Islamic General Articles, Dought & clear, - * Commentary on the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar, “Whoever says following every prayer and when he goes to bed, ‘Allahu akbar ‘adad ash-shaf‘i wa’l-witr…’”

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- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M. MD, IRI (Managing Director, Islamic Research Institution)

How sound is the following hadeeth? Can you explain further?
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said; ” Whoever says at end of every prayer, and when he lies down to sleep: Allah is Most Great, with the even and odd number of Allah’s perfect beautiful blessed words. There is absolutely no deity worthy of worship, but Allah “(( Allahu Akbar Kabeer, addadash Shafi wal witr wa kalamatillahi tammat At Tayyibatil Mubarak La illaha ilallahu)) three times, then these words will be a light in his grave, they will be a light on the bridge and a light for him when passing over Hell until they enter him into Jannah or He enters Jannah.
Collected by Ibn Abee Shaybah (10/229)
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Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
Ibn Abi Shaybah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated in hisMusannaf(29256) with a saheeh isnaad from Ibn ‘Umar that he said: Whoever says following every prayer and when he goes to bed, ‘Allahu akbar kabeera‘adad ash-shaf‘i wa’l-witr, wa kalimaat Allah at-taammaati at-tayyibaati al-mubaarakaat(Allah is Most Great the number of the even and the odd, and the blessed, pure, perfect words of Allah)’ three times, and ‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allah(there is no god but Allah) the same number of times, they will be light for him in his grave, and light on the jisr (bridge), and light on the siraat (bridge over Hell), until they admit him to Paradise, or until he enters Paradise.
See question no. 228406
What is meant by following every prayer is every obligatory prayer, because that is what is meant when prayer is mentioned in general terms. That is stated in more than one hadith that was narrated about the adhkaar to be recited following the prayers.
Al-Bukhaari (844) narrated from al-Mugheerah ibn Shu‘bah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to say, following every obligatory prayer: “Laa ilaaha ill-Allah wahdahu laa shareeka lah, lahu’l-mulk wa lahu’l-hamd wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer, Allaahumma laa maani’ lima a’tayta wa laa mu’ti lima mana’ta wa la yanfa’ dhaa’l-jadd minka al-jadd(There is no god except Allah alone with no partner or associate, His is the sovereignty and to Him be praise and He is able to do all things. O Allah, none can withhold what You give and none can give what You withhold, and no wealth or majesty can benefit anyone for from You is all wealth and majesty).”
And Muslim (596) narrated from Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Dhikrs after the prayer, the one who says them or does them after each obligatory prayer will not be disappointed: thirty-three tasbeehahs, thirty-three tahmeedahs and thirty-four takbeerahs.”
Al-Haafiz (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his commentary on the first hadith:
The apparent meaning of the words “every prayer” includes both obligatory and voluntary prayers, but most of the scholars interpreted it as referring to the obligatory prayers. In the hadith of Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah that was narrated by Muslim it specifies that what is meant is the obligatory prayers. It is as if they interpreted general references to prayer as referring to them (the obligatory prayer). End quote.
Fath al-Baari(2/328)
Ahmad (6498) narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There are two qualities, whoever adheres to them they will admit him to Paradise. They are simple but those who do them are few.” They said: What are they, O Messenger of Allah? He said: “To praise Allah, magnify Him and glorify Him following every obligatory prayer, ten times each; and when you go to bed, glorify Allah and magnify Him and praise Him one hundred times each. (That will be) two hundred and fifty on the tongue and two thousand five hundred in the Balance.
It was classed as hasan by the commentators onal-Musnad.
The words in this hadith, “following every obligatory prayer … and when you go to bed” are like the words in the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar, “Whoever says following every prayer and when he goes to bed”.
What is referred to in both cases is the obligatory prayers.
The words “and when he goes to bed” refer to the adhkaar of going to sleep. The scholars differed concerning the adhkaar of going to sleep: are they to be said when going to sleep at night only, or can they be said when going to sleep during the day too?
