Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When it was the day (of the Battle) of Badr, prisoners of war were brought including Al-Abbaas who was undressed. The Prophetﷺ looked for a shirt for him. It was found that the shirt of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy would do, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. That was the reason why the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah. The narrator adds, "He had done the Prophetﷺsome favor for which the Prophet ﷺ liked to reward him.”.

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was considerate of people’s different conditions, rewarded their acts of kindness in kind, and did not repay evil in kind.
‘Abdullaah ibn Ubaiyy ibn Salool was the leader of hypocrites in Al-Madeenah who inwardly nursed enmity towards the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims (while proclaiming otherwise). However, this did not dishearten the Prophet ﷺ to reward him for some good things he did.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with them)was taken prisoner by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, which took place between the Muslims and the disbelievers (of Quraysh) from Makkah in 2 A.H. and was brought to the Prophet ﷺ while being undressed. Heﷺ looked for a shirt for him and could not find any except that of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. As a reward, the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah’s son after his death to be shrouded in it. He ﷺ did so to reward his favor to Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him), and he ﷺ also led his funeral prayer, and came to his grave as requested by his son ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him). It was also said that the Prophet ﷺ did so for the sake of his son, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him), out of the Prophet’s compassion for all Muslims and to console his son ‘Abdullaah, who was a righteous man, and also to win the hearts of the Khazraj tribe, for he was their chief.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should treat their prisoners of war kindly and provide them with the needed clothes.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to reward favors to one’s relatives if they were done for his own sake and not at the request of such relatives.
It is also deduced that the reward of favors may be given to a person during his lifetime or after his death..

3010

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, conferred His grace, mercy, and generosity on His servants, and promised Paradise to those who embrace Islam, sincerely believe in and obey Him. It is odd that there should be people who reject Islam at first yet may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace it, and afterwards become good and sincere Muslims, earn the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and enter Paradise!
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains! This means that such people would be taken prisoners by Muslims and chained. After being edified on Islam and learning that it is the true religion of Allah, Exalted is He, they would willingly embrace Islam, and thus would be admitted to Paradise. It was also said that they may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace Islam and this would be the reason for their entering Paradise. Another possible meaning is that the hadeeth refers to the Muslims taken prisoner by the disbelievers who died in such a state or got killed by them and were resurrected in such a state. He ﷺ referred to their resurrection (in the very state in which they died) with the reference to entering Paradise because it is authentically reported that they shall enter it after their resurrection.
The hadeeth affirms the divine attribute of ‘wondering’ with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits Him. We are enjoined to affirm such divine attributes exactly as the Prophet ﷺ affirmed them, without Tahreef (i.e., distortion), Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Face?), Tashbeeh and Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Ta‘teel (i.e., denial)..

3012

Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺpassed by me at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan andwas asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." I also heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.”
.

Commentary :
This hadeeth establishes various rules and principles, including that what is essential to performing a religious obligation may not be neglected or avoided. Muslims sometimes needed to attack their enemies at night, availing themselves of the element of surprise to achieve victory.These night attacksare deemed allowable, despite the fact thatthey may result in accidently killing non-combatants, such as women and children.These types of people generally may not be killed on the battlefield as per the Islamic law. The Prophet ﷺ gave permission for night attacks, as narrated by Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺpassed by him at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan, places in Makkah; the first is 200 km from Makkah and 170 km from Al-Madeenah, and the distance between the two places is about 8 miles. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger, for Muslims would not be able to identify women and children at night. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." It means that Muslims bear no sin for accidently killing or harming non-combatants if they were mixed with the combatants.In such cases there may be no other way to target the combatants without killing or harming the non-combatants. It goes without saying that the hadeeth does not mean that Muslims are allowed to target non-combatants (women and children) deliberately, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade killing women and children (on the battlefield). However, when the necessity warrants it, it is inevitable.
In the version of the hadeeth recorded by Ahmad, Al-Zuhree stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade such an act afterward, referring to his prohibition during the Battle of Hunayn, meaning that he ﷺstrictly forbade killing women and children in war (at that battle) after it was deemed allowable (in the specified situation).
Al-Sa‘b ibn Jathaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) also said that he heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.” The Himaa refers to the preserves and protected areas to which people and cattle are denied access to allow the grass therein to grow, and afterward they would be allocated by the ruler for grazing the animals given as part of the Zakaah funds, for instance. It is impermissible for anyone to declare such preserves and protected areas as Himaa except with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, and his deputies who must act in accordance with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, within the scope of need and for the benefit of Muslims.
The Prophet ﷺ allocated a Himaafor the horses kept for Jihaad purposes and for the camels given in Zakaah. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him)also allocated a Himaa for the camels given in Zakaah and horses used in Allah’s Cause. The Imaam or ruler may do what he believes to be in the interests of keeping the horses (used for Jihaad purposes) strong, provided that it would not make things hard for people and be at the expense of public pastures. This proves that the use of (public) lands is determined by the rulers only..

