10. One of the last things he would say between the tashahhud and the tasleem would be:

"O Allaah! Forgive me what I have done in the past, and what I will do in the future, and what I have concealed, and what I have done openly, and what I have exceeded in, whatever You know about more know than I. You are the Bringer-Forward, and You are the Delayer, there is no (true) god except You." (276) [Back to contents] 13) The Tasleem (Salutation of Peace) Next, "he (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) would salute to his right: Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you [such that the whiteness of his right cheek was visible,], and on his left: Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you [such that the whiteness of his left cheek was visible]." (277) Sometimes, he would add to the greeting on the right: ... and His blessings (be on you). (278)

"When he said: Peace and Allaah's Mercy be on you to his right, he would sometimes shorten the greeting on his left to: Peace be on you. (279) Sometimes, "he would salute once only, [Peace be on you] [in front of his face, turning to his right side a bit,] [or a little]." (280) "They used to gesture with their hands when saluting to the right and left; when the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) saw them, he said, 'What is the matter with you, gesturing with your hands as if they are the tails of wild horses?! When one of you salutes, he should look towards his companion and not indicate with his hand.' [So when they prayed with him, they did not gesture.] (In one narration: It is enough for each of you to place his hand on his thigh, and then salute his brothers who are on his right and left). (281) [Back to contents] 1-The Obligation of the Tasleem He (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) used to say, ... it (the prayer) is exited by the tasleem. (282) This is the last of what has been possible to compile regarding the description of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) from the takbeer to the tasleem: I hope that Allaah will make it sincerely for His Face, Full of Honour, and a guide to the Sunnah of His kind and merciful Prophet.

Glorified be Allaah, and Praised. Glorified be You, O Allaah, and Praised. I bear witness that there is no true god except You. I seek forgiveness from You and repent to You. O Allaah! send prayers on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, and send blessings on Muhammad, and on the family of Muhammad, as You sent prayers on Ibraaheem and the family of Ibraaheem; You are indeed Worthy of Praise, Full of Glory. (283) [Back to contents] 14) Addendum All that has been mentioned of the description of the Prophet's prayer (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) applies equally to men and women, for there is nothing in the Sunnah to necessitate the exception of women from any of these descriptions; in fact, the generality of his statement (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), "Pray as you have seen me praying", includes women. This is the view of Ibraaheem an-Nakh'i, who said, "A woman's actions in the prayer are the same as a man's" -transmitted by Ibn Abi Shaibah (1/75/2), with a sahih sanad from him. Also, Bukhaari reported in at-Taareekh as-Sagheer (p. 95) with a sahih sanad from Umm adDardaa',"that she used to sit in her prayer just as a man sits, and she was a woman of understanding." The hadith about the indimaam (tucking up) of a woman in prostration, and that she is in that regard not like a man, is mursal and not authentic. Abu Daawood transmitted it in alMaraaseel on the authority of Yazeed ibn Abi Habeeb. As for what Imaam Ahmad has reported, as in his son 'Abdullaah's Masaa'il, from Ibn 'Umar, that he used to instruct his wives to sit cross-legged in prayer, its sanad is not authentic, for it contains 'Abdullaah ibn 'Umar al-'Amri, who is a da'if (weak) narrator. [Back to contents] 15) Appendix 1: The Weakness of the Ahaadeeth endorsing ikhtilaaf (disagreement, differing) from: Silsilah al-Ahaadeeth ad-Da`eefah wa'l-Mawdoo`ah (58-62) by Shaykh al-Albaani 1) "The disagreement among my Ummah is a mercy." a) Laa Asla Lahu (Baseless). The muhadditheen have tried to find an isnaad for it but have not found one, to the extent that Suyooti said in his al-Jaami` as-Sagheer, "Perhaps it was collected in one of the books of the huffaadh which did not reach us"! This suggestion is very far-fetched, since it would mean that some of the sayings of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) have been lost to the ummah forever, something which is not permissible for a Muslim to believe.

