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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
567
It was narrated that Abu Musa said: I and my companions who came with me on the ship were staying at a place called Baqi‘ But-han, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was in Madinah. Some of them would go by turns to attend ‘Isha’ prayer with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) every night. We went to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), my companions and I, but he was busy with some of his affairs, so the prayer was delayed until the middle of the night. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out and led them in prayer, and when he had finished his prayer, he said to those who were present: “Stay a while; be of good cheer, for by the blessing of Allah to you, none of humankind prays at this hour except you.” Or he said: “No one other than you has prayed at this hour.” I do not know which of the two phrases he used. Abu Musa said: We rejoiced at what we had heard from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Giving glad tidings to the Muslim to make him happy is one of the deeds that Allah (may He be exalted) loves, because doing that brings joy to the believer’s heart and helps him to be steadfast in adhering to the truth. In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari narrates that he and his companions were among a group who had travelled by ship. They were the “migrants by sea”, as they were called by Ibn Majah. They were migrants who had travelled to Ethiopia, and they were the “people of the ship”, who travelled by sea to reach Ethiopia, then they came back to rejoin the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after he migrated to Madinah. They returned in 7 AH. As for Abu Musa, he had departed from Yemen to visit the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but the wind blew him off course and he ended up in Ethiopia, where he remained for seven years, then he came with Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him). That was when the letter of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reached the Negus after al-Hudaybiyyah. Those who had migrated to Ethiopia came to Madinah in two ships, and Abu Musa and his companions were on board one of the ships. They came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) soon after the conquest of Khaybar. It was said that there were seventy of them, and they halted in a valley in Madinah that was called Baqi‘ But-han. The word baqi‘ refers to a broad, open space in which there are trees of different types. Every night at the time of ‘Isha’ prayer, a group among the people of the ship would come to the Prophet, taking turns to attend the prayer with him. The word translated here as a group refers to a group consisting of a number between three and ten people. When it was the turn of Abu Musa and his companions to sit with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), they came to him when he was busy with something. It was said that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was preparing an army. Concerning the phrase “so the prayer was delayed until the middle of the night”, it was said that what was meant is that it was delayed until halfway through the night, or that it was delayed until it became very dark. What is meant is that ‘Isha’ prayer was delayed from the beginning of its time until the night had become dark. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out and lead them in praying ‘Isha’. Then when he had finished his prayer, he said to those who were present and had prayed with him: Do not rush; wait a while. And he said to them: “Be of good cheer,” and rejoice and be happy for news that has to do with you; this is glad tidings for you of an immense reward for your prayer. The glad tidings were that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “By the blessing of Allah to you, none of humankind prays at this hour except you,” or he said: “No one other than you has prayed at this hour.” The meaning is the same in either case: that by Allah’s blessing to you, He has caused you to be the only ones doing this act of worship at this time, to the exclusion of others. The words “I do not know which of the two phrases he used” are those of the narrator, who did not know exactly which of them the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said. When Abu Musa and those who were with him (may Allah be pleased with them) heard the glad tidings of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to them, they went back to the place where they were staying, rejoicing at these glad tidings. The reason for their joy was that they knew that they had been singled out to do this act of worship, which was an immense blessing that would bring great reward, in addition to the fact that they had stood in prayer behind the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who had come out and led them in prayer, despite the fact that he was preoccupied with preparing the army. Hence they rejoiced at that, and their joy increased with the glad tidings of this immense blessing.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to talk after ‘Isha’.
It also indicates that it is permissible to delay ‘Isha’ if it is known that the people have the energy to wait, so that they may attain the virtue of waiting, because the one who is waiting for the prayer is in a state of prayer.
It also indicates that one may give glad tidings that will make a person happy, and highlights the fact that this comes under the heading of bringing joy to the believer’s heart..

569
It was narrated from ‘Urwah that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed ‘Isha’ until it was very dark, until ‘Umar called out: Let us pray! The women and children have gone to sleep. [The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] came out and said: “No one on earth is waiting for it except you.” He said: No prayer was offered at that time except in Madinah, and they used to pray between the disappearance of the dusk and the end of the first third of the night..

Commentary : Giving glad tidings to the Muslim to make him happy is one of the deeds that Allah (may He be exalted) loves, because doing that brings joy to the believer’s heart and helps him to be steadfast in adhering to the truth. In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed ‘Isha’ until it became dark. One night, he delayed praying it until ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) called out: Let us pray, for the women and children who are in the mosque have fallen asleep. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, and Muslim added in his narration of this hadith: Ibn Shihab said: I was told that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “It is not appropriate for you to urge the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to come and pray.” That was when ‘Umar called out.
When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to them, he told them that no one else on earth was waiting for this prayer except them. This was glad tidings to them of immense reward, and that by the blessing of Allah to them, they were the only ones who were doing this act of worship at that time, to the exclusion of all others.
Then ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) – or al-Zuhri or ‘Urwah, who were among the narrators of the hadith – said: No prayer was offered at that time except in Madinah, because those of the weak and oppressed who were in Makkah used to pray in secret, and Islam had not yet entered any place at that time except Makkah and Madinah. But prayer was offered in Madinah in places other than the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), such as the Mosque of Quba’ and other mosques belonging to the tribes of the Ansar. According to a report of which the soundness is agreed upon, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: That was before Islam spread widely among the people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions used to pray ‘Isha’ between the time when the red afterglow disappeared, which is the beginning of the time for ‘Isha’, when darkness begins, and its time would last until one third of the night had passed. It was said that this highlights the chosen time for praying ‘Isha’, because the context gives the impression that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) persisted in offering this prayer at that time. This hadith is narrated by an-Nasa’i in a form that indicates a command, as it says: “Pray it between the time when the red afterglow disappears until one third of the night has passed.” There is no contradiction between this and the hadith of Anas which says that [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] delayed the (‘Isha’) prayer until halfway through the night, because the hadith of ‘A’ishah may be understood as referring to what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) usually did.
This hadith indicates that one may remind the imam about the prayer.
It also highlights the fact that the Muslim ummah has been given precedence over other nations.
It indicates that it is permissible to delay ‘Isha’ if it is known that the people have the energy to wait for it, so that they may attain the virtue of waiting, for the one who is waiting for the prayer is in a state of prayer..

570
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was distracted from (‘Isha’ prayer) one night, so he delayed it until we fell asleep in the mosque, then we woke up, then we fell asleep, then we woke up again. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to us, then he said: “No one on earth is waiting for the prayer except you.” Ibn ‘Umar did not mind whether he brought it forward or delayed it, if he did not fear that he would be overcome by sleep and delay it beyond its time, and he used to nap before it.
Ibn Jurayj said: I said something to ‘Ata’ and he said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbas say: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed praying ‘Isha’ one night until the people fell asleep, then woke up, then fell asleep, then woke up. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab stood up and said: Let us pray! ‘Ata’ said: Ibn ‘Abbas said: Then the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out, and it is as if I can see him now, his head dripping with water, putting his hand on his head, and he said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, I would have instructed them to pray it at this time.” I wanted him [‘Ata’] to verify how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put his hand on his head, as Ibn ‘Abbas had told him, so he held his fingers somewhat apart, then he placed his fingertips on the side of his head, then he brought his fingers together and passed them like that on his head, until his thumb touched the edge of his ear, which was next to his face on his temple, moving towards his beard, moving his fingers not too slow and not too fast, rather it was just like this. And he said: “Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, I would have instructed them to pray at this time.”.

Commentary : Allah has ordained specific times for the obligatory prayers during which they must be done, as He (may He be exalted) says: {Indeed, prayer has been decreed upon the believers a decree of specified times} [an-Nisa’ 4:103].. By His mercy towards His slaves, Allah has allocated plenty of time (for each prayer), out of consideration for their circumstances and situations. But there are times at which it is better to offer the prayer than at other times, as in the case of the time for ‘Isha’ prayer.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was distracted from praying ‘Isha’ prayer one night, so he delayed it until the Sahabah fell asleep in the mosque. They slept sitting firmly on their buttocks, or lying down, but they did not sleep deeply, as they were still aware of the time and place, and what was happening around them. Then they woke up, then they fell asleep, then they woke up from a light sleep like drowsiness. This is indicative of the extent to which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out of his apartment, and praised them and commanded them, saying: “No one on earth is waiting for the prayer except you.” According to a report narrated by al-Bukhari: “No prayer was offered at that time except in Madinah,” because those of the weak and oppressed who were in Makkah used to pray in secret, and Islam had not yet entered any place at that time except Makkah and Madinah. According to a report narrated by Muslim, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: That was before Islam spread widely among the people.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mind if ‘Isha’ prayer was brought forward or delayed, because he was not afraid that he would be overwhelmed by sleep and delay it beyond its time, and he used to nap before praying ‘Isha’.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to sleep before ‘Isha’ for one who is overwhelmed by sleep, and for one who has something that he needs to do.
It also indicates that it is permissible to delay ‘Isha’ prayer and highlights the virtue of doing that.
Then the Tabi‘i ‘Ata’ ibn Abi Rabah narrates from Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah delayed ‘Isha’ prayer from the beginning of its time until it got very dark and almost one third of the night had passed, when those who were in the mosque had fallen asleep, then woken up, then fallen asleep, then woken up, which indicates how long the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed it. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up to alert the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and call him to come and pray, as he said: Let us pray, O Messenger of Allah! So the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out with his head dripping with water, which indicates that he had washed himself. This indicates that he had deliberately delayed the prayer, and he came out putting his hand on his head, in the manner described by Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him): he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) held his fingers apart, then he put his fingertips on the side of his head, then he brought his fingers together and began moving them like that on his head, until his thumb touched the edge of his ear, near the face, on the temple, moving towards the beard, and he moved his fingers on the side of his head at a moderate pace, not too slow and not too fast. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: Were it not that it would be too difficult for my ummah, I would have instructed them to pray at this late time, because of the virtue that there is in that. Based on that, then if someone has the energy to delay the prayer, and will not be overcome by sleep, and it will not be too difficult for any of those who are praying behind him, delaying is better in his case.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to sleep before ‘Isha’ for one who is overwhelmed by sleep, and for one who has something that he needs to do.
It also indicates that it is permissible to delay ‘Isha’ prayer and highlights the virtue of doing that..

574
It was narrated from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever offer the prayers at the two cool times will enter Paradise.”.

Commentary : In His Wisdom, Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has given precedence to some acts of worship over others, because of the unique features that they have, and He has made that a means of gaining admittance to Paradise. Among these deeds is what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentions in this hadith of the virtue of the prayers offered at the two cool times, namely Fajr and ‘Asr. He called them by this name because they occur at times when it is cooler and the weather is more mild, as the air becomes more moist and cool. At the time of ‘Asr, the heat of the day is reduced and it is the beginning of the time of moderate temperatures. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the one who offers these two prayers properly will enter Paradise.
Fajr and ‘Asr are singled out for mention because Fajr comes at a time when people are enjoying sleep, and ‘Asr comes at a time when a person is busy with his work. So the one who regularly offers these two prayers on time will be more likely to regularly offer the other prayers on time too. And it was said that these two prayers were singled out for mention and their importance was emphasized because they are the times when the angels of the night and the angels of the day meet, as the angels take turns to come and ascend to heaven, where they inform Allah of people’s situation, although He knows best about them. Therefore it is more appropriate that one should be in a state of worship at these two times, in order to attain paradise. Allah (may He be exalted) says, confirming that: {and exalt [Allah] with praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting} [Qaf 50:39].
This hadith highlights the virtue of regularly offering the prayers of Fajr and ‘Asr on time.
It also highlights the great reward for doing acts of worship at times when one may be busy or unaware..

576
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and Zayd ibn Thabit ate suhur, then when they had finished their suhur, the Prophet of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to pray, and he prayed. We said to Anas: How long was there between their finishing their suhur and their starting to pray? He said: As long as it takes a man to recite fifty verses..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to follow in the footsteps of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all his affairs. Hence they were keen to find out about the details of his actions, so that they could emulate his Sunnah. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ate suhur with Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him). The word suhur refers to eating food before the time for Fajr begins, for one who intends to fast. After they had finished eating suhur, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to pray Fajr. Those who were present asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) how long there was between the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finishing suhur and his praying Fajr. He replied that it was as long as it takes a man to recite fifty verses at a regular speed of recitation.
This hadith highlights the Prophet’s kind treatment of his companions, as he used to eat with them.
It indicates that suhur may be delayed until just before Fajr.
It indicates that it is permissible to eat suhur together.
It indicates that their time was spent in worship.
It explains the beginning of the time for Fajr, which is when dawn breaks, because that is the time when it becomes prohibited to eat and drink for one who is fasting.
It indicates that one may estimate time by how long it takes to recite a number of verses or to do physical actions. The Arabs used to estimate time in terms of physical actions, so they would say: as long as it takes to milk a sheep, and the like..

577
It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: I used to eat suhur with my family, then I would rush to catch up with Fajr prayer with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Delaying suhur and hastening to pray Fajr was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and this was the practice of his companions (may Allah be pleased with them all). In this hadith, Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he used to eat suhur with his family, who belonged to the tribe of Banu Sa‘idah; their homes were located north of the Prophet’s Mosque, close to it.
The word suhur refers to eating food before the time for Fajr begins, for one who intends to fast. Then Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that after eating suhur, he would rush to go to the mosque, in order to catch up with Fajr prayer with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), in his mosque. What is intended here is to highlight the fact that Sahl would delay his suhur and that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would hasten to pray Fajr and that he would pray Fajr straight after dawn broke, because Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) could only catch up with Fajr prayer in the Prophet’s Mosque if he went quickly after suhur, even though he lived in the vicinity of the mosque and close to it..

579
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever catches up with one rak‘ah of Fajr before the sun rises has caught up with Fajr, and whoever catches up with one rak‘ah of ‘Asr before the sun sets has caught up with ‘Asr.”.

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is limited to the way it is prescribed in the religious texts. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) defined its times, and explained the beginning and end of each time, and how one may catch up with the prayer before its time ends.
This hadith highlights one way in which Islamic teachings make it easy to catch up with the time for the prayer, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that the one who catches up with one rak‘ah of Fajr prayer before the sun rises – meaning that the worshipper starts to pray before the sun rises and catches up with one rak‘ah of it, then the sun rises – is regarded as having offered the entire prayer on time. Similarly, the one who catches up with one rak‘ah of ‘Asr prayer before the sun sets – meaning that the worshipper starts to pray before the sun sets and completes the other three rak‘ahs as the sun is setting – is regarded as having offered the prayer on time, and he is not to be regarded as having prayed too late. Thus he will attain the virtue and reward of having offered this prayer.
What is meant by “rak‘ah” here is one complete rak‘ah, with its ruku‘ (bowing) and sujud (prostration). The prayer may be called ruku‘ (bowing), just as it may also be called sujud (prostration). And it was said that what is meant by “rak‘ah” in the phrase “Whoever catches up with one rak‘ah of Fajr” is bowing in the real sense, not an entire rak‘ah. If catching up with the prayer has to do with the ruling on the prayer, it is the same whether one catches up with a complete rak‘ah or less than that. It is sufficient to catch up with the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram) [before the time for the prayer ends], because this is the issue of catching up with the prayer (and avoiding falling into sin by missing the prayer), therefore catching up with the rak‘ah is the same as catching up with the takbirat al-ihram.
This applies to one who has a legitimate excuse for not having offered the obligatory prayer at the beginning of its time. He may pray at the end of that time, and catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset; otherwise, the best of deeds is offering prayer on time.
It was said that what is meant in this hadith is that if a person is among those who are accountable and required to pray, and is able to catch up with as much as one rak‘ah of the prayer before the sun rises, then he is regarded as having caught up with it and fulfilled the obligation of praying Fajr. This applies only to those with legitimate excuses; if a menstruating woman becomes pure (and rushes to do ghusl), or an insane person recovers his sanity, or a Christian becomes Muslim, or a boy reaches puberty, if any of these people catches up with one rak‘ah then he or she has fulfilled the obligation of praying.
This hadith indicates that if someone prays one rak‘ah of Fajr, then the sun rises before he completes his prayer, he has caught up with the time of the prayer and his prayer is valid. A similar ruling applies in the case of ‘Asr..

584
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade two types of transaction, two ways of dressing and two prayers: he forbade praying after Fajr until the sun has risen and after ‘Asr until the sun has set; wrapping oneself up entirely in one’s garment with no room for the arms to emerge (ishtimal al-samma’), and wrapping oneself up in a single garment with the legs drawn up to the belly (ihtiba’), exposing the private parts to the sky; and munabadhah and mulamasah transactions..

