Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Once, while we were sitting in the company of the Prophet ﷺ, a dead man was brought. The Prophet ﷺ was requested to lead the funeral prayer for the deceased. He said, "Did he owe any debts?" People replied in the negative. He said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, "No." So, he ﷺ led his funeral prayer. Another dead man was brought and people said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ, lead his funeral prayer." The Prophet ﷺ said, "Did he owe any debts?" They said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, ''Three Dinars." So, he ﷺ led the prayer. Then a third dead man was brought and people asked the Prophet ﷺ to lead his funeral prayer. He ﷺ said, "Has he left any wealth?" They said, "No." He ﷺ asked, "Did he owe any debts?" They said, ("Yes! He has to pay) three Diners.' Thereupon, he ﷺ (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Then pray for your (dead) companion." Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!Lead his funeral prayer, and I will pay his debt." So, he ﷺ led the prayer.
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Commentary :
Debts are the due rights of others (i.e., the creditors) that must be fulfilled. It is incumbent on a debtor to clear his liability for any debts that he owes. Given the gravity of incurring debts and dying before their repayment, the Prophet ﷺ did not lead the funeral prayer for anyone who owed debts and did not leave any wealth (inheritance) to repay such debts.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that they were once sitting in the company of the Prophet ﷺ when three dead men were brought on three different occasions. The Prophet ﷺ was requested to lead the funeral prayer for the deceased men. He ﷺ asked whether the first dead man owed any debts, and when people replied in the negative, he ﷺ led his funeral prayer. When he ﷺ asked the same about the second dead man, people replied that he owed a debt, but left three Dinars, which could cover the due debt, and he ﷺ led the prayer. When the third dead man was brought and people asked the Prophet ﷺ to lead his funeral prayer, and he knew that the man owed three Dinars, but did not leave any wealth to repay the debt, he ﷺ (refused to lead the prayer and) said, "Then pray for your (dead) companion." Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) offered to repay his debt, and then the Prophet ﷺ led his funeral prayer, because the debt was transferred to another person, and thus this dead man’s liability was cleared.
The hadeeth highlights the gravity of incurring debts, and that a debtor’s liability is not cleared by his death until it is repaid, by any given way.
The hadeeth underlines the Laws of Islam’s emphasis on preserving people’s financial rights..

2290

Muhammad ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee narrated that that his father Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with them)said that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had sent him (i.e., Hamzah) to collect Sadaqah / Zakaah. A man had committed illegal sexual intercourse with his wife’s slave girl. Hamzah took (personal) sureties for the adulterer till they came to ‘Umar, who lashed the adulterer one hundred lashes. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed their claim (i.e., that the adulterer had already been punished) and excused him because of his ignorance. Jareer Al-Ash‘ath said to Ibn Mas‘ood regarding renegades (i.e., apostates), "Let them repent and take (personal) sureties for them." They repented and their relatives stood sureties for them. According to Hammaad, if somebody stands surety for another person and that person dies, the person giving surety will be released from responsibility. According to Al-Hakam, his responsibilities continues..

Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to implement the Hudood (i.e., plural of Hadd, the corporal punishment determined by the Islamic Laws of Islam) and complied with the divine provisions in all matters and at all times.A manifestation of such compliance was that they sought taking surety and guarantees to preserve people’s financial rights, and to ensure that the rights of Allah or those of people would not be violated.
In this hadeeth, the Companion Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) once sent him to levy Zakaah/Sadaqah, and it was brought to his attention that a man had committedillicit sexual intercourse (Fornication) with his wife’s slave girl. This hadeeth gives a brief account of the incident which was delineated by Al-Tahaawee in his two books Sharh Ma‘aanee Al-Aathaar and Sharh Mushkil Al-Aathaar. It reads, “‘Umar sent Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with them) to collect Zakaah/Sadaqah. Some money was given to him, and he heard a man saying to his wife, ‘Pay the Zakaah on your freed slave!’ She replied, ‘You should pay the Zakaah on him; he is your son!’” Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked them about their story and these statements. He was informed that this woman’s husband had committed Fornication with her slave-girl and she gave birth to a boy. The woman freed the son and then he inherited some wealth from his mother, and they said that such wealth was allocated to his son, whom he had with his wife’s slave girl unlawfully. Upon learning these facts, Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him), said: “I will stone you,” meaning to implement the Hadd of Rajm (i.e., stoning to death) on him, because he was a married adulterer. It was said that his act had been reported to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and he had already lashed him one hundred lashes and did not believe that he should have been stoned to death.This could be either because the man did not know that it was impermissible for him to have intercourse with his wife’s slave girl, or it is possible that he did not know it was her slave-girl (i.e., he mistaken her for one of his own slave girls). Therefore, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)may have excused himbased on ignorance of the relevant prohibition or on account of doubts.
Hamzah (may Allah be pleased with him) requested (personal) sureties for the adulterer, to act as his guarantee till he verified the matter with ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
They went to ‘Umar, and Hamzah asked him about it and it turned out that the man had been lashed one hundred lashes. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed their claim (that the adulterer had already been punished).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is valid to stand surety for someone by committing oneself to bring the guaranteed person either to fulfill people’s rights, or to appear before the judge. The surety or guarantee in this context is applicable in relation to the implementation of Hudood and Qisaas (i.e., retribution) on part of those who have the ability to bring the perpetrators or the ones who are required to fulfill these rights, such as the leaders and chiefs of tribes and the like..

2291

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, “A man from the Children of Israel asked another one to lend him one thousand Dinars. The second man required witnesses. The former replied, 'Allah is sufficient as a witness.' The second said, 'I demand a surety.' The former replied, 'Allah is sufficient as a surety.' The second said, 'You are right,' and he lent him the money to be repaid within a certain period of time. The debtor went across the sea. When he finished his work, he searched for a conveyance so that he might reach in time for the repayment of the debt, but could not find any. So, he took a piece of wood and made a hole in it, inserted in it one thousand Dinars and a message to the lender and then closed (i.e., sealed) the hole tightly. He took the piece of wood to the sea and said, 'O Allah! You know well that I took a loan of one thousand Dinars from so-and-so. He demanded a surety from me but I told him that You are sufficient as a guarantee and surety and he accepted Your guarantee and surety. He then asked for a witness and I told him that You are sufficient as a witness, and he accepted You as a Witness. No doubt, I tried hard to find a conveyance so that I could repay his money but could not find, so I hand over this money to You.' Saying that, he threw the piece of wood into the sea till it went out far into it, and then he went away. Meanwhile he started searching for a conveyance in order to reach the creditor's country. One day the lender came out of his house to see whether a ship had arrived bringing his money, and all of a sudden, he saw the piece of wood in which his money had been deposited. He took it home to use for fire. When he sawed it, he found his money and the letter inside it. Shortly after that, the debtor came bringing one thousand Dinars to him and said, 'By Allah, I had been trying hard to find a boat so that I could bring you your money, but failed to find one before the one I have come by.' The lender asked, 'Have you sent something to me?' The debtor replied, 'I have told you I could not find a boat other than the one I have come by.' The lender said, 'Allah has delivered the money you sent in the piece of wood on your behalf. So, you may keep your one thousand Dinars and depart guided on the right path.’”.

Commentary :
Whoever incurs a debt with the intention and resolve to repay it, and seeks the help of Allah, Exalted is He, in repaying it, He will bless him with the means to repay it, and satisfy his creditor on his behalf in the Hereafter if he was not able to repay it in this worldly life.
In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ related to us a wonderful story from which we can deduce great lessons. It is a story of two men from the Children of Israel, one of whom lent the other a thousand Dinars. The lender requested the borrower to bring witnesses testifying to the fact that he borrowed that money from him, but the borrower said: 'Allah is sufficient as a witness.' When the lender requested a surety, to guarantee him and be legally responsible for repaying the debt if the borrower failed to repay it, the borrower replied, 'Allah is sufficient as a surety.' The lender believed him and lent him the money to be repaid within a certain period of time. The debtor went across the sea to fulfil some of his needs. When he finished his work, he searched for a conveyance so that he might go back and reach in time for the repayment of the debt, but could not find any. So, he took a piece of wood, made a hole in it, inserted one thousand Dinars and a message to the lender, and then sealed the hole tightly. He took the piece of wood to the sea, relying solely on Allah, Exalted is He, and trusting Him to deliver the money on his behalf. He implored Allah, Exalted is He, sincerely hoping that it would reach the creditor by His Power. The truthful man sincerely invoked Allah, Exalted is He, and He answered his invocation.
One day the lender came out of his house to see whether a ship had arrived bringing his money. He waited for the borrower to come back and repay the debt as promised. Suddenly, he saw the piece of wood in which his money had been deposited. He took it home to use for fire, to keep his family warm and use it for cooking food. When he sawed it, he found his money and the message inside it. Shortly after that, the debtor came back, apologizing for the delay and bringing one thousand Dinars to him. He explained to him the reason for the delayed repayment. The lender asked him: ‘Have you sent something to me?’ The debtor (borrower) replied, ‘I have told you I could not find a boat other than the one I have come by.’ The lender asked him to go back and informed him that Allah, Exalted is He, delivered the money he had sent in the piece of wood on his behalf. He told him that the piece of wood found its way to him, and he asked him to keep the other one thousand Dinars that he had intended to pay.
This indicates the trustworthiness of both the creditor and debtor, and that each of them was sincere and truthful and honored their commitment, after the creditor accepted Allah, Exalted is He, as a guarantor and witness.
It also highlights that Allah, Exalted is He, rewards kind people who help those in need by preserving their wealth, in addition to the reward stored for them in the Hereafter, as He preserved the lender’s wealth by delivering it to him. These are great virtues granted to those who help those in need with their money (loans), place their trust in Allah, Exalted is He, and display keenness in returning the trusts.
The hadeeth also urges debtors to keenly repay their debts and spare no effort to fulfill people’s financial rights over them.
It also underlines the virtue of reliance on Allah, Exalted is He, and the abundant reward bestowed upon those who rely on Him as due..

