Nasai

(1) Here, the intention is to describe the method of entering into ihram. The miqat for the people of Madinah Munawwarah is Dhu’l-Hulayfah; therefore, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) spent the night there. He donned the ihram in the morning. Spending the night there is not obligatory. In those times, journeys would span several days, so there was allowance for spending the night. Now, it is an era of rapid travel.

(2) “At the beginning” means at the start of the journey while heading towards Makkah Mukarramah, not at the time of return.

(3) “Mosque”: In the era of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), there was no mosque there; it was built later, precisely at the spot where he had performed the prayer.

Hadith Commentary:
Of the mosques mentioned in the ahadith of this chapter, most have disappeared.
The trees and markers by which these locations were identified have also vanished.
Now, of these mosques, only the mosques of Dhu’l-Hulayfah and Ruha remain, which are recognized by the local inhabitants.
(Fath al-Bari: 1/738)
First Stop:
When the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would travel from Madinah Munawwarah to Makkah Mukarramah, Dhu’l-Hulayfah would be his first stop.
Dhu’l-Hulayfah is at a distance of three miles from Madinah Munawwarah.
It is called Bi’r Ali.
It is the miqat (appointed station) for ihram for the people of Madinah.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would descend beneath an acacia tree (kikar) at Dhu’l-Hulayfah.
Now, a mosque has been built at this location.
According to the statement of Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu), the mosque has been built exactly at the spot where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed prayer, but on the return journey, the place where he performed prayer was a different location.
According to the statement of Ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu), the place where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would pray on the return journey was a deep valley in which there were sand dunes.
The mosques that are there now are other than the places where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed prayer.
One mosque is built of stones and the other is built on a mound.
The place where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed prayer has been covered by pebbles. One location is at a distance of approximately six miles from Madinah Munawwarah, where the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) stayed at the end of the night.
There, the Masjid Mu’arras has been constructed.
Now, only two mosques remain:
Masjid Dhu’l-Hulayfah and Masjid Mu’arras, which are preserved.
The rest—only Allah’s name remains.

Hadith Commentary:
There is a blessed valley in Dhul-Hulayfah which has been mentioned.
Hafiz said: The ahadith which Imam Bukhari has narrated in this chapter demonstrate the virtue of Madinah, and is there any doubt about its excellence? Revelation descended there, the grave of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is there, and the pulpit is there which is a garden from the gardens of Paradise. The discussion here is whether the scholars of Madinah are superior to the scholars of other lands. If what is meant is during the time of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), or during the period when the Companions (radi Allahu anhum) were gathered in Madinah, then this is agreed upon.
If what is meant is in every era, then there is disagreement in this, and there is no reason that the scholars of Madinah should be superior to the scholars of other lands in every era.
Because after the era of the Imams who were qualified to exercise independent legal reasoning (mujtahidun), there has not been a single scholar in Madinah who possessed more knowledge than any scholar from other lands, let alone being superior to all the scholars of other lands. Rather, such innovators and people of corrupt nature have gone and resided in Madinah, about whose ill-intent and corrupt nature there can be no doubt.

Hadith Commentary:
There is a blessed valley in Dhul-Hulaifah which is mentioned in this hadith.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, under this chapter heading, has narrated ahadith from which the virtue of Madinah Tayyibah becomes evident.
There is no doubt regarding its virtue; revelation continued to descend there.

Hadith Commentary:
Then he would arrive in Madinah during the day; therefore, it is appropriate that a traveler—especially one returning from the journey of Hajj—should enter his home during the day, for in this too the Lawgiver (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has taken many benefits into consideration.

Hadith Commentary:
It is prohibited for a traveler to arrive at his home suddenly at night, as will be mentioned later. Apart from this, he may come to his home whenever he wishes in the morning or evening. Thus, in this hadith, it is stated that when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) would return to Madinah Tayyibah, he would spend the night in the valley of Dhu’l-Hulayfah and would arrive at his home in the morning.

In this, the Lawgiver (alayhis-salam) has taken many benefits and considerations into account.

