| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1846

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (ra): Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) entered Makkah in the year of its Conquest wearing a Mighfar on his head and when the Prophet (ﷺ) took it off, a person came and said, "Ibn Khatal is holding the covering of the Ka`bah (taking refuge in the Ka`bah)." The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Kill him."
.

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ and the Muslims departed from Makkah oppressed, then returned as victors after the Quraysh violated the covenant which existed between them and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ as stipulated in the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. The Conquest of Makkah is the greatest victory of the Muslims and heralded that the sun of disbelief and polytheism has set in the Arabian Peninsula.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) reports that when the Prophet ﷺentered Makkah in the Year of the Conquest, - which is the eighth year after Hijrah - he had a mighfar on his head, which is a protective helmet with a piece of chain mail connected to it, which warriors wear in combat in order to protect themselves. It has been transmitted on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (ra) that on the Day of the Conquest, the Messenger of Allah ﷺentered Makkah wearing a black turban.” [Saheeh Muslim]. It is possible that the helmet was above the turban, protecting his noble head from the rust of iron, or that the turban was over the helmet and chain mail. Or that he ﷺ first entered the city with the helmet on his head, then removed it and put on the turban after that, and each of the narrators reported what they saw.

After the Prophet ﷺ took off the helmet, a man - whose name is Aboo Barzah Nadlah ibn ‘Ubayd al-Aslamee (ra) or Sa’eed ibn Hurayth (ra) - came to him ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Ibn Khatal is clinging to the curtain of the Ka‘bah.” Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ issued his order to kill him.

Ibn Khatal’s name used to be ‘Abd al-‘Uzzaa in the time of ignorance before the Islam. He was from the tribe of Banee Taym ibn Fihr ibn Ghaalib. When he embraced Islam, the Messenger of Allah ﷺnamed him ‘Abdullah, and his given name was Khatal ‘Abd Manaaf. The word Khatal was his epithet because one of his jawbones was lower than the other.

The Prophet ﷺhad sent Ibn Khatal to a place with a man who was one of the Ansaar, to collect alms, and was invested with authority over the other man. But when they both were on the way, Ibn Khatal killed the man who was with him from the Ansaar, took his money and belongings. When he returned to Makkah, he brought along two singing female slaves who sang insults about the Prophet ﷺ. Thereafter, the Prophet ﷺ had excluded him from the amnesty which he ﷺ had offered to those who entered the Sacred Mosque during the Conquest of Makkah. He ﷺhad ordered for Ibn Khatal to be killed, even if he was found clinging to the curtains of the Ka‘bah. As a result, Aboo Barzah (ra) killed him, with Sa’eed ibn Hurayth (raa) participating in the act. It may have been Sa’eed ibn Thu’ayb or al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwaam (ras). Ibn Khatal was executed between the site where Ibraheem (as) stood near the Ka‘bah (i.e., the maqam of Ibraheem) and the well of Zamzam; and it was done so for the treacherous acts he committed while being a legally responsible member of the early Islamic community. Therefore, he was executed in retribution for the blood of the Muslim he killed, and then later apostatized from the religion, which was analogous to high treason.

This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of entering Makkah without being in the consecrated state one enters for Hajj or ‘Umrah (i.e., Ihraam).

It shows the permissibility of administering the fixed punishments (Hudood) and retributions (Qisaas) in Makkah.

It also shows that the Ka‘bah does not protect the offender, nor does it prevent the local leadership from issuing an obligatory fixed punishment.

It also highlights the permissibility of wearing a mighfar, and other instruments of war in case of fear of engaging with the enemy, and that does not contradict one’s complete reliance and trust in Allah.

And lastly, it establishes the permissibility of informing the authorities of corrupt people, and that this is not considered a prohibited form of backbiting and talebearing..

1852

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): A woman from the tribe of Juhaynah came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "My mother had vowed to perform Hajj, but she died before performing it. May I perform Hajj on my mother's behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied, "Perform Hajj on her behalf. Had there been a debt on your mother, would you have paid it or not? So, pay Allah's debt as He has more right to be paid."
.

Commentary : The vow is an act of worship and pious deed that should not be done for anyone except Allah. He, The Mighty and Majestic, has praised the worship of His righteous servants; promised them rewards and recompense; and mentioned that some of their qualities is fulfilling their vows when He says: {They fulfil their vows} [Quran 76:7].

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that a woman from the Juhaynah tribe came and asked the Prophet ﷺ about the legal verdict for completing the Hajj on behalf of her mother who died yet vowed to perform it but did not complete it before her passing. The Prophet ﷺ said to her: “Perform the Hajj on her behalf.” Then, the Prophet ﷺlikened the Hajj that her mother owes to a debt, and it is incumbent to fulfil it, because it is a right due to a person; and the fulfilment of a vow is a right that Allah, The Almighty has over His creation. Therefore, fulfilling His right is more binding and deserving to observe than the rights of man.

Perhaps, the Prophet ﷺallowed her to perform the Hajj on behalf of her mother with the understanding that the woman had already performed the obligatory Hajj for herself first; and then desired to perform it on behalf of her mother. This is based on a hadeeth transmitted by Aboo Daawood, on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra), who narrates: “that the Prophet ﷺonce heard a man say: ‘Here I am O Allah on behalf of Shubrumah.” To which, The Messenger of Allah ﷺasked: “Who is Shubrumah?” The man replied: ‘A brother or close relative of mine.’ He ﷺ said in return: “Have you performed the Hajj on behalf of yourself?” The man said: ‘No.’ The Prophet then said: ‘Perform the Hajj for yourself, then perform it on Shubrumah’s behalf.” In some wordings of the hadeeth, it has been related: “This Hajj is for yourself, then perform the pilgrimage on behalf of Shubrumah.”

This hadeeth shows the permissibility of performing Hajj on behalf of the deceased and the permissibility of vowing to perform the Hajj.

It highlights the permissibility that one can make analogies and offering examples so that the person listening can makes themselves clearer and make an impact on the minds of those listening and make it easier for them to understand.

It shows that likening something that is dissimilar can be equivocated to something that is agreed upon.

It highlights that it is recommended for the scholar who is issuing fatwa to warn others with regard to the evidence he provides, if it results in a benefit and is more appeasing to the inquirer and encouraging that he will comply.

And lastly, it strongly encourages filial piety, reverence, and devotion to parents by fulfilling their vows and debts..

1857

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): I came riding on my she-ass and had (just) then attained the age of puberty. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) was praying at Minaa. I passed in front of a part of the first row and then dismounted from it, and the animal started grazing. I aligned with the people behind Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (The sub-narrator added that happened in Minaa during the Prophet's Farewell Hajj)
.

Commentary : The noble Companions (ras) were eager to be close to the Prophet ﷺ and ensured to accompany him ﷺ at his residence and travels. They transmitted to us what they observed and what transpired amongst them in his presence so that we can take lessons and embrace the examples provided by him.

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that he set out to perform the Hajj with the Prophet ﷺ, which was on the Farewell Pilgrimage that occurred in the tenth year after Hijrah. He clarifies that he was approaching the age of puberty; that is to say: just a short time before he reached puberty. He was thirteen years and a few months old at that time.

He came to the Prophet ﷺ, who was at the time standing and leading the prayer at Minaa - which is a valley near the Sacred Precinct of Makkah that the pilgrims descend into for the purpose of staying overnight on the Day of Quenching Thirst (i.e. the first day of Hajj, alias Day of Tarwiyah), and the three days after Eid al-Ad-haa in order to throw their pebbles at the three pillars which are known as the Jamaraat - while riding a female donkey (Arabic: ataan) - which is a name of a genus of donkeys that is used for both male and female donkeys - then he passed in between the first prayer row with the donkey; and that was because the Prophet ﷺ served as a barrier for those praying behind him ﷺ. In a report transmitted by al-Bukhaaree, it has been narrated that “he ﷺ led the people in prayer at Minaa without a barricade in front of him” Then, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) dismounted from the she-ass and stood with the people in the row behind the Messenger of Allah ﷺand made the animal walk so that it could graze and eat. And he (ra) added in a narration reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that: “no one objected to me about it.”

This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of children performing the Hajj. And it shows that the barrier utilized by the prayer leader is a barrier for those praying behind him, or that the prayer leader, himself, is one for those who stand behind him in prayer.

