Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "What a good Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maneehah) (the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening) is!"
Maalik narrated: Maneehah is a good act of charity.
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Commentary :
A Muslim should bear in mind that whatever he gives in charity is received by Allah, Exalted is He, and therefore he should carefully handpick what he gives in charity and refrain from donating only his worst or cheapest possessions, because what is spent in charity is in fact what would be preserved (and stored for him in the Hereafter), and whatever he spends of his wealth in this worldly life is lost.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated the benefits of the Maneehah, which is a milch she-camel which has recently given birth, and which gives profuse milk, and is given to people as a gift to avail themselves of its milk and then return it to the owner. The Prophet ﷺ said: “What a good Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk) is, and (what a good Maneehah) the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening.”
He ﷺ also lauded the sheep which gives profuse milk when given in charity. He ﷺ said: “(what a good Maneehah) the sheep which gives profuse milk, a bowl in the morning and another in the evening.” When such animals are given in charity, it is one of the best and most rewardable acts of charity, because the giver would be spending from the best and purest items of wealth in his possession, and Allah, Exalted is He, is Good and accepts only that which is good.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to exchange gifts..

2630

Ibn Shihaab Al-Zuhree narrated:
Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When the emigrants came Al-Madeenah, they had nothing whereas the Ansaar had land and property. The Ansaar gave them their land on condition that the emigrants would give them half the yearly yield, work on the land, and provide the necessaries for cultivation." His (i.e., Anaas's mother who was also the mother of ‘Abdullah ibn Abee Talhah, gave some date-palms to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who gave them to his freed slave-girl (Umm Ayman) who was also the mother of Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them). When the Prophet ﷺfinished from the fighting against the people of Khaybar and returned to Al-Madeenah, the emigrants returned to the Ansaar the fruit gifts which the Ansaar had given them. The Prophet ﷺ also returned to Anas's mother the date-palms. Allah's Messengerﷺ gave Umm Ayman other trees from his garden in lieu of the old gift.
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Commentary :
The Ansaar had great merits, for they supported the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, defended Islam, and warmly welcomed their emigrant brothers, and their generosity and hospitality towards their fellow Muslim brothers were unmatched. Their merits and virtues cannot be missed.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that when the emigrants left Makkah, fleeing from religious persecution and leaving behind their families, homeland, and wealth, and reached Al-Madeenah, they had nothing and were destitute, whereas the Ansaar had land and property. The Ansaar graciously gave them half the yearly yield, they (the Ansaar) worked on the land and provided the necessaries for cultivation, because the emigrants did not know much about cultivation. This meaning is further supported by the report narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and complied in Sunan Al-Tirmithee reading: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, the emigrants came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen people who are more willing to sacrifice when having a lot, nor more patient when having a little than the people whom we are staying amongst. Our provisions are so sufficient, and we share with them their produce such that we fear that all our reward is gone.” Anas's mother, Sahlah or Mulaykah bint Milhaan Al-Ansaariyyah, nicknamed Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her), who was also the mother of ‘Abdullah ibn Abee Talhah, Anas’s half-brother, gave some date-palms to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who gave them to his freed slave-girl and nursemaid Barakah Al-Habashiyyah, nicknamed Umm Ayman, who was also the mother of Usaamah ibn Zayd, the Prophet’s freed-slave (may Allah be pleased with them).
Ibn Shihaab Al-Zuhree narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that when the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, an area north of Al-Madeenah where the fortresses of the Jews were located, after Al-Hudaybiyyah on the 1st of Muharram, 7 A.H., Muslims gained wealth and fruits. When he ﷺ returned to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ returned to the Ansaar the fruit gifts which they had given to the emigrants as they had earned spoils of war during the battle of Khaybar. The Prophet ﷺ also returned to Anas's mother the date-palm she had given to him, and compensated Umm Ayman with other trees from his garden in lieu of the old gift. Another version of the hadeeth reads: “from his personal wealth,” referring to his garden.
The hadeeth highlights that the bond of faith-based brotherhood is one of the strongest bonds.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that one should recompense people’s favors whenever he can afford it.
It also underlines how the Prophet ﷺ honored his female slave, Umm Ayman (may Allah be pleased with her). .

2631

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "There are forty virtuous deeds and the best of them is the Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel, sheep, or she-goat which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk gifted to others to avail themselves of their milk) of a she goat, and anyone who does one of these virtuous deeds aspiring to Allah's reward with firm confidence that he will get it, Allah, Exalted is He, will admit him to Paradise because of it.” Hassaan (a sub-narrator) said, "We tried to count those good deeds below the Maneehah; we mentioned replying to the sneezer, removing harmful objects from the road, etc., but we failed to count even fifteen.".

Commentary :
A manifestation of the divine grace is that Allah, Exalted is He, accepts small good deeds and handsomely rewards them with abundant reward out of His generosity and bounty.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ listed forty righteous deeds or qualities that are indicative of faith, righteousness, and kindness. Whoever adheres to such virtuous deeds and qualities is promised Paradise by Allah, Exalted is He, provided that he devotes them exclusively to Him and aspires to nothing but the reward of Allah, Exalted is He.
The best and foremost of these virtuous deeds is the Maneehah (i.e., a milch she-camel, sheep, or she-goat which has recently given birth and which gives profuse milk gifted to others to avail themselves of its milk) of a she goat. This means that one offers the milk of a she-goat as a gift to someone or the milch she-goat itself as a gift to avail himself of it and its milk and then return it to the owner.
Hassaan ibn ‘Atiyyah Al-Shaamee, a sub-narrator of the hadeeth, said that he and other members of the audience tried to count those good deeds that were below the Maneehah in terms of reward such as: returning the greetings of peace, replying to the sneezer (i.e.,when a sneezer praises Allah, his Muslim brother should say to him, ‘Yarhamuka Allaah,’ meaning may Allah have mercy upon you), and removing harmful objects from the road. He stated that they failed to count even fifteen.
Other scholars listed forty virtuous deeds and qualities, and people may differ as to whether they were less than the Maneehah of a she-goat in terms of virtue and reward. Perhaps the best is not to mention them all, as the Prophet ﷺ did, fearing that specifying them would alienate people from other acts of righteousness and kindness, and because if this reward is designated for such an act (donating a she-goat in charity) and the less virtuous deeds and qualities, what about the reward designated for greater ones?! It was also said that wisdom entails that he ﷺ did not specify these virtuous deeds and qualities lest people should look down on other acts of righteousness, as insignificant as they may seem..

2633

Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about the emigration. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "May Allah be merciful to you. The matter of emigration is difficult. Have you got some camels?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Do you pay their Zakaah?" He replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ asked, "Do you lend them so that their milk may be utilized by others?" The Bedouin said, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you milk them on the day off watering them?" He replied, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do good deeds beyond the merchants (or the sea) and Allah, Exalted is He, will never disregard any of your deeds." (See Hadeeth No. 260, Vol. 5).

Commentary :
The migration to Al-Madeenah was obligatory on all Muslims in the early days of Islam, to escape religious persecution and depart the land of disbelief to support the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah. The best of the believers were those who migrated to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a Bedouin, i.e., an Arab desert dweller, came to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about the emigration, meaning to commit himself to migrate to Al-Madeenah. He was not living in Makkah and it was not incumbent on him to migrate to Al-Madeenah before the conquest of Makkah. This Bedouin asked the Prophet’s permission to move to Al-Madeenah with the Prophet ﷺ, leaving behind his family and land. The Prophet ﷺ feared that he would not be able to endure such estrangement and honor such a commitment. He ﷺ feared that he might not be able to fulfill the due rights of the emigration, and break his covenant. He ﷺ said to him, "May Allah be merciful to you.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which is used in reference to someone who encountered an undeserved adversity. He ﷺ added: “The matter of emigration is difficult,” and only few people are able to shoulder such a duty, and it seemed very difficult for the inquirer. This is why the Prophet ﷺ did not approve this Bedouin’s request and he asked him, “Have you got some camels?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Do you pay their Zakaah?" He replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ further asked, "Do you lend them so that their milk may be utilized by others?" The Bedouin said, "Yes." The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Maneehah, which means a milch she-camel or sheep gifted to someone to avail himself of its milk and then return it to the owner, who may also give the she-camel as a gift, not as a loan, without specifying returning it.
The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Do you milk them on the day off watering them?" This is because milking the milch she-camels on such day is better as it produces more milk and it is also more convenient for the poor and needy people, who used to go to the places of water to drink from the she-camels’ milk. The Bedouin replied, "Yes." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do good deeds beyond the merchants (or the sea),” meaning in the villages and towns near your homeland, “and Allah, Exalted is He, will never disregard any of your deeds." The Prophet ﷺ meant that as long as he performed the religious obligations prescribed by Allah, Exalted is He, with regard to himself and his wealth, it did not matter where he lived, even if it was in the farthest place to Al-Madeenah; Allah, Exalted is He, would reward him for his good deeds and such rewards would not be diminished in the slightest.
It was said that this incident took place after the conquest of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no emigration after the conquest of Makkah.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
It was also said that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was merely recommended for Muslims who did not live in Makkah, and was only obligatory on those Muslims in Makkah. It was also said that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was specifically incumbent on the town dwellers (urbanites) and not Bedouins and desert dwellers. Another opinion suggested that the emigration to Al-Madeenah was deemed obligatory on Muslims if only some residents of a given town or city embraced Islam, lest the Muslims residing therein should be subject to the provisions and rulings regarding the disbelievers. However, the dwellers of the cities and towns whose people embraced Islam were not enjoined to migrate to Al-Madeenah.
The hadeeth highlights the great virtues of the emigration and the merits of the emigrants.
It also underlines the virtue of paying the Zakaah on camels and hastening to perform good deeds..

2634

Taawoos narrated that he was told by the most learned one amongst them (i.e., Ibn ‘Abbaas) that the Prophet ﷺ went towards some land which was flourishing with vegetation and asked to whom it belonged. He ﷺ was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet ﷺ said, "It would have been better (for the owner) if he had given it to him gratis rather than charging him a fixed rent.”
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Commentary : All good lies in whatever benefits a person in the Hereafter, and worldly pleasures and gains will ultimately come to cease to exist when this worldly life should end. It is becoming of Muslims to hasten to perform good deeds and aspire to the reward of Allah, Exalted is He, to prepare the needed provisions for the abode of eternal bliss.
In this hadeeth, the Companion ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a farm which was flourishing with vegetation, indicating its large produce.
He ﷺ asked to whom it belonged and was told that such and such a person took it on rent. The Prophet ﷺ advised its owner with what was better and more rewardable for him, namely to offer it as a gift for the farmer and earn the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, in the Hereafter. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Al-Maneehah, which referred to a gift or what is offered to someone for free, but not as charity.
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2640

‘Abdullah ibn Abee Mulaykah narrated on the authority of ‘Uqbah ibn Al-Haarith that ‘Uqbah married the daughter of Aboo Ihaab ibn ‘Azeez (may Allah be pleased with them), and then a woman came and said, "I suckled ‘Uqbah and his wife." ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to her, "I do not know that you have suckled me, and you did not inform me!" He then sent someone to the house of Aboo Ihaab to inquire about that but they did not know that she had suckled their daughter. Then ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah and asked him about it. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "How (can you keep your wife) after it has been said (that both of you were suckled by the same woman)?" So, he divorced her and she got married to another man.
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Commentary : Islam decreed that breastfeeding should create a bond (i.e., milk kinship) similar to blood relationships and forbids exactly the same which is forbidden due to blood kinship. Breastfeeding establishes milk kinship, and accordingly the prohibition of marriage is established, just like the case with blood kinship. Hence, it is forbidden for a man to marry his sisters through nursing or his nurse-mother, or his maternal or paternal aunts through nursing, and so on.
In this hadeeth, the Companion ‘Uqbah ibn Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he married the daughter of Aboo Ihaab ibn ‘Azeez ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with them), whose name was Ghunayyah and was also known as Umm Yahyaa, and then a woman came and said, "I suckled both ‘Uqbah and his wife." This woman informed ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) that she had nursed him and the woman he had married. The breastfeeding that establishes establish a milk-mother relationship as per the laws of Islam is feeding a woman’s milk to an infant under two years of age.
‘Uqbah said to her, "I do not know that you have suckled me, and you did not inform me!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) exclaimed that he did not know of that, and that this woman had not even told him that she nursed him before that day!
Thereupon, ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent someone to the house of Aboo Ihaab to ask his in-laws about that, but they did not know that she had nursed their daughter.
‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah and asked him about it. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "How (can you keep your wife) after it has been said (that both of you were suckled by the same woman)?" Meaning, ‘How could you retain such marriage and continue to have sexual relations with her despite being informed that she was your sister through nursing.” So, he (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her to avoid doubts or due to the fact that such a marriage contract was defective. ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with him) divorced her and she got married to another man.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to avoid doubtful matters.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that it is permissible to travel in pursuit of knowledge.
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2641

‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “People were (sometimes) judged by the revealing of a Divine Revelation during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, but now there is no longer new revelation (i.e., the divine revelation ended by the Prophet’s death). Now we judge you by the deeds you practice publicly, so we will trust and favor the one who performs good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret, for Allah, Exalted is He, will judge him (and hold him accountable) for that, but we will not trust or believe the one who presents to us with an evil deed even if he claims that his intentions were good.
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Commentary : A person should be held accountable for his outward deeds in this worldly life, and only Allah, Exalted is He, knows of his inward intentions, and He will hold him accountable for them before Him. He did not command us to investigate people’s inner thoughts and intentions harbored in their hearts and judge them accordingly.
In this hadeeth, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that sometimes the Prophet ﷺ received the divine revelation to disclose the inner characters and intentions held by some Muslims, because some were hypocrites who manifested good (faith) and concealed evil (disbelief). However, Allah, Exalted is He, exposed them by means of the divine revelation. After the Prophet’s death, the divine revelation ceased, and Muslims could only judge one another based on their outwardly good or evil deeds. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We will trust and favor the one who performs good deeds in front of us, and we will not call him to account about what he is really doing in secret,” meaning that we should judge people based on their outward deeds; if they are outwardly good, they should be trusted and declared as trustworthy and should be honored accordingly, and we should not hold him accountable for his inner thoughts and intentions. Rather, Allah, Exalted is He, will judge him (and hold him accountable) for that. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added that whoever is judged as outwardly evil, by committing a grave sin or an offence warranting a Hadd (i.e., a corporal punishment prescribed by the Laws of Islam for certain crimes), or did what entailed punishment, because none is safe from falling into sin, such a person is no longer trusted nor declared trustworthy and accordingly will not be believed, even if he claims to hold good intentions. Such a statement is not to be believed since we judge him merely based on his outward character and deeds, not his inward intentions.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the basic principle is that a Muslim is trustworthy unless proven otherwise based on what contradicts it.
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2645

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
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2647

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
Once the Prophet ﷺcame to me while a man was in my house. He said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Who is this (man)?" I replied, "My milk-brother!" He said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Be sure about your milk brothers, as milk kinship is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (i.e., before two years of age).”
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Commentary : Islam decreed that breastfeeding should create a bond (i.e., milk kinship) similar to blood relationships and forbids exactly the same which is forbidden due to blood kinship. This is provided that the relevant conditions of nursing are fulfilled, one of which is that the nursed infant is under two years of age.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that once the Prophet ﷺcame to her house to find a man was therein. His name was not mentioned by the narrators, but it is possible that he was the son of Aboo Al-Qu‘s. He ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Who is this (man)?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied that he was her milk-brother. Thereupon, he ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Be sure about your milk brothers, as milk kinship is only valid if it takes place in the suckling period (i.e., before two years of age).” This means that one should carefully ensure that the due conditions for the validity of milk kinship are met, one of which is nursing the infant before two years of age, because it is one of the conditions for the validity of nursing, without which the milk kinship is not established as per the laws of Islam.
Not all the infants one’s mother nurses become his or her milk-siblings; milk kinship is only established when the nursed infant is below the age of two. Breastfeeding is only valid (i.e., establishes milk kinship) when the infant’s only food is milk, i.e., under the age of two, otherwise it is invalid. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Mothers may breastfeed their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing [period].} [Quran 2:233]. This is the condition for the validity of the breastfeeding that establishes milk kinship; the nursed infant must be below the age of two, when the infant’s only food is milk. After the child is weaned, breastfeeding no longer establishes milk kinship.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a milk-brother to visit his milk-sister and stay alone with her..

2649

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
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Commentary :
Fornication(i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) is one of the gravest evils, and it contravenes the (higher objectives of the Laws of Islam including the) preservation of lineage, guarding of chastity (i.e., guarding one’s private parts from unlawful acts), and the mindfulness of the sacred ordinances of Allah, Exalted is He. It also leads to sowing the seeds of the worst enmity and hatred among people, and it is one of the serious crimes for which Allah, Exalted is He, prescribed a fixed punishment.
In this hadeeth, Allah's Messengerﷺ underlined that Allah, Exalted is He, prescribed a specific punishment for Fornication, stated in the Quran and specified in the Sunnah. If a perpetrator of Fornication is married or was previously married, the Hadd (i.e., corporal punishment prescribed by the Laws of Islam for certain crimes) prescribed for such a crime is stoning to death, as defined in the Sunnah. If a perpetrator of Fornication is unmarried, the Hadd is one hundred lashes. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {The [unmarried] woman or [unmarried] man found guilty of sexual intercourse - lash each one of them with a hundred lashes.} [Quran 24:2]. The Sunnah prescribed an additional punishment besides the lashing, namely, exile for one year. This means that the unmarried perpetrator of Fornicationmust be subjected to 100 lashes and exiled from the town or city where he committed his crime for one year, as a disciplinary punishment. The exile aims to take the perpetrator out of his familiar environment and old life of sin. The place of the exile is left to be determined by the ruler as he deems fit, as long as the perpetrator is being banished from his own country, city, or town to any given distant place.
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2655

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺheard a man (reciting the Quran) in the Mosque, and he ﷺ said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy upon him. No doubt, he made me remember such-and such ayaat of such-and-such chapter which I dropped (from my memory).” ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ performed the Tahajjud prayer (i.e., late night prayer) in my house, and then he ﷺ heard the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him) who was praying in the Mosque, and said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Is this ‘Abbad's voice?" I said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "O Allah! Be merciful to ‘Abbaad!”
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Commentary :
The Quran is the sacred Speech of Allah, Exalted is He, and He commanded us to preserve it in our hearts and minds and to keep on revising what we have memorized of it, lest we should forget it.
In this hadeeth, ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺheard a man reciting the Quran in the Mosque, and said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy upon him. No doubt, he made me remember such-and such ayaat of such-and-such chapter which I dropped (from my memory),” meaning that he ﷺ forgot such ayaat and remembered them upon hearing them from him.
In another version of the hadeeth, ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ performed the Tahajjud prayer (i.e., late night prayer) in her house, and heard the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him) who was praying in the Mosque. He ﷺ said, "O ‘Aa’ishah! Is this ‘Abbad's voice?" He ﷺ wanted to verify that it was the voice of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "O Allah! Be merciful to ‘Abbaad!”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is conceivable that the Prophet ﷺ might forget some of that which he ﷺ had already conveyed to the Ummah.
It is also inferred therefrom that one should supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in favor of the one who does him a favor, even if this favor is unintended.
The hadeeth underlines the merits of ‘Abbaad (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also inferred that one should supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in favor of his fellow Muslim brothers in their absence.
It is also deduced therefrom that it is allowable to recite the Quran aloud and raise one’s voice at night in the mosque, and this is not disliked as long as it does not disturb and harm others, nor imperil the doer to falling into Riyaa’ (i.e., showing off and seeking to impress others to win their praise) and arrogance..

