| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
930
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: A man came whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was addressing the people on a Friday. He said: “Have you prayed, O So-and-so?” He said: No. He said: “Get up and pray two rak‘ahs.”.

Commentary : The prayer to “greet the mosque” (tahiyyat al-masjid) is one of the Sunnah prayers that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined and encouraged the Muslims to do, even during the khutbah on Friday when the imam is on the minbar.
We see that in this hadith, in which Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was delivering the khutbah one Friday, when a man entered the mosque during his khutbah, then sat down without praying. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Have you prayed, O So-and-so?” This man’s name was Sulayk, as is mentioned another report. The man answered that he had not prayed, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to get up and pray two rak‘ahs to “greet the mosque.” In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you comes to the mosque, let him not sit down before he prays two rak‘ahs.”
The Sunnah is  to make these two rak‘ahs brief, as it says in Sahih Muslim: “Pray two rak‘ahs, and make them brief.” He told him to make them brief, so that he could finish them quickly and listen to the khutbah. This is indicative of the importance of these two rak‘ahs.
This hadith indicates that the imam may speak to a member of the congregation and instruct him to pray during the khutbah, and to point out any mistake the worshipper may make..

934
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you say to your companion on Friday, ‘Listen!’ when the imam is delivering the khutbah, you have engaged in idle speech.”.

Commentary : There is etiquette to be followed with regard to Jumu‘ah prayer, to which the Muslim should pay attention on this day. One aspect of this etiquette is to be quiet and listen attentively to the khatib during his khutbah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) drew attention to that in this hadith, as he said: If you say to your companion on Friday, ‘Listen!’ – advising someone else and urging him to listen to the khutbah when the imam is delivering the khutbah – then you have engaged in idle speech. The word translated here as idle speech refers to invalid and improper speech. What is meant is: you have done something invalid that is not right. This is a prohibition on all kinds of speech during the khutbah, even if it appears to be advising someone else and even if few words are used.
This word – “Listen!” – is mentioned even though it is not regarded as lengthy speech, and it comes under the heading of enjoining what is right. Therefore if the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) disallowed it, then it is appropriate that anything else that may be regarded as lengthy talk, and in which there is no enjoining of what is right, is also not allowed. It was said that this prohibition on telling the other person not to talk applies only if the idle talk that is happening is temporary and will stop, either by itself or if the imam says something to the one who is speaking. But if there are some people who are chatting and are distracted by their talk, and it is not possible to listen to the khutbah except by silencing them, then you may gesture to the one who is speaking or engaging in idle talk with a gesture from which he will understand that he should be quiet. If the gesture is not effective, then you may say brief words, because the reason for which it is forbidden to say, “Listen!” is so that people will be able to hear the khutbah.
This hadith contains a warning against not listening attentively to the khutbah and being distracted by other things. This highlights the importance of keeping quiet during the Friday khutbah and listening to the imam..

935
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned Friday and said: “On Friday there is an hourin which there is no Muslim who happens to be standing in prayer at that time, asking Allah (may He be exalted) for something, but He will grant it to him.” And he gestured with his hand to indicate how short this hour is..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has favoured Friday over all other days, because of the momentous events that took placeon that day, and because of what this day contains of great virtues.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of one of the virtues of Friday, which is that on that day, there is anhour during which Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has ordained that any supplication offered will be answered. This applies to the one who tries and aims to offer supplication at this time, and succeeds in that, seeking to repent and ask for forgiveness, asking his Lord (may He be glorified) for the blessings of this world and the hereafter, whilst doing acts of worship, seeking thereby to draw close to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), offering supplication or waiting for the prayer – for the one who is waiting for the prayer is in a state of prayer, and this is what is meant by “standing in prayer” in the hadith. It was also said that it may be that what is meant by prayer here is supplication, and that what is meant by standing is persevering and striving, not standing in a literal sense.
Whoever does that, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will answer him and give him what he has asked for, or something better than that, or He may ward off harm from him, or He may delay it for him until the Day of Resurrection. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured with his hand to indicate how short that time is, for it is very brief.
There was a difference of scholarly opinion as to when this hour is, and there are many views, the strongest of which are two:
1.. That it lasts from when the imam sits on the minbar until the end of Jumu‘ah prayer.
2.. That it is after ‘Asr..

936
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: Whilst we were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), a camel caravan carrying food arrived, so the people left and went to the caravan, until there was no one left with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except twelve men. Then this verse was revealed: {But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) was pleased with the companions of the His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and He praised them in His Book, yet despite that, Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) rebuked them for the shortcomings of some of them and their being distracted by worldly matters from matters of worship in some instances.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that whilst they were praying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and in a report narrated by Muslim it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was standing and delivering the Friday khutbah – a camel caravan arrived. This refers to camels which were used to carry goods, and that caravan was bringing food, grains and other things. So the people left the khutbah and went to the caravan, until only twelve men remained with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Perhaps this incident occurred at the beginning of Islam, when people had only recently left Jahiliyyah behind, before Islam had become firmly entrenched in their hearts. Then this verse was revealed: {But when they saw a transaction or a diversion, [O Muhammad], they rushed to it and left you standing} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]. In other words, they went to it and left you standing in Jumu‘ah prayer, with only a few men still around you. They included Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and some of the earliest Muslims, such as ‘Uthman, ‘Ali, Talhah, al-Zubayr, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Awf, Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah and Bilal. This was a rebuke from Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) to the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for forsaking worship and abandoning it for the sake of some worldly matter.
Then Allah (may He be glorified) urged them to focus on the trade of the hereafter, and to be certain that there is no provider in the true sense of the word except Him (may He be glorified). Therefore He said: {Say, “What is with Allah is better than diversion and than a transaction, and Allah is the best of providers”} [al-Jumu‘ah 62:11]. In other words, the reward for prayer and standing fast with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is better than any diversion or transaction. They responded to the command of Allah (may He be exalted) and they (may Allah be pleased with him) bought and sold, and engaged in trade, but when it was time to carry out one of their duties to Allah, no trade or sale could divert them; in other words, no worldly matter, adornment, pleasure or profit from trade could distract them from remembering Allah or from fulfilling their duty towards Him (may He be glorified and exalted). Thus they gave precedence to obeying their Lord and doing what He wants and loves over what they wanted and loved. Therefore Allah (may He be exalted) describes them as {men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah} [al-Nur 24:37]..

937
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) used to pray two rak‘ahs before Zuhr and two afterwards; two rak‘ahs after Maghrib in his house; and two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha’. And after Jumu‘ah, he did not offer any prayer until he left, then he would pray two rak‘ahs (at home)..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and teach it to those who came after them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar mentions some of the regular Sunnah prayers at the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) always did. They are:
o two rak‘ahs before Zuhr and two afterwards. In Sahih al-Bukhariit is narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never omitted four rak‘ahs before Zuhr. Thus the total number of regular Sunnah prayers connected to Zuhr is six rak‘ahs.
o two rak‘ahs after Maghrib, which he used to pray at home, not in the mosque.
o and two rak‘ahs after ‘Isha’. According to a report in al-Sahihayn, he used to offer these prayers at home too.
Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not offer any prayers in the mosque after Jumu‘ah; rather he would pray two rak‘ahs after he went home. What Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant by the words “until he left” is that there was an interval between Jumu‘ah and the supererogatory (Sunnah) prayers, so that it would not be thought that Jumu‘ah consisted of four rak‘ahs. In Muslim it is narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you has prayed Jumu‘ah, then let him pray four [rak‘ahs] after that.”
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to offer supererogatory [Sunnah] prayers at home..