And lastly, it highlights that we may endure some unpleasant scenarios when the benefits that result in the outcome may outweigh the harm..

1858

Narrated ‘Aaishah raa: “The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told me, “If your people were not closer to the era of disbelief, I would have demolished the House and would have built it on the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) – as Quraysh shortened its construction – and I would have made a back door for it.”
.

Commentary : The description of the construction of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) of the House was that it was curved around the two corners of al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee; thus, the Hijr of Ismaa’eel was a part of it, and it had two corners, which are the two Yamaanee corners. But when Quraysh built it in the pre-Islamic era, they made four corners for it, and placed the Hijr of Ismaa’eel behind it, as they wanted to perfectly complete the circumambulation of the Ka’bah, and it is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. Hence, al-Hijr is part of the Ka’bah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah raa reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed her that were Quraysh not new to Islam (i.e., they are still not yet firm in Islam and completely detached from the traces of the pre-Islam) and were there no fear of the hearts denying it, then he ﷺwould have demolished the Sacred House and would have rebuilt it upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). The Prophet ﷺadded that he ﷺwould have placed a back exit, meaning, a back door. It is reported in the authentic hadeeth that he ﷺsaid: “I would have placed two doors for it, one door for people to enter and the other door for them to exit.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
He ﷺmentioned to her that Quraysh shortened the construction of the House, meaning, they reduced it to its presently built size and did not build the full House upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem; due to the shortage of funds which they collected to complete its construction. This is because they had stipulated beforehand that the money that will be used to construct the Ka’bah will be the purest of wealth and that it will not contain in it any money earned from prohibited or evil sources.
This hadeeth serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils in order to repel the greater of them – that is to say, making no changes to the current construction of the Ka’bah is less in harm than the dissension of some Muslims and their turning away from their religion.
It also serves as a proof for the famous maxim: “Repelling the harm takes priority over obtaining benefits.”
From the other benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite)..

1858

Narrated al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed: (While in the company of my parents) I was made to perform Hajj with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I was a seven-year-old boy then.
.

Commentary : Islam places conditions on legal accountability, and mandatory obligations upon the Muslim, including that he performs the Hajj if he has attained puberty, is of sound mind, free, and is able to do so.

In this hadeeth, al-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed (ra) reports that he was one of those who went for Hajj while still a young boy, and he was seven years old at the time he performed it. He mentions that he did it with the Prophet ﷺduring the Farewell Pilgrimage in the tenth year after Hijrah. Thus, the pilgrimage is valid for a child, and he will be rewarded for it; however, it does not suffice him as a fulfilment of the religious duty in performing the Hajj itself.

It is reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) that a woman lifted one of her children and called out: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Is there a Hajj for this [little] one?’ He ﷺresponded by saying: ‘Yes, and you will be rewarded” [Saheeh Muslim].

One benefit that we can conclude from this hadeeth, is learning the permissibility and validity of a child performing the Pilgrimage..

1860

Narrated Ibraaheem from his father from his grandfather that 'Umar(ra) in his last Hajj allowed the wives of the Prophet(ﷺ) to perform Hajj and he sent with them 'Uthmaan ibn 'Affaan(ra) and 'Abd al-Rahmaan ibn 'Awf(ra) as escorts..

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) was firm about the truth, and did not fear the censure of the rebuker for the sake of Allah. If the truth appeared in something other than what he deemed correct, he (ra) would relinquish his position immediately.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (i.e. one of the early successors to the noble Companions (ras)) Ibraaheem ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf reports that the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (ra) allowed the wives of the Prophet (ﷺ)to go on Hajj during the last one that he (ra) performed, since ‘Umar (ra) did not permit them to go on Hajj after he became the Caliph of the Muslims, based on what The Almighty says: {and remain in your homes} [Quran 33:33]. He used to believe that it was prohibited for them to travel initially. Then, its permissibility became apparent to him, so he allowed them to do so towards the end of his caliphate. So, they set out to perform the Hajj, except for two of the Mothers of the Believers: Zaynab bint Jahsh (raa) and Sawdah bint Zam‘ah (raa). Thus, The Prophet’s wives performed the pilgrimage, except for them; as they both said: “No beast shall move us after the Messenger of Allah said: This is your Hajj, afterwards stay at home and recline on the tops of mats,” as has been mentioned in the Musnad of Ahmad. The mat referred to in the hadeeth is called Husr in Arabic, which is a mat woven and made out of palm leaves and the like and was spread out and used to furnish the home. What is meant by this statement: is that this Hajj was the one that they should obligatorily perform during their lives; and after completing it; they should remain in their homes and sit atop the furnished mats in their homes; and not leave unnecessarily. Some of the Mothers of the Believers interpreted that what was meant by the hadeeth is that nothing was obligatory upon them other than this pilgrimage. But anything more than that was considered supererogatory. This understanding is reaffirmed by the hadeeth narrated by the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishaa (raa), who relates: “Rather, the best struggle for you, women, is to partake in the performance of the Hajj, and complete it as I have performed it.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]

‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab sent ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan and ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf (ras) along with them when he permitted them to offer the pilgrimage. Trustworthy women also accompanied the wives on their Hajj, and they took the place of a mahram. The other interpretation is that it may be seen that every man is a mahram to them because they are the Mothers of the Believers. ‘Uthmaan used to call out to those around and announce: “No one is to approach them, nor extend a gaze upon them at all, except for a blink of an eye while they are in their howdahs atop of their camels,” as it is mentioned in al-Sunnah al-Kabeer by Imam al-Bayhaqee..

1862

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "A woman may not travel, unless she is accompanied by a mahram, and no man may visit her except in the presence of a Mahram." A man got up and said, "O Allah's Messenger! I intend to go with the such-and-such army, but my wife wants to perform Hajj." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to him), "Go along with her (to Hajj).
.

Commentary : Women have a significant position in Islam. The religion raises her status, safeguards her, and orders for her: care, support, and patronage in all situations, whether it be in the city, or during travel.

In this hadeeth, there is an illustration of Islam’s protection for women, and its care and concern for them; where the Prophet ﷺ said: “A woman may not travel, unless she is accompanied by a mahram.” A mahram for a woman is anyone who is permanently forbidden from marrying her due to a permitted reason, such as the father, son, the nephews of fellow siblings, the paternal uncle, the maternal uncle, and the like. So, anything designated as travel is forbidden for a woman without having a husband or mahram in her company.

The Prophet ﷺadded that nor may a man come up to her unless a mahram is with her to show that it is not permissible for a marriageable man to be alone with her; unless one of her mahram is with her because blocking the means to evil is a legitimate objective. Preventing travel and the possibility of marriageable men being alone with women blocks countless means in which wrongdoing may occur, and prevents the temptation of women, which is the strongest trial for men.

Upon hearing this prohibition, one of the Companions (ra)- and he wanted to head out to battle with the Messenger ﷺ - said to the Prophet ﷺ that his wife wanted to perform the Hajj, while he desired to set out for battle against the enemy. So, which concern should he tend to? The Prophet ﷺbided him to set out with his wife and perform the Hajj, so that he may act as a mahram for her and that she may be able to fulfil the obligatory religious duty incumbent upon her. This is because warding off and repelling the enemy is a communal obligation; whereas if it was an individual obligation, it would have taken precedence over departing with her, as can be understood from the authentic hadeeths.

This hadeeth highlights that avoiding corruption takes precedence over bringing about benefits and the good.

It explicitly highlights the prohibition of being alone with marriageable people.

It shows that a man performing Hajj with his wife when she desires to go is superior to his travels in preparation for combat, and that we should give precedence and take caution and care over the most important concerns and distinguish them from matters which conflict with them.

And lastly, it encourages the leader to be on the lookout for the interest of his people.
.

1863

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra): When the Prophet (ﷺ) returned after performing his Hajj, he asked Umm Sinaan Al-Ansaaree, "What did prevent you from performing Hajj?" She replied, "Father of so-and-so (i.e., her husband) had two camels and he performed Hajj on one of them, and the second is used for the irrigation of our land." The Prophet (ﷺ) said (to her), "Perform `Umrah in the month of Ramadan, as it is equivalent to Hajj or Hajj with me (in reward).
.

Commentary : It was the Prophet’s ﷺnoble nature to engage with his Companions and reverently inquiring about their performance of what was obligatory upon them and urge them towards good deeds.

