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..

805

An-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān al-Kilābi reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The Qur'an and its people who used to act upon it will be brought forth on the Day of Judgment, preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened them to three things, which I did not forget afterward. He said: "As if they were two clouds, or two black canopies with 'sharq' (light) between them, or as if they were two flocks of birds in ranks pleading for their companion.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it and act upon it, for it is the extended rope of Allah, and it leads to salvation on the Day of Judgment, particularly Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān, given their great status.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that "The Qur'an and its people who used to act upon it will be brought forth," i.e., those who recite the Qur'an, have faith in its information and believe it, and act upon its rulings. The Qur'an will be an argument for those people on the Day of Judgment. Excluded from this are those who do not believe in its information or establish its limits; the Qur'an will be an argument against them. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "The Qur'an is an argument for you or against you." This is supported by the verse that reads: {This is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you [O Prophet] so that they may reflect upon its verses, and so that people of understanding may take heed.} [Surat Sād: 29]
And by the Prophet's words: "preceded by Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān," i.e., they come ahead of the Qur'an. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān to three things, saying: "As if they were two clouds"; in Arabic "Ghamamatān", which means two clouds or two white clouds. A cloud is called such because it clouds the sky and conceals it. "or two canopies," i.e., two clouds that shade their companion from the heat of this situation of standing. He described these two clouds as 'black' because they are thick and piled upon each other. "with 'sharq' between them," i.e., light. The light of 'sharq' is the sun. This indicates that they, albeit thick, do not conceal light. It was said: Sharq means rift, i.e., a gap and break between them. This is like separating every two Surahs in the Mus'haf (copy of the Qur'an) with Basmalah (mentioning Allah's name). "or as if they were two flocks," i.e., two herds or two groups. "of birds in ranks," i.e., extending their wings and being linked to one another. The intended meaning is that they will protect their reciter from the heat of this situation of standing and the distress of the Day of Judgment. 'pleading' i.e., pushing against Hellfire and its keepers or pleading for him in intercession or when he is questioned, when his tongue keeps silent, his lips are distraught, and his arguments are lost. Their companion means: He who acts upon them and what they contain, of rulings and legislations, whether he is a memorizer or a reciter of them.
In the Hadīth: Urging the recitation of the Qur'an and acting upon it; and the merit of Surat al-Baqarah and Surat Āl ‘Imrān..

806

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: As Gabriel (Jibrīl) was sitting in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he heard a creak from above. So, he raised his head and said: "That is a gate in the heavens that was opened today; it had never been opened before today." An angel descended from it. He said: "That is an angel that descended to earth; he had never descended before this day." He gave the greeting of peace and said: "Have glad tidings with two lights that have been given to you, which none of the prophets were given before you: Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah. You will not read one letter of them except that you will be given it.".

Commentary : What a great religion Islam is! And how great its numerous glad tidings which Allah Almighty gave to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah are. He, Exalted be He, revealed to him the Reminder, the Qur'an, and made its recitation greatly rewardable; each letter is credited with one good deed, and the virtuous deeds are multiplied. And He, Exalted be He, endowed some Surahs and verses with an additional merit for those who recite them, to urge and encourage their recitation.
In this Hadīth a divine gift is mentioned for those who recite Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that Gabriel (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation, was sitting in the presence of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In the version by An-Nasā’i: "As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sitting and Gabriel (peace be upon him) was with him." This means that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), including Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), about Gabriel (peace be upon him) sitting with him. "he heard" refers to Gabriel (peace be upon him), and it is also probable the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the one who "heard a creak from above," i.e., in heaven. A creak is a sound released because of the movement of something. Gabriel (peace be upon him) - or the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - raised his head to look at the source of this sound. Gabriel (peace be upon him) said that this is a gate in the heaven of the world, which was opened today and had never been opened except today; and an angel descended from it to the earth, and he had never descended before today. This is all to prepare for something great. Indeed, the opening of one of the gates of the heaven for the first time and the descent of an angel other than Gabriel to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for the first time points to the significance of the matter for which he was sent. When the angel descended, he greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said to him: "Have glad tidings" - glad tidings are only given about good things - "with two lights that have been given to you, which none of the prophets were given before you: Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah," i.e., their special reward of their recitation was not given beforehand; otherwise, the entire Qur'an was not given to any prophet before him. Surat al-Fātihah was endowed with this particular merit because it summarizes all the meanings of Imān (faith), Islam, and Ihsān (excellence). It comprises the fundamentals of the Fiqhi rules and knowledge principles. And the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah, beginning from {The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, as do the believers...} to the end of the Surah, are endowed with this particular merit because they contain praise for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). This is because they comply with their content and submit to their meanings and for their supplication to Allah Almighty and return to Him in all their affairs; and also, because those verses contain the response to their supplications after they were taught to them and they said them, and so He made things easier for them and forgave and supported them.
Then, the angel said: "You will not read one letter of them except that you will be given it." This stems from the great bounty of Allah towards His Prophet and his Ummah. He called them two lights because the recitation of each verse in them brings light to the reciter that illuminates his way and leads him to the right path and the true course, given the sublime meanings contained therein, which include acknowledgment of the Lordship and absolute resort to Allah with the great supplication using their words.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the great status of Surat al-Fātihah and the concluding verses of Surat al-Baqarah and urging their recitation.
And in it: Pointing out that there are angel messengers to the prophets other than Gabriel
And in it: Showing the honorable status of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with his Lord, as He honored him with such things that He did not honor the previous prophets with, giving him these two lights
And in it: Affirming the existence of the gates of heaven, that they are opened and closed, and that some angels do not descend to earth except for such glad tidings.

809

Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be guarded against the Dajjāl (Anti-Christ).".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur’an brings goodness and blessing for those who recite it, as it is the extended rope of Allah, causing tranquility of the soul and an abundance of rewards, and it protects a servant from the distresses and trials of worldly life and the horrors and hardships on the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf, Allah will guard, protect, and preserve him from the trial of the Dajjāl, who will emerge at the end of time and claim to be God. The Dajjāl originally refers to someone who often engages in lying and deception. His emergence is one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment, and his trial is the gravest on earth from the creation of Adam to the coming of the Hour, as Allah Almighty will enable him to perform some miracles whereby he will mislead his followers. Verily, the memorization of these verses is a cause of protection against the Dajjāl. It was said: This is due to the wonders and miracles existing in these verses. So, whoever knows them will not wonder at the matter of the Dajjāl or be misled by him; and he will patiently endure the trials of the Dajjāl and his apparent bliss and punishment; or that the protection from the Dajjāl is granted by Allah to those who memorize these verses.
Also, there are means of protection against the trial of the Dajjāl, which are not mentioned in this Hadīth, but are authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in other Hadīths: Knowing the names and attributes of Allah, which makes one know that the Dajjāl is a human being who eats and drinks, and Allah is far Exalted above that; the Dajjāl is one-eyed, whereas Allah is not one-eyed; and no one sees his Lord until he dies, whereas the people, including the believers and disbelievers, will see the Dajjāl when he emerges. It also includes the pursuit of Allah's refuge from the trial of the Dajjāl, particularly in prayer, as reported in a Hadīth by ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in the Two Sahīh Collections that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate in prayer: "O Allah, I seek refuge with You from the punishment of the grave, and I seek refuge with You from the trial of the Dajjāl." And it also includes fleeing and turning away from the Dajjāl, for those who will be present at his time, given the suspicions and amazing supernatural incidents that appear with him and by which a person might be tempted.
In the Hadīth: The merit of the ten verses at the beginning of Surat al-Kahf.
And in it: Clarifying that the trial of the Dajjāl is so severe that protection against him is needed.

