Madīnah. They wanted to move and stay close to the Prophet's Mosque, thus becoming neighbors to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was told about that. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I was told." In other words, your news reached me "that you want" and desire "to move near the mosque." They replied: Yes, we desire to do that, O Messenger of Allah. "We want to." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "O Banu Salimah, your houses." That is: Stay at your houses and remain therein and do not move from there. "Your footsteps are recorded." That is: Your steps to the mosque are recorded. You gain a reward for the steps you take to the mosque. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement once again: "Your houses, your footsteps are recorded." This was to urge and encourage them to obey his command and stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in another Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated." In other words, parts of Madīnah become vacated. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, thus frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth highlights the merit of walking to the mosques..

671

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The places that are dearest to Allah are the mosques, and the places that are most hateful to Allah are the markets.".

Commentary : Places vary in terms of goodness and evilness. The mosques are places where Allah's mercy and grace descend. By contrast, markets are the places of the devil's acts of greed and heedlessness.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions that the mosques are the dearest places to Allah Almighty, for they are houses of worship and dhikr and are founded on fear from Allah Almighty. In them, the Qur’an is recited, knowledge is disseminated, the believers get together, the rituals of the religion are displayed, and the angels attend. Also, Allah attributed them to Himself, by way of honor and extolment, saying: {The mosques are for Allah alone.} [Surat al-Jinn: 18]
He also said that the markets are the most hateful places to Allah Almighty, for they witness a lot of false swearing, cheating and deception, heedlessness from the remembrance of Allah Almighty, breaking promises, and impolite treatment, as well as other similar things. Love for the mosques means love for the pious acts that take place therein and hate for the markets means hate for the sins and misdeeds committed therein.
Love and hate are two of Allah's attributes that are established for Him by the Qur’an and the Sunnah in their apparent meanings and in the way that befits the majesty of Allah Almighty, as He established them for Himself without comparison or denial.
The Hadīth urges us to go to the mosques and frequent them in pursuit of Allah's love and pleasure, and to go to the markets less frequently and only when it is needed, so that we can keep away from Allah's dislike and avoid the means leading to His hatred and punishment..

672

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If there are three persons, let one of them be their Imām, and the worthiest among them for being Imām is their best reciter.".

Commentary : Prayer is a Tawqīfi act of worship, which we must perform as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught it to us. He clarified to us its obligations, Sunnahs, and its etiquette, including the one who is more worthy of leading the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that if there are three or more people, they should choose one of them to lead the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined that so that no difference, conflict, or dispute should happen among them. Imām here refers to the leader in prayer, as demonstrated by the last part of the Hadīth, as he said: "and the most entitled among them to be the Imām is their best reciter" who is most among them in memorizing the Qur'an and the best in understanding it. In another version by Muslim: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of them in the Book of Allah." So, if there are a group of people qualified to lead the prayer, the best reciter of the Qur'an among them is the worthiest of being the Imām, by virtue of this merit in him. Hence, if they memorize the entire Qur'an, the one of them who recites it in the most perfect, accurate, and measured manner should be given precedence, for he is the best reciter compared to them. And it is preferred that he should be the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them and the most knowledgeable about the Sunnah and its rulings.
It may be understood from the apparent meaning of the Hadīth that the group concerning the prayer should not be less than three persons. But, what is indicated by the Sunnah is that the group can also consist of two persons, with one of them being the Imām for the other.
The Hadīth shows the merit of he who is the best in reciting the Qur'an, for he is the worthiest of leading the prayer..

673

Abu Mas‘ūd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. If they are equal in terms of the recitation, then the one most knowledgeable about the Sunnah among them; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one among them to have emigrated; if they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam. No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority or sit in his special place in his house without his permission.” [In another version] "age" is reported in place of "embracing Islam"..

