Hadith Library

1. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) directs the believers to hasten to do good deeds and voluntary acts of worship before they encounter hard trials which he likens to patches of darkness on a very dark night with no visible moon. At such a time, people may not be able to distinguish between truth and falsehood. The Prophet also said: ‘This community of yours is such that its best condition is at its beginning. Later, it will experience oppression and matters that you will reject. There will be waves of oppression which will make one another seem light. A wave of oppression may make a believer say: This will destroy me. But then it is lifted. Another then will come and a believer will say: This is certainly the one’.

 Prophet has urged us to do good deeds before the occurrence of trials because during times of oppression and strife, voluntary worship becomes difficult given people are burdened with worry. Therefore, the Prophet said: ‘Worship during the time of turmoil is like migration to join me’. He also said: ‘There will come a time when people feel that a person holding on to his faith is like one who is holding burning coals in his hand’. [1]

 2. The Prophet then tells us that those trials will be very severe. If one afflicts a Muslim, it may turn him away from his faith very quickly. It is as if it turns him away overnight, ‘because people’s hearts often seek to run loose from the strain of sticking to the truth and frequently look up to ways that lead astray. If they are attacked by some confusing thoughts, these will find ready recipients’ [2] ‘When trials and hardships come thick and fast, they confuse people and have a strong influence on them.’[3]

 3. In such a situation, a person may sell his faith for a paltry price, which may come in the form of money, position, or some other worldly gain. 

Implementation

1. Start your good works now and attend to your worship and other rewarding actions, such as learning, teaching, marriage, maintaining good relations with relatives, etc. Do not think you have much time and delay such good work till tomorrow, or the day after, or ‘until I am older’, or  ‘until I have achieved this or that’, etc. Hard times may come upon you and these may divert you from doing what is good and what your faith requires. Therefore, it is better to start now, without delay, lest impediments occur.

2. It often happens that a person delays some good work, hoping to be able to do it more perfectly in future, but then he does not offer any real progress. Thus, an author may delay publishing his book until he can get it absolutely perfect, or delay giving his wife a gift until he can buy the one she would like best, or delay reciting the Qur’an until he is in the best condition for such worship, etc. He continues to delay things but then he is overwhelmed with duties, or becomes weaker, etc. Had he done what was available and possible, he would have gathered much that is good.

3. Taking the initiative so as to do things without delay is a skill a person acquires by doing it several times. He may find it hard at first, and he may think that he is not doing well. Yet as time goes on, this becomes easier for him. He will be able to do good work with whatever is available to him. Therefore, it is important to acquire the habit of doing good work. Do not hesitate to offer even a good word or a small charitable donation or a casual, unplanned benefit you give to someone you know or to a stranger.

4. Get to know God in times of ease and prosperity, and He will know you in your time of adversity. Therefore, if you hasten to do good works when you have time, and are well and healthy, God will protect you during times of trial and hardship.

5. A Muslim should frequently pray to God to keep him firm in his faith and not to expose him to trials and temptation. The Prophet often said in his supplication: ‘My Lord who turns hearts over, confirm my heart in Your faith’.[4]

6. When a man is in the midst of a trial involving temptation, he may not be aware that he is selling his faith for a worthless gain. He may be complacent in a financial transaction, or accept to receive money which he has not earned, or he may be guilty of backbiting or may listen to some backbiting to please his boss. It is important that we should watch ourselves and take stock of what we do. We must not ignore what detracts from our faith, remembering always that no one has anything more precious than faith.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns against something very serious, which ruins good work and renders it worthless. The Prophet (peace be upon him) called it ‘the lesser idolatry’ to distinguish it from full idolatry, which puts a person out of Islam altogether.

2. The Prophet’s companions asked him to explain what this lesser idolatry meant. They knew what full idolatry meant, which is to associate partners with God in whatever does not apply to anyone other than God. However, distinguishing a lesser form from a larger one requires definition, or the citation of an example.

3. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) gave them an example, stating that what he feared most for them was dissimulation. In such a situation, a person may publicize his worship so that people know his deed and praise him for it.

 This is an example of lesser idolatry. Other examples include saying an oath by someone other than God, or to say: ‘as God and so-and-so will’, acting on a bad omen, using unsound supplications for recovery, etc. These are not totally and absolutely contrary to belief in God’s oneness, but they are aspects of lesser idolatry.

 However, such actions may lead a person to full idolatry. A person swears by someone other than God believing in his superiority; or he believes fortune tellers thinking that they know what is beyond the realm of perception; or dissimulate in all matters or in his belief; or believes that charms and similar matters can prevent harm and cure illness, etc. All these are aspects of full idolatry.

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then mentions that on the Day of Judgement, God will punish them. When He has given all His creation their due rewards, they will still be waiting for their reward for their deeds which had the appearance of being acts of worship. However, they had a different intention when they did these.

5. Therefore, God will tell them to go to those before whom they did their deeds of worship so that they will be seen doing them and earn due reputation. They should find out if they have any reward for them. Needless to say, this is said sarcastically. God renders their deeds worthless and invalid.

 themaximum that a dissimulator gains is some little praise, followed by humiliation.

This means that a person who wants his deeds to be known by people will have it known and God will make people see what that person does. However, He may also expose him and let people learn what that person does not like them to know.[3] The Prophet (peace be upon him) further explains that the first people to be thrown in Hell are a hypocrite, a reciter and one who goes on jihad, coveting praise. This because their deeds were only dissimulation, meant to acquire reputation. Therefore, they were worthless, earning no reward. They are unlike those whose actions are undertaken for God’s sake, with the primary purpose of earning His pleasure and acceptance.

Implementation

1. We will do well to learn from the Prophet’s method of teaching. In this hadith, he resorts to raising a fear and starting with clear advice. Both elements are clearly apparent in his words: ‘The thing I fear for you most’. This style alerts the listener and makes him focus his attention, eager to learn what will come next. Whoever wants to give advice should employ such methods of attracting attention.

2. Subtle idolatry may stealthily corrupt a person’s heart, because he does not give due attention. A person may start a prayer, or a session of glorification of God or a recitation of the Qur’an, or intends to donate a ṣadaqah, or something similar. However, he may notice that some people are close by, and he would love that they should see his act of worship or hear him. If he strives to expel such thoughts from his mind, his action is credited intact to him. If he entertains such thoughts and allows his intention to become one of dissimulation, his action is rendered worthless. It behoves every Muslim to check how he offers his deeds and that he trains himself to keep his good deeds truly sincere.

3. Ṭalḥah ibn Muṣarrif was the leading reciter of the Qur’an in Kufah. When he felt that many people were eager to learn from him, he feared that dissimulation may creep into his work. To guard against this, he went to al-A‘mash and recited the Qur’an to him, i.e. making him his teacher. Therefore, people flocked to learn the recitation from al-A‘mash and left Ṭalḥah. Perhaps he meant to show them that al-A‘mash was a reciter of very high standing. Ṭalḥah wanted them not to consider him the only available teacher, which might make him feel proud. He also wanted that people should learn from all those who could teach them.

4.A Muslim may do his worship publicly, but not for dissimulation. He may want to make Islamic worship known, or to revive a recommended practice that people might have forgotten, or may do something so that people might learn and practise it. None of this is dissimulation. Dissimulation means that a person does his worship primarily to show off and to give people the impression that he is sincere and devoted to his worship, earning some reputation.

5. An important factor that helps to dispel dissimulation is to remember God and His authority, sincerely relying on Him and seeking refuge with Him from all thoughts of dissimulation and hypocrisy. The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned his companions against this and ordered them to seek God’s refuge from it.

6. A Muslim may do some good deed, with sincere dedication to God, but people may see him and praise him for what he has done. He may be happy with their praise. This does not detract from his work and does not make it an act of dissimulation, as long as his intention is clear.

7. A person may be encouraged or feel ashamed when he is with devout people, which leads him to abandon some sins, or encourage him to do some good deeds, without intending to earn their praise. His action is not one of dissimulation. It is indeed one of the benefits of associating with devout people.

8. Were a dissimulator to see his own position he would realize that the majority of those with whom he is eager to earn a reputation do not appreciate his deeds, or they may forget him after he has gone, or they may even be aware of his hypocrisy and he, thus, loses in their esteem. God may also punish him by further exposure. Therefore, the best way to safety is to dedicate all deeds sincerely to God alone and for His sake only.

Hypocrisy is one of the worst ills that affect individuals and communities alike. Islam gives very strong warnings against hypocrisy. It clearly states the hypocrites’ characteristics so that believers should beware of them, ensuring that none such can be attributed to them.

1. In this hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions four qualities that must not belong to a Muslim. These are the qualities of hypocrites, and if all four happen to be combined by one person, then that person is a complete hypocrite.

The other type is practical hypocrisy, such as lying and reneging on one’s promises and pledges, as mentioned in the hadith. This type does not take a person out of Islam altogether, but it gives him a quality of hypocrisy, making him similar to the hypocrite and equally liable to suffer God’s punishment. 

2"A person may not possess all four qualities combined, but he may have one or more of them. He, thus, harbours a measure of hypocrisy in proportion to what he has collected of these qualities.

3. The first of these qualities is that of betraying trust. Betrayal means to act unlawfully in respect of what is given to him on trust, such as selling an item, or denying having it, or taking a portion of it, or being careless about keeping it safe. ‘Trust’ refers to everything a person is entrusted with, which may be money or property, honour or a right due to someone else. It may also mean the entire religious message, because God has given this to us in trust so that we should implement it and teach it to others. God describes disobedience to His Book and the

4". The second quality is lying. God commands us to speak the truth.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warns against the ultimate outcome of lying.

The Prophet saw in his dream a man whose mouth, nostrils and eyes were being slit open right up to his back. He asked about him and he was told that he would tell a lie and it is then reported throughout the world.[2]

5. The third of these qualities is being treacherous. A person may promise and give pledges, but he does not honour that promise. God has forbidden treachery and emphasized its prohibition in several places in the Qur’an.

The last of these four qualities is that when having a quarrel, a person moves away from the truth, makes dishonest responses and tries to take what is not rightfully his. This is particularly true if he is eloquent and argumentative.

God has commanded all His servants to be fair in all matters. He further orders us not to allow our hostility to tempt us to treat our opponents unfairly.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells us the ultimate outcome of one who wrongfully takes something that belongs by right to someone else.

These four qualities sum up the essential qualities of hypocrisy. There are other characteristics that may come under these four, such as being untrue to one’s promises. In fact, hypocrisy comprises many characteristics, but all these come under the four main umbrellas outlined in this hadith. It behoves every Muslim to endeavour not to collect any of these qualities or characteristics.

Implementation

1"A distinctive feature of the Prophet’s method of teaching is that he uses all aids to illustrate his meaning. One such aid is the use of numbers. When a person learns that the qualities that are about to be mentioned are four, he will be eager to listen and count, so that he subsequently remembers. Scholars and advocates of Islam should use such aids when they address people and teach their students.

2. Hypocrisy is the worst of all characteristics. Indeed, every part of hypocrisy is evil. A wise and true person will steer away from it, but does not claim immunity from it. Ibn Abi Mulaykah, who belonged to the tābi‘īn generation, said: ‘I met thirty companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Every one of them feared that hypocrisy might creep into him. None of them said that his faith was as strong as that of the Angels Gabriel and Michael’.[4]

3. A Muslim should be a responsible person. He should be careful about whatever is given to him in trust, whether it is given by one’s parents, managers at work, friends, or anyone else. If he fears that he may forget it or forget where he has put it, he should write it down. It is reported that some devout people used to write down anything given them in trust, even if it were nothing more than a pencil or a small sum of money.

4"To be faithful to one’s trust is a quality of good and noble people. Prior to Islam, the people of Makkah gave the Prophet the nickname al-amīn, which means ‘trustworthy’. Being true to one’s trust requires patience, accuracy and care.

