Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: According to the statement of Hazrat Bilal radi Allahu anhu, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam performed prayer inside the Ka'bah, and according to Hazrat Usamah radi Allahu anhu, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam only supplicated in all directions and did not perform prayer. However, the fundamental principle of all hadith scholars is that an affirmative report takes precedence over a negative one; that is, in the case of an incident, the statement of the one who mentions an additional detail will be accepted, and the statement of the one who negates it will be disregarded, because everyone speaks according to their knowledge, and one person's knowledge may exceed another's.

Since the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, upon entering, performed both supplication and prayer, each companion reported what he had witnessed. Hazrat Usamah was occupied during the supplication, and after the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam finished supplicating, he performed two light units (rak‘ahs) of prayer, which Hazrat Bilal radi Allahu anhu, being nearby, observed. Hazrat Usamah radi Allahu anhu was at a distance, and due to the door being closed, it was dark, so he could not see. Or it is possible that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam entered twice—once performing prayer and once not—thus both negation and affirmation are established from Hazrat Usamah radi Allahu anhu.

However, entering the House of Allah (Baytullah) and performing prayer inside it is not included among the rites of Hajj (manasik al-hajj). Therefore, according to the majority, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not enter the Ka'bah during the Farewell Pilgrimage (Hajjat al-Wada‘), so that people would not consider it a part of Hajj.

Furthermore, there is a difference of opinion among the Imams regarding performing prayer inside the Ka'bah. If the door of the Ka'bah is closed, then according to the majority—which includes Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, and Imam Ahmad rahimahullah—it is valid to face any direction inside the Ka'bah for prayer, whether the prayer is obligatory or supererogatory (nafl). According to Imam Malik rahimahullah, obligatory prayer, witr, the sunnah of Fajr, and the two units after tawaf are not valid or permissible; only general supererogatory prayer is permissible. According to some of the literalists (Ahl al-Zahir), it is not permissible to perform any prayer inside the Ka'bah, whether obligatory or supererogatory.

Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhu used to narrate only the statement of Hazrat Usamah radi Allahu anhu.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The aforementioned narration of Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) is mursal, because it is not established that Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) entered the House of Allah (Baytullah) together with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Then how could he describe the conditions inside the Ka'bah? However, Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has narrated through the route of Ibn Jurayj that Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) heard this narration from Usamah (radi Allahu anhu) ibn Zayd.
(Sahih Muslim, Kitab al-Hajj, Hadith: 3237 (1330))
From this narration, it is understood that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) only supplicated inside the House of Allah, whereas Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) says that he (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) also performed two units (rak‘ahs) of prayer.
On this occasion, the statement of our master Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) has been given precedence, and the statement of Usamah ibn Zayd (radi Allahu anhu) has been interpreted as being due to lack of knowledge, even though both of these companions were present inside the House of Allah with the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
The actual reality is that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) entered the House of Allah, he began supplicating, and Usamah (radi Allahu anhu) also became engaged in supplication.
After completing the supplication, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two units (rak‘ahs) of prayer, but Usamah (radi Allahu anhu) remained absorbed in his supplication.
Since Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) witnessed the Prophet’s prayer, his observation is given preference.
And Allah knows best.

2.
If the direction of the qiblah was already known, then why did the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) say the words, “This is the qiblah”? Regarding this, the scholars have provided several explanations as follows:
➊.
He wanted to establish the ruling of changing the qiblah from Bayt al-Maqdis, that now the ruling of the qiblah has been established upon the House of Allah (Baytullah).
There will be no abrogation in this matter now.
➋.
In this clarification, the ruling is explained for those who are witnessing the House of Allah, that for them it is necessary to face the House of Allah itself.
In contrast, those who are absent from the House of Allah may act according to their own ijtihad (independent reasoning).
➌.
He instructed the imam to stand facing the House of Allah, i.e., to stand directly in front of the Baytullah.
It is also permissible for the imam to stand in other directions, but it is better to stand facing the House of Allah.
➍.
Allah, the Exalted, has commanded in the Noble Qur’an to face the Sacred Mosque (Masjid al-Haram) during prayer.
(al-Baqarah: 149/2)
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) clarified with these words that the qiblah is only the House of Allah (Baytullah); the surrounding Masjid al-Haram, or Makkah Mukarramah, or the boundaries of the Haram are not the qiblah.
For prayer, one must face only the House of Allah, not the Masjid al-Haram which is the area surrounding the Baytullah.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/650)

3.
The intent of Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) from this hadith is that it is not necessary to face the Station of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim); the actual qiblah is the House of Allah (Baytullah). However, from these words, Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) has deduced that one should not pray inside the House of Allah, because in this way, one does not face the entire House of Allah, but only a part of it. However, this position is weak, because it is established that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prayed inside the House of Allah.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/649)

Commentary:
Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) narrated this matter after hearing it from Usamah (radi Allahu anhu). It has already been clarified in Hadith numbers: 2920 and 2912 that Usamah (radi Allahu anhu) was mistaken in this regard. The correct position is that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two units (rak‘ah) of prayer; however, saying the takbir (proclamation of "Allahu Akbar") around the Ka‘bah is, in any case, permissible and even recommended (mustahabb).