| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
711
It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: Mu‘adh would pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in prayer..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated in worship and in fulfilling their duties towards people and striving to benefit them. Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated in this hadith that Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The prayer that he prayed with him was ‘Isha’, as is mentioned in other reports, and his people used to wait for him until he came and led them in praying ‘Isha’. The scholars differed with regard to how we may understand the fact that Mu‘adh prayed ‘Isha’ twice, because in principle the obligatory prayer cannot be done twice except for a reason. This is because of the hadith narrated by Abu Dawud from Sulayman ibn Yasar, that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “… Do not pray any prayer twice in one day.” It was said that it may be that that was what Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him)  did at the beginning of Islam, when those who had knowledge of  Qur’an were few, and the people had no one to lead them in prayer except  Mu‘adh, so he would pray the obligatory prayer with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in prayer, with the prayer being supererogatory in his case, as it says in a report narrated by al-Tahhawi in Sharh Ma‘ani al-Athar, from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), in which it says: Mu‘adh used to pray ‘Isha’ with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he would go to his people and lead them in ‘Isha’ prayer, and it would be a voluntary prayer for him and an obligatory prayer for them.
And it was said that it may be that this was done at a time when it was permissible to offer an obligatory prayer twice; that may have been done at the beginning of Islam, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade it, and it is well-known that forbidding a thing usually comes after it has been permissible.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible for one who is praying an obligatory prayer to pray behind one who is offering a supererogatory prayer..

713
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became very sick, Bilal came to tell him that it was time to pray, and he said: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said: O Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he stands in your place he will not be able to make the people hear him. Why don’t you instruct ‘Umar [to lead the prayer instead]? He said: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” I said to Hafsah: Tell him that Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he stands in your place he will not be able to make the people hear him; why don’t you tell ‘Umar [to lead the prayer instead]? He said: “Indeed you are like the women around Yusuf! Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” When he began the prayer, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he stood up, supported by two men, with his feet dragging along the ground, and entered the mosque. When Abu Bakr heard him, he wanted to step back, but the Messenger of Allah (listings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him [to stay where he was]. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came and sat on the left of Abu Bakr, so Abu Bakr prayed standing, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed sitting. Abu Bakr followed the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)..

Commentary : Praying in congregation is very important, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid a great deal of attention to it, as did the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them all). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) never stayed away from prayer in congregation and never omitted it; when his sickness grew worse, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) appointed someone to lead the people in prayer in his stead. ‘A’ishah the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the Prophet’s sickness grew worse, he could not go out to pray in congregation. Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) came to tell him that the time for prayer had begun, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed them to tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was afraid that the people would regard Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as a bad omen for taking the place of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and she wanted to protect him from that, so she said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): Abu Bakr is a man who weeps a great deal and feels emotional when praying, so if he stands up to lead the people in prayer, the people will not be able to hear him because he weeps so much. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was indeed as she said. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) paid no attention to her words, and he repeated his instruction: “Tell Abu Bakr to lead the people in prayer.” So ‘A’ishah said to Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them both): Tell the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that Abu Bakr is a tenderhearted man, and when he takes your place he will not be able to make the people hear him; why don’t you tell ‘Umar to lead the people instead? When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that, he said: Indeed you are like the women around Yusuf! meaning that they were like the women around Yusuf in that they showed something opposite to what they had in their hearts, and because of their persistence in pursuing what they wanted and were inclined towards. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) repeated his instructions to Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to lead the people in prayer. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and began the prayer, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) felt a little better, so he stood up and walked, supported by two men, namely al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah have mercy on them both), with his feet dragging and making a line along the ground, because he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was so sick. When Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) realized that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was there, he wanted to step back, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should stay where he was. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sat to the left of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) prayed standing, following the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who was sitting, and the people followed the prayer of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was standing. Thus the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the imam, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was following his prayer, repeating the takbir in a loud voice so that the people could hear, because the Prophet’s voice was so weak at this time. And the people were following the voice of Abu Bakr, who was conveying the takbirs from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he was not acting as an imam for the people. Therefore Abu Bakr and the people were all following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) as he was leading the prayer. Abu Bakr was conveying the takbirs from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that the people could follow the Prophet’s prayer. It was also said that in fact the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was an imam for Abu Bakr, and Abu Bakr was an imam for the people behind him, so that prayer had two imams.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow the more difficult option, even if there is a concession [allowing an easier option].
It indicates that it is prescribed to pray sitting, for one who does not have the strength to stand.
It highlights the importance of praying in congregation.
It indicates that Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the best of the people after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and was the most deserving of them to be his successor (caliph); it also indicates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab was next to him in virtue.
It indicates that it is permissible for one who is of lower status to discuss instructions given to him by one who is higher in status.
It highlights the etiquette that is to be observed when dealing with one who is older or of higher status, as Abu Bakr wanted to move back, because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

717
It was narrated that al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “You should certainly straighten your rows, or Allah will cause dissent to occur among you (lit. will distort your faces).”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of order and sublime aspirations, and it urges the Muslims to be united, helping and supporting one another; there is always fear that they may find themselves in situations where dissent and disputes could arise in their gatherings. The best places for the Muslims to gather is attending prayers in congregation in the mosques.
In this hadith, al-Nu‘man ibn Bashir (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of the Prophet’s instruction to the people to straighten their rows, as he said: “You should certainly straighten your rows.” What is meant is that the people standing in the rows should all stand in one straight line. It also means filling any gaps in the row. “or Allah will cause dissent to occur among you” that is, if you do not straighten the rows, Allah will cause dissent to occur among you. Thus He made a connection between not straightening the rows and the occurrence of dissent and division. This is a warning to those who do not straighten their rows of a punishment that matches their sin, because they differed when they failed to stand in a straight line. What is meant by dissent is the occurrence of enmity, rancour and division among them, because failing to straighten their rows is a visible difference, and visible differences lead to differences in their hearts. Or what is meant is having different aims and goals, in which case the hadith means that Allah will make each of you have different goals. This is because having similar aims and goals in the heart will be reflected in visible harmony and straightening of the rows. But when the rows are not straight, it is indicative of the people having different aims in their hearts. So if the rows continue to be ragged and no attention is paid to that, Allah will soon cause differences to occur in their aims and goals.
It was also said that the meaning of the word translated here as dissent or division refers to distortion of the face in a literal sense, moving it to the back of the head. This is similar to the warning issued to the one who raises his head before the imam does, that Allah may turn his head into the head of a donkey.
One of the reasons for straightening the row is that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded..

722
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The imam has only been appointed to be followed, so do not differ from him. When he bows, then bow; when he says ‘Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him),’ then say ‘Rabbana laka al-hamd (our Lord, to You be praise)’; when he prostrates, then prostrate; and if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you. Straighten the rows when praying, for straightening the rows is part of praying properly.”.

