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Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1871

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)

Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, “I was ordered to migrate to a town which will swallow (conquer) other towns and is called Yathrib and that is Al-Madeenah, and it turns out (bad) persons as a furnace removes the impurities of iron.”.

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah, Exalted is He, from impurities, and chosen to be the land to which the Prophet ﷺ should migrate, to be the cradle of his call, and the cornerstone of thenew Muslim state.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told them that Allah, Exalted is He, had commanded him to migrate from Makkah to a village that would eat up all other villages, meaning to triumph over them. The Arabic wording of the hadeeth literally means “to consume or eat” other villages, meaning to overpower them. TheProphet ﷺ used the metaphor of eating here to denote conquest.
From Al-Madeenah, the Muslim armies marched to conquer the rest of the (populated) world and Allah, Exalted is He, blessed the Muslims with triumph over their enemies to support His religion and conquer other lands. It could also refer to the riches taken as spoils of war from the conquered lands. The meaning could also be that Islam set out from Al-Madeenah to conquer all other lands, and triumph over all other sovereignties.
Then he ﷺ mentioned that some people, i.e., the hypocrites, called it Yathrib, butthat he ﷺ disliked this name. He ﷺ stated that he preferred the name “Al-Madeenah.” He ﷺ also named it Taybah, as narrated by Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him), and Taabah, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Humayd(may Allah be pleased with him); both hadeeths have been cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. The fact that he ﷺ disliked the name Yathrib is because linguistically, it denotes rebuke or punishment, and may also denote corruption.Furthermore, it was the name given to it during the pre-Islamic era and the Prophet ﷺ used to change bad names that had negative connotations.
He ﷺ said: “And it is Al-Madeenah,” meaning the city that is absolutely perfect and worthy of being taken as a permanent residence. The use of “Al (the)”, the Arabic definite article, here denotes further accentuation and veneration. As for giving it the name Yathrib in the Quran, it is used merely to relate the name given to it by the hypocrites.
Then he ﷺ stated that it repels the most wicked people from it, turning out (bad) persons as a furnace removes the impurities of iron. They do not stand residing therein as it only accommodates the righteous believers. It does not leave anyone in whose heart there iscorruption or evil, but rather sets them apart from those endowed with honest hearts, and turns them out, just as fire eliminates the impurities of iron. It has been said that it refers to the hypocrites during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. After the death of the Prophet ﷺ, many of the righteous and virtuous Muslims left Al-Madeenah and some corrupt and evil people remained therein. It could also mean the turning out of the hypocrites upon the emergence of Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal (the Antichrist), as cited in Saheeh Muslim: “The Last Hour will not come until Al-Madeenah banishes its evils just as a furnace eliminates the impurities of iron.”
This hadeeth also highlights the virtues and merits of Al-Madeenah, and is one of the signs of hisﷺ prophethood.
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1873

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)

If I saw deers grazing in Al-Madeenah, I would not chase them, for Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "It (Al-Madeenah) is a sanctuary between its two mountains.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ declared Al-Madeenah a sanctuary, and its inviolability entails that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable (as per the laws of Islam). No animal may be hunted and no tree may be cut down. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to show keenness in complying with the commands of the Prophet ﷺ and avoiding his prohibitions.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did not merely refrain from hunting the antelopes when he saw them graze or wander about Al-Madeenah, but rather refrained from alarming them, out of his earnest compliance with the command of the Prophet ﷺ regarding the inviolability of Al-Madeenah! His words could also mean, ‘I did not intend to chase them, but accidently alarmed them,’ used as a metaphor for his refraining from hunting them.
Afterward, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did so in compliance with the Prophet’s command to declare Al-Madeenah inviolable. He ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary between its two Harrahs.” The sacredness of Al-Madeenah manifests in the fact that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable (as per the laws of Islam). No tree may be cut down, except those planted by people; it is permissible for them to cut down and eat from such trees only. It is also forbidden to hunt in Al-Madeenahh, just like in Makkah. However, there is no prescribed punishment (expiation) for hunting in Al-Madeenah, because the sanctuary of Al-Madeenah is not a place for performing Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals (whereas the sanctuary of Makkah is). The Arabic word ‘laabah’ or ‘harrah’ (used in the relevant hadeeth) means a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Qubaa’ Mosque and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblahs) is located. A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenahh sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality has installed architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary..

1874

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "People will leave Al-Madeenah in spite of the best state it will have, and none except the wild birds and the beasts of prey will live in it, and the last persons who will die will be two shepherds from the tribe of Muzaynah, who will be driving their sheep towards Al-Madeenah, but will find nobody in it, and when they reach the valley of Thaniyyaat Al-Wadaa‘, they will fall down on their faces dead.".

Commentary :
There are certain minor and major signs of (the coming of) the Hour (i.e., Day of Resurrection). The difference between the minor and major signs is that the major signs shall occur shortly before the Day of Resurrection, and shall be few in number and consecutive; none of them has occurred yet. As for the minor signs of the Hour, they are numerous and shall occur at longer time intervals, and many of them have already taken place.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of some future events that shall take place at the end of the world. The inhabitants of Al-Madeenah shall leave and it will becomevacant and abandoned, although it would be at its best in terms of being a thriving and prosperous land producing abundant crops and fruits! Being deserted, wild animals and birds shall live therein in pursuit of prey, since all people shall be dead by that time except for two shepherds from Muzaynah, a tribe from Mudhar, who shall be the last people to die. They will go to Al-Madeenah to graze their cattle, but find it deserted and full of beasts and wild animals. As they reach the valley of Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘ at the entrance of Al-Madeenah, they shall fall dead on their faces.
The Arabic wording of the hadeeth literally translates as, ‘the last to be resurrected’ meaning, ‘the last to die,’ because resurrection takes place only after death. It could also mean that their resurrection will be delayed because their deaths will be delayed. It is also possible that it means that they shall be the last people to be driven to Al-Madeenah. The valley of Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘ is located near Tabook, on the route from Madeenah to Shaam (Greater Syria). It was given this name because people used to bid farewell to the pilgrims and the armies therein before they set off on their journeys, and it is situated nowadays at the heart of the urban area of Al-Madeenah..

1875

Narrated Sufyaan ibn Aboo Zuhayr (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Yemen will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Al-Madeenah) and will urge their families, and those who will obey them to migrate (to Yemen) although Al-Madeenah will be better for them; had they only known. Sham will also be conquered and some people will migrate (from Al-Madeenah) and will urge their families and those who will obey them, to migrate (to Shaam) although Al-Madeenah would have been better for them; had they only known. Iraq will be conquered and some people will migrate (from Al-Madeenah) and will urge their families and those who will obey them to migrate (to Iraq) although Al-Madeenah would have been better for them; had they only known.".

Commentary :
None knows the Unseen except Allah, Exalted is He, and He may impart some knowledge of the Unseen to some of His chosen servants. He revealed to the Prophet ﷺ the knowledge of some future events that took place exactly as he ﷺforetold, serving as proofs and signs of his prophethood.