Commentary : Congregational prayer in mosques occupies a high status and brings a great reward. The Shariah regulated this prayer and arranged the rows behind the Imām (prayer leader), so that the worshipers can be in orderliness and mental and physical discipline during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs the Muslims on how to choose a prayer leader if they are a group of people, stating that the one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning intended by "the best reciter". It was said: It means the best of them in recitation and the most knowledgeable about its rulings, even if he is the least among them in terms of memorization. Another view says: It means the best memorizer of the Qur’an among them, for he regarded recitation as the basis for leading people in prayer and gave it precedence over all the other characteristics mentioned along with it. And another view says: It means the most knowledgeable, for if you consider the conditions of the Companions, you will find that the most knowledgeable among them is the best reciter among them. Thus, the Prophet's words, "the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them," mean: the most knowledgeable among them.
If they are equal in terms of the acceptable level of recitation, memorization, and mastery, then it's the most knowledgeable of the Sunnah among them; that is: the one who possesses the best understanding of it and the most knowledgeable about the rulings related to the prayer and the Prophet's Sunnah concerning it. If the Imām is ignorant of the prayer's rulings and what may arise during its performance, like forgetfulness and addition or omission, he will spoil it.
If they are equal in all the foregoing, the earliest one to have emigrated should be given precedence. Emigration means leaving the land of disbelief to the land of Islam. Thus, the one who moves from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam earlier is worthier in leading the prayer than the one who does so later. It was said: He is given precedence either because being earlier in emigration is an honor that entails precedence, or because he who emigrates earlier is usually more knowledgeable than the one who emigrates later. It was said: The emigration associated with the precedence in prayer leadership is not intended to particularly refer to the Hijrah during the Prophet's lifetime, but it is the emigration that does not cease until the Day of Judgment, which is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by An-Nasā’i: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hijrah will not cease so long as the disbelievers are being fought." That is, it is enduring until the Day of Judgment.
If they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam takes precedence. In another version, "age" is reported in place of "accepting Islam". In other words, if they are equal in all the foregoing - in knowledge, recitation, and emigration - and one of them excels the others by virtue of embracing Islam earlier or being older in age, he is given precedence because this is a merit that affords precedence.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority." This is his place where he alone assumes authority, a place he owns, or a place where he gives judgment. So, the owner of a place is worthier. He can step forward, if he wills, or choose someone else to lead, if he wills. This is his dominion, and he can dispose as he wishes in it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man should sit in another man's house in his special place - which is reserved for him and intended to honor him, like a mat and so on - unless he is granted permission. This prohibition pertains to sitting in the special place of a man in his house. This is because the place where the head of a household sits is usually the location for certain things not liked to be seen by others, or that it overlooks his entire house or the parts he wants to see; thus, he can follow the conditions of the members of his household and tell them whatever he wants. So, if he gives permission to someone to sit in that place, this indicates that the place is free in terms of all these aspects.
The Hadīth demonstrates the order to be observed in stepping forward to lead people in prayer.
It also indicates that prayer leadership is one of the important things in the religion. Hence, the lawgiver enjoined that it should be undertaken by the most proficient person.
It also states that the head of a household is worthier than others in leading the prayer therein.
It also states that no one should sit in the place reserved for the head of the house without his permission.
It also highlights the superiority of immigrants over others..

679

Khufāf ibn Īmā’ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ and then raised his head and said: "May Allah forgive Ghifār; may Allah make Aslam peaceful; ‘Usayyah disobeyed Allah and His Messenger; O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." Then, he fell prostrating. Khufāf said: Invoking a curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to draw close to Allah by supplication under every condition. This includes the supplication of Qunūt which he would make during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, Khufāf ibn Īmā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ during his prayer, and when he raised his head from Rukū‘ in the last Rak‘ah - as related in the version by Ahmad - and before he went down for prostration, he stood for supplication. Part of what he said in his supplication was to supplicate for the tribe of Ghifār and the tribe of Aslam, two of the Arab tribes. He said about Ghifār: "may Allah forgive Ghifār". He supplicated so that Allah forgives Ghifār for their heinous acts during Jāhiliyyah. About Aslam, he said: "may Allah make Aslam peaceful". He supplicated so that Allah Almighty makes peace with Aslam and does not command war be waged against them. This may also be information that Allah Almighty forgave the tribe of Ghifār and made peace with Aslam and prevented war against them.
About the tribe of ‘Usayyah, he said that they "disobeyed Allah and His Messenger", as they entered a treaty with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This gives the sense of complaining about them and it entails supplication against them to be disgraced for their disobedience, not supplication for them to disobey.
Then, he supplicated against some neighborhoods in the tribe of Banu Sulaym, saying: "O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." This is because they disobeyed Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and acted treacherously towards his noble Companions, killing the reciters whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent to them to teach them their religion. Then, when he finished his supplication, he fell prostrating.
Thereafter, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped supplicating against them when Allah Almighty revealed the verse that reads: {It is not for you [O Prophet] to decide} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 128] as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. This noble verse was a sign to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah Almighty might guide those people to Islam.
It was not the habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate against the polytheists in every situation. Rather, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was most merciful and compassionate towards them. But, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes supplicate against them when their violence and harm increased and grew and at other times he would supplicate for them when no trouble was feared from them and it was hoped they could win their hearts and embrace Islam.
Khufāf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Invoking curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that," i.e., supplication against the disbelievers was adopted and became legitimate because of this act by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his invocation of a curse upon those disbelieving tribes. So, if they attack the Muslims, they should be supplicated against, in line with the Prophet's example.
The Hadīth demonstrates a merit and good characteristic for both Aslam and Ghifār..

