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Hadith
2322
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Whoever keeps a dog, one Qiraat of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily, unless the dog is used for guarding farms or cattle." Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (in another narration) said that the Prophet ﷺ added, "… unless it is used for guarding sheep or farms, or for hunting." Aboo Haazim narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺsaid, "A dog for guarding cattle or for hunting."
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Commentary :
This hadeeth underlines the prohibition of owning and keeping dogs for other than three purposes: hunting, guarding livestock, and guarding farms. It underlines that keeping a dog for other than these three purposes causes one to lose one Qiraat of the rewards of his good deeds every day. Qiraat is a specific measure of reward that is only known to Allah, Exalted is He, and the meaning is that such a person’s rewards are diminished.
It is possible that the reason for the decrease in the reward because of keeping dogs is that the angels do not enter such a person’s house because of it, as narrated in the authentic Sunnah texts. It is also possible that another reason is the harm and intimidation caused by dogs to passers-by, or that it is a punishment for boldly committing a prohibited act and disobeying the Prophet ﷺ.
The hadeeth underlines the kindness of Allah, Exalted is He, towards His creation in permitting what benefits them, in earning their living in the worldly life, and in their Hereafter as well.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that guaranteed benefit should be given precedence over the outweighed evil, mirrored in the exclusion of the three purposes from the relevant prohibition.
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2324
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, "While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing." The Prophet ﷺ added, "I, Aboo Bakr, and ‘Umar believe in the story." The Prophet ﷺwent on, "A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?' "After narrating it, the Prophet ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it." Aboo Salamah (a sub-narrator) said, "Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar were not present then."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to narrate to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the news of the previous nations and the miracles performed for them, to deduce lessons therefrom.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ related two miraculous incidents that took place in the past. First, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing.’” Secondly, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it,” to rescue it, “the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts,” near the Last Hour, meaning that there shall be no people left as they would all die and perish, the earth would be destroyed, only beasts would remain and then, there shall be no shepherds to protect the sheep from the wolves and beasts, “when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’”
In these miraculous incidents, the cow and the wolf spoke by the permission and power of Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it,” meaning that they believed in these two unusual and miraculous incidents that were contrary to the law-structure of the uniayah (i.e., natural laws), because the One who created these systems Is (effortlessly) Able to break them. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) even though they were not present at that time out of his unshakable confidence in them, because he ﷺ knew of the sincerity of their faith, the strength of their certitude, and their certain knowledge of the great Omnipotence of Allah and the perfection of His power.
The hadeeth highlights one of the signs of his prophethoodﷺ.
It also underlines an apparent virtue of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is deduced therefrom that animals should be used only for their customary purposes, because Allah, Exalted is He, has prepared these creatures and subjugated them to Man to perform the tasks for which they were created. When they are used to perform tasks other than those for which they were created, it constitutes an act of injustice. It is also inferred that cows should only be used for ploughing, not for riding.
It is also deduced therefrom that a manifestation of faith is to believe absolutely everything that the Prophet ﷺreported..

2325
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Ansaar said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Distribute the dates (of the palm trees) between us and our emigrant brothers." He ﷺ replied, "No." The Ansaar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water, and tend to them and share the fruits with us." They (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "We hear and obey."
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Commentary :
When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ established the bond of brotherhood between the emigrants and the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were exceptionally generous towards their fellow Muslims. None of them was stingy,nor did they withhold their wealth, homes, and food from their Muslim brothers. They graciously and munificently shared their wealth and houses with the emigrants.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were the people of Al-Madeenah, wanted to split their palm trees with their emigrant brothers, putting their best interests before their own. They asked the Prophet ﷺ to divide up the date palms they owned between themselves and the emigrants, but he ﷺ refused, because he ﷺ knew of the future conquests and wealth that they would be given (i.e., spoils of war). Therefore, he ﷺ disliked that the Ansaar should give up their property. When they knew the Prophet’s decision, they sought to realize both benefits, namely, comply with the Prophet’s command and hasten to support their emigrant brothers financially. They said: “Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water and tend to them) and share the fruits with us." The apparent indication of their statement is that the emigrants would perform the cultivation and irrigation work and take care of the lands, so that the Ansaar would grow their palm trees and they both would share the fruits. This means that the Ansaar retained their ownership of the palm trees,while the emigrants helped them out with the cultivation and irrigation work in return for a share of the picked fruits. This business transaction is known as Musaaqaah, (i.e., a share tenancy or partnership in the yield of trees), wherebytrees are given to someone to look after and irrigate in return for a share of the harvest. The version of the hadeeth recorded in Musnad Abee Ya‘laa reads: “He ﷺ said, ‘No; they may look after the palm trees in return for a half of the yield.’” According to this version, those were the words of the Prophet ﷺ and the meaning would be that the Ansaar would look after the lands, because the emigrants were not familiar with cultivation. This meaning was further supported by the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, the emigrants came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen people who are more willing to sacrifice when having a lot, nor more patient when having a little than the people whom we are staying amongst. Our provisions are so sufficient, and we share with them their produce, such that we fear that all our reward is gone. So, the Prophet ﷺ said: "No! As long as you supplicate to Allah for them and praise (i.e., show gratitude to) them (for it).”’
Thereupon, both the Ansaar and emigrants said: “We hear and obey,” in response to the Prophet’s command.
Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah are partnership contracts that are founded on justice between the two partners. The owner of the trees and land may be likened to the owner of capital money (i.e., principal) who gives it to a Mudhaarib (i.e., the one who manages the Mudhaarabah) to invest his capital in trade, provided that they both share the profits and endure the potential loss equally, and this makes their partnership free of risk and ambiguity.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to help their fellow Muslims and relieve them of hardship.
It also underlines the virtues of the emigrants and Ansaar, and their good compliance with the Prophet’s commands.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to engage in Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah agreements.
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2326
 ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet ﷺ got the date palm trees of the tribe of Banee Al-Nadheer burnt and the trees cut down at a place called Al-Buwayrah. In such occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse (which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al-Buwayrah."
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Commentary :
Many Jewish tribes lived in Al-Madeenah including: Banee Al-Nadheer, Banee Qurayzah, Banee Qaynuqaa‘, and Banee Haarithah, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah. After the migration, he ﷺ concluded peace treaties with some of them and fought others. When Banee Al-Nadheer betrayed the Prophet ﷺ in 4 A.H., and treacherously tried to kill him, he ﷺ led the Muslim army and besieged them. They took shelter in their fortresses and therefore he ﷺ imposed a siege on them, and ordered their palm trees to be cut and burnt, to force them out. It was also said that only fruitless trees were cut and burnt. It was said also that only (palm) trees on the battlefield were cut and burnt. These palm trees were located in a place known as Al-Buwayrah, a known place between Al-Madeenah and Taymaa’ from the direction of Qubaa’ Mosque to the west.
On this occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse that reads (that which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah.” It means that the chiefs of Banee Loo’ay, i.e., Quraysh, found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah that belonged to Banee Al-Nadheer. Hassaan ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) made a reference to Quraysh because they had enticed Banee Al-Nadheer to violate their peace treaty and covenant with the Muslims, and promised them support in case the Prophet ﷺ waged a war against them, but failed to live up to their promise.