5. It is important to train oneself to be always truthful, even in simple and trivial matters. Truthfulness is a very good habit to acquire. One should not justify a lie as a joke, or a pleasantry, etc. Nothing is served by lying. A person may continue to lie until lying becomes a characteristic which he does not even try to avoid. He thus becomes known as a liar. Remember that lying is the worst characteristic. Abu Sufyān was still an unbeliever when he was interviewed by Heraclius about the Prophet. He could have lied, but he felt that it was a disgrace to lie, and he answered truthfully.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered Muslims to remain true to their pledges, even when dealing with unbelievers at a time of war. Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān narrated: ‘Noting stopped me from taking part in the Battle of Badr except that my father, Ḥusayl, and I marched, but we were taken by the unbelievers of the Quraysh. They asked us: “Are you going to join Muhammad?” We said: “We are not. We only want to go to Madinah”. They took from us a firm pledge by God that we would go to Madinah and would not fight with him. We went to God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and told him. He said: “Go home. We honour the pledge given to them and we seek God’s help against them”’.[5] It should be noted that the Prophet did not allow Ḥudhayfah and his father to join him in the battle against unbeliever enemies, honouring the promise that had been given to those very enemies.

7. A treacherous party may achieve some victory or gain through such treachery, but he should not rejoice at this. The ultimate result is a great and shameful exposure.

A treacherous person may be able to manage his affairs so that his treachery remains unknown to people in this life, but where will he hide on the Day of Judgement when a banner is raised over his treachery and beheld by all mankind?

8. It is important not to justify being untrue to trust, lying, treachery or resorting to falsehood in a quarrel on account that someone else has done the same. Do not do any of these to anyone who does it to you. A Muslim heeds God’s commands and does not follow his own desires.

This hadith is one of the most important hadiths as it serves as a basis for many rulings and essential rules of Islamic law. Imam Ahmad said: ‘The fundamentals of Islam are based on three hadiths: 1) ‘Actions are by intentions’; 2) ‘Whoever introduces into this matter of ours something that does not belong to it will have it rejected’; and 3) ‘What is lawful is plain and what is unlawful is plain’.

In this hadith the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that following divine guidance is a condition for the acceptance of religious deeds. Whoever invents something new, without basis in the Islamic faith and the Prophet’s Sunnah, will find his invention rejected, earning no reward. Indeed, it may even incur a punishment for being contrary to the Prophet’s guidance.

Deviation is the introduction of a new matter which does not rely on a proper religious basis. This may be a matter of belief, such as negating qadar, i.e. the divine decree, or believing that a dead person can bring benefit to someone. Alternatively, it may be an action, which means offering worship in a way that is not a part of Islamic worship, such as celebrating the Prophet’s birthday, or using phrases of worship that have no basis in the Qur’an or the Prophet’s Sunnah, or devoting certain nights for worship such as the middle night of the month of Sha‘bān. All such matters are due to ignorance, following personal desire, imitating non-Muslims and giving priority to one’s own reasoning above religious rules.

  God, Mighty and Exalted, has warned against the pursuit of desire and following deviant ways.

Qatādah said: ‘The ones who became divided and fell into conflict are those who follow deviant ways’. Ibn Abbās said that on the Day of Judgement ‘the faces of the people who follow the Sunnah will be bright while the faces of those who follow deviant ways will be dark’.

God berates the idolaters for making things lawful or unlawful without His permission. He says: ‘Say: Do but consider all the means of sustenance that God has bestowed on you! Some of it you then made unlawful, and some lawful’.

At the beginning of his speeches, the Prophet used to say: ‘the best of discourse is God’s Book, and the best guidance is Muhammad’s. The worst of matters are new inventions, and every deviation is errant’.[1] He urged his companions in the following terms: ‘Adhere to my Sunnah and that of my rightly-guided successors. Hold on firmly to it. Beware of new inventions, for every such invention is a deviation and every deviation is errant’.[2]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) warned against inventions in religion because this was the cause of the destruction of earlier communities. Moreover, the Jews and Christians altered their faiths, claiming that Ezra or Christ were sons of God. They also claimed that they are God’s beloved children. They distorted their scriptures, the Torah and the Gospel, and stopped the implementation of mandatory punishments. They set their own reason against their religious laws.

this hadith refutes the argument of those who claim that some inventions are good. The Prophet (peace be upon him) has ruled that every invented practice in religion is rejected. This includes all invented practices. Some people cite the case of ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb when he arranged for people who were offering the Tarāwīḥ Prayer during Ramadan to form one congregation and appointed ‘Umar ibn Kab‘Āʼishah; she said that God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said

b to lead the prayer.[3]

He then commented: ‘How good is this bidlah!’ He used the word bidlah in its linguistic sense, which refers to every new thing, whether it relies on some religious basis or not. In this linguistic sense, doing something new is not a religious deviation. What ꜤUmar did was not an act of deviation. The Prophet (peace be upon him) led such prayer with a congregation for a few days, then he feared that it might become obligatory on Muslims. When the Prophet (peace be upon him) passed away, and no new revelation was to be given, what the Prophet feared no longer applied. There fore, Umar’s action in effect followed the Prophet’s practice and Sunnah.[4]

The Prophet (peace be upon him) made his address specific, relating to ‘this matter of ours’, meaning the religion of Islam. Thus, invention and innovation in matters of this present life is neither wrong nor restricted. Indeed, many inventions are useful and contribute to life’s progress. As such, this type of invention is to be encouraged.

Implementation

1.This hadith sets out an highly important and fundamental principle of the Islamic faith. It serves like a standard for the evaluation of man’s actions as they appear on the surface. Likewise, the hadith that says, ‘Actions are but by intention’, is a standard for the evaluation of actions in essence. Every religious deed that is not intended for God’s sake earns no reward. Likewise, every deed that is inconsistent with what God and His Messenger have established is rejected. Whatever is introduced into the religion of Islam remains alien to it unless it is sanctioned by God and His Messenger. Therefore, every Muslim should implement these two hadiths in evaluating his actions. He checks whether they are consistent with Islamic law and are intended for God’s sake.

2. The hadith refers to the principle that all people’s deeds must be consistent with the Islamic code of law. They are subject to the Islamic rulings of approval and prohibition. Any action that is consistent with Islamic law is accepted and whatever is not is rejected.

3.A Muslim must not judge Islamic rulings by his own reasoning. No one may permit what Islam prohibits or forbid what Islam makes lawful as he thinks fit. Islamic law is derived from God’s Book, the Qur’an, and the Prophet’s Sunnah.

4. To uphold the Sunnah is a great act which earns a Muslim his own reward and the equivalent of the reward of all those who follow his example in practising it. By contrast, an introduction of an unwarranted action in religion and calling on people to practise it is a very grave sin to which is added the burden of everyone who heeds such introduction and acts on it.

5.Al-Fuḍayl commented on the Qur’anic verse that

He said: ‘The best of conduct is the most sincere and most right. An action which is sincere but not right is unacceptable. Similarly, right but insincere action is unacceptable. To be accepted, action must be right and sincere. A sincere action is that which is done for God’s sake, and right action is what follows the Sunnah’.[6]

6. Every question that relates to religion has a basis in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and a ruling is deduced for it through analogy. Therefore, reference to Islamic scholars is necessary to avoid deviation in matters of religion. ꜤAbdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd said: ‘Be followers, not deviators. You have been spared that. Every invented thing in religion is a deviation, and every deviation is errant’.[7]

7. Muslims of the early generations were very keen to follow the example of the Prophet and his companions. Ibrāhīm al-Nakha‘ī said: ‘If I learn that in doing the ablution, i.e. wudu, the Prophet’s companions did not exceed a finger nail, I would not exceed it. It is burden enough for anyone that their work is at variance with the work of their Prophet’s companions’.[8]

8. ꜤUmar ibn ꜤAbd al-‘Azīz said: ‘Stop where they stopped; say the same as they said; and remain silent as they did. They stopped where their knowledge suggested, and refrained as their critical view indicated. They were better qualified to determine what was right, and more eager to ensure what was best for them’.[9]

9. The only way to remain safe from temptations and trials is to adhere to God’s Book and the Prophet’s Sunnah. Whoever holds on to God’s Book, will find it sufficient as his guide and protection. The Prophet’s Sunnah provides light along the way when the darkness of trials becomes very confusing. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘After I am gone, you shall witness great controversy. Therefore, adhere to my Sunnah and that of my rightly-guided successors. Hold on firmly to it. Beware of new inventions, for every such invention is a deviation and every deviation is errant’.[10]

1-. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that the religion of Islam has the distinctive quality of having easy rulings and obligations, so that they are within human ability. It does not place any hard obligations on people like those that were included in earlier religions. For example, it was legislated for the Children of Israel that if a man committed a sin, his repentance would not be accepted unless he was executed. If impurity fell on his clothing, the stained part had to be cut off. Hence

Another aspect of the easy nature of the Islamic faith is that its obligations are subject to ability.

  No zakat is due from a poor or needy person; it is an obligation only to those who own what is above the stated threshold of zakat. Hajj becomes an obligation only to a person who is able to perform it, and has the ability to cover the expenses necessary, the physical ability and means to ensure safe travel. The same applies to prayer. A Muslim who is unable to stand up in prayer may offer his prayers seated or reclining or in whatever position he can. A traveller and a sick person may not fast during Ramadan but they fast when the traveller returns home and when the patient has recovered. A person who suffers an incurable disease need not fast but he compensates for fasting by feeding a poor person for each day of the fasting. Such relaxation of rules applies to all religious duties.

Yet another aspect of the easy Islamic approach is that it gives concessions to those who need them. Thus, obligatory prayers are offered differently during battle. A traveller shortens some obligatory prayers and offers two prayers at the same time. After having performed his first ablution, i.e. wudu, of the day, a person may later replace washing his feet by wiping over his footwear. This concession is available for one full day for a resident and for three days and nights for a traveller.

2-Whoever resorts to hardship instead of ease in respect of Islamic rulings, imposing on himself what is hard will ultimately fail and find himself unable to continue. He may feel himself strong and able to persevere with his self commitment, but he will ultimately feel bored or burdened and will seek what is easy. The Prophet’s guidance is the best guidance. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Āṣ said: ‘I shall spend the night in worship and fast during the day throughout my life’. When the Prophet was told of this, he told him not to do so. Instead, he ordered him to fast three days a month and to sleep a part of the night and to do his voluntary worship during a part. ‘Abdullāh appealed for more, relying on his strength. The Prophet told him to fast one day each three days, but he said he could do more. The Prophet ultimately told him to fast on alternate days. When ‘Abdullāh attained to old age and found himself unable to keep up his fasting, he said: ‘I wish I had accepted the three days a month God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) suggested. That would have been dearer to me than my family and wealth’.[2] This occurred because he did not wish to change what he was doing during the Prophet’s lifetime.

3-Therefore, it is important to abide by what is right, which is the middle way between exaggeration and complacency. If we cannot do what is right and best, then we should endeavour to do what is close to it.

This is an order by the Prophet to maintain a middle course in worship. If one is unable to do what is best of voluntary worship and good deeds, one should try to do what is close to it. What cannot be attained in full should not be mostly abandoned.

4- The Prophet then gives his community the happy news that even though they fall short of attaining the best standard in their worship, God has prepared a rich reward for them, keeping it complete, undiminished.

5. The Prophet was aware that people cannot attend to worship at all times. Therefore, he advised them to make the best use of the times when they are fresh, which are the beginning and end of the day. He also encouraged them to do their voluntary worship in the best and most rewarding time, which is towards the end of the night [3].

Implementation

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) uses the particle inna at the beginning of the hadith. It adds emphasis to the following sentence and it is frequently used in literary works and by writers and speakers. It is easy and proper to use by advocates of Islam.

2.When we consider Islamic religious duties and their easy fulfilment, as well as the concessions given to those who are ill or disabled, we realize the extent of mercy God has bestowed on us and the care He takes of us. We should respond, expressing our love of God and demonstrating that we are eager to please Him by the fulfilment of duties and by adding voluntary worship.

3.The hadith implies that refusing to avail oneself of a concession when it is needed betrays an overbearing attitude that leaves a person at a loss. When a person is in need of a concession, then the proper attitude is to follow the Sunnah and implement that concession. It is wrong to make things too hard for oneself. If a traveller during Ramadan finds fasting too difficult, he should not fast. An ill person who is burdened by standing up to pray, should pray seated. If one is starving and has nothing available except carrion or some other forbidden food, he eats of it what ensures his survival.