In this hadeeth, the Companion Sufyaan ibn Aboo Zuhayr Al-Azdi (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺforetold the conquest of many lands which took place in the exact order stated by him in the hadeeth.
He ﷺ said that Yemen would be conquered, and some people would be fascinated by it so much that they would take their families and migrate from Al-Madeenah to Yemen, although residing in Al-Madeenah would have been better for them.This is because the Prophet ﷺ declared it an inviolablesanctuary, it is closer to his mosque, it was the land where the divine revelation descended, and the blessings of Allah have been bestowed upon it. Had they only known the great merits and benefits of residing in Al-Madeenah with regard to their religiosity, they would have thought little of the fleeting worldly benefits and gains obtained by residing elsewhere. The hadeeth could also mean, ‘Had they only any share of knowledge,’ meaning if only they were endowed with a share of (religious) knowledge,’ denoting reproach.
This hadeeth stated that these two shepherds will be driving their cattle. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Yabussoon,’ and it means to urge (camels in particular) to move faster.
Then he ﷺ foretold the conquest of Shaam, which is Greater Syria, that incorporates present-day Jordan, Palestine, Syria, and Lebanon, and the conquest of Iraq as well. He ﷺ informed us that people would flock to these newly conquered lands, seeking wealth and prosperity, like those who would migrate to Yemen, although their residence in Al-Madeenah would have been better for them.
It is noteworthy that this hadeeth applies to those who give up residence in Al-Madeenah and move out of it rather than those who leave it to fulfill a need, e.g., for Jihaad or trade purposes. The hadeeth does not apply to these latter categories.
The Prophet ﷺ described the two shepherds as driving their camelsto emphasize the intended meaningof saying, ‘Had they only known,” to dispraise their situation. The reference to shepherding the camels here is a metaphor of giving in to the alluring pursuit of fleeing and immediate worldly gains and pleasures, and giving up residence near the Prophet ﷺ. This is why he ﷺ repeated the word ‘Qawm’ and described such people as they drive their cattle to dispraise their blameworthy state.
The hadeeth underlines some merits of Al-Madeenah and residence therein.
It also serves as evidence on the superiority of some lands to others..

1876

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, “Verily, faith returns and goes back to Madeenah as a snake returns and goes back to its hole (when in danger).”.

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah, Exalted is He, from evils and impurities, and chosen to be the land to which His Prophet ﷺ migrated, the cradle of the call of Islam, and the cornerstone of the early Muslim state.
It this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of some virtues that warranted the superiority of Al-Madeenah over other lands. He ﷺ stated that faith returns to Al-Madeenah just like a snake would return to its hole (for protection), which is a metaphor of the believers flocking towards Al-Madeenah, the land of migration. The believers continued to seek refuge in it and flock towards it whenever they feared for their religion, and it served as the fountainhead of faith, from which it spread all over the world, being the power base of Islamat its inception. Likewise, a snake gets out of its hole, and whenever it is alarmed, it crawls back to its hole. In the same vein, Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺalso said: “Verily Islam started as something strange and it will again return to being strange just as it started, and it would recede between the two mosques just as the serpent crawls back into its hole.” [Saheeh Muslim]. The two mosques are the Sacred Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Al-Madeenah. It goes without saying that Islam was first perceived as strange in the midst of ignorance,as it discarded many of the pre-Islamic customs, and therefore people perceived it as a strange call (alien to their perceptions), and it shall be perceived as such after it was once vastly widespread. This is an indication that the believers flee to Makkah and Al-Madeenah for protection from temptations and out of fear for their religiosity. It also indicates that the Muslim lands will shrink at the end of the world. It has also said that the hadeeth applies to all times. As for the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, seeking refuge in Al-Madeenah is meant as a reference to learning from the Prophet ﷺ. As for the time of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), Taabi‘oon, and their followers, it means following their guidance. As for the subsequent times, Muslims have sought refuge inAl-Madeenah to pray in the Prophet’s Mosque.
This hadeeth also underlines a sign that provesthe prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

1877

Narrated Sa`d (may Allah be pleased with him):I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "None plots against the people of Madeenah but that he will be dissolved (destroyed) like the salt is dissolved in water."
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1878

Narrated Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him):Once the Prophet ﷺ stood at the top of a (looked out from upon one) castle amongst the castles (or the high buildings) of Al-Madeenah and said, "Do you see what I see? (No doubt) I see the spots where afflictions will take place among your houses (and these afflictions will be) as numerous as the spots where raindrops fall.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was an exemplary educator and mentor; he ﷺ utilized every available opportunity to call people to Allah, Exalted is He, instill goodness within Muslims, and warn them against all evils. An example of his warnings was against some future Fitnah (trails and afflictions) and evils so that Muslims would be well prepared for them.
This hadeeth serves as evidence of his prophethood and a miracle which he ﷺ was given, foretelling some future events that would happen after his death. Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ once stood at the top of one of the forts or high buildings in Al-Madeenah, looked down, and then drew the attention of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who were with him by saying: “Do you see what I see?” Then he ﷺ told them of the very spots where some future afflictions would befall Al-Madeenah as if he ﷺ was seeing them firsthand at the time of their occurrence, as clear as he saw the spaces between the houses. He ﷺ told them that these afflictions would be numerous and befall all the people therein, just like raindrops. The Arabic term fitnah denotes the trails and afflictions that befall people with regard to their religious or worldly affairs.
The Prophet ﷺ singled out Al-Madeenah in this hadeeth, because the killing of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) took place in Al-Madeenah and it was followed by a series of trails and afflictions that spread all over the Muslim lands. The Battle of the Camel and the Battle of Siffeen were the result of the murder of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him). Moreover, the Battle of Nahrawan was caused by the arbitration at the Battle of Siffeen, and all the fighting that took place during the time of Fitnah (strife) was a result of arbitration, or caused by some of its results.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that an educator may draw the attention of the students by employing the question-answer method of teaching.
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1879

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said: "The terror caused by Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal (Antichrist) will not enter Al-Madeenah and at that time it will have seven gates and there will be two angels at each gate guarding them.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ did not leaveany good without instructing us to adhere to it nor any evil without warning us against it. One of the grave pervasive evils against which he ﷺ warned us was the emergence of Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal (Antichrist), which is one of the major signs of the Hour.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of the divine protection shielding Al-Madeenah from the Fitnah ofAl-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal). He is given the name ‘Al-Maseeh’, because it literally means the one who is blind in one eye, and the name ‘Al-Dajjaal’ to distinguish him from Al-Maseeh (Messiah) ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Mary. Linguistically, the Arabic word ‘Dajjaal’ denotes concealment and deception,, sbecause he is a liar who covers up the truth, conceals it, and reveals falsehood. Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him some abilities that are exclusive to Him such as: the resurrection of a dead person whom he shall kill, the time of prosperity and affluence that he will usher in, his heaven and fire, and his two rivers. Moreover, the treasures of the land will follow him, and he will command the sky to rain and the plants to grow, and they will comply. All of that shall happen by the power and will of Allah, Exalted is He, as a fitnah and trial for people. He ﷺ informed us of his conquest of various lands which will strike fear, panic, and terror in the hearts of their people. However, he will not be able to enter Al-Madeenah. He will try to enter it, but it will have then seven gates, each of which will be guarded by two angels, preventing him from entering it. Another hadith has been reported indicating that Allah, Exalted is He,has guarded Makkah as well against Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal and that he will not be able to enter it. For instance, he ﷺ said: “There will be no land which would not be treaded by Al-Dajjaal but Makkah and Al-Madeenah.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
This hadeeth also highlights the virtues of Al-Madeenah, and states that the angels guard its gates..

1880

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "There are angels guarding the entrances (or roads) of Madeenah, neither plague nor Al-Dajjaal will be able to enter it.".

