In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Ifadah Center
for Human Studies and Research
presents:
Abridgment of Sahih al-Bukhari.
Chapter:
The Mosques Located along the Routes of Madinah,
and the Places Where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) Prayed.
On the authority of Musa ibn 'Uqbah, who said:
I saw Salim ibn 'Abdullah seeking out certain spots along the road to pray at them,
and he related that his father used to pray at them,
and that he had seen the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) pray at those very spots.
Nafi' also narrated to me from Ibn 'Umar
that he used to pray at those places.
I then asked Salim,
and found that he agreed with Nafi' concerning all of the places,
except that they differed regarding a mosque at Sharaf al-Rawha'.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"Seeking out" (yataharra):
That is, intentionally aiming for, choosing, and making an effort to find.
"Except that they differed":
Meaning, Salim and Nafi',
"regarding a mosque at Sharaf al-Rawha'."
"Al-Sharaf" refers to an elevated place.
And "al-Rawha'"
is a major settlement two nights' travel from Madinah;
the distance between al-Rawha' and Madinah
is approximately 75 kilometers.
Key Benefits of the Hadith:
Derived from the hadith:
A demonstration of the virtue of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
and his strict adherence to the Sunnah;
it also shows the eagerness of the Companions and the Tabi'un to trace the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
On the authority of Nafi',
that 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar informed him
that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
used to halt at Dhu al-Hulayfah whenever he performed 'Umrah,
and during his Hajj pilgrimage,
under an acacia tree where the mosque at Dhu al-Hulayfah now stands.
Whenever he returned from a military expedition along that route,
or from Hajj or 'Umrah,
he would descend into the bottom of the valley;
and when he emerged from the valley bottom,
he would make his camel kneel at the wide, pebbled plain on the eastern bank of the valley.
He would then rest there overnight until morning, not near the mosque built with stones,
nor on the hillock upon which that mosque sits.
There was a watercourse there beside which 'Abdullah used to pray;
inside it were sand dunes
where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) used to pray,
but the torrent leveled it with pebbles and sand,
so that the spot where 'Abdullah used to pray was completely buried.
And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed where the small mosque stands,
which is below the mosque located at Sharaf al-Rawha'.
'Abdullah certainly knew the exact spot where the Prophet (peace be upon him) had prayed,
and he would say:
"It is there to your right when you stand up to pray in the mosque."
That mosque is situated on the right side of the road
as you head toward Makkah,
and the distance between it and the larger mosque is about a stone's throw or so.
Ibn 'Umar also used to pray towards the mountain ridge near the turning point of al-Rawha'.
That ridge
ends at the edge of the road, short of the mosque situated between it and the turning point
as you head toward Makkah.
A mosque was later built there,
but 'Abdullah would not pray inside that mosque;
instead, he would leave it to his left and behind him,
and pray in front of it directly facing the ridge itself.
'Abdullah would depart from al-Rawha'
and would not perform the Zuhr prayer until he reached that spot,
where he would then pray Zuhr.
And whenever he arrived on his way back from Makkah,
if he passed by it an hour before dawn or during the last part of the night,
he would halt to rest until he prayed the Fajr prayer there.
And 'Abdullah narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
used to halt under a large evergreen tree short of al-Ruwaythah,
on the right side of the road,
facing the open path on an even, level ground,
until it opens out from a hillock just two miles before the postal station of al-Ruwaythah.
The top of that tree had broken off
and bent inwards into its hollow while still standing on its trunk,
and around its trunk were many mounds of sand.
And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
prayed at the end of a ravine behind al-'Arj,
as you head toward a plateau.
Near that mosque were two or three graves
with mounds of stones over them,
located on the right side of the road
by the acacia trees along the path;
amidst those acacia trees,
'Abdullah would depart from al-'Arj
after the sun had declined past its midday peak,
and he would pray Zuhr at that mosque.