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
This chapter is without a title.
It is as if it is a supplement to the previous title, meaning that it is recommended (mustahabb) to perform two units (rak‘ah) of prayer before making the intention (niyyah) for ihram at the miqat.
The commentator Ibn Battal, at this point, gives the following title:
(al-salat bi-Dhi al-Hulayfah)
“Prayer at Dhu’l-Hulayfah.” It is possible that these two units are for ihram, or that they were performed as an obligatory prayer, because in the hadith it is mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) performed two units of the ‘Asr prayer at Dhu’l-Hulayfah.
(2)
There is a difference of opinion regarding the two units of prayer for ihram.
The preferred view is that two units specifically for ihram are not explicitly established by any hadith; however, if a person performs ablution (wudu) before ihram and then performs two units of prayer for ablution and then dons the ihram, there is no harm in this.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
The virtue of the valley is evident from the hadith.
Staying in it and performing prayers here is a source of reward and merit, as well as following the Sunnah.
When Tabi‘ (the follower) returned from Madinah, he stayed here, and upon observing the excellence of this land, he remarked that it is like ‘Aqiq.
From that time, its name became ‘Aqiq.
(Fath al-Bari)

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
In this hadith as well, the blessedness of the Valley of ‘Aqiq is mentioned.
The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was informed about this through a dream, and the dreams of the Prophets (alayhimussalam) are based on revelation (wahy).
Staying in this valley and performing prayers there is a source of reward.
There is a separate reward for following the Sunnah.
(2)
Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) used to search for this place and would stay there.
It is mentioned in Sunan al-Bayhaqi that the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) camped under a tree there, and Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (radi Allahu anhu) used to water that tree so that it would not dry up.
(al-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Bayhaqi: 5/245)
Salim (rahimahullah) would also search for this place and stay there, following his father Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu).
(Fath al-Bari: 3/495)

Hadith Gloss:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
Batha’ (بَطْحَاء):
A land covered with pebbles or small stones.
(2)
Mu’arras (مُعَرَّسْ):
A stopping place,
a station.

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam set out from Madinah Munawwarah for Hajj on the twenty-fifth (25th) of Dhu al-Qa'dah, on a Saturday, after performing the Zuhr (noon) prayer, and performed the Asr (afternoon) prayer upon reaching Dhu al-Hulayfah. He spent the night at Dhu al-Hulayfah, and after performing the Zuhr prayer there on Sunday, he departed for Makkah Mukarramah. Since the month was of twenty-nine days, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam reached Makkah Mu'azzamah on Sunday, the fourth of Dhu al-Hijjah, and the ninth (9th) of Dhu al-Hijjah, the Day of 'Arafah, was a Friday (Jumu'ah al-Mubarak).

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), when going for Hajj and Umrah and upon returning, would stop at Dhu’l-Hulayfah and perform prayer there. Therefore, according to Imam Malik (rahimahullah), it is preferable to stop and perform prayer at that place. Stopping there and performing prayer upon return is not a part of Hajj. The valley of ‘Aqiq is a blessed valley; thus, following the example of the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), some of the people of Madinah would come there and perform prayer.

Urdu marginal note:
"In a blessed valley." Because this valley, during the journey of Hajj, has been the place of passage for many prophets. Syria (Sham) and Palestine are the regions of the prophets, alayhimus-salam. When coming from there to Makkah al-Mukarramah, this valley would fall along the route.

Takhrij al-Hadith: [وأخرجه البخاري 1532، ومسلم 430/1257 بعد ح1345، من حديث مالك به]
Jurisprudential Points
➊ One should take care to use a screen (sutrah), and it is permissible to use a riding animal as a screen.
➋ Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu was always ready to follow the Sunnah.
➌ The constant desire of a Muslim with correct creed is to continue acting upon the Sunnah of his greatest Imam, the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
➍ Sayyiduna Ibn Umar radi Allahu anhu would perform the Zuhr and Asr, and Maghrib and Isha prayers at Muhassab (a place near Makkah), then enter Makkah at night and perform tawaf. [الموطأ 1/405 ح934 وسنده صحيح]