Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

2138

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
Rarely did the Prophet ﷺ fail to visit Aboo Bakr's house every day, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Al-Madeenah was granted, the Prophet ﷺ came to us at noon, which was unusual time of the day for him to come. When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was informed, he said, "Certainly the Prophet ﷺ has come for some urgent and serious matter!" The Prophet ﷺ said to Aboo Bark (may Allah be pleased with him), when the latter entered: "Let nobody stay in the house (i.e., I would like to talk with you in private)." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! There are only my two daughters (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them)) are present." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have been granted permission to migrate." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Will I accompany you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, you will accompany me." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then said "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for the migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price.".

Commentary :
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the closest friend to the Prophet ﷺ, and his companion in the migration. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was endowed with the greatest share of faith and belief compared to all Muslims, so much that had his faith been weighed against that of all people, his faith would have outweighed theirs.
This hadeeth underlines an aspect of the strength and genuineness of the relationship between the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet ﷺ frequently visited his friend Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the early days of Islam in Makkah. He ﷺ used to visit him either at sunrise or sunset. When Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ the permission to migrate from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, the Prophet ﷺ visited Aboo Bakr’s house at noon, and he ﷺ would not have visited him at such an unusual time except for an urgent and serious matter!
Given the seriousness and gravity of the situation, jeopardizing the lives of the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ asked to speak with him in private to inform him of the migration.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that only histwo daughters, namely ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them), were in the house. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ informed him that he ﷺ was granted the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah. Since Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) eagerly waited for that greatopportunity, he (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to accompany him during the journey, despite his knowledge of the gravity of the situation. The Prophet ﷺ granted him the permission to accompany him. In fact, he ﷺ had commanded him to remain in Makkah and did not grant him the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah earlier with the other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), so to accompany him when he would be granted the permission (from Allah, Exalted is He).
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had bought and prepared two she-camels for the Prophet ﷺ and himself for that journey.
When permission was granted to the Prophet ﷺ to migrate to Al-Madeenah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) offered one of the two she-camels to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it on the condition that he ﷺ pay him its price.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues and merits of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also deuced therefrom that the Prophet ﷺ keenly sought the benefit of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as he ﷺ refused to accept the she-camel without paying its price..

2140

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of goods by a town dweller on behalf of a desert dweller; and similarly, Najsh was forbidden, and one should not override someone’s sale by urging the buyer to return the goods to the seller so as to sell him his own goods (for a lower price); nor should one propose to a woman who has already been engaged to someone else; and a woman should not try to cause the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her.”.

Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that may lead to discord, hatred, and dishonesty among Muslims. Therefore, he ﷺ forbade a town dweller to sell goods on behalf of a desert dweller (or vice versa). This means that a desert dweller may not appoint a town or urban dweller to sell his commodity on his behalf in a given village or town for higher prices, acting as a broker and mediator in the sales transaction.
The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is that it best serves people’s interests; an urban dweller may sell the commodity for a higher price, but if the desert dweller sells his own goods, he may sell it for a lower price, and this would be more beneficial for people. Moreover, an urban dweller may harm the interests of the desert dweller, i.e., principal, and be a means of exposing him to deceit.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash (i.e., bidding to raise the price without intention to buy) to deceive others into buying a commodity for a higher price. The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is because it involves deceit and trickery of people.
He ﷺ also forbade overriding a sales transaction conducted by one’s fellow Muslim. For instance, one may offer a buyer of a given commodity to sell it to him for a lower price if he cancels the previous sale transaction after concluding it and before leaving the contract session, or during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time). The same ruling applies to overriding a seller’s salestransaction after its finalization, offering him a higher price for it and urging him to annul the other transaction.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade a Muslim from proposing to a woman who is already engaged to his fellow Muslim brother. This may happen when someone proposes to a woman, she proclaims her approval, and they agree on the Mahr (dower), but another man proposes to her before the conclusion of the marriage contract, offering her a bigger Mahr, for instance, or opting for other means to tempt her to accept his proposal.
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade a Muslim woman from causing the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her. This means that a woman must not urge her husband to divorce her co-wife to (get rid of her,) deprive her of him, and have him all for herself.
The version narrated by Aboo Daawood reads: “…and to marry him. She will have what is decreed for her,” meaning that she must not condition her marriage upon another woman’s divorce. She must not stipulate another woman’s divorce as a condition to her marriage withthis man. Rather, she should marry him (if she wishes) and the decrees of Allah, Exalted is He, for her would inevitably come to pass.
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2142

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

2143

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the sale called Bay‘ Al-Habalh, which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre- Islamic period of ignorance, whereby a man bought an unborn she-camel which was to be the offspring of an unborn she-camel!
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2150

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they reached the town or marketplace). Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices), and do not practice Najsh. A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller. Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal (i.e., being cheated into buying it) has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Saa‘ of dates or keeping it (i.e., for the milk).

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Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some of the transactions that result in fraud and deception in sales, and lead to incurring harm on the seller or the buyer. He ﷺ said: “Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they have reached the town or marketplace),” meaning do not go out to meet the trading caravan before traders arrive at the marketplace to sell their goods in different towns and they come to know their prices, because it harms the interests of the buyers, who may buy the goods for lower prices, and may also harm the town people who may have to buy the goods for higher prices.
The hadeeth goes on: “Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices),” meaning that someone should not urge a buyer to cancel his transaction during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both participants or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time) to sell him a better commodity for the same price or a lower price instead. The same ruling applies to urging a seller to cancel the transaction to buy it instead for a higher price.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash, meaning bidding to raise the price without intending to buy it, but merely to deceive others into buying it for a higher price.
The hadeeth goes on: “A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller,” meaning that a town dweller may not act as a broker or mediator and sell something on behalf of a desert dweller. The same goes for the case when a desert dweller appoints un urban dweller to sell his goods on his behalf.
The Prophet ﷺ added: “Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale,” to deceive the buyers into believing that they produce large amounts of milk. The Prophet ﷺ then clarified that if a buyer bought such sheep, and realized after milking them that the seller had tricked and cheated him, he is given the option either to keep the sheep and retain the sale, or return them to the seller, who had deceived him, along with a Saa‘ of dates in return for the milk.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may guide people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business and sales transactions.

