In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
The Ifadah Center
For Humanistic Studies and Research
Presents
The Abridgment of Sahih al-Bukhari
Chapter: Prostrating on Seven Bones
On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), who said:
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
"I have been commanded to prostrate on seven bones:
On the forehead—
and he pointed with his hand to his nose—
the two hands,
the two knees,
and the ends of the two feet;
and that we should not tuck up our garments or hair."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"I have been commanded"
The One who commands is Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He.
"And that we should not tuck up our garments or hair"
That is, we should not gather or fold our garments together.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the actions and words of prayer are divinely ordained (*tawqifiyyah*).
And that a command from Allah Almighty denotes obligation.
The hadith also indicates that the limbs of prostration are seven,
and one should prostrate on all of them,
prostrating on both the forehead and the nose together.
It also establishes the validity of acting upon an understandable gesture.
Chapter: Not Spreading One's Arms in Prostration
On the authority of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him),
from the Prophet (peace be upon him), who said:
"Be balanced in prostration,
and let none of you spread his forearms as a dog spreads them."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Be balanced in prostration"
That is, adopt a middle posture between resting the arms flat on the ground and pulling them in tightly.
"And let none of you spread"
That is, let him not lay out flat nor stretch out his arms.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
The dislikeability of resting the arms flat like a dog or other beasts of prey.
It also shows that the wisdom behind being balanced in prostration
is that it is closer to humility,
more effective in firmly placing the forehead on the ground,
and furthest removed from postures of laziness.
Chapter: One Who Sits Up Straight in an Odd-Numbered Unit of His Prayer, Then Rises
On the authority of Malik ibn al-Huwayrith al-Laythi (may Allah be pleased with him),
that he saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) praying,
and whenever he was in an odd-numbered unit (*watr*) of his prayer,
he would not rise until he sat up straight.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Whenever he was in an odd-numbered unit of his prayer"
Meaning, when he was in the first or third rak'ah of his prayer.
"He would not rise"
Meaning, to the second or fourth rak'ah.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
The hadith provides evidence for those who hold the view of the posture of rest (*jalsat al-istirahah*).
It also emphasizes tranquility (*itmi'nan*) in the actions of prayer.
It highlights the intense eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
to adhere to the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Chapter: Saying 'Allahu Akbar' While Rising from the Two Prostrations
On the authority of Sa'id ibn al-Harith, who said:
Abu Sa'id (may Allah be pleased with him) led us in prayer,
and he uttered the takbir aloud when he raised his head from prostration,
when he prostrated,
when he raised his head,
and when he stood up after the two rak'ahs.
And he said:
"This is how I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him) pray."
Commentary on the Hadith:
Chapter: Saying 'Allahu Akbar' While Rising from the Two Prostrations
Meaning, the worshiper utters the takbir while rising from the two rak'ahs.
"He uttered the takbir aloud"
Referring to the takbirs of transition.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it is prescribed to utter the takbirs of transition aloud.
It indicates that the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
is the criterion for all words and actions.
It shows the eagerness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
and the Tabi'un to follow the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Chapter: The Sunnah of Sitting during the Tashahhud
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Abdullah,
that he used to see 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father)
sit cross-legged in prayer whenever he sat.
"So I did the same, as I was a young boy at the time.
But 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar forbade me,
and said:
'The Sunnah of prayer
is to keep your right foot upright and fold your left foot.'
So I said:
'But you do that!'
He replied:
'My legs can no longer bear me.'"
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Young"
Meaning, small in age.
"Keep your right foot upright"
Meaning, do not press it flat against the ground.
"Fold your left foot"
Meaning, bend it beneath you.
"My legs can no longer bear me"
Meaning, to perform the Sunnah posture.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that when a Companion says, "It is Sunnah,"
he means the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
In the hadith, there is
an example of asking about the reason behind a scholar's apparent departure from the Sunnah.
It indicates the permissibility of omitting a Sunnah due to necessity or physical inability.
It shows that a scholar ought to clarify the Sunnah verbally,
even if he is unable to perform it physically.
On the authority of Muhammad ibn 'Amr ibn 'Ata',
that he was sitting with a group of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him),
and they discussed the prayer of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Abu Humayd al-Sa'idi said:
"I am the most knowledgeable among you regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
I saw him when he uttered the takbir,
he raised his hands level with his shoulders;
when he bowed, he placed his hands firmly on his knees,
then bent his back straight;
when he raised his head,
he stood up straight until every vertebra returned to its place;
when he prostrated,
he placed his hands without spreading them flat or tucking them in,
and pointed the tips of his toes toward the qiblah;
when he sat after two rak'ahs,
he sat on his left foot
and kept his right foot upright;
and when he sat in the last rak'ah,
he brought forward his left foot,
kept the other upright,
and sat upon his posterior."
