Let us consider the following two Hadiths.
Abu Juhayfah reports: “The Prophet (peace be upon him) went out into the desert about midday, then he performed his ablution, prayed Dhuhr and Asr in two rak’ahs each, putting a staff in front of him.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) Abdullah ibn Umar reports: “The Prophet went out for prayer in the open space at the outskirts of the city, with a staff being carried for him. It was then stuck erect into the ground in front of him and he prayed facing it.” (Related by Ahmad, Al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah.)
The first Hadith relates to an occasion when the Prophet and those with him were traveling. They might have been chasing an enemy, or have some other purpose. Otherwise, the Prophet would not go into the desert at midday, when it is very hot. This is the reason why he prayed these two daytime prayers in the short form of two rak’ahs each. This is how the longer prayers are offered during travel. They are shortened from 4-rak’ah to two rak’ahs each. They may also be combined, i.e. offered at the same time, with the second brought forward to the time of the first, or the first delayed until the time of the second, as is convenient for us.
The second Hadith speaks about the Eid prayers which is preferably offered outside the city or in open space, such as a large square or a park, where people can offer it in large congregations, then meet one another and exchange greetings and good wishes. This is confirmed by another Hadith reported by Ibn Umar which says: “When the Prophet went out on the Eid day, he would give instructions that a spear should be placed in front of him. He would face it as he led the prayer and the congregation behind him. He also used to do this in travel. Hence, rulers who followed him did likewise.” (Related by Al-Bukhari and Ibn Majah.)
What is relevant to our discussion today is the fact that the Prophet put a staff in front of him when he prayed. It was stuck into the ground so as to stand erect. If the ground is too solid and the staff could not be stuck in without digging, it could be put horizontally in front of the person leading the prayer or praying alone. It serves as a separating barrier to allow other people or animals or cars to pass in any direction.
The Prophet used a staff, stick, rod, cane or baton as was available to him. He found it useful for a variety of purposes. Abdullah ibn Abbas reports: “The Prophet did the tawaf around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone with a round-headed staff.” (Related by Al-Shafie, Al-Bukhari and Muslim.) This Hadith refers to the Prophet’s pilgrimage, when a large number of people were with him, learning their rituals and performing them as he did. Thus, the place was overcrowded. It is well known that kissing or touching the Black Stone is recommended during the tawaf, but the Prophet did not do so on this occasion, because he did not wish to add to the crowding and pushing at that spot. He wanted people to learn that pushing each other in order to reach the Black Stone is not recommended. Such kissing or touch should be done only when it is possible for us to do without inconvenience to others.
The Prophet spoke against causing hassle when in a crowd. He wanted his companions and followers to learn discipline and to move quietly and comfortably. The pilgrimage is an occasion when too many people are at the same place doing the same rituals in a short period of time. Inevitably, there can be much hassle and inconvenience. Hence, the Prophet instructed his companions to move in an orderly manner. One point where much hassle begins is at Arafat when it is time for the pilgrims to move on to Muzdalifah. The following Hadith tells us how we should behave at this time.
Abdullah ibn Abbas reports: “I was with the Prophet when he moved out of Arafat. The Prophet heard people urging their mounts hard, and hitting their camels with whips. He signaled with his whip to them and said: ‘You people, keep calm. Speed is not recommended here.’” (Related by Al-Bukhari.) In this Hadith, we see the Prophet using a whip to signal people. As he was riding, he needed the whip so as to urge his mount when needed, but he used it also to give a signal to the people accompanying him.
The Prophet carried a rod or a cane on various occasions. Ubadah ibn Al-Waleed reports: “My father and I went out seeking to learn something. We went to Jabir ibn Abdullah in his mosque. He related to us this story: The Prophet came to us in this mosque of ours, holding a bent palm rod in his hand. He saw in the front of the mosque a spit, and he rubbed it with the stick (to bury it in the sand). He then turned to us and said: ‘Who of you would like God to turn away from him? When any of you stands up in prayer, he is facing God. Therefore, he must not spit to his front or to his right. He may spit to his left, under his left foot. If he cannot hold it, then in the edge of his robe, like this.’ He folded the edge of his robe to show us how. He then said: ‘Bring me some oil of amber.’ A local young man went out fast to his home and brought some perfume on his palm. The Prophet took it and put it at the head of his rod and rubbed the place where the spit was.” (Related by Muslim and Abu Dawood.)
The Hadith speaks of the need to keep mosques clean. We need to remember that at that time, mosques were not furnished with carpets or rugs. They were mostly bare. Hence, an Arab who saw the inside of a mosque or home as bare as the road or the desert might not have thought of cleanliness. He would spit in front of him just like he would spit by the roadside. The Prophet told them how to behave, even using the side of their robes, which they could wash later.
Another Hadith that mentions the Prophet’s use of a stick is reported by Ibn Massoud: “The Prophet entered Makkah on the day when it fell to the Muslims, with 360 idols placed around the Kaaba. As he did his tawaf, he would push these with a stick in his hand, repeating these two verses of the Qur’an: ‘The truth has now come about while falsehood has withered away.’ (17: 81) ‘The truth has now come. Falsehood neither creates anything new, nor restores anything.’” (34: 49) (Related by Al-Bukhari.)
As the Prophet pushed these idols with his stick they fell to the ground and were broken. Thus he demonstrated how useless they were. They could not even keep themselves intact, but fell down merely by a simple push with a stick.
All these Hadiths speak of the Prophet using either a staff, stick, rod or something similar for a variety of purposes. He liked to have such a tool with him and used it only for something beneficial.