Commentary : There are rules and regulations for offering the prayer in congregation, that the Muslim should pay attention to and learn. One of the most important of these rules is following the imam properly.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that the imam is only appointed to be followed, so the one who is praying behind the imam should follow his actions in prayer. Therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade those who are praying behind an imam to differ from the imam, which means doing the actions of prayer before him, or being too slow in following him, because differing from the imam means that one is no longer regarded as following him. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to explain in detail, after speaking in general terms, how one should follow the imam. Hence he said: “When he bows, then bow.” The word fa, translated here as “then”, indicates that these actions should be done straight after the imam does them, and that the one who is praying behind the imam should not do them before the imam; rather every action that the one who is praying behind the imam does should be done after the imam does it. When the imam says after bowing, Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah (Allah hears those who praise Him), then say Rabbana laka al-hamd (our Lord, to You be praise); what is meant is: O our Lord, to You be all praise. This is one of the greatest expressions of supplication and gratitude to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Based on that, it is sufficient for the one who is praying behind an imam to say the tahmid (Rabbana laka al-hamd) and not the tasmi‘ (Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah) when rising from bowing. When the imam prostrates, then prostrate straight after he prostrates. And if he prays sitting, then pray sitting, all of you, for following the imam also means praying sitting if the imam prays sitting. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined straightening the rows when praying, meaning that the people should stand in a straight line. This meaning also includes filling the gaps in the rows; the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the reason for this command as being that making the rows straight is part of praying properly.
This hadith instructs the worshipper to follow the imam, and not do anything before he does it, or do something different to what he is doing. It also instructs the worshippers to straighten the rows when offering a congregational prayer..

723
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for straightening the rows is part of establishing prayer.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of order and sublime aspirations, and it urges the Muslims to be united, helping and supporting one another; there is always fear that they may find themselves in situations where dissent and disputes could arise in their gatherings. The best places for the Muslims to gather is attending prayers in congregation in the mosques.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructs the worshippers to make the rows straight, and he gives the reason for that: “for straightening the rows is part of establishing prayer.” In other words, it is part of perfecting the prayer and doing it properly. What is meant by straightening the rows is that the people standing in the row should form a straight line. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straightening the rows is part of praying properly”; that is, straightening the rows is more helpful in protecting the prayer from any shortcoming in its obligatory and recommended parts. This will complete the reward for prayer, and that reward is for the one who is keen to complete the row and make it straight.
The scholars have mentioned several reasons regarding the wisdom behind straightening the rows, including the following: that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded. .

724
It was narrated from Bushayr ibn Yasar al-Ansari, from Anas ibn Malik, that he came to Madinah and it was said to him: What do you find different that has changed since the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? He said: I do not find anything that has changed except that you do not straighten the rows..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) and those who came after them, the Tabi‘in, were the keenest of people to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and walk in his footsteps, and to adhere to that until death. The Tabi‘in used to ask the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to teach them what they knew, and if they erred, the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would correct them.
In this hadith, it is narrated that when Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to Madinah from Basra, the people asked him: What do you find different that has changed since the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? This question reflects their great keenness to follow the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him, and shows that they were very cautious in avoiding going against that. In this manner, they were striving to avoid going against the commands of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that nothing had changed, except that they did not straighten their rows. This indicates that straightening the rows was something that was well-known at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and that the people changed that after he was gone.
The scholars have mentioned several reasons regarding the wisdom behind straightening the rows, including the following: that it leads to a good appearance and good performance of prayer, for being straight and proper is something that is required both outwardly and inwardly. Another reason is so that the Shaytan will not come in between their rows and spoil their prayer with his whispers. Yet another reason is that straightening the rows gives them more space so that they can all pray together even if their number is great; if they consolidate their rows, their mosque will be able to accommodate all of them, but if they do not do that, it will feel too crowded..

725
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Straighten your rows, for I can see you behind my back.” One of us would make his shoulder touch the shoulder of the person next to him, and make his foot touch his foot..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would hasten to comply with the instructions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they would strive hard to do things as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined them, and to teach this to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to straighten their rows, which means that the people standing in the row should make it a straight and even line, with no one standing out. It also means filling the gaps that may appear in the row. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for this instruction by telling them about one of his miracles, as he said: “for I can see you behind my back.” What is meant is: I only instruct you to do that because I am aware that you are falling short in this regard, because I can see you behind me. It may be that he said this to encourage the weak to straighten their rows, because they did not straighten their rows properly as they thought that he could not see them; that is because many of the weak pay more attention when they are watched than when they are not watched. It may be that some of the hypocrites did not pay attention to straightening the rows, so this was said to them in order to make them pay attention and not cause the rows to be ragged.
What is meant by seeing in the Prophet’s words “for I can see you behind my back” is to be understood as it appears to be, and that he was able to see them in the true sense of the word, which was something extraordinary that was unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); this was one of his miracles.
Then Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) – the narrator of the hadith – explained how they complied with the instruction of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to straighten their rows: each of them would make his shoulder touch the shoulder of the person next to him – the word translated here as shoulder refers to where the top of the arm meets the torso. And each of them would make his foot touch the foot of the person next to him, so as to ensure that the row would be straight, in fulfilment of the command of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see the command to straighten the rows and make them look good whilst praying, and the command to the imam to make sure that the people do that; the people themselves should also make sure that they are doing that.
It indicates that it is permissible to speak between the iqamah and the prayer. .

728
It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: One night I stood to pray on the left of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He took hold of my hand – or my arm – and made me stand on his right, and gestured with his hand to tell me to pass behind him..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated and keen to do good. As they (may Allah be pleased with them) were so highly motivated, they were extremely keen to be close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to do acts of worship, whether obligatory or supererogatory, as he did them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) encouraged them to do that, and would correct any mistakes that they might make.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that one night he got up to pray with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and stood on his left. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of his hand or his arm – the word translated here as “arm” refers to the upper arm – and made him stand on his right. He (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured to him that he should pass behind him, not in front of him. In this way, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) indicated that the right-hand side is nobler and better; hence if only one person is following an imam in prayer, he should stand on his right.
This hadith indicates that it is more appropriate for the one who is following an imam in prayer to stand on the right of the imam.
It also indicates that it is prohibited to pass directly in front of one who is praying. .

729
It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying one night in his small enclosure, the walls of which were low. The people could see the figure of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so some of them started to follow him in his prayer, and the following morning they spoke about that. On the following night, he prayed qiyam [voluntary prayers at night] again, and some of the people followed him in his prayer again. They did this for two or three nights, then after that, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed home, and did not come out. The following morning, the people spoke about that, and he said: “I was afraid that praying at night would be made obligatory for you.”.

