Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "If anyone goes bankrupt, and a man finds his own property intact with him, he is more entitled to take it back than anyone else.”.

Commentary :
Islam pays significant care to preserving people's wealth, and keenly ensures that it should not be wasted. Therefore, it has enacted laws and laid down guidelines to preserve people’s wealth.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ regulated the conduct of a creditor who finds his property intact with a debtor who goes bankrupt. He ﷺ underlined that such a creditor is entitled to his own property only, and must not take anything more or less from the bankrupt debtor, because his wealth is exhausted and he cannot repay his debts. Such a creditor is more entitled to take back his property than other creditors. This means that if someone goes bankrupt, and he owed money to many creditors, his wealth (i.e., what is surplus of his needs) is to be divided among these creditors according to their debts, unless one finds his property intact and, in this case, he has more right to take it back than anyone else.
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2405

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When ‘Abdullah (my father) died, he left behind children and debts. I asked the creditors to reduce the debts, but they refused, so I went to the Prophet ﷺ to intercede with them, yet they refused. The Prophet ﷺ said (to me), "Classify your dates into their different kinds: ‘Idhq ibn Zayd, Lean and ‘Ajwah, each kind alone and call all the creditors and wait till I come to you." I did so and the Prophet ﷺ came and sat beside the dates and started measuring to each his due till he paid them fully, and the dates remained as they were before, as if he had not touched them. (On another occasion) I took part in one of Ghazawaat among with the Prophet ﷺand I was riding one of our camels. The camel got tired and was lagging behind the others. The Prophet ﷺhit it on its back. He ﷺ said, "Sell it to me, and you have the right to ride it till Al-Madeenah.'' When we approached Al-Madeenah, I took the permission from the Prophet ﷺ to go to my house, saying, "O Allah's MessengerﷺI have newly married." The Prophet ﷺasked, "Have you married a virgin or a previously married woman (i.e., a widow or divorcee)?" I said, "I have married a previously married woman; ‘Abdullah (my father) died and left behind young daughters, so I married a previously married woman who may teach them and bring them up to embody good manners." The Prophet ﷺthen said (to me), "Go to your family." When I went there and told my maternal uncle about the selling of the camel, he admonished me for it. On that I told him about its slowness and exhaustion and about what the Prophet ﷺ had done to the camel and his hitting it. When the Prophet ﷺ arrived, I went to him with the camel in the morning and he gave me its price, the camel itself, and my share from the spoils of war as he gave the other people.
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Commentary :
A Muslim is a brother of his fellow Muslim, and it is becoming of a Muslim to strive to fulfill the needs of his Muslim brothers, especially those who explicitly ask for his help. He should (hasten to their help and) stand by them until their need is fulfilled.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that his father, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Haraam (may Allah be pleased with him) passed away owing a debt to someone. He (may Allah be pleased with him) had been martyred during the Battle of Uhud in 3 A.H, leaving behind seven or nine young daughters. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the creditors to reduce the debts so that he would be able to repay them, but they refused and claimed the repayment of their debts in full. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to help him and intercede with the creditors to reduce their debts so that he would be able to repay them, but they refused. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ asked Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to go back to his orchard and arrange his dates in heaps according to their different kinds. The cluster of Ibn Zayd, which were low-quality dates that were named after someone called Ibn Zayd, should be arranged on one side, Lean, another kind, should be arranged on another side, and ‘Ajwah dates, which were the finest kind of dates in Al-Madeenah, should be arranged on a different side, and so on.
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) did as he ﷺ commanded and then notified him. The Prophet ﷺ came and sat at the head or in the middle of the heaps and ordered Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to measure the dates for the creditors to repay his late father’s debts. He (may Allah be pleased with him) cut and measured for them till he repaid all the debts, and his dates remained as they were, as if nothing had been taken from them, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and a sign indicating his prophethood.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to seek debt relief, if the debtor is unable to repay their dates in full, but the creditor has the choice either to accept or refuse such a request.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that he was once with the Prophet ﷺ on a journey back to Al-Madeenah after a battle. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding a slow camel used for carrying water. According to the version complied in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, “The camel got tired and lagged behind,” because of exhaustion. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) lagged behind and the Prophet ﷺ passed by him and beat the slow camel, urging it to move faster. According to the version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, the camel passed the others thenceforth, leading the way, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
He ﷺ asked Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to sell him this camel, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "It is (a gift) for you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” However, the Prophet ﷺ refused to take it as a gift and insisted on buying it. He ﷺ bought it for four (gold) Dinars with the allowance that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) may keep on riding it till they reached Al-Madeenah, and then the Prophet ﷺ would take it into his possession.
When they approached Al-Madeenah, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) sought the permission of the Prophet ﷺ to go (quickly) to (join) his family, because he was newly married. This highlights the virtues of Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him), who partook in Jihaad shortly after his wedding. The Prophet ﷺ asked him whether he had married a virgin or a previously married woman. He ﷺ mentioned the ‘virgin’ first to indicate that it is better for a Muslim to marry a virgin. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had married a previously married woman, named Suhaylah bint Mas‘ood Al-Awsiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her), because she would be more experienced and able to take care of his sisters,while a virgin would not be able to shoulder such a task. He (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to the Prophet ﷺ that his father left behind seven or nine young daughters and therefore he decided to marry a previously married woman to look after them and raise them properly. In the event of a conflict of interests, priority should be given to what is more important. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) chose to put his sisters’ interests before his own, and the Prophet ﷺ approved his wise choice and supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to bless his marriage. According to the version recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, he ﷺ said: “Go to your family,” meaning your wife. When Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) arrived in Al-Madeenah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed his maternal uncle, and it was said that his name was Tha‘labah ibn Ghanamah ibn ‘Adiyy ibn Sinaan Al-Ansaaree Al-Khazrajiyy or ‘Amr ibn Ghanamah, that he had sold his camel to the Prophet ﷺ. His maternal uncle blamed him for it, perhaps because he (may Allah be pleased with him) needed it or because he (may Allah be pleased with him) had not offered it to the Prophet ﷺ as a gift. Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): “I told him about its slowness and exhaustion and about what the Prophet ﷺ had done to the camel and his hitting it.”
When the Prophet ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) went to him with the camel in the morning and he ﷺgave him its price, the camel itself, and his share from the spoils of war as he ﷺ gave the other people. This reflects the generosity and munificence of the Prophet ﷺ with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth also underlines the Prophet’s gracious humbleness and kindness with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), checking on them and serving their best interests.
It is also inferred that a woman should take care of her husband’s family and tend to the needs of his siblings (dependents).
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2409

