An-Nu‘man b. Bashir said that when a solar eclipse took place in the time of God’s Messenger he began to pray a series of pairs of rak'as, making requests at the end of them till the sun became clear. Abu Dawud transmitted it. In a version by Nasa’i it says that when the sun was eclipsed the Prophet prayed as Muslims normally do, bowing and prostrating himself. Another version by him says that when a solar eclipse took place one day the Prophet went out quickly to the mosque and prayed till it cleared. Then he said, “The people in pre-Islamic times used to say that the sun and moon were eclipsed only on account of the death of a great man, but the sun and moon are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of his birth, but they are two of God’s creatures. God produces in His creation what He wills; so when either of them is eclipsed pray till it clears or till God produces something.

(This chapter does not contain sections I and III) Abu Bakra said that when anything came to God’s Messenger which caused pleasure (or, by which he was made glad), he prostrated himself in gratitude to God most high. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Abu Ja'far said the Prophet saw a dwarf and prostrated himself. Daraqutni transmitted it in mursal form. Sharh as-sunna has the same wording as al-Masabih.

We went out with God’s Messenger from Mecca making for Medina, and when we were near ‘Azwaza’* he alighted, then raised his hands and made supplication to God for a time, after which he prostrated himself, remaining a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a time, after which he prostrated himself, remaining a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a time, after which he prostrated himself. He then said, “I begged my Lord and made intercession for my people, and He gave me a third of my people, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord. Then I raised my head and begged my Lord for my people and He gave me a third of my people, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord. Then I raised my head and begged my Lord for my people and He gave me the last third, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord.” *The name is spelt either as here with the alif mamduda, or with the alif maqsura (i.e. Azwaza). The reference is to a pass in the hills. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said God's Messenger took the people out to the place of prayer and prayed for rain. He led them in two rak'as in the course of which he recited from the Qur'an in a loud voice. He faced the qibla making supplication, raised his hands and turned round his cloak when he faced the qibla. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said the Prophet was not accustomed to raise his hands in any supplication he made except when praying for rain. He would then raise them high enough for the whiteness under his armpits to be visible. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He said the Prophet prayed for rain pointing the back of his hands to the sky. Muslim transmitted it.

‘A'isha told that when God's Messenger saw rain he said, “O God, send a beneficial downpour." Bukhari transmitted it.

A shower of rain fell when we were with God’s Messenger, so he removed his garment till some of the rain fell on him. We asked him why he did this, and he replied, “Because it has recently been with its Lord." Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said God’s Messenger went out to the place of prayer and prayed for rain. When he faced the qibla he turned round his cloak, putting its right side on his left shoulder and its left side on his right shoulder, then made supplication to God. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

He said God’s Messenger prayed for rain wearing a khamisa* of his. He wanted to reverse it from top to bottom, but when it was too heavy he turned it round on his shoulders. * A black square robe with ornamented borders. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Umair client of Abul Lahm said he saw the Prophet praying for rain at Ahjar az-Zait1 near az-Zaura’,2 standing, making supplication, praying for rain and raising his hands in front of his face, but not lifting them above his head. 1. A part of Medina which is said to have got the name because of the black stones there which looked as if they had been smeared with oil. 2. A house in Medina. Abu Dawud transmitted it, and Tirmidhi and Nasa’i transmitted something similar.

Ibn 'Abbas said God’s Messenger went out (i.e. to pray for rain) wearing old clothes, with a humble and lowly manner, making petition. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

'Amr b. Shu'aib, on his father’s authority, quoted his grandfather as saying that when the Prophet prayed for rain he said, "O God, provide water for Thy servants and Thy cattle, display Thy mercy and give life to Thy dead land.” Malik and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Jabir said he saw God’s Messenger raising his hands in supplication. Then he said, “O God, give us rain which will replenish us, abundant, fertilising and profitable, not injurious, granting it now without delay.” He said that thereupon the sky became overcast. Abu Dawud transmitted it.