Commentary : The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was compassionate towards his ummah, and one of the signs of his compassion was that sometimes he would refrain from doing some non-obligatory actions, lest they be made obligatory. This was because his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved to follow his example, and they would hasten to do what he did.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying one night in his small enclosure (hujrah), which was a space that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had taken in the mosque in which to pray. In another report narrated by al-Bukhari from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had a reed mat that he used to spread out by day and set up at night to make a small enclosure, and some people came and stood behind him [to follow his prayer]. This is what is meant by the word hujrah (translated here as small enclosure); it does not refer to the apartment (hujrah) of ‘A’ishah or the apartments of his other wives, in which he and his family lived. The apartments of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had walls that served as screens, so that whoever was outside could not see anyone who was inside.
The prayer that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying later came to be known as Tarawih prayer. The Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated in another report that that was in Ramadan, and she described the walls of the small enclosure in which he was praying as being low and being made of reeds. The people saw the figure of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), meaning that they saw his outline or form from afar as he was praying. That happened at night, so they could not see anything of him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) except his form or outline in the dark, and they stood behind him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), following him in his prayer. News of that spread among the Muslims, and the same thing happened on the following two or three nights, and the number of those praying behind him increased. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw how keen they were and that they were gathering behind him for the supererogatory prayer, he stopped doing it. The people mentioned that to him and asked him why he had stopped doing it, so he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them that the reason for that was that he was afraid that this prayer would be made obligatory upon them. That is because the ummah is enjoined to follow the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and as qiyam al-layl was obligatory for him but not for his ummah, he was worried that if he kept coming out to them and they kept praying behind him, Allah might enjoin it on them as He had enjoined it on him, because in principle the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his ummah should be equal with regard to issues of worship. Or it may be that he feared that if they persisted in it, they might then grow weak and be unable to continue doing it, so they would give it up, and thus they would be regarded as having given up following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow in prayer someone who did not intend to act as an imam and lead that prayer.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayer in congregation.
It also highlights the compassion that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) showed to his ummah. .

731
It was narrated from Zayd ibn Thabit that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set up a small enclosure – he said: I think he said that it was made of reeds – in Ramadan, and prayed in it for a few nights. Some of his companions followed his prayer, and when he became aware that they were there, he stopped doing that. Then he came out to them and said: “I realized what you were doing. O people, pray at home, for the best of prayer is a prayer that a man offers in his house, except for the obligatory prayer.”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were highly motivated in doing acts of worship and hastening to do good. As a result of their high motivation, they were extremely keen to be close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to do acts of worship, whether obligatory or supererogatory, as he did them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) encouraged them to do that and would direct them to that which is best.
In this hadith, Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set up a small enclosure in his mosque, as a barrier to conceal him from the people; this small enclosure was made from a reed mat (hujrah) that surrounded and marked that spot. The word hujrah (translated here as small enclosure) does not refer to the apartment (hujrah) of ‘A’ishah or the apartments of his other wives (may Allah be pleased with them), in which he and his family lived. The apartments of the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had walls that served as screens, so that whoever was outside could not see anyone who was inside. Rather what is meant is that during Ramadan, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) marked off a spot that was enclosed with a reed mat, to conceal him, making the mat like a small enclosure (hujrah) in which he could offer the voluntary prayers without anyone passing directly in front of him, so that he would be able to focus with humility and without distractions. This is something that is prescribed and permissible, if it will not inconvenience other worshippers and the like.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed qiyam al-layl in this small enclosure during Ramadan; this is what later came to be known as Tarawih prayer. The people began to gather and follow his prayer, emulating him. When he saw them doing that, he stopped doing it and did not come out to them; he stopped praying qiyam in the mosque in this small enclosure. Then he said: I realize how keen you are to pray qiyam with me. According to a report narrated from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) by al-Bukhari, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them that the reason why he had stopped praying qiyam, even though he was aware of how keen they were to do it, was the fact that he feared that this prayer would be made obligatory for them. Then he said, “O people, pray at home, for the best of prayer is a prayer that a man offers in his house, except for the obligatory prayer.” This clearly indicates that the best with regard to supererogatory prayers is to pray them at home. This is general in meaning and applies to all supererogatory and Sunnah prayers, except those supererogatory prayers which are symbols of Islam, such as the Eid prayer, eclipse prayer, and prayer for rain (istisqa’), as well as those which are connected to the mosque, such as the two rak‘ahs to greet the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid).
If someone were to say that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered supererogatory prayers in the mosque, which would imply that he was not doing that which is more appropriate, the response to this is that he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered those prayers in the mosque in order to teach people and to show that it is permissible to pray supererogatory  prayers in the mosque. If the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did something in order to teach the people, this was better in his case, even though in the case of others it is not the most appropriate option. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged the people to offer supererogatory prayers at home, because this is easier and further removed from showing off, and because it is a means of bringing blessing (barakah) to the house so that mercy will descend upon the house and the Shaytan will be scared away.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to follow in prayer someone who did not intend to act as an imam and lead that prayer.
It indicates that it is permissible to offer supererogatory prayer in congregation.
It indicates that supererogatory prayer offered at home is better than that which is offered in the mosque.
It also highlights the compassion that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) showed to his ummah..

735
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands level with his shoulders when he began to pray and when he said takbir before bowing. When he raised his head from bowing, he also raised his hands and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord to You be praise).” And he did not do that when he prostrated..

Commentary : The manner in which the prayer is to be done is limited to what is narrated in the religious texts, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained it to his ummah in word and deed.  The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the precise details of the Prophet’s actions, in prayer and otherwise, and to transmit that to those who came after them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates the points at which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands when saying takbir in the prayer. He says: he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands level with his shoulders – and according to a report narrated by Malik ibn al-Huwayrith in al-Sahihayn, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)  said takbir, he would raise his hands level with his ears. This report indicates that it is also permissible to raise the hands level with the ears.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands at the beginning of the prayer, when saying the opening takbir (takbirat al-ihram), making them level with his shoulders, completely in line with them. And he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) also raised his hands when saying takbir before bowing, and he would raise his hands when he lifted his head from bowing and said, “Sami‘a Allahu liman hamidah, Rabbana wa laka al-hamd (Allah hears those who praise Him, our Lord to You be praise).” But he did not do that when he prostrated; in other words, he did not raise his hands when beginning to prostrate, or when rising from prostration. Another of the points at which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to raise his hands was when getting up after the first tashahhud, as is mentioned in the hadith of Abu Humayd al-Sa‘idi, which is narrated by Abu Dawud and others..

740
It was narrated from Abu Hazim, that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: The people were instructed that a man should place his right hand on his left forearm when praying. Abu Hazim said: I do not think but that he attributed this to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to learn about their religion from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to transmit what they learned to the Muslims who came after them. Prayer was foremost among the things that they wanted to learn and transmit, and it was their top priority.
In this hadith, Sahl ibn Sa‘d al-Sa‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) describes how the hands are to be placed when praying. He said: The people were instructed that a man should place his right hand on his left forearm when praying. What is meant by his saying that they were instructed is that the one who instructed them to do this was the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence the Tabi‘i  Abu Hazim Salamah ibn Dinar al-A‘raj said: I do not think but that Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) attributed this to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith does not explain precisely where the hand is to be placed on the forearm. But it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in many reports that he used to place the palm of his right hand on the back of his left hand, wrist and forearm when praying, as is mentioned in the hadith of Wa’il ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him) that was narrated by Abu Dawud. The wrist is the joint between the forearm and the hand. This is what the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with the m) used to do.
This hadith explains where the hands are to be placed when reciting Qur’an whilst standing in prayer..