2661

Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
"Whenever Allah's Messengerﷺ intended to go on a journey, he ﷺ would draw lots amongst his wives and would take with him the one upon whom the lot fell. During a one of the battles, he ﷺ drew lots amongst us and the lot fell upon me, and I proceeded with him after Allah, Exalted is He, had decreed the obligation of wearing Hijaab for women. I was carried in a Hawdaj (i.e., camel's litter for women) and dismounted while still in it. When Allah's Messengerﷺwas through with his battle and returned home, and we approached Al-Madeenah, he ﷺordered us to proceed at night. When the order of setting off was given, I walked till I was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing, I returned (to the camp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that my necklace over my chest was missing. So, I returned to look for it and was delayed because of that. Those who were carrying me on the camel, came to my Hawdaj and put it on the back of the camel, thinking that I was in it, as, at that time, women were light in weight, thin and lean, and did not eat much. So, those people did not feel the difference in the heaviness of the Hawdaj while lifting it, and they put it over the camel. At that time, I was a young lady. They set the camel moving and proceeded on. I found my necklace after the army had gone, and came to their camp to find nobody! So, I went to the place where I used to stay, thinking that they would discover my absence and come back in my search. While in that state, I felt drowsy and slept. Safwaan ibn Mu‘attal Al-Sulamee Al-Dhakwaanee was behind the army and reached my abode in the morning. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a sleeping person, he came to me, and he had seen me before the obligation of the Hijaab. So, I got up when I heard him saying, "Inna lillaah wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon (i.e., Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)." He (may Allah be pleased with him) made his camel knell down, got down from his camel, and put his leg on the front legs of the camel and then I rode and sat over it. Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with him) set out walking, leading the camel by the rope till we reached the army who had halted to take rest at midday. Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell into destruction, (i.e., therumor-mongers who circulated such false accusations) and the leader of the false accusers was ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool. After that we returned to Al-Madeenah, and I fell ill for one month while people were spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. I was feeling during my ailment as if I were not receiving the usual kindness from the Prophet ﷺwhich I used to receive from him when I got sick. But he ﷺ would come, greet me and say, 'How is that (girl)?' I did not know anything of what was going on till I recovered from my ailment and went out with Umm Mistah to the Manaasi‘ (i.e., a vast open place near Baqee‘ at Al-Madeenah), where we used to answer the call of nature, and we used not to go to answer the call of nature except from night to night and that was before we had lavatories near our houses. This habit of ours was similar to the habit of the old Arabs (who used to relieve themselves) in the open country (or away from houses). So, I and Umm Mistah bint Ruhm went out walking. Umm Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined.' I said, ‘What a harsh word you have said! Why would you abuse a man who took part in (the battle of) Badr?' She said, 'O dear girl, you did not you hear what they said?' Then she told me the rumors of the false accusers. My sickness was aggravated, and when I returned home, Allah's Messengerﷺ came to me, and after greeting he ﷺ said, 'How is that (girl)?' I asked him to allow me to go to my parents. I wanted then to be sure of the news through them; I Allah's Messengerﷺ allowed me, and I went to my parents and asked my mother, 'What are people talking about?' She said, 'O my daughter! Do not worry much about this matter. By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, but women would forge false news about her.' I said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are people really talking about this matter?' That night I kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning. In the morning, Allah's Messenger ﷺcalled ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib and Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) when he ﷺ saw the divine revelation delayed, to consul them about divorcing his wife (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah). Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said what he knew of the good reputation of the Prophet’s wives and added, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Allah, Exalted is He, has no imposed restrictions on you, and there are many other women, yet you may ask her female servant who will tell you the truth.' On that, Allah's Messengerﷺcalled Bareerah and said, 'O Bareerah. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Bareerah said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the (domestic) goats to eat.' On that day, Allah's Messengerﷺ ascended the pulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.' Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!By Allah, I will relieve you of him. If that man is from the Aws tribe, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e., the Khazraj tribe, then order us, and we will carry out your order.' On that Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, the chief of the Khazraj tribe - who has been a pious man before this incident, but was motivated by his blameworthy zeal for his tribe – got up and said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie; you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' On that Usayd ibn Hudhayr got up and said (to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah) (may Allah be pleased with them), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, we will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites!' Thereupon, the two tribes: the Aws and Khazraj got so agitated and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger ﷺwas standing on the pulpit. He ﷺ got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet. On that day, I kept on weeping so much so that neither did my tears stop, nor could I sleep. In the morning, my parents were with me and I had wept for two nights and a day, till I thought my liver would burst from weeping. While they were sitting with me and I was weeping, a woman from the Ansaar asked my permission to enter, and I allowed her to come in. She sat down and started weeping with me. While we were in that state, Allah's Messengerﷺ came and sat down and he had never sat with me since the day they forged the accusation. No divine revelation regarding my situation came to him for a month. He ﷺ recited Tashah-hud (i.e., the two testimonies of faith: none is worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger) and then said, 'O ‘Aa’ishah! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, then Allah, Exalted is He, will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin, then repent to Allah and ask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, He accepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messengerﷺ finished his speech, my tears ceased completely and there remained not even a single drop of it. I requested my father to reply to Allah's Messengerﷺ on my behalf. My father (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger ﷺ!” I said to my mother, 'Talk to Allah's Messengerﷺ on my behalf.' She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messenger ﷺ.’ I was a young girl and did not have much knowledge of the Quran. I said, 'I know, by Allah, that you have listened to what people are saying and that has been planted in your minds and you have taken it as a truth. Now, if I told you that I am innocent and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would not believe me and if I falsely confessed to you that I am guilty, and Allah knows that I am innocent, you would believe me. By Allah, I only compare my situation with you except to the situation of Yoosuf’s father (i.e., Prophet Ya‘qoob) who said (what means): {…so patience is most fitting. And Allah (Alone) is the one sought for help against that which you describe.} [Quran 12:18] Then I turned to the other side of my bed hoping that Allah, Exalted is He, would prove my innocence. By Allah I never thought that He would send divine revelation concerning my situation, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked about in the Holy Quran. I had hoped that Allah's Messengerﷺ might have a dream in which Allah, Exalted is He, would prove my innocence. By Allah, The Prophet ﷺ had not got up and nobody had left the house before the divine revelation came to him. So, there overtook him the same state which used to overtake him, (when he ﷺ used to have, when receiving the divine revelation). He ﷺ was sweating so much so that the drops of the sweat were dropping like pearls though it was a (cold) wintry day. When that state of Allah's Messengerﷺ was over, he was smiling and the first word he said, ‘Aa’ishah! Thank Allah, for Allah has declared your innocence.' My mother told me to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ!I replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him and will not thank anyone but Allah, Exalted is He.' So, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you.} [Quran 24:11] When Allah, Exalted is He, gave the declaration of my innocence, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who used to provide for Mistah ibn Uthaathah (may Allah be pleased with him), for he was his relative, said, 'By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah because of what he said about ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).' But Allah, Exalted is He, later revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah , and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 24:22] Thereupon, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'Yes! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he used to help before. Allah's Messengerﷺ also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (i.e., the Prophet's wife about me saying, 'What do you know and what did you see?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I do not claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except good about ‘Aa’ishah." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Zaynab was competing with me (with her beauty and the Prophet's love for her), yet Allah, Exalted is He, protected her (from being malicious), for she was endowed with piety and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He.”
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Commentary :
The incident of Ifk (i.e., false allegation against ‘Aa’ishah) is when the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was slandered and falsely accused of committing Fornication. It was one of the most serious incidents that served as a real test for the sincerity of the faith of many Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, revealed in the Quran a clear statement of her innocence, out of His grace conferred upon her, the Prophet ﷺ, and the whole Muslim community.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that whenever Allah's Messengerﷺ intended to go on a journey, he ﷺ would draw lots amongst his wives, and would take with him, the one upon whom the lot fell. He ﷺ drew lots amongst his wives for one of his battles, namely, the Battle of Banee Al-Mustaliq (also known as Al-Muraysee‘) in 5 A.H., and the lot fell on her. This took place after Allah, Exalted is He, had revealed the ayahabout the obligation of Hijaab (i.e., head veil) for women. She (may Allah be pleased with her) set out with him, and was carried down in a Hawdaj (i.e., camel's litter for women) while still inside it (when they came to a halt). On the way back from that Ghazwah (i.e., a battle led by the Prophet ﷺ), as they approached Al-Madeenah, Allah's Messenger ﷺannounced at night that it was time for departure. When they announced the news of departure, she (may Allah be pleased with her) got up and went away from the army camp to answer the call of nature before the departure. She (may Allah be pleased with her) walked till she was past the army to answer the call of nature. After finishing, she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned (to the camp) to depart (with the others) and suddenly realized that her necklace was missing. It was a necklace made of Dhafaar beads (i.e., Yemenite beads partly black and partly white). Therefore, she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned to look for it in the place where she had relieved herself, and was delayed because of that. Meanwhile, people who used to carry her on her camel came and lifted the Hawdaj onto the back of the camel, thinking that she was inside of it. In those days, women were light in weight for they did not get fat, and flesh did not cover their bodies in abundance, as they used to eat only little amounts of food that satisfied their hunger.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) waited in the place where she used to stay, thinking that they would eventually discover her absence and come back in search of her. While she (may Allah be pleased with her) was sitting there, she was overtaken by sleep. Safwaan ibn Al-Muʻattal Al-Sulamee Al-Dhakwaanee (may Allah be pleased with him) was behind the army to pick up what might have fallen or been forgotten by the Muslim army. He (may Allah be pleased with him) found her sleeping, and he had seen her before the obligation of the Hijaab was decreed. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said aloud, "Inna lillaah wa innaa ilayhi raaji‘oon (i.e., Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return)," to wake her up. She woke up, veiled her face, and they did not speak a single word afterward. She (may Allah be pleased with her) rode his camel and he (may Allah be pleased with him) led it till they reached the army while they were taking a rest.
Her saying, ‘Then whoever was meant for destruction, fell into destruction,” referred to the rumor-mongers who slandered her and circulated such false allegations against her, led by ‘Abdullah ibn Ubay ibn Salool, the chief of the hypocrites, and they incurred their own destruction accordingly. Some Companions also circulated these false allegations including: Hassaan ibn Thaabit, Mistah ibn Uthaathah, and Hamnah bint Jahsh, Zaynab bint Jahsh’s sister (may Allah be pleased with them).
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added that after they returned to Al-Madeenah, she fell ill for one month while people were circulating and spreading the forged statements of the false accusers. She (may Allah be pleased with her) was unaware of what people were saying about her, but she had some doubts since she (may Allah be pleased with her) sensed that she was not receiving the usual kindness and compassion from the Prophet ﷺwhich she (may Allah be pleased with her)used to receive from him when she got sick. Rather, he ﷺ would enter her room, greet her saying, 'How is that (girl)?' He ﷺ would ask, with half a heart, how she was, without informing her of what was being said about her. She (may Allah be pleased with her) did not know anything of what was going on till she recovered from her ailment and went out with Umm Mistah bint Abee Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with her) to the Manaasi‘ (i.e., a vast open place near Baqee‘ at Al-Madeenah), where people used to answer the call of nature. Women did not use to go to answer the call of nature except at night to spare themselves any inconvenience and unwanted gazes, and that was before people had lavatories near their houses. As customary among Arabs, people used to relieve themselves in vast open areas in specified spots in the desert (away from houses, for they disliked to have lavatories near their houses). So, she and Umm Mistah bint Ruhm (may Allah be pleased with them) went out walking. Umm Mistah stumbled because of her long dress and on that she said, 'Let Mistah be ruined!' ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, ‘What a harsh word you have said! Why would you abuse a man who took part in (the battle of) Badr?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) informed ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) of the false allegations and rumors the slanderers had circulated about her. Her sickness and pain were aggravated.
When she (may Allah be pleased with her) returned home, Allah's Messengerﷺ halfheartedly asked her, 'How is that (girl)?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him to allow her to go to her parents, and he ﷺ gave her permission to do so. She (may Allah be pleased with her) wanted to verify the news by asking them. Her mother said, 'O my daughter! Do not worry much about this matter.” Trying to make her feel better, she (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “By Allah, never is there a charming woman loved by her husband who has other wives, but the women would forge false news about her.' She meant that a woman in her position would not be safe from being a target of people’s gossip and rumors; people and other co-wives would usually spread rumors about a beautiful wife loved by her husband. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'Glorified be Allah! Are people really talking about this matter?' She meant that such lies and slander were common products of jealousy harbored by co-wives and other people. That night ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) kept on weeping and could not sleep till morning, indicating her deep distress and sadness.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) added that the Prophet ﷺconsulted with ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib and Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) about divorcing her when the divine revelation was delayed. Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said what he knew of the good reputation and righteousness of the Prophet’s wives and added, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Keep you wife, for, by Allah, we know nothing about her but good.' On the other hand, ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) said, comforting the Prophet ﷺ, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Allah, Exalted is He, has not imposed restrictions on you, and there are many other women,” suggesting divorce to relieve the Prophet’s distress and anxiety. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also suggested that the Prophet ﷺ should ask her female servant, since servants usually have a closer look into the private life of their masters. On that, Allah's Messengerﷺcalled Bareerah and said, 'O Bareerah. Did you ever see anything which roused your suspicions about her?' Bareerah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'No, by Allah Who has sent you with the Truth, I have never seen in her anything faulty except that she is a girl of immature age, who sometimes sleeps and leaves the dough for the (domestic) goats to eat,' out of her innocence. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “By Allah, I know about her as does a jeweler know about the pure piece of gold!” She acquitted ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) of the lies that the hypocrites had fabricated against her.
It is noteworthy that scholars held different opinions as to whether or not the Prophet ﷺ knew of ‘Aa’ishah’s innocence before the divine revelation acquitted her, but they all agreed that he ﷺ did not believe such rumors.
Some held that he ﷺ knew of her innocence, and so did ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), but he ﷺ had to wait for the divine revelation since people had circulated such false accusations. This is because the wives of the Prophets of Allah would never commit Fornication, because it would involve disgracing the Prophets of Allah with what is unbecoming of their refined status.
Others maintained that he ﷺ had some doubts, but her innocence seemed more likely to him, and when the divine revelation acquitted her, he ﷺ knew it with certainty. This is evidenced by the fact that he ﷺ consulted ‘Alee and Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with them) about divorcing her and asked Bareerah (may Allah be pleased with her), indicating his doubts. They also argued that he ﷺ would have continued to have some doubts if the divine revelation had not acquitted her, although there were no proofs to support such false claims. There is a difference between the absence of proofs to substantiate the slanderer's claims warranting the execution of the prescribed Hadd, and the innocence revealed by Allah, Exalted is He.
Others believed that Allah, Exalted is He, wanted to highlight the refined status of His Messenger and his family. Therefore, He took the Prophet ﷺ out of the equation, defended him, acquitted his wife, and refuted his enemies’ claims Himself. Allah, Exalted is He, wanted to rebuke the slanderers Himself rather than letting the Prophet ﷺ answer to them and exonerate his wife. Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ was the actual target of such harm, but they threw such false accusations against his wife. It was inappropriate for the Prophet ﷺ to testify of her innocence, although he ﷺ was certain of it, or believed that she (may Allah be pleased with her) most likely did not commit such sin. He ﷺ did not believe that she (may Allah be pleased with her) could ever commit such sin, Allah forbids! This is why he ﷺ said: “Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering the reputation of my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.”
He ﷺ had enough reasons to believe that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was innocent more than any of the believers, but given his perfect patience, steadfastness, kindness, good faith in his Lord and his trust in Him, he ﷺ chose to adhere to patience, steadfastness, and good faith in Allah, Exalted is He, until the divine revelation should absolve her from such accusations. The divine revelation proved her innocence, bringing joy to his heart, emphasizing his refined status, and proving to all Muslims that Allah, Exalted is He, held him in such high regard, honored him, and defended him Himself!
The Prophet ﷺ ascended the pulpit and requested that somebody support him in punishing ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, one of the chiefs of the Khazraj tribe, who had slandered his wife, as he was the leader of such accusers and slanderers. He ﷺ said, 'Who will support me to punish that person (‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool) who has hurt me by slandering my family (i.e., wife)? By Allah, I know nothing about my family (i.e., wife) but good, and they have accused a person about whom I know nothing except good, and he never entered my house except in my company.' This indicated the good moral character of Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with him), and that he was a trustworthy and pious man who was known for good conduct, as acknowledged by the Prophet ﷺ and all people.
The Ansaar were divided into two major tribes: the Aws and Khazraj. Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him), the chief of the Aws tribe, got up and said, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ!By Allah, I will relieve you of him. If that man is from the tribe of the Aws, then we will chop his head off, and if he is from our brothers, i.e., the Khazraj tribe, then order us, and we will carry out your order.' This indicated Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh’s good manners and his knowledge of the limits of his chiefdom; he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not explicitly declare killing a person who belonged to the Khazraj tribe like he did with a man from his own tribe, and left the ruling to be decided by the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, pledging to execute the punishment that would be pleasing to him. On hearing that, Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, the chief of the Khazraj tribe, who was a senior and pious Companion (may Allah be pleased with him), got up, motivated by his prejudice and blameworthy zeal for his tribe and said, 'By Allah, you have told a lie,” meaning, ‘You are wrong,’ as Arabs used to refer to mistakes as lies, “you cannot kill him, and you will never be able to kill him.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) said so because he believed that Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him)had crossed the line and should not have interfered in the private affairs of the Khazraj tribe. On that, Usayd ibn Hudhayr, one of the chiefs of the Aws tribe, got up and said (to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah), 'By Allah! you are a liar. By Allah, we will kill him; and you are a hypocrite, defending the hypocrites!' These statements were made only because they were quarreling, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean to accuse him of hypocrisy, but was rather exaggerating in rebuking him. Moreover, such insults are worthless and have no weight, because they were said in a state of anger.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “Thereupon, the two tribes of Aws and Khazraj got so agitated and were about to fight each other, while Allah's Messenger ﷺwas standing on the pulpit. He ﷺ got down and quieted them till they became silent and he kept quiet.
She (may Allah be pleased with her) kept on weeping so much so that neither did her tears stop, nor could she sleep. She (may Allah be pleased with her) continued to weep for two nights and a day, so much so that she thought that her liver would burst from weeping. This is because grief is especially harmful to the liver more than any other body organ. A woman from the Ansaar visited her, sat down and started weeping with her, to give her consolation. While they were in this state, Allah's Messengerﷺ came and sat down, and he had never sat with her since the day they forged those accusations. No divine revelation regarding her situation came to him for a month, to clear her name and inform the Prophet ﷺ of the truth, but he ﷺ received the divine revelation regarding other matters during that period.
He ﷺ recited Tashah-hud (i.e., the two testimonies of faith: none is worthy of worship but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger) and then said, 'O ‘Aa’ishah! I have been informed such-and-such about you; if you are innocent, then Allah, Exalted is He, will soon reveal your innocence, and if you have committed a sin,” meaning if you happened to fall into sin, which was unlike you, “then repent to Allah and ask Him to forgive you, for when a person confesses his sin and asks Allah for forgiveness, He accepts his repentance.' When Allah's Messengerﷺ finished his speech, her tears ceased completely and there remained not even a single drop; she (may Allah be pleased with her) was in awe of what he ﷺhad said! She (may Allah be pleased with her) requested her father and mother (may Allah be pleased with them) to reply to Allah's Messengerﷺ on her behalf and defend her, but they both said: “By Allah, I do not know what to say to Allah's Messengerﷺ!” They were in a tough spot, considering the lofty status of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ on one hand, and their own daughter who was falsely accused of such a heinous and immoral act on the other hand!
Therefore, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied herself, although she was a young girl then and did not have much knowledge of the Quran. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said so to explain the reason for her forgetting the name of Prophet Ya‘qoob, when she compared her situation to his situation and the harm afflicted by his sons on him and Prophet Yoosuf. She (may Allah be pleased with her) then related to him the accusations made against her and Safwaan (may Allah be pleased with them), and underlined that these rumors and false claims dwelled in people’s minds so much that they accepted such (slanderous) speech as truth. If she told them that she was innocent, and Allah knew that she was, they would not believe her, and if she falsely confessed that she was guilty, and Allah knew that she was not, they would have believed her! She (may Allah be pleased with her) added that she could not do anything but to adhere to patience and aspire to relief and acquittal from Allah, Exalted is He, as Prophet Ya‘qoob said (what means): {…so patience is most fitting. And Allah is the one sought for help against that which you describe.} [Quran 12:18]. Only Allah, Exalted is He, would clear her name, prove her innocence, and defend her! She (may Allah be pleased with her) turned to the other side of her bed hoping that Allah, Exalted is He, would prove her innocence. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “By Allah, I never thought that He would send divine revelation concerning my situation, as I considered myself too inferior to be talked about in the Holy Quran.” She (may Allah be pleased with her) only hoped that Allah's Messengerﷺ might have a dream in which Allah, Exalted is He, would prove her innocence. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “By Allah, he ﷺ had not got up and nobody had left the house before the divine revelation came to the Prophet ﷺ, who was overtaken by the same state which used to overtake him, (when he ﷺ received divine revelation). He ﷺ was sweating so much that the drops of the sweat were dropping like pearls, though it was a (cold) wintry day. “When that state of Allah's Messengerﷺ was over,” and the revelation ended, “he ﷺwas smiling and the first word he ﷺ said was asking Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) to thank Allah, Exalted is He, for declaring her innocence. Her mother told her to go to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, to thank him for such glad tidings, but she (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'By Allah, I will not go to him and will not thank but Allah,’ because He declared her innocence. On this occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {Indeed, those who came with falsehood are a group among you. * Why, when you heard it, did not the believing men and believing women think good of one another and say, "This is an obvious falsehood"? * Why did they [who slandered] not produce for it four witnesses? And when they do not produce the witnesses, then it is they, in the sight of Allah, who are the liars. * And if it had not been for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy in this world and the Hereafter, you would have been touched for that [lie] in which you were involved by a great punishment. * When you received it with your tongues and said with your mouths that of which you had no knowledge and thought it was insignificant while it was, in the sight of Allah, tremendous. * And why, when you heard it, did you not say, "It is not for us to speak of this. Exalted are You, [O Allah]; this is a great slander"? * Allah warns you against returning to the likes of this [conduct], ever, if you should be believers.} [Quran 24:11-17]. In these ayaat, Allah, Exalted is He, referred to their false claims as lies. The Arabic word used was “Ifk,” meaning false allegations. Allah, Exalted is He, stated that these slanderers fabricated lies against her and underlined their promised punishment in this worldly life and the Hereafter.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to provide for Mistah ibn Uthaathah, for he was his relative; the mother of Mistah was named Salmaa, who was the maternal cousin of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). Mastah (may Allah be pleased with him) circulated such allegations and this angered Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said, 'By Allah, I will never provide for Mistah because of what he said about ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).' On that occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {And let not those of virtue among you and wealth swear not to give [aid] to their relatives and the needy and the emigrants for the cause of Allah, and let them pardon and overlook. Would you not like that Allah should forgive you? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 24:22]. The ayah means, ‘those who swore not to provide for their (poor) relatives because they have wronged them!’ Thereupon, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'Yes! By Allah! I like that Allah should forgive me,' and resumed helping Mistah whom he used to help before, and expiated for breaking his oath.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) also added: “Allah's Messengerﷺ also asked Zaynab bint Jahsh (i.e., the Prophet's wife) about me saying, 'What do you know and what did you see?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I do not claim hearing or seeing what I have not heard or seen. By Allah, I know nothing except good about ‘Aa’ishah.’" ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further added, "Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was competing with me (with her beauty and the Prophet's love for her),” meaning that she (may Allah be pleased with her) was also beautiful and used to boast about her beauty and the Prophet’s love for her, “yet Allah, Exalted is He, protected her (from being malicious), for she (may Allah be pleased with her) was endowed with piety and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He,” and she did not fall into sin by circulating such rumors like those who did.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to draw lots between one’s wives to choose one to accompany him when traveling.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and her conclusive acquittal from the false accusations made against her by the explicit divine revelation and a ayah in the Quran which shall be recited unto the Day of Judgment.
It is inferred therefrom that one should recite Istirjaa‘ (i.e., saying ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return,’ a Dhikr that Muslims are instructed to say when afflicted by any sort of calamity) at times of adversity befalling one or any of his loved ones regarding his or their worldly or religious affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a man should be considerate and kind towards his wife.
It is also deduced that one should check upon the sick person.
The hadeeth also underlines the merits of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who partook in the Battle of Badr and defends them.
It is also inferred therefrom that one should consult with his close family members and friends about his personal affairs and problems.
It is deduced that a ruler should address the ruled when adversities should befall them.
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of Safwaan ibn Al-Mu‘attil (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also inferred therefrom that one should hasten to block the ways that could lead to Fitnah (i.e., dissension) and disputes.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a sinner’s repentance is acceptable; he should be urged to repent, for sincere repentance to Allah, Exalted is He, is a reason for having one’s sins forgiven.
It is also inferred that one should hasten to give glad tidings to the one upon whom a clear blessing is conferred or who is relieved of an adversity.
The hadeeth also urges the forgiveness and pardon of a wrongdoer.
It also encourages Muslims to spend in charity and help the less fortunate.
The hadeeth also highlights the merits of the Mother of the Believers Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her).
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2662

‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakrah narrated on the authority of his father that he (may Allah be pleased with him)said: “A man praised another man in front of the Prophet ﷺ. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Woe to you, you have cut off your companion's neck; you have cut off your companion's neck," repeating it several times and then added, "Whoever amongst you has to praise his brother should say, 'I think that he is such-and-such, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him to such-and-such,' if he really knows what he says about him."
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Commentary :
Praising or dispraising people is a very serious matter, and Islam has set certain guidelines for crediting or discrediting people. It stipulated having a good knowledge of the praised or dispraised person, and also warned against ascribing false attributes to any person.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Bakrah Nafee‘ ibn Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man praised another in front of the Prophet ﷺ.Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said to him, "Woe to you,” the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which literally means ‘woe to you,’ indicating rebuke, and it is used in reference to someone who has made a serious mistake incurring an undeserved adversity. He ﷺ added, “… you have cut off your companion's neck, you have cut off your companion's neck," meaning that you have seriously harmed your friend. This is because such praise may drive him to fall into conceit and arrogance. He ﷺ repeated it several times, to warn against such an act and indicate its gravity. He ﷺ then clarified that if someone has to praise another person, in a situation where such praise is required by the Laws of Islam, e.g., for a witness, or for any Laws of Islam-approved benefit, one should say, “…'I think that he is such-and-such, and Allah knows exactly the truth, and I do not confirm anybody's good conduct before Allah, but I think him to be such-and-such,' if he really knows what he says about him." In such situations, one should settle for mentioning the good qualities of the praised person and phrase it as explained in the hadeeth, saying, ‘I think that so-and-so is trustworthy, righteous, or honest,’ for example, rather than decisively stating that this person will have a good or bad fate in the Hereafter, because only Allah, Exalted is He, knows his true inner character, and He shall reward or punish him accordingly. Therefore, one must not decisively state that a given person is good or righteous nor evil or wicked.
The hadeeth warns against attributing qualities to a given person of which the speaker has no knowledge.
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2664

Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ called me to present myself in front of him on the eve of the Battle of Uhud, while I was fourteen years of age, and he ﷺ did not allow me to take part in that battle, but he ﷺ called me in front of him on the eve of the battle of the Trench when I was fifteen years old, and he ﷺ allowed me (to join the battle)." Naafi‘ said, "I went to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez, who was the Caliph at that time, and related the above narration to him, and he said, "This age (fifteen) is the limit between childhood and manhood," and wrote to his governors to give salaries to those who have reached the age of fifteen..

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam decreed that reaching puberty should be the criterion for a person’s competence for religious assignments. When a male person reaches puberty, he becomes competent for religious assignments and obligations as per the laws of Islam, and would be held accountable for all his actions (and sayings), and the same goes for girls when they start experiencing menstruation.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messenger ﷺ called young men to decide whether or not they were fit to take part in the battles yet, and this was before the battle of Uhud, in 3 A.H. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was fourteen years of age at that time, and he ﷺ did not allow him to take part in that battle, for he ﷺ believed that he was still young and unfit to partake in the battles. In 5 A.H., he ﷺ called him again before the battle of the Trench, when he was fifteen years old, and he ﷺ allowed him (to join the battle).
Some scholars objected, saying that since the Battle of the Trench took place in 5 A.H., Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) should have been sixteen years old and not fifteen. In response, it was said that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he had just turned fourteen before the Battle of Uhud, and had already turned fifteen by the Battle of the Trench, and this was(linguistically) correct and commonly acceptable in the Arabic language.
Naafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and the narrator of the hadeeth, said, "I went to ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez, who was the Caliph at that time, and related the above narration to him, and he deduced from it that the age limit between childhood and manhood is fifteen, and accordingly wrote to his governors to give salaries to those who have reached the age of fifteen should they partake in the battles.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that a ruler should keenly do what serves the best interests of the ruled, including specifying the age limit for partaking in battles and joining the Muslim army..