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2157

Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I gave a pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messengerﷺ for to testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad is His Messenger, observe prayer perfectly, pay Zakaah, listen and obey (Allah's and His Prophet's commands), and be sincere with all Muslims.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ would take the pledge of allegiance from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they embraced Islam to verify their faith, and teach them the most important duties required of them after being guided to Islam.
In this hadeeth, Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he gave the pledge of allegiance and made a covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to proclaim that none is worthy of worship save Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. The implication of the two testimonies of faith is that when a servant of Allah proclaims them, he acknowledges Tawheed, i.e., unique Oneness of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He alone is worthy of worship, and also declares his faith in the Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullahﷺ, confirming such beliefs by his heart, believing in their meanings, and acting upon their implications. These are the testimonies that truly benefit a person in the Hereafter, helping him win Paradise and be delivered from Hellfire.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to observe the five obligatory prayers during the day and night, which are: Fajr, Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishaa’, at their respective specified times, while fulfilling their conditions, pillars, and duties. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to pay the Zakaah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship that is due on one’s Zakatable wealth that reaches the Nisaab (i.e., a specific amount set by the Laws of Islam) after the passage of a lunar year. In this case, the owner is required to pay 2.5 % of hissurplus wealth. This also applies to the Zakaah payable on the cattle, crops and agricultural produce, trade goods, and Rikaaz (i.e., buried treasures or minerals), each according to the specified Nisaab and time of payment set by the Laws of Islam. Paying the Zakaah to its eligible recipients is rewarded with having one’s wealth blessed and earning abundant rewards in the Hereafter. On the contrary, withholding Zakaah out of stinginess warrants serious consequences in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Zakaah is an act of worship that incorporates the fulfillment of the right Allah, Exalted is He, and the right of His servants; it is a religious obligation and one of the pillars of Islam, and it helps fulfill the needs of the needy and poor.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to hear and obey the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, reflected in his compliance with the commands and avoidance of the prohibitions.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by striving to benefit them, doing them good, and warding off evil from them by means of sayings and deeds. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ particularly made mention of one’s fellow Muslims in this context is due to it being theprevalent case, otherwise, it is required of Muslims to embody sincerity in their interactions with non-Muslims as well, by inviting them to Islam, and offering them the correct opinion when they seek their advice. Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) was singled out for pledging sincerity to his fellow Muslims, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) was the leader and chief of his people. He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in 10 A.H., embraced Islam, and his people followed in his footsteps. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ guided him to the importance of embodying sincerity toward his fellow Muslims, because he needed it the most.
It is deduced from the hadith that a Muslim is required to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by treating them nicely, and avoiding cunning, deceit, cheating and betrayal..

2165

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace."
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Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting business transactions to preserve people’s wealth and serve their best interests by laying down rules and principles that help them avoid potential ambiguity and deceit.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that incur harm on people and sow seeds of discord, enmity, and hatred. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade overriding the sales conducted by one’s fellow Muslims. This means that when someone concludes a sales transaction to buy a specific commodity for a certain price, no one should override their transaction by offering the buyer a similar commodity for a lower price. The same applies to the case when someone offers to buy a sold commodity for a higher price, urging the seller to annul the transaction, or to try buying a commodity from the seller after knowing that his fellow Muslim brother wanted to buy it and had already started negotiations with the seller.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade going out to meet with the trading caravans and buying the commodities from the traders before they arrived at the marketplaces, because this incurs harm on the buyer or people (at the marketplace); a seller may buy it for a lower price than what he would sell it in the marketplace, and a trader may buy all the goods of the caravan, monopolize them, and offer them at higher prices in the marketplace, and this would cause harm to people.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply the ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
It is also inferred therefrom that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2166

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace.
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Commentary :
Human beings are infused with an inclination to love what benefits them and do what best serves their personal interests even if it harms others, and therefore, the Laws of Islam provisions were prescribed to restrain the evil-enjoining self.
This hadeeth highlights the Laws of Islam provisions that refine human greed and keep it in check. ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they used to go out to meet with the trading caravans and buy foodstuff from the traders before they arrived at the marketplace, and resell the purchased commodities there before carrying them to the marketplaces. The Prophet ﷺ forbade them from reselling the purchased commodities in the purchase place and commanded them instead to carry the purchased goods to the marketplace and then resell them there.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it could be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell the purchased commodity before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
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2167

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places.
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Commentary :
Islam preserves the interests of the community, as well as the interests of individuals, and also takes into account the interests of people in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) related that the traders during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ used to go out to meet the trading caravans and buy foodstuff before they arrived at the marketplace, the place where sales transactionswere commonly conducted. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the traders from reselling the purchased foodstuff in the very place where they bought it (i.e., outside the marketplace) and commanded them to take it into their possession first and transfer it to the marketplace, because the aforementioned practice would lead to monopoly and price rises.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it can be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell it before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2175

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {… they said, ”rade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa (interest).} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches Muslims the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight”, meaning that gold may be sold for gold if the exchanged items are equal in weight, and the same goes for silver.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sales transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., the underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling, which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in the case of gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions as well.
Another requirement is Taqaabudh (i.e., immediate exchange and reciprocal taking possession of the purchased commodity and its monetary equivalent by the buyer and seller respectively in the contracting session). The immediate exchange of the two items in the contracting session is required, and it is impermissible to delay the submission of any of them, given the relevant hadeeths. It was reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A barter of gold for gold is Ribaa except if they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot) and are equal in amount.” This means that the two parties must exchange the two commodities on the spot before leaving the contracting session.
However, in the event of a barter of different commodities, like selling gold for silver for example, there may be a difference in weight. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like,” meaning that there is no harm if the exchanged commodities differ in weight in this case, provided that they are exchanged hand to hand in the contracting session; the Prophet ﷺ said: “If the exchanged commodities differ in kind, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand on the spot.” [Muslim].
It was also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “… and do not sell that (gold or silver) which is not present (at the time of the transaction) for that (gold or silver) which is present.” [Al-Bukhaaree]. This is to avoid falling into Ribaa Al-Nasee’ah, which is an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment.
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2177

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa; and do not sell silver for silver unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa and do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present.”
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {…they said, “Trade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa.} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight,” meaning that the two exchanged commodities must be equal in weight; twenty grams of gold may not be sold for thirty grams of gold for example, and such increase is labelled as Ribaa. The same goes for silver and paper money (i.e., currency exchange).
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “… do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present,” meaning do not sell gold or silver to be delivered at a deferred time for an immediate payment (of gold or silver) made at the contracting session.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sale transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions.
There are two conditions stipulated for the validity of the sale (exchange) of similar commodities: being equal in weight, and immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session. If the exchanged commodities are dissimilar, e.g., gold for silver or the other way round, but the ‘Illah is the same, i.e., being used as currency, the requirement of being equal in weight is no longer stipulated, yet the immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session is required. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…if the exchanged commodities of a barter are dissimilar, sell as you wish as long as they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot).” [Muslim].
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2178