743
It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) used to begin their prayer with {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin ([All] praise is [due] to Allah , Lord of the worlds)} [al-Fatihah 1:2]..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest of people to learn about their religion from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to transmit what they learned to the Muslims who came after them. Prayer was foremost among the things that they wanted to learn and transmit, and it was their top priority.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) after him, used to begin their prayer with {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin} [al-Fatihah 1:2]. What is meant is that they did not recite the Basmalah (“Bismillah il-Rahman il-Rahim”) out loud. The first thing that could be heard of their recitation was the verse, {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin}. This does not mean that they did not recite the opening supplication (du‘a’ al-istiftah) or words seeking refuge with Allah (isti‘adhah) at the beginning of the prayer, or recite the Basmalah quietly. Rather what is meant is that the first thing that they recited out loud after the takbir was {Al-hamdu Lillahi Rabbi l-‘Alamin}.
This hadith indicates that one should not recite the Basmalah at the beginning of Surat al-Fatihah out loud. .

744
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pause between the takbir and recitation – I think he said: for a little while. I said: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah. When you are quiet between the takbir and recitation, what do you say? He said: “I say: Allahumma ba‘id bayni wa bayna khatayaya kama ba‘adta bayn al-mashriqi wa’l-maghrib. Allahumma naqqini min al-khataya kama yunaqqa al-thawb al-abyad min al-danas. Allaahumma’ghsil khatayaya bi’l-ma’i wa’l-thalji wa’l-barad (O Allah, separate me (far) from my sins as You have separated (far) the east from the west. O Allah, cleanse me of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail).’”.

Commentary : The manner in which the prayer is to be done is limited to what is narrated in the religious texts, as the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to his ummah in word and deed.  The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the precise details of the Prophet’s actions, in prayer and otherwise, and they transmitted that to us.
This hadith mentions the opening supplication that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to recite after the opening takbir, and he began his prayer with it. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to keep quiet for a little while, because he was saying the opening supplication at that time. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: May my father and mother be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allah, what do you say during this period when you are quiet? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him about the opening supplication, and that he began the supplication by saying, “O Allah, separate me (far) from my sins as You have separated (far) the east from the west,” so if it is decreed that I should sin, make the distance between me and the sin as great as the distance that You have created between the east and the west. This applies if what is meant by sin is future sins. However, if what is meant by sin is past sins, then what is meant by separating is erasing and forgiving the sins. The analogy here is that just as the meeting of the east and west is impossible, he wants his approaching sin to be as impossible as the meeting of the east and the west.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Allah, cleanse me of my sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt.” What this means is: O Allah, purify me of my sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. He only gave this likeness because dirt is more visible on a white garment than a garment of any other colour, and by the same token, the effect of washing is more visible on a white garment than on one of any other colour.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Allah, wash away my sins with water, snow and hail,” meaning: O Allah, purify me of any sin I commit with all means of purification, such as water, snow and hail. This does not refer only to the things that are mentioned here; rather the point was to emphasize thorough cleansing and erasing of sins.
In this supplication, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed for forgiveness from his sins, even though his previous and future sins had been forgiven; he offered this supplication by way of gratitude to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and teaching his ummah.
There are other opening supplications that may be recited when beginning the prayer, including that which was narrated by Abu Dawud in al-Sunan from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to pray, he said: “Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabarak asmuka wa ta‘ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty. There is no god besides You).” Something similar was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih Muslim.
Another supplication was mentioned in a report narrated by al-Bayhaqi from Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Subhanak Allahumma wa bi hamdika wa tabarak asmuka wa ta‘ala jadduka wa la ilaha ghayruk.  Wajjahtu wajhiya lilladhi fatara al-samawati wa’l-arda hanifan wa ma ana min al-mushrikin. Inna salati wa nusuki wa mahyaya wa mamati Lillahi Rabb il-‘alamin  (Glory and praise be to You, O Allah, blessed be Your name and exalted be Your majesty. There is no god besides You. Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with Allah. Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the worlds).” And there are other supplications.
The best is to learn the opening supplications that have been soundly narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to alternate between the ones that he recited in prayer, so that you will be doing all of the sunnahs in that regard, and reviving the Sunnah. Moreover, this helps the heart to focus more, because if a person persists only in one thing, it becomes a habit (and he may say the words without reflecting on the meaning).
This hadith indicates that the opening supplication should be recited quietly. .

748
It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they said: O Messenger of Allah, we saw you reaching out for something when you were standing, then we saw you retreating. He said: “I was shown Paradise, and I reached out to take a bunch (of grapes) from it. If I had taken it, you would have eaten from it for as long as this world remains.”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) created Paradise and Hell, with a certain nature that is known to Him (may He be glorified and exalted). Allah (may He be exalted) lifted the barrier for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and caused him to see Paradise and Hell, and He shortened the distance between them so that he was able to see both of them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the sun was eclipsed at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In another report, it is narrated that this occurred on the day when his son Ibrahim died. When the sun is eclipsed, its light disappears. In Arabic, a solar eclipse is usually referred to as kusuf and a lunar eclipse is usually referred to as khusuf, but the terms may be used interchangeably. This is what we see in this report (in which khusuf is used to refer to the sun). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood and led the people in prayer; this prayer is described in other reports, such as that which was narrated by al-Bukhari from Asma’ bint Abi Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with her), in which it says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) offered the eclipse prayer. He stood and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he stood up and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he rose from bowing, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he rose from prostration, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy. Then he stood and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he stood up and made his standing lengthy, then he bowed and made his bowing lengthy, then he rose from bowing, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he rose from prostration, then he prostrated and made his prostration lengthy, then he finished his prayer. This was two rak‘ahs of non-obligatory prayer, which differed from all other prayers in that it had two bowings and two recitations [in each rak‘ah]. The Sunnah is to make the recitation lengthy in the eclipse prayer.
During this prayer, it happened that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reached out, as if he wanted to take something, then he moved backwards. When he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) finished his prayer, his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him about that, saying to him: We saw you reaching out to take something, then we saw you retreating; in other words, we saw you wanting to take something, then you moved backwards. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them that he had seen Paradise, and Allah had showed him some of its delights; he wanted to take a bunch (of grapes) from it, but he stepped back and did not do that. And he told them that if he had got it for them, they would have eaten from it so long as this world remains. But he did not take it, because the food of Paradise lasts forever and is not subject to change, and it is not possible to eat in this world anything except that which is subject to change and vanish, because Allah created it to have an end, so there can be nothing in this world that is meant to be eternal.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to offer the eclipse prayer, and describes how it is to be done.
It also indicates that Paradise and Hell have already been created and exist at present, in a manner that is known only to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted)..