3014

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, did not legislate fighting against the disbelievers as a means of retaliation or oppression. Rather, Jihaadwas legislated to subdue the forces of polytheism and tyranny that prevent people from embracing Tawheed (i.e., Islamic monotheism), attaining deliverance from the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He, and earning His pleasure. This makes fighting a manifestation of mercy, not punishment, and for this reason the Prophet ﷺ forbade the killing of women and young boys, as shown in this hadeeth. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that during one of battles of the Prophetﷺ,a woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the deliberate killing of women and children, because they do not fight against Muslims, and the purpose of fighting is subduing the combatants to convey the message of Islam, the true religion of Allah, to all people.
It is noteworthy that if women and children are mixed with the disbelieving fighters and combatants and there is no way to get to them except by killing these women and children, Muslims bear no sin for that, because this would be accidental and not deliberate. It is also allowable for Muslim fighters to kill the combatant women and children who partake in fighting against them.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should target and kill the combatant men in the disbelievers’ army.
It is inferred therefrom that Islam laid down the guidelines and rules governing matters of war, and considerately took into account the rights of the non-combatant women and children, and those who take the same ruling.
.

3017

‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them)burnt some people and this news reached Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatize), kill him.’”.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that burning with fire as a punishment should be exclusive to Him.
In this hadeeth, ‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) burnt some people, the Saba’eeyyah (i.e., the followers of ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’) whoapostatized and claimed that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) was their Lord! Verily, Allah, Exalted is He, is far Above their false claims. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them and burnt them by fire to emphasize the gravity and heinousness of such a crime, and severely punish them for such false claims and Shirk (i.e., associating patterners with Allah). This was a specific incident and the punishment was decided based on the Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning) of ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him).Some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disapproved of it including Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them). When this news reached him, he said, "Had I been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment (i.e., burning with fire),'” which is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, and stated that he would have settled for killing them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, “If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatizes), kill him.” This means that if a Muslim apostatizes and gives up Islam, he should be killed for apostasy, provided that the due conditions are met, and only the Imaam or ruler is entitled to execute this punishment.
It was also said that the prohibition of burning with fire as a punishment does not mean that it is impermissible but is rather meant as a manifestation of the enjoined humbleness. The permissibility is evidenced by the fact that the Prophet ﷺpierced the eyes of the shepherds from ‘Uraynah tribe with fire (branding their eyes with heated iron in retribution for doing the same to their victims), as authentically reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and his vast knowledge and understanding of the Prophet’s statements.
The hadeeth also underlines the becoming etiquette towards thoseholding dissenting opinions.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that burning with fire as a punishment is prohibited..

3019

AbooHurayrahh(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?".

Commentary :
Islam preaches mercy to all Allah’s Creation: human beings, Jinn, animals, and birds. It enjoins Muslims to show mercy to all creatures and forbids them from vainly killing living beings for no real benefit. Moreover, it fosters people’s interests and protects them from loss and harm. This is why Allah, Exalted is He, admonished one of His Prophets for burning the place of the ants because one ant had bitten him. The Prophetﷺ said, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?’" This means that he ordered a whole nation that glorified Allah, Exalted is He, to be burnt because of one ant that had bitten him!
It should be noted that Allah, Exalted is He, admonished this Prophet for doing Khilaaf Al-Awlaa (i.e., an undesirable, yet permissible act that is not the best choice from a number of alternatives, contradicting that which is most appropriate and what is religiously superior under ordinary circumstances). This means that it would have been better for him to punish only the ant that had bitten him, and were he to do so, Allah, Exalted is He, would not have admonished him. However, He admonished him for exceeding the proper limits and burning the whole colony of ants!
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the punishment must be in proportion to the crime committed and must not be executed on anyone other than the perpetrator.
The hadeeth also highlights the gravity of burning living beings with fire..

