Sa’eed ibn Jubayr said:
A Jew from Al-Heerah asked me which one of the two periods Prophet Moosaa (Moses) completed. I said, "I do not know, (but wait) till I see the most learned Arab and inquire him about it." So, I went to Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked him. He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "Prophet Moosaa completed the longer and better period." Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) added, "No doubt, a Messenger of Allah always does what he says."
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Commentary :
The Prophets and Messengers of Allah were endowed with the most perfect moral characters and were the most truthful among all people. The Quran made mention of Prophet Moosaa, given his exemplary resolve and patience.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)Sa’eed ibn Jubayr related that a Jew from the people of Al-Heerah, which was an ancient city in Iraq near Kufa, and was the capital of many dynasties, asked himwhich one of the two periods Prophet Moosaa (Moses) completed, referring to the ayah that reads (what means): {He said, "Indeed, I wish to wed you one of these, my two daughters, on [the condition] that you serve me for eight years; but if you complete ten, it will be [as a favor] from you.} [Quran 28:27]. The ayah means that Prophet Moosaa was offered to marry the man’s daughter, and her dower was to work for him for eight years, and if he chose to work for him from ten years instead, it would be a favor and not required of him. Sa’eed told him that he did not know which period Prophet Moosaa completed, and told him that he would ask the well-ayahd Arab scholar, meaning, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), in Makkah. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) informed him that Prophet Moosaa completed ten years. He (may Allah be pleased with them) added: “No doubt, a Messenger of Allah always does what he says.” This applies to all Messengers of Allah, and foremostly Prophet Moosaa, because they were talking about him in particular. This is because the Prophets of Allah were endowed with the most perfect moral characters which entailed fulfilling their promises.
The hadeeth urges the fulfillment of promises.
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2685

‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah narrated that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "O Muslims! How do you ask the People of the Scriptures, though your Book (i.e., the Quran) which was revealed to His Prophet ﷺ is the most recent divine revelation and you recite it, and it has not been distorted? Allah, Exalted is He, has revealed to you that the People of the Scriptures have changed and distorted what had been revealed to them with their own hands and said (regarding their changed Scriptures): This is from Allah, in order to get some worldly benefit thereby." Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) added: "Is not the knowledge revealed to you sufficient to you, and you do not need to ask them about anything? By Allah, I have never seen any one of them asking you about what has been revealed to you!"
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ keenly instilled the correct Islamic creed within the hearts and minds of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and warned them against following the path of the previous nations, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did the same with the following Muslim generation.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) addressed people once, rebuking and warning them against asking the People of the Scriptures, i.e., Jews and Christians, regarding some religious matters that seemed similar to what had been revealed to them, or regarding the topics and stories addressed in their Scriptures. He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the reason for the prohibition in this regard was that the Quran, which was revealed by Allah, Exalted is He, to His Prophet ﷺ, is the most recent divine revelation. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “… and you recite it,” meaning that Muslims are enjoined to recite the Quran as an act of worship, “and it has not been distorted?” This means that the Quran was not changed like the previous heavenly books revealed to the People of the Scriptures. They “have changed and distorted what had been revealed to them with their own hands,” including the Torah that was revealed to the Jews, and the Gospel that was revealed to the Christians, “and they have said (regarding their changed Scriptures): ‘This is from Allah, in order to get some worldly benefit thereby.’" They traded their Scriptures for an insignificantly small price, although they (i.e., the Scriptures) are worth the whole worldly life! He (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuked them for it since Allah, Exalted is He, blessed Muslims with the Quran in which He imparted to them adequate knowledge that suffices them, and they do not need to ask the People of the Scriptures about anything!
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) added: "Is not the knowledge revealed to you sufficient to you, and you do not need to ask them about anything?” His statement, “By Allah, I have never seen any one of them asking about what has been revealed to you,” means that they did not perceive Muslims as worthy of their questions, despite their trustworthiness and competence (i.e., since Muslims are endowed with the ultimate divine knowledge in the Quran). He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to say, ‘How could you trust them with answering your questions, although Allah, Exalted is He, informed you in the Quran of their lies, distortion of the previous Scriptures,and even attributing lies to Him?” It is also possible that the People of the Scriptures did not have prescribed religious celebrations and therefore did not need to ask about them!
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2687

Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that when the Ansaar drew lots as to whom of the emigrants should dwell with whom of the Ansaar, the name of ‘Uthmaan ibn Madh‘oon came out (to be in their lot). Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "‘Uthmaan stayed with us, and we nursed him when he got sick, but he died. We shrouded him in his clothes, and Allah's Messenger ﷺ came to our house and I said, (addressing the dead ‘Uthmaan), 'O Aboo Al-Saa’ib! May Allah be merciful to you. I testify that Allah, Exalted is He, has blessed you.' The Prophet ﷺ said to me, "How do you know that Allah has blessed him?" I replied, 'I do not know, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! May my parents be sacrificed for you!' Allah's Messengerﷺ said, 'As regards ‘Uthmaan, by Allah, he has died and I really wish him every good, yet, by Allah, although I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will be done to him!' Thereupon, Umm Al-‘Alaa’ added, 'By Allah, I shall never attest the piety of anybody afterward! What Allah's Messenger ﷺ said made me sad." Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "Once, I slept and saw in a dream, a flowing stream for ‘Uthmaan. So, I went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and told him of it, he ﷺ said, 'That is (the symbol of) his good deeds."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ keenly instilled within his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, and refrainment from making assumptions about people’s fate in the Hereafter, as to whether they would be admitted to Paradise or thrown into Hellfire. Human beings must not play God, judge and pass sentences on people as they wish. Rather, we are enjoined to judge people according to what is apparent, and bear in mind that only Allah, Exalted is He, knows their true inward characters and what is hidden in their hearts (and He shall reward or punish them accordingly).
This hadeeth emphasizes this meaning. Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) was a woman from the Ansaar who had given the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to the Prophet, making a covenant with him to adhere to Islam and refrain from associating partners with Allah and from committing immoral acts.She narrated that when the Ansaar drew lots as to whom of the emigrants should dwell with whom of the Ansaar, the name of ‘Uthmaan ibn Madh‘oon came out (to be in their lot). The emigrants had no place to live in Al-Madeenah and were hosted by their fellow Muslim brothers from the Ansaar. Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "‘Uthmaan stayed with us, and we nursed him when he got sick, but he died. We shrouded him in his clothes, and Allah's Messenger ﷺ came to our house and I said, (addressing the dead ‘Uthmaan), 'O Aboo Al-Saa’ib,’ which was his nickname, ‘May Allah be merciful to you. I testify that Allah, Exalted is He, has blessed you.'” Another version of the hadeeth, compiled in Musnad Ahmad, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), reads: “Congratulations on entering Paradise!” She (may Allah be pleased with her) decisively judged him as one of the people of Paradise, based on her knowledge of his devotion in worship and other good qualities. According to the version recorded by Ahmad, the Prophet ﷺ gave her a disapproving look, because she had decisively judged ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) as one of the People of Paradise, which implies impoliteness with Allah, Exalted is He, by claiming the knowledge of the unseen that is exclusive to Him! None knows the ultimate fate of people in the Hereafter except Allah, Exalted is He. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said to her, edifying her on that meaning, "How do you know that Allah has blessed him?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied, 'I do not know, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! May my parents be sacrificed for you!' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'As regards ‘Uthmaan, by Allah, he has died and I really wish him every good, yet, by Allah, although I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will be done to him!' In the version reported by Al-Bukhaaree, the Prophet ﷺ said: “… although I am Allah's Messenger, I do not know what will be done to me,” meaning that he ﷺ did not know with certainty what shall happen to him in the Hereafter except for what Allah, Exalted is He, had informed him of.
Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'By Allah, I shall never attest the piety of anybody afterward,” meaning that she would never decisively attest the righteousness of any person and that he would enter Paradise expect those who were named by the Prophet ﷺ among the people of Paradise. What she did and what the Prophet ﷺ said made her sad. Umm Al-‘Alaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "Once, I slept and saw in a dream, a flowing stream for ‘Uthmaan. So, I went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and told him of it, and he ﷺ said, 'That is (the symbol of) his good deeds.‘ He ﷺ interpreted the flowing stream in the vision as to refer to his good deeds, because all people’s good deeds come to an end by their death except the one who dies while partaking in Jihaad as Muraabit (i.e., a guard at frontier outposts in support of Allah's Cause); his good deeds continue to grow and increase unto the Day of Judgment. ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) died as an emigrate for the sake of Allah, fleeing religious persecution to worship his Lord freely, and Muraabit in support of the Cause of Allah, Exalted is He.
It has been reported on the authority of the Prophet ﷺthat which urges Muslims to testify to the righteousness and piety of a dead person and mention his good qualities and deeds, provided that one should not decisively state that such a person shall be in Paradise or Hellfire. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him), and recorded by Al-Bukhaaree, that the Prophet ﷺ said: “If four people testify to the righteousness of a (dead) Muslim, Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him Paradise." The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) (eagerly) asked, "If three people testify to his righteousness (will he earn the same reward)?" He ﷺ replied, "Even three." They further asked, "What about two?" He ﷺ replied, "Even two."
The hadeeth aims to edify Muslims on the relevant prohibition; we are enjoined to refrain from playing God and decisively judging anyone’s fate in the Hereafter without knowledge. This is because only Allah, Exalted is He, will hold people accountable on the Day of Resurrection and shall reward or punish them accordingly. Moreover, we do not have knowledge of a dead person’s inward character and what he had harbored in his heart. Rather, we are enjoined to settle for testifying to the dead person’s righteousness by saying, ‘I think that (s)he was a good and righteous person, and only Allah, Exalted is He, knows best,’ or the like.
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2691

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
It was said to the Prophet ﷺ, "Would you, please, go to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy?" So, the Prophet ﷺwent to him, riding a donkey, and Muslims accompanied him, walking on salty barren land. When the Prophet ﷺreached ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the latter said, "Keep away from me! By Allah, the bad smell of your donkey has harmed me." On that, a man from the Ansaar said (to ‘Abdullah), "By Allah! The smell of the Prophet’s donkey is better than your smell." Thereupon, a man from ‘Abdullah's tribe got angry for ‘Abdullah's sake, and the two men verbally abused each other which caused their friends to get angry and agitated, and the two groups started fighting with palm branches, shoes, and hands. We were informed that the following ayah was revealed (in this regard). Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And if two factions among the believers should fight, then reconcile between the two.} [Quran 49:9]
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Commentary :
‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool was one of the leaders and chiefs of the Khazraj tribe. When he was invited to embrace Islam, he converted outwardly only, but harbored disbelief. He was the head of the hypocrites in Al-Madeenah, and nursed hostility against the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that it was said to the Prophet ﷺ, "Would you, please, visit ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy?" They were asking the Prophet ﷺ to go to ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy to invite him to Islam, and this took place upon his arrival to Al-Madeenah. TheProphet ﷺwent to him, riding a donkey, and Muslims accompanied him, walking on salty barren land. When the Prophet ﷺreached ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the latter said, "Keep away from me! By Allah, the bad smell of your donkey has harmed me." On that, a man from the Ansaar said (to ‘Abdullah), "By Allah! The smell of the Prophet’s donkey is better than your smell." This Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) retorted to ‘Abadullaah, defending the Prophet ﷺ. Thereupon, a man from ‘Abdullah's tribe got angry for ‘Abdullah's sake, and the two men verbally abused each other, which caused their friends to get angry and agitated,” meaning that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) got angry for the sake of the Prophet ﷺ and the friends of Ibn Salool got angry for his sake. The two groups started fighting with palm branches, shoes, and hands. A version of the hadeeth compiled by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim, reads: “The Prophet ﷺ continued to calm them until they kept silent.” He ﷺ continued to calm them until they stopped fighting. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “We were informed that the following ayah was revealed (in this regard). Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And if two factions among the believers should fight, then reconcile between the two.} [Quran 49:9].”
It was argued that this ayah talked specifically about the believers, whereas the incident related in this hadeeth was between the Prophet ﷺ and Ibn Salool before his conversion to Islam. In response, it was said that some of Ibn Salool’s friends and men were believers. It was also said that the statement of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), ‘We were informed,” indicates that that incident was not the actual reason for which this ayah was revealed, and Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) did not explicitly say so. His saying, ‘We were informed,’ does not necessitate that the ayah was revealed on that particular occasion; the chapter in which the concerned ayah is included was revealed in 9 A.H., when the delegations of the Arab tribes came to Al-Madeenah. It is also said that the ayah about the reconciliation between the disputing groups of the believers was revealed earlier than the rest of the chapter, and this would eliminate any problematic aspect.
The hadeeth highlights the unmatched forbearance of the Prophet ﷺ and his endurance of people’s harm.
It also underlines how the believers revered the Prophet ﷺ.
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2692

Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, "He who makes peace between disputing people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar (i.e., he does not bear a sin for it).”
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Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam urges Muslims to reconcile and make peace between disputing people, even if it had to be achieved through lies, considering the benefits it involvesregarding quarrels and disputing people, by quelling the spirit of enmity and settling their disputes.
In this hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ stated that the blameworthy lying, about which stern warnings are reported and for which a punishment is designated as per the laws of Islam does not apply to the situations when a person says what is contrary to the truth to reconcile between disputing people, as encouraged by the enjoined sincerity towards one’s fellow Muslims. Rather, he ﷺ described such an act as ‘good;’ he ﷺ said: “…inventing good information or saying good things,” meaning that such a person tries to reconcile between the disputing people by saying to one of them, for example, ‘Your friend is praising you and saying good things about you,’ which is untrue. There is no sin in making this up for the purpose of reconciling between them. A person may need to tell some lies with good intentions to make peace between disputing people.
It is noteworthy that this is allowable provided that it does not involve nor entail denying a person his due rights or helping one take what he is not entitled to take.
The same ruling applies to lying at times of war, meaning to say what helps Muslims appear strong and undermine their enemies’ resolve, even if it is untrue. The same also goes for lying to one’s wife, verbally expressing his affection for her beyond his actual feelings for her to retain her love, ensure the stability of their marriage, and refine her conduct.
It should be noted that the hadeeth does not suggest that these false statements that are contrary to the reality are not labelled as lies as per the laws of Islam; a lie is a lie regardless of the purpose. Rather, it means that a person bears no sin for making up such lies in those specified situations, as a legal concession, enduring the lesser evil to realize the greater good.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to reconcile between disputing people and make peace between them.
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2697

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "If somebody innovates something which has no basis in our religion, such innovation is rejected."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has completed and perfected the religion of Islam, and has bestowed His perfect grace on His servants, and therefore it is incumbent on Muslims to keenly seek to conform with the will of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ (i.e., by compliance with the provisions of Islam), to the best of their abilities, and refrain from introducing religious innovations that have no basis in the Laws of Islam.
Whoever introduces a religious innovation and invents something which has no basis in Islam, such a religious innovation will be rejected. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that if anyone introduces a religious innovation that has no basis in the Quran and the Sunnah, does not fall under the heading of a Laws of Islam provision stated therein, or contravenes the provisions of Islam, such an innovation will be rejected, meaning that such an unprescribed act will be declared null and void, and shall not be accepted by Allah, Exalted is He.
This is one of the fundamental principles of Islam, and this hadeeth is one of the examples of the Prophet’s eloquent, aphoristic speech. In this hadeeth, he ﷺ explicitly rejected all religious innovations and unprescribed acts and sayings that have no basis in Islam.
The hadeeth commands Muslims to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and abide by it, and forbids them from introducing any religious innovation.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the criterion for declaring a given act a religious innovation is having no basis in the Quran or the Sunnah.

