| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
297
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to rest in my lap when I was menstruating, then he would recite Qur’an..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply specifically to the menstruating woman, but she herself is not impure (najis), because the believer never becomes impure, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said. Being close to a menstruating woman does not mean that the one who wants to recite Qur’an should not do so. This is what ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) speaks of in this hadith, in which she says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to rest in her lap when she was menstruating. What is meant by the word translated here as resting is leaning on one side whilst sitting. It was also said that what is meant here is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to put his head in her lap when she was menstruating, and whilst he was in that position, he would recite Qur’an; that did not prevent him from reciting.
In this hadith we see how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
This hadith indicates that being close to his menstruating wife does not prevent a husband from reciting Qur’an, and the menstruating woman may listen to Qur’an without any reservations.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

301
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: He used to put his head out to me when he was observing i‘tikaf and I would wash his hair, when I was menstruating..

Commentary : Among the Jews, when one of their women menstruated, they would banish her from the house, and they would not eat with her, drink with her or be in the same room as her. In our religion, however, the menstruating woman is not to be blamed for something that Allah has ordained for her, so her body is pure, apart from the place where the impurity is.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to put his head out to her in her apartment, when he was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque, and she would wash his hair for him, when she was menstruating. According to another report narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari, she would comb his hair when she was menstruating. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would bring his head close to her when she was in her apartment and the rest of his body was in the mosque, and he was aware of her condition and that she was menstruating, yet despite that she would touch him with her hands and take care of him, without any reservation or prohibition. Her apartment was attached to the mosque.
The hadith refers to cleaning a man’s hair, and other things that come under the heading of adorning oneself.
It indicates that a menstruating woman may care for her husband and help him with personal hygiene.
It indicates that if the one who is observing i‘tikaf puts his head, hand or foot outside the mosque, that does not invalidate his i‘tikaf.
It speaks of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

302
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When one of us was menstruating, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to be intimate with her, he would tell her to wrap something around herself at the beginning of her menses, then he would be intimate with her. She said: Who among you is able to control his desire as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was able to control his desire?.

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And they ask you about menstruation. Say, It is harm, so keep away from wives during menstruation. And do not approach them until they are pure} [al-Baqarah 2:222]. What is meant by keeping away from wives in this verse is not having intercourse with them; as for anything other than that, the husband may do it, meaning that he may do everything except intercourse. This is what the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) spoke of in this hadith, where she says: When one of us – meaning one of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – was menstruating and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to be intimate with her by kissing and so on, other than intercourse, he would tell her to wrap something around her waist at the beginning of her period, so she would wrap herself in an izar (lower garment or waist wrapper) to cover the area between the navel and the knees. That would happen at the beginning of her menses, or when the bleeding was at its heaviest. Then he would be intimate with her, so he would approach her and touch her, but he would not have intercourse with her.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: Who among you is able to control his desire as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was able to control his desire? 
This hadith indicates that one should not be put off by a menstruating woman or show dislike to her, in contrast to the Jews, who would not eat with a woman or sit with her if she was menstruating.
It speaks of how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) treated his wives kindly and paid attention to their condition.
It also indicates that the body of the menstruating woman and whatever she wears are both pure (tahir)..

309
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf, and one of his wives was with him, when she was suffering from istihadah and was bleeding. Sometimes she would put a basin beneath her to catch the blood. He [one the narrators] claimed that ‘A’ishah saw safflower water and said: It is as if this is something that So-and-so used to see..

Commentary : Islamic teachings explain how women should purify themselves following menses and nifas (postpartum bleeding). Some women suffer from menses that last longer than the usual time, and they bleed heavily for longer than the days of the usual period. Islam makes things easier for them in that case.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) observed i‘tikaf in his mosque, isolating himself from people for the purpose of worship, and one of his wives observed i‘tikaf with him. It was said that she was Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, or that she was Ramlah Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, or that she was Zaynab bint Jahsh. She was suffering from istihadah and was bleeding; istihadah is irregular bleeding that a woman experiences after the end of her normal menses. The blood of istihadah is thin and is not like menstrual blood. Sometimes she would put a basin – meaning a large vessel – beneath her to catch this copious bleeding, lest it contaminate her garment or the mosque.
Khalid ibn Mihran, one of the narrators of this hadith, said regarding the phrase “he claimed”: The word claim may refer to something that one is certain about, even though it is most often used with regard to something one is uncertain about, or to suggest that it is false. ‘Ikrimah claimed that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saw some safflower water – which comes from a kind of plant and is yellow in colour; it is used as a dye but does not have a fragrance – and said: This yellow is something that resembles what So-and-so used to see at the time of her istihadah. This indicates that the blood of istihadah may be yellow and thin, and is not dark like menstrual blood.
This hadith indicates that a woman who is suffering from istihadah may observe i‘tikaf if she is certain that her bleeding will not contaminate the mosque..

312
It was narrated that Mujahid said: ‘A’ishah said: One of us would have only one garment in which she menstruated. If any blood got onto it, she would put some of her saliva on it and scratch it with her nails..

Commentary : This hadith is indicative of the hard life that the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) lived, and that they were content with very little of worldly comforts. In it, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: One of us would have only one garment; what she meant by one of us is the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), the Mothers of the Believers. Even though they lived in the house of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), one of them would own only one garment, and they were content with what Allah allocated to them. What ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says in this hadith is not contradicted by what is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), that she had more than one garment, because what ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was referring to in this hadith was their situation at the beginning of Islam, for they were living a life of hardship and scarcity. When Allah granted conquests to the Muslims and their circumstances improved, women would have special garments to wear during their menses, separate from their other garments. It may be that what ‘A’ishah meant by “one garment” is a garment specifically for menses. There is nothing in the context to rule out the idea that she had other garments that she wore when she was not menstruating. That is also in harmony with the hadith of Umm Salamah in this regard.
If any menstrual blood got on the garment of one of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), she would put some of her saliva on it, then scratch it with her fingernail. Then she would rub it and scratch it with her nail until the traces of blood were removed. It was said that she would do that, because this blood that was removed by scratching was little and could be overlooked. Hence she did not say here that she washed it with water. Similarly, she did not say that she prayed in this garment after removing the traces of blood by using her saliva and scratching it with her fingernail. Rather she used her saliva to remove the traces of blood, and she did not intend to purify the garment. There is a report from her in Sahih al-Bukhari which mentions washing the garment after scratching and rubbing it, and she says: “Then she may pray in it,” which indicates that when she wanted to pray in the garment, she would wash it so that she would be able to pray in it after that.  .