3024

SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah) said:
I was ‘Umar's clerk. Once ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa wrote a letter to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when he proceeded to Al-Harooriyah. I read in it that Allah's Messenger ﷺ in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined and then he got up amongst the people saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for safety, but when you face the enemy, be patient, and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." Then he ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book, the Mover of the clouds, and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench), defeat them, and grant us victory over them."
.

Commentary :
Wellbeing is one of the great blessings for which a person should constantly ask Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah), who was ‘Umar's clerk, narrated that he once read a letter from ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa to ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullah(may Allah be pleased with them) when he was proceeding to Al-Harooriyah. ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa(may Allah be pleased with him) was the commander of the army sent to fight against the Khawaarij (Kharijites), also known as Al-Harooriyah, during the reign of ‘Alee ibn AbooTaalib(may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Harooriyah was a name given to a deviant sect of the Kharijites attributed to Harooraa, a town near Kufa, where the Kharijites first gathered. The letter read that the Prophet ﷺ, in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined, avoiding the extreme heat of the sun, and then he got up amongst the Muslim fighters saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy,” and the prohibition in this regard is because one does not know what he would do, and whether or not he would survive, and because people’s abilities to patiently endure calamities vary, and also because wellbeing and safety are the ultimate attainments. He ﷺ also forbade Muslims from wishing to meet the enemy because it can involve arrogance, reliance on one’s personal abilities, and placing one’s trust in the effectiveness of the available means or material power (rather than relying on Allah, Exalted is He). Moreover, it implies underestimation of the enemy and belittling their power, which is contrary to the enjoined precaution and prudence. He ﷺ added, “and ask Allah for safety and wellbeing,” which is a general and all-inclusive term that incorporates protection from all harms and evils befalling a person’s body, property, family and loved ones in the worldly life and Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to ask Allah, Exalted is He, specifically for wellbeing on that occasion because a person is (more) vulnerable to injuries and adversities during wartime. He ﷺ added, “but when you face the enemy, be patient,” because it is incumbent on Muslims to adhere to patience and endurance during wartime as long as it is within their capacity, and those who keenly adhere to patience are rewarded with victory. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." This means that meeting the enemies of Islam and Muslims and fighting against them is one of the keymeans of entering Paradise. Afterward, he ﷺ implored Allah, Exalted is He, for victory. He ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book,” meaning the Quran, “the Mover of the clouds,” meaning the One who causes the rain to descend, the wind to blow, and the like, “and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench),” meaning the disbelievers from various clans who joined forces in the Battle of the Trench to eradicate Islam and the Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, defeated them with a strong wind, and the Muslims did not even have to fight them off, “defeat them, and grant us victory over them.” In this statement, the Prophet ﷺreferred to what is mentioned the Quran, in the ayah that reads (what means): {Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people.} [Quran 9:14]. He ﷺ also mentioned the moving of the clouds, in reference to Allah’s Power in causing the wind to blow and the clouds to move as He wills and causing rain whenever He wills. This indicates Allah’s Power in aiding the Muslim fighters by causing their movement, i.e., striving and fighting against the disbelievers, and putting the disbelievers’ movement to a halt and safeguarding Muslims from their harm; his mention of Allah’s Power in causing rain also indicates His bestowal of victory over their enemies, killing them, and taking spoils of war. All the while,withholding rain resemblesthe Muslims’ defeat and failure to kill their enemies or obtain spoils of war. He ﷺ also made mention of defeating the ‘clans,’imploring Allah, Exalted is He, to bestow His grace in that battle as He did in the Battle of the Trench, and reminding Muslims to rely solely on Allah, Exalted is He, and to believe that nothing comes to pass except by His will.
The hadeeth forbids Muslims from wishing for meeting the enemy and going to war, and this is different from aspiring to martyrdom.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when Muslims meet their enemies, it is incumbent on them to adhere to patience.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to defeat and destroy the disbelievers.
.