And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated
that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
halted near some evergreen trees on the left side of the road,
in a watercourse short of Harsha.
That watercourse adjoins the spur of Harsha,
and between it and the road is approximately the distance of an arrow shot.
'Abdullah used to pray facing an evergreen tree
that was the closest of those trees to the road
and the tallest of them.
And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
used to halt in the watercourse
situated at the lower end of Marr al-Zahran,
facing Madinah, as one descends from al-Safrawat.
He would halt in the bottom of that watercourse,
on the left side of the road as you head toward Makkah;
and between the resting place of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
and the road
was only a stone's throw.
And 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
used to halt at Dhu Tuwa
and stay overnight until morning,
performing the Fajr prayer there upon arriving at Makkah.
The prayer place of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)
was upon a rugged, elevated hillock,
not in the mosque that was later built there,
but lower down than that,
on a rugged hillock.
And 'Abdullah narrated
that the Prophet (peace be upon him)
faced the two mountain passes
that lay between him and the long mountain
toward the Ka'bah,
so that the mosque later built there
was left to the left of the mosque site,
at the edge of the hillock;
while the actual prayer place of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
was below it,
on the black hillock.
You should leave about ten cubits or so from the hillock
and then pray,
facing the two mountain passes of the mountain
that stands between you and the Ka'bah.
Commentary on the Hadith:
"At Dhu al-Hulayfah":
It is nine kilometers from Madinah on the road to Makkah.
"Under a samurah":
Meaning a thorny acacia tree.
"He descended" (habata):
That is, he went down and sloped downwards.
"He made his camel kneel at al-Batha'":
"Al-Batha'" refers to a wide, open space;
it is also said to be a broad stream bed
containing fine pebbles.
"The bank of the valley":
Meaning its edge.
"So he rested" ('arrasa):
That is, he halted for sleep and rest during a stopover.
"There" (thamma):
Meaning in that specific place.
"Upon the akamah":
An "akamah" is a hill or an elevated mound.
"There was a khalij":
Meaning a tributary or offshoot of a river,
as if drawn away from it;
it is also said to mean
a deep valley
branching off from a larger one.
"Inside it were kathab (dunes)":
A "kathib" (dune)
is an accumulation of sand,
elongated and defined in shape.
"The torrent leveled it with pebbles and sand
until it buried that place":
"Daha"
means flattened out and spread;
the meaning is
that it leveled it with the fine gravel it carried.
"Al-Batha'"
consists of small pebbles and sand.
"At Sharaf al-Rawha'":
Meaning at an elevated place in al-Rawha'.
"At the edge of the road":
Meaning by the side of the road.
"A stone's throw":
That is, the distance and measure of throwing a stone.
"He used to pray toward al-'irq":
"Al-'Irq"
is a salt-flat that grows tamarisk shrubs,
and other meanings have also been stated.
"At the turning point of al-Rawha'":
Meaning at its end.
"A mosque was built there":
Meaning a mosque was later constructed at that spot.
"If he passed by it":
Meaning if he passed by that mountain ridge.
"He rested" ('arrasa):
Meaning he halted for sleep or rest.
"Under a huge sarhah":
That is, a magnificent, fruit-bearing tree,
also known as the sukhmah.
"Short of al-Ruwaythah":
Meaning: beneath it and near it.
Ar-Ruwaythah
is a village about 85 kilometers from Medina.
"Facing the road"
means opposite it,
in a flat, open area,
meaning in a spacious place
that leads out—
that is, it opens out—
two miles before the postal station of Ar-Ruwaythah;
meaning there are two miles between it and the place where the postal station at Ar-Ruwaythah is situated.
"Then he turned,"
meaning he veered off
into its hollow,
meaning its interior,
standing on a single trunk,
meaning like an upright structure,
not wide at the bottom and narrow at the top,
at the edge of a watercourse.
A tal'ah is a channel through which water flows from high ground to low ground.