2292

Narrated Sa’eed ibn Jubayr:
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives.} [Quran 4:33] In this ayah, the Arabic word Mawaaliyaa, means one's heirs. The ayah goes on: {And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.} [Quran 4:33] Ibn ‘Abbaas said, "When the emigrants came to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah, the emigrant would inherit his brother from the Ansaar while the latter's relatives would not inherit him because of the bond of brotherhood which the Prophet ﷺ established between them (i.e., the emigrants and the Ansaar). When the that reads (what means): {And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives,} [Quran 4:33] the ruling was abrogated with the other part of the same ayah that reads (what means: {And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.} [Quran 4:33] It canceled the bond brotherhood regarding inheritance)." Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "The ayah that reads (what means): {And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share,} [Quran 4:33] remained valid regarding cooperation and mutual advice, while the matter of inheritance was excluded and it became permissible to make a bequest to the person who had the right of inheriting before.

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Commentary :
When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah and the emigrants followed him, he ﷺ established the bond of brotherhood between the emigrants and Ansaar. A man of the Ansaar would make his emigrant brother a partner in his wealth, house, etc., and when he died, his emigrant brother would inherit him instead of his own (biological) relatives, because of the bond of brotherhood established by the Prophet ﷺ between them. This is the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.} [Quran 4:33]. The Arabic word used in the ayah is ‘Aaqadat meaning those who give made a pledge to those whom you made a pledge, and this was one of the seven approved modes of recitation confirmed by Tawaatur (i.e., collectively contiguous narrations transmitted by a large group of trustworthy narrators on the authority of a large group of trustworthy narrators, generation after generation and so forth, and it is absolutely impossible for them to agree on a lie). According to another mode of recitation, the Arabic word used in the ayah is ‘Aqadat meaning those who made a covenant (i.e., alliances) with you. A man would make a covenant or alliance with another, saying: “My blood is your blood; your revenge is my revenge; your war is my war; I am bound to your peace treaties, and you will inherit me and I will inherit you.” Afterward, the following ayah was revealed; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And for all, We have made heirs to what is left by parents and relatives,} [Quran 4:33] meaning that Allah, Exalted is He, made for each of you relatives (heirs), including brothers and cousins on both the mother’s and father’s side who are entitled to inherit. This ayah abrogated the ayah that reads (which means): {And to those whom your oaths have bound [to you] - give them their share.} [Quran 4:33]. Thereafter, only a dead person’s relatives were entitled to inherit him, and those with whom the dead person had made covenants and alliances were no longer entitled to inherit.But such covenants and alliances remained valid regarding support in what is right and permissible, meaning cooperation regarding worldly affairs, and sincerity in compliance withIslam, and this includes cooperating in adhering to the truth, and supporting the wronged people by preventing the oppressor from his acts of injustice. These were some of the due rights of one’s fellow Muslims.It also remained permissible for a Muslim to make a bequest to those who would have inherited him according to the bond of brotherhood, if he wished. As for the distribution of the inheritance after one’s death, only the heirs as per the laws of Islam may inherit him as delineated in the Quran. .

2294

‘Aasim narrated:
I heard Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), "Have you ever heard that the Prophet ﷺsaid, 'There is no alliance in Islam?' " He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "The Prophet ﷺ made alliance between the people of Quraysh and the Ansaar in my own house."
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Commentary :
In essence, alliance means a contract or covenant made between people in the pre-Islamic era to support one another with regard to everything they did (i.e., irrespective of whether they were right or wrong). Islam canceled such practices, except for the alliances and covenants made to support the truth and prevent the oppressor from his aggression and injustice. It was narrated on the authority of Jubayr ibn Muti‘im (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no alliance in Islam.” [Muslim]. This means that Islam disapproves the alliances that contravene the rules and laws of Islam, like what they used to make in the pre-Islamic era.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Aasim ibn Sulaymaan Al-Ahwal asked the Companion Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about this hadeeth, and Anas replied that the Prophet ﷺ made an alliance between the people of Quraysh and the Ansaar in his own house. This refers to the bond of brotherhood that he ﷺ established between the emigrants and Ansaar, which was a faith-based alliance that does not fall under the category of the forbidden alliances, because it did not contravene the fundamentals of the Islamic Laws of Islam. The forbidden alliances as per the laws of Islam are those according to which people in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance supported their allies in all cases, even if they were unjust oppressors, taking revenge againsta whole tribe for the killing of one person, and establishing inheritance rights based on such alliances, and the like. However, other alliances, which do not involve these Laws of Islam violations, are allowable in Islam, including supporting the oppressed, fulfilling the religious duties, and similar acts that are recommended by the Laws of Islam, such as fostering friendship, mutual affection, and honoring covenants..

2297

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
I do not remember my parents believing in any religion other than the religion of Allah (i.e., Islam). Not a single day passed but Allah's Messenger ﷺvisited us twice, in the morning and evening. When Muslims were persecuted, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) set out for Ethiopia as an emigrant. When he reached a place called Bark Al-Ghimaad, he met Ibn Al-Daghinnah, the chief of the Qaarah tribe, who asked Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), "Where are you going?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "My people have forced me out of my land; I will wander on the earth and worship my Lord (freely)." Ibn Al-Daghinnah said, "A man like you should not leave his land nor should he be forced out of it; you help the poor earn their living, uphold your ties of kinship, help the weak (and destitute), show hospitality to the guests, and help people at times of hardship. You are in my Jiwaar (i.e., protection); go back and worship your Lord at your home." Ibn Al-Daghinnah went along with Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and took him to the chiefs of Quraysh saying to them, "A man like Aboo Bakr should not leave his land nor should he be forced out of it. Do you turn out a man who helps the poor earn their living, upholds his ties of kinship, helps the weak (and destitute), shows hospitality to the guests, and helps the people at times of hardship?" So, Quraysh approved Ibn Al-Daghinnah's Jiwaar and told Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was secure, and said to Ibn Al-Daghinnah, "Advise Aboo Bakr to worship his Lord in his house and to pray and read whatever he liked, but he should not harm us or do these things publicly, for we fear that our sons and women may follow him." Ibn Al-Daghinnah told Aboo Bakr of all their conditions. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) continued worshipping his Lord in his house and did not pray or recite Quran aloud except in his house. Later on, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had an idea of building a mosque (i.e., a prayer area) in the courtyard of his house. He did so and started praying and reciting Quran therein publicly. Crowds of women and children of the disbelievers started to gatheraround him and watch him astonishingly. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a softhearted person and could not help weeping while reciting Quran. This horrified the disbelieving chiefs of Quraysh. They sent for Ibn Al-Daghinnah and when he came, they said, "We have given Aboo Bakr protection on condition that he should worship his Lord in his house, but he has violated that condition and has built a mosque in the courtyard of his house and offered his prayer and recited Quran in public. We are afraid lest he should mislead our women and children! So, go to him and tell him that if he wishes he can worship his Lord in his house only, and if not, then tell him revoke your pledge of protection to him; we do not like to dishonor you by revoking your Jiwaar nor can we tolerate Aboo Bakr's public declaration of Islam (i.e., performing acts of worship in public). ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added: Ibn Al-Daghinnah came to Aboo Bakr and said, "You know the conditions on which I gave you protection, so you should either abide by those conditions or revoke my Jiwaar, as I do not like to hear the Arabs saying that Ibn Al-Daghinnah gave Jiwaar to a person and his people did not honor it." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I revoke your Jiwaar and am satisfied with Allah's protection." At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ was still in Makkah and he said to his Companions, "Your place of emigration has been shown to me. I have seen salty land, planted with date-palms and is situated between two mountains which are the two Harrahs." So, when the Prophet ﷺ told it, some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) migrated to Al-Madeenah, and some of those who had migrated to Ethiopia returned to Al-Madeenah. When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) prepared for emigration, Allah's Messengerﷺ said to him, "Wait, for I expect to be permitted to emigrate." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "May my father be sacrificed for your sake, do you really expect that?" Allah's Messengerﷺreplied in the affirmative. So, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) postponed his departure in order to accompany Allah's Messenger ﷺand fed two camels which he had with the leaves of Samor trees for four months.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) led a hard life in Makkah, and the disbelievers made it rather harder by persecuting Muslims, confining the call to Islam, torturing Muslims, and using other means of abuse until Allah, Exalted is He, commanded His Messenger ﷺ to migrate to Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) gave a glimpse of her experience during that period. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said that she could not remember her parents, Aboo Bakr and Umm Roomaan (may Allah be pleased with them), believing in any religion other than the religion of Allah (i.e., Islam) and that the Prophet ﷺ used to visit them twice every day, in the morning and in the evening. When Muslims were persecuted by the disbelievers and the Prophet ﷺ gave permission to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to migrate to Ethiopia, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) set out for Ethiopia as an emigrant, to join his fellow Muslim brothers who had migrated there. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) reached a place called Bark Al-Ghimaad, a place at a five day's journey (140 km) from Makkah, he met Ibn Al-Daghinnah, the chief of the Qaarah tribe, which was a famous Arab tribe that belonged to Banee Al-Hoon. He asked Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), "Where are you going?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "My people have forced me out of my land and I would wander on the earth and worship my Lord (freely)." Ibn Al-Daghinnah said, "A man like you should not leave his land nor should he be forced out of it; you help the poor earn their living, uphold his ties of kinship, help the weak (and destitute),” meaning providing for the orphans and the helpless. He added: “… show hospitality to the guests,” by providing food and shelter to them, “and help people at times of hardship. You are in my Jiwaar (i.e., protection); go back and worship your Lord at your home." Ibn Al-Daghinnah went along with Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and took him to the chiefs of Quraysh, urging them not to drive someone like Aboo Bakr out of Makkah, given his great qualities and remarkable moral character as highlighted above. So, Quraysh approved Ibn Al-Daghinnah's Jiwaar (i.e., protection) and told Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) that he was secure, and said to Ibn Al-Daghinnah, "Advise Aboo Bakr to worship his Lord in his house, and to pray and read whatever he likes, but he should not harm us,” referring to praying and reciting the Quran aloud, “or do these things publicly, for we fear that our sons and women may follow him." Ibn Al-Daghinnah told Aboo Bakr of all their conditions and he accepted them. He (may Allah be pleased with him) continued worshipping his Lord in his house and did not pray or recite Quran aloud except inside his own house. Later on, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) thought about building a mosque (i.e., a prayer area) in the courtyard of his house. It can be fairly said that this was the first mosque ever built in Islam. He (may Allah be pleased with him) built it and started praying and reciting Quran therein publicly. Crowds of women and children from the disbelievers gathered around him and watched him astonishingly. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was a softhearted person and could not help weeping while reciting Quran. This horrified the chiefs of Quraysh, as they knew how tender the hearts of women and young people were, and how vulnerable they would be to incline to Islam. They sent for Ibn Al-Daghinnah and when he came, they said, "We have given Aboo Bakr protection on condition that he should worship his Lord in his house, but he has violated that condition, and has built a mosque in the courtyard of his house and offered his prayer and recited Quran in public. We are afraid lest he mislead our women and children! So, go to him and tell him that if he wishes he can worship his Lord in his house only, and if not, then tell him you will revoke your pledge of protection to him; we do not like to dishonor you by revoking your Jiwaar, nor can we tolerate Aboo Bakr's public declaration of Islam, for fear of our women and children. Thereupon, Ibn Al-Daghinnah went to Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and said, "You know the conditions on which I gave you protection (as approved by Quraysh), so you should either abide by these conditions or revoke my Jiwaar, as I do not like to hear the Arabs saying that Ibn Al-Daghinnah gave Jiwaar to a person and his people did not honor it." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I revoke your Jiwaar and am satisfied with Allah's protection." This reflects the strength of Aboo Bakr’s faith and certitude in Allah, Exalted is He.
At that time,the Prophet ﷺ was still in Makkah and he told his Companions that he had seen the land of their emigration in a vision, and the Prophet's visionsare part of the divine revelation to them. He ﷺ meant Al-Madeenah and mentioned some of its distinct descriptions, including being a salty land, where only few trees could grow, planted with date-palms and situated between two mountains which are the two Harrahs, meaning lands with black stones. So, when the Prophet ﷺ told them of this vision, some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) migrated to Al-Madeenah, and some of those who had migrated to Ethiopia went to Al-Madeenah as well. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) prepared for emigration, but Allah's Messengerﷺ said to him, "Wait, for I expect to be permitted to emigrate." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "May my father be sacrificed for your sake, do you really expect that?" Allah's Messengerﷺreplied in the affirmative. So, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) postponed his departure in order to accompany the Prophet ﷺ. He (may Allah be pleased with him)fed two camels which he had, with the leaves of Samor trees, meaning the leaves that trees shed, for four months, to be able to endure the journey. Such tree leaves were good fodder for animals.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and the striking similarity between his moral character and that of the Prophet ﷺ.
It also underlines the good qualities of the polytheist Arabs in the pre-Islamic era, like honoring covenants and the institution of Jiwaar.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to migrate from non-Muslim countries to another place were Muslims feel safe and are able to practice their religion freely and openly.
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2300