In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺasked Umm Sinaan al-Ansaaree (raa) about the reason she did not partake in Hajj after returning from the Farewell Pilgrimage. To which, she told him ﷺthat what had prevented it was that she and her husband, AbooSinaan (ra) did not own any means of transportation except for two camels that carry water for drinking and irrigation. So, her husband went to perform the Hajj with one camel and left the other to irrigate the land which they owned. The Prophet ﷺcomforted her and told her about a deed equal in reward to the Hajj, and that was to perform an ‘Umrah during the month of Ramadan, because an ‘Umrah that is offered in Ramadan is equivalent in its reward to that of the Hajj - or performing the Hajj with him ﷺ, though the narrator doubted that. It does not mean that the ‘Umrah fulfils the necessity of performing the Hajj or takes its place in removing its obligation - even if it appears indicative as such. Rather, it is a mode of hyperbole by strengthening the expression and augmenting a deficiency with something that has been completed (i.e., the pilgrimage itself); in order to encourage its performance. This is similar to what has been reported about the Prophet ﷺstating that [the ayah]: {Say: “He is Allah, who is One and Indivisible} (Quran 112:1) is equivalent to one third of the Quran; where it’s narrated that reciting {Say: “He is Allah, who is One and Indivisible} (Quran 112:1) is equal to the reward of reciting a third of the Quran; but it is not equivalent to reciting a third of the Quran in actuality.

Two benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it highlights that the reward for doing good deeds increases with an increase of cherishing the sanctity of the time in worship, such as increasing the presence of one’s heart, and developing a sense of purpose and realization of their role in relation to Allah.

And lastly, it highlights the merit of performing ‘Umrah during Ramadan..

1864

Narrated Qaz’ah, the freed slave of Ziyaad: I heard Aboo Sa`eed (ra) -who participated in twelve military missions with the Prophet (ﷺ) -saying, "I heard four things from Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) (or I narrate them from the Prophet (ﷺ) which won my admiration and appreciation. They are: -1. "No woman should travel without her husband or without a Mahram for a two-days' journey. -2. No fasting is permissible on two days of `Eid al-Fitr, and `Eid al-Ad-ha. -3. No prayer may be offered after two prayers: after the `Asr prayer till the sun sets and after the morning prayer till the sun rises. -4. Not to travel (for the purpose of visiting) except for three mosques: Al-Masjid-al-Haram (in Makkah), my Mosque (in al-Madeenah), and al-Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).”
.

Commentary : The Companions (ras) were always eager to be near the Messenger of Allah ﷺ; so that: they could drink and be satiated from his ﷺknowledge and be led by his ﷺguidance. They have transmitted what they have learned from him ﷺto us; so, we may walk in his ﷺ path and follow his guidance. Verily, the Prophet ﷺ taught them all of the best in all of their affairs.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (i.e. one of the early successors to the Noble Companions (ras)) Qaza‘ah, the freed slave of Ziyaad mentions that he heard AbooSa‘eed al-Khudree (ra) - who fought with the Prophet ﷺin twelve military expeditions - relate that the Prophet ﷺsaid four statements that contain legal issues and rulings. These four declarations had left him in a state of awe and wonder. The two verbs in Arabic used in this hadeeth to describe Aboo Sa’eed’s amazement when hearing these statements have the same meaning, which is astonishment. That is because it is permissible in Arabic to repeat the meaning, due to the different pronunciation and wording. The Arabs do this a lot, as a means to add clarity and emphasis in their vernacular. Or the meaning of the verb used (‘aanawahu) could also mean that it caused him to be happy and delighted as well.

The first of these four statements is that a woman is prohibited from traveling for a two days journey (or longer) without her husband or one of her mahram accompanying her. The mahram for a woman is anyone who is permanently forbidden from marrying her due to a permitted reason related to its inviolable nature, like the father, son, the nephews of fellow siblings, the paternal uncle, the maternal uncle, and the like. It is reported on the authority of AbooHurayrah (ra) that the Prophet ﷺsaid: “A journey the length of a day and night.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim] It has also been transmitted in the same aforementioned works in a report narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (ra): “a three days journey.” There is no inconsistency or contradiction between them, however, because the wording differed according to the questioners and people directly involved in the correspondence of the reports. And in all of this, there is no definition in the least regarding what the word “travel” here consists of in regard to length. Nor did he ﷺmention a minimum limit of what is implied in the word ‘travel’ here. The upshot is that anything that may be considered as travel is forbidden for a woman without her husband or a mahram accompanying her - whether it is three days, two days, a single day, half of a day, or anything other than that. Likewise, accompanying a woman in any capacity is restricted to her husband or one of her mahram only; because that serves as a measure to safeguard herself, her honour, and wealth; due to her frailty and helplessness. And this is also due to women being a trial and are more likely to be coveted and desired by others, except in what Allah has created in the souls of man: a natural disposition and propensity to avoid forbidden relationships with kin.

The second is about the prohibition to fast on the ‘Eid holidays (i.e. ‘Eid al Fitr and ‘Eid al-Adhaa). He ﷺforbade fasting on ‘Eid al-Fitr, or the day when one ends their fast in Ramadan, so that there could be a separation between the act of fasting and breaking the fast.

And on ‘Eid al-Ad-haa, or the Day of the Sacrifice, because it is the day which Allah has called and invited His servants to host and honour the people of Minaa and others with what He has prescribed for them with regard to slaughtering a sacrificial animal and eating from it - regardless whether the Muslim fasts on these two days due in part to a vow he has made, or chooses to voluntarily fast, or as an act of expiation. And even if he vows to fast on these two days, his pledge is not settled or fulfilled, because it is a vow made in disobedience, since it is explicitly clear that it is prohibited to fast on these days.

The third is the prohibition of performing prayer after the afternoon prayer (i.e., ‘Asr) until the sun sets; and after dawn until the sun has risen to the height of a lance; which is close to a quarter, or third of an hour (i.e., fifteen to twenty minutes after sunrise). This is excluding prayers that have reasons as to why they are performed such as the performance of makeup prayers, the supererogatory prayer of greeting the mosque, and the like. The wisdom in prohibiting prayer during these two times is because these are the times when those who worship the sun pray; as well as that these are the two times when Satan approaches the sun, so that it is between his two horns.

And the fourth is the prohibition of setting out to travel anywhere except to the following three mosques: The Sacred Mosque in Makkah, The Prophet’s Mosque in al-Madeenah, and Masjid al-Aqsaa in Jerusalem. It is called Al-Aqsaa due to its distance away from The Sacred Mosque and is often translated as “The Furthest Mosque”.

His ﷺstatement: “Do not fasten the saddles to your camels with an intent to travel anywhere, except to these three sacred mosques” is a negation. It is meant to imply a prohibition and is more emphatic and rhetorical in the Arabic language than an outright, explicit prohibition. It is as if he ﷺis saying: ‘It is not upright to intend merely visiting any place, except for these sites; with the purpose of conferring honour and distinction to what distinguishes them from anywhere else.’

The Arabic word, rihaal, used in this hadeeth is the plural for a seat which is used on a camel; like a saddle is used for a horse; and “fastening the saddles'' is often designated as a metonymic phrase for going on a journey because it was a necessary thing to do in preparation for travel in those times, and is mentioned in a way that addressed the riding animal that most travellers rode in that region of world in those days. Otherwise, there is no difference between riding camels, horses, mules, donkeys, and other contemporary modes of transportation, such as: the airplane, car, and the like.

These three mosques are given preference over others because the first is where the people perform Hajj and is the direction to which they turn for prayer - both for the living and the deceased. The second was founded on piety and was built by the best of creation ﷺ, may Allah increase it in eminence. And the third was the direction of prayer for the previous nations.

This hadeeth highlights the significant position women have in Islam, which the religion raises her status, safeguards her, and orders for her: care, support, and patronage in all situations, whether it be in the city, or during travel.

It explains and mentions the times when prayer is prohibited.

And lastly, it highlights the merit the three sacred mosques have over others..

1865

Narrated Anas (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) saw an old man walking, supported by his two sons, and asked about him. The people informed him that he had vowed to go on foot (to the Ka`bah). He said, "Allah is not in need of this old man's torturing himself," and ordered him to ride.
.