Commentary : Adhering to the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to commands and prohibitions, buying and selling, and all acts of worship and dealings with others is the way to attain goodness and salvation in this world and the hereafter.
This hadith highlights some of the prohibitions, as Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade two types of transactions, which he referred to in the hadith. The first is munabadhah, from the root nabdh (throwing). This refers to the throwing of the item making the sale binding; thus if the vendor throws a garment or something else to the purchaser, the latter is obliged to buy it. He also forbade mulamasah, from the root lams (touching). This refers to the vendor selling something to the purchaser on the basis that if he touches it, the sale becomes binding. Both of these are sales transactions that are prohibited, because of what they involve of cheating.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade two ways of dressing, which he referred to in the hadith. The first is ishtimal as-samma’, which refers to a person wrapping his entire body in a single garment, which does not allow him to raise his arms, so he is unable to bring his arms out except from below. It is so called because there is no room to move, so it is described as being like a solid [samma’] rock; it is also an imitation of the Jews who used to dress in this manner, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade imitating them. He also forbade ihtiba’, which refers to a person sitting on his buttocks, holding his legs upright, and bringing his legs close up to his belly with his garment, wrapping the garment around his back to keep the back, belly and legs together, then wrapping his garment tightly around himself in this manner, or wrapping his arms around his legs. That is prohibited because if he only has one garment, he may move or shift, thus uncovering his ‘awrah, as referred to in the words “exposing his private parts to the sky.” It was said that the type of ihtiba’ that is forbidden is sitting in this manner for a man who only has one garment; as for the one who does that whilst covering his ‘awrah properly with his garment, there is nothing wrong with that.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade two prayers, which are mentioned in the hadith: he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade praying after Fajr prayer until the sun has risen, meaning that it is not allowed to pray at this time, which begins when the edge of the sun’s disk first appears at sunrise, until its disk has fully risen above the horizon. “And after ‘Asr prayer, until the sun has set.” This is the second time when it is forbidden to pray. That is after praying ‘Asr at the beginning of its time, and is even more forbidden when the sun begins to set, until the disk of the sun has completely disappeared. What is meant by this prohibition in general is the time of sunrise and the time of sunset, and what is close to that, because this is the time when those who worshipped the sun used to pray, and because it is a time when the Shaytan gets near to the sun so that it is between the two sides of his head. This prohibition applies specifically to supererogatory and voluntary prayers, not the obligatory prayer, as in the case of one who delayed praying ‘Asr until this time; he may pray at the time when prayer is otherwise forbidden.
It was said that the prohibition on praying at this time only refers to the prohibition on delaying the obligatory prayer without any excuse, until it is very close to the time of sunset.
This hadith urges the Muslim to deal properly with others when buying and selling, and to avoid anything that involves cheating or ambiguity that could lead to dispute.
It also urges the Muslim to cover his ‘awrah and to present himself in a good and dignified manner.
And it indicates the times when it is prohibited to pray..

587
It was narrated that Mu‘awiyah said: You offer a prayer which, although we stayed close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we did not see him offer; rather he forbade it – meaning two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to teach those who came after them about acts of worship as they had learned them from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) denounces some of the people who used to pray two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr, and he explains that this is a prayer that is contrary to the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Mu‘awiyah told them that he and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) stayed close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and offered many prayers with him, but they never saw him praying two supererogatory rak‘ahs after ‘Asr as these people did. “and he forbade it” means: he forbade offering supererogatory prayers after ‘Asr. This is a confirmation in word and deed of the Prophet’s prohibition on praying those two rak‘ahs or on offering supererogatory prayers after ‘Asr in general.
In Sahih al-Bukhari it is narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said with regard to praying two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray them, but he did not pray them in the mosque, for fear of burdening his ummah, because he liked to make things easier for them. In order to reconcile between the two reports, it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed these two rak‘ahs to make up for the sunnah prayer of Zuhr, because he had missed it, then he continued to do that, because when he did a good deed, he would persist in doing it; however, these two rak‘ahs were not regular Sunnah (Sunnah ratibah) prayers. The difference between a regular and a non-regular Sunnah prayer is that the regular prayer is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) prayer that is connected to the obligatory prayers, whether it is done before or after the obligatory prayer, whereas the non-regular Sunnah prayer is a prayer that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not enjoin or encourage people to do, but the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated it from him in word and deed, as in the case of two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to follow the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

592
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: Two rak‘ahs that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never omitted in private or in public: two rak‘ahs before Fajr prayer and two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer supererogatory prayers, which he did regularly. That includes regularly offering the Sunnah prayers, both regular (ratibah) and non-regular, before and after the obligatory prayers.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) regularly offered two Sunnah prayers, which he did not omit “in private or in public.” This is a confirmation that he always did them. What is meant by that which was done in private is that they were prayers that he used to pray in his house, so no one saw him do them except one of his wives. And what is meant by that which was done in public is prayers that he used to offer in the mosque. Then she (may Allah be pleased with her) explained what these two rak‘ahs, or two prayers, were. The first was two Sunnah rak‘ahs of Fajr before the obligatory prayer, between the adhan and iqamah. The Sunnah prayer before Fajr is one of the regular Sunnah prayers. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to urge people to offer these two rak‘ahs because of the virtue and reward that there is in them, and they are better than this world and everything in it. He used to hasten to offer this prayer in an unparalleled manner, and it was the habit of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make them brief, as it says in al-Sahihayn.
The second sunnah prayer is two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) explained how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did these two rak‘ahs, as is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray them, but he did not pray them in the mosque, for fear of burdening his ummah.
It is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari from Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: You offer a prayer which, although we stayed close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), we did not see him offer; rather he forbade it – meaning two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr. In order to reconcile between the two reports, it was said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed these two rak‘ahs to make up for the sunnah prayer of Zuhr, because he had missed it, then he continued to do that, because when he did a good deed, he would persist in doing it; however, these two rak‘ahs were not regular Sunnah (Sunnah ratibah) prayers. The difference between a regular and a non-regular Sunnah prayer is that the regular prayer is a confirmed Sunnah (Sunnah mu’akkadah) prayer that is connected to the obligatory prayers, whether it is done before or after the obligatory prayer, whereas the non-regular Sunnah prayer is a prayer that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not enjoin or encourage people to do, but the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated it from him in word and deed, as in the case of two rak‘ahs after ‘Asr..

595
It was narrated that Abu Qatadah said: We travelled by night with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one night, and some of the people said: Why don’t we halt at the end of the night, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “I am afraid that you will sleep and miss the prayer.” Bilal said: I will wake you up. So they lay down, and Bilal rested his back against his mount, but he was overtaken by sleep. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up when the sun had already begun to rise above the horizon, and he said: “O Bilal! What about what you said?” He said: I have never been so overwhelmed by the urge to sleep. [The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] said: “Allah took your souls when He willed, and returned them to you when He willed. O Bilal, get up and call the people to prayer.” Then he did wudu’, and when the sun had fully risen and grown bright, he got up and prayed..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest practical pillar of Islam after the twin declaration of faith (shahadatayn), and is of specific importance in Islamic teachings. Allah (may He be exalted) has ordained certain times at which prayer is to be offered, and whoever misses that time must make up the prayer, and not neglect it.
In this hadith, Abu Qatadah al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on a journey, and they said to him: Why don’t we stop at the end of the night, O Messenger of Allah, so that we can rest? He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I am afraid that you will sleep and miss the prayer” – referring to Fajr prayer. This indicates that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to keep travelling until the time of Fajr; that was because he was concerned about the prayer and wanted to give it precedence over sleep and rest. Then Bilal suggested to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): I will wake you up – meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) would stay awake until the time for Fajr began, so that he could wake them up. So they lay down and went to sleep, which indicates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) accepted Bilal’s suggestion. Or Bilal said to them: Go and lie down. Bilal rested his back against his mount, then he fell asleep too. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up when the sun had started to peek over the horizon, which indicates that they had slept until the time for Fajr prayer had ended. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rebuked Bilal by saying, “What about what you said?” In other words, what about your promise to wake us up when the time for prayer came? Bilal said: I have never been so overwhelmed by the urge to sleep – meaning that he had never slept before as he did on this occasion. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Allah took your souls when He willed, and returned them to you when He willed”; this was a confirmation of the word of Allah (may He be exalted): {Allah takes the souls at the time of their death, and those that do not die [He takes] during their sleep. Then He keeps those for which He has decreed death and releases the others for a specified term} [az-Zumar 39:42]. What is meant is that He takes their souls when they sleep, and returns them when they wake up.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Bilal to give the call to prayer, and he did wudu’, then he stood up and led the people in praying Fajr, after the sun had risen and become clear. According to a report narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in the place where they had missed the prayer; rather they got on their mounts and rode on for a short distance, then they dismounted. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’ and made up the Fajr prayer.
This hadith highlights some of the teachings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the event of sleeping or missing a prayer.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to give the adhan and pray in congregation in the case of a missed prayer..

596
It was narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab came on the day of the Battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq), after the sun had set, and started reviling the disbelievers of Quraysh. He said: O Messenger of Allah, I could not pray ‘Asr until the sun had almost set. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “By Allah, I did not pray at all.” So we went to (the valley of) But-han and he did wudu’ for prayer, and so did we, then he prayed ‘Asr after the sun had set, then he prayed Maghrib after that..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest practical pillar of Islam after the twin declaration of faith (shahadatayn), and is of specific importance in Islamic teachings. Allah (may He be exalted) has ordained certain times at which prayer is to be offered, and whoever misses any of the prayers for a legitimate reason must make up the prayer, and not neglect it.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us some of what happened on the day of the battle of the Trench (al-Khandaq). This battle took place in 5 AH or, it was said, in 4 AH. The battle is so called because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that a trench (khandaq) be dug around Madinah, to fortify the city against the confederates (al-ahzab) of disbelief who had gathered with the aim of eradicating the Muslims. The Muslims, both Muhajirin and Ansar, worked together to dig the trench. The polytheists had distracted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions from some of the prayers, then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) after the sun had set, reviling the disbelievers of Quraysh because of the fighting. He reviled the polytheists because they were the cause of his having delayed ‘Asr prayer until the sun was about to set, which is the time when one may pray ‘Asr if one has been compelled to delay it. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “By Allah, I did not pray at all.” In other words: if you, O ‘Umar, prayed ‘Asr at the end of its time, before sunset, I have not prayed it until now, when the sun has actually set. Then they went to But-han, which is a valley in the south of Madinah, where they did wudu’ for prayer and prayed ‘Asr in congregation after the sun had set. Then after that they prayed Maghrib.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer a missed prayer in congregation, and that the one who misses a prayer then remembers it at a later time should start with the prayer that he missed, then offer the prayer that is currently due.
It indicates that it is permissible to delay an obligatory prayer even if its time ends, until the state of fear or fighting comes to an end.
This hadith also highlights the virtue of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to uphold the obligatory duties of Islam and follow its teachings..

597
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray when he remembers it; there is no expiation for it except that. {and establish prayer when you remember it} [Ta-Ha 20:14].” Musa said: Hammam said: I heard him say afterwards: Establish prayer as soon as you remember..

Commentary : Prayer is of great significance in Islam, and its importance makes adhering to it one of the most binding of the obligatory duties in Islam, for it is the foundation of faith. The expiation for the one who forgets a prayer is to offer the prayer when he remembers it. This is because of its great importance, virtue and significance in Islamic teachings. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “Whoever forgets a prayer, let him pray when he remembers it.” In other words: whoever forgets to offer any prayer until the time for it ends, let him hasten to make it up as soon as he remembers it, for there is no expiation or pardon for the sin of missing it, even if that was due to forgetfulness, except offering the prayer when he remembers it, as Allah says in His holy Book: {and establish prayer when you remember it} [Ta-Ha 20:14]. That is, establish prayer when you remember a forgotten prayer and when you recall that you owe a prayer, whether that is still within the time for that prayer or not, so that you will remember Me in prayer by glorifying and venerating Me, and I will remember you by praising and commending you.
This hadith highlights the importance of prayer and emphasizes that one should not be heedless about doing it..

600
Anas ibn Malik said: We waited for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one night, until almost halfway through the night. Then he came and led us in prayer, then he addressed us and said: “Indeed the people prayed and went to sleep, but you remained in a state of prayer so long as you were waiting for the prayer.” Al-Hasan said: The people will continue to be fine so long as they are waiting to do good. On one occasion he said: These are the words of Anas, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the people who had the greatest veneration and respect for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). One example of that is what is narrated in this hadith. This text is part of a hadith which describes an incident that took place when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) delayed ‘Isha’ prayer and deliberately did not come out to the people, so the people waited until almost halfway through the night. In this hadith, it says that al-Hasan al-Basri, one of the leading scholars of the Tabi‘in, delayed coming to his companions, who were his students and seekers of knowledge, who were waiting to take knowledge from him. He did not come out to them until it was almost time for them to leave, at the time when al-Hasan usually finished his lesson and left, or until the time when al-Hasan usually woke up to pray tahajjud. Then al-Hasan came to them before they left and said to them, apologizing to them and explaining the reason why he was late: These neighbours of ours invited us and we accepted their invitation, and we were delayed with them. Then he narrated from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) waited for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) one night until almost half way through the night, without the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) coming to them. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came and led them in prayer at this time, which was not their usual time for that prayer. Then he addressed them and told them that other people had finished their prayer and gone to sleep, but they were still waiting to offer the prayer. He also told them that for the whole time that they had been waiting for the prayer in the mosque, it was as if they had been in a state of prayer, and that they would have a reward like the reward for offering the prayer. It was by the immense bounty that Allah bestows upon His believing slaves that the time of waiting was not wasted. This ruling also applies to remaining in the mosque and waiting for the obligatory prayers, if nothing prevents a person from waiting except some urgent need.
After narrating this hadith, al-Hasan said: The people will continue to be fine so long as they are waiting to do good. Thus he made the ruling general in meaning and applicable to waiting to do any good deed. This was by way of consoling his companions because they had waited for him so that they might acquire knowledge from him; therefore they had been in a good state, like the one who waits for the prayer.
This hadith highlights the virtue of waiting for the prayer in the mosque.
It also indicates that it is permissible to delay ‘Isha’ prayer..

602
It was narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr that the people of al-suffah were poor people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever has food enough for two, let him take a third person with him; and if he has enough for four, let him take a fifth or sixth person with him.” Abu Bakr took three of them, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took ten. [‘Abd al-Rahman] said: So there was myself, my father and my mother – [the narrator said:] I do not know if he said: and my wife and a servant – between us and the household of Abu Bakr. But Abu Bakr ate supper with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he stayed until he prayed ‘Isha’, then he came back. So he stayed until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ate supper, and he came after as much of the night had passed as Allah willed. His wife said to him: What kept you from your guests – or your guest? He said: Did you not offer them supper? She said: They refused to eat until you came; they were offered food but they refused to eat. So I went and hid, and he said [to me]: O mean and ignorant one! and berated me. Then he said: Eat, may you not enjoy it! By Allah, I shall never eat it. But by Allah, we did not take a mouthful but more food appeared beneath it. [They ate] until they were full, and the food became more than it had been before. Abu Bakr looked at it, and it was as it had been, or more than that. He said to his wife: O sister of Banu Firas, what is this? She said: What an amazing thing! Now it is more than it was before. It was three times more. Then Abu Bakr ate some of it and said: That – meaning his oath – was from the Shaytan. He ate a mouthful of it, then he took it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) the next morning. There was a peace deal between us and some other people that expired at that time, so [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] divided us into twelve detachments, each led by one man. Allah knows best how many men were in each detachment, but they all ate from that food – or words to that effect..