314
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that a woman asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about doing ghusl to purify herself following her menses, and he told her how to do ghusl. He said: “Take a piece of cloth on which there is musk and purify yourself with it.” She said: How do I purify myself? He said: “Purify yourself with it.” She said: How? He said: “Subhan Allah! Purify yourself!” I pulled her to me and said: Follow the traces of blood with it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught women how to purify themselves and do ghusl following their menses to remove the blood. He described how to do that in a refined and polite manner, to avoid any embarrassment. He taught all of that to his wives, so that they could teach it to the Muslim women.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that a woman – it was said that she was Asma’ bint Shakal, or that she was someone else – came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and asked him how she should do ghusl after her menses ended. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told her how to do ghusl, and instructed her to take a piece of wool or cotton on which there was some musk or perfume, then purify the site of the bleeding and where the blood had got to. But the woman did not understand what was meant, so she asked again how she should purify herself with this perfumed piece of cotton. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Subhan Allah! Purify yourself!” He was astonished that she did not know how to purify herself with it, when that was something obvious that no one should be unaware of. At that point, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) pulled her aside and brought her close to herself, and told her: Follow the traces of blood with it; apply it to your private part and anywhere else that the blood got onto, to clean it and remove the smell of menstrual blood.
This hadith highlights how modest and shy the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was, and how well-mannered he was.
It indicates that one should show shyness and embarrassment when speaking of private matters, especially when that is mentioned by men in the presence of women, or by women in the presence of men, and that one should use metaphors and euphemisms, and avoid mentioning them explicitly. One should show shyness and embarrassment if such things are mentioned, and avoid speaking of them explicitly.
It highlights the role of wise and knowledgeable women in conveying information and teaching other women..

318
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has appointed an angel in charge of the womb, and he says: ‘O Lord, is it to be a nutfah (sperm drop)? O Lord, it is it to be a ‘alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood)? O Lord, is it to be a mudghah (chewed piece of flesh)?’ Then when Allah wants to complete its creation, he says: ‘Male or female? Doomed or blessed? What is his provision and lifespan?’ And it is decreed in his mother’s womb.”.

Commentary : Everything that Allah creates is already decreed and will be as He wants it to be. There is nothing that happens in His dominion except it happens by His decree and with His knowledge. Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has appointed an angel over the womb, which is the place where the embryo develops, as mentioned in this hadith. When the nutfah (sperm drop) is formed, this angel says: O Lord, is it to be a nutfah? This is a question from the angel to the Lord (may He be glorified and exalted). In other words, is it to be a nutfah, so that I should write it, for no one knows what is in the wombs except Allah; rather the angel is appointed to keep a record and write things down. The same thing happens in the following stages: O Lord, is it to a ‘alaqah (a piece of thick coagulated blood)…? And so on. The word nutfah refers to the sperm when it meets the ovum of the woman and fertilizes it. This is the first stage in the development of a human being. When it becomes a ‘alaqah, the angel says: O Lord, is it to be a ‘alaqah? The ‘alaqah is a piece of congealed blood that hangs on the wall of the uterus. When it becomes a mudghah, the angel says: O Lord, is it to be a mudghah? The mudghah is a small piece of flesh, the size of what a man can chew in his mouth. Then when Allah (may He be exalted) wills to complete the creation of this person, the angel asks the Lord (may He be exalted): Male or female? Doomed or blessed? In other words: Will You create it as a male or a female? Will he be one of those who are doomed (destined for Hell) or one of those who are blessed (destined for Paradise)? Then he asks about his provision and lifespan, and he writes down all of that when the person is still in his mother’s womb.
This is indicative of the might and eternal knowledge of Allah, and how He decrees all the affairs of His creation. So the individual should be moderate and not exhaust himself in seeking worldly provision, for everyone will be enabled to follow the path for which he was created; the one who is to be one of the people of Paradise will do the deeds that will enable him to reach Paradise, and the one who is to be one of the people of Hell will choose, by his own free will, the deeds that will lead him to Hell. Allah (may He be glorified) guides those who are blessed to do that which is good and makes available to them the means to do these deeds, and He causes those who are doomed to do evil and has made available for them the means of doing those deeds. That is because Allah has made clear to all the path of good and the path of evil. Thus each person acts with insight and knowledge, and chooses whatever he wants. Whoever chooses to do the deeds of the people of Paradise, Allah will enable him to do that, then He will admit him to Paradise, and He knows from eternity that he will be one of its people. By the same token, whoever chooses to do the deeds of the people of Hell, Allah will leave him to his own devices, until He admits him to Hell on the Day of Resurrection, and He knows from eternity that he will do the deeds of the people of Hell.
However, this does not contradict the command to work and strive in this world in pursuit of provision, and to seek Paradise by doing righteous deeds. Rather what we may understand from this hadith is that we should be moderate in striving (to earn a living), and not grieve over what we miss out on. The individual should strive his utmost and compel himself to do righteous deeds, and he should not neglect striving on the grounds that he is relying on what has already been decided from eternity about what his destiny is.
This hadith indicates that the fate of every person is written and decreed when he is still a foetus in his mother’s womb, after he has been formed and his limbs and faculties have taken their final shape. .

321
It was narrated from Mu‘adhah that a woman said to ‘A’ishah: Is the prayer of one of us valid [if she makes up the prayers] after she becomes pure? She said: Are you a Haruri? We used to menstruate at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he did not instruct us to do that – or, we did not do that..

Commentary : The Haruris are the Kharijis; they first emerged in the region of Harura’, near Kufah in Iraq, two miles from Kufah (approx. 3.5 km), and were named after that place. They are the ones who denounced ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for accepting arbitration in his conflict with Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), then they fought him. They regarded the Muslims as disbelievers and believed it was permissible to shed their blood. Hence when this woman came to ask ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) whether a woman should make up her prayers when she becomes pure following her menses, ‘A’ishah said to her, objecting to that notion: Are you a Haruri? Meaning: are you one of this group of Kharijis? Because some of them used to tell the menstruating woman to make up her missed prayers, which was a sign of extreme tendencies in religious matters. Then she told her that the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to menstruate at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) but he did not instruct them to make up missed prayers. This is a matter concerning which there is consensus among the Muslim scholars, that a woman who menstruates does not have to make up the prayers missed during her menses, because prayer is an obligation that is repeated on a daily basis, so there is no need to make it up. This is by way of making things easier for women, and not making things too difficult for them by requiring them to make up the prayers that they missed during their menses..

326
It was narrated that Umm ‘Atiyyah said: We used not to regard the brownish and yellowish discharge as being of any significance..

