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| 2 Hadiths

Hadith
477
It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Prayer in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying [alone] in one’s house or in one’s marketplace. Indeed, if one of you does wudu’ and does it well, and comes to the mosque only intending to pray, he does not take one step but Allah will elevate him in status one degree thereby, and will remove one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer so long as that is the reason he is there, and the angels will send blessings upon him so long as he remains in the place where he prayed, saying: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him – so long as nothing happens..

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith and a major pillar of Islam. Islamic teachings urge us to hasten to prayer, and not to stay away from praying in congregation, because of the multiplied reward that that brings.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) highlights the virtue of prayer in congregation, and tells us that praying in congregation is twenty-five times better than praying alone in one’s house or marketplace. In al-Sahihayn it says that it is twenty-seven times better. This difference depends on the differences in the condition of the worshipper and of the prayer. For some of them it will be twenty-five times better, and for others it will be twenty-seven times better, according to how perfect the prayer is, how properly they performed it, how focused and humble they were when praying, how large the congregation was, the virtues of the members of the congregation, and how sacred the place in which the prayer was offered is. And it was said that there are other factors.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for this increased reward, which is that if the Muslim does wudu’ and does it thoroughly, paying attention to the sunnahs and etiquette of the action, and comes to the mosque intending only to pray, and for no other purpose, he will not take one step but Allah will raise him one degree in status thereby and will erase one sin from him, until he enters the mosque. Then when he enters the mosque, he will be in a state of prayer, so long as his reason for being in the mosque is to pray. The angels will send blessings upon him – that is, they will pray for him – so long as he remains in the place where he prayed. Therefore the blessing of the angels depends on his remaining in the place where he prayed, and this virtue, reward and goodness will continue for him so long as nothing happens, which refers to his invalidating his wudu’; if he does invalidate his wudu’, it will become forbidden for the angels to pray for forgiveness for him, even if he remains sitting in that spot. And it was said that what was meant is so long as he does not commit sin.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that the angels pray for him, saying in their supplication: O Allah forgive him, O Allah have mercy on him. The difference between forgiveness and mercy is that forgiveness is concealment and pardoning of sins, whereas mercy is showing kindness to him.
This hadith highlights the great virtue and reward of praying in congregation.
It highlights the virtue of waiting for the prayer, and that the one who does that will attain the angels’ prayer for forgiveness for him.
It also urges us to do wudu’ properly..

480
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah [that] the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people… like this?”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) how to recognize fitnahs (tribulations) and how they should deal with them.
This text is a brief part of a hadith in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called out to him to warn him and advise him. He said to him: “O ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, what will you do when you find yourself among the dregs of the people?” The dregs of the people are the lowest and worst of people; one of their characteristics is that they will not commit to a promise or covenant that they made; they will break that promise and will not fulfil it. Honesty will be rare among them, so that no one will appreciate the virtue of honesty and trustworthiness at that time, except a few. “They mingled and became like this,” and he interlaced his fingers. What this means is that they will become so mixed up that one will not be able to tell who among them is good or evil, believer or hypocrite. What is meant by the word in the text “like this” is that in this report, it refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlacing his fingers.
At the end of the report, it says that ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: What should he do in that situation, if he lives until that time and finds himself among such people? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to take what he knew of truth, and leave what he found reprehensible of falsehood; to keep to himself and discipline himself to follow the right path, and not worry about what was happening to the people and what they were doing. This is by way of ensuring that one is protected from trials and tribulations.
All of this may be understood as meaning that if someone is unable to enjoin what is right, or he fears harm in general, then the duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong with the hand and tongue is waived in his case, but he can still resent it in his heart.
In this hadith, we see a warning from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to ‘Abdullah that he would live to see those people, so he forbade him to mix with people like that and urged him, if he lived to see them, to take care of his own self and keep away from those people..

481
It was narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The believers are like a structure, parts of which support other parts,” and he interlaced his fingers..

Commentary : Islam built the Muslim community on a solid foundation of brotherhood and mutual support. Allah (may He be exalted) tells us in His Holy Book that the believers are brothers in faith; brotherhood is contrary to rancour and hatred and dictates mutual love, mutual support, and harmony and love among brethren.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that the believers, in their mutual support and holding fast to one another, are like a solid structure that cannot remain standing unless one part supports another, brick by brick. If it begins to develop cracks and becomes unstable, it will collapse and fall. And the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) interlaced his fingers to indicate that the way in which the believers stand together and support one another is like interlocked fingers. But just as the numerous fingers of the hands belong to one body and one person, similarly the believers, although they are many individuals, all share a common origin and are bound by the bonds of faith.
The Prophet’s demonstration of interlacing his fingers in this hadith was for the purpose of illustrating what he was teaching his companions. When he likened the believers to a structure, parts of which support other parts, that was giving an example in word, then he clarified it with actions, interlacing his fingers to make clearer to them the likeness that he had given in words, and to make it more understandable..