Manaawi quoted Subki as saying, "It (i.e. the saying) is not known to the muhadditheen and I cannot find any isnaad for it, whether sahih, da`eef or mawdoo`", and this was endorsed by Shaykh Zakareeyyah al-Ansaari in his notes on Tafseer al-Baidaawi [92/2] Further, the meaning of this hadith is also incorrect as shown by the verifying scholars, hence IbnHazm says in al-Ihkaam fi Usool al-Ahkaam [5/64] after indicating that it is not a hadith,"This is one of the most incorrect sayings possible, since if ikhtilaaf were a mercy, then agreementwould be a punishment, something which no Muslim would say, because there can only be agreementor disagreement, and there can only be mercy or punishment." More of Ibn Hazm's words are quoted below. b) It contradicts the Qur'aan, which has condemned ikhtilaaf in many places. 2) "My Companions are like the stars: whichever of them you follow, you will be rightlyguided." Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Related by Ibn `Abdul-Barr in Jaami` Bayaan al-`Ilm [2/91] & Ibn Hazm inal-Ihkaam [6/82] via the route: Sallaam ibn Sulaim, who said: al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen narrated to us from al-A`mash from AbuSufyaan from Jaabir from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) Ibn `Abdul-Barr said, "Proof cannot be established with this isnaad because al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is majhool (unknown)"; Ibn Hazm said, "This is a fallen narration. Abu Sufyaan is weak; al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is Abu Wahb ath-Thaqafee; Sallaam ibn Sulaimaan narrated fabricated ahaadeeth -this is one of them without a doubt." To judge this hadith on Sallaam ibn Sulaim -also known as Sallaam ibn Sulaimaan -is better, for heis agreed to be da`eef; in fact, Ibn Khiraash said about him, "An utter liar" and Ibn Hibbaan said, "He narrated fabricated ahaadeeth." As for Abu Sufyaan, he is not weak as Ibn Hazm said, but rather he is reliable as Ibn Hajar has said in at-Taqreeb, and Muslim narrates from him in his sahih. Al-Haarith ibn Ghisseen is unknown as Ibn Hazm said, as did Ibn `Abdul Barr, even though Ibn Hibbaan does mention him in ath-Thiqaat (The Reliable Narrators) Hence, Ahmad said, "This hadith is not authentic", as quoted in al-Muntakhab [10/199/2] of Ibn Qudaamah. As for the saying of Sha`raani in al-Meezaan [1/28], "This hadith, although debatable in the eyes of the muhadditheen, is nevertheless authentic in the eyes of the people of Kashf", it is completely false and whimsical, and is not to be given any significance! This is because authenticating ahaadeeth by way of Kashf ("unveiling", while in a state of trance) is a wicked innovation of the Sufis, and depending upon it leads to the authentication of false, baseless ahaadeeth such as this one. This is because, even at the best of times, Kashf is like opinion, which is sometimes correct and sometimes wrong -and that is if no personal desires enter into it! We ask Allaah to save us from it and from everything He is not pleased with. Similar narrations to the above are as follows: 2.1) "The example of my Companions is that of the stars: he who follows any of them will be rightly-guided."

Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Related by Qudaa`i (109/2) via: Ja`far ibn `Abdul Waahid, who said: Wahb ibn Jareer ibn Haazim informed us from his father from al-A`mash from Abu Salih from Abu Hurairah from The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). One of the muhadditheen, either Ibn al-Muhibb or Dhahabi, wrote in the margin, "This hadith is not at all authentic", i.e. it is fabricated: the flaw in it is Ja`far here, about whom Daaraqutni said, "He used to fabricate ahaadeeth"; Abu Zur`ah said, "He narrated baseless ahaadeeth"; Dhahabi gave some hadith because of which he disparaged him, among them being this one, and then said, "This is one of his calamities!" 2.2) "Whatever you are given from the Book of Allaah is to be acted upon; there is no excuse for anyone to leave it. If it is not in the Book of Allaah, then (act upon) a previous example (sunnah) of mine. If there is no previous example (sunnah) of mine, then (act upon) what my Companions say: verily, my Companions are of the station of the stars in the sky, so whichever of them you take, you will be guided, and the disagreement of my Companions is a mercy for you." Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Collected by Khateeb in al-Kifaayah fi `Ilm ar-Riwaayah [p.48] and also by Abul-`Abbaas al-Asamm in the his hadith (no. 142), & Ibn 'Asaakir [7/315/2] by way of: Sulaimaan ibn Abi Kareemah from Juwaibir from ad-Dahhaak from Ibn `Abbaas from The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). This isnaad is da`eef jiddan (very weak). About Sulaimaan ibn Abi Kareemah, Ibn Abi Haatim [2/1/138] reported from his father about him, "He is weak in hadith." Juwaibir is Ibn Sa`eed al-Azadee, and is matrook (abandoned) as Daaraqutnee, Nasaa`i and others have said, and Ibn al-Madeeni declared him to be very weak. Dahhaak is Ibn Muzaahim al-Hilaalee, and he did not meet Ibn `Abbaas. `Iraaqi quoted the last part of the hadith in his Takhreej of Ghazaali's Ihyaa' `Uloom adDeen [1/25] and then said, "Its isnaad is da`eef." The isnaad is actually very weak due to what we have mentioned about Juwaibir, as Sakhaawi said in al-Maqaasid . In meaning, however, the hadith is fabricated, as is clear from what has preceeded and what will follow. Suyooti quoted the hadith in its entirety at the begining of his treatise Jazeel al-Mawaahib fi Ikhtilaaf al-Madhaahib from the narration of Bayhaqi in al-Madkhal, and Dailami related it from this route, as occurs in al-Mawdoo`aat of `Ali al-Qaari [p.19]. Once you know this, then the saying of Suyooti in his aforementioned treatise is very strange: "... and this hadith contains several points to note; among them his (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) informing of the disagreements between the madhaahib in non-fundamental matters, and that is one of his miracles, since it is information about the Unseen; also, his being pleased with that and approving of it, since he described it as a mercy, and that the burdened person may choose whichever of them he wishes." It could be said to him: first establish the throne, and then sit. What he has mentioned about the choice is false: it is not possible for the Muslim to cling to it and act upon its generality,

since it leads to breaking away from the restrictions of the Sharee`ah, as is not hard to see. See also the discussion under 2.4 below. 2.3) "I asked my Lord about that which my Companions would disagri about after me, so Allaah inspired me: O Muhammad! Your Companions are to Me of the station of the stars in the sky - some are brighter than others; so whoever takes from any of them in those matters where they have differed, then to Me, he is upon guidance." Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Reported by Ibn Battah in al-Ibaanah [4/11/2], Khateeb, Nizam alMalik in al-Amaali [13/2], Diyaa' in al-Muntaqaa `an Masmoo`aatihi bimaroo [116/2] & Ibn `Asaakir [6/303/1] by way of: Nu`aim ibn Hammaad, who said: `Abdur-Raheem ibn Zaid narrated to us from his father from Sa`eed ibn al-Musayyib from `Umar ibn al-Khattaab from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). This isnaad is mawdoo`. Nu`aim ibn Hammaad is weak: Ibn Hajar said, "He makes many mistakes." About `Abdur-Raheem ibn Zaid al-`Ammee, al-Bukhaari said, "He was abandoned"; Abu Haatim said, "His ahaadeeth are abandoned: he is unacceptable in hadith -he used to undermine his father by narrating disasters from him"; Ibn Ma`een said, "He was an utter, filthy liar." About his father, Zaid al-`Ammi ibn al-Hawaaree, Ibn Sa`d said, "He was weak in hadith." Suyooti recorded this hadith in al-Jaami` as-Sagheer through the narration of Sijizzi in alIbaanah and Ibn `Asaakir from `Umar; Manaawi said in his commentary on al-Jaami` asSagheer : Ibn al-Jawzi said in his al-`Ilal, "This is not authentic. Nu`aim has been disparaged; Ibn Ma`een has described `Abdur-Raheem as an utter liar; it says in al-Meezaan: This hadith is false." 2.4) "Verily, my Companions are like the stars: so if you accept any of their sayings, you will be guided." Mawdoo` (Fabricated). Ibn `Abdul-Barr reports it in mu`allaq (suspended, i.e. an incomplete chain of narrators at the collector's end) form and Ibn Hazm reports it from him; the complete chain was provided by `Abd ibn Humaid in al-Muntakhab min al-Musnad (86/1): Ahmad ibn Yoonus informed me: Abu Shihaab al-Hannaat narrated to us, from Hamzah alJazree, from Naafee`, from Ibn `Umar from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam). Also, Ibn Battah narrated it in al-Ibaanah [4/11/2] by another chain from Abu Shihaab. Ibn `Abdul-Barr said, "This isnaad is not authentic; no one acceptable as proof has reported it from Naafee`." This Hamzah is Ibn Abi Hamzah; Daaraqutni said about him, "Matrook (abandoned)"; Ibn `Adi said, "His narrations are mostly fabricated"; Ibn Hibbaan said, "He would be alone in narrating things which are fabricated from reliable narrators, to such an extent that it is as if he did so deliberately -it is not permissible to narrate from him"; Dhahabi quoted some of his fabricated ahaadeeth in al-Meezaan, this being one of them.