810

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" I said: "Allah and His Messenger know best." He said: "O Abu al-Mundhir, do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" I said: {Allah: none has the right to be worshiped except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining} [Surat al-Baqarah: 255]. Thereupon, he struck me on the chest and said: "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu al-Mundhir!".

Commentary : The glorious Qur'an is the strong rope of Allah and His straight path. Its recitation brings goodness and blessing and affords tranquility of the soul and abundance of reward. Allah endowed some of its Surahs and verses with a special merit.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day asked him: "O Abu al-Mundhir", a surname for ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him). "Do you know which verse of Allah's Book that you have is the greatest?" i.e., in terms of the reward and benefit for its reciter in this world and the Hereafter. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I said: Allah and His Messenger know best." This stems from the Companions' politeness towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). It was said: ’Ubayy knew which verse was the greatest when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about it, but he did not reply out of respect, modesty, and politeness towards him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). If he had answered him the first time he asked him, he would have thus displayed his knowledge. He also probably did not give the answer because he expected that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would probably tell him that another verse is greater than that or inform him of some other benefit. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated the question, he knew that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted him to answer and wanted to test his memorization and information. Thereupon, he answered him that the greatest verse - as far as he knew - is the one that reads: {Allah: none has the right to be worshiped except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that can intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows what was before them and what will be after them, while they encompass nothing of His knowledge, except what He wills. His Kursī [footstool] extends over the heavens and earth, and safeguarding of both does not weary Him, for He is the Most High, the Most Great.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 255] It is called the verse of Kursī. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved his answer and accepted it as correct, and he struck with his honorable hand on the chest of ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him). This behavior on the Prophet's part was done by way of gentleness, given his approval and acceptance of this answer and his admiration of the answerer. He said to him: "May knowledge be pleasant for you, O Abu al-Mundhir," i.e., may knowledge be blissful for you. This is meant as a supplication for him to find knowledge easily and be versed therein.
The verse of Kursī is the greatest verse in the Qur'an because it combines such fundamental divine names and attributes that are not combined in any other verse. In it, Allah Almighty describes Himself as the worshiped God other than Whom none is truly worthy of worship. He alone is worthy of worship, out of love and exaltation for Him, given the perfection of His attributes. To Him belongs the complete life, which was not preceded by non-existence, will not be followed by an end, and entails all attributes of perfection. He is Self-Sustaining and does not need anyone, and He undertakes the affairs of His creation, including sustenance and other things. All creatures stand in need of Him and cannot exist without Him. His support of their existence entails all actions of perfection. Part of the perfection of His life and sustainability is that He does not suffer drowsiness or get overcome by sleep, and He is the sole Possessor of all that is in the universe. No one dares to intercede with Him unless He gives him permission. He is the One Who knows all the affairs of His creation; past, present, and future, and all else do not possess anything of Allah's knowledge whatsoever except what He taught them, by His will. His Kursī - the place of His feet - encompassed the heavens and the earth, despite their vastness and greatness, and their preservation is not heavy or hard for Him; rather, this is something easy and simple for Him, Exalted be He. He is the Possessor of absolute exaltedness above all His creation. He is Exalted by His Essence above His Throne and High above His creation by His absolute power and perfect attributes. He is the Possessor of absolute greatness in His Essence, attributes, and authority, and all other than Him are humble before Him and so little next to Him. Nothing is greater than Him, Exalted, Glorified, and Blessed be He.
In the Hadīth: A great merit for ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him).
And in it: Praising a person to his face, if it serves a good purpose and if self-admiration is not feared, and so on
And in it: The knowledgeable person's great respect for his virtuous companions.

811

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" They said: "How does one recite a third of the Qur'an? He said: "{Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals a third of the Qur'an.".

Commentary : Recitation of the Qur'an brings goodness and blessing, as it is the strong rope of Allah, and it affords tranquility of the soul and abundant reward. Allah Almighty has particularly endowed Surat al-Ikhlās with great merit.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asks his Companions, by way of teaching them: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" Since this is hard to do, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wondered and asked him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): How does one recite one-third of the Qur'an in a night?! In response to them, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the recitation of Surat al-Ikhlās {Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals the recitation of one-third of the Qur'an. So, its reciter obtains the reward for reciting a third of the Qur'an. And it is equal to one-third of the Qur'an based on the consideration of its meanings, as the Qur'an contains rulings, information, and Tawhīd (monotheism), and knowing the names and attributes of Allah Almighty falls under Tawhīd. And this Surah comprises the third category (Tawhīd); so, it equals one-third based on this consideration. In a version of the Sahīh Muslim Collection, it reads: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} one of the parts of the Qur'an." This is because it contains two of Allah's names, which comprise all the attributes of perfection, and they do not exist in any other Surah of the Qur'an. These two names are: "Al-Ahad" (the One) and "As-Samad" (the Eternal Refuge). They point to the Essence of Allah that possesses all the attributes of perfection. To explain that: "The One" gives a feeling about His particular existence, which none shares with Him, and "the Eternal Refuge" gives a feeling about all the attributes of perfection, for He is the One Whose sovereignty reached the pinnacle of sublimity and perfection, and all creatures need Him, whereas He, Exalted be He, does not need anyone.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the merit of Surat al-Ikhlās
And in it: The vast bounty of Allah Almighty towards His servants, as He made the recitation of a short Surah equivalent to one-third of the Qur'an.

811

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made Surat {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} as one of the parts of the Qur'an.".

812

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Gather together, for I will recite to you one-third of the Qur'an." So, there gathered those who gathered. Then, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and recited {Say: "He is Allah, the One"}. Then, he went back in. We said to one another: "I think this is a revelation that came to him from heaven. That is why he went in." Then, the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and said: "Indeed, I said to you that I would recite to you one-third of the Qur'an, and it is indeed equal to one-third of the Qur'an.".