3029

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

Commentary :
A person may be allowed to do at a time of war what isn’t generally allowed in other situations, including: resorting to deceit, meaning Tawriyyah (i.e., indirect speech; when a speaker says something that has an apparent meaning that the listener would understand, and another hidden meaning, and the speaker’s intention is this hidden meaning, except that he concealed it with that apparent and immediate meaning that first comes to the listener’s mind) and lying, if needed, because war is deceit, as the Prophet ﷺ described it,as narrated by AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It was also said that it is allowable to resort to deceit at times of war whenever possible, to realize significant benefits for Muslims. When Muslims exhaust all means of deceit at times of war, they should then opt for fighting. It was also said that when one is deceived once at time of war, it incurs his destruction for good, and there is no way back from it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to tell a lie and speak contrary to the truth to display strength and motivate his fellows with the aim of demoralizing the enemy or lie to their enemies to deceive them. It was narrated on the authority of Asmaa’ bintYazeed(may Allah be pleased with her)that the Prophet ﷺ said: “It is not lawful to lie except in three cases: a man tells his wife something (untrue) to please her, to lie during war, and to lie in order to bring peace between disputing people.”.

3035

Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺdid not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever he ﷺ saw me, he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He ﷺ stroke me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man."
.

Commentary :
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Jareer ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophet ﷺdid not screen himself from him since he embraced Islam, meaning that he ﷺ did not deny him access to his house or gatherings, even though he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a young man. Whenever he (may Allah be pleased with him) requested permission to enter his house, he ﷺ granted him permission and he ﷺ always met him with a smile, and this reflects the Prophet’s kindness towards his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him)was held in high regard by his people, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ respected that, and held him in high regard as well. Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) once complained to the Prophet ﷺ that he would fall down from his horse or feared to fall down from it when it ran. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Once I told him that I could not sit firmly on horses. He ﷺ stroked me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man.” Henceforth, Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) did not fall down from his horse. Another version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads, “… and make him guided and a source of guidance (to others).”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) always hastened to inform the Prophet ﷺ of all their affairs, seeking his advice and supplication.
It is also inferred therefrom that meeting people with a smile is part of the Prophets’ considerate attitude towards people; it indicates humbleness and fosters mutual affection.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of chivalry and horse riding, being essential skills for every noble man and chief.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that there is no harm for a scholar or Imaam (i.e., ruler) to touch the person to whom he is referring whether he is the addressee or otherwise.
The hadeeth underlines amethod to win people’s hearts..

3039

Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr as the commander of the infantry men (archers), who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." Then the disbelievers were defeated. By Allah, I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs. So, the Companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Have you forgotten what Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to you?" They replied, "By Allah! We will go to the people (i.e., the enemy) and collect our share from the spoils of war." But when they went to them, they were forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺin their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ and the disbelievers martyred seventy men from us. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed. Then AbooSufyaan asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You told a lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed" After that he started reciting cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high! On that the Prophetﷺ said (to his companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." (Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." The Prophet ﷺ said (to his Companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.”
.