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had given him sheep to distribute between his Companions and a male kid was left (after the distribution). When he informed the Prophet ﷺof it, he said (to him), "Offer it as a sacrifice on your behalf."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was munificent and generous; he ﷺ openhandedly gave what Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon him to the poor and needy.
In this hadeeth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ gifted a group of poor Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) sheep and appointed him to distribute the sheep between them. He (may Allah be pleased with him)distributed to the companions and a male kid was left (after the distribution). It was said that a young goat (kid) was one year old. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺof it, he said (to him), "Offer it as a sacrifice on your behalf.”
The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession to ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) to offer a kid as an animal sacrifice, just like he ﷺ did with Aboo Burdah ibn Nayyaar (may Allah be pleased with him) to offer an animal less than one year old as a sacrifice. These were two legal concessions granted to these two Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in particular and not to anyone else. This is based on the opinion suggesting that the Arabic word used in the hadeeth ‘Atood (kid) means a young goat. However, based on the opinion that the word means a one-year-old goat, Al-Udhiyah of the goats, according to Muslim scholars should be a Thaniyah (i.e., one full year-old and starting the second year).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible for a principal to appoint an agent to distribute gifts between specified recipients.
It is also inferred that it is permissible to accept gifts and offer gifted animalsas a sacrifice.
The hadeeth also highlights that an agent is required to consult with the principal regarding the disposal of the residue of the gifts to be distributed.
It is also deduced therefrom that a principal delegates the appointed agent to perform specified tasks.
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2301

‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I had an agreement with Umayyah ibn Khalaf that he would look after my property (or family) in Makkah and I would look after his in Al-Madeenah. When I wrote my name ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan' in the documents, Umayyah said, "I do not know ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan!' Write down to me your name, with which you called yourself in the pre-Islamic period." So, I wrote my name ‘Abdoo ‘Amr instead. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, when all people went to sleep, I went up the hill to protect him. Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) saw him (i.e., Umayyah) and went to a gathering of Ansaar and said, "(Here is) Umayyah ibn Khalaf! Woe to me if he escapes!" So, a group of men from the Ansaar went out with Bilaal to follow us (‘Abdul-Rahmaan and Umayyah). Being afraid that they would catch us, I left Umayyah’s son for them to keep them busy, but the Ansaar killed the son and insisted on following us. Umayyah was a fat man, and when they approached us, I told him to kneel down, and he knelt, and I laid myself on him to protect him, but the Ansaar killed him by passing their swords underneath me, and one of them injured my foot with his sword. (The sub narrator said, "‘Abdul-Rahmaan used to show us the trace of the wound on the back of his foot.")
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Commentary :
Fulfillment of covenants is one of the becoming qualities of a true Muslim, and this applies to the covenants made with Muslims and non-Muslims alike. However, it is incumbent upon a Muslim to ensure that his covenants with non-Muslims do not contradict the teachings of Islam, to avoid potential conflict between the two obligations (i.e., honoring his covenants and abiding by the teachings of Islam).
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) made a covenant with Umayyah ibn Khalaf, one of the leaders of the disbelievers in Makkah, to look after his property, family, or both, in Makkah and he would look after his in Al-Madeenah. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote his name ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan' in the documents, Umayyah said, "I do not know ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan!' ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan literally means that slave of Al-Rahmaan, i.e., The Entirely Merciful. He did not acknowledge Al-Rahmaan (Allah) as his Lord and rather worshipped other deities. In fact, Umayyah’s attitude was motivated by (misguided) zeal for his false beliefs. He said to him: “Write down to me your name, with which you called yourself in the pre-Islamic period.” So, he (may Allah be pleased with him) wrote his name ‘Abdoo ‘Amr instead. It is noteworthy that ‘Abd Ar-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed to write his old name merely to realize the desired benefits of concluding this agreement, and it did not imply his approval or consent to be called the slave of other than Allah, Exalted is He. This was similar to the incident when the Prophet ﷺ approved to erase the Name of Allah ‘Al-Rahmaan’ when writing down the document of the Hudaybiyyah Treaty and wrote instead “In the Name of Allah.”
On the day (of the battle) of Badr, in 2 A.H., between the disbelievers in Makkah and Muslims in Madeenah, Umayyah joined the disbelievers’ army. After the battle ended with the decisive victory of the Muslims, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) went up the hill to protect Umayyah, who was neither among the casualties nor the prisoners of war. When all the people went to sleep, he (may Allah be pleased with him)hastened to protect his ally, but Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) saw Umayyah, who had severely tortured him in Makkah to force him to convert out of Islam. Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) went to a gathering of the Ansaar and informed them of Umayyah ibn Khalaf’s presence, urging them to kill him. He (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded them to chase him and make sure that he did not survive. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: “Woe to me if he escapes!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) earnestly sought killing Umayyah, being one of the leaders of Quraysh and the stubbornest disbelievers. Determined to risk his own life to kill him, Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) went after him and ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan in the company of a group of the Ansaar. ‘Abdul-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Being afraid that they would catch us, I left Umayyah’s son for them to keep them busy but the Ansaar killed the son and insisted on following us. Umayyah was a fat man,” indicating his slowness, “and when they approached us, I told him to kneel down, and he knelt.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) threw himself on him to protect him from their swords, to honor his covenant with him. However, Bilaal and the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them) killed him by passing their swords underneath ‘Abdul-Ramhaan (may Allah be pleased with him), and one of them injured his foot with his sword. ‘Abdul-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) showed the addressees the trace of the wound on the back of his foot.
It was said that Bilaal and the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them) did not honor ‘Abdul-Rahmaan’s covenant and Jiwaar (i.e., protection) for Umayyah because the disbelievers were not allowed any protection on the Battle of Badr. It was also said that this ruling was abrogated with the other hadeeth recorded by Ibn Maajah reading: “The right of giving protection to non-Muslims is extended to the humblest of the believers (and it is incumbent on all Muslims to respect it and give him support).”, and the hadeeth about Umm Haani’ upon the Conquest of Makkah reading: “We have given protection to whom you have granted (protection).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a Muslim is required to honor and fulfill his covenants; ‘Abdul-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) was the friend of Umayyah ibn Khalaf back in Makkah, and he honored their covenant.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is becoming of a Muslim to reciprocate a disbeliever for any favors he might have done him, showing him kindness in return and striving to rescue him from death or dangers.
The hadeeth highlights the tit for tat principle and the enjoined equivalent retaliation against the offending party.
It is inferred that no retaliation is required in the event of getting injured while defending a wrongdoer who deserves punishment.
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2304