Commentary : Surat al-Ikhlās is a great surah despite its few words, as it contains great and sublime meanings. In it, the meaning of Tawhīd (monotheism) for Allah is refined, worship is solely devoted to Him, and refuge is sought with Him alone, and the son and father are negated from Him, Exalted be He. This is one of the fundamental topics to which the Qur'an refers.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions: 'Gather together' i.e., come together. This command indicates that he will inform them about something important, namely that he will really recite to them one-third of the Qur'an, or what equals its third in terms of the meaning and reward. So, there gathered those who gathered from among the people. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out and recited to them Surat al-Ikhlās only: {Say: "He is Allah, the One"}. Then, he entered his room. When they saw that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited nothing but this Surah and did not recite one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the amount and the number of verses, they thought that he entered because the revelation was coming down to him and that he would thereafter come out and recite to them the rest of the third of the Qur'an. Then, when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came out, it was as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) knew what they were thinking about and that they were waiting to hear from him the rest of the third of the Qur'an. So, he informed them that Surat al-Ikhlās equals one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the reward. Thus, its reciter obtains the reward for reciting a third of the Qur'an. And it is equal to one-third of the Qur'an based on the consideration of its meanings, as the Qur'an contains rulings, information, and Tawhīd, and knowing the names and attributes of Allah Almighty falls under Tawhīd. And this Surah comprises the third category (Tawhīd); so, it equals one third based on this consideration. In a version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection, it reads: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} one of the parts of the Qur'an." This is because it contains two of Allah's names, which comprise all the attributes of perfection, and they do not exist in any other Surah of the Qur'an. These two names are: "Al-Ahad" (the One) and "As-Samad" (the Eternal Refuge). They point to the Essence of Allah that possesses all the attributes of perfection. To explain that: "The One" gives a feeling about His particular existence, which none shares with Him, and "the Eternal Refuge" gives a feeling about all the attributes of perfection, for He is the One Whose sovereignty reached the pinnacle of sublimity and perfection, and all creatures need Him, whereas He, Exalted be He, does not need anyone.
In the Hadīth: The good way in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions, and the Companions' politeness towards him
And in it: Demonstrating the merit of Surat al-Ikhlās and that it equals one-third of the Qur'an in terms of the reward and recompense.

814

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you not seen that some verses were revealed tonight the like of which has never been seen before?! They are: {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak} and {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.}".

Commentary : What a great religion Islam is! And how great its numerous glad tidings which Allah Almighty gave to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Ummah are. He, Exalted be He, revealed to him the Reminder, the Qur'an, and made its recitation greatly rewardable; each letter is credited with one good deed, and the virtuous deeds are multiplied. And He, Exalted be He, endowed some Surahs and verses with an additional merit for those who recite them, to urge and encourage their recitation.
In this Hadīth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Have you not seen that some verses were revealed tonight the like of which has never been seen before?!" This is an exclamatory question, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wondered at the great merit of these verses, the like of whose meanings and blessings were not revealed in other Surahs to him before. Then, he identified those verses, saying that they are the two Surahs: "{Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak} and {Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.}" They are the two refuge-seeking Surahs. They mention the pursuit of refuge, resorting, and asking for protection from Allah, the Lord of creation and the Lord of mankind. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used these two Surahs in seeking refuge with Allah Almighty and performing Ruqyah (faith healing) for himself.
Surat al-Falaq contains the verses that read: {Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of the daybreak, from the harm of all what He has created; from the harm of the darkening night when it spreads around, from the harm of the sorceresses who blow on knots, and from the harm of the envier when he envies."} The meaning is: Say, O you, the Messenger—I resort to the Lord of the Morning. The Surah begins by describing the One with whom refuge is sought as the Lord of the Daybreak, for this is the time for the outpouring of lights and the descent of goodness and blessings. I seek refuge in this Lord, Who possesses this description, from what is harmful among the creatures. He solely attributes to the One with Whom refuge is sought what He created. He begins with the general words: {from the harm of all what He has created}, i.e., from the evil of His creation, the evil committed by the accountable servants in the form of sins and mutual harm among themselves, and what is done by unaccountable creatures of animals, such as the predatory beasts and insects, by eating, nipping, stinging, and biting, and the different kinds of harm Allah caused to exist in other than animals, like burning in the fire and killing by poison.
Then, He follows it with that whose harm is more hidden in terms of time, and it is the opposite of the break of the day, namely the coming of darkness, with His words: {from the harm of darkening [night] when it spreads around.} This is because harm spreads more easily at this time and getting rid of it becomes more difficult.
He particularly mentions the time in which wickedness is hidden, like the sorceresses who blow on knots and the enviers, and He links the envier with the conditional {when he envies}, because when an envier displays his envy, his evil and harm becomes more effective. Allah combines the evils in this Surah and concludes them with envy, so that it should be known that it is the meanest trait.
And Surat an-Nis is the verses that reads: {Say: "I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind, from the harm of the lurking whisperer, who whispers into the hearts of mankind, from among jinn and mankind."} [Surat an-Nās: 1-6] The meaning: Say - O you the Messenger -: I resort to the Lord of mankind and seek refuge in Him. He is the Sovereign of mankind and does whatever He wills to them. There is no other sovereign for them but Him and no true deity for them but Him. I seek refuge in Him from the evil of the devil who throws his whisperings to man if he fails to remember Allah and he goes backwards if he remembers Him. He throws his whisperings into the hearts of people. Such a whisperer could be among humankind and jinns alike.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the great significance of the two refuge-seeking Surahs
And in it: Pointing out that there is nothing in the Qur’an like the two refuge-seeking Surahs in terms of the meanings, blessings, and pursuit of Allah's refuge through them.

817

‘Āmir ibn Wāthila reported: Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Abdul-Hārith met ‘Umar at ‘Usfān, and ‘Umar had employed him as a governor of Makkah. He said: "Whom have you appointed as a governor over the people of the valley?" He said: "Ibn Abza." He said: "Who is Ibn Abza?" He said: "He is one of our freed slaves." He said: "Have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over them?!" He said: "He is a reciter of the Book of Allah Almighty and he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance." ‘Umar said: "Indeed, your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah elevates by this Book some people and degrades others.'".

