Bukhari and Muslim hadiths

Book of Hadith
- Bukhari Hadith
- Muslim Hadith

| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

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..

715

Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man should come to his wife by night doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses. [In another version]: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have disliked that a man should come to his wife by night; however, he did not mention doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set the most remarkable example of good manners and kind treatment between a man and his wife. He taught husbands how to treat their wives and build their marital relationship upon mutual trust and avoidance of lethal jealousy or mistrust that ruins their life.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man returning from a journey should come to his wife by night. He then clarified the reason for the prohibition, saying: "doubting her fidelity or trying to find her lapses," i.e., thinking she is unfaithful or exposing her secret as to whether she has committed infidelity or not. So, it is disliked for a man who has been on a long journey to unexpectedly return to his wife by night. Yet, if he is on a short journey and his wife expects his return by night, there is nothing wrong with that.
In [the Two Sahīh Collections]: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not come to his family by night. He used to come to them in the early morning or in the evening. He would not come to his family if he returned from travel by night. Rather, he would come to them in the early morning, which extends from the Fajr prayer to the sunrise, or in the evening, which extends from noon - the time of the Zhuhr prayer - to sunset. This is because when a man comes to his wife by night, he takes her by surprise and she may not be ready to receive her husband, who has been away from her for a period of time. So, it is appropriate for him not to come to her unexpectedly at night.
In the Hadīth: Forbidding that a man should spy on his wife or come to her unexpectedly by night after return from travel
And in it: Urging pursuit of the means that bring cordiality and love between the two spouses
And in it: Exhorting the avoidance of such things that entail mistrust of the Muslim.

717

‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I said to ‘Ā'ishah: "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform the Duha (forenoon) prayer?" She said: "No, unless he came back from his absence.".

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi (determined) act of worship that must be taken from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He taught the Ummah the obligatory prayers as well as the regular and non-regular supererogatory prayers. He also taught the Ummah various kinds of prayers at certain times. One of these is the Duha (forenoon) prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq says that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): Was it a habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to perform the Duha prayer? The Duha prayer, also called the Duha Subha, is to be performed after the sun rises and goes as high as the length of a spear - that is nearly 15 minutes after sunshine - and its time ends shortly before noon. In reply, she said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not use to offer the Duha prayer, except when he came from his absence, i.e., from travel. This is because he forbade that a man should come to his wife by night after returning from travel. So, he would come in the early morning and go first to the mosque, where he would pray at the time of Duha (forenoon).
In a version by Muslim, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs and add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed. The negation is probably intended as the negation of her knowledge of the matter, and the affirmation is made for a reason, namely the return from travel. So, there is no contradiction between the two Hadīths.
The minimum of the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs. In the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "My close friend (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised me to do three things: fast three days of every month, perform the two Rak‘ahs of Duha (forenoon), and perform the Witr prayer before I go to sleep." And he would add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed, as mentioned above..

719

Mu‘ādhah reported: that she asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "How many Rak‘ahs did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform in the Duha prayer?" She said: "Four Rak‘ahs, and he would add as many Rak‘ahs as he willed. [In a version]: He would add as many Rak‘ahs as Allah willed..

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi (determined) act of worship that must be taken from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He taught the Ummah the obligatory prayers as well as the regular and non-regular supererogatory prayers. He also taught the Ummah various kinds of prayers at certain times. One of these is the Duha prayer.
In this Hadīth, Mu‘ādhah bint ‘Abdullāh al-‘Adawiyyah relates that she asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "How many Rak‘ahs did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to perform in the Duha prayer?" The Duha prayer, also called the Duha Subha, is one of the supererogatory prayers to be performed during daytime, and it is to be prayed after the sun rises and goes as high as the length of a spear - that is nearly 15 minutes after sunshine - and its time ends shortly before the noon. Answering her question, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs, i.e., he was persistent in offering it as four Rak‘ahs: in two Rak‘ahs, as it is well known with regard to the supererogatory prayers. "And he would add as many Rak‘ahs as Allah willed," i.e., without limit.
In another version by Muslim in his Sahīh Collection, ‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not use to perform the Duha prayer, unless he came back from his absence, i.e., from travel. The negation is probably intended as the negation of her knowledge of the matter, and the affirmation is made for a reason, namely the return from travel. So, there is no contradiction between the two Hadīths.
The minimum of the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs. In the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "My close friend (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised me to do three things: to fast three days each month, perform the two Rak‘ahs of Duha, and perform the Witr prayer before I sleep.".