Commentary : The people of al-suffah were poor people among the Sahabah; they were strangers who had no houses or families or a place to stay. They had an allocated space at the back of the Prophet’s Mosque, where there was a shelter or veranda beneath which they stayed; hence they were known as ahl al-suffah.
In this hadith, ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that whoever was well off and had enough food for two people should add a third person from among the people of al-suffah, and take him home to eat with him. If he had enough food for four people, he should add a fifth or sixth person from among them, because they were poor. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took ten of the people of al-suffah to eat with him. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) took three of them to his house, but he left them with his household members and instructed them to honour them and feed them, then he went back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and ate supper with him. Then he stayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) until he prayed ‘Isha’ with him. Then he went back to his house after as much of the night had passed as Allah willed, and his wife Umm Ruman – who was the mother of ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him the reason why he was late in coming to his three guests from among the people of al-suffah. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) asked her, by way of rebuke: Did you not give them supper? She told him that the guests had been offered food, but they had not eaten, and they refused to eat until he came back to them.
‘Abd ar-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I went and hid for fear that my father would berate me. Abu Bakr said: O mean and ignorant one! And he berated his son, thinking that he had neglected the rights of the guests.
Then when Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that the cause of the delay came from the guests themselves, he said: Eat, may you not enjoy it! This was a rebuke to them, because they had stipulated that the head of the household should be with them, and they had not been content with his son’s presence, even though he had admitted them to his house. Or it may be that what he meant was: eat now, because you did not enjoy the food at the right time. Then Abu Bakr swore that he would not eat that food, saying: By Allah, I shall never eat it.
Then ‘Abd al-Rahman [the narrator] swore an oath, saying: By Allah, we did not take a mouthful but more appeared beneath it; that is, no matter how much was taken from it, more food appeared in its place and it was not reduced until they had eaten their fill, and the food was more than it had been before that. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) looked at it and saw that the food, or the vessel, was as it had been in the beginning, and nothing was gone from it, or it was more than it had been before. He said to his wife: O sister of Banu Firas – referring to the tribe descended from Firas ibn Ghanam ibn Malik ibn Kinanah – what is this? – asking what was happening with the food. Um Ruman said: What an amazing thing! Now it – meaning the food or the vessel – is three times more than it was before.
Then Abu Bakr ate some of the food, or ate from the vessel, and said that his previous oath, in which he swore not to eat, had been from the Shaytan. That was when he had said: By Allah, I shall never eat it. Thus he humiliated the Shaytan by breaking his oath and doing that which was better. Or it may be that what was meant was: I will not eat with you, or at this time, or when I am angry. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) ate another morsel of the food, to make his guests happy and to affirm that there was no intention to offend them. Then he took that vessel, with its contents, to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). According to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also ate some of it.
Then ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There was a peace treaty between us and some people, and it expired, meaning that the peace treaty came to an end. Then some armed men came to Madinah, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) divided them into twelve detachments, and appointed a man in command of each of them. Allah alone knows best the number of men in each detachment. In Sahih Muslim it says: He appointed us as chiefs over the people. Those people all ate from that food, and it sufficed them, because of the blessing (barakah) that Allah put in it.
This hadith highlights the virtue of giving precedence to others and helping others.
It highlights the great love that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how he devoted his time to him and gave precedence to him, night and day, over his family and guests.
It also speaks of a clear miracle (karamah) that was granted to Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him).
It indicates that one may break an oath and offer expiation for it if he sees that something else is better than it.
It indicates that blessing (barakah) may multiply food when there is a large number of people and people come together.
It indicates that a man’s son and family must serve the guest as the head of the household would..

1050
Abu al-Aswad reported: Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari sent for the reciters of the people of Basra. Three hundred men who had recited the Qur'an came to him. He said: "You are the best among the people of Basra and their reciters. So, recite it. And let not hope of a long life delude you, and thus your hearts would harden as the hearts of those before you had hardened. We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to Barā‘ah in terms of length and toughness, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley, and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust". We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This will be written as a testimony on your necks, and you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to direct his Companions and advise them to refrain from keenness on worldly life and hope for an extended stay in it. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did the same with the Tābi'is.
In this tradition, Abu al-Aswad ad-Dīli informs that Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for the reciters among the people of Basra to come to him and gather there. Basra is a city located in the south of Iraq. "Three hundred men, who had recited the Qur'an" and memorized it "came to him." He advised and directed them, saying: You are the best among the people of Basra and you are the people of the Qur’an among them. Then, he instructed them to read the Qur’an and recite it in the most proper manner, which entails understanding its meanings, reflecting upon its verses, and acting upon its rulings. And he said to them: "And let not hope of a long life delude you and thus your hearts would harden," i.e., do not have high hopes for worldly life and do not wish to stay therein for long, as this corrupts the hearts by dragging them to greed and hardness, and thus they will not soften to Dhikr or derive benefit from admonition or rebuke. As a result, you will have such hardness and aversion within your hearts that had befallen the nations before you due to their hopes for an extended stay in the life of this world. This includes a reference to the verse that reads: {Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and the truth that has been revealed? They should not be like those who were given the Scriptures before, whose hearts grew hard after the passage after a long period of time, and many of them were evildoers.} [Surat al-Hadīd: 16]
Then, he informed that they used to recite a long Surah of the Qur’an, whose recitation was abrogated, and they would liken it to Surat Barā’ah, which is Surat at-Tawbah, in terms of length and toughness. He further said that he was made to forget it. Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) made an exception and informed that he memorized from the meanings of this Surah such words that contain dispraise of attention on worldly life and the love and desire for having a lot of it. He said: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley." A valley is any gap between mountains or hills. "and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust", i.e., he continues to be keen on worldly life till he dies, and his inside gets filled with the dust of his grave. The inside may also be intended to refer to the heart, and the meaning is that he does not get bored of the love for wealth. This is because man is naturally inclined to love wealth and has an unquenchable greed for it, and he has no limit to stop except a matter like his own, namely dust.
Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that they used to recite a Surah which they would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, which are the Surahs that begin with "subhān, sabbaha, yusabbihu, sabbih ism rabbika" (glory be to, glorified, glorifies, glorify the name of your Lord), and that he was made to forget it; and he memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This is a question that signifies disapproval and rebuke for those who attribute to themselves good things that they do not do, either in relation to the past, in which case they would be liars, or concerning the future, and this would be a contradiction; both are dispraised. "This will be written as a testimony on your necks and you will be asked about this on the Day of Judgment" i.e., these false statements will be recorded against you, for what you said and did not do is a testimony from you, and you are liable for it, and you will be held accountable, and it will entail an evil recompense on the Day of Judgment.
This abrogation, which Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) told about in this Hadīth, is one of the abrogation types: the abrogation of words and recitation. Abrogation is of three types: First: Abrogation of rulings, while words and recitation endure. Second: Its opposite; and that is the abrogation of words and recitation, while the ruling endures. Third: Abrogation of the ruling along with the words and recitation. This is the abrogation which Allah Almighty mentions in the verse that reads: {We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 106] And also in the verses that read: {We will teach you [the Qur’an], so you will not forget*, except what Allah wills.} [Surat al-A‘la: 6-7] These two Surahs are among the Surahs Allah Almighty willed to be forgotten after He revealed them. This is because Allah Almighty does whatever He wills and is Able to do all things He wishes. Indeed, this is all possible. Let not one wrongly assume, because of this and the like of it, that any part of the Qur’an was lost. In fact, this is untrue, as established by the verse that reads: {It is We Who have sent down the Reminder, and it is We Who will preserve it.} [Surat al-Hijr: 9] This is also established by the consensus among the Companions and those after them that the Qur’an, which we are required to recite and act upon its rulings as a form of worship, is the text contained between the two covers of the Mus'haf, without addition or omission.
The Hadīth shows keenness to present advice to the Muslim reciters.
It contains dispraise of the keenness on worldly life and the hope for a long stay therein.
It includes dispraise of lying and bragging about something one did not do.
The Hadīth also mentions that a person's speech is recorded and he will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment.
And it indicates that a believer should be chiefly concerned about working for the Hereafter and he should not be deceived by worldly life and its desires..

1054
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported that: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Successful is the one who accepts Islam and is provided with mere subsistence and Allah makes him content with what He has given him.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to admonish his Companions, advise them, and encourage them to aim at sublime matters, so that the worldly life would be in their hands, not in their hearts, and what they gained thereof would help them in acts of worship.
This Hadīth contains guidance from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his Ummah that a person should not tire himself in seeking more than mere subsistence, for what is commendable in sustenance is the amount that enables a person to perform worship and for which he should work as much as needed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that success is attained and gained by a person who embraces Islam rightly, for he gets rid of Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism), which is the sin that Allah does not forgive, and he is provided with mere subsistence, no more or less, and what makes him self-sufficient and saves him from necessities and wants. This means lawful sustenance, for no success comes with unlawful sustenance. And his words: "and Allah makes him content with what He has given him," i.e., Allah grants him contentment with the mere subsistence he has; so, he does not aspire to pursue more than that.
The Hadīth shows that success and triumph are attained by embracing Islam for the sake of Allah and being pleased with what Allah gives him.
It demonstrates the merit of contentment, and that it is one of the means of success..

1056
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth, and I said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, there are other than those more deserving of it than them?" He said: "They gave me the choice that they either ask of me importunately or regard me as a miser, and I am not a miser.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous and bountiful among the people. He would give like one who fears no poverty. This was to teach his Ummah and serve certain Shar‘i purposes that were probably not known or grasped at the time by anyone other than him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) says The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth among the people, and he gave some people, whereas ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) held that others were more deserving of being given than them. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to him why he gave to them and not those who were more deserving to be given than them. This is because those he gave were people of ignorance and lying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that they begged in an importunate manner due to their weak faith and drove him, by their very importunate attitude, to either give them what they asked for or they would describe him as a miser and defame him, while in fact, he is not a miser. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to them and protected his honor by his giving, lest they might lie about him. Miserliness is not part of his character (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he gave to them to appease them and win their friendliness. Similarly, he said in a Hadīth of the Two Sahīh Collections: "Indeed, the worst people in rank in the sight of Allah is the one whom people leave or abandon for fear of his discourteousness." Thus, he endured their rudeness and treated them forbearingly to win their friendliness and protect himself from being described as a miser, a trait that does not befit him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth indicates that we can appease the people of ignorance and harshness and win their friendliness, if this achieves a good interest.
It also shows that patience and forbearance were part of the Prophet's character.
The Hadīth demonstrates and directs a person to spend out of his money to protect his honor and himself from the people of ignorance..

1060
Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, Safwān ibn Umayyah, ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis, to every one of them, one hundred camels, and gave to ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than that. Thereupon, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās said: You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘ Both Badr and Hābis in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly I am in no way inferior to any one of these two. And he whom you lower today will not be elevated He said: So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed one hundred camels for him. [And in a version]: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils of the battle of Hunayn and gave Abu Sufyān ibn Harb one hundred camels... And he narrated the same Hadīth, with the addition: And he gave ‘Alqamah ibn ‘Ulāthah one hundred. [And in a version]: He did not mention poetry..

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals a part of how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to win people's hearts to Islam by giving them money, each according to the strength of Īmān in his heart or his tenderness, and how he was considerate of the circumstances of each one of them.
The circumstances surrounding this Hadīth: After the battle of Hunayn, which took place in the eighth Hijri year between the Muslims and the two tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils he seized from this battle between the Muslims, preferring some of them over others. He gave some of them a hundred camels and others less than that. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a hundred camels to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, the Quraysh leader, Safwān ibn' Umayyah, who had embraced Islam after the Conquest of Makkah and was one of the Quraysh notables during Jāhiliyyah and Islam, 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazāri, who had embraced Islam before the Conquest of Makkah and was marked by the typical roughness of desert dwellers, and Al-Aqra' ibn Hābis at-Tamīmi, who had come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and partook in the Conquest of Makkah, and he was an arbitrator during Jāhiliyyah; he gave each one of these persons a hundred camels. On the other hand, he gave ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than a hundred. So, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās became angry and said these poetic verses: "You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘" Booty: the spoils. Al-‘Ubayd: the name of the horse of ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās. The meaning: Do you give the booty which I took part in seizing from Hunayn with my weapon and horse to ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis and the like of them, by giving them more than me?! By his words "Both Badr and Hābis", he meant the grandfather of ‘Uyaynah and the father of Al-Aqra‘. ‘Uyaynah is the son of Hisn ibn Hudhayfah ibn Badr, and Al-Aqra‘ is the son of Hābis. And his words: "in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly". Surpass means: is higher than. Assembly: the meeting place of the clans and tribes. "I am in no way inferior to any one of these two" The meaning: My father was not inferior to theirs, neither am I inferior to them. He seemed to have been gripped with fear that his status might be lowered. Therefore, he said: "And he whom you lower today" by decreasing his share of the booty "will not be elevated", i.e., the people will not elevate him after this day.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a hundred camels like the others who were given a hundred, so as to win his heart and dispel the thought of inferiority or that he might be lower in rank than others.
The Hadīth shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would win the hearts of some people with money for an apparent interest.
The ruler may prefer some over others if he sees a certain benefit in doing so.
It is permissible to recite poetry and is permissible to listen to it..

1064
Abu Sa‘īd reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a people who would be among his Ummah, who would emerge out of the dissension of people. Their distinctive mark would be shaven heads. He said: "They would be the worst creatures - or among the worst creatures. The nearer of the two groups, the truth would kill them." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave an example of them, or he said: "A man throws an arrow at the prey - Or he said: at the target - and looks at the arrowhead and finds no trace, and he looks at the body and finds no trace. Then, he looks at the grip and finds no trace." He said: Abu Sa‘īd said: "And you killed them, O people of Iraq.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against religious innovations and extremism, for it leads to the corruption of societies. Extremism, along with the lack of proper understanding of the religion, may result in considering the Muslim communities as people of religious innovations and Kufr (disbelief) and lead to revolt against the rulers unjustly.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a group who would be among his Ummah, meaning the Ummah of those who became Muslims. They are Muslims and would emerge at a time of dissension and discord arising among the Muslims. "Their distinctive mark would be shaven heads", i.e., one of their distinguishing signs is that they shave their heads and remove their hair, or the hair of their heads in particular. This indicates their renouncement of worldly embellishments. They are the most evil creatures, or he said: "among the worst creatures". This is because they are the people who cause evil and corruption among the people in the land. When fighting between them and the people broke out, the closer group to the truth among the two conflicting groups would kill them. Their first emergence occurred during the caliphate of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), and he, along with those with him, fought against them.
"The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave an example of them, or he said, "meaning that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened them, with regard to their departure from the religion, to a man who shoots an arrow at the prey. "Or he said: at the target", i.e., the object shot at, which includes prey and other things. When he throws an arrow at the prey and examines the arrowhead - which is the sharpened, pointed, solid tip of the arrow - he finds no trace of blood on it. Then, the archer examines it more carefully so that he may find what he seeks. So, he looks at the body and finds no trace of blood. And he looks at "the grip", in which the bowstring is placed, and does not find any trace of blood. So, they come out of the religion like a fast arrow that hits the prey, enters it, and comes out so fast that no trace from the prey can stick to it, given its incredible speed. Likewise, they quickly enter the religion and adopt an approach of strictness in it, and they do not take anything from it; instead, they are quick to depart from it.
Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "And you killed them, O people of Iraq", referring to the battle of Nahrawān, 38 A.H., in which ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) fought and defeated them.
The Hadīth contains one of the signs of the Prophet's prophethood, as he informed us about the trials that would take place after his death, which happened as he told.
It warns against following the misguided group(s) that is out of the fold of Islam.
It also demonstrates the distinguishing signs and marks of the Kharijites..