Aboo Saalih Al-Zaiyaat narrated:
I heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) saying, "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." I said to him, "Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) does not say the same!" Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "I asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ or seen it in the Quran and he replied, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I, but Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Prophet ﷺ had said, 'There is no Riba (in money exchange) except when it is not done hand to hand (i.e., in the event of a deferred payment).'”
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Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)sometimes held different opinions regarding certain issues, but they abided by the due Islamic etiquette of disagreement that the Prophet ﷺ taught them, complied with the correct opinion supported by authentic evidence, and gladly gave up their personal opinions and adhered to the truth whenever it was verified.
In this Hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat stated that he heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) declaring Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., exchange or sales transactions in trade which effectively result in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of the same commodity, but of a different quality or quantity) when trading in Dinar and Dirham. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." This means that it is impermissible to sell one Dinar for more than one Dinar (of gold) of equal weight and value, and similarly it is impermissible to sell one Dirham (of silver) for more than one Dirham of equal weight and value. In the event of a barter of gold or silver, the exchanged commodities must be equal in weight and value, and such excess is Ribaa.
Ribaa Al-Fadhl means the sale of currency for currency or food for food which effectively results in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of similar commodities, but of a different quality or quantity, and it is prohibited. The Laws of Islam stipulated its prohibition in six categories of commodity; this hadeeth made mention of two of them, namely, gold and silver, and the six categories were defined in a different hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Gold may be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, salt by salt, like by like, provided that the payment is made hand to hand. If these classes differ (i.e., the exchange of dissimilar commodities), sell as you wish as long as the payment is made on the spot.”
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all commodities that share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver, and being weighted or measured and a type of food in case of the other four categories.
The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat said to him that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) did not declare that unlawful. He (may Allah be pleased with him) held that the exchanged commodities need not be equal in weight and value, and that it is permissible to sell one Dirham for two Dirhams. Thereupon, Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he had asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether or not he had heard it directly from the Prophet ﷺ or deduced it from the Quran. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that he had not heard it from the Prophet ﷺ nor did he inferit from the Quran, and said, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I,” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was younger than the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).Otherwise the correct criterion is narrating more hadeeths of the Prophet ﷺ, and Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) more hadeeths and acquired knowledge of more Fiqh issues (Islamic jurisprudence) than many other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
Afterward, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) underlined the wisdom behind holding this view, stating that he had heard it from Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them), who informed him that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah (i.e., on credit).” Thereupon, he (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that anything else is essentially permissible.
Ribaa Al-Nasee'ah means an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment, and it was practiced in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. It has also been said that the meaning of his saying, “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah,” is that it is the worst kind of Ribaa, or that ruling may be abrogated. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) retreated from his opinion in this regard.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a Muslim should offer sincere advice to anyone who makes a mistake, even if he is a pious and knowledgeable person.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is conceivable that an individual Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) may commit a mistake.
It is also deduced therefrom that a scholar may engage in a debate with another scholar, ask him to explain his saying, and convince him to abide by the unanimous opinion of the scholars on the matter.
It is inferred that a younger scholar should acknowledge the knowledge of those endowed with more knowledge.
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2180

Aboo Al-Minhaal narrated:
I asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib and Zayd ibn Arqam about money exchange (i.e., currency exchange). Each of them said about the other, "He is better (i.e., more knowledgeable) than I," and both of them said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of silver for gold on credit. "
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2183

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not sell date fruits until they become free of all the dangers of being spoilt or blighted; and do not sell fresh dates for dry ones." Narrated Saalim and ‘Abdullah on the authority of Zayd ibn Thaabit: “Later on Allah's Messengerﷺ permitted the selling of ripe date fruits on trees for fresh dates or dried dates in Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyah (i.e., a sale deal of fruit-on-the trees, usually dates, in which some trees in the garden are not part of the sale deal but are sold by the owner to a poor person who can exchange fresh fruits of these trees for dry dates, for his household consumption and not for resale, and this type of deal is an exception to the general law of sale which prohibits exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones), and did not allow it for any other kind of sale."
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Commentary :
Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between the sellers and the buyers are among the objectives of the Laws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between the buyers and sellers.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling only the unpicked fruits or dates (rather than the fruits and trees altogether) before they appear fully ripe and ready for consumption, by becomingred or yellow or showing any other sign of ripeness. This is because when the fruits ripen, they become safe from potential loss or defects due to pests that may destroy or reduce the yield. In fact, the prohibition of such a sales transaction serves the best interests of both the buyer and seller. It benefits a seller, because the price paid for the unripe fruits is lower; he could sell them for a higher price if he waits until they are fully ripe. Therefore, hastening to sell the unripe crops may cause him to miss out on obtaining more earnings,by his hastening to make small profits (rather than waiting to make big ones), which implies a waste of wealth. Moreover, the unripe fruits may go bad and spoil before they ripen, and thus a seller would have unlawfully devoured the wealth of his Muslim brother. It also benefits the buyer, because when he buys the unripe fruits, he may lose his money if the quality of the purchased fruits turns out to be less than what was expected, and thus he would be risking the loss of his money. In addition, there is another benefit accruing to both parties, for the prohibition of this sale eliminates potential disputes and discord that may be caused between them were the sold fruits to go bad and spoil.
The Prophet ﷺ also forbade the Muzaabanah sale, a transaction in which the owner of fruit trees or palm trees agrees to sell his fruit for an estimated equivalent measure of dried fruits, such as palm fruit for dates or grapes for raisins.
Zayd bin Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ had later deemed allowable one form of this sale, namely, Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated amount of picked and ripe fruits on the ground based on dry measurement), and had not deemed any other form of such sales allowable. Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah is a sale whereby the owner of an orchard grants a poor person, who has no palm trees of his own nor cash to buy fresh dates for his household consumption, the (fresh) dates of his palm tree in return for a payment of surplus dry dates. This poor person and the owner makea barter of the fresh dates of one or two palm trees for instance, for an estimated measure of the poor person’s surplus date fruits he had left, to avail himself of fresh dates like those who could afford buying them. The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Aaraiyah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s..

656

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah reported: ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone. I sat in front of him, and he said: "O son of my brother, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night, and whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night.'".

Commentary : Allah Almighty multiplied the reward for the congregation prayer until it surpassed the prayer offered individually by twenty-seven degrees, and its merit increases if it is offered during the night, given its closeness to sincerity to Allah Almighty. Indeed, it is one of the greatest acts aimed at getting close to Allah.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i (the generation after the Companions) ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi ‘Amrah relates that ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque after the Maghrib prayer and sat alone waiting for the time of ‘Ishā’ prayer to come so that he would offer it in congregation. ‘Abdur-Rahmān said: "I sat in front of him." It is as if he sat to learn from him and ask him about the reason for his sitting and waiting. So, ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "O son of my brother." He meant the brotherhood of Islam, not that of blood. "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever performs the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for half the night." In other words, he will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship from the early part of the night to its middle and spends this time in prayer and dhikr (remembrance of Allah). "And whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for the whole night." He will obtain a reward like one who engages in worship all night long and spends this time in prayer and dhikr. So, the reward for offering the Fajr prayer in congregation is double the reward for offering the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation, which indicates that getting up for the Fajr prayer is more meritorious than getting up for the ‘Ishā’ prayer. This is because the Fajr prayer is harder and more difficult for the performer and more tough for the devil. Indeed, he who goes to sleep and then gets up finds it harder than one who wants to sleep. Or it means that each of them equals half of the night, and together they amount to one night. So, whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation, it is as if he has prayed for all the night, as related in a version by Abu Dāwūd and At-Tirmidhi: "Whoever attends the ‘Ishā’ prayer in congregation obtains the reward of praying for half the night, and whoever offers the ‘Ishā’ and Fajr prayers in congregation obtains the reward of praying for one night." In any case, this urges and encourages the regular observance of the Fajr and ‘Ishā’ prayers in congregation. This particular merit afforded to them may be because of the hardship involved in attending the mosques to pray them, like the darkness and the fact that in those times people usually take rest, most likely sleep, or spend private time with their families.
The Hadīth indicates that some prayers are characterized by a certain merit not shared with other prayers..

657

Jundub ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever performs the Fajr prayer is under the protection of Allah; so, let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection; and so, He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.".

