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 Glossary:
(1)
‘Atasa:
He sneezed.
(2)
Ramani al-qawmu bi-absarihim:
So the people shot their eyes at me.
That is, they looked at me with angry gazes.
(3)
Thakl:
To lose.
Athkilu ummiyah: Oh, may my mother lose me,
meaning, I would have died.
Athkilu ummi tha,
Due to being in the form of lamentation, the addition of alif and ha at the end is to elongate the sound.
(4)
Yusammitunani:
They were making me silent.
Khar, qahr, nahr—these three words are close in meaning,
to rebuke and reprimand,
to scold,
Jahiliyyah:
The period before the advent of Islam,
Hadithu ‘ahd:
Someone newly emerged from a certain period.
(5)
La yasuddannahum:
Do not prevent them,
they should not desist from their action and intention.
(6)
Yakhuttu:
They used to draw diagrams (charts).
(7)
Al-Jawwaniyyah:
The name of a place near Mount Uhud.
(8)
Asafu:
I am afflicted with grief, sorrow, and anger.
(9)
Sakaktuhu sakka:
I slapped her forcefully.
(10)
‘Azzama dhalika ‘alayya:
The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) considered it very bad for me.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
If someone sneezes during prayer, it is not permissible to supplicate for him, but the one who sneezes may say “alhamdulillah.” Mu‘awiyah bin al-Hakam (radi Allahu anhu) supplicated for the one who sneezed out of unawareness and ignorance, so the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not order him to repeat the prayer.
On this basis, Imam Malik rahimahullah, Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Imam Ahmad rahimahullah, and the majority of scholars hold the view that if a worshipper, out of forgetfulness or ignorance, utters a word or two, his prayer is still valid. However, according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, his prayer becomes invalid, but this view is without evidence.
(2)
In prayer, in case of necessity, it is permissible to use slight gestures. The Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) struck their hands on their thighs to silence their companion, and the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did not forbid them from this.
(3)
Kahin refers to those who make predictions about the future; it is not permissible to go to them.
(4)
Taking bad omens and believing in ill fortune is also not permissible. If a thought of bad omen arises in one’s heart, he should not act upon it, nor should he abandon his intention or action because of it.
(5)
Drawing lines, which is called the science of sand (ilm al-raml), and preparing charts through it, is not correct, because the knowledge the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had of it, we do not possess, so it is not possible for us to follow it.
(6)
A person should be gentle with those under his authority; it is not permissible to oppress or wrong them. If someone is wronged, it should be rectified.
(7)
Fi al-sama’:
Its meaning is ‘ala al-sama’ (above the heaven); “fi” is in the meaning of “ala,” as in:
﴿Siru fi al-ard﴾ and ﴿wa la-usallibannakum fi judhu‘ al-nakhl﴾, and from this it is established that Allah, the Exalted, is above.
(8)
The one most deserving of a person’s good conduct is a Muslim man or woman.

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).