Ibn Ka‘b ibn Maalik narrated on the authority of his father (may Allah be pleased with them):
We had some sheep which used to graze at Sala‘. One of our slave girls saw a sheep dying and she broke a stone and slaughtered the dying sheep with it. My father said to people, "Do not eat its meat till I ask the Prophet ﷺ about it (or till I send somebody to ask him)." So, he asked or sent somebody to ask the Prophet ﷺ and he ﷺ permitted them to eat it. ‘Ubaydullaah (a sub-narrator) said, "I admire that girl, for though she was a slave-girl, she boldly slaughtered the sheepherself!”
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Commentary :
Islam preserves people’s wealth and protects it against loss and destruction, and therefore it deems it allowable to slaughter a dying edible animal (i.e., whose consumption is permitted by the Laws of Islam) when sudden death approaches it, using any sharp object that cuts its throat and sheds its blood, to preserve wealth from loss.
In this hadeeth, Ka’b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that they had sheep grazing at Sala‘, a mountain in Al-Madeenah located 500 m or less to the west of the Prophet’s Mosque. The slave girl who was shepherding the sheep noticed that one was dying. She broke a stone and slaughtered the sheep with it. When Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him)learned of the incident, he commanded his family to refrain from eating its meat till he asked the Prophet ﷺ about it or sent somebody to ask him. So, he asked or sent somebody to ask the Prophet ﷺ and he ﷺ permitted them to eat it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that an appointed agent is urged to rectify what he believes to have gone wrong, strive to perform the required task, and do what serves the best interests of the principal.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to use a stone to slaughter animals provided that it is sharp, cuts the throat, and splashes out blood.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to eat the meat of a dying edible animal if it was slaughtered while it was still alive..

2309

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
I was accompanying the Prophet ﷺ on a journey and was riding a slow camel that was lagging behind the others. The Prophet ﷺpassed by me and asked, "Who is this?" I replied, "Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah." He asked, "What is the matter, (why are you late)?" I replied, "I am riding a slow camel." He ﷺ asked, "Do you have a stick?" I replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ said, "Give it to me." When I gave it to him, he ﷺ beat the camel and rebuked it. Then that camel surpassed the others thenceforth. The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Sell it to me." I replied, "It is (a gift) for you, O Allah's Messengerﷺ.” He ﷺ said, "Sell it to me. I have bought it for four Dinars and you can keep on riding it till Al-Madeenah." When we approached Al-Madeenah, I started going (towards my house). The Prophet ﷺ said, "Where are you going?" I said, "I have married a widow." He ﷺ said, "Why have not you married a virgin with whom you could play?" I said, "My father died and left daughters, so I decided to marry a widow (, an experienced woman to look after them)." He ﷺ said, "Well done." When we reached Al-Madeenah, Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "O Bilaal, pay him (the price of the camel) and give him extra money." Bilaal gave me four Dinars and one Qiraat (i.e., a unit of measurement) extra. (A sub-narrator said): Jaabir added, "The extra Qiraat of Allah's Messengerﷺ never parted from me." The Qirat was always in Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah's purse.
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was endowed with a great moral character,reflected in his gracious manners, one of which was that whenever he ﷺ travelled with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), he ﷺ used to pace himself with the slowest rider in his company, out of his kindness. He ﷺ also used to offer the weak a ride and urge those who were lagging behind to catch up.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) related that he was with the Prophet ﷺ once on a journey back to Al-Madeenah – it was said that this incident took place during the conquest of Makkah - and he was riding a slow camel. The Prophet ﷺ passed by him while he was in this condition. The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Who is this?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah." He ﷺ asked, "What is the matter, (why are you late)?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he was late due to his slow camel. He ﷺ asked, "Do you have a stick?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative, and he ﷺ asked him to give it to him. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) gave it to him, he ﷺ beat the slow camel and urged it to move faster. Then that camel surpassed the others, leading the way, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ asked Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) to sell him this camel, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "It is (a gift) for you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” However, the Prophet ﷺ refused to take it as a gift and insisted on buying it. He ﷺ bought it for four (gold) Dinars provided that he (may Allah be pleased with him) may keep on riding it till they reached Al-Madeenah, and then the Prophet ﷺ would take it into his possession.
When they approached Al-Madeenah, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) hastened towards his house. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Where are you going?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had married a widow, indicating that she was previously married. The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Why have you not married a virgin with whom you could play?" The Prophet ﷺ was asking him about the reason for choosing to marry a previously married woman rather than a virgin, who would most likely be more emotionally attached to her first husband, urging her to strive in making him happy and the like of good qualities that warrants the preference of marrying a virgin. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he had sisters placed under his guardianship after his father’s death, and they needed someone to take care of them and tend to their needs, and a virgin would not be able to shoulder such a task. Therefore, he (may Allah be pleased with him) decided to marry a widow, an experienced woman to look after them. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Well done,” commending his act. It is deduced from this hadeeth that a Muslim should carefully choose a good wife that would be good for him and his dependents.
When they reached Al-Madeenah, Allah's Messenger ﷺ commanded Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) to pay him the price of the camel and give him extra money. Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) gave him four Dinars and one Qirat extra. Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) was responsible for managing the Prophet’s expenses. It was said that a Qirat equaled one-tenth of a Dinar or otherwise. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "The extra Qirat of Allah's Messenger ﷺ never parted from me." He (may Allah be pleased with him) kept that Qirat and did not dispose of it. ‘Attaa’ ibn Abee Rabaah said: “That Qirat was always in Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah's purse.”
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s gracious humbleness and kindness with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), checking on them and serving their best interests.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is better to marry a virgin rather than a previously married woman.
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him), his compassion to his sisters, and putting their best interests first before his own.
It is also inferred that a woman should take care of her husband’s family and tend to the needs of his siblings (dependents).
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2311

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺdeputed me to keep Zakaah (Al-Fitr) of Ramadan. A comer came and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Zakaah funds) stealthily. I took hold of him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." I released him, and in the morning Allah's Messengerﷺasked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The person complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so, I pitied him and let him go." Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Indeed, he told you a lie and he will be coming again." I believed that he would show up again as Allah's Messengerﷺ had told me that he would return. So, I waited for him watchfully. When he (showed up and) started stealing handfuls of foodstuff, I caught hold of him again and said, "I will definitely take you to Allah's Messenger ﷺ.He said, "Leave me, for I am very needy and have many dependents. I promise I will not come back again." I pitied him and let him go. In the morning, Allah's Messengerﷺ asked me, "What did your prisoner do?" I replied, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! He complained of his great need and of too many dependents, so I took pity on him and set him free." Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Verily, he told you a lie and he will return." I waited for him attentively for the third time, and when he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff, I caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Messenger ﷺas it is the third time you promise not to return, yet you break your promise and come." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah, Exalted is He, will benefit you." I asked, "What are they?" He replied, "Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat Al-Kursee (Quran 2:255) till you finish the whole ayah. (If you do so), Allah, Exalted is He, will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you and no devil will come near you till morning. " So, I released him. In the morning, Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" I replied, "He claimed that he would teach me some words by which Allah will benefit me, so I let him go." Allah's Messenger ﷺasked, "What are they?" I replied, "He said to me, 'Whenever you go to bed, recite Ayat Al-Kursee from the beginning to the end.' He further said to me, '(If you do so), Allah will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no Satan will come near you till morning.' (Aboo Hurayrah or another sub-narrator) added that they (the Companions) were very keen to do good deeds. The Prophet ﷺ said, "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar. Do you know whom you were talking to, these three nights, O Aboo Hurayrah?" It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), "No." He ﷺ said, "It was Satan."
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Commentary : Ayat Al-Kursee (Quran 2:255) is one of the greatest ayaat of the Quran, and this hadeeth highlights some of its virtues. It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ appointed him to keep and guard the Zakaat Al-Fitr funds. Zakaat Al-Fitr is due before ‘Eid Al-Fitr, and they used to pay it in the form of wheat, dates, and other foodstuff. A man came to him and started taking handfuls of the foodstuff (of the Zakaah) stealthily. Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) seized him and said, "By Allah, I will take you to Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” He said, "I am needy and have many dependents, and I am in great need." He (may Allah be pleased with him) released him, and in the morning, Allah's Messengerﷺasked me, "What did your prisoner do yesterday?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The Prophet ﷺ knew of what had happened through divine revelation. It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the man complained of being needy and of having many dependents, so he pitied him and let him go. Allah's Messenger ﷺinformed him that he was lying and that he would be coming again. Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that the Prophet ﷺ spoke the truth and believed him. He (may Allah be pleased with him) believed that he would show up again as Allah's Messengerﷺ had told him that he would. So, he (may Allah be pleased with him) waited for him watchfully to guard the foodstuff. When he showed up and did the same, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) pitied him and let him go again. He informed Allah's Messengerﷺ of what had happened and again he ﷺ told him that the man would come back. Therefore, he (may Allah be pleased with him) watchfully waited for him for the third time, and he (came and) started stealing handfuls of the foodstuff. He (may Allah be pleased with him) caught hold of him and said, "I will surely take you to Allah's Messenger ﷺ,as this is the third time you promised not to return, yet you broke your promise and came." He said, "(Forgive me and) I will teach you some words with which Allah, Exalted is He, will benefit you." He then told him to recite Ayat Al-Kursee (Quran 2:255) till he finished the whole ayah whenever he went to bed. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Allah - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of [all] existence. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursee extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.} [Quran 2:255]. In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, describes Himself as the only One worthy of worship; none but Him deserves to be worshiped. He is All-Living; to Him belongs the perfect life that was not preceded by non-existence, nor will it be followed with death. He is Self-Sufficient and stands in no need of anything or anyone, and He disposes of the affairs of all the creation, bestowing upon them their Rizq (provisions). All the creation stands in dire need of Allah, Exalted is He. His perfect Life and Self-Sufficiency entails that neither drowsiness nor sleep should overtake Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. None can intercede with Him except by His permission. He knows all the affairs of the created beings, the past and future ones, and all but Him do not know anything unless He imparts knowledge to them by His will. Given His greatness and vast dominance, His Kursee (i.e., the place of His Feet) encompasses the heavens and the earth. Despite their vastness and greatness, their preservation does not tire Him; it is rather an effortless task for Him. He is the Most High, the Most Great, who is far Exalted above His creation. He is The Most High with His perfect Essence, dominion, and attributes. To Him belongs absolute and perfect grandeur in terms of Essence and Omnipotence.
Satan further said to him, '(If you do so), Allah, Exalted is He, will appoint a guard for you who will stay with you, and no devil will come near you till morning. Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ of it and he ﷺ said: "He really spoke the truth, although he is an absolute liar,” and this is a very beautiful conclusion, because when he (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed his truthfulness in this regard, it gave an illusion of praise, and therefore he ﷺ corrected such an impression with a wording that indicates exaggerated untruthfulness, reflected in the Arabic intensive adjective Kadhoob (i.e., habitual liar).
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ clarified to Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that this prisoner to whom he was talking these three nights was Satan.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Ayat Al-Kursee (Quran 2:255) and that it protects those who recite it from the devils.
It is also deduced therefrom that an appointed agent is only entitled to dispose of what is delegated property with the permission of the owner of the property (i.e., principal).
It is also inferred that the Jinn appear to people in human form and talk with them.
It is also deduced that the maximum number of pardonable mistakes is three.
It is also inferred that Satan harms whoever fails to recite Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah) before sleep.
It is also deduced that whoever is appointed to preserve something is called Wakeel (i.e., trustee).
The hadeeth also underlines that the Jinn may steal and deceive.
It also highlights that it is allowable to seek knowledge from those who did not act on their knowledge..