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2327
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We worked on farms more than anybody else in Al-Madeenah. We used to rent the land at the yield of specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice. At that time gold or silver were not used (for renting lands). If they provided the seeds, they would get so-and-so much in return.
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Commentary : Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej related that they had more agricultural lands than all the people in Al-Madeenah, and used to rent out the lands to farmers to cultivate and look after them in return for a specified portion of the farm having its yield payable to the landlord,while the farmers took the remaining yield. Sometimes the yield of the farmer’s portion was affected by blights etc., and accordingly went bad and spoiled, while the rest remained safe, or vice versa. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice, given the Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and harm it incurs on one party. One party would gain profits and the other would incur loss, and this constitutes unlawfully devouring the wealth of one’s fellow Muslim. He added: “At that time, gold or silver were not used (for renting lands),” meaning that they were not acceptable as payments in lease agreements. It does not suggest that gold and silver were not used as currency.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction which was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield,while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific portion of the farm.

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2328
 ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ concluded a contract with the people of Khaybar to utilize the land on the condition that half the produce, fruits or vegetation, would be their share. The Prophet ﷺused to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each, eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar became the Caliph, he gave the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the option of either having the land and water as their shares, or carrying on the previous practice. Some of them chose the land and some chose the Wasqs, and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) chose the land.
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, a town located 95 miles (153 km) to the north of Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam,whichwas inhabited by the Jews. After its conquest in 7 A.H., the Prophet ﷺ made an agreement with the Jews to look after the palm groves and agricultural fields in return for half the yield. They were responsible for tending to the lands, cultivating, and irrigating them in return for half the picked dates. This business transaction is called Musaaqaah (i.e., share-tenancy orpartnership in the yield of trees), whereas Muzaara‘ah means renting out land to someone to cultivate it in return for half the yield. The Prophet ﷺ used to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each. A Wasq equaled 60 Saa‘s (approximately 130 kg) and the Saa‘ equaled four Mudds, and the Mudd equaled two handfuls scooped up by someone with hands of average size. He ﷺ also gave each eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) became the Caliph, he exiled the Jews from Khaybar and they settled in Taymaa’ and Areehaa’ instead. He (may Allah be pleased with them) distributed the lands of Khaybar between Muslims and gave the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the choice either to have their share of the land or carry on the previous practice, and take exactly what the Prophet ﷺ used to give them. Some of them chose to take their shares of the land,while others preferred the old practice. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was one of those who chose the land.
The hadeeth highlights the permissibility of Muzaara‘ah and Musaaqaah transactions.
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2330
 ‘Amr ibn Dinaar said to Taawoos: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah (i.e., a sharecropping agreement whereby a plot of land is rented for part of its yield, or the cultivation of a sowed land in return for a specific portion of its produce, and the rent is paid in kind from the land's produce), for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them. No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’.

Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this narration, a dialogue took place between ‘Amr ibn Dinaar and Taawoos ibn Kaysaan, who used to engage in Mukhaabarah, which is a sharecropping transaction which involved cultivating a land in return for a fixed share of the yield, and which is similar to the Muzaara‘ah transaction (i.e., a contract in which one of the parties gives a plot of land for a fixed period to the other party to cultivate and divide up the yield), but the difference between them is that the farmer supplies the seeds,in addition to his labor and expertise (and the landlord provides, through lease, the plot of land to be ploughed in preparation for sowing seed and growing crops) in the Mukhaabarahtransaction, whereas a landowner provides both in the Muzaara‘ah transaction. ‘Amr said to him: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah, for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that, Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them,” meaning pay the farmers what sufficed them. He added: “No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), who claimed that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden it, told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but rather said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’ This means that it is better for a Muslim landowner to lend his fellow Muslim farmer his land gratis and as a loan than to rent it out for a fixed rent, lest it would incur discord, dissention, and infringement of rights. The Prophet ﷺ disliked that practice for them lest it would undermine their rapport and causedissension among Muslims.
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2332
Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We had more farms than anybody else in Al-Madeenah, and we used to rent the land and say to the owner, "The yield of this portion is for us (as a rent) and the yield of that portion is for you." One of those portions might yield something and the other might not. So, the Prophet ﷺforbade us from doing so.
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Commentary :
Preserving wealth is one of the fundamental higher objectives of the Laws of Islam; whatever may harm one of the contracting parties, or may lead to the risk of losing their money is deemed prohibited. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the form of Muzaara‘ah transaction that Raafi’ bin Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in this hadeeth. They used to rent out their land for cultivation in return for the yield produced by a specified part of the land, and the landowner would take the yield of the other part. One part may produce a good yield and the other might not. That is why the Prophet ﷺ forbade this transaction, because of the risk involved;one of those parts might yield something and the other might not, and thus one partywould win his share of the yield, while the right of the other would be lost altogether!
His saying, “We had more farms than anyone else in Al-Madeenah,” means that they owned more lands and farms.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transactions, there is no harm in that.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific delimited portion..

