‘Uqba b. ‘Amir said the Prophet (ﷺ) gave him some goats to divide among his friends as sacrificial animals, and a yearling remained over. He mentioned it to God’s Messenger, and he said, "Sacrifice it yourself.” In a version he said he told God’s Messenger he had got a lamb, and he replied, "Sacrifice it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar said that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to sacrifice and slaughter at the place of prayer. Bukhari transmitted it. (Cf. Chap. 48a)

Jabir said that on the day of sacrifice the Prophet (ﷺ) sacrificed two horned rams which were white with black markings and had been castrated. Then when he made them face the qibla he said, “I have turned my face towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, following Abraham’s religion as a hanif, and I am not one of the polytheists. My prayer, my religious rites, my life and my death belong to God, the Lord of the universe, who has no partner. That is what I was commanded to do, and I am one of the Muslims (Al-Qur’an; 6:161-163). O God, it comes from Thee and is given to Thee from Muhammad and his people. In the name of God, and God is most great.” Then he made sacrifice. Ahmad, Abu Dawud, Ibn Majah and Darimi transmitted it. A version by Ahmad, Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi says that he sacrificed with his own hand and said, “In the name of God, and God is most great. O God, this is from me and from those of my people who have not sacrificed.”

Jundub b. ‘Abdallah said: I was present at the festival on the day of sacrifice along with God’s Messenger. He had done no more than finish his prayer and give the salutation when he saw the flesh of sacrificial animals which had been sacrificed before he finished his prayer. So he said, “Anyone who has sacrificed before he prayed (or, we prayed) must sacrifice another in place of it." In a version he said: The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed on the day of sacrifice, then delivered a sermon, then sacrificed, and he said, “Anyone who has sacrificed before he prayed (or, we prayed) must sacrifice another in place of it, and if anyone has not sacrificed he should do so in God’s name." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Huraira reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying, “There is no fara’ and no ‘atira.” He said that the fara’ was the first animal born to them which they sacrificed to their idols, and the ‘atira was observed in Rajab.* * These were practices of the idolatrous pre-Islamic Arabs. While the fara' sacrifice was abolished in Islam, it is said that the sacrifice of a sheep or goat in Rajab, known as the ‘atira, was continued in the early days of Islam and then abolished. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A’isha said there was an eclipse of the sun in the time of God’s Messenger, and he sent one to summon the people to congregational prayer. He then went forward and prayed two rak'as in which he bowed four times and prostrated himself four times. ‘A’isha said, “I never performed a bow or a prostration which was longer than it.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She said that the Prophet (ﷺ) recited the Qur’an in a loud voice in the prayer at an eclipse. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘Abdallah b. ‘Abbas said: There was an eclipse of the sun in the time of God’s Messenger and he prayed accompanied by the people. He stood for a long time, about as long as it would take to recite Sura al- Baqara;(Al-Qur’an; 1) then he bowed for a long time; then he raised his head and stood for a long time; but it was less than the first time; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head; then he prostrated himself; then he stood for a long time, but it was less than the first time ; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head and stood for a long time, but it was less than the first time; then he bowed for a long time, but it was less than the first bowing; then he raised his head; then he prostrated himself; then he departed, and the sun had become bright. He said, “The sun and the moon are two of God’s signs; they are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of anyone’s birth; 1 so when you see that, make mention of God.” The people said, “Messenger of God, we saw you reach out to something while you were standing here, then we saw you move back.” He replied, “I saw paradise and reached out to a bunch of its grapes; and had I taken it you would have eaten of it as long as the world endures. I also saw hell. No such abominable sight have I ever seen as that which I saw today; and I observed that most of its inhabitants were women." They asked why that was and he replied that it was for their ingratitude (bi-kufrihinna). He was asked whether they disbelieved in God2 and replied, “They are ungrateful to their husbands and they are ungrateful for kindness. If you were to treat one of them kindly for ever and she later saw some defect in you, she would say she had never seen any good in you." 1. Literally, life. 2. The word kufr means both ingratitude and unbelief, which explains why the remark was misunderstood. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

‘A'isha told a tradition similar to that of Ibn ‘Abbas and said: Then he prostrated himself for a long time, then departed and the sun had become clear. He preached to the people, and after praising and extolling God he said, “The sun and the moon are two of God’s signs; they are not eclipsed on account of anyone’s death or on account of anyone's birth, so when you see that supplicate God, declare His greatness, pray and give alms." He then said, “O people of Muhammad, I swear by God that no one is more indignant than God when His servant or handmaiden commits fornication. O people of Muhammad, I swear by God that if you knew what I know you would laugh little and weep much." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Abu Musa said: There was an eclipse of the sun, and the Prophet (ﷺ) got up in trepidation fearing that the last hour fiad come. He then went to the mosque and prayed, standing, bowing and prostrating himself longer than I had ever seen him do. He then said, “These signs which God sends do not come on account of anyone’s death or on account of his birth, but God produces dread in His servants by means of them. So when you see anything of that nature, apply yourselves to making mention of Him, supplication of Him and asking pardon of Him." (Bukhari and Muslim.)