482
It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying one of the two afternoon prayers – Ibn Sirin said: Abu Hurayrah named it but I forgot it – he led us in praying two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and went to a piece of wood that was set up in the mosque and reclined against it, as if he was angry. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who usually hastened to leave left through the doors of the mosque, and others said: The prayer has been shortened. Among the people were Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, but they felt that they could not speak to him, out of awe. Among the people there was also a man who had long arms, and he was called Dhul Yadayn (He of the two arms). He said: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? He said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” Then he said: “Is it as Dhul Yadayn says?” They said: Yes. So he went forward and prayed what he had omitted, then he said the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir, then he said takbir and prostrated as he usually did, or longer. Then he raised his head and said takbir. Perhaps they asked him: Then did he say the taslim? He said: I was told that ‘Imran ibn Husayn said: Then he said taslim..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that nourishes the soul. In the prayer, the individual stands before his Lord, and he should take measures to help him focus properly and not be distracted whilst praying. But he may make mistakes, omitting or adding some actions in the prayer. This error or forgetfulness needs to be compensated for, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prescribed doing the two prostrations of forgetfulness (sajdatay as-sahw) in such cases.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying one of the afternoon prayers, Zuhr or ‘Asr. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then he said the taslim. Then he stood up and leaned against a piece of wood that had been set up in the middle of the mosque. He put his right hand over his left hand, interlaced his fingers, and rested his right cheek on the back of his left hand, as if he was angry. Those who usually left quickly after the prayer had exited the mosque, thinking that the prayer had become two rak‘ahs. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) were among those who had prayed behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but they were afraid to speak to him about this matter, out of awe and respect for him. But a man called Dhul Yadayn spoke up and said to him: O Messenger of Allah, did you forget or has the prayer been shortened? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I did not forget and it has not been shortened.” That was because he thought that he had not made a mistake. Then he asked the people who had prayed behind him: Did it really happen that I only prayed two rak‘ahs? They said: Yes. So he went forward to the imam’s place, then he prayed two rak‘ahs to complete the obligatory four. Then he said the tashahhud and the taslim, then he said takbir and prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness, then he said the taslim. The two prostrations were to make up for the mistake and forgetting, and to make up for the shortcoming. They also serve to annoy the Shaytan if there was not actually any shortcoming in the prayer, for the Shaytan tries to confuse the Muslim when he is praying, and tries to spoil his prayer and make it defective. So Allah (may He be exalted) has given the worshipper a way to make up for any shortcoming in his prayer and a way to handle any confusion caused by the Shaytan, and a way to annoy the Shaytan and send him away empty-handed, having failed to achieve his goal. By doing the prostration of forgetfulness the person’s prayer is completed.
This hadith highlights the importance of the prostration of forgetfulness, and that it may be done after the taslim..

483
It was narrated that Musa ibn ‘Uqbah said: I saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah looking for certain places on the road and praying in those spots. He narrated that his father used to pray in those spots, and that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying in those spots. Nafi‘ told me, from Ibn ‘Umar, that he used to pray in those spots. I asked Salim, and I only think that he agreed with Nafi‘ about all those spots, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him. His son Salim used to follow his example in that regard, as mentioned in this hadith, in which the Tabi‘i Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he saw Salim ibn ‘Abdillah seeking out certain places on his journey and making an effort to find them, so that he could pray in them. What appears to be the case is that these places were mosques on the roads that led from Madinah, and other places on his journeys. He narrated that his father ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to seek out those places and pray in them, because he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray in those places .
Then Musa ibn ‘Uqbah narrates that he asked Nafi‘, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, about these places, and he told him that that was correct, and that Ibn ‘Umar would seek to pray in those places. Salim ibn ‘Abdillah and Nafi‘ agreed on the location of each of those places, except that they differed concerning a mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’. Ar-Rawha’ was a village 80 km distant from Madinah. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was well-known for following the footsteps of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that included praying in the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. This narrative from Ibn ‘Umar indicates that he went to great lengths, because he was known to be very keen to follow the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

484
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah when he went for ‘umrah and when he went for Hajj; he would halt beneath a thorny tree on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah. When he returned from a campaign via that route, or he returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of the valley, and when he emerged from the bottom of the valley, he would make his camel kneel in al-Batha’ which is on the eastern edge of the valley. He would halt there and rest until morning came, not at the mosque that is built of stone and not on the high ground where the mosque is. There was a deep valley in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray, at the bottom of which there were sandhills. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray there. Then the flash flood brought debris, stones and sand into al-Batha’ and buried the place where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt during his journey to Makkah, and that he used to halt in Dhul Hulayfah, which was a village approximately fourteen kilometres from the Prophet’s Mosque; it is the miqat of the people of Madinah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt there when he wanted to do ‘umrah, and he halted there when he went for Hajj, sitting beneath a thorny tree. The word samurah, translated here as thorny tree, refers to a tall tree with branches going in different directions; it offered little shade, and had small leaves and short thorns, and produced high-quality wood. It was also said that it was a kind of tree called talh, which is a huge type of thorny tree.
The phrase “on the site of the mosque that is in Dhul Hulayfah” means that a mosque was built after that, and it was not there at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) returned from a campaign via that road, or returned from Hajj or ‘umrah, he would go down into the bottom of Wadi al-‘Atiq, which is one of the most famous wadis of Madinah. When he came up out of the bottom of the valley, he would make his mount or she-camel that he was riding kneel in the wide watercourse where pebbles collect from the flow of the floodwaters. This is the area on the east side of the valley. He halted to rest in that area, then he would stay there until morning came; he did not halt at the mosque that is built of stone, or on the high ground where the mosque was built. But there was a deep valley where ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray, and at the bottom of this deep valley there was sand that had collected and piled up. This was the same place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray. But with the passage of time, the floodwaters rushed through Wadi al-‘Atiq and made it level with the rocks and sand that it carried from al-Batha’ – the wide watercourse – until the debris carried by the flood buried that place in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to pray.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

