Abu Dawud

931. Commentary:
➊ According to Shaykh al-Albani rahimahullah, this narration is weak in its chain of transmission; however, the previous authentic hadith supports it.
➋ It is not permissible to reply to a sneeze during prayer, but if the one who sneezes quietly says «الحمد لله», it is permissible.
➌ Making a gesture out of necessity during prayer is permissible.
➍ It is obligatory to adopt gentleness and brotherhood in the invitation to and teaching of Islam.
➎ Going to soothsayers and seeking knowledge of the unseen from them is forbidden. Similarly, taking bad omens and being pessimistic is also impermissible.
➏ The science of handwriting (ilm al-khutut) was originally a revealed knowledge but has been lifted. It is attributed to Prophet Idris alayhis salam or Prophet Daniyal alayhis salam. Now, to engage in it is like groping in the dark, and it cannot be relied upon in any way. In the aforementioned answers of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the affirmation of truth and the refutation of falsehood have been done in an excellent manner. There is a great lesson in this for preachers and muftis.
➐ To punish a servant or the like without a valid reason is oppression and impermissible; a person should offer expiation for it.
➑ The teachings of Islam regarding beliefs and actions are extremely simple and in accordance with human nature, and their foundation is on monotheism (tawhid) and prophethood (risalah).
➒ Allah, exalted is He, is in the heaven, and attributing direction and orientation to Him is the very truth (bi-la kayf).
➓ Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the Messenger of Allah and the final Prophet. (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:
Prayer (salah) is the foremost and ultimate form of presenting oneself before Allah, and of addressing and supplicating to Him.

Its true right would have been that for every prayer, the entire body be washed (ghusl, ritual bath) and completely clean, good clothing be required to be worn.

However, acting upon this would have been very difficult.

Therefore, out of His grace, Allah made it obligatory only to wash those limbs which are generally exposed outside of clothing.

Furthermore, in the state of not having ablution (wudu), a kind of spiritual unease and constriction is felt in one’s disposition.

And after performing ablution (wudu), a state of openness and expansion is produced in a person’s disposition,

and a subtlety and luminosity is created within a person’s inner self.

For this reason, ablution (wudu) has been made a necessary condition for prayer (salah),

without which prayer is not valid.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ The background of this hadith is that during the prayer, one of the worshippers sneezed, and in response, Sayyiduna Muawiyah radi Allahu anhu said «يَرْحَمُكَ اللهُ» while in the state of prayer. After completing the prayer, he narrated the above hadith. From this, it is understood that it is prohibited to address or speak to another person during the prayer.

➋ This hadith is evidence that recitation of the Qur’an is obligatory upon the follower (muqtadi) in prayer, because this was a congregational prayer and the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, after completing the prayer, told the follower that speaking to people is not permissible in prayer; rather, in prayer there is glorification (tasbih), magnification (takbir), and recitation of the Qur’an. And which recitation is obligatory upon the follower? Its clarification is found in several other authentic ahadith, that it is the recitation of Surah al-Fatihah, as is narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari. Sayyiduna Ubadah bin Samit radi Allahu anhu states: The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: «لَا صَلَاةَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يَقْرَأْ بِفَاتِحَةِ الْكِتَابِ» “Whoever does not recite Surah al-Fatihah in the prayer, his prayer is not valid.” [صحيح البخاري، الأذان، باب وجوب القراءة للإمام والمأموم فى الصلوات كلها۔۔۔، حديث : 756]

Narrator of the Hadith:
(Sayyiduna Muawiyah bin Hakam radi Allahu anhu) He is counted among the people of Hijaz. He settled in Madinah and began living among Banu Sulaym. He was honored with the companionship (of the Prophet). He passed away in 117 Hijri. In the name “Hakam,” both the “Ha” and the “Kaf” have a fatha (are pronounced with an ‘a’ sound).