2674

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
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Commentary :
The Laws of Islam of Islam clearly outlined the proper way to settle legal disputes, especially in the absence of clear evidence that warrants judging in favor of one litigant, namely, by oath-taking. Stern warnings have been reported about making false oaths, and many Laws of Islam texts warned against the severe punishment for such an act in the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that two people (litigants) referred their dispute to the Prophet ﷺ, and none of them had evidence conclusively substantiating his right, or such evidence was false and inadmissible. The Prophet ﷺ offered them to take an oath; each litigant would be requested to take an oath while the other remained silent, out of reverence for the oath. When he ﷺ saw each of them hastening to take the oath first, he ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn to choose the one who should take an oath first, and accordingly would be declared entitled to the disputed property or right.
It was said that the Prophet ﷺ only commanded that lots should be drawn to choose the one who should take an oath first after he ﷺ saw them both hastening to take the oath, lest they should take two oaths at the same time and thus the litigant who had the right to the disputed property would lose his right to it. Rather, each litigant is entitled to take an oath independently. When the litigants are equally entitled to a disputed right or property, none of them should be given the chance to take the oath first to claim the right or refute the accusations made against him (and accordingly become legally entitled to the disputed right or property) except after employing the method of lot-casting.
It is an act of Sunnah to opt for casting lots in such situations, and it is prescribed and applicable when both litigants are equally entitled to a disputed right or property (and unable to provide conclusive or admissible evidencesubstantiating their rights).
The hadeeth highlights the seriousness (and solemnity) of oath-taking in Islam.
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Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba narrated, “There was no one authentically reported the news of Ali except the companions of Abdullah ibn Masoud.”.

Commentary : One has to verify the narrators and reports taced back to the Prophet (ﷺ) and his companions. We narrate the trustworthy and truthful narrators' reports, for some people and reports may not be accepted. We have to be careful, for some may have purposes drawing them to fabricate narrations. In this report, Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba confirmed that it was only the companions of Abdullah ibn Masoud who narrated the authentic reports about Ali. They were the only people reporting what was authentically narrated about him. After some events of trial like killing Uthman ibn Affan, Ali's fighting Khawarij and others, Muaweya’s rule after Al-Hasan’s abdication, lots of fabricated reports narrated about Ali by whether his supporters or opponents, unlike Abdullah ibn Masoud who just narrated and conveyed authentic reports to his own companions, including reports about Ali. Imam Muslim narrated that Abu Ishaq Amr ibn Abdullah As-Sabe'i narrated, “When they fabricated reports after Ali, one of Ali’s companions said, ‘May Allah kill them! They corrupted every type of knowledge!'" This refers to the reports that Rawafid and Shia fabricated and inserted to Ali’s knowledge and reports. This hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It illustrates the virtue of Abdullah ibn Masoud and his companions for their accurate conveying the truth and (2) It confirms the necessity of deeply examining the reports before accepting them..

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ allowed us to eat the flesh of horses but forbade us from eating donkey flesh.".

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to explain to people the lawful and unlawful foods and drinks which were not stipulated in the Quran. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) allowed consuming horse meat but prohibited consuming the meat of domesticated donkey which is used to serve people, especially farmers in villages. The Prophet (ﷺ) strictly prohibited it on Khaybar Day in the seventh year after Hijrah. This is due to some things such as: (1) It has benefits for people as in transporting and carrying unlike horses or (2) Its meat is bad. In the two Sahihs, Anas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Verily, Allah and his Messenger prohibited you from (eating of) the donkey flesh, for it is filthy.” This is unlike the zebra flesh which is permitted in other hadiths. In the two Sahihs, Abu Qatada narrated, “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I hunted a zebra and still have some of its flesh.’ The Prophet (ﷺ) told people to eat while they were in the state of ihram.” In Sunan Abu Daoud, the Prophet (ﷺ) forbade them to eat mule flesh. The hadith of Jaber contains the following lessons: (1) It shows the legitimacy of consuming horse flesh and (2) It clarifies the prohibition of consuming domestic donkey flesh..

Yahya ibn Ya’mur narrated, “The first man who spoke about qadar (divine decree) in Basra was Ma'bad Al-Juhany. Humaid ibn Abderrahman Al-Hemyary and I set out for pilgrimage - or umrah - and said, ‘If we can only meet someone of the Prophet’s companions ﷺ, we will ask him about what those people are saying about qadar. Accidentally, we saw Abdullah ibn Omar ibn Al-Khattab while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him, one on his right and the other on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak so I said, ‘O Abu Abdurrahman! We have some people in our land who recite the Quran and seek knowledge [he added some of their affairs as they claim that there is no divine decree and events were not predestined].’ Abdullah ibn Omar said, ‘If you meet such people, tell them that I am neither from them nor they are from me. By whom Abdullah ibn Umar swears, if any one of them had given charity of gold equal to the mountain of Uhud, Allah would not have accepted it unless he had believed in the divine decree.’ He further said, ‘My father, Omar ibn al-Khattab, told me, ‘Once we were sitting with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, a man with deep white clothes and deep black hair came. He neither had signs of travel on him nor any of us recognized him. He sat with the Prophet ﷺ, placed his knees next to the Prophet’s knees and his palms on the Prophet’s thighs, and said, ‘O Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Islam is to testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage if you can bear it.’ He (the inquirer) said, ‘You have told the truth.’ He (Omar) said, ‘It amazed us that he asked then verified his truth.’ He (the inquirer) said, ‘Inform me about iman (faith).’ The Prophet said, ‘It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree, good and evil.’ He (the inquirer) said, ‘You have told the truth.’ He (the inquirer) said, ‘Inform me about ihsan.’ He (the Prophet) said, ‘It is to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you do not see Him, He sees you.’ He (the enquirer) said, ‘Inform me about the hour (the last day).’ He (the Prophet) said, ‘One who is asked about it does not know more about it than the one who is asking.’ He (the inquirer) said, ‘Inform me about its signs.’ He (the Prophet) said, ‘That the slave-girl will give birth to her mistress, that you will find barefooted, naked, destitute, goat-herds competing with each other in constructing buildings.’ He (Omar) said, ‘Then he (the inquirer) went on his way and I stayed for a long while then the Prophet said to me, ‘Omar, do you know who this inquirer was?’ I replied, ‘Allah and His Messenger know best.’ He (the Prophet) said, ‘He was Gabriel (the angel) who came to instruct you the matters of your religion.’”.

Commentary : Belief in qadar (divine decree) is one of the fundamentals of the Islamic faith. The Prophet (ﷺ) explained that acting based on lawful means does not contradict it. On the other hand, he warned his nation against those denying divine decree or claiming that it contradicts Islamic faith. This supreme hadith taught us the Islamic religion by clarifying its pillars along with the signs of the Last Day. In this hadith, Yahya ibn Ya’mur reported that the first one who rejected the divine decree was Ma'bad Al-Juhany. He was one of the students of al-Hasan al-Basri. Once he spread his heresy of rejecting the divine decree, Al-Hajjaj imprisoned and killed him. This was in Basra, a city built by Caliph Umar ibn Al-Khattab in the south of Iraq in 17 AH. and inhabited by people in 18 AH. Denying the divine decree means that Allah just knows people's deeds after they occur. His saying, “... in Basra” implies that he was preceded by others who adopted this heresy outside Basra. It was said that this misleading heresy first arose in Mecca when the Kaaba burned and Ibn al-Zubair was trapped by Yazid. Some said it was burned by Allah's decree while others rejected this opinion. It was also said that the first one who rejected the divine decree in Levant was Amr Al-Maqsous. In this hadith, Yahya ibn Ya'mur reported that both he and Humaid ibn Abderrahman Al-Hemyary set out for pilgrimage - or umrah - to the Sacred House in Macca and hoped they met one of the Prophet's companions so they asked him about rejecting the divine decree that some adopted. Accidentally, they saw Abdullah ibn Omar ibn Al-Khattab entering the mosque. They surrounded him, one on his right and the other on his left. Yahya expected that his companion would authorize him to speak due to either his being older or more eloquent than him or that Humaid was too shy to ask. Yahya told Abdullah about what happened and addressed him with his nickname, Abu Abderrahman out of respect. He told him that there were some people in Basra taking much care of the Quran recitation, seeking Islamic knowledge, and spreading some misleading heresies. He mentioned and added some other points so that Abdullah may give them importance. It may mean that he mentioned their doctrine of heresies of denying the divine decree, believing that Allah just knows people's deeds after they occur, proving one's independent ability of Allah, the Almighty, and denying that all things happen based on Allah’s command. When Abdullah ibn Omar heard that, he asked him to inform those people of heresies that he was neither from them nor they were from him, which is a complete repudiation. Then he swore by Allah if any one of them had given charity of gold equal to the mountain of Uhud - a great mountain in Medina -, Allah would not have accepted it unless he had believed in Allah’s divine decree, for believing in the divine decree is one of the faith pillars. Then he told them about the proof of that. He said that his father, Omar ibn al-Khattab, told him that once they were sitting with the Prophet (ﷺ), a man suddenly came to him. He wore deep white clothes and had deep black hair. He had no signs of travel like being exhausted or dusty. None knew about him either. He placed his knees next to the Prophet’s ones and his palms on the Prophet’s thighs or his own thighs. This refers that he deeply knew the Prophet's prestige. He addressed the Prophet ﷺ with his name, not his prophethood nickname. Then he asked the Prophet ﷺ about Islam and its reality. The Prophet ﷺ told him about the five pillars of Islam: (1) To approve by your heart and testify by your tongue that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that Muhammad is his Messenger. It is a correlated testimony. It means that a Muslim utters these two testimonies while acknowledging the oneness of Allah and His right to be worshiped alone without any partners. It means that a Muslim believes in Prophet Muhammad's message and acts upon it. This is the testimony that will benefit us in the Hereafter so we will win Paradise and be saved from Hell, (2) Establishing the prayer: It means to regularly perform the five daily obligatory prayers at their times while fulfilling their conditions and pillars. They are Fajr (Dawn), Dhuhr (Noon), Asr (Afternoon), Maghreb (Sunset), and Isha (Evening), (3) Paying the obligatory zakah: It is an obligatory financial act of worship concerning any property that reaches the limit determined by Islam over an entire lunar year. Generally, 2.5% of one’s savings must be given to the poor and the types determined by Islam. It includes all money sources like cattle, livestock, crops, fruits, merchandise, and buried treasure or metals extracted from the earth. Each source has its own percentage and time of paying to the poor, (4) Fasting Ramadan month: It is to refrain from eating, drinking, intercourse, etc. from dawn to sunset, out of worship, and (5) Pilgrimage to the Sacred House once in one's lifetime on the condition that one is financially and physically able to perform it. Once the Prophet ﷺ ﷺ explained the pillars of Islam, the man said to him, "You have told the truth." It means you answered truthfully and correctly, which amazed the attendees, for he asked as if he did not know but he later confirmed the Prophet's answer. Is he a teacher or a learner?! Then he asked the Prophet about the faith's reality. The Prophet ﷺ told him that it includes six pillars as follows: (1) Belief in Allah: It is to believe in His existence, his attributes of majesty and perfection, his oneness, and his being clear of the attributes of imperfection. It is also to believe that he is the Eternal Refuge, neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent. It is to believe that He is the Creator of all creatures and the only god deserving to be worshiped without any partners, who manages his kingdom however he wills, (2) Belief in angels: It is to believe in the forms in which Allah created them. They are a great creation made of light. They are servants without any divine attributes. They are honored servants forced to obey Allah, the Almighty. They do not disobey Allah but do what he commands them to do. Their real number is only known to Allah. In general, they are different types with various jobs. Some are specifically mentioned in the Quran and Prophet's tradition like Gabriel who is responsible for conveying the divine revelation to prophets, Israfil who is responsible for blowing the trumpet, Michael who is responsible for sending the rain, Angel of Death who is responsible for holding people's souls, etc. A Muslim must believe in them as a whole and their specific details if mentioned, (3) Belief in Allah's books: The Quran was revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the seal of the Prophets and Messengers, the Torah revealed to Prophet Moses ﷺ, Injil revealed to Prophet Jesus ﷺ, the Psalms revealed to Prophet David ﷺ, and the scriptures of Abraham and Moses ﷺ. Belief in these books means to believe in their unfabricated original versions which were the word of Allah. A Muslim must believe that the Quran is a judge over these books so it may confirm, abrogate, or even correct their reports, (4) Belief in Allah's Messengers: It is to believe that Allah sent human messengers to people to call them to worship Him alone. A Muslim believes in all Prophets and messengers without any distinction. A Muslim believes in Prophet Muhammad, the seal of Prophets and messengers. He was sent to all people so it is obligatory for all people and Jinns to believe in him and follow his message once they hear of him. Whoever disbelieves in his message disbelieves in all prophets and messengers. A Muslim believes that they were guided ones who were sent to guide people, truthful in their messages from Allah, granted miracles that proved their truthfulness, and conveyed Allah's messages without insertion, deletion, or concealing. A Muslim has to love, dignify, support, and take Prophets as role models, (5) Belief in the Last Day: It means to believe in all events of that day like resurrection, gathering people for reckoning, the balance, the path, Paradise which is a reward for good doers, Hell which is a punishment for bad doers, along with other issues that were authentically proven, (6) Belief in the divine decree: It is to believe in Allah's timeless and eternal knowledge which deeply encompasses all issues' quantities and conditions. It is to fully believe that all things, good or evil, sweet or bitter, and beneficial or harmful are made by Allah’s decree, will, and command. It is to believe that Allah, the Almighty, gives people the ability for what they were created for. The man said, “You have told the truth.” This proves that belief in the divine decree is a pillar of faith and that Ma’bad al-Juhany’s denial is incorrect and contradictory to the Prophet’s statement and Gabriel’s testimony. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explained the principle of faith which is the inner ratification and the principle of Islam which is the outward surrender and submission. This means that every believer is a Muslim not vice versa and that belief is the heart’s act while Islam is the limbs’ act. Then the man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) about ihsan which is related to one’s relationship with Allah, not with people. The Prophet answers, “It is to worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you do not see Him, He sees you.” The top level of ihsan is to worship Allah as if you are seeing him with your heart and insight. If he finds it hard, he moves to the other level which is to worship Allah while realizing He is seeing and knowing his secrets and outward issues, and nothing may hide from Him. Then the man asked him about the time of the hereafter. The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, “One who is asked about it does not know more about it than the one who is asking.” It means that all people are equally unaware of its time. This indicates that he is Allah alone who knows its time. In the Two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Five issues that Allah alone knows." He recited Allah's saying, “Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die.” (Luqman: 34) These are the keys to the unseen world that Allah only knows. The man said to the Prophet, "Then inform me about its signs." He meant the signs indicating its approach so people may take care, repent, and return to Allah. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned some of its signs such as: (1) "A slave girl will give birth to her mistress." In the Two Sahih, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, " ... her lord." It means her owner and guardian. It was said that it may refer to the abundant disobedience to one's parents in which he deals with his mother as her lord. It was also said that it may refer to Muslims' frequent conquests of unbelievers' countries in which a young slave girl is brought, set free in the Islamic country, embraces Islam, and buys her mother in ignorance of this case so she becomes her mistress, which has already existed. It was also said that a slave girl may give birth to a king so his mother will be among his slaves, (2) "That you will find barefooted, naked, destitute, goat-herds competing with each other in constructing buildings." It means they are competing for their height and abundance without thanking Allah who bestowed on them after poverty, which is proven by the Prophet's hadith in Ahmad and Termidhy when he says, "The Hour will not be established until the happiest people in the world is Luka' ibn Luka'." Afterward, the man went and Omar stayed for a long while then the Prophet asked him, "O Omar, do you know who this inquirer was?" Omar replied, "Allah and His Messenger know best." The Prophet answered him that it was Gabriel (the angel) who "came to instruct you the matters of your religion." Gabriel, the Angel, was the reason for the Prophet's answering and teaching his companions this abundant knowledge of Islam and the Hereafter. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) Clarifying Islam's five pillars and faith's six pillars, (2) Mentioning some etiquette of the seeker of Islamic knowledge as modesty, (3) Proving the blessing of seeking knowledge, (4) Knowledge benefits both questioners and answerers, (5) Referring to Prophet's companions' good manners with him, (6) Illustrating Gabriel's forms when meeting the Prophet, (7) Stating the predecessors' attitudes about denying heresies, (8) Mentioning some sects opposing Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah such as Al-Qadareyyah, (9) Desirability of elegant clothes and cleanliness when meeting scholars and kings, for Gabriel came and taught people with his words and appearance, and (11) Reprehending of unnecessary construction..