Commentary :
Uhud is one of the mountains of Al-Madeenah, four kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque, where the Battle of Uhud took place in Shawwal 3 A.H. between the Muslims and Quraysh.
In this hadeeth, Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of the archers, who were fifty, at the Battle of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us,” meaning that even if we got killed and birds started eating our flesh, do not leave your posts, “till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." This was a stern warning against disobeying the Prophet’s command, to emphasize the gravity of the situation, and the importance of guarding Muslims from the top of the mountain lest the disbelievers should seize the opportunity and defeat them.
The battle started and the disbelievers were defeated. Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) even said: “By Allah, I saw the women,” meaning with the disbelievers, “fleeing,” in a hurry so much that they were, “lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs.”
On seeing that, the companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him), the very men whom the Prophet ﷺ sternly warned against leaving their places, said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" They noticed that the defeated soldiers were trying to take their properties and flee (and therefore hastened to take the spoils of war). ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) reminded them of the Prophet’s command and warning against leaving their place, but they still insisted on leaving and taking the spoils of war. When they reached the spoils of war, they were confused and did know where to go, as a punishment for their disobedience to the Prophet’s command andwere forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ wasin their rear, calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ, and it was also said fourteen, including: Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Alee, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam, Aboo ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jaraah(may Allah be pleased with them), from the emigrants; Al-Hubaab ibn Al-Munthir, AbooDujaanah, ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit ibn Abee Al-Aflah, Al-Haarith ibn Al-Summah, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh(may Allah be pleased with them), from the Ansaar, and Sahl ibn Hunayf(may Allah be pleased with him) was also said to be among them.
The disbelievers killed seventy Muslim men including Hamzah ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttallib(may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s uncle, and he was killed at the hands of Wahshee, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mut‘im. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the pagans to lose 140 of their men, seventy of whom were captured, and seventy of whom were killed.
After the battle ended, AbooSufyaan, who was a disbeliever then, asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You have lied, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." ‘Umar’s response despite the Prophet’s command was motivated by his zeal for the Prophet ﷺ lest the disbelievers believe that he ﷺ was killed and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were weak, yet it did not actually imply disobedience; his act was rather rewardable, since the Prophet ﷺ commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) afterward to answer AbooSufyaan. The Prophet’s second command constituted a tacit approval of ‘Umar’s response, because it served the best interests of Muslims. Thereupon, AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated,” by the breaking of their noses, the splitting open of their stomachs, and the like, all of which is prohibited in Islam as delineated in the Islamic etiquette of war. AbooSufyaan stated that he did not disapprove of his soldiers’ acts and the mutilation of Muslims’ dead bodies, being their enemies. Afterward, he started reciting some rhymingRajaz verses (i.e., poetic verses composed in a meter used in classical Arabic poetry called Rajaz) cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high!” Hubal was the name of the idol placed inside the Ka‘bah and was worshipped by the pagans of Makkah. On that the Prophetﷺ commanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer back and say, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to respond to AbooSufyaan because he ﷺwas commissioned to raise the word of Allah (i.e., His religion) high and proclaim it. When AbooSufyaan said what he said, he ﷺ could not remain silent and had to raise the word of Allah high and proclaim it. In the response, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized that Muslims believe that Allah, Exalted is He, is Greater and Higher than all these idols worshipped by the pagans.
(Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." Al-‘Uzzaa was the name of one of their idols, and it was also said that it was the name of a tree worshipped by the people of Ghatafaan. The Arabic word ‘Uzzaa denotes glory and pride, suggesting that the pagans had a god that was their source of glory and pride, unlike Muslims. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to respond by saying, Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.” Meaning that Allah, Exalted is He, is the ultimate source of help and He bestows upon the believers victory and support, and deserts the disbelievers whose idols cannot avail them anything nor grant them support. AbooSufyaan could not say anything more and remained silent. The Prophet ﷺ did not answer back to him personally,and his refined status was vastly superior to AbooSufyaan’s; instead,he commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer to him.
The hadeeth highlights the gravity of disobeying the Prophet’s commands, for it incurs loss and defeat.
It also underlines that when Muslims disobey Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, they would be the same as the non-Muslims and in the event of a confrontation between the two parties, the ones who avail themselves of the worldly material means (numerical superiority, arms, and strength) win (i.e., Muslims will be deprived of the support of Allah, Exalted is He).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that Muslims are required to avail themselves of the worldly material means leading to victory,and also duly rely on Allah, Exalted is He.
It is deduced therefrom that soldiers are enjoined to obey their commander, for disobeying his commands is one of the key reasons for defeat and loss.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and their special status in the Prophet’s heart.
.

3040

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ was the (most handsome), most generous and the bravest of all people. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. So, the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ said (to them), "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”.

Commentary :
Courage is a praiseworthy quality and the Prophet ﷺwas characterized by outstanding courage, reflected in many incidents throughout his lifetime.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was the most handsome person and had the best moral character; he ﷺ was the most generous and the bravest of all people; he ﷺ never fled from the battlefield, and steadfastly faced his enemies. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) listed only these three qualities, because they are consideredfrom the key human virtues. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related an incident that reflected the Prophet’s remarkable courage. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. Frightened, they headed towards the source of the sound, and the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ had gone and investigated the matter and was on his way back when he ﷺ met them. He ﷺ said to them, to calm them down, "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”
It was said that the horse in reference was awfully slow, but when the Prophet ﷺ rode it, it became very fast, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. In the hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ likened the fast horse to the sea; the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Bahr, meaning sea, to indicate its speed and the rider’s comfort as smooth as a boat ride.
The hadeeth underlines the noble qualities with which Allah, Exalted is He, endowed His Messenger ﷺ.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to go alone to (investigate dangerous situations and) spy on the enemy as long as it is not certain that it would incur his destruction.
It is deduced that it is allowable to ride a horse without a saddle.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to borrow a horse to ride it to partake in Jihaad.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to bear glad tidings to people after the reasons of their fear are eliminated. .