2312

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once Bilaal brought Barni (i.e., a kind of dates) to the Prophet ﷺ and he ﷺasked him, "From where have you brought these?" Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "I had some inferior type of dates and exchanged two Saa‘s of it for one Saa‘ of Barni dates in order to give it to the Prophet ﷺ to eat them." Thereupon the Prophet ﷺsaid, "Beware! Beware! This is definitely Ribaa! This is definitely Ribaa! Do not do so, but if you want to buy (a superior kind of dates) sell the inferior dates for money and then buy the superior kind of dates with that money."
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Commentary :
Dealing with Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) is one of the gravest major sins, and the Laws of Islam has deemed unlawful every sale that is not free of all suspicions of Ribaa, and has deemed permitted all lawful sales that do not involve Ribaa. People in the Pre-Islamic era engaged in sales transactions that heavily involved Ribaa, but Islam rectified these sales and eliminated the traces of Ribaa.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) related that Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) once brought Barni, one of the finest kinds of date. The Prophet ﷺasked him about the source of these dates and he (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “I had some inferior dates and exchanged two Saa‘s of them for one Saa‘ of Barni dates in order to give it to the Prophet ﷺ to eat them.” Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "Beware! Beware!” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Uwwah, a word used to indicate pain and sadness. The Prophet ﷺ used this word to indicate his pain upon hearing of such an act and that Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know that his act was sheer Ribaa. In fact, this kind of Ribaa is known as Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., excess charged in the event of a barter of specific homogenous commodities of different quality or quantity). The Prophet ﷺ advised him about the way to avoid Ribaa in this transaction. He ﷺ said: “Do not do so, but if you want to buy (a superior kind of dates) sell the inferior dates for money and then buy the superior kind of dates with that money.” This means that one should sell the poor-quality dates for money, and then buy with it the fine dates that he wants, to avoid charging excess in the event of a barter of homogenous commodities, and thus avoid Ribaa.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Ribaa Al-Fadhl is prohibited.
The hadeeth also highlights that the ruler or leader should assign care to people’s religious affairs, edify those who lack religious knowledge on their religion, and guide them to the way to avail themselves of that which is lawful. Moreover, a follower should also assign care to his leader.
It is inferred therefrom that any transaction that involves Ribaa is invalid.
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2313

‘Amr narrated:
Concerning the Waqf (i.e., endowment) of ‘Umar: It was not sinful of a trustee (of the Waqf) to eat or provide his friends from it, provided he had no intention of collecting fortune (for himself). Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was the manager of the trust of ‘Umar and he used to give presents from it to those with whom he used to stay at Makkah.
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Commentary :
A trustee of someone’s property is enjoined to preserve it and forbidden from wasting and destroying it. The Laws of Islam clarified the permissible ways in which a trustee may avail himself of the (endowed) property entrusted to him.
In this report, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Amr ibn Dinaar stated regarding the Waqf endowed by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), that that a trustee or administrator of the Waqf bears no sin for availing himself of the property under his care reasonably, and availing his friends of it, provided that he does not hold the intention of collecting a fortune for himself.
‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) managed the Waqf of his father and used to offer gifts from it to those with whom he used to stay at Makkah. It was said that they were the family of ‘Abdullah, Khaalid ibn Usayd ibn Abee Al-‘Aas. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) offered these gifts from the endowed property in compliance with the specified condition; he (may Allah be pleased with him) either availed his friends of it, which is allowable, or preserved his own share (i.e., fees) to gift it to his friends.
It is noteworthy that this is different from the case when one is entrusted with someone’s wealth, other than Waqf, and he disposes of it without the principal’s permission, which is impermissible.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when someone endows a property for the benefit of a specific category of beneficiaries and his own son happens to fit the profile, he is considered one of the specified beneficiaries (and may avail himself of it).
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2320

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "There is none amongst Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a (rewardable) charitable act for him."
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Commentary :
A Muslim is rewarded for any beneficial action he performs.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ highlighted the virtue of planting and cultivating lands, and that whenever a Muslim plants a tree or sows seeds, and a bird, person, animal, or any living creature that lives on land and in the water, eats therefrom,he would earn a reward for that. The hadeeth made mention of the Muslim in particular, as he would often hold the intention of providing his fellow Muslims with these plants and food to gain physical strength to worship Allah, Exalted is He, and because only a Muslim would earn rewards for such an act. A non-Muslim does not earn rewards for his good and charitable acts and the ultimate reward he may receive is being subjected to lesser punishments (on the Day of Resurrection). He may also receive his reward in the worldly life in the form of worldly gains.
The hadeeth underlines the merits of planting and cultivating lands.
It also urges Muslims to populate the earth, and to make it a better place for people to live, or for the benefit of the coming generations, for the service of whom he earns rewards.

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2321

Aboo Umaamah Al-Baahilee (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I saw a plowshare and some agricultural equipment and said: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: "There is no house in which such equipment enter except that Allah, Exalted is He, will cause humiliation to enter it."
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Commentary :
It is unbecoming of a Muslim to so preoccupy himself with his worldly affairs that he neglects his religious duties. His keenness to secure worldly gains must not surpass his keenness to prepare himself for the Hereafter. When Aboo Umamaah (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a plowshare, a tool used for cultivation, and some agricultural equipment, he (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ had said: “There is no house in which such equipment enters except that Allah, Exalted is He, will cause humiliation to enter it.” This means that when such equipment enters a house, preoccupying its people from preparing themselves for the Hereafter and driving them to neglect their religious duties, including partaking in Jihaad, prayer, and Dhikr, Allah, Exalted is He, would afflict them with humiliation.
It is noteworthy that there is contradiction between this hadeeth and the hadeeths reported about the merits of plowing and cultivating. This hadeeth is interpreted as to refer to the one who preoccupies himself with cultivation, causing him to neglect his religious duties and obligations that he is enjoined to observe! Whoever devotes himself entirely to plowing and cultivating lands, neglecting his other loftier pursuits, will be afflicted with humiliation.
The reference to humiliation here means their commitments to pay the taxes charged by the governors for their land. In the beginning, only Ahl Al-Dhimmah (i.e., free non-Muslim subjects living under Muslim rule) worked in cultivation and agriculture, and therefore the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disliked to take this line of career. It was also said that this hadeeth urges Muslims to aspire to loftier pursuits, and seek other superior means to earn a living.
The apparent meaning of the hadeeth’s wording seemingly indicates that working in cultivation and agriculture begets humiliation, and this is not true. Rather, engaging in cultivation, agriculture, and tending to one’s property are all recommended and rewardable acts, being of benefit topeople, but the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said this hadeeth to warn the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) against preoccupying themselves with professions from partaking in Jihaad. Had they given up Jihaad, the disbelievers would have overpowered them, and this would have been the ultimate humiliation that may befall Muslims, to be overpowered by the disbelievers and lose their wealth, womenfolk, and children to them, and ultimately their lives!
It was also said that the hadeeth referred to those settled near enemy borders in particular. If these Muslims preoccupied themselves with cultivation rather than chivalry and horse-riding (i.e., military preparations for Jihaad), their enemies would belittle their strength and dominatethem. Therefore, it is becoming of such people to keenly master chivalry and horse-riding (in preparation for Jihaad),and they should be aided with the needed supplies and equipment by their fellow Muslims.
The hadeeth warns against preoccupying oneself with worldly pursuits from preparing oneself for the Hereafter.

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868

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: Dimād came to Makkah, and he was from Azd Shanū’ah. He used to provide Ruqyah against this wind (demonic possession). He heard some foolish people from the people of Makkah saying: Indeed, Muhammad is mad. So, he said: If I see that man, Allah might heal him through me. He said: He met him and said: O Muhammad, I provide Ruqyah against this wind and Allah heals whoever He wills through me. Do you desire (this)? Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 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. To proceed, he said: He said: Repeat to me these words of yours. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated them three times. He said: So, he said: I have heard the words of soothsayers, the words of magicians, and the words of poets, but I have never heard such words as yours, and they have reached the Nā‘ūs (depth) of the sea. He said: So, he said: Give me your hand to pledge allegiance to you on Islam. He said: And he pledged allegiance to him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: And on behalf of your people? He replied: And on behalf of my people. He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then sent an expedition, and they passed by his people. The expedition leader asked the army: Did you take anything from those? A man said: I took a Mit-harah (water utensil used for purification) from them. So, he said: Return it, for they are the people of Dimād..