Ibn Hazm said in al-Ihkaam (6/83), after declaring that this hadith (no. 2, with all its versions) is undoubtedly a lie since it also contradicts many aayaat of the Qur'aan, e.g. Najm (53:3-4), Nisaa' (4:82), Anfaal (8:46), the following: "... therefore, it is absurd that the Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) would command us to follow every view expressed by the Companions, may Allaah be pleased with them all, for there were among them those who permitted something while others prohibited it: if the above were the case, trading in intoxicants would be permissible if one followed Samurah ibn Jundub; it would be permissible for someone fasting to eat snow if one followed Abu Talhah, but prohibited by following others beside him; to not take a bath due to incomplete intercourse would be obligatory if one followed `Ali, `Uthmaan, Talhah, Abu Ayyoob and Ubayy ibn Ka`b, but prohibited if one followed `Aa'ishah and Ibn `Umar; all these examples have been related to us with authentic chains of narration." He then went on to explain at length some opinions expressed by Companions in which they were wrong about the Sunnah, both during the lifetime of the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and after his death. He then said (6/86), "So how can it be allowable to blindly follow the opinions of people who make mistakes as well as get it right?!" Before that, he had explained, under the heading Differing Condemned (5/64), the error of those who say, "Disagreement is a mercy", using as evidence the hadith, "My Companions are like the stars: whichever of them you follow, you will be rightly-guided", by clarifying that the hadith is a lie for several reasons: (i) It is not authentic with regard to its chain of narration; (ii) Further, the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) could not have commanded us to follow something which he himself had declared erroneous at times; e.g. he pointed out Abu Bakr's mistake in interpreting a dream, `Umar's error in another interpretation, and AbusSanaabil's going wrong in a verdict he gave; hence, it is not possible for him to order us to follow someone mistaken; (iii) The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) never spoke falsehood; his words were always truth: the comparison with the stars is clearly flawed, since for example, if someone intends to travel a certain route directed by the stars in the constellation of Capricorn, but instead follows the stars in Cancer, he will not be correctly-guided, but will stray far away from the correct path and err tremendously; therefore, it is obviously false to say that following any star will guide one correctly. Ibn al-Mulaqqin gave a summarised version of Ibn Hazm's words in his al-Khulaasah [2/175], endorsed it and ended his discussion of the hadith saying: Ibn Hazm said,"This is an invented, fabricated, false narration, not correct at all." [Back to contents] 16) Appendix 2: The authentic hadith: "You are right in some of it and wrong in some of it."

