Ibn Majah

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Umm Fadl radi Allahu anha is the mother of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu and the real sister of Umm al-Mu’minin Sayyidah Maymunah radi Allahu anha. The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would sometimes visit her at her house and take a midday rest (qaylulah) there.

➋
During the days of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam’s illness, she would often stay at her sister’s house. One day, Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu recited Surah al-Mursalat, so she said:
“My son, by Allah! Your recitation of this surah has reminded me of the recitation of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Once, he recited this surah in the Maghrib prayer. After that, we did not hear his recitation. That was his last recitation. After that, the message of departure from Allah came.”
(Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Adhan, Hadith: 763)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In one narration, Umm al-Fadl (radi Allahu anha) has explicitly stated that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) led this last prayer. After that, Allah, the Exalted, caused him to pass away. (Sahih al-Bukhari, al-Maghazi, Hadith: 4429) Whereas Aisha (radi Allahu anha) states that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) led the last Zuhr (noon) prayer during his final illness, as is found in Sahih al-Bukhari (Hadith: 687). Hafiz Ibn Hajar (rahimahullah) has resolved this apparent contradiction by explaining that the Maghrib (sunset) prayer mentioned by Umm al-Fadl was performed by him in his house, as is found in Sunan al-Nasa’i (Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Salat, Hadith: 986), and the Zuhr prayer mentioned by Aisha (radi Allahu anha) was led by the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in the mosque, as is found in Sahih al-Bukhari. However, in the narration of Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) came out to us in such a state that, due to illness, he had tied a bandage on his head, and then he led the Maghrib prayer. (Jami’ al-Tirmidhi, al-Salat, Hadith: 308) The explanation for this narration is that he came out from where he was resting for the prayer, meaning he came out from his room into the courtyard. In this way, all the narrations can be reconciled, and there remains no contradiction among them. (Fath al-Bari: 2/319)

(2)
Since the time for Maghrib prayer is short, generally short surahs are recited. However, from this hadith, it is understood that occasionally, if a long surah is recited, there is no harm. As is mentioned in the hadith that once he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) recited Surah al-Tur in Maghrib prayer. (Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Salat, Hadith: 988) In another narration, the recitation of Surah al-Dukhan is also mentioned. (Sunan al-Nasa’i, al-Salat, Hadith: 989) This too is a Sunnah method. And Allah knows best.

English Commentary:
1:
In Sahih Bukhari, it is narrated from Umm al-Mu’minin Aisha radi Allahu anha: “Indeed, the last prayer the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed in his illness of death was the Zuhr (noon) prayer.” Apparently, there seems to be a contradiction between these two narrations.

The reconciliation is given as follows: the last prayer that he performed in the mosque was the Zuhr prayer, and among the prayers he performed at home, the last was the Maghrib (sunset) prayer.

However, an objection arises to this explanation, as in the narration of Umm al-Fadl it is stated: “The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam came out to us with his head bandaged,” which suggests that this prayer too was performed in the mosque.

The answer to this is that here, “came out” does not mean going to the mosque, but rather, it means that he got up from the place where he was lying down and came to his family members.

987. Commentary: The mother of Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu is none other than the esteemed Umm Fadl bint Harith radi Allahu anhuma, who is also the narrator of the first hadith.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه البخاري 763، ومسلم 462، من حديث ما لك به]

Jurisprudential Explanation:
➊ According to the noble verse «فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ» and other evidences, it is not established as obligatory to specify or fix any recitation other than al-Fatihah in the prayer, but it is better to adhere to the prescribed (masnun) recitations.
➋ It is also established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) that he recited the following surahs in the Maghrib prayer:
◈ Surah at-Tur [صحيح بخاري : 765، وصحيح مسلم : 463، الاتحاف الباسم : 69]
◈ Surah al-A'raf in two rak‘ahs [سنن النسائي 170/2 ح 992 وسنده صحيح]
◈ The short surahs from al-Mufassal, i.e., from Surah al-Bayyinah to the end [سنن النسائي : 167/2 ح 983 وسنده حسن و صححه ابن خزيمة : 520 وابن حبان، الا حسان : 1837]
➌ Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhuma) used to recite Surah al-Fatihah and another surah from the Qur’an in all four rak‘ahs of individual prayer. [موطأ الامام مالك79/1 ح 171، وسنده صحيح]
➍ For further benefits, see: [الموطأ حديث : 69، البخاري 765، ومسلم 463]