"Beyond al-'Arj":
Al-'Arj is a valley south of Medina,
about one hundred and thirteen kilometers away,
leading to a hillock.
A hadhabah is a hill higher than a sand dune
and lower than a mountain in elevation.
"A heap of stones,"
meaning large white stones,
near the salam trees by the road.
The salam
is a tree whose leaves yield the acacia pods used for tanning hides.
"During the midday heat":
al-hajirah is the middle of the day when the heat becomes intense,
in a watercourse,
meaning in a slope,
before Harsha.
It is a mountain in the region of Tihamah,
located at the junction of the routes leading to the Levant and Medina,
at the spur of Harsha,
meaning at its edge,
about an arrow-shot away,
meaning the distance of a bowshot.
Marr az-Zahran
is a valley sixteen miles from Mecca,
toward Medina,
meaning in its direction,
from as-Safrawat,
which are valleys or mountains beyond Marr az-Zahran,
at Dhi Tuwa,
which is a valley in Mecca,
atop a rugged knoll,
meaning a large hill.
"He faced the mountain pass":
the mountain pass is the entrance of the path leading into it,
toward the Ka'bah,
meaning facing the direction and orientation of the Ka'bah,
at the edge of the knoll,
beside it.
An akamah
is a hill or an elevated mound.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that it illustrates the virtue of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father),
and the meticulous care with which he traced the places where the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) halted.
It also shows Ibn 'Umar's tracing of the locations where the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed,
and the eager desire of the Companions and the Tabi'un to follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
It provides a description of the geographical locations along the path of the Prophet (peace be upon him) to Mecca during 'Umrah and Hajj,
and it shows that passing through these places is neither a Sunnah nor an obligatory ritual of Hajj.
It also demonstrates the permissibility of tracing the places where the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) prayed,
provided there is no extremism.
Malik was once asked about praying in the places where the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed,
and he said, "I do not care for that except at the Mosque of Quba',
because he (peace be upon him) used to visit it riding and walking,
whereas he did not do so intentionally for those other places."
It also indicates that some of the locations mentioned in the report still exist today, while others have disappeared.
It demonstrates the permissibility of building a mosque at the sites where the Prophet (peace be upon him) prayed.
It shows that a traveler may pray wherever and whenever it is most convenient for him,
and that the entire earth has been made a mosque and a pure place for the Muslim.
It indicates the permissibility of bypassing a roadside mosque to pray in another place,
as well as the permissibility of praying in a mosque adjacent to a graveyard.
It establishes the prescription of setting up a sutrah during prayer, both while traveling and while resident,
and that what is required for one who cannot directly see the Ka'bah is to face its general direction.
It distinguishes in rulings between a temporary place of prayer and a permanent mosque.
The hadith also highlights the vital importance of prayer in the life of a Muslim, whether traveling or resident.
Chapters on the worshiper's sutrah.
The sutrah of the imam serves as the sutrah for those behind him.
On the authority of Nafi', from Ibn 'Umar:
Whenever the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went out on the day of Eid,
he would order a short spear—in one narration,
a staff—to be carried before him,
and it would be planted in the prayer ground in front of him,
so it was set before him,
and he would pray facing it while the people stood behind him;
and he used to do that while traveling,
which is why the rulers subsequently adopted the practice.
Commentary on the hadith:
Chapters on the worshiper's sutrah.
A sutrah is an object that the worshiper sets up in front of himself,
such as a staff or something else,
to prevent anyone from passing directly before him.
The verb "used to" denotes regular and continued practice.
"Whenever he went out on the day of Eid,"
meaning to the prayer ground.
"With a short spear":
a harbah
is a spear with a broad blade.
"So it was set before him,"
meaning the short spear was planted in front of him (peace be upon him).
"Which is why the rulers adopted the practice":
this statement is from the words of Nafi',
the freed slave of Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father).