1066
Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani reported that he was in the army led by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that set out to fight the Kharijites. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O people, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'There would arise within my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur’an, and your recitation would be nothing compared to their recitation, your prayer would be nothing compared to their prayer, and your fast would be nothing compared to their fast. They would recite the Qur’an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. They would pass through Islam as an arrow passes through the prey. If the army that is to encounter them were to know what had been decreed for them by the tongue of their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they would completely rely upon that and cease to work. The sign of this is that there would be among them a man with an upper arm and without an arm, and the head of his upper arm would be like the nipple of the breast on which there would be some white hairs.' So, will you go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and leave them behind among your children and your property?! By Allah, I hope they are those people, for they have shed inviolable blood and raided the animals of the people. So, go forth in the name of Allah." Salamah ibn Kuhayl said: Zayd ibn Wahb made me alight at a place, till we crossed a bridge. When we encountered them - and ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi was the leader of the Kharijites on that day - he said to them: "Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths, for I fear that they would appeal to you as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā'." They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords, and people fought against them with their spears and they were killed on top of one another. Only two men were killed from among the people on that day. Then, ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: "Search for the Mukhdaj (the maimed one) among them." They searched but did not find him. So, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself stood up till he came upon people who had been killed on top of one another. He said: "Move them away from one another." So, they found him near the ground. Thereupon, he proclaimed Takbīr and then said: "Allah told the truth, and His Messenger conveyed it." He said: Then, ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni stood before him and said: "O Commander of the Believers, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, did you hear this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god." He repeated the request for an oath from him three times, and he swore each time..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against religious innovations and extremism, for it leads to the corruption of societies. Extremism, along with the lack of proper understanding of the religion, may result in considering the Muslim communities as people of religious innovations and Kufr (disbelief) and lead to revolt against the rulers unjustly.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani relates that he was with ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the army that marched toward the Kharijites. This happened in 38 A.H., in the battle of Nahrawān, located nearly 35km southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. They were those who criticized ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for the arbitration over his fighting against Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and they fought him and declared the Muslims as disbelievers and regarded the shedding of their blood as lawful. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed his army to make them firm and urge them to fight and display patience in doing so. He informed that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) point out some traits of the Kharijites, mentioning that they would be a people within the Muslim Ummah, and they would "recite the Qur'an," i.e., recite it a lot. They would also perform prayer and observe fast often, to the extent that if people compared their condition to the condition of others, they would regard the worship of others as nothing next to them. "They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them", i.e., it provides an argument for them in proving their claims, whereas this is not the case in reality; instead, it serves as an argument against them with Allah Almighty. In the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): "It does not get beyond their collarbones." Likewise, their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. Prayer here probably refers to the recitation in prayer. The collarbone is the bone that extends from the neck cavity to the shoulder. They do not understand the Qur’an, draw benefit from its recitation, ponder its verses, or reflect upon its meanings. So, they do not reach their hearts through reflection and Khushū‘ (humility and focus) and do not ascend to heaven. Therefore, they obtain no reward for them. "They would pass through" i.e., they would depart from Islam quickly and not get attached to anything in it, just as an arrow passes through prey, i.e., like a powerful and fast arrow that penetrates the target and passes through prey, due to its power and speed, entering from one side and coming out from the opposite one; and it leaves no trace of blood or flesh. Then, they would not go back to the religion, as the arrow does not go back to its place in the bow.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) states that if the army that would kill and defeat them were to know the reward and recompense that their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them about and determined for them, they would abandon work and solely rely upon this glad tiding which was given to them for killing the Kharijites.
The distinctive mark of those Kharijites is "that there would be among them a man with an upper arm", which extends from the shoulder to the elbow, "and without an arm", which extends from the elbow to the hand. And the head of his upper arm would be like "the nipple of the breast", and there would also be some white hairs on the top of his upper arm.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed criticism of the army in the form of questioning: Do you want to go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and fight them and leave those Kharijites behind to stay among your women and children and loot your property?! The meaning: This is not proper and should not happen. By this, he intended to urge them to fight the Kharijites first before marching toward Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant.
Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "By Allah, I hope they are those people" who are amongst us, revolted against us, and departed from obedience to us, "the people" whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described to us. Indeed, they went to extremes in shedding the blood of Muslims, and it is blood whose shedding is forbidden. They killed 'Abdullāh ibn Khabbāb and the mother of his child. "and they raided the animals of the people", i.e., they raided people's property and stole their grazing livestock. Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, go forth in the name of Allah", i.e., with the blessing of the name of Allah, seek help from Him and put your trust in Him. This indicates that actions should begin with the mention of Allah.
Salamah ibn Kuhayl al-Hadrami al-Kūfi - one of the Hadīth narrators - informs that the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb mentioned to him the locations of their travel to fight the Kharijites, one by one, until they reached the bridge at which the fighting took place - the bridge of Dizjān. This is also mentioned in As-Sunan Al-Kubra Collection of An-Nasā’i. A bridge is a structure built over water for crossing on it. This is the bridge of Nahrawān, where the Kharijites gathered.
Zayd ibn Wahb related that when the two armies encountered each other for fighting, the leader of the Kharijites on that day was ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi, who said to the Kharijites: Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths. He wanted the two armies to start fighting. Thus, there would be no possible alternative to fighting, such as a truce or appeal, which means that they would ask and adjure them by Allah, and this might cause some of his companions to leave him, and, as a result, his army would become weaker. Confrontation with spears puts the two armies at a distance from each other, and this carries the possibility that some of them may feel pity upon seeing the blood and call for the cessation of fighting. On the other hand, fighting with the swords breaks out quickly and ends with defeating one of the two armies. Ibn Wahb hoped that he would be victorious in this battle. "as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā’." This is a village near Kufa, after which a sect of the Khrijites was named, as their first gathering took place there, "the day" here refers to the day in which the Kharijites gathered, numbering eight thousand - and a different number was also mentioned - and they alighted at Harūrā’. Their leaders were ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Kawwā’ al-Yashkuri and Shabath at-Tamīmi. ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) sent his cousin ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to them. He debated with them, and as a result, many of them came back with him. Then, ‘Ali went out to them, appealed to them, and engaged in a discussion with them. Consequently, they obeyed him and entered Kufa along with him.
When the Kharijites listened to ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb, they obeyed him and "threw their spears" i.e. they threw them away and engaged in fighting against the army of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) with swords. So, this opinion led to victory for the Muslims and ‘Ali's army, the preservation of their blood, and their empowerment. "and people fought against them with their spears" i.e., the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stabbed them with their spears like trees. The Arabic text uses a verb derived from 'shajar', which means trees. So, the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) threw the spears at them before they could reach them. Then, they engaged in battle with them and killed so many of them; only two men were killed on the side of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). His words "they were killed on top of one another" mean that they were piled upon one another due to the large number of them who were killed, forming heaps.
Then, after the end of the battle, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered them to search for "the Mukhdaj" man, i.e., his body is incomplete. This is the man described at the beginning of the Hadīth. They searched for him but could not find him. So, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself rose and moved to a heap of dead bodies from the Kharijites. He ordered that they be separated from one another, and they found underneath them the man he was looking for dead. Thereupon, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed Takbīr in wonder at seeing the Mukhdaj man with the description given by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he said after the Takbīr: "Allah", Exalted be He, "told the truth" in what He revealed to His Prophet; "and His Messenger conveyed" His message to us and to the people, in truth.
Then, Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani informed that the Tābi‘i ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni called out to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): "O Commander of the Believers", and he adjured him by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, to tell him whether he heard this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In response, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god" i.e., yes, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "He repeated the request for an oath from him three times". He asked him to swear to let this be heard by the people present and affirm that to them, and in order to reveal to them the miracle informed by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and show them that ‘Ali and his Companions are the worthier among the two groups in claiming the truth, and that they are rightful in fighting them.
The Hadīth points to the danger of ignorance in religion and dogmatic thinking.
It mentions the great reward of killing the Kharijites.
It warns against extremism in religion and affectation in worship.
Those who revolt against the just rulers should be fought against.
The Hadīth mentions some traits of the Kharijites.
It shows the merit of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him).
An oath may be requested for verifying something unfamiliar, so as to affirm it to those who hear about it..

1067
Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, there is from my Ummah after me - or there would be from my Ummah after me - a people who would recite the Qur’an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it; they are the worst among the creation and the creatures.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed the Companions about many of the trials that took place during their generation and that would take place after their generation. One of the trials they witnessed during their time was the trial of the Kharijites.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made reference to that. He mentioned people who would be in his Ummah after him; among their characteristics is that they "would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats." They recite the Qur'an but do not get affected by it, understand it, or act upon its verses. So, they will not be recompensed for that by rewards, and their recitation does not go beyond their tongues, so no good deed is accepted from them. This is not something required; instead, it is required to ponder and reflect upon the Qur'an as it influences the heart. This all means that Imān (faith) did not settle firmly in their hearts. "they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it", i.e., they come out of the religion like the coming out of a fast arrow, which hits the prey and enters and comes out of it with a high speed, without any trace of the prey sticking to it; this is due to its quick coming out of the target. The "ramiyyah" (prey) is the animal that is hunted and hit with an arrow after getting chased. This is a description of the Kharijites, who do not obey the rulers and revolt against them and declare people as disbelievers on account of major sins that are below Shirk (polytheism) and Kufr (disbelief). They kill the people of Islam and leave the people of idols (disbelievers). After all that, they do not return to the religion again, as they do not repent or reconsider their matter. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remarked: "They are the worst among the creation and the creatures." It is said: "Khalq" (creation) refers to humankind, and "khaliqah" (creatures) refers to animals. It is also said: They both have the same meaning. So, this refers to all creation. They are the worst among all creation because they fight the best people, thus corrupting the land after it was in good condition.
The Hadīth includes one of the Prophet's prophecies, as he told about something that would happen after his death, and it did happen as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed.
It warns against misunderstanding the Qur’an and not pondering its verses, goals, and objectives; and it points out that this causes corruption on earth.
It also indicates that one of the consequences of poor reflection upon the verses of Allah is to depart from the religion..

1068
Sahl ibn Hanīf reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A people will go astray toward the east, with shaven heads.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on teaching his Ummah and warning them against trials. A true Muslim ponders the Prophet's statements and teachings and tries his best to save himself and his Muslim community from falling into misleading trials.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that there will emerge a group of people who will deviate from the true and correct path and go astray in the darkness of religious innovations and misguidance. They will never be guided to the truth; they will be lost and follow the wrong paths. They will emerge from the east, which refers to the direction of the sunrise. Those people who go astray from the true path are described as having shaven heads, which indicates their abandonment and renouncement of worldly life. The intended meaning is that shaving their heads was a habit that they persistently engaged in and for which they were known. This trait was mentioned with regard to the Kharijites, that they are marked by shaving their heads, until it became a slogan for them, by which they were identified.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns his Ummah in this Hadīth against the trial of going astray in misguidance and tells us about the signs of deviation.
One of the signs of deviation and misguidance is leading a life of false asceticism..

1072
‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith reported: Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith and Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib got together and said: "By Allah, if we sent these two young men - I and Al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbās - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they spoke to him, he would put them in charge of these Zakah funds, and they would pay as the people pay and get a share as the people get." He said: As they were talking about that, 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib came and stood before them, and they mentioned it to him. Thereupon, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said: "Do not do this, for, by Allah, he would not do that." Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith turned to him and said: "By Allah, you are only doing this out of jealousy toward us. By Allah, you became the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), but we felt no jealousy toward you." 'Ali said: "Send them." So, they set out, and 'Ali lay on the bed. He said: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Zhuhr prayer, we went ahead of him to his room and stood near it till he came, took hold of our ears, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves." Then, he entered, and we entered his place. He was on that day in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh. He said: We urged each of us to speak. Then, one of us spoke, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most righteous and the best of people in upholding kinship ties. We have reached the marriageable age. We have come so that you may put us in charge of some of these Zakah funds, and we would submit them to you as the people submit and get a share as they get." He said: He kept silent for a long time until we wished to speak with him. He said: Zaynab pointed to us from behind the curtain, telling us not to talk to him. He said: Then, he said: "Zakah does not befit the family of Muhammad, for it is the impurities of people. Call Mahmiyah to me - and he was in charge of the Khums funds - and Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn' Abdul-Muttalib." They both came to him, and he said to Mahmiyah: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās. He married her to him. And he said to Nawfal ibn al-Hārith: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., me. He married her to me. And he said to Mahmiyah: "Pay such and such from the Khums funds as a dowry on behalf of both of them.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty honored His Prophet and the believing members of his household and purified them of all filth and impurities. An example is that Zakah is forbidden for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his household. They may not take from it or accept it.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith, the Prophet's cousin, met with his uncle Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle, and they said: By Allah, if we sent these two young men - meaning: 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah and Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them) - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they talked to him, and he appointed them as Zakah collectors, and they would submit as the people submit and get a share like the people, as a wage for the Zakah work. They wanted this money to help them get married, as they reached the marriageable age and could not afford marriage, as narrated in the version by Abu Dāwūd. As Al-‘Abbās and Rabī‘ah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were talking and discussing this matter, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), also a cousin of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), came and stood before them. They mentioned to him what they were discussing and told him about what they intended to do. So, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade them from doing that and swore that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not agree to their request in this regard. Thereupon, Rabī‘ah turned to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him tough words and swore that he did not forbid them from sending the two young men and asking the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to put them in charge of Zakah funds except because of jealousy toward them and his desire to be the only one among them with closeness to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he swore by Allah to ‘Ali that he won the relationship with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) by marriage - meaning his marriage to his daughter Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) - and they felt no jealousy toward him because of that. When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from him, he asked them to send them so that they could be certain about his advice to them. "and ‘Ali lay on the bed." In another version by Muslim: "'Ali threw his cloak and lay on it, and he said: I am the father of Hasan, and I am the Qarm (chief). By Allah, I would not move from my place till your sons return to you with the reply to that for which you sent them to the Messenger of Allah the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Qarm: the stud among animals. It refers to a master and chief who possesses knowledge and wise judgment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant: I spoke what I said to you from knowledge, and I would not move from my place, and I would wait for the reply they would come with from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He knew that the reply would be as he told them.
So, ‘Abdul-Muttalib and Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with both of them) left and headed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). 'Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr prayer, they went ahead of him to the room he would enter after the prayer, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her). They waited for him at the door till the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came, took hold of their ears by way of jesting, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves" i.e., the talk you harbor within your chests. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered his room, and they entered after him so as to proceed with their talk and let him hear them. Each of them wanted the other to start the talk with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in awe of him. Then, one of them talked. He said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most benevolent of all people", i.e., the best among people in benevolence and doing good to others. "and the best of people in upholding kinship ties" i.e., you are most keen on maintaining the ties of kinship. "We have reached the marriageable age." Thus, they presented the reason for their following requests. "We have come so that you may put us in charge of" collecting "some of these Zakah funds", which are to be calculated and taken from money owners and kept and given to you and distributed to the due recipients. "and we would submit to you as the people submit" i.e., we would transfer the Zakah funds and hand them over to you like others. "and get a share as they get" as a wage for the Zakah work. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent for so long that they wanted to repeat their speech and request. Meanwhile, Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) began to point to them with her garment or hand from behind the curtain to not talk to him. After his long silence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made clear to them that Zakah may not be given to the household of Muhammad, i.e., it is forbidden for him and his family, whether it is given for work or because of poverty, destitution, or some other reason. "for it is the impurities of people", i.e., it purifies their wealth from the sin of hoarding and their souls from the sin of stinginess. Or it is the impurities of people because it expiates for sins, removes afflictions, and acts as a ransom for the person in this regard. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to call Mahmiyah ibn Jaz’ ibn ‘Abd Yaghūt az-Zubaydi (may Allah be pleased with him) to him. He was a man from Banu Asad, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had put him in charge of the Khums (one-fifth of the spoils), and to call Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the brother of Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Mahmiyah and Nawfal came and appeared before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mahmiyah ibn Jaz' to marry his daughter to Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās, which Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) did. And he ordered Nawfal ibn al-Hārith to marry his daughter to Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Both of them (may Allah be pleased with both of them) complied. Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was in charge of the Prophet's expenses from the Khums. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pay an amount which he specified for him as a dowry on behalf of each of them to his wife. The Khums refers to the share of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the spoils, as revealed in the verse that reads: {Know that whatever spoils you obtain, one-fifth belongs to Allah and the Messenger, his close relatives, the orphans, the needy and the [stranded] travelers.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 41]
The Hadīth indicates that Zakah funds are to be paid to the ruler and the authority holder.
It shows the Prophet's modesty and cheerfulness and how he would jest with and show compassion toward the young.
Words of praise may be said before asking for something.
The Hadīth mentions that it is forbidden to give Zakah to the household of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It indicates that the Prophet's household were not employed for the collection of charity and Zakah.
It also shows that a person should seek to obtain the wherewithal for marriage.
It demonstrates a father's interest in helping his son get married to maintain his chastity.
The Hadīth also points out the merit of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), as he was more knowledgeable about this matter than those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
And it shows the extreme politeness of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) as she pointed to the two young men not to repeat the speech to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1087
Kurayb reported: that ’Umm al-Fadl sent him to Mu‘āwiyah in the Levant. He said: I came to the Levant and fulfilled her errand. Then, the crescent of Ramadan was sighted while I was in the Levant. I saw the crescent on the night of Friday. Then, I came to Madīnah at the end of the month. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked me about the sighting of the moon and said: "When did you see the crescent?" I said: "We saw it on the night of Friday." He said: "Did you see it yourself?" I said: "Yes, and the people saw it and fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah." He said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday; so, we will continue fasting until we have completed thirty days, or we see it." I said: "Will you not be content with the sighting of Mu‘āwiyah and his fasting?" He said: "No, this is what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined upon us." Yahya ibn Yahya was doubtful about whether it is "Will we not be content?" or "Will you not be content?".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Kurayb ibn Abi Muslim says that ’Umm al-Fadl Lubābah bint al-Hārith, the wife of Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and the mother of ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them), sent him to Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was then the caliph of Muslims. Kurayb went to the Levant and finished her errand. Then, the crescent of the month of Ramadan appeared while he was in the Levant. The crescent was sighted on the night of Friday. There are over 1,120km between the Levant and Madīnah, the center of the caliphate during the era of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān, from which the state was run, and which was followed by all the Muslim provinces.
Then, Kurayb said that he went back to Madīnah once again at the end of the month of Ramadan. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him about the journey and the fulfillment of his mother's errand. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned the crescent and asked him: When did you see the crescent in the Levant? Kurayb told him that they saw it on the night of Friday. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) further asked: "Did you see it" with your own eyes? In response, Kurayb said: Yes, and the people also saw it, and they fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday," i.e., one night after it was sighted in the Levant. Therefore, we will continue to fast until we complete the thirty days of the month or see the crescent before that with the month being 29 days. This results from the different sightings of crescents from different places. So, Kurayb asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): Will you - or he said: will we - not be content with the sighting by the people of the Levant of the crescent of Ramadan at its beginning, and with them is Caliph Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him)? Thus, you fast with their fasting at the start of the month and break your fast with their break of the fast. In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās said: 'No' i.e., we are not content with their sighting. Rather, we observe the fast or complete the month according to our sighting. He probably said that given the great distance between Hejaz and the Levant which allows for different crescent sightings. Also, news could not reach Madīnah from the Levant on the same night. Hence, they comply with the Prophet's command to observe the fast and break the fast based on sighting the crescent. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy, complete it as thirty." This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we must rely on sighting the crescents to know the beginnings and ends of the lunar months.
It also points out that the people of each region should fast based on their sighting of the crescent..