4.It is not permissible to be over scrupulous in matters of religion, imposing on oneself what God does not require. Excessive strictness in worship is pedantic. 

5. The hadith does not say that a person who is diligent in worship does wrong. What is wrong is to charge oneself with a burden which is too heavy.

6. To adhere to the Prophet’s Sunnah is better than adding to it. To fast on some days and not fast on others, and to spend a portion of the night in voluntary worship and go to sleep is a better way than fasting all the time and spending the whole night in worship. When some of his companions felt that his voluntary worship was too little and wanted to add to it

7. The hadith provides evidence that the proper thing is moderation in voluntary worship, because imposing a hard task on oneself and tiring oneself leads to abandoning all. God has made this religion easy to follow, and therefore it will defeat anyone who pulls hard against it. Islam is based on making things easy, not hard.

8.It is far better for a dedicated believer not to overtax himself, which may eventually tire him out and cause him to stop his voluntary worship. He should be moderate so that he will continue for a long time.

9. What is required of a Muslim is to exert his effort in obedience of God and to endeavour to achieve perfection in every good thing. He should endeavour to achieve perfect humility in prayer, and try to do things as best as he can. For example, a student should strive to understand all his lessons well. Everyone should endeavour to stay away from all sinful actions and fulfil all duties. Having exerted his best efforts, if he achieves most of his aims, he will have done well and gained good reward.

10. Following the Sunnah is following the middle course between two opposite extremes: too much and too little. Man should never impose too much on himself in worship, and must not neglect duties or do what is forbidden.

11. That advocates of Islam and scholars should give people the happy news that God rewards those who attend to their Islamic duties and add voluntary worship is an aspect of the Prophet’s Sunnah. They must never lead a person to despair of receiving God’s mercy.

12. Everyone should choose the time when he is comfortable and energetic to do his voluntary worship. If one feels lazy or tired, one should rest. One can resume when one is fresh and comfortable. This applies to worship, study and life affairs generally.

13. To spread deeds of worship over the whole day, so as to do a little at different times, is better than to do them all at one time, as one may feel physically and mentally drained at the end.

14. One aspect of God’s mercy is that he has neither made night worship obligatory nor urged us to spend the entire night in worship. The Prophet says in this hadith that we should seek ‘a portion of the night’, so as to lighten the difficulty of night worship. Had he wished otherwise, he would have urged us to dedicate ‘the night’.

15. ‘Āʾishah narrated: ‘God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) had a straw mat and he used to make of it a small compartment where he prayed at night. He would then leave it flat to sit on it during the day. People used to join him in his prayer, and then there were many of them.

16.

1. The bedouin came from Najd, which is a plateau extending from Hijaz in the west to Yamamah in the east; today, it includes Riyadh, Qasim and Aflaj. He entered the mosque when the Prophet was sitting with his companions. He had dishevelled hair, was careless about his appearance, spoke aloud at a distance, giving his voice an echo that made it difficult to understand what he was saying. When he drew close to the Prophet, those seated with the Prophet understood him. Essentially, he was asking about Islam and its legislation.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told him about prayer, which is the second pillar of Islam, coming immediately after the declaration of belief in God’s oneness and Prophet Muhammad as His Messenger. The Prophet told him that there are five obligatory prayers stretching over each day and night. These are Fajr, Ẓuhr, ‘Aṣr, Maghrib and ‘Ishā. The bedouin asked whether he had any further duty of prayer once he had offered these five, with all their essentials, in the way and form they should be done. The Prophet told him that no other prayers were obligatory, but that he may voluntarily add to them, if he so wished.

Voluntary worship is offered in excess of what is obligatory, to draw closer to God and in the hope of enhancing one’s status on the Day of Judgement. This is recommended, earning reward for the one who offers it, but no punishment is incurred for failure to do so. 

3.The Prophet (peace be upon him) then mentions fasting, the fourth pillar of Islam. It means abstention from eating, drinking and other prohibitions from the break of dawn until sunset, with the right intention, dedicating one’s action for God’s sake. The Prophet tells his questioner that his duty is to fast during the month of Ramadan. The bedouin asked the Prophet whether he had any obligatory fasting other than this month? The Prophet told him that this is the only obligatory fasting, but he may voluntarily decide to fast on other recommended days.

4. The Prophet then tells him about the third pillar of Islam, namely zakat, which follows the declaration of God’s oneness and prayer. He tells him that zakat is a duty and he explains to him its details.

Zakat is a financial act of worship constituting the payment of a portion of certain types of property to defined groups of people. It is called zakat, which is a word derived from a source meaning ‘purity’, because it purifies man’s soul from the burden of sin.

The man asks the Prophet whether he owed any financial duty other than this obligatory zakat. The Prophet told him that this is the only duty, but he may give further charity if he so wished. 

5. The man left and said as he was walking away: ‘By God, I shall not do more than this and will not omit any of it’. He meant that he would fulfil them as perfectly as he could, without addition or omission.

The man did not mean that he would do only these duties, but not other duties which the Prophet did not include in his answer, such as lowering one’s gaze, maintaining one’s chastity, stating the truth, etc. To say such a thing is wrong and unacceptable. The Prophet would not have agreed to it. The man simply asked the Prophet about the duties and obligations which would ensure his admittance into Heaven. Therefore, he did not tell him about prohibitions and the need to steer away from them.

6. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then says that if the man did as he promised and was true to his word, he would be successful and have much that is good.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not mention the declaration of belief in God’s oneness and the Prophet’s message, because he knew that the man was aware of it, or because he was asking about practical Islamic duties. The Prophet does not mention hajj, either because it was not yet legislated, or because it was not applicable to the man as a duty, or the Prophet might have mentioned it but the narrator left it out.

Implementation

1.The Prophet (peace be upon him) tolerated the rough manners of the bedouin even as he spoke too loudly. This suggests that educators, teachers and advocates of Islam should always be patient, tolerating the difficulties associated with their tasks. They may even be faced with strong disapproval and even harm. They should follow the example of the Prophet, enduring all this patiently.

2. An advocate of Islam, a scholar, an educator and a leader should realize that people differ mentally and psychologically. Therefore, he cannot treat them all in the same way. We note that the Prophet did not criticize the bedouin for raising his voice.

3. The man was keen to learn from the Prophet what was of benefit to him, speaking without hesitation. Every time the Prophet outlined an obligation, the man asked: ‘Any more duty?’ Everyone should seek to learn what is necessary, unhindered by either bashfulness or arrogance.

4. The hadith shows that a person who limits himself to doing what is obligatory and does the essential Islamic duties in the way acceptable to God will be safe on the Day of Judgement, even though he does not add any voluntary worship. God has made clear that His servants do not draw closer to Him by doing anything better than what He has made obligatory on them. However, neglecting recommended prayers means missing out on much reward. While a person will be safe by doing what is obligatory, adding what is recommended confirms success, enhances one’s position and raises one’s status.

5. Recommended prayers are many, but the most important are the confirmed sunnah prayers that are associated with the obligatory prayers. These are two rak‘ahs before Fajr Prayer, four rak‘ahs before Ẓuhr and two after it, two rak‘ahs after Maghrib and two after ꜤIshā.

Other recommended prayers include the midmorning prayer, i.e. Ḍuḥā ,night worship, the Witr Prayer, etc. Referring to all these, and other voluntary prayers as well

6. Voluntary fasting is one the most rewarding actions a person does. God grants rich reward for it. Fasting on the Day of Arafat wipes away the sins of the outgoing year and the incoming one; and fasting on the Day of ‘Āshūrāʼ wipes away the sins of the outgoing year.[3]

7. The Prophet (peace be upon him) also mentions zakat because it provides evidence of a person’s faith. Only a believer pays out his zakat feeling pleased with his deed. The fact is that human beings love money and like to keep it for themselves. When a person sets aside his zakat duty, as the portion owed to God, Mighty and Exalted, this is a proof of faith and one’s belief in God’s promise and warnings. Therefore, a believer should test himself and the strength of his faith by paying zakat and voluntary charity, knowing that what God has in store for him is better and longer lasting.

8. The bedouin said: ‘By God, I shall not do more than this and will not omit any of it’. He was assured that doing what is obligatory is sufficient to ensure admittance into Heaven. It is imperative that a Muslim should be firm and active in every good thing he does, hoping to receive its reward. He should not slacken after he has started. This applies to deeds done for the life to come and those for one’s present life. A student should attend to his studies and a soldier should carry on with his duties. Perfection of one’s work should be the motto of every worker, whether in a factory or a farm or a marketplace.

9. The Prophet’s comments on what the man said is clearly applicable to every Muslim. Whoever attends well to all obligatory duties and refrains from whatever is prohibited ensures safety from Hell and admittance into Heaven. However, Heaven has grades and levels, the highest of which is to be in the company of prophets, the ones who never deviate from the truth, martyrs and righteous believers. Needless to say, this grade is not attained by merely fulfilling the obligatory part. Everyone is given according to one’s deeds, and everyone should work to achieve one’s ambition in the life to come.

10. We note in the hadith that the Prophet (peace be upon him) appreciated the position of his questioner. Therefore, he did not tell him more than what was obligatory, because these are what is essential for a person to be a true Muslim. Scholars and advocates of Islam should intelligently assess the condition of a questioner and give him the most suitable and right answers.

1.Islam takes care of all human internal and external affairs. Therefore, it ensures that a Muslim should maintain a decent appearance. In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions some of the sound practices of human nature, which God made it natural for people to look after, so that they have a decent and comely appearance. These are approved by sound mind. However, some people may take a different line and corrupt their natural tendencies.

However, the good practices of sound human nature are not limited to the ten mentioned in this hadith. Others are mentioned in other hadiths.

2. The first of these practices is trimming one’s moustache. This should be trimmed because if it is overgrown, it may cause some harm through what is discharged through one’s nose. It also interferes with drinking.

Trimming the moustache is recommended, i.e. a sunnah. It is preferable to trim it back so as one’s lip is clearly visible. It is not recommended to shave it altogether.

3. The second practice is to leave one’s beard, which is a man’s facial hair. What is meant is that it should be left and allowed to grow properly.

Several hadiths use different Arabic words which together indicate an order to leave it to grow and that it is not permissible to shave it. As for trimming it somewhat, this is subject to different scholarly views.  

4. Brushing one’s teeth is the third practice. During the Prophet’s lifetime and for many succeeding generations, this was with the use of a stick from the arāk tree. It was useful to clean and brush one’s teeth and impart a healthy mouth smell.

the use of such a toothstick is recommended at all times, particularly before prayers and on waking up. It is also recommended to remove bad mouth smells and when one’s teeth change colour.

5. The fourth practice is inhaling water to blow one’s nose and remove mucous.

6. Clipping one’s nails is the fifth practice. A person should regularly clip one’s nails in order not to leave any deposit of dirt under them.

7. The next practice is the washing of finger joints, because they may hold deposits of dirt, impurity or germs. This practice applies to all areas of the body which may gather dirt or germs. It is important to keep them clean.

8. The seventh practice is to remove armpit hair, because this is a point which gathers dirt and sweat, giving off a noxious smell.

This recommendation is fulfilled however the hair is removed, whether the area is shaved or the hair plucked. The important thing is to remove armpit hair. If one can pluck it, rather than shave it, this is better.

9. The eighth practice is shaving pubic hair. This applies to both men and women.

10. The ninth practice is expressed as ‘reducing water’, but it refers to the use of water to cleanse oneself after urination and defecation. It is also suggested that it means that a person sprinkles some water over one’s penis and clothing to remove any thought that some drops of urine might have fallen on one’s clothes.

11. One of the narrators forgot the tenth practice, and thought that most probably it was rinsing one’s mouth.

Some scholars say that the tenth is circumcision, because it is mentioned in the hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah

Circumcision is a duty for boys, except in a case where it causes some harm. It involves cutting the foreskin that covers the top of the penis. If the foreskin is left uncut, it gathers traces of urine and impurity. No circumcision applies to women.^[4]

It should be noted that for trimming the moustache, clipping the nails, removing armpit hair and shaving pubic hair, the proper thing is to do it as necessary, whenever it has grown. It is not recommended to wait for forty days. Anas ibn Mālik said: ‘We have been instructed not to exceed forty nights in attending to trimming moustaches, clipping nails, plucking armpit hair and shaving pubic hair.’^[5] 

Implementation

1. Islam gives much attention to people’s internal and external cleansing, taking care that a Muslim should have the best appearance.