3045

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent ten men on a military expedition to spy on the enemies under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them). They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan, and Makkah, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan. About two-hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., Al-Madeenah), "and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up a high place and the disbelievers circled them. The disbelievers said to them, "Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill any one of you." ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers. O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ. Then the disbelievers threw arrows at them till they were martyred ‘Aasim along with six other men, and three men came down accepting their promise and convention, and they were Khubayb Al-Ansaaree and Ibn Dathinah and another man. So, when the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third (of the captives) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyred, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah (and all that took place) after the battle of Badr. Khubaybwas bought by the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf. It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day (of the battle of) Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with those people. Al-Zuhree narrated: ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad said that the daughter of Al-Haarith had told him, "When those people gathered (to kill Khubayb) he borrowed a razor from me to shave his pubes and I gave it to him. Then he took a son of mine while I was unaware when he came upon him. I saw him placing my son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. I got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on my face and said, 'Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.' By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah." The daughter of Al-Haarith used to say, "It was a boon Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception." (He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body." Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him. So, it was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed). Allah fulfilled the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit on that very day on which he was martyred. The Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. Later on, when some disbelievers from Quraysh were informed that ‘Aasim had been killed, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he would be recognized. (That was because) ‘Aasim had killed one of their chiefs on the day (of the battle) of Badr. So, a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim and protect him from their messenger and thus they could not cut off anything from his flesh.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي.

Commentary :
The battle of Al-Rajee‘ took place in Safar 4 A.H., and it was named after a well located between Makkah and ‘Usfaan, closer to the latter. It was a village about 80 miles (128 km) from northern Makkah on the way to Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched ten men on a military expedition. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Raht, which denotes a number of men below ten, and it has also been said that it was below forty. A military expedition consisted of maximum 400 men (soldiers). Their task, under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab on his mother’s side (may Allah be pleased with them), was to spy on the Muslims’ enemies. They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan and Makkah, 7 miles away from ‘Usfaan, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan, meaning that the people of this branch knew of the military expedition. Therefore, about two-hundred men (from BaneeLihyaan), who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., the old name of Al-Madeenah),” and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up to a high place and the disbelievers circled them. During the siege, the disbelievers promised them security and guaranteed that they would not kill any one of them if they surrendered. ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers,” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that he could not trust them. He (may Allah be pleased with him) invoked Allah, Exalted is He, saying: “O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ.” Since ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) defiantly refused to surrender, the disbelievers shot arrows at them till they were martyred. ‘Aasimand six other men (may Allah be pleased with them) were killed, and three men came down, accepting the promise of security, and they were Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy Al-Ansaaree, Zayd ibn Al-Dathinah Al-Ansaaree and another man (may Allah be pleased with them); it was said that his name was ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq. When the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third man (of the captives, i.e., ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyrs, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah. All this took place after the battle of Badr, explaining why the disbelievers sought revenge. Khubayb was bought by one of the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf, named ‘Uqbah, AbooSirwa‘ah and his half-brother Hujayr ibn Abee ‘Ihaab (on his mother’s side). It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day of Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with the sons of Al-Haarith, and Sawfaan ibn Umayyah bought Ibn Al-Dathinah and killed him in Makkah.
‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad, one of the hadeeth’s narrators, said that Zaynab bint Al-Haarith told him of what happened to Khubayb. She said that when Banee Al-Haarith gathered (to kill Khubayb), he borrowed a razor from her to shave, and she gave it to him. Her son came near Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) while she was unaware. She saw him placing her son on his thigh, and the razor was in his hand. She got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on her face and comforted her, saying, “Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.”
She also made mention of some Karaamaat (i.e.,supernatural abilities or events bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon a righteous person which contradict universal norms and human standards) that happened to Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him). She said: “By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah.” She used to say, "It was a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." This was one of the manifest Karaamaat conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on him.
When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was scared (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception,” meaning eradicate them all. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body."
He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he cared less about death, since he was being killed in Allah’s Cause, and Allah, Exalted is He, would bless his torn body, if He willed it. Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him in Al-Tan‘eem and crucified him. It was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed).
Allah, Exalted is He, answered the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) on that very day on which he was martyred; the Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. ‘Aasim(may Allah be pleased with him) had killed one of the chiefs of Quraysh named ‘Uqbah ibn AbeeMu‘ayt in the Battle of Badr. When the news of ‘Aasim’s death reached the people of Quraysh, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he could be recognized, to verify the news. A swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim’s dead body and protect him from their messenger, and thus the disbelievers of Quraysh could not cut off anything from his flesh.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
It also underlines that Allah, Exalted is He, protects and preserves His believing servants both during life and after death, and that attaining martyrdom does not indicate the destruction and defeat of Muslims, but is rather an honor, and an indication of their merits.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that betrayal is unbecoming of a true Muslim, even with those who betray him.
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree and Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy(may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth affirms the bestowal of Karaamaat on the allies and righteous servants of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He answers their supplications.
.