Commentary : One of the best signs of faith is the strict observance of the obligatory prayers. Allah Almighty affords great merit to those who persistently observe these prayers.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever performs the Fajr prayer in congregation - as reported in the version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj - "is under the protection of Allah," i.e., under His safety and guarantee. He singled out the Fajr prayer from all the other prayers due to the hardship involved in its performance and because only those with sincere faith can perform it persistently; they, therefore, deserve to be under the protection, safety, and guarantee of Allah Almighty.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So let Allah not call you to account regarding anything of His protection, or else He will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire." The prohibition here pertains to what entails accountability for violating Allah's guarantee and protection. The Prophet's words here have one of two possible meanings: First: Whoever performs the Fajr prayer obtains a guarantee from Allah. So, no one should harm or oppress him. Whoever oppresses or harms him, Allah will call him to account regarding His protection. Second: Do not abandon the Fajr prayer, lest the guarantee between you and your Lord will be violated, and so He will call you to account regarding it. Whoever does so, Allah will seize him and throw him upon his face in Hellfire.
In the Hadīth: Urging the performance of the Fajr prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the great bounty of Allah and His vast mercy towards this Ummah, as He prescribed an immense reward for the Fajr prayer
And in it: Clarifying Allah's revenge against those who harm His pious servants
And in it: Demonstrating that nothing on the earth or in heaven escapes the power of Allah, and if He wants to exact revenge upon anyone, he cannot escape Him.

660

Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited us, and there was no one other than me, my mother, and my maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. He said: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." It was not a time of prayer, he proceeded to lead us in prayer. A man said to Thābit: "Where did he make Anas stand with him?" He said: "He made him stand to his right." Then, he supplicated for us, the members of the household, with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. My mother said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant; supplicate Allah for him." He said: He supplicated for me with all goodness, and the last of his supplication for me was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him.".

Commentary : One of the things urged and encouraged by Islam is to accept invitations, for this displays brotherliness and cordiality among the Muslims. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) built a good relationship with his Companions, and he used to visit them in their houses so as to teach them and supplicate for them.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid a visit to them in their house, and there was none but he and his mother - ’Umm Sulaym - and his maternal aunt ’Umm Harām. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Stand up so that I will lead you in prayer." This was not a time for an obligatory prayer. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would like the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to pray for them in their houses, in pursuit of blessing. So, he led them in a two-Rak‘ah voluntary prayer. Thereupon, a man asked Thābit al-Bunāni, who narrated from Anas: Where did Anas stand while he was praying with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and on which side did he make him stand? He told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made him stand on his right side, for when one person prays behind an Imām, he should stand to his right; whereas the women stand in a row behind both of them.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for the family of Anas with all goodness in this world and the Hereafter. The mother of Anas said: "O Messenger of Allah, here is your little servant" i.e., your boy who serves you. She said "your little servant" by way of gentleness and appeasement, not belittlement. Hence, she said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "supplicate Allah for him." She probably made this request so that his supplication for him would be compensation for him in return for his kindness to you by extending service for a long time. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) granted her request and supplicated for him with all goodness, and the last supplication he made was: "O Allah, increase his wealth and children and bless them for him." Anas found the blessing of the Prophet's supplication in his wealth and children. He was the wealthiest person among the Ansār, and he saw lots of children descending from him. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri, he said: "Indeed, I am one of the richest among the Ansār and my daughter ’Umaynah told me that when Al-Hajjāj came to Basra, more than 120 of my offspring had been buried." In a version by Muslim: "and my children and grandchildren are more than one hundred today."
The Hadīth contains supplication for the increase of wealth and children.
It comprises supplication for goodness in this world and the Hereafter, for all this lies in the Hand of Allah Almighty.
And it includes preferring one's child over oneself; and making requests in a gentle manner..

663

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: There was a man from the Ansār whose house was the farthest house in Madīnah, and he would not miss the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: We felt bad for him, and I said to him: "O so and so, if you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand and shield you from the vermin of the earth." He said: "By Allah, I do not like that my house be close to the house of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: I was troubled by that and came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and told him. He said: He sent for him, and he said the same to him and mentioned that he hoped for a reward for his steps. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for.".

Commentary : The Companions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were the most keen among people on doing good, and they would constantly look for deeds that increased their rewards with Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that there was a man from the Prophet's Companions from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - and it is mentioned in Musnad that he was the cousin of ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with both of them), whose house was the farthest house from the Prophet's Mosque. Despite the remoteness of his house, he would not miss the prayer in the mosque with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) felt pity for him for the hardship and tiredness he would go through while coming and going back. So, they said to him: If you buy a donkey, it will shield you from the heat of the scorching sand; and it will shield you from the vermin of the earth. Vermin is a term that refers to creatures with lethal poison, like serpents, and it may also refer to creatures that are not to be killed, such as insects.
He swore by Allah to them that he would not like his house to be adjacent to the Prophet's house; rather, he liked that it be far away from it, so that his reward would increase with the increase of steps he would take from his house to the mosque. He did not intend to negate his love for being close to the house of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) out of hatred for him, but in the hope of a greater reward with the increase of those steps. ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) assumed by his statement that he meant hatred for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I was troubled by that" i.e., I found that to be grave and was distressed by it, given the repugnance and horridness of what he said and its evil connotation, namely that he hated the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In a version by Ahmed, he said: "I have not heard a statement about him more hateful to me than it." ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) interpreted his statement wrongly and thought ill of it because Madīnah abounded with hypocrites at the time, and they were keen to live away from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b came to the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him about what this man said. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent for him, and he said the same to him as he said to ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b, and he mentioned to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that what made him say so was that he hoped for and pursued reward and recompense from Allah for his walking. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You will have what you hoped for", i.e., Allah Almighty will give you the reward for your steps which you took for the sake of Allah, Exalted be He, and kept in store with Him. Hoping for reward means that one performs a deed for the sake of Allah and thereby seeks recompense and reward from Allah.
The Hadīth points out the merit of walking to the mosques..

664

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that their houses were situated far from the mosque, as they lived on the outskirts of Madīnah. These are the dwellings of Banu Salamah, a group of the Ansār. They wanted to sell these dwellings, given their remoteness, and buy dwellings close to the mosque, seeking to be the neighbors of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from that and explained to them the reward of which they didn't know. He said to them: "With every step there is a degree for you." When your house is more distant from the mosque, every step you take brings a high rank in Paradise, and the more steps you take, the greater the reward. Thus, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged them to stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in a Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated", i.e., that parts of Madīnah become empty of people and houses. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth shows the Prophet's concern about his Ummah and his keenness to direct them to what is good and to make the best use of it..

665

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The area around the mosque became empty. So, Banu Salimah wanted to move near the mosque. News of this reached the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he said to them: "I was told that you want to move near the mosque." They said: "Yes, O Messenger of Allah, we want to." Thereupon, he said: "O Banu Salimah, your houses, your footsteps are recorded; your houses, your footsteps are recorded.".