'A’isha said the people complained to God’s Messenger of the lack of rain, so he gave orders for a pulpit, and when it was set up for him in the place of prayer he appointed a day for the people on which they should come out. ‘A’isha said God’s Messenger came out when the rim of the sun appeared and sat down on the pulpit. Having declared God’s greatness and expressed His praise, he said, “You have complained of drought in your abodes and of delay in receiving rain at the beginning of its season, but God has ordered you to supplicate Him and has promised that He would answer your prayers.” Then he said, “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Master of the day of judgment. There is no god but God who does what He wishes. O God, Thou art God than whom there is no god, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for us for a time.” He then raised his hands and kept raising them till the whiteness under his armpits was visible. He then turned his back to the people and inverted (or, turned round) his cloak while keeping his hands aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two rak'as. God then produced a cloud and a storm of thunder and lightning came on. Then it rained by God’s permission, and before he reached his mosque streams were flowing. When he saw the speed with which the people sought shelter he laughed till his back teeth were visible. Then he said, “I testify that God is omnipotent and that I am God’s servant and Messenger.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Anas said that when they experienced a drought ‘Umar b. al-Khattab prayed for rain by virtue of al-‘Abbas b. ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and said, "O God, we used to supplicate Thee by virtue of our prophet and Thou didst give us water. We are now supplicating Thee by virtue of our prophet’s uncle, so give us water.” He said that they were then given water. Bukhari transmitted it.

I heard God’s Messenger say that a prophet took the people out to pray for rain, and when he saw an ant raising some of its legs to the sky he said, “Return, for your prayers have been answered because of this ant.” Daraqutni transmitted it.

Winds. Ibn 'Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I have been helped by the east wind, and ‘Ad* were destroyed by the west wind.” 1. An ancient people who were destroyed because of their rejection of the prophet Hud. Cf. Qur’an, 11:50 ff., etc. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'A’isha said, ''I never saw God’s Messenger laugh to such an extent that I could see his uvula, he would only smile ; and when he saw clouds or wind his face showed signs [of fear].” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She reported the Prophet as saying when the wind was stormy, "O God, I ask Thee for what is good in it, in what it contains and in what it was sent for; and I seek refuge in Thee from what is evil in it, in what it contains and in what it was sent for.” When the sky became black his colour changed and he went out and in, backwards and forwards, but when the rain came his alarm was removed. ‘A’isha noticed that and asked him about it and he replied, “Perhaps, ‘A’isha, it may be as the people of ‘Ad said. When they saw a cloud formation coming towards their valleys they said it was a cloud formation which would give them rain.” A version says that when he saw rain he would say, “Make it a blessing.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The keys of the unseen are five.” He then recited, “God has knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down the rain . . .” (Al-Qur’an; 31:34). Bukhari transmitted it.

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “Famine does not consist in your getting no rain, but it consists in your getting rain and getting more rain without the earth producing anything.” Muslim transmitted it.

Abu Huraira told of his hearing God’s Messenger say, “The wind comes from God’s mercy bringing blessing and punishment, so do not revile it, but ask God for some of its good and seek refuge in Him from its evil." Shafi'i, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad- da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Abbas told how the Prophet said, when a man cursed the wind in his presence, "Do not curse the wind, for it is under command; if anyone curses a thing which does not deserve it, the curse will return on himself." Tirmidhi transmitted it and said this is a gharib tradition.

Do not curse the wind, but when you see what you dislike say, "O God, we ask Thee for some of the good in this wind, in what it contains and in what it has been commanded to do; and we seek refuge in Thee from the evil in this wind, in what it contains and in what it has been commanded to do." Tirmidhi transmitted it.

No wind ever blew without the Prophet getting down on his knees and saying, "O God, make it a blessing and do not make it a punishment. O God, make it to be winds and do not make it a single wind.” Ibn ‘Abbas remarked that the Book of God most high contains these words, "We sent upon them a furious wind;"1 "We sent upon them the devastating wind;"2 "And We sent the winds fertilising;"3 and "We sent the winds as heralds of glad tidings."4 1. Al-Qur’an; 41:16. 2. Al-Qur’an; 51:41. 3. Al-Qur’an; 15:22. 4. Cf. Al-Qur an; 30:46. The quotation is not quite accurate. The quotations are meant to show that when 'wind’ is used without qualification in the Qur’an it indicates punishment, but the use of 'winds without qualification indicates blessing. Shafi'i and Baihaqi, in [Kitab] ad-da'awat al-kabir, transmitted it.