Commentary : Allah does not burden any soul with anything other than what it can bear. The condition for legal responsibility and accountability for any action is knowledge, and the ability to act upon it. This is one of the foundations of Islamic law.

In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺsaw a very old man whose bones and strength had weakened and had gotten to the point where he was unable to walk except with the help of someone else. He walked while balancing himself between his sons i.e., he walked between both of them, leaning against them in the process. Then, The Prophet ﷺasked about his state: ‘What is the matter with this one who cannot control himself and almost falls to the ground due to sheer exhaustion and fatigue?’ The told him ﷺthat their father vowed to perform the pilgrimage to the House of Allah (i.e., the Ka‘bah) on foot. The Prophet ﷺdisapproved this action of his, and said: ‘Verily, Allah is not in need of this man torturing himself and burdening himself with something that he is incapable of and unable to do; since Allah, The Almighty, says: {Allah intends ease for you, not hardship} [Quran 2:185].” The Prophet ﷺthen ordered him to ride; due to his inability to fulfil his oath. This is a clear demonstration that the purpose of obligatory worship is not to afflict hardship or incapacitate. Rather, it is an indication of compliance and obedience with the command He has given, and no one is more merciful to creation itself than their Creator, The Almighty and Exalted Be He.

This hadeeth shows the facilitation the religion grants in times of need and hardship.

It highlights that the obligations of the religion and their observance is based upon the ability of the servant to act upon them.

And lastly, it demonstrates that Allah, The Almighty, possesses the attribute of Self-Sufficiency; and is Self-Sufficient by His Essence, and all of His creation are in need and dependent upon He, for All Glory is His Alone..

1866

Narrated ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir: My sister vowed to go on foot to the Ka`bah, and she asked me to take the verdict of the Prophet (ﷺ) about it. So, I did, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "She should walk and also should ride.".

Commentary : The vow is when the person makes an action that is not obligatory incumbent upon himself. So, if what was solemnly pledged was something feasible and was a pious deed not consisting of any sin; yet the servant is unable to fulfil it; then it must be fulfilled somehow. The religion grants facilitation and ease in fulfilling what has been vowed.

In this hadeeth, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (ra) reports that his sister had vowed to go on foot to the Ka‘bah. And when she felt distressed for not being able to fulfil her pledge, she requested her brother, ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Aamir (ra) to ask for the Messenger of Allah’s verdict on her behalf, saying: ‘Is it incumbent upon her to fulfil her vow even though she is unable to do so, or no?’ So, when he asked the Prophet ﷺ this question, he ﷺsaid to him: “Let her walk, and ride.” Meaning: let her walk for however long she is able to and let her ride when she is unable to walk.

It was said that: whoever vows to walk, it is not obligatory for him to do so; whether he is able to do so or not, because walking in and of itself is not an act of obedience. Rather, obedience in this regard pertains to reaching to that place one vowed to reach; like The Ancient House (i.e., an epithet for the Ka‘bah, see Quran 22:29 & 33). It is further added that there is no difference between walking and riding, and for that reason, the Prophet ﷺallowed for ‘Uqbah ibn Naafi‘’s sister to ride even though she vowed to walk. As such, this indicates that the vow is not necessary for walking, even if the pledge goes beyond one’s capability in fulfilling it.

On the contrary, he ﷺordered the very old man to ride in the hadeeth narrated by Anas (ra) in both Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim; he ﷺdid so because the old man was in apparent discomfort. The Prophet ﷺcommanded ‘Uqbah’s sister (raa) to both walk and ride, because she was not described as weak or frail. Thus, it is as if he ﷺordered her to walk if she was able, and to write if she became weak.

This hadeeth highlights the facilitation that the religion grants in times of need and hardship.

And lastly, it highlights that the obligations of the religion and their observance is based upon the ability of the servant to act upon them..

1867

It was narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺsaid, “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from such-and-such place to such-and-such place. Its trees may not be cut, and no innovation may be introducedtherein, and whoever introduces an innovation (in religion) therein, will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people.”.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has made Makkah and Al-Madeenah a superior to other places and lands. He declared Makkah a sacred sanctuary for Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and made it a secure land, and declared Al-Madeenah a sacred sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from such-and-such place to such-and-such place.” This is further explained in the hadeeth of ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him), who related: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Ayr Mountain to Thawr Mountain.” It is related on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary between its two Laabbahs.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
The Arabic word ‘laabah’ means ‘harrah’, which is a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the Harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Mosque of Qubaa’ and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn is located. ‘Ayr Mountain straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah and marks its southern boundary, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque. Thawr Mountain, in the northern outskirts, marks the northern boundary, and is about 8 km away from the Prophet’s Mosque. A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality has installed architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Al-Madeenah is manifested in the fact that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable to the extent that no tree may be cut down. As for trees and plants that people grow and plant, it is permissible for people to cut down and eat from them. Hunting animals in Al-Madeenah is also prohibited just like in Makkah, except that there is no expiation required because its sanctuary is not a place for Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals like Makkah. It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “I declare Al-Madeenah to be sacred throughout the area between its two mountain paths; no blood may be shed therein, weapons may not be carried in it for fighting, and leaves may not be beaten off trees therein except for fodder.” [Saheeh Muslim].
Another aspect of its inviolability is that were a person to perform any act that contravenes Islam, introduce a religious innovation, or commit a major sin therein, he would incur the curse of Allah, i.e., expulsion from His mercy, and the curse of the angels and all people, meaning their supplications against him to be denied Allah’s Mercy. This is a stern warning against such acts, but the intended meaning of the hadeeth’s wording is the prescribed punishment incurred by committing such sins, the first and foremost of which is expulsion from Paradise. However, this curse is not similar to the one incurred by the disbelievers, for they are absolutely denied any chance of receiving the mercy of Allah.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that any act that violates the laws of the religion in Al-Madeenah is considered a major sin.
.

1868

It was narrated on the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Madeenah and ordered a mosque to be built and said, "O tribe of Al-Najjaar! Give me a price (for your land)!" They said, "We do not want its price except from Allah" (i.e., they wished for a reward from Allah for giving up their land freely). So, the Prophet ﷺ ordered the graves of the pagans to be dug out and the land to be leveled, and the date-palm trees to be cut down. The cut date palms were fixed in the direction of the Qiblah of the mosque..

Commentary :
Building a mosque was the first work the Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed after his arrival to Al-Madeenah. This was due to the great importance and significant role of mosques in Islam, being the houses of Allah on earth where prayers are established, and Allah’s remembrance is often mentioned.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)reports that when the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, the homeland of Islam, he ﷺ commanded that a mosque be built. The land upon which the mosque would be built was originally an orchard owned by someone from the tribe of Al-Najjaar (the tribe to which the maternal uncles of the Prophet ﷺ belonged), of to the Ansaar. He ﷺ summoned them and asked them to estimate the price of their land,so that he could buy it and build the mosque on it. However, they refused to take money in return for the land and told him that they only aspired to the reward of Allah, The Exalted. As the land contained some graves that belonged to the polytheists, their graves were exhumed,since the dead bodies of disbelievers and polytheistsare not given thesanctity of the dead bodies of Muslims. There were also remains of demolished houses; thesewere leveled to the ground. As for the palm trees that were in the land, they were cut down to be used in building the mosque. The trunks of the cut date-palm trees were aligned so as to form the wall facing the Qiblah. The Prophet ﷺ cut down the date-palm trees shortly after his migration to al-Madeenah, whilethe prohibition of cutting the trees of Al-Madeenah - cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim - was only after he ﷺ returned from Khaybar. It is also possible that the prohibition in this regard is limited to cutting down trees to cause corruption, whereas cutting them down for reform purposes (or good reasons) is not deemed prohibited. Another possibility is that the prohibition is confined to the trees that grow naturally rather than those planted by people.
This hadeeth exhibits the virtues and merits of the tribe of Al-Najjaar who belong to the Ansaar.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is not allowed to perform prayers in a graveyard, even if it containss polytheists’ graves, because the prohibition in this regard blocks the way to taking graves as places of prayer. This is because over the course of time, people change, and thus it is feared that people might fall into Fitnah (of taking the graves as places or objects of worship).
It is also inferred from this hadeeth that if the bodies buried in the graveyard are exhumed, and the bones of the dead are taken out, it is no longer considered a graveyard, and thus it is permissible to perform prayer therein.
This hadeeth also serves as evidence on the permissibility of cutting date-palm and other trees for the public interest.
From the other benefits that we can take from this hadeeth is encouraging people tobuild mosques in newly developedareas inhabited by Muslims..