Commentary : Taking many steps to the mosque is one of the greatest means of reward. The more distant the mosque and the more steps are taken to it, the greater the reward.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the area around the Prophet's Mosque became empty; "so, Banu Salimah wanted" [some of it]. Banu Salimah was a group of the Ansār, and their houses were far away from the Prophet's Mosque, located behind Mount Sal’, west of Madīnah. They wanted to move and stay close to the Prophet's Mosque, thus becoming neighbors to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was told about that. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I was told." In other words, your news reached me "that you want" and desire "to move near the mosque." They replied: Yes, we desire to do that, O Messenger of Allah. "We want to." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "O Banu Salimah, your houses." That is: Stay at your houses and remain therein and do not move from there. "Your footsteps are recorded." That is: Your steps to the mosque are recorded. You gain a reward for the steps you take to the mosque. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement once again: "Your houses, your footsteps are recorded." This was to urge and encourage them to obey his command and stay in their houses and not leave them. As related in another Hadīth reported by Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked that Madīnah be vacated." In other words, parts of Madīnah become vacated. So, by staying in their places, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the areas of Madīnah to be inhabited, so that the Muslims would seem large in number in the eyes of the hypocrites and polytheists, thus frightening them and showing toughness towards them. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not explicitly say it to them; he only mentioned to them the clear benefit, which would encourage them to agree and prompt them to stay at their houses.
The Hadīth highlights the merit of walking to the mosques..

671

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The places that are dearest to Allah are the mosques, and the places that are most hateful to Allah are the markets.".

Commentary : Places vary in terms of goodness and evilness. The mosques are places where Allah's mercy and grace descend. By contrast, markets are the places of the devil's acts of greed and heedlessness.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions that the mosques are the dearest places to Allah Almighty, for they are houses of worship and dhikr and are founded on fear from Allah Almighty. In them, the Qur’an is recited, knowledge is disseminated, the believers get together, the rituals of the religion are displayed, and the angels attend. Also, Allah attributed them to Himself, by way of honor and extolment, saying: {The mosques are for Allah alone.} [Surat al-Jinn: 18]
He also said that the markets are the most hateful places to Allah Almighty, for they witness a lot of false swearing, cheating and deception, heedlessness from the remembrance of Allah Almighty, breaking promises, and impolite treatment, as well as other similar things. Love for the mosques means love for the pious acts that take place therein and hate for the markets means hate for the sins and misdeeds committed therein.
Love and hate are two of Allah's attributes that are established for Him by the Qur’an and the Sunnah in their apparent meanings and in the way that befits the majesty of Allah Almighty, as He established them for Himself without comparison or denial.
The Hadīth urges us to go to the mosques and frequent them in pursuit of Allah's love and pleasure, and to go to the markets less frequently and only when it is needed, so that we can keep away from Allah's dislike and avoid the means leading to His hatred and punishment..

672

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If there are three persons, let one of them be their Imām, and the worthiest among them for being Imām is their best reciter.".

Commentary : Prayer is a Tawqīfi act of worship, which we must perform as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught it to us. He clarified to us its obligations, Sunnahs, and its etiquette, including the one who is more worthy of leading the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that if there are three or more people, they should choose one of them to lead the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined that so that no difference, conflict, or dispute should happen among them. Imām here refers to the leader in prayer, as demonstrated by the last part of the Hadīth, as he said: "and the most entitled among them to be the Imām is their best reciter" who is most among them in memorizing the Qur'an and the best in understanding it. In another version by Muslim: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of them in the Book of Allah." So, if there are a group of people qualified to lead the prayer, the best reciter of the Qur'an among them is the worthiest of being the Imām, by virtue of this merit in him. Hence, if they memorize the entire Qur'an, the one of them who recites it in the most perfect, accurate, and measured manner should be given precedence, for he is the best reciter compared to them. And it is preferred that he should be the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them and the most knowledgeable about the Sunnah and its rulings.
It may be understood from the apparent meaning of the Hadīth that the group concerning the prayer should not be less than three persons. But, what is indicated by the Sunnah is that the group can also consist of two persons, with one of them being the Imām for the other.
The Hadīth shows the merit of he who is the best in reciting the Qur'an, for he is the worthiest of leading the prayer..

673

Abu Mas‘ūd al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. If they are equal in terms of the recitation, then the one most knowledgeable about the Sunnah among them; if they are equal regarding the Sunnah, then the earliest one among them to have emigrated; if they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam. No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority or sit in his special place in his house without his permission.” [In another version] "age" is reported in place of "embracing Islam"..

Commentary : Congregational prayer in mosques occupies a high status and brings a great reward. The Shariah regulated this prayer and arranged the rows behind the Imām (prayer leader), so that the worshipers can be in orderliness and mental and physical discipline during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs the Muslims on how to choose a prayer leader if they are a group of people, stating that the one who should lead the people in prayer is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them. There is a difference of opinion regarding the meaning intended by "the best reciter". It was said: It means the best of them in recitation and the most knowledgeable about its rulings, even if he is the least among them in terms of memorization. Another view says: It means the best memorizer of the Qur’an among them, for he regarded recitation as the basis for leading people in prayer and gave it precedence over all the other characteristics mentioned along with it. And another view says: It means the most knowledgeable, for if you consider the conditions of the Companions, you will find that the most knowledgeable among them is the best reciter among them. Thus, the Prophet's words, "the best reciter of the Book of Allah among them," mean: the most knowledgeable among them.
If they are equal in terms of the acceptable level of recitation, memorization, and mastery, then it's the most knowledgeable of the Sunnah among them; that is: the one who possesses the best understanding of it and the most knowledgeable about the rulings related to the prayer and the Prophet's Sunnah concerning it. If the Imām is ignorant of the prayer's rulings and what may arise during its performance, like forgetfulness and addition or omission, he will spoil it.
If they are equal in all the foregoing, the earliest one to have emigrated should be given precedence. Emigration means leaving the land of disbelief to the land of Islam. Thus, the one who moves from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam earlier is worthier in leading the prayer than the one who does so later. It was said: He is given precedence either because being earlier in emigration is an honor that entails precedence, or because he who emigrates earlier is usually more knowledgeable than the one who emigrates later. It was said: The emigration associated with the precedence in prayer leadership is not intended to particularly refer to the Hijrah during the Prophet's lifetime, but it is the emigration that does not cease until the Day of Judgment, which is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by An-Nasā’i: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Hijrah will not cease so long as the disbelievers are being fought." That is, it is enduring until the Day of Judgment.
If they are equal in terms of emigration, then the earliest one among them to have embraced Islam takes precedence. In another version, "age" is reported in place of "accepting Islam". In other words, if they are equal in all the foregoing - in knowledge, recitation, and emigration - and one of them excels the others by virtue of embracing Islam earlier or being older in age, he is given precedence because this is a merit that affords precedence.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No man should lead another man in prayer where the latter has authority." This is his place where he alone assumes authority, a place he owns, or a place where he gives judgment. So, the owner of a place is worthier. He can step forward, if he wills, or choose someone else to lead, if he wills. This is his dominion, and he can dispose as he wishes in it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade that a man should sit in another man's house in his special place - which is reserved for him and intended to honor him, like a mat and so on - unless he is granted permission. This prohibition pertains to sitting in the special place of a man in his house. This is because the place where the head of a household sits is usually the location for certain things not liked to be seen by others, or that it overlooks his entire house or the parts he wants to see; thus, he can follow the conditions of the members of his household and tell them whatever he wants. So, if he gives permission to someone to sit in that place, this indicates that the place is free in terms of all these aspects.
The Hadīth demonstrates the order to be observed in stepping forward to lead people in prayer.
It also indicates that prayer leadership is one of the important things in the religion. Hence, the lawgiver enjoined that it should be undertaken by the most proficient person.
It also states that the head of a household is worthier than others in leading the prayer therein.
It also states that no one should sit in the place reserved for the head of the house without his permission.
It also highlights the superiority of immigrants over others..