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺsaying, "Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is under his care. A ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it." I heard that from Allah's Messenger ﷺand I think that the Prophet ﷺ also said, "A man is a guardian of his father's property and is responsible for it, so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, does not charge a soul beyond its capacity. It is incumbent on a person not to take up a responsibility for which he is not qualified. However, whenever he is obliged to take up such a responsibility, it is incumbent on him to shoulder it duly, and he shall be held accountable for it before Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ advised every member of his nation to carry out his duties towards those whom Allah, Exalted is He, placed under his care. The Prophet ﷺ stated that each and every Muslim is entrusted with someone to look after, and shoulder his due responsibility towards him or her. He ﷺ said: “Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is under his care.” Care here meanseffort made to preserve and look after a person or object, and a guardian refers to a person who is entrusted with preserving and tending to the needs of those under his care. Every guardian is required to maintain justice in caring for the people or things under his care, and to preserve their religious and worldly interests and belongings. If he duly shoulders his responsibilities towards the people or things under his care, he receives the abundant reward, otherwise those under his care would demand their rights over him (on the Day of Judgment) and Allah, Exalted is He, would hold him accountable for neglecting their rights.
Afterward, he ﷺ detailed his general sentence by saying: “A ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them,” meaning that he is responsible for the ruled and is required to tend to their needs, guard and defend their Laws of Islam rights, and implement the Hudood (i.e., pl. of Hadd; corporal punishment prescribed for crimes by the Laws of Islam), protect them against injustice and aggression, and ward off their enemies. A ruler is required to abide by the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ in carrying out his duties towards the ruled, and to aspire to no reward except from Allah, Exalted is He. He should know that he shall be held accountable for the subjects under his care (on the Day of Judgment).
A husband is a guardian of his family, including his wife and dependents, and is responsible for them. He is required to carry out his duties towards them by providing for them, living with them in kindness, and disciplining them, and should know that he shall be held accountable for those under his care (on the Day of Judgment).
A woman is also a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it. She is required to manage his household sensibly, raise his children, and serve his guests, and she shall be held accountable for that before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment).
Moreover, a servant, meaning a slave or a hired worker in general, is a guardian of his master's or employer’s property, and is responsible for preserving his property, carrying out his duties and serving him, and he shall be held accountable for his responsibility before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment).
In addition, a man is a guardian of his father's property and is responsible for serving his best interests and shall be held accountable for it.
Each person is a guardian and responsible for the people and things under his care. The Prophet ﷺ made a general statement in the beginning and then detailed it in the following sentences, referring to a husband, woman, and so on, and then confirmed the meaning by another general statement to finally stress the religious ruling.
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2410