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, "An-Nou'man ibn Qauqal came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, 'O Messenger of Allah, 'Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, treat as lawful that which is lawful, and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, will I enter Paradise?' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'Yes.' In another narration, An-Nou'man said, '... and do not increase upon that.'".

Commentary : Allah, the Almighty, imposed obligatory acts and promised those perform them to enter Paradise, out of his mercy and grace. In this hadith, Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that An-Nou'man ibn Qauqal, who participated in the Battle of Badr and was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, came and asked the Prophet (ﷺ) if he prayed the obligatory prayers (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghreb, and Isha), avoided everything forbidden by Islam, and fulfilled all obligations of Islam - and in another narration, he said, “And did not do more than that.” He means performing obligations, treating as forbidden that which is forbidden, and treating as lawful that which is lawful - would this make him directly enter Paradise without any torment? The Prophet (ﷺ) answered, “Yes,” This means if he fulfills that, he will enter Paradise. Finally, this hadith confirms that performing obligations, avoiding prohibitions, and knowing the permissible acts lead to Paradise. This is out of Allah’s grace upon Muslims..

Abu Saeed Al-Khudry narrated that people from Abdulqais tribe came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, “O Prophet of Allah ﷺ, we are a tribe from Rabi'a tribes and Mudar unbelievers live between you and us so we can just come to you during the sacred months. Command us to do something that we can command our tribe to do so we will enter Paradise if we follow it.” The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I command you to do four and avoid four: I command you to worship Allah and associate none with Him, establish prayer, pay zakat, observe the fast in Ramadan, and pay the one-fifth out of the booty. I prohibit you from four: Ad-Dubbaa (dry receptacles of gourds), al-hantam (jars made of mud, hair, and blood), al-muzaffat (receptacles covered with tar), and an-naqir.” They asked, “O Prophet of Allah ﷺ, do you know what an-naqir is?” He replied, “Yes, it is a stump that you hollow and in which you throw small dates - Saeed (one of this hadith's narrator) said, “He (the Prophet) may have said “…dates.” - then you spill water over it to boil then you drink it after it subsides, to the extent that one of you - or one of them - may strike his cousin with the sword.” He (the narrator) said, “There was a man among people injured due to that (intoxication). I concealed it out of shame from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. I asked, 'What type of vessels can we use for drinking?' He (the Prophet) replied, 'In those made of skin tied with a string around their mouths.'" They said, “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, our land abounds in rats so these vessels made of skin cannot remain preserved.” The Prophet ﷺ said thrice, “Even if they are eaten by rats.” The Prophet ﷺ said to Ashajj of Abdul-Qais, “Verily, you have two qualities that Allah loves: Patience and deliberation.” In another narration, he (the Prophet) said, “… then you mix small dates or dates and water into it…”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to gradually teach people Islam’s rules of worship and transactions, permissible and impermissible matters, and all that brought them out of darkness into the light. In this hadith, Abu Saeed Al-Khudri narrated that some people from Abdulqais, a large tribe that inhabited Bahrain in the east of the Arabian Peninsula, came to the Prophet ﷺ in Media in the month of Rajab in the 8th year. They had converted to Islam before they came. They told him that they were a branch of Rabi’a tribes which represented half of the Arabs. The disbelieved tribes of Mudar lived on Rabi’a’s way to the Prophet (ﷺ). Mudar was the largest branch of the Arabs in comparison to Rabi’a tribes. Mudar used to attack and rob the caravans and killed all people therein, especially those heading to Medina to convert to Islam. There was open hostility between the two tribes. To travel to the Prophet (ﷺ), Rabi’a had to pass by Mudar but the safest time to travel to him was during the sacred months, Muharram, Rajab, Dul-Qa’da, and Dhul-Hijja, which all Arabs glorified and avoided fighting therein. As a result, Rabi’a traveled to the Prophet (ﷺ) in the month of Rajab. Abdulqais delegation asked the Prophet (ﷺ) to teach them the matters of Islam as they wanted to convey them to their people so they all would enter Paradise if they acted upon them. He commanded them to follow four matters and avoid four matters. He commanded them to: (1) Worship Allah and associate none with Him. Worship is to obey Allah by abiding by his commands that his prophets conveyed. Worship is a comprehensive name for all acts and deeds, apparent and hidden, that Allah loves and pleases. A person declares the oneness of Allah away from any type of polytheism, for whoever does not renounce polytheism does not necessitate that he worships Allah alone, (2) Regular performing the prescribed prayers, Fajr, Duhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha, (3) Paying the obligatory zakat. It is to pay a certain percentage of one's property if it reaches a specific limit and time. One's property includes livestock, harvest, goods, and buried treasures or mines, (4) Fasting during the month of Ramadan. It is a physical act of worship in which a person abstains from eating, drinking, intercourse, and other things from dawn to sunset, and (5) Paying one-fifth out of the booty forcibly obtained from polytheists during wars. Additionally, he forbade them from using four utensils: (1) Ad-Dubbaa: Dry receptacles of gourds, (2) Al-Hantam: Jars made of mud, hair, and blood, (3) Al-Muzaffat: Receptacles covered with tar, and (4) An-Naqir. They astonishingly wondered how the Prophet (ﷺ) knew an-naqir although it was not used by his people. Thus, he told them that he exactly knew it. He clarified that it was a tree’s trunk that people hollowed and threw small dates therein to be fermented. Then, they spilled water and left it to become wine. Upon drinking it, a person may have struck his cousin with the sword, due to his mind's absence. It was a great evil against which he warned above all other evils. One of the attendants was a man called Jahm ibn Qatham who concealed his injured leg out of shyness of the Prophet (ﷺ), for he was injured by a drunk man. He forbade them from using these utensils for they rapidly transformed juices into wine which was impure and could not be sold. He forbade them, for it was a waste of one’s properties, and one may have drunk it unknowingly. Later, this prohibition was abrogated by Bureida's narration in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ said, “I forbade you from preparing nabidh (juice of grapes and date) except in a water skin. Now, you can drink from all types of utensils but do not drink anything intoxicating.” In the first hadith, they asked him about vessels they could use for drinking. He guided them to use the water skins. They were light tanned skin taken from animals and their mouths were tied with strings. They did not help juices to be rapidly transformed into wines. They informed him that their land was full of rats overwhelmingly eating water skins. Nevertheless, the Prophet ﷺ said three times, “Even if they are eaten by rats,” for he believed that they could preserve their water skins away from rats. Later on, he told Al-Ashajj ibn Abdulqais that he had two attributes that Allah and his Prophet ﷺ loved which were forbearance and patience. These attributes may be innate or acquired by training and practice. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It is better to delegate virtuous people to rulers, conveying significant inquiries, (2) The importance of explaining one’s excuse before requests, (3) It shows the important pillars of Islam, (4) The virtue of Al-Ashej due to his good morals, (5) The legitimacy to directly compliment a person if we make sure he will not be tempted, (6) It proves the attribute of love to Allah, in the manner befitting Him, and (7) It clarifies the danger of drinking alcohol and its impact on society..