This has been discussed in fatwa no. 221734
What is meant by the words “‘Laa ilaaha ill-Allah (there is no god but Allah)’ the same number of times” is saying “Laa ilaaha ill-Allah‘adad ash-shaf ‘i wa’l-witr, wa kalimaat Allah at-taammati at-tayyibaati al-mubaarakaat(There is no god but Allah, the number of the even and the odd, and the blessed, pure, perfect words of Allah)’” three times, as one did with the phrase beginning with takbeer (‘Allahu akbar’).
What is meant by the even and the odd is all of creation, some of which is even and some is odd.
Al-Qaasimi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The even and the odd means the creation and the Creator. The even refers to all of creation, because of the pairs that are in it, as in the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And of everything We have created pairs, that you may remember (the Grace of Allah)” [adh-Dhaariyaat 51:49]. Mujaahid said: Everything that Allah has created is even numbered (in pairs): heaven and earth, land and sea.
Jinn and man, sun and moon, disbelief and faith, happiness and misery, guidance and misguidance, night and day.
The odd numbered (Witr) is Allah, may He be exalted, because it is one of His names, and conveys the same meaning as His names al-Waahid, al-Ahad (the One). Thus Allah swore by His Essence and His creation. [“And by the even and the odd” [al-Fajr 89:3]].
And it was said that what is meant by the even and the odd is everything that exists of essences and concepts, because they can only be either even or odd.
End quote fromMahaasin at-Ta’weel(9/456)
See also:at-Tibyaan fi Aqsaam al-Qur’anby Ibn al-Qayyim (21).
What is meant by the blessed, perfect words of Allah is His decrees, both religious and universal (divine will and decree).
Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The perfect words of Allah are those that include both justice and truth, as in the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“The Word of your Lord is perfect in truth and justice” [al-An‘aam 6:115].
Words here may be understood as referring to universal divine decrees and religious decrees. A person may seek refuge in the religious decrees and words of Allah, such as by reciting Qur’an, for example, such as seeking refuge by reciting Soorat al-Falaq and Soorat an-Naas, or he may seek refuge in the universal decrees, which means that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, protects him by means of His universal decrees from the accursed Shaytaan. End quote.
Liqa’ al-Baab al-Maftooh(8/14)
With regard to the words “light on the jisr (bridge)”, the well-known view is that the jisr is the siraat, as in the hadith which was narrated by Muslim (183): “…Then the bridge will be set up over Hell, and intercession will be permitted.”
An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The jisr is the siraat. End quote.
Sharh an-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim(3/29)
Al-Bukhaari (may Allah have mercy on him) said in hisSaheeh(8/117);
Chapter: The siraat is the bridge over Hell. End quote.
But the words in the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar, “light over the siraat” rule out the interpretation of the jisr as referring to the siraat, otherwise it would be repetition.
What appears to be the case – and Allah knows best – is that what is meant by the jisr here is the bridge between Paradise and Hell, as the believers will settle the scores that arose among them in this world, as al-Bukhaari (2440) narrated from Abu Sa‘eed al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the believers have been saved from the Fire, they will be detained at a bridge between Paradise and Hell, and they will settle the scores that arose among them in this world until, when they have been purified and cleansed, permission will be given to them to enter Paradise.”
With regard to the light on the siraat, it is the light that will be given to the believer and withheld from the hypocrite. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“the Day that Allah will not disgrace the Prophet (Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) and those who believe with him, their Light will run forward before them and with (their Records Books of deeds) in their right hands they will say: ‘Our Lord! Keep perfect our Light for us (and do not put it off till we cross over the Sirat (a slippery bridge over the Hell) safely) and grant us forgiveness. Verily, You are Able to do all things’”
[at-Tahreem 66:8]
“On the Day when the hypocrites men and women will say to the believers: ‘Wait for us! Let us get something from your light!’ It will be said: ‘Go back to your rear! Then seek a light!’ So a wall will be put up between them, with a gate therein. Inside it will be mercy, and outside it will be torment”
[al-Hadeed 57:13].
And Allah knows best.

