Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: Sometimes a servant walks ahead of his master, and the sound of shoes, even when walking behind, can be heard in front. The entry of Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) into Paradise was shown to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) as a representation during his lifetime, and the reason for this was attributed to his regular practice of praying two rak‘ahs after the call to prayer (adhan) and his adherence to praying two rak‘ahs after every ablution (wudu). The virtue of praying two rak‘ahs after ablution is established from the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). In this way, prayer after the adhan is also established.

Therefore, to deduce from this that it is permissible to specify a time for any act of worship based on one’s own reasoning (ijtihad), and that Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) attained this rank of entering Paradise through his own ijtihad and deduction, is not correct. To use this as evidence for reciting salat and salam before the adhan, celebrating mawlid, or fixing the third, seventh, or fortieth day (for commemorations) is to build a corrupt argument upon another corrupt argument, because these things have been made part of the religion and are instructed to others, whereas Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) used to do this personally and did not instruct others to do so.

Similarly, Kulthum bin Hidm al-Ansari (radi Allahu anhu) used to recite Surah Ikhlas in every rak‘ah of prayer on his own, but he neither instructed others to do so nor publicized his action. Making something part of the religion is one thing, and personally adhering to a deed out of love for it, while remaining within the boundaries of the Shari‘ah, is another matter. If it were permissible to specify and limit the time for a good deed on one’s own, then why did the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) prohibit fasting on Fridays, and why did some Companions prevent always turning to the right after concluding the prayer with salam?

Furthermore, the opportunity to see Umm Sulaym (radi Allahu anha) and Bilal (radi Allahu anhu) in Paradise occurred in a dream, so how can it be proven from this that Bilal and Umm Sulaym (radi Allahu anha) reached Paradise with their physical bodies during their lifetimes?

Allamah Sa‘idi, on one hand, considers reciting salat and salam before the adhan permissible and a source of reward, and on the other hand, writes: “Yes, to treat these matters as obligatory or compulsory, and to consider those who do not do them as blameworthy and to censure them, is an evil innovation (bid‘ah sayyi’ah) and a misguided innovation (bid‘ah dalalah). Muslims who, out of the spirit of following the Sunnah, do not recite salat and salam aloud before or after the adhan—since this was not the practice in the era of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Companions (radi Allahu anhum)—their intention should not be doubted.” (Sharh Sahih Muslim, vol. 4, p. 1115)

So, when despite the need, this was not done in the era of the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the Companions (radi Allahu anhum), even though there was no obstacle or hindrance, how can it be considered permissible and a source of reward? Why should it not be considered an evil innovation (bid‘ah sayyi’ah) and a misguided innovation (bid‘ah dalalah)?