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Section Two: Authentic Aḥadīth

Ḥadīth Number 1:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “The fire complained to its Lord saying: ‘O Lord, some parts of mine have consumed the others,’ so it was allowed to take two exhalations, one exhalation in winter and the other one in summer. That is why you experience extreme heat in the summer and extreme cold in the winter.”

Reported by al-Bukhārī (538) and Muslim (185) with this exact wording.

In another version of this Ḥadīth, the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

The fire complained to its Lord saying: “O Lord, some parts of mine have consumed the others,” so it was allowed to take two exhalations, one exhalation in winter and the other one in summer. The extreme cold you experience is from the extreme cold of the fire, and the extreme heat you experience is from the heat of the fire.

Reported by Ibn Mājah (4319) with this exact wording, and Shaykh al-Albānī deemed it authentic.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1.  Allāh punishes the transgressors utilising both extreme heat and extreme cold.
2. Either the fire emits both heat and cold, or Jahannam has places that are extremely hot and extremely cold.
3. The fire or Jahannam’s temperatures are so intense that even the fire or Jahannam complained.
4. Although many scientists say that the earth’s temperature is dependent solely on its rotation and its position from the sun, this Ḥadīth states clearly that Jahannam’s temperature and its fire have an effect on the earth’s temperature.
5. The winter season is an opportune time for the believer to ponder over his final abode and the severity of his Lord’s punishment.

Ḥadīth Number 2:

Anas (رضي الله عنه) said: “Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) delayed the prayer until the weather was cooler during the hot weather, but he observed the prayer earlier during the cold weather.”

Reported by al-Nasāʾī (499) and others, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1.  Delaying the Dhuhr prayers in summer until the weather is cooler is legislated.
2. Observing the Dhuhr prayers on time during the winter is recommended.
3. Khushūʾ—which is a part of tranquillity—is important during the prayer. Hence, the Messenger (ﷺ) adjusted the congregational prayer times as the seasons changed.

Ḥadīth Number 3:

Ibn Masʿūd (رضي الله عنه) reported: “The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed Dhuhr when the length of a person’s shadow was between three and five feet in summer, and between five and seven feet in winter.”

Reported by Abū Dāwūd (400), al-Nasāʾī (503) and others, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

Scholars interpret this Ḥadīth differently, and one popular interpretation is that this Ḥadīth explains the extent Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) delayed Dhuhr in summer. However, some scholars stated that performing Dhuhr at the aforementioned times is only applicable for the residents of Makkah and Madīnah, since the report is specifically about the Prophet’s prayer, and an object’s shade differs according to the sun’s altitude which differs from country to country.

Ḥadīth Number 4:

ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) said:

My prostatic fluid would flow excessively, so I started to perform ghusl, even in the winter. Consequently, the skin on my back started to crack, so I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) or the Prophet (ﷺ) was asked about this. He responded: “Do not do that. If you notice prostatic fluid, then wash your private part then make wuḍūʾ for the prayer. However, if semen gushes out, then make ghusl.”

Reported by Aḥmad (868) and Abū Dāwūd (206), and Shaykh al-Albānī deemed it authentic.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Returning to the people of knowledge is important, especially if you are ignorant about an Islamic affair.
2. Prostatic fluid is a minor form of impurity since washing the private parts removes it.
3. Semen is a major form of impurity since a person must make ghusl.

Ḥadīth Number 5:

Ibn ʿAbbās (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “One winter, a man fell into a state of impurity, so he asked others about it. He was commanded to make ghusl whereupon he died. The Prophet (ﷺ) was informed about this incident. He (ﷺ) said: ‘Why have they killed him? May Allāh kill them. Allāh made the earth pure.’”

Reported by Ibn Ḥibbān (1311), and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Returning your affairs to the scholars is mandatory, especially if you are ignorant.
2. Failing to returning your affairs to the scholars may cause great harm, even death, as occurred in this Ḥadīth.
3. Making tayammum during winter’s harsh weather is legislated.
4. Islām is accommodating as making tayammum during the winter is a concession.