Islamic General Articles, Dought & clear, - * Commentary on the verse “And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against thedevils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower”

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- PUBLISHERNajimudeeN M. MD, IRI (Managing Director, Islamic Research Institution)

Regarding Surah 41:12, is it correct, that the last thing Allah created in the 6 days, was the stars (masabiha)? Does the verb "zayyanna" in the Ayah, mean adorned and created?
Also, is the sun (shams) considered a star "najm/kawakib/burujan/masabiha"?
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Praise be to Allah
Firstly:
Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, created the heavens and the earth in six days, as He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty)”
[al-A‘raaf 7:54].
The creation of the earth preceded the creation of the heavens, then the spreading out of the earth, when He“brought forth therefrom its water and its pasture; and the mountains He has fixed firmly” [an-Naazi‘aat 79:31-32], came after the creation of the heavens, as Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Say (O Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)): ‘Do you verily disbelieve in Him Who created the earth in two Days and you set up rivals (in worship) with Him? That is the Lord of the Alameen (mankind, jinns and all that exists).
He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it, and He blessed it, and measured therein its sustenance (for its dwellers) in four Days equal (i.e. all these four days were equal in the length of time), for all those who ask (about its creation).
Then He Istawa (rose over) towards the heaven when it was smoke, and said to it and to the earth: ‘Come both of you willingly or unwillingly.’ They both said: ‘We come, willingly.’
Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days and He made in each heaven its affair. And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard (from the devils by using them as missiles against the devils). Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower.”
[Fussilat 41:9-12].
See:Tafseer as-Sa‘di(p. 745)
And Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Are you more difficult to create, or is the heaven that He constructed?
He raised its height, and He has equally ordered it,
Its night He covers with darkness, and its forenoon He brings out (with light).
And after that He spread the earth”
[an-Nazi‘aat 79:27-30].
Secondly:
We do not know of any sound evidence from the Qur’an or Sunnah that tells us when Allah created the stars that are in the heavens. With regard to His saying,“And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard” after saying “Then He completed and finished from their creation (as) seven heavens in two Days” [Fussilat 41:12], this does not indicate that the stars were the last thing that Allah created. Rather it is simply stating the wisdom behind the creation of the stars, which is included in what Allah says about the heaven and its creation, and the signs that He placed in it.
Al-‘Allaamah Ibn ‘Ashoor (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The verses were speaking in the third person and then moved to the first person: “And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars)” so as to maintain the listener’s interest after having used the third person (in the preceding passage) starting from the words“…Him Who created the earth in two Days” [Fussilat 41:9]. It also highlights the special care given to the creation of the stars that benefit people in both their religious and worldly affairs, by singling them out for special mention from among the general meaning of the verse“and He made in each heaven its affair” [Fussilat 41:12]. The lowest heaven is just one of the heavens, and the stars are just part of its system.
The word masaabeeh (translated here as lamps) is the plural of misbaah, which refers to that which is lit with fire in oil to produce light. This word is derived from sabaah (morning), because people use the lamp as a replacement for the light of morning. What is meant by lamps in this verse is the stars, which are referred to in this metaphorical manner because of what they show of light.
What is meant by the word translated here as “as well as to guard” is to protect the heaven from the devils who try to eavesdrop.
“Such is the Decree of Him the All-Mighty, the All-Knower” – this refers to what is mentioned in a previous verse: “He placed therein (i.e. the earth) firm mountains from above it” [Fussilat 41:10] up to the words (in v. 12) “And We adorned the nearest (lowest) heaven with lamps (stars) to be an adornment as well as to guard”.
End quote fromat-Tahreer wa’t-Tanweer(24/25 1)
Conclusion:
There is nothing in the text to tell us of the time of the creation of the stars in particular, and there is no benefit in knowing that in terms of one’s religion, and there is nothing bad about not knowing it, as it does not detract from one’s faith. Rather what will benefit a person is to reflect upon their creation and think about the wisdom of the Creator, may He be glorified and exalted, and to find in that evidence of His greatness and oneness, and submit to obeying Him.
Thirdly these stars in the heaven – including the sun – are called in Arabicmasaabeeh(lamps),nujoom(stars),kawaakib(heavenly bodies) andsuruj(lamps). The difference between these words is the matter of terminology introduced by scientists, and does not necessarily stem from the Arabic usage at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
If anyone asks about calling all of these heavenly bodies by all of these names, if he means in terms of the Arabic language and the way it was spoken, then the matter is broad in scope and all of these terms are acceptable.
If he is asking about terminology as known to the scientific community, then that is not the case, and he should refer to the terminology of each branch of science and ask the people who know that branch of science.
Ibn Saydah [a grammarian] and others said: Akawkab(heavenly body) is anajm(star).
Lisaan al-‘Arab(1/720).
Ibn al-Jawzi said:
Themasaabeeh(lamps) are thenujoom(stars) and thesuruj(lamps). Akawkabmay be called amisbaah. End quote.
Zaad al-Maseer(4/47)
The Arabs use the verb najama to refer to anything when it appears.
The linguists said: The wordnujoomrefers to allkawaakib(heavenly bodies).
Lisaan al-‘Arab(12/568).
The root meaning of the word burooj (big stars) is appearing.
Al-Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The root meaning ofburoojis appearing. From the same root comes the wordtabarrujwhich refers to a woman who shows her adornments. Al-Hasan and Qataadah said: Theburoojare thenujoom(stars). They are so called because they appear and rise up. End quote.
Al-Jaami‘ li Ahkaam al-Qur’an(10/9)
This word (burooj) is used in the Qur’an to refer to the stars in the sky, and also the manaazil (mansions) of the sun and moon.
An example of the former is the verse in which Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“And indeed, We have put the big stars [burooj] in the heaven and We beautified it for the beholders” [al-Hijr 15:16].
As-Sa‘di said: That is, stars like big towers and mountains, by means of which people navigate in the darkness on land and sea. End quote.
Tafseer as-Sa‘di(p. 430)
An example of the latter is the verse in which He, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):“By the heaven, holding the big stars” [al-Burooj 85:1].
At-Tabari (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
The most correct view concerning that is that what is meant is the heaven containing the mansions [manaazil] of the sun and moon. That is because the wordburoojis the plural ofburj, which means tower, and the mansions are high above the ground. This is seen in the verse in which Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):“…even if you are in fortresses [burooj] built up strong and high… ” [an-Nisa’ 4:78]. So they are lofty mansions in the heaven, of which there are twelve. The passage of the moon through each mansion takes two or three days, so there are twenty-eight mansions, then it is hidden for two days. The passage of the sun through each mansion takes one month. End quote.
Tafseer at-Tabari(24/332)
And Allah knows best.