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I heard a man reciting a ayah (of the Holy Quran) but I had heard the Prophet ﷺ reciting it differently. So, I caught hold of the man by the hand and took him to Allah's Messengerﷺwho said, "Both of you are right." Shu‘bah, the sub-narrator said, "I think he ﷺ said to them, "Do not differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (i.e., because of their differences). "
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, revealed different modes of recitations of the Noble Quran to make it easier for all Arabs (who spoke different dialects) to read it and miraculously challenge their command of their own language.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he heard a man reciting a ayah from Al-Ahqaaf chapter (no.46) with a different recitation that what he (may Allah be pleased with him) had heard from the Prophet ﷺ. Each of them informed the other that he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ as he was reciting it, as narrated in Musnad Ahmad. ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) took the man, went to the Prophet ﷺ, and each of them recited the ayah differently. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Both of you are right," meaning that both modes of recitation were correct. He ﷺ added: “Do not differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (i.e., because of their differences).” This means that they had incurred their own destruction, because their differences led them to distort and change their Scripture, following their whims, and this fueled disputes and incurred the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He. In addition, the Islamic Laws of Islam promotes affinity among Muslims and warns against disunity and dissension within the Muslim community. He ﷺ meant that Muslims should recite the Quran, adhere to unity and agreement, and if there should be any doubts that call for disagreement and disunity, give them up, and rather adhere to the established facts of Islam that promote affinity, and beware of falling into blameworthy disagreement and disunity like the previous nations, incurring their own destruction.
Moreover, it is impermissible to disagree about the correct modes of recitation, because since it is allowable to recite the Quran with any of the correct modes of recitation as per the laws of Islam, if someone denied any of these modes of recitation, he would be denying the Quran. It is also impermissible to speak of the Quran based on one’s personal opinions, because the recitation of the Quran is an act of Sunnah, and Muslims must adhere to the reported Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in this regard. Rather, the disputing people should consult a more knowledgeable person about the disagreed-upon matter.
The hadeeth forbids disunity and disagreement.
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2411