Commentary : The Commander of the Faithful ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) was keen that the rulings of Islam should be applied in all corners of the state. Therefore, he used to ask the governors about their conditions and how they acted in different situations, correcting their errors and holding them accountable for them. He would put in a high status the knowledgeable people of the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the Shar‘i rulings, in compliance with the principles of the honorable Shariah.
In this Hadīth, ‘Āmir ibn Wāthila (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Companion Nāfi‘ ibn ‘Abd al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him), was one of those who embraced Islam at the time of the Conquest of Makkah and was approved by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) during his caliphate as a ruler and governor of Makkah, and stayed there until he died. Nāfi‘ met ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), who stopped at ‘Usfān on the way to Hajj. He called him for a meeting, and he met him in ‘Usfān, a village 80km north of Makkah on the way to Madīnah. When they met, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Whom have you appointed as a governor over the people of Makkah in your place for the period of your absence as you meet the Commander of the Faithful? The valley here refers to the valley of Makkah and Tā’if. He informed him that he had appointed Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abza (may Allah be pleased with him), as a governor over them, a freed slave of Nāfi‘ ibn al-Hārith. He embraced Islam during the Prophet's lifetime and lived in Kufa. ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed him as a governor of Khorasan.
‘Umar said to him, disapprovingly: "Have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over them?!" i.e., have you appointed a freed slave as a governor over the people of Makkah, the people of the Sacred City, and the people of nobility and high status?! It was said: ‘Umar's disapproval of his appointment as a governor over them was not because he belittled or disdained him, but because of the non-fulfillment of the purpose behind such an appointment, namely to set people's affairs in order and manage them, which requires the governor appointed over them to be a man of awe, greatness, and noble status in the hearts of the general public. To this end, he should be free and of noble descent and high standing; otherwise, people would disrespect and disobey him. Thus, the objective of such a post would fail.
Clarifying the reason behind appointing him over them, Nafi‘(may Allah be pleased with him) said: "He is a reciter of the Book of Allah Almighty," i.e., he is a memorizer of it and knowledgeable about its rulings. "And he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance," i.e., about the division of inheritance according to the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In other words, Allah Almighty elevated this governor over them by virtue of these things, and they know him to be like that, so they would respect and revere him and obey his command; thus, their affairs would be set aright, and their conditions would become stable. Hence, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), liked what he heard about the traits of Ibn Abza and approved the action of Nafi‘ ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him), and thereupon said: "Indeed, your Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, Allah elevates by this Book" the noble Qur'an "some people." Allah elevates those who believe in it, recite it, and sincerely act according to it. He elevates them in this world, by making them lead a good life, and in the Hereafter, by making them among the people of high ranks along with those upon whom Allah bestowed His favor. "and degrades others,", lowering their status; those are the people who do not believe in it, or believe in it yet neglect it and abandon its application. So, He causes them to live in misery and straits in this world and makes them the lowest of the low in the Hereafter.
In the Hadīth: Putting a freed slave in authority over free people if he is knowledgeable about the laws of inheritance
And in it: Knowledge and the Qur'an redress the deficiency in one's lineage
And in it: The merit of knowledge
And in it: The approach of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) as he used to follow up on his governors and observe how they ruled their subjects, lest they might neglect their rights, and thus, he would be the one to blame, for he was the chief caretaker.
And in it: The merit and honor of the knowledge of inheritance, for it is the knowledge to which Allah Almighty gave high status, as He Himself undertook the division of inheritance in His glorious Book and did not leave it to anyone..

820

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: As I was in the mosque, a man entered, prayed, and recited in a manner that I found to be strange. Afterward, a man entered and recited in a manner different from the other. When we finished the prayer, we all went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and I said: "This man recited in a manner that I found to be strange, and another man entered and recited in a manner different from his recitation." The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them to recite, and when they did so, he expressed approval of both. This made me inclined to disbelieve in him, even to an extent I had never reached in Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance). When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) noticed how I was affected, he gave me a pat on the chest. Thereupon, I broke into a sweat and was filled with fear as though I were looking at Allah Almighty. He said to me: "O ’Ubayy, a message was sent to me: Recite the Qur'an in one mode, but I replied to Him: Make matters easy for my Ummah. So, He sent me the second message: Recite it in two modes. I replied to Him: Make matters easy for my Ummah. So, He sent me the third message: Recite it in seven modes. And you may ask Me for something in return for each reply I sent to you. I said: O Allah, forgive my Ummah; O Allah, forgive my Ummah. And I delayed the third request until the Day when all humankind, even including Abraham (Ibrāhīm) (peace be upon him), will seek my intercession. [In a version]: ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b told me that he was sitting in the mosque when a man entered, prayed, and recited in a manner... and he related a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Companions the Qur'an to perfection, and he would recite it to them in modes and manners that suited various dialects, all of which belong to Arabic, to make things easy and simple for the Muslims.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was sitting in the Prophet's Mosque, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not present at the time - and ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the memorizers of the Book of Allah Almighty - as a man entered and prayed. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) heard him recite the Qur'an in a way he found to be strange, i.e., ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know this way of recitation and did not hear it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, another man entered and recited in a way different from the recitation of the earlier man. When they all finished the prayer, they went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of his rooms. ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This man recited in a way I found to be strange, as his recitation differed from that of mine. And another man entered and recited in a way different from the recitation of the earlier one. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered both men to recite so that he could hear their recitation and make sure whether it was correct or wrong. The two men recited, and he expressed approval of the recitation of both and said that both were good, or he said to each of them: You have done well. When ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) express approval of their recitation, he thought about denying the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and felt confused and surprised in a way he could not describe and the like of which he had not experienced during Jāhiliyyah, when he was in misguidance and disbelief, which are worthier of this kind of denial. Jāhiliyyah: It is the period during which people were polytheists before the Prophet's mission, and it was called as such because of the prevalence of their ignorance.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived that ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him) experienced the whisperings and promptings of Satan, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck him with his noble hand on his chest, to reassure him. As a result, sweat flowed from all over the body of ’Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him), as if he were looking at Allah out of fear and embarrassment about the devil's whispering that influenced him. This indicates that it was a prompting from the devil, which disappeared immediately after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) struck with his hand on ’Ubayy's chest, and the sweat overflowed from him.
At this point, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed ’Ubayy - by way of reassuring him and making things clear to him - that Allah Almighty revealed to him that he should recite the Qur'an in one mode, i.e., in one way. "but I replied to Him," i.e., to Allah Almighty through Gabriel (Jibrīl) (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation. "Make matters easy," i.e., he asked Him, Exalted be He, to make the recitation of the Qur'an simple and easy for the Muslim Ummah. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was going back to his Almighty Lord to ask Him to facilitate things for his Ummah, as he is reported to have done regarding prayer. Allah Almighty replied to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the second time: "Recite it in two modes," and on the third time Allah facilitated the matter for the Ummah by its recitation in seven modes. In other words, the Qur'an was revealed in seven ways or seven dialects, intended to make the matter simple and easy. It was said: The Qur'an was first revealed in the language of the Quraysh tribe and the surrounding eloquent Arabs. Then, it was made permissible for the Arabs to recite it in their own languages which they habitually used, along with their different words and rules of parsing. He did not oblige any of them to shift from their language to another because it involved difficulty. This was also for their tribalism and their need for facilitation, so that they could understand the intended meanings. This mentioned permissibility was not granted based on personal inclinations such that everyone could change any word to its equivalent in his language. Rather, the criterion in this regard was to hear it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Then, the Almighty Lord said to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "In return for each reply I sent to you," i.e., in return for each time you came back to Me to ask for facilitation and ease for your Ummah and I replied to you, "you may ask Me for something," i.e., an answered supplication, which you should make, and you will not be disappointed or rejected regarding it. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, forgive my Ummah; O Allah, forgive my Ummah" twice. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delayed the third request until the Day of Judgment. It is the Grand Intercession. All humankind will need his intercession, when everyone will say "myself, myself," even Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him).
In the Hadīth: Allah's facilitation of things for the Ummah and His mercy towards them
And in it: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the best among the prophets and all humankind.
And in it: The superiority of Abraham (peace be upon him) over all the other prophets, except for our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
And in it: The Prophet's compassion towards his Ummah
And in it: It shows how much the Companions cared about the Qur'an, defended it, and preserved it and its words as they had heard it, without deviation from it.
And in it: Pointing out that the Qur'an was revealed in seven modes
And in it: Pardoning people for the devil's promptings and not holding them accountable for them
And in it: Showing the noble status of Ubayy (may Allah be pleased with him), for the devil did not gain control over him and so he could not allure him as he allured many others who were predestined by Allah to suffer misery by persisting in denial. Rather, Allah Almighty inspired him to repent through the Prophet's striking on his chest and his supplication for him.
And in it: Establishing the intercession for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).