2334
Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father:
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If it were not for the future Muslim generations, I would have distributed the land of the villages I conquer between the soldiers as the Prophet ﷺ distributed the land of Khaybar."
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Commentary :
Islam gives public interests precedence over private ones. In this hadeeth, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), knowing that wealth was becoming very scarce and that stinginess was prevailing, took pity on the following Muslim generations.Thus he decided to endow the lands seized by the Muslim army as spoils of war for the common benefit of all Muslims, rather than distributing them between the conquerors only, out of his mercy for the following Muslim generations, who would benefit from these lands and avail themselves of their yield. He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that if it were not for the interests of the future Muslim generations, he would have distributed the lands seized by Muslims as spoils of war only between the conquerors, as did the Prophet ﷺ with the land of Khaybar, which was conquered in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a town located to the north of Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam, 95 miles (153 km) from Al-Madeenah, and it was inhabited by Jews. The Prophet ﷺ allocated half of the lands to himself, and divided up the other half among Muslims, who had no farmers, and made agreements with the Jews to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield.
However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) decided that if he divided up all the lands they conquered between the Muslim soldiers only, nothing would be left for the future Muslim generations.
The hadeeth highlights the ruler’s keenness to secure the present and future interests of Muslims.
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2335
‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"He who cultivates a (deserted) land that does not belong to anybody is more rightful (to own it)." ‘Urwah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the same verdict during his Caliphate."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to revive and cultivate the deserted and uncultivated lands. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever cultivates an unplanted land that has no buildings thereon, reviving it by means of cultivation or development, and it has no known owner and is not connected with the interests of a given town or village, e.g., by being a pasture for their animals, then such a person is more deserving of its ownership than anyone else. He does not need the permission of the ruler for it;though it was also said that the ruler’s permission is required.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to revive and cultivate the uncultivated lands and avail oneself of them..

2339
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
My uncle Zhuhayr said, "Allah's Messengerﷺforbade us from doing a thing which was helpful to us." I said, "Whatever Allah's Messengerﷺ said was right." He said, "Allah's Messengerﷺ sent for me and asked, 'What are you doing with your farms?' I replied, 'We give our farms on rent on the basis that we get the yield produced at the banks of the water streams (rivers) for the rent, or rent it for some Wasqs of barley and dates.' He ﷺsaid, 'Do not do so, but cultivate (the land) yourselves or let it be cultivated by others gratis, or keep it uncultivated.' I said, 'We hear and obey.'
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Raafi’ ibn Khadeej narrated on the authority of his uncle Zhuhayr ibn Raafi’ (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from a matter that was beneficial for them. The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “He ﷺ forbade us from something of benefit to us, but our obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ is of greater benefit!” His statement means that the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from doing what was apparently beneficial for them, but their compliance with the Prophet’s command was more beneficial and better for their religious and worldly affairs. Raafi‘ asked his uncle about that act from which he ﷺ forbade them, “Whatever Allah's Messengerﷺ said was right.” His uncle informed him that the Prophet ﷺsent for him and asked, 'What are you doing with your farms?' Zhuhayr replied that they rented out their farms in return for one-fourth of the yield or some Wasqs of barley and dates.' A Wasq equaled 60 Saa‘s, approximately 130 kg.
A version of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Buhaaree reads: “We used to rent the land at the yield of a specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice.” The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People used to rent out their lands during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ for what grew by the river-beds, and the edges of the brooks/streams, or for a portion of the crop. However, sometimes this portion of the crop would be destroyed or go bad while the other remained safe, or vice versa. Thus, there would be no fee to be paid to the landowners except the portion which produced a crop.” These versions clarified that his saying “one-fourth of the yield,” means a fixed share of the yield produced by a specific part of the land, and not one-fourth of the yield of the whole land.
The Prophet ﷺ gave them three options: to cultivate the land themselves, lend it to someone to cultivate it for free, which reflected the enjoined solidarity, or keep it uncultivated. Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) complied with the command of the Prophet ﷺ and said: “We hear and obey.”
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that was deemed forbidden by the Prophet ﷺ was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific delimited portion of it.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Raafi’ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) and his obedience, and compliance with the command of the Prophet ﷺ..

2340
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
People used to rent their land for cultivation in return for one-third, one-fourth or half its yield. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated." It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise, he should keep it uncultivated."
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to rent their lands for cultivation in return for a third, a quarter, or a half of the yield during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, he ﷺ said: “Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated.” He ﷺ commanded the landowners to cultivate their own lands, give it to other farmers to cultivate it free of charge, if unable to do it themselves, otherwise they should keep them uncultivated and should not rent them out for cultivation.
The indication of the hadeeth’s wording seemed objectionable because keeping the land uncultivated constitutes missing out on its benefit and implies wasting wealth, which was deemed prohibited by authentically reported texts.
In refutation, scholars underlined that the prohibition of wasting wealth means wasting the assets themselves or their benefits that cannot be compensated for, because if a land is left uncultivated, its owner does not miss out on its benefit in totality, for it may still be used as a pasture, or a source of firewood, in addition to many other benefits. Even if this was not the case, delaying the cultivation of the land for a while may be better for the quality of the yield. It may produce a greater and better yield in the following year,on whichthe landowner may have missed out if it was not left uncultivated. This is based on the interpretation of the relevant prohibition as to mean renting in general. However, if it meant the specific manner of renting practiced by them at that time, as narrated on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, this does not necessarily entail missing out on its benefit in totality; the landowner may rent it out for gold or silver, for example.
A version of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “We used to rent the land at the yield produced by a specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landowner. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice.” The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People used to rent out their lands during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ for what grew by the river-beds, and the edges of the brooks/streams, or for a portion of the crop. However, sometimes this portion of the crop would be destroyed or go bad while the other was safe, or vice versa. Thus, there would be no fee to pay landowners except for the portion which produced a crop.” These versions clarified that his saying “one-fourth of the yield,” means a fixed share of the yield (i.e., the yield produced by a specific part of the land) and not one-fourth of the yield of the whole land.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than for the yield of a specific delimited portion.
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2343
Naafi‘ narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was told the narration of Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting out farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and I accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ who replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams (rivers) and for certain amount of straw.”
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Commentary :
Renting farms means leasing them for cultivation in return for a share of the yield. As narrated in this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was informed that Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked him about it, and his freed slave Naafi‘ accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) about it, and he replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams and for a certain amount of hay,” meaning fresh and dried grass used as fodder. This means that the Prophet ﷺ specifically forbade a certain type of renting that involved stipulating a defective contractual condition and ambiguity. The yield produced by one portion of the land may be afflicted with pests and go bad, while the other might not. Thus, the Muzaara‘ah transaction would be concluded, but the farmer or the landowner might incur loss.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction which was evidently corrupt,warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than the yield of a specific delimited portion.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), his keenness in learning the Sunnah, and his deep knowledge..