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2699

Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
When the Prophet ﷺ intended to perform ‘Umrah in the month of Dhul-Qi‘dah, the people of Makkah did not let him enter Makkah till he ﷺ settled the matter with them by promising to stay therein for three days only. When the document of the treaty was written, the following was mentioned: 'These are the terms on which Muhammad, Allah's Messengerﷺ agreed (to make peace).' They said, "We will not agree to this, for if we believed that you are Allah's Messenger, we would not prevent you from entering Makkah, but you are Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I am Allah's Messengerand also Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah." Then he ﷺ said to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), "Rub off (the words) 'Allah's Messenger,” but ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "No, by Allah, I will never rub off your name." So, Allah's Messengerﷺtook the document (, rubbed it himself) and wrote instead, 'This is what Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah has agreed upon: No arms will be brought into Makkah except in their cases, and nobody from the people of Makkah will be allowed to go with him, i.e., the Prophet ﷺeven if he wished to follow him and he (the Prophet ﷺwill not prevent any of his Companions from staying in Makkah if they want to stay.' When the Prophet ﷺ entered Makkah and the specified period expired, the Makkahns went to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, "Tell your Friend, i.e., the Prophet ﷺ, to leave Makkah; the (agreed-upon) period has passed." So, the Prophet ﷺwent out of Makkah. The daughter of Hamzah ran after them, i.e., the Prophet ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), calling, "O Uncle! O Uncle!" ‘Alee received her and led her by the hand and said to Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with them), "Take your uncle's daughter." Zayd and Ja‘far quarreled about her. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I have more right to her as she is my uncle's daughter." Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "She is my uncle's daughter, and her maternal aunt is my wife." Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "She is my brother's daughter." The Prophet ﷺ judged that she should be placed under the care of her maternal aunt, and said that the maternal aunt was like the mother. He ﷺ then said to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), "You are from me and I am from you", said to Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him), "You resemble me both in terms of moral character and outward appearance", and said to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), "You are our brother (in faith) and our freed slave."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ endured grievous harm at the hands of the polytheists, who denied him access to the Sacred House. He ﷺ endured their persecution until Allah, Exalted is He, blessed him with triumph over them, and the days proved that he ﷺ was supported by the divine revelation and attested his discretion during the conclusion of the Treay of Al-Hudaybiyah.
In this hadeeth, Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allah be pleased with him), narrated that the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) departed Al-Madeenah, and headed towards Makkah with the intention of performing ‘Umrah in the month of Dhul-Qi‘dah, in 6 A.H. However,the people of Makkah did not let them enter Makkah till heﷺmade an agreement with them to stay therein for three days only and return to Al-Madeenah, provided that he ﷺ should come back on the following year to perform ‘Umrah. This treaty became known as the Treay of Al-Hudaybiyah, and it was named after a big village that was given the name of a well located in that area; it is currently located on the outskirts of Makkah.
When the document of treaty was written, the following was mentioned: 'These are the terms,” of the treaty, “on which Muhammad, Allah's Messengerﷺ agreed (to make peace).” They said, "We will not agree to this, for if we believed that you are Allah's Messenger, we would not prevent you (from entering Makkah), but you are Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah." They said to the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Had we believed in you and you religion, we would not have denied you access to the Sacred House, but we only know you as Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah,’ (by the name given to him by his father). Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said, "I am Allah's Messengerand also Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah," meaning that he ﷺ did not mind writing down either of them. Then he ﷺ said to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), who was writing down the terms of the treaty, to rub off (the words) 'Allah's Messenger,’ from the document, but ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) refused. It should be noted that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean to disobey the Prophet’s command, but rather expressed his disapproval of erasing his title out of reverence for the Prophet ﷺ and to defiantly support him against the polytheists. The Prophet ﷺtook the document, erased it himself, after ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed to its place, because he ﷺ was illiterate. He ﷺ then commanded ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) to write down instead, 'This is what Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah has agreed upon.’ The terms included that no arms may be brought into Makkah by Muslims except those kept in their own cases, and nobody from the people of Makkah would be allowed to go with the Prophet ﷺeven if he wished to follow him (and embrace Islam). On the contrary, the Prophet ﷺwould not prevent any of his Companions from staying in Makkah if they wanted! According to this treaty, the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions returned to Al-Madeenah, after ending their state of Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration) as authentically reported in other narrations. They came back on the following year to perform ‘Umrah, which became known as ‘Umrat Al-Qadhaa’. After the period specified by the terms of the treaty i.e., three days, ended the Makkans went to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him to ask the Prophet ﷺ, to leave, as the (agreed-upon) period has passed. When the Prophet ﷺwent out of Makkah, the daughter of Hamzah, Umaamah - it was also said that she was named Faatimah - ran after them, i.e., the Prophet ﷺand his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), wanting to go with them to Al-Madeenah. ‘Alee received her, led her by the hand, since she was still young, and said to Faatimah, his wife and the Prophet’s daughter, "Take your uncle's daughter." Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) held her, but Zayd and Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with them) quarreled about her; each wanted to take care of her. Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) claimed her because she was his brother's daughter, since the Prophet ﷺ had established the bond of brotherhood between him and Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with them). ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) claimed her because she was his paternal cousin, his uncle's daughter, and Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him) claimed her because she was his uncle's daughter, and her maternal aunt, i.e., Asmaa’ bint ‘Umays (may Allah be pleased with her), was his wife. The Prophet ﷺ judged that she should be given to her maternal aunt, and said that the maternal aunt was like the mother, meaning as far as the right to the custody of a child is concerned, and also in terms of maternal affection and care. He ﷺ then said to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), "You are from me and I am from you", in terms of blood relations, love, seniority in Islam, and the like of his many great merits. He ﷺ said to Ja‘far (may Allah be pleased with him), "You resemble me both in terms of moral character and outward appearance", and said to Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), "You are our brother (in faith) and our freed slave.” The bond of Al-Walaa’ (lit., loyalty, meaning to maintain a relationship of patronage without bondage with one’s manumitter) was as strong as the blood bond. The Prophet ﷺ made these statements toconciliate ‘Alee and Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them) for not granting them custody over Hamzah’s daughter, and to highlight that he ﷺ did not place her under Ja‘far’s care for his own sake, but rather because he was married to the girl’s maternal aunt (who was more entitled to the custody).
It was said that this hadeeth is one of the main Laws of Islam texts about the right to custody, which essentially means the care for a young child who is below the age of distinction and cannot live independently, providing him or her with a good upbringing, and guarding him or her against whatever may incur destruction and loss on him or her.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to conclude peace treaties with non-Muslims, conduct political and military agreements with them for the benefit of Muslims.
It is also inferred therefrom that a maternal aunt is entitled to custody over a child.
It also highlights the merits of ‘Alee, Ja‘far, and Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them)..

2701

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺ set out to perform ‘Umrah but the pagans of Quraysh prevented him from reaching the Ka‘bah. So, he ﷺ slaughtered his animal sacrifice, got his head shaved at Al-Hudaybiyah, and agreed with them that he ﷺ would perform ‘Umrah on the following year, would not carry weapons except swords, and would not stay in Makkah except for the period they allowed. So, the Prophet ﷺperformed ‘Umrah in the following year and entered Makkah according to the treaty, and when he ﷺ stayed for three days, the pagans ordered him to depart, and he ﷺ did.
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Commentary :
The polytheists (of Quraysh) persecuted and abused the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), yet he ﷺ honored his agreements and covenants with them.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ headed towards Makkah in 6 A.H. to perform ‘Umrah, but the polytheists of Makkah denied him access to the Sacred House. They blocked his way in a place called Al-Hudaybiyah, a village that was named after a well located in that area, currently situated on the outskirts of Makkah. The Prophet ﷺ and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) ended their Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), slaughtered their animal sacrifices in Al-Hudaybiyah, and concluded a peace treaty with the polytheists of Makkah. They agreed to allow Muslims to perform ‘Umrah on the following year, and stipulated a truce between Muslims and the people of Quraysh, and that no arms may be carried by Muslims except their swords, which should be kept in their own cases, and that they must not stay in Makkah beyond the period specified by them. The Prophet ﷺ performed ‘Umrah on the following year, and entered Makkah, in compliance with the terms of the treaty. After spending three days in Makkah, the polytheists commanded the Prophet ﷺ to leave and he did.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that if a person is prevented from performing ‘Umrah, he should end his Ihraam.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is allowable to conclude a peace treaty with the disbelievers and conduct political and military agreements with them for the benefit of Muslims.
It is also deduced that Muslims must abide by their agreements and covenants with the non-Muslims.
.