1088
Abu al-Bakhtari reported: We saw the crescent of Ramadan while we were at Dhāt ‘Irq. So, we sent a man to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about that. In response, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen, but if the weather is cloudy, then complete the period.".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Bakhtari Sa‘īd ibn Fayrūz at-Tā’i informs that they saw the crescent of Ramadan one day while they were at a place called Dhāt ‘Irq. This is the locational Miqāt of the pilgrims of the people of Iraq. It lies 42 miles (100km) to the northeast of Makkah. They sent a man to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the crescent of Ramadan and the related rulings, especially if the weather is too cloudy for the people to see it. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen," i.e., indeed, Allah extended the period of sighting the crescent till the people could see it. If it is not possible to see it until the end of the twenty-ninth day of the month, and you cannot see it for one reason or another, like the clouds being in the way, you should observe the complete period of the month of Sha'bān as thirty days. This also applies to all Hijri lunar months. This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we should ask the people of knowledge about obscure and confusing matters.
It also points out that we should leave doubt to certainty when the crescent is hidden by completing the month as thirty days..

1094
Samurah ibn Jundub reported: I heard Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way until it spreads this way.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) defined the time in which a fasting person should refrain from eating during the month of Ramadan; that is the time of "al-Fajr as-Sādiq" (the true dawn). He pointed out that a Muslim may eat and drink till the Adhān of the real dawn.
In its meaning, this Hadīth is linked to other versions which demonstrate that there were two Adhāns for Fajr during the Prophet's lifetime: The first Adhān was proclaimed by Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him). This is the one about which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way." This teaches the Muslims that they may eat and drink when they hear the Adhān of Bilāl, for it was only intended to give notice that the time of Fajr was approaching. The Adhān of Bilāl was proclaimed at the time when the whiteness of the horizon grows long in the sky. And it was meant to make the sleeping person wake up and alert the one standing in prayer. It was followed by the second Adhān, which was proclaimed by Ibn ’Umm Maktūm. Upon hearing it, the people would abstain from food and drink and start fasting.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed the people to the sign of the true dawn. He commanded them to eat and drink till "it spreads this way" i.e., until dawn appears extended on the horizon..

1096
‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge and enjoin the Muslims to have the Suhūr meal, given the blessing it contains for the fasting person.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal," i.e., the Suhūr meal - for he who wants to observe fasting, obligatory, or supererogatory - differentiates between the nature of our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book - the Jews and the Christians. This is because Allah made permissible for us some of what He has prohibited for them. So, our difference from them in this regard represents gratitude for this favor. They do not have a Suhūr meal, while we are enjoined to have it. The best time for this meal is the time of Sahar, which comes shortly before the rise of the true dawn.
This meal is stressed because at this time most people will probably be sleeping, and sleep and its enjoyment may overcome and distract them from the significance of this meal. Then, as a result of abandoning this meal, they will be weakened in undertaking their activities during the daytime.
The Hadīth urges us to have the Suhūr meal.
It shows the Prophet's keenness on being distinguished and different from the People of the Book in the acts of worship common between us and them..

1099
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān; due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: That is because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: Being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not mentioned in the Hadīth..

Commentary : The Shariah urges and encourages us to use the dispensations, particularly if they entail something that may lead to a certain harm or hardship.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan," i.e., days of fasting in Ramadan were due upon me, for I did not fast them due to things that happen to women, like menstruation, illness, etc. "and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān," i.e., she could not make up for these days throughout the year except in Sha‘bān. "due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." She used to keep herself prepared and ready for his affairs (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and for pleasing him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at all times. This shows her extreme politeness and love for him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and it indicates the great rights of the husband upon one's wife.
The Hadīth indicates the legitimacy of delaying the fast of Ramadan until the next Sha‘bān.
It also demonstrates the flexibility provided in the acts of worship and religious obligations.
The Hadīth also shows the significance of the rights of the husband and being busy with obeying him and tending to his affairs..

1104
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing prayer during Ramadan, I came and stood by his side. Then, another man came and stood likewise till we became a group. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived that we were behind him, he lightened the prayer. Then, he went to his abode and performed such a prayer that he would not perform with us. In the morning, we asked him, "Did you perceive us during the night?" He said: "Yes, it was this that prompted me to do what I did." He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl (continuous Qiyām and fasting) at the end of the month, and some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What about those men who observe Wisāl?! You are not like me. By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me, I would observe Wisāl in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration abandon their exaggeration!".

Commentary : Acts of worship must be performed exactly as the Shariah prescribed them. We were commanded to fear Allah as much as we can, without overburdening ourselves or adopting a strict approach in religion, for people differ in terms of their abilities and capacities, and lest people become bored of worship and the religious injunctions.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once performed a supererogatory prayer in Ramadan during a night in the mosque. Meanwhile, he came and stood on his right side, praying with him. Then, another man came and also stood to pray with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, people continued to come and pray behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) till they became "Raht" (a group), which is less than ten persons or more, up to forty men. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived they were praying behind him, he began to lighten the prayer to facilitate the matter and make it easy for them. This contrasts with his usual performance of Qiyām al-Layl when he prayed alone. After he made Taslīm ending the prayer, he entered "his abode" i.e., his house, where he performed a long prayer the like of which he did not perform with him. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that in the morning after that night, they said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Did you perceive us?" i.e., did you feel our presence during that night when we prayed behind you? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Yes' i.e., I perceived you praying behind me. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "it was this that prompted me to do what I did", i.e., it was what you did as you prayed behind me that drove me to lighten the prayer, go to my house and pray there, and refrain from coming out to you, lest it may be made obligatory for you. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the most lenient and merciful among people toward his Ummah.
Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl, performing Qiyām all night long and observing fast day and night without breaking it. This Wisāl was at the end of the month of Ramadan. So, some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl and act like him, thinking that the Prophet's prohibition was meant for discouraging, not unlawfulness. As a result, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry and disapproved of them, as Wisāl was not prescribed for the Ummah. Rather, it is one of his peculiar traits (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "What about those men who observe Wisāl" of fasting?! "You are not like me", i.e., in this matter, you are not like me. Rather, you are required to do what is easier for you. It is authentically reported in the Two Sahīh Collections that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would spend the night with his Lord so Allah would provide him with food and drink. This stems from the Prophet's complete compassion and mercy toward his Ummah and his fear that they might get bored of worship and fall short of some tasks of the religion. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore to them: "By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me" i.e., if the days of the month of Ramadan increased, as they sighted the crescent one or two days after their observance of Wisāl, according to a Hadīth narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). "I would observe Wisāl," i.e., he would continue this Wisāl of his, "in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration", those who overburden themselves, adopt a strict approach, and oblige themselves to do things that were not prescribed for them, "abandon their exaggeration." i.e., so that they would abandon it because of tiredness and hardship, and thus they would themselves be sure of the leniency of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) toward them when he prohibited them from Wisāl. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would indeed increase Wisāl for them to deter and punish them for their lack of compliance with his command (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth points out the Prophet's leniency toward his Ummah and that he would not burden them with things beyond their capacity.
It warns of exaggeration in the acts of worship.
And it warns against overburdening oneself with supererogatory acts of worship..

87
Khalid ibn Dinar (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated: I asked Abu Al-`Aliyah about a man who becomes in a state of major ritual impurity and has no water available, but has Nabidh (date wine) — should he perform Ghusl with it? He said: No..

Commentary : Water is a great blessing that Allah sent down from the sky and made from it every living thing. From it, people drink and purify themselves, and no other liquid can take its place.
In this Hadith, Abu Khaldah says: "I asked Abu Al-`Aliyah" — who is Rufai ibn Mihran — "about a man," meaning: about the situation of a man "who becomes in a state of major ritual impurity," that is: he becomes in a state of Janabah from the emission of semen, "and has no water" available to perform Ghusl with, "but has Nabidh" Nabidh is what is made from beverages derived from dates, raisins, honey, wheat, and barley, by leaving them soaked in water, then drinking it. "Should he perform Ghusl with it?" That is: would performing Ghusl with it be valid and sufficient? Abu Al-`Aliyah (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "No," meaning: he should not perform Ghusl with it, and this would not be valid. This narration shows the eagerness of the Successors of the Companions (Tabi`un) for knowledge, learning, and understanding of the religion..

88
Narrated by `Abdullah ibn Al-Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him): that he went out for Hajj or `Umrah with people accompanying him, and he was leading them in prayer. One day, he called the Iqamah for prayer — the Fajr prayer — then said: "Let one of you step forward," and he went to relieve himself, saying: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'When one of you wants to relieve himself and the prayer is established, let him begin with relieving himself.'".

Commentary : Humility and contemplation enable the Muslim to turn his heart toward his Lord in prayer, so that his heart is occupied only with remembrance and supplication.
In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn Al-Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) says: that he "went out for Hajj or `Umrah with people accompanying him, and he was leading them in prayer. One day, he called the Iqamah for prayer" — which was "the Fajr prayer — then said: 'Let one of you step forward'" as Imam for the people in prayer, "and he went to relieve himself" to fulfill his need. Then he informed the people of what he had heard from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), saying: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: 'When one of you wants to relieve himself and the prayer is established, let him begin'" first "with relieving himself." This is because if he enters prayer while holding back his need, his heart will not be free for prayer, and he will be preoccupied with what is inappropriate.
This Hadith encourages avoiding any distraction of the mind during prayer by anything external to it. It also shows the eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to implement the Hadiths of the Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)..

108
It is narrated on the authority of `Uthman ibn `Abd Ar-Rahman At-Taymi that he said: Ibn Abu Mulaykah was asked about Wudu', and he said: I saw `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) being asked about Wudu', so he called for water and a small vessel was brought to him. He titled it over his right hand, then he inserted it into the water, rinsed his mouth three times, sniffed water into his nose and blew it out three times, washed his face three times, then washed his right hand three times, and his left hand three times. Next, he inserted his hand, took water, and wiped his head and ears, washing their insides and outsides once. Then, he washed his feet and said: Where are those asking about Wudu'? This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah perform Wudu'..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) carried the banner of religion and raised the standard of Islam, transmitting the knowledge they received from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to the generations that came after them.
In this Hadith, one of the Successors of the Companions (Tabi`un) asked the esteemed Successor, Ibn Abu Mulaykah, about the manner of performing Wudu'. He replied: I saw `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) "being asked about Wudu’". That is, someone asked him about the manner of performing Wudu’.
The narration continues: "`Uthman called for water" - i.e., he requested water to perform Wudu’ in front of the questioner and show him how to perform it - "A small vessel was brought to him." That is, they brought him a small vessel, which is a small container holding enough water for Wudu’. The narration then reads: "He tilted it over his right hand," which means he inclined it over his right hand and poured water on it, washing his right hand before dipping it into the Wudu’ water. Then, it reads: "Then he inserted it into the water," meaning he then inserted his right hand into the small vessel. The phrase "He rinsed his mouth three times" means he put water in his mouth and then expelled it three times, while "He sniffed water into his nose and blew it out three times" means he put water in his nose and then expelled it three times.
The narration continues: "washed his face three times, then washed his right hand three times, and his left hand three times." That is, he washed his right arm up to the elbows three times and his left arm up to the elbows three times. The narration then reads: "Then he inserted his hand," meaning he dipped his hand into the small vessel, "took water, and wiped his head and ears." That is, he took a handful of water and placed it on his head, wiping his head with it, then wiped his ears as well.
The narration goes on: "washing their insides and outsides once," meaning he washed his ears from the inside and outside once, then washed his feet. It then reads: "and said" - i.e., `Uthman ibn `Affan (may Allah be pleased with him) - "Where are those asking about Wudu'? That is, where is the one who wants to learn Wudu’?
The narration concludes: " This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah perform Wudu'." That is, I saw the Messenger of Allah perform this Wudu’ in the same manner I have demonstrated to you.
This Hadith underscores teaching through action..

135
It is narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Shu`ayb, from his father, from his grandfather: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, how is Tuhur?" So he called for water in a vessel and washed his hands three times, then washed his face three times, then washed his arms three times, then wiped his head and inserted his index fingers into his ears and wiped the outer part of his ears with his thumbs and the inner part of his ears with his index fingers, then washed his feet three times each. Then he said, "This is how Wudu’ is done. Whoever adds to this or omits from it has done wrong and acted unjustly, or has acted unjustly and done wrong.".

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was keen on teaching the Companions by doing things in front of them so that it would be firmly established in their minds.
In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, how is Tuhur?" The meaning of the question is: How is Wudu’ performed? "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called for water in a vessel, then washed his hands three times, then washed his face three times, then washed his arms three times, then wiped his head, without mentioning a number, then inserted his two index fingers (Sabbahatayn) into his ears," referring to the index fingers of the right and left hands, and they were called Sabbahatayn because they are pointed with during Tasbih (glorifying Allah), "wiped the outer part of his ears with his thumbs and the inner part of his ears with his index fingers , then washed his feet three times each," then he said: " This is how Wudu’ is done. Whoever adds to this", meaning: more than three - "or omits from it" doing less than three "has done wrong" by abandoning the Sunnah and the proprieties of Shari`ah, "and acted unjustly" by not following the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and opposing him. He mentioned here the mandatory acts of Wudu’, and did not mention rinsing the mouth or sniffing water into the nose (and then blowing it out); perhaps they are included in washing the face, or they are not mandatory; so he did not mention them.
A group of scholars have considered the addition of "or omits from it" to be inauthentic and counted it among what was criticized about `Amr ibn Shu`ayb; because its apparent meaning is a condemnation of doing it less than three, while it is permissible; for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did it. So, how can it be expressed as a "wrongdoing"? It was said: If the wording is not due to doubt from the narrator, then it is one of the clear errors that leave no room for ambiguity; for performing Wudu’ once or twice is unanimously permitted, and the reports regarding the matter are authentic. It was said regarding his statement “or omits from it” that there is an ellipsis, and its implied meaning is: whoever falls short in the single washing, such as by leaving a patch unwashed during a single rinse, has done wrong. This is supported by what Nu`aym ibn Hammad ibn Mu`awiyah narrated through Al-Muttalib ibn Hantab in a Marfu` narration (a narration attributed to the Prophet): “Wudu’ may be done once, twice, or up to three times, but whoever falls short of one or exceeds three has erred.”
This Hadith highlights the importance of learning through action, along with verbal instruction..

162
`Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said: "If the religion were based on opinion, then the underside of the Khuff (leather socks) would have been more deserving of being wiped than the upper side. But I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiping over the upper side of his Khuff.".

Commentary : Religion is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) conveyed from the Lord of the Worlds, not what people deduce through personal opinion or limited intellect.
In this Hadith, `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If the religion were based on opinion." That is, if religious rulings were determined by what seems rational or logical to the human mind. The narration reads, "then the underside of the Khuff would have been more deserving of being wiped than the upper side," because it is what most frequently comes into contact with filth and wear. This, on the surface, is what reason and observation might suggest. However, `Ali continues: "But I saw the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiping over the upper side of his Khuff." Meaning, this is what he did, and we follow his practice because his guidance comes from divine wisdom, far beyond what the intellect alone can grasp. Upon closer reflection, it becomes clear that the idea of wiping the bottom of the sock is flawed: the underside is likely to be dirty and wiping it would only soil the hand without any actual benefit, since the purpose of the wiping is not to clean the sock, but to fulfill an act of worship in the prescribed manner.
This Hadith highlights the strength of `Ali’s intellect and his deep faith. It also underscores an important principle: any opinion that contradicts the Sunnah is an invalid opinion, and the Sunnah is always worthier of being followed..

189
`Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah ate a shoulder, then wiped his hand with a cloth that was beneath him, then stood up and prayed”..