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Two persons, a Muslim and a Jew, quarreled. The Muslim said, "By Him Who gave Muhammad ﷺ superiority over all people! The Jew said, "By Him Who gave Moosaa superiority over all people!" At that, the Muslim raised his hand and slapped the Jew on the face. The Jew went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ sent for the Muslim and asked him about it. The Muslim informed him of the event. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not give me superiority over Moosaa; on the Day of Resurrection, all the people will fall unconscious and I will be one of them, but I will be the first to gain consciousness, and will see Moosaa standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah). I will not know whether Moosaa has also fallen unconscious and got up before me, or Allah has exempted him from that stroke."
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Commentary :
Giving preference to any of the Prophets of Allah over the others is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He. No human being should give preference to any of the Prophets over the others without knowledge, or following his personal whims. Rather, the only allowable preference in this context is what is stated in the Quran and clarified in the Prophet’s sayings. For instance, Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Those messengers - some of them We caused to exceed others. Among them were those to whom Allah spoke, and He raised some of them in degree.} [Quran 2:253].
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) related that a Muslim man and a Jewish one quarreled and verbally abused one another. The Muslim man said, "By Him Who favored Muhammad ﷺ and gave him superiority over all people!” The Jewish man said, "By Him Who favored Moosaa and gave him superiority over all people!" At that, the Muslim slapped the Jew on the face, for his lie, based on his understanding of the general indication of the word ‘people’ to include Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as well (i.e., he understood that the Jewish man’s statement meant that Moosaa was given superiority over the Prophet ﷺ). It is established for a Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ is the best of all the Prophets of Allah!
The Jew went to the Prophet ﷺ and informed him of what had happened between him and the Muslim person. The Prophet ﷺ sent for the Muslim and asked him about it, and he informed the Prophet ﷺ of the event. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Do not give me superiority over Moosaa;” meaning do not favor me over Moosaa in a way that leads to undermining his lofty status or leads to disputes and dissension. The Prophet ﷺ disliked favoring him over other Prophets of Allah out of his humbleness and to avoid potential disputes that would pave the way for Satan to sow seeds of discord among people. Thereafter, he ﷺ underlined the lofty status of Prophet Moosaa and stated that all people, including himself, will fall unconscious on the Day of Resurrection, with the first blow of the Trumpet. He ﷺ will be the first to be resurrected with the second blow, and will see Prophet Moosaa standing and holding the side of the Throne (of Allah) with his hand. He ﷺ added: “I will not know whether Moosaa has also fallen unconscious and got up before me,” and this would be one of the evident merits of Prophet Moosaa, “or Allah has exempted him from that stroke.” Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {And the Horn will be blown, and whoever is in the heavens and whoever is on the earth will fall dead except whom Allah wills.} [Quran 39:68]. This would mean that Prophet Moosaa will be exempted from losing consciousness in that incident and it would be another virtue.
The Throne of Allah, Exalted is He, is Allah's (First and) Greatest Creation; it has pillars and is carried by angels. Allah, Exalted is He, Rose above the Throne (in a manner that befits Him); He Says (what means): {The Most Merciful [who is] above the Throne established.} [Quran 20:5]. It is noteworthy that the attributes of ʻUluww (highness) of Allah as well as His Istiwaa' (establishment) over the Throne are among the Attributes of His Actions, which relate to the Will of Allah and whose instances recur according to His will. None but Him knows how these attributes are (i.e., the manner in which Allah’s Attributes take form and their essence are only known to Him). Whatever occurs to one’s mind with regard to His Attributes, Allah, Exalted is He, isentirely different and far above it.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Prophet Mossaa..

2435

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "An animal should not be milked without the permission of its owner. Does any of you like that somebody comes to his store and breaks his container and takes away his food? The udders of the animals are the stores of their owners where their provision is kept, so nobody should milk the animals of somebody else, without the permission of their owner."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to preserve people's wealth and forbids devouring it unlawfully.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade milking someone’s animal, i.e., domesticated animals reared by people such as sheep and camels, without his permission. The hadeeth forbade milking these cattle in the pastures or barns except with the permission of their owners. He ﷺ confirmed his prohibition by saying: “Does any of you like that somebody comes to his store and breaks his container and takes away his food?” The container here refers to a cupboard where the landlord stores his food and provisions, and breaking it means breaking it open and stealing his food. Similarly, one must not milk another person’s cattle without his permission. He ﷺ explained: “The udders of the animals are the stores of their owners where their provision is kept,” he ﷺ likened their udders where their milk is stored, to the cupboard where food and belongings are stored. Since no one would approve that someone should break his cupboard open and steal his food, similarly no one should milk these animals without the owner’s permission.
He ﷺ furthered emphasized the prohibition in this regard by saying: “… so nobody should milk the animals of somebody else, without the permission of their owner.”
Other versions of the hadeeth, like the one recorded in Sunan Ibn Maajah, referred to permissibility of milking others’ animals and drinking their milk. The meaning of such narrations is interpreted as to refer exclusively to the wayfarers, the destitute, and people at a time of famine, or when it is known that the owner of such an animal would authorize such disposal of his property, or that people in that place customarily pardon such disposal, provided that the person should limit himself to drinking only what suffices him and nothing more, and must not store any of the milk.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden for a Muslim to take anything from others without their permission, and the hadeeth made mention of milk in particular because people may be negligent in this regard (i.e., perceive it as insignificant), and therefore he ﷺ pointed it out to emphasize the need to preserve people’s other significant items of wealth.
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2437

Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah narrated:
While I as in the company of Salmaaan ibn Rabi‘ah and Zayd ibn Suwhaan, in one of the battles, I found a whip. One of them told me to drop it but I refused to do so and said that I would give it to its owner if I found him, otherwise I would utilize it. On our return we performed Hajj and on passing by Al-Madeenah, I asked Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) about it. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and took it to the Prophet ﷺ who said to me, 'Make public announcement about it for one year.' So, I announced it for one year and went to the Prophet ﷺwho said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' So, I announced it for another year. I went to him again and he ﷺ said, "Announce for another year." So, I announced for still another year. I went to the Prophet ﷺ for the fourth time, and he ﷺ said, 'Remember the amount of money, the (detailed) description of its container and the string it is tied with, and if the owner comes (and claims it), give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.’”.

