Muwatta Malik (Qasim)

Hadith Authentication: [وأخرجه ابوداود 3389، من حديث ما لك، ومسلم 1110/79، من حديث عبد الله بن عبدالرحمن الانصاري به ● سقط من الأصل واستدركته من رواية يحي بن يحي]
Jurisprudential Points:
➊ The Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was completely free from sins. No sin was ever committed by him, neither before prophethood nor after it. «صلى الله عليه و آله و سلم وفداه أبى و أمي و روحي»
➋ If, during the night, ritual impurity (janabah) becomes obligatory upon someone due to a wet dream, it is not necessary for him to perform the ritual bath (ghusl) immediately; rather, the bath is connected to the prayer. Therefore, a fasting person may first partake in the pre-dawn meal (suhoor) and then perform the ritual bath afterwards.
➌ Although the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was human, he was not like us; rather, he was sent as the best of mankind and a light of guidance. Even his perspiration was more fragrant than musk.
➍ Even though the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was the leader of both worlds, he was not exempt from the legal rulings; so how can other people be absolved from deeds and rulings?
➎ Also see [الموطأ حديث : 436، 395، البخاري 1925، 1926، ومسلم 1931، 1932، 1109/78]

Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
Lam yushkhis ra’sahu wa lam yusawwib:
“Ishkhas” means to raise and lift up, and “taswib” means to lower excessively. The purpose is that one should adopt moderation and balance between raising and lowering.
(2)
“Uqbah” and “aqib” mean: to place the buttocks on the ground like a dog or a predatory animal, with the shins upright and the hands placed on the ground.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
The purpose of starting the prayer with “Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘alamin” is that the recitation begins with Surah al-Fatihah. This does not mean that “Bismillah” is not recited, and even before the recitation, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would recite the opening supplication (du‘a al-istiftah), because “Bismillah” must be recited. The difference is only whether it is recited aloud or silently.
(2)
In bowing (ruku‘), the back should be kept completely level and straight, and the head should neither be raised nor lowered, but kept in line with the back in moderation and balance. Likewise, after bowing (ruku‘) in standing (qawmah), and in the sitting (jalsah) between the two prostrations (sajdahs), each limb and joint should be given the opportunity to return to its place with calmness and tranquility. One should not act with haste or speed.
(3)
After every two units (rak‘ahs), one should sit for the tashahhud. According to Imam Ahmad and the hadith scholars (muhaddithin), both tashahhuds are necessary. According to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, both are obligatory (wajib), which in Hanafi terminology is a degree below fard (obligatory), not fard itself. According to the Malikis, it is sunnah, and according to Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, the first tashahhud is sunnah and the second is fard. In both tashahhuds, the right foot is to be kept upright and one sits on the left foot after spreading it. According to Imam Malik, in both places, “tawarruk” is practiced, meaning the right foot is kept upright, one sits on the buttocks, and the left foot is drawn out from underneath. According to Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah, in the tashahhud with salam, “tawarruk” is practiced, and in the one without salam, “iftirash” (sitting on the left foot) is practiced. This is also the position of the hadith scholars (muhaddithin). According to the Hanbalis, where there are two tashahhuds, in the first “iftirash” is practiced and in the second “tawarruk”; and where there is only one tashahhud, such as in the morning (fajr) prayer, Friday (jumu‘ah), and the two ‘Eids, “iftirash” is practiced. In summary, in all sittings except the one with salam, “iftirash” is practiced.
(4)
According to the three Imams—Malik, Shafi‘i rahimahullah, Ahmad rahimahullah—and the majority of the early generations (salaf), the salam is fard (obligatory), and according to the Hanafis, it is wajib (obligatory but of a lesser degree). Some scholars have written that according to Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah, any act that invalidates the prayer in place of salam will suffice, but Allamah Karakhi and his followers hold that only salam should be given; they do not accept the obligation of an act that invalidates the prayer as a substitute for salam. The author of al-Hidayah and his followers consider the act of invalidation itself to be obligatory. According to some Hanafis, omitting a wajib entails sin, and according to others, it necessitates repeating (i‘adah) the prayer.

Benefits and Issues:
The demand of utmost fear of Allah and deep understanding of His religion is thorough action and complete caution.
Then, who can be more cautious than the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)? Therefore, it is obligatory to follow him in actions.
And he alone is the example for the Ummah.
Except in those matters in which his exemption is established.

Benefits and Issues:
➊
This explicitly states that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would perform ritual bath (ghusl) after the call to prayer (adhan) of Fajr, meaning that there is no harm if some time passes in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) while fasting.

➋
Hazrat Mutarrif rahimahullah asked his teacher the aforementioned question so that no one would be under the misconception that there is leniency in the legal ruling in the case of voluntary (nafl) fasts, and perhaps it would not be so in the case of obligatory fasts. Imam Shafi’i clarified that in this matter, there is no difference between obligatory and voluntary fasts.

➌
One should not be under the misconception that perhaps this ruling is only in the case of becoming impure (najis) due to a dream, because this condition is not within a person’s control. In Hadith: 1704, it is explicitly stated that even if the state of ritual bath (ghusl) is required due to marital relations, the legal ruling remains the same: if one performs ritual bath after the call to prayer (adhan) of Fajr, the fast is valid.

Hadith Authentication:
[وأخرجه مسلم 1109/78 و ابوداود 2388 من حديث ما لك به]

Jurisprudential Points:
➊ If a person is required to perform a ritual bath (ghusl) due to a compulsory reason, he may perform the ritual bath after eating suhoor; this will not affect the validity of his fast.
See also [الموطأ حديث: 302، و ابوداود 3389، ومسلم 1110/79]