485
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed where the small mosque is that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha. ‘Abdullah knew the place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He used to say: it is there on your right when you stand in the mosque to pray. That mosque is on the right-hand side of the road when you are going towards Makkah, a stone’s throw or thereabouts from the larger mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) identifies one of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journey from Madinah to Makkah, and states that he prayed beside the small mosque that is close to the large mosque in the highest area of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah.
This hadith indicates that in ar-Rawha’ there were two mosques, one of which was a large mosque and the other was a small one. The large mosque was in the highest part of ar-Rawha’, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in that spot; rather he prayed in the small mosque to the right of that mosque.
Ibn ‘Umar knew the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, and he described it as being to the right of one who enters the mosque. This small mosque was on the right-hand side of the road, and the distance between the two mosques was a stone’s throw, which is not very far.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

486
Ibn ‘Umar used to pray facing towards the small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’; that small mountain was at the edge of the road, before the mosque that is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque has been built there, but ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar did not pray in that mosque. He used to stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of it, facing towards that small mountain. ‘Abdullah used to depart from ar-Rawha’ in the morning, and he did not pray Zuhr until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he came from Makkah, if he passed it shortly before Fajr, or at the end of the night, he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards the small mountain; what is meant is ‘Irq az-Zibah, which is a small mountain of sand at the end of ar-Rawha’, which is a village 80 km from Madinah. A report in Sahih al-Bukhari explains that in this area there were two mosques close to one another: one of them was small, which was the one near which Ibn ‘Umar used to pray, and the other was a large mosque that was a stone’s throw away from the small mosque. That small mountain ended at the side of the road, near the big mosque which is between it and the end of ar-Rawha’ as you are going towards Makkah. A mosque was built there, but ‘Abdullah did not pray in that mosque; rather he would stand with it on his left and behind him, and pray in front of the mosque, facing towards the small mountain.
As he was returning from the area of ar-Rawha’, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not pray until he reached that place, then he would pray Zuhr there. If he was coming from Makkah on his way back to Madinah, if he passed by that place shortly before Fajr or at the end of the night – meaning the time between the false dawn and the true dawn; the difference between that and saying shortly before Fajr is that the latter means towards the end of the period mentioned, which is less than an hour – he would halt and rest so that he could pray Fajr there.
Ibn ‘Umar did not clearly say that the reason why he prayed facing towards that small mountain was that he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying there, but the fact that he always prayed in that spot whether he was going or coming back, and that he halted to rest there so that he could pray there, indicates that he only did that by way of emulating the prayer of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In Sahih al-Bukhari there is a report which says that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed on the site of the small mosque that is closer than the mosque in the highest part of ar-Rawha’.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

487
It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt beneath a huge thornless tree before ar-Ruwaythah on the right-hand side of the road, facing towards the road in a vast and flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground just two miles before ar-Ruwaythah. The top of that tree had broken and fallen inside it; the tree was standing on its trunk, and inside and around the trunk a great deal of sand had piled up..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted during his journey from Madinah to Makkah. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted beneath a huge thornless tree, near the village of ar-Ruwaythah; it is approximately 100 km from Madinah. This tree was on the right-hand side of the road, facing it, in a vast, flat area, so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would emerge from high ground [when he resumed his journey]; between that high ground and the official staging-post in ar-Ruwaythah that was set up by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate was approximately 3 km. This approximate definition was given by Ibn ‘Umar to identify the old location, because so many structures had been set up by the state after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This is assuming that the pronoun in the word “he emerged” refers to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that the staging-post referred to is one of the stations set up by the state during the caliphate of ‘Umar to collect official correspondence. It was also said that the pronoun may refer to the place, and that what is meant by the word translated above as staging-post is a road that people followed. In that case, what is meant is that the distance from the location of this tree and the place where the road started to descend was two miles.
Then Ibn ‘Umar began to describe how this tree was at the time that he was speaking. Its top had broken off and fallen into its hollow interior, and fallen onto its trunk; it was now standing on its trunk like a structure that was not very wide at the bottom. In and around its trunk a great deal of sand had piled up.
This may be understood on the basis of what is known of Ibn ‘Umar being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

488
It was narrated from Nafi‘ that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed at the edge of an area of higher ground beyond al-‘Arj as you are going towards the hill. Near that mosque there are two or three graves, and on the graves there are piles of stones, on the right-hand side of the road near the rocks of the road, among the rocks. ‘Abdullah used to leave al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day, then he used to pray Zuhr in that mosque..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray, and he calls those places masajid (“mosques”; lit. places of prostration) because they are places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prostrated and prayed, or because in the end mosques were built there, after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed in those places. He tells us that he prayed on the edge of an area of higher ground, which refers to an area of wide, elevated land through which floodwaters would flow; it may also refer to a place where water flows from the top of the wadi and what goes down to lower ground. That place is located beyond al-‘Arj, which is a place between Makkah and Madinah. It is so called because it is crooked (ta‘rij). There are several places called al-‘Arj: it was said that it is a village on the road to Makkah from Madinah, 14 miles from ar-Rawha’. It was said that al-‘Arj is five miles from the Prophet’s Mosque. It was said that al-‘Arj is a village on the outskirts of at-Ta’if; it was said that al-‘Arj is a mountain pass in which there is a bend, between Makkah and Madinah, on the road, and it is mentioned with as-Suqya.
Then Ibn ‘Umar tried to identify the features of that place, stating that it is in the region of al-‘Arj as you are going towards the high ground, and beside that mosque there are two or three graves, on which there are large white stones. It is on the right-hand side of the road, near the rocks of the road. The word translated here as rocks may refer to big trees, or to rocks that are found on the road.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar used to set out from al-‘Arj after the sun passed the meridian in the middle of the day – meaning at midday, when it is very hot – and he would pray Zuhr in that mosque, which is the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed.
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