‘A’isha said that when the Prophet saw something rising in the sky, meaning clouds, he left what he was doing, faced them and said, "O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the evil of what they contain." If God cleared them away he praised Him, and if rain fell he said, "O God, give a beneficial fall.” Abu Dawud, Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and Shafi'i transmitted it, the wording being Shafi'i's.

Ibn ‘Umar told that when the Prophet heard the sound of thunder and of thunderbolts he said, "O God, do not kill us with Thine anger and do not destroy us with Thy punishment, but preserve us before that happens." Ahmad and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying that this is a gharib tradition.

It is told of ‘Abdallah b. az-Zubair that when he heard thunder he stopped talking and said, “Glory be to Him whose praise the thunder and the angels extol from fear of Him." Malik transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, "Do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-maghrib (sunset) which the Bedouin call al-'isha (evening); and do not let the Bedouin take away from you the name of your prayer al-‘isha, for it is mentioned as al-‘isha in God’s Book,¹ and for they use the verb from the root ‘atama of milking camels at nightfall.” 1. (Al-Qur’an, 24:58.)

‘Ali reported God’s Messenger as saying at the battle of the Trench,² "They have restrained us from the middle prayer,³ the afternoon prayer. God fill their houses and their graves with fire!” 2. The siege of Medina by Quraish in 5 A.H. 3. Cf. (Al-Qur’an, 2:238.) (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira said that when God’s Messenger got up to pray he would say the takbir when standing, then say the takbir when bowing, then say, “God listens to him who praises Him” when coming to an erect position after bowing, then say while standing, “To Thee, our Lord, be the praise,” then say the takbir when getting down for prostration, then say the takbir when he raised his head, then say the takbir when he prostrated himself, then say the takbir when he raised his head. He would do that throughout the whole prayer till he finished it, and he would say the takbir when he got up at the end of two rak'as after adopting the sitting posture. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jabir reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The most excellent prayer consists in long standing in prayer.” Muslim transmitted it.

When God’s Messenger stood up to pray he raised his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders and said the takbir; then he recited some verses; then said the takbir, raising his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders; then he bowed, placing the palms of his hands on his knees and keeping himself straight neither raising nor lowering his head; then raised his head saying, “God listens to him who praises Him”; then raised his hands placing them exactly opposite his shoulders; then said the takbir; then lowered himself to the ground in prostration, keeping his arms away from his sides and bending his toes; then raised his head, bent his left foot and sat on it; then he adopted a natural position so that every bone returned properly to its place; then he prostrated himself; then he said the takbir, raised himself and bent his left foot and sat on it: then he adopted a natural position so that every bone returned to its place; then he got up, and did the same as that in the second rak'a. At the end of two rak'as he stood up and said the takbir, raising his hands so as to bring them opposite his shoulders in the way he had said the takbir on beginning to pray; then he did that in the remainder of his prayer, and after the sajda* which is followed by the taslim he put out his left foot and sat on his left hip; then he uttered the taslim. They said, “You have spoken the truth. This is how he used to pray.” *i.e. prostration Abu Dawud and Darimi transmitted it. And Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted something to the same effect. Tirmidhi saying that this is a hasan sahih tradition. Then he bowed and placed his hands on his knees as though he were clutching them, and he bent his arms and kept them away from his sides. He (i.e. the narrator) said that he then prostrated himself placing his nose and his forehead on the ground, keeping his arms away from his sides, placing the palms of his hands [on the ground] opposite his shoulders, keeping his thighs separate and not letting his stomach press on any part of his thighs till he finished; then he sat up and spread out his left foot, putting forward the front of ...