2703

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Al-Rabee‘, the daughter of Al-Nadhr, broke the front tooth of a girl, and the relatives of Al-Rabee‘ requested the girl's relatives to accept the Arsh (i.e., restitution, money paid in compensation for bodily injury, wounds, harm … etc.) and forgive her, but they refused. So, they went to the Prophet ﷺ who ordered them to establish retaliation. Anas ibn Al-Nadhr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "O Allah’s Messenger! Will the front tooth of Al-Rabee‘ be broken? No, by Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth will not be broken!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Anas! Allah, Exalted is He, ordains Qisaas (i.e., retribution)." Afterward, the relatives of the girl agreed and forgave Al-Rabee‘. The Prophet ﷺsaid, "There are some servants of Allah were they to swear by Allah, Exalted is He, (that something would happen), He will certainly make it happen.” Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "They agreed and accepted the Arsh."
.

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam specified the penalties designated for causing bodily injury and harm, and gave the victim the choice between taking retribution by afflicting an equal bodily injury on the offender, or pardoning and forgiving him.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that Al-Rabee‘, the daughter of Al-Nadhr (may Allah be pleased with her) broke the front tooth of a girl, and the relatives of Al-Rabee‘ requested the girl's relatives to accept the Arsh (i.e., restitution, money paid in compensation for bodily injury, wounds, harm … etc.) and forgive (the offender), but they refused. Arsh Al-‘Ayb refers to the compensation for a defect that is payable by the seller to the buyer if the latter discovered a defect in the purchased commodity. In the context of offence and criminal injuries, the Arsh is similar in essence, because it compensates for the physical defect (damage) caused. The girl’s relatives refused to accept the Arsh and forgive Al-Rabee‘. They went to the Prophet ﷺ, and referred their dispute to him, and he ﷺ ordered them to establish equivalent retribution. Her brother, Anas ibn Al-Nadhr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "O Allah’s Messenger! Will the front tooth of Al-Rabee‘ be broken? No, by Him Who has sent you with the Truth, her tooth will not be broken!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Anas! Allah, Exalted is He, ordains Qisaas (i.e., retribution)." This entailed that the front tooth of Al-Rabee‘ would be broken. It is noteworthy that his statement was not an objection to the Prophet’s judgment or the relevant Laws of Islam provision, but he (may Allah be pleased with him) rather wanted the Prophet ﷺ to intercede with them, or it was said before he (may Allah be pleased with him) came to know that Allah, Exalted is He, particularly ordains Qisaas in such situations, and he had thought that they were given the choice between the Qisaas or the Diyyah (i.e., blood money).
Afterward, the relatives of the girl agreed, forgave her, and accepted the Arsh. The Prophet ﷺsaid, "There are some servants of Allah were they to swear by Allah, Exalted is He, (that something would happen), He will certainly make it happen,” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) made such an oath aspiring to the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, who knew of his sincerity and keenness, and therefore made what he desired come true. Were these obedient servants and close allies of Allah, Exalted is He, to swear by His name that something should happen, He would certainly make it come to pass.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for the harmed person to pardon the offender, give up his right to the Qisaas, and accept the prescribed compensation.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Anas ibn Al-Nadhr (may Allah be pleased with him)..

2704

Al-Hasan Al-Basree said:
By Allah, Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee led large battalions like mountains against Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas said (to Mu‘aawiyah) (may Allah be pleased with them), "I surely see battalions which will not turn back before killing their opponents." Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who was really the best of the two men, said to him, "O ‘Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the public jobs to manage people’s affairs? Who would be left to care for their women; who would be left to care for their children?" Then Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent two men from Quraysh, who belonged to the tribe of ‘Abd Shams called ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Sumurah and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Kurayz to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to them, "Go to this man (i.e. Al-Hasan) and negotiate peace with him and talk and appeal to him." So, they went to Al-Hasan and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "We, the offspring of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib, have got wealth, and people have indulged in killing and corruption (and only money will appease them)." They said to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), "Mu‘aawiyah offers you such-and-such, appeals to you, and entreats you to accept peace." Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them, "But who will be responsible for what you have said?" They said, "We will be responsible for it." So, whatever Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) asked they said, "We will be responsible for it for you." So, Al-Hasan concluded a peace treaty with Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Al-Hasan (Al-Basree) said: “I heard Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) saying, ‘I saw Allah's Messengerﷺon the pulpit and Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) was by his side. The Prophet ﷺ was looking once at the people and once at Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee saying, 'This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e., a noble leader) and may Allah, Exalted is He, make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him.’”.

Commentary :
Reconciliation between disputing Muslims is a religious obligation required of whoever is able to do so. Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with them) gave us the greatest and finest example of sacrificing his own rights for the sake of reconciliation between the disputing Muslims during the Fitnah (i.e., civil strife) between the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this hadeeth, Al-Hasan Al-Basree swore by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, that Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) led large battalions, as big as mountains, against Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). This could also be a metaphor for strength and power. The battalions led by Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) were supposed to fight the army of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) in fulfillment of the purposes that ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) sought to achieve during his reign by fighting the people of Shaam under the leadership of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). After ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed, his son, Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), led the battalions and marched to realize the objectives after which his late father sought.
‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas said to Mu‘aawiyah, urging him to fight Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with them), "I surely see battalions,” of brave soldiers, “which will not turn back before killing their opponents." The Arabic word used in the narration is Aqraan, lit. peers or counterparts, and it refers to rivals who have equal courage and military power. The narration goes on, “Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) who was really the best of the two men said to him, ‘O ‘Amr! If these killed those and those killed these, who would be left with me for the public jobs to manage people’s affairs? Who would be left to care for their women; who would be left to care for their children?’” He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that the death of their (husbands and) fathers would mean their loss. Al-Hasan Al-Basree’s saying, “who was really the best of the two men,” means that Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was better than ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) in this situation because ‘Amr had a much more intense dispute with Al-Hasan and was determined to fight him, whereas Mu‘aawiyah wanted to make peace to prevent bloodshed and preserve Muslims’ lives.
Therefore, Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent two men from Quraysh, who belonged to the tribe of ‘Abd Shams called ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Sumurah (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Aamir ibn Kurayz, who was said to have seen the Prophet ﷺ, to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) saying to them, "Go to this man (i.e. Al-Hasan) and negotiate peace with him," so that bloodshed could be averted, “and talk and appeal to him,” meaning ask him to give up his right to the caliphate and pass the reins to Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) instead, and give him whatever he may ask for in return. So, they went to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) and talked and appealed to him to accept peace. Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the two messengers, "We, the offspring of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib, have got wealth,” meaning that the offspring of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib have always been noble and innately generous towards their family and freed slaves, and have always assumed leadership of their people until it became a habit for them, “and people have indulged in killing and corruption (and only money will appease them)." He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to eliminate the causes of strife and conflict, and give the money to those whose evil urges and corruption would not be curbed except with it.
They said to Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him), "Mu‘aawiyah offers you such-and-such,” i.e., money, sustenance, and clothes, “and appeals to you and entreats you to accept peace." Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them, "But who will be responsible for what you have said?" They stated that they would be responsible for it, and would ensure the compliance with the terms that he would stipulate to make peace between Muslims. Whatever Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) asked they said, "We will be responsible for it for you." So, Al-Hasan concluded a peace treaty with Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them), putting the best interests of Islam and Muslims before his own.
Al-Hasan Al-Basree related that Aboo Bakrah Nufay‘ ibn Al-Haarith Al-Thaqfee (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Allah's Messengerﷺon the pulpit and Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) was by his side. The Prophet ﷺ was looking once at people and once at his young grandson, Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them), saying, 'This son of mine is a Saiyid (i.e., a noble leader) and may Allah, Exalted is He, make peace between two big groups of Muslims through him.’ The Prophet ﷺ foretold the conflict between Mu‘aawiyah and Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with them) over the caliphate, for it did not take them out of the fold of Islam. This year was called the year of Jamaa‘ah (unity), since Muslims were united again and there was an end to the conflict and civil strife.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of prophethood.
It also underlines the merits of Al-Hasan ibn ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to make peace with an opponent with money to satisfy the rights of those to whom they are due.
It is also inferred therefrom that messengers should be allowed to convey their messages freely, and must not be harmed.
It is also deduced that the imamate of a less eligible ruler over a more eligible one is valid.
It is also inferred that the leadership of people is earned by those who benefit people, because the Prophet ﷺ conditioned leadership on making peace between disputing people.
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2705