489
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at the large trees on the left-hand side of the road in a watercourse before Harsha; that watercourse is connected to the edge of Harsha, and between it and the road there is the distance an arrow travels. ‘Abdullah used to pray facing towards a large tree, which was the closest of the large trees to the road, and the tallest of them..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted at some large trees on the left-hand side of the road, in a watercourse, which is a sloping place, before Harsha and near to it. Harsha is a mountain in the land of Tihamah, at the place where the roads to Syria and Madinah meet. It is part of al-Juhfah from which the sea is visible. Today it is called Rabigh. That slope is connected to the edge of Jabal Harsha; between it and the road there is the distance that an arrow travels, or the distance that a horse runs, which is two thirds of a mile.
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pray facing towards a tree, which was the closest tree to the road, and also the tallest. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed. Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

490
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in the watercourse that was the closest part of Marr az-Zahran, in the direction of Madinah, when he came down from as-Safrawat. He would halt at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah, and between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt. He tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt and stay in the watercourse, which is sloping land near Marr az-Zahran. This is a wadi which the common folk call “Batn Marw”, near ‘Arafah; it is so called because of the bitterness (mararah) of its water. It is a wadi that is five miles from Makkah, in the direction of Madinah.
The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted was at the point where he descended from as-Safrawat, which is an area of valleys or mountains after Marr az-Zahran. He halted at the bottom of that watercourse, on the left-hand side of the road as you are going towards Makkah. Between the place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) halted and the road there was no more than a stone’s throw.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

491
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa and stay there overnight until morning, and he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah. The place where the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was on a broad area of high ground, not in the mosque that was built there; rather it was further than that, on a broad area of high ground..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to follow the teachings and practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in all situations. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of the keenest of them to follow him in all circumstances, to the extent that he would try hard to seek out the places where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed on his journeys, and pray in those places, seeking blessing (barakah) and out of love for him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to halt in Dhu Tuwa – which is the name of a well or a place near Makkah – until morning came, then he would pray Fajr when he came to Makkah from Madinah. The place where he prayed was on a broad area of high ground, which was a spacious area that was higher than the land surrounding it, or a rocky hill. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not pray in the mosque that was built there subsequently; rather he prayed further than that mosque, according to what Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’.
It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that he used to forbid the people to seek blessing (barakah) from the places in which the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed, fearing that they would ascribe to those places some inherent virtue. This prohibition on his part was by way of blocking a means that may lead to shirk.
As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition..

492
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face two gaps in the mountain that stood between him and the high mountain in the direction of the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar stood with the mosque that had been built there to the left of the mosque that is on the high ground, and the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. Leave ten cubits or thereabouts between you and the high ground, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba..

Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was famous for his keenness to seek out places connected to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which included praying in places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed..
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) describes some of the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. In this hadith, he describes where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in Dhu Tuwa, which is a well-known valley in Makkah, between the two mountain passes. It is close to Makkah, at its border. It is known now as az-Zahir. In it there is Bi’r Dhi Tuwa, which is an ancient well that was dug by ‘Abd Shams ibn Abd Manaf. It is in the highest place in Makkah, at al-Bayda’, the home of Muhammad ibn Sayf.
Ibn ‘Umar tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face towards two gaps in the mountain that was between him and the high mountain, facing towards the Kaaba. The gap in a mountain is the entrance to the road to the mountain, or what slopes down the middle or side of the mountain.
Then Nafi‘ – who is the one who narrated from Ibn ‘Umar, and the most famous of his freed slaves – said: Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) described the place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He stood with the mosque that was subsequently built there to the left of the second mosque which is on the edge of the high ground. The place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed was further than that, on the high black ground. You go past the high ground – which is elevated land – for about ten cubits or thereabouts, then pray facing towards the two gaps in the mountain that is between you and the Kaaba. It was said: what appears to be the case is that there were two mosques that were built after the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), but nothing is known of them today. This was possible in the past, because it was empty space, but now the area is built-up so it is not possible (to pray there).
Ibn ‘Umar’s keenness to do that may be understood on the basis of what is known of his being very keen to emulate the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). But something different was narrated from his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). When he saw people on a journey from Makkah to Madinah rushing to a certain place, he asked about that, and they said: This is a place where the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed. He said to them: This is how the People of the Book were doomed; they took places connected to their prophets as places of worship. If prayer becomes due for any of you in that place, then he may pray there, but whoever passes by it when it is not time for prayer, he should not pray there. Narrated by ‘Abd ar-Razzaq and Ibn Abi Shaybah in their Musannafs.
What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to do by prohibiting people to seek out the places where the prophets had been was to block means that may lead to shirk, for he had more knowledge about that than his son. As for the places concerning which there is a religious text that speaks of the virtue of praying there – such as the Haramayn, al-Aqsa, Quba’ and so on, and also going to any mosques to pray, and even what was narrated about mosques in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, that is not included in this prohibition.
Al-Bukhari narrated nine hadiths from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar identifying the places in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed during his journeys on the way between Madinah and Makkah, including this hadith. It was said that these mosques are not known today, except for the mosque in Dhul Hulayfah and the mosques in ar-Rawha’..

