| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
843
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The poor came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: The wealthy have taken the high levels in Paradise and eternal bliss. They pray as we pray, and they fast as we fast, but they have surplus wealth that enables them to perform Hajj and ‘umrah, and to go for jihad, and give charity. He said: “Shall I not tell you of something which, if you adhere to it, you will catch up with those who went ahead of you, and no one after you will be able to catch up with you, and you will be the best of those who are around you, except one who does likewise? Glorify Allah (tasbih), praise Him (tahmid) and magnify Him (takbir) thirty-three times after every prayer.” We differed among ourselves. Some of us said that this means glorifying Allah thirty-three times, praising Him  thirty-three times and magnifying Him thirty-four times. So I went back to him and he said: “You should say Subhan Allahwa al-hamduLillahwa Allahu akbar, until you have said the entire sentence thirty-three times.”.

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

845
It was narrated that Samurah ibn Jundab said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed a prayer, he turned to face us..

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

846
It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid al-Juhani that he said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying Fajr in al-Hudaybiyyah after it had rained during the night. When he finished praying, he turned to face the people and said: “Do you know what your Lord said?” They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “This morning, some of My slaves became believers in Me and some became disbelievers. As for the one who said, We got rain by the grace and mercy of Allah, such a one is a believer in Me and a disbeliever in the heavenly bodies. As for the one who said, We got rain by virtue of the position of the moon, such a one is a disbeliever in Me and a believer in the heavenly bodies.”.

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

848
It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: Ibn ‘Umar would pray [supererogatory prayers] in the same place where he had prayed the obligatory [Sunnah] prayer, and al-Qasim also did that..

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

849
It was narrated from Umm Salamah that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said the taslim, he would stay in his spot for a little while. Ibn Shihab said: I think, and Allah knows best, that he did that so that the women who wanted to exit the mosque could leave..

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

851
It was narrated that ‘Uqbah said: I prayed ‘Asr behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in Madinah. He said the taslim, then he got up quickly, stepping over the necks of the people, until he reached one of the apartments of his wives. The people were alarmed at his haste, then he came out to them and saw that they were astonished at his haste, so he said: “I remembered some gold that we had, and I did not like it to distract [or detain] me, so I issued orders for it to be distributed.”.

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

852
It was narrated that al-Aswad said: ‘Abdullah said: None of you should give the Shaytan any share of his prayer, thinking that he cannot exit [after the prayer] except to his right. I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) often exiting to his left. .

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

853
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said during the Khaybar campaign: “Whoever has eaten from this plant – meaning garlic – let him not approach our mosque.”.

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

855
Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah claimed that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has eaten garlic or onions, let him keep away from us – or: let him keep away from our mosque – and let him stay at home.” A pot containing vegetables was brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he noticed a smell coming from it. He asked about it, and was told what kind of vegetables were in it. Then he said: “Pass it on,” referring to one of his companions who was with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw that he was reluctant to eat it, he said: “Eat, for I converse with one with whom you do not converse.”.

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

857
It was narrated that al-Sha‘bi said: Someone who passed by an isolated grave with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told me that he stood to lead them in prayer, and they formed rows behind him. I said: O Abu ‘Amr, who narrated that to you? He said: Ibn ‘Abbas. .

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

866
It was narrated from Hind bint al-Harith that Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told her that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when the women said the taslim at the end of the obligatory prayer, they would get up [to leave the mosque], and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the men who had prayed with him would stay where they were for as long as Allah willed. Then when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up, the men would get up too..

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

869
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: If the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew of how women have begun to conduct themselves, he would have prevented them [from going to the mosques] as the women of the Children of Israel were prevented. I said to ‘Amrah: Were they prevented? She said: Yes..

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

871
It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in the house of Umm Sulaym. An orphan and I stood behind him, and Umm Sulaym stood behind us..

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

873
It was narrated from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray Fajr when it was still dark, and the believing women could leave when they would not be recognized – or they would not recognize one another – because it was so dark..

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

877
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If one of you wants to come to Jumu‘ah, let him do ghusl.”.