1441
Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came across a woman in the advanced stage of pregnancy at the door of a tent, and he said: "Perhaps he wants to copulate with her." They said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I resolved to curse him with a curse that would enter his grave with him. How would he be his heir while this is not lawful for him?! And how would he employ him while this is not lawful for him?!".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to forbid his Companions from unlawful things and all that Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, prohibited. He would sometimes do so by encouraging them to obtain the reward with Allah Almighty and other times by intimidating them from the penalty and punishment of Allah.
In this Hadīth, Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was on a journey, he passed by a woman in the advanced stage of pregnancy. She was one of the captives and was sitting at the door of a tent. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Perhaps he", meaning her owner and master who obtained her as his share of the captives. "wants to copulate with her" i.e., wants to engage in sexual intercourse with her. However, it is not lawful for the master of a pregnant captive to copulate with her until she gives birth. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that he resolved and intended to supplicate against him to be turned away from Allah's mercy and for that to continue after his death. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intended to curse him because he failed to ascertain the emptiness of her womb, for if he copulates with his captive whom he owns while she is pregnant from someone else, he is thus neglecting to ascertain the emptiness of her womb. However, the cursing did not take place because this man was not aware of the ruling.
His words: "How would he be his heir while this is not lawful for him" means that this slave-girl captive may give birth after six months, and thus, the baby is likely from this captor, and it is likely from someone before him. So, if he is from the captor, then he is his child, and they may inherit from each other; and if he is from someone else, then he and the captor may not inherit from each other, given the lack of blood relationship.
Then, he said: "And how would he employ him," i.e., the child? If he employs him as a slave, it is probable that he came from him, and thus, he will be enslaving his child and cutting off his own lineage, and for this, he will be worthy of cursing. And if he attributes the baby to himself as his child, it is likely that he did not come from him, and thus he will be making him his heir, whereas he is not his heir, and for this, he will be worthy of cursing.
The Hadīth indicates that captivity nullifies previous ownership and dissolves marriage.
It also indicates that when there is a new owner of a female slave, it becomes due to ascertain the emptiness of her womb. So, he may not copulate with her until her womb is verified to be empty of pregnancy.
It also points out that it is forbidden to copulate with a pregnant captive until she gives birth..

1442
Judāmah bint Wahb - sister of ‘Ukkāshah - reported: I was there when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to some people: "I was about to forbid Ghīlah (sexual intercourse during the breastfeeding period), so I considered that the Romans and the Persians do it without any harm done to their children thereby." Then they asked him about coitus interruptus, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the hidden Wa’d (burying a child alive).".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on benefiting the believers and showed sympathy and concern for them. He left nothing that could be of benefit to them without guiding them to it and ordering them to do it. However, he used to correct the lies and suspicions that were spread among people and inherited from the pre-Islamic era of ignorance out of guidance and politeness.
In this Hadīth, the female Companion Judāmah al-Asadiyyah bint Wahb (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she attended with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) an assembly that had some of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was about to," i.e., I was determined to forbid "Ghīlah", which is having intercourse with one's wife during her breastfeeding period, or a woman's conception during the breastfeeding period. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was determined to forbid it because there was a popular belief at that time that it was harmful to the infant. They used to say that if the breastfeeding woman had sexual intercourse with her husband and conceived during her breastfeeding period, her milk would be spoilt and the child would get weak if he fed on it, and the Arabs would hate and avoid him. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw that the Romans and the Persians - two great kingdoms at that time - did this without worrying about it, besides the fact that it did not cause their children any harm; so, he did not forbid it.
Then, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him about the ruling on coitus interruptus, which means removing the man's penis from the woman's vagina before ejaculation and ejaculating outside the vagina to avoid conception. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the hidden Wa’d," considering the coitus interruptus hidden burial of a child alive because it entails wasting the sperm that Allah Almighty has prepared to be a child. So, it resembles killing a child by burying him alive. However, there is no doubt that it is less grave, and this is why he said it is hidden.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to those who asked him about the coitus interruptus: "It does not matter if you do not do it, for every soul that is to be born up to the Day of Judgment will be born," i.e., no soul to exist in the knowledge of Allah Almighty except that it will come to exist, whether the coitus interruptus is done or not. Despite the coitus interruptus, there could be a small amount of semen ejaculated which Allah destined to form a child, and on the other hand, there could be normal ejaculation without conception. In short, coitus interruptus or normal ejaculation are equal as both do not lead to having a child except by Allah's decree..

1443
‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d reported: that Usāmah ibn Zayd informed his father Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās that a man came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I practice coitus interruptus with my wife." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Why do you do that?" The man said: "I fear for her child - or for her children." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If this was harmful, it would harm the Persians and the Romans." [In a version]: "If it was for that, then no. This does not harm the Persians or the Romans.".

Commentary : Islam is keen on the safety of Muslims and has guided them to what presents good care of children. This includes the exhortation to provide good suckling.
In this Hadīth, Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "I practice coitus interruptus with my wife." Coitus interruptus is practiced by removing the male sex organ out of the woman's vulva before ejaculation, and the man ejaculates outside the vulva, to prevent pregnancy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: For what reason do you do this act? The man said: "I fear for her child", who suckles from her. This is because if she gets pregnant, her milk will be spoiled, and the body of the baby will become unsound and weak. Or he meant the famous notion among the Arabs that copulation damages milk and that such milk will be a malady and if the baby drinks it, he will become ill. So, he feared that he would be thin and unwell. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "If this was harmful" - copulation or pregnancy during the period of suckling - "it would harm the Persians and the Romans", for the women of the Persians and the Romans suckle their babies while they are pregnant. So, if pregnancy or copulation during the period of suckling was harmful, it would harm their children. But the reality belies that, as they do not care to avoid this matter and their children are in good condition, and you are like them in this regard..

1451
’Umm al-Fadl reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "One suckling or two or one sucking or two does not make marriage unlawful." [In a version]: (and) instead of (or)..

Commentary : Islam has made suckling a bond like blood relation, and it has established the unlawfulness of marriage by suckling like the unlawfulness of marriage due to blood relations. It has forbidden a man from marrying his sister, mother, maternal aunt, or paternal aunt by suckling, and so on.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs about the amount that does not establish the ruling on suckling that makes marriage unlawful. He says: "One suckling or two or one sucking or two does not make marriage unlawful." This was said in response to someone who asked about one suckling and two. So, he replied that they do not make marriage unlawful, whether this suckling happens before the completion of two years or beyond that. The amount that makes marriage unlawful is five sucklings taken before the completion of two years. In a Hadīth by Muslim, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "In what was sent down in the Qur’an was ten known sucklings that make (marriage) unlawful. Afterwards, they were abrogated by five known ones. Then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away while they were part of what was recited in the Qur’an." And ’Umm Salamah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The only suckling which makes marriage unlawful is what is taken from the breast and enters the bowels and is taken before the time of weaning." Narrated by At-Tirmidhi..