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was the most humble of people, despite the great virtues and noble qualities Allah had granted him. Among the signs of his humility was that he ate as a servant would eat. In this Hadith, it is reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) “ate a shoulder” — that is, he ate from the meat of a roasted sheep’s shoulder — “then wiped his hand with a cloth that was beneath him.” The “cloth” refers to a rough garment or fabric made of hair. He was sitting on it and used it to wipe his hand rather than washing it. “Then he stood up and prayed”. That is, he prayed without performing a new Wudu’.
This Hadith and others have been cited as evidence that the previous command to perform Wudu’ after eating food touched by fire was later abrogated. The final ruling was that Wudu’ is not required after eating food cooked over fire..

210
Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: "I used to experience difficulty with Madhiy, and I would frequently perform Ghusl. I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about this, and he said: 'Wudu’ suffices for that.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what about what gets on my clothing from it?' He said: 'It suffices you to take a handful of water and sprinkle it on your garment wherever you think it has touched it.'".

Commentary : Islam is a religion of mercy and compassion toward people. While Ghusl (ritual bath) is mandatory for semen and major ritual impurity, among Islam's leniencies and consideration for people's circumstances is that it distinguishes between thick semen and the light Madhiy (pre-seminal fluid) that frequently emerges when desire is present in a man's body, or following the emission of semen and after performing Ghusl from it.
In this Hadith, Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "I used to experience difficulty with Madhiy," meaning: in its frequent emission and discharge. Madhiy is a thin white fluid that typically precedes or follows the emission of semen and sometimes emerges after urination or during arousal. He said: "And I would frequently perform Ghusl," meaning: because of the discharge of Madhiy, thinking that Ghusl was required for it. Sahl said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about this," meaning: about performing Ghusl for Madhiy. He said: "Wudu’ suffices for that," meaning: Wudu’ is sufficient for it, not Ghusl. Sahl said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about what gets on my clothing from it?" meaning: from this Madhiy. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "It suffices you to take a handful of water and sprinkle it on your garment wherever you think it has touched it," meaning: sprinkle the spot on the garment that the Madhiy has touched with water, until you believe you have removed it..

269
Narrated by `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I would sleep under the same covering while I was menstruating. If it was touched by anything from me, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would wash that spot without going beyond it, then pray in it. And if anything from him — meaning: his garment — touched it, he would wash that spot without going beyond it, then pray in it.".

Commentary : A menstruating woman's body is pure, as is her sweat, and she may undertake all activities such as cooking, kneading dough, baking, and performing all tasks as she did before menstruation began, except for prayer and fasting.
In this Hadith, the Mother of the Believers, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), says: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I would sleep under the same covering" — the covering being the garment that is closest to the body — "while I was menstruating. If it" — meaning: if that garment — "was touched by anything from me," that is: blood, "the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would wash that spot without going beyond it," meaning: he would limit himself to that specific area only and not exceed it, "then pray in it" — in that covering. "And if anything from him touched it" — meaning: the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) garment — "he would wash that spot without going beyond it, then pray in it."
This Hadith demonstrates the breadth and ease of Islamic law..

363
Narrated by Umm Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about menstrual blood that gets onto clothing. He said: "Scrape it with a rib and wash it with water and Sidr.".

Commentary : Islam is a religion of ease, and among the manifestations of this ease is making things easier for people and treating them gently, especially in matters that cannot be easily avoided and occur out of necessity rather than choice.
In this Hadith, Umm Qays bint Mihsan (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "I asked the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) about menstrual blood that gets onto clothing," meaning: what is the ruling regarding clothes that are stained with menstrual blood? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Scrape it with a rib," meaning: remove it with a stick or something similar like a stone or other object, and scrape it with this to remove the thick, clinging blood. "And wash it with water and Sidr," meaning: after scraping, wash it with something that will improve its scent. Sidr is the Lote tree, and its leaves are used for cleaning. By this, the trace of blood, its smell, and its appearance are removed from the garment..

675
Narrated by `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "And do not differ, lest your hearts differ, and beware of the clamor of the markets.".

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) organized the matter of congregational prayer. He taught us the qualities of the Imam, then who should stand behind him from among those with knowledge who memorize the Quran and with sound minds, then how the rows should be arranged, how people should be gentle with one another, then how children and women should be in the back rows, and other matters.
This Hadith is part of another Hadith, in which he said: "Let those among you who are mature and wise stand close to me," meaning: let those with sound minds and forbearance stand behind me in prayer, "then those who come after them, then those who come after them," meaning: then let the most excellent, then the next most excellent arrange themselves behind them. Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "And do not differ, lest your hearts differ," meaning: be harmonious and gentle in your standing next to each other in prayer, for disagreement in this situation becomes a cause for the differing of hearts. Then he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "And beware of the clamor of the markets," meaning: beware of raising voices in prayer and mosques, and speaking without benefit, as happens in the markets. Do not let thinking about such matters distract you from humility in prayer. It is possible that this is a prohibition against mixing in mosques and in prayer rows, so that those with sound minds and the elderly should not mix with the young and women as in the markets.
This Hadith contains a prohibition against disagreement among people in prayer and in standing in rows. It also contains a warning against raising one's voice and mixing in prayer and mosques, as is often done in the markets..

708
It is narrated on the authority of `Amr ibn Shu`ayb, from his father, from his grandfather, that: We descended with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from the Thaniyyah of Adhakhir, and the time for prayer came. So he prayed facing a wall, using it as a Qiblah, and we stood behind him. Then a Bahmah (small sheep) came passing in front of him, and he kept trying to prevent it until he pressed his stomach against the wall, and it passed behind him..

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed the one who is praying to place a Sutrah (barrier) in front of him, so that nothing may pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. As for the congregational prayer, if the Imam places a barrier for himself, it serves as a barrier for the followers behind him.
In this narration, `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We descended”, meaning, we were on a journey and stopped at a location, “with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) from the Thaniyyah of Adhakir”, which is a mountain pass between Makkah and Madinah. The word Thaniyyah refers to a path through the mountains. “The time for prayer came,” meaning the prescribed time had entered, and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prayed with the people “facing a wall”, using it as a Qiblah and barrier, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. The people were praying behind him. The narration reads, "Then a Bahmah came trying to pass in front of him" - the term Bahmah refers to the offspring of sheep, whether male or female - "He kept trying to prevent it", meaning he kept pushing it away and blocking its path, " until he pressed his stomach was pressed his stomach against the wall ". That is, he moved so close that there was no space left for it to pass in front of him, so it passed behind him instead.
This narration shows that the Sutrah of the Imam serves as a Sutrah for those praying behind him, as the animal passed in front of the followers but behind the Imam, and this did not invalidate the prayer.
The Hadith also teaches that it is upon the one who is praying to prevent anything, human or animal, from passing directly in front of him..

753
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered into prayer, he would raise his hands outstretched..

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) taught his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) everything related to prayer: movements, stillness, and other matters. The Companions used to observe him and learn from him, and they transmitted this to those who came after them (may Allah be pleased with them all).
In this Hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) entered into prayer," meaning: when he began it and pronounced the first Takbir, which is the Takbir of Ihram, "he would raise his hands outstretched," meaning: he would raise his hands upward, aligning them with his head or close to that, or other ways that have been narrated regarding his manner (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) of raising them.
This Hadith demonstrates the Companions' meticulous observation of the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) actions and their transmission of these actions to others..

789
On the authority of Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I stand to lead the prayer intending to prolong it, but then I hear the crying of an infant, so I shorten it out of dislike for causing hardship to his mother.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to love to prolong the prayer, but at the same time he would take the people's needs into consideration. He would sometimes shorten the prayer for the sake of certain individuals, as in this Hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I stand to lead the prayer intending to prolong it.” That is, he intended to complete it and perfect it in the usual manner—not the kind of prolonging which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade the Imams from doing. “Then I hear the crying of an infant, so I shorten it,” meaning: he would hear the crying of a child who was present with his mother, who was praying in the congregation. So he would lighten the prayer and not prolong it in terms of recitation or other actions, “out of dislike for causing hardship to his mother,” meaning: out of compassion for the child and his mother, due to her being distracted by her child’s crying during the prayer.
This Hadith highlights the importance of taking the condition of the congregation into account during the prayer, and of avoiding causing them hardship by unnecessary lengthening..

792
It is narrated from some of the Companions that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a man, "What do you say in the prayer?" The man replied, "I recite the Tashahhud and then say: O Allah, I ask You for Paradise and seek refuge in You from the Fire. As for me, I am not good at your murmuring nor the murmuring of Mu`adh." The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "It is around these that we murmur.".

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would ask the Companions about their acts of worship and supplications, in order to clarify whether they were correct, or to correct and guide them to what would benefit them in this world and the Hereafter.
In this Hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said to a man, "What do you say in the prayer?", meaning: what remembrance and supplication do you say during your prayer? The man said, “I recite the Tashahhud,” referring to the testimony or greetings recited during prayer. “And I say: O Allah, I ask You for Paradise,” meaning: I ask You for entry into it. “And I seek refuge in You from the Fire,” meaning: to be kept far from it and not even come near it. Then the man said to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), “As for me, I am not good at your murmuring nor the murmuring of Mu`adh.” Murmuring refers to low, indistinct speech, a tone that is heard but whose words are not clear, and it is also interpreted as private or concealed speech. The man meant that he was not proficient in the invocations and supplications that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or Mu`adh (may Allah be pleased with him) would say in prayer, nor was he able to formulate supplications with eloquence. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied, “It is around these that we murmur”. Namely, our invocations revolve around Paradise and Hellfire; all our supplications ultimately aim for the same purpose: to attain Paradise and be protected from the Hellfire.
This Hadith teaches that there is no need for affectation or overelaboration in supplication; rather, sincerity and clarity of intention are what matter most..

832
Narrated by `Abdullah ibn Abu Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: A man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: "I am unable to memorize anything from the Quran, so teach me something that will suffice for me." He said: "Say: Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power and no strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Most Great." The man said: "O Messenger of Allah, this is for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, but what is there for me?" He said: "Say: O Allah, have mercy on me, grant me sustenance, grant me well-being, and guide me." When the man stood up, he gestured with his hand like this, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "As for this one, he has filled his hand with goodness.".

Commentary : In this Hadith, a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said: "I am unable to memorize anything from the Quran," meaning: in terms of memorization, learning, and recitation, "so teach me something that will suffice for me" — something I can recite in prayer and elsewhere. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told him: "Say: Glory be to Allah, and praise be to Allah, and there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest, and there is no power" — meaning: there is no means of escaping sins and warding off disliked evils except by the Will of Allah — "and no strength" for me to perform acts of obedience and attain good "except with Allah," that is: through His guidance, the Almighty. "Al-`Aliyy" (the Most High) is one of the Names of Allah that encompasses a perfect attribute, which is elevation in its three types: elevation of dominance and victory, elevation of status, and elevation of essence. "Al-`Adhim" (the Most Great) is one of the Names of Allah that encompasses a perfect attribute, which is Greatness. The man then said: "O Messenger of Allah, this" — the remembrance and praise — "is for Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, but what is there for me" in terms of supplication and requests? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) told him: "Say: O Allah, have mercy on me, and grant me sustenance" of good things, "and grant me well-being" from evil, "and guide me" to the straight path. "When the man stood up, he gestured with his hand like this," meaning: he clenched it, "and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'As for this one, he has filled his hand with goodness,'" meaning: he has gathered abundant good and reward.
The Hadith demonstrates the ease and compassion of the Islamic Shari`ah. It also highlights the importance of learning the Quran and various Adhkar (remembrances).

119
Narrated by `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to perform Wudu’ before going to sleep..

Commentary : Purity and cleanliness are among the signs of the believer, and it was from the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) practice to maintain this at all times as much as he was able.
This Hadith explains some of these meanings, where the Mother of the Believers, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), informs us that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him): "used to perform Wudu’ before going to sleep," meaning: it was his habit to perform the Wudu’ for prayer before going to sleep..

616
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) delivering a sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, in which he said, "Fear Allah, your Lord; perform your five prayers; fast during your month; pay the Zakah of your wealth; obey those in authority among you; and you will enter the Paradise of your Lord.".

Commentary : Drawing closer to Allah by performing what Allah has enjoined, such as prayer, fasting, mandatory almsgiving (Zakah), and pilgrimage, is among the most beloved deeds to Allah the Exalted, and one of the greatest means of entering Paradise.
In this Hadith, Abu Umamah Al-Bahili (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) delivering a sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage, in which he said: “Fear Allah, your Lord,” meaning: place a barrier between yourselves and the Punishment of Allah, fear Him as though you see Him, comply with His commands, and avoid His prohibitions. “Perform your five daily prayers,” meaning: perform the five prayers that Allah has enjoined upon you at their prescribed times and observe them consistently. “fast during your month,” meaning: the month of Ramadan. “Pay the Zakah of your wealth,” meaning: pay the due right of Allah from your wealth when it reaches the Nisab (minimum threshold that incurs the obligation of Zakah) and a full lunar year has passed over it. “Obey those in authority among you,” meaning: obey your leader and the one in authority over you, and do not disobey or oppose him. Their obedience is only in what is right. But if they command something that involves disobedience to Allah, then there is no obedience to any created being in disobedience to the Creator.
“You will enter the Paradise of your Lord,” meaning: your reward for doing so is that Allah the Exalted, will admit you to Paradise. The reward for the one who fulfills what Allah has enjoined upon him is Paradise and its bliss.
The Hadith includes the command to fulfill what Allah has prescribed of prayer, fasting, and Zakah (mandatory almsgiving).
And in it is the command to obey the ruler and not to oppose or disobey him..

675
Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prescribed the charity of Al-Fitr upon males and females, free persons and slaves: a Sa` of dates or a Sa` of barley. He said: So the people began to equate it to half a Sa` of wheat..

Commentary : In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) prescribed the charity of Al-Fitr," referring to Zakat Al-Fitr given at the end of Ramadan. The wisdom behind its obligation includes: to spare the poor from having to ask on the day of `Eid, and to purify the fasting person from (the sinfulness of) any idle talk or inappropriate behavior that may have occurred during the fast. He continued: "males and females, free persons and slaves," indicating that it is mandatory upon every Muslim individual, whether young or old. The obligation is fulfilled on behalf of minors by their parents or guardians, and on behalf of slaves by their masters. It is to be given as "a Sa` of dates or a Sa` of barley," where a Sa` is equivalent to four Mudds, and a Mudd is the amount that fills two cupped hands. Ibn `Umar further stated: "Then people began to equate it," meaning that they began to give Zakat in an amount equivalent to a Sa` of dates or barley.
It is said that the “people” referred to here were Mu`awiyah ibn Abu Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) and those who followed his view, who substituted it with "half a Sa` of wheat," i.e., wheat instead of dates or barley..

982
It is narrated on the authority of Buraydah ibn Al-Husaib Al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "The believer dies with sweat on his forehead.".

Commentary : The severity of death and its agonies are not necessarily signs of punishment or a bad end. This is clarified in the Hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The believer dies with sweat on his forehead." It has been said that this refers to the intensity of death, such that his forehead sweats as a means of purifying his sins or elevating his rank. It is also said to be a sign of a good ending. Others interpret it as a metaphor for the believer’s lifelong striving in seeking lawful sustenance and his self-discipline through fasting and prayer until he meets Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He). It is also said that his forehead sweats out of modesty when receiving the glad tidings at the moment of death. The "forehead" here refers to the front part of the head.
Ahmad, Ibn Majah, At-Tirmidhi (may Allah have mercy on them), and others narrated from Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was asked: Which people are most severely tested?" He said: "The prophets, then the most exemplary and then the next best, are tested. A man is tested according to the strength of his faith. If he is firm in his faith, his trials are severe, and if there is weakness in his faith, his trials are made easier for him.".

1131
It is narrated on the authority of Ruwayfi` ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day let him not water his seed to the offspring of another..

Commentary : Islam has prescribed specific rulings to safeguard honor and lineage, especially given that, during times of war, female captives would be taken and distributed among the warriors. Additionally, the buying and selling of slave women (concubines) was a common practice. All such women were lawfully permissible (for intimacy) to their lawful owners. Therefore, Islam legislated the practice of ensuring wombs are free (of pregnancy) when these women were transferred from one man to another.
In this Hadith, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day,” meaning: whoever has complete faith, affirming and acknowledging belief in Allah and the Last Day, and adheres to the laws of Islam, “ let him not water his seed to the offspring of another” that is, he should not deposit his seed ( i.e., have intercourse) except in a womb that is reliably known to be free of any legal impediments to intercourse (i.e., pregnant by or married to another man). This directive came in light of the practice at the time, where men would purchase slave women or acquire female captives in war, who would then be distributed among the warriors or rightful claimants. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) instructed them to ensure the wombs were free(of pregnancy) before engaging in intercourse. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said in the Hadith regarding the captives of Awtas: “A pregnant woman must not be approached until she gives birth, and a non-pregnant woman until she menstruates once.” He thus prohibited a man from engaging in intercourse with a woman who is pregnant by another man. This is because pregnancy in the womb is like a crop in the soil, and a man’s water (i.e., semen) is what nourishes what lies within the wombs of women.
Therefore, every believer must be cautious with his seed and only place it where Allah and His Messenger have permitted, where there is no ambiguity or religious doubt. Some scholars have stated that the fetus may continue to grow nourished by the semen of the second man, and then be born, appearing as though it is a child shared between two men. This may lead to the newborn inheriting from the second man while it is, in fact, the child of another, or the second man taking ownership of the child while he is, in fact, his own son. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) forbade intercourse with pregnant slave women and captives until they have delivered or experienced one menstrual cycle..

