Bukhari

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In a previous hadith, it was mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would not enter the house because there was a curtain with images in the house, whereas according to this hadith, he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed prayer in the presence of a curtain with images. The reconciliation between these two hadiths is that the curtain due to which he did not enter the house had images of living beings, while in this hadith, only a curtain with designs and patterns is mentioned.

(2)
This hadith also shows that there should be humility and submissiveness (khushu‘ and khudu‘) in prayer, and anything that becomes an obstacle to this humility should be removed.

(Fath al-Bari: 10/481)

Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has established a chapter heading for this hadith in these words:
(Bab: If one prays in a garment with a cross or images, is his prayer invalidated?)
“If someone prays in a garment with a cross or images, is his prayer invalid?” (Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer, Chapter: 15)

Hadith Commentary:
➊
If in the title, the conjunction of "pictures" (tasawir) is with "cross" (musallab), then its meaning would be: If prayer is performed in such a garment upon which there is a depiction of a cross or other pictures, what is its ruling? If its conjunction is with "thawb" (garment), then its translation would be: If prayer is performed in such a garment upon which there is a sign of the cross, or if prayer is performed in a place where there are pictures, what is the ruling of such a prayer? From this narration, it is understood regarding pictures that the prayer will not be invalidated, but dislike (karahah) will remain.

The detail of this hadith is found in other narrations, such that ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) had a curtain which she had hung over a part of the house. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) expressed dislike for praying towards it. ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) then took it down and tore it into two pieces, which became covers for two cushions. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would recline on them for rest. (Sunan an-Nasa’i, az-Zinah, Hadith: 5357)

From this, it is understood that the intent of the Shari‘ah is to dishonor such pictures and statues and to remove them from places of honor and respect. Therefore, every situation in which they are honored is prohibited, and every situation in which they are dishonored is required. Making statues or pictures and taking photographs in any case is unlawful (haram), because in this there is imitation of Allah’s attribute of creation, as well as worship of other than Allah and many other corruptions, i.e., it opens the door to countless evils and immoralities. Therefore, it is unlawful and haram.

Since the issue here is the ruling of prayer, and not the issue of pictures itself, its details will come in the Book of Clothing (Kitab al-Libas).

➋
Although the cross is not mentioned in this narration, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) found its depiction so detestable that wherever he found its image, he would erase or remove it. Thus, in the hadith, ‘A’ishah (radi Allahu anha) said: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), if he saw anything in his house upon which there was a sign of the cross, he would break it. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Libas, Hadith: 5952)

Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) presented this hadith, thereby alluding to the narration in which breaking the cross is mentioned. Some scholars have said that the cross, in one form, is itself a picture, and it should be considered prohibited under the same ruling as pictures. Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has answered that since both are worshipped, by mentioning one, the other is analogically included. (Fath al-Bari: 1/628)

It is possible that there was a defect in a wall of ‘A’ishah’s (radi Allahu anha) house, and she used this curtain to cover it, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has prohibited covering the walls for the sake of adornment and decoration. The Prophetic statement is: Allah, the Exalted, has forbidden us from spending His provision on covering stones and bricks. (Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Libas, Hadith: 4153)

Lexical Explanation:
«قِرَام» “Qaf” has a kasrah underneath, and the “ra” is lightened. It refers to a fine cloth of various colors.
«أَمِيطِي» Take it away from me.
«تَصَاوِيرُهُ» Its markings and designs. It is not necessary that these designs be of animals, such that it could be used as evidence for the permissibility of images of animals or humans.
«تَعْرضُ» They remained apparent and prominent.
«فِي قِصَّةِ أَنْبِجَانِيَة» “Hamzah” is open (mansoob), “noon” is silent, “ba” has a kasrah underneath, and “jeem” is lightened. The “noon” after “alif” has a kasrah, and the nisbah “ya” is stressed, meaning a woolen cloak without designs. The story is that Abu Juham radi Allahu anhu presented a cloak as a gift to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. This cloak had some designs and markings, and it was also fine (thin). When you wore it or wrapped it and performed prayer, your gaze was drawn toward the markings and designs. As soon as you finished the prayer, you sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Take this cloak back to Abu Juham and bring me the Anbijaniyyah cloak from him.” You requested the plain Anbijaniyyah cloak from Abu Juham radi Allahu anhu in exchange for the patterned khamisah (cloak) so that Abu Juham radi Allahu anhu would not be hurt by having his gift returned by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
«فَإِنَّهَا أَنهَتنِي عَنْ صَلَاتِي» That is, the cloak of Abu Juham radi Allahu anhu distracted and preoccupied me.
«لهي يلهي» “Ha” has a kasrah underneath, meaning to distract, and it is not derived from «لها يلهو لهوا», which means to play.

Benefits and Issues:
➊ This hadith teaches that anything which may distract the worshipper’s attention away from the prayer should be removed so that it does not interfere with the prayer.
➋ If it is not possible to remove or take it away, then one should move oneself away from it so that humility, submissiveness, and attentiveness are not diminished.

Explanation:
(Sayyiduna Abu Juham radi Allahu anhu) He is Ibn Hudhayfah ibn Ghanim al-Qurashi al-‘Adawi. He is called ‘Adawi because he belonged to the ‘Adi tribe. His real name is ‘Amir or ‘Ubayd. He accepted Islam in the year of the conquest of Makkah. He was among the elderly. When the Quraysh rebuilt the Ka‘bah, he was present at that time, and he was also present at the time of Ibn al-Zubayr radi Allahu anhuma’s reconstruction of the Ka‘bah. He passed away in the early days of the caliphate of Ibn al-Zubayr radi Allahu anhuma.