1452
‘Ā’ishah reported: It was revealed in the Qur’an that: ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits (marriage); then it was abrogated and replaced with five times of known (breastfeeding). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while these (words of the abrogating verse) were still being recited as part of the Qur’an..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified for his Ummah all that is lawful and unlawful including the rulings of breastfeeding and the consequent rulings related to lineages.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports the amount that used to establish the ruling of breastfeeding, that makes marriage prohibited at first, whereby the woman becomes prohibited for the man to marry the same, as it is prohibited for him by consanguinity (being descended by the same ancestor). She (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that it was first revealed in the Qur’an that ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits marriage. Then, this number was abrogated, and it became five times of known breastfeeding, i.e., known and satiating during the two years of infancy. In At-Tirmidhi's Collection, ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No prohibition results from breastfeeding, except for what penetrates the intestines from the breast before weaning." So, breastfeeding after two full years does not prohibit anything, as Allah Almighty says: {Mothers may breastfeed their children for two full years, for those who wish to complete the full term of breastfeeding.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 233] Abrogation in the Qur’an has three types: First: What is abrogated in terms of ruling and recitation. Second: That which is abrogated in terms of recitation apart from its ruling. Third: That which is abrogated in terms of ruling apart from its recitation. The first two types of abrogation are found in this Hadīth. (Ten times of known breastfeeding prohibits) was abrogated both in terms of ruling and recitation, whereas the five times of breastfeeding was abrogated in terms of recitation only and its ruling has remained.
The statement of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while these (words of the abrogating verse) were still being recited as part of the Qur’an" meaning: The abrogation by the five times of breastfeeding was revealed at a very late stage to the extent that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died while some people were still reciting the part of the five times of breastfeeding as part of the Qur’an because of not being aware of that recent abrogation. Later, when they learned about the abrogation, they stopped reciting it and unanimously agreed that it should not be recited..

1453
Zaynab bint Abi Salamah reported: I heard' Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, say to 'Ā’ishah: By Allah, I do not feel comfortable to be seen by a boy who has passed the age of suckling. She said: Why? Sahlah bint Suhayl came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I see (displeasure) on the face of Abu Hudhayfah because of Sālim entering." She said: Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Suckle him." She said: "He has a beard." He said: "Suckle him, and what is on the face of Abu Hudhayfah will go away." She said: "By Allah, I did not see it on the face of Abu Hudhayfah.".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, Zaynab bint Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) informs that she heard her mother' Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, swearing to 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and saying: "By Allah, I do not feel comfortable" i.e., I do not like it; "to be seen by a boy" from non-Mahram (unrelated) males "who has passed the age of suckling" i.e., he is no longer in need of suckling. Thereupon, ‘Ā’ishah said to ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with both of them): "Why?" i.e., why are you saying this, whereas there is nothing wrong with that if you suckle him or he is suckled by someone who makes him a Mahram (related and non-marriageable) to you? This is evidenced by the fact that "Sahlah bint Suhayl", the wife of Abu Hudhayfah, came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and swore to him that she would see dislike on the face of Abu Hudhayfah because of their foster son Sālim continuing to enter the house as he would usually do when he was young, and he now reached adulthood - particularly after verses had been revealed prohibiting adoption. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him" to be your son by suckling. She said to him: "He has a beard" for he is an adult man. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him and what is on the face of Abu Hudhayfah will go away" i.e., the sign of dislike will vanish from him. Sahlah did so and then she swore that she did not find the sign of dislike on the face of Abu Hudhayfah after she had suckled him.
This Hadīth is problematic in terms of explaining it and deriving rulings therefrom, and difference of opinion actually arose over it among the Prophet's wives. ’Umm Salamah and some of the Prophet's wives believed that this was a dispensation from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to the wife of Abu Hudhayfah alone, and they held that there should be no suckling for adults and that the suckling that makes a person a Mahram is the one provided in young age and which grows the bones and builds the body and flesh.
As for ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), she - as reported here - held that suckling causes prohibition of the same things made prohibited by blood relations, whether the suckled one is a child or an adult. She cited as evidence the story of Sālim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and that the ruling is not exclusively restricted to them.
What appears to be right - and Allah knows best - is that suckling of adults does not count, has no effect, and causes no prohibition, and that true suckling is that which occurs during babyhood; and what happened in the story of Sālim is particularly restricted to him and does not apply to anyone other than him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed that not every suckling causes prohibition. In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, he said: "Indeed, suckling is from hunger" i.e., the suckling that counts is the one that occurs at the time when milk is relied upon for food and in the amounts that affect the growth of the baby's body.
The Hadīth points out that suckling causes prohibition of the same things made prohibited by blood relations.
It demonstrates that there is a difference of opinion regarding the suckling of adults and its resultant effects..

1454
Zaynab bint Abi Salamah reported that her mother ’Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, reported: The other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone privately enter their houses by such suckling. They said to ‘Ā’ishah: "By Allah, we do not see this except as a dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim in particular. No one would enter our houses or see us by such suckling.".

Commentary : The Hadīth addresses an incident that took place during the Prophet's lifetime, namely suckling an adult, which means suckling a person after the age of two years and the time of weaning, and beyond, so that he can be Mahram - like suckling in the age of suckling. ’Umm Salamah, the Prophet's wife, informs that all the wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone privately enter their houses by such suckling that is given to a person after the age of weaning, for they were commanded to observe Hijab. An exception was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who held the view that such suckling makes marriage unlawful like suckling during babyhood. They swore to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and said: "By Allah, we do not see this except as a dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim", the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him), "in particular"; not generally for everyone. Therefore, we will not let anyone enter our houses or see us by such suckling.
The dispensation which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Sālim in particular is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim in his Sahīh Collection, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: that Sālim, the freed slave of Abu Hudhayfah, was with Abu Hudhayfah and his family in their house. His wife Sahlah the daughter of Suhayl came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Sālim has reached the age of manhood and understands what men understand. He enters our house, and I think that Abu Hudhayfah is not comfortable with that." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Suckle him and what Abu Hudhayfah feels will go away." She returned and said: "Indeed, I suckled him, and what Abu Hudhayfah felt went away."
It is reported in a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) would ask the daughters of her sisters and brothers to suckle whomever she liked to enter her house - even if he was an adult - five times, and then he would enter her house. However, ’Umm Salamah and the other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) refused to let anyone enter their houses by such suckling unless the suckling occurred in the cradle. Hence, the statements and attitudes of other wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) constituted evidence that the suckling of an adult does not count, has no weight, and does not establish the unlawfulness of marriage; and that true suckling happens in babyhood, and what happened in the story of Sālim is an exceptional peculiarity that was limited to him and does not apply to anyone else. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized that not every suckling makes marriage unlawful. In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, he said: "Indeed, suckling is from hunger" i.e., the suckling that counts is the one that occurs at the time when milk is relied upon for food and in the amounts that affect the growth of the baby's body..

1456
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: that at the battle of Hunayn, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army to Awtās. They encountered an enemy, fought, attained victory over them, and took female captives from them. Some of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them) seemed to have refrained from having intercourse with them, as they had husbands among the polytheists. So, Allah Almighty revealed in this regard: {Also [prohibited are] married women except for female slaves you may own} [Surat an-Nisā': 24], i.e., they are lawful for you when their waiting periods come to an end..