3051

Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophetﷺ and started talking and then went away. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him. The Prophetﷺ then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the spoils of war).
.

Commentary :
Betraying Muslims and spying on them are among the worst sins and misdeeds, especially at times of war.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. It was said that this took place during the battle of Hawaazin in 8 A.H., as recorded by Muslim. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth for spy is ‘Ayn, lit. an eye, because a spy’s job is mostly related to vision.
The version of the hadeeth complied by Muslim stated that the spy came riding a red camel. He made it kneel down, extracted a strip of leather from its girth and tethered the camel with it. Then he began to eat with the people and look (curiously around). He ate with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and talked with them so that he would not look suspicious. He started looking around and collecting the needed information. He learned that the Muslims were in a poor condition,in that some of them were on foot and had no riding animals. All of a sudden, he left hurriedly; he went to his camel, untethered it, made it kneel down, mounted it and urged the beast which ran off with him. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his Companions), “Chase and kill him.“ This was because leaving him unharmed would harm the Muslims, as he would convey information to the enemy and expose the Muslims’ weak points. This is contrary to messengers sent by the enemy; they may not be harmed as per the Islamic law, because they are bearers of peace and links of communication, and this reflects the beauty and graciousness of Islam.
Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) chased and killed the spy. The Prophet ﷺ gave him all the spy’s belongings, arms, clothes, and riding animal.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to kill awar spy if he comes to the Muslim lands and he is not given security.
It is also inferred therefrom that the spoils of war taken from a killed spy belong to the one who kills him
.

3059

Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that ‘Umar appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals). He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims and ward off their curse (invocations against you) for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah); and allow the shepherd having a few camels and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan, for if their livestock should perish, then they have their farms and gardens, while those who own a few camels and those who own a few sheep, if their livestock should perish, would bring their dependents to me and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' Would I then neglect them? (No, of course). So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' treasury). By Allah, these people think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession. By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause, I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa.”
.

Commentary :
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) was an exemplary and just ruler and is still referred to as theepitome of justice and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, regarding Muslims’ funds entrusted to him, and the duty of governing Muslims’ religious and worldly affairs.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, narrated that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, as the manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals), allocated for grazing the animals (camels, horses, and other animals) of Zakaah that belonged to the Muslim Treasury, and no other animals were allowed to graze therein. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had declared this pasture as Himaa. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims, and ward off their curse (invocations against you), for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah),” as there is no veil between it and Allah, “and allow the shepherd having a few camels” below thirty, “and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan,” because they were rich and owned much livestock. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean that their livestock must be denied access to the Himaa in all cases, but rather when the pasture could only accommodate the livestock of one of the two parties. In this case, the owners of fewerlivestock should be given priority. This was because if the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaanwere denied access to the Himaa, they had their farms and gardens, while those who owned fewer camels and sheep, if their livestock were denied access, they would bring their dependents and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' He (may Allah be pleased with him) would not let them down and would have to compensate them by paying them gold and silver to satisfy their needs. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' Treasury).” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, these people,” meaning the owners of few camels and sheep in Al-Madeenah, “think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it, and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession.” This is contrary to the situation of those who embraced Islam after conquests and their lands were seized as spoils of war and Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting), because their lands and properties were seized by force. It was acceptable for ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to do as he did because this protected pasture was uncultivated and deserted, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) declared it Himaa, for the benefit of all Muslims.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause,” meaning the camels and horses used for Jihaad purposes, “I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa,” declaring any area as protected pasture and denying Muslims access to it.
The hadeeth underlines ‘Umar’s strength, good judgment, and compassion for Muslims.
The hadeeth warns against the supplication of theoppressed person against the oppressor.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the pasture must not be allocated for the livestock of rich owners rather than those of the poor ones.
It is also inferred therefrom that the Imaam (i.e., ruler) may investigate different alternatives and opt for what serves the best interests of people.
It is also deduced that the Imaam should give precedence to the interests of the poor people over those of the rich.
.