493
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas that he said: I came riding on a female donkey, and at that time I was on the brink of puberty; the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leading the people in Mina with no wall in front of him. I passed in front of part of the row, then I dismounted, left the donkey to graze and joined the row, and no one objected to me doing that..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have something as a sutrah (screen) in front of him, so that no one would pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer. In the case of congregational prayer, the imam is the sutrah for the people praying behind him.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he came riding on a female donkey, and he was on the brink of puberty, but had not yet reached it. What is meant by that is the age of accountability. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was praying in Mina with no sutrah, such as a wall and the like, in front of him. Mina is a wadi near the Makkan Haram zone where the pilgrims halt on the day of at-tarwiyah, which is the eighth day of Dhu’l-Hijjah. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) passed in front of some of the rows of worshippers, riding on his donkey, when the imam – namely the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – had no sutrah, then he dismounted and left the donkey to eat grass and graze freely, wandering about in front of the rows, and he joined them in prayer, and no one objected to him doing that.
This hadith indicates that it is acceptable for the imam to pray without a sutrah, and that the imam is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
It also indicates that a minor who has reached the age of discernment may acquire knowledge and it is permissible for one who acquired knowledge as a minor to convey it to people as an adult..

241
Abdullah ibn Amr narrated, "We returned from Mecca to Medina with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. When we came to some water on the way, some of us were in a hurry at the time of Asr prayer and performed ablution hurriedly. When we reached them, their heels were dry and not touched by water. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Woe to the heels because of Hell! Complete the ablution.'".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ used to preach and teach his companions the rules of Islam so he rebuked those not completing ablution. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Amr narrated that while returning from Mecca to Medina with the Prophet ﷺ, they came to some water and some of them wanted to get Asr prayer before its time ended, as the narration of Bukhari showed. As a result, they hurriedly performed ablution. The Prophet's habit was to walk behind people to urge those being late, accompany the weak, and then lead them all in prayer. In this case, the above-mentioned people wanted to delay the prayer till its last time, hoping to pray with him. When he reached them, he noticed their dry heels that were not touched by the water of ablution. As a result, he rebuked them saying, "Woe to heels because of Hell," for they did not complete their ablution. Then, he commanded them to thoroughly complete their ablution. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It urges us to completely perform ablution and thoroughly wash all its members, (2) It warns against leaving to wash the back of the foot, and (3) It confirms that the unwashed members will be a reason for punishment..

243
Omar ibn Al-Khattab narrated that a man performed ablutions but missed to wash a spot equal to a toenail. When the Prophet ﷺ saw him, he said to him, "Go back and perform ablutions properly." He went back then prayed..

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to check his companions' worship just like a teacher who used to check his students' progress. It was his habit to teach them his teachings and rectify their mistakes. In this hadith, Omar ibn Al-Khattab narrated that when a man performed ablution but missed washing a spot equal to a toenail (a metaphor for a small size), the Prophet (ﷺ) referred to this mistake and said, "Go back and perform ablution properly." The man completed his ablution (or repeated it as said) and prayed after the Prophet (ﷺ) accepted his ablution. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It illustrated how the Companions rapidly responded to implement the Prophet's commands, (2) It urges us to complete ablution and warns against neglecting to wash even a small spot of ablution parts, and (3) It clarifies how imams and scholars should teach common people the matters of Islam and rectify their mistakes..

244
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When a Muslim servant, or a believer, performs ablution and washes his face, every sin he looked at with his eyes leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his hands, every sin he committed with his hands leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water). When he washes his feet, every sin his feet walked to leaves with the water (or with the last drop of water) until he finally emerges cleansed of all his sins.".

Commentary : Allah blessed His servants by making the performance of acts of worship according to their conditions a reason for forgiveness. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning their reward. His saying, "servant" was to confirm to worship Allah alone. The sentence, "or a believer" was a doubt from one of the hadith narrators. The Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that a Muslim's previous sins, like prohibited looks, touches, and walking, committed by his eyes, hands, and feet would come out of them with water or the last drop of water during ablution. As a result, a Muslim will emerge cleansed of all his minor sins, for the major sins are only forgiven after repentance, according to the abundant proofs in the Quran and Sunnah. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) The virtue of ablution and that it is a reason for forgiving sins, and (2) It encourages Muslims to frequently perform ablution..

245
Uthman ibn Affan (may Allah be please with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If anyone performs the ablutions well, his sins will come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.”.

Commentary : Allah blessed His servants by making the performance of acts of worship according to their conditions a reason for forgiveness. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to encourage people to perform acts of worship by mentioning the rewards for them. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us that if a Muslim performs ablutions well with caring about its recommended acts and manners, his sins will come out from his body to the extent that they will come out from under his hands' and feet's nails. This is specific to minor sins, for the major sins require repentance. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the virtue of ablutions, for it expiates sins, and (2) It urges us to observe the etiquette and recommended acts of ablutions..

247
Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "My cistern is bigger than the distance between Aila and Aden. Its water is whiter than ice and sweeter than honey mixed with milk. Its cups are more than stars. Verily, I will prevent people from it just as a man prevents people's camels from his cistern." They said, "O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, will you recognize us on that day?" He said "Yes, you will have distinctive marks that nobody of other nations has. You will come to me with blazing foreheads and bright limbs due to traces of ablution.".