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

934
Abu Mālik al-Ash‘ari reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Four in my Ummah are among the affairs of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance that have not been abandoned: boasting of noble ancestries, defaming lineages, seeking rain from the stars, and wailing. And he said: If the wailing woman does not repent before her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on bringing his Ummah out from Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance) with all its evils, sins, and polytheism to Islam and its laws with all its goodness and monotheism.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) depicts matters that were and are still practiced by some people, and such matters belong to the people of Jāhiliyyah. So, he warned us against them and pointed out that whoever adopts any of such matters is, in fact, adopting one of the pre-Islamic traits and must abandon it and adhere instead to what has been legislated by Islam concerning such a trait and its likes. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that four characteristics exist in the Ummah of Islam that are from the affairs and usual attributes of the people of Jāhiliyyah. He said that such traits would last in the Ummah and would not be abandoned as other pre-Islamic practices have been abandoned, for if they are abandoned by one party, others will come and adhere to them.
The first thing of such matters: It is "boasting of noble ancestries," which is taking pride in, bragging about, and exalting the characteristics, virtues, and bounties that are either in him or his family. "Hasab" (noble ancestry) refers to the personal traits one enumerates, such as bravery, eloquence, etc. "Boasting of noble ancestries" means acting arrogantly and loftily by enumerating one's virtues and his forefathers' remarkable feats, which entails deeming oneself better than others and looking down upon them. In the version of Abu Dāwūd, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has removed from you the pride of Jāhiliyyah and its boastfulness about the ancestors. It is either a pious believer or a miserable sinner. People are the children of Adam, and Adam is from dust."
The second repugnant matter: "Defaming lineages," which means finding fault with people's lineages like discrediting the lineage or negating one's attribution to his father, is a malicious claim because it results in dividing Muslims and causing turmoils and evils, besides slandering people.
The third matter is: It is "seeking rain from the stars," which refers to supplicating and seeking water through rainfall by believing that the stars are the cause of such rain, as they used to say in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance: we have been given rain because of such-and-such star; whereas, having a belief that it is actually the cause for rainfall is disbelief. Rain is part of Allah's mercy towards His slaves and falls according to His decree. It is one of the things that Allah Almighty spoke about, saying: {Indeed, Allah has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will do tomorrow, nor does any soul know in which land it will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Surat Luqmān: 34]
Fourth matter: "Wailing" means weeping over the dead by shouting, screaming, expressing impatience, and enumerating the deceased person's traits and virtues by saying, for instance: Alas for the brave one! Alas, for the lion! Alas, for the mountain!
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) , warned the wailing women if they did not repent for wailing before their death, saying, "If the wailing woman does not repent before" the time of "her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment," the wailing woman, who did not repent, will be made to stand and will be gathered among the standing people to be exposed on the Day of Judgment, as a recompense for her wailing, while wearing a garment of pitch, which is molten copper or paint used for painting. It is also said: that it is grease with which the scabby camel is rubbed to burn the mange, and its heat could reach the inside. "And a chemise of mange," "dir‘" (chemise) is a kind of women's shirts, i.e., she will be wearing another chemise of mange. This means that all her skin will be scabious and will act like a chemise covering her skin and sticking to her the way a chemise covers and sticks to her. He restricted repentance to the time before death to make it known that one of the conditions of repentance is for the repentant to repent while having hopes that he will still live and might commit the act for which he is repenting. This is supported by what is mentioned in the Book of Allah: {However, repentance is not for those who commit evil deeds until death approaches one of them; he then says, “Now I repent.”} [Surat an-Nisā’: 18]
Such a punishment is for wailing and enumerating the dead person's merits because both acts involve objection to Allah's decree. As for crying out of sadness and mercy for the deceased person, there is nothing wrong with that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His slaves. Verily, Allah shows mercy to those of His slaves who are merciful." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The Hadīth includes one of the signs of the Prophet's prophethood.
It warns against boasting of noble ancestries and against slandering lineages.
It calls for preserving people's honor and refraining from slander.
It clarifies the fact that one's value depends on his personality and deeds, not on his forefathers' feats.
It warns against wailing over the dead.
It emphasizes that rain comes from Allah Almighty, and the stars have nothing to do with it. So, water should be sought from none but the Creator and the Omnipotent, who can make the rainfall..