938
It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: Among us there was a woman who would plant beets in the streams in a field of hers, then on Friday she would pull up the roots of those beets and put them in a pot, then she would add a handful of ground barley and cook it, and the roots of the beets would be like meat. We would leave Jumu‘ah prayer and greet her with salaam, and she would bring this food to us, and we would eat it. We used to look forward to Friday because of this food of hers..

Commentary : This hadith highlights how content the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were, despite the hard life they lived. Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a woman – according to another report in Sahih al-Bukhari, she was an old woman – used to strive hard to prepare food for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) every Friday. This was a habit of hers. She would plant beets in the streams of her field, and on Friday she would pull up the roots of the beet plants, place them in a pot and add some ground barley, then she would mix them and cook them. The roots of the beet plants were like meat, meaning that through cooking that they produced some broth. What is meant is that these beets were eaten by them instead of meat. They used to pass by her after Jumu‘ah, and she would offer them these beets and they would eat that food. Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said that they used to look forward to Friday because of this food of hers, because the Sahabah – especially the Muhajirin (may Allah be pleased with them) – did not become rich until after Allah granted conquests to them. After the conquests, wealth became abundant, but before that most of the Sahabah were poor.
This hadith highlights how content the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were with their lot, and they were happy with the little they had.
It also indicates that the Muslim should not look down on any favour, no matter how small..

942
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: “I went into battle alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺin a place close to Najd. We faced the enemy and lined up in rows [in preparation] for them. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺstood to lead us in prayer, thus, one group stood with him to pray while the other group faced the enemy. The Messenger of Allah ﷺbowed with those who were with him and offered two prostrations. Then, they left and took the place of the group that had not prayed. They joined the prayer with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he bowed with them once and offered two prostrations. Then, he ﷺconcluded the prayer with the tasleem. Thereafter, every one of them stood [in prayer independently], bowed once, and offered two prostrations..

Commentary : The Prayer of Peril (Fear) was legislated so that the Muslims could fulfil the obligation of prayer without exposing themselves to the danger of being killed while fighting the enemies of Allah. It is intended to lighten the burdens of the Muslims who are engaged in the fight, so their enemy does not take them out during their prayer.

This hadeeth transmitted by ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) explains one of the forms of the Prayer of Fear. He reports that he went into battle and war alongside the Messenger of Allah ﷺin Najd, which refers to the expanse of Arab lands between Hijaaz and Iraq. Najd today nests in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, the middle of which is the city of Riyadh, the capital of the Saudi Arabian Kingdom. It consists of many provinces, including al-Qaseem, Sadeer, al-Aflaajj, al-Yamaamah, al-Wushum, and others.

He said: “We faced the enemy” – which means, they turned toward the enemy and paralleled them, and they established rows facing their direction. After that, the Messenger of Allah ﷺstood in prayer as the time for prayer had commenced, and the battle and fighting had not yet started. A group joined the Prophet ﷺ and prayed with him while the other group stood facing the enemy, guarding those who are [performing the] prayer. As the Messenger of Allah ﷺfinished the first unit of the prayer with the first group, they went to the place of the other group that had not yet prayed. Then, the group that was guarding came forth and joined the Messenger of Allah ﷺ in the prayer, so he led them in one unit of prayer. Then, he concluded the prayer with the tasleem. Thereafter, every one of them continued the prayer individually and prayed one more unit. This means that every group prayed one unit with the Prophet ﷺ, then they stood after the Prophet ﷺ performed the tasleem to begin the other unit.

Many forms of the Prayer of Peril (Fear) have been relayed, and this is one of the reports that describes how the Prophet ﷺ prayed it. He had prayed it differently on different days, doing what was most cautious for prayer and clearest for defence. Thus, it (the prayer) was offered in many ways, but they are congruent in form.

The hadeeth shows the keenness of the Prophet ﷺ to perform the obligatory prayer within its time under any circumstance, even in times of war. It indicates the importance of congregational prayer, because if it was legislated during times of fear, then one must firstly be attentive to it in [times of] peace and contentment.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should be cautious of the enemy during the time of battle in every way possible.

Furthermore, it shows that the religion commands the worship that protects the person before Allah in the Hereafter, and it commands betaking to that which protects the believer in this world.

It demonstrates how Islam made the fulfilment of prayer easy on those who are accountable in Islam [i.e., they are obligated to offer the five prayers]. .

943
“Whenever [the believers] are engaged in indiscriminate combat with the disbelievers, it is permissible for them to pray standing.” Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) added on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ: “If the enemy’s numbers are greater than that [of the believers], then they may pray while standing or riding [on their mounts.]” .

Commentary : The Prayer of Peril (Fear) was legislated so that the Muslims could fulfil the obligation of prayer without exposing themselves to the danger of being killed while fighting the enemies of Allah. It is intended to lighten the burdens of the Muslims who are engaged in the fight, so their enemy does not attack or take them out during their prayer.

This hadeeth transmitted by ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) explains one of the forms of the Prayer of Peril (Fear) upon the encounter of the two armies. This is an abridged portion of another hadeeth dealing with the description of the Prayer of Peril (Fear).

The intended [conveyance in meaning] of his statement, “Whenever they are engaged in indiscriminate combat with the disbelievers,” is that whenever the Muslims engage in direct combat with the disbelievers, then it is possible for them to pray standing while satisfying the gestures for bowing and prostration; thus, they do not bow or prostrate. The [gesture for] prostration [should be] lower than bowing - so that it may be distinguished.

If the enemy’s [presence] increases to [the point of] intensified peril (fear) - [i.e.] to which it is impossible for the Muslims to pray standing in place, nor form a row – then they should pray standing on their feet, or while riding upon their mounts. This is because the injunction of dismounting from the top of their beasts becomes waived due to the peril [at hand]. They may pray facing the Qiblahor any other point of direction, according to [the best of] their ability.


This prayer is known as the Prayer of Sword Duelling, which is a name that was given because it is performed while attacking with swords and other weapons of war while continuing without any interruption.

[What is] meant [here] is that whenever the peril (fear) is immense and the two armies are in close proximity via combat, and the Muslims are not safe from the enemy’s attack if they were to turn their backs to them, or [if the Muslims] become fragmented, then it is not permissible for them to delay the prayer beyond its time. But rather, they should pray it while riding or walking - [in] any way they are able to; otherwise, they should delay the prayer to a time [when] the danger dissipates and after the battle has subsided. [This is] because in Saheeh Muslim, [it is narrated] on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn Masʿood(may Allah be pleased with him) [that] he said: “The polytheists prevented the Messenger of Allah ﷺ from performing the ‘Asr prayer until the sun became reddish - or yellowish. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented on that by saying, “They diverted us from performing the middle prayer (ʿAsr), may Allah fill their innards and graves with fire.”

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should be cautious of the enemy during the time of battle in every way possible. Furthermore, it shows how Islam made the fulfilment of the obligatory prayer easy on those who are accountable in Islam [i.e., they are obligated to offer the five prayers]..

944
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ led [the Prayer of Peril (Fear)], and the people stood [behind] him [in prayer]. Then, he ﷺsaid the opening glorification (“Allahu Akbar”), and they said it after him. [Next], he ﷺbowed and a group of people from amongst the congregation bowed with him ﷺ.Then, he ﷺ prostrated and [that] group prostrated with him ﷺ.[After this], he rose for the second rakʿah, then those who prostrated stood and guarded their fellow soldiers from any attack. Then, the other group joined the prayer and bowed and prostrated with him ﷺ. By this, all of them were in prayer, but they guarded each other in rotation..