Commentary : Menstrual blood has its own characteristics which women know. It is dark and thick blood that comes on certain days of every month. When this bleeding ceases, the woman should do ghusl and resume praying, as she has become pure. If she sees a yellowish or brownish discharge, or blood that is different from menstrual blood, after the time of her usual menses has ended – and this is what is known as istihadah (irregular bleeding) – she should not regard it as being of any significance, and it is deemed to not be menses. This is what the Sahabiyyah Umm ‘Atiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) was speaking of when she said: We used not to regard the brownish and yellowish discharge as being of any significance. What is meant in this hadith by yellowish and brownish discharge is discharge that a woman may see, which may resemble pus with its yellowish colour. If the woman sees that outside of the days of her usual menses – as is clearly stated in the report narrated by Abu Dawud – she should not regard it as being of any significance, because they did not regard it as coming under the rulings on menses at the time of the Prophet (lessons and peace of Allah be upon him), so they did not stop praying or fasting because of it; rather a woman would do wudu’ for each prayer..

327
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Umm Habibah suffered from istihadah for seven years. She asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, and he instructed her to do ghusl. And he said: “That is a vein.” And she used to do ghusl for every prayer..

Commentary : Menstrual bleeding is something normal and natural, which happens to women every month in most cases, lasting for a certain number of days each month, which a woman usually knows. That is in contrast to the bleeding of istihadah, which is bleeding that happens to a woman because of sickness or health problems. Hence it lasts longer than the usual duration of menses, and lasts longer than the maximum duration of menses. Some women continue to bleed without stopping. Any bleeding that lasts longer than menses is regarded as istihadah.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that Umm Habibah bint Abi Sufyan, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), suffered from istihadah, and her istihadah lasted for seven years. She asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) how she should purify herself in order to be able to pray and do other acts of worship, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed her to do ghusl after the days of her original menses had passed. He explained to her that that was bleeding from a vein and not the usual bleeding of menses. Based on that, the ruling for the woman who is suffering from istihadah is that she should do ghusl after the days of her usual menses have passed, and she should not pay any attention to the bleeding that does not stop after the time of her usual menses has ended, because that is the bleeding of istihadah. So she should do wudu’ for each prayer, and put something [like a cloth or pad] to protect herself from the blood, as is mentioned in the reports narrated by Abu Dawud and others from Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh (may Allah be pleased with him).
With regard to the words “she used to do ghusl for every prayer”, it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only instructed her to do ghusl following [the time of her normal] menses and resume prayer, and doing ghusl for every prayer was voluntary on her part. It was also said that what is by the phrase translated here as “do[ing] ghusl for every prayer” is simply washing off the blood that got onto her, because that comes under the heading of removing impurity (najasah), which is a condition of prayer being valid. And it was said that the ruling on doing ghusl that is mentioned in this hadith was abrogated by the hadith of Fatimah bint Abi Hubaysh in which there is the command to do wudu’ for every prayer, not ghusl. The two hadiths may be reconciled by interpreting the instruction [to do ghusl] in the hadith of Umm Habibah as referring to something that was recommended (but not obligatory).
In this hadith, we see that istihadah does not prevent a woman from praying or doing other acts of worship..

329
It was narrated from Tawus that Ibn ‘Abbas said: A concession was granted to the menstruating woman [during Hajj] to leave [Makkah without doing the farewell tawaf] if she menstruates..

Commentary : The farewell tawaf is one of the actions of Hajj; it is the final tawaf that the pilgrim does before leaving Makkah.
In this report, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that if a woman gets her menses during Hajj and starts to bleed before doing the farewell tawaf, then she is granted a concession allowing her to omit it, and nothing further is required of her. The farewell tawaf is waived for the menstruating woman if she has already done tawaf al-ifadah, which is the essential tawaf of Hajj, as we see in this hadith, and she may depart and return to her homeland. This is one of the ways in which Islamic teachings make things easy for people..

330
Ibn ‘Umar used to say in the beginning that she should not depart, then I heard him saying that she may depart, for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) granted a concession to women..

Commentary : The farewell tawaf is one of the actions of Hajj; it is the final tawaf that the pilgrim does before leaving Makkah.
In this report, the Tabi‘i Tawus ibn Kaysan narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to say, in the beginning, that if a woman gets her menses before doing the farewell tawaf, she should not return home until she becomes pure and does that tawaf. Then he changed his view, and said that she may depart and return home, because the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) granted women a concession to that effect. That applies if the woman has done tawaf al-ifadah, which is the essential tawaf of Hajj, before she menstruates; in that case she may depart and return to her homeland without doing the farewell tawaf. This is one of the ways in which Islamic teachings make things easy for people.
From this hadith we learn that if there are two conflicting views, then the view that is based on a religious text takes precedence..

332
It was narrated from Samurah ibn Jundub that a woman died after giving birth, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for her, and he stood in line with her middle..

Commentary : The funeral prayer that is offered for the deceased is a mercy from Allah to His slaves, because in this prayer the people offer supplication for the deceased and pray for forgiveness for him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the funeral prayer for those of the Sahabah who died, both men and women, and he taught his ummah the Sunnahs and etiquettes that are required when offering the funeral prayer.
In this hadith, Samurah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for a woman who died after giving birth. In al-Sahihayn, it says that she died during her nifas (post-partum bleeding). The deceased woman was Umm Ka‘b al-Ansariyyah, as named by Muslim in his report. After giving birth, a woman is in nifas. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for her because even though the woman who is bleeding following childbirth (nifas) is not allowed to pray, that does not prevent the funeral prayer being offered for her if she dies during that time. The same applies to menstrual bleeding; the funeral prayer may be offered for a menstruating woman if she dies during her menses. By the same token, the funeral prayer may be offered for one who is junub, if he dies. In each of these cases, the deceased should be washed and the funeral prayer offered for him or her. It may be that what is meant by the Arabic wording of the original text is that the woman died of a stomach disease; perhaps she experienced internal bleeding, or perhaps it came out through her private part like menstrual blood. So if a woman dies in such a case, she is to be washed and the funeral prayer is to be offered for her.
When offering the funeral prayer for a woman, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood in line with her middle and offered the prayer for her; that was so as to conceal the woman from the eyes of the worshippers behind him. This is in contrast to a man, as the Sunnah is to stand in line with his head..

333
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn Shaddad said: I heard my maternal aunt Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), say that she would be menstruating and not praying, and that she would be lying down next to the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would prostrate as he was praying on a small mat made of reeds. [She said:] When he prostrated, part of his garment touched me..

