Hadith 384

حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ يُوسُفَ ، قَالَ : حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ ، عَنْ عِرَاكٍ ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ ، " أَنّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَانَ يُصَلِّي وَعَائِشَةُ مُعْتَرِضَةٌ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَ الْقِبْلَةِ عَلَى الْفِرَاشِ الَّذِي يَنَامَانِ عَلَيْهِ " .
Narrated `Urwa: The Prophet prayed while `Aisha was lying between him and his Qibla on the bed on which they used to sleep.
Hadith Reference صحيح البخاري / كتاب الصلاة / 384
Hadith Grading محدثین: أحاديث صحيح البخاريّ كلّها صحيحة
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Maulana Dawood Raz
Hadith Commentary:
In this hadith, further clarification has been provided that the very bedding upon which the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to sleep, he would sometimes also perform prayer upon it.
Thus, it is understood that it is not a necessary condition for the soil of the earth itself to be present for prostration (sujud).
Prostration, in any case, is performed upon the earth,
because that bedding, mat, or prayer rug is spread upon it.
Source: Sahih Bukhari: Commentary by Maulana Dawood Raz, Page: 384
Shaykh Abdul Sattar al-Hammad
Hadith Commentary:
1.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has established in this chapter that just as prayer is valid on the ground or its kind, it is also valid on things other than the kind of earth, whether it is a bed or any kind of flooring, regardless of whether it is of high quality or inferior. Since it is established from some of the predecessors that they denied praying on such things, and they considered it disliked (makruh) to perform prayer on fine carpets or beds that had a lot of cotton in them, Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has brought this narration to refute their position.
It is also understood from this that touching a woman does not break ablution (wudu).
Although some individuals interpret that when the feet were being pressed, there was a cloth over them, this interpretation is far-fetched.
In the first hadith, there was no explicit mention of praying on a bed.
Therefore, the second narration was presented, which states that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to pray on a bed.
Although the fact that Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha radi Allahu anha was lying in front of him indicates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was praying on a sleeping bed, in the third narration, this is also explicitly mentioned.
The purpose is to show that it is not necessary to place the forehead on the ground; however, it is necessary to firmly place the feet and to rest the hands and forehead on something pure. Yes, it is not preferable to pray on such beds or carpets that, due to their adornment and beauty, attract the heart’s attention, but if one does pray on them, the obligation is fulfilled.
Hazrat Aisha radi Allahu anha presents an excuse regarding her practice, that at that time there were no lamps in the houses, because if there had been a lamp, I would have known when you were going into prostration, and I would have withdrawn my feet myself, but due to the darkness, nothing could be seen, so you needed to press my feet.

2.
According to some ahadith, Hazrat Aisha radi Allahu anha states that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not use to pray in our beds.
(Sunan Abi Dawud, Taharah, Hadith: 368)
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah has presented this narration and indicated its weakness.
Accordingly, Imam Abu Dawud rahimahullah, after mentioning this narration, has also stated the reason for its lack of reliability.
If such narrations are authentic, then in comparison to the narrations presented by Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, they will be considered irregular (shadh) and rejected.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/637)

3.
It is also understood from these ahadith that it is not disliked (makruh) but rather permissible to pray facing a sleeping person.
Source: Hidayat al-Qari: Commentary on Sahih Bukhari, Urdu, Page: 384
Shaykh Muhammad Ibrahim bin Basheer
Benefit:
From this hadith, the importance of the Witr prayer is established, such that if it is known that a certain sleeper has not performed Witr, he should be awakened before the Fajr call to prayer (adhan). Some people consider the Witr prayer to be obligatory (wajib), which is not correct. Imam Ibn Khuzaymah rahimahullah states: These ahadith are evidence that whoever makes Witr obligatory upon the servants is making six prayers obligatory upon them. (Sahih Ibn Khuzaymah: 2/137) Imam Ibn Hibban rahimahullah has deduced from ten ahadith that the Witr prayer is not obligatory (fard). After mentioning these ahadith, he writes: Witr is not obligatory (fard); the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, a few days before his passing, sent our master Mu'adh radi Allahu anhu to Yemen so that he might inform them: Indeed, Allah the Exalted has made five prayers obligatory in the day and night. If Witr had been obligatory, Allah the Exalted would have made it clear for the people as well. (Sahih Ibn Hibban: 5/65, 66)
Source: Musnad al-Humaydi: Commentary by Muhammad Ibrahim bin Bashir, Page: 177