Ḥadīth Number 6:

ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنه) narrated:

I had a wet dream on a cold night during the battle of Ḍhāt al-Salāṣil. I was afraid that if I made ghusl, I would die, so I performed tayammum and led my companions in the dawn prayer. They mentioned that to Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ). He said: “ʿAmr, did you lead your companions in prayer while you were in a state of impurity?” I informed him why I did not make ghusl. I said: “I heard Allāh say:

“وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا”
“Do not kill yourself. Verily, Allāh is merciful to you.””
[al-Nisāʾ, 4:29]

Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) laughed and did not say anything.

Reported by Abū Dāwūd (334) and others, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Returning your affairs to the scholars is mandatory, especially if you are ignorant or doubtful.
2. Making tayammum during the winter is legislated.
3. Islām is accommodating; otherwise, we would have had to make wuḍūʾ even during winter’s harsh conditions.
4. Self preservation is an important principle in Islām.
5. Although ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (رضي الله عنه) did not know at the time that making tayammum during the cold was acceptable, he was able to deduce this based on Islām’s general principles.
6. The Messenger’s (ﷺ) laughter and silence prove that this deduction was accurate.

Ḥadīth Number 7:

Thawbān (رضي الله عنه) reported: “Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) dispatched an expedition. They experienced extremely cold weather, so when they returned, Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) commanded them to wipe over their turbans and leather socks.”

Reported by Abū Dāwūd (146), and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Wiping over headwear and socks is allowed during winter.
2. Islām is accommodating as we are allowed to wipe over our headwear and socks during winter’s harsh conditions.

Ḥadīth Number 8:

Wāʾil ibn Ḥujur (رضي الله عنه) said: “I came to the Prophet (ﷺ) during winter, and I saw his Companions raising their hands under their clothes during the prayer.”

Reported by Aḥmad (18847) and Abū Dāwūd (729), and Shaykh al-Albānī deemed it authentic.

Wāʾil ibn Ḥujur (رضي الله عنه) also said: “I returned during the cold weather, and I saw the people raising their hands below their garments due to the cold.”

Reported by Aḥmad (18870) and Abū Dāwūd (727). Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it, and this is Aḥmad’s wording.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Rufʾ al-Yadayn (i.e. raising the hands in the prayer) is an established Sunnah.
2. The extreme cold caused the Companions to raise their hands in prayer under their garments.
3. The intense cold did not prevent the Companions from implementing the Sunnah.

Ḥadīth Number 9:

Nāfiʾ (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “IbnʿUmar (رضي الله عنه) made the call to prayer on a cold windy night. He then said: ‘Pray in your dwellings.’ Afterwards he said: ‘Whenever there was a cold or rainy night, Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) used to command the muʿadhdhin to announce: ‘Pray in your dwellings.’”

Reported by Abū Dāwūd (1063) with this exact wording, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Praying indoors during a storm or on a cold day is legislated.
2. Islām is accommodating; otherwise, praying the five daily prayers in the masjid would always be mandatory. However, Allāh said:

يُرِيدُ اللَّهُ بِكُمُ الْيُسْرَ وَلَا يُرِيدُ بِكُمُ الْعُسْرَ‎
“Allāh intends ease for you, and He does not intend to make things difficult for you.”
[al-Baqarah, 2:185]

Ḥadīth Number 10:

The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Fasting in winter is an easily acquired booty [i.e. reward].”

Reported by al-Tirmidhī (29) and others, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Fasting in winter is legislated.
2.  Since the winter days are shorter and cooler than the other days of the year, a Muslim can fast the winter days easily.
   Ibn Rajab (رحمه الله) stated: “Indeed, the believer is able to fast the days of winter without difficulty or being troubled by hunger and thirst because its days of fasting are short and cold, so the difficulty of fasting is unnoticeable.” (Laṭāʾif al-Maʿārif, pg. 326)
3. Difficulty and self-torture are unintended in Islām. If, however, an act unintentionally becomes difficult, the Sharīʿah rewards a Muslim justly.