Therefore, a Muslim should always make sure of cleansing his body and having good appearance. Needless to say, he must also make sure of the purity of his faith and heart.

2. God requires that when His servants stand before Him in worship they must be fully cleansed, with body and clothing clean, ready to address Him, pure internally by repenting their sins and cleansed externally by performing the ablutions and putting on clean clothes. Hence, when we perform the ablution, we say: ‘My Lord, make me one of those who repent their sins and those who cleanse themselves’.

3. It is recommended that men should follow the Prophet’s Sunnah, trimming their moustaches. When they do, they are recommended to start with the right side.

4. It is not permissible for a man to shorten or shave his beard. What is permissible is to keep it tidy.

5. Scholars mention that certain practices are discouraged to do with one’s beard. These include dying it black except at the time of jihad, dying it yellow to give oneself an appearance of ascetism, whitening it to give an impression of being old, wise or scholarly, shaving or plucking it, plucking the white hairs, combing it to attract women, or leaving it uncombed, dishevelled to give an appearance of carelessness about oneself.

6. It is recommended to use a toothstick to clean one’s mouth and remove any bad smell. Using a toothbrush and tooth paste is a proper alternative.

7. It is recommended to use a toothstick before every prayer, to implement the hadith quoting the Prophet: ‘Were it not that I may be setting the believers – in Zuhayr’s narration “setting my community” – a task that is too hard, I would have commanded them to brush their teeth at the time of every prayer’.^[6]

8. Using a toothstick is not discouraged at any time. It is indeed encouraged when one is fasting.

9. Inhaling water is an act of cleansing one’s nose. Therefore, the Prophet ordered a person performing the ablution: ‘Inhale water very well unless you are fasting’.^[8]

10. Every Muslim should take care of his nails, clipping them and removing any dirt underneath them.

11. The Prophet mentions washing finger joints, but this includes every part of the body that could attract dirt, such as the back of the ear, wrinkles, in between one’s toes and any spot where sweat and dust gather.

12. It is recommended that one should remove pubic hair regularly, wash hairy areas, clean the area at the top of one’s thighs and ensure that every part of one’s body is washed.

13. The use of water to wash the genitals after a discharge is much better than using solid objects such as toilet paper on its own. Washing with water ensures proper cleansing.

14. A Muslim must not be prevented by pride from stating the truth. We note that the narrator clearly states that he forgot the tenth practice. This is the proper attitude which is much better than saying what may be wrong, attributing it to God or His Messenger.

15. Rinsing one’s mouth is a natural practice which a Muslim should do frequently. By doing so, he pleases God, gains the reward of following the Sunnah and makes his cleansing complete.

16. It is much better that circumcision should be done as early as possible. It is better done in early childhood, because it is the time when flesh grows quicker. Moreover, in early childhood, the child does not go through psychological pain.

1. One of the Prophet’s companions asked the Prophet (peace be upon him) about using sea water for wudu, or ablution. He mentioned that when they travelled by sea, they only carried a small amount of fresh water. If they were to use it for ablution, it would soon run out and they would have nothing to drink. Could they, in this scenario, perform ablution with sea water?

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told him that sea water is pure and usable for purification, even though it is different from fresh water in colour and taste.

3. The Prophet gives him further information, stating that it is permissible to eat the flesh of dead sea animals. This is an exception from the Qur’anic statement:

Implementation:

1. The Prophet’s companion stated his question distinctly and clearly. Rulings may change according to circumstances. Therefore, a questioner must make his question absolutely clear and a scholar must not give a ruling until he has understood the question with all its details.

2. The Prophet’s companion was keen to fulfil his religious duty. Although he might be on a journey and could avail himself of the concessions available to travellers, such as combining two obligatory prayers at the same time, and delaying a prayer until the last part of its time range, so that he may pray on arrival, he was nonetheless keen to enquire further. He seems eager to offer his prayers on time. This is an example of ensuring that life matters should not distract us from our religious duties. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) answered saying: ‘As for the sea, its water is pure’. He did not give a short answer such as saying, ‘Yes’. Such an abbreviated response might have been understood to mean that it is permissible to use sea water for ablution in cases of need or emergency only, as when having little fresh water. It might also be understood to mean that it is not usable for removing impurity. Hence, the Prophet’s answer gives a general ruling, stating that sea water is pure and can be used for cleansing, whether there is plenty of fresh water or not, and whether one is on a journey or in residence. This is an aspect of wisdom that is needed by scholars, as they need to give clear and definitive answers. 

4. The Arabic wording of the Prophet’s answer uses definite articles in both noun and adjective, ‘water’ and ‘pure’. This gives further clarity to the answer. Scholars should always make their answers clear, leaving no room for doubt. 

5. The hadith shows that it is right to give a questioner more information than merely answering his question, if the scholar sees that the questioner might need it even though he has not included it in his enquiry. In this case, the questioner frequently travelled by sea. It was possible that he might find dead fish floating on the surface. The Prophet tells him that it is permissible to eat these. It is right for advocates of Islam, scholars and educators to go beyond the terms of the question, if they realize that the questioner has overlooked a necessary aspect. 

1. ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān took his place in public to teach people how to do the ablution, i.e. wudu. He called for water to be brought in, and started with his hands, washing them three times. He then took some water in his cupped hand and rinsed his mouth. He also inhaled some water and exhaled it to clean his nose. He did this three times. He then washed his face three times. The face extends vertically from the top of the forehead to the lowest point of the chin. It also comprises the area between the two ears. He then washed his arms up to the elbows, starting with the right hand washing it three times before washing the left arm three times. He then wet his hand and wiped the top of his head once only. The requirement concerning one’s head is to wipe it once, not to wash it. He finished with washing his feet and ankles three times, starting with the right foot and finishing with the left. 

The narrator does not mention washing one’s ears, because they are washed, front and back, along with wiping one’s head. This was the Prophet’s confirmed practice.

In this hadith, ꜤUthmān mentions that the Prophet’s ablution showed that each part was washed three times. Other hadiths mention that the Prophet did the ablution washing each part once only, and on a different occasion he washed each part twice. The total sum of these hadiths is that the obligatory part is to wash each part once only, making sure that it is well washed. What is more than once is recommended, i.e. sunnah. He did not wash any part more than three times. He said: ‘Whoever does more than this misbehaves, does wrong and is unfair.’ This means that washing each part once is adequate, the second is sunnah and the third attains perfection. What is more is unfair.

2. ‘Uthmān then states that he saw the Prophet performing the ablution in this way and that he wanted to teach people the Prophet’s practice as he saw it. 

3. ‘Uthmān further adds that the Prophet told them that whoever performs the ablution in this manner then offers two rak‘ahs of voluntary prayer, calmly and sincerely, giving no thought to worldly matters and ignoring any sudden such thought, will be rewarded by the forgiveness of his past sins.

The apparent meaning of this hadith covers all sins, major and minor. However, similar hadiths specify the minor sins, excluding the major ones.

Scholars consider this condition mentioned in the hadith applicable to similar hadiths that do not specifically state it.

4. Since the forgiveness of sins is the reward of the ablution, the prayer and walking to the mosque are given additional reward. This means that a person who performs the ablution and offers a prayer of two rak‘ahs will have his sins wiped away. He will also earn the reward of the following prayer and the walk to the mosque. The reward of these two is granted in full, unaffected by anything. How generous God is: He not only wipes away past sins, but also rewards His servant for both his prayer and his walk to the mosque. 

Implementation:

1. ‘Uthmān was known to be a very shy person. However, he did not hesitate to perform the ablution in front of people, so as to teach them the Prophet’s method. A Muslim should not allow his shyness to stop him seeking or disseminating knowledge, correcting mistakes, enjoining what is right or prohibiting wrong. 

2. This hadith teaches us the perfect way to perform ablution. We should be keen to always do it this way.

3. The best form of ablution is washing every part three times. We should all do this, adding nothing more.

4. Washing one’s hands is one of the recommended parts of the ablution and the Prophet consistently did it, although it was not mentioned in the Qur’an. Every Muslim should make sure to practise all the recommended aspects of wudu.

5. Rinsing one’s mouth, inhaling and exhaling water through the nose and wiping one’s ears are aspects of both the ordinary ablution, i.e. wudu, and the grand ablution, i.e. ghusl. They should be attended to, not neglected. 

6. Doing the obligatory and recommended parts of the ablution in the right order is also obligatory and must be fulfilled.

7. It is important to do the whole of the ablution without interruption. Therefore, one must not disrupt one’s ablution and continue after a while. Indeed if one stops one’s ablution midway for a time and the washed parts dry up, then one should start afresh. 

8. The elbows and the ankles are included in one’s ablution. Therefore, they must be included and washed.

9. The ankles are the two protruding bones at the lower ends of the shins. When the wudu is done hastily, some people may overlook washing them, which is wrong.

10. ꜤUthmān did not vocalize his intention to do the ablution, because intention is a mental action. To say it verbally is a deviation. 

11. The way ꜤUthmān performed the ablution clearly indicates that the Prophet used not to say anything of the supplication people say during ablution. ‘It is not reported that he used to say anything when he performed ablution other than starting with  bismillāh al-Raḥmān al-Raḥīm [i.e. in the name of God, the Lord of Grace, the Ever-Merciful]. When he finished it, he used to say: Ashhadu an lā ilāha illa Allah waḥdah lā sharīka lah, wa ashhadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhū wa rasūluh. Allāhumma j‘alnī min al-tawwābīn wa j‘alnī min al-mutaṭahirrīn. [i.e. I bear witness that there is no deity other than God. He has no partner. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. My Lord, make me one of those who turn to You in repentance and one of those who purify themselves]’.

12. Educators and advocates of Islam should practically demonstrate the practices they want to teach, as ‘Uthmān did. Such practical demonstration is easier to understand and follow. 

13. When a person is about to start an act of worship, he should remove from his mind all thoughts of life’s affairs. He should strive to focus on his worship. During prayer, a person unfortunately often experiences thoughts of immediate concern.

14. One should not pay attention to worldly concerns during worship. As for thoughts of the life to come, the Day of Judgement and what it involves of reckoning and other aspects, these are not reprehensible. 

15. When thoughts of this present life and its concerns occur during one’s prayer, one should dismiss these and focus on the Qur’anic verses the worshipper or the imam is reciting.

16. What a great chance to have one’s sins wiped away: just performing the ablution and offering a prayer of two short rak‘ahs.

17. Every Muslim should be keen to do the ablution well.

18. Islam is a religion of purity, cleanliness and beauty. Self-purification is considered as one of the most important acts of worship by which a person gets closer to his Lord. It is a condition for the validity of many other acts of worship. 

19. No one enters Heaven who is foul or having anything foul. Therefore, a person who purifies himself during his life and meets God having no impurity will enter Heaven without difficulty. A person who does not purify himself in this life either has an inherent impurity, such as a disbeliever has, or an acquired impurity. The one with an inherent impurity does not enter Heaven at all, but the one with an acquired impurity will be purified of it in the Fire and then come out. In fact when believers have crossed the fine line, they will be stopped over a bridge between Heaven and Hell, where they will be cleansed of traces left on them and kept them short of Heaven, but did not send them into Hell. When they have been thus cleansed, they will be permitted to go to Heaven.[3] 

20. God bestows His favours on His servants, forgiving them their sins and rewarding them for their prayer and for their walk to the mosque. What a great blessing that no wise man should ever ignore. 

Tayammum, or dry ablution, is a concession God, Mighty and Exalted, has granted to His servants to make things easier for them. It replaces ablution when there is no water or water cannot be used.

Scholars define tayammum stating: ‘Using dust to wipe one’s face and hands with the intention of having permission to pray and do other things’. It is lawful, confirmed in the Qur’an, the Sunnah and by the unanimous view of scholars. It is a special privilege God has granted to the Muslim community. This hadith states how it is performed. 