1138
It is narrated on the authority of Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: Coitus interruptus was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and he said: Why would one of you do that? Ibn Abu `Umar added in his narration: He did not say, "None of you should do that." They both said in their narrations: "For there is no soul that Allah has decreed to be created except that He is its Creator.".

Commentary : Every creature has had its lifespan and offspring decreed by Allah, and the Pen has already recorded this; therefore, practicing coitus interruptus to prevent offspring is ultimately of no real benefit.
In this Hadith, Abu Sa`id (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "Coitus interruptus was mentioned," referring to the act of withdrawing the male organ from the vagina before ejaculation. This discussion took place "in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)," i.e., during his gathering. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) responded with a tone of disapproval, saying: "Why would one of you do that!" This question expresses disapproval of the practice, which is often done to avoid conception. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) reminds them that all matters are ultimately determined by the decree of Allah. If Allah wills for a child to be conceived, it will happen, whether through intentional intercourse or even if ejaculation occurs before withdrawal, without the person realizing it. Thus, the will and decree of Allah will inevitably come to pass.
At-Tirmidhi said that Ibn Abu `Umar added to his narration, and he [the Prophet] did not say: "None of you should do that," meaning that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) did not explicitly forbid his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), but rather indicated that it is preferable to leave that. In the narration by Al-Bukhari, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "Do you indeed do that?" "There is no blame upon you if you do not do that." Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "For there is no soul that Allah has decreed to be created except that He is its Creator." Another narration reads: "Except that it will come forth." That is, Allah has ordained the means for its emergence, even if the man takes precautions through coitus interruptus.
It was said that among the reasons for practicing coitus interruptus is that the woman is nursing, and there is concern for the infant she is nursing in that case; or that the man has limited means and desires to have fewer children; or due to fear of having a child with a slave woman, which would result in the child being born into slavery. However, none of these reasons can stand against the divine command and decree of Allah, and indeed, it is Allah Who provides..

1149
Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether, if a man had two female slaves, and one of them nursed a slave-boy, and the other had nursed a slave-girl, is it permissible for the boy to marry the girl? He said, "No. The origin of the milk is one.".

Commentary : The Successors of the Companions (Tabi`un) used to ask the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and learn the religion from them. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to transmit the religion to them, teach them, and issue Fatwas for them concerning the new matters that arose.
In this Hadith, the Successor `Amr ibn Ash-Sharid (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated: "`Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether, if a man had two female slaves, and one of them nursed a slave-boy, and the other had nursed a slave-girl." That is: one of the two slave women suckled a female child, and the other slave woman suckled a male child. Then he was asked: "Is it permissible for the boy to marry the girl?" That is: is it permissible for the boy who was suckled by the first slave woman to marry the girl who was suckled by the second? Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “No,”—that is, it is not permissible for them to marry one another. “The origin of the milk is one,” meaning: both women were owned by the same man, and it was he who fathered both children. The milk by which the two infants were breastfed was produced as a result of a single man’s procreative act, and thus the children are considered milk-siblings..

1894
Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) is reported to have said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "The one who serves drinks to the people is the last to drink.".

Commentary : Islam promotes manners and conduct that elevate the spirit of those who uphold them, whether in private or in public.
Among the examples of this is what the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) teaches in this Hadith how one should serve the community, how such service uplifts a person’s character, and how one should prioritize the collective interest in all aspects of life.
This Hadith is an abridged version of another narration in which it is mentioned that when the Companions lost access to water during one of their journeys, Abu Qatadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "They were saying, ‘O Messenger of Allah, we are perishing, we are thirsty!’ So he replied, ‘There is no destruction upon you.’ Then he said, ‘Bring me my Ghumar,’ meaning, bring me my small cup, and the Ghumar is a small vessel." He continued: "Then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) called for the water container (used for Wudu’; Mida'ah), and he began to pour, while I, Abu Qatadah, was giving the people to drink. As soon as the people saw water in the container, they rushed toward it. But the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, ‘Pour it gently, each of you will have enough to drink.’ So they did as he said, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) continued to pour, and I continued to serve them until no one remained except myself and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) poured and said to me, ‘Drink.’ I replied, ‘I will not drink until you drink, O Messenger of Allah.’ He said, ‘The one who serves the people is the last to drink.’" That is, whoever takes on the task of serving others should delay their own turn until everyone has been served.
The Hadith indicates: Whoever is entrusted with an affair of the Muslims must strive for the benefit of the Muslims and delay his own benefit until their benefit is fulfilled.
It highlights the Shari`ah's encouragement to spread virtuous morals among Muslims.
It also indicates the good manners and commitment that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) showed toward the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)..

2428
On the authority of Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them), they said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "The servant will be brought on the Day of Resurrection, and Allah will say to him: 'Did I not give you hearing, sight, wealth, children, and did I not make the cattle and tillage subservient to you, and did I not allow you to hold leadership of people and to settle in Riba`? Did you not think that you would meet Me on this Day of yours?' So he will say: 'No.' So Allah will say to him: 'Today you shall be forgotten just as you have forgotten Me.'".

Commentary : Every servant will be presented before Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, and He will make him acknowledge His blessings that He bestowed upon him in the world, and He will ask him: What did you do with them? And did he fulfill their due gratitude and not neglect the Rights of Allah concerning them?
In this Hadith, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) says: "The servant will be brought on the Day of Resurrection," meaning for the reckoning and presentation before Allah, "and Allah will say to him," meaning He will ask him and confirm: "Did I not grant you hearing, sight," meaning did I not bestow upon you the blessing of sight and hearing, "wealth, and children," meaning and I provided you with wealth and children, "Did I not subject," meaning I made subservient "the cattle and the tillage to you" from livestock, horses, and cultivation, "allow you to hold leadership," I allowed you to be a leader and a person of status among the people, and in your community, “and to settle in Riba`” — meaning: you possessed Riba`, which refers to homes and cultivated lands. And it was also said: it refers to taking one-fourth of the spoils of war. Then He — the Exalted — will say to him: "Did you not think that you would meet Me on this Day of yours?" That is: Did you believe that there is resurrection, life after death, reckoning, Paradise, and Hell on the Day of Resurrection? "The servant says, 'No,' meaning: I did not think there would be a resurrection after death, and that there would be an accounting on this day. Allah Says to him, 'Today,' on this day, 'you shall be forgotten,' meaning: you will be left neglected, I will turn away from you and abandon you, and withhold My Mercy from you, and you will be treated as one forgotten, 'as you forgot Me,' meaning: this is your recompense as you forgot My obedience and gratitude for the blessings I bestowed upon you..

2883
It is narrated on the authority of An-Nawwas ibn Sam`an (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “The Quran will come, along with its companions, those who acted upon it in the worldly life, preceded by Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al `Imran.” An-Nawwas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave three parables for them, which I have not forgotten since. He said: “They will come as if they were two shades with a brightness between them, or as if they were two dark clouds, or as if they were two flocks of birds in ranks, with wings outspread, pleading on behalf of their companion.”’.

Commentary : The Shari`ah encourages the recitation of the Quran with contemplation and reflection upon its verses, along with acting upon the obedience it enjoins and avoiding what it cautions against. It clarifies that whoever does this sincerely, seeking the pleasure of Allah, will be granted a great reward and immense favor on the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadith, An-Nawwas ibn Sam`an (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, "The Quran will come, along with its companions," meaning those who recited and memorized it, "those who acted upon it in the worldly life," meaning they performed deeds according to its guidance, seeking reward and recompense from Allah. "preceded by Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al `Imran," meaning these two Surahs will lead the companions of the Quran on the Day of Judgment. It is also said that they will precede the entire Quran.
An-Nawwas said: "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave them three parables," meaning the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) likened the precedence of Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al `Imran to three parables. An-Nawwas ibn Sam`an said: "I have not forgotten them since," meaning these three parables have remained vividly in my mind. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "They will come," meaning Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al `Imran on the Day of Judgment, "as if they were two shades," meaning as if they are two canopies shading their companion and those who memorized them , "with a brightness between them," meaning there will be light and radiance between them.
The second parable given by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was: "Or as if they were two dark clouds," meaning as if they were like clouds that act as umbrellas, protecting their reciter from the heat of the Day of Judgment.
The third parable was: "Or as if they were two flocks of birds in ranks," meaning as if they were a canopy of birds lined up with their wings spread, "pleading," meaning defending and protecting "their companion", the one who recited, memorized, and acted upon the verses.
The Hadith involves the encouragement to frequently recite Surat Al-Baqarah and Surat Al `Imran.
It indicates that teaching through examples reinforces the meaning..

86
`Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The best of people after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and the best of people after Abu Bakr is `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).”.

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) have a lofty status. Some of them are superior to others due to the virtue with which Allah and His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) favored them.
In this narration, `Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The best of people after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and the best of people after Abu Bakr is `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).” This was due to their strong virtue in the religion of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, and their unwavering support for it. Both carried the banner of the Caliphate after the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they fulfilled that trust in the best manner.
This statement is a clear refutation of the Rafidah, who gave precedence to `Ali on account of his lineage and closeness to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), over Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both). `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) made this statement in a sermon in Kufah, as reported by Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him).
This Hadith clearly affirms the virtue and merit of Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both). It also reflects the deep love that `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) had for them, along with his humility and recognition of their excellence..

114
It was narrated from `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) gave him the glad tidings that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever wishes to recite the Quran fresh (Ghaddan) as it was revealed, let him recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm `Abd.”.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would strive to carry the banners of this religion, each according to his ability. At times, one of them would excel and surpass others in a particular matter.
In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Abu Bakr and `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) gave me the glad tidings that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: ‘Whoever wishes to recite the Quran fresh (Ghaddan) as it was revealed, let him recite it according to the recitation of Ibn Umm `Abd.’”
The word Ghaddan refers to something tender and unchanged. It is also said to refer to fruit at its earliest stage. The meaning is that he memorized it and recited it as Allah revealed it adhering to its rulings and reciting it with a pleasant voice. It is also said that it refers to his method and manner of recitation, or that it refers to the verses which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard from him from the beginning of Surat An-Nisa’ to the verse (interpretation of the meaning): {And We have brought you as a witness over these} [An-Nisa’ 4:41] After the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) heard the recitation of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he began to say concerning him: “Ask, and it will be granted to you.” This is a testimony that his recitation was accepted and that his supplication was answered.
This Hadith includes the permissibility of giving glad tidings to the believer regarding what pleases him. It also highlights a noble virtue and great merit of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who was among those who memorized and mastered the Quran. It also encourages following the method and manner of Ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) in reciting the Quran and in adhering to its rulings..

117
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever loves Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn has indeed loved me, and whoever hates them has hated me.”.

Commentary : The household of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) possesses many virtues, and they are entitled to certain rights over others. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) commanded that they be loved and forbade hatred toward them.
In this Hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever loves Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn has indeed loved me.” Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn are the sons of `Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). They are the two grandsons of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and they are his two fragrant flowers from this world. Among the signs of loving the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is to love Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn, "and whoever hates them has hated me." Among the signs of hating the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) is to hate Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn. It is sufficient as a mark of wretchedness to hate he (i.e., the Messenger) whose love is part of the perfection of faith. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined love for his family. He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, as narrated in Sahih Muslim: “I remind you, to fear Allah, regarding my household.” Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “I am leaving behind two successors among you: the Book of Allah and my household.” Allah the Exalted has removed impurity from the household and purified them completely, as He Says (interpretation of the meaning): {Indeed, Allah only intends to remove from you the impurity [of sin], O people of the household, and to purify you with [extensive] purification} [Al-Ahzab 33:33] This love that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) enjoined is not one of extremism—such as raising the members of the household above the level of humanity—nor does it justify hatred toward others among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), as is the practice of the Shi`ah in their exaggeration regarding Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn. Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated from `Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not exaggerate in praising me as the Christians exaggerated in praising `Isa ibn Maryam (Jesus—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Verily, I am only the slave of Allah and His Messenger.” In Al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not revile my Companions. Do not revile my Companions. For by the One in Whose Hand is my soul, if one of you were to spend gold equivalent to Mount Uhud, it would not amount to the Mudd (a handful) of what one of them spent, nor even half of it.”
This Hadith highlights the noble status and great virtue of Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both), and that love for them is part of love for the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)..

190
`Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: “I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say: ‘May Allah brighten the face of a person who hears a Hadith from us and conveys it to others. For perhaps the one to whom it is conveyed has more understanding than the one who heard it.’".

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) urged the conveyance of the call to truth to the people and the transmission of his Sunnah, so that the religion may spread.
In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn Ma`sud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah brighten” — meaning: grant radiance and beauty; this is a supplication that Allah beautifies his physical form and elevates his rank. “A person” — that is, anyone, whether from the noble Companions or those who heard from them. “Who hears a Hadith from us” — referring to the words, actions, or approvals of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). In one narration: “...and memorizes it” — meaning: he comprehends it with both his mind and heart and retains it. “And conveys it” — meaning: he transmits it to others exactly as he heard it. “For perhaps the one to whom it is conveyed has more understanding than the one who heard it.” In another narration: “For perhaps a carrier of Fiqh is not a jurist (Faqih), and perhaps a carrier of Fiqh conveys it to one who is more knowledgeable than he.” The particle “perhaps” (Rubba) can be used to express both rarity and frequency. The intended meaning is that it is sometimes — or even often — the case that the narrator who hears a Hadith is neither a scholar nor a jurist. However, he memorizes the Sunnah and transmits it to others — among whom are scholars and jurists capable of deriving rulings, or to someone more capable of understanding and deduction.
This Hadith encourages memorizing the Prophetic Sunnah and conveying it to others. It also illustrates the merit that scholars hold, and the merit of bearing, safeguarding, and conveying knowledge..

200
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Part of what continues to benefit a believer from his deeds and good actions after his death is: knowledge he taught and spread; a righteous child he left behind; a Mus-haf he bequeathed; a mosque he built; a house he built for a wayfarer; a canal he caused to flow; or charity he gave from his wealth during his lifetime while he was in good health—these continue to reach him after his death.”
Part of what continues to benefit a believer from his deeds and good actions after his death is.

Commentary : Islamic law encourages performing acts of righteousness and obedience. The Muslim is instructed to treat this worldly life as a field in which he plants for his Hereafter. It has clarified that some deeds continue to benefit a person even after death.
In this Hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “ Part of what continues to benefit a believer from his deeds and good actions after his death” That is: the impact and reward of these deeds persist beyond the person’s lifetime. This applies broadly to both the righteous and the sinful. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clarified that what is intended are righteous deeds, when he said: “and good actions after his death.” In other words, the reward continues to reach him. He then gave examples: “Knowledge he taught and spread” — meaning he made it accessible to others by any means, whether through teaching, writing, authoring, or otherwise. “A righteous child he left behind” — and in another version: “a righteous child who prays for him.” Meaning: if the child performs righteous actions taught by the parent, then the parent shares in the reward. “A Mus-haf he bequeathed” — meaning he left behind a copy of the Quran, either as a personal possession or something he endowed for the Muslims. “A mosque he built” — whether through personal effort or financial contribution. “A house he built for a wayfarer” — meaning a shelter or dwelling for travelers. “A canal he caused to flow” — meaning he extracted water, built a means for it to flow, and facilitated its benefit to others. “Charity he gave from his wealth during his lifetime while he was in good health—these continue to reach him after his death” — that is: he gave charity while alive and well, and its reward continues after his passing. Even if some of these actions were not intended to have a lasting effect, Allah out of His Bounty allows any good that benefits people after one’s death, and is a trace of one’s work, to count in one’s record.
This Hadith illustrates the immense grace of Allah toward His believing slaves: He has made some deeds continue in reward even after death. It encourages giving Sadaqah Jariyah (ongoing charity) during one’s lifetime, so its benefit endures. It also shows that books of beneficial knowledge left behind are among the righteous deeds whose reward remains after a person’s death..