Commentary : The Shariah regulated the religious rulings regarding times of peace and war. Since war results in captives from the men of the enemy and their women, the Qur’an and the Sunnah clarified the rulings concerning them. It prohibited copulation with pregnant and married female captives until they gave birth or until non-pregnant captives were verified to be non-pregnant by having menses.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that during the battle of Hunayn - which took place in the eighth Hijri year, after the Conquest of Makkah, between the Muslims and the people of Tā’if among the two tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf, in a valley called Hunayn, which is situated between Makkah and Tā’if; as the disbelievers had gone out with their property, women, and children; and after Hawāzin and Thaqīf were defeated and Allah granted victory to His Prophet and the Muslims, the fleeing disbelievers withdrew to the valley of Awtās, which is close to Hunayn - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an army to them, and they encountered an enemy from the disbelievers, whom they fought, overcame, and defeated. Among their spoils were captives from the polytheist women. Some of the Prophet's Companions refrained - out of fear of committing a sin - from having intercourse with them because they were married women, and a married woman is not lawful for anyone other than her husband. So, they thought that their marriage to their husbands was not severed. Therefore, Allah Almighty revealed verses demonstrating the ruling on copulation with those they refrained from: {Also [prohibited are] married women except for female slaves you may own.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 24] i.e., prohibited for you is marrying married women, except for the women you possess by taking them into captivity, as their marriage to their disbelieving husbands is dissolved. They become lawful for you after their wombs are verified to be empty of the semen of the disbelieving husbands, either by childbirth, in case the woman is pregnant, or by one menstrual period, if she is not pregnant.
The Hadīth indicates that the marriage of polytheists is dissolved if their wives are taken captive, as they go into the ownership of their captors.
It shows how a person should pause, search, and ask about any matter when he is not certain of the reason behind it and its ruling. This is the attitude of anyone who fears Allah Almighty..

1460
‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah and she stayed with him and it was the morning, he said to her: "You are not humbled in the estimation of your husband. If you wish, I will stay with you for seven nights; and if you wish, I will stay with you for three nights, and then visit the others in turn." She said: "Stay for three nights.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was both fair and merciful in dealing with his wives. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān relates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married' Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi' Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) after her husband Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) had died, he stayed in her house for three nights, which was his Sunnah in case the woman was previously married; then when he wanted to leave her house and go to the others, he noticed that she considered the three nights to be little. So, he said to her: "You are not humbled in the estimation of your husband" i.e., you will not be underestimated and your right will not be lost at all. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her the choice, saying: If you wish, I will stay with you for seven nights" - and stay with other wives of mine for the same period - "and if you wish, I will stay with you for three nights, and then visit the others in turn." i.e., if you are content with these three nights, I will go to my wives in turn, one night at a time, till I come back to you. She said: "Stay for three nights" i.e., I am content with the three nights, to avoid his long absence from her..

1460
‘Abdul-Malik ibn Abi Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married Umm Salamah, he entered upon her, and when he wanted to leave, she took hold of his garment. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: If you wish, I can stay longer with you and count it for you; a virgin is entitled to seven, whereas a previously married woman is entitled to three..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set the greatest example in fulfilling justice between his wives and putting the family relations in order in case of polygamy.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Bakr ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah Hind bint Abi ’Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with her) after the death of her husband, Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), he entered upon her and consummated the marriage with her. After spending three days with her, he wanted to leave her house for the house of another one of his wives; however, she took hold of his garment so he would stay with her. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) what she was entitled to regarding his overnight stay with her, saying: "If you wish" to have more than three days "I can stay longer with you and count it for you," i.e., calculate for you the total time of my stay with you because of this extra time. In other words: I extend my stay and the rest of my wives become entitled to the same number of days. Then, he informed her that a virgin wife - who had not been previously married - was entitled to seven nights than his other wives if he had sexual intercourse with her; whereas the Thayyib - who had been previously married - was entitled to three days.
In another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married ’Umm Salamah and she stayed with him (during the night), he said to her: "Indeed, you are not inferior in the sight of your family," i.e., you will not be underestimated, and none of your right will be lost; rather, you will take it in full. He then gave her the choice to stay for three days with her without having to make up for them or to stay for seven days with her and make it up for the rest of his wives. The three have the privilege of not having to make up for them, while the seven have the privilege of being successive and fulfilling perfect intimacy. ' Umm Salamah said: "Stay three," so she chose the three because they were not to be made up for, and he would, thus, return to her sooner since he would spend the night with them in turn then come to her. However, if she had chosen seven, he would not return to her except after making it up (days) for his other wives, and he would, thus, be far from her for a long time.
The virgin is exclusively granted seven days given her shyness, which requires extra time, patience, sensibleness, and gentleness, besides the fact that one feels inclined to stay longer with her so that he can stay with her for up to seven days in a row. On the other hand, the previously married woman had already experienced marriage, and her need for intimacy is lesser, besides the fact that one is less attached to her than to the virgin. However, given that she is not familiar yet with the company, she is honored by extending the stay, which is three. After that, he has to start dividing his time, whether he has one, two, or three wives before her.
The Hadīth indicates the recommendation of showing kindness to one's family, children, and others..

1462
Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had nine wives. Giving them an equal share of his time meant he would not return to the first woman except on the ninth day. So, they used to gather every night at the house of the one to whom he would come. He was at 'Ā’ishah's house. When Zaynab came, he stretched his hand towards her, thereupon, she said: This is Zaynab. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) withdrew his hand. There was an altercation between the two until their voices became loud. Iqāmah (second call for prayer) was pronounced for prayer and it happened that Abu Bakr was passing by and he heard their voices. He said: O Messenger of Allah, come for prayer and throw dust in their mouths. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out and ‘Ā’ishah said: Now the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will finish his prayer, and Abu Bakr will come and do such-and-such to me. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, Abu Bakr came to her and spoke to her in harsh words and said: Is this how you behave?!.

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on reporting all the Prophet's acts, even what used to happen inside the house of his everyday life affairs. The purpose was to know how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to deal with various situations in life to follow his example.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had nine wives. When giving each wife her share and turn on her day and night, he would not return to the wife who took the first turn in his overnight stay except after nine nights, given that he used to stay a day and a night with each of them. It was the habit of the Prophet's wives to gather every night at the house of the one with whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stay to enjoy his company and be close to him, then, each would go to her room.
One time, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was at ‘Ā’ishah's house, on her day and night, and his wives gathered there as usual. When his wife Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) came, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stretched his hand to her by way of fondling. It is said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought it was ‘Ā’ishah because it was night and it was her night and turn. So, ‘Ā’ishah said: "This" towards whom you stretched your hand is "Zaynab", as if ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) criticized the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for fondling someone other than her since it was her night and her turn in her share of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not stretch his hand towards Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) and stopped. Thereupon, Zaynab and 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) altercated, disagreed, and argued due to jealousy "until their voices became loud," i.e., they were making immense noise.
Meanwhile, the time for prayer was due, and the Iqāmah was pronounced, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by while they were in such a state of arguing noisily and loudly. So, he heard the voice of ‘Ā’ishah and Zaynab disputing. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, come out for prayer" and throw dust in their mouths, which is an indirect reference to rebuking and putting an end to their dispute and loud voices. "Hathyah": the amount that fills both hands.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said to those who were with her, after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had left with Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him): "Now the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will finish his prayer, and Abu Bakr will come and do such-and-such to me," i.e. when Abu Bakr finishes his prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he will come to me and rebuke and scold me severely for what I did, as a father would typically discipline his daughter.
‘Ā’ishah's fears came true, as when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished his prayer, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) went to her, blamed her, rebuked her, and scolded her severely for raising her voice in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Abu Bakr said to ‘Ā’ishah: "Is this how you behave?!" He was blaming her for her dispute with Zaynab in the Prophet's presence.
The Hadīth clarifies the Prophet's fulfillment of justice between his wives and his kindness and courteousness with them.
It signifies how a husband should give each of his wives an equal share of his time.
It also highlights the virtue of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) for showing compassion towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Moreover, it shows that the less qualified person could call the attention of the more qualified one to what is good for him..