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah from impurities and evils, and preserved from destructive perils.
In this hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us of the distinct honor conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on Al-Madeenah, favoring it over other lands, namely its routes and entrances being guarded by angels. Neither the plague nor Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal can enter, it being protected by the angels who shall prevent him from entering it. It has been narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ stated that Al-Dajjaal will stop at the Sabakhah (i.e., a barren place adjacent to Madeenah), which retains pools of flood water in the northwest of Al-Madeenah. As he arrives there, Al-Madeenah will be shaken with its people, and no hypocrite, male or female, will be left therein. All hypocrites will come out to him. [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. However, he will not be able to enter Al-Madeenah.
The emergence of Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal is one of the major signs of the Hour. Al-Dajjaal, linguistically, means concealment, because he is a liar who covers up the truth and conceals it, and reveals falsehood. Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him some abilities that are exclusive to Him such as: the resurrection of the dead person whom he shall kill, the time of prosperity and affluence that he will usher in, his heaven and fire, and his two rivers. Moreover, the treasures of the land will follow him, and he will command the sky to rain and plants to grow, and they will comply. All of that shall happen by the power and will of Allah, Exalted is He, as a fitnah and trial for people. It has been narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There will be no land which would not be tread by Al-Dajjaal but Makkah and Al-Madeenah.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This is a distinct honor conferred upon these two great cities, Makkah and Al-Madeenah.
The plague is a fatal disease that causes wounds and ulcers on the body (and often leads to death). It has been narrated on the authority of Aboo Moosaa Al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “My nation shall perish due to Ta‘n (killing) and Taa‘oon (plague).” People asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah; we know the Ta‘n, but what is Taa‘oon?’ He ﷺ said: “It is the mortal strike of your enemies form the Jinn, and there is martyrdom in both.” [Musnad Ahmad].
Reality has attested the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as the plague has spread in multiple lands throughout history, and has not emerged in Al-Madeenah, confirming the words of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. So, this hadeeth also highlights a sign of his prophethood and underlines the virtues of Al-Madeenah and the merits of residing therein..

1881

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, "There will be no town which Al-Dajjaal will not enter except Makkah and Al-Madeenah, and there will be no entrance (paths) (of both Makkah and Al-Madeenah) but the angels will be standing in rows guarding it against him, and then Al-Madeenah will shake with its inhabitants thrice (i.e., three earthquakes will take place) and Allah will expel all the disbelievers and the hypocrites from it.".

1882

Narrated Aboo Sa`eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ told us a long narrative about Al-Dajjaal, and among the many things he mentioned, was his saying, "Al-Dajjaal will come and it will be forbidden for him to pass through the entrances of Madeenah. He will land in some of the salty barren areas (outside) Madeenah; on that day the best man or one of the best men will come up to him and say, 'I testify that you are the same Dajjaal whose description was given to us by Allah's Messenger ﷺ.' Al-Dajjaal will say to the people, 'If I kill this man and bring him back to life again, will you doubt my claim?' They will say, 'No.' Then Al-Dajjaal will kill that man and bring him back to life. That man will say, 'Now I know your reality better than before.' Al-Dajjaal will say, 'I want to kill him but I cannot.' ".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ did not leave any good without guiding us to it, nor any evil without warning us against it. An example of the pervasive evils against which he ﷺ warned us is the emergence of Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal and this is one of the major signs of the Hour.
In this hadeeth, Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) told them about Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal at length, warning them against his Fitnah, and informing them of some of his news. He is given the name ‘Al-Maseeh’ because it literally denotes the one who is blind in one eye, and ‘Al-Dajjaal’ to distinguish him from the Maseeh (Messiah) ‘Eesa (Jesus), son of Mary. The Arabic word ‘Dajjaal’ linguistically means concealment, because he is a liar who covers up the truth and conceals it, and reveals falsehood. He shall be a human being by means of whom Allah, Exalted is He, shall test His servants. He will grant him some abilities that are exclusive to Him, such as: the resurrection of the dead person whom he shall kill, the time of prosperity and affluence that he will usher in, his heaven and fire, and his two rivers. Moreover, the treasures of the land will follow him, and he will command the sky to rain and the plants to grow, and they will comply. All of that shall happen by the power and will of Allah, Exalted is He, as a fitnah and trial for people.
Among the information that the Prophet ﷺ stated about Al-Maseeh Al-Dajjaal was that he shall approach Al-Madeenah and try to enter it, but will rather reach a Sabkhah, a sandy land that is barren because of high soil salinity, therein. It was reported on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “(Al-Dajjaal will come) and pitch his tent in the Sabkhah of Juruf,” [Saheeh Muslim]. This place is a barren area of land about 3 miles from Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam. He will not be able to enter Al-Madeenah, because it is deemed forbidden for him to enter it; all the routes and roads to its valleys are guarded by rows of angels. As he approaches the Sabkhah (outside) Al-Madeenah, the best man or one of the best men at that time will come up to him, to unveil his evil to the people. Upon seeing him, he will know that he is Al-Dajjaal based on his description reported on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ. He will say to him, ‘I testify that you are Al-Dajjaal whose description was given to us by Allah's Messenger ﷺ.’ Al-Dajjaal will say to the disbelievers and hypocrites who will be deceived by him, ‘If I kill this man and bring him back to life again, will you doubt my claim?’ They will say, ‘No!’ Then Al-Dajjaal will kill that man and bring him back to life, by the Will and Permission of Allah, Exalted is He, as a test and trial for people, to set the true believers apart from the disbelievers. Another version of this hadeeth reads: “He will then order him to be torn (into pieces) with a saw from the parting of his hair up to his legs. Afterwards, Al-Dajjaal will walk between the two pieces. He will then say to him: ‘Stand, and he will stand erect.’ He will then say to him: ‘Do you not believe in me?’ The man will say: ‘It has only added to my insight concerning you (that you are really Al-Dajjaal).’” [Muslim]. He will say so because he will have seen firsthand another sign of which the Prophet ﷺhad informed him, namely, that he will bring back to life a killed person. Al-Dajjaal will say, ‘I want to kill him, but I cannot!’ The version narrated by Muslim reads: “Al-Dajjaal will try to catch hold of him so that he should kill him (again). The space between his neck and collar bone will be turned into copper and he will find no means to kill him. So, he will catch hold of him by his hands and feet and throw him (into the air), and people will think that he had been thrown in the Hellfire, whereas he had been thrown into Paradise. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said regarding that man: ‘He will be the most eminent amongst persons in regard to martyrdom in the sight of the Lord of the world.’” [Muslim]
This hadeeth underlines the virtues of knowledge, and highlights that it is one of the means to gain both insight into the Fitnah and steadfastness on the truth at the time of its occurrence.
The hadeeth also underscores the virtues of confronting the people of falsehood with the truth.
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1883

Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): A Bedouin came to the Prophet ﷺ and gave a pledge of allegiance for embracing Islam. The next day he came with fever and said (to the Prophet ﷺ), "Please cancel my pledge (of embracing Islam and of emigrating to Madeenah)." The Prophet ﷺ refused (that request) three times and said, "Al-Madeenah is like a furnace, it expels out the impurities (bad persons), selects the good ones and makes them perfect.".