720

Abu Dharr reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every morning charity is due for every joint bone in the body of every one of you. Every Tasbīh (glorification of Allah) is an act of charity; every Tahmīd (praise of Allah) is an act of charity; every Tahlīl (proclamation of Allah's oneness) is an act of charity; and every Takbīr is an act of charity; and enjoining Ma‘rūf (what is good) is an act of charity and forbidding Munkar (what is evil) is an act of charity; and two Rak‘ahs which one offers in the forenoon will suffice for all that.".

Commentary : Allah rendered all the types of goodness a person does to himself as an act of worship and to others of kindness - as part of the charities of the body and its good health and well-being.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Every morning charity is due for every joint bone" i.e., for all the organs and joints of the body. Sulāma, in Arabic, originally refers to the bones of fingers, hands, and legs, and then it was later used to refer to all the body parts. So, every morning, a person is required to give charity for every organ of his body, in gratitude to Allah Almighty for His great favors. Indeed, the structure of bones and their joints is one of the great favors Allah has bestowed upon His servants. Hence, each bone requires a charity to be given by the person for it, as gratitude for this blessing. Charity here is intended as something recommended and encouraged, not obligatory or binding, for it is sufficient as gratitude for these favors to perform the obligations and shun the prohibitions. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guides to some acts of piety which a person may perform as charity for his joints. "Every Tasbīh" (glorification of Allah) - saying: Subhān Allah (glory be to Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "every Tahmīd" (praise of Allah) - saying: Al-Hamdulillāh (praise be to Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "every Tahlīl" (proclamation of Allah's oneness) - saying: Lā Ilāha illa Allah (there is no god but Allah) - "is an act of charity"; "and every Takbīr" - saying: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest) - "is an act of charity"; "and enjoining Ma‘rūf (what is good) is an act of charity and forbidding Munkar (what is evil) is an act of charity." Likewise, all other forms of Dhikr and worship are charities for oneself. Ma‘rūf: It is a term that comprises all what is known to be a form of obedience to Allah Almighty and benevolence to people. Munkar: It refers to all offensive deeds and words that lead to disobedience to Allah Almighty; and it is a term that comprises all forms of evil. So, if anyone performs the mentioned acts of goodness and the like, it should be equal in number to the 360 joints.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that "two Rak‘ahs which one offers in the forenoon" are sufficient in place of all that, for prayer is an act that is done by all the body parts and it includes all the mentioned charities and others. This demonstrates the great merit of the Duha prayer. The time of the Duha prayer starts 15 minutes after sunrise and extends to also 15 minutes before soon. The minimum in the Duha prayer is two Rak‘ahs, and the maximum is eight Rak‘ahs, as related in a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, in which ’Umm Hāni’ (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took a bath in her house on the day of the Conquest of Makkah and prayed eight Rak‘ahs." It is said: There is no limit to its maximum, as indicated by a Hadīth by Muslim, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Duha prayer as four Rak‘ahs and pray as much more as he wished.".

724

‘Ā’ishah reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not observe any of the supererogatory prayers more regularly than the two Rak‘ahs before Fajr..

Commentary : Islam encouraged and urged the performance of supererogatory prayers and made them greatly rewardable. One of these supererogatory prayers, whose performance was urged by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), is the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not more persistent in observing any supererogatory prayer than he was in performing two Rak‘ahs before Fajr. In other words, he was not persistent and keen to perform any of the supererogatory prayers and regular Sunnah prayers as he was in offering two Rak‘ahs before the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr, which is the Sunnah before the Fajr prayer. They are counted among the regular supererogatory prayers associated with the obligatory prayers. The Prophet's keenness on them indicates the significance of their status and reward..

725

‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr are better than the world and what is in it.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah the virtuous deeds and demonstrate their rewards to encourage the people to perform them.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The two Rak‘ahs of Fajr" - which refer to the Sunnah of Fajr, the two Rak‘ahs to be performed between the Adhan and the iqāmah - "are better than the world and what is in it," i.e., the reward to be obtained because of this prayer in the Hereafter is greater and better than all the blessings in this world. They are counted among the regular supererogatory prayers associated with the obligatory prayers, and the Prophet's keenness on them indicates the significance of their status and reward and urges Muslims to be keen on observing them.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform these two Rak‘ahs in a brief manner. In the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr and make them brief to the extent that I would say: "Did he recite the Mother of the Qur'an in them?" In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr.
In the Hadīth: The merit of the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr..