Abu Huraira reported God’s Messenger as saying, “An ‘ifrit of the jinn escaped yesterday to interrupt my prayer, but God gave me power over him, so I seized him and intended to tie him to one of the pillars of the mosque in order that you might all look at him; but I remembered the supplication of my brother Solomon, ‘My Lord, give me such a kingdom as will not be fitting for anyone after me’ (Al-Qur’an; 38:35) so I made him clear out.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Sahl b. Sa‘d reported God's Messenger as saying, “If anything happens to someone during prayer he should say, ‘Glory be to God,’ for clapping applies only to women.” In a version he said, “Saying 'Glory be to God’ applies to men and clapping to women.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. Mas'ud said that God’s Messenger prayed five rak'as in the noon prayer and was asked whether the prayer had been extended. He asked what they meant by that, and when they told him he had prayed five rak'as he made two prostrations after having given the salutation. In a version he said, “I am only a human being like you, foigetting just as you do; so when I forget remind me, and when any of you is in doubt about his prayer he should aim at what is correct and complete his prayer in that respect, then give the salutation and afterwards make two prostrations.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

God’s Messenger led us in one of the two evening ('ashiy)¹ prayers. (Ibn Sirin said that Abu Huraira named it, but he had forgotten which, it was.) He led us in two rak'as and when he had given the salutation he got up, and going towards a piece of wood which was placed crosswise in the mosque, he leaned on it looking as if he were angry. He placed his right hand on his left, and intertwining his fingers, he placed his right cheek on the back of his left hand. Those who were first to come out of the doors of the mosque said, “The prayer has been shortened." Abu Bakr and ‘Umar were among the people, but they were too afraid to speak to him; but among them was a man with such long arms that he was called “The possessor of arms" (Dhulyadain) who asked, “Have you forgotten, Messenger of God, or has the prayer been shortened?” He replied, “I have neither forgotten, nor has it been shortened." He then asked whether things were as the possessor of arms had said, and when he was told that that was so he went forward and prayed what he had omitted. He then gave the salutation, then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great", then said “God is most great" and made his usual prostration or one a little longer, then raised his head and said “God is most great". He² was often asked whether he then gave the salutation and he would say: I have been informed that ‘Imran b. Husain said he then gave the salutation. 1. ‘Ashiy generally means evening, but it also means the time between the declining of the sun after the meridian and sunset or morning, so the two prayers here mentioned are the noon (zuhr) prayer and the afternoon prayer. 2. i.e. Ibn Sirin (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.) In another version given by both of them, instead of saying “I have neither forgotten nor has it been shortened” God’s Messenger said, “None of that has happened," to which he replied, “Some of it has, Messenger of God."

“Deeds are to be judged only by intentions, and a man will have only what he intended. When one’s emigration is to God and His Messenger, his emigration is to God and His Messenger; but when his emigration is to a worldly end at which he aims, or to a woman whom he marries, his emigration is to that to which he emigrated.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn 'Abbas reported God's messenger as saying when he sent Mu'adh to the Yemen, “You will come to folk who are people of a book, so invite them to testify that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is God's messenger. If they obey that, tell them God has made obligatory for them five times of prayer every twenty-four hours. If they obey that, tell them God has made obligatory for them sadaqa to be taken from their rich and handed over to their poor. If they obey that, avoid taking the best parts of their property; and regard the claim of him who is wronged, for there is no veil between it and God." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any owner of gold or silver does not pay what is due on it, when the day of resurrection comes plates of fire will be beaten out for him, they will be heated in the fire of jahannam, and his side, forehead and back will be cauterised with them. Every time they are put back in the fire they will be returned to him during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among mankind and he sees whether his path is to take him to paradise or to hell." He was asked about camels and replied, “If any owner of camels does not pay what is due on them, one thing which is due being to milk them on the day they come down to water,* when the day of resurrection comes a soft sandy plain will be spread out for them, as extensive as possible, he will find that not a single young one is missing, and they will trample him with their hoofs and bite him with their mouths. As often as the first of them pass him the last of them will be brought back to him during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among mankind and he sees whether his path is to take him to paradise or to hell." He was asked about cattle and sheep and said, “If any owner of cattle or sheep does not pay what is due on them, when the day of resurrection comes a soft sandy plain will be spread out for them, he will find none of them missing, with twisted horns, without horns, or with a broken horn, and they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hoofs. As often as the first of them pass him the last of them will be brought back to him during a day whose extent will be fifty thousand years, until judgment is pronounced among mankind and he sees whether his path is to take him to paradise or to hell”. He was asked about horses and said, “Horses are of three types; to one man they are a load, to another a covering, and to another a reward. The first class is exemplified when a man keeps them in hypocrisy, vainglory and opposition to the people of Islam, so they are a load to him. The second class is exemplified when a man keeps them to be used in God's path and is not forgetful of God’s right concerning their backs and necks, so they are a covering to him. The third class is exemplified when a man keeps them to be used in God's path by the people of Islam and puts them in a meadow and field. The amount of what they eat in that meadow or field will be recorded ...