680

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We stopped for rest along with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and did not awake till the sun rose. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Each man should take hold of his mount's head, for this is a place where the devil has visited us." He said: We did accordingly. Then, he asked for water and performed ablution and then offered two prostrations - [In a version] Then, he prayed two prostrations - Then, the Iqāmah for prayer was pronounced and he performed the morning prayer..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in the Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were on a journey with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they stopped at a place in the latter part of the night for rest and sleep and did not wake up till the rise of the sun, whose heat awakened them; as in a Hadīth reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Consequently, they missed the Fajr prayer. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) woke up, he said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "Each man should take hold of his mount's head" i.e., hold the bridle of his mount and get out of this place; "for this is a place where the devil has visited us." And he caused them to be heedless of the time of prayer in this place, and it is as if he was still around them with this heedlessness. So, by their departure from this place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to turn away from the devil. They complied with the Prophet's command and got out of their place, and then they proceeded on the way for a while. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water, performed ablution, "and then offered two prostrations". And in a version: "Then, he prayed two prostrations" i.e., he performed two Rak‘ahs, in return for the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer. Then, the Iqāmah was pronounced for the obligatory prayer. "and he performed the morning prayer", which is the Fajr prayer.
The Hadīth mentions making up for the regular supererogatory prayer.
It indicates that the Fajr prayer is also known as the morning prayer.
It also urges avoidance of the places where the devil is present..