Commentary on the Hadith:
"With a group" (*nafar*)
A *nafar* is a group of men ranging from three to ten,
and they were ten on that occasion.
"I am the most knowledgeable among you regarding the prayer of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)"
Meaning, due to his careful observation and tracking of that from the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).
"He raised his hands level with his shoulders"
Level (*hiza'*), meaning opposite and parallel to them.
The shoulder (*mankib*) is the joint connecting the upper arm bone and the shoulder blade.
"He placed his hands firmly on his knees"
Meaning, he gripped his knees with his hands.
"Bent his back straight" (*hasara zahrah*)
Meaning, he extended his back evenly without arching or curving it.
"Straight" (*istiwa'*) means upright.
"Until every vertebra returned"
Vertebrae (*faqar*) are the aligned bones
known as the joints of the spine.
"Without spreading them flat," referring to his hands and forearms,
"nor tucking them in."
Tucking in (*qabd*) means drawing them closely against himself.
"When he sat after two rak'ahs"
Meaning, after the first two units to recite the initial *tashahhud*.
"And sat upon his posterior"
Referring to the *tawarruk* posture of sitting.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that reviewing and studying the Sunnah was part of the guidance of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
It illustrates the profound eagerness of the Companions to adhere to the guidance of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
It shows that acts of worship are founded upon compliance (*ittiba'*),
and that the practice of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
is the standard for the postures of prayer.
The hadith demonstrates that the sitting posture in the first *tashahhud*
differs from the sitting posture in the final *tashahhud*.
It contains an encouragement to attain tranquility (*tuma'ninah*) in prayer.
It highlights acknowledging the merit of those who possess merit.
And whoever has memorized the hadith possesses a stronger argument.
It shows the permissibility of a person describing himself as more knowledgeable than others
if there is no fear of self-admiration and the intention is clarification and instruction.
The hadith indicates that certain rulings received from the Prophet (peace be upon him)
were unknown to many of the Companions,
but one might recall them when reminded.
Chapter: Whoever Did Not Regard the First Tashahhud as Obligatory
Because the Prophet (peace be upon him) stood up after two rak'ahs and did not return to sit.
On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn Buhaynah (may Allah be pleased with him), who was from Azd Shanu'ah
and an ally of the tribe of Banu 'Abd Manaf,
and he was one of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him):
The Prophet (peace be upon him) led them in the Zuhr prayer,
and he stood up after the first two rak'ahs without sitting.
The people stood up with him, until when he completed the prayer
and the people waited for his salutation of peace,
he uttered the takbir while seated
and performed two prostrations before uttering the salutation of peace, then he uttered it.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Without sitting," meaning for the first *tashahhud*.
"Completed the prayer," meaning he performed it in full.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
In the hadith, companionship (*suhbah*) is established by the testimony of the Tabi'i narrator.
It shows that the follower (*ma'mum*) must follow the imam when the latter forgets.
Chapter: The Final Tashahhud
On the authority of 'Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), in a narration:
"The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) taught me
while my palm was between his palms—
the *tashahhud* as he would teach me a surah from the Qur'an:
'When we prayed behind the Prophet (peace be upon him),
we used to say: Peace be upon Allah before His servants,
peace be upon Jibril,
"Peace be upon Mika'il,"
"Peace be upon so-and-so."
When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) finished the prayer,
he turned his face toward us
and said: "Indeed, Allah Himself is As-Salam (Peace).
Therefore, when one of you sits in prayer, he should say: 'All greetings, prayers, and good utterances are due to Allah.
Peace be upon you, O Prophet, and the mercy of Allah and His blessings.
Peace be upon us and upon the righteous servants of Allah.'
For if he says that, it reaches every righteous servant in the heavens and the earth:
'I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah,
and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger.'"
In one narration, there is the addition: "while he was amongst us."
"When he passed away, we said: 'Peace...'—meaning upon the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)."
"Then he may choose whatever speech he wishes."
In another narration: "Then he may choose whichever supplication he pleases and supplicate."
In another narration: "Then he may choose whatever praise he wishes."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Indeed, Allah Himself is As-Salam"—meaning He is free from any resemblance to creation or imperfection,
and from everything that contradicts His perfection.
"When one of you sits in prayer"—meaning in the Tashahhud.
"All greetings are due to Allah"—meaning praise and glorification belong to Allah,
along with all forms of veneration as is His right and due.
"And prayers"—meaning our prayers are devoted sincerely to Him, not to anyone else.
"And good utterances"—meaning the purest and most wholesome speech,
with which Allah Almighty is praised or through which He is invoked;
among these are the Most Beautiful Names of Allah.
"His blessings"—blessing (barakah) refers to abundant, lasting good in all things.
"The righteous servants of Allah"—
a righteous person is one who fulfills the rights due to Allah Almighty
and the rights due to fellow servants.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
The hadith indicates that the remembrances (adhkar) of prayer are divinely dictated (tawqifiyyah).