Commentary : The Prophet's way of life and that of the early Muslims was full of difficulties and obstacles for the sake of spreading the word of Allah Almighty. The disbelievers of Makkah used to keep a close watch on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and all those who believed along with him. However, Allah's victory was definite as He granted His slave victory, honored His soldiers, and defeated the Confederates alone.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that Dimād ibn Tha'labah - who was from Azd Shanū’ah, which is a prominent tribe in Yemen and Azd is one of its tribes - came to Makkah and alighted there from a journey and this was at the beginning of the Prophet's mission. Dimād used to make Ruqyah, which refers to the incantations used for someone suffering from illnesses like fever, epilepsy, and other diseases. "He used to provide Ruqyah against this wind," and "wind" here refers to madness and demonic possession as if they considered the insanity that afflicted a person and the diseases resulting from such possession a breath from the Jinn. Thus, they called it "wind". Dimād heard the fools and the ignorant from among the disbelievers of Makkah saying: "Indeed, Muhammad is mad. So, he said: If I see that man" whom you call mad, Allah might heal him through me if I make Ruqyah for him. Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) met Dimād. Dimād informed him that he provided Ruqyah against possession and madness and that Allah had made him a cause for curing some diseases, so would you like me to make Ruqyah for you and help you get rid of the madness that people say you are afflicted with? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied saying: "Praise be to Allah," i.e., it is established and exclusive for Him, whether He is praised or not. "We praise Him" because it is obligatory upon us as well as beneficial for us. "And seek His help" in all our affairs. "Whoever Allah guides" to the path of declaring His Oneness and witnessing His uniqueness by virtue of His favor, "none can lead astray" from the creatures, and whoever He leads astray from the right path by virtue of His justice, "none can guide". "I testify that there is no god but Allah, alone," i.e., One "with no partner," i.e., none is truly worthy of worship but Him. "And I testify that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger; to proceed," On hearing these words from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Dimād asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to repeat these words once again. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated them thrice. Thereupon, Dimād said: "I have heard the words of soothsayers" plural of "soothsayer", one who foretells the unseen with rhyming sentences and creative signals. "The words of magicians" plural of "magician", one who alludes to the eye or mind by what he says or does. "And the words of poets" is the plural of a poet, one who beautifies everything with his tongue to the extent that he disgraces what is beautiful and beautifies what is disgraceful. I heard the words of those, "but I have never heard such words as yours," i.e., if you were one of these three, your words would sound like their words. He mentioned those three because the fools of Makkah used to describe him once as a soothsayer, another time as a magician, and a third time as a poet. Hence, he denied the three things they used to say about him.
Then, Dimād said: "And they have reached," i.e., these comprehensive words that you uttered and their impact on the heart of every living being along with their belief in them have reached the "Nā‘ūs" (depth) of the sea, and it was narrated the "Qāmūs", which is the middle and depth of the sea. In other words, they have reached the top and the highest peak of eloquence.
Then, Dimād said: "Give me your hand" and extend it "to pledge allegiance to you on Islam. And he pledged allegiance to" the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: And on behalf of your people, i.e., and you pledge allegiance to Islam on behalf of your people as well whom you left behind in your country? Thereupon, Dimād said: "And on behalf of my people." So, he pledged allegiance to Islam for himself and on behalf of his people.
Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that after the Hijrah (emigration) to Madīnah, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent an expedition - part of the army that does not exceed one hundred men -. They passed by the people of Dimād ibn Tha'labah (may Allah be pleased with him). The expedition leader - i.e., its head - said to the army: "Did you take," i.e., seize "anything from those? A man said: I took a Mit-harah from them," which is a water utensil used for making Tahārah (ritual purification). He said: "Return it," i.e., give it back to its owners ", for those are the people of Dimād" ibn Tha'labah al-Azdi who pledged allegiance to Islam through Dimād. Hence, it is not permissible to seize their properties because they are Muslims.
The Hadīth sheds light on the Prophet's good manners, eloquence, and command of language.
It also shows how Dimād ibn Tha‘labah (may Allah be pleased with him) embraced Islam and the favor he did to his people..

869

Abu Wā’il reported: 'Ammār gave us a Khutbah (sermon), and he spoke briefly and eloquently. When he came down, we said: O Abu al-Yaqzhān, you spoke eloquently and briefly; would you have spoken longer? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man's lengthy prayer and short Khutbah is a sign of his understanding, so lengthen the prayer and shorten the Khutbah, for there is a charm in the eloquent speech.".

Commentary : Everything has a point of moderation and reasonableness, and both the prayer and Khutbah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) were moderate, i.e., they were neither prolonged in a boring manner nor shortened in a manner involving deficiency, and this was the course adopted by the Prophet's Companions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Wā’il, the brother of Ibn Salamah al-Asdi, narrates that ‘Ammār ibn Yāsir (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) delivered a sermon among people, and he spoke briefly and eloquently and conveyed what he wanted in a few words. On descending the pulpit, people said to him: "O Abu al-Yaqzhān," which is 'Ammār's nickname, and they praised his eloquence and brevity and said to him: "Would that you spoke longer," i.e., made it a little longer. He informed them that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "A man's lengthy prayer," referring to the Friday prayer, i.e., making the prayer longer than the Khutbah in a way that does not make it arduous for those praying behind him; to be moderate between prolonging and shortening, "and short Khutbah," i.e., shortening it "is a sign of his understanding," i.e., a sign indicating the preacher's understanding when his speech is eloquent, brief, and clear. The command of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) contains: "So, lengthen the prayer and shorten the Khutbah", denotes ultimate moderation by prolonging the prayer moderately so that those who are not present and those who are far away from the mosque can catch up with it without harming those behind him with such a prolongation, and by shortening the Khutbah without failing to meet its proper standards and in a way that would make it easier to memorize what is mentioned therein as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do this in both.
His statement: "For there is a charm in the eloquent speech," "Eloquent speech" here means expressing the intended meaning using the most articulate wording, which indicates understanding and the heart's intelligence. "Charm" means changing the way one regards something and not changing the truth of something. This statement was said as a form of praise by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with which he ended his speech to guide the preacher to be eloquent and clear in his speech, as Allah Almighty has bestowed upon His slaves the blessing of teaching them eloquence and clarity. Then, he compared it to magic because the hearts feel a tendency towards it as the eloquent speech attracts hearts and causes them to incline to what the speaker is saying.
The Hadīth points out that it is Sunnah for the preacher not to lengthen the Khutbah..

870

‘Adiyy ibn Hātim reported: A man delivered a sermon before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is guided aright, and whoever disobeys them is deluded. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: What a bad preacher you are! Say: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger. [Another version reads]: has gone astray..

Commentary : Delivering the Khutbah (sermon) is of great significance because it expresses what one thinks or means. The Khutbah must be clear and comprehensible to all. It must be free of probable words and meanings that could be misconstrued, or that could be interpreted in a way different from that intended by the preacher.
In this Hadīth, ‘Adiyy ibn Hātim at-Tā’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard a man delivering a Khutbah saying: "Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger is guided aright," "rushd" (right guidance) means: being on the side of the truth and what is right, "And whoever disobeys them is deluded," i.e., is wholly engaged in evil and goes astray from the path of the truth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him, teaching him in a firm and scolding manner - which is one of the Prophet's teaching methods: "What a bad preacher you are! Say: And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger" not "disobeys them". Here, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called his attention to be cautious about stating such things in sermons and attended occasions because the basic rule here is simplicity and clarification along with avoidance of symbols and signs, unlike education, as the lesser the words are, the better their memorization becomes.
The Hadīth denotes that forbidding evil is to be carried out by those qualified to do so..

873

’Umm Hishām bint Hārithah ibn an-Nu‘mān reported: Our oven and the oven of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the same for two years, or for a year and part of a year. I learned the Surat of {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an} from none but the tongue of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when delivering the Khutbah to people..

Commentary : The Companions were keen on knowing the Prophet's states and on learning everything from him because the best guidance is that of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth,' Umm Hishām bint al-Hārith ibn an-Nu'mān (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she and her family shared the same oven with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for two years, or a year and part of a year. "Tannūr" (oven) means the thing in which bread is baked, which is an indirect reference to their close neighborship and a reference to her extreme heedfulness of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), her vast knowledge about his states, and her closeness to him. She then reported that she did not memorize the Surat of {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur'an} except by hearing it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as he used to recite it every Friday on the pulpit when delivering the Khutbah to people. Perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) chose Surat Qāf because of the lessons and the powerful deterrents it includes, in addition to some of the horrors of the Day of Judgment, including death and resurrection, Paradise and Hellfire, besides the fact that the speech of Allah Almighty is more effective in preaching.
The Hadīth indicates reciting the Qur’an in the Khutbah and reciting Surat Qāf..

874

‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah reported: He saw Bishr ibn Marwān on the pulpit raising his hands, so he said: "May Allah disfigure these hands! I saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing no more than this with his hand." He pointed with his Musabbihah finger (forefinger). [Another version reads]: I saw Bishr ibn Marwān on Friday raising his hands, so, ‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah said...and he related a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) never feared the reproach of any critic concerning Allah and were never prevented by people's prestige from saying the truth if witnessed or knew it, even if the evildoer was from the notables. An example is this Hadīth as ‘Umārah ibn Ru’aybah (may Allah be pleased with him) criticized Bishr ibn Marwān ibn al-Hakam ibn Abi al-‘Ās ibn ’Umayyah al-’Umawi al-Madani - one of the rulers of Banu ’Umayyah - for raising his hands during the Friday Khutbah while supplicating on the pulpit, as mentioned in the version of Abu Dāwūd. ‘Umārah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "May Allah disfigure these hands" that were raised during supplication contrary to the Sunnah. This apparently signifies supplicating against him for opposing the act of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this respect. It is also said that it signifies the ugliness of his deed. Then, he reported that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing no more than gesturing in the Khutbah with the Musabbihah (forefinger) during the supplication, i.e., he pointed with it just as he used to raise it during the Tashahhud. The "Musabbihah" is the finger next to the thumb, and it was called so because of pointing with it when declaring Tawhīd (monotheism) and when making Tasbīh (glorifying Allah). It was also called "Sabbābah" because people usually use it to refer to "sabb" (insulting, swearing).
The Hadīth shows that the preacher should not raise his hand while supplicating during the Friday Khutbah..