1. ‘Ammār mentions that the Prophet (peace be upon him) sent him on an errand. On his journey he had a wet dream and thus he was in a state of ceremonial impurity. He, therefore, rolled himself in dust which sticks to hands and body alike. Thus, the dust covered all his body. He did this so that he could pray, recite the Qur’an and perform other worship. When he returned, he told the Prophet (peace be upon him) so as to learn whether his action was right or not. 

‘Ammār did this, thinking that the dust replaces water in removing a state of ceremonial impurity. When using water, this is done by washing one’s entire body. He, therefore, thought that in dry ablution, the dust should be applied to the whole body. 

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told ‘Ammār that striking his two hands on a dusty surface was sufficient. He should then wipe both his hands and face.

Implementation:

1. What ‘Ammār did shows that a Muslim who is unaware of the ruling concerning a matter he is facing, and does not know what scholars say about it, and has no access to anyone who can give him the Islamic ruling should try his best to determine what should be done. Then when he is able to ask about the ruling, he should do so in order to learn the proper answer to his question. 

2. The hadith shows that if a person who is qualified to exercise scholarly reasoning, i.e. ijtihad, applies his view, which happens to be right in some way, does not need to repeat his duty if his view is not the right one. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not order ꜤAmmār to repeat his prayer although he was mistaken about the form of dry ablution. His action covered it, but in an incorrect way. 

3. The hadith makes clear that the Islamic code is based on providing what is good and easy. It does not require what is very difficult for a person to do. In this case, it provides the concession of dry ablution and makes it easy, needing only for the person to wipe his hands and face. 

Prayer is the second pillar of Islam, as the declaration of God’s oneness and Prophet Muhammad’s message is the first pillar. It is indeed the main pillar of the religion of Islam.

  It is the deed God loves best.

Prayer is the distinctive mark of Muslims. Hypocrites find it a heavy burden and only offer it reluctantly,

Unbelievers reject it as a binding duty and do not offer it at all.

In the same surah,

In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) explains the verdict on a person who totally neglects prayer, stating that prayer is what distinguishes a Muslim from an unbeliever. The only thing that separates a person from disbelief and associating partners with God is negligence of prayer.

  ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb said: ‘A person who neglects prayer has no share in Islam’.[4]  ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq said: ‘The Prophet’s companions considered prayer as the only deed that takes a person into disbelief when neglected’.  [5]

: Implementation

1. Scholars unanimously agree that a person who discards prayer, denying it as a binding duty, is an unbeliever and apostate. However, they hold different views on one who neglects it out of complacency and laziness. Some say that such a person is an unbeliever while others consider him a transgressor who is required to declare his repentance and pray. Unless he does so, he incurs the death penalty. Others still consider him a transgressor, but one who does not incur the death penalty. A true Muslim who believes in God, Blessed and Exalted, and believes in Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) does not put himself in such a position that ranges between disbelief and transgression, according to the different views of scholars. Rather, a true Muslim hastens to do what earns God’s pleasure and tries to draw closer to Him by offering the recommended prayers after finishing the obligatory ones. 

2. When ‘Umar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb was stabbed and taken home, his attendants tried to revive his consciousness, but could not do so. Some suggested: ‘Nothing will make him come to except prayer’. They announced, ‘O Amīr al-Muʼminīn! Prayer is due’. As he came to, he said: ‘Yes. Anyone who neglects prayer has no share in Islam’. He prayed while continuing to bleed. This gives us an impression of the care the Prophet’s companions attached to prayer. [6]

3.

Ibn al-Qayyim said: ‘The Prophet mentioned these four in particular because they were the most hardened of unbelievers. The hadith includes a very interesting point. A person who neglects prayer is preoccupied with his wealth, kingship, high position or business. The one who is preoccupied with his wealth will be with Qārūn, while the one who is a king or leader will be with Pharaoh, the one preoccupied with his position or ministry will be with Hāmān, and the one preoccupied with his business will be with Ubay ibn Khalaf’. [8]

4. Why would anyone neglect prayer when God has made it the action that atones for a person’s sins and errors:

5. Referring to congregational prayer, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd said: ‘There was a time when none stayed away from it except one whose hypocrisy was confirmed. A man might be brought to the mosque, leaning on two men, until he was stood in the row’. [10]

1. Mālik ibn al-Ḥuwayrith visited the Prophet (peace be upon him) with a group of his people. They were all young men of similar age. They stayed with the Prophet for twenty nights, learning about Islam. When the Prophet felt that they missed their own people, he enquired about their families and they, in turn, told him about their relatives whom they had left behind. 

2. Having learnt this from them, the Prophet ordered them to return, which was a gesture of his compassion which he felt towards all believers.

The Prophet ordered them to return home because their visit was after the takeover of Makkah. When that takeover took place, migration to join the Prophet was ended. The Prophet said that there was no migration after the takeover of Makkah.[1] Staying in Madinah became a matter of choice. Anyone could choose either to stay or return home after having learnt what he needed of his faith, and he could then instruct his people accordingly. 

The Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted them to return, and indeed told them to return home because he was aware that they had learnt what was sufficient for them. Had they not had that knowledge, the Prophet would not have let them go back, let alone order them to instruct their people. 

3. The Prophet not only ordered them to impart what they had learnt of the divine faith to their people, but also told them that this was not enough. Every one of them should instruct his family and watch them. He was responsible for them.

The Prophet said: ‘Every one of you is a shepherd and accountable for his flock’.[2] Instruction and follow up are duties in the same way as teaching one’s family is a duty.

4. The Prophet then states the broad rule concerning religion and its rulings. This is the rule that requires following the Prophet’s example in prayer, how it is offered, its rulings, what may be said during prayer and what invalidates it, and which omissions require two prostrations at the end. The Prophet’s practice explains what God has stated in general terms in the Qur’an. There are no verses in the Qur’an that state the details of prayer, its number of rak‘ahs, timings, essential and recommended parts, etc. The Qur’an merely orders attending regularly to prayers at their normal times. Other details are left to be explained by the Prophet’s verbal and practical Sunnah. Hence the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Pray as you have seen me pray’. This applies in all legislation. When he performed the pilgrimage, the Prophet gave the following order: ‘Learn your rituals. I do not know but I may not perform the hajj after this hajj of mine’.[3] Scholars are in full agreement that when they are intended as showing the details of something stated in general terms, the Prophet’s actions are understood as obligatory, unless there is special evidence confirming that they are not so. Therefore, such a duty applies to all Muslims, provided that it is confirmed that the Prophet continued to do so. If his continuity is not confirmed, the action is not treated as a duty.

5. The Prophet then tells the young men that when a prayer becomes due, one of them should call the adhān, and their eldest should lead the prayer. The general rule concerning the choice of the imam is that the one who recites the Qur’an best should lead the prayer. A hadith narrated by Abu Mas‘ūd al-Anṣārī quotes the Prophet: ‘God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “The one to lead a congregation in prayer is the one who recites God’s Book best. If they are equally good in recitation, then the one who knows the Sunnah best. If they have equal knowledge of the Sunnah, then the one who migrated first, and if they are the same with regard to migration, then the one who embraced Islam earlier’.[4] ꜤAmr ibn Salamah led his people in prayer when he was only six years of age, because he was the best among them in reciting the Qur’an. The Prophet ordered this particular group to choose their eldest as their imam because he was aware that they were of the same standard in reciting the Qur’an. This is stated in another hadith: ‘They were of similar standard in recitation’.[5] Since they embraced Islam at the same time, then most probably they were of the same standard in their knowledge of the Sunnah. Therefore, the Prophet chose the eldest as their imam.

Implementation:

1. The hadith shows how the Prophet’s companions were keen to learn about their religion and know the rulings that applied to them. They were prepared to undertake long journeys for this purpose, because they were aware of the great merit such knowledge imparts. It is important that a Muslim should not miss out on such reward, particularly because nowadays it is easy to acquire such knowledge without much effort or need to travel. 

2. The Prophet took special care of young people and he was keen to teach them their faith, so that they became like ambassadors and advocates of Islam among their people. Young people are the mainstay of their community and the ones who ensure its progress. It is necessary, therefore, to guide them to what is most useful for them and their community. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was well aware of the psychological and emotional needs of young people. He, therefore, told this group of young men to return to their people. It is important to take special care of the needs of young people.

4. Advocates of Islam and educators should be compassionate and ensure that their advocacy is not in conflict with people’s needs. They should endeavour to make things easy for people and make the best use of the time when they are most alert and active, allowing them enough time for rest and relaxation.

5. A wise advocate of Islam or educator does not assign to people tasks that are beyond their ability. He must make sure that they are well able to undertake what they are asked to do. 

6. The proper thing is that a man should stay with his family and not reside away from them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered that when a traveller has completed his business, he should return home. 

7. In this and other hadiths, the Prophet (peace be upon him) urges Muslims to present Islam to people and call on them to believe in it. In one such hadith the Prophet orders: ‘Deliver what you learn from me, even if it is a single verse’.[6] An advocate of Islam is one who delivers the message of God and His Messenger, taking up a position similar to that of the Prophet, as he urges people to do what is good and refrain from evil, and explains the tenets of Islam and its code of law. Who does not like to have such a status?

8. The Prophet (peace be upon him) makes clear that presenting the message of Islam to people and calling on them to believe in it requires good and sustained efforts. It is not merely an explanation of commands and prohibitions. The Prophet (peace be upon him) worked extremely hard to deliver God’s message. Therefore, advocates of Islam and scholars must work hard and persevere to ensure its implementation. 

9. The presentation and explanation of Islamic rules and rulings are the tasks of the Prophet (peace be upon him). They are not derived from people’s statements, views or preferences. In worship, we learn from what the Prophet himself said and did. We may neither add to, nor omit from what he taught us. 

10. Following the Prophet’s method and practices means following the right guidance. It was through him that Muslims have learnt how and when to pray, as well as the essentials, form and details of prayer and all other acts of worship, including zakat, fasting and pilgrimage. A Muslim who does not follow the Prophet’s Sunnah will remain at a loss, unable to find the right way. 

11. When we speak of following the Prophet’s example in prayer, we also include using the concessions he identified. Proper following of the Prophet means that an ill person prays seated or reclining, as is suitable to his condition, and that a traveller or a sick person does not fast during travelling and illness in Ramadan, and that a person on a journey shortens and combines his prayers. The same applies to other concessions the Prophet (peace be upon him) used, as he said: ‘God loves that His concessions be exercised just as He hates His commandments to be violated’.[7]

12. The hadith indicates the need to treat older people with respect and to give them the status that suits them, provided that this is not contrary to Islamic rules and principles. The Prophet (peace be upon him) made age a factor in choosing the imam in prayer when people are similarly qualified in other considerations, such as reciting the Qur’an, knowledge of the Sunnah and history in Islam. 

This hadith is one of the most important regarding prayer, as it details its most important and essential aspects. Fiqh scholars give it much attention and use it as evidence regarding many questions in their area of Islamic Studies. It is frequently referred to by scholars as the ‘hadith concerning invalid prayer’.

1. A man entered the mosque and offered a prayer, when the Prophet (peace be upon him) was watching. When he finished, he came to the Prophet and greeted him. The Prophet returned the greeting and ordered him to repeat his prayer, because it was invalid and did not fulfil his duty. 

Had it not been invalid, the Prophet (peace be upon him) would not have ordered him to repeat it. He would have pointed out his mistakes to avoid them in future.

2. The man did as he was told and repeated his prayer, performing it in the same manner as he prayed the first time. When he went back to the Prophet, the Prophet again ordered him to repeat it. On the third occasion, the man said to the Prophet that he did not know anything better and requested that the Prophet teach him how to pray.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not point out to the man his errors at the beginning perhaps because he thought that the man was aware of the essential requirements in prayer but had not attended to them properly. Hence, he simply told him to repeat his prayer. When the man said that he did not know anything better than what he did, the Prophet taught him how to pray. Or perhaps the Prophet (peace be upon him) felt that teaching him the proper way after the man had done it wrongly several times would ensure that he would give greater attention to learning the proper way and would not commit mistakes in the future. 