681

Abu Qatādah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and said: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening and night. Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow." So, the people proceeded without paying any heed to one another. Abu Qatādah said: "As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight, and I was by his side, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dozed off and leaned (to one side) of his camel. I went to him and lent him support without waking him up until he sat upright on his riding mount. He went on traveling until a major part of the night was over and he leaned (to one side) of his camel. I supported him without waking him up until he sat upright on his mount. Then, he traveled until it was near dawn. Then, he leaned, but far more than the two earlier leanings, and he was about to fall. So, I went to him and supported him, and he lifted his head and said: 'Who is this?' I said: 'It is Abu Qātadah.' He said: 'How long have you been traveling along with me like this?' I said: 'I have been traveling in this very state since the night.' He said: 'May Allah guard you as you have guarded His Prophet.' Then, he said: 'Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?' Then, he said: 'Do you see anyone?' I said: 'Here is a rider.' I again said: 'Here is another rider, until we gathered together, and we were seven riders.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepped aside off the road and placed his head and then said: 'Guard our prayers for us.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, and the rays of the sun were falling on his back. We got up startled. He said: 'Ride on.' So, we rode on until the sun had risen. He then dismounted and called for a jug of water which I had with me. There was a little water in it. He performed ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, and some water was left. Then, he said to Abu Qatādah: 'Keep for us your jug of water; it will have a word.' Thereafter, Bilāl made the Adhān (call for prayer), and then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observed two Rak‘ahs and then observed the Fajr prayer as he did every day. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode on and we rode along with him, and some of us whispered to the others saying: 'What is the expiation for the negligence we committed in our prayers?' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Is there not in me a role model for you? There is no negligence in sleeping. Negligence is not observing the prayer until the time of the next prayer comes. So, whoever does this should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it, and on the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time.' Then, he said: 'What do you think the people would do (at this hour) when they would not find their Prophet with them in the morning. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you, and he does not leave you behind.’ Other people said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is ahead of you.’ So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path.' We proceeded on until we came up to the people (from whom we had lagged behind), and the sun had considerably risen, and everything became hot, and they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we are dying, we are thirsty.' Whereupon, he said: 'You will not die (of thirst).' And he then said: 'Bring that small cup of mine.' Then, he asked for the jug of water to be brought to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water, and Abu Qatādah gave them water to drink. When the people saw that there was water in the jug, they gathered in crowds around it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Behave well in your gathering; you will drink to your fill.' They complied. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fill (the cup), and I would serve them until no one was left except me and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He then filled (the cup) with water and said to me: 'Drink it.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink.' He said: 'The server of the people is the last among them to drink.' So, I drank, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also drank, and the people came to the place of water quite happy and satiated." ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh said: "As I was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn said: 'Consider, O young man, how you narrate, for I was one of the riders in that night.' I said: 'So, you must know this Hadīth well.' He said: 'Who are you?' I said: 'I am one of the Ansār.' Thereupon, he said: 'You narrate, for you know your Hadīths better.' I, therefore, narrated it to the people. Then, ‘Imrān said: 'I was also present that night, but I do not know anyone who memorized it the way I memorized it.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the army which he led, saying: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening." This extends from midday to sunset, the latter part of the daytime, (and night), which means: You will go out on the path of your journey in the evening and proceed with your journey throughout the night. "Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow," i.e., they would reach the water in the morning. His words, Allah Willing, point to the Prophet's compliance with this command of Allah Almighty: {And never say about anything: "I will surely do this tomorrow," without adding: "if Allah wills."} [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] So, he would say "Allah Willing" in any future matter. When the people heard his words, they proceeded fast with their travel without paying any heed to one another. In other words, they did not pay attention or turn toward one another. Rather, each person was walking alone and not paying heed to the company, caring for himself in pursuing and reaching the water. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight," i.e., it was the middle of the night and darkness accumulated; or a major part of the night did pass and one-third of it was remaining. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was by his side. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started dozing off
- the beginning of sleep - as he moved. He began to lean and almost fell off his mount. Meanwhile, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) would support him to help him sit upright and not fall. He did all that without awakening the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that a number of times, and this happened when a major part of the night was over. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) kept supporting him so that he would not fall off his riding animal." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on traveling, and when it was near dawn, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leaned so heavily that he almost fell. So, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and lent him support, like a bolster under him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up from his sleep, raised his head, and asked: Who is this one who is helping me? Abu Qatādah replied that it was him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: Since when? Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he kept guarding and supporting him from the first time he slept during that night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated that may Allah guard him as he guarded His Messenger. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?" In other words, have we delayed and lagged behind them? This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), due to his drowsiness, was not aware of how much he lagged behind the army. This also indicates that no one was with him except Abu Qatādah. It was the Prophet's habit to travel at the rear of the army to show leniency towards the army, carry the weak, and prod those who lag behind. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see anyone?" Based on that, he wanted to determine whether to move faster with his mount or at the same pace. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Here is a rider, and here is another rider. This means that they were catching up with the army personnel, one after another. They gathered together until they became seven in number. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from the road - lest they may be harmed by any vermin moving therein - and headed, along with those with him, for sleep, and he placed his head. The version narrated by Al-Bukhāri pointed out that the Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepping aside was at the request of some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I fear you may oversleep and fail to perform the prayer." Bilāl said: "I will wake you all up. So, lie down."