679

Khufāf ibn Īmā’ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ and then raised his head and said: "May Allah forgive Ghifār; may Allah make Aslam peaceful; ‘Usayyah disobeyed Allah and His Messenger; O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." Then, he fell prostrating. Khufāf said: Invoking a curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to draw close to Allah by supplication under every condition. This includes the supplication of Qunūt which he would make during the prayer.
In this Hadīth, Khufāf ibn Īmā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed in Rukū‘ during his prayer, and when he raised his head from Rukū‘ in the last Rak‘ah - as related in the version by Ahmad - and before he went down for prostration, he stood for supplication. Part of what he said in his supplication was to supplicate for the tribe of Ghifār and the tribe of Aslam, two of the Arab tribes. He said about Ghifār: "may Allah forgive Ghifār". He supplicated so that Allah forgives Ghifār for their heinous acts during Jāhiliyyah. About Aslam, he said: "may Allah make Aslam peaceful". He supplicated so that Allah Almighty makes peace with Aslam and does not command war be waged against them. This may also be information that Allah Almighty forgave the tribe of Ghifār and made peace with Aslam and prevented war against them.
About the tribe of ‘Usayyah, he said that they "disobeyed Allah and His Messenger", as they entered a treaty with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This gives the sense of complaining about them and it entails supplication against them to be disgraced for their disobedience, not supplication for them to disobey.
Then, he supplicated against some neighborhoods in the tribe of Banu Sulaym, saying: "O Allah, curse Banu Lihyān and curse Ri‘l and Dhakwān." This is because they disobeyed Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and acted treacherously towards his noble Companions, killing the reciters whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent to them to teach them their religion. Then, when he finished his supplication, he fell prostrating.
Thereafter, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stopped supplicating against them when Allah Almighty revealed the verse that reads: {It is not for you [O Prophet] to decide} [Surat Āl ‘Imrān: 128] as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. This noble verse was a sign to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that Allah Almighty might guide those people to Islam.
It was not the habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to supplicate against the polytheists in every situation. Rather, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was most merciful and compassionate towards them. But, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would sometimes supplicate against them when their violence and harm increased and grew and at other times he would supplicate for them when no trouble was feared from them and it was hoped they could win their hearts and embrace Islam.
Khufāf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Invoking curse upon the disbelievers was permitted because of that," i.e., supplication against the disbelievers was adopted and became legitimate because of this act by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his invocation of a curse upon those disbelieving tribes. So, if they attack the Muslims, they should be supplicated against, in line with the Prophet's example.
The Hadīth demonstrates a merit and good characteristic for both Aslam and Ghifār..

680

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We stopped for rest along with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and did not awake till the sun rose. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Each man should take hold of his mount's head, for this is a place where the devil has visited us." He said: We did accordingly. Then, he asked for water and performed ablution and then offered two prostrations - [In a version] Then, he prayed two prostrations - Then, the Iqāmah for prayer was pronounced and he performed the morning prayer..

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in the Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were on a journey with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they stopped at a place in the latter part of the night for rest and sleep and did not wake up till the rise of the sun, whose heat awakened them; as in a Hadīth reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Consequently, they missed the Fajr prayer. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) woke up, he said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "Each man should take hold of his mount's head" i.e., hold the bridle of his mount and get out of this place; "for this is a place where the devil has visited us." And he caused them to be heedless of the time of prayer in this place, and it is as if he was still around them with this heedlessness. So, by their departure from this place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to turn away from the devil. They complied with the Prophet's command and got out of their place, and then they proceeded on the way for a while. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water, performed ablution, "and then offered two prostrations". And in a version: "Then, he prayed two prostrations" i.e., he performed two Rak‘ahs, in return for the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer. Then, the Iqāmah was pronounced for the obligatory prayer. "and he performed the morning prayer", which is the Fajr prayer.
The Hadīth mentions making up for the regular supererogatory prayer.
It indicates that the Fajr prayer is also known as the morning prayer.
It also urges avoidance of the places where the devil is present..

681

Abu Qatādah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed us and said: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening and night. Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow." So, the people proceeded without paying any heed to one another. Abu Qatādah said: "As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight, and I was by his side, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dozed off and leaned (to one side) of his camel. I went to him and lent him support without waking him up until he sat upright on his riding mount. He went on traveling until a major part of the night was over and he leaned (to one side) of his camel. I supported him without waking him up until he sat upright on his mount. Then, he traveled until it was near dawn. Then, he leaned, but far more than the two earlier leanings, and he was about to fall. So, I went to him and supported him, and he lifted his head and said: 'Who is this?' I said: 'It is Abu Qātadah.' He said: 'How long have you been traveling along with me like this?' I said: 'I have been traveling in this very state since the night.' He said: 'May Allah guard you as you have guarded His Prophet.' Then, he said: 'Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?' Then, he said: 'Do you see anyone?' I said: 'Here is a rider.' I again said: 'Here is another rider, until we gathered together, and we were seven riders.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepped aside off the road and placed his head and then said: 'Guard our prayers for us.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, and the rays of the sun were falling on his back. We got up startled. He said: 'Ride on.' So, we rode on until the sun had risen. He then dismounted and called for a jug of water which I had with me. There was a little water in it. He performed ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, and some water was left. Then, he said to Abu Qatādah: 'Keep for us your jug of water; it will have a word.' Thereafter, Bilāl made the Adhān (call for prayer), and then the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observed two Rak‘ahs and then observed the Fajr prayer as he did every day. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode on and we rode along with him, and some of us whispered to the others saying: 'What is the expiation for the negligence we committed in our prayers?' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Is there not in me a role model for you? There is no negligence in sleeping. Negligence is not observing the prayer until the time of the next prayer comes. So, whoever does this should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it, and on the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time.' Then, he said: 'What do you think the people would do (at this hour) when they would not find their Prophet with them in the morning. Abu Bakr and ‘Umar said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you, and he does not leave you behind.’ Other people said: ‘The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is ahead of you.’ So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path.' We proceeded on until we came up to the people (from whom we had lagged behind), and the sun had considerably risen, and everything became hot, and they said: 'O Messenger of Allah, we are dying, we are thirsty.' Whereupon, he said: 'You will not die (of thirst).' And he then said: 'Bring that small cup of mine.' Then, he asked for the jug of water to be brought to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water, and Abu Qatādah gave them water to drink. When the people saw that there was water in the jug, they gathered in crowds around it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Behave well in your gathering; you will drink to your fill.' They complied. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fill (the cup), and I would serve them until no one was left except me and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He then filled (the cup) with water and said to me: 'Drink it.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink.' He said: 'The server of the people is the last among them to drink.' So, I drank, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also drank, and the people came to the place of water quite happy and satiated." ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh said: "As I was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn said: 'Consider, O young man, how you narrate, for I was one of the riders in that night.' I said: 'So, you must know this Hadīth well.' He said: 'Who are you?' I said: 'I am one of the Ansār.' Thereupon, he said: 'You narrate, for you know your Hadīths better.' I, therefore, narrated it to the people. Then, ‘Imrān said: 'I was also present that night, but I do not know anyone who memorized it the way I memorized it.'".