Among the benefits of the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that adopting a sutrah in prayer is recommended
for both the imam and the individual praying alone;
it is an encouraged Sunnah,
and the one who abandons it is blameworthy.
The hadith also shows that the Eid prayer
is held in an open prayer ground.
It proves the permissibility of using a short spear,
a pointed staff, or a walking stick
both during travel and while resident.
It demonstrates the obligation to take precautions
and carry an instrument to repel enemies,
particularly during travel.
It also shows the permissibility of having an attendant
and seeking assistance in certain matters pertaining to prayer.
Some jurists deduced
from the narrator's words,
"he would order a short spear,"
the standard considered for the height and width of a sutrah,
which is whatever equals the height and width of a short spear;
though there is detailed discussion regarding this issue.
Chapter: The required distance
between the worshiper and the sutrah.
On the authority of Sahl, who said:
Between the place where the Messenger of Allah
(peace be upon him) prayed
and the wall—
and in one narration:
between the wall of the mosque
adjacent to the qiblah
and the pulpit—
was enough space for a sheep to pass.
And on the authority of Salamah, who said:
The wall of the mosque near the pulpit was so close
that a sheep could hardly pass through.
Commentary on the hadith:
"The place where he prayed"
refers to the spot where he prayed
and stood, namely the Prophet (peace be upon him).
"The wall"
refers to the wall of the mosque on the side of the qiblah.
"Space for a sheep to pass"
means a clearance sufficient for a sheep to pass through.
"The wall of the mosque"
means the wall of the Mosque of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
on the side of the qiblah.
"A sheep could hardly pass through"
refers to the clearance needed for a sheep to pass.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
Both hadiths indicate that standing close to the sutrah is sought after,
and that the distance mentioned in both hadiths
between the worshiper and the sutrah
is an amount that enables the worshiper
to ward off anyone trying to pass in front of him
within arm's reach.
Chapter: Praying facing a pillar.
On the authority of Yazid ibn Abi 'Ubayd, who said:
I used to accompany Salamah ibn al-Akwa',
and he would pray near the pillar by the copy of the Qur'an.
So I said, "O Abu Muslim,
I see you deliberately seeking to pray near this pillar."
He replied,
"Indeed, I saw the Prophet (peace be upon him)
deliberately seeking to pray near it."
Commentary on the hadith:
"The pillar"
refers to the column or post.
"By the copy of the Qur'an":
it is the third pillar from the pulpit,
the third from the qiblah,
and the third from the grave;
it is also called the Pillar of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her),
and is likewise known as the Pillar of the Emigrants.
"Deliberately seeking to pray"
means purposely intending and choosing to pray in that specific spot.
Among the benefits of the hadith:
The hadith indicates
that a pillar and anything similar serves as a sutrah,
and it is preferable to a short spear.
The pillar must be directly in front of the worshiper,
not at his side,
so that nothing disrupts the rows.
It also shows the permissibility of keeping copies of the Qur'an in mosques.
On the authority of Anas ibn Malik, who said:
Whenever the muezzin called the adhan,
some of the Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him) would stand
rushing to the pillars
until the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came out,
while they were in that state,
praying the two rak'ahs before the Maghrib prayer.
And there was scarcely any time between the adhan and the iqamah.
Commentary on the hadith:
"Among the Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)"
refers to the senior Companions of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
"Rushing to the pillars"
means hastening to the pillars of the mosque
to take them as sutrahs for praying the two rak'ahs.
"And there was scarcely any time between the adhan and the iqamah"
means that between the Maghrib adhan and the iqamah there was only
a very brief interval.
Key points of benefit from the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the recommendation of praying two rak'ahs before the Maghrib prayer,
though there is scholarly disagreement on the matter.
It also contains encouragement to hasten toward acts of obedience,
and to perform many voluntary prayers.
The hadith also indicates the briefness of the time for the Maghrib prayer.