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah from impurities and evils, and chosen to be the land to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated, the cradle of His call, and a refuge for His righteous servants.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) told us that a Bedouin man (desert dweller) migrated to Al-Madeenah and went to the Prophet ﷺ to give him the Bay‘ah (pledge of allegiance) to adhere to Islam. The Arabic word Bay‘ah means a contract or covenant, and it is given that name because it is similar to a financial trade-off in the sense that each of the two parties offers the other something in exchange. The Prophet ﷺ offered them the promise of reward and they offered in return their commitment to his obedience.
This Bedouin man had a fever on the following day, and went back to the Prophet ﷺ to cancel his Bay‘ah! Apparently, he did not want to give up Islam, otherwise he would not have bothered to go back to theProphet ﷺ and seek his permission. Rather, he wanted to back out of his commitment to the migration, but the Prophet ﷺ refused, because backing out of the migration is a major sin. This is why the Prophet ﷺ said in another hadeeth, “O Allah, complete for my Companions their migration, and do not cause them to turn back upon their heels.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
Moreover, his act implies having ill thoughts about Allah, Exalted is He, because he assumed that he had a fever because he had given the pledge of alligance to the Prophet ﷺ (to migrate to Al-Madeenah), and thought that if he ﷺ released him from his commitment, he would be cured from the fever! Therefore, he went to the Prophet ﷺ with such a request, and this indicated his keenness, but he ﷺ refused. Despite the Prophet’s ﷺrefusal, the man left Al-Madeenah, and thereupon he ﷺ remarked that Al-Madeenah is like a furnace, in that it expels out the impurities (bad people), chooses only the good ones and refines them. In this hadeeth, he ﷺ likened Al-Madeenah to a pair of bellows made from (wood and) leather used by blacksmiths to push air into the fire to allow the furnace to reach a high temperature,so as to make the iron melt and remove its impurities. Similarly, Al-Madeenah expels the wicked people and purifies itself from their evil to manifest its perfect purity. This is a metaphor of the faith of the true and sincere believers among its inhabitants. This is a good metaphor, because thebellows is used to blow on the fire to supply air to remove the black smoke and ashes from the fire, leaving only the burning embers. This is the meaning if the hadeeth referred to the actual bellows used by the blacksmith to produce a strong blast of air to heat up the fire. However, if the intended meaning is the furnace itself, the hadeeth would mean that this place, given its high temperature, removes all impurities from iron, silver and gold to produce pure iron, silver and gold. Likewise, Al-Madeenah turns out the wicked people by means of fever, illness, poor livelihoods, and poverty to purify the ‘human self’ from the traces of indulgence in sinful desires, and thus refines the good people.
It is noteworthy that this description does not apply to Al-Madeenah at all times, but is rather specific to the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, because none would leave Al-Madeenah to reside elsewhere except that he was a wicked person. After the Prophet’s death, some of the best people among his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) moved out of Al-Madeenah and died in their new places of residence.
This cannot be refuted by the fact that the hypocrites lived and died in Al-Madeenah and it did not expel them, because it was originally their homeland, and they did not inhabit it after embracing Islam or for religious reasons, but rather resided therein for the good livelihood opportunities there. The Prophet ﷺused this metaphor in reference to those who willingly committed themselves to Islam and then their hearts were corrupted.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whenever someone makes a covenant with Allah, committing himself or someone else to doing something, it is impermissible for him to release himself from such a commitment, because such an act involves disobedience to Allah, Exalted is He, who Says (that which means): {O you who have believed, fulfill [all] contracts.} [Quran 5:1].
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1884

Narrated Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him):When the Prophet ﷺ went out for (the Battle of) Uhud, some of his Companions (i.e., the hypocrites) returned (home). A party of the believers remarked that they would kill those (hypocrites) who had returned, but another party said that they would not kill them. Thereupon, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed to His Messenger ﷺ the following ayah: {What is [the matter] with you [that you are] two groups concerning the hypocrites…} [Quran 4:88] The Prophet ﷺ said, "Al-Madeenah expels the bad persons from it, as fire expels the impurities of iron.".

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah from impurities and evils, and chosen to be the land to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated, the cradle of His call, and the refuge for His righteous servants.
In this hadeeth, Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Prophet ﷺ wanted to set off during the Battle of Uhud in 3 A.H., after he had consulted with Muslims, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), especially those who had missed out on participating in the Battle of Badr, advised him to go outside of Al-Madeenah to meet their enemies. On the other hand, ‘Abdullah ibn Ubayy ibn Salool, the chief of the hypocrites, advised the Muslims to stay inside Al-Madeenah and fight off the offenders, but this was not sincere advice. Rather, he only wanted to have a chance to flee during the fighting. When the Prophet ﷺ followed the advice of those who suggested marching outside of Al-Madeenah to meet the enemy, Salool had a chance to flee and return to Al-Madeenah with three hundred of the hypocrites, almost one third of the Muslim army, claiming that the reason for his return was that the Prophet ﷺ did not seek his opinion on the matter!
When they did so, a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) suggested that they should be killed, while others disagreed, because they were still outwardly Muslims. Thereupon, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah: {What is [the matter] with you [that you are] two groups concerning the hypocrites, while Allah has made them fall back [into error and disbelief] for what they earned. Do you wish to guide those whom Allah has sent astray? And he whom Allah sends astray - never will you find for him a way [of guidance].} [Quran 4:88]. In thisayah, Allah, Exalted is He, criticized their disagreement regarding the two groups of the hypocrites, while Allah had made them fall back into error and disbelief. The ayah means, ‘Why would you even disagree regardingthose who displayed manifest hypocrisy and have two opinions on the matter? Why did not you decisively declare their disbelief, while Allah, Exalted is He, had led them astray because of their disobedience and defiance of His Messenger ﷺ and following falsehood?!
Afterwards, Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ said that Al-Madeenah sets the most wicked people apart from the good ones just like fire removes the impurities from iron, leaving only the pure and good people therein.
Subsequently, Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that only few hypocrites should live in the company of the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah, and as a result they were turned away from the Prophet ﷺ for their fear of getting killed. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Accursed wherever they are found, [being] seized and massacred completely.} [Quran 33:61]. They feared for their lives and therefore left Al-Madeenah, attesting the fact that Al-Madeenah expels the wicked people, but not all at once, until only the pure and good people remain therein.
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1885

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Allah! Bestow on Al-Madeenah twice the blessings You bestowed on Makkah.".

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is a blessed land, purified by Allah from impurities and evils, and chosen to be the land of to which the Prophet ﷺ migrated, the cradle of His call, and the refuge for His righteous servants.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ supplicated Allah to bless Al-Madeenah with abundance and prosperity, to bless its produce and livelihood with regard to worldly riches. The Prophet ﷺ said: “O Allah! Bless us in our fruits. Bless us in our city. Bless us in our Saa’ and bless us in our Mudd.” [Saa‘ and Mudd are both dry measures used for agricultural produce by the Arabs in the Prophet's lifetime, and the Saa‘ was the larger measure.]
On account of this supplication, Allah, Exalted is He, blessed the Saa‘ of Al-Madeenah so much that it would be sufficient for a greater number of people than what it would normally suffice elsewhere.
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to multiply the blessings conferred on Al-Madeenah compared to those bestowed on Makkah due to the supplication of Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham). This was further detailed in the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “O Allah, Ibraaheem is Your servant, Your Close Friend [Khaleel] and Your Prophet, and I am Your servant and Your Prophet. He supplicated You for Makkah, and I supplicate You for Madeenah, (to bless it with) the like of what he supplicated You for Makkah, and the like thereof as well!” [Muslim].
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1886

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):Whenever the Prophet ﷺ returned from a journey and observed the walls of Madeenah, he would make his Mount go fast, and if he was on an animal (i.e., a horse), he would make it gallop because of his love for Al-Madeenah..

Commentary :
Al-Madeenah was one of the most beloved lands to the Prophet ﷺ. It was the land to which he migrated and where he ﷺ received support. He ﷺ established therein the early state of Islam, and it served as the power base of Islamat its inception, from which Islam spread to all the lands of Arabs and non-Arabs.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ highlighted some manifestations of his love for Al-Madeenah. Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that whenever the Prophet ﷺ came from his travels and saw the houses of Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ would urge his riding animal (she-camel, mule, or horse) to move quickly to arrive faster, out of his deep love and longing for Al-Madeenah, being the land to which he migrated and where his family, offspring, and believing supporters, whom he loved the most, lived. Allah, Exalted is He,has infused in people an innate love and longing for their homelands. This was manifest in the action of the Prophet ﷺ, related in this hadeeth, serving as a great example for Muslims to follow. He ﷺ commanded Muslims to hasten to return to their families after their travels.
The hadeeth also touches upon the merits of Al-Madeenah and the Prophet’s love and longing for it.
It is also deduced from this hadeeth that it is permissible for a Muslim to display love and nostalgia for his homeland..