1463
‘Ā’ishah reported: I never saw a woman I would like to be in whose Mislākh (skin) more than Sawdah bint Zam‘ah. She was a woman characterized by sharpness. As she became old, she gave her day with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ‘Ā’ishah. She said: "O Messenger of Allah, I have granted my day with you to ‘Ā’ishah." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allocated two days to ‘Ā’ishah; her own day and that of Sawdah..

Commentary : The Mother of the Believers Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was one of the ascetic and devout worshippers. The Prophet's wives acknowledged each other's merits and were quite aware of what distinguished each one of them from the others.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she never wished or liked to be like any of the Prophet's wives or in her place except for Sawdah bint Zam‘ah, as she wished and loved to be like her in worship and obedience, and in her manner and conduct. "Mislākh": skin, and it means: that I become her in terms of the qualities that she admired about her. Her saying: "She was a woman characterized by sharpness" is a way of describing Sawdah, not criticizing her. She meant by that to highlight her strength and solidity in challenging situations. When Sawdah grew old, she granted her day with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ‘Ā’ishah. Sawdah (may Allah be pleased with her) did this out of her sagacity, as she gave her day to the woman who loved the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) most. So, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had two days with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): her day and Sawdah's day. This does not mean that they were two days in a row; rather, what is meant is clarifying the number of ‘Ā’ishah's days with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in each of his rounds with his wives (may Allah be pleased with them).
The Hadīth points out that Ghibtah (envy free from malice) is in goodness, and it means one's wish to be like another in his praiseworthy qualities.
It also clarifies how the Prophet's wives loved him and sought to please him, and it guides the wives to seek to please her husband by doing what he likes..

1467
Abdullah ibn ‘Amr reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This world is an enjoyment, and the best of its enjoyments is a righteous woman.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided men and youth to choose the righteous woman for marriage because she is one of the greatest blessings bestowed upon man in this world.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that "the world is a Matā‘," and Matā‘ is what one benefits from and enjoys, and the best worldly enjoyment for man is the religious wife, who gladdens him by looking at her and by her obedience. She is chaste, guarding herself in his absence, and she is honest, protecting his wealth. This is the essence of the righteous woman; she is righteous in her religion and herself and a reformer of her husband's conditions.
Here, he mentioned the woman in specific terms, and qualified her with righteousness to make it known that she is deemed the evilest worldly enjoyment if she does not have such a characteristic. This is because if righteousness does not prevent her from evil, she becomes evil itself. In this case, she does not push her husband or urge him except towards evil, and the least she can do is to make him crave this world until he puts himself into destruction therein..

1468
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, if he witnesses something, let him speak good or remain silent. And take care of women, for the woman was created from a rib and the most crooked part of the rib is its top. If you attempt to straighten it, you will break it; and if you leave it, it will remain crooked. So, take good care of women..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advises us to adopt manners and morals that enhance familiarity and love between Muslims.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that "whoever believes in Allah" Who created him perfectly, in terms of belief and acts, by testifying that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and by adhering to the pillars of faith and its characteristics as a whole including words and deeds;
and believes in "the Last Day," which is the Day of Judgment to which he will return and where he will receive recompense for his deeds, and here, belief in Allah and the Last Day were mentioned in particular, among all other things that one should believe in; in reference to the beginning and the end of all things, i.e., if he believes in Allah Who created him and that He will recompense him on the Day of Judgment for his good and evil deeds, then, let him speak good or remain silent. This wording is meant to encourage and promote adherence to the command or the prohibition mentioned in the Hadīth. "If he witnesses something" in general, whether between two, a group, or the like, and there is a need for him to speak about it, then let him consider it carefully; if there is goodness in his words, then he should speak, or else he should keep silent.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to advise men to treat their wives kindly in compliance with the commands of Islam. Given the fact that women are originally created with crookedness, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) drew attention to that saying: "Take care of women" with the following addition in Al-Bukhāri version: "good care", i.e., advise each other to treat them kindly. "For the woman was created from a rib," which is one of the chest bones. In other words, there is crookedness in their original creation. "And the most crooked part of the rib is its top", this description is meant as an exaggeration in describing such crookedness and to emphasize the probability of breaking because the difficulty of straightening the top is apparent. It is said: Perhaps this is meant to refer to the woman's upper part that has her head and tongue, from where the crookedness springs. It is also said: That the form of "A‘waj" (crooked) here is meant as a description not to indicate preference, as colors and defects do not have forms indicating preference. If you try to straighten the rib and make it straight, it will break. Similarly, if you want a woman to be perfectly straight in morals, this will lead to breaking her, which is divorcing her. as mentioned in Muslim's version. "And if you leave it, it will remain crooked" as it was originally created, so it is impossible to straighten it. This is set as an example of the crookedness in women's morals; if sought to be upright, this could lead to divorce. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, take good care of women," i.e.; there is no way except enduring this crookedness patiently. Hence, this should be tolerated with patience, and women should be treated benevolently and kindly.
Or it could be referring to gentle redress; refraining from exaggeration that leads to breaking and from negligence that leads to persistence in crookedness. To sum up, he should not neglect her crookedness if she exceeds her natural deficiency level by committing sins or abandoning duties; however, what is meant is that he should neglect her crookedness regarding what is permissible.
The Hadīth implies guidance to maintaining one's tongue and protecting it from idle talk.
It also sheds light on the importance of appeasement in attracting souls and winning hearts.
Moreover, it shows how women could be handled through pardon and patience with their crookedness..

1469
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Let not a believing man hate a believing woman. If he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be pleased with another - Or he said: another one.".

Commentary : Faith calls to noble morals. Thus, no believing man or woman is free from good manners, as faith requires the existence of praiseworthy qualities in them.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Let not a believing man Yafrak a believing woman," and "fark" means hatred and dislike. The "believing man" and the "believing woman" here refer to the husband and wife. It was said: This is a form of negation that denotes prohibition, i.e., she must not be totally hated. It was also said: It is a prohibition, i.e., the husband must not absolutely hate his wife in such a way that leads to oppressing, abandoning, and turning away from her. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained this by saying that if the husband hates a bad quality in her, he will find another quality that pleases him. She could be rude but at the same time religious, pretty, chaste, or kind to him, or the like. So, he approves of this good quality that suits him and, thus, faces what he dislikes about her with what he likes about her. In this way, what he likes of her good qualities will help him patiently endure what he dislikes of her bad qualities. So, he forgives the bad for the sake of the good and overlooks what he dislikes for the sake of what he likes. And in this way, he will not absolutely hate her to the extent that he breaks up with her.
The Hadīth encourages good treatment and companionship..