Tareq ibn Ashyam Al-Ashja'i narrated, "I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'He who says, 'La ilaha illa Allah (there is no true god except Allah)' and disbelieves in what is worshipped besides Allah, his property and blood become inviolable, and his reckoning will be with Allah.” In another narration, he said, "He who worships Allah alone ..." Then he mentioned the rest of the hadith..

Commentary : Islam called people for the oneness and worship of Allah alone without any partner. It secures its followers and entrusts their hearts’ affairs to Allah, the All-Knowing. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirms that whoever bears witness and says that “there is no god but Allah,” i.e. there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and “disbelieves in what is worshiped besides Allah,” i.e. he renounces all religions except Islam “his property and blood are inviolable.” His property is neither taken nor his blood is shed. In the two Sahihs, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “…except for a right that is due,” This means that killing a Muslim is not allowable unless he commits a crime that necessitates killing him according to Islam’s rules in three cases: (1) The murderer is killed in retribution, (2) The apostate, and (3) The married adulterer is killed as a punishment. In the two Sahihs, Abdullah ibn Masoud said, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘The blood of a Muslim who testifies that there is no god but Allah and that I am Allah’s Messenger may not be Islamically shed but for one of three reasons: A life for a life, a married one who commits adultery, and a one who abandons Islam and Muslims’ community.” The Prophet said in the first hadith, “… and his reckoning is with Allah,” This means that we reckon him for the outward obligatory acts but his heart’s affairs are entrusted to Allah Who is the only one who knows what his heart conceals of faith, disbelief, or hypocrisy. Muslims are not commanded to examine people’s hearts, consciences, and beliefs. If one unfaithfully pronounces the faith’s testimony, he will be dealt with according to his outward acts based on the Islamic rules in this world and his reckoning will be with Allah in the hereafter. He will reward him based on his knowledge of his heart. If he sincerely believes, it will benefit him in the hereafter – as in this worldly life - and save him from the torment. On the contrary, if he does not, it will not benefit him in the hereafter and he will be a hypocrite in Hell. In the two Sahihs, Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “I have been commanded to fight people till they testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, establish prayer, and pay Zakat. If they do so, their blood and property are safe from me, except for a right that is due, and reckoning them is with Allah.” Anas narrated as in Sahih Bukhari that the Prophet ﷺ said, “If anyone observes our form of prayer, faces our prayer destination, and eats our sacrifice, he is the Muslim who has the covenant of Allah and His messenger so do not betray Allah’s covenant.” This clarifies that the testimony of monotheism necessitates fulfilling the remaining pillars of Islam, for whoever denies any of its pillars is an apostate. Finally, this hadith confirms that the testimony of monotheism protects one’s blood, property, and honor..

Abu Huraira narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to his uncle, 'Say, 'La ilaha illa Allah (there is no god worthy of worship but Allah) so that I can bear testimony for you on the Day of Judgment.' He (Abu Taleb) said, 'Had it not been my fear of Quraysh's blaming and saying that I had done so out of fear, I would have delighted your eyes.' Then Allah revealed, 'Indeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.'" (Al-Qasas: 56).

Commentary : Guiding hearts is in the hands of Allah alone. Abu Taleb, the Prophet’s uncle, used to strenuously defend and care about him. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that when Abu Taleb was dying, the Prophet ﷺ came hoping for his conversion to Islam. He said to him, “Say, ‘There is no god but Allah.’” He hoped his belief in Allah and saying this word that will save him from punishment in the hereafter. He added, “I will testify thereof for you on the Day of Resurrection.” He means if you say it, you will become a Muslim and I can intercede for you. The Prophet was keen to save and encourage him to be Muslim. On the contrary, Abu Taleb refused and said, “'Had it not been my fear of Quraysh's blaming …” He means they may insult and scold him. Quraysh was the tribe of both. Abu Taleb was afraid that they may say that his fear of death induced him to do so. “I would have certainly delighted your eyes.” He means he would have certainly made him happy and achieved his hopes. Although he believed in all the Prophet said, he neither embraced Islam nor uttered the two testimonies. He remained so until he died a little before the immigration. In another narration in the two Sahihs, Al-Musayyeb ibn Hazn narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “By Allah, I will keep asking for (Allah’s) forgiveness for you unless I am forbidden to do so." So, Allah revealed, “Indeed [O Muhammad] you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills.” (Al-Qasas: 56) This means: O Noble Messenger, you do not guide whom you like to Islam such as Abu Taleb but Allah is the only one who guides to Islam whom he wills. He knows best who will be guided to the straight path, based on his knowledge. This hadith clarifies the following: (1) The Prophet’s care for calling people to Islam and saving them from Hell, (2) The Legitimacy of visiting an unbeliever during his illness to call him to Islam, and (3) Being interested and afraid of people’s reactions may sometimes lead to prevent goodness and one's faith..

Uthman narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Whoever dies knowing that there is no god but Allah will enter Paradise.".

Commentary : Worshipping Allah alone is the purpose of creating jinn and humankind and the way to save oneself from Hell and win Paradise. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ explains the virtue of monotheism for those who die while believing in it. He said that if one dies while believing in Allah's oneness, worshiping none but him, acting upon the Islamic knowledge, performing the Islamic pillars that the Prophet came with such as prayer, fasting, zakah, pilgrimage, and all acts of worship and goodness, and refraining from evil acts, he will enter Paradise in the hereafter with Allah’s mercy. On the other hand, if he committed sins, Allah would reckon him as He, the Almighty, wills then he would enter Paradise. This is the doctrine of Ahlussunnah. In addition, knowledge is the opposite of ignorance which made this nation neglect the meaning of monotheism testimony. If one ignores its meaning, he will definitely contradict it whether by sayings, deeds, or beliefs. The method to know this testimony is by the following points: (1) Pondering over Allah’s names, attributes, and deeds, (2) Knowing that Allah is the only one who creates and manages his universe so he is worthy of worship alone, and (3) Knowing that Allah is the only one who grants people the obvious and hidden blessings in this world or the hereafter, which makes our hearts love, worship, and cling to Allah, without any partner. The greatest way to achieve these points is to ponder over the Noble Quran, for it is the best method to learn about monotheism. By pondering this great Book, one gets lots of benefits that he cannot get from any other method. A Muslim has to deeply learn about monotheism, for it is the key to Paradise but each key has teeth. Knowledge is one of its teeth that is a prerequisite for making one’s faith useful and accepted..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “We were with the Prophet ﷺ on a march then people’s provisions were exhausted to the extent that they were about to slaughter some of their camels. Omar said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I propose that you collect people’s remaining provisions and invoke Allah upon them.’ He (the Prophet) did it accordingly. The one who had wheat came with it, the one who had dates came with them.” In another narration, “The one who had date-stones came with them.” Talha asked, “What did they do with date-stones?” Mujahed answered, “They were sucking them then drinking water afterward." Abu Hurairah resumed his first narration saying, "The Prophet invoked Allah until all people filled their stuff then said at that time, ‘I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I am His messenger. Any servant meets Allah while undoubtedly believing this testimony will enter Paradise.'".

Commentary : Allah's grace over his servants is great and his mercy encompasses everything to the extent that anyone who dies while believing in Allah's oneness will enter Paradise. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that they were with the Prophet ﷺ on a march. Imam Muslim mentioned that it was the Battle of Tabouk in the ninth year AH. "People’s provisions were exhausted." In Bukhari's narration, Salama ibn Al-Akwa' narrated, "People's food ran short and they were in great need," to the extent that they were about to slaughter some camels they were riding. Omar ibn Al-Khattab advised the Prophet ﷺ to collect people’s remaining provisions, invoke Allah to get His blessings, and keep camels for riding and carrying people. The Prophet ﷺ agreed and asked people to collect food. Each brought his remaining food. "The one who had wheat came with it and the one who had dates came with them.” Mujahed ibn Jabr (one of this hadith's narrators) narrated, "The one who had date-stones came with them.” Talha ibn Musarref asked him, “What were they doing with the date-stones?” He means it is something that cannot be usually eaten. Mujahed answered, “They were sucking them then drinking water afterward,” if they did not find dates. This referred to the hardship and poverty they were experiencing and confirmed that the Prophet's companions brought all the food they had and none kept anything for himself. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ invoked Allah who blessed the food to the extent that people filled their containers with that food. The Prophet ﷺ said, "I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship but Allah and that I am the messenger of Allah." He affirmed Allah's oneness and his prophethood and truthfulness in what he received from Allah. This blessing is proof of his prophethood, for it is paranormal. Then he showed that whoever affirms Allah's oneness and Muhammad's prophethood, acts upon these testimonies, and dies while certainly believing in them Allah will enter him Paradise. As a result, people of monotheism will enter Paradise although some of them may be punished in Hell for their sins, but they will not be eternally in it. Finally, this hadith includes the following benefits: (1) It states the Companions' trust and belief in the Messenger of Allah, (2) It mentions the Prophet's apparent miracle proves his prophethood, (3) It shows the Prophet's modesty, for he accepted Omar's opinion and proposal, (4) It shows the possibility of advising the leader if there is a benefit even he does not ask for that, and (5) Desirability of collecting food for people, especially in the time of poverty..

As-Sunabehy narrated, “I went to Ubadah ibn As-Samet when he was about to die and cried.” Ubadah said, “Wait, why are you crying? By Allah, if I am asked about you, I will witness for you, if I am given the right to intercede, I will intercede for you, and if I am able to benefit you, I will definitely do it. By Allah! There is no hadith which I heard from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ which is good for you but I narrated it to you except one hadith. I will narrate it to you now, for this is my last breath. I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, "Whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is Allah’s Messenger Allah will forbid him to enter Hell.".

Commentary : Death is an inevitable destiny of all people. The wise is who performed righteous deeds ahead, regularly obeyed Allah, and followed the Messenger's method. In this hadith, Abderrahman ibn Usailah As-Sunabehy narrated that he visited the Prophetic companion Ubadah ibn As-Samet while he was dying of a severe illness. As-Sunabehy cried but Ubadah said to him, "Wait!" He advised him to slow down and be gentle with himself and asked him why he was crying. He swore by Allah saying: If I died before you, O Sunabehy and Allah asked my testimony on the day of Resurrection, I would testify for you with what I knew about you of good manners. If Allah allowed my intercession for anyone, I would intercede for you so He would save you. If I could benefit you, I would definitely do it. Then Ubadah swore that he narrated all goodness he heard from the Prophet ﷺ except a single hadith. He decided to narrate it once he made sure he was about to die. He narrated that he heard the Prophet ﷺ confirming that whoever affirms Allah's oneness and Muhammad's prophethood, acts upon these testimonies, and dies while certainly believing in them Allah will enter him Paradise and save him from Hell. It was said that the hadith means that the people of monotheism will enter Paradise although some of them may be punished in Hell for their sins, but they will not be eternally in it. Finally, the hadith contains the following lessons: (1) One should only speak about what is good for people and (2) Allah's blessings that he bestows upon His servants of monotheism..

Abu Hurairah narrated, “We were sitting around the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) with Abu Bakr, Umar, and others. In the meanwhile, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) got up and left us. He was late to the extent that we were worried that he might be attacked by some when we were not there. We were alarmed and got up. I was the first to be alarmed. I went out to look for the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), came to a garden belonging to the Banu An-Najjar, a section of the Ansar, and went round it while saying, “Will I find its door?” but I did not. I saw a stream flowing up a well and going through a wall. I drew myself together and came where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) was. He asked, ‘Is it you Abu Hurairah?’ I replied, ‘Yes, O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).’ He said, ‘What is the matter with you?’ I replied, ‘You were among us, got up, and were late. We were afraid that you might be attacked by some when we were not there. We became alarmed and I was the first to be alarmed. So when I came to this garden, I drew myself together as a fox does while these people were following me.’ He gave me his sandals and said, ‘O Abu Huraira! Go with my sandals and give glad tidings of Paradise to whoever you meet outside this garden who testifies that there is no god but Allah while assuring of it in his heart.’ The first one I met was Umar who asked, ‘What are these sandals, O Abu Huraira?’ I replied, ‘They are the Prophet's ones. He gave them to me to give glad tidings of Paradise to whoever testifies that there is no god but Allah while assuring of it in his heart.’ Thereupon, Omar struck me on the breast so I fell on my back. He then said, ‘Go back, Abu Huraira.’ I returned to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and started to weep. Omar followed me. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘What is the matter, Abu Huraira?’ I said, ‘I met Omar and told him about what you said to me. He struck me on my breast so I fell on my back and he said to me, ‘Go back.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘O Omar, what did you do that?’ He said, ‘O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), may my father and my mother be sacrificed to you, did you send Abu Huraira with your sandals to give glad tidings of Paradise to whoever he met who testifies that there is no god but Allah while assuring of it in his heart?’ He said, ‘Yes.’ Umar said, ‘Do not do it, for I am afraid that people will stick to it alone. Let them do (good) deeds.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘Well, let them.’”.