Commentary : The five daily prayers are obligatory upon every accountable Muslim, and it is the pillar (backbone) of the religion; thus, it is not possible [for] any Muslim to leave off performing them under any circumstances, be the person is settled as a resident or traveling, and whether during times of peace or war. The significance of the five prayers is evident in Islam that mandates its performance – even in war but with ease. Many narrations have been relayed on how the Prayer of Peril (Fear) is performed, which is the prayer that is performed in the presence of the enemy.

This hadeeth explains one way of how to perform the Prayer of Peril (Fear) and describes how the Prophet ﷺperformed it. ‘Abdullah ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ stood up and prepared for the Prayer of Peril (Fear) at one of the battles, and that all of the combatants stood up [also to perform] the prayer with him ﷺ. This is an indication that he did not divide the army at the time of the prayer.Then, the Prophet said the opening glorification (takbeer) [thereafter]. All who were present with the Prophet ﷺ said the opening glorification [as well]. When the Prophet made the first bow, a group of them bowed with him ﷺ, and they followed his lead when he ﷺ prostrated. All the while, the rest remained standing [and] did not bow nor prostrate - [but rather] guarded whoever bowed and prostrated with the Messenger ﷺ. As such, those who were gathered remained standing in the prayer without bowing or prostrating until the first group completed the performance of the first unit with the Imaam of the prayer. The Prophet ﷺthen rose for the second rakʿah (unit), and [thereafter], those who completed the first unit of prayer with the Prophet ﷺ paused [their prayer] and fell behind to the place of the second row, while the group who did not bow or prostrate with him ﷺ in the first rakʿahcame [forward]. [Afterwards], they bowed and prostrated with him ﷺin the second unit of prayer while those who prayed with the Prophet ﷺin the first rakʿah did not bow nor prostrate [in the second unit of prayer]. Therefore, each group completed one unit of the prayer with the Imaam، while the Imaamhimself completed two units of prayer. As such, all of them were in prayer all the while they guarded each other in rotation.

It was said that this form [of prayer] is performed if the enemy is in the direction of the Qiblah with respect to the Muslims. In this case, the Imaam (of the prayer) places the people into two rows behind him, and it (the prayer) is performed in the elaborated manner previously mentioned. al-Bukhaaree and al-Nasaa’ee narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺperformed this prayer in this way at a place near Dhu al-Qarad, [which] is about a one day’s distance from al-Madeenah, near the lands of Ghaṭfaan. It is located between Khaybar and al-Madeenah, thirty kilometres away from al-Madeenah..

945
Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “On the day (of the battle) of the Trench, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab came and began cursing the disbelievers of Quraysh. Then he said: “O Messenger of Allah! I did not perform the ‘Asr prayer until the sun was on the verge of setting.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, “By Allah! I, too, have not prayed.” Thereafter, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah reports that he ﷺ went down to Buṭhaan, performed ablution, and prayed ‘Asr after the sun had set, and then performed the Maghrib prayer afterwards..

Commentary : Prayer is the pillar (backbone) of the religion, and it is the greatest of the physical pillars of Islam. Its observance is among the most splendid of religious rites. The significance of the [five] prayers is evident [in] that [no one may] leave off performing them even during battle.

In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) reports [on] some of the events [that occurred during the] Battle of the Trench - [which occurred in] the fourth or fifth year after Hijra, after the disbelievers of Quraysh and the Arabs and Jews, who allied with them, joined forces in fighting the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in al-Madeenah.

Jaabir reports that ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭab(may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺ after sunset on the day [they dug] the trench, cursing the disbelievers of Quraysh because they [were] the cause of preoccupying the believers with digging [instead of performing] the prayer until the time of ‘Asr elapsed. Accordingly, ʿUmar did not pray until the sun was on the verge of setting. [Furthermore, Jaabir] reported that the Prophet ﷺdid not pray ‘Asr until the sun was about to set, and that it was the motive [for] ʿUmar’s anger and reviling. When the Prophet ﷺ learned of the cause of what was troubling ʿUmar [the delay in performing the prayer], he ﷺ - [who] is the truthful and supported by the truth - swore, [stating] that he also did not pray hitherto, reassuringly and pleasantly, [in order] to [ease] ʿUmar who was troubled [over] the matter.

Afterwards, he ﷺ set off to Buṭhaan - [which] is a valley by al-Madeenah to the south - where he ﷺperformed ablution and prayed ‘Asr after the sun set, [thereafter] he performed the Maghrib prayer.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should strive to make up any missed obligatory prayers. It also shows that it is permissible to invoke Allah against the oppressor, because the Prophet ﷺ did not censure against [anything] ʿUmar [said]. Finally, it shows us the keenness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to pray on time, [and that] it was of great importance to them.
.

946
It is narrated on the authority of Ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) that when the Prophet ﷺ returned from the Battle of the Confederates, he said, “None should perform the ‘Asr prayer, except at Bani Quraydhah.” The time of ʿAsr entered while some of the Companions were on the way to Bani Quraydhah; thus, some of them said, “We are not praying until we arrive there,” while some of the others replied, “We’re [going] to pray [here], because the Prophet ﷺhad not intended what the [aforementioned group] had come to understand.” The incident was mentioned to the Prophet ﷺ, and he did not admonish anyone of them..

Commentary : The Messenger ﷺ was the reference of authority for the Companions in all of their affairs. Whenever they disagreed over any issue, they would refer the case to him ﷺ and to which he ﷺ would either elucidate what was ambiguous [on the matter] or approve their exercised judgement over the subject matter.

In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that when the Prophet ﷺ returned to al-Madeenah after the conclusion of the Battle of the Confederates - also known as: The Battle of the Trench, [which occurred in] the fourth or fifth year after Hijra, after the disbelievers of Quraysh and the Arabs and Jews who allied with them joined forces in fighting the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions in al-Madeenah – he ordered his Companions by saying, “None of you should perform the ‘Asr prayer, except at Bani Quraydah.”.

Banu Quraydah is a group of Jews that used to live in al-Madeenah. Not only did they violate their treaty with the Muslims, but also allied [themselves] with the polytheists who we were besieging the Muslims. They contrived [a plan] to [allow the besiegers] to enter into al-Madeenah from the area of their abodes but their plan failed.

Al-Bukhaaree narrated on the authority of ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) that after the Messenger ﷺreturned [to al-Madeenah] on the Day of the (Battle of) Trench, he laid down his weapons and [went to] bathe. Then, Jibreel, whose head was covered in dust, came to him ﷺ and said, “[Have] you placed down your arms? By Allah, I have not lowered mine yet!” The Messenger ﷺ then said, “So where to?” [To that], Jibreel [replied], “Look here!” and pointed towards the location of Bani Quraydah. ʿAishah went on to say: “Then the Messenger ﷺ went out towards them.”

After discovering the treason of the Jews, the Prophet ﷺordered his Companions to go out and fight them, emphasizing to them not to pray ʿAsr [anywhere] except there. However, the time of the ‘Asr prayer entered before they arrived to their destination. This caused the Companions to differ; thus, some of them said, “We should not pray until we arrive [at] Bani Quraydah,” because they understood the command of the Prophet ﷺ by [its] explicit wording. As such, they refused to pray anywhere except there due to the command of the Prophet ﷺ, thus, deemed praying ‘Asrbefore they arrived there as an act of disobedience. On the other hand, another group believed that they should pray right away. This is because they did not take the words of the Prophet due to the command of the Prophet ﷺaccording to its apparent meaning. They opined that the intended [meaning conveyed] from his mode of expression was to signify the urgency in departing towards Bani Quraydah. As a result, when the time of ʿAsr entered - they agreed to attain the excellence of the prayer by praying it in its earliest time, and [again] by going to Bani Quraydah. This way they would obtain double the reward by praying on time and obeying the command of the Messenger ﷺ in arriving there. For this reason, they prayed. And after they finished, they continued their journey and joined the other Companions who were ahead of them.