876

Abu Rifā‘ah reported: I came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was giving a sermon, and I said: "O Messenger of Allah, a stranger has come to inquire about his religion. He has no knowledge about his religion." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) turned to me, left his sermon, and came to me. A chair was brought - and I thought its legs were made of iron - and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on it and started teaching me of what Allah taught him. Then, he resumed his sermon and completed it..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to care about the conditions and circumstances of people and facilitate things for them. Indeed, he was gentle, compassionate, and humble to the Muslims.
In this Hadīth, Abu Rifā‘ah al-‘Adawi (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was delivering a sermon to the people one day, Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and said: "O Messenger of Allah, a stranger," a stranger is a person away from his homeland. "has come to inquire about his religion," i.e., about the matters and legislations of Islam. "He has no knowledge about his religion," because no one has taught him. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned to him, left his sermon, and walked until he reached Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him). The Companions brought him a chair whose legs Abu Abu Rifā‘ah thought were made of iron. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sat on the chair, so that the Companions could see him and learn from him. He began to teach Abu Rifā‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) the matters of Islam he needed to learn. Then, after he had finished teaching him, he returned to his place and completed his sermon to the end.
It was said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the sermon and turned to this man to teach him because it was incumbent upon him right away, and because he feared he might miss that, and because this did not contradict the sermon he was giving. His walk and closeness to him at that moment was a desire to seize the opportunity and show care to the questioner.
In the Hadīth: The humbleness of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)
And in it: The gentleness of the questioner and the good way of presenting his question.

877

Ibn Abi Rāfi‘ reported: Marwān appointed Abu Hurayrah to be in charge of Madīnah on his behalf, and he set out for Makkah. Abu Hurayrah led us in the Friday prayer and recited after Surat al-Jumu‘ah in the last Rak‘ah (unit of prayer) Surat: {When the hypocrites come to you}. When he left, I caught up with Abu Hurayrah and told him: You recited two Surahs that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib used to recite in Al-Kūfah. Abu Hurayrah said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting them on Friday. [Another version reads]: Marwān appointed Abu Hurayrah to be in charge of...relating a similar Hadīth; however, he said: He recited Surat al-Jumu‘ah in the first Sajdah (Rak‘ah) and the last one Surat: {When the hypocrites come to you}..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to learn from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and then apply what they learned. Hence, many of their acts were compatible with one another despite them being in different places.
In this Hadīth, 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Rāfi' al-Madani, the Prophet's freed slave, narrates that Marwān ibn al-Hakam, the ruler of Madīnah during the era of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), appointed Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) to be in charge of Madīnah on his behalf and he himself left for Makkah. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in the Friday prayer and recited in the first Rak‘ah Surat al-Jumu‘ah, and the last Rak‘ah, he recited Surat al-Munāfiqūn. After finishing the prayer, Ibn Abi Rāfi‘ went to Abu Hurayrah and said: You recited two Surahs that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite in Kūfah when leading people in prayer. It is as if ‘Ubaydullah was wondering: Is there a cause behind this concord? Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the reason why they both recited these Surahs in the same prayer despite the distance between them is that: he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reciting them on Friday. The reason behind this could be the fact that Surat al-Jumu'ah makes a mention of the Friday prayer and its high status and because Surat al-Munāfiqūn rebukes the hypocrites and urges them to repent since they used to attend the Friday prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and used to gather therein, so, perhaps what is in this Surah would act as a deterrent, an alert, and a warning for them..

878

An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} on the two Eids and on Friday. He said: If Eid and Friday fell on the same day, he would also recite them in the two prayers..

Commentary : The best guidance is that of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) transmitted his guidance in everything. Among them is the Hadīth narrated by An-Nu‘mān ibn Bashīr (may Allah be pleased with him) about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the prayers of the two Eids and Friday. He said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the prayer of Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Ad'ha, and in the Friday prayer: the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably chose these two Surahs because they contain mention of the affairs of the Hereafter and the promise of reward and the threat of punishment, which are appropriate for people in such a well-attended prayer. If Eid and Friday fell on the same day, he would also recite these two Surahs in the two prayers, to make prayer light for people.
And in it: It is recommended to recite the Surah of {Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High} and the Surah of {Has there come to you the story of the Overwhelming Event?} on the two Eids and Friday..

879

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the Fajr prayer on Friday: {Alif Lām Mīm. The revelation} (Surat as-Sajdah) and {Was there not a period of time when man} (Surat al-Insān). And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the Friday prayer Surat al-Jumu‘ah and Surat al-Munāfiqūn..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen on following the Prophet's Sunnah. They were quite aware of the details of his honorable Sunnah, what he used to recite in every prayer and whether he lengthened or shortened it, etc.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to regularly recite Surat as-Sajdah in the first Rak'ah (unit of prayer) of the Fajr prayer every Friday. In contrast, in the second Rak'ah, he used to recite Surat al-Insān: {Was there not a period of time when man}. The reason behind this could be what is included in these two Surahs mentioning what happened and what will happen in the beginning and the Hereafter, like the creation of Adam (peace be upon him), gathering the creatures and resurrecting them from the graves to Paradise and Hellfire, the situations of the Day of Judgment, which will occur on Friday.
Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) also reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite Surat al-Jumu'ah in the first Rak'ah of the Friday prayer, and in the Second Rak'ah he used to recite Surat al-Munāfiqūn. The reason behind this could be the fact that Surat al-Jumu'ah makes a mention of the Friday prayer and its high status and because Surat al-Munāfiqūn rebukes the hypocrites and urges them to repent since they used to attend the Friday prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and used to gather therein, so, perhaps what is in this Surah would act as a deterrent, an alert, and a warning for them..

881

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If you pray after the Friday prayer, pray four (Rak‘ahs)." [In a version]: Suhayl said: "If you are in a hurry on account of something, then offer two Rak‘ahs in the mosque and two Rak‘ahs when you go back.".

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. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated its Sunnahs and etiquettes.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs anyone who wants to offer a supererogatory prayer after the Friday prayer in the mosque to pray four Rak‘ahs.
It is related in a version that ‘Umar an-Nāqid added in his version: ‘Abdullāh ibn Idrīs reported that Suhayl ibn Abi Sālih said to him: "If you are in a hurry on account of something," i.e., if you are prompted by anything to quickly leave the mosque after the Friday prayer, "then offer two Rak‘ahs in the mosque" after the Friday prayer; then, you can go and engage in whatever you want, then pray two Rak‘ahs at home when you go back. In the version by Abu Dāwūd, it was the father of Suhayl who said that to Suhayl. So, it is probable that he was first exhorted by his father to do that, and then Suhayl exhorted his student Ibn Idrīs to do the same.
It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not pray after the Friday prayer until he departed, and he would then pray two Rak‘ahs," i.e., at home. Part of what was said about reconciling these two Hadīths is that if he prayed in the mosque, he would pray four Rak‘ahs, and if he prayed at home, he would pray two Rak‘ahs. It was also said: It may be taken on the basis that the regular Sunnah of the Friday prayer consists of six Rak‘ahs. And it was said: He would pray two Rak‘ahs in the mosque and two Rak‘ahs at home after he returned..

883

‘Umar ibn ‘Atā’ ibn Abi al-Khuwār reported that Nāfi' ibn Jubayr sent him to As-Sā’ib nephew of Namir to ask him about something that Mu‘āwiyah had seen him doing in prayer. He said: "Yes, I performed the Friday prayer along with him in the enclosure, and when the Imām concluded the prayer with Taslīm, I stood up in my place and prayed. When Mu‘āwiyah went in, he sent for me and said: 'Never do again what you did. When you have observed the Friday prayer, do not start another prayer until you speak to someone or you leave, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us not to follow up a prayer with another prayer until we talk or leave.'" [In a version]: The same text, except that he said: when he concluded the prayer with Taslīm, I stood up in my place. He did not mention the Imām..

Commentary : The Tābi‘īs (may Allah have mercy upon them) were most keen on learning knowledge and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as they observed all aspects of the Prophet's Sunnah and were keen to teach them to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘ī ‘Umar ibn ‘Atā’ says that Nāfi’ ibn Jubayr sent him to the Companion As-Sā’ib nephew of Namir (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about something that Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was then the Commander of the Faithful, had seen As-Sā’ib do in prayer, and of which Mu‘āwiyah had expressed disapproval. He said: 'Yes' i.e., I will answer your question. He informed him that he offered the Friday prayer with Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) in the enclosure, a chamber in the mosque for the caliphs and governors. Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first to establish it, after one of the Khrijites struck him and attempted to kill him. So, he wanted to protect himself therein. When the Imām made Taslīm, As-Sā’ib stood up in his place where he offered the Friday prayer to perform the supererogatory prayer, without anything that separates it from the obligatory prayer. As Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) entered his house, he sent a messenger to call him. When he went to him, he said to him: Never do what you did again, offering the supererogatory prayer in the place of the obligatory prayer directly thereafter. If you have performed the Friday prayer, do not couple it with another prayer, until you speak to someone or move from the place of your prayer. For example, he may offer the supererogatory prayer at home. This is intended to safeguard the obligatory prayer, lest anyone may add to it what is not part of it with the passage of time, and lest ignorant people may think the supererogatory prayer is part of the obligatory one. Then, Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them not to follow up a prayer with another prayer until they speak or leave the mosque or the place of the obligatory prayer, by moving from it.
In the Hadīth: Separating the supererogatory prayer from the obligatory one, either by speaking or by moving from its place
And in it: The ruler should give sincere advice to his subjects and demonstrate what is correct to them..