2346
Hanzhlah ibn Qays said:
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "My two uncles told me that they (i.e. the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to rent the lands during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺfor the yield on the banks of water streams (rivers) or for a portion of the yield stipulated by the landowner. The Prophet ﷺ forbade it." I said to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), "What about renting lands for Dinars and Dirhams?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "There is no harm in renting for Dinars- Dirhams. Al-Layth said, "If those who have discernment for distinguishing what is lawful from what is unlawful looked into what has been forbidden concerning this matter, they would not permit it, for it is surrounded with risks."
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Commentary : Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth,Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) related that two of his uncles: Zhuhayr ibn Raafi‘ and Muzhhir ibn Raafi‘, told him that they, i.e., the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), used to rent lands and farms during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺfor the yield on the banks of water streams, or for a portion of the yield stipulated by the landowner, e.g., one-third, one-fourth, or the like. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such a rental transaction in particular, because it involved stipulating a defective contractual condition and ambiguity; the yield produced by one portion of the land or farm may be afflicted with pests and go bad, while the other might not. This Muzaara‘ah transaction would be concluded, but the farmer or the landowner might incur loss.
When Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked about the permissibility of renting out farms for currency, i.e., the golden dinar, or the silver dirham, he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that there was nothing wrong with that. It is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) answered based on his personal Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning) or knowledge of a Laws of Islam text to that effect, or that the relevant prohibition on renting farms did not mean forbidding renting in general, but rather a specific rental transaction that involved ambiguity or the like, and therefore deduced from that the permissibility of renting farms for gold and silver.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield,while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than the yield of a specific delimited portion.
Al-Layth ibn Sa‘d - one of the narrators and hadeeth scholars - made it clear that what is forbidden regarding renting land and farms, is what those endowed with knowledge and discernment (to distinguish what is lawful from what is unlawful) would not permit when looking into what has been forbidden concerning this matter, for it is surrounded with risks. Such a transaction involves risks, meaning most likely harms and potential destruction, and what is meant by that is renting the land in a way that involves Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and ambiguity..

2348
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Once the Prophet ﷺwas narrating (a story), while a Bedouin was sitting with him, "One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah, Exalted is He, to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, 'Are you not relishing therein the pleasures that you like?' He will say, 'Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.'" The Prophet ﷺadded, "When the man (will be permitted, he) will sow the seeds and the plants will grow, ripen, and become ready for reaping and so on till it will be as huge as mountains within a wink. Allah will then say to him, 'O son of Adam! Here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you.'" On that, the Bedouin said, "The man must be either from Quraysh (i.e., an emigrant) or the Ansaar, for they are farmers, whereas we, desert dwellers, are not farmers." The Prophet ﷺsmiled (at this).
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, promised His obedient and righteous slaves eternal bliss in Paradise, to experience therein what no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard of, and what has never come to the mind or heart of a human being. In Paradise, they shall have whatever they desire and wish for; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {They will have therein whatever they wish.} [Quran 16:31]. Whatever the people of Paradise shall want will come true, in fulfillment of the promise of Allah, Exalted is He, who never breaks His promise.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ told his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) – in the presence of a Bedouin – that one of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah, Exalted is He, to allow him to cultivate a land therein. Allah, Exalted is He, will ask him, 'Are you not relishing therein the pleasures that you like?' Meaning, ‘Are not you savoring the promised bliss in Paradise?’ He will say, 'Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.' Thereupon, Allah, Exalted is He, will grant him permission to cultivate the land. He will sow the seeds and the plants will grow, ripen, and become ready for reaping and so on, till it will be as huge as mountains immediately. This means that as soon as the man will sow the seeds, the plants will grow, ripen and become ready to harvest! This shall happen quickly, in the blink of an eye. There shall be no time interval between sowing the seeds and harvesting the ripe fruits, and the yield will be as huge as mountains.
Thereafter, Allah, Exalted is He, will say to him, 'O son of Adam! Here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you,' meaning that although this man will not suffer from hunger nor thirst in Paradise, and shall find therein whatever he wishes for, yet the human self is innately greedy and aspires to more than what it needs. Upon hearing that, the Bedouin jokingly said, "The man must be either from Quraysh (i.e., an emigrant) or the Ansaar, for they are farmers, whereas we, desert dwellers, are not farmers!" The Prophet ﷺsmiled (at this).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whatever worldly gain the people of Paradise shall wish for will be given to them.
The hadeeth highlights the virtue of contentment, limiting oneself to what he needs only, and dispraises greed and desire to acquire more worthless worldly goods.
It is also inferred therefrom that people may be described by their habitual actions.
The hadeeth also affirms the Attribute of Speech with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits His Majesty..

833
‘Ā’ishah reported: 'Umar made a mistake. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has only forbidden seeking the rising of the sun and its setting..

Commentary : The five obligatory prayers have definite times; however, the supererogatory and voluntary prayer is permissible at any time except that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has forbidden praying at certain times. Out of their extreme keenness to carry out obligations and the acts of Sunnah, avoid prohibitions, and maintain the trust of reporting the Shariah, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to correct each other's mistakes and comment on one another.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "'Umar made a mistake," referring to 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) in reporting the absolute prohibition of prayer after 'Asr. She reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had only forbidden "seeking the rising of the sun and its setting." i.e., he forbade intentionally and deliberately praying when the sun rises or sets but did not forbid praying in general after dawn or after ‘Asr. It is said: Rather, the prohibition of prayer during these two times is not a mistake, and ‘Ā’ishah's opinion was based on her own deduction and interpretation. As for the Hadīth text narrated by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), others from the Companions also narrated it, and more than one understood it the way ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) understood it.
The reason behind the prohibition of prayer during these two times is that the sun rises and sets along with the devil's horn and because some of the disbelievers used to prostrate to the sun and offer prayer to it during these two times. Hence, he forbade praying during them to oppose those disbelievers. Other narrations were reported about permitting prayer at sunrise and sunset, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections: "Whoever catches up with one Rak'ah before the sun rises, he has caught up with the Morning prayer..." When combined with this Hadīth, it is understood that the prohibition refers to the voluntary and supererogatory prayer during such times. As for the one who could not catch up with the prayer at the beginning of its time for a valid excuse, he is permitted to pray at the end of its time and to catch up with the prayer before sunrise and before sunset. Or perhaps the prohibition refers to the act of seeking the rising and setting of the sun on purpose, as for the one who does not do this on purpose - like the one who wakes up from his sleep or the one who remembers after being forgetful - it is permissible for him to pray and there is no blame on him.
The Hadīth warns against keenness on praying at the time when the sun rises and sets..

