Worship and the Pillars

As-Sai'b bin Yazid (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was seven years old when I was taken to perform Hajj (pilgrimage). This was during the time the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed the Hajjat-ul-Wada' (Farewell Pilgrimage)..

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (ﷺ) came across a caravan at Ar-Rauha' and asked who the people in the caravan were. They replied that they were Muslims. They asked: "Who are you?" He (ﷺ) said, "I am the Messenger of Allah." Then a woman lifted up a boy to him and asked: "Would this child be credited with having performed the Hajj (pilgrimage)?" Whereupon he (ﷺ) said, "Yes, and you will have a reward."

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) performed the pilgrimage on an unsaddled camel which also carried his provisions (i.e., his Zamilah)..

Ibn 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: Ukaz, Mijannah and Dhul-Majaz were markets during the pre-Islamic period. The Companions disliked trading there till the following Ayat of the Noble Qur'an were revealed: "There is no sin on you if you seek the Bounty of your Rubb (during pilgrimage by trading)..." (2:198).

Abu Malik al-Ash‘ari reported God’s messenger as saying, “Being purified is half of faith, saying ‘Praise be to God’ fills the scale, saying ‘Glory be to God’ and ‘Praise be to God' fill or fills* the space between the heavens and the earth, prayer is a light, sadaqa is a proof , endurance is a shining glory, and the Qur’an is a proof on your behalf or against you. All men go out early and sell themselves, thereby setting themselves free or destroying themselves.” *An alternative reading is given in the text, the first feminine dual and the second feminine singular. Muslim transmitted it. A version has, “Saying ‘There is no god but God’ and ‘God is most great’ fills the space between heaven and earth.” I did not find this version in the two Sahihs, in al-Humaidi's book but Darimi mentioned it in place of “Glory be to God and Praise be to God.”

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “Shall I not guide you to something for which God blots out sins and raises men's ranks?” When his hearers expressed their desire that he should tell them, he said, “Performing complete ablution although circumstances make it difficult, travelling far to mosques, and looking expectantly to the next time of prayer after prayers have been said. That is the defence of the frontier.”* The tradition of Malik b. Anas has, “That is the defence of the frontier; that is the defence of the frontier. He repeated it twice.” *Here meant in a spiritual sense, as a defence against infidelity and wrongdoing. Muslim transmitted it. Tirmidhi’s version has thrice.

‘Uthman reported God’s messenger as saying, “If anyone performs the ablution well, his sins will come out from his body, even coming out from under his nails.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a Muslim, or a believer, washes his face in the course of ablution, every sin he contemplated with his eyes will come forth from his face along with the water, or with the last drop of water; when he washes his hands, every sin they wrought will come forth from his hands with the water, or with the last drop of water; and when he washes his feet, every sin towards which his feet have walked will come out with the water, or with the last drop of water, with the result that he will come forth pure from offences.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Uthman reported God’s messenger as saying, “When the time for a prescribed prayer comes, if any Muslim observes proper ablution, humility and bowing, it will be an expiation for his past sins, so long as he has not committed a major sin; and that means for all time.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Uthman performed ablution, pouring water over his hands three times, then rinsing his mouth and snuffing up water, then washing his face three times, then washing his right arm up to the elbow three times, then washing his left arm up to the elbow three times, then wiping his head, then washing his right foot three times, then the left three times. He then said, “I have seen God’s messenger performing ablution as I have done it just now,” adding, “If anyone performs ablution as I have done, then prays two rak'as* without allowing his thoughts to be distracted, his past offences will be forgiven him.” *A section of the daily prayers. Each time of prayer has a specified number of rak'as (Bukhari and Muslim, the wording being Bukhari’s.)

‘Uqba b. 'Amir reported God’s messenger as saying, “If any Muslim performs ablution well, then stands and prays two rak'as, setting about their performance both inwardly and outwardly, he will be guaranteed paradise.” Muslim transmitted it.

‘Umar b. al-Khattab reported, God's messenger as saying, “If anyone performs the ablution completely*, then says, ‘I testify that there in no god but God and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger’ (a version giving, ‘I testify that there is no god but God alone who has no partner, and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and messenger’), the eight gates of paradise will be opened for him and he may enter by whichever of them he wishes." *The text has alternative words here, fa-yublighu au fa-yusbighu. Thus Muslim transmitted it in his Sahih, and al-Humaidi among the traditions given by Muslim but not by Bukhari, as also did Ibn al-Athir in Jami' al-usul. The Shaikh Muhyi ad-Din an-Nawawi mentioned it at the end of Muslim’s traditions as we have transmitted it. Tirmidhi added, “O God, put me among the penitent, and put me among those who are purified." The tradition, “He who performs ablution and does it well" which Muhyi as-Sunna transmitted among the sound ones is transmitted identically by Tirmidhi in his Jami' except for “I testify" before the words "that Muhammad."

Abu Huraira reported God's messenger as saying, "My people will be summoned on the day of resurrection with white faces and hands and feet from the marks of ablution. If any of you can extend his brightness, let him do so." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

He also reported God’s messenger as saying, “In a believer adornments will reach the places which ablution reaches." Muslim transmitted it.

Thauban reported God’s messenger as saying, “Keep to the straight path, which you will not be able to do, know that your best action is prayer and that only a believer observes ablution carefully." Malik, Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it.

Ibn ‘Umar reported God's messenger as saying, “He who performs ablution when in a state of purity will have ten blessings recorded for him.” Tirmidhi transmitted it.

Jabir reported God’s messenger as saying, “The key of paradise is prayer, and the key of prayer is being purified." Ahmad transmitted it.

Shabib b. Abu Rauh reported on the authority of one of the companions of God’s messenger that God’s messenger prayed the morning prayer and recited Ar-Rum*, but became confused about it. When he finished the prayer he said, “What is the matter with people who pray along with us without performing the purification properly? It is only those who cause us confusion about the Qur’an.” *Qur’an, xxx. Nasa’i transmitted it.

A man of the B. Sulaim said: God's messenger counted them in my hand, or in his hand, saying, “The glorifying of God is half the scale, ‘Praise be to God’ fills it, ‘God is most great’ fills the space between heaven and earth, fasting is the half of endurance, and being purified is half of faith.” Tirmidhi transmitted it and said that this is a hasan tradition.

‘Abdallah as-Sunabihi reported God’s messenger as saying, “When a believer performs ablution, then rinses his mouth, the sins go out from his mouth; when he snuffs up water, the sins go out from his nose; when he washes his face, the sins go out from his face so that they go out from under his eyelashes; when he washes his hands, the sins go out from his hands so that they go out from under his fingernails; when he wipes his head, the sins go out from his head so that they go out from his ears; and when he washes his feet, the sins go out from his feet so that they go out from under his toenails. Then his walking to the mosque and his prayer will provide extra blessings for him.” Malik and Nasa’i transmitted it.