821

’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was by a pond belonging to Banu Ghifār when Jibrīl (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) came to him and said: "Allah Commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in one letter." He said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." He then came to him for the second time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in two letters." He (the Prophet) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then, he came to him for the third time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in three letters." He (the Prophet) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness, verily, my Ummah cannot bear that." Then, he came to him for the fourth time and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur'an in seven letters, and in whichever letter they recite, they will be right.".

Commentary : The Noble Qur’an is the speech of Allah Almighty revealed to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Allah has made its recitation easy for people so that they reflect upon its verses. A form of this facilitation and flexibility is that Allah has permitted its recitation in seven letters and in Qirā’āt (modes of recitation) that He taught to His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who taught them to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who reported these Qirā’at to those who succeeded them.
In this Hadīth, ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was by "Adā’ah (pond) belonging to Banu Ghifār." Adā’ah: still water. It is said that it is a place in Makkah, as Ghifār was a tribe from Kinānah, and their location was near Makkah. It is also said that it is a place in Madīnah attributed to Banu Ghifār because they settled therein.
Gabriel (peace be upon him) - the angel entrusted with the revelation - came to him and said: "Allah Almighty commands you to recite the Qur'an to your Ummah," referring to the Ummah that responded to his call, "in one letter," i.e. in one manner. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I ask Allah for His protection and forgiveness," i.e. I ask Allah Almighty for His ease, facilitation, and forgiveness for them. The Prophet's request for forgiveness was out of fear of negligence committed on their side regarding how they must recite. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, my Ummah cannot bear that," i.e., they cannot stand to agree on one letter given their different dialects. So, uniting them into one dialect is hard for them and challenging for their tongues. Then, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him for the second time and informed him that Allah Almighty commands him to make his Ummah recite the Qur’an in two letters. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said the same thing he said the first time. Then, Gabriel came to him for the third time and informed him that Allah commands him to make his Ummah recite in three letters. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said what he had said in the two previous times. Then for the fourth time, Gabriel (peace be upon him) came to him and said: "Allah commands you to make your Ummah recite the Qur’an in seven letters," thus, each one could recite in the manner that suits him, and that is easy for him, "and in whichever letter they recite, they will be right" and correct and their recitation will be sufficient and valid. His saying: "seven letters", means It was revealed in seven manners or seven dialects, which refers to facilitation and ease. It is said that the Qur'an was first revealed in the language of Quraysh and those who lived next to them from among the eloquent Arabs. Then, the Arabs were allowed to recite it in their usual languages despite the difference between them in words and grammatical rules. None of them was asked to leave his language for another one, given the difficulty involved and the pride they had and to make it easy for them to understand the intended meaning. This mentioned permissibility was not granted based on personal inclinations in such a way that everyone would change any word to its equivalent in his language; instead, the criterion here was to hear it from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth reflects the Prophet's keenness in facilitating and making things easy for his Ummah.
It also sheds light on the mercy of Allah Almighty towards His slaves by lightening their burden and revealing the Qur’an in seven letters..

822

Abu Wā’il reported: A man called Nahīk ibn Sinān came to ‘Abdullah and said: "O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān, how do you recite this letter? Do you recite it as 'alif' (first letter of the Arabic alphabet) or as 'yā’' (last letter of the Arabic alphabet) {min mā’in ghayri āsin (of fresh water)} [Surat Muhammad: 15] or: min mā’in ghayri yāsin?" He said: 'Abdullah replied, "And have you memorized the whole Qur'an except for this?!" He said: "Indeed, I do recite the Mufassal (from Surat Qāf till the end of the Qur'an) in one Rak'ah (unit of prayer)." 'Abdullah said: "Like the hasty recitation of poetry! Verily, there are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go beyond their collarbones. But if it were to reach the heart and settle therein, then it would be of benefit. The best (acts) of prayer are Rukū' (bowing) and Sujūd (prostration). I am well-acquainted with the Nazhā’ir (pairs of similar Surahs) which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine two Surahs in every Rak'ah." Then, 'Abdullah stood up and 'Alqamah followed him; he came out and said: "He informed me about them." [Another version reads]: A man from Banu Bajīlah came to ‘Abdullah, and he did not say: Nahīk ibn Sinān. [Another version reads]: 'Alqamah came to enter upon him, so we said: "Ask him about the Nazhā’ir that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in one Rak'ah." So, he entered upon him and asked him, then, he came out and said: "Twenty Surahs of the Mufassal according to the order (of the Surahs) set by 'Abdullah.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty commanded reflection upon the Qur’an, as He says: {This is a blessed Book that We have sent down to you [O Prophet] so that they may reflect upon its verses, and so that people of understanding may take heed.} [Surat Sād: 29] Allah Almighty also says: {Do they not then ponder on the Qur’an?} [Surat an-Nisā’: 82] This is the purpose of its recitation, not just the mere recitation of its letters without understanding or reflection.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi'i Abu Wā’il, brother of Ibn Salamah, reports that a man - and in another version: "from Banu Bajīlah" - called Nahīk ibn Sinān came to 'Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "O Abu' Abdur-Rahmān, how do you recite this letter?" i.e., how do you recite this verse in the Qur'an? "Do you recite it as 'alif' or 'yā"? {{min mā’in ghayri āsin} or (min mā’in ghayri yāsin)?" This means: Does the word start with an alif or a yā'? "Āsin" water is water that has a changed taste and color, whereas "Yāsin" water is smelly and stinking water that affects whoever goes in it with its steam. Thereupon, ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: "And have you memorized the whole Qur'an except for this?!" i.e. Have you memorized the whole Qur'an and perfected its words except for this verse and the word you are asking about?! As if he was shocked and rebuking him. Nahīk ibn Sinān gave him an answer denoting how he believed that he had perfected the recitation of the whole Qur’an, as he informed him that he used to recite the Mufassal (short Surahs) in one single Rak‘ah, which indicates the great extent of his memorization and perfection. It is said: The Mufassal starts from Surat Muhammad, and it is said: Surat Qāf, until the end of the Noble Qur’an. It was called so because of the frequent separation between its Surahs with the line "Bismillāh ar-Rahmān ar-Rahīm" (In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful). ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) did not answer his question because he got the impression that he was not seeking guidance; rather, he said to him: "Like the hasty recitation of poetry?!" "Hadhdh" (hasty recitation) means excessive hastiness and extreme speed, i.e., do you recite the Qur’an hastily without reflecting upon it as if you are reciting poetry?! As if Ibn Mas‘ūd was criticizing him for reciting the Mufassal in one single Rak‘ah without reflecting upon and contemplating the verses.
Then, Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Verily, there are people who recite the Qur'an, but it does not go beyond their collarbones," which is an indirect reference to incomprehension, i.e., there are people who recite the Qur'an without reflecting upon its verses or contemplating its meanings. Hence, it does not reach their hearts through contemplation and humility, and it does not ascend to heaven, and they do not, thus, receive a reward for it. "Turquwah" (collarbone): It is the protruding upper chest bone from the beginning of the shoulder to the bottom of the neck.
Then, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that when the Qur’an is recited in a reflective and contemplative manner, and the heart consequently grasps its meanings and understands its lessons, it becomes of benefit to its reciter, and this is what is required of a Muslim and is the objective of reciting the Qur’an. Then, he clarified to him that the acts of prayer that have a better and bigger reward are more Rukū‘ and Sujūd, not the lengthy recitation in which the reciter does not reflect upon the meanings of the verses.
Then, he taught him, saying: I am well-acquainted with the Surahs, which are called "Nazhā’ir" and which are the Surahs that have similar meanings or have a similar length, that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine in his Rak'ahs during prayer reciting two of them in every Rak'ah.
Ibn Mas‘ūd then stood up and entered his house, followed by the Tābi'i' Alqamah ibn Qays, who wanted to ask him about these Surahs which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to combine. Then, ‘Alqamah came out and said to the people: Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me about them.
Another version reads: 'Alqamah informed them that the Nazhā’ir are "twenty Surahs from the Mufassal," i.e., twenty of the small Surahs according to the order of the Mus-haf that was arranged by 'Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd whose order varied from that of Zayd ibn Thābit. These Surahs were mentioned by Abu Dāwūd on the authority of Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) and they are: Ar-Rahmān and An-Najm in a Rak‘ah, Al-Qamar and Al-Hāqqah in a Rak‘ah, At-Tūr and Adh-Dhāriyāt in a Rak‘ah, Al-Wāqi‘ah and Al-Qalam in a Rak‘ah, Al-Ma‘ārij and An-Nāzi‘āt in a Rak‘ah, Al-Mutaffifīn and ‘Abasa in a Rak‘ah, Al-Muddaththir and Al-Muzzammil in a Rak‘ah, Al-Insān and Al-Qiyāmah in a Rak‘ah, An-Naba’ and Al-Mursalāt in a Rak‘ah, and Ad-Dhukhān and At-Takwīr in a Rak‘ah. If it is said Ad-Dukhān is not from the Mufassal, how did he count it from the Mufassal? The answer: It is a metaphor, as it was mentioned in a version in the Two Sahīh Collections: Eighteen Surahs from the Mufassal and two Surahs from the {Hā Mīm} family.
The Hadīth encourages reflection upon the Qur’an and abstention from reciting it hastily.
It also emphasizes the status and knowledge of Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him)..