Commentary :
Islam pays significant care to preserving people's wealth, and keenly ensurs that it should not be wasted. Therefore, it has enacted laws and laid down guidelines to preserve people’s wealth.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined what a Muslim should do when he finds a lost item of wealth and he does not know its owner. The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah narrated that he found a whip thrown on the floor and took it. He was in the company of the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Salmaaan ibn Rabi‘ah, and it was also said that the Taabi‘ee Zayd ibn Suwhaan was with them during a battle. One of them told him to drop it, but he refused to do so and said that he would give it to its owner if he found him, otherwise he would utilize it.
On their return, they performed Hajj and passed by Al-Madeenah where Suwayyd ibn Ghafalah saw Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him about the religious ruling on picking up such a whip. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I found a bag containing a hundred Dinars in the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ and took it to the Prophet ﷺ who said to me, 'Make a public announcement about it for one year,' meaning to publicly announce it to people at marketplaces, gatherings, and mosques, and the places where he most likely believed that he might find its owner. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was commanded to announce it for one year and keep it with him (as a trust) until its owner showed up to claim it. He (may Allah be pleased with him) announced it for one year, but its owner did not show up, and therefore he (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺwho said, 'Announce it publicly for another year.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) did the same for a second year, but no one showed up to claim it. Again, the Prophet ﷺ commanded him to announce it for a third year. After the end of the third year, he (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ for the fourth time, and he ﷺ said, 'Remember the amount of money, the (detailed) description of its container and the string it is tied with,’ to be able to verify the truthfulness of whoever claims it, ‘and if the owner comes (and claims it), give it to him; otherwise, utilize it.’”
Shu‘bah ibn Al-Hajjaaj (one of the narrators) said: “I met him (i.e., Salamah ibn Kuhayl) in Makkah and he said: ‘I do not know whether he said three years or one year.’”
To reconcile between the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) and the one narrated by Zayd ibn Khaalid (may Allah be pleased with him), recorded in Shaheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, stating that the lost item of wealth should be publicly announced for one year only, it can be said that the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) is interpreted as to urge Muslims to adhere to the becoming mindfulness of Allah and graciously refrain from disposing of the Luqtah (i.e., lost and found item of wealth) and to deem oneself above availing of it, and the one narrated by Zayd ibn Kaalid (may Allah be pleased with him) stated the original ruling.
The hadeeth highlights how Islam assigns care and attention to all worldly affairs that are of concern to people, and become part of their lives directly or indirectly.
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2440

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "When the believers pass safely over the Siraat (i.e., the bridge across Hellfire), they will be stopped at a bridge in between Hellfire and Paradise where they will retaliate upon each other for the injustices done among them in the worldly life, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted to Paradise. By Him in Whose Hands the life of Muhammad is, everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this worldly life."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden for Himself, declared it forbidden for His servants, and promised the unjust people Qisaas (i.e., retribution) and severe punishments. If the unjust wrongdoer escaped the due Qisaas in the worldly life, there is no escaping on the Day of Resurrection, nor there shall be a refuge from Allah, Exalted is He. There, neither wealth nor offspring will be of any avail.
The hadeeth depicts a horrific scene from the Day of Resurrection, where the believers will be stopped at a bridge between Hellfire and Paradise after passing safely over the Siraat (i.e., the bridge across Hellfire) and being saved from Hellfire by the grace and mercy of Allah, Exalted is He. The Angels will stop them at a bridge between Hellfire and Paradise where they will retaliate against each other for the injustices committed against one another in the worldly life. It is noteworthy that such retaliation will be specifically for those whose acts of injustice and grievances against him do not exhaust all their rewards, otherwise they would have been thrown into Hellfire and it would not have been true to say that they had been delivered from it.Whoever had wronged his fellow Muslim brother more (i.e., had committed moreacts of injustice) in the worldly life, his rewards will be deducted, and then they will enter Paradise. They shall share the places therein in proportion to the remaining rewards left for each of them, and this is why they will retaliate against one another by means of their rewards after being delivered from Hellfire, and Allah knows best. This is because no one will enter Paradise before his liability is cleared from any grievance and injustice against anyone.
After they retaliate against each other for the injustices committed against one another in the worldly life, and when they get purified of all their sins, they will be admitted to Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ swore by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, that everybody will recognize his dwelling in Paradise better than he recognizes his dwelling in this worldly life. They will be able to recognize their dwellings in Paradise easily because they would be shown to them repeatedly every morning and evening in their graves. It was reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When one of you dies, his abode among the inhabitants of Paradise will be shown to him, morning and evening, if he is to be one of them; but if he is to be one of the inhabitants of Hellfire, his abode among them will be shown him. He will be told that this is his abode to which Allah will finally raise him on the day of resurrection.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
The hadeeth warns against committing injustice against others, and emphasizes the fact that people will inevitably retaliate against each other for the injustices they had committed against one another in the worldly life on the Day of Judgment, and each will get his rights back.
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2441