Commentary : There are rulings that apply to the menstruating woman, but it is not one of them that she should not touch anyone and no one should touch her, as was the practice of the Jews with their women. Islam honours women in all circumstances, and permits others to interact with the menstruating woman, eat with her, speak to her and so on.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), narrates that at the time of her menses, when she was bleeding, she would not pray at that time, but despite that she would be lying on the floor next to the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated in his room. He would be praying on a small mat made of reeds that was used to protect the hands and face from the heat and cold of the ground, and when he prostrated, his garment would touch her. This indicates that the menstruating woman is not impure (najis). It also indicates that the garment she wears when menstruating is pure (tahir) and that she may be close to one who is praying, and that does not affect or interrupt his prayer. This is one of the ways in which Islam makes things easy for women in all circumstances, and one of the ways in which Islam honours women, especially at the time of menses..

334
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), said: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on one of his journeys, and when we were in al-Bayda’ or Dhat al-Jaysh, a necklace of mine broke. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) started to look for it, and the people helped him, but they were not at a watering place, so the people came to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and said: Do you not see what ‘A’ishah has done? She made the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people halt, and they are not at a watering place and they do not have any water with them. Abu Bakr came, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had put his head on my thigh and gone to sleep, and he said: You have detained the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people, and they are not at a watering place and they do not have any water with them. ‘A’ishah said: Abu Bakr rebuked me and said whatever Allah willed he should say, and he started to poke me in my side with his hand, and nothing prevented me from moving except the fact that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sleeping on my thigh. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up in the morning, and when he got up there was no water. Then Allah revealed the verse of tayammum, so they did tayammum. Usayd ibn al-Hudayr said: This is not the first of your blessings, O family of Abu Bakr. Then we made the camel that I had been riding stand up, and we found the necklace under it..

Commentary : Islam came to make things easy for people with regard to purification and wudu’, and it enjoins doing tayammum with clean earth and the like when water is not available, or one is unable to use it. In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that they went out with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on one of his journeys; that was the campaign of Banul Mustaliq in 6 AH. Then when they were in al-Bayda’ or Dhat al-Jaysh, which are two places after Dhul Hulayfah, between Makkah and Madinah, a necklace of hers broke. It was made of Zafar beads, as is explained in other reports; they were Yemeni beads that were brought from Zafar on the coast. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted there to look for it, and the people halted with him, but they were not carrying water with them and there was no watering place in that location. So the people came to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to complain about what his daughter ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had done to them, as she was the reason why they had halted in that place where there was no water. According to a report in al-Sahihayn, the time for prayer came and they had no water with them, so they prayed, then they complained about that to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to her to rebuke her for that, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was sleeping, resting his head on her thigh, using it as a pillow. This indicates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was not worried, even though there was no water. It may be that he fell asleep before he knew that there was no water. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to her, rebuking her: You have detained the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the people, and delayed their travel! And he said whatever Allah willed he should say of rebukes, and he started poking ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in her side with his fingertips, so that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not be disturbed by that. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to get up and move away from him, and nothing prevented her from doing that except the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asleep, resting his head on her thigh. When morning came, he woke up and he needed to do wudu’, but he could not find any water at that time. Then Allah (may He be exalted) sent down the verse of tayammum that is in Surat al-Ma’idah: {[But if you] do not find water, then seek clean earth and wipe over your faces and hands with it} [al-Ma’idah 5:6]. The word tayammamu (seek clean earth) in the verse is either in the past tense, meaning that the people did tayammum because of this verse, or it is in the imperative form, so it is a command to do tayammum, as appears to be the case from the phrasing of the text. Allah revealed the words {then seek clean earth…}, and this is by way of making things easier for them; it was a concession allowing them to do tayammum if they could not find water. The verse explains how to do tayammum, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put it into practice in his Sunnah. The way it is done is by striking the hands once on some clean earth or clean dust, then wiping the face and hands. At this point, Usayd ibn Hudayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: This is not the first of your blessings, O family of Abu Bakr, for your blessings are many, and this is one of them. Perhaps he was referring thereby to the incident of the slander (al-ifk).
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that after that, they made the camel that she had been riding stand up, and they found the lost necklace under it. It is as if Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) caused them to be delayed and made them stay in that place so that He might reveal to them a way of making things easier for them.
This hadith highlights the fact that tayammum is prescribed, and mentions the reason why it was prescribed.
It indicates that a father may rebuke her daughter even if she is grown-up and married.
It indicates that a woman may complain to her father, even if she has a husband.
It indicates that a man may visit his daughter, even if her husband is present, if he knows that her husband approves of it.
It indicates that women may wear jewellery and use necklaces so as to adorn themselves for their husbands.
It highlights the virtue of ‘A’ishah and that the Muslims were blessed many times through her. .

868
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: Dimād came to Makkah, and he was from Azd Shanū’ah. He used to provide Ruqyah against this wind (demonic possession). He heard some foolish people from the people of Makkah saying: Indeed, Muhammad is mad. So, he said: If I see that man, Allah might heal him through me. He said: He met him and said: O Muhammad, I provide Ruqyah against this wind and Allah heals whoever He wills through me. Do you desire (this)? Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 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. To proceed, he said: He said: Repeat to me these words of yours. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated them three times. He said: So, he said: I have heard the words of soothsayers, the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they have reached the Nā‘ūs (depth) of the sea. He said: So, he said: Give me your hand to pledge allegiance to you on Islam. He said: And he pledged allegiance to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: And on behalf of your people? He replied: And on behalf of my people. He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then sent an expedition, and they passed by his people. The expedition leader asked the army: Did you take anything from those? A man said: I took a Mit-harah (water utensil used for purification) from them. So, he said: Return it, for they are the people of Dimād..