Commentary : Al-Kawthar river and Prophetic cistern are grants from Allah to his Prophet (ﷺ) on the Day of Resurrection out of His generosity and kindness to him and his nation. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us that the distance between his cistern’s two ends is bigger than that between Aila and Aden. Aila is now called Aqaba, a coastal city in Jordan, but Aden is a city in Yemen by the Indian Ocean, which confirms its vast space. Additionally, he told us that he would prevent hypocrites and apostates from it just as a man prevents people's camels from his cistern. As a result, one of his companions asked him how he would recognize them on that day. He answered that they would have distinguished marks that nobody from the previous nations had. They would have blazing foreheads and bright limbs just like horses due to traces of ablution. Finally, this hadith proves the Prophetic vast cistern and confirms the virtue of ablution..

249
Abu Hurairah narrated that Allah’s Messenger ﷺ came to the graveyard and said, “Peace be upon you, an abode of the believing people. We, if Allah wills, will join you. I wish I saw our brothers.” The companions said, “Are not we your brothers, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ?” He said, “You are my companions. Our brothers have not come yet (to this world).” They said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, how do you recognize those who have not come from your nation yet?” He said, “Suppose a man has horses with white blazes on foreheads and legs beside among black horses. Does he not recognize his horses?” They said, “He will, O Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” He said, “They would come with white faces and legs owing to ablution. I would arrive at the cistern before them. Verily, some people would be driven away from my Cistern as the stray camel is driven away. I would call out, ‘Come on, come on.’ Then, it would be said (to me), ‘They changed (your guidance) after you.’ I would say, ‘Be off, be off.’”.

Commentary : Allah confirms that the believers will have characteristics that distinguish them from others in the Hereafter, by which the Prophet ﷺ will recognize them on that day. They will have blazing limbs due to the effect of ablution. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Baqi cemetery, greeted his dead companions, and said, “Peace be upon you, an abode of the believing people. We, Allah willing, will join you.” They preceded the alive ones who would join them, Allah willing, when their life ended. Then, the Prophet ﷺ wished that he had seen his brothers, so his companions wondered and asked him, “Are not we your brothers?” He answered that they were his companions but his brothers had not come yet to this world. He clarified that whoever saw and believed him was one of his companions, but whoever believed him without seeing him among his nation were his brothers. They asked him how he would recognize his brothers on the Day of Resurrection among his nation although he did not see them. He answered, “Suppose a man has horses with white blazes on their foreheads and legs among black horses. Does he not recognize his horses?” This will be the Muslims’ case on that day. They will be distinguished by their white foreheads, hands, and legs owing to the ablution. The Prophet ﷺ will arrive at his cistern before them, from which he will water those coming to him from his nation. On the other hand, he mentioned that the angels would expel some Muslims from his cistern just as a camel herder expelled a camel that was not his own because it competed with his camels for food and drink. Before knowing the reason for expelling, the Prophet ﷺ will call them to come, but the angels will confirm that these people changed his guidance after his death, so he will say to them, “Be off, be off.” It is a supplication against them to be expelled from Allah’s mercy or the Prophet’s cistern. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the legitimacy of visiting Muslims’ cemetery and clarifies the supplications that a Muslim should say in this event, (2) The Prophet’s love and longing for his followers, (3) It shows the virtue of ablution in Islam, (4) It indicates the punishment of deviation from Islam, which is a reason for being expelled from the Prophet’s cistern on the Day of Resurrection, (5) The virtue of having blazing foreheads and bright limbs due to traces of ablution on that day, (6) The legitimacy of wishing goodness for others and meeting virtuous people, and (6) The Prophet ﷺ does not know the unseen world except what Allah reveals to him..

250
Abu Hazem narrated, "I was (standing) behind Abu Huraira while he was performing ablution for prayer. He extended his hand until it went up to his armpit. I said to him, 'O Abu Huraira, what is this ablution?' He said, 'O sons of Faroukh, are you here? if I had known that you had been here, I would have never performed ablution like this. I heard my beloved one (ﷺ) say, 'The believer's adornment reaches the places where ablution reaches.'".

Commentary : Ablution and purity are among the believers' rites. Their effects will appear as lights on Muslims on the Day of Resurrection, through which the Prophet will recognize them at his basin. In this hadith, Abu Hazim Al-Ashja’i narrated that he was standing behind Abu Hurairah during his performing ablution for prayer. Abu Hurairah washed his hands and arms until he reached his armpits, hoping to wash the longest part of his arms. Abu Hazim asked him about the reason for this ablution that he had never seen anyone perform. Abu Hurairah was surprised that Abu Hazem was there and confirmed that if he had known he was seeing him, he would not have performed it this way. As for his saying "Sons of Faroukh," it meant the non-Arab. Abu Hurairah meant that a leader should take much care about his public acts, so he has to refrain from doing some acts of allowable lenience or strictness if he thinks that people may imitate him. They may follow his lenience without necessity or his strictness thinking it is an obligation. Then, Abu Hurairah clarified the reason for his way of ablution. He heard the Prophet confirm that the believer's whiteness, in Paradise, would reach the places where the ablution reached. As a result, Abu Hurairah wanted his ablution to reach the longest part of his arms. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the believers' honor, as they will be singled out for the whiteness of faces and feet, (2) A scholar has to avoid doing some acts before the public if he fears that they do not realize what he does, (3) It shows the virtue of exaggeratedly washing the forehead and feet through washing beyond the obligatory place..

