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| 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)..

1591
Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Khaybar, making deals with the Jews with the Wuqiyyah of gold for two or three dinars, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not sell gold for gold except weight for weight..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams.
In this Hadīth, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Battle of Khaybar in 7 AH. They were making deals with the Jews and buying from them one Wuqiyyah of gold worth forty silver dirhams for "two or three dinars", and the dinar was equal to 12 dirhams. It could mean they were selling one' Uqiyyah of gold, beads, and others for two or three dinars. It is known that this amount of pure gold is not to be sold for two or three dinars, and this was the reason why the Companions made such a transaction, as they thought it was permissible because the gold was mixed with other things. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from selling gold for gold "except weight for weight," i.e., each must be equal to the other in terms of weight without any addition or surplus.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus)..

1592
Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah reported: That he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and said to him: Sell it then buy with it barley. The servant went and took one Sā‘ and part of a Sā‘. When he came to Ma‘mar, he informed him of that, whereupon, Ma‘mar said to him: Why did you do that?! Go ahead and return it and do not take except like for like, as I used to hear the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Food for food, like for like. He said: Our food at that time was barley. It was said to him: It is not like it. He said: I am afraid that it could be similar..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba, and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a Sā‘ of wheat for two Sā‘s thereof, or one hundred grams of gold for one hundred and ten grams thereof.
In this Hadīth, Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and ordered him to sell it for cash, i.e., for dirhams and dinars, then buy barley with its price. The boy went and bought one Sā‘ of barley and part of a Sā in return for the wheat directly without selling the wheat first and then buying the barley with its price. Perhaps he did that because buying barley was the goal and it was achieved by this.
When the servant returned to Ma‘mar, he informed him of what he had done, i.e., selling one Sā‘ of wheat for one Sā‘ and more of barley. Ma‘mar asked him: Why did you do that?! This is an objecting question. Then, he ordered him to return and bring back the wheat and return the barley and not to take the barley from him except like for like in terms of weight. Then, he clarified to him the reason for returning the extra barley, as he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Food for food," i.e., when selling one of them for another, it should be "like for like," i.e., in terms of weight and amount without any addition or surplus, and the two foods here refer to those of the same type, as it was mentioned in a version in Sahīh Muslim Collection that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Our food at that time was barley," i.e., it was the staple food during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Some of those who were present objected that barley and wheat are not of the same type, i.e., wheat and barley are two different types, therefore, surplus between them is not unlawful. Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am afraid that it could be similar," i.e., a similar case. In other words, he was afraid it was included among the similar types and, thus, should have the same ruling of the prohibition of Riba since wheat and barley are close and each of them is called food. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did this out of religious prudence and as a precautionary measure.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It shows how the Companions were cautious not to fall into committing what is unlawful..

1594
Abu Nadrah reported: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf (currency exchange), and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. I informed Abu Sa‘īd about it, saying: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf, and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. He said: Did he say that?! We will write to him not to give you this Fatwa (legal opinion). He said: By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) brought dry dates, but he rejected them and said: It seems those are not from the dry dates of our land. He said: This year, there was something wrong with the dry dates of our land - or with our dry dates - so I took that and made some addition, whereupon he said: You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this. If you have doubts about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the gravest major sins. The Shariah has forbidden all sales that involve a possibility of Riba and has permitted lawful sales that are free of Riba. The pre-Islamic era of ignorance was swarming with Riba-based sales, so Islam rectified and refined such sale transactions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Nadrah al-Mundhir ibn Mālik al-‘Abdi narrates that he asked the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) about Sarf, which is selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus and an addition in the taken or given item, like selling a dinar for two dinars or a dirham for two dirhams; whether it is a Riba-based sale or not. Ibn ‘Abbās answered by saying that it is not Riba in case it is exchanged hand to hand, i.e., at the time that the act of selling took place. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) did not deem selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus Riba, and he believed that Riba is not unlawful except in case of a deferred payment.
So, Abu Nadrah informed Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Fatwa of Ibn ‘Abbās, whereupon Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he would write to Ibn ‘Abbās not to give such a Fatwa and would review it with him, clarify the truth, and advise him. Then, Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated his supporting reference and evidence in forbidding the Riba of surplus and addition. He swore and said: "By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)," who are the servants, "brought dry dates, but he rejected them," the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rejected them because they were not from the dry dates produced by their land and not the ones known among them. It was said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This year, the dry dates of Madīnah were of bad quality. So, the servant took some of the bad dry dates and exchanged them for others and brought those good dry dates to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in return for the defective ones and gave the buyer an excess in the weight and amount of the defective dry dates. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this," i.e., what you did and the addition you made in the weight is from Riba. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from eating from the dry dates he had brought. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him by way of teaching: "If you find some doubt about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like," thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from taking dry dates for dry dates. So, if there was something wrong with his dry dates, he should first sell them for money, then buy with that money whatever he liked of the dry dates, and there should be no surplus between the two.
It seems that Ibn ‘Abbās gave that Fatwa of permissibility based on the apparent indication of the Prophet's statement mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections: "Riba is only in Nasī’ah (deferred payment)." This apparently indicates exclusiveness, as if he said: There is no Riba except in the deferred payment. However, there is a report in the Sahīh Muslim Collection indicating that Ibn ‘Abbās reconsidered his stance regarding his Fatwa, as Abu as-Sahbā’ narrated: "That he asked Ibn ‘Abbās about it in Makkah, and he disliked it," i.e., he disliked the permissibility of surplus in Sarf.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It indicates the invalidity of the transaction that involves Riba.
It highlights the fact that the Shariah rulings are to be sought only through the Qur‘an and the Sunnah.
It shows how the Companions used to correct each other whenever they made a mistake..