1869

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "I have made Al-Madeenah a sanctuary between its two (Harrah) mountains." The Prophet ﷺwent to the tribe of Banoo Haarithah and said (to them), "I see that you have gone out of the sanctuary," but looking around, he added, "No, you are still within limits of the sanctuary."
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has made Makkah and Al-Madeenah superior to other places and lands. He declared Makkah a sacred and secure sanctuary for Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and declared Al-Madeenah a sacred sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺhighlights the sacredness of Al-Madeenah and defines the limits of itsinviolable sanctuary. He ﷺ said: “I have made Al-Madeenah a sanctuary between its two (Harrahs)mountains.” i.e., it was declared an sanctuary by the Prophet ﷺ just as Makkah was declared an sanctuary by Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). The Arabic word ‘laabah’ or 'harrah’ (used in the previously cited hadeeth) means a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the Harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Mosque of Qubaa’ and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn is located. ‘Ayr Mountain, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah, and constitutes its southern boundary. Thawr Mountain, around 8 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, is located in the northern outskirts and constitutes the northern boundary.A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality has installed architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Al-Madeenah is manifested in the fact that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable, to the extent that no tree may be cut down. As for trees and plants that people grow and plant, it is permissible for people to cut down and eat from them. Hunting animals in Al-Madeenah is also prohibited, just like Makkah, except that there is no expiation required, because its sanctuary is not a place for Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals like Makkah.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ turned towards the people of Banee Haarithah, belonging to the Aws (i.e., one of the main Arab tribes in Al-Madeenah),whose housesat that time were to the west of the current site of Hamzah’s grave. Considering them outside thesanctuary limits,he ﷺ remarked, “I see that you have gone out of the sanctuary.” However,after looking around and verifying their location, he ﷺ added, “No, you are still within the limits of the sanctuary.”
It is deduced from this hadeeth that a scholar may give his opinion based on what he believes to be most likely, then if he comes to know that he erred, he should simply correct himself and follow the truth.

.

1870

Narrated ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him):We have nothing except the Book of Allah and this sheet from the Prophet’s words (wherein is written:) “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from the 'Air Mountain to such and such a place, and whoever introduces in it a religious innovation or commits a sin, or gives shelter to such an innovator in it will incur the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted. And the asylum (of protection) granted by any Muslim is to be secured (respected) by all the other Muslims; and whoever betrays a Muslim in this respect incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted, and whoever (freed slave) gives his allegiance and loyalty to other than his manumitters (i.e., take as masters) without their permission incurs the curse of Allah, the angels, and all people, and none of his compulsory or optional good deeds of worship will be accepted.”.

Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was sent to all people, of different skin colors and ethnicities,Arabs and non-Arabs, and he ﷺ did not single out any given people for compliance with certain provisions of the religion. Allah, Most, High, says: (interpretation of meaning): {O Messenger, announce that which has been revealed to you from your Lord, and if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message.} [Quran 5: 67].

In this hadeeth, ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he did not have any (written) rulings of Islam except the Quran, and a sheet of paper on which some rulings were documented, and none of these rulings was made exclusive to him, but rather applied to all Muslims. TheProphet ﷺnever concealed any part of the religion from peopleor singled out some of his family members for its knowledge.

Then he (may Allah be pleased with him)mentioned some of the rulings that wereon this sheet, saying: “The Prophet ﷺsaid: ‘Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Aa’ir Mountain to such-and-such place.’ Another hadeeth reads: ‘Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary from ‘Ayr Mountain to Thawr Mountain.’ [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. The two names ‘Aa’ir and ‘Ayr are names of the same mountain. In the same vein, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Al-Madeenah is a sanctuary between its two harrahs.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. The Arabic word ‘laabah’ or ‘harrah’ (used in the previously cited hadeeth) means a stony tract or lava field, whose stones are black, as if they were burned with fire. Al-Madeenah, may Allah perpetuate its security and honor, is located between two harrahs; the harrah of Waaqim to the east, where the Qubaa’ Mosque and Waaqim fortress are situated, and the Harrah of Wabarah to the west, where Masjid Al-Qiblatayn (Mosque of the Two Qiblahs) is located. ‘Ayr Mountain, about 8.5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, straddles the southern outskirts of Al-Madeenah, and constitutes its southern boundary., and Thawr Mountain, around 8 km from the Prophet’s Mosque, is located in the northern outskirts and constitutes the northern boundary. A Saudi official committee has defined the limits of Al-Madeenah sanctuary, and the Madeenah Municipality hasinstalled architectural signs in the shape of the arcs of the Prophet's Mosque to mark the limits of the sanctuary.
The sacredness of Madeenah entails that whatever lies within its boundaries is declared inviolable (as per the laws of Islam). No animal may be hunted and no tree may be cut down, except those planted by people; it is permissible for them to cut down and eat from such trees only. Even though it is forbidden to hunt in Al-Madeenah (just like in Makkah), there is no prescribed punishment (expiation) for hunting in Al-Madeenah, because, unlike Makkah,it is not a place for performing Hajj or ‘Umrah rituals.
He ﷺ also made mention of the prescribed punishment for performing any act that contravenes Islam (or a religious innovation) or provides support for someone who does so in Al-Madeenah. This includes whoever performs an act that contravenes Islam, commits an offence, does an act of injustice, commits a sin warranting the Hadd (a corporal punishment prescribed by the Sharee`ah), or offers support or refuge toa perpetrator or offender to protect him from his opponent and prevent retaliation.
It also possible that the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Muhdath, meaning the religious innovation itself (rather than Muhdith, meaning the one who commits it). Whoever is content with religious innovations, approves of the actions of those who commit them, and does not forbid them, has provided support for those who introduce religious innovations (and therefore the hadeeth applies to him).
Whoever does so has incurred the curse of Allah, i.e., expulsion from His mercy, and the curse of the angels and all people, meaning their supplications against him to be denied the divine mercy. This is a stern warning against such acts, but the intended meaning of the hadeeth’s wording is the prescribed punishment incurred by committing such sin, the first and foremost of which is the expulsion from Paradise. However, this curse is not similar to that incurred by the disbelievers, for they are absolutely denied any chance of receiving the mercy of Allah.
Moreover, Allah does not accept from such a person any ransom to ward off or shield himself from the tormenton the Day of Judgment.
Moreover, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) added that the sheet also included: “\The protection granted by one Muslim is as binding as the one given by them all; men and women, free and slaves alike; there is no difference between them in the slightest. Whenever a Muslim grants protection to someone, it is incumbent on all Muslims to protect him and grant him security. If someone assaults such a person, or breaches a covenant made by a Muslim with him, he has incurred the curse of Allah and thus deserved the punishment of being cursed and rejected, as previously explained.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that whoever gives his Walaa’ (loyalty, i.e., maintaining a relationship of patronage without bondage with one’s manumitter) to other than his real master and manumitter, incurs the curse and rejection as well, because the bond of Walaa’ in Islam is like the bond of lineage, and it is not permissible to forge it. His saying: “Without the permission of his masters” apparently indicates that it is a condition, but it is not actually a condition, because it is not even permissible for him to do so, even if his manumitter gave him permission to offer his Walaa’ to others. Rather, it denotes emphasis on the prohibition of such an act, warning of its invalidity, and underlining the reason for it. This is because were he to seek the permission of his manumitter to give his Walaa’ to another person, he would prevent him, and he would comply.
Shorter and longer versions of the information written in this sheet have been reported.Some of them underlinethe (rulings on the) following topics: blood money, the release of the prisoners of war, that no Muslim may be killed in Qisaas (i.e., retribution) for killing a disbeliever, that the curse of Allah is incurred on those who curse their parents, and many other topics. To reconcile between these hadeeths, it could be said that there was one sheet that included all these narrations and that each of the narrators reported the narrations that they had memorized therefrom.
This hadeeth also refutes the claim of Shiites that ‘Ali ibn Aboo Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him),was someone whom the Prophet ﷺ singled out and entrusted with many secrets of knowledge, rulings of Islam, and treasures of the religion, and that he ﷺdisclosed to the members of his household secrets of knowledge that were exclusive to them!
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that acting in contravention of the Islamic laws in Al-Madeenah is considered a major sin.
.