Commentary : The Prophet's way of life and that of the early Muslims was full of difficulties and obstacles for the sake of spreading the word of Allah Almighty. The disbelievers of Makkah used to keep a close watch on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and all those who believed along with him. However, Allah's victory was definite as He granted His slave victory, honored His soldiers, and defeated the Confederates alone.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that Dimād ibn Tha'labah - who was from Azd Shanū’ah, which is a prominent tribe in Yemen and Azd is one of its tribes - came to Makkah and alighted there from a journey and this was at the beginning of the Prophet's mission. Dimād used to make Ruqyah, which refers to the incantations used for someone suffering from illnesses like fever, epilepsy, and other diseases. "He used to provide Ruqyah against this wind," and "wind" here refers to madness and demonic possession as if they considered the insanity that afflicted a person and the diseases resulting from such possession a breath from the Jinn. Thus, they called it "wind". Dimād heard the fools and the ignorant from among the disbelievers of Makkah saying: "Indeed, Muhammad is mad. So, he said: If I see that man" whom you call mad, Allah might heal him through me if I make Ruqyah for him. Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met Dimād. Dimād informed him that he provided Ruqyah against possession and madness and that Allah had made him a cause for curing some diseases, so would you like me to make Ruqyah for you and help you get rid of the madness that people say you are afflicted with? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied saying: "Praise be to Allah," i.e., it is established and exclusive for Him, whether He is praised or not. "We praise Him" because it is obligatory upon us as well as beneficial for us. "And seek His help" in all our affairs. "Whoever Allah guides" to the path of declaring His Oneness and witnessing His uniqueness by virtue of His favor, "none can lead astray" from the creatures, and whoever He leads astray from the right path by virtue of His justice, "none can guide". "I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone," i.e., One "with no partner," i.e., none is truly worthy of worship but Him. "And I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger; to proceed," On hearing these words from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Dimād asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to repeat these words once again. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated them thrice. Thereupon, Dimād said: "I have heard the words of soothsayers" plural of "soothsayer", one who foretells the unseen with rhyming sentences and creative signals. "The words of magicians" plural of "magician", one who alludes to the eye or mind by what he says or does. "And the words of poets" is the plural of a poet, one who beautifies everything with his tongue to the extent that he disgraces what is beautiful and beautifies what is disgraceful. I heard the words of those, "but I have never heard such words as yours," i.e., if you were one of these three, your words would sound like their words. He mentioned those three because the fools of Makkah used to describe him once as a soothsayer, another time as a magician, and a third time as a poet. Hence, he denied the three things they used to say about him.
Then, Dimād said: "And they have reached," i.e., these comprehensive words that you uttered and their impact on the heart of every living being along with their belief in them have reached the "Nā‘ūs" (depth) of the sea, and it was narrated the "Qāmūs", which is the middle and depth of the sea. In other words, they have reached the top and the highest peak of eloquence.
Then, Dimād said: "Give me your hand" and extend it "to pledge allegiance to you on Islam. And he pledged allegiance to" the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: And on behalf of your people, i.e., and you pledge allegiance to Islam on behalf of your people as well whom you left behind in your country? Thereupon, Dimād said: "And on behalf of my people." So, he pledged allegiance to Islam for himself and on behalf of his people.
Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that after the Hijrah (emigration) to Madīnah, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an expedition - part of the army that does not exceed one hundred men -. They passed by the people of Dimād ibn Tha'labah (may Allah be pleased with him). The expedition leader - i.e., its head - said to the army: "Did you take," i.e., seize "anything from those? A man said: I took a Mit-harah from them," which is a water utensil used for making Tahārah (ritual purification). He said: "Return it," i.e., give it back to its owners ", for those are the people of Dimād" ibn Tha'labah al-Azdi who pledged allegiance to Islam through Dimād. Hence, it is not permissible to seize their properties because they are Muslims.
The Hadīth sheds light on the Prophet's good manners, eloquence, and command of language.
It also shows how Dimād ibn Tha‘labah (may Allah be pleased with him) embraced Islam and the favor he did to his people..

869
Abu Wā’il reported: 'Ammār gave us a Khutbah (sermon), and he spoke briefly and eloquently. When he came down, we said: O Abu al-Yaqzhān, you spoke eloquently and briefly; would you have spoken longer? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man's lengthy prayer and short Khutbah is a sign of his understanding, so lengthen the prayer and shorten the Khutbah, for there is a charm in the eloquent speech.".

Commentary : Everything has a point of moderation and reasonableness, and both the prayer and Khutbah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were moderate, i.e., they were neither prolonged in a boring manner nor shortened in a manner involving deficiency, and this was the course adopted by the Prophet's Companions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Wā’il, the brother of Ibn Salamah al-Asdi, narrates that ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) delivered a sermon among people, and he spoke briefly and eloquently and conveyed what he wanted in a few words. On descending the pulpit, people said to him: "O Abu al-Yaqzhān," which is 'Ammār's nickname, and they praised his eloquence and brevity and said to him: "Would that you spoke longer," i.e., made it a little longer. He informed them that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man's lengthy prayer," referring to the Friday prayer, i.e., making the prayer longer than the Khutbah in a way that does not make it arduous for those praying behind him; to be moderate between prolonging and shortening, "and short Khutbah," i.e., shortening it "is a sign of his understanding," i.e., a sign indicating the preacher's understanding when his speech is eloquent, brief, and clear. The command of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) contains: "So, lengthen the prayer and shorten the Khutbah", denotes ultimate moderation by prolonging the prayer moderately so that those who are not present and those who are far away from the mosque can catch up with it without harming those behind him with such a prolongation, and by shortening the Khutbah without failing to meet its proper standards and in a way that would make it easier to memorize what is mentioned therein as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do this in both.
His statement: "For there is a charm in the eloquent speech," "Eloquent speech" here means expressing the intended meaning using the most articulate wording, which indicates understanding and the heart's intelligence. "Charm" means changing the way one regards something and not changing the truth of something. This statement was said as a form of praise by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with which he ended his speech to guide the preacher to be eloquent and clear in his speech, as Allah Almighty has bestowed upon His slaves the blessing of teaching them eloquence and clarity. Then, he compared it to magic because the hearts feel a tendency towards it as the eloquent speech attracts hearts and causes them to incline to what the speaker is saying.
The Hadīth points out that it is Sunnah for the preacher not to lengthen the Khutbah..

870
‘Adiyy ibn Hātim reported: A man delivered a sermon before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is guided aright, and whoever disobeys them is deluded. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: What a bad preacher you are! Say: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger. [Another version reads]: has gone astray..

Commentary : Delivering the Khutbah (sermon) is of great significance because it expresses what one thinks or means. The Khutbah must be clear and comprehensible to all. It must be free of probable words and meanings that could be misconstrued, or that could be interpreted in a way different from that intended by the preacher.
In this Hadīth, ‘Adiyy ibn Hātim at-Tā’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard a man delivering a Khutbah saying: "Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is guided aright," "rushd" (right guidance) means: being on the side of the truth and what is right, "And whoever disobeys them is deluded," i.e., is wholly engaged in evil and goes astray from the path of the truth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, teaching him in a firm and scolding manner - which is one of the Prophet's teaching methods: "What a bad preacher you are! Say: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger" not "disobeys them". Here, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called his attention to be cautious about stating such things in sermons and attended occasions because the basic rule here is simplicity and clarification along with avoidance of symbols and signs, unlike education, as the lesser the words are, the better their memorization becomes.
The Hadīth denotes that forbidding evil is to be carried out by those qualified to do so..