Safwaan ibn Muhriz Al-Maazinee narrated:
While I was walking with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once holding his hand, a man came in front of us and asked, "What have you heard from Allah's Messengerﷺ about An-Najwaa (i.e., private conversation between Allah and His obedient servants)?" Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, 'Allah, Exalted is He, will bring a believer near Him and shelter him with His Screen and ask him: ‘Did you commit such-and-such sins?’ He will say: ‘Yes, my Lord.’ Allah will keep on asking him till he will confess all his sins and will think that he is ruined. Allah will say: 'I did screen your sins in the world and I forgive them for you today', and then he will be given the book of his good deeds. Regarding infidels and hypocrites (their evil acts will be exposed publicly) and the witnesses will say, as Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {These are the ones who lied against their Lord." Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.} [Quran 11:18]”
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Commentary :
The mercy of Allah, Exalted is He, encompasses everything, and His mercy in the Hereafter shall be greater than the divine mercy manifested in the worldly life, and it shall be exclusively bestowed upon His believing servants. It will have many manifestations, including His screen concealing the believers during the reckoning.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Safwaan ibn Mihriz Al-Maazinee stated that he was walking once with ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) while holding his hand, when a man showed up and asked him about Al-Najwaa (i.e., private conversation between Allah and His obedient servants). Linguistically, the Arabic word Najwaa means whisper and private conversation with someone. It here refers to the private conversation between Allah, Exalted is He, and the believers during the reckoning. It is a manifestation of the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, to remind the believer of his sins in secret. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet ﷺstated that Allah, Exalted is He, will bring the believer near Him and shelter him with His screen. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Kanaf, which linguistically means concealment and protection. He will conceal him from the rest of the creation so as not to disgrace him by exposing his sins before them. He will speak to him secretly and ask him to confirm his sins: “Do you know such-and-such sin?” He would respond: “O my Lord, I know; O my Lord, I know.” Allah, Exalted is He, will continue to kindly and secretly remind him of his sins and he would acknowledge them all, and would believe with certainty that he would be thrown into Hellfire accordingly, unless Allah, Exalted is He, confers upon him His mercy and pardon. Allah, Exalted is He, would say to him: “I did screen your sins in the worldly life, and I will forgive them for you today.”
As for the disbelievers and hypocrites who were insincere with regard to their beliefs, their evil acts will be exposed publicly and the witnesses, i.e., the Angels, Prophets, Jinn, and mankind, will say (what means): {These are the ones who lied against their Lord}, by disbelieving and attributing to Allah, Exalted is He, what was not befitting Him including: partners, a son, a wife, and the like of these falsehoods, {Unquestionably, the curse of Allah is upon the wrongdoers.} [Quran 11:18]. This means that the wrath of Allah will be poured onto them, and these disbelievers, who had devoted worship to other than Him, shall be expelled from His mercy.
The hadeeth also affirms the Attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits Majesty.