835
Abu Salamah reported that he asked 'Ā’ishah about the two prostrations that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, she said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr, but then he got distracted or forgot them, so he prayed them after 'Asr; then, he continued observing them, for whenever he offered a prayer, he would stick to observing it.".

Commentary : Prayer is the best matter, and a Muslim is allowed to offer voluntary prayer at any time of night or day except for the times in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited voluntary prayer, namely after dawn until sunrise and after 'Asr until sunset.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi'i Abu Salamah ibn' Abdur-Rahmān ibn' Awf reports that he asked the Mother of the Believers, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), about the two Rak'ahs (unit of prayer) that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray after 'Asr, and why he prayed them, or whether the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed them regularly or not. Thereupon, 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He used to pray them before 'Asr," i.e., as a supererogatory and Sunnah Qabliyyah (before the obligatory prayer) of the 'Asr prayer. "Then, he got distracted from them or forgot them," being doubtful about the reason why he did not pray them before 'Asr that time. "Then, he continued observing them" after that, "as whenever he offered a prayer, he would continue observing it" regularly.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, the reason why he did not pray the two Rak'ahs before 'Asr is mentioned, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said while talking to' Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her): "O Daughter of Abu' Umayyah, you asked about the two Rak'ahs after 'Asr. Some people of 'Abdul-Qays came to me and distracted me from the two Rak'ahs after Zhuhr, so those are the two (Rak'ahs I was praying)." This indicates that the two Rak‘ahs were offered to make up for the missed Sunnah Ba‘diyyah (after the obligatory prayer) of Zhuhr and not to make up for the missed two Rak‘ahs before ‘Asr..

836
Mukhtār ibn Fulful reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik about the voluntary prayer after ‘Asr, and he said: "'Umar used to strike hands for a prayer (offered) after 'Asr, and we used to offer two Rak'ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." I asked him, "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them?" He said: "He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us.".

Commentary : Prayer is one of the best acts that bring closeness to Allah Almighty; hence, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on it as a means of drawing closer to Allah Almighty.
This Hadīth emphasizes the Muslims' keenness to learn the religion. The Tābi‘i Mukhtār ibn Fulful narrates that he asked Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) about offering voluntary prayer after the ‘Asr prayer. Anas informed him that during the Caliphate of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he used to strike hands for praying after 'Asr, which is an indirect reference to his prohibition of such a prayer because he did not see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing this. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) used to follow the Prophet's example in everything; so, whenever he did something, they would race to do it, and whenever he abandoned something, they would leave it. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to forbid praying after ‘Asr for fear of offering a prayer during the prohibited time, namely at sunset. Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And we used to offer two Rak‘ahs after sunset before the Maghrib prayer during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), i.e., between the Adhān (call to prayer) and the Iqāmah (second call to prayer). Mukhtār ibn Fulful asked him: Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) observe them? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied saying: He used to see us observing them, but he neither commanded nor forbade us, which denotes his approval of the permissibility of this voluntary prayer.
The Hadīth encourages the act of offering supererogatory prayers.
It also points out the Prophet's approval of offering prayer before Maghrib..

840
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). We stood in two rows behind the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the enemy was between us and the Qiblah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said takbīr and we all did. He then bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we all did. He then prostrated with the row behind him, while the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed the prostration and the row behind him stood, the back row prostrated and then stood up. Then, the back row moved to the front and the front row moved to the back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed and we all bowed. He then raised his head from bowing, and we also raised our heads. Then, he and the row behind him, which was back in the first Rak‘ah, prostrated, whereas the back row stood in the face of the enemy. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row prostrated. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ended the prayer with taslīm and we all did the same. Jābir said: ''As those guards of yours do with their leaders.'.

Commentary : The prayer of fear is the prayer whose time comes when the Muslims are engaged in fighting the enemy. Since prayer is the greatest among the practical pillars of Islam, it does not cease to be due under any condition, even during war.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reports on one of the ways of performing the prayer of fear during war, as he witnessed the prayer of fear with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The entire army was lined up behind him in two successive rows, with the enemy standing between them and the Qiblah. This indicates that everyone will face the enemy, whether those who stand for prayer or those who stand for guarding. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commenced the prayer and said the takbīr of ihrām, and the whole army said takbīr with him. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the recitation, and they all bowed. Then, he raised his head from Rukū‘, and they all raised their heads. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prostrated, and the row behind him prostrated, whereas the back row remained standing to guard those who were prostrating in front of them. They stood in the face of the enemy and opposite them, lest the enemy might attack while they were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the two prostrations, and the row behind him, that prostrated the first time, stood up, the back row came down to prostrate. Then, when they finished the prostration, they stood up. Then, the back row stepped forward and stood in the place of the first row—after becoming equal to them in terms of standing behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the second Rak'ah—and the first row stepped back. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) bowed after the standing and recitation, and the entire army bowed. Then he raised his head from Rukū‘, and the entire army raised their heads. Then he came down to prostrate, and so did the row behind him, who stood in the back in the first Rak'ah, whereas the back row got up and stood in the face of the enemy to guard those who were prostrating. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the row behind him finished the prostration, the back row came down to prostrate, and after they finished the prostration and tashahhud, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made taslīm, and all worshipers made taslīm after him, for they completed their prayer.
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said to those around him: ''As those guards of yours have a certain protocol with their leaders," i.e., the servants of the ruler who are assigned to protect and guard him, their prayer is like the prayer the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he faced the enemy.
Numerous ways are reported for performing the prayer of fear, and this is one of the versions about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this regard. He performed it on different days and in diverse ways in which he sought what is more cautious for prayer and more effective for guarding. This prayer has different forms, but they are all consistent in intent.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the manner and form of the prayer of fear
And in it: Demonstrating the significance of congregational prayer, as its performance was prescribed in the state of fear. So, it is more appropriate for a person who is safe and secure to observe it.
And in it: Taking precautions against the enemy at the time of the battle by all means
And in it: The religion enjoins the acts of worship that preserve a person before Allah in the Hereafter and enjoins the pursuit of means that preserve a person in worldly life
And in it: It shows the ease of the Shariah for those accountable to perform prayer.