251
Abu Hurairah narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “Will I tell you about something for which Allah obliterates sins and elevates ranks?” They said, “Of course O Allah's Messenger!” He said, “Properly performing ablution in spite of difficulties, taking many steps to mosques, and waiting for the next prayer after observing the current one. That is the defense of the frontier.”.

Commentary : Prayer is of great prestige in Islam, for it is one of its pillars and bases. The Prophet (ﷺ) clarified that Allah boasted about His worshiping servants and those waiting for prayer's appointed times before His angels. In this sense, the Prophet (ﷺ) told his companions about three reasons for which Allah obliterated sins and elevated ranks. First: Properly washing each member during ablution despite difficulties like coldness or pain. Second: Frequently going to mosques to attend congregational prayers. Third: Waiting for the next obligatory prayer after performing the current obligatory one. Then, he explained that those sticking to these three acts were just like those defending the frontier, which was one of the greatest acts of worship in the sight of Allah. This Prophetic similarity confirmed that these acts were means to fight and block devilish whispers and one's prohibited whims. In another narration, the Prophet (ﷺ) repeated it thrice, "That is the defense of the frontier,” to confirm their great reward..

253
Shuraih said, "I asked Aisha, 'What was the first thing the Prophet ﷺ used to do when entering home?'" She replied, "He used to use siwak (tooth-stick.".

Commentary : The siwak is a means to get Allah's pleasing and purify our mouths, as the trustworthy Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed. He regularly observed this habit and verbally and practically urged his nation to keep it. In this hadith, Shuraih ibn Hane' narrated that he asked Aisha, Mother of the Believers, about the first thing that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to do at any time he entered home after greeting as known from his sunnah. She told him that the first thing was to use siwak to cleanse and purify his mouth. This was a part of his manners and caring about his wife. As a result, he was a role model that we should follow. Finally, this hadith confirmed the keenness of the companions' students to ask about the Prophet's tradition so they could follow him..

254
Abu Musa Al-Ash'ary narrated, "I came to the Prophet ﷺ while the siwak's end was on his tongue.".

Commentary : The siwak is a means to get Allah's pleasing and purify our mouths, as the trustworthy Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed. He regularly observed this habit and verbally and practically urged his nation to keep it. In this hadith, the noble companion Abu Musa Al-Ash'ary narrated that he once came to the Prophet (ﷺ) while the siwak's end on his tongue. The Prophet (ﷺ) used to use siwak in order to clean the teeth of anything stuck to them and get a nice smell. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms how the Companions were keen to transmit and follow the Prophet's tradition, and (2) It shows the legitimacy of using the siwak in the presence of people..

256
Ibn 'Abbas narrated that he spent a night at the Prophet's house. The Prophet ﷺ got up in the last part of the night. He went out, looked towards the sky, and then recited a verse from Surat Aal-Imran, “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day” until he reached, “Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” Then, he returned to his house, used the tooth-stick, performed the ablution, prayed, and then lay down. Then, he got up again, went out, looked towards the sky, and recited this verse (mentioned above). Then, he returned, used the tooth-stick, performed the ablution, and prayed..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was keen to perform the night prayer and encouraged his companions to perform it to the extent that he never missed it while being a resident or traveling. In this hadith, the great companion Abdullah ibn Abbas mentioned that he spent a night in his aunt Maimouna’s house, a wife of the Prophet ﷺ. He found that the Prophet ﷺ got up in the last part of the night, went out, looked at the sky, and recited Allah’s sayings, “Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying), ‘Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” (Aal Imran: 190, 191) In Muslim’s narration, he said, “He recited these verses until he finished the sura.” These verses mean: Verily, the perfect creation of the heavens and the earth from nothing and the alternation of night and day have clear signs guiding those having sound minds to the Creator and His attributes. They are those remembering Allah in all of their cases whether they are standing, sitting, or lying down. They are always pondering over the creation of heavens and earth then supplicate Allah, “Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.” Then, the Prophet ﷺ went home and used the siwak, which was a stick made of the roots of the arak tree, to clean his mouth and always smell good. Afterward, he performed ablution and night prayer then slept for a while. Later, he got up and exactly repeated what he did the first time. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It encourages Muslims to use siwak when waking up at night, (2) It confirms the possibility of a little kid’s (who does not reach puberty) spending the night with his female relative that he is forbidden to marry, even if her husband is present, (3) It clarifies the legitimacy of performing the night prayer, reciting the above-mentioned verses when waking up at night, and pondering over its great signs, (4) It recommends that a person looks at the sky to contemplate Allah’s wonderful creation, (5) It contains the permissibility that a person sleeps between his night prayers and repeats the Prophet’s above-mentioned deeds of using the siwak, reciting those two verses, and performing ablution..

258
Anas ibn Malek narrated, "We were given a time limit with regard to trimming the mustache, clipping the nails, plucking the armpit hairs, and shaving the pubic hairs. We were not allowed to leave that for more than forty days.".