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) told the man that when he wished to pray, he should start with the initial Allah-u akbar. This means that this takbīr is essential for the validity of prayer. Without it, the prayer is invalid. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was teaching the man what makes his prayer valid. As this was a matter of teaching, it is better to limit it to the essentials, without adding recommended practices. 

It should be noted that the Prophet did not mention intention, because the man was already aware of it. Intention is an essential requirement in all religious matters, and this is known to all Muslims, because all actions are subject to the intention behind them. This applies to all Islamic worship, including prayer, zakat, fasting, etc. 

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then ordered the man to recite whatever came easy to him of the Qur’an. This does not mean that he recited any part of it. More details are given in other hadiths, indicating the obligation of reciting the first surah, al-Fātiḥah. The Prophet says: ‘No prayer is valid if one does not recite the Opening Surah of the Book’.[1] Thus, the Prophet meant that what comes easy is the opening surah, because God has made it easy to remember for men, women and children. Alternatively, the meaning is to recite whatever comes easy after finishing the opening surah. The man must have known that reciting the opening surah is one of the essentials of prayer, and the Prophet indicated following it with whatever was easy.

5. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then ordered him to bow and ensured that he did it well, then to stand up and ensured that he was in a good standing position. Again he should be well positioned when prostrating himself. In all these movements, it is important to do it well, without being hasty. This is also an essential duty that must be observed; otherwise, very hasty prayer is invalid. This is why the Prophet (peace be upon him) ordered the man to repeat his prayer. The Prophet criticized a prayer that does not reflect a calm, comfortable approach, saying: ‘That is the way a hypocrite prays. He sits down watching the sun, and when it is in between Satan’s horns, he stands up to knock out four quick [rak‘ahs], mentioning God in them only very little’.[2]  

In this hadith, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions some of the essential duties of prayer, omitting details of which prayer becomes invalid. He did not mention other essentials such as intention, the last sitting and ending the prayer with salām. The man apparently was aware of these, and the Prophet saw him doing them. He was only unaware of other things, which the Prophet pointed out to him. 

Impementation:

1. The hadith shows that when a Muslim comes into a mosque and finds some people sitting there, it is recommended that he starts with the prayer of greeting the mosque, then greeting the people present. 

2. Every Muslim must learn what he needs to ensure that his worship is valid. Otherwise, his worship may be invalid. 

3. It is recommended that a scholar or advocate of Islam sits in a mosque and people gather around him. He will then admonish them and urge them to do what is good. He should describe the Prophet’s prayer as he (peace be upon him) offered it.

4. For any deed to be accepted by God, it must be sincere and comply with the Prophet’s Sunnah. Needless to say, lack of sincerity renders a good deed invalid. Likewise, when a deed is contrary to the Sunnah, its being done with good intention does not make it good. 

5. An advocate of Islam or a scholar may delay explanation for a reason, such as making the listeners more eager to understand the religious ruling, or to ensure that more people arrive and listen to what he has to say, or for a similar need.

6. The hadith shows that spreading the greeting of peace, i.e. assalām alaykum, is recommended, and its return is a duty. It is also recommended to repeat the greeting if the meeting is renewed, even after a short period. It is a duty to return the greeting every time. 

7. The hadith reflects the importance of treating learners and people lacking in knowledge gently and explaining the relevant matter, making the information clear and limiting it to the important aspect, without adding further details which may not be easy for them to remember and implement. 

8. Allah-u akbar is the opening of prayer. When one says it, one is already in prayer. What is now due is to feel that He is greater than the universe and all there is in it. No worldly cares and concerns should distract the worshipper from his devotion and humility. 

9. The hadith confirms the importance of making things easy for Muslims and not to burden them with what may be tiresome for them. The Prophet (peace be upon him) tells the man to recite of the Qur’an what comes easy for him. This is contrary to what some imams continuously do, reciting long surahs and making things hard for people. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘When any of you stands up to lead the people, let him make the prayer light. Among them are those who are weak, unwell and old. When he prays alone he may make his prayer as long as he likes’.[3]

10. Calmness is an essential duty, without which a prayer is invalid. Its purpose is to understand the meanings of what is recited and stated of glorifications of God and supplication. Prayer is not the mere movements a Muslim performs. 

11. One aspect of urging people to do what is right and refrain from what is wrong is to educate ignorant people and draw their attention to what is necessary. Zayd ibn Wahb mentioned that Hudhayfah, a companion of the Prophet, saw a man who did not do his bowing and prostration in prayer rightly. He said to him: ‘You have not prayed. Were you to die doing this, you would die doing what is contrary to the right way God showed to Muhammad (peace be upon him)’. This is a case of strong rebuke.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that whoever offers a prayer but does not recite the Opening Surah, al-Fātiḥah, will find his prayer incomplete. In essence, it falls short of validity, which means that the acceptability of the deed is affected. This is confirmed by the Prophet’s statement: ‘No prayer is valid if one does not recite the Opening Surah of the Book’.[1] 

This opening surah is also called the Mother of the Qur’an, because it sums up its essence. The meanings of all the Qur’an’s surahs are related to it, as the Qur’an focuses on praising and glorifying God, serving Him, the promises and warnings about the Day of Judgement, and the accounts of past communities. By the same token, Makkah is called the ‘mother town’. 

2. Abu Hurayrah, the narrator of this hadith, was asked about reciting this surah by a person in the congregation. He answered that such a person recites it inaudibly. Although this answer is given by Abu Hurayrah, it carries the same status as though it were said by the Prophet. ‘Ubādah ibn al-Ṣāmit reports: ‘We were in congregation praying Fajr behind God’s Messenger (peace be upon him). He recited the Qur’an but he sounded uncomfortable. When he finished the prayer, he said: “Perhaps you are reciting when you are behind your imam?” We said: “Yes, we do, quickly”. He said: “Do not do it, except the Opening Surah, because no prayer is valid without reciting it”’[2].

3. Abu Hurayrah then explains what he said. He mentions that God says in a qudsī hadith that He divided its recitation into two halves, one for Himself and the other for His servant. 

This division applies to the meanings of what is being recited. Thus, God returns what His servant is saying with a similar phrase. Thus, when the worshipper says, ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds’,

The first sentence of this verse and the preceding verses consist of glorification  and praises of God, while the second sentence and the rest of the surah is a supplication for guidance and help. 

That reciting al-Fātiḥah is referred to in this hadith as ‘prayer’ is a reference to the main part of something by the name of the total. This is the same as in the verse that says:

What is meant refers to the recitation of the Qur’an in prayer: it must be neither too loud nor too quiet. 

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then says that when God’s servant says: ‘All praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds’, God will say: ‘My servant has praised Me’. When he says: ‘the Lord of Grace, the Ever-Merciful’, God will say: ‘My servant has extolled Me’. When he says: ‘Master of the Day of Judgement’, God will say: ‘My servant has glorified Me’.

Praise, extolling and glorifying are similar in meaning. They all signify praise and the mention of fine attributes. The only difference is that praise does not relate to action. God says: ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds’. We praise Him because He is the Lord of all worlds. Extolling means the mention of those attributes that deserve to be extolled. Hence, God mentions this action when His servant refers to Him as ‘the Lord of Grace, the Ever-Merciful’. Thus, God’s attribute of grace and mercy invites that a person extols God. Likewise, when the Last Day is mentioned as well as that God is the Master of that Day who determines what happens then, this is aptly described as a glorification of God stressing His supremacy. 

5. When the worshipper says:

God says: ‘This is between Myself and My servant. My servant shall have what he requests’. The verse signifies humility before God, expressing one’s need for His help and total devotion to Him. Worship covers all that God loves and accepts of words and actions, whether manifest or private. Moreover, the verse implies glorifying God and acknowledging His ability to grant what His servant requests.

6. When he says: ‘Guide us on the straight path, the path of those on whom You have bestowed Your favours, not those who have incurred Your wrath, nor those who have gone astray’, God will say: ‘This is granted to My servant, and My servant shall have what he requests’. This means that God will answer this supplication and grant the worshipper his request.

‘Those who have incurred Your wrath’ includes all people who deliberately and persistently disobey God and incur His displeasure. ‘Those who have gone astray’ includes all those who turn away from God’s guidance, either through ignorance or deliberately.

Implementation:

1. Surah al-Fātiḥah is the Mother of the Qur’an, and it sums up its essence. All the meanings of all surahs refer to it. An intelligent person will identify its meanings, deduce its rulings and learn the reasons for its special merit.

2. All fields of knowledge of this life and the life to come are referred to in this surah. It refers to the disciplines of praise, Godhead, Lordship, multiple worlds, mercy, dominion, the reckoning of people’s accounts, worship, seeking help, guidance, the path, the straight course of action, blessing, and what is to be avoided of incurring God’s wrath, and the avoidance of going astray.

3. The hadith shows that it is obligatory to recite al-Fātiḥah in every rak‘ah. It is not valid for a Muslim to pray without reciting it.

4. The Prophet (peace be upon him) repeated the words ‘it falls short’ three times, so that it would be learnt and held in memory. He also wanted to emphasize this for his audience. The Prophet frequently resorted to repeating his words. We all need to learn from him. 

5. People asked Abu Hurayrah about reciting al-Fātiḥah by those in the congregation, thinking that it may have a different ruling. Abu Hurayrah did not object to their questioning. No one need be too shy to ask about something he does not know. Moreover, a scholar should not be irritated by questions, even if these are repeated or the answers are included in what he said. 

6. God, limitless is He in His glory, referred to al-Fātiḥah as prayer because it is the most important part of prayer. Therefore, we must not read it casually or hastily, without reflecting on its meanings.

7. During the recitation of Surah al-Fātiḥah, one should reflect on the appeal one makes to God, Mighty and Exalted, and God’s responses. It is important that we are fully attentive when we pray, so that we make the best of our prayer and discharge our duty fully. The best benefit of prayer accrues when one is fully attentive and feels one’s humility before God. 

8. God is pleased with His believing servants and presents them with pleasure. When they say, ‘Praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds’, He says: ‘My servant has praised Me’. He is pleased with His servant. What could anyone do that would bring more benefit or greater reward than an action that pleases God?

9. Every Muslim should reflect on the verse that says:

It is said that this short verse sums up the very essence of all revealed scriptures. All creation have been brought into existence so that they worship God

Worship is a duty binding on God’s servants and they cannot fulfil it unless God helps them to do so. Hence, this verse is shared by God and His servant: worship is a duty owed by His servants to God, and His help is a favour He bestows on them.

10. God ordered His servants that they should appeal to Him to guide them on the straight path, which is the one followed by prophets, devout people and martyrs. Whoever follows this path and keeps straight on it will achieve happiness in both this world and the next. He will also be able to traverse the fine path on the Day of Judgement. Whoever leaves it is either one who incurs God’s wrath because he knows the way of guidance but does not follow it, or one who has gone astray, unable to determine the way of right guidance, such as idolaters.

11. God tells His servants to request His guidance on the straight path and to help them avoid the path of error. Therefore, we must ensure not to imitate those who have incurred God’s wrath or those who have gone astray. 

12. When the worshipper concludes reciting al-Fātiḥah, God answers his request saying: ‘This is granted to My servant, and My servant shall have what he requests’. At this point, the angels confirm the worshipper’s supplication saying: Amen. Therefore, it is recommended that the congregation should do the same as the angels, which is a formula ensuring answering the supplication.

This hadith shows that Friday Prayer is obligatory for all Muslims. The hadith
also warns against neglecting it and mentions the very severe punishment
incurred by a person who does so.
The hadith means that one of the two alternatives is certain to happen. Either
people will stop their negligence of Friday Prayer or God will seal their hearts
so that they will be unable to determine the truth and thereby join those who are
heedless. A reference to such an eventuality is given in the Qur’an:

The message of this hadith is reiterated in the hadith quoting the Prophet (peace
be upon him): ‘Whoever abandons the Friday Prayer three times, in negligence,
shall have his heart sealed by God’.
[1]

Friday Prayer is a personal duty applicable for every male Muslim who has
attained puberty.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Everyone
who has attained puberty must go to Friday Prayer; and whoever goes to join the
Friday Prayer should have had a bath’.
[2]

Implementation:

1. A Muslim who prays to God to grant him guidance on the right path does not expose himself to God’s wrath and punishment. Thus he does not deserve to have his heart sealed and become heedless of what pleases God.
2. Serious matters require that commands and prohibitions are announced in public gatherings. Hence, it was especially suitable that the warning against neglecting Friday Prayer and congregational prayers was made when the Prophet addressed the people from the platform, thereby stressing the importance of what he said. Advocates of Islam, scholars and educators should give everything its proper importance. What is suitable as admonition in a general circle is different from what is suited for Friday Prayer.
3. The style employed by an advocate of Islam or an educator should differ in
intensity so as to suit the occasion. In some cases, an implicit reference may be
adequate, in others a clear advice may be better, while in different cases gentle remonstration and perhaps some blame is suitable. However, some situations call for an angry and firm attitude.