Commentary : The grace of Allah upon His servants is great and His mercy encompasses all things. His mercy necessitates that whoever dies believing in monotheism will enter Paradise, so a Muslim should know its meaning in a way that contradicts ignorance, for it is the key to Paradise. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Companions were sitting around the Prophet (ﷺ) with Abu Bakr, Umar, and others. The Prophet (ﷺ) got up and left them. He was late to the extent that they were worried that he might be attacked by some of his enemies while they were not with him. The companions were alarmed and started to look for him. Abu Hurairah was the first to be alarmed and look for him. He came to a garden owned by some tribes of Medina. When he did not find its door, he entered through a hollow in the wall, through which a stream of water was running. After he entered, the Prophet (ﷺ) gave him his shoes as a visible sign and asked him to give glad tidings of Paradise to whoever dying while certainly believing in Allah alone. A Muslim must firmly believe in this testimony without any type of doubt cast by devils or humans and act upon its required meaning. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the heart in this context to confirm the importance of sincerity in monotheism. Once came out, Abu Hurairah met Omar who asked him about the sandals so Abu Hurairah related to him the whole story. As a result, Omar hit Abu Hurairah’s chest so he fell on his back. Omar did not want to hurt Abu Hurairah but he wanted to prevent him from reporting this hadith to people. He was afraid that people may have stuck to this testimony alone and neglected the rest of the Islamic rites. Both returned to the Prophet (ﷺ) who asked Omar about what happened with Abu Hurairah. Omar told him the whole details and asked him about the authenticity of the report that Abu Hurairah told him. Omar justified his reaction that he was afraid that people may have stuck to this testimony alone and neglected the rest of the Islamic rites. He proposed that Abu Hurairah would not inform people about this hadith, which the Prophet (ﷺ) approved. As a matter of fact, the reward mentioned in that hadith would be applicable until the Day of Resurrection. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It clarifies the Companions’ keenness and love for the Prophet (ﷺ), (2) It shows how leaders have to care about their followers’ rights and benefits and prevent what may harm them, (3) It is better to associate the important news with proof confirming it, (4) It mentions a great tiding to the people of monotheism, (5) A leader has to listen to his followers’ arguments. If the follower has the right, the leader has to stick to his opinion. Otherwise, the leader has to clear up any misunderstanding that the follower may have, (6) It is evidence of Omar’s firmness, wisdom, and understanding, (7) It shows the virtue of Abu Hurairah..

Al-Abbas ibn Abdulmuttaleb narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever is pleased with Allah as a Lord, Islam as a religion, and Muhammad as a Prophet will taste the sweetness of faith.".

Commentary : Faith has wonderful secrets and sweetness tasted by hearts as we taste the sweetness of food and drink in our mouths. None will taste this sweetness except those whose hearts are full of it. When the heart is safe from deviating whims and misleading lusts, it feels the sweetness of faith. On the contrary, when it is sick with the previous diseases, it does not feel it and instead may taste the destructive whims and sins. In this hadith, the Prophet's saying, “He will taste the sweetness of faith,” means he will feel its sweetness which is what the believer finds in terms of comfort and intimacy with knowing and loving Allah and his Messenger ﷺ, knowing His blessing of choosing him a Muslim from the best Prophet's nation. His saying, "Whoever is pleased with Allah as a Creator ..." means he is convinced and satisfied with Allah as a Lord, Manager, Master, and God and pleased with his command while disbelieving in all what worshipped other than Him. His saying, "... Islam as a religion ..." means he is willingly satisfied with Islam as a method and doctrine while disbelieving in all other invalid religions. His saying, "... Muhammad as a messenger ..." means he is willingly satisfied with him as a leader and example in life and the revelation he received from Allah, obeys his commands, avoids his prohibitions, loves, and supports him. If a Muslim is pleased with these issues, all worldly issues become easier, for he deeply believes in Allah and truthfully surrenders to Allah and His legislation that the Prophet ﷺ received and conveyed to him. As a result, his heart feels tranquillity, comfort, and sweetness of faith. Finally, this hadith urges us to completely believe in Allah, his Prophet ﷺ, and His Book..

Abu Huraira narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Faith has seventy - or sixty - odd branches. The uppermost of which is the saying, ' La ilaha illah Allah' and the least is the removal of harmful objects from the road. Modesty is a branch of faith.'".

Commentary : Faith is branches and degrees divided into sayings, acts, and beliefs. All good attributes fall under it. Ahlusunnah wal Jamaah believes that a believer's faith increases by doing righteous deeds and avoiding sins. His faith decreases as much as he disobeys and commits sins. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ confirmed that the complete faith consists of degrees that contain acts, and sayings of righteousness that reach seventy - or sixty - odd branches. Faith consists of (1) The heart's acts like believing in Allah's oneness, trust in Allah, fearing Allah, and hope of Allah's promise, (2) The tongue's acts like the two testimonies, remembering Allah, supplication, reciting the Quran, and others, and (3) The limbs' acts like prayer, fasting, relieving people, and supporting the oppressed. Whoever performs a righteous deed he completed a part of his faith. The Prophet confirmed that the faith's highest and best degrees, the foundation of faith, is the saying, “There is no god but Allah.” Believing in Allah's oneness, his control of the whole universe, his only being worthy of worship, and acting upon that are the foundations of faith. This great testimony is (1) The word of piety, (2) The most trustworthy handhold, (3) The difference between disbelief and belief, (4) The word that Prophet Ibrahim made remain among his descendants that they may return to, and (5) The word on which heavens and Earth are established and for which all beings created, (6) It is the reason for creation, command, reward, and punishment, and (7) It is Allah's right upon all of His servants. It is neither intended to verbally say it while ignoring its meaning nor behaving like hypocrites, but it is intended to verbally say, believe it with heart, love its people, and hate what contradicts it. Then the Prophet ﷺ explained that the least act of faith is to remove harmful things away from people's way like stones, thorns, etc. The Prophet also explained that modesty is one of faith's degrees. It is a moral that motivates one to leave evilness and prevents him from negligence. One's modesty with Allah means that He neither sees us where he prohibited nor loses us where He commanded us to be. In this sense, faith is the strongest motive for goodness and the greatest deterrent against evil. The Prophet mentioned modesty here, for it is a moral matter that our minds may forget that it is a faith's branch. This hadith refers that good morals are from faith. It collects all branches of faith which are beliefs, deeds, and morals, which all are complementary to faith. Moreover, this hadith generally mentioned all faith's branches, but they are detailed in the Prophet's Sunnah. Mentioning the number does not mean limiting it to sixty or seventy, but rather it indicates the abundance of faith's acts. Finally, the hadith clarifies the importance of modesty..

Sufian ibn Abdullah Ath-Thaqafy said, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam that I will not ask anyone after you.'" In another narration, he said, "... anyone but you." The Messenger ﷺ said, "Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ then keep to the straight path.”.

Commentary : Having a deep belief in Allah and seeking Islam's straight path as much as one can are the ways to success in this world and hereafter. The Prophet's companions were the keenest people asking him about what benefits them in these two stages. In this hadith, the companion Sufian ibn Abdullah Ath-Thaqafy asked the Prophet ﷺ about an Islamic act that may save and suffice him away from other Islamic ones. He asked him about a comprehensive concept of all Islam's principles and objectives. This concept should guide and suffice him, complete his religion, and save him from Hell in the hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ said to him, “Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ then keep to the straight path.” It means to certainly say "I believe in Allah," and be upright while following the faith's guidance and requirements. Uprightness leads to all righteous deeds and prevents all evil acts. Thus, the hadith means being steadfast in faith with regularly performing righteous acts guiding us to the straight path. One of the uprightness' glad tidings is Allah's saying, "Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah' and then remained on a right course - the angels will descend upon them, [saying], 'Do not fear and do not grieve but receive good tidings of Paradise, which you were promised.'" (Fussilat: 30), and his saying, "Indeed, those who have said, 'Our Lord is Allah,' and then remained on a right course - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve. Those are the companions of Paradise, abiding eternally therein as reward for what they used to do." (Al-Ahqaf: 13, 14).

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He whose neighbor is not secure from his wrongful conduct will not enter Paradise.".

Commentary : The Islamic teachings recommend all that is good for people to preserve harmony among them. It commands us to be kind to our neighbors whether they are relatives or strangers, Muslim or non-Muslim. This hadith is one of the most decisive hadiths in which the Prophet ﷺ mentioned the punishment for abusing our neighbors. His word, "...his wrongful conduct." means oppression and transgression. In a dire threat, he confirms that a Muslim does not harm or hurt his neighbor, which will prevent him from entering Paradise. In the two Sahihs, Aisha narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Gabriel was recommending me about kindly and politely treating the neighbors so much so that I thought he would order me to make them as my heirs." His saying, "He will not enter Paradise ..." means that if he hurts his neighbor and dies while being a Muslim, he will not enter Paradise with the first groups, but he will be reckoned then enter Paradise due to his belief, except Allah forgives and pardons him. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It rebukes for harming neighbors, and (2) It confirms that misusing them is a way to be punished..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
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Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
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It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
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Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba narrated, “There was no one authentically reported the news of Ali except the companions of Abdullah ibn Masoud.”.

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ allowed us to eat the flesh of horses but forbade us from eating donkey flesh.".

Uthman narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Whoever dies knowing that there is no god but Allah will enter Paradise.".

Al-Abbas ibn Abdulmuttaleb narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever is pleased with Allah as a Lord, Islam as a religion, and Muhammad as a Prophet will taste the sweetness of faith.".

Abu Huraira narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Faith has seventy - or sixty - odd branches. The uppermost of which is the saying, ' La ilaha illah Allah' and the least is the removal of harmful objects from the road. Modesty is a branch of faith.'".

Sufian ibn Abdullah Ath-Thaqafy said, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam that I will not ask anyone after you.'" In another narration, he said, "... anyone but you." The Messenger ﷺ said, "Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ then keep to the straight path.”.

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He whose neighbor is not secure from his wrongful conduct will not enter Paradise.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother." .

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year. .

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first. .

Al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba narrated, “There was no one authentically reported the news of Ali except the companions of Abdullah ibn Masoud.”.

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ allowed us to eat the flesh of horses but forbade us from eating donkey flesh.".

Uthman narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Whoever dies knowing that there is no god but Allah will enter Paradise.".

Al-Abbas ibn Abdulmuttaleb narrated that he heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever is pleased with Allah as a Lord, Islam as a religion, and Muhammad as a Prophet will taste the sweetness of faith.".

Abu Huraira narrated, "The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'Faith has seventy - or sixty - odd branches. The uppermost of which is the saying, ' La ilaha illah Allah' and the least is the removal of harmful objects from the road. Modesty is a branch of faith.'".

Sufian ibn Abdullah Ath-Thaqafy said, "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, tell me something about Islam that I will not ask anyone after you.'" In another narration, he said, "... anyone but you." The Messenger ﷺ said, "Say, ‘I believe in Allah’ then keep to the straight path.”.

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "He whose neighbor is not secure from his wrongful conduct will not enter Paradise.".

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid about Hamzah's daughter, "It is unlawful for me to marry her, as foster relations are treated like blood relations (in marital affairs). She is the daughter of my foster brother."
.

Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered that an unmarried man who committed Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) be scourged one hundred lashes and sent into exile for one year.
.

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked some people to take an oath, and they hurried for it. The Prophet ﷺ ordered that lots should be drawn amongst them as to choose the one who should take an oath first.
.