896

Anas reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for rain pointing the back of his hands to the sky..

Commentary : It was part of the Prophet's practice to implore Allah Almighty and show humility to Him in all his worship, particularly in supplication. This includes his practice in the Istisqā’ prayer (rain-seeking prayer), his display of humbleness to his Lord at the time of afflictions, like famine, and during supplication for the removal of affliction.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that "the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed for rain," i.e., supplicated and asked for water and rainfall from Allah Almighty at the time of famine and drought. "pointing the back of his hands to the sky," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned his hands and pointed their backs towards the sky, contrary to his usual practice in supplication, as he would point his palms. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that with optimism that the situation may change to the opposite, likewise when he turned his apparel upside down for seeking rain, as authenticated in the Two Sahih Collections.
It is reported in the Two Sahīh Collections that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to raise his hands in supplication until the whiteness of his armpit would be visible due to his extreme earnestness in supplicating, imploring, and begging Allah Almighty, for earnestly imploring Allah Almighty and supplicating to Him is one of the greatest means for removing affliction and hardship..

898

Anas reported: It rained while we were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) lifted his garment so the rain fell on him. We said: O Messenger of Allah, why did you do this? He said: Because it has recently been with its Almighty Lord..

Commentary : Allah has created the creation and has made some of His creatures, like rainwater, a cause of benefit and blessing for human beings. Allah Almighty says: {And We send down from the sky blessed rain, with which We cause to grow gardens and grain for harvest.} [Surat Qāf: 9] Allah Almighty also says: {And We send down from the sky pure water.} [Surat al-Furqān: 48]
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that once it rained when they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who removed and lifted his garment revealing part of his body to be wetted with the rainwater falling from the sky. They asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Why did you do this?" A question asked by the Companions to know and learn the rationale behind the Prophet's act, as it was a new act practised by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during rainfall, and all his acts are a Sunnah to be followed. His answer to their question was by mentioning the reason, saying: "Because it has recently been with its Almighty Lord," i.e., it has descended from between the sky and earth, as Allah Almighty says: {And clouds between the sky and earth.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 164] Its Lord has recently formed it, and it is sustenance and mercy. Allah Almighty has called it "mercy", "blessed", and "pure" and has made it a means of life and a means for avoiding punishment.
The Hadīth highlights the act of revealing the body - apart from the ‘Awrah (must-cover body parts) - during the fall of rain to fall on the body directly.
It also indicates that the less qualified person should ask the more qualified one about what he sees him doing if he does not know it to learn it and, thus, apply it and teach it to others..

904

Jābir reported: The sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the very day Ibrāhīm, the Prophet's son, died. The people said that it eclipsed on account of Ibrāhīm's death. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and led the people in prayer, performing six bowings and four prostrations. He started by making Takbīr (saying: Allāhu Akbar). He then recited and lengthened the recitation, then bowed nearly as long as he stood, then raised his head from Rukū '(bowing) and recited, but it was a shorter recitation than the first one. He then bowed nearly as long as he stood, then raised his head from Rukū 'and recited, but it was a shorter recitation than the second one. Then, he bowed nearly as long as he stood, then raised his head from Rukū '. Then, he fell into prostration and made two prostrations. Then, he stood up and again made three bowings, each of which was shorter than the preceding one and longer than the following one. His Rukū 'was nearly the same length as his Sujūd (prostration). Then, he stepped back, and the rows behind him stepped back as well until we reached the extreme - [another version reads]: until he reached the women. Then, he stepped forward, and the people stepped forward along with him until he stood in his place. When he finished, the sun was bright. He said: O people, the sun and the moon are but two of Allah's signs, and they are not eclipsed on account of anyone's death - [another version reads]: on account of a human's death. So, when you see anything of this, offer prayer until darkness disappears. There is nothing of what you have been promised except that I saw it in this prayer of mine. Hellfire was brought, and that was when you saw me stepping back for fear of being affected by its heat, and I saw therein the owner of the curved staff dragging his intestines in the Fire. He used to steal the pilgrim with his curved staff. If he became aware, he would say: It got (accidentally) entangled in my curved staff, but if he was unaware of that, he would take that away. I also saw the cat owner who tied it without feeding it or letting it eat from the vermin of the earth until it died out of hunger. Then, Paradise was brought, and that was when you saw me stepping forward until I stood in my place, and I stretched my hand wanting to catch some of its fruits so you may see it, but it seemed to me that I should not do so. Nothing you have been promised except that I saw in this prayer of mine..

Commentary : The sun and the moon are two of Allah's great signs. Their rotation and their succession denote the perfection of Allah's making. The occurrence of lunar and solar eclipses entails fear of their obliteration and the occurrence of the Day of Judgment, which necessitates returning to Allah and resorting to Him through prayer and supplication, and this was the usual practice and the habit of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that the sun eclipsed during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the day his son Ibrāhīm, whose mother was Māriyah al-Qibtiyyah, died. He was born in 8 AH and died in 10 AH when he was eighteen months old. A solar eclipse occurs when all the sunlight or part of it disappears. People started saying that it eclipsed on account of the death of Ibrāhīm, the Prophet's son, which was a common belief among them during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance. On seeing the solar eclipse, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and led the people in a two-Rak'ah prayer with three bowings and two prostrations. His recitation in his first standing was longer than in the second one, and his recitation in the second standing was longer than in the third one, and his bowing was nearly as long as his standing.
During the prayer, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stepped back. The rows behind him stepped back as well, i.e., he was moving backwards, and the men's rows behind him were moving backwards like him while maintaining their status in prayer until reaching the women's rows behind them. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) moved forward, and the people moved forward along with him until he returned to his first place. Then, he finished the prayer and "the sun was bright," i.e., it returned to its former state and became bright and luminous again. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, said: "O people, the sun and the moon are but two of Allah's signs," i.e., two signs with which He frightens His slaves, "and they are not eclipsed on account of anyone's death". Another version reads: "On account of a human's death". They are two subservient creatures that have no control over anything and have no ability to ward anything off themselves. This includes a reply to what some people mistakenly thought about the solar eclipse taking place because of the death of Ibrāhīm, the Prophet's son. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to them that the solar eclipse is not caused by the death of any of the people on earth. "So, when you see anything of this," i.e., the eclipse, "offer prayer until the darkness goes away," i.e., the sun, and reappears when the eclipse is being removed. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then, said to them: "There is nothing of what you have been promised," i.e., nothing of what you have been promised to witness of Paradise, Hellfire, and other situations of the Day of Judgment "except that I saw it in this prayer of mine". Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to them the reason why he stepped back while praying and said: "Hellfire was brought," i.e. brought forward, "and that was when you saw me stepping back, for fear of being affected by its heat," i.e., its flame and its heat, and I saw in the fire the owner of the Mihjan (curved staff). Mihjan: a staff with a crooked top, and it is said: a long wood with a jagged piece of iron on the top; and the owner of the curved staff was dragging his Qusb, i.e., dragging his intestines, which were extending out of his belly, in the Fire. He used to steal the pilgrims' belongings with his curved staff in worldly life. If his act were noticed and detected, he would say: This stolen thing got accidentally entangled in my curved staff, and if his act went unnoticed and unknown and nobody saw him, he would get away with what he stole with his curved staff.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also informed them that he saw in Hellfire, the owner of the cat, i.e., a woman from the children of Israel who locked up a cat and tied it without feeding it or letting it eat from the vermin of the earth, i.e., its pests and insects, until the cat died out of hunger.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then informed them that Paradise was brought to him, and that was when they saw him returning to the first position from which he stepped back, stretching his hand, wanting to take one of its fruits so that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would look at it. Then, it seemed to him that he should not do so. Once again, he confirmed and repeated what he had previously said that nothing of what they had been promised to witness of Paradise, Hellfire, and other situations of the Day of Judgment except that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw in this prayer of his.
It is said: The famous opinion regarding the manner of the Eclipse prayer is that it is two Rak‘ahs, and in each Rak‘ah, there are two incidents of standing, two recitations, and two bowings, and as for Sujūd, there are two prostrations like in other Rak‘ahs, whether the eclipse lasts for a long time or not.
What causes the solar and lunar eclipse is the fact that the moon is a dark body that derives its light from the sunlight, like a mirror that reflects the light falling upon it, making the viewer imagine that it is luminous, and the same applies to the earth. According to the universal law that Allah has set, the earth sometimes falls between the sun and the moon, blocking the sunlight from the whole or part of the moon, and the moon sometimes falls between the sun and the earth, blocking the sunlight from the vision of the people living on a particular area of the earth. Because of this, the people on earth witness the solar and lunar eclipse phenomenon.
The Hadīth clarifies the manner of performing the Eclipse prayer and the fact that it is to be performed in a congregation.
It also emphasizes the act of hastening to obey Allah Almighty on the occurrence of what results in fear and caution and seeking to ward off the affliction by remembering Allah Almighty, glorifying Him, and offering Him various acts of obedience.
It also sheds light on the Prophet's evident miracle and how he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to advise his Ummah, teach them what is beneficial to them, and warn them against what is harmful to them.
It also includes a warning against torturing animals.
It points out that Paradise and Hellfire are two places that currently exist..

