Nasai

455. Commentary: In this hadith, some further detail of the previous hadith has been mentioned, that is, the question was regarding the prayer (salah) during the Makkan period before the Mi'raj, because the Mi'raj, according to the established opinion, occurred only six months before the Hijrah. Due to this closeness, the Mi'raj and the Hijrah to Madinah have been considered as one and the same. Now the meaning is clear, as has been explained in the benefits of Hadith 454.

Hadith Commentary: The mention of migration (hijrah) occurs in the narration; this is the very reason for its relevance to the chapter.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
The Maghrib prayer was already three units (rak‘ahs), while the Fajr (morning) prayer is two units (rak‘ahs) obligatory in both travel and residence, and the Dhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Isha prayers were made four units (rak‘ahs).
This addition was made one month after the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) arrived in Madinah Tayyibah.
It is for this reason that Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has mentioned this hadith here.
(Fath al-Bari 7/336)
2.
When the population of the world increased, the reckoning of history began from the time of Adam (alayhis salam).
Now, the details of the eras are as follows:
©.
From Adam (alayhis salam) to the flood of Nuh (alayhis salam) is one era.
©.
From the flood of Nuh to the casting of Ibrahim (alayhis salam) into the fire is the second era.
©.
After that, up to Yusuf (alayhis salam) is the third.
©.
From there until Musa (alayhis salam) departed from Egypt is the fourth.
©.
From there until Dawud (alayhis salam) is the fifth.
©.
Then until Sulayman (alayhis salam) is the sixth.
©.
From Sulayman (alayhis salam) to ‘Isa (alayhis salam) is the seventh era.
After that, the history of the Muslims began from the first of Muharram.
(‘Umdat al-Qari: 11/654)
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
When Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) performed the full prayer (i.e., four rak‘ahs) at Mina, he said that he did so because a large number of common Muslims were gathered, and he feared that they might assume the prayer consists of only two rak‘ahs.

Aishah (radi Allahu anha) also performed the full prayer during Hajj and did not shorten it (qasr), even though she was a traveler.

Therefore, she should have performed the shortened prayer (qasr).

However, she considered performing the full prayer while traveling to be preferable, and regarded shortening the prayer as a concession (rukhsah).

Hadith Commentary:
(1)
From this hadith, it is understood that shortening the prayer (qasr) is related to travel, and completing the prayer (itmam) is related to residence (hadr). When the journey begins, the shortening of the prayer will commence, whereas in residence, the prayer must be performed in full.

(2)
A traveler, as long as he is in his own city, will not be considered a traveler, nor is he permitted to perform the shortened prayer. When he leaves his city, then he should begin to shorten the prayer.

(3)
The purpose of this hadith is certainly not that shortening the prayer during travel is obligatory, because if that were the case, then why would Aisha (radi Allahu anha), who narrates this hadith, herself perform the full prayer during travel? Rather, Aisha (radi Allahu anha) held the view that shortening the prayer is for the traveler who continues traveling and does not stay at any place. Wherever one stays for a few days, there the prayer should be performed in full; then, when the journey resumes, the shortened prayer should be performed. Regarding Uthman (radi Allahu anhu), it is also mentioned in the hadiths that when he would come to Makkah, he would perform the full prayer, i.e., he would pray four rak‘ahs for Dhuhr, Asr, and Isha; then, when he would go to Mina and Arafat, he would shorten the prayer, and when he would stay in Mina after completing Hajj, he would again perform the full prayer. (Fath al-Bari: 2/737) And Allah knows best.

(4)
There are various opinions regarding the interpretation (ta’wil) of Uthman (radi Allahu anhu), the details of which are as follows:
• He had married in Makkah.
• He was the Commander of the Faithful (Amir al-Mu’minin), and for him the entire area was considered as residence.
• He had resolved to reside in Makkah.
• He had purchased land in Mina.
These interpretations are baseless because none of them are reported regarding Aisha (radi Allahu anha), and in any case, there is no evidence for these interpretations. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) used to travel with his wives and would perform the shortened prayer; in comparison, the first interpretation regarding Uthman has no standing. Then, the interpretation regarding being Amir al-Mu’minin is also baseless, because the status of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was even greater, yet he would shorten the prayer during travel. The third interpretation is also incorrect because for the Muhajirun, residing in Makkah is prohibited, as has already been mentioned. It is possible that Urwah only made this comparison in regard to performing the full prayer, not because their interpretations were identical.

Regarding Aisha (radi Allahu anha), there is an interpretation mentioned by Ibn Jarir in his Tafsir Jami‘ al-Bayan (Tafsir Tabari): Aisha (radi Allahu anha) used to perform the full prayer during travel. When she was asked about this, she replied: The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was always under the threat of war from the enemies of Islam, so Allah, the Exalted, granted him the concession of shortening the prayer. Do you also face any threat from the enemy? (Tafsir al-Tabari: 4/245) Thus, according to Aisha (radi Allahu anha), shortening the prayer during travel was conditional upon the fear of war. And Allah knows best.

In the narration of Bayhaqi, it is stated in these words that Aisha (radi Allahu anha) would perform the full prayer during travel. Urwah says that Aisha (radi Allahu anha) would pray four rak‘ahs during travel. I asked, “Why do you not pray two rak‘ahs?” She replied, “Performing the full prayer during travel is not burdensome for me.” This means that, according to her, shortening the prayer during travel is a concession (rukhsah). For the person for whom performing the full prayer is not burdensome, it is better for him to perform it in full. (Fath al-Bari: 2/737)

Another interpretation regarding Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) is narrated in the books of hadith, which Imam Bayhaqi has mentioned: Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) performed the full prayer during his stay in Mina, then delivered a sermon, saying: “Indeed, shortening the prayer is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and the two companions (Abu Bakr and Umar, radi Allahu anhuma), but the Bedouins (A‘rab) are numerous, and I fear that they may take the two-rak‘ah prayer as the norm forever.” This is also supported by a narration from Ibn Jurayj, that a Bedouin publicly called out in Mina: “O Commander of the Faithful! Since I saw you praying two rak‘ahs, I have been praying two rak‘ahs.” It is possible that Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) chose to perform the full prayer in Mina for this reason. In any case, there is no similarity between the interpretations of Uthman and Aisha (radi Allahu anhuma). (Fath al-Bari: 2/737)

Shah Waliullah Muhaddith Dehlawi (rahimahullah) has also mentioned this very reason for Uthman (radi Allahu anhu) not shortening the prayer in his Sharh Tarajim Bukhari and has considered it commendable, because abandoning a great good due to a lesser evil is itself a great good.

1198. Commentary:
This is the statement of Aisha (radi Allahu anha). Its meaning could be that before the prayer was made obligatory in Makkah Mukarramah, people used to perform two units (rak‘ah) of prayer individually on their own. «والله اعلم»