When the Messenger ﷺ learned of this incident, he ﷺ did not admonish the two groups. He did not reprimand those who prayed on the way in spite of not keeping his command, because [of what] they understood of him ﷺ [i.e., the mode of expression] alluding to haste. Nor did he admonish those who delayed the prayer beyond the earliest time because they understood the prohibition based upon its apparent meaning.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should refrain from reproaching others for following a view on an issue in which there is a valid difference of opinion.

Finally, it teaches us to be keen to perform the five obligatory prayers at the beginning of their due time.
.

948
‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: “ʿUmar bought a jubbah (i.e., a long outer garment resembling an open coat, having long sleeves) made of istabraq from the marketplace and took it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Messenger of Allah! Take this and adorn yourself with it during ‘Eid and [when you] greet or receive delegations.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺreplied, “On the contrary, this garment [is worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter].” So, ‘Umar abided therein, [as to] what Allah willed [i.e., a period of time passed thereafter]. Then, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent to him a jubbah made of silken brocade. [Afterwards], ‘Umar received it, and came to him ﷺ with it and said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ ! Verily, you said that this garment is [worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter]”, yet you sent me this jubbah.” [To which], the Messenger of Allah ﷺ replied, “Sell it or fulfil your needs by it.” .

Commentary : It is desirable, for the Muslim, to adorn themselves on religious holidays and Fridays, and when greeting (receiving) people, and the like. But, all of this is subject to conditions, so [that] the adorning per se not to be what Allah, Exalted be He, and His Messenger ﷺforbade.

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with them) reports that ʿUmar came to the Prophet ﷺ with a woven jubbah made of istabraq [that was] sold [to him] in the marketplace. The jubbah is similar to the cloak [i.e., that it is worn as an outer garment] whereas, istabraq is a type of coarse texture i.e., thick silk (similar to that of a brocade) that was made and purchased for the purpose of adorning oneself for religious festivals, Fridays,and greeting (or receiving) delegations of people. Oftentimes, those who came in these arriving parties belonged to leaders of tribes and the like.

However, the Prophet ﷺ said to ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him), “On the contrary, this garment [is worn by those] who have no portion [in the Hereafter].” Here we see that he ﷺ elucidated for ʿUmar that no men wear silk, except those who have no share in relation [of possessing] reverential fear of Allah - The Mighty and Majestic - in this world, [nor] Allah’s reward in the Hereafter.

This statement was made to show his strong condemnation and interdiction against men wearing silk [in their lives]. It is, [however], permissible for women to wear silk as demonstrated in other authentic narrations.

As for the statement of ‘Abdullah ibn ʿUmar’s(may Allah be pleased with them): “So, ‘Umar abided therein, [as to] what Allah willed”: [this] means that a period of time passed since the [aforementioned] incident with ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) occurred.

Then, The Prophet ﷺ sent for ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) a garment made of silk. But then, ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) remembered the words of the Prophet ﷺwith reference to the first time [i.e., the aforementioned story]. So, he returned to him ﷺ with regard [to what had transpired in the past]. And so, the Prophet ﷺ informed him that he ﷺ did not send him the garment for him to wear it, but rather, for ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him) to profit from its sale, and then purchase what he desired with its value, or give it to one of his womenfolk.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that Muslims should inquire about [matters that] they are uncertain of, so that which is right may become clear for them. Another lesson that can be extrapolated from this narration, is that we ought to strive to develop the habit of giving and donating as it will soften the hearts of people and ensure the love of the people in our lives and communities.

Lastly, to bear in mind the legitimacy of selling silk and gifting it to a woman, and, to a man, if he will gown a woman with it..

949
ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ entered upon me [i.e., in my room], and near me were two young servants singing the song of Buʿaath [a poem about a war between the two tribes: al-Aws and al-Khazraj]. Then he ﷺ laid down upon the bed and turned his face [around]. Then, Abu Bakr entered, and scolded me, while saying: “Musical instruments of the Shayṭaan near the Prophet ﷺ ?!” [Afterwards], the Messenger of Allah ﷺ turned his face towards him and said: “Leave them be.” Then, when Abu Bakr became inattentive, I signalled to the two servants to leave.

It was the day of ‘Eid, on which the Abyssinians were playing with shields and spears. It is either that I asked the Prophet ﷺ, or he ﷺ asked [me]: “Do you wish to watch them while playing?” [To which], I responded: “Yes.” He ﷺ [then] situated me behind him ﷺ, and my cheek was touching his ﷺ. Then, he ﷺ said [to the Abyssinians]: “Carry on! O Bani Arifdah!” [This went on] until I got tired. [Then] he ﷺ asked me: “Have you had enough?” I replied, “Yes.” He ﷺ [then] politely bid me to leave..

Commentary : The days of ‘Eid are for eating, drinking, and permissible entertainment, during which the Muslims should rejoice in the bounty and mercy of Allah and revive their spirits therein.

In this hadeeth, ʿAishah - the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet ﷺ entered her room on the day of ‘Eid where she had with her two young girls (prepubescent) singing chivalrous poetry which was uttered with pride during the [early] days of the Arabs - such as, the day of Buʿaath. This was a day on which an infamous war took place between the [tribes of] al-Aws and al-Khazraj [that] continued for 120 years.

The Prophet ﷺ did not disapprove of this [singing], nor did he listen to it nor pay attention to it. Meanwhile, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) entered [the room] and came across the two young girls singing this poetry near ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He severely censured them for entertaining [the others] in the house of the Prophet in a way such as that. Afterwards, he rebuked his daughter, and blamed her by saying, “Musical instruments of the Shayṭaan near the Prophet ﷺ ?!” -meaning: the beating of the ḍaff(a type of drum), singing, and instruments [that are] taken as the flute (or other wind instruments). [The upshot being: any instrument that produces] a whistle. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) connected [this instrument] to Shayṭaan, because it distracts [people] away from the remembrance of Allah, may He be Exalted, which is one of the works of the Shayṭaan.

Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺ did no more than order him to leave the two young girls alone and stop censuring them. Explaining this [type of reaction], we can look and see as it is [mentioned] in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslimthat every nation has a holiday, and this ‘Eid is the holiday of the Muslim nation. It is legislated for them to celebrate it, be delighted during it, and for it to be [a day] of permissible entertainment which does not agitate the individuals [around] to a point that is inappropriate.

After that, ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) indicatedto the two young girls to depart, and they left. The Arabic word used to indicate that she signalled to them is ghamz; [here refers to] [making an] indication or a gesture with the eye, eyelid, or hand.

[As for] the statement of ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her), “It was the day of ‘Eid”, this is from another hadeeth, but it was combined with the preceding hadith by some of the narrators, while some of the others separated the both of them [i.e., as two separate narrations].

Thereupon, she (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that it was a day of ‘Eid. Either this day followed the one with the two servant girls [i.e., the previous section of this hadith]; or, it was another. [In either case, on this day] the Abyssinians were playing with shields (daraq) and spears (hiraab), which [were] some of the weapons of war [at the time], whereas the [word] daraq is the plural of [the Arabic word] daraqah, and it is a type of shield. The [word] hiraabis the plural of [the Arabic word] harbah, and it is a small lance [with a] wide spearhead.