943
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made a speech one day and mentioned a man from among his Companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud of bad quality and was buried at night. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked that a man should be buried at night until prayer was offered over him, except when one is forced to do that. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good.".

Commentary : The burial of a Muslim is part of the honor granted to him by Allah Almighty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Ummah how to take care of the dead Muslims, including washing, shrouding, burying, and following the funeral procession, as well as other duties and Sunnah acts.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to his Companions one day and admonished them. In his sermon, he mentioned a man from among his companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud that was unbelievably bad or not completely concealing; moreover, he was buried and put into his grave at night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked, prohibited, and banned his Companions from repeating an act like this with their dead brother, given his rights upon them. This includes burial at night. Indeed, a dead person should be buried during the daytime so that a lot of people can offer prayer for him, more than the people who would pray for him at night, or so that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could offer the prayer for him, which is another reason for those who died during his lifetime. This also means that the burial of a dead person should be delayed until the morning, if it is hoped that those who will bless him will join the prayer.
And he clarified to them that burial at night should only occur in the case of necessity, like fearing that the body may decay. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good." This is intended to direct, teach, and enjoin excellence in shrouding the dead. Excellence, however, does not mean extravagance or immoderation in choosing the shroud or that it should be expensive. Rather, the intended meaning is that it should be clean, pure, thick, concealing, and of the same type of clothing he mostly wore in his life, neither finer nor lower in quality.
In the Hadīth: We are enjoined to use a good shroud, without extravagance or stinginess.
And in it: Demonstrating the Prophet's care about the conditions of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) whether they were alive or dead.

947
‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer over a dead person, and all of them intercede for him, except that their intercession for him will be accepted.".

Commentary : The religion of Islam is a religion of bounty and abundant giving from Allah, as He made the Muslims intercessors for one another. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslim and made that one of the rights due to the Muslims among themselves.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a Muslim dies and a group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer for him, "and all of them intercede for him," i.e., they ask Allah Almighty to pardon his sins and crimes and they supplicate for him, in such a case, people's intercession for him will be accepted and their supplication for him will be answered. But two conditions should be met here: First: Those who intercede for him should be sincere in their supplication and should ask Allah to forgive him. Second: They should be Muslims and numbering a hundred persons, and they should include no one who associates anything with Allah.
Other Hadīths are reported with lesser than this number, such as forty or three rows. It was said: Informing that the intercession of forty people is accepted does not necessarily mean that the intercession of a lesser number is not accepted, and the same holds true for the number of forty people along with three rows. Hence, all Hadīths are applicable, and the intercession is valid with the lesser of two numbers, the three rows or forty persons.
In the Hadīth: Urging the increase of a group offering the funeral prayer, and they are required to reach this number, which is one of the requirements for salvation
And in it: Those offering the funeral prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
And in it: Stressing the significance of sincerity in supplicating for the dead..

948
Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbās, related from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās that a son of his died in Qudayd - or in ‘Usfān - and he said: "O Kurayb, look and see how many people gathered for him." He said: I went out and found that people had gathered for him. I informed him about that, and he said: "Do you think they are forty?" He said: 'Yes.' He said: "Bring him out, for indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies, and forty men, who associate nothing with Allah, attend his funeral except that Allah will accept their intercession for him.'".