726

Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited Surat al-Kāfirūn and Surat al-Ikhlās in the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr..

727

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first of the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr: {Say [O believers]: "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us"} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136] the verse that is in Surat al-Baqarah, and in the second Rak‘ah: {We believe in Allah; so bear witness that we are Muslims.} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 52].

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to prolong the Qur'an's recitation in supererogatory prayers and would sometimes make it brief depending on circumstances and occasions.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes recite after Surat al-Fātihah in the first Rak‘ah of the regular two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer the verse that reads: {Say [O believers]: "We believe in Allah and what has been sent down to us; and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the descendants [of Jacob]; and what was given to Moses and Jesus; and what was given to the prophets from their Lord. We make no distinction between any of them, and to Him we have submitted."} [Surat al-Baqarah: 136] The verse that occurs in Surat al-Baqarah, which means: Say, O the believers, to the advocates of this false call, the Jews and Christians: We believe in Allah and in the Qur'an that has been sent down to us, and we believe in what was sent down to Abraham (Ibrāhīm) and his children, and we believe in what was sent down to the prophets among the children of Jacob (Ya‘qūb), and we believe in the Torah that Allah gave to Moses (Mūsa) and the Gospel that Allah gave to Jesus (‘Īsa), and we believe in the scriptures that Allah gave to all the prophets; we make no distinction between any of them, by believing in some and denying others; rather, we believe in all of them, and we are submissive and obedient to Him alone.
And in the second Rak‘ah, after Surat al-Fātihah, the verse that reads: {When Jesus sensed disbelief from them, he said: "Who are my helpers in the cause of Allah?" The disciples said: "We are helpers of Allah. We believe in Allah; so, bear witness that we are Muslims."} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 52] And it means: When Jesus (peace be upon him) became aware of their persistence in disbelief, he addressed the Children of Israel, saying: Who will support me in the call to Allah? The best among his followers said: We are the supporters of the religion of Allah. We believe in Allah and follow you, and bear witness, O Jesus, that we submit to Allah by believing in His Oneness and obeying Him.
In light of the meanings in these two verses, it becomes clear that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite them for what they contain, of belief in Allah Almighty and submission to Him, and because they are two light verses that suited his brief performance of these two Rak‘ahs, as it was the Prophet's habit to lighten these two Rak‘ahs, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections.
In the Hadīth: The recitation in the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer after Surat al-Fātihah.

728

’Um Habībah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever prays twelve prostrations during a day on a voluntary basis, a house will be built for him in Paradise.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah the virtuous deeds and clarify their rewards to encourage the people to perform them.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Whoever prays twelve prostrations during a day on a voluntary basis," i.e., other than the obligatory prayers, or they are the regular supererogatory prayers, namely: four Rak‘ahs before the Zhuhr prayer and two Rak‘ahs after it, two Rak‘ahs after the Maghrib prayer, two Rak‘ahs after the ‘Ishā’ prayer, and two Rak‘ahs before the Fajr prayer, as related in Sunan At-Tirmidhi. Whoever does so persistently, his reward will be that Allah will build a house for him in Paradise.
In the Hadīth: Urging the performance of supererogatory prayers
And in it: Demonstrating the merit of the regular supererogatory prayers.

730

‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), concerning his voluntary prayers, and she said: He used to offer four Rak‘ahs in my house before the Zhuhr prayer. Then, he would go out and lead the people in prayer. Then, he would come in and offer two Rak‘ahs. He would lead the people in the Maghrib prayer and then come in and offer two Rak‘ahs, and he would lead the people in the ‘Ishā’ prayer and enter my house and offer two Rak‘ahs. And he would offer nine Rak‘ahs during the night, including the Witr. And he would pray for a long night while standing and for a long night while sitting. When he recited while standing, he would bow and prostrate while standing, and when he recited while sitting, he would bow and prostrate while sitting. And when the dawn came, he would offer two Rak‘ahs..