830

Abu Basrah al-Ghifāri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in the ‘Asr (afternoon) prayer at Al-Mukhammas and said: "This prayer was presented to those before you, but they wasted it. So, whoever observes it will have his reward doubled, and there is no prayer after it until the Shāhid appears." Shāhid: the star..

Commentary : Prayer is the second pillar of Islam. The 'Asr prayer has a great merit. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urges Muslims to observe it.
In this Hadīth, Abu Basrah al-Ghifāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led some of his Companions in the ‘Asr prayer at Al-Mukhammas, which is the name of a path in Mount ‘Ayr on the way to Makkah. Then, he informed them that the 'Asr prayer was enjoined upon the preceding nations, but they did not observe it properly, not performing it in its due time, taking it lightly, and abandoning it. Then, Allah gave it to the Ummah of Islam, "so, whoever observes it will have his reward doubled"; the first reward is for observing it, unlike those who neglected it, and the second is a recompense for his deed like the rest of prayers. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then forbade them from offering any supererogatory prayer until the sun sets and the "Shāhid", which is the star, appears. It was called "Shāhid" (witness) because it appears and is present at night and because a star does not appear and is not seen except after sunset. This does not contradict the confirmed texts that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed Maghrib by sunset, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections and others.
This is a prohibition of prayer at sunset because it was when those who worshipped the sun used to pray. The word "after" here is not meant in a general sense; rather, it is meant to refer to the time of sunset and what is close to it. It is said that the prohibition of prayer during this time is only meant to prohibit delaying the obligatory prayer without a valid excuse until it is performed close to sunset. This prohibition does not include performing obligatory prayers or making up for missed prayers; it is exclusive to the supererogatory prayer.
The Hadīth encourages the observance of prayer.
It also encourages the observance of prayers in their due time.
It clarifies the merit of this Ummah as it carefully maintains a prayer that was not maintained by the preceding nations.
It also points out that the reward of whoever observes the ‘Asr prayer is doubled..

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‘Uqbah ibn ‘Āmir al-Juhani reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to forbid us from praying or burying our deceased ones at three times: when the sun begins to rise until it is fully risen; when the sun is at its highest point in the sky at noon until it passes its zenith; and when the sun starts setting until it fully sets..

Commentary : Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to all humankind as a guide, bringer of good news, and a warner. There is no goodness for them concerning their life or death except that he guided them to it and urged them to do it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to preserve for the Muslims their creed. For example, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from praying or burying their dead at three times, which are: "When the sun begins to rise;" this is at the beginning of its rise and appearance. In modern estimation, this is nearly 15 minutes after sunrise. He forbade this because it is a time in which the sun-worshipers used to pray and prostrate to it, as it is a time in which the the sun rises between the two horns the devil. The second time: "When the sun is at its highest point in the sky at noon;" this is at midday, when the sun is in the middle of the sky. This is a time when any standing object at noon no longer has a shadow towards the east or the west, and it is the time of extreme heat. He forbade this timing because Hellfire is flared up during it. The forbidden time continues until the sun passes its zenith for a little towards the west, and there comes the noon at which the time of the Zhuhr prayer comes. The third timing: "and when the sun starts setting," i.e., it moves towards setting until it completely sets, and the disc of the sun disappears. This is a time in which the sun sets between the two horns of the devil. This prohibition does not apply to the obligatory prayers that are performed within their appointed times or as missed prayers; rather,, it applies to supererogatory prayers.
In the Hadīth: The prohibition of praying at these times
And in it: The prohibition of burying the dead at these times.