885

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: I prayed with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) on the day of Eid. He commenced with the prayer before the sermon, without Adhān or Iqāmah. He then stood up leaning on Bilāl, and he commanded people to fear Allah and obey Him, and he preached to the people and reminded them. He then walked until he reached the women, and he preached and admonished them, and then said to them: "Give charity, for the majority of you will be the firewood of Hellfire." A woman amid the crowd, with dark spots on her cheeks, said: "Why is that so, O Messenger of Allah?" He said: "Because you often complain and show ingratitude to your spouses." Thus, they began to donate their jewelry, like earrings and rings, throwing them in Bilāl's garment..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) cared about the sermon on the day of Eid, for the people would gather in it, so the benefit would be all-inclusive, and knowledge would spread.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he attended the Eid prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on Eid al-Fitr or Eid al-Ad'ha. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Eid prayer first, and he then delivered the Eid sermon, and the Eid prayer did not have Adhān or Iqāmah. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up to give the sermon after the end of the Eid prayer, leaning on Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him). He commanded those in attendance to fear Allah in all their conditions; that is to put a shield between them and the punishment of Allah, by fulfilling His commands and avoiding His prohibitions. And he enjoined and encouraged them to obey Allah Almighty. "and he preached to the people," i.e., he commanded them to do what is right and good, as well as some admonition, and reminded them of Allah. Then, he went and left the place of his sermon to the men until he reached the women's praying place to give them a sermon. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) preached to the women and reminded them of Allah, saying: "Give charity," i.e., pay charity from your wealth; "for the majority of you will be the firewood of Hellfire," as Allah Almighty says: {then beware of the Fire whose fuel will be people and stones.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 24] Firewood: dry wood is used as fuel for inflaming. The meaning here: Most women will be the fuel of Hellfire. Thereupon, a woman stood up from the midst of women, "with dark spots on her cheeks," i.e., the color of her cheeks turned black. She asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the reason for that. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her that this is because women often complain and are not content with what is little, "and show ingratitude to your spouses," i.e., you are ungrateful for the kindness of your husbands, and you deny their rights upon you. He explained that in another version of the Two Sahīh Collections by saying: "If you have always been good to one of them and then she sees something from you (not of her liking), she will say: I have never seen any good from you." So, she meets this kindness with ingratitude and denial. Ingratitude dominates her attitude, as if she insists on it, and insistence turns a minor sin into a major one. This is because the rights of the husband are great, and she is required to show gratitude to him and acknowledge his favor, as he takes care of her affairs and protects and preserves her, and he exerts himself in doing so. Indeed, Allah enjoins anyone to whom a favor is done to show gratitude for it. So, what about the favors the husband generously bestows upon his wife for her entire life?!
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that when the women heard that, they gave charity from the jewelry and adornment they were wearing and put the charity in the lap of Bilāl, who was stretching out his garment to collect charity from them. "like earrings," jewelry hung in the ears. "and rings," jewelry worn on fingers.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating that the Eid prayer is to be performed before the sermon, not thereafter, and that it has no Adhān or Iqāmah.
And in it: Urging the giving of charity
And in it: Warning women of much complaining and of showing ingratitude to their husbands
And in it: Delivering a particular sermon for women on Eid.

886

Ibn ‘Abbās and Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Ansāri reported: No Adhān (call to prayer) used to be made on the Day of Fitr or the Day of Ad'ha. Then, after a while, I asked him about this, and he informed me. He said: Jābir ibn' Abdullah al-Ansāri told me that no Adhān should be made for prayer on the Day of Fitr, neither when the Imam comes out nor after he comes out, and there should be no Iqāmah (second call to prayer), no call, and nothing at all. No call and no Iqāmah should be made on that day..

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals part of the Prophet's guidance concerning the two Eid prayers and how he used to perform them without Adhān or Iqāmah. 'Abdullah ibn' Abbās and Jābir ibn' Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrate that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out to the praying area on the day of Eid, no Adhān was made for him neither on the Day of Fitr nor on the Day of Ad'ha.
Ibn Jurayj - one of the Hadīth narrators - reported that he asked his Shaykh, ‘Atā’ ibn Rabāh, after a long time about making Adhān and Iqāmah for the Eid prayer. He informed him that Jābir ibn' Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) told him that no Adhān or Iqāmah should be made for the Eid prayer, whether before or after the Imam comes out. Calling to this prayer, using whatever wording, has not been reported, including the statement said by some: "As-salātu jāmi'ah" (come to congregational prayer). He then repeated his words: "No call and no Iqāmah should be made on that day" for the sake of confirmation. There is no need to notify people of the Eid prayer as the Day of Eid is already known and is an occasion for gatherings, and people typically get ready for such a gathering. Therefore, their gathering for this occasion makes the call unnecessary, as the purpose is achieved through making Takbīr (proclaiming Allah's greatness) and attendance. Then, when the Imam stands up and orders them to straighten the rows or when he makes Takbīr, they know that the prayer has started, and after the prayer, he delivers the Eid Khutbah (sermon)..

887

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I performed the two Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), not only once or twice, without Adhān or Iqāmah..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has made Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Ad'ha for the Muslims to be happy for the completion of Allah's favor upon them after performing two obligatory acts, namely fasting Ramadān and making Hajj to the Sacred House. These two days have rulings, Sunnah acts, and etiquettes. This Hadīth reveals part of the Prophet's guidance concerning the two Eid prayers. Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he witnessed the two Eid prayers with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - so, he was reporting what he saw and did with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - without Adhān or Iqāmah. Instead, people used to come out, and once the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) arrived, they would pray without Adhān or Iqāmah since there is no need for both of them as the Day of Eid is already known and is an occasion for gathering and people usually get ready for such a gathering. Hence, their gathering for this occasion makes the call useless except for declaring the start of the prayer itself, which is achieved through making Takbīr (proclaiming Allah's greatness) and attendance. Then, after the prayer, he would deliver the Eid Khutbah (sermon). His statement: "not only once or twice," i.e., rather many times.
The Hadīth clarifies how the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reported the Prophet's guidance to teach the Muslims his Sunnah..

891

‘Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb asked Abu Wāqid al-Laithi: "What did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to recite in Eid al-Ad'ha and Eid al-Fitr?" He said: "He used to recite in both of them the Surah of: {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an!} and the Surah of: {The Hour has drawn near, and the moon has split asunder.}".

Commentary : Prayer is a Tawqifiyyah (determined) act of worship. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught us the way of performing it and its Sunnahs and etiquettes. This Hadīth presents part of the Prophet's guidance in the prayers of the two Eids. The Tābi‘i ‘Ubaydullāh ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ūd al-Hudhali says that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Companion Abu Wāqid al-Laithi (may Allah be pleased with him) about what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite after Al-Fātihah in the two Rak‘ahs of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Ad'ha. ‘Umar's question about this matter - the like of which was not unknown to him - may be rooted in the desire that he should tell him whether he memorized it or not, or he may have entertained doubt, or he may have been in dispute with someone else over this matter, and so he wanted to cite his statement, or he may have forgotten it. In response, Abu Wāqid (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to recite in the first Rak‘ah Surat Qāf, which begins with: {Qāf. By the Glorious Qur’an!} And in the second Rak‘ah, Surat al-Qamar, which starts with: {The Hour has drawn near and the moon has split asunder.}
The wisdom behind reciting them lies in the fact that they both contain information related to the Resurrection, the past nations, the destruction of the deniers, and the resemblance of people emerging for Eid to their emerging for the Resurrection and their coming out of the graves like scattered locusts - and Allah knows best.
In the Hadīth: If anyone finds any of the matters of knowledge confusing or unclear to him, he should ask a knowledgeable person about it..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

‘Aasim narrated:
I heard Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), "Have you ever heard that the Prophet ﷺsaid, 'There is no alliance in Islam?' " He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "The Prophet ﷺ made alliance between the people of Quraysh and the Ansaar in my own house."
.

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had given him sheep to distribute between his Companions and a male kid was left (after the distribution). When he informed the Prophet ﷺof it, he said (to him), "Offer it as a sacrifice on your behalf."
.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "There is none amongst Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a (rewardable) charitable act for him."
.

Aboo Umaamah Al-Baahilee (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I saw a plowshare and some agricultural equipment and said: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: "There is no house in which such equipment enter except that Allah, Exalted is He, will cause humiliation to enter it."
.

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I performed the two Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), not only once or twice, without Adhān or Iqāmah..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

‘Aasim narrated: I heard Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), "Have you ever heard that the Prophet ﷺsaid, 'There is no alliance in Islam?' " He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "The Prophet ﷺ made alliance between the people of Quraysh and the Ansaar in my own house." .

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had given him sheep to distribute between his Companions and a male kid was left (after the distribution). When he informed the Prophet ﷺof it, he said (to him), "Offer it as a sacrifice on your behalf." .

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "There is none amongst Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a (rewardable) charitable act for him." .

Aboo Umaamah Al-Baahilee (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I saw a plowshare and some agricultural equipment and said: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: "There is no house in which such equipment enter except that Allah, Exalted is He, will cause humiliation to enter it." .

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I performed the two Eid prayers with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), not only once or twice, without Adhān or Iqāmah..

‘Aasim narrated:
I heard Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him), "Have you ever heard that the Prophet ﷺsaid, 'There is no alliance in Islam?' " He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "The Prophet ﷺ made alliance between the people of Quraysh and the Ansaar in my own house."
.

‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had given him sheep to distribute between his Companions and a male kid was left (after the distribution). When he informed the Prophet ﷺof it, he said (to him), "Offer it as a sacrifice on your behalf."
.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "There is none amongst Muslims who plants a tree or sows seeds, and then a bird, or a person or an animal eats from it, but is regarded as a (rewardable) charitable act for him."
.

Aboo Umaamah Al-Baahilee (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I saw a plowshare and some agricultural equipment and said: "I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying: "There is no house in which such equipment enter except that Allah, Exalted is He, will cause humiliation to enter it."
.