3060

Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺsaid (to us), "List the names of those people who have announced that they are Muslims." So, we listed one thousand and five hundred men. Then we wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" No doubt, we witnessed ourselves being afflicted with such bad trials that one would have to offer the prayer alone in fear.
Al-A‘mash narrated:
"We (listed the Muslims and) found them five hundred." And AbooMu‘aawiyah said, "Between six hundred to seven hundred."
.

Commentary :
In this hadeeth, Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yamaan(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ commanded to make a list of the Muslims’ names at that time. It was said that this took place during the time of theHudaybiyah Treaty, and the Prophet ﷺ wanted to know the number of Muslims; should any unfortunate event happen and the Muslims had to fight, he ﷺ would know the number of Muslims and who was able to fight. The number was one thousand and five hundred men. Another version of the hadeeth reads: “five hundred,” and a third version reads: “between six hundred and seven hundred.” The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" It seems that they(may Allah be pleased with them) could not believe the large number of Muslims at that time and believed that it was inconceivable that such a large number of men should be defeated. The version compiled by Muslim reads: “We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you entertain any fear concerning us and we are (at this time) between six hundred and seven hundred (in strength).’” He ﷺ remarked: “You do not perceive; you may be put to some trials.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ”We actually suffered trials so much so that some of our men were forced to offer their prayers in concealment.” This means that such confidence due to numerical superioritywas eliminated when Muslims were afflicted with fear and Fitnah (i.e., dissension and civil strife) after the Prophet’s death, so much so that some used to pray individually out of fear, despite the enormous number of Muslims at that time! Perhaps this referred to the Fitnah that took place after the Prophet’s death when some Muslims used to hide and perform the prayers in secret, fearing prominence and getting caught up in such Fitnah and wars. It was said that this was a reference to the late period of ‘Uthmaan’s reign during the tenure of some governors of Kufa, like Al-Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah, who used to delay the obligatory prayers or failed to establish them as enjoined. During this period, some devout Muslims (who were earnestly mindful of Allah, Exalted is He), used to perform the prayers in secret and then join the (delayed) congregational prayers with the governor, lest it should lead to Fitnah.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ; he foretold a future event that happened afterward, and Muslims were actually afflicted with worse situations after the lifetime of Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him), during the reigns of Al-Hajjaaj and others.
Many narrations were reported with different numbers. To reconcile between the different narrations, it was said that there may have been several lists of Muslims’ names that were made on various occasions. It is also possible that the narrations mean that the number of Muslims was a total of one thousand and five hundred, including men, women, slaves, and boys, and between six and seven hundred men, and five hundred soldiers in particular. It is also possible that what is meant is that the number of Muslims was five hundred fighters from the people of Al-Madeenah in particular; six hundred to seven hundred fighters and non-fighters; and a thousand and five hundred Muslims including those living in the surrounding towns and villages.
It is deduced that it is allowable for the Imaam (i.e., ruler) to count the number of the ruled when needed to defend and protect the Muslims.
It is inferred that it is allowable to make a register of the soldiers’ names.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that Allah, Exalted is He, afflicts His servants with punishments for their unwarranted confidence due to numerical superiority. .

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.

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
.

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

‘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..

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..

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)..

‘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.".

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!” .

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children. .

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

‘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..

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..

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)..

‘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.".

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..

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
.

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..