It also shows that the practice of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)
in matters of worship in the presence of the Prophet (peace be upon him)
constitutes tacit Sunnah.
Chapter: Praying toward a bed.
On the authority of 'A'ishah:
It was mentioned in her presence what invalidates the prayer:
a dog, a donkey, and a woman.
So she said:
"You have equated us to donkeys and dogs!
In another narration:
"Have you made us equal to dogs and donkeys?
By Allah, I saw the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) praying,
while I was lying down on the bed between him and the qiblah.
Then a need would occur to me,
but I disliked sitting up—"
in another narration:
"so I disliked passing directly in front of him,"
and in another narration:
"so I disliked facing him,
thereby distracting the Prophet (peace be upon him)—
so I would quietly slip away from near his feet."
In another narration:
"so that I would slip out from under my blanket."
And in another narration:
"so I would slip away gently and slowly."
Commentary on the hadith:
"You have equated us to donkeys and dogs"
means regarding the issue of invalidating the prayer,
since it was reported that a donkey and a dog invalidate the prayer.
"Would occur"
means a need would arise and present itself.
"So I would quietly slip away"
means I would move out with deliberation and gentleness,
little by little.
"So I disliked passing directly in front of him"
means passing before him across his field of vision from right to left;
what is meant is:
I disliked getting in his way during his prayer.
Key points of benefit from the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
that a woman does not invalidate the prayer,
and likewise a human being passing in front of a worshiper
does not invalidate the prayer, a fortiori.
It also shows the permissibility of praying facing a bed,
and the permissibility of praying toward someone who is asleep or lying down,
though the jurists have detailed nuances regarding this.
The hadith also shows the importance of not distracting a praying person
by movement, noise, or the like,
as indicated by
the gentle withdrawal of 'A'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
Chapter:
The worshiper repelling whoever passes in front of him.
On the authority of Abu Salih al-Samman, who said:
I saw Abu Sa'id al-Khudri on a Friday
praying toward an object that served as a sutrah shielding him from the people,
when a young man from Banu Abi Mu'ayt wanted
to pass in front of him.
So Abu Sa'id pushed him in the chest.
The young man looked,
but found no way out except right in front of him,
so he returned to pass again.
Abu Sa'id then pushed him more forcefully than the first time,
whereupon the youth insulted Abu Sa'id.
He then entered upon Marwan
and complained to him of what he had encountered from Abu Sa'id.
Then Abu Sa'id entered upon Marwan right after him,
so Marwan said:
"What is the matter between you and the son of your brother, O Abu Sa'id?"
He replied:
"I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) say:
'When one of you prays toward something that shields him from the people,
and someone wishes to pass in front of him,
let him push him away.'"
In another narration:
"let him prevent him."
"If he refuses,
let him prevent him;
and if he still refuses,
let him fight him,
for he is only a devil."
Commentary on the hadith:
"Repels" means pushes away.
"A young man from Banu Abi Mu'ayt":
it was said that he was al-Walid ibn 'Uqbah,
and others said otherwise.
"Pass in front of him"
means walk directly ahead of him.
"He found no way out except right in front of him"
means he found no passage through which he could pass.
"Whereupon he insulted Abu Sa'id"
means he reviled and abused him.
"Then he entered upon Marwan"
refers to Marwan ibn al-Hakam the Umayyad.
"Let him push him away"
means by gesturing and gentle deterrence.
"If he refuses"—
that is, the person passing by—
and declines to turn back,
"let him fight him,"
meaning push him back firmly
and compel him to turn back.
"For he is only a devil"
because his refusal to turn back from passing
is among the deeds of Satan.
Key points of benefit from the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is:
The instruction to set up a sutrah in prayer;
and that whoever is negligent in placing a sutrah
or stands farther from it than what is prescribed,
and someone passes in front of him,
he should not push him away due to his own negligence.
It also shows that a slight movement in prayer for its benefit is not harmful.