Commentary : Prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, and it enjoys particular significance in Shariah. Allah Almighty appointed specific times for its performance, and whoever misses the appointed time should make up for the missed prayer and not leave it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) addressed the army which he led, saying: "You will proceed with your journey in the evening." This extends from midday to sunset, the latter part of the daytime, (and night), which means: You will go out on the path of your journey in the evening and proceed with your journey throughout the night. "Then, you will come to a place of water, Allah Willing, tomorrow," i.e., they would reach the water in the morning. His words, Allah Willing, point to the Prophet's compliance with this command of Allah Almighty: {And never say about anything: "I will surely do this tomorrow," without adding: "if Allah wills."} [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] So, he would say "Allah Willing" in any future matter. When the people heard his words, they proceeded fast with their travel without paying any heed to one another. In other words, they did not pay attention or turn toward one another. Rather, each person was walking alone and not paying heed to the company, caring for himself in pursuing and reaching the water. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) traveled until it was midnight," i.e., it was the middle of the night and darkness accumulated; or a major part of the night did pass and one-third of it was remaining. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was by his side. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started dozing off
- the beginning of sleep - as he moved. He began to lean and almost fell off his mount. Meanwhile, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) would support him to help him sit upright and not fall. He did all that without awakening the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that a number of times, and this happened when a major part of the night was over. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) kept supporting him so that he would not fall off his riding animal." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on traveling, and when it was near dawn, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leaned so heavily that he almost fell. So, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and lent him support, like a bolster under him. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got up from his sleep, raised his head, and asked: Who is this one who is helping me? Abu Qatādah replied that it was him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: Since when? Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he kept guarding and supporting him from the first time he slept during that night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated that may Allah guard him as he guarded His Messenger. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see that we are out of the sight of the people?" In other words, have we delayed and lagged behind them? This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), due to his drowsiness, was not aware of how much he lagged behind the army. This also indicates that no one was with him except Abu Qatādah. It was the Prophet's habit to travel at the rear of the army to show leniency towards the army, carry the weak, and prod those who lag behind. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Do you see anyone?" Based on that, he wanted to determine whether to move faster with his mount or at the same pace. Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: Here is a rider, and here is another rider. This means that they were catching up with the army personnel, one after another. They gathered together until they became seven in number. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from the road - lest they may be harmed by any vermin moving therein - and headed, along with those with him, for sleep, and he placed his head. The version narrated by Al-Bukhāri pointed out that the Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepping aside was at the request of some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "I fear you may oversleep and fail to perform the prayer." Bilāl said: "I will wake you all up. So, lie down."
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Guard our prayers for us," i.e., its time. This refers to the Fajr prayer. Do not fail to perform it due to sleep. They felt sleepy and lay down. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fell into a deep sleep, and they did not wake up for the Fajr prayer. "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the first to wake up, while the rays of the sun were falling on his back." This indirectly indicates that it was the heat of the sun that awakened him. Abu Qatādah said: "We got up startled." They were startled because they missed the Fajr prayer due to sleep. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to ride their mounts before making up for the Fajr prayer. He mentioned in a version narrated by Muslim and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the reason behind their departure from the place before praying is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is a place where the devil visited us." They proceeded until they went out of that place and kept moving until the sun had risen. In another version narrated by Muslim and reported by ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him): "until the sun shone brightly", i.e., it went high, and its yellowness or redness disappeared. The intended meaning: The extent to which the sun goes high with which prayer after sunrise ceases to be disliked. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) dismounted and called for a jug of water, which was with Abu Qatādah and contained a little water. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used its water for performing ablution which was less thorough than his usual ablutions, i.e., a moderate ablution, given the shortage of water. He did not perform ablution thoroughly as usual. Or that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted the one-time approach in its performance and did not pour a lot of water, for he wanted to keep some of it so that his blessing and his miraculous act would appear therein. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to Abu Qatādah: "Keep for us your jug of water" and the water it contains. "It will have a word." i.e., momentous news or a miracle in the future - the blessing that would come to the people.
Then, Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) made the Adhān for the missed prayer. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) first performed the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer and then the obligatory Fajr prayer as a missed prayer. His prayer was the same as the prayers he would perform every day at their appointed times, with no difference between his performance of prayer at the appointed time and his performance of it as a missed prayer. After the prayer was over, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode his mount, and so did the people, and they went out traveling on their way. But they began to whisper to one another in a low voice, saying: "What is the expiation for our negligence towards our prayers?" They feared the sin and the penalty for that. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard their words, seeking to comfort them amid their grief over missing the Fajr prayer, he said: "Is there not in me a role model for you?" In other words, an example to imitate and follow. This seems to indicate that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted them to understand that their performance of the prayer as a missed prayer is an expiation for missing it. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no negligence in sleeping," and no neglect in missing the prayer because a sleeping person has no choice. Rather, neglect and sin are upon a wakeful person who fails to perform a prayer - intentionally and out of neglect and lethargy - until the time of the next prayer comes. "So, whoever does this" - i.e., he oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer until its time elapses - "should observe the prayer when he becomes aware of it" - i.e., after he wakes up - "and in the next day, he should observe the prayer at its prescribed time." In other words, he should not delay the prayer beyond its usual time. This does not mean that he should perform the missed prayer twice, one time at that moment and another time the next day.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked those present with him: "'What do you think the people have done?" He meant the front part of the army and those who went ahead of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was inquiring about their condition since the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) unusually lagged behind them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered his question and informed those with him that Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are saying to the people: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is behind you;" i.e., he is after you and lagging behind you and has not come yet, for he would not "leave you behind, i.e., he would not go ahead of you and leave you behind. They meant to ask the people to wait for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) until he could catch up with them. Some others said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went ahead of us. Thus, they were asking the people to proceed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, if they obey Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, they will follow the right path" because they are right and correct, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in the state Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) talked about.
Thereafter, Abu Qatādah informed that they reached the front of the army in which Abu Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were, as "the sun had considerably risen" - i.e., the sun went high - "and everything became hot;" i.e., the heat became severe. Everyone was suffering from exhaustion and hardship, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, we are dying" - i.e., from the hot weather - "and thirsty" due to the lack of water. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reassured them that they will not die. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring that small cup of mine," i.e., untie my luggage, take my small cup out of it, and bring it to me. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for the jug of water which was with Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to pour water into the jug, while Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them water to drink. When the people saw that a lot of water was coming out of the jug, they gathered in crowds around it to drink and store water from it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Behave well;" that is, be good in manners and dealing with one another as you drink. He gave them good news that they would all quench their thirst and drink from that water. So, do not act badly by jostling and pushing. They complied with the Prophet's command. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued to pour water and Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) was giving them the water to drink. This continued until none remained but Abu Qatādah and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) poured water and said to Abu Qatādah: 'Drink.' Out of politeness, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, I will not drink until you drink." So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The one who serves water to people is the last of them to drink." So, Abu Qatādah drank, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the last to drink among the people. This is one of the etiquettes to be observed in drinking water. After that, the people reached the place of water which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them about when he addressed them on the first day - "quite happy", i.e., restful and in good condition, and "satiated", i.e., having drunk water to their fill.
The Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Rabāh mentioned that he was narrating this Hadīth in the grand mosque, i.e. in Basra. So, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Consider, O young man, how you narrate;" i.e., what Hadīth you are narrating; or about what condition you are narrating, "for I was one of the riders in that night." In other words, pay attention, O young man, and narrate in an accurate way, for I am one of those who witnessed this incident, and I will check what you narrate against what I witnessed. He replied to him: "So, you must know this Hadīth better," since you were one of the riders and witnessed this incident. ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Who are you?" He replied: "I am one of the Ansār," the dwellers of Madīnah. Thereupon, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to narrate, as he praised the Ansār, saying: "You know your Hadīths better." When ‘Abdullāh narrated the Hadīth and finished its narration and it was consistent with ‘Imrān's account, ‘Imrān (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "I was present that night, but I do not know anyone who has committed it to memory as good as I have done." Thus, he praised him for memorizing the Hadīth so accurately and was amazed at how well he memorized it, even though he did not witness the incident.
In the Hadīth: The one who serves water to people is the last among them to drink.
And in it: Whoever oversleeps and fails to perform a prayer has to make up for the missed prayer.
And in it: The Prophet's miracle in foretelling things of the Unseen, which Allah revealed to him, and in the blessing and increase of the little water.
And in it: Serving virtuous people, especially during travel.
And in it: Demonstrating some of the etiquettes related to taking rest during travel, namely, to avoid the road.
And in it: Supplicating for the one who offers good service, as a reward for his doing good.
And in it: Feeling sad and regretful over missed virtuous deeds, even if no negligence is involved.
And in it: Making up for the missed supererogatory prayer.
And in it: Urging the improvement of manners among people, particularly in situations involving crowdedness and annoyance..