Commentary : Our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those after them.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq relates that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer supererogatory prayers. She informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer four Rak‘ahs as Sunnah before the Zhuhr prayer in his house. Then, he would go out to the mosque and lead the people in the Zhuhr prayer. Then, he would enter his house after finishing the Zhuhr prayer and offer two Rak‘ahs. She did not mention the ‘Asr prayer, probably because she was demonstrating the confirmed Sunnahs of the obligatory prayers, whether before or after them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to lead the people in the Maghrib prayer without offering a supererogatory prayer before it. Then, when he finished the Maghrib prayer, he would return to his house and offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of the Maghrib prayer. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform the ‘Ishā’ prayer without offering a supererogatory prayer before it. Then, he would enter his house after finishing the ‘Ishā’ prayer and offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of the ‘Ishā’ prayer.
He would offer Qiyām al-Layl (late-night voluntary prayer) with nine Rak‘ahs, including the Witr, which is the last prayer a Muslim performs after the voluntary prayer in the night prayer. It is authentically reported that he used to pray eleven Rak‘ahs, and it is also authentically reported that he used to pray thirteen Rak‘ahs.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes offer his late-night prayer while standing and sometimes sitting. Her words "for a long night" mean: for a long time during the night.
Another trait of the Prophet's prayer is that if he commenced his prayer at night with recitation while standing, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would bow and prostrate in the well-known manner: going down for rukū‘ and then returning to the standing position and going down for prostration and then returning to the standing position, and so on. And if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commenced his prayer at night with recitation while sitting, he would engage in rukū‘ and prostration without standing for them, neither before nor after observing them.
And when the time of the Fajr prayer came, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two Rak‘ahs as Sunnah of Fajr. In the version by Abu Dāwūd: "Then, he would go out and lead the people in the Fajr prayer."
In the Hadīth: Offering supererogatory prayers while sitting without an excuse
And in it: Offering the supererogatory prayers at home.

732

‘Ā’ishah reported: that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not die until most of his prayers were performed while sitting..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not die until he performed many of his prayers while sitting. This refers to the supererogatory prayers, not the obligatory ones. That was one or two years before his death, as related in Sahīh Muslim Collection from Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her), given that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was too weak to stand for long. In a version by Muslim: "When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) put on weight and became heavy" i.e., his body weakened due to his old age, "he would mostly pray while sitting."
The Hadīth mentions the performance of supererogatory prayers while sitting..

732

‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reported: I said to ‘Ā’ishah: "Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to pray while sitting?" She said: "Yes, after the people wore him out.".

733

Hafsah reported: I did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offer his Subhah (supererogatory prayer) in a sitting position till one year before his death, as he used to offer his Subhah while sitting, and he would recite a Surah in a way that is so measured that it became longer than longer Surahs. In a version: One or two years before his death..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best among people in worshiping his Lord and standing before Him, Exalted be He. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), take his Sunnah, act upon it, and convey it to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that she did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offer his Subhah - i.e., his supererogatory prayer - while sitting, as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform supererogatory prayers while standing. Then, one year before his death - and in another version: one or two years - he would pray while sitting, that is because he put on weight and his body weakened due to old age, according to a Hadīth narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections and reported by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
She informed that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite a Surah of the Qur'an during his prayer, and he would recite in a so measured and deliberate manner "that it became longer than longer Surahs" i.e., due to his measured way of reciting, the duration of reciting a Surah would become longer than the duration of reciting another bigger Surah in terms of the length and the number of verses.
The Hadīth mentions the recitation of the Qur'an in a measured and deliberate manner.
It also includes the performance of supererogatory prayers while sitting..

735

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr reported: It was narrated to me that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer of a man while sitting is half a prayer." He said: I came to him and found him praying while sitting. I placed my hand on his head. He said: "What is the matter with you, O ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr?" I said: "It was narrated to me - O Messenger of Allah - that you said: 'The prayer of a man while sitting is half a prayer'; and you pray while sitting." He said: "Yes, but I am not like any of you.".