Commentary : The bounty and giving of Allah Almighty is great. He made the Muslims intercessors for one another, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslims and rendered it one of the rights of Muslims upon one another.
In this Hadīth, Kurayb, the freed slave of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, relates that a son of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) died, and he was present with him, "in Qudayd", a place of water between Makkah and Madīnah, which is located 150km away from Makkah and lies to its northeast, "or in ‘Usfān", a town located 80km to the northwest of Makkah. These are two places close to Makkah. ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered Kurayb to go out and tell him about the number of people who had gathered to attend his funeral procession and prayer. Kurayb went to see the people and then informed them about their gathering and number. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Do you think?" i.e., do you estimate their number to be forty men? Kurayb replied: 'Yes.' In the version by Ibn Mājah, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "How many do you see? Forty?" I said: "No, they are more than that." So, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked those with him to bring the funeral of his son to the people gathered in the mosque to offer prayer for him and bury him. Then, he said: "For indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies and forty men... attend his funeral'", praying and supplicating for him, and they believe in Allah and associate none with Him in worship. In the version by Ibn Mājah: "No forty believers intercede for a believer." intercession here means request. Those attending the funeral prayer ask Allah Almighty to pardon the sins of the deceased, "except that Allah will accept their intercession for him", i.e., He will accept their intercession for that dead Muslim, out of His grace and bounty, and forgive him.
It is required to increase the number of those who attend the funeral prayer as much as possible, and they are required to reach this number that entails success. This is conditional upon two things: First: They should be intercessors for him, i.e., sincere in supplicating and asking Allah's forgiveness. Second: They should be Muslims and include none who associates anything with Allah.
Other reported Hadīths mention a different number, like one hundred or three rows. So, it is said that intercession by a hundred people will be accepted, but it does not necessarily mean that intercession by a lesser number will not be accepted. The same holds true for the forty men and the three rows. Hence, all the relevant Hadīths are applicable. Intercession is valid by the lesser of the two: by three rows or forty persons; this is because when Allah Almighty promises forgiveness two times in one sense, and one of them is easier than the other, it is His unchanging way that He does not decrease the promised bounty after that. Instead, He gives more out of his bounty and favor from Him toward His servants. It is also probable that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was informed about the acceptance of intercession by a hundred persons. He was informed about it, and then he was informed about the acceptance of intercession by forty persons and then by three rows, even if their number is lesser, yet he was informed about that.
The Hadīth mentions that those who attend the prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
It urges Muslims to attend the prayer for the deceased and increase the number of those who attend..

957
‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: Zayd used to make four Takbirs upon our funerals, and he once made five Takbirs. So, I asked him (about that) and he said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make Takbirs like that.".

Commentary : The funeral prayer is one of the due rights to one another among the Muslims. It is mercy towards the dead person, as it was prescribed for supplication for him. A Muslim who offers prayer for a dead person should earnestly supplicate for him to be forgiven and shown mercy.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla relates that the Companion Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) would mostly make four Takbīrs upon "the funerals," a term that refers to the dead person in the bier. This was the approach of most of the scholars among the Companions. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) one day made five Takbīrs at a funeral. So, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla asked him about the reason behind the fifth Takbīr, and Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would make five Takbīrs in some funeral prayers.
The objective of the prayer for a dead person is to supplicate and ask forgiveness for him. Supplication for the dead person occurs after the third Takbīr. A person should supplicate inaudibly with the best things he can recall, and he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead one..

962
Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh reported: Nāfi' ibn Jubayr saw me standing as we were attending a funeral. He was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be held. He said to me: "What makes you stand?" I said: "I am waiting for the funeral to be held, as per a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri." Thereupon, Nāfi 'said: "Verily, Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam related to me that 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and then sat down.".

Commentary : With its tolerant Shariah, Islam affirms the value of the human soul, from its birth to its death, and holds it in high status, as revealed by these rulings enjoined with regard to it, even after its departure from life. This clearly manifests that Islam devotes attention to the funerals and burial of the dead and taking them to the graves and Barzakh (the period between death and resurrection), where they wait for the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh informs that the Tābi‘i Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr saw him while he was at a funeral - a term that refers to a deceased in a bier - and was standing for the funeral. Meanwhile, Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr "was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be placed" in the grave. Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr asked him why he was standing - a disapproving questioning. Wāqid ibn ‘Amr answered him: that he was waiting for the funeral to take place, in accordance with the Hadīth in which Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you follow a funeral, do not sit down until it takes place." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Explaining why he was sitting, Nāfi‘ responded to him with the Hadīth narrated by Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam from ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with both of them), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would initially stand up for funerals but later abandoned standing and would sit down. ‘Ali's words "and then sat down" may also mean that he would sit down after the funeral passed him by and went away from him.
The Hadīths reported on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) standing and sitting for funerals, indicating that his sitting abrogated his standing. It is also said that this is not abrogation; instead, it points out that standing is unnecessary..