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Once Allah's Messengerﷺ heard the loud voices of some opponents quarreling at the door. One of them was appealing to the other to deduct his debt and asking him to be lenient but the other was saying, "By Allah, I will not do so." Allah's Messengerﷺ went out to them and said, "Who is the one who was swearing by Allah that he would not do a good deed?" That man said, "I am that person, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I will give my opponent whatever he wishes."
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Commentary :
A creditor is urged to be lenient towards the debtor (in claiming the repayment), and such leniency counts as an act of kindness and a good deed for him. No Muslim should miss out on this (rewardable) good deed and deny himself such reward. Highlighting this meaning, the Mother of the Believers ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that once Allah's Messengerﷺ heard the loud voices of some opponents quarreling at the door. A debtor was asking a creditor to deduct part of the debt and show him some leniency in claiming the repayment, but the creditor refused. He said, "By Allah, I will not do so,” meaning that he would not fulfill his request by reducing the debt or showing him leniency in claiming its repayment. When Allah's Messengerﷺ heard him swear by Allah, Exalted is He, not to do so, he ﷺ went out to them and said, "Who is the one who was swearing by Allah that he would not do a good deed?" The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Muta’alee, which denotes placing much emphasis on one’s oath. The Prophet ﷺ rebuked such a person for refraining from doing a good deed by fulfilling this debtor’s request. That man said, "I am that person, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I will give my opponent whatever he wishes,” meaning that he was willing to give him whatever he wanted, reducing the debt or showing more leniency in claiming its repayment and giving him respite until he was able to repay.
The hadeeth urges creditors to show kindness to debtors by writing off part of the debt.
It also warns against making oaths not to perform good deeds.
It highlights the Companions’ reverence for the Prophet ﷺ and their keenness to hasten to his obedience.
It also underlines how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) quickly understood what the Prophet ﷺ wanted, their swift compliance with his commands and prohibitions, and their keenness to perform good deeds.
It also encourages the forgiveness and pardon of the verbal abuses between quarrelers and disrespectfully raising one’s voice before the ruler.
It is also inferred therefrom that a debtor is allowed to ask the creditor to write off part of the debt.
It is also deduced that one may intercede with people to whom rights are due in favor of others, and that they are urged to accept the intercession in what is good and permissible.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that a ruler may interfere personally to make peace between disputing people..

2708

‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr narrated that Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) told me that he quarreled once with a man from the Ansaar, who had participated in (the battle of) Badr, in front of Allah's Messengerﷺ about a water stream which both of them used for irrigation. Allah's Messengerﷺ said to Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), "O Zubayr! Irrigate (your garden) first, and then let the water flow to your neighbor." The man from the Ansaar became angry and said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Is it because he is your cousin?" On that the complexion of Allah's Messengerﷺ changed (because of anger) and he said (to Al-Zubayr), "Irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms)." So, Allah's Messengerﷺ gave Al-Zubayr his full right. Before that, heﷺ had given a generous judgment beneficial for both Al-Zubayr and the man from the Ansaar, but when the latter irritated Allah's Messengerﷺ, he gave Al-Zubayr his full right according to the essence of Laws of Islam provisions. Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "By Allah, I think the following ayah was revealed concerning that case (which means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4:65]