The Messenger (ﷺ) said: “Whoever lives the furthest from the masjid will receive the greatest reward for attending the prayer.” (Reported by Muslim (277))

Therefore, we are not required to live far from the masjid just so we can attain a greater reward for attending the prayer; however, if we happen to live far, then we will be rewarded justly.

Ḥadīth Number 11:

Muʿāwiyah (رضي الله عنه) said:

I visited Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) and pledged my allegiance to him. His shirt buttons were open.

ʿAwrah (رضي الله عنه) said: “Summer or winter, I always saw Muʿāwiyah and his son opening their buttons.”

Reported by Abū Dāwūd (4082), Ibn Mājah (3578) and others. It was authenticated by Shaykh al-Albānī, and this is Ibn Mājah’s wording.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) would quite often leave his shirt unbuttoned.
2. The Salaf were keen to emulate the Messenger (ﷺ), even if they were only emulating him in some of his everyday customs and practises.

Ḥadīth Number 12:

Ibn Abī Laylá (i.e. the son of Abū Laylá) (رضي الله عنه) said:

Abū Laylá (i.e. his father) (رضي الله عنهما) used to chat with ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) during the night, and ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) would wear summer clothes in winter and winter clothes in summer. We said: “Why don’t you ask him about that?” ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) said: “Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) summoned me, but my eyes were sore on the day of Khaybar. I said: ‘O Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ), my eyes are sore.’ He put some spittle into my eyes then said: ‘O Allāh, take heat and cold away from him.’ I never felt hot or cold again after that day.”

Reported by Aḥmad (1117) and Abū Dāwūd (117), and Shaykh al-Albānī graded it authentic.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Some Companions had multiple garments, while others only had one garment.
   Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) narrated: “Khawlah (رضي الله عنها) came to the Prophet (ﷺ) saying: ‘Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ), I have only one garment, and I menstruate while wearing it. What should I do?’ He said: ‘When your menstruation ceases, wash the garment before praying in it.’” (Reported by Abū Dāwūd (133) and others, and Shaykh al-Albānī authenticated it.)
2. Some Companions wore specific garments during each season.
3. Allāh answered the Messenger’s supplication.

Ḥadīth Number 13:

Abū Dharr (رضي الله عنه) reported:

The Messenger (ﷺ) went out during winter when the leaves were falling and grabbed two branches of a tree whose leaves just began to fall. He addressed me, so I replied: “At your service, Allāh’s Messenger.” He (ﷺ) said: “When a Muslim performs prayer for Allāh’s sake, his sins leave him just as these leaves fall from this tree.”

Reported by Aḥmad (21556), and Shaykh al-Albānī deemed it authentic.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Praying expiates some of our sins. The following Ḥadīth also proves this.
   Abū Hurayrah (رضي الله عنه) reported: “The Messenger (ﷺ) said: ‘Do you think that if you bathed five times each day in a river that is next to your door, that you will remain dirty?’ They said: ‘No, I would not remain dirty.’ He said: ‘That is the parable of the five prayers. Allāh erases sins with them.’” (Reported by al-Bukhārī (528) and Muslim (283).)
2. The Prophet (ﷺ) would frequently draw parables and give examples to ensure that his speech was always clear.

Ḥadīth Number 14:

ʿĀʾishah (رضي الله عنها) narrated: “Indeed, I saw the Prophet (ﷺ) being inspired divinely on a very cold day and noticed the sweat dripping from his forehead.”

Reported by al-Bukhārī (2) with this exact wording.

Short Benefit(s) and Commentary:

1. Receiving revelation was difficult upon the Messenger (ﷺ) as a person usually does not sweat on a cold day. Allāh—the Most High—confirmed this saying:

“إِنَّا سَنُلْقِي عَلَيْكَ قَوْلًا ثَقِيلًا”
“Certainly, we will reveal a heavy word to you.”
[al-Muzammil, 73:5]

And Allāh knows best.

Written by: Abū Wāʾil Musa Shaleem