683

Abu Qatādah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when he alighted before dawn, he would erect his forearm and place his head on his palm..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to devote attention to the Prophet's guidance in his deeds, words, and approvals, to follow his example and learn from him. In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went on a journey, he would alight in the first part of the night for sleep and rest, sleep on his right side, and place his head on a pillow or the like, thus giving himself the due share of sleep. And when he wanted to sleep at the latter part of the night, shortly before dawn, he would erect his right 'forearm' and "place his head on his palm," fearing he might be overtaken by sleep and thus fail to perform the Fajr prayer at its earliest time. The right side is favored regarding sleep given the honor of tayāmun (using the right side or starting with it) and its general merit in everything. It was the Prophet's habit to favor the right side, except in repulsive things, in which he would use the left side.
This also indicates that a person should give himself the due share of rest and not forget the worship of his Lord. In the first part of the night, he can get sufficient sleep before dawn and then get up. Yet in the latter part of the night, he should sleep lightly, rather than deeply, lest he may miss the Fajr prayer.
In the Hadīth: Alighting for rest during travel in case of tiredness, while being cautious not to miss the prayer
And in it: Using alarms and the like to alert one to the times of prayers.

686

Ya‘la ibn Umayyah reported: I said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb: "{There is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101]. And people have become secure!" He said: "I wondered about the same thing you wondered about, and I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about that, and he said: 'It is a charity that Allah has given you; so accept His charity.'".

Commentary : Travel is a piece of torment, and it is most likely to involve tiredness and hardship. Hence, Allah Almighty alleviates things for travelers and facilitates the Shar‘i rulings for them, especially those related to prayer and fasting.
In this Hadīth, Ya‘la ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he asked ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) about the verse that reads: {When you are traveling through the land, there is no blame on you to shorten the prayer, if you fear that the disbelievers may harm you.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 101] It means: If you travel in the land, there is no sin on you in shortening the four-Rak‘ah prayers (the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’ prayers) to two Rak‘ahs - if you fear harm from the disbelievers.
"And people have become secure" now, and their fear, which was the reason behind prescribing the shortening of prayer, is no longer there. So, why do they shorten the prayer? Or what is the objective of shortening if its reason is no longer there? In response, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had the same thought as Ya‘la ibn Umayyah and so he asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about shortening the prayer in the absence of its reason - namely the fear from the enemy - and the existence of security, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that shortening the prayer is a favor from Allah Almighty which He bestowed upon the Muslim Ummah and honored them with; it is a charity Allah has given them, by way of facilitation and mercy. "So, accept His charity," i.e., whether there is fear or not; shortening the prayer is established in case of security as well. Allah's words: That the disbelievers may harm you} refers to what is most likely, for most of the journeys of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions were not fear-free, given the multitude of fighting enemies at the time.
This indicates that the shortening of prayer during travel was prescribed to make things lenient and easy for people, and it does not have the sense of order or obligation for the traveler. Indeed, the Ummah unanimously agreed that a person to whom charity is offered is not obligated to accept it.
In the Hadīth: Shortening the prayer during travel with or without fear
And in it: Demonstrating the mercy of Allah Almighty and His complete favor upon His servants, as He prescribed for Muslims to shorten the prayer during travel given the hardship they suffer..

687

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as four Rak‘ahs when resident, two when traveling, and one in case of fear..

Commentary : Making things easy and light is one of the merits of the tolerant Islamic Shariah. Allah Almighty laid down dispensations for the Muslims therein so that they will not suffer hardship that causes them harm or burdens them with unbearable things. These dispensations include shortening the prayer during travel and at the time of war.
In this Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)" by revelation from Allah Almighty. So, it is "four Rak‘ahs when resident," i.e., the four-Rak‘ah prayers: Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’- "two when traveling;" the four-Rak‘ah prayer is shortened to two Rak‘ahs only during travel. And He prescribed "one in case of fear." The prayer of fear is when the time for obligatory prayer becomes due while Muslims are fighting an enemy, guarding borders, and the like. The Hadīth apparently indicates that the prayer of fear consists of one Rak‘ah in case of severe fear and war. It was said: What is meant by one Rak‘ah is that he offers one Rak‘ah with the Imām and one Rak‘ah alone. This is because most reports about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) state that the prayer of fear consists of two Rak‘ahs, to be performed in different ways depending on the condition of the enemy in terms of nearness and remoteness. There is no effect for the severe fear, but they should perform two Rak‘ahs, according to their ability, in whatever direction they turn to, while walking and riding, nodding with their heads..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the sale called Bay‘ Al-Habalh, which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre- Islamic period of ignorance, whereby a man bought an unborn she-camel which was to be the offspring of an unborn she-camel!
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‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace."
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‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace.
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‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places.
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Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like."
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Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The places that are dearest to Allah are the mosques, and the places that are most hateful to Allah are the markets.".

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If there are three persons, let one of them be their Imām, and the worthiest among them for being Imām is their best reciter.".

Abu Qatādah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when he alighted before dawn, he would erect his forearm and place his head on his palm..

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as four Rak‘ahs when resident, two when traveling, and one in case of fear..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace." .

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said: We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace. .

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places. .

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like." .

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The places that are dearest to Allah are the mosques, and the places that are most hateful to Allah are the markets.".

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If there are three persons, let one of them be their Imām, and the worthiest among them for being Imām is their best reciter.".

Abu Qatādah reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted at night during a journey, he would lie down on his right side, and when he alighted before dawn, he would erect his forearm and place his head on his palm..

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: "Allah has prescribed the prayer by the tongue of your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as four Rak‘ahs when resident, two when traveling, and one in case of fear..

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace."
.

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace.
.

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places.
.

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like."
.