Then, ʿAishah(may Allah be pleased with her) reported - in a state of doubt - as to whether she asked the Prophet ﷺ; or, that it was heﷺ who asked her: ““Do you wish to watch?” - in other words - “Do you want to [go] and see the Abyssinians while they are playing?” So, when she told him of her wish on the matter, he ﷺsituated her behind him ﷺ,in order to cover her with his body. She [then] affectionately placed her cheek upon his intimately. He ﷺ then said, “Carry on! O Bani Arfidah!”, which is [either] an honorific for the Abyssinians; or, the name of their ancient forefathers. It is said: [that] they were a people [known for] their dancing. It is [also] said: [that they] were the children of slaves. The meaning [of the aforementioned quote]: [is that] they continued playing. Heﷺ did not censure them; understanding, rather, [that] it was a permission and an encouragement for them [to continue]. The Prophet ﷺ remained there as such until ʿAishah [may Allah be pleased with her] became tired and bored from watching them. So then, heﷺ asked her: “Have you had enough?” [To which], she replied: “Yes.” Then, heﷺ politely bid her to return to her home.

From the other benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that the display of delight on the ‘Eid holidays is from among the rites of the religion; that in Islam, [there is] a permissible range for playing and reviving the spirit in known times by that which does not infringe against the unchangeable rules of the Sacred Law; that we should strive to show benevolence towards our wives and try to gain their love [and affection]; and that we recognize that the legality [of rejoicing and relaxing] was made to ease, give comfort, and give leniency to the people and the families on the days of 'Eid; so that the souls may be relieved. One is exempted on Eid for that which he is not exempted on other days.

Lastly, it indicates that it is permissible for the father to discipline his married daughter in the presence of her husband if the husband did not do it..

951
Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “I heard the Prophet ﷺ delivering a sermon in which he said: “The first thing to be done on this day is to pray. Then, after we return from the prayer, we slaughter [our sacrificial animals]. Whoever does [this]; then, verily, they have acted in accordance with our Sunnah.” .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquettes. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious rite from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship at a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that he heard the Prophet ﷺ while he was delivering a sermon on the day of ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa - which is the tenth day in the month of DhuHijjah. [During the sermon], the Prophet ﷺ elucidated on his traditions and habitual actions during ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa: [and] that is, he would first begin with the ‘Eid prayer. Then after that, heﷺ would slaughter his sacrificial animal. By doing so, then, truly, the person has acted according to the Sunnah and upon his guidance ﷺ, and thus, he has obtained the prescribed reward.

The slaughtering of the sacrificial animal is required of the one who is capable and possesses the wealth and ability to purchase a sacrificial animal. It is said: the intended [meaning] by wealth [here] is that the individual should rightfully own the nisaabof zakat [i.e., minimum amount necessary for one to pay the zakat].

The ‘Eid prayer begins after the sun has risen the height of a spear (which is close to fifteen minutes after sunrise). The scholars have defined it by the disappearance of the sun’s redness. Its time ends at the cessation of the sun’s [ascension, i.e., noon] (which is before Dhuhr, and lasts close to fifteen minutes in total). This specific prayer is a two-unit prayer that has no adhaanor iqaamah. The sermon is delivered after the prayer’s performance - differing from the congregational Friday prayer..

954
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever slaughtered (his sacrifice) before the `Eid prayer, should slaughter again." A man stood up and said, "This is the day on which one has desire for meat," and he mentioned something about his neighbours. It seemed that the Prophet ﷺ believed him. Then the same man added, "I have a young she-goat which is dearer to me than the meat of two sheep." The Prophet (ﷺ) permitted him to slaughter it as a sacrifice. However, I do not know whether that exception was valid only for him or for others as well..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ taught us the requisites of the ‘Eid holidays, its recommended actions, and its etiquette. From amongst [all of] these are: the time of the prayer and how to perform it on the Day of the Sacrifice [i.e., ‘Eid Al-Aḍhaa], and the time of slaughtering the sacrificial animal. The sacrifice is a religious ritual from amongst the [various] Islamic religious rites. It is an appointed act of worship by means of a [set] time, which is not permissible [to do] before or after its appointed time.

In this hadeeth, al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) reports that the Prophet ﷺ clarified that whoever slaughters his sacrificial animal before praying the ‘Eid prayer needs to slaughter another one, since the first slaughtering occurred before the appointed legislated time – that is being after the end of the ‘Eid prayer.

The ‘Eid prayer begins after the sun has risen to the height of a spear (which is close to 15 minutes after sunrise). The scholars have defined it by the disappearance of the sun’s redness. Its time ends at the cessation of the sun’s [ascension, i.e., noon] (which is before Dhuhr, and lasts close to fifteen minutes in total).

Upon hearing the clarification of the Prophet ﷺ, a man with the name of Abu Burdah ibn Niyar(may Allah be pleased with him) asked a personal question, as stated in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. He explained that Eid al-Adha is a day on which people earnestly desire to eat meat; therefore, he hastened to slaughter his animal before the ‘Eid prayer to feed his family and poor neighbours. Then, he went on to explain that, as he had slaughtered the sacrificial animal, he no longer has anything except a she-goat that he considered better and more of a value than two sheep given its high price and the much meat it can produce.

In this hadeeth, the she-goat was described as a jadha’ah, which means it is less than one year old, and it is said that it means a young strong she-goat. The Prophet ﷺ believed his story and made an exception, allowing him to slaughter his she-goat [despite its age does not meet the requirements of sacrificial animals] since it was all he had. Anas ibn Maalik(may Allah be pleased with him) commented on this incident by saying that he is uncertain whether the ruling was exclusive to Abu Burdah or applicable to everyone else. This ambiguity is clarified in another version of the hadeeth that is documented in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. It is narrated on the authority of al-Baraa ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said at the end: “Make it a substitute for that (and sacrifice it), but it will not suffice for anyone (as a sacrifice) after you.” It explicitly states that this exception is not applicable to anyone else.

From the benefits that we can conclude from this is that a goat that is less than one year old does not qualify as a sacrificial animal. Only goats that have completed at least one year of age qualify as sacrificial animals.

It also indicates the merit of Abu Burdah(may Allah be pleased with him), and that the habit of the Prophet ﷺ is to alleviate the situation of others and make it easy on them..

833
‘Ā’ishah reported: 'Umar made a mistake. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has only forbidden seeking the rising of the sun and its setting..

Commentary : The five obligatory prayers have definite times; however, the supererogatory and voluntary prayer is permissible at any time except that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has forbidden praying at certain times. Out of their extreme keenness to carry out obligations and the acts of Sunnah, avoid prohibitions, and maintain the trust of reporting the Shariah, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to correct each other's mistakes and comment on one another.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "'Umar made a mistake," referring to 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) in reporting the absolute prohibition of prayer after 'Asr. She reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had only forbidden "seeking the rising of the sun and its setting." i.e., he forbade intentionally and deliberately praying when the sun rises or sets but did not forbid praying in general after dawn or after ‘Asr. It is said: Rather, the prohibition of prayer during these two times is not a mistake, and ‘Ā’ishah's opinion was based on her own deduction and interpretation. As for the Hadīth text narrated by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), others from the Companions also narrated it, and more than one understood it the way ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) understood it.
The reason behind the prohibition of prayer during these two times is that the sun rises and sets along with the devil's horn and because some of the disbelievers used to prostrate to the sun and offer prayer to it during these two times. Hence, he forbade praying during them to oppose those disbelievers. Other narrations were reported about permitting prayer at sunrise and sunset, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections: "Whoever catches up with one Rak'ah before the sun rises, he has caught up with the Morning prayer..." When combined with this Hadīth, it is understood that the prohibition refers to the voluntary and supererogatory prayer during such times. As for the one who could not catch up with the prayer at the beginning of its time for a valid excuse, he is permitted to pray at the end of its time and to catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset. Or perhaps the prohibition refers to the act of seeking the rising and setting of the sun on purpose, as for the one who does not do this on purpose - like the one who wakes up from his sleep or the one who remembers after being forgetful - it is permissible for him to pray and there is no blame on him.
The Hadīth warns against keenness on praying at the time when the sun rises and sets..