688

Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali reported: I asked Ibn ‘Abbās: "How should I pray if I am in Makkah and did not pray with the Imām?" He said: "Two Rak‘ahs; the Sunnah of Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the most keen on following the Prophet's example in everything, because in the Prophet's Sunnah lies guidance and the right course; whoever follows it will be saved, and whoever deviates from it will be ruined.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali asks Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "How should I pray if I am in Makkah and did not pray with the Imām?" This is because the Imām offers the prayer completely. So, if a traveler prays with him, he will also perform it completely. Yet, what should be the case if a traveler comes to Makkah and does not pray with the Imām? In response to him, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he should pray it as two Rak‘ahs, in the shortened form, not as a complete prayer. Clarifying the reason for that, he said that this is the Sunnah of Abu al-Qāsim, the nickname of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, the Sunnah as regards travelers is to shorten the prayers. Allah Almighty alleviated things for travelers and facilitated for them the Shar‘i rulings regarding prayer. So, he may shorten the four-Rak‘ah prayers (Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) to two Rak‘ahs..

689

Hafs ibn ‘Āsim ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb reported: I accompanied Ibn ‘Umar on the road to Makkah and he led us in the Zhuhr prayer with two Rak‘ahs. Then, he went forward, and we too went along with him to a place where he alighted, and he sat, and we sat along with him. He cast a glance at the side where he offered the prayer and he saw people standing. He asked: "What are they doing?" I said: "They are glorifying Allah." He said: "If I were to glorify Allah, I would have completed my prayer. O my nephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. I accompanied Abu Bakr, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. And I accompanied ‘Umar, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. Then, I accompanied ‘Uthmān, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away. And Allah says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21]".

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 Shar‘i rulings for them.
In this Hadīth, Hafs ibn ‘Āsim ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb informs that he accompanied his uncle ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) on the road to Makkah as they were traveling. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) performed the Zhuhr prayer as two Rak‘ahs, shortening it. This is because the four-Rak‘ah prayer is to be shortened to two Rak‘ahs during travel. After the prayer, he came back to his place of stay, where he alighted. Some of those with them on the journey sat with Ibn ‘Umar. He unintentionally looked back at the place where they had performed the obligatory prayer. There he saw people standing and offering prayer in addition to the prayer they had performed along with Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). He asked about them and about what prayer they were offering as an addition. His question was asked as a way of disapproving of them. Answering his question, Hafs ibn ‘Āsim said that "they are glorifying Allah" i.e., they are performing the supererogatory prayer. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked: "If I were to glorify Allah, I would have completed my prayer." In other words, if he was given the choice between completing the obligatory prayer and performing the regular Sunnah prayer, completing the obligatory prayer would be dearer to him, for he understood that shortening the prayer is meant for facilitation. Hence, he would not perform the regular Sunnah prayer or complete the obligatory prayer.
The supererogatory prayer here refers to the regular Sunnah prayer along with the obligatory prayers, like the Sunnah of the Zhuhr prayer and other obligatory prayers. It is not prescribed to perform the regular Sunnah prayers during travel, except for the two-Rak‘ah Sunnah of the Fajr prayer and the Witr prayer. As for the general supererogatory prayers, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to offer them during travel, and he reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer them, as authentically narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to glorify Allah on his riding animal in whatever direction it headed, and he would observe the Witr prayer thereon; yet, he would not perform the obligatory prayer upon it.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed out the intent behind his disapproval, saying: "O my nephew, I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away." The shortening applies to the four-Rak‘ah prayers: the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’. One should not pray a supererogatory prayer before or after the obligatory prayer. And he said that he had accompanied Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with them) at the time of their respective caliphates and authority, and they would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs during travel, until they passed away. This is because they were keen on adhering to and acting upon the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The rightly-guided Caliphs continued to do so after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which indicates that this ruling was not subject to abrogation or opposition. And Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, in the Messenger of Allah you have an excellent example.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21], i.e., you should imitate the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and follow his example.
And his following statement was confusing: "Then, I accompanied ‘Uthmān, and he would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs, until he passed away." This is because it is authentically reported in the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth reported by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) would complete the prayer after six or eight years. In reply to this, it was said that this version means that ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) would not perform more than two Rak‘ahs until he passed away anywhere other than Mina. Also, the famous narrations state that ‘Uthmān used to complete the prayer after the early stage of his caliphate was understood, as he would do so at Mina in particular. It was said: ‘Uthmān completed the prayer because he wanted to stay in Taif and he later had the opinion that it was not permissible for him to shorten the prayer in Mina, as shortening the prayer, in his view, applied to traveling pilgrims only, whereas residents may not shorten the prayer. And it was said: He completed the four-Rak‘ah prayers in consideration of public interest. This was since the people increased in number, and there would come for Hajj those who did not know the rulings of the religion. So, he feared the ignorant might think the basic rule regarding these prayers is that they consist of two Rak‘ahs; hence, he completed them.
In the Hadīth: Shortening the prayer during travel
And in it: Abandoning the performance of supererogatory prayers during travel
And in it: Demonstrating Ibn ‘Umar's proper understanding of the religion
And in it: The Companions adhered to the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and followed in his footsteps..

691

Yahya ibn Yazīd al-Hunā’i reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik about shortening the prayer, and he said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would pray two Rak‘ahs when he went out on a journey of three miles or three leagues - Shu‘bah was doubtful..

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.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Yahya ibn Yazīd relates: "I asked Anas ibn Mālik about shortening the prayer." He meant: the amount of distance with which prayer is to be shortened. In response, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left Madīnah for a journey of three miles, nearly five kilometers - Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjāj, one of the narrators of this Hadīth, doubted that he said: three leagues, which is 14 km or so - he would shorten the four-Rak‘ah prayers (the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) and offer them as two Rak‘ahs only. This Hadīth was cited as a proof for shortening the prayer during short-distance travel..

692

Jubayr ibn Nufayr reported: I went out with Shurahbīl ibn as-Simt to a village situated 17 - or 18 - miles away, and he offered two Rak‘ahs. I talked to him (about that) and he said: I saw ‘Umar in Dhul-Hulayfah offer two Rak‘ahs. I talked to him (about that), and he said: "I only do what I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) do.".

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.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Jubayr ibn Nufayr informs that he went out with the Tābi‘i Shurahbīl ibn as-Simt to a village located 17 or 18 miles away, i.e., 27km or 28km away. He shortened the four-Rak‘ah prayer (Zhuhr, ‘Asr, and ‘Ishā’) and performed it as two Rak‘ahs. So, Jubayr ibn Nufayr asked him about the reason for his shortening the prayer. He told him that he saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) shorten the prayer in Dhul-Hulayfah to two Rak‘ahs. He asked him about the reason for that, and ‘Umar informed him that he did as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had done, for he would shorten the prayer in Dhul-Hulayfah, while Dhul-Hulayfah is located 6 or 7 miles away from Madīnah, which is approximately nine kilometers.
The Hadīth indicates that prayer may be shortened during short-distance travel..

698

Jābir reported: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey, and rain fell upon us. Thereupon, he said: "Whoever of you wishes may pray in his dwelling.".

Commentary : The Shariah of Islam is tolerant and easy. Manifestations of that include the following: In spite of the significance of the congregational prayer in the mosque, it takes into consideration the circumstances of people at some critical times in which going to the congregational prayer becomes difficult, such as the existence of a storm, rain, fear, etc.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that while the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), rain fell upon them. Rain makes the ground untidy due to mud and other things. So, it was difficult for them to gather for prayer. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "Whoever of you wishes may pray in his Rahl (dwelling)." This was optional, not binding. So, whoever wished to pray in his dwelling did so, and whoever wished to go out for the congregational prayer did so. Rahl is the saddle of the camel. It here refers to the dwelling in which one passes the night during travel. This is part of the Shariah's making easy of things for the Muslims. This dispensation is not limited to travel only, but it also applies to the residents. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said to his Muezzin on a rainy day: "When you say 'Ashhadu An Lā Ilāh illa Allah; Ashhadu Anna Muhammadan Rasūl Allah' (I bear witness that there is no god but Allah; I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah), do not say: 'Hayy ‘ala as-Salāh' (come to prayer); rather, say: 'Pray in your houses.'" He said: The people seemed to have disapproved of that. So, he said: "Are you astonished at that?! Indeed, this was done by he who is better than me. Verily, the Friday prayer is obligatory, and I disliked to put you into hardship and you walk through mud and rain." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
The Hadīth points out the legitimacy of praying at home and leaving the congregational prayer in case of necessity, because of rain, fear, cold, or the like..