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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the Imaam, ruler, and judge of Muslims,and adjudicated and settled the disputes between them.
In this hadeeth, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he once quarreled with a man from the Ansaar who had participated in (the battle of) Badr. The man referred the dispute - over a water stream in Al-Harrah that was used by both of them for irrigation - to Allah's Messengerﷺ. Al-Harrah was an open area with black stones,on the outskirts of Al-Madeenah. They both used to irrigate their gardens from this water stream; the water would run through Al-Zubayr’s garden first and then the other man’s. Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to block the water until he had irrigated his garden, and then allow it to flow and reach his neighbor’s garden. The Prophet ﷺ commanded Al-Zubayr to reasonably irrigate his garden first, and then let the water flow to his neighbor’s garden, but the man from the Ansaar became angry and said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Is it because he is your cousin?" He was referring to the fact that Al-Zubayr was the son of Safiyyah bint ‘Abd Al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them) and suggested that the Prophet ﷺ judged in his favor because he was his relative! Thereupon, the complexion of Allah's Messengerﷺ changed, because of anger which was written all over his face, given this man’s disrespect for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his heinous accusation. It should be noted that it was a mere slip of the tongue on part of the man (may Allah be pleased with him). He ﷺ said (to Al-Zubayr), "Irrigate (your garden) and then withhold the water till it reaches the walls (surrounding the palms),” meaning until he (may Allah be pleased with him) had finished irrigating the whole garden. Thus, Allah's Messengerﷺ gave Al-Zubayr his full right.
Before that, Allah's Messengerﷺ had given a generous judgment that was beneficial for both Al-Zubayr and the man from the Ansaar, out of courtesy, and to settle their dispute peacefully, suggesting that Al-Zubayr should irrigate his garden by taking the least amount of water sufficient for irrigation and then allow it to flow to his neighbor’s garden. However, when the man refused and irritated Allah's Messengerﷺ, he gave Al-Zubayr his full right according to the relevant Laws of Islam provisions. It goes without saying that the Prophet ﷺ did not let his anger drive him to undermine this man’s rights or give Al-Zubayr more than what he was entitled to at the expense of his neighbor.
Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "By Allah, I think the following ayah was revealed concerning that case (which means): {But no, by your Lord, they will not [truly] believe until they make you, [O Muhammad], judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves and then find within themselves no discomfort from what you have judged and submit in [full, willing] submission.} [Quran 4:65].
In the ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, swears by His name that no one truly believes unless he accepts the Prophet ﷺ as judge to settle all disputes and would be perfectly content with his judgment, hasten to comply with it and submissively adhere to it. This serves as a reprimand from Allah, Exalted is He, to those who do not seek the judgment of His Messenger ﷺ, negating (the perfection of) their faith until they should be content with his judgment.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may pass his judgment based on what he believes to be the truth based on clear evidence, after urging the litigants to opt for reconciliation and the refusal of any of them.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ at times of anger and contentment, and in all situations.It encourages a believer to restrain his anger, keep it in check, refrain from allowing it to drive him to infringe on the rights of others and wrong them, and rather to opt for forgiveness and pardon.
The hadeeth also urges Muslims to seek reconciliation and commands them to do so.
It is inferred therefrom that a ruler may give each litigant his right in full if the litigants refuse to reconcile or accept his proposal of a possible middle way.
It also rebukes whoever disrespects the ruler and governor and punish him accordingly without wronging him.

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2710

‘Abdullah ibn Ka‘b narrated that Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ, he demanded his debt from Ibn Abee Hadrad (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Mosque. Their voices grew louder till Allah's Messengerﷺ heard them while he was in his house. So, he ﷺ lifted the curtain of his room and called on Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) saying, "O Ka‘b!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "Labbayka (i.e., I am at your service), Allah's Messengerﷺ.”He ﷺ beckoned to him with his hand suggesting that he deduct half the debt. Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I will do, O Allah's Messengerﷺ!” He ﷺ then said (to Ibn Abee Hadrad), "Get up and pay him the rest."
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Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islamdecreed that a debtor should keenly repay his debts in full and honor his commitments, and also enjoins the creditor to be kind and lenient towards the debtor.
In this hadeeth, Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)said that during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, he demanded the repayment of his debt from Ibn Abee Hadrad (may Allah be pleased with him) in the Prophet’s Mosque. Their voices grew louder during their discussion till Allah's Messengerﷺ heard them while he was in his house. Therefore, he ﷺ lifted the curtain of his room and called onKa‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) saying, "O Ka‘b!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "Labbayka (i.e., I am at your service), Allah's Messengerﷺ.”He ﷺ beckoned to him with his hand suggesting that he deduct half the debt owed by Ibn Abee Hadrad (may Allah be pleased with him). In compliance with the Prophet’s command, Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote off half the debt. It was not a judgment issued by the Prophet ﷺ for Ka‘b to give up his right to half of the debt, but rather aimed to urge him to show kindness and lenience towards the debtor, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was not required to do so. He ﷺ then said (to Ibn Abee Hadrad), "Get up and pay him the rest,” meaning the other half of the debt.
The hadeeth highlights the virtue of reconciliation and mediation between the disputing people.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to adjudicate disputes over debts and all financial rights in the mosque and issue the apt judgment.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible for a debtor to ask the creditor to write off part of the debt.
It is also deduced that one may intercede with those to whom rights are due in favor of others, and that they are urged to accept this intercession in what is good and permissible.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that a ruler may interfere personally to make peace between disputing people..