835
Abu Salamah reported that he asked 'Ā’ishah about the two prostrations that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, she said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr, but then he got distracted or forgot them, so he prayed them after 'Asr; then, he continued observing them, for whenever he offered a prayer, he would stick to observing it.".

Commentary : Prayer is the best matter, and a Muslim is allowed to offer voluntary prayer at any time of night or day except for the times in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited voluntary prayer, namely after dawn until sunrise and after 'Asr until sunset.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi'i Abu Salamah ibn' Abdur-Rahmān ibn' Awf reports that he asked the Mother of the Believers, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about the two Rak'ahs (unit of prayer) that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, and why he prayed them, or whether the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed them regularly or not. Thereupon, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr," i.e., as a supererogatory and Sunnah Qabliyyah (before the obligatory prayer) of the 'Asr prayer. "Then, he got distracted from them or forgot them," being doubtful about the reason why he did not pray them before 'Asr that time. "Then, he continued observing them" after that, "as whenever he offered a prayer, he would continue observing it" regularly.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, the reason why he did not pray the two Rak'ahs before 'Asr is mentioned, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said while talking to' Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her): "O Daughter of Abu' Umayyah, you asked about the two Rak'ahs after 'Asr. Some people of 'Abdul-Qays came to me and distracted me from the two Rak'ahs after Zhuhr, so those are the two (Rak'ahs I was praying)." This indicates that the two Rak‘ahs were offered to make up for the missed Sunnah Ba‘diyyah (after the obligatory prayer) of Zhuhr and not to make up for the missed two Rak‘ahs before ‘Asr..

836
Mukhtār ibn Fulful reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik about the voluntary prayer after ‘Asr, and he said: "'Umar used to strike hands for a prayer (offered) after 'Asr, and we used to offer two Rak'ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." I asked him, "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them?" He said: "He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us.".

Commentary : Prayer is one of the best acts that bring closeness to Allah Almighty; hence, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on it as a means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty.
This Hadīth emphasizes the Muslims' keenness to learn the religion. The Tābi‘i Mukhtār ibn Fulful narrates that he asked Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) about offering voluntary prayer after the ‘Asr prayer. Anas informed him that during the Caliphate of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he used to strike hands for praying after 'Asr, which is an indirect reference to his prohibition of such a prayer because he did not see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing this. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) used to follow the Prophet's example in everything; so, whenever he did something, they would race to do it, and whenever he abandoned something, they would leave it. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to forbid praying after ‘Asr for fear of offering a prayer during the prohibited time, namely at sunset. Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And we used to offer two Rak‘ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), i.e., between the Adhān (call to prayer) and the Iqāmah (second call to prayer). Mukhtār ibn Fulful asked him: Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied saying: He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us, which denotes his approval of the permissibility of this voluntary prayer.
The Hadīth encourages the act of offering supererogatory prayers.
It also points out the Prophet's approval of offering prayer before Maghrib..

840
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We stood in two rows behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the enemy was between us and the Qiblah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said takbīr and we all did. He then bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we all did. He then prostrated with the row behind him, while the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prostration and the row behind him stood, the back row prostrated and then stood up. Then, the back row moved to the front and the front row moved to the back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we also raised our heads. Then, he and the row behind him, which was back in the first Rak‘ah, prostrated, whereas the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row prostrated. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ended the prayer with taslīm and we all did the same. Jābir said: ''As those guards of yours do with their leaders.'.

Commentary : The prayer of fear is the prayer whose time comes when the Muslims are engaged in fighting the enemy. Since prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, it does not cease to be due under any condition, even during war.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reports on one of the ways of performing the prayer of fear during war, as he witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The entire army was lined up behind him in two successive rows, with the enemy standing between them and the Qiblah. This indicates that everyone will face the enemy, whether those who stand for prayer or those who stand for guarding. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commenced the prayer and said the takbīr of ihrām, and the whole army said takbīr with him. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the recitation, and they all bowed. Then, he raised his head from Rukū‘, and they all raised their heads. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated, and the row behind him prostrated, whereas the back row remained standing to guard those who were prostrating in front of them. They stood in the face of the enemy and opposite them, lest the enemy might attack while they were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the two prostrations, and the row behind him, that prostrated the first time, stood up, the back row came down to prostrate. Then, when they finished the prostration, they stood up. Then, the back row stepped forward and stood in the place of the first row—after becoming equal to them in terms of standing behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the second Rak'ah—and the first row stepped back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the standing and recitation, and the entire army bowed. Then he raised his head from Rukū‘, and the entire army raised their heads. Then he came down to prostrate, and so did the row behind him, who stood in the back in the first Rak'ah, whereas the back row got up and stood in the face of the enemy to guard those who were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row came down to prostrate, and after they finished the prostration and tashahhud, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made taslīm, and all worshipers made taslīm after him, for they completed their prayer.
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him: ''As those guards of yours have a certain protocol with their leaders," i.e., the servants of the ruler who are assigned to protect and guard him, their prayer is like the prayer the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he faced the enemy.
Numerous ways are reported for performing the prayer of fear, and this is one of the versions about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. He performed it on different days and in diverse ways in which he sought what is more cautious for prayer and more effective for guarding. This prayer has different forms, but they are all consistent in intent.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the manner and form of the prayer of fear
And in it: Demonstrating the significance of congregational prayer, as its performance was prescribed in the state of fear. So, it is more appropriate for a person who is safe and secure to observe it.
And in it: Taking precautions against the enemy at the time of the battle by all means
And in it: The religion enjoins the acts of worship that preserve a person before Allah in the Hereafter and enjoins the pursuit of means that preserve a person in worldly life
And in it: It shows the ease of the Shariah for those accountable to perform prayer.

853
Abu Burdah ibn Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari related: ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar said to me: "Did you hear your father narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour on Friday?" I said: "Yes, I heard him say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer.''".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some creatures over others and favored some places over others, like favoring Makkah over all other places; and He favored some times over others, like favoring Friday over other days of the week.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Burdah ibn Abi Mūsa al-Ash‘ari informs that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Did you hear your father - that is Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) - narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour of Friday. By this, he meant the hour when supplications are answered - about which Al-Bukhāri and Muslim narrated a Hadīth - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim asks Allah for what is good except that He will grant it to him." So, Allah responds to he who supplicates and asks of Him by granting him his request or better than that, averting affliction or evil from him, or keeping it in store for him until the Day of Judgment. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to ask about its specific time, as to which part of the day it is exactly. In response, Abu Burdah told him that he heard a Hadīth regarding this from his father (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is between the time when the Imām sits down" on the pulpit after ascending it. And it was said: When he sits down between the two sermons - until the Friday prayer is finished.
There is a difference of opinion over the specification of this hour, with numerous views involved. The strongest among these views are two: First: What is mentioned in the Hadīth: It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer. Second: It is from after the ‘Asr until sunset, in the latter time of Friday.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the time of the hour of answered supplications on Friday
And in it: We are urged to look for the time of answered supplications on Friday and utilize them..