873
’Umm Hishām bint Hārithah ibn an-Nu‘mān reported: Our oven and the oven of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the same for two years, or for a year and part of a year. I learned the Surat of {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an} from none but the tongue of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when delivering the Khutbah to people..

Commentary : The Companions were keen on knowing the Prophet's states and on learning everything from him because the best guidance is that of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth,' Umm Hishām bint al-Hārith ibn an-Nu'mān (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she and her family shared the same oven with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for two years, or a year and part of a year. "Tannūr" (oven) means the thing in which bread is baked, which is an indirect reference to their close neighborship and a reference to her extreme heedfulness of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), her vast knowledge about his states, and her closeness to him. She then reported that she did not memorize the Surat of {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur'an} except by hearing it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as he used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when delivering the Khutbah to people. Perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) chose Surat Qāf because of the lessons and the powerful deterrents it includes, in addition to some of the horrors of the Day of Judgment, including death and resurrection, Paradise and Hellfire, besides the fact that the speech of Allah Almighty is more effective in preaching.
The Hadīth indicates reciting the Qur’an in the Khutbah and reciting Surat Qāf..

874
‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah reported: He saw Bishr ibn Marwān on the pulpit raising his hands, so he said: "May Allah disfigure these hands! I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing no more than this with his hand." He pointed with his Musabbihah finger (forefinger). [Another version reads]: I saw Bishr ibn Marwān on Friday raising his hands, so, ‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah said...and he related a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) never feared the reproach of any critic concerning Allah and were never prevented by people's prestige from saying the truth if witnessed or knew it, even if the evildoer was from the notables. An example is this Hadīth as ‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah (may Allah be pleased with him) criticized Bishr ibn Marwān ibn al-Hakam ibn Abi al-‘Ās ibn ’Umayyah al-’Umawi al-Madani - one of the rulers of Banu ’Umayyah - for raising his hands during the Friday Khutbah while supplicating on the pulpit, as mentioned in the version of Abu Dāwūd. ‘Umārah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "May Allah disfigure these hands" that were raised during supplication contrary to the Sunnah. This apparently signifies supplicating against him for opposing the act of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this respect. It is also said that it signifies the ugliness of his deed. Then, he reported that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing no more than gesturing in the Khutbah with the Musabbihah (forefinger) during the supplication, i.e., he pointed with it just as he used to raise it during the Tashahhud. The "Musabbihah" is the finger next to the thumb, and it was called so because of pointing with it when declaring Tawhīd (monotheism) and when making Tasbīh (glorifying Allah). It was also called "Sabbābah" because people usually use it to refer to "sabb" (insulting, swearing).
The Hadīth shows that the preacher should not raise his hand while supplicating during the Friday Khutbah..

876
Abu Rifā‘ah reported: I came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was giving a sermon, and I said: "O Messenger of Allah, a stranger has come to inquire about his religion. He has no knowledge about his religion." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) turned to me, left his sermon, and came to me. A chair was brought - and I thought its legs were made of iron - and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on it and started teaching me of what Allah taught him. Then, he resumed his sermon and completed it..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to care about the conditions and circumstances of people and facilitate things for them. Indeed, he was gentle, compassionate, and humble to the Muslims.
In this Hadīth, Abu Rifā‘ah al-‘Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering a sermon to the people one day, Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, a stranger," a stranger is a person away from his homeland. "has come to inquire about his religion," i.e., about the matters and legislations of Islam. "He has no knowledge about his religion," because no one has taught him. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned to him, left his sermon, and walked until he reached Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Companions brought him a chair whose legs Abu Abu Rifā‘ah thought were made of iron. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the chair, so that the Companions could see him and learn from him. He began to teach Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) the matters of Islam he needed to learn. Then, after he had finished teaching him, he returned to his place and completed his sermon to the end.
It was said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the sermon and turned to this man to teach him because it was incumbent upon him right away, and because he feared he might miss that, and because this did not contradict the sermon he was giving. His walk and closeness to him at that moment was a desire to seize the opportunity and show care to the questioner.
In the Hadīth: The humbleness of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
And in it: The gentleness of the questioner and the good way of presenting his question.

877
Ibn Abi Rāfi‘ reported: Marwān appointed Abu Hurayrah to be in charge of Madīnah on his behalf, and he set out for Makkah. Abu Hurayrah led us in the Friday prayer and recited after Surat al-Jumu‘ah in the last Rak‘ah (unit of prayer) Surat: {When the hypocrites come to you}. When he left, I caught up with Abu Hurayrah and told him: You recited two Surahs that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib used to recite in Al-Kūfah. Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting them on Friday. [Another version reads]: Marwān appointed Abu Hurayrah to be in charge of...relating a similar Hadīth; however, he said: He recited Surat al-Jumu‘ah in the first Sajdah (Rak‘ah) and the last one Surat: {When the hypocrites come to you}..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and then apply what they learned. Hence, many of their acts were compatible with one another despite them being in different places.
In this Hadīth, 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Rāfi' al-Madani, the Prophet's freed slave, narrates that Marwān ibn al-Hakam, the ruler of Madīnah during the era of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), appointed Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) to be in charge of Madīnah on his behalf and he himself left for Makkah. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in the Friday prayer and recited in the first Rak‘ah Surat al-Jumu‘ah, and the last Rak‘ah, he recited Surat al-Munāfiqūn. After finishing the prayer, Ibn Abi Rāfi‘ went to Abu Hurayrah and said: You recited two Surahs that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite in Kūfah when leading people in prayer. It is as if ‘Ubaydullah was wondering: Is there a cause behind this concord? Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the reason why they both recited these Surahs in the same prayer despite the distance between them is that: he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting them on Friday. The reason behind this could be the fact that Surat al-Jumu'ah makes a mention of the Friday prayer and its high status and because Surat al-Munāfiqūn rebukes the hypocrites and urges them to repent since they used to attend the Friday prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and used to gather therein, so, perhaps what is in this Surah would act as a deterrent, an alert, and a warning for them..

878
An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} on the two Eids and on Friday. He said: If Eid and Friday fell on the same day, he would also recite them in the two prayers..