From: sahih al-Bukhaari, Book of Dreams, English translation of the meanings by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan Narrated Ibn `Abbaas (Allaah be pleased with him): A man came to Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and said, "I saw in a dream, a cloud having shade. Butter and honey were dropping from it and I saw the people gathering it in their hands, some gathering much and some little. And behold, there was a rope extending from the earth to the sky, and I saw that you held it and went up; then, another man held it and went up and (after that) another (third) man held it and went up, and then another (fourth) man held it, but it broke and then got connected again." Abu Bakr said, "O Allaah's Messenger! Let my father be sacrificed for you! By Allaah, allow me to interpret this dream." The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said to him, interpret it. Abu Bakr said, "The cloud with shade symbolises Islaam, and the butter and the honey dropping from it symbolises the Qur'aan, it's sweetness and some people learning much of the Qur'aan while some a little. The rope which is extended from the sky to the earth is the Truth which you (the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) are following. You follow it and Allaah will raise you high with it, and then another person will follow it and will rise up with it and then another man will follow it but it will break and then it will be connected for him and he will rise up with it. O Allaah's Messenger! Let my father be sacrificed for you! Am I right or wrong?" The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) replied, You are right in some of it and wrong in some of it. Abu Bakr said, "O Allaah's Prophet! By Allaah, you must tell me in what I was wrong." The Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) said, Do not swear. (Related by Bukhaari and Muslim, and also by Abu Daawood, Tirmidhi, Daarimi, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Abi Shaibah and Ahmad.) [Back to contents] 17) Appendix 3: "The one who prayed badly" (radi Allaahu `anhu) In hadith and Fiqh literature, this term refers to the Companion mentioned in the following hadith of sahih al-Bukhaari (Book of Prayer, English translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan); many other narrations of this incident are found in the various collections of hadith, and provide an important source of instructions from the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) regarding the correct way to pray: Narrated Abu Hurairah (radi Allaahu `anhu): The Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) entered the mosque and a person followed him. The man prayed and then went to the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam) and greeted him; he returned the greeting and said (to him), Go back and pray, for you have not prayed. The man went back and prayed in the same way as before, and then returned and greeted the Prophet (sallallaahu `alaihi wa sallam), who said, Go back and pray, for you have not prayed, three times. The man said, "By Him Who sent you with the Truth, I cannot do so any better than this, so please teach me." He said, When you stand for the Prayer, say takbeer and then recite

what is easy for you from the Qur'aan (from what you know by heart); then bow until you feel at ease in rukoo`; then raise your head and stand up straight, then prostrate until you feel at ease in sajdah; then sit with calmness until you feel at ease, and do likewise in all your prayers. [Further narrations of this hadith found in the other works of hadith such as Sunan Abi Daawood, etc. contain further details.] [Back to contents] 18) Appendix 4: The weakness of the hadith about placing the hands below the navel. From Irwaa' al-Ghaleel (353) & Ahkaam al-Janaa'iz ( p. 118), by Shaykh al-Albaani Abu Daawood (756), Daaraqutni (107), Baihaqi (2/310), Ahmad in his son `Abdullaah's Masaa'il (62/2) and also in Zawaa'id al-Musnad (1/110), and Ibn Abi Shaiba (1/156/1) transmitted: `an `Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq `an Ziyaad ibn Zaid as-Siwaa'i `an Abu Juhaifah `an `Ali (radi Allaahu `anhu), who said, "It is from the Sunnah during the prayer to place one palm on the other, below the navel." This is a da`eef (weak) sanad due to `Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq (al-Waasiti al-Koofi), who is weak (see below). On top of that, it has idtiraab (shakiness) in it, for he has narrated it: 1. once `an Ziyad `an Abu Juhaifa `an `Ali (as above); 2. once `an Nu`man ibn Sa`d`an `Ali (transmitted by Daaraqutni and Baihaqi); and 3. once `an Siyaas Abul Hakam `an Abu Waa'il, who said, "Abu Hurairah said: It is from the Sunnah..." (transmitted by Abu Dawood [758] and Daaraqutni). The Weakness of `Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq al-Koofi in the eyes of the Imaams of hadith 1. Abu Daawood said, "I heard Ahmad ibn Hanbal declaring `Abd ar-Rahmaan ibn Ishaaq alKoofi da`eef (weak)." [This is why Imaam Ahmad did not accept this hadith of his, for his son `Abdullaah said, "I saw that when praying, my father placed his hands, one on the other, above the navel."]