The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was compassionate and merciful towards his Ummah. He used to supplicate for the Muslims while they were alive and dead, and he would teach those who asked what was beneficial to them. His wives (may Allah be pleased with them) were among the people with the most knowledge of his conditions at home. In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Muhammad ibn Qays ibn Makhramah ibn al-Muttalib relates that he heard the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrate to the people one day about some situation between her and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In an exciting manner, she said to those around her: "Should I not tell you about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and me?" i.e., information related to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Sunnah in his dwelling and house. People listened to her and replied in the affirmative that she should narrate to them, and in the same interesting manner in another version: Muhammad ibn Qays one day said to his companions: "Should I not tell you about me and my mother?" The people thought he meant his mother who had given birth to him. Yet, he meant our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), as Allah Almighty says: {The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 6] Then, he mentioned that she (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that when it was her night in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stay with her, he turned to his bed in which he would lie down. It was said: He departed from the mosque after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and turned back to his bed, took off his clothing and shoes, and placed them near his legs so that he could put them on when he got up to leave. He spread his Izār - the garment that covers his lower body - over the bed and slept on it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) lay down in bed to sleep, but he only remained in this state of lying down for as long as he thought that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had lain down and slept. He took his garment gently and calmly, lest she might get up from her sleep. And he wore his shoes, also in a calm and gentle way. He opened the door, went out of the house, and closed the door calmly and gently, without making a sound. He did all that in a subdued and calm manner out of compassion toward her, lest he awaken her, and thus he would leave her awake, and she might feel solitude and loneliness in the darkness of night. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) sensed the departure of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and she wore her garment from above her head, covered her head with a veil, and used her Izār as a cover whereby she concealed her face. Then, she went after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to know where he was about to go. She found that he had left and headed towards the Baqī‘, the graveyard of the people of Madīnah located on the eastern side of the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up in the Baqī‘ to supplicate for its people. He stood for a long time and then raised his hands supplicating for them three times. When a supplication is repeated, it is more likely to be accepted. After he had finished, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the Baqī‘ and headed home. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) left her place before she could be seen by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) quickened his steps, and so did ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). He ran moderately at a pace faster than walking. So, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) jogged. Thereupon, he increased the intensity of his running, and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) increased the intensity of her running as well. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reached there ahead of him and entered the house. Once she lay down in her sleeping place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered after her. He asked her: "What is the matter with you, O ‘Ā’ishah?!" He called her name with a shortened form out of gentleness and cordiality. "you are out of breath," which happens to a person when he walks fast or talks in a nervous way. "and your abdomen is heightened?" What is the reason behind the disturbance of your body and your breathlessness? She informed him that there was nothing in her that caused that. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Either you tell me" about the reason for your disturbance and breathlessness, "or the Al-Latīf (the Gentle)," the Compassionate towards His servants "and the Al-Khabīr (the All-Aware)" the Knower of their conditions, apparent and hidden "will inform me" about the reason for your disturbance and breathlessness. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied: "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be redeemed for you," may my parents be redeemed to protect you from any harm. She told him about the reason and that she walked after him to find out where he was going. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) understood and knew that she was the person he saw while returning. So, he said to her: "So, you were the darkness," i.e., the person that I saw in front of me when I returned from the Baqī‘? She said: Yes. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pushed her hard, or struck her on her chest with his fist, causing pain to her. Then, he said to her: "Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would be unfair to you?" i.e., that Allah and His Messenger would wrong you. The meaning: Did you think that I have wronged you by giving you your day and turning to someone else? The mention of Allah is a preparation and prelude for the mention of His Messenger. He is not meant by the word 'unfairness'. His mention affords respect to the Messenger and indicates that the Messenger would not do anything without permission from Allah Almighty. Confirming the Prophet's statement, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Whatever people conceal," i.e., anything a person conceals and hides from others, "Allah knows it," for He is the One Who knows the innermost thoughts. This seems to be an acknowledgment by her of this thinking. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her about the reality of what he did and his leaving at that time, namely that Jibrīl (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation, came to him when ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) get up from his bed. So, Jibrīl (peace be upon him) called out to him from outside the room and hid his call from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) so that she would not hear it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered him and responded to his call and hid his response from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Then, he clarified to her the reason for this concealment, saying that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) called out to him from outside the room because he would not enter the room of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) when she was undressed. Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that upon leaving, he thought that she had slept; so, he disliked awakening her and feared she might feel gloomy if he had left her awake alone in the darkness of the night. Then, when he went out to Jibrīl (peace be upon him), he said to him: "Your Lord commands you to go to the dwellers of the Baqī‘ graveyard and seek forgiveness for them," i.e., supplicate and ask Allah Almighty to forgive their sins. Whereupon, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "'O Messenger of Allah, what should I say to them" if I want to visit them? This applies to the people of the graves in general. In other words: What dhikr and supplication should I say when I visit the graves? So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught her to say: "Peace be upon the dwellers of these dwellings among the believers and Muslims;" the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called the place of the graves a dwelling and dwellings, for they are gathered therein like the living people in houses. "May Allah have mercy upon those of us who went before," i.e., those who died before us. "of us," the community of believers. "and those who will go later," i.e., those who will die later, after us. "and we will join you, Allah willing," in dying while being Muslims. His statement "Allah willing" does not denote doubt; rather, it was for seeking blessing and complying with Allah's command to him: {And never say about anything, “I will surely do this tomorrow*," without adding: "if Allah wills"} to the rest of the verse. [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] In the Hadīth: Prolonging and repeating supplication And in it: Raising one's hands in supplication And in it: Supplication while standing is more perfect than supplication while sitting in the graveyards And in it: The Prophet's leniency and mercy And in it: What should be said upon entering the graveyards And in it: Greeting the dead is like greeting the living. And in it: Supplicating for Allah's mercy upon the living and the dead And in it: Demonstrating women's innate disposition of jealousy And in it: A husband disciplining his wife by striking her with his hand and the like, even if this causes pain to her And in it: Visiting the graves by women.