854
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best day the sun has risen upon is Friday: on it Adam was created, on it he was admitted into Paradise, and on it he was driven out of it. The Hour will not come except on Friday.".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creations over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than others.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the best day among the days of the week upon which the sun rises is Friday. One of the characteristics of this day is that Allah Almighty created Adam, the father of humanity (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty made him dwell in Paradise, and on this day, Adam and his wife were driven out of Paradise, and he descended to earth for viceregency thereon. His departure from it is the departure of someone who will return to it, for Paradise is originally his dwelling, as Allah Almighty says: {Dwell in Paradise, you, and your wife.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 35] The day Adam (peace be upon him) came out of Paradise is the day he assumed viceregency on earth and came down to it. The Hour - i.e., the Day of Judgment - will not come except on Friday between dawn and sunrise.
It was said that the mention of these important events and these few issues, which took place on Friday, is not meant for mentioning the merit of this day, since what happened on Friday, like driving Adam out and the coming of the hour, is not regarded as meritorious; rather, this is intended to highlight the significance of the events that took place on it, like the beginning and end of creation. It was also said: Rather, these are merits because the departure of Adam from Paradise is a reason for producing these progeny and huge descendants and the existence of the messengers, the prophets, and the pious people. Also, the events of the Hour enjoy great significance, for they constitute a reason for Allah to hasten His promise to the believers and His threat to the disbelievers, the appearance of the recompense of the prophets, the people of the truth, the pious persons, and others, and the display of their honor and noble statue. On the Day of Judgment, the banners of the Muslims will go high in confirmation of their Imān (faith).
In the Hadīth: The superiority of Friday to the other days.

856
Abu Hurayrah and Hudhayfah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah diverted from Friday those who were before us. For the Jews there was Saturday, and for the Christians there was Sunday. And Allah brought us and guided us to Friday. He made Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and they, likewise, will come after us on the Day of Judgment. We are the last among the people in this world and the first ones on the Day of Judgment for whom judgment will be passed before all creation." In a version: among whom judgment will be passed. [And in a version]: We were guided to Friday, and Allah diverted from it those who were before us..

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creation over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than the others.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Allah Almighty diverted from Friday and from holding it in high regard to the nations who came before us. This was because they opposed their prophets. The Jews chose Saturday, claiming that Allah had finished the creation on Saturday. And the Christians chose Sunday, claiming that Allah Almighty began the creation on it. Then, Allah brought the Ummah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who believed in him and acknowledged his message, so Allah guided us to Friday and directed us, out of His bounty and mercy, to extolling and worshiping Him on it. "So He made Friday" an Eid for the Muslims, "Saturday" an Eid for the Jews, "and Sunday" an Eid for the Christians.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Jews and the Christians will come after this Ummah of Muhammad on the Day of Judgment, as they came after them in the order of days. So, they will be after them in terms of the reckoning, the judgment, and entering Paradise. Although this Ummah existed in this world later than the previous communities, they will be ahead of them in the Hereafter, in that they will be the first to be resurrected and reckoned and the first to be judged among the people, to enter Paradise. In a version: "among whom judgment will be passed" instead of "for whom judgment will be passed," i.e., judgment will be passed among them with regard to their rights.
In the Hadīth: Allah Almighty honored this Ummah and preferred it over the other nations that came before it..

857
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes a bath and then comes to the Friday prayer, and then prays as much as is written for him, and then keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays along with him, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven, with an addition of three days.".

Commentary : Friday is a momentous day, and it is the best of the days of the week. On it, the Muslims gather for the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to purify ourselves and beautify our appearance on this day, especially at the time of the Friday prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a person takes a bath, pouring water all over his body - the bath on Friday is affirmed regarding every male adult Muslim who is obligated to perform the Friday prayer - and then goes to the mosque and attends it early before the Imām ascends the pulpit, and he offers supererogatory prayers as much as is predestined for him and as Allah wills him to pray, performing two Rak‘ahs at a time, as reported about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the supererogatory prayer; and then he keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays the two-Rak‘ah Friday prayer with him, his reward will be that Allah will forgive his sins from this time in which he performs the Friday prayer to the similar time the next Friday, in addition to three days. Thus, a good deed is multiplied ten times, as Friday becomes equivalent to ten days.
The intended meaning here is that Allah forgives the minor sins; as for the major sins, they require full repentance. In Sahīh Muslim Collection, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The five prayers, and the Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan are expiations of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided."
The etiquettes reported in the Sunnah in relation to Friday include applying perfume, wearing the best clothes for the Friday prayer, going to the mosque early, and not passing through the rows.
In the Hadīth: The merit of taking a bath on Friday
And in it: Urging the performance of supererogatory prayers before the Imām ascends the pulpit on Friday
And in it: We are urged to listen to the sermon.

858
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported: We used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then return and give rest to our Nawādih (camels used for carrying water). Hasan said: I said to Ja'far: What time was that? He replied: At the sun's decline, its zenith..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has set an appointed time for prayer; thus, a Muslim is not allowed to offer the prayer before or delay it after its time except with a valid excuse.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that people used to pray - referring to the Friday prayer as clarified by another version of Muslim - with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, after finishing the prayer, they would return from the mosque to their houses, where they would rest and give rest to their Nawādih, the plural of Nādih, which is the camel used for carrying water. It is said: "Rawāh" (from which "nurīh" (give rest) is derived) means returning with the livestock from the pasture.
Then, Hasan ibn' Ayyāsh - one of the Hadīth narrators - reported that he asked his Shaykh, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, about this hour when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Friday prayer. Ja‘far informed him that the time of prayer was the time of the sun's decline, which is the time when the sun moves from the middle of the sky, and it is a sign of the beginning of the Zhuhr prayer or the Friday prayer. It is possible that his question was about the time of their return, and in this case, their prayer would be before the sun's decline.
The Hadīth indicates exaggeration in hastening the Friday prayer and that they used to delay their lunch and siesta on that day until after the Friday prayer because they were recommended to go early to this prayer. So, if they got distracted by anything of this before the Friday prayer, they would fear missing it or missing the chance of going there early..

860
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: We used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after the sun had passed the meridian, and then we would return and try to find "al-Fay'' (the shadow)..

Commentary : The Friday sermon is one of the rites of religion and it has a profound impact on the lives of Muslims, as everyone, young and old, attends it, listens to the preacher, and learns the matters of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘(may Allah be pleased with him) says that they used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "after the sun had passed the meridian," which happens when the sun moves from the middle of the sky. Then, they would return and try to find "al-Fay,’'' the place on which the sun ray falls and then goes away and leaves behind a shadow.
In a version of the Two Sahīh Collections it is reported by Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), and the wording here is by Muslim: "When the walls had no shadow for us to take shelter in it." This is because they used to go for Friday prayer early and return before the walls had shadows in which they could take shelter, as the heat was severe in Madīnah and they would look for places having shadows to sit there and take rest.
In the Hadīth: The keenness to perform prayer at its earliest time.

862
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to deliver the Khutbah (sermon) while standing. He would then sit down, stand up, and give the Khutbah while standing. Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied. By Allah, I prayed more than two thousand prayers with him..

Commentary : The Friday Khutbah is one of the religion's rituals, and it greatly impacts Muslims' lives. It is attended by the young and the old, who all listen to the Khatīb (preacher) and learn the affairs of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he used to offer the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He used to see him delivering the Friday Khutbah while standing on the pulpit. After the first Khutbah, he would then sit for a short while on the pulpit. Then, he would get up and deliver the Khutbah while standing, preaching to people and teaching them their religion. Jābir ibn Samurah, then, said to the Tābi‘i Simāk ibn Harb: "Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied," i.e., made a mistake, as the Arabs used to say to the one who made a mistake: He lied. "By Allah, I prayed with him more than two thousand prayers," which confirms the great extent of his knowledge and memorization of the manner adopted by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in his prayers and sermons, including delivering his Khutbah on Friday while standing.
The Hadīth clarifies the Prophet's guidance in delivering the Friday sermon..