963
‘Awf ibn Mālik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer, and I memorized his supplication as he said: "O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him. Make him safe and pardon him. Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one, broaden his entry, and wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave, or from the punishment of Hellfire." He said: Until I wished I had been that deceased person..

Commentary : The objective of prayer for a deceased person is to supplicate for him and ask Allah's forgiveness for him. Many supplications are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), to be said in the funeral prayer. It is preferred that the praying person use these supplications that are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But there is nothing wrong if one says other supplications. Supplication for the deceased person is made after the third Takbīr; one should supplicate secretly with the best of what he can recall, yet he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead person.
In this Hadīth, ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he attended a funeral prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and part of his supplication which ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) memorized is: "O Allah, forgive him" by blotting out the sins and misdeeds. "and have mercy on him" by accepting the acts of piety. "Make him safe," i.e., avert unpleasant things from him and make him safe from the punishment. "and pardon him," i.e., pardon the sins he committed and his shortcomings in the acts of worship. "Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one." The word Nuzul originally means the food prepared for the guest. It here refers to what Allah gives to His servant when he meets Him and honors him therewith. "broaden his entry," i.e., broaden the place of his entry in which he enters - that is his grave - lest it may become narrow for him. This is part of the bliss of the believer in the grave. The grave is either broadened for the one buried in it or made narrow for him. "and wash him with water, snow, and hail." Hail is pellets of ice descending from the clouds of the sky, which means: Purify him from the sins and misdeeds thereby, just as these things are means of purification from uncleanness and dirt. He combined them for emphasis. In other words, purify him from sins by the various kinds of forgiveness. He mentioned snow and hail because they are cold, and he mentioned water because it cleans, whereas the punishment for sins is hot. So, it was appropriate to mention snow along with water. Thus, water will do the cleaning, and snow and hail will do the cooling. "and cleanse him of sins." This is a supplication for cleansing in the sense of purification from sins, as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Thus, what is conceived is compared to what is perceived. This affirms what is mentioned before and is meant to emphasize purification from sins and misdeeds. "Give him in exchange a home better than his home," i.e., compensate him and give him palaces or a vast grave that is better than his house in this transient world. And give him in exchange "a family better than his family," those who are his relatives in the world, such as his mother, maternal aunt, daughters, father, son, and the like. The wife is excluded from this, as he singled her out after that. It was also said: Family here refers to servants. "and a spouse better than his spouse," i.e., give him a wife from the houris (Hūr al-‘Īn) or from the women of the world in Paradise. It was also said: The exchange of family and wife means the exchange of traits, not people. "Admit him into Paradise." This is a supplication for him to enter Paradise directly, without prior punishment. "and protect him from the punishment of the grave" after he enters it. Or he said: "Protect him from the punishment of Hellfire" in the Hereafter.
‘Awf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) added that after hearing this supplication from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he wished he had been that deceased person, given the great reward and forgiveness entailed by this supplication for him, and so as to reap benefit of the Prophet's supplication, for the Prophet's prayer and supplication are more likely to be accepted and materialized than others.
In the Hadīth: Supplication in the funeral prayer, which is the most important part of its objective
And in it: Establishing the existence of the punishment of the grave.

965
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for Ibn ad-Dahdāh. Then, an unsaddled horse was brought to him, and a man hobbled it and rode it. It kept bounding with him on its back, and we followed it and ran after it. He said: A man among the people said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." [And in a version]: For Abu ad-Dahdāh..