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‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: In Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic period of ignorance), I used to think that people were misguided and that they were not on the right path, as they worshipped idols. Then, I heard of a man in Makkah who was telling new things. So, I mounted my camel and went to him. I found that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was hiding, for his people were aggressive toward him. So, I acted gently until I entered his place. I said to him: "Who are you?" He said: "I am a Prophet." I said: "What is a Prophet?" He said: "Allah sent me.'' I said: "What did He send you with?" He said: "He sent me with [a message] of maintaining kinship ties, breaking the idols, and upholding the oneness of Allah without associating anything with him." I said: "Who is with you on that?" He said: "A free man and a slave man.'' He said: At that time only Abu Bakr and Bilāl were with him. I said: "I shall follow you.'' He said: "You cannot do that today. Do you not see my situation and that of the people? However, return to your people, and when you hear that I have succeeded in my mission, come to me.'' So, I went to my people. Later, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to Madīnah. It was until some of my people went to Madīnah that I said: "What happened to this man who came to Madīnah?" They said: "People are hastening to him. His own people wanted to kill him, but they could not." So, I went to Madīnah and entered his place and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He said: "Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah." I said: "O Messenger of Allah, tell me of what Allah has taught you, which I am ignorant of. Tell me about prayer." He said: "Perform the morning prayer. Then, do not pray until the sun has risen up to the height of a lance, for when it rises, it rises between two horns of a devil. It is when the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it. Then, pray, for the prayer is witnessed and attended, until the shadow of the lance shrinks. Then, do not pray, for at that time Hell is fired up. Then, pray when the shadow becomes longer, for the prayer is witnessed and attended, until you perform ‘Asr. Then, do not pray until the sun sets, for it sets between two horns of a devil. It is when the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it." I further said: "O Prophet, tell me about ablution.'' He said: "When any of you approaches his ablution water and rinses his mouth and nose, the sins of his face, his mouth, and nose will ‘fall’. Then, when he washes his face as Allah commanded him, the sins of his face fall with water from the edges of his beard. Then, when he washes his hands up to the elbows, the sins of his hands fall with water from his fingertips. Then, when he wipes over his head, the sins of his head fall with water from the ends of his hair. Then, when he washes his feet up to the ankles, the sins of his feet fall with water from his toes. Then, when he stands up for prayer, praises Allah Almighty, extols Him, glorifies Him as He deserves, and empties his heart for Allah, he becomes free from his sins as he was on the day his mother gave birth to him.'' ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah narrated this Hadīth to Abu ’Umāmah, a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, Abu Umāmah said to him: "O ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah, think about what you are saying. Will a man be getting all of this on one occasion?" ‘Amr said: "O Abu ’Umāmah, I am old in age, weak in bones, and close to death. I do not need to tell lies about Allah or the Messenger of Allah. Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) only once, twice, thrice - and he counted up to seven times - I would not have narrated it. However, I heard it more than that.".