Commentary : The best guidance is that of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted his guidance in everything. Among them is the Hadīth narrated by An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him) about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the prayers of the two Eids and Friday. He said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the prayer of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Ad'ha, and in the Friday prayer: the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably chose these two Surahs because they contain mention of the affairs of the Hereafter and the promise of reward and the threat of punishment, which are appropriate for people in such a well-attended prayer. If Eid and Friday fell on the same day, he would also recite these two Surahs in the two prayers, to make prayer light for people.
And in it: It is recommended to recite the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} on the two Eids and Friday..

879
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the Fajr prayer on Friday: {Alif Lām Mīm. The revelation} (Surat as-Sajdah) and {Was there not a period of time when man} (Surat al-Insān). And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the Friday prayer Surat al-Jumu‘ah and Surat al-Munāfiqūn..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen on following the Prophet's Sunnah. They were quite aware of the details of his honorable Sunnah, what he used to recite in every prayer and whether he lengthened or shortened it, etc.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to regularly recite Surat as-Sajdah in the first Rak'ah (unit of prayer) of the Fajr prayer every Friday. In contrast, in the second Rak'ah, he used to recite Surat al-Insān: {Was there not a period of time when man}. The reason behind this could be what is included in these two Surahs mentioning what happened and what will happen in the beginning and the Hereafter, like the creation of Adam (peace be upon him), gathering the creatures and resurrecting them from the graves to Paradise and Hellfire, the situations of the Day of Judgment, which will occur on Friday.
Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) also reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Surat al-Jumu'ah in the first Rak'ah of the Friday prayer, and in the Second Rak'ah he used to recite Surat al-Munāfiqūn. The reason behind this could be the fact that Surat al-Jumu'ah makes a mention of the Friday prayer and its high status and because Surat al-Munāfiqūn rebukes the hypocrites and urges them to repent since they used to attend the Friday prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and used to gather therein, so, perhaps what is in this Surah would act as a deterrent, an alert, and a warning for them..

881
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you pray after the Friday prayer, pray four (Rak‘ahs)." [In a version]: Suhayl said: "If you are in a hurry on account of something, then offer two Rak‘ahs in the mosque and two Rak‘ahs when you go back.".

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. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated its Sunnahs and etiquettes.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs anyone who wants to offer a supererogatory prayer after the Friday prayer in the mosque to pray four Rak‘ahs.
It is related in a version that ‘Umar an-Nāqid added in his version: ‘Abdullāh ibn Idrīs reported that Suhayl ibn Abi Sālih said to him: "If you are in a hurry on account of something," i.e., if you are prompted by anything to quickly leave the mosque after the Friday prayer, "then offer two Rak‘ahs in the mosque" after the Friday prayer; then, you can go and engage in whatever you want, then pray two Rak‘ahs at home when you go back. In the version by Abu Dāwūd, it was the father of Suhayl who said that to Suhayl. So, it is probable that he was first exhorted by his father to do that, and then Suhayl exhorted his student Ibn Idrīs to do the same.
It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not pray after the Friday prayer until he departed, and he would then pray two Rak‘ahs," i.e., at home. Part of what was said about reconciling these two Hadīths is that if he prayed in the mosque, he would pray four Rak‘ahs, and if he prayed at home, he would pray two Rak‘ahs. It was also said: It may be taken on the basis that the regular Sunnah of the Friday prayer consists of six Rak‘ahs. And it was said: He would pray two Rak‘ahs in the mosque and two Rak‘ahs at home after he returned..

883
‘Umar ibn ‘Atā’ ibn Abi al-Khuwār reported that Nāfi' ibn Jubayr sent him to As-Sā’ib nephew of Namir to ask him about something that Mu‘āwiyah had seen him doing in prayer. He said: "Yes, I performed the Friday prayer along with him in the enclosure, and when the Imām concluded the prayer with Taslīm, I stood up in my place and prayed. When Mu‘āwiyah went in, he sent for me and said: 'Never do again what you did. When you have observed the Friday prayer, do not start another prayer until you speak to someone or you leave, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us not to follow up a prayer with another prayer until we talk or leave.'" [In a version]: The same text, except that he said: when he concluded the prayer with Taslīm, I stood up in my place. He did not mention the Imām..

Commentary : The Tābi‘īs (may Allah have mercy upon them) were most keen on learning knowledge and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as they observed all aspects of the Prophet's Sunnah and were keen to teach them to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘ī ‘Umar ibn ‘Atā’ says that Nāfi’ ibn Jubayr sent him to the Companion As-Sā’ib nephew of Namir (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about something that Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was then the Commander of the Faithful, had seen As-Sā’ib do in prayer, and of which Mu‘āwiyah had expressed disapproval. He said: 'Yes' i.e., I will answer your question. He informed him that he offered the Friday prayer with Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the enclosure, a chamber in the mosque for the caliphs and governors. Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first to establish it, after one of the Khrijites struck him and attempted to kill him. So, he wanted to protect himself therein. When the Imām made Taslīm, As-Sā’ib stood up in his place where he offered the Friday prayer to perform the supererogatory prayer, without anything that separates it from the obligatory prayer. As Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered his house, he sent a messenger to call him. When he went to him, he said to him: Never do what you did again, offering the supererogatory prayer in the place of the obligatory prayer directly thereafter. If you have performed the Friday prayer, do not couple it with another prayer, until you speak to someone or move from the place of your prayer. For example, he may offer the supererogatory prayer at home. This is intended to safeguard the obligatory prayer, lest anyone may add to it what is not part of it with the passage of time, and lest ignorant people may think the supererogatory prayer is part of the obligatory one. Then, Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them not to follow up a prayer with another prayer until they speak or leave the mosque or the place of the obligatory prayer, by moving from it.
In the Hadīth: Separating the supererogatory prayer from the obligatory one, either by speaking or by moving from its place
And in it: The ruler should give sincere advice to his subjects and demonstrate what is correct to them..