705

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together in Madīnah without being in a state of fear or on a journey. Abu az-Zubayr said: I asked Sa‘īd: Why did he do so? He replied: I asked Ibn ‘Abbās as you asked me, and he said: He did not want to put restrictions upon anyone in his Ummah..

Commentary : Making things easy and lenient for the Muslims was the Prophet's approach, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to take his Ummah out of narrowness to broadness with regard to prayer.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, i.e., he prayed them at the same time, one after the other. His words "in Madīnah" mean that he combined them while being a resident. Then, he said, "without being in a state of fear or on a journey," to point out that combining the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers did not happen due to the dispensation related to fear or travel.
The Tābi‘i Abu az-Zubayr Muhammad ibn Muslim mentioned that he asked the Tābi‘i Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr, who narrated the Hadīth from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), about why the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) combined the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together. Responding to him, Sa‘īd said that he posed the same question to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), and he said: "He did not want to put restrictions upon anyone in his Ummah," i.e., he did so to avoid putting anyone in his Ummah in hardship, thus alleviating things and making them easy for them in case of need. The Hadīth was taken to apply to the case of illness as an excuse. So, if something happens and it requires and calls for that, in rare cases, there is nothing wrong with that, given this Hadīth. However, for this to be something familiar and habitual is not acceptable, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not known to have done so persistently.
There are two ways for combining every two prayers, according to what is conveniently possible: First: Combining the two prayers at the earlier time; i.e., to perform the ‘Asr prayer along with the Zhuhr prayer at the time of Zhuhr, and to perform the ‘Ishā' prayer along with the Maghrib prayer at the time of Maghrib. Second: Combining the two prayers at the latter time; i.e., to perform the Zhuhr prayer along with the ‘Asr prayer at the time of ‘Asr, and to perform the Maghrib prayer along with the ‘Ishā' prayer at the time of ‘Ishā'..

705

‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq al-‘Uqayli reported: A man said to Ibn ‘Abbās: "The prayer." He kept silent. He again said: "The prayer." He kept silent. He then said: "The prayer." He still kept silent. Then, he said: "May you be deprived of your mother! Are you teaching us about prayer, and we used to combine two prayers during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?!".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to apply the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and teach it to those who came after them.
This Hadīth is associated with a certain reason, as related in another version by Muslim; the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullāh ibn Shaqīq reports that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed the people one day after ‘Asr, till the sun set and the stars became visible. So, a man began to say to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): "The prayer" i.e., he was reminding him of the Maghrib prayer lest its time might pass. Meanwhile, Ibn ‘Abbās kept silent and did not respond to him. The man repeated his reminder three times, and he did not respond to him in either of them. This continued till Ibn ‘Abbās said to him: "May you be deprived of your mother", a phrase the Arabs used to say by way of rebuke and criticism. Ibn ‘Abbās criticized him for his ignorance of the Sunnah of the Prophet and his frequent repetition. And he said: "Are you teaching us about prayer?!" He criticized him for reminding him while he did not forget it; rather, he intentionally delayed it, so as to teach them. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās clarified the reason for his delay of the prayer; that is the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine two prayers along with his Companions, performing both of them together. This apparently would happen in case of need. Perhaps Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was speaking about some matter of concern to the Muslims, and if he had cut it off and prayed, the interest involved in that matter would have been missed. So, he delayed the prayer for a particular need he deemed important. It is related in a version by Muslim that he combined two prayers without being in a state of fear or on a journey. When he was asked about that, he said: "He wanted not to put anyone of his Ummah into hardship" i.e., he only did that to avoid putting anyone of his Ummah into difficulty; thus, he alleviated things and made things easy for them when needed. The Hadīth was taken to apply to the excuse of illness. So, if something happens and calls for that, as a rarity, there is nothing wrong with that, in accordance with this Hadīth. But, for this to be something familiar and usual, this is not permissible, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not known to have done so persistently.
There are two ways to combine two prayers, according to what is conveniently possible: First: Combining two prayers at the time of the earlier one; for example, performing the ‘Asr prayer along with the Zhuhr prayer at the time of Zhuhr, and performing the ‘Ishā’ prayer along with the Maghrib prayer at the time of Maghrib. Second: Combining two prayers at the time of the latter one; for example, performing the Zhuhr prayer along with the ‘Asr prayer at the time of ‘Asr, and performing the Maghrib prayer along with the ‘Ishā’ prayer at the time of ‘Ishā’..

706

Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal reported: We went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the year of the battle of Tabūk, and he would combine the prayers. He performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, and the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. And somedays, he delayed the prayer and then came out and performed the Zhuhr and ‘Asr together. Then, he entered and thereafter went out and performed the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. He then said: "You will come to the spring of Tabūk tomorrow, Allah Willing, and you will not reach it until the forenoon. Whoever of you reaches it should not touch anything of its water until I come." We reached it and two men had come there ahead of us. The spring was like a shoelace, providing a thin flow of water. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked them: "Did you touch anything of its water?" They said: 'Yes.' Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) scolded them and said to them what Allah willed him to say. Then, they (the people) took water from the spring in their palms little by little until it became somewhat significant. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) washed his hands and face in it and then brought the water back to the spring whereupon the spring gushed forth with streaming water - or he said: abundant water - until the people drank water. Then, he said: "If you live for long, O Mu‘ādh, you will soon see what is here abounding with gardens.".

Commentary : Making things easy and lenient for the Muslims was the Prophet's approach, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to take his Ummah out of narrowness to broadness with regard to all matters. This can only be achieved by following his guidance, obeying him, and complying with his teachings.
In this Hadīth, Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they went out with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the year of the battle of Tabūk, which took place in the ninth year after Hijrah. Tabūk is in the northernmost part of the Arabian Peninsula, midway on the road to Damascus, and it lies around 1252 km away from Hejaz. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to invade the Romans. During this journey, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would combine every two prayers. He would perform the Zhuhr and ‘Asr prayers together, and the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers together. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would perform the ‘Asr prayer at the time of Zhuhr and perform the ‘Ishā’ prayer at the time of Maghrib, in what is called jam‘ taqdīm (combining two prayers at the earlier time). Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that one day the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the Zhuhr prayer to the time of ‘Asr and delayed the Maghrib prayer to the time of ‘Ishā’. This is called jam‘ ta’khīr (combining two prayers at the latter time).
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "You will come" in this travel and journey of yours; "tomorrow": the following morning; "Allah Willing", it is the Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) compliance with the verse that reads: {And never say about anything: "I will surely do this tomorrow," without adding: "if Allah wills."} [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24] "The spring of Tabūk:" It is the well of water after which the area was named. There was a little water gathered in it. "and you will not reach it until the forenoon," i.e., the heat of the daytime grows intense with the coming of the forenoon. "Whoever of you reaches it" and moves faster and comes to it before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) arrives - this is because it was the Prophet's habit to move and travel at the rear of the army - "should not touch anything of its water," be it for drinking or other purposes, and whether it is little or much, until the Prophet's arrival. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably feared that if anyone touched the water before his arrival, it would cease to flow, given its little amount. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted the blessing to appear in the water with his arrival and the water to suffice the entire army.
Then, Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We reached it and two men had arrived there ahead of us." Two Muslim men who were at the front of the army. "The spring:" that which contains water, "was like a shoelace:" the string used for fastening shoes. This indicates the severe shortage of water. "Providing a thin flow of water," i.e., it flows with little and thin water. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked the two men: "Did you touch anything of its water?" They replied in the affirmative. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) scolded them, which means he blamed and censured them. "And said to them what Allah willed him to say," i.e., he blamed them vehemently. And perhaps they were hypocrites and violated the command intentionally, and so their scolding was deserved. It is also probable they were not hypocrites, yet they did not know about the Prophet's prohibition. And it is likely that his scolding of them happened to be misplaced; thus, it constituted mercy and purification for them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "O Allah, I have entered into a covenant with You which You will not break. I am only a human being; so, if I have injured, reviled, cursed, or flogged a believer, make that for him a mercy, a purification, and a means by which You will bring him close to You on the Day of Resurrection."
Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) collected some water for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in a vessel after they drew it in their palms. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) washed his hands and face in it and then commanded that the water be brought back to the spring. When they did so, the spring gushed forth with abundant and torrential water, and the people drank and quenched their thirst. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him) to come close and hasten - O Mu‘ādh - If Allah Almighty prolongs your life, you will see what is here filled with gardens. 'Gardens:' orchards of palm trees and other plants. The intended meaning is that the place will have plenty of water and its land will become fertile; thus, gardens with a lot of trees and fruits will grow there. This is one of the Prophet's miracles and signs of his prophethood, as this place thereafter became filled with plants and fruits and abounded with life.
In this Hadth: Combining two prayers during travel, whether the traveler is traveling or dwelling
And in it: Two clear miracles for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): the multitude of water, and his foretelling of some incidents of the Unseen.
And in it: The verbal discipline and non-obscene and non-vulgar words or scolding..