(This chapter does not contain sections I and III) Abu Bakra said that when anything came to God’s Messenger which caused pleasure (or, by which he was made glad), he prostrated himself in gratitude to God most high. Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi transmitted it, the latter saying this is a hasan gharib tradition.

Sa‘d b. Abu Waqqas said : We went out with God’s Messenger from Mecca making for Medina, and when we were near ‘Azwaza’* he alighted, then raised his hands and made supplication to God for a time, after which he prostrated himself, remaining a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a time, after which he prostrated himself, remaining a long time in prostration. Then he stood up and raised his hands for a time, after which he prostrated himself. He then said, “I begged my Lord and made intercession for my people, and He gave me a third of my people, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord. Then I raised my head and begged my Lord for my people and He gave me a third of my people, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord. Then I raised my head and begged my Lord for my people and He gave me the last third, so I prostrated myself in gratitude to my Lord.” *The name is spelt either as here with the alif mamduda, or with the alif maqsura (i.e. Azwaza). The reference is to a pass in the hills. Ahmad and Abu Dawud transmitted it.

‘Abdallah b. Zaid said God's Messenger took the people out to the place of prayer and prayed for rain. He led them in two rak'as in the course of which he recited from the Qur'an in a loud voice. He faced the qibla making supplication, raised his hands and turned round his cloak when he faced the qibla. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Anas said the Prophet (ﷺ) was not accustomed to raise his hands in any supplication he made except when praying for rain. He would then raise them high enough for the whiteness under his armpits to be visible. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn 'Abbas said God’s Messenger went out (i.e. to pray for rain) wearing old clothes, with a humble and lowly manner, making petition. Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it.

'A’isha said the people complained to God’s Messenger of the lack of rain, so he gave orders for a pulpit, and when it was set up for him in the place of prayer he appointed a day for the people on which they should come out. ‘A’isha said God’s Messenger came out when the rim of the sun appeared and sat down on the pulpit. Having declared God’s greatness and expressed His praise, he said, “You have complained of drought in your abodes and of delay in receiving rain at the beginning of its season, but God has ordered you to supplicate Him and has promised that He would answer your prayers.” Then he said, “Praise be to God, the Lord of the universe, the Compassionate, the Merciful, the Master of the day of judgment. There is no god but God who does what He wishes. O God, Thou art God than whom there is no god, the Rich, while we are the poor. Send down rain upon us and make what Thou sendest down a strength and satisfaction for us for a time.” He then raised his hands and kept raising them till the whiteness under his armpits was visible. He then turned his back to the people and inverted (or, turned round) his cloak while keeping his hands aloft. He then faced the people, descended and prayed two rak'as. God then produced a cloud and a storm of thunder and lightning came on. Then it rained by God’s permission, and before he reached his mosque streams were flowing. When he saw the speed with which the people sought shelter he laughed till his back teeth were visible. Then he said, “I testify that God is omnipotent and that I am God’s servant and Messenger.” Abu Dawud transmitted it.

Winds. Ibn 'Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, “I have been helped by the east wind, and ‘Ad* were destroyed by the west wind.” 1. An ancient people who were destroyed because of their rejection of the prophet Hud. Cf. Qur’an, 11:50 ff., etc. (Bukhari and Muslim.)

'A’isha said, ''I never saw God’s Messenger laugh to such an extent that I could see his uvula, he would only smile ; and when he saw clouds or wind his face showed signs .” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

She reported the Prophet (ﷺ) as saying when the wind was stormy, "O God, I ask Thee for what is good in it, in what it contains and in what it was sent for; and I seek refuge in Thee from what is evil in it, in what it contains and in what it was sent for.” When the sky became black his colour changed and he went out and in, backwards and forwards, but when the rain came his alarm was removed. ‘A’isha noticed that and asked him about it and he replied, “Perhaps, ‘A’isha, it may be as the people of ‘Ad said. When they saw a cloud formation coming towards their valleys they said it was a cloud formation which would give them rain.” A version says that when he saw rain he would say, “Make it a blessing.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)

Ibn ‘Umar reported God’s Messenger as saying, “The keys of the unseen are five.” He then recited, “God has knowledge of the Hour, and He sends down the rain . . .” (Al-Qur’an; 31:34). Bukhari transmitted it.