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Guard our prayers for us," i.e., its time. This refers to the Fajr prayer. Do not fail to perform it due to sleep. They felt sleepy and lay down. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fell into a deep sleep, and they did not wake up for the Fajr prayer. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, while the rays of the sun were falling on his back." This indirectly indicates that it was the heat of the sun that awakened him. Abu Qatādah said: "We got up startled." They were startled because they missed the Fajr prayer due to sleep. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to ride their mounts before making up for the Fajr prayer. He mentioned in a version narrated by Muslim and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the reason behind their departure from the place before praying is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is a place where the devil visited us." They proceeded until they went out of that place and kept moving until the sun had risen. In another version narrated by Muslim and reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him): "until the sun shone brightly", i.e., it went high, and its yellowness or redness disappeared. The intended meaning: The extent to which the sun goes high with which prayer after sunrise ceases to be disliked. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dismounted and called for a jug of water, which was with Abu Qatādah and contained a little water. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used its water for performing ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, i.e., a moderate ablution, given the shortage of water. He did not perform ablution thoroughly as usual. Or that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted the one-time approach in its performance and did not pour a lot of water, for he wanted to keep some of it so that his blessing and his miraculous act would appear therein. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Qatādah: "Keep for us your jug of water" and the water it contains. "It will have a word." i.e., momentous news or a miracle in the future - the blessing that would come to the people.
Then, Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) made the Adhān for the missed prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) first performed the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer and then the obligatory Fajr prayer as a missed prayer. His prayer was the same as the prayers he would perform every day at their appointed times, with no difference between his performance of prayer at the appointed time and his performance of it as a missed prayer. After the prayer was over, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode his mount, and so did the people, and they went out traveling on their way. But they began to whisper to one another in a low voice, saying: "What is the expiation for our negligence towards our prayers?" They feared the sin and the penalty for that. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard their words, seeking to comfort them amid their grief over missing the Fajr prayer, he said: "Is there not in me a role model for you?" In other words, an example to imitate and follow. This seems to indicate that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted them to understand that their performance of the prayer as a missed prayer is an expiation for missing it. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no negligence in sleeping," and no neglect in missing the prayer because a sleeping person has no choice. Rather, neglect and sin are upon a wakeful person who fails to perform a prayer - intentionally and out of neglect and lethargy - until the time of the next prayer comes. "So, whoever does this" - i.e., he oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer until its time elapses - "should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it" - i.e., after he wakes up - "and in the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time." In other words, he should not delay the prayer beyond its usual time. This does not mean that he should perform the missed prayer twice, one time at that moment and another time the next day.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked those present with him: "'What do you think the people have done?" He meant the front part of the army and those who went ahead of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was inquiring about their condition since the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) unusually lagged behind them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered his question and informed those with him that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are saying to the people: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you;" i.e., he is after you and lagging behind you and has not come yet, for he would not "leave you behind, i.e., he would not go ahead of you and leave you behind. They meant to ask the people to wait for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) until he could catch up with them. Some others said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went ahead of us. Thus, they were asking the people to proceed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path" because they are right and correct, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in the state Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) talked about.
Thereafter, Abu Qatādah informed that they reached the front of the army in which Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were, as "the sun had considerably risen" - i.e., the sun went high - "and everything became hot;" i.e., the heat became severe. Everyone was suffering from exhaustion and hardship, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, we are dying" - i.e., from the hot weather - "and thirsty" due to the lack of water. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reassured them that they will not die. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring that small cup of mine," i.e., untie my luggage, take my small cup out of it, and bring it to me. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for the jug of water which was with Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to pour water into the jug, while Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them water to drink. When the people saw that a lot of water was coming out of the jug, they gathered in crowds around it to drink and store water from it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Behave well;" that is, be good in manners and dealing with one another as you drink. He gave them good news that they would all quench their thirst and drink from that water. So, do not act badly by jostling and pushing. They complied with the Prophet's command. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued to pour water and Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them the water to drink. This continued until none remained but Abu Qatādah and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water and said to Abu Qatādah: 'Drink.' Out of politeness, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink." So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who serves water to people is the last of them to drink." So, Abu Qatādah drank, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the last to drink among the people. This is one of the etiquettes to be observed in drinking water. After that, the people reached the place of water which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them about when he addressed them on the first day - "quite happy", i.e., restful and in good condition, and "satiated", i.e., having drunk water to their fill.
The Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh mentioned that he was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, i.e. in Basra. So, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Consider, O young man, how you narrate;" i.e., what Hadīth you are narrating; or about what condition you are narrating, "for I was one of the riders in that night." In other words, pay attention, O young man, and narrate in an accurate way, for I am one of those who witnessed this incident, and I will check what you narrate against what I witnessed. He replied to him: "So, you must know this Hadīth better," since you were one of the riders and witnessed this incident. ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am one of the Ansār," the dwellers of Madīnah. Thereupon, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to narrate, as he praised the Ansār, saying: "You know your Hadīths better." When ‘Abdullāh narrated the Hadīth and finished its narration and it was consistent with ‘Imrān's account, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "I was present that night, but I do not know anyone who has committed it to memory as good as I have done." Thus, he praised him for memorizing the Hadīth so accurately and was amazed at how well he memorized it, even though he did not witness the incident.
In the Hadīth: The one who serves water to people is the last among them to drink.
And in it: Whoever oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer has to make up for the missed prayer.
And in it: The Prophet's miracle in foretelling things of the Unseen, which Allah revealed to him, and in the blessing and increase of the little water.
And in it: Serving virtuous people, especially during travel.
And in it: Demonstrating some of the etiquettes related to taking rest during travel, namely, to avoid the road.
And in it: Supplicating for the one who offers good service, as a reward for his doing good.
And in it: Feeling sad and regretful over missed virtuous deeds, even if no negligence is involved.
And in it: Making up for the missed supererogatory prayer.
And in it: Urging the improvement of manners among people, particularly in situations involving crowdedness and annoyance..