Commentary : Prayer is the mainstay of religion, and its performance is obligatory for every Muslim. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the manner of performing prayer and taught it to the Ummah.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that it was narrated to him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the prayer of a man while sitting is "half a prayer" i.e., it brings half of the reward of someone who performs it while standing. So, this makes it valid and detracts from its reward. This Hadīth is taken to refer to performing a supererogatory prayer while sitting despite being able to stand. However, if a person performs a supererogatory prayer while sitting because he is unable to stand, his reward does not decrease; rather, his reward is like praying while standing. As for the obligatory prayer, it is invalid to perform it while sitting despite being able to stand. Yet, if a person is unable to stand, then his sitting is tantamount to his standing.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that he came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day and found him praying while sitting. He placed his hand on the Prophet's head, wondering at his prayer while sitting and wanting the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to look towards him. This was after he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had finished the prayer, for it is not thought that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) would put his hand before that. This behavior is not deemed impolite among some Arabs, as they tend to behave naturally. Moreover, this shows the Prophet's modesty and good character, and that he used to deal and associate with his close Companions like being one of them and not exalting himself above them. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sensed the hand of ‘Abdullāh, he asked him: "What is the matter with you?" i.e., what is wrong with you?! So, he told him about the aforementioned Hadīth, by way of inquiry, not as an objection or disapproval. His words "and you pray while sitting" affirmed the point that was confusing and unclear to him, and how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would be content with half a reward for himself. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) confirmed the Hadīth he cited and then said: "but I am not like any of you" i.e., what you have mentioned that the prayer of a man while sitting is half of his prayer while standing is a ruling that applies to people other than me in this Ummah and it pertains to them; as for me, I am not subject to this ruling, and my Lord accepts from me my prayer while sitting for a reward like that of my prayer while standing. This is one of the peculiar merits of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as his performance of a supererogatory prayer while sitting, though he was able to stand, was made equivalent to his performance of it while standing, as an honor for him.
The Hadīth urges the performance of prayer in its complete form for those who are able to. So, if a person is able to stand, he should pray while standing, in both obligatory and supererogatory prayers.
It points out how Allah Almighty favors His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and distinguishes him from all the Ummah..

738

Abu Salamah reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah about the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and she said: "He used to offer thirteen Rak‘ahs; he would perform eight Rak‘ahs and then observe the Witr and then perform two Rak‘ahs while sitting; when he wanted to bow, he would stand up and bow. Then, he would offer two Rak‘ahs between the Adhān and iqāmah of the Fajr prayer..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray as much Qiyām al-Layl in his house as Allah willed him to pray. The Companions and the Tābi‘is after them were keen on knowing about his acts of worship in detail and ask about what they could not see of his worship at home.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān says that he asked the Mother of the Believers, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about the Qiyām al-Layl of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the number of its Rak‘ahs and the manner of its performance. She informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform thirteen Rak‘ahs; he would perform eight Rak‘ahs, two Rak‘ahs each, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, and he would then pray the Witr, i.e., with the ninth Rak‘ah. As narrated in a version by Muslim: "Nine Rak‘ahs while standing and he would perform one of them as the Witr," i.e., he would make the last Rak‘ah among them the Witr of his prayer. In another version by Muslim: "He would observe five Rak‘ahs of which was the Witr, not sitting except at the last of them," i.e., he used to offer four Rak‘ahs, two Rak‘ahs each, and then perform the fifth Rak‘ah as the Witr, not sitting for tashahhud except in the last Rak‘ah. In another version by Muslim: "The prayer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the night consisted of ten Rak‘ahs, and then he would observe the Witr with one Rak‘ah and offer the two Rak‘ahs of Fajr; those are thirteen Rak‘ahs." This denotes the diversity of the Prophet's Qiyām al-Layl in terms of duration and the number of Rak‘ahs, depending on his condition and energy.
Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to perform two Rak‘ahs while sitting. Apparently, these two Rak‘ahs were after the Witr and before the time of Fajr. When he wanted to perform rukū‘ while in this state of sitting, he would stand up and then bow down in the well-known manner. Then, when the time of Fajr came, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of Fajr, after the Adhān and before the iqāmah of the Fajr prayer.
There are numerous other well-known Hadīths, in the Two Sahīh Collections and elsewhere, that enjoin making the last prayer in Qiyām al-Layl the Witr. An example is a Hadīth in which ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Make the last of your prayer at night the Witr." As for these two Rak‘ahs which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered after the Witr and before Fajr, this is to demonstrate the permissibility of praying after the Witr, and they were not performed on a persistent basis, for what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did persistently was to conclude with the Witr, as mentioned above.
In the Hadīth: Praying at night while sitting.

Book of Hadith