He reported God s messenger as saying, “If God gives anyone property and he does not pay the zakat on it, his property will be made to appear to him on the day of resurrection as a large bald snake with black spots over its eyes. It will be put round his neck on the day of resurrection, then seize his lihzamatani, i.e. his jaws, then say, ‘I am your property; I am your treasure’.” He then recited, “Let not those who are niggardly think…”* Bukhari transmitted it. * Quran 3:180

Abu Dharr reported the Prophet as saying, “If any man has camels, cattle, or sheep on which he does not pay what is due, they will be produced as large and fat as can be on the day of resurrection and will trample him with their hoofs and gore him with their horns. As often as the last of them pass him the first of them will be brought back to him until judgment is pronounced among mankind.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Jarir b. ‘Abdallah reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the collector of sadaqa comes to you see that he is pleased with you when he leaves you.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Abu Aufa told that the Prophet said when people brought him their sadaqa, “O God, bless the family of so and so.” He told how, when his father brought him his sadaqa, he said, “O God, bless the family of Abu Aufa.” (Bukhari and Muslim.) A version says that when a man brought the Prophet his sadaqa he said, “O God, bless him.”

Abu Huraira told how when God’s messenger sent ‘Umar to collect sadaqa people said that Ibn Jamil, Khalid b. al-Walid and al-‘Abbas refused. So God’s messenger said, “Ibn Jamil is not [so much] objecting, but he was poor and God and His messenger enriched him. * As for Khalid, you are wronging him, for he has kept back his coats of mail and weapons to use them in God’s path. As for al-‘Abbas, I shall be responsible for it and an equal amount along with it.” Then he said, “Did you not know, ‘Umar, that a man’s paternal uncle is of the same stock as his father?” (Bukhari and Muslim.) * This sentence has given commentators trouble, and several explanations of the meaning are given. It appears best to understand it as a seeming defence of Ibn Jamil which is really a rebuke. The idea is therefore that the seriousness of his action is not so much in his actual objection to paying zakat as in his being induced to do this by ingratitude to God who has enriched him.

I employ men of your number to deal with certain matters which God has entrusted to me, yet one of them comes and says, 'This is for you and this is a present which was given to me.’ Why did he not sit in his father’s or his mother’s house and see whether it would be given to him or not? By Him in whose hand my soul is, whoever takes any of it will inevitably bring it on the day of resurrection carrying it on his neck, be it a camel which rumbles, an ox which bellows, or a sheep which bleats.” Then raising his arms so that we could see the place where the hair grew under his armpits he said, "O God, have I given full information? O God, have I given full information?” (Bukhari and Muslim.) Khattabi said: The words "Why did he not sit in his father’s or his mother's house and see whether it would be given to him or not?” are a proof that every matter which, when it is adopted, leads to something forbidden is itself forbidden, and that note is taken of everyone who enters into covenants as to whether or not his decision made by himself is like his decision when he is associated with others. Thus it is quoted in Sharh as-sunna.

‘Adi b. ‘Amira reported God’s messenger as saying, "If I appoint any of you to deal with a matter and he conceals from me a needle and what is above that, it is dishonesty, and he will bring it on the day of resurrection.” * Muslim transmitted it. * Quran 3:161.

34. ** i.e. a word about which Ibn ‘Abbas was uncertain.