It shows that the specific wording of the Tashahhud is prescribed.
It also indicates that after the Tashahhud,
the servant may choose whatever supplication he wishes,
and the best supplications are those reported in the Sunnah.
The hadith shows that the Names of Allah Almighty are divinely dictated (tawqifiyyah).
Chapter: Supplicating Before the Taslim
Narrated 'A'ishah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
She reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to supplicate during the prayer:
"O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the punishment of the grave,
I seek refuge in You from the trial of the False Messiah (al-Masih ad-Dajjal),
I seek refuge in You from the trials of life and death,
and O Allah, I seek refuge in You from sin and heavy debt."
Someone said to him,
"How often you seek refuge from heavy debt!"
He replied, "When a man incurs debt,
he speaks and lies, and he makes a promise and breaks it."
Commentary on the hadith:
"He used to supplicate during the prayer"—
meaning at the end of the prayer, after the Tashahhud and before the Taslim.
"From the trial of"—
trial (fitnah)
means affliction and tribulation.
"The False Messiah (al-Masih ad-Dajjal)"—
so named because his creation is effaced and deformed,
for his eye is blind/effaced,
and all goodness has been stripped away from him.
"From sin"—
meaning committing sins.
"And heavy debt"—
meaning financial debt.
"And breaks it"—
meaning he fails to fulfill his promise.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is recommended to seek refuge from these matters between the Tashahhud and the Taslim.
It affirms the punishment and trial of the grave.
It affirms the trial of the False Messiah,
as established in authentic hadiths.
The hadith indicates that this worldly life is an abode of trial and tribulation,
so a person must remain cautious of it.
It warns against debt and its negative consequences.
It indicates the prohibition of lying.
The hadith points to the obligation of fulfilling trusts and keeping promises.
Narrated Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him):
He said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
"Teach me a supplication that I may recite in my prayer."
He said:
"Say:
'O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly,
and no one forgives sins except You.
So grant me forgiveness from You,
and have mercy on me; indeed, You are the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.'"
Commentary on the hadith:
"That I may recite in my prayer"—
meaning while sitting after the Tashahhud and before the Taslim.
"O Allah, I have wronged myself greatly"—
meaning by falling short in achieving complete servitude,
or by committing that which incurs punishment,
or by diminishing one's spiritual reward.
"And no one forgives sins except You"—
an affirmation that Allah Almighty alone forgives sins,
and that this belongs to no one else,
which constitutes an affirmation of Divine Oneness (Tawhid).
Points of benefit from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is prescribed to seek knowledge from the scholar regarding everything that contains good,
especially comprehensive supplications (jawami' al-kalim).
The hadith demonstrates admitting one's shortcomings
and attributing wrong to oneself.
It includes an acknowledgment that Allah, Glorified be He, is the One who bestows favor and grants gifts from Himself
out of mercy to His servants, not merely in exchange for good deeds.
It shows the recommendation of reciting supplications at the end of the prayer from those reported in the Sunnah,
or those that resemble the expressions of the Qur'an.
Chapter: The Taslim
Narrated Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him):
During the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), women,
upon concluding the prescribed prayer with Taslim, would stand up immediately,
while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) remained seated,
as did the men who prayed, for as long as Allah willed.
Then, when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stood up,
the men stood up as well.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Would stand up"—
meaning they would return to their homes
before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) departed.
"Remained seated"—
meaning he stayed in his place.
Points of benefit from the hadith:
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is permissible for women to attend the mosques and to leave before the men.
The imam should linger in his place of prayer.
Az-Zuhri said:
"So that the women could depart
before any of the men could overtake them."
The hadith indicates that intermingling with women is a potential cause of fitnah.
Chapter: Remembrance After Prayer
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father):
Raising the voice in remembrance (dhikr)
when people finished the prescribed prayer
was the practice during the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
Ibn 'Abbas added:
"I used to know when they had finished the prayer by hearing that."
In another wording:
"I used to recognize the conclusion of the Prophet's prayer (peace be upon him) by the Takbir."
Commentary on the hadith:
"I used to recognize the conclusion of the Prophet's prayer (peace be upon him) by the Takbir"—
that worshipers would raise their voices in Takbir and dhikr immediately after the prescribed prayer.
Benefits derived from the hadith:
The statement of a Companion that a practice occurred "during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him)"
carries the ruling of a marfu' (directly attributed) tradition.
It indicates the permissibility of raising the voice in dhikr immediately following the prayer.
Narrated Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The poor came to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and said,
"The wealthy have taken the highest degrees and everlasting delight.
They pray as we pray,
they fast as we fast,
but they have excess wealth
with which they perform Hajj and 'Umrah,
and engage in Jihad and give charity."