It also shows the legitimacy of applying the term "devil" to a rebellious human being,
which is permissible and widespread.
It also shows that warding off the worse evil
should be done by the gentlest means first, then the next.
And that disputes must be referred to the ruler,
and an aggrieved party should not take retribution into his own hands.
The hadith also contains an indication of the prohibition of passing in front of a praying person,
even if the worshiper was negligent regarding the sutrah.
It also shows that describing the one who insists on passing in front of a worshiper as a devil
demonstrates the religious reprehensibility of this act.
Chapter: The sin of the one who passes in front of a praying person.
On the authority of Abu al-Nadr, the freed slave of 'Umar ibn 'Ubaydullah,
from Busr ibn Sa'id,
that Zayd ibn Khalid sent him to Abu Juhaym to ask him
what he had heard from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him)
concerning the one who passes in front of a praying person.
Abu Juhaym said:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
"If the one passing in front of a praying person knew what sin was upon him,
waiting for forty would be better for him than passing in front of him."
Abu al-Nadr said: "I do not know
whether he said forty days, months, or years."
Commentary on the hadith:
Abu Juhaym:
his name is 'Abdullah ibn Juhaym (may Allah be pleased with him).
"What was upon him"
refers to sin and wrongdoing.
"In front of him" means directly ahead of him, in close proximity.
Key points of benefit from the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
the strict prohibition of passing in front of a praying person,
and that sin is incurred only by one who knows of the prohibition.
It also shows the legitimacy of appointing a deputy in seeking knowledge.
It also guides scholars to learn from one another,
and to accept narrating through an intermediary despite the ability to take it directly.
It also demonstrates the acceptance of solitary narrations.
Chapter: Praying behind a sleeping person.
On the authority of 'A'ishah, who said:
"The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to pray while I was lying down,
stretched out across his bed.
When he wanted to pray the Witr,
he would awaken me, and I would pray the Witr."
Commentary on the hadith:
"The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to pray":
such a phrasing denotes habitual repetition.
"While I was lying down" means asleep.
"Stretched out across his bed"
means lying horizontally in the direction of the qiblah.
"He would awaken me, and I would pray the Witr"
shows the recommendation of waking a sleeping person for acts of worship.
Key points of benefit from the hadith:
Derived from the hadith is
an emphasis on the established Sunnah of the Witr prayer.
It also contains an explanation of the virtue of the night prayer.
It also contains encouragement to attend to one's family regarding acts of worship.
Chapter: Carrying a little girl upon one's neck during prayer.
On the authority of Abu Qatadah al-Ansari:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was praying
while carrying Umamah, daughter of Zaynab,
the daughter of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
fathered by Abu al-'As ibn Rabi'ah ibn 'Abd Shams.
When he prostrated, he would put her down,
and when he stood up, he would pick her up.
In another narration:
"When he bowed, he would put her down,
and when he rose, he would pick her up.
Commentary on the hadith:
Umamah, the daughter of Zaynab—
that is, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
She was attributed to her mother as a mark of honor.
"So when he prostrated, he would put her down,"
meaning upon the ground,
"and when he stood up, he would carry her,"
meaning upon his shoulder.
Among the benefits derived from the hadith:
It is derived from the hadith
that the prayer of one carrying a human being is valid,
as is carrying anything that is ritually pure.
It also indicates the ritual purity of children's clothes and bodies
unless an impurity is definitively verified.
It also demonstrates that slight movement does not invalidate the prayer,
nor does significant movement if it is separated and not continuous.
It shows humility toward children, showing them gentleness, and treating them with mercy.
It also shows the permissibility of bringing children into mosques.
It provides guidance on honoring the children of one's close kin by carrying them,
to bring joy to them and to their parents.
The hadith also demonstrates applying the principle of presumption of the default state,
which is purity, as is prevailing.
It also shows that since carrying young children does not invalidate the prayer,
their passing in front of the one praying likewise does not harm it.