Commentary : Islam emerged in a world filled with oppression, Shirk (polytheism), and ignorance. The brightness of its teachings was strange to those who lived in complete darkness. Its earlier followers suffered severe tribulations, as they were very few and their enemies regarded them as weak and humiliated, and they would subject them to subjugation and harm, for they did not possess the means of protection either by being large in number or by strength. This was before Allah Almighty endowed them with Hijrah (emigration) to Madīnah, where He provided them with refuge, empowered them, helped them, and made them victorious over their enemies. In this Hadīth, the Companion ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him)—who was the half-brother of Abu Dharr from the mother's side; their mother was Ramlah, from Banu al-Waqī‘ah ibn Harām ibn Ghifār, and he was from Banu Sulaym—says that in Jāhiliyyah, people were polytheists. It was called as such due to the prevalence of their ignorance. He used to think that people were misguided and did not follow anything of the truth or the religion that would benefit them with Allah Almighty. "as they worshipped idols." An idol is anything worshiped apart from Allah, be it made of stone, wood, or trees, and whether it takes the form of a human being or not. Later, he heard about the emergence of a man - meaning the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - in Makkah who was telling new things concerning Allah Almighty, i.e., the new things related to the prophethood, the message, and the revelation of Allah to him, and the command He sent to him about Tawhīd (monotheism) and the falsity of associating partners with Allah Almighty. So, he mounted his riding animal and traveled to Makkah to learn about the affair of this Prophet. He found the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) hiding from the disbelievers because they were aggressive to him. So, he searched for him in Makkah in a gentle and kind manner so that the Quraysh disbelievers would not repel him, until he found the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "What are you?" i.e., what about your condition and your affair? He did not say, "Who are you?" because he did not want to ask about himself but about his traits. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "I am a Prophet," one of the prophets of Allah, as Allah sent revelation to me. He asked him about the reality that distinguishes a prophet from others, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied to him that Allah sent him to all humankind. He further asked him: "What did He send you with?" In reply, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told him that He sent him with a message of upholding the ties of kinship, who are a person's relatives and all those who are related to him by blood, whether he is an inheritor of them or not. The tie becomes more affirmed if they have a closer blood relationship. The Prophet's response here was appropriate for the questioner or considering the time and condition. The upholding of kinship ties is probably singled out in consideration of the condition of the Arabs, or because other obligations had not yet been prescribed. And he informed him that Allah Almighty sent him with a message of breaking and destroying the idols, prohibiting the devotion of worship to them, and that oneness must be attributed to Allah alone and worship be devoted to Him alone, not associating any of the creation as partners with Him. ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Who is with you on that" Tawhīd and religion? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A free man and a slave man." ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at the time had with him Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him), by whom he meant the free man, and Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him), by whom he meant the slave man, among those who believed in him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), believed his message, and followed his religion. ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah as-Sulami (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "I shall follow you" and this religion, referring to his conversion to Islam. Hence, I shall accompany you and be with you in this position you are in. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "You cannot do that on this day of yours," i.e., at the present time. This is due to the weakness of the Muslims. It is feared that you will be harmed by the Qurayshi disbelievers. He did not reject his conversion to Islam, but rejected the idea that he would remain with him, citing as the reason for that the few supporters of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the strength of the disbelievers and the severe animosity they displayed. So, he ordered him to go back to his people, remain among them, and continue to be Muslim, and when he hears about the dominance of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his victory over the polytheists and the spread of his call across the land, he should come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is an example of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) talking about future and unseen things, and it falls under the signs of his prophethood (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) returned to his people Banu Sulaym. Then, after a while, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) emigrated to Madīnah after staying in Makkah as a prophet for thirteen years, calling people to Tawhīd and the abandonment of Shirk. Meanwhile, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was living among his people. So, he began to look out for news about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in Madīnah, asking travelers who would pass him by. This continued until there came a group, between three and nine persons, from the people of Yathrib, which was the old name for Madīnah, before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) changed it to Taybah and Tābah. He asked them: "What happened to this man who came to Madīnah?" He posed the question in this way so as to conceal his condition from whom he asked, lest they might be enemies of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and so they would not tell him the truth, if they knew he was following his religion. This reflects the good understanding, wisdom, and intelligence of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him). They answered him: People are hastening to him to follow his religion and enter Islam. "His people wanted to," i.e., the Quraysh disbelievers wanted to "kill him" by various methods of cunning and deception, "but they could not." Rather, Allah turned their plots back on their necks and protected His Prophet from that. It was said: This is intended to refer to what the Quraysh tribe plotted against the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after his Hijrah, including the battles of Badr, ’Uhud, and Al-Ahzāb, and others. But they could not eliminate him, as Allah Almighty granted him victory over them. Also, the intended meaning is probably what Allah Almighty mentions in the verse that reads: {And [remember] when the disbelievers plotted against you to take you as captive, kill you, or expel you. They plan, and Allah also plans, but Allah is the Best of those who plan.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 30] This is when they plotted against him in these ways. So, Allah permitted him to immigrate, and after he went to Madīnah, Allah Almighty revealed to him "Surat al-Anfāl" wherein He mentions His favors upon him and the affliction he had suffered.
Then, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he came to Madīnah - after the battles of Badr, ’Uhud, the Trench, and Khaybar - and entered the Prophet's place and said: "O Messenger of Allah, do you recognize me?" He replied: Yes, you are the one who met me in Makkah. So, ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked to tell him about what Allah taught the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of which ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was ignorant. He also asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to tell him about the prayer and its time. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed him to offer the morning prayer - and its time begins with the appearance of the true dawn - and then desist from prayer until the sun appears and rises to the height with which prayer is no longer disliked; that's 15 minutes after sunrise, according to modern estimation. This demonstrates the times in which prayer was prohibited, and he explained to him the reason behind this prohibition, saying that the sun rises between two horns of a devil, and at that time the disbelievers who worship the sun prostrate themselves to it. The meaning: The devil adorned to some people the worship of the sun at this time, and he used to take sunrise between the two horns in his head and approach it, and so it would rise between his two horns. And the same happens at the time of sunset. It is as if those who prostrate to the sun do prostrate to him. So, this is meant to keep away from imitation of the disbelievers at their time of prayer. This prohibition pertains to supererogatory prayers whose performance is not associated with a specific reason. A Muslim should not offer them at these two times. As for the missed obligatory prayers, they may be performed at all times of prohibition.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him that after that time he could offer as many supererogatory prayers as he wished, as related in the version by Abu Dāwūd, "for the prayer is witnessed and attended," i.e., the angels attend it to write down its reward and bear witness for those who perform it. So, it is closer to acceptance and the attainment of mercy. So, he prays "until the shadow of the lance shrinks," i.e., the shadow rises with the lance or in the lance, and nothing of it remains on the ground. This refers to the Arab martial lance, which is nine mediocre spans long. The lance was particularly mentioned because when the Arabs wanted to know the time, they would erect their lances on the ground and then look at their shadows.
When things no longer have a shadow, one should refrain from offering supererogatory prayers that are not associated with a specific reason, for this time is one in which "Hell is fired up," i.e., it is intensely kindled. "when the shadow becomes longer" towards the east, "then pray" any prayer you want to offer. "for the prayer is witnessed and attended." Continue to pray as much as you wish "until you perform ‘Asr." Then, stop offering supererogatory prayers after ‘Asr, until the sun sets, for it sets between two horns of a devil, and this is a time at which the disbelievers prostrate themselves to it, as previously mentioned.
Then, ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about ablution and how to perform it. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When any of you approaches his ablution water," i.e., brings water to perform ablution therewith. "and rinses his mouth" by moving water inside the mouth and then discharging it out. "and nose" by inserting water into the nose and then blowing it out to remove any filth inside. the sins of his face, his mouth, and nose "fall." "Then, when he washes his face as Allah commanded him," i.e., in the verse that reads: {when you rise up for prayer, wash your faces.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 6] "the sins of his face will fall with water from the edges of his beard." He mentioned the beard in light of what is more common; yet, it also applies to those who have no beard, such as the beardless men or women. "Then, when he washes his hands up to the elbows," which are the joints in the middle of the arm, "the sins of his hands fall with water from his fingertips. Then, when he wipes over his head, the sins of his head fall with water from the ends of his hair." He mentioned hair in light of what is more common, yet it also applies to those who have no hair. "Then, when he washes his feet up to the ankles" - the two protruding bones at the joint connecting the foot and leg - "the sins of his feet fall with water from his toes." If a person performs ablution in this way and enters the prayer, praises Allah, lauds Him by the well-established attributes, lauds Him by exalting Him above what does not befit Him, and extols Him by ascribing to Him the attributes of glory, might, and honor of which He is worthy; "and empties his heart for Allah," Almighty, i.e., he empties his heart from the impurity of attachment to and reliance upon other than Allah, "he becomes free from his sins" and misdeeds and gets purified from them as he was pure from all sins "on the day his mother gave birth to him."
‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this Hadīth before Abu ’Umāmah, the Companion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, Abu ’Umāmah said to him: "O ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah, think about," i.e., consider, ponder, "what you are saying" about this abundant reward in return for this little act in one situation and one place; a man is given this great reward! The wording by An-Nasā’i: "Is all of this given in one situation?!" This does not denote suspicion by Abu ’Umāmah of ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with both of them). It is only wonder at the immensity of Allah's bounty. ‘Amr replied: "O Abu Umāmah, I am old in age," "weak in bones," i.e., my bones have become thin and lean - a reference to his weakness. "and close to death." "I do not need" or am prompted "to tell lies about Allah" Almighty" or the Messenger of Allah" (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The meaning: The usual causes of lying are non-existent in me. I am not a liar. So, "Had I not heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) only once, twice, thrice - and he counted up to seven times," i.e., he said: four times, until he said: seven times. "I would not have narrated it. However, I heard it more than that." In the version by An-Nasā’i: "My ears heard it, and my heart understood it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." This means he was scrupulous in narrating these words about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Besides, his heart kept it for himself, and he did not undergo forgetfulness. This is all due to keenness to ascertain the validity of the narration.
In the Hadīth: Urging the upholding of kinship ties, as Allah Almighty couples it with Tawhīd
And in it: Supererogatory prayers may be offered at any time, except for the prohibited times.
And in it: Demonstrating the time of the morning prayer
And in it: Demonstrating the times in which it is prohibited to offer non-obligatory prayers
And in it: The merit of performing ablution perfectly
And in it: The merit of Khushū‘ (humility and focus) in prayer
And in it: It is prohibited to imitate the disbelievers in their worship
And in it: Showing the merit of Abu Bakr and Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with both of them), as they embraced Islam ahead of others
And in it: Showing the merit of ‘Amr ibn ‘Abasah (may Allah be pleased with him) and his wisdom, for he realized during Jāhiliyyah that people were misguided, as they worshiped idols apart from Allah Almighty, and he embraced Islam early on.
And in it: It points out that a Muslim should ask about the best times and places in which he should seek closeness to his Lord and perform a lot of worship to Him.
And in it: News should be verified, even if the reporter is truthful, for he may undergo forgetfulness or the like..

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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Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be guarded against the Dajjāl (Anti-Christ).".

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" They said: "How does one recite a third of the Qur'an? He said: "{Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals a third of the Qur'an.".

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made Surat {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} as one of the parts of the Qur'an.".

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." .

Abu ad-Dardā’ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever memorizes ten verses from the beginning of Surat al-Kahf will be guarded against the Dajjāl (Anti-Christ).".

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Is any of you incapable of reciting a third of the Qur'an in a night?" They said: "How does one recite a third of the Qur'an? He said: "{Say: 'He is Allah, the One} equals a third of the Qur'an.".

Abu ad-Dardā’ reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah divided the Qur'an into three parts, and He made Surat {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} as one of the parts of the Qur'an.".

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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