708

As-Suddi reported: I asked Anas: "How should I leave after I pray? To my right or to my left?" He said: "As for me, I most often saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his right.".

Commentary : Prayer is a tawqīfi act of worship which we should take and learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This includes the manner of leaving after finishing the prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Ismā‘īl ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān as-Suddi says that he asked the Companion, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him): How should I leave after finishing the prayer, to go back to the place I need to go - to my right or to my left? Replying to him, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he mostly saw the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turn to the right after finishing the prayer.
In a Hadīth narrated by Ahmad in his "Musnad Collection," ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I saw him leave to his right, and I saw him leave to his left," i.e., he would leave, after finishing the prayer, towards any of the two directions, without restricting departure to one particular direction, whether he turned towards those he led in prayer or headed to leave the mosque.
In the "Two Sahīh Collections", ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No one of you should give the devil anything of his prayer, thinking that it is due on him to leave only to his right. Indeed, I often saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his left." So, this matter has much leeway and no restriction.
It was said: that leaving to the right is preferable, but not obligatory, and there is nothing wrong with leaving towards the left side, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did the both. It was also said: that it depends on the need and necessity. If a person, after finishing the prayer, needs to go in a certain direction, he can turn to it, be it right or left..

709

Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib reported: When we prayed behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), we would like to be on his right side so that he would turn his face towards us. He said: I heard him say: "My Lord, save me from Your punishment on the day You will resurrect - or gather - Your servants.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge the performance of the congregational prayer in the mosque in the first rows, and the Companions were keen on observing his commands. Some of them were keen on being close to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to learn from him and hear what he had to say.
This Hadīth shows the Companions' keenness to know the Prophet's statements and deeds in every minute detail. Al-Barā’ ibn ‘Āzib (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that whenever they prayed in the row behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they were keen on being on his right side. He clarified the reason for this by saying that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would turn his face towards them, i.e., after making taslīm (the end of prayer), he would turn to the right, facing his Companions. Also, Al-Barā' (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicate after the prayer, saying: "My Lord, save me," i.e., protect me from Your punishment, "on the day You will resurrect - or gather - Your servants," i.e., the Day of Resurrection, for reckoning. This is one of the most sublime supplications that point to the Prophet's fear of Allah Almighty.
In another version by Muslim: "He did not mention: so that he would turn his face towards us." This version indicates the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not persistent in turning to the right side after ending the prayer. In the "Two Sahīh Collections", ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No one of you should give the devil anything of his prayer, thinking that it is due on him to leave only to his right. Indeed, I often saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) leave to his left." He would leave, after finishing the prayer, towards any of the two directions, without restricting departure to any particular direction, whether he turned towards those he led in prayer or headed to leave the mosque.
In the Hadīth: Mentioning the Prophet's supplication after the prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the Prophet's fear of his Lord and his persistent supplication to Him.

710

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the iqāmah for prayer is made, there is no prayer but the obligatory one.".

Commentary : Prayer is the mainstay of religion, and its performance is obligatory for every Muslim. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the manner of praying and taught it to the Ummah, and he also taught us the order of prayers and what should be given precedence in case of conflict. The performance of the obligatory prayers takes precedence over offering the supererogatory ones.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that when the muezzin proclaims the iqāmah (the commencement of prayer) in the mosque, no one should embark upon the supererogatory prayer; rather, one should leave it and perform the obligatory prayer. His words "there is no prayer" probably mean that there is no prayer with a complete reward, or that the supererogatory prayer is not valid altogether after the proclamation of the iqāmah for the obligatory prayer; so, one should cut off the supererogatory prayer and perform the obligatory one. It was said: If he was in the first Rak‘ah, he should cut off the prayer. Yet, if he is in the second Rak‘ah, he can complete the prayer in a quick manner. This all applies to those in the mosque, which is the main rule regarding prayer.
In the Hadīth: Prohibiting the performance of the supererogatory prayer if the iqāmah for the obligatory one is proclaimed in the mosque..

712

‘Abdullāh ibn Sarjis reported: A man entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in the Morning prayer. He offered two Rak‘ahs in a corner of the mosque and then joined the prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), made taslīm, he said: "O so and so, which one of the two prayers have you counted? Your prayer alone or your prayer with us?!".

Commentary : Performing the prayer in congregation in the mosque is of great significance and subject to particular rulings. When the congregational prayer commences, no one should embark upon another prayer. Rather, the Muslim should join the prayer whose iqāmah has been proclaimed. This is the command and guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a man entered the mosque while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was leading his Companions in "the Morning prayer", which is the Fajr prayer. Before joining the congregational prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he offered two Rak‘ahs as the Sunnah of the Fajr prayer alone in a corner of the mosque. Then, he entered the congregational prayer along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). After the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the prayer, he called him - O so and so - and asked him: Which one of the two prayers have you counted as your obligatory prayer, "your prayer alone or your prayer with us?!" Which one have you counted as the obligatory prayer and which one the supererogatory prayer?! These are words of reprimand and rebuke from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for his performance of the supererogatory prayer while the Imām was offering the obligatory prayer. But this does not indicate that any of the two prayers is invalid.
In the Hadth: Evidence that after the iqmah is proclaimed, one should not embark upon a supererogatory prayer, even if he will be able to join the prayer with the Imam..

713

Abu Humayd, or Abu Usayd, reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you enters the mosque, let him say: 'Allahumma iftah li abwāba rahmatik' (O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy). And when he leaves, let him say: 'Allahumma inni as’aluka min fadlik' (O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty).".

