Excellence of Adopting Different Routes for going and returning on 'Eid Prayer and various other Occasions

719. jabir (may allah be pleased with him) reported: on the occasion of the `eid, the prophet  (pbuh) would proceed to the prayer place taking one route and returning from another.
[al-bukhari and muslim].

commentary: the `ulama' say that there are many subtle points of wisdom in changing the way. according to imam an-nawawi, this causes an increase in the places of worship. some say that both ways will bear witness on the day of reckoning, that he had passed through them in a state of worship. this may also be the object that instead of one way, the needy on two ways should benefit from alms and charity.

720. ibn `umar (may allah be pleased with them) reported: messenger of allah (pbuh) used to go by way of ash-shajarah and return by way of al-mu`arras. he would also enter makkah through the higher pass and would leave it through the lower pass.
[al-bukhari and muslim].

commentary:  it was the habit of messenger of allah (pbuh) that while going to makkah from al-madinah, he would adopt the route of a shallow ravine and his return route being always a deep ravine. ash-shajarah is a well-known place. he would pass through it and reach dhul-hulaifah and spend a night there. yet, he would proceed to al-madinah through al-mu`arras, a name given to dhul-hulaifah masjid (mosque) which is six-mile away from al-madinah. again this is to be concluded that while returning to our destination from any place, we should choose a different route because this was exactly the habit of the prophet.