4. When giving strong advice, it is not right to publicly name the people being warned. To do so is to worsen the situation. It may be that criticizing some wrong behaviour will lead to an even worse behaviour. In this hadith, the Prophet uses the formula, ‘some people shall stop...’, without mentioning any of them.

5. Friday Prayer is obligatory, according to the unanimous view of all scholars. God has warned the one who neglects it with various types of punishment. Everyone should beware of incurring God’s wrath and deserving His punishment.
6. Friday is the best day ever. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘The best day on which the sun has ever risen is Friday: it is the day when Adam was created, and the day on which he was settled in Heaven and the day on which he was removed from it’.[3] Every Muslim should make sure that Friday will testify for him, not against him.

7. Everyone should go early to Friday Prayer. He is strongly recommended to take a bath and put on his best clothes. God’s reward for so doing is indeed rich. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever on Friday takes a bath like the one required for [removing] a state of ceremonial impurity then goes is like one who gives a camel to charity, and whoever goes in the second period is like one who gives a cow to charity, and whoever goes in the third period is like one who gives a horned sheep to charity, and whoever goes in the fourth period is like one who gives a hen to charity, and whoever goes in the fifth period is like one who gives an egg to charity. When the imam comes out, the angels will attend, listening to God’s glorification’[4].

When the Prophet (peace be upon him) migrated to Madinah, he found that the Anṣār celebrated two Zoroastrian days, namely, Nayrūz and Mahrajān. The Prophet wondered at these celebrations. They told him that this was a tradition going back long in pre-Islamic days and that they used to mark them with festivities. The Prophet then told them to stop this because God had given them two much better days: the two Eids of al-Fiṭr at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan and al-Aḍḥā on the day of the hajj. 

The hadith indicates an order not to celebrate the festive occasions marked by unbelievers and idolaters, whether they are following earlier revelations or not. This is a rule of association and dissociation. It should be noted that the Prophet mentioned that God replaced these with two better days. A replacement does not occur without abandoning what is replaced. 

What confirms this prohibition is that these two celebrations have been totally removed. There is not a single mention of them during the Prophet’s lifetime or during the reign of the four rightly-guided caliphs. Had the Prophet not ordered his companions to abandon marking them with whatever they previously did, their tradition would have survived. Traditions are not replaced unless something else is put in their place. Moreover, it is in the nature of women and children, as well as many men, that they look forward to a festive day when they have fun and entertainment. 

Implementation:

1. The hadith implies that it is not permissible to celebrate the feasts and occasions of unbelievers. It is not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate such feasts, nor to emulate the unbelievers in their food and drink on such a day. 

2. If the prohibition applies to the celebration of the feasts of unbelievers whose rituals are no longer marked and will not be revived until close to the end of time, then it is more applicable to the celebration of the feasts of the Jews and Christians, as the Prophet (peace be upon him) foretold that some of us would emulate them. He warned against this in clear terms. 

3. The hadith makes clear that it is perfectly permissible to have fun and play during the days of Eid. The Prophet made clear that the Eid days replaced the old Zoroastrian days of play and fun. Moreover, the Prophet (peace be upon him) permitted the Abyssinian visitors to play with their spears on the Day of Eid. He allowed ‘Āʼishah, the Mother of Believers, to watch them as long as she liked.

4. It is perfectly permissible to rejoice and play on the Days of Eid, provided that such fun and play does not involve anything forbidden, such as gambling and games of chance, or the unacceptable mixing of men and women, or distraction from religious duties. 

5. Rejoicing and displays of pleasure on the days of Eid are recommended by Islam. It is encouraged to arrange games, fun activities, exchange of visits particularly with relatives, and providing more generously for one’s family so as to spread the feeling of pleasure and relaxation. 

6. On the day of Eid, a Muslim should formulate the intention of marking this ritual of pleasure. Thus he earns a reward for his cheerful activities as well as for his food and drink. 

7. Muslim rulers and advocates of Islam should look into people’s situations, habits and transactions so as to point out what is permissible and what is not. People may become used to a certain habit which originates from something that is forbidden or discouraged and they may be unaware of this. If the matter becomes clear for the ruler, advocate or scholar, he should tell the people of how God and His Messenger view this habit. They will then do what earns God’s pleasure. 

8. Providing an alternative is the best way to abandon what is unlawful. If an educator wants his children and students to abandon some bad habits or practices, he should give them a good alternative that pleases them. God replaced the old festive occasions of the people of Madinah with the two Eid occasions Muslim celebrate every year.

9. Preventing the cause that leads to something forbidden is an established rule of Islamic law. The Prophet prevented play and fun activities on the occasions marked by the unbelievers to prevent a possibility that it might lead to participation in their religious rituals. It is important that scholars should observe this principle in their rulings and fatwas. A scholar may realize that it is better to stop something which is not prohibited in itself because this may lead to sinful action or even to disbelief. 

The hadith speaks about the greater merit of offering prayer in congregation and the much greater reward it earns the worshipper, as it states that it is twenty-seven degrees better. 

There are other hadiths that mention different numbers, as the following hadith: ‘A person’s prayer with the congregation is twenty-five times better than his prayer at home or at his place of work. That is, when a person performs the ablution well and goes to the mosque, having no motive other than the prayer, then for every step he takes, God gives him a degree higher and removes a sin from him, until he enters the mosque. When he prays the angels pray for him, as long as he remains in the position where he prayed. They say: ‘Our Lord, bestow peace on him. Our Lord, bestow mercy on him’. Anyone of you is actually in prayer as long as you await the [congregational] prayer’[1].

There is no contradiction between the two figures: the lower number does not contradict the higher one. It is explained as the small number was given first, then God increased His bounty, raising the figure from twenty-five to twenty-seven. Alternatively, the difference of two grades may be due to the perfection of prayer, keeping its form, showing humility, the size of the congregation, the importance of the place where it is offered, etc.

Scholars have looked at the reasons why congregational prayer is considered better than another form. Some have been mentioned above. We may also include responding to the call of prayer, i.e. adhān, by repeating its phrases, going early to the mosque at the beginning of the prayer’s time, walking calmly when going to the mosque, supplicating as one enters the mosque, offering the prayer of greeting the mosque on entry, waiting for the congregation to start, the angels’ prayer and testimony for the worshippers, responding to the announcement of the prayer i.e. its iqāmah, safety from Satan as he runs away when the announcement is made, standing in wait for the imam to begin the prayer or joining the imam at whatever position he may be, being in attendance at the start of the congregational prayer, and keeping the rows straight and leaving no gaps in them.  

Implementation:

1. Every Muslim should be very keen to attend congregational prayers. Praying with the congregation is much better than praying alone. It is wrong to miss out on its much greater reward.

2. It is right that we should give a clear priority to praying in congregation, so that we may gain what God has prepared for such people. Abu Hurayrah narrated a hadith in which the Prophet says: ‘For whoever goes frequently, morning and evening, to the mosque, God will prepare a home in Heaven, whenever he goes morning or evening’[2].

3. Whoever loves that his sins are erased and his grade in Heaven is made higher should be keen to attend congregational prayers. The Prophet said: ‘Shall I tell what ensures that God will wipe away [people’s] sins and raise their grades?’ People said: ‘Yes, please, Messenger of God’. He said: ‘Doing the ablution full well despite difficulty, walking longer to mosques and waiting for one prayer after another. That is [equal to] standing guard’[3].

4. Happy is the one who ensures to join the congregational prayer in a mosque. One of the rewards God has prepared for it is that prayer with the congregation earns you a reward equal to that of performing pilgrimage. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever having performed the ablution leaves his home to join an obligatory prayer earns a reward similar to that of a pilgrim in consecration, and whoever goes out to the mid-morning prayer, with nothing else bringing him out, earns a reward equal to that of one who performs the ‘umrah. One prayer after another, with no idle talk in between, earns enrolment among those in the high position’[4]. 

5. Angels attend congregational prayer. Who does not wish to be among the ones praised by angels and testified for in front of God, the Lord of all the worlds? The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Angels take turns in attending you through the night and through the day. They meet together during the Fajr and ‘Aṣr Prayers. Then those who were with you during the night ascend. Their Lord will ask them, yet He knows better than them: How did you leave My servants? They will say: “We left them praying, as we joined them when they were praying”’[5].

6. ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd narrated: ‘Whoever is pleased to know that he will be meeting God as a Muslim should make sure to offer these prayers where they are called. God has ordained for your Prophet the practices of divine guidance and these prayers are practices of divine guidance. If you pray in your homes like the person who so stays at home, you will have abandoned the practice of your Prophet, and if you abandon your Prophet’s practice, you will go astray.  When a person performs the ablution well, then goes to one of these mosques, then for every step he makes, God will credit him with a good deed and promotes him a step and removes a bad deed from him. There was a time when none stayed away from it [i.e. congregational prayer] except one whose hypocrisy was confirmed. A man might be brought to the mosque, leaning on two men, until he was stood in the row’[6].

7. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar al-Qawārīrī said: ‘I was extremely keen to offer the ‘Ishā Prayer with a congregation. One day I had a guest and I was busy with him. Therefore, I went out seeking to join a congregation with any of the Basrah tribes, but all had already offered their prayers and there was none. I thought that it was reported that the Prophet said that a congregational prayer is twenty-five grades better than praying alone, and another report puts the figure at twenty-seven. I went home and offered the ‘Ishā Prayer twenty-seven times, then went to bed. I saw a dream in which I was competing with people riding horses, with my horse similar to theirs. One of them turned to me and said: “Do not try too hard. You cannot catch up with us”. I said: “Why is that?” He said: “Because we prayed ‘Ishā with a congregation”’[7].

8. The hadith indicates that delaying a prayer, hoping to join a congregation, is better than offering it early but alone. The only exception is that when a person fears that the time range for that prayer may be over. In this case, he should pray alone. 

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states in this hadith that the places God loves best are mosques, as they are the places of obeying God, the foundation of fearing Him, the cradle of all knowledge and the starting point of advocating the divine message.

Hence, the Prophet was keen to build his mosque in Madinah shortly after his arrival there. He himself carried the stones as did his companions.

The mosque is the first step in the establishment of a Muslim state. From it the message of Islam spreads and in it, the laws of Islam are learnt. The Prophet (peace be upon him) managed the affairs of state in the mosque, and there he discussed with  his companions war plans, received emissaries and delegations, assigned tasks to his messengers and expeditions and there he judged in disputes.

It is the people of faith who are God-fearing that frequent mosques. They are the ones God describes in His Book,

He also describes them as the people of faith:

Therefore, paying for the building and running of God’s houses is the best and most rewarding of payments. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whoever builds a mosque, dedicating it purely for God, God will build a home for him in Heaven’[1].

2. The Prophet also mentions in this hadith that the places on earth God dislikes most are marketplaces where there is much idle talk, cheating, deception, false swearing, usurious transactions and little remembrance of God. Hence, the Prophet’s companion, Salmān al-Fārisī, describes marketplaces as ‘Satan’s own battlefield where he raises his banner’.

Implementation:

1. God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) tells us that mosques are the places God loves best. As such, worship in a mosque is better than worship elsewhere. Prayer in a mosque is better than the same prayer offered at home or one’s workplace. Study circles held in mosques are better than those held elsewhere. Likewise, spending one’s money on mosque building is better and earns greater reward than on other good causes.