Commentary : Mosques are the houses of Allah Almighty. They are held sacred in the hearts of the believers, and they are the place where prayers, individual and congregational, are performed, dhikr is observed, and Allah bestows His favor upon His servants by giving them great rewards.
This Hadīth addresses two of the etiquettes related to the mosque, to which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave direction. First: An etiquette related to entering the mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When anyone of you enters the mosque," i.e., wants to enter it, when he arrives at its door, "let him say: O Allah, open for me the gates of Your mercy," which encompasses everything. This is an invocation to Allah to cover him with His vast mercy and enable him to perform the righteous deeds that will be a reason for entering through numerous gates of mercy.
Second: An etiquette related to leaving the mosque. He said: "And when he leaves, let him say, O Allah, I ask You from Your bounty" from Your lawful sustenance. This is an invocation to Allah and an acknowledgment that He is the Bestower of great favor upon His servants, the Provider, and the One Who gives out of His vast bounty without limit.
It was said: The reason for mentioning mercy with entering and bounty with leaving is that mercy in the Book of Allah is intended for the blessings related to people's souls and the Hereafter. Allah Almighty says: {But the mercy of your Lord is better than what they accumulate.} [Surat az-Zukhruf: 32] Whereas bounty is intended for worldly blessings. Allah Almighty says: {There is no blame upon you for seeking the bounty of your Lord [by trading].} [Surat al-Baqarah: 198] Allah Almighty also says: {When the prayer is over, disperse in the land and seek from the bounty of Allah.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 10] When a person enters the mosque, he seeks closeness to Allah and engages in deeds that bring him near Allah's rewards and Paradise; so, the mention of mercy suits that. And when he leaves the mosque, he seeks sustenance; so, the mention of bounty suits that.
The supplications reported in such situations are intended for giving guidance and taking into account occasions, and they aim at connecting the servant to his Lord in all his conditions and activities, and reminding that Allah Almighty has power over all things and that He likes that His servants ask of Him. Allah Almighty says: {Your Lord says: "Call upon Me; I will respond to you."} [Surat Ghāfir: 60]
In the Hadīth: Urging remembrance of Allah upon entering the mosque and upon leaving it..

715

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on an expedition. As we headed back, I urged my camel to move quickly as it was slow. A rider caught up with me from behind and he goaded my camel with an iron-tipped stick which he had with him. My camel moved forward like the best camel you have ever seen. I turned around and found him to be the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "What makes you in a hurry, O Jābir?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am newly wedded." He said: "Have you married a virgin or a previously married woman?" He said: I said: "A previously married woman." He said: "Why not a young girl so that you could play with her and she could play with you?" He said: Then, when we reached Madīnah and were about to enter, He said: "Wait so that we may enter by night - i.e., in the evening - in order for the one of unkempt hair to comb her hair and the one whose husband has been absent to shave her pubic hair." He said: And he said: "When you enter, then Al-Kays, Al-Kays (copulation; or discernment).".

Commentary : Marriage is part of Fitrah (natural disposition) and one of the immutable laws of Allah in this world, and it serves many Shar‘i interests. Our pure Shariah devoted attention to this Fitrah and urged and encouraged it. It directed us to the right way of choosing and the means for preserving this sublime blessing, through good manners and an amicable relationship between a man and his wife.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on an expedition outside Madīnah. It is said: This happened during the Conquest of Makkah, as they were returning from Makkah to Madīnah. On their way back to Madīnah, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) was in a hurry and quickened the pace of driving his camel, which was slow. Someone caught up with him from behind and goaded his camel, i.e., he struck it at the rear to hasten its pace, "with an iron-tipped stick which he had with him." That is a stick that resembles a spear. The camel hastened its pace and moved vigorously "like the best camels you have ever seen" i.e., like the best and fastest camels you ever see. Jābir turned his head around to see who goaded his camel and hastened its pace and found him to be the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about the reason for his being in haste and quickening his pace. In reply to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said that he was "newly wedded" i.e., he got married a short while ago. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him whether he had married a virgin, who did not marry before, or a previously married woman. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he married a previously married woman, not a virgin. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Why not a young girl"; this means a virgin. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was encouraging him to marry virgins. "so that you could play with her and she could play with you?" i.e., you have fun with her, and she has fun with you, and you fondle her, and she fondles you. Indeed, a previously married woman may feel attached to her former husband, unlike a young girl who did not marry before; her heart usually gets attached to her first husband. So, she actively cares about him and seeks to make him happy - in addition to other traits for which virgins are known and by which they surpass previously married women. In the Two Sahīh Collections: I said: "O Messenger of Allah, my father died - or he was martyred - and I have small sisters. So, I disliked that I should marry someone like them and she would not be able to discipline them and look after them. Therefore, I have married a previously married woman so that she would be able to look after them and discipline them." The version by Muslim has this addition: "May Allah bless you; or he said something good to me."
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that when they returned to Madīnah, they hastened to enter and go to their families. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Wait" i.e., be patient and wait, and do not go to your families, "so that we may enter by night, i.e., in the evening" i.e., after the ‘Ishā’ prayer. He clarified the reason for the delay, saying: "in order for the one of unkempt hair to comb her hair" i.e., to prune and beautify the hair of her head. "the one of unkempt hair" is one whose hair became untidy and ugly in appearance. "and the one whose husband has been absent to shave her pubic hair"; using the razor blade to remove the pubic hair. "and the one whose husband has been absent" is called Al-Mughībah in Arabic. The intended meaning is that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prevented them from hastening to go to their families and commanded them to wait till the night, so as to give their women an opportunity to get prepared for them, tidy their appearances and hair, beautify themselves, and be ready to receive them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: "When you enter" i.e., when you go to your wife; "then Al-Kays, Al-Kays." It is said: It means copulation. So, he seemed to have encouraged him to engage in copulation. And it is said: Rather, he meant something more specific than that, namely the child. So, he seemed to have encouraged him to have a child. It is also said: It refers to reason and forbearance. So, it is as if he was saying to him: Be rational and forbearing when you go to your wife and be considerate of her condition in terms of purity and menstruation.
The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's amicable relationship with his Companions and that he was interested in their affairs and used to check on them.
It points out the merit of marrying a virgin.
It also shows the merit of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), as he went out for Jihad while he had been newly wedded.
The Hadīth demonstrates some of the etiquettes to be observed by one who returns from battle and travel..

715

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: that he was traveling on a camel of his, which had become exhausted; so, he intended to let it go free. He said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) followed me, made supplication for me, and struck it. Thereupon, it went in a way that it had never done before. He said: "Sell it to me for one ’Uqiya." I replied: 'No.' He again said: "Sell it to me." So, I sold it to him for one ’Uqiya. However, I stipulated that I should be allowed to ride it home. Then, when I reached (home), I took the camel to him, and he paid me its price in cash. Then, I went back, and he sent someone after me. He said: "Do you think that I bargained with you to take your camel? Take your camel and your money; it is yours.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to be aware of the conditions of his Companions in terms of richness and poverty and opulence and straits. He would probably make up some scenarios with them to give them without causing them to lose face.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was riding a camel of his, which had become exhausted and weak, during travel. It was said that this occurred during the Conquest of Makkah and that they were returning from Makkah to Madīnah. He wanted to release it in the desert. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) caught up with him, supplicated for him, and struck the camel. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the camel became strong and fast after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck it, and it walked in a way like never before. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked Jābir to sell the camel to him for one ’Uqiya of silver, which is worth 40 Dirhams or approximately 201 grams. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) refused to sell it to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Yet, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his offer, to which Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed, and he set a condition to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that he should not take the camel before arriving in Madīnah and let Jābir ride it until he reached there. When they reached Madīnah, Jābir went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with the camel. Upon receiving the camel, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him its price in cash. As Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) returned, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent someone after him to call him back. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Do you think that I bargained with you to take your camel?!" Bargaining: It is to negotiate a transaction with the aim of reducing the price. The meaning: Do you think that I negotiated with you about your camel so as to take it from you?! "Take your camel and your money; it is yours." It is as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to say to him: I only intended to find a reason to give you money. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) was taking care of his sisters after the death of his father in the battle of ’Uhud. This shows the Prophet's care about the conditions of his Companions.
In the Hadīth: It is legitimate to ask to buy some commodity even if its owner does not offer it for sale and to bargain about the price.
And in it: Stipulating a certain benefit related to the sold object
And in it: Cash payment of the price should be made upon receiving the commodity.
And in it: It is legitimate to sell a camel with the exception of its riding.
And in it: Demonstrating that if a sale is made with a condition that does not contradict the purpose of the contract, the sale and the condition are valid..

Book of Hadith