905

‘Urwah reported: Do not say: Kasafat ash-Shams (the sun eclipsed); instead, say: Khasafat ash-Shams (the sun blackened)..

Commentary : In this tradition, the Tābi‘i Muhammad ibn Muslim az-Zuhri narrates that the Tābi‘i ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah have mercy upon him) used to believe that the correct thing to say is: Khasafat ash-Shams, and that it is incorrect to say: Kasafat ash-Shams. The Qur’an reads: {And the moon is darkened, and the sun and the moon are brought together.} [Surat al-Qiyāmah: 8-9] It is said: Khusūf (occultation) covers everything, but Kusūf (eclipse) covers some, and it is for the sun.
Both words - Kusūf and Khusūf - were mentioned in authentic Hadīths about the sun, and the scholars' famous usage of these words is using "Kusūf" for the sun and "Khusūf" for the moon.
What ‘Urwah said is his personal opinion, and it is linguistically acceptable to say: the sun and the moon "kasafat", "kusifa", "inkasafa", "khasafa", "khusifa", and "inkhasafa".
What causes the solar and lunar eclipse is the fact that the moon is a dark body that derives its light from the sunlight, like a mirror that reflects the light falling upon it, making the viewer imagine that it is luminous, and the same applies to the earth. Had it not been for the universal law that Allah has set that the earth sometimes falls between the sun and the moon, blocking the sunlight from the whole or part of the moon, and the moon sometimes falls between the sun and the earth, blocking the sunlight from the vision of the people living on a particular area of the earth, the phenomenon of the solar and lunar eclipse would not have occurred to the people on earth..

909

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed when there was an eclipse. He recited and then bowed. He again recited and again bowed. He again recited and again bowed and again recited and again bowed and then prostrated. He said: The second Rak'ah was similar to this..

Commentary : This Hadīth is one of the authentic narrations reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) concerning the manner of performing the Solar Eclipse prayer. All the narrations describe one of the Prophet's states what he used to do at the time of such a calamity and how he used to offer prayer to Allah Almighty until the distress would be relieved. 'Abdullah ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports the manner of the Prophet's prayer when the sun eclipsed and when its light totally or partially disappeared from the earth. He reported that when the sun eclipsed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prayed two Rak'ahs (units of prayer), reciting four times in each Rak'ah and bowing four times and prostrating two times in each Rak'ah. These two prostrations would come after the fourth bowing.
What is reported here about the manner of the Eclipse prayer is that it is a two-Rak‘ah prayer, and each Rak‘ah has four bowings and two prostrations.
It is said: The famous opinion regarding the manner of the Eclipse prayer is that it is two Rak‘ahs, and in each Rak‘ah, there are two incidents of standing, two recitations, and two bowings. As for Sujūd, there are two prostrations like in other Rak‘ahs, whether the eclipse lasts for a long time or not.
What causes the solar and lunar eclipse is the fact that the moon is a dark body that derives its light from the sunlight, like a mirror that reflects the light falling upon it, making the viewer imagine that it is luminous, and the same applies to the earth. According to the universal law that Allah has set, the earth sometimes falls between the sun and the moon, blocking the sunlight from the whole or part of the moon, and the moon sometimes falls between the sun and the earth, blocking the sunlight from the vision of the people living on a particular area of the earth. Because of this, the people on earth witness the solar and lunar eclipse phenomenon..

913

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Samurah reported: I was shooting my arrows during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when an eclipse of the sun took place. I, therefore, threw them away and said: I must see how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) acts during the solar eclipse today. When I came to him, he was raising his hands while supplicating, saying Takbīr: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest), Tahmīd: Alhamdulillāh (praise be to Allah), and Tahlīl: La ilāha illallāh (there is no god but Allah) until the sun became bright. Then, he recited two Surahs and prayed two Rak'ahs (units of prayer)..

916

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Prompt those of you who die to say: There is no god but Allah.".

Commentary : This Hadīth shows the Prophet's care for his Ummah and his keenness to direct them to every word and deed that benefits them, even at the time of death. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered that the Muslims prompt those of them who die to say the word of Tawhīd. "Lā ilāha illa Allah" (There is no god but Allah). They should say it to anyone suffering the throes of death and repeat it near him so that he may say it. Thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs his Ummah to the significance of the word of Tawhīd in life and at the time of death. This is because it is this word that makes the blood of anyone who utters it inviolable in this word. If a person who is at the doorstep of the Hereafter says it, it is hoped that it will protect him from the punishment of the Hereafter, as it protected him from the worldly punishment, and for it to be the last speech he says in this world, and because, "he whose last words are 'there is no god but Allah' will enter Paradise." Narrated by Abu Dāwūd and reported by Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him).
Prompting a person who dies to say this word is something recommended; however, it is disliked pressing him and keep saying it to him in a successive manner, lest he may get bored due to the tough condition and hardship he is suffering, and thus he may dislike that in his heart and utter improper words.
In the Hadīth: We should be around the person who dies so as to remind him, keep his company, and fulfill his rights..

918

Umm Salamah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "No Muslim suffers a calamity and says what Allah commanded him: {We belong to Allah, and to Him we will return} [Surat al-Baqarah: 156], O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than that in exchange for it, except that Allah will give him something better than that in exchange." When Abu Salama died, I said: "Which of the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah? His family was the first to immigrate to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." I then said the words, and Allah gave me the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in exchange. She said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent Hātib ibn Abi Balta‘ah to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: "I have a daughter, and I am jealous." He said: "As for her daughter, we will supplicate to Allah to make her in no need for her, and I will supplicate to Allah to make the jealousy go away.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah to be resigned to Allah Almighty if a calamity strikes them and to resort to His power and strength, Exalted be He, for He is the One Who predestined everything and from Whom compensation comes.
In this Hadīth, Umm Salamah, the mother of the believers (may Allah be pleased with her), says that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No Muslim suffers a calamity," this refers to any disaster whatsoever, great, or small, involving something unpleasant that happens to someone in himself, his family, his wealth, etc. "and says what Allah commanded him: {We belong to Allah, and to Him we will return.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 156]" In other words, we and all that is attributed to us do belong to Allah by way of ownership and creation, and we will return to Him in the Hereafter. This statement should be accompanied by patience and a lack of despondency. Then, the afflicted person should supplicate, saying: "O Allah, reward me," i.e., grant me the reward and recompense "for my affliction, and give me something better than that in exchange for it," i.e., give me a substitute for what I lost due to this affliction and make the substitute better than the lost thing.
Whoever says that his reward is that Allah will give him something better in exchange for what he lost in this affliction of his. Another version by Muslim has this addition: "except that Allah will give the reward for his affliction." Allah will record his reward for that.
Then, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) mentioned that when her husband Abu Salamah ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abd al-Asad al-Makhzūmi (may Allah be pleased with him) died, she seemed to have remembered the Prophet's instruction, but she thought to herself or uttered it in wonder: "Which of the Muslims is better than Abu Salamah?!" She wondered at how to apply the Prophet's statement "except that Allah will give him something better than that in exchange" to her disaster, given her reverence for Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him). At the root of her wonder lay her belief that none was better than Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), and she would not expect that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) might marry her, for he was outside this general categorization. Then, clarifying why Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) was meritorious, she said that "his family was the first to immigrate to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." So, he was the first to immigrate along with his family and dependents. After her wonder, she complied with the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); "I then said the words," i.e., the phrase "we belong to Allah, and to Him we will return" and the subsequent supplication. So, she said that Allah Almighty gave her the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in exchange, by making her his wife. Thus, he constituted better compensation for her than her husband Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him).
Then, Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned how she was engaged to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and what she asked for. She said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent Hātib ibn Abi Balta‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) to propose marriage to her on his behalf. Apologizing to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) out of fear that she may not fulfill his rights, she said that she had a daughter, namely Zaynab bint Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), who was young at the time and still under her care. She also stated that she was very jealous. These two things have their effect on the discharge of marital duties, leading to non-fulfillment of them. Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had other wives before her, and her extreme jealousy would make her unable to get together with the other wives. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "As for her daughter, we will supplicate to Allah to make her in no need for her," i.e., to make the daughter in no need for her mother as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would take care of her, or that she would find someone to take care of her from among her relatives, or that Allah will make her in no need for suckling from her mother, as the girl was an infant. "and I will supplicate to Allah to make the jealousy go away." By virtue of the blessing of the Prophet's supplication, jealousy went away from her heart, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her.
In the Hadīth: We are enjoined to endure afflictions patiently and avoid despondency.
And in it: We should turn to Allah with supplication at the time of disasters, for the compensation comes from Him.
And in it: A believer must comply with the Prophet's commands, even if the wisdom behind them is not clear to him..