2. The essence behind the rise of the Muslim community and its progress was the very active role the mosque played in education, character building and advocacy of Islam. When this role disappeared, ignorance became common among the Muslim youth to the extent that a great number of them became totally unaware of the most essential principles and legislation of Islam. If we really want to regain our lost position in human civilisation, we need to focus on the right education of our youth and give back to the mosque its prominent role in this regard. 

3. Since the mosque is the place God loves best, spending time there with the intention of worship and waiting for prayers earns good reward, which no Muslim should miss out on.

4. God ranks frequenting mosques among the best actions that draws a person closer to his Lord, Mighty and Exalted. The Prophet (peace be upon him) includes among the seven types of people God covers with His shade on the Day when there is no shade other than His ‘a person whose heart is inclined towards mosques’.[2]

5. Mosques are God’s houses. Certain values and manners should be observed when visiting mosques, such as wearing decent clothes, attending to one’s appearance, wearing perfume and refraining from eating anything that gives off a bad smell from the mouth, such as onions and garlic.

6. It is recommended that people say the recommended supplication on entering a mosque and on leaving it. The Prophet said: ‘When any of you enters a mosque, let him say: “My Lord, open for me the gates of Your mercy”, and when he leaves, let him say: “My Lord, I pray to You to grant me of Your bounty”’.[3] 

7. It is recommended that on entering a mosque, a person does not sit down until he has offered a prayer of two rak‘ahs as a greeting to the mosque. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘When any of you enters the mosque, let him not sit down until he has offered two rak‘ahs’.[4]

8. Marketplaces are the worst places because of the many sins committed there including futile arguments and aggression. Any place that has the same characteristics shares the same verdict. If false swearing, cursing, verbal abuse and insults are said frequently at a person’s home or workplace, then it is one of the worst places in God’s view.

9. It is discouraged for a Muslim to frequent a marketplace for no purpose. If he goes there to buy or sell or do some other needful thing, then he may go without being discouraged.

10. Whoever needs to go to a marketplace should try not to be the first to enter nor the last to leave. This is to act on Salmān al-Fārisī’s advice: ‘If you can, do not be the first to enter the marketplace, nor the last to leave. It is Satan’s battlefield where he lifts his banner’.[5]

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that whoever attends properly to three types of worship will have found faith, tasted it, and got it established in his heart. The Prophet uses the ‘sense of taste’ while referring to an abstract thing that cannot be eaten. The simile is used here because both give man a sense of enjoyment. 

The Quran uses the same style, citing the sense of taste with punishment and suffering,

The Prophet also uses it in the hadith ‘Whoever accepts God as his Lord, Islam as his faith and Muhammad as [God’s] Messenger experiences the taste of faith[1]’.

The taste of faith a servant of God experiences is the endurance of hardship to please God, accepting His will and decree, preferring the life to come to the life of this world and being happy with all this. 

2. The first of these things is belief in God’s oneness, translated into the worship of God alone associating no partners with Him. Worship includes everything God loves, whether verbal or practical, open or done in private, such as love, hope, fear, supplication, appeal for assistance, offerings and pledges, and seeking God’s pleasure through voluntary worship and recommended good deeds. None of any of this should be addressed to anyone other than God. 

This is inherent in the messages of all prophets and messengers.

Therefore, God warns whoever turns their backs on belief in God’s oneness that all their good actions will avail them nothing and that they will remain in Hell forever, regardless of their status in this life. God says to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):

2. The second quality is that one pays the zakat due on his property willingly, feeling happy and cheerful at this, as it becomes due year after year.

Zakat is mentioned in particular because people love money and property. They want to keep all of it for themselves. When a person gives it generously, in full obedience of God, his action testifies that he is a true believer. It is hypocrites who donate unwillingly and begrudgingly.

3. The last of these qualities relates to the one before it. It mentions that when a person wants to pay his zakat, he does not look for the worst of his property and select it as his payment. If he owns cattle, he should not choose the one which has grown old and weak, or the one with scabies or that suffers any other illness which makes it unsuitable to eat. Nor does he select one that has any defect that makes people unwilling to take it, such as a lame one or one which is too slim or too young, etc. 

This does not mean that a Muslim cattle breeder whose cattle are all sick cannot give his zakat out of his cattle. The hadith only warns those who deliberately select the worst they have and give it away as zakat. This is stated in the following verse:

A true believer who wants to experience the sweetness of faith is the one who understands the following verse and acts on it:

5. The Prophet then explains that what is required in zakat is that a person pays it out of the average of his property. He should neither select the best he has nor the worst. Abu Bakr wrote to Anas ibn Mālik: ‘A person should not choose the cattle that has grown too old or the one that has an obvious defect. Nor should he give a male goat unless the zakat collector wants to take it[2]’. When he sent Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal to Yemen, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said to him: ‘Do not select that of their property which they treasure[3]’.

Implementation :

1. Advocates of Islam and educators should select words and expressions that attract attention and make the audience eager to listen and understand what is being said. The Prophet (peace be upon him) started with a general sentence, referring to three things that ensure that whoever combines them is a perfect believer. Everyone in his audience would be eager to listen and understand each one of the three things, so that he would not miss out on any. 

2. The first of these is the main one and the mother of the other two and all else. When a person is a true believer in God’s oneness, he will feel relaxed and he will approach his various acts of worship with comfortable willingness. He realizes that what is stored for him with God is better and longer lasting. Therefore, duties and difficulties will be easier to fulfil. 

3. One thing that every Muslim can check on with regard to himself is to establish whether he loves zakat and payments of ṣadaqah, i.e. voluntary charity. By nature, people love money. Therefore, when a person donates it willingly, this is a clear sign that he is a believer. 

4. How can a believer give to a poor person something that he considers foul and discardable? He knows that what he gives away is received by God’s hand before the poor person takes it in hand.

5. The early Muslims were keen to give in charity something of the best of their property. Abu Ṭalḥah al-Anṣārī heard the verse which says:

He had a farm called Bayruḥāʼ, and the Prophet used to go there and drink of its well. Abu Ṭalḥah donated the whole farm as a ṣadaqah[4]. Al-RabīꜤ ibn Khuthaym used to love sugar. He used to buy it and give it as ṣadaqah, to fulfil what the same Qur’anic verse says.

1. The Prophet (peace be upon him) states that God is good with no fault, defect or negative thing applicable to Him. The Arabic word ṭayyib, which is the equivalent of ‘good’, essentially denotes goodness, purity and freedom from whatever is foul.

Therefore, God accepts only what is good of deeds and people. He does not draw to Himself a wicked person who harbours hatred and enmity towards others, or one who ill-treats people and behaves ill towards them, or one who eats and drinks what is forbidden.  

Likewise, God only accepts good deeds. He does not accept a deed that involves any aspect of polytheism or hypocrisy. Nor does He accept a charity taken from what has been unlawfully acquired. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Whenever a person gives a ṣadaqah [i.e. charity] from good earnings – and God accepts nothing except what is good – God, the Lord of Grace will take it in His right hand. Even if it is as little as one date, it will grow in the Lord of Grace’s palm until it becomes larger than a mountain, just like any of you rears his weaned cow or weaned camel[1]’. He also said: ‘No prayer is accepted without ablution, and no charity from an unlawful source is accepted[2]’.

What is unwholesome and unacceptable to God is that a person selects the worst type of his property and pays his zakat out of it.

2. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then shows that the divine command to select only what is good for what a person eats and drinks applies to prophets and God’s messengers, and also to their followers who are the believers. God requires all people to eat of what is good and to do good deeds. This order applies to His prophets and messengers and also to all mankind. Everyone is required to seek what is lawful and abandon what is unlawful.

3. The Prophet (peace be upon him) then tells us that eating what is unlawfully earned is one reason for not answering a supplication, even though there may be other reasons for its answer. A person may undertake a journey for a religious purpose that earns God’s reward, such as hajj, or jihad, or advocacy of Islam, etc. His appearance tells of the discomfort and fatigue of travel, and he stretches out his hands, appealing earnestly to God to answer his prayer. Yet, he does not scruple to take money unlawfully. What he eats, drinks and wears are purchased with unlawful earnings. How, then, could his supplication be answered?

The Prophet says at the end of the hadith: ‘How can such a supplication be answered?’ This is a question that expresses wonder and improbability. It is not a clear statement that such a supplication is never answered. It may be that God answers it out of His grace and generosity. Or He may answer his prayer to give him more respite. Therefore, it is understood from all this that indulging much in unlawful earnings and using them for one’s living is a cause that precludes answering one’s prayers.

Implementation:

1. A believer is totally good: he is good at heart, in himself and in speech, and his goodness is the result of the faith established in his heart, God’s glorification which he often repeats, and the good deeds he does using his different organs. Such words and actions are the fruit of his belief in God and reflected also in the fact that he is a believer. All these are good things which God accepts. Therefore, a Muslim should always try to strengthen his faith so that he increases his goodness. 

2. God loves that His servants acquire some of His own attributes which are not exclusive to Himself, such as mercy, gentility, overlooking other people’s faults, etc. He also loves to see His servant behaving as a good person, steering away from error and whatever is unbecoming.

3. Everyone should endeavour to ensure that what he eats, does and thinks is good, so that God will love him and accept his deeds. Wahb ibn al-Ward said: ‘Were you to devote all your time to worship in the mosque, it will benefit you nothing unless you ensure that what goes into your belly is lawful, not unlawfully obtained.

4. An educator who wants his student to do something should himself provide the example. If he urges his student to attend congregational prayers, he himself should be among the early attendants. If he urges his student to offer the sunnah, i.e. recommended prayers, he should be seen doing it himself. Hence, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentions that God’s messengers were commanded to seek what is lawful and refrain from what is unalawful in all their affairs, in the same way as all believers. There is no distinction on this.

5. The hadith enhances the status of believers, as God gives them the same orders as He commands His messengers. They are worthy of this because of their faith. 

6. The Prophet mentions that travel increases the possibility of answering prayers, because it adds to one’s feeling of humility due to being away from home, and enduring the difficulties of travel. Humility is one of the most important causes of answering prayers.[3] The Prophet says: ‘Three prayers are answered without doubt: a parent’s prayer, a traveller’s prayer and the prayer of one who suffers injustice[4]’. When a Muslim is on a journey, he should increase his supplication, as he is in a better position to have his prayers answered.

7. Stretching one’s hands when supplicating earnestly improves the possibility of having one’s prayer answered. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Your Lord, Blessed and Exalted, is generous and noble. When His servant raises his hands appealing to Him, He feels shy to let him go empty-handed[5]’. Therefore, a Muslim should raise his hands when supplicating, particularly at the places where the Prophet raised his hands.

8. Stressing one’s need and urging one’s appeal are causes for having one’s prayer answered. Therefore, a Muslim should not be hasty, supplicating once and stopping. On the contrary, he should supplicate time and again, urging God’s answer. The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: ‘Your supplication is answered unless you are hasty, saying: I have prayed to my Lord but He did not answer my prayer[6]’. 

9. Eating only what is lawful is one of the most important reasons for answering prayers, while eating what is unlawful is a cause to block such an answer. Hence, Wahb ibn Munabbih said: ‘Whoever looks forward to his prayer being answered by God should ensure that he eats only of what is lawful’. Yūsuf ibn Asbāṭ said: ‘We have been told that a person’s supplication is not raised to heaven because the supplicant eats what is unlawful[7]’.

10. When the prayer of a person who is travelling to do something in obedience of God and attending to all its requirements remains unanswered only because his food is of an unlawful source, what hope is there for one who is fully preoccupied with worldly concerns, or one who is unfair to others, or one who neglects different types of worship and goodness?

11. Muslims of the early generations were keen to ensure that what they ate was clearly lawfully obtained. They refrained from what was in doubt as to whether it was lawful or not. ‘Āʼishah reported: ‘Abu Bakr had a servant who brought him every day what he earned for him, and Abu Bakr used to eat of what that servant brought him. One day he brought him something and Abu Bakr started eating. The servant said to him: ‘Do you know what you are eating?’ He said: ‘No, what is it?’ He said: ‘In pre-Islamic days, I told the fortune of a certain person. I did not know how to tell the fortune, but I deceived the man. He later met me and gave me something. This is what I have served you now. Abu Bakr put his fingers in his mouth and threw up all that was in his belly[8]’.