He said, "Shall I not teach you something by which you will overtake those who preceded you,
and no one after you will overtake you,
and you will be the best among those you live with—
except for one who does the like of what you do?
Recite SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar thirty-three times after every prayer."
In another narration:
"Recite SubhanAllah ten times, Alhamdulillah ten times, and Allahu Akbar ten times after every prayer."
We then differed among ourselves,
and some of us said,
"We say SubhanAllah thirty-three times,
Alhamdulillah thirty-three times,
and Allahu Akbar thirty-four times."
So I returned to him,
and he said:
"Say:
'SubhanAllah,'
'Alhamdulillah,'
and 'Allahu Akbar,'
until all of them together equal thirty-three."
Commentary on the hadith:
"The wealthy"—
meaning those possessing abundant wealth.
"The highest degrees"—
meaning the lofty rewards for righteous financial deeds.
"Everlasting delight"—
meaning the bliss enjoyed in Paradise,
and "everlasting"
means eternal.
"Excess"—
meaning surplus wealth.
"Shall I not teach you something by which you will overtake those who preceded you"—
meaning: shall I not inform you of something
which, if you do it, will earn you the equivalent of their virtue?
"And no one after you will overtake you"—
for companionship with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is a unique virtue
that nothing can match,
nor can its status be attained through deeds alone.
"Among those you live with"—
meaning those among whom you reside.
"Except for one who does the like of what you do"—
meaning among the rich who also perform these remembrances.
"Recite SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, and Allahu Akbar"—
beginning with Tasbih,
which implies negating all defects from Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He;
followed by Tahmid,
which affirms perfection for Allah Almighty;
Then comes the magnification of Allah (Takbir).
For whoever is far exalted above all imperfections,
and deserving of all praise,
it is obligatory to venerate Him;
and that is achieved through Takbir.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith, we derive:
A clear demonstration of the eagerness of the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, to perform good deeds and attain the highest ranks.
In it is also an indication of the virtue of righteous wealth.
It also highlights the virtue of discussing and revising hadiths among companions.
The hadith also shows that the specific counts prescribed in utterances of remembrance (dhikr)
contain a wisdom that is lost if they are omitted,
while exceeding them constitutes transgression in supplication.
Furthermore, the hadith serves as evidence for those who weigh the virtue of poverty versus wealth,
a topic regarding which scholars hold various views.
In it is an encouragement to compete in performing deeds that yield elevated ranks.
On the authority of Wurrad, the scribe of Al-Mughirah,
who said:
Mu'awiyah wrote to Al-Mughirah:
"Write to me what you heard from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him."
So he wrote to him:
"The Prophet of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
used to say at the conclusion of every prayer—"
in one narration:
"prescribed prayer—"
"There is no god but Allah, Alone, without partner;
“All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah; unto Him belongeth Sovereignty and unto Him belongeth praise, and He is Able to do all things.” (64:1)
and He is over all things Omnipotent."
In one narration:
"three times—"
"O Allah, none can withhold what You give,
nor can any give what You withhold,
and no worldly effort or fortune can avail the fortunate person against You."
He also wrote to him:
"He used to forbid idle gossip,"
in one narration:
"And He dislikes for you..."
"asking too many questions,
and squandering wealth.
He also used to forbid disrespect toward mothers,"
in one narration:
"Indeed, Allah has forbidden to you..."
"and burying daughters alive,
and withholding rights while demanding what is not one's own."
Commentary on the hadith:
"At the conclusion of every prayer"
means immediately following every obligatory prayer.
“All that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth glorifieth Allah; unto Him belongeth Sovereignty and unto Him belongeth praise, and He is Able to do all things.” (64:1)
Since Allah is the Sovereign Owner of all dominion,
He alone deserves all praise, to the exclusion of anyone else.
"And no worldly effort or fortune can avail the fortunate person against You":
"Fortune" (*al-jadd*) here means wealth,
and it is also said to mean good luck or grandeur.
"Idle gossip" (*qila wa-qala*) and "asking too many questions"
mean engaging in questions about matters that offer no benefit.
"Squandering wealth"
means spending it on unlawful or disliked things.
"Disrespect toward mothers"
means harming them and disobeying them,
for filial disrespect (*'uquq*) is the exact opposite of dutiful piety (*birr*).
"Burying daughters alive"
means burying female infants while they are still living.
"Withholding rights while demanding what is not one's own" (*man'an wa-hat*)
means that a person withholds the rights obligated upon him,
or demands that to which he has no right.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
From this hadith, we derive:
The recommendation of reciting this remembrance after the prayers,
because of the expressions of monotheism (Tawhid) it contains.
In it is a warning that engaging in excessive gossip
leads to lying
and preoccupies one with harmful matters rather than beneficial ones.
In it, the specific mention of disrespecting mothers
serves as a alert to the greatness of her right,
and does not imply that disrespecting the father is permissible.