864
Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah reported: He entered the mosque while ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam was delivering a Khutbah (sermon) while sitting, so he said: Look at this deceitful person; he is delivering a sermon while sitting, whereas Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11].

Commentary : Enjoining good and forbidding evil are the characteristics of the Islamic nation and among its best merits and causes of its superiority over other nations. The most entitled among people to this, and the first ones addressed with this in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu ‘Ubaydah ‘Āmir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd narrates that Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque, referring to the mosque of Kūfah, a city in Iraq, to offer the Friday prayer. He found ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam - nephew of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān ibn Harb whom Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) assigned as the ruler of Kūfah in 58 AH, then after a year or more, he was dismissed - preaching to people while sitting on the pulpit, not standing as known in the Friday sermon. Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) condemned this saying: "Look at this deceitful person," because he was angry at the one who had violated the Prophet's Sunnah, "he is preaching while sitting," not doing what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did and not following his example, although the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this practice persistently. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, you have an excellent example in the Messenger of Allah.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it.} [Surat al-Hashr: 7] Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pray as you saw me pray." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri] Hence, his example should be followed when it comes to prayer and the delivery of the Friday sermon.
Then, he supported his words with a verse from Allah's Book, in which Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11] Here, Allah mentioned that His Prophet was standing while delivering the Friday sermon.
The Hadīth draws the preacher's attention to standing while delivering the Khutbah.
It also calls the scholars' attention to enjoining good and forbidding evil.
The Hadīth sheds light on how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to intensely get angry with whoever violated the Sunnah, even if it was someone who must be obeyed and respected from among the rulers, for no obedience is due to a creature when it comes to disobeying the Creator..

865
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah reported that they heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the heedless.".

Commentary : The Friday prayer is of great significance in Islam. Allah Almighty made it obligatory for non-traveling men to go out for it when the Muezzin makes the Adhān, calling for it, and He urged them to attend this prayer and warned against neglecting it. An example is this Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers," i.e., they abandon and fail to perform it out of negligence and laziness, without an excuse. If they do not comply and attend the Friday prayer, Allah will seal their hearts, by putting a seal and cover over them, and deny them His grace and bounty and place in them ignorance, roughness, and hardness. "and then they will be among the heedless" away from doing the deeds that benefit them and leaving what harms them. Thus, they will be among those overtaken by heedlessness, as they forgot Allah, and so He forgot them. This serves as a strong deterrent against the abandonment and neglect of the Friday prayer..

866
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I used to perform the prayers with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length and his sermon was moderate in length..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to enjoin the facilitation of worship and not going into hardship in performing it, and he would set an example of this through his own practice, so that every Muslim would imitate him.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he would persistently perform the obligatory prayers - the five prayers and the Friday prayer - with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length, suitable for the young and old and not hard for anyone. He would do that to avoid making the prayer too long for people.
As for the Muslim-narrated Hadīth in which ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The lengthiness of a man’s prayer and the shortness of his sermon are a sign of his proper understanding; so, make the prayer long and the sermon short." The intended meaning here is that prayer should be long compared to the sermon, not so long in a way that proves hard for the worshipers.
In the Hadīth: We are urged not to prolong the sermon and the five prayers..

867
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon, his eyes would turn red, his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense, as if he were warning of an army, saying: "They will attack you in the morning, or they will attack you in the evening." And he would say: "I and the Hour have been sent like these two," holding his index and middle fingers. Then, he would say: "To proceed: Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah; the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad; the evilest matters are those that are newly invented; and every innovation is misguidance." He would then say: "I am nearer to every believer than himself. So, whoever leaves behind some wealth, it is for his family, and whoever leaves behind a debt or dependent children, then they are both my responsibility." [In a version]: In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah, laud Him, and then he would subsequently speak, as his voice went loud; then, he narrated the same Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was an eloquent preacher, and he would say what moves people, admonishes them, gives them glad tidings, and warns them. He would also use the tools of rhetorical effects, such as raising and lowering the voice and using the movement of the hand and the body, as well as other things in which preachers should follow his example.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do in the Friday sermon. He says that when he delivered a sermon to the people and reminded them of the promise and warning, and the commands and prohibitions, "his eyes would turn red," i.e., their redness would become greater than usual. "his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense," which means that he would interact with the topic of the sermon; hence, this would happen to him. By intense anger, he meant to describe his condition as a person in anger, and this was probably because some of them were found to disobey his commands and prohibitions, and some were neglectful of their duties. This is how a preacher's condition should be - consistent with the topic he speaks about. He should not enjoin something while his outward appearance denotes the opposite. "as if he were warning of an army," alluding to the loudness of his voice (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) among them. The warner of an army is a person who watches the enemy and informs the people about their condition so that they can get prepared. So, the Prophet's admonition was given in this manner, due to his care about the people and his desire to warn them of the Hereafter and their lack of preparedness for it. Thus, it was as if he was warning them of the emergence of an attacking army that would come to them in the morning or in the evening.
One of the statements the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make in his sermons: "I have been sent and the Hour is like these two," joining his two fingers: the forefinger and the middle finger, i.e., the period between the Prophet's time and the coming of the Day of Judgment is short like the distance between the forefinger and the middle finger. He is the last Prophet before the Hour. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is one of the signs of the imminence of the Hour. After his mission, the time remaining for the coming of the Hour is less than the time that passed.
At the start of the sermon, he used to say: "To proceed;" is a phrase to separate between parts of speech when the speaker wants to shift from one topic to another. The meaning: I say after the previous testimony of faith and praise of Allah Almighty. "Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah;" there is no speech except that the speech of Allah is better than that. The speech of Allah means the noble Qur'an. "the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad;" guidance is the way of life and manner. There is no way and path except that the path of the Prophet is better than that. So, his path, way of life, and manner - including Tawhīd, rulings, and acts of worship - should be followed. "the most evil matters," i.e., the ugliest religious matters, not the worldly ones. "are those that are newly invented," i.e., inventions and innovations that have no basis in the Shariah that attests to their validity and permissibility. These are called Bida‘ (innovations). "and every innovation is misguidance," i.e., and every invention in the religion in a way not done by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions is misguidance and deviation and departure from the Prophet's path; it is not part of the guidance and the right course he came with.
In one of the Prophet's statements in his sermons, he said: "I am nearer to every believer than himself," i.e., I am the most entitled among people to him regarding all matters of worldly life and the Hereafter. As Allah Almighty says: {The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than their own selves.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 6] He is the most compassionate of all people towards them. Their souls call them to ruin, while he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) calls them to salvation.
He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if any Muslim dies and leaves behind some wealth, his inheritors and relatives - i.e., his inheriting relatives - are more entitled to this wealth, which they take as an inheritance; and if anyone leaves behind a debt or dependents - children, wife, and those who cannot provide for themselves - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has a greater claim to him, repaying his debt and supporting those children and women he left behind. This stems from the Prophet's good character, his support of the Muslims, and his keenness that they should not be neglected.
And in a version: "In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah and laud Him," i.e., he would begin it with praise and laudation. Part of what was reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Khutbat al-Hājah (the sermon of need) which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions is to say: "Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray, and whoever Allah leads astray, none can guide. I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger." This praise and laudation is valid to say at the start of every sermon.
In the Hadīth: We are urged to follow the Prophet's guidance in the sermon.
And in it: A preacher should interact with the topic while addressing the sermon to influence the people.
And in it: Beginning the sermon with praise and lauding Allah.