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2442

‘Abdullah Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "A Muslim is a brother of another Muslim, so he should not oppress him, nor should he hand him over to an oppressor. Whoever fulfilled the needs of his brother, Allah, Exalted is He, will fulfill his needs; whoever brought his (Muslim) brother out of a discomfort, Allah, Exalted is He, will bring him out of the discomforts of the Day of Resurrection, and whoever screened a Muslim, Allah will screen him on the Day of Resurrection.”
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Commentary :
Islam built Muslim society on a solid foundation of brotherhood and solidarity among them. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {The believers are but brothers.} [Quran 49:10].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of the mutual duties Muslims have towards one another. He ﷺ stated that a Muslim, whether he is a free man or slave, an adult or minor, is a brother to his fellow Muslims. This brotherhood entails that a Muslim must not wrong his fellow Muslims; Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden, no matter how insignificant it may seem. At the same time, a Muslim is also required to rescue his fellow Muslims from any injustice or oppression, and must not to leave them subjected to it without providing them with help, and he should also not leave them to those who harm them without protection,to the best of his ability.
He ﷺ also stated that whoever strives to fulfill the needs of his fellow Muslim brother, Allah, Exalted is He, will help him and make things easy for him to fulfill his own needs. Moreover, whoever helps a fellow Muslim when a worldly calamity befalls him, i.e., distress or adversity pertaining to his worldly affairs, until his grief and calamity are relieved, Allah, Exalted is He, will relieve him of a calamity and terror on the Day of Resurrection. In addition, whoever sees one of his fellow brother’s faults or flaws and conceals it, Allah, Exalted is He, will conceal his faults on the Day of Resurrection. It is noteworthy that this does not mean that he should turn a blind eye and remain silent when he sees his fellow Muslim brother commit a sin. Rather, it is incumbent to advise and forbid him from it, using the prescribed means of forbidding sin until he refrains (from committing that sin). This is a manifestation of the enjoined sincerity towards one’s fellow Muslim brothers.
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2449

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Whoever has oppressed another person concerning his honor or anything else, he should beg him to forgive him before the Day of Resurrection when there will be no money (to compensate for wrong deeds), but if he has good deeds, those good deeds will be taken from him according to his oppression which he has done, and if he has no good deeds, the sins of the oppressed person will be loaded on him."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, deemed injustice forbidden for Himself, declared it forbidden for His slaves, and promised the unjust people Qisaas (i.e., retribution) and severe punishments. If the unjust wrongdoer escaped Qisaas in the worldly life, there is no escaping from it on the Day of Resurrection, nor shall there be refuge from Allah, Exalted is He. There, neither wealth nor offspring will be of any avail.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commands any Muslim who had done his fellow Muslims wrong and committed against them acts of injustice with regard to honor, e.g., defamation and slander, or with regard to wealth (withholding or infringing upon their financial rights), or physical injury and the like, to seek his pardon in this worldly life before the Day of Resurrection should come, when there shall be neither Dinar of gold nor Dirham of silver which he may pay to compensate the wronged person and redeem himself. Retribution between people on the Day of Resurrection will be with their good and evil deeds. A wronged person will take from the good deeds of the one who had wronged him on the Day of Judgment in proportion to his act of injustice, and if such a person’s good deeds fall short of clearing the account, then some of the sins from the people whom he had wronged will be added to his record of evil deeds.
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2454

Saalim's father, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."
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Commentary :
No one performs a good deed or commits a sin in this worldly life, except that he will be rewarded or punished for it on the Day of Resurrection accordingly. Since injustice and aggression are among the gravest sins and the most heinous misdeeds about which stern warnings were reported, the punishments designated for them are among the most severe.
This hadeeth underlines the punishment of the one who takes part of someone’s land unjustly and transgressively, be it a small or large area of land. Whoever commits this sin, Allah, Exalted is He, will cause him to sink down seven earths on the Day of Resurrection; they will swallow him up.
It was narrated on the authority of Sa’eed ibn Zayd ibn ‘Amr ibn Nufayl (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “If anyone usurps a span of land unjustly, Allah, Exalted is He, will strangle him with it from seven earths on the Day of Resurrection.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that he will be caused to sink down into the earth until it becomes like a necklace around his neck, which Allah will cause it to be long (i.e., he will be strangled with it). It could also mean that these different punishments are designated for the perpetrators of this sin and they shall vary according to the gravity of the evil committed by them. Some of them will be subjected to one punishment and the others will be subjected to the other.
The hadeeth emphasizes the prohibition of injustice and usurping others’ lands, and highlights the severe punishment designated for that sin.
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2455