885
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Eid. He commenced with the prayer before the sermon, without Adhān or Iqāmah. He then stood up leaning on Bilāl, and he commanded people to fear Allah and obey Him, and he preached to the people and reminded them. He then walked until he reached the women, and he preached and admonished them, and then said to them: "Give charity, for the majority of you will be the firewood of Hellfire." A woman amid the crowd, with dark spots on her cheeks, said: "Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Because you often complain and show ingratitude to your spouses." Thus, they began to donate their jewelry, like earrings and rings, throwing them in Bilāl's garment..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cared about the sermon on the day of Eid, for the people would gather in it, so the benefit would be all-inclusive, and knowledge would spread.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he attended the Eid prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Ad'ha. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Eid prayer first, and he then delivered the Eid sermon, and the Eid prayer did not have Adhān or Iqāmah. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to give the sermon after the end of the Eid prayer, leaning on Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him). He commanded those in attendance to fear Allah in all their conditions; that is to put a shield between them and the punishment of Allah, by fulfilling His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. And he enjoined and encouraged them to obey Allah Almighty. "and he preached to the people," i.e., he commanded them to do what is right and good, as well as some admonition, and reminded them of Allah. Then, he went and left the place of his sermon to the men until he reached the women's praying place to give them a sermon. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) preached to the women and reminded them of Allah, saying: "Give charity," i.e., pay charity from your wealth; "for the majority of you will be the firewood of Hellfire," as Allah Almighty says: {then beware of the Fire whose fuel will be people and stones.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 24] Firewood: dry wood is used as fuel for inflaming. The meaning here: Most women will be the fuel of Hellfire. Thereupon, a woman stood up from the midst of women, "with dark spots on her cheeks," i.e., the color of her cheeks turned black. She asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the reason for that. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her that this is because women often complain and are not content with what is little, "and show ingratitude to your spouses," i.e., you are ungrateful for the kindness of your husbands, and you deny their rights upon you. He explained that in another version of the Two Sahīh Collections by saying: "If you have always been good to one of them and then she sees something from you (not of her liking), she will say: I have never seen any good from you." So, she meets this kindness with ingratitude and denial. Ingratitude dominates her attitude, as if she insists on it, and insistence turns a minor sin into a major one. This is because the rights of the husband are great, and she is required to show gratitude to him and acknowledge his favor, as he takes care of her affairs and protects and preserves her, and he exerts himself in doing so. Indeed, Allah enjoins anyone to whom a favor is done to show gratitude for it. So, what about the favors the husband generously bestows upon his wife for her entire life?!
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that when the women heard that, they gave charity from the jewelry and adornment they were wearing and put the charity in the lap of Bilāl, who was stretching out his garment to collect charity from them. "like earrings," jewelry hung in the ears. "and rings," jewelry worn on fingers.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating that the Eid prayer is to be performed before the sermon, not thereafter, and that it has no Adhān or Iqāmah.
And in it: Urging the giving of charity
And in it: Warning women of much complaining and of showing ingratitude to their husbands
And in it: Delivering a particular sermon for women on Eid.

886
Ibn ‘Abbās and Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansāri reported: No Adhān (call to prayer) used to be made on the Day of Fitr or the Day of Ad'ha. Then, after a while, I asked him about this, and he informed me. He said: Jābir ibn' Abdullah al-Ansāri told me that no Adhān should be made for prayer on the Day of Fitr, neither when the Imam comes out nor after he comes out, and there should be no Iqāmah (second call to prayer), no call, and nothing at all. No call and no Iqāmah should be made on that day..

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals part of the Prophet's guidance concerning the two Eid prayers and how he used to perform them without Adhān or Iqāmah. 'Abdullah ibn' Abbās and Jābir ibn' Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrate that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the praying area on the day of Eid, no Adhān was made for him neither on the Day of Fitr nor on the Day of Ad'ha.
Ibn Jurayj - one of the Hadīth narrators - reported that he asked his Shaykh, ‘Atā’ ibn Rabāh, after a long time about making Adhān and Iqāmah for the Eid prayer. He informed him that Jābir ibn' Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) told him that no Adhān or Iqāmah should be made for the Eid prayer, whether before or after the Imam comes out. Calling to this prayer, using whatever wording, has not been reported, including the statement said by some: "As-salātu jāmi'ah" (come to congregational prayer). He then repeated his words: "No call and no Iqāmah should be made on that day" for the sake of confirmation. There is no need to notify people of the Eid prayer as the Day of Eid is already known and is an occasion for gatherings, and people typically get ready for such a gathering. Therefore, their gathering for this occasion makes the call unnecessary, as the purpose is achieved through making Takbīr (proclaiming Allah's greatness) and attendance. Then, when the Imam stands up and orders them to straighten the rows or when he makes Takbīr, they know that the prayer has started, and after the prayer, he delivers the Eid Khutbah (sermon)..

887
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I performed the two Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), not only once or twice, without Adhān or Iqāmah..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has made Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Ad'ha for the Muslims to be happy for the completion of Allah's favor upon them after performing two obligatory acts, namely fasting Ramadān and making Hajj to the Sacred House. These two days have rulings, Sunnah acts, and etiquettes. This Hadīth reveals part of the Prophet's guidance concerning the two Eid prayers. Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he witnessed the two Eid prayers with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - so, he was reporting what he saw and did with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - without Adhān or Iqāmah. Instead, people used to come out, and once the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) arrived, they would pray without Adhān or Iqāmah since there is no need for both of them as the Day of Eid is already known and is an occasion for gathering and people usually get ready for such a gathering. Hence, their gathering for this occasion makes the call useless except for declaring the start of the prayer itself, which is achieved through making Takbīr (proclaiming Allah's greatness) and attendance. Then, after the prayer, he would deliver the Eid Khutbah (sermon). His statement: "not only once or twice," i.e., rather many times.
The Hadīth clarifies how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reported the Prophet's guidance to teach the Muslims his Sunnah..

891
‘Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb asked Abu Wāqid al-Laithi: "What did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to recite in Eid al-Ad'ha and Eid al-Fitr?" He said: "He used to recite in both of them the Surah of: {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an!} and the Surah of: {The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split asunder.}".

Commentary : Prayer is a Tawqifiyyah (determined) act of worship. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught us the way of performing it and its Sunnahs and etiquettes. This Hadīth presents part of the Prophet's guidance in the prayers of the two Eids. The Tābi‘i ‘Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ūd al-Hudhali says that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Companion Abu Wāqid al-Laithi (may Allah be pleased with him) about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite after Al-Fātihah in the two Rak‘ahs of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Ad'ha. ‘Umar's question about this matter - the like of which was not unknown to him - may be rooted in the desire that he should tell him whether he memorized it or not, or he may have entertained doubt, or he may have been in dispute with someone else over this matter, and so he wanted to cite his statement, or he may have forgotten it. In response, Abu Wāqid (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first Rak‘ah Surat Qāf, which begins with: {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an!} And in the second Rak‘ah, Surat al-Qamar, which starts with: {The Hour has drawn near and the moon has split asunder.}
The wisdom behind reciting them lies in the fact that they both contain information related to the Resurrection, the past nations, the destruction of the deniers, and the resemblance of people emerging for Eid to their emerging for the Resurrection and their coming out of the graves like scattered locusts - and Allah knows best.
In the Hadīth: If anyone finds any of the matters of knowledge confusing or unclear to him, he should ask a knowledgeable person about it..