2711

Marwaan and Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Companions of Allah's Messengerﷺ that when Suhayl ibn ‘Amr agreed to Al- Hudaybiyah Treaty, one of the terms he stipulated then, was that the Prophet ﷺ should return to them (i.e., the pagans of Quraysh) anyone coming to him from their side, even if he was already a Muslim; and would not interfere between them and that person. Muslims did not like this condition and were very indignant by it! Suhayl did not agree (to conclude the treaty) except with that condition. So, the Prophet ﷺ agreed to that condition and returned Aboo Jandal (may Allah be pleased with him) to his father Suhayl ibn ‘Amr. Thenceforward, the Prophet ﷺreturned everyone in that period (of truce) even if he was a Muslim. During that period some believing women emigrated including Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah ibn Abee Mu‘ayt (may Allah be pleased with her) who came to Allah's Messengerﷺ and was a young lady then. Her relative came to the Prophet ﷺand asked him to return her, but the Prophet ﷺ did not return her to them for Allah, Exalted is He, had revealed the following ayah regarding women. He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them.} [Quran 60:10]
‘Urwah narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ used to examine the believing women who migrated to him in accordance with these ayaat. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give the disbelievers what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allah; He judges between you. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. * And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allah, in whom you are believers. * O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 60:10-12] ‘Urwah narrated that ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “If any of the believing women accepted the condition (assigned in the above-mentioned ayaat), Allah's Messenger ﷺ would say to her, "I have accepted your Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance)." "He ﷺ would only say that orally, for, by Allah, his hand never touched, any lady during that process. He ﷺ did not receive their Bay‘ah except by saying, "I have accepted your Bay‘ah for that.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the keenest to honor his covenants or agreements with others, even those made with the polytheists.
In this hadeeth, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, who was one of the leaders of Quraysh and their preacher - he embraced Islam the same year Makkah was conquered - was the representative of the disbelievers of Quraysh at the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah in 6 A.H. One of the terms he stipulated then was that the Prophet ﷺ should return to them (i.e., the pagans of Quraysh) anyone coming to him from their side, even if he was already a Muslim, and would not interfere between them and that person. This meant that if any of the people of Quraysh wanted to embrace Islam and join the Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ was bound to return him to the disbelievers, who would kill him if they wished or do whatever they wanted! Muslims disliked this condition and were very indignant about it! It was very difficult for them to accept such a condition, especially since they were in a strong position and apparently had the right to decline such an unfair condition. However, Suhayl did not agree (to concluding the treaty) except with that condition. So, the Prophet ﷺ agreed to it and returned those who wanted to join the Muslims, one of whom was Aboo Jandal (may Allah be pleased with him), the son of Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, after he (Aboo Jandal) came from Makkah to Al-Hudaybiyah. Thenceforward, the Prophet ﷺreturned whoever came to him during that specified period (of the truce) even if he was a Muslim, in compliance with the agreed-upon term. During that period, some believing women emigrated, including Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah ibn Abee Mu‘ayt (may Allah be pleased with her), who came to Allah's Messengerﷺ and was a young lady then, meaning that she had recently reached puberty. Her relative came to the Prophet ﷺand asked him to return her, but the Prophet ﷺ did not return her to them, for Allah, Exalted is He, had revealed the following ayah regarding women. He Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them.} [Quran 60:10]. Testing them here meant asking them to take an oath and consider the indicative signs that they most likely had embraced Islam, to verify the sincerity of their faith.
It was also said that the meaning of their examination is to ask them to swear an oath that they did not leave their people to escape their hated husbands, merely sought migration to a different land, or to obtain some worldly gains, and ensure that they came only out of their love for Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.
The Mother of the Believers ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ used to examine the believing women who migrated to him in accordance with these ayaat. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O you who have believed, when the believing women come to you as emigrants, examine them. Allah is most knowing as to their faith. And if you know them to be believers, then do not return them to the disbelievers; they are not lawful [wives] for them, nor are they lawful [husbands] for them. But give the disbelievers what they have spent. And there is no blame upon you if you marry them when you have given them their due compensation. And hold not to marriage bonds with disbelieving women, but ask for what you have spent and let them ask for what they have spent. That is the judgement of Allah; He judges between you. And Allah is Knowing and Wise. * And if you have lost any of your wives to the disbelievers and you subsequently obtain [something], then give those whose wives have gone the equivalent of what they had spent. And fear Allah, in whom you are believers. * O Prophet, when the believing women come to you pledging to you that they will not associate anything with Allah, nor will they steal, nor will they commit unlawful sexual intercourse, nor will they kill their children, nor will they bring forth a slander they have invented between their arms and legs, nor will they disobey you in what is right - then accept their pledge and ask forgiveness for them of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 60:10-12]. The ayaat referred to their pledge of allegiance to refrain from associating partners with Allah, Exalted is He, stealing, committing Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse), or falsely attributing their illegitimate children to their husbands. It was also said that His Saying {between their arms,} means their tongues, and {and legs,} means their private parts. They had also to pledge not to disobey the Prophet ﷺ in whatever is lawful and good. It was said that this referred particularly to wailing over the dead, and it was also said that it referred to staying alone with non-Mahram men. Another opinion suggested that it referred to all the known rights of Allah, Exalted is He, over His servants.
Afterward, ‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that whoever from among the believing women accepted these conditions, Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to her, "I have accepted your Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance)." She (may Allah be pleased with her) swore by Allah that the Prophet’s hand never touched any lady during that process. It was done verbally since the Prophet ﷺ only shook the hands of men who gave him the Bay‘ah.
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2721

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, "From among all the conditions which you have to fulfill, the conditions which make it lawful for you to have sexual relations (i.e., stipulated in marriage contracts) have the greatest right to be fulfilled."
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Commentary :
The believers are Islamically bound by their own conditions, and it is incumbent on a Muslim to comply with every condition that conforms with the Book of Allah, Exalted is He, and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ, and does not conflict with them.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that the first and foremost of these conditions, and the most deserving of fulfillment is the one by means of which sexual intercourse is deemed lawful. This means the conditions stipulated in marriage contracts whereby it becomes lawful for a man to engage in sexual intercourse with his wife. This is why such conditions were declared the most deserving of fulfillment (considering the solemnity of the marriage bond).
It is noteworthy that such conditions must not contradict the essence and implications of the marriage contract to begin with. Rather, they must be within the scope of what a marriage contract entails and aims to fulfill, such as stipulating fostering kindness, providing for one’s wife, providing her with clothes and accommodation within what is reasonably and customarily acceptable, fulfilling her rights over him, establishing justice among co-wives, or stipulating that she must not leave his home without his permission, that she must not disobey him, observe voluntary fasting without his permission, or does not allow anyone access to his home without his permission, dispose of his wealth and belongings except in a manner acceptable to him, and the like. However, this does not apply to the conditions that conflict with the very essence and implications of marriage, such as stipulating that the wife must not take a dower or that a husband is not required to provide for her and the like; such conditions must be broken. These conditions are invalid and if they are cancelled, the marriage contract would be valid, for the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every condition that is not in the Book of Allah is invalid, even if there are one hundred conditions. The Book of Allah is more deserving of being followed and the conditions of Allah, Exalted is He, are more binding.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
The hadeeth urges the fulfillment of marital rights..

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

Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, "He who makes peace between disputing people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar (i.e., he does not bear a sin for it).”
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‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "If somebody innovates something which has no basis in our religion, such innovation is rejected."
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Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Our houses were situated far away from the mosque. So, we wanted to sell our houses and move near the mosque. But the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) forbade us, saying: "With every step there is a degree for you.".

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

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

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

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

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, "He who makes peace between disputing people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar (i.e., he does not bear a sin for it).” .

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "If somebody innovates something which has no basis in our religion, such innovation is rejected." .

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..

Umm Kulthoom bint ‘Uqbah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that she heard Allah's Messengerﷺ saying, "He who makes peace between disputing people by inventing good information or saying good things, is not a liar (i.e., he does not bear a sin for it).”
.

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "If somebody innovates something which has no basis in our religion, such innovation is rejected."
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