541
From Mu`adhah bint `Abdullah Al-`Adawiyyah (may Allah have mercy on her): A woman asked `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), saying: “Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to apply henna or dye?” She replied: “We used to be with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and we would apply henna, and he did not forbid us from doing so.”.

Commentary : The Shari`ah (Islamic law) came to bring ease to people, especially in matters related to Taharah (ritual purity).
In this Hadith, Mu`adhah bint `Abdullah Al-`Adawiyyah (may Allah have mercy on her) reports: “A woman asked `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), saying: ‘Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to apply henna or dye?’” meaning: is it permissible for her to apply henna to her hands, feet, or hair while she is in a state of menstruation? `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “We used to be with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), and we would apply henna, and he did not forbid us from doing so.” This indicates that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) approved of their practice, which serves as evidence of its permissibility. The dye left by henna on the hands does not prevent the removal of major impurity—whether due to Janabah (a state of ritual impurity caused by the discharge of semen or sexual intercourse) and menstruation—through ritual bathing (Ghusl), when they perform it..

542
Narrated by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) carrying Al-Husayn the son of `Ali on his shoulder, and his saliva was dripping on him.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) clarified for his Ummah all matters related to purification. He explained what is pure and what is impure, along with the detailed guidelines for each.
In this Hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) carrying Al-Hasan — and in some versions: Al-Husayn — the son of `Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) on his shoulder, and his saliva was dripping on him.” That is, the moisture from his mouth was falling onto the garment of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), indicating that it is pure. Had it been impure, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would have washed it. It is also possible that the pronoun "on him" refers to Al-Hasan, and in that case, if it had been impure, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would not have carried a child with impure clothing.
This Hadith also encourages showing gentleness toward children..

660
Narrated by `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): "We prayed Maghrib with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Some returned, while others remained. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out in haste, breathing heavily, with his garment lifted above his knees, and said: ‘Rejoice! Your Lord has opened one of the gates of Heaven and is boasting about you to the angels, saying: “Look at My slaves—they have fulfilled one mandatory duty and are awaiting another.”’”.

Commentary : Prayer is a pillar from the pillars of Islam. It holds immense virtue and an elevated status among the acts of worship. It is a connection between the servant and his Lord. It is repeated five times a day. The Shari`ah has encouraged its voluntary prayers, and the Prophetic Sunnah has clarified that Allah boasts to His angels about His praying servants and those who await its appointed times.
In this Hadith, `Abdullah ibn `Amr ibn Al-`As (may Allah be pleased with them) conveys some of these meanings. He said: “We prayed Maghrib with the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Some returned,” meaning: some people returned to their homes, “while others remained,” meaning: some waited in the Masjid (mosque) after the end of the prayer, awaiting the `Isha’ prayer. “Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out in haste, breathing heavily,” meaning: his breath had quickened, and his breathing was continuous, “with his garment lifted above his knees,” meaning: he had uncovered his clothing and raised it above his knees, such that they were visible this was due to the speed of his walk and his haste because he was carrying glad tidings for them. “And said: ‘Rejoice! Your Lord has opened one of the gates of Heaven and is boasting about you to the angels,’” meaning: He is proudly mentioning you before the angels. The Lord of Might says: “Look at My slaves—they have fulfilled one mandatory duty and are awaiting another.” Meaning: their waiting for the next mandatory prayer in the Masjid after completing the first is a reason for Allah to boast about them to His angels. This is evidence of the virtue of waiting for one prayer after another.
Muslim narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Waiting for the prayer after the prayer—that is the Ribat (enduring at the frontier to guard the Muslim state), that is the Ribat, that is the Ribat.” Thus he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) made enduring in acts of worship and waiting patiently for the next prayer a form of Ribat in the path of Allah. For whoever prays a prayer, then sits waiting for another, and remains consistent in doing so he will have filled his life with obedience, and that will be counted as Ribat in the path of Allah..

804
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to like for the Muhajirun and the Ansar to stand directly behind him, so that they could learn from him.”.

Commentary : Prayer represents a spiritual act of worship wherein a person stands before their Creator. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) provided instruction on its proper etiquette and the requisite practices involved, such as the organization of prayer rows and the maintenance of humility, among other related matters.
In this Hadith by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him), it is stated: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to like for the Muhajirun and the Ansar to stand directly behind him [in prayer],” meaning: he preferred that they be closest to him in the front rows — “so that they could learn from him.” That is: so they could learn from him the rulings of the prayer, its manner of performance, and anything else the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) might say after the prayer, such as commands, prohibitions, reminders, and other teachings.
Furthermore, as recorded in Sahih Muslim on the authority of `Abdullah ibn Mas`ud (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated: “Let those among you who are mature and possess understanding stand closest to me,” meaning: those with intellect and comprehension — so that they may fully grasp what comes from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Some scholars said that “those with maturity” refers to those who have reached puberty, and “those with understanding” refers to those of sound mind. This is an encouragement for people of knowledge and virtue in religion to stand in the front rows of prayer and close to the Imam — as they are most deserving of honor, and because the Imam may at times need to appoint someone to replace him, and they are most suited for that role. Moreover, they are more likely to notice and correct any mistakes the Imam might make — something that others may not be aware of.
This Hadith also highlights the virtue and distinction of the Muhajirun and the Ansar (may Allah be pleased with them)..

809
On the authority of `Uqbah ibn `Amir (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
“Whoever leads the people in prayer and performs it properly, the prayer is for him and for them. But whoever falls short in it, the burden is upon him and not upon them.”.

Commentary : Congregational prayer is of extreme significance, and encompasses numerous virtues. Any deficiencies that may arise from the Imam during the congregational prayer are the sole responsibility of the Imam and do not extend to those praying behind him. This is why the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated:
“Whoever leads the people in prayer” — meaning: acts as their Imam in prayer — “and performs it properly,” that is: he completes the prayer with all its pillars, conditions, obligations, and recommended acts, without neglecting anything — “then the prayer is for him and for them,” meaning: he receives the reward for his prayer, and the followers receive the reward for theirs. “But whoever falls short in it,” meaning: if the Imam is deficient in his prayer — “then it is upon him,” that is: the burden of that shortcoming is on the Imam alone; those who prayed behind him bear no responsibility, and they receive full reward for their prayer.
The Hadith shows that the Imam must strive not to fall short in the prayer. It also teaches that if the Imam is deficient in his prayer, the sin falls upon him alone and not upon the rest of the congregation..

1072
On the authority of Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to go out on the day of `Eid, lead the congregation in two Rak`ahs, then he would give the closing salutations [of prayer], stand on his feet, and face the people while they were seated, saying: "Give charity, give charity." It is the women who give most in charity, offering their earrings, as well as rings and other items. If he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a need — such as sending out an expedition — he would then mention it to them, otherwise he would leave.”.

Commentary : The `Eid prayer holds great importance in Islam, as it reflects the strength of the faith, and the unity and assembly of Muslims, along with the expression of joy, happiness, and devotion to Allah, the Almighty. In this Hadith, Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to go out on the day of `Eid,” that is, he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to go out to a wide, open space. Then, “lead the congregation in two Rak`ahs, then he would give the closing salutations [of prayer], stand on his feet, and face the people while they were seated”, meaning: he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would deliver the `Eid sermon: "saying: Give charity, give charity." That is, part of what he would say in the sermon was his urging of his companions to give charity. The narration continues: “It is the women who give most in charity, offering their earrings” — which are among the adornments women wear and hang on their ears — “as well as rings and other items,” meaning: other pieces of their jewelry. “If he (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) had a need — such as sending out an expedition — he would then mention it to them, otherwise he would leave.” That is: if he intended to dispatch an army to a particular region, he would inform them then. The reason he would give such instructions on the day of `Eid is because the people would already be gathered, and there would be no need to assemble them again.
This Hadith elucidates the guidance provided by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) regarding the `Eid prayer, specifically that the sermon follows the prayer, and that the Imam stands in front of the people. Furthermore, it indicates that encouraging charity should be part of the `Eid sermon..

1117
Narrated by Umm Hani’ (may Allah be pleased with her), who said: "I used to hear the Prophet's (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recitation at night while I was on my `Arish.".

Commentary : In this Hadith, Umm Hani’ bint Abu Talib (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “I used to hear the recitation of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recitation at night while I was on my `Arish.” In another narration: “while I was sleeping on my `Arish .” `Arish is something used for shade; here, it refers to the bed on which one sleeps — meaning: she would hear his voice as he recited the Quran during the night. It may have been recitation during prayer or outside of prayer.
The Mother of the Believers `Aʾishah (may Allah be pleased with her), was asked about the Prophet’s (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) recitation during the night, and she said: “Sometimes he would recite quietly, and sometimes aloud.” That is: he would do one or the other on a given night or two. This points to the permissibility of both options, and that each is equally valid in night prayer. However, reciting aloud is considered preferable, as it helps occupy the heart, fosters attentiveness and energy in worship, and may awaken those who are heedless. The best form of recitation outside of prayer is what is more conducive to humility and further from showing off. Allah the Exalted Said (interpretation of the meaning): {And do not recite your prayer too loudly or too quietly, but seek a way in between} [Al-Isra’ 17:110] This means a moderate approach between loudness and quietness. Moderation is required and is beloved in all matters..

1391
On the authority of `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would spend the night in a state of major ritual impurity (Junub). Then Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) would come to inform him of the prayer, so he would get up and perform the ritual bath (Ghusl). I would see the water dripping from his head, then he would go out, and I would hear his voice in the Fajr prayer.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was indeed the best teacher and nurturer for his Ummah. He taught them by both words and actions. Among what he taught were the rulings related to purification and all that pertains to it at all times—what is permitted therein and what is not.
In this Hadith, `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would spend the night in a state of major ritual impurity (Junub)"—that is, he would remain throughout the night in the state of (Junub) and would delay performing the ritual bath (Ghusl). "Then Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) would come to inform him of the prayer"—meaning: he would inform him that it’s time for the Fajr prayer. "So he would get up and perform the ritual bath (Ghusl)"—that is, he would perform (Ghusl) from (Janabah) after the Adhan of Fajr. She said: "I would see the water dripping from his head"—that is, she would see the water running down from his hair as a result of the (Ghusl). "Then he would go out, and I would hear his voice in the Fajr prayer"—meaning: he would go out after performing (Ghusl), and she would hear his voice reciting in the Fajr prayer.
Another narration clarified that this action of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) occurred during Ramadan and outside of it. If it was in Ramadan, then the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) would begin the fast in the state of (Junub) and would not break his fast. In this action of his is a clarification of the permissibility of delaying Ghusl until the time of Fajr or shortly after it. `A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was asked: "How would the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) act regarding Janabah?" Did he perform Ghusl before going to sleep, or did he sleep before performing it? She said: “He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to do all of that—sometimes he would perform Ghusl and then sleep, and sometimes he would perform minor Wudu’ and then sleep.”
This Hadith indicates the leniency of the Shari`ah in matters related to purification from major ritual impurity (Janabah). It also affirms the permissibility of delaying Ghusl until Fajr, and that Janabah does not invalidate fasting if one is in that state before Fajr and intends to fast..

1535
From Nafi` (may Allah have mercy on him), from Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): When `Uthman ibn Madh`un (may Allah be pleased with him) died, he left behind a daughter. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: My maternal uncle Qudamah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was her paternal uncle, gave her to me in marriage without consulting her. That was after her father had died. She disliked the marriage and the girl preferred to marry Al-Mughirah ibn Shu`bah (may Allah be pleased with him), so he married her to him..

Commentary : Islam legislated marriage and defined its conditions and pillars, clarifying what is permissible and what is prohibited in it. Among these matters is that it gave women the right to choose their husbands, and they cannot be married against their will.
In this narration, `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informs us: "that when `Uthman ibn Madh`un died" — meaning: he passed away, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the devout and ascetic Companions — "he left behind a daughter." Her mother was Khuwaylah bint Hakim ibn Umayyah, as mentioned in Imam Ahmad's narration. Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "My maternal uncle Qudamah gave her to me in marriage," meaning: her guardian was Qudamah ibn Madh`un, who was the maternal uncle of `Abdullah ibn `Umar, since Ibn `Umar's mother was Zainab bint Madh`un, the sister of `Uthman and Qudamah (may Allah be pleased with them). "And he was her paternal uncle," meaning: the uncle of `Uthman ibn Madh`un’s daughter, and this indicates that he was responsible for her affairs when contracting the marriage. "Without consulting her," meaning: regarding her marriage to Ibn `Umar, "and this was after her father had died. She disliked the marriage," meaning: she did not accept marrying Ibn `Umar. "And the girl preferred to marry Al-Mughirah ibn Shu`bah, so he married her to him," meaning: he married her to him after annulling the first marriage by the option of reaching maturity.
Imam Ahmad's narration mentions the reason for her preference for Al-Mughirah ibn Shu`bah (may Allah be pleased with him), which is what Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I proposed to Qudamah ibn Madh`un for `Uthman ibn Madh`un’s daughter, and he gave her to me in marriage. Al-Mughirah ibn Shu`bah entered — meaning: to see her mother — and enticed her with wealth, so she inclined toward him, and the girl inclined toward her mother's desire. They both refused until their matter was brought before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). Qudamah ibn Madh`un (may Allah be pleased with him) said: 'O Messenger of Allah, she is my niece, he (my brother) entrusted her to me, and I married her to her cousin `Abdullah ibn `Umar. I did not fall short choosing one who is righteous and compatible, but she is a woman, and she has inclined toward her mother's desire.' The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: 'She is an orphan, and she cannot be married except with her permission.'" He (Ibn `Umar) said: "By Allah, she was taken from me after I had possessed her, and they married her to Al-Mughirah."
This Hadith establishes the option of maturity for a girl when someone other than her father marries her off. She has the choice after reaching maturity: to remain in her marriage, annul it, or renew the contract with a guardian, witnesses, and dowry..

1572
On the authority of Bahz ibn Hakim, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, with regard to our private parts—what may we expose and what must we conceal He (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Guard your private parts except from your wife or those whom your right hand possesses.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what if the people are gathered closely together?” He said: “If you can prevent anyone from seeing it, then do not let anyone see it.” I said, “O Messenger of Allah, what if one of us is alone?” He said: “Allah is more deserving that one be shy before Him than before people.".

Commentary : A Muslim is commanded to observe modesty in general, and specifically to guard his private parts (`Awrah) from being exposed to others. The Shari`ah has clarified what may be exposed of the body—whether male or female—and has defined the boundaries for that.
In this Hadith, Mu`awiyah ibn Haydah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I said: O Messenger of Allah, with regard to our private parts—what may we expose and what must we conceal?” —meaning: what are we permitted to uncover, and what are we required to keep covered? The `Awrah refers to that which one would feel shame for if exposed. For a man, it is the area between the navel and the knee. For a free woman, it is her entire body. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Guard your private parts” —meaning: guard them from being exposed, or from unlawful intercourse. The first meaning—covering and concealment—is the more appropriate here. “Except from your wife or those whom your right hand possesses” —that is: your wife is permitted to see your entire body, as are the female slaves you lawfully own. This indicates that both marriage and ownership permit viewing each other’s private areas from either side.
This Hadith reflects the meaning of the Saying of Allah, the Exalted (interpretation of the meaning): {And those who guard their private parts * Except from their wives or those whom their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed} [Al-Mu’minun 23:5–6]
Mu`awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) then said: “I said: O Messenger of Allah, what if the people are gathered closely together?” —meaning: when people are gathered tightly and remain in place, such that we may sometimes be unable to fully cover our `Awrah in the complete and proper way—due to a tight garment or it coming undone due to necessity. So he asked: how are we to manage covering the `Awrah in such situations? And how can we prevent them from seeing us? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “If you can prevent anyone from seeing it, then do not let anyone see it.” Meaning: protect your private parts to the best of your ability from exposure. Mu`awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what if one of us is alone?’” Meaning: if a person is in seclusion, with no one else present. It is as though he was asking: is it permissible for a person to remove all of his clothing in such a situation? The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) replied: “Allah is more deserving that one be shy before Him than before people.” Meaning: guard your private parts out of obedience to Him, seeking what pleases Him and earns His approval. The matter is not limited to covering one’s `Awrah only in front of people. What is not intended here is the idea of covering from Allah Himself—Exalted is His Remembrance and His Praise—for such a thing is impossible.
Exceptions to exposing the `Awrah include: the time of relieving oneself, while performing ritual bathing (Ghusl), though there is scholarly disagreement concerning this, and in cases of medical necessity, and similar situations in which there is a need. In such cases, exposure must be limited to what is needed, without excess.
This Hadith encourages guarding the `Awrah and taking precautions to prevent exposing it in front of anyone other than a spouse or those whom one’s right hand possesses..