683

Abu Qatādah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when he alighted before dawn, he would erect his forearm and place his head on his palm..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to devote attention to the Prophet's guidance in his deeds, words, and approvals, to follow his example and learn from him. In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on a journey, he would alight in the first part of the night for sleep and rest, sleep on his right side, and place his head on a pillow or the like, thus giving himself the due share of sleep. And when he wanted to sleep at the latter part of the night, shortly before dawn, he would erect his right 'forearm' and "place his head on his palm," fearing he might be overtaken by sleep and thus fail to perform the Fajr prayer at its earliest time. The right side is favored regarding sleep given the honor of tayāmun (using the right side or starting with it) and its general merit in everything. It was the Prophet's habit to favor the right side, except in repulsive things, in which he would use the left side.
This also indicates that a person should give himself the due share of rest and not forget the worship of his Lord. In the first part of the night, he can get sufficient sleep before dawn and then get up. Yet in the latter part of the night, he should sleep lightly, rather than deeply, lest he may miss the Fajr prayer.
In the Hadīth: Alighting for rest during travel in case of tiredness, while being cautious not to miss the prayer
And in it: Using alarms and the like to alert one to the times of prayers.

686

Ya‘la ibn Umayyah reported: I said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb: "{There is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101]. And people have become secure!" He said: "I wondered about the same thing you wondered about, and I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about that, and he said: 'It is a charity that Allah has given you; so accept His charity.'".

Commentary : Travel is a piece of torment, and it is most likely to involve tiredness and hardship. Hence, Allah Almighty alleviates things for travelers and facilitates the Shar‘i rulings for them, especially those related to prayer and fasting.
In this Hadīth, Ya‘la ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he asked ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) about the verse that reads: {When you are traveling through the land, there is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101] It means: If you travel in the land, there is no sin on you in shortening the four-Rak‘ah prayers (the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’ prayers) to two Rak‘ahs - if you fear harm from the disbelievers.
"And people have become secure" now, and their fear, which was the reason behind prescribing the shortening of prayer, is no longer there. So, why do they shorten the prayer? Or what is the objective of shortening if its reason is no longer there? In response, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had the same thought as Ya‘la ibn Umayyah and so he asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about shortening the prayer in the absence of its reason - namely the fear from the enemy - and the existence of security, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that shortening the prayer is a favor from Allah Almighty which He bestowed upon the Muslim Ummah and honored them with; it is a charity Allah has given them, by way of facilitation and mercy. "So, accept His charity," i.e., whether there is fear or not; shortening the prayer is established in case of security as well. Allah's words: That the disbelievers may harm you} refers to what is most likely, for most of the journeys of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were not fear-free, given the multitude of fighting enemies at the time.
This indicates that the shortening of prayer during travel was prescribed to make things lenient and easy for people, and it does not have the sense of order or obligation for the traveler. Indeed, the Ummah unanimously agreed that a person to whom charity is offered is not obligated to accept it.
In the Hadīth: Shortening the prayer during travel with or without fear
And in it: Demonstrating the mercy of Allah Almighty and His complete favor upon His servants, as He prescribed for Muslims to shorten the prayer during travel given the hardship they suffer..

687

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as four Rak‘ahs when resident, two when traveling, and one in case of fear..

Commentary : Making things easy and light is one of the merits of the tolerant Islamic Shariah. Allah Almighty laid down dispensations for the Muslims therein so that they will not suffer hardship that causes them harm or burdens them with unbearable things. These dispensations include shortening the prayer during travel and at the time of war.
In this Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" by revelation from Allah Almighty. So, it is "four Rak‘ahs when resident," i.e., the four-Rak‘ah prayers: Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’- "two when traveling;" the four-Rak‘ah prayer is shortened to two Rak‘ahs only during travel. And He prescribed "one in case of fear." The prayer of fear is when the time for obligatory prayer becomes due while Muslims are fighting an enemy, guarding borders, and the like. The Hadīth apparently indicates that the prayer of fear consists of one Rak‘ah in case of severe fear and war. It was said: What is meant by one Rak‘ah is that he offers one Rak‘ah with the Imām and one Rak‘ah alone. This is because most reports about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) state that the prayer of fear consists of two Rak‘ahs, to be performed in different ways depending on the condition of the enemy in terms of nearness and remoteness. There is no effect for the severe fear, but they should perform two Rak‘ahs, according to their ability, in whatever direction they turn to, while walking and riding, nodding with their heads..

Book of Hadith

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