Commentary : This Hadīth describes one of the Prophet's conditions and guidance regarding funerals: following the funeral on foot or riding. It also includes a lot of ethics. Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for the Companion Ibn ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him). In the version by An-Nasā’i: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out for the funeral of Abu ad-Dahdāh." He is Thābit ibn ad-Dahdāh an ally of the Ansār, nicknamed Abu ad-Dahdāh. It is also said: Abu ad-Dahdāha. The Prophet's prayer brings Allah's mercy to the dead person. Then, "an unsaddled horse" was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In another version by Muslim: "An unsaddled horse was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which he rode after leaving the funeral of Ibn ad-Dahdāh." So, it indicates that he rode the horse after finishing the burial. "and a man hobbled it," i.e., he held it and prevented it from moving until the prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode it. The horse kept bounding and moving, i.e., jumping and taking short steps. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was moving at the front, and the people were walking behind him.
Then, Simāk ibn Harb informed that one of those sitting with Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated in Musnad Ahmad, related: A man who was sitting with us in the gathering of Jābir ibn Samurah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about Abu ad-Dahdāh: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." This is a glad tiding by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding Abu ad-Dahdāh. In Arabic, ‘Adhq means palm tree, and ‘idhq means a branch in a palm tree. The intended meaning here is the branch, for he said: hanging or drooping.
The reason behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this statement is found in a Hadīth narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad Collection, in which Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When this verse: {Who is it that will lend to Allah a goodly loan.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 245] was revealed, Abu ad-Dahdāh gave in charity a garden comprising six hundred palm trees, and his wife was in the garden. He came and said: O ’Umm ad-Dahdāh, go out, for I have lent it to my Almighty Lord. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the heavy bunches in Paradise for Abu ad-Dahdāh." Heavy here indicates that the bunches have abundant fruits. It is as if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this statement upon the death of this man.
The Hadīth shows the merit and virtue of Abu ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him).
A group may walk along with their leader while he is riding.
There is nothing wrong if a follower serves his leader, with his consent..

966
‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās reported: Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd (a niche in the side of the grave) for me and set up mud bricks over me as was done with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to seek out the Prophet's guidance and try to emulate him in all his conditions, both in his lifetime and death. In this Hadīth, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) set a clear example in following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās relates that his father Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd for me," i.e., dig a niche for me where I will be buried. Lahd is the crevice dug in the side of the grave to place the dead person therein. Then, he said: "and set up mud bricks over me," i.e., place over me the bricks made of mud. The bricks should be lined and arranged above one another without any adhesive in between. The version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj has this addition: "And throw dust upon me." Then, clarifying the reason for his choosing that, for he wanted what was done to the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to be done to his grave too.
In the Hadīth: The dead person is buried in the Lahd and the stones are set up over him..

967
Ibn ‘Abbās reported: A red velvet cloak was put in the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was highly revered during his lifetime and after his death, and he is favored in the sight of Allah and was held in high esteem among his Companions. He passed away and was buried in the place where he died, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers' Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died, a red velvet cloak was put in his grave. The cloak is a garment with edges, which are strings remaining at its two sides, apart from its reinforced border. This cloak was thrown by Shokrān, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), according to the version by At-Tirmidhi. It is said: He disliked that it should be worn by anyone after him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to wear it and sit over it. So, Shokrān did not like that it be used by anyone after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

968
Thumāmah ibn Shufayy reported: We were with Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis. A companion of ours died. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd commanded that his grave be leveled. Then, he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) command that it be leveled.".

Commentary : Burial is one of the things by which a dead person is honored. A Muslim should follow the Prophet's guidance in all matters. One of these is the manner of burying the dead and the shape and condition of the grave after burial. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow this Prophetic guidance.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Thumāmah ibn Shufayy relates that he was with the Companion Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) on an expedition "in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis" is a Greek island situated east of the Mediterranean Sea and located midway between the main Greek islands and Cyprus. Rūdis was conquered in 53 A.H., during the reign of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him). A Muslim man from their companions passed away. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded that this man be buried. After the dust was thrown over him, he commanded that his grave be leveled and blotted out and that it should not be raised or prominent. Then, Fadālah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanding that it be leveled" i.e., the grave should be leveled to the ground and not be raised a lot; rather, it should be raised as high as a hand span, and it should be flattened or embossed, which is more appropriate so that it can be recognized as a grave and thus be protected from being sat on or trodden.
The Hadīth contains the command that the graves should be leveled and not be raised above the ground.
It indicates that those killed in wars should be buried, and their corpses should not be left without concealment..

