The Prophet ﷺ seeing the sahaaba behind his back

Question:

Assalaamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullaah

It came in the hadeeth of aboo Hurayrah reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree that the Prophet ﷺsaid:

“وَاللَّهِ مَا يَخْفَى عَلَيَّ رُكُوعُكُمْ وَلَا خُشُوعُكُمْ، وَإِنِّي لَأَرَاكُمْ وَرَاءَ ظَهْرِي “.

“[I swear] by Allaah that your rukuu’ and khushuu’ are not hidden from me, and I indeed see you from behind my back”

Is this seeing restricted to the salaah only?

Answer:

Yes, it is restricted to salaah, I think Shaykh Al-Albanee is upon this [opinion].

I don’t know if he ﷺ used to see them in other than the salaah from behind his back.

Even though, it is not a difficult thing for Allaah to honour His prophet ﷺ with these similar karaamaat, but since it came in the salaah [ie his seeing them behind his back], then let it remain in the salaah, that he sees them from behind his back, he ﷺ faces the qiblah and he sees them.

Let’s remain at this restriction.

Answered by:
Shaykh Aboo Bilaal Al-hadhramy – May Allaah preserve him.

Source:
t.me/abubilalhami/5537

Translated by:
Abū Juwayriyah Nūruddīn ibn Sulaymān ibn Hārūn Al-‘Īdī