Commentary : Islamic law collects the best of everything, so its rules are in harmony with pure human nature, including rules caring about internal and external human cleanliness. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik narrated that the Prophet (as in Abu Dawud's and Al-Nasa’i's narration) talked about four issues that a Muslim was not allowed to leave for more than forty days. (1) Trimming the mustache: A Muslim should trim the hair growing on the upper lip. In the Two Sahihs, Ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet said, "Do the opposite of what the polytheists do. Let the beard grow long and clip the mustache." (2) Trimming the nails: This is because they contain dirties that prevent water during purification and ablution. (3) Plucking armpit hair: This is because its smell stinks due to sweat if it is uncut for a long time. Plucking is better if one bears it but removing it by any means is allowable. (4) Shaving the pubic hair: It is the hair growing around one's private parts. Finally, a Muslim is not allowed to leave them for more than forty days. However, it is better to cut them before. Adhering to these acts of cleanliness leads to protect one's body from filth and beautify its outer appearance. Thus, a Muslim combines internal and external cleanliness and purity..

261
Aisha said, "The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, 'There are ten matters of pure nature: (1) Trimming the mustache, letting the beard grow, Siwak (tooth-stick), rinsing the nose (in ablution), clipping the nails, washing the knuckles, plucking the armpit hairs, shaving the pubic hairs, and washing one's private parts (after relieving oneself)." Zakareyya said that Mus'ab (hadith narrator) said, "I forgot the tenth which may have been rinsing the mouth.".

Commentary : Islamic law collects the best of everything, so its rules are in harmony with pure human nature, including rules caring about internal and external human cleanliness. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned ten matters of pure original nature with which all people were given birth. They are: (1) Trimming the mustache: A Muslim should trim the hair growing on the upper lip, as Ibn Omar narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet said, "Do the opposite of what the polytheists do. Let the beard grow long and clip the mustache," (2) Letting the beard grow: It is to let the hair of chin and cheeks grow without trimming it, (3) Using siwak (tooth-stick): It is a stick cut from arak tree which is used to clean and freshen the mouth and teeth, and remove unpleasant odors, (4) Rinsing the nose: It is to sniff water into the nose then blow it out to remove any dirt or filth, (5) Trimming fingers’ and toes’ nails: It is to trim them before exceeding forty days, for they contain dirties that may harm a person, as Anas narrated in Sahih Muslim, (6) Washing the knuckles: It is to wash any dirties that they may collect, (7) Plucking the armpit hairs: Plucking is better if one bears it but if a person removes it by any means, he follows the Prophetic tradition as well, (8) Shaving the pubic hair: It is to remove the hair growing around male’s or female’s private parts, (9) Washing one's private parts after relieving himself, and (10) Rinsing the mouth: It is to cleanse one’s mouth then spit out the water, especially after eating or eating something with unpleasant smell. Moreover, Abu Hurairah narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned circumcision as a matter of pure human nature. It is to cut the foreskin from a baby's penis or the top of the piece of skin that looks like a rooster’s comb from a female baby’s gentile. Finally, there is no doubt that these matters are related to religious and worldly benefits, such as improving one’s appearance, cleansing the body generally and in detail, having keenness on purification, kindly keeping people away from any unpleasant smells that may harm them, and avoiding the practices of the disbelievers like Magus, Jews, and Christians..

262
Salman, the Persian, said, "The polytheists said to us, 'We see that your friend taught you how to go to the toilet.' I said, 'Yes, he forbade us from cleaning ourselves with our right hand, facing the prayer direction (during relieving ourselves), and using dung or bones for cleaning (ourselves from impurities). He also said, 'None of you should clean with less than three pebbles.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was keen to teach his nation all aspects of Islam and correct the mistakes and habits they followed during the period before Islam. Thus, he taught them the etiquette of relieving oneself. The polytheists used to mock his companions and wondered, as Salman narrated, that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions all Islamic matters even if how they should purify themselves after answering the call of nature. As a result, Salman proudly answered them, "Yes" and added that the Prophet (ﷺ) taught them to avoid the right hand in purifying oneself from urine or feces, due to respecting and dedicating it to honorable and noble things while dedicating the left one to remove filths and impurities. Purification is to use water or something similar to remove what comes out from one's penis, vagina, or anus. Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited them from facing the prayer direction while answering the call of nature. This is applied to doing so in deserts not in houses or similar close places. Abu Daoud reported that Marwan ibn Al-Asfar narrated, "I saw Ibn Omar when he making his camel kneel and facing the prayer direction. He sat down to urinate, so I asked him, "O Abu Abdurrahman, was it not forbidden?" He replied, "It is only forbidden if you do it in deserts, but there is no problem if there is something between you and the prayer direction." Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) and prohibited them from using dung or bones in purification. The former material is impure and the latter is the food of jinn. In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ) answered the Jinn when they asked him for food, "Every bone on which the name of Allah is recited is your provision. When it falls in your hand, it will be completely covered with flesh, and every dung is fodder for your animals." Salman added that the Prophet (ﷺ) prohibited them from purifying themselves (after answering the call of nature) with less than three pure and dry pebbles. A Muslim can use more than three pebbles until he makes sure he is completely purified. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Prophet's keenness to guide his nation to all useful points, even the most minute details, (2) It contains some of the etiquette that a Muslim has to follow while relieving himself, and (3) A Muslim has to be proud of Islamic teachings, especially in front of those mocking and ridiculing him..

263
Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the use of bone or camels' droppings for wiping (after excretion).".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) taught his companions all the Islamic manners to the extent that he taught them the manners of entering the toilet. He detailed how they should clean themselves and the manners they should follow before and after relieving themselves. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Abdullah clarified that the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade them to cleanse themselves with animals' bones and dry droppings. In Sahih Muslim, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Do not cleanse yourself with them, for they are the food of your brothers (Jinn)." Cleansing is done with what is pure such as water, stones, and what is similar to them like napkins..

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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