969
Abu al-Hayyāj Al-Asadi reported: ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said to me: "Shall I not send you with the same instructions as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) sent me with? Do not leave any statue without blotting it out or any raised grave without leveling it." [In a version]: And he said: and any image without blotting it out..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to remove anything that pointed to the traces of Jāhiliyyah, which included their keenness on extolling images, the dead, and the graves.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Hayyāj al-Asadi relates that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Shall I not send you for something the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent me for, and appoint you as a leader in charge of that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed me as a leader in charge of it? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered ‘Ali not to leave any 'statue', i.e., an image of a living being, without eliminating and abolishing it, by cutting off its head, changing its face, and so on; and not to leave any raised grave without leveling it and making it like the surrounding area. Taswiyah (leveling) may also mean making it sound and compliant with the Shariah. Or it means: flattening, that it should not be raised a lot above the ground, but only as high as a hand span. It is more appropriate to make it flat or a saddle high. What is intended here is the grave upon which a structure is built, and it becomes raised, not the grave upon which sand, pebbles, or stones are placed for identification, so that no one should trample or sit on it, and there is no use in building over it; hence, it was prohibited.
In the Hadīth: The command to remove statues and idols
And in it: The command to level raised graves
And in it: Removing what is wrong with one's hand in case a person has authority or ability to do so.

970
Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade plastering a grave, sitting on it, and building over it..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the keenest among people on eliminating the traces of Jāhiliyyah, like building over the graves and raising them, for this involves a waste of money and boastfulness, as well as other things that do not befit the Hereafter and the state of death and decay. He was also keen on directing the Muslims to what shows honor for one another both in this life and after death.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "plastering the grave." In a version by Muslim: "It was forbidden to plaster the graves with gypsum," i.e., to build them with gypsum and paint them, for this involves veneration and immoderation. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "sitting on it," as this denotes disregard for the right of his fellow Muslim. In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal, which will burn his clothes and get to his skin than to sit on a grave!" This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition against sitting on a grave. And he forbade "building over it." This probably means building over the very grave to raise it, or building around it, like constructing a tent, a mosque, or the like around the grave. Both are prohibited, for this belongs to the practices of the people of Jāhiliyyah and it involves a waste of money.
So, the prohibition mentioned in the Hadīth comprises two types: going to excess as well as neglect regarding the graves. The dead people should not be insulted by trampling and sitting on their graves, nor should people show them immoderate reverence by constructing a building there and extolling them in a way that leads to certain forbidden things and evils..

971
Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal and it burns his clothes and gets to his skin than to sit on a grave.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, in this Hadīth, he prohibited sitting on the graves and was vehement in this prohibition. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed and warned that if a person sits on a piece of inflaming fire and this live coal burns his clothes and reaches his skin, which involves tremendous harm and severe pain, this burning of his clothing and skin is better and easier for him than sitting on a grave. This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition from sitting on graves. He forbade sitting on graves because this constitutes belittlement of the rights of fellow Muslims, even if they are dead.
The usual practice regarding the graves is only to visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī' cemetery. He would say: "Assalāmu ‘alaykum ahl ad-diyār min al-mu’minīn wa al-muslimīn, wa inna in shā’ Allah la lāhiqūn; as’al Allah lana wa lakam al-‘āfiyah" (Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for you and us). Narrated by Muslim..

972
Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not sit on the graves and do not pray towards them.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, he prohibited sitting on the graves, and he was vehement in this prohibition.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Do not sit on the graves," for this shows disregard for the rights of fellow Muslims. In another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that sitting on lively embers is better than sitting on the graves. The usual practice regarding the graves is to only visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī‘ cemetery. He would say: "Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for us and you." [Narrated by Muslim] Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and do not pray towards them," i.e., do not pray, facing the graves. This is to differ from the Jews and the Christians who used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous ones as places of worship, in exaltation of them. And they would probably do there things that are only due to the Creator, the Almighty Lord. This applies to praying upon the grave, towards it, or between two graves, for this leads to the exaltation of the graves and to worshiping them as was the practice during Jāhiliyyah. Excluded from this prohibition is the funeral prayer at the graves, as authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In the Hadīth: It is prohibited to sit on the graves.
And in it: It is prohibited to pray at the graves, between them, or towards them..