853
Abu Burdah ibn Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari related: ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar said to me: "Did you hear your father narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour on Friday?" I said: "Yes, I heard him say: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer.''".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some creatures over others and favored some places over others, like favoring Makkah over all other places; and He favored some times over others, like favoring Friday over other days of the week.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Burdah ibn Abi Mūsa al-Ash‘ari informs that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: Did you hear your father - that is Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) - narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the hour of Friday. By this, he meant the hour when supplications are answered - about which Al-Bukhāri and Muslim narrated a Hadīth - Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is a time on Friday at which no Muslim asks Allah for what is good except that He will grant it to him." So, Allah responds to he who supplicates and asks of Him by granting him his request or better than that, averting affliction or evil from him, or keeping it in store for him until the Day of Judgment. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to ask about its specific time, as to which part of the day it is exactly. In response, Abu Burdah told him that he heard a Hadīth regarding this from his father (may Allah be pleased with him), in which he said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is between the time when the Imām sits down" on the pulpit after ascending it. And it was said: When he sits down between the two sermons - until the Friday prayer is finished.
There is a difference of opinion over the specification of this hour, with numerous views involved. The strongest among these views are two: First: What is mentioned in the Hadīth: It is between the time when the Imām sits down and the end of the prayer. Second: It is from after the ‘Asr until sunset, in the latter time of Friday.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the time of the hour of answered supplications on Friday
And in it: We are urged to look for the time of answered supplications on Friday and utilize them..

854
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best day the sun has risen upon is Friday: on it Adam was created, on it he was admitted into Paradise, and on it he was driven out of it. The Hour will not come except on Friday.".

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creations over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than others.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that the best day among the days of the week upon which the sun rises is Friday. One of the characteristics of this day is that Allah Almighty created Adam, the father of humanity (peace be upon him). Allah Almighty made him dwell in Paradise, and on this day, Adam and his wife were driven out of Paradise, and he descended to earth for viceregency thereon. His departure from it is the departure of someone who will return to it, for Paradise is originally his dwelling, as Allah Almighty says: {Dwell in Paradise, you, and your wife.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 35] The day Adam (peace be upon him) came out of Paradise is the day he assumed viceregency on earth and came down to it. The Hour - i.e., the Day of Judgment - will not come except on Friday between dawn and sunrise.
It was said that the mention of these important events and these few issues, which took place on Friday, is not meant for mentioning the merit of this day, since what happened on Friday, like driving Adam out and the coming of the hour, is not regarded as meritorious; rather, this is intended to highlight the significance of the events that took place on it, like the beginning and end of creation. It was also said: Rather, these are merits because the departure of Adam from Paradise is a reason for producing these progeny and huge descendants and the existence of the messengers, the prophets, and the pious people. Also, the events of the Hour enjoy great significance, for they constitute a reason for Allah to hasten His promise to the believers and His threat to the disbelievers, the appearance of the recompense of the prophets, the people of the truth, the pious persons, and others, and the display of their honor and noble statue. On the Day of Judgment, the banners of the Muslims will go high in confirmation of their Imān (faith).
In the Hadīth: The superiority of Friday to the other days.

856
Abu Hurayrah and Hudhayfah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah diverted from Friday those who were before us. For the Jews there was Saturday, and for the Christians there was Sunday. And Allah brought us and guided us to Friday. He made Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, and they, likewise, will come after us on the Day of Judgment. We are the last among the people in this world and the first ones on the Day of Judgment for whom judgment will be passed before all creation." In a version: among whom judgment will be passed. [And in a version]: We were guided to Friday, and Allah diverted from it those who were before us..

Commentary : Out of His wisdom, Allah Almighty favored some of His creation over others. This includes favoring some days over others, like the day of ‘Arafah, the Night of Decree, and Friday; each time of them has a different merit than the others.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Allah Almighty diverted from Friday and from holding it in high regard to the nations who came before us. This was because they opposed their prophets. The Jews chose Saturday, claiming that Allah had finished the creation on Saturday. And the Christians chose Sunday, claiming that Allah Almighty began the creation on it. Then, Allah brought the Ummah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who believed in him and acknowledged his message, so Allah guided us to Friday and directed us, out of His bounty and mercy, to extolling and worshiping Him on it. "So He made Friday" an Eid for the Muslims, "Saturday" an Eid for the Jews, "and Sunday" an Eid for the Christians.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that the Jews and the Christians will come after this Ummah of Muhammad on the Day of Judgment, as they came after them in the order of days. So, they will be after them in terms of the reckoning, the judgment, and entering Paradise. Although this Ummah existed in this world later than the previous communities, they will be ahead of them in the Hereafter, in that they will be the first to be resurrected and reckoned and the first to be judged among the people, to enter Paradise. In a version: "among whom judgment will be passed" instead of "for whom judgment will be passed," i.e., judgment will be passed among them with regard to their rights.
In the Hadīth: Allah Almighty honored this Ummah and preferred it over the other nations that came before it..

857
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever takes a bath and then comes to the Friday prayer, and then prays as much as is written for him, and then keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays along with him, his sins between that time and the next Friday will be forgiven, with an addition of three days.".