Jabalah said:
"We were in Al-Madeenah with some of Iraqi people, and we were struck with famine and Ibn Al- Zubayr used to give us dates. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to pass by and say, "The Prophet ﷺ forbade us to eat two dates at a time, unless one takes the permission of one's companions.”
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Commentary :
Islam instills the values of self-contentment and altruism within its followers, teaches them the etiquette of eating, for a person eating alone, and when someone else joins him for the meal.
In this hadeeth, Jablah ibn Suhaym related that they were in Al-Madeenah with some people from Iraq, and they were afflicted with high prices and famine, so ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer them dates. ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would pass by them while they were eating these dates and tell them that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade eating more than one date at a time, putting another date in one’s mouth before finishing the other, when one is eating with a group of people and there is not much food. The one who eats two dates at a time is trying to have a bigger share than the others, and this constitutes injustice against them, in addition to greed that reflects such a person’s bad moral character. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such an act unless the doer seeks the permission of his companions, for being in a hurry and wanting to leave for example, and they give him permission, because it is his companions’ right and they are entitled to give up their rights. This prohibition aims to teach such a person to recognize others’ rights to the shared food as well.
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2457

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome one."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to embody good morals in their interactions and dealings with people, and therefore it encourages them to be kind and courteous with others.
The hadeeth states a stern warning against the quarrelsome person and underlines that such person is the most hated to Allah, Exalted is He! A quarrelsome person is the one who is given to quarrels, disputes, and arguments. Allah, Exalted is He, hates such a person the most, and this entails falling into sin and incurring His punishment accordingly. Such a quarrelsome person engages in arguments and disputes without any knowledge, and this leads to wasting people’s rights, which constitutes injustice against them and support of falsehood. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents.} [Quran 2:204].
The hadeeth also warns against exceeding the proper limits with opponents and against behaving in an impudent and insulting manner when claiming rights, using abusive language, or arguing without knowledge (i.e., for the sake of argument).
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2461

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We said to the Prophet ﷺ, "You send us out and it happens that we have to stay with people who do not entertain us. What do you think about it?” He ﷺ said to us, "If you stay with some people and they entertain you as they should for a guest, accept their hospitality, but if they do not, take the right of the guest from them."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to pay a special care and attention to the affairs of the Muslims, and instruct them to embody noble morals and good manners, including showing hospitality to their guests. It is one of the manifestations of noble moral character, part of the Islamic etiquette, and one of the manners of the Prophets of Allah and the righteous.
In this hadeeth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ that when he delegated them to people, some of them refrained from showing them the enjoined hospitality. The Prophet ﷺ informed them that when their host offered them the enjoined hospitality, they should accept it, and if he were to refrain, they were entitled to take from his wealth what would compensate for such hospitality, because a host is enjoined as per the laws of Islam to entertain and show hospitality to his guests, and this is a religious obligation that must be observed.
This hadeeth is interpreted to mean that when the guests are in need of it, the enjoined hospitality may be taken from the reluctant host’s wealth (since he withholds their due rights). It is also possible that this was the ruling in the early days of Islam when solidarity was obligatory, and when Muslims conquered many lands (and earned spoils of war), and that this ruling was abrogated with the words of the Prophet ﷺ narrated on the authority of Aboo Shurayh Al-‘Adawee (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “Whoever (truly) believes in Allah, Exalted is He, and the Last Day, let him entertain his guest generously by giving him his reward, which is (to be entertained generously for) a day and a night…” [Al-Bukhaaree]. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Jaa’izah (reward) and this indicates that such hospitality is recommended rather than obligatory. It is also possible that the hadeeth refers to the workers or envoys sent by a ruler to carry out certain tasks, as indicated by their words, ‘You send us out.’ Therefore, the people to whom the Prophet ﷺ sent them were obliged to provide food, riding mounts, and accommodation for these workers or envoys in return for the task they performed, because they cannot perform their tasks without the fulfillment of such rights.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whoever could take his right from the one withholding it has the right to take it as long as it does not incur a graver evil..

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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "If anyone goes bankrupt, and a man finds his own property intact with him, he is more entitled to take it back than anyone else.”.

Saalim's father, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."
.

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome one."
.

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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "If anyone goes bankrupt, and a man finds his own property intact with him, he is more entitled to take it back than anyone else.”.

Saalim's father, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection." .

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome one." .

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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "If anyone goes bankrupt, and a man finds his own property intact with him, he is more entitled to take it back than anyone else.”.

Saalim's father, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever takes a piece of the land of others unjustly, he will sink down the seven earths on the Day of Resurrection."
.

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The most hated person in the sight of Allah is the most quarrelsome one."
.