Commentary : Friday is a momentous day, and it is the best of the days of the week. On it, the Muslims gather for the prayer. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged us to purify ourselves and beautify our appearance on this day, especially at the time of the Friday prayer.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a person takes a bath, pouring water all over his body - the bath on Friday is affirmed regarding every male adult Muslim who is obligated to perform the Friday prayer - and then goes to the mosque and attends it early before the Imām ascends the pulpit, and he offers supererogatory prayers as much as is predestined for him and as Allah wills him to pray, performing two Rak‘ahs at a time, as reported about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the supererogatory prayer; and then he keeps silent until the Imām finishes the sermon, and then prays the two-Rak‘ah Friday prayer with him, his reward will be that Allah will forgive his sins from this time in which he performs the Friday prayer to the similar time the next Friday, in addition to three days. Thus, a good deed is multiplied ten times, as Friday becomes equivalent to ten days.
The intended meaning here is that Allah forgives the minor sins; as for the major sins, they require full repentance. In Sahīh Muslim Collection, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The five prayers, and the Friday prayer to the next Friday prayer, and Ramadan to the next Ramadan are expiations of the sins committed in between them, so long as major sins are avoided."
The etiquettes reported in the Sunnah in relation to Friday include applying perfume, wearing the best clothes for the Friday prayer, going to the mosque early, and not passing through the rows.
In the Hadīth: The merit of taking a bath on Friday
And in it: Urging the performance of supererogatory prayers before the Imām ascends the pulpit on Friday
And in it: We are urged to listen to the sermon.

858
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported: We used to pray with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then return and give rest to our Nawādih (camels used for carrying water). Hasan said: I said to Ja'far: What time was that? He replied: At the sun's decline, its zenith..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has set an appointed time for prayer; thus, a Muslim is not allowed to offer the prayer before or delay it after its time except with a valid excuse.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that people used to pray - referring to the Friday prayer as clarified by another version of Muslim - with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, after finishing the prayer, they would return from the mosque to their houses, where they would rest and give rest to their Nawādih, the plural of Nādih, which is the camel used for carrying water. It is said: "Rawāh" (from which "nurīh" (give rest) is derived) means returning with the livestock from the pasture.
Then, Hasan ibn' Ayyāsh - one of the Hadīth narrators - reported that he asked his Shaykh, Ja'far ibn Muhammad, about this hour when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to offer the Friday prayer. Ja‘far informed him that the time of prayer was the time of the sun's decline, which is the time when the sun moves from the middle of the sky, and it is a sign of the beginning of the Zhuhr prayer or the Friday prayer. It is possible that his question was about the time of their return, and in this case, their prayer would be before the sun's decline.
The Hadīth indicates exaggeration in hastening the Friday prayer and that they used to delay their lunch and siesta on that day until after the Friday prayer because they were recommended to go early to this prayer. So, if they got distracted by anything of this before the Friday prayer, they would fear missing it or missing the chance of going there early..

860
Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: We used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) after the sun had passed the meridian, and then we would return and try to find "al-Fay'' (the shadow)..

Commentary : The Friday sermon is one of the rites of religion and it has a profound impact on the lives of Muslims, as everyone, young and old, attends it, listens to the preacher, and learns the matters of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘(may Allah be pleased with him) says that they used to perform the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "after the sun had passed the meridian," which happens when the sun moves from the middle of the sky. Then, they would return and try to find "al-Fay,’'' the place on which the sun ray falls and then goes away and leaves behind a shadow.
In a version of the Two Sahīh Collections it is reported by Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), and the wording here is by Muslim: "When the walls had no shadow for us to take shelter in it." This is because they used to go for Friday prayer early and return before the walls had shadows in which they could take shelter, as the heat was severe in Madīnah and they would look for places having shadows to sit there and take rest.
In the Hadīth: The keenness to perform prayer at its earliest time.

862
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to deliver the Khutbah (sermon) while standing. He would then sit down, stand up, and give the Khutbah while standing. Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied. By Allah, I prayed more than two thousand prayers with him..

Commentary : The Friday Khutbah is one of the religion's rituals, and it greatly impacts Muslims' lives. It is attended by the young and the old, who all listen to the Khatīb (preacher) and learn the affairs of their religion.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he used to offer the Friday prayer with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He used to see him delivering the Friday Khutbah while standing on the pulpit. After the first Khutbah, he would then sit for a short while on the pulpit. Then, he would get up and deliver the Khutbah while standing, preaching to people and teaching them their religion. Jābir ibn Samurah, then, said to the Tābi‘i Simāk ibn Harb: "Whoever informs you that he used to deliver the Khutbah while sitting has, indeed, lied," i.e., made a mistake, as the Arabs used to say to the one who made a mistake: He lied. "By Allah, I prayed with him more than two thousand prayers," which confirms the great extent of his knowledge and memorization of the manner adopted by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in his prayers and sermons, including delivering his Khutbah on Friday while standing.
The Hadīth clarifies the Prophet's guidance in delivering the Friday sermon..

864
Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah reported: He entered the mosque while ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam was delivering a Khutbah (sermon) while sitting, so he said: Look at this deceitful person; he is delivering a sermon while sitting, whereas Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11].

Commentary : Enjoining good and forbidding evil are the characteristics of the Islamic nation and among its best merits and causes of its superiority over other nations. The most entitled among people to this, and the first ones addressed with this in the Qur’an and the Sunnah, are the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu ‘Ubaydah ‘Āmir ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd narrates that Ka‘b ibn ‘Ujrah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered the mosque, referring to the mosque of Kūfah, a city in Iraq, to offer the Friday prayer. He found ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ’Umm al-Hakam - nephew of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān ibn Harb whom Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) assigned as the ruler of Kūfah in 58 AH, then after a year or more, he was dismissed - preaching to people while sitting on the pulpit, not standing as known in the Friday sermon. Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) condemned this saying: "Look at this deceitful person," because he was angry at the one who had violated the Prophet's Sunnah, "he is preaching while sitting," not doing what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did and not following his example, although the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) adopted this practice persistently. Allah Almighty says: {Indeed, you have an excellent example in the Messenger of Allah.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 21] Allah Almighty also says: {Whatever the Messenger gives you, accept it.} [Surat al-Hashr: 7] Moreover, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pray as you saw me pray." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri] Hence, his example should be followed when it comes to prayer and the delivery of the Friday sermon.
Then, he supported his words with a verse from Allah's Book, in which Allah Almighty says: {When they see some merchandise or amusement, they rush towards it and leave you standing.} [Surat al-Jumu‘ah: 11] Here, Allah mentioned that His Prophet was standing while delivering the Friday sermon.
The Hadīth draws the preacher's attention to standing while delivering the Khutbah.
It also calls the scholars' attention to enjoining good and forbidding evil.
The Hadīth sheds light on how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to intensely get angry with whoever violated the Sunnah, even if it was someone who must be obeyed and respected from among the rulers, for no obedience is due to a creature when it comes to disobeying the Creator..

865
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar and Abu Hurayrah reported that they heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers, or Allah will seal their hearts and then they will be among the heedless.".

Commentary : The Friday prayer is of great significance in Islam. Allah Almighty made it obligatory for non-traveling men to go out for it when the Muezzin makes the Adhān, calling for it, and He urged them to attend this prayer and warned against neglecting it. An example is this Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Either some people stop abandoning the Friday prayers," i.e., they abandon and fail to perform it out of negligence and laziness, without an excuse. If they do not comply and attend the Friday prayer, Allah will seal their hearts, by putting a seal and cover over them, and deny them His grace and bounty and place in them ignorance, roughness, and hardness. "and then they will be among the heedless" away from doing the deeds that benefit them and leaving what harms them. Thus, they will be among those overtaken by heedlessness, as they forgot Allah, and so He forgot them. This serves as a strong deterrent against the abandonment and neglect of the Friday prayer..

866
Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I used to perform the prayers with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length and his sermon was moderate in length..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to enjoin the facilitation of worship and not going into hardship in performing it, and he would set an example of this through his own practice, so that every Muslim would imitate him.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he would persistently perform the obligatory prayers - the five prayers and the Friday prayer - with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and his prayer was moderate in length, suitable for the young and old and not hard for anyone. He would do that to avoid making the prayer too long for people.
As for the Muslim-narrated Hadīth in which ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The lengthiness of a man’s prayer and the shortness of his sermon are a sign of his proper understanding; so, make the prayer long and the sermon short." The intended meaning here is that prayer should be long compared to the sermon, not so long in a way that proves hard for the worshipers.
In the Hadīth: We are urged not to prolong the sermon and the five prayers..

867
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon, his eyes would turn red, his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense, as if he were warning of an army, saying: "They will attack you in the morning, or they will attack you in the evening." And he would say: "I and the Hour have been sent like these two," holding his index and middle fingers. Then, he would say: "To proceed: Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah; the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad; the evilest matters are those that are newly invented; and every innovation is misguidance." He would then say: "I am nearer to every believer than himself. So, whoever leaves behind some wealth, it is for his family, and whoever leaves behind a debt or dependent children, then they are both my responsibility." [In a version]: In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah, laud Him, and then he would subsequently speak, as his voice went loud; then, he narrated the same Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was an eloquent preacher, and he would say what moves people, admonishes them, gives them glad tidings, and warns them. He would also use the tools of rhetorical effects, such as raising and lowering the voice and using the movement of the hand and the body, as well as other things in which preachers should follow his example.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do in the Friday sermon. He says that when he delivered a sermon to the people and reminded them of the promise and warning, and the commands and prohibitions, "his eyes would turn red," i.e., their redness would become greater than usual. "his voice would become louder, and his anger would become more intense," which means that he would interact with the topic of the sermon; hence, this would happen to him. By intense anger, he meant to describe his condition as a person in anger, and this was probably because some of them were found to disobey his commands and prohibitions, and some were neglectful of their duties. This is how a preacher's condition should be - consistent with the topic he speaks about. He should not enjoin something while his outward appearance denotes the opposite. "as if he were warning of an army," alluding to the loudness of his voice (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) among them. The warner of an army is a person who watches the enemy and informs the people about their condition so that they can get prepared. So, the Prophet's admonition was given in this manner, due to his care about the people and his desire to warn them of the Hereafter and their lack of preparedness for it. Thus, it was as if he was warning them of the emergence of an attacking army that would come to them in the morning or in the evening.
One of the statements the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make in his sermons: "I have been sent and the Hour is like these two," joining his two fingers: the forefinger and the middle finger, i.e., the period between the Prophet's time and the coming of the Day of Judgment is short like the distance between the forefinger and the middle finger. He is the last Prophet before the Hour. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is one of the signs of the imminence of the Hour. After his mission, the time remaining for the coming of the Hour is less than the time that passed.
At the start of the sermon, he used to say: "To proceed;" is a phrase to separate between parts of speech when the speaker wants to shift from one topic to another. The meaning: I say after the previous testimony of faith and praise of Allah Almighty. "Indeed, the best speech is the Book of Allah;" there is no speech except that the speech of Allah is better than that. The speech of Allah means the noble Qur'an. "the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad;" guidance is the way of life and manner. There is no way and path except that the path of the Prophet is better than that. So, his path, way of life, and manner - including Tawhīd, rulings, and acts of worship - should be followed. "the most evil matters," i.e., the ugliest religious matters, not the worldly ones. "are those that are newly invented," i.e., inventions and innovations that have no basis in the Shariah that attests to their validity and permissibility. These are called Bida‘ (innovations). "and every innovation is misguidance," i.e., and every invention in the religion in a way not done by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions is misguidance and deviation and departure from the Prophet's path; it is not part of the guidance and the right course he came with.
In one of the Prophet's statements in his sermons, he said: "I am nearer to every believer than himself," i.e., I am the most entitled among people to him regarding all matters of worldly life and the Hereafter. As Allah Almighty says: {The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than their own selves.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 6] He is the most compassionate of all people towards them. Their souls call them to ruin, while he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) calls them to salvation.
He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that if any Muslim dies and leaves behind some wealth, his inheritors and relatives - i.e., his inheriting relatives - are more entitled to this wealth, which they take as an inheritance; and if anyone leaves behind a debt or dependents - children, wife, and those who cannot provide for themselves - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has a greater claim to him, repaying his debt and supporting those children and women he left behind. This stems from the Prophet's good character, his support of the Muslims, and his keenness that they should not be neglected.
And in a version: "In the Prophet's sermon on Friday, he would praise Allah and laud Him," i.e., he would begin it with praise and laudation. Part of what was reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Khutbat al-Hājah (the sermon of need) which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions is to say: "Praise be to Allah. We praise Him and seek His help. Whoever Allah guides, none can lead astray, and whoever Allah leads astray, none can guide. I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger." This praise and laudation is valid to say at the start of every sermon.
In the Hadīth: We are urged to follow the Prophet's guidance in the sermon.
And in it: A preacher should interact with the topic while addressing the sermon to influence the people.
And in it: Beginning the sermon with praise and lauding Allah.