919

’Umm Salamah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: When you visit a sick or dead person, say good things, for the angels say "Amen" to whatever you say. She said: When Abu Salamah died, I came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, Abu Salamah died. He said: Say: O Allah, forgive me and him and compensate me with someone better than him. She said: So, I said this, and Allah compensated me with someone better for me than him; Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to teach his Ummah to resign to Allah Almighty if a calamity strikes them and to resort to His power and strength, Exalted be He, for He is the One Who predestined everything and from Whom compensation comes.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you visit a sick or dead person, say good things." The command here is meant to discipline and teach people what to say when visiting a dead person, i.e., a dying person or a sick person on his deathbed. Supplication is to be made for the ill person, asking Allah to cure him, and for the dead person, asking Allah to have mercy on him and forgive him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) justified this saying that the angels who are present with the afflicted person - like the angel of death and his aids, or other angels in general - say "Amen" to whatever is said by the people who are present. They say: Āmīn, which means: O Allah, answer the supplication. The angels' supplication is readily answered; hence, one must not supplicate with something that could harm him or others.
Then, ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that when her husband Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) died - and he was her husband before the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - she went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of the death of her husband Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) expressing her pain and grief about him, not telling the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) of her husband's death, for it was reported in Sahīh Muslim Collection that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) attended the death of Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) guided and advised her to supplicate Allah, resign to Him, and ask Him for a compensation better than him by saying: "O Allah, forgive me and him," asking forgiveness for her sins and those of her departed one. "And compensate me with someone better than him," i.e., grant me a good compensation and a better substitute. She then reported that Allah Almighty answered her supplication and granted her a better substitute, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) married her.
The Hadīth clarifies that the angels are present with the sick person and say "Amen" to whatever supplication is made by people therein..

920

’Umm Salamah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon Abu Salamah while his eyes were fixedly open, so he closed them and then said: When the soul is taken away, the sight follows it. Some people from his family clamored, so he said: Do not supplicate for yourselves except with what is good, for the angels say "Amen" to whatever you say. Then, he added: O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah and raise his degree among rightly guided people, be his successor in his descendants who remain. Forgive us and him, O Lord of the worlds, make his grave spacious for him and grant him light therein. [Another version quoted]: a similar Hadīth; however, he said: Be his successor in his legacy; and he said: O Allah, make his grave wide for him, and did not say: Make his grave spacious for him..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was a teacher and a mentor as he used to teach Muslims and educate them on adopting patience during the calamity of a close or a dear person's death. He taught us what to say, what supplication to recite, and how we should avoid screaming and indecent words when someone is dying.
This Hadīth represents a practical incident, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was there with Abu Salamah ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Asad al-Makhzūmi (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was on his deathbed. ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) - the wife of Abu Salamah at that time - narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered upon Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) - as it was the Prophet's habit to visit the sick - "while his eyes were fixedly open," i.e., his eyes were kept wide open after his soul had departed to its Creator, and he remained with his eyes fixed. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, realized that he had died. So, he closed Abu Salamah's eyes to avoid appearing ugly. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the soul is taken away, the sight follows it." Perhaps this was the cause for closing his eyes as if he was saying: I closed his eyes because when the soul leaves the body, the sight follows it in leaving, so it is useless to keep his eyes open, or it could be a clarification of the cause why his eyes were open. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) closed the eyes of Abu Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) and made that statement, the attendees became certain about his death. "Some people from his family clamored," i.e., some people from Abu Salamah's family cried loudly and wailed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from saying anything indecent and ordered them to say what is good and supplicate with what is good, and said: "Do not supplicate for yourselves except with what is good." This refers to forbidding them from clamoring as if they said: O woe to us! What a disaster! So, he forbade them from this, not crying out for destruction, death, and similar things, which was a pre-Islamic practice; rather, saying good things like invoking forgiveness and mercy upon the dead person and saying the Prophet's supplication, which will be mentioned later, for Abu Salamah. Moreover, one should supplicate for himself with what is good and say what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised us to say: "Allāhumma ajirni fi musībati wakhluf li khayran minha (O Allah, reward me for my calamity and give me something better in place of it), after saying: We belong to Allah, and to Him we will return.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) justified this by saying that the angels say "Amen" to supplication, whether for good or evil. They say: Āmīn (O Allah, answer this supplication), which is likely to make the supplication accepted as the angels' supplication is undoubtedly answered. Hence, it is not permissible to supplicate for what could bring him or others any harm. What is meant by the "angels" here is the Angel of death and his aids, or the angels in general who are present when someone is dying. This is part of how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disciplines and teaches his Ummah what to say when someone dies.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for Abu Salamah saying: "O Allah, forgive Abu Salamah," i.e., erase his sins and misdeeds. "And raise his degree among those who are rightly guided," i.e., O Allah, let him be with those whom You have previously guided to Islam and to emigrate to the best among people; or it means: O Allah, let him be with those whom You have guided and who obtained the high degrees in Paradise. And " be his successor in his descendants," i.e., be his successor in managing his affairs and maintaining the interests of his family and children and do not leave them to anyone but You. Another version reads: "Be his successor in his legacy," which he left behind after his death, "who remain," i.e., who remain among the living. "And make his grave spacious for him," which was interpreted by the version that reads: "O Allah, make his grave wide for him," i.e., make his grave extremely wide, which is part of the believer's delight in the grave since the grave is either widened or narrowed for its dweller. "And grant him light therein," i.e., in his grave and ward off the darkness from him, which is another aspect of the bliss that the believer experiences.
The Hadīth shows that the dead person's eyes should be closed.
It also guides to adopt patience and say what is good when the calamity of death strikes.
It also clarifies that supplication should be made for the dead person, his family, and his descendants concerning the Hereafter and worldly affairs.
It also signifies that the dead person finds joy or torment in his grave.
Moreover, it teaches what Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) and supplication should be said at the moment of dying, saying what is good and making Istirjā ', which is saying: Inna lillāhi wa inna ilayhi rāj‘ūn (We belong to Allah, and Him we will return), besides supplicating for whoever will succeed him. So, it is a must to follow the Prophet's example.
It also points out the presence of angels with the sick and dead person and that they say "Amen" to whatever supplication is made therein.
Finally, it clarifies that the angels' supplication is answered and not rejected..

921

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Did you not see when a person dies, his eyes become fixedly open?" They said: 'Yes.' He said: "This is when his eyesight follows his soul.".

Commentary : This Hadīth contains clarification and explanation by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about a general condition, namely the staring of the eyes of dying people after the departure of their souls. In explanation of this condition, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that the eyesight follows the soul. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "Did you not see when a person dies, his eyes become fixedly open?" i.e., his eyesight goes upwards and does not turn back, and it remains open and wide. This question denotes affirmation of the condition that people know to happen upon death. They replied to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that this is what actually occurs. So, he said: "This is when his eyesight follows his soul," i.e., he looks at his soul as it ascends to heaven with the angels. Muslim narrated in his Sahīh Collection that Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Abu Salamah while his eyes were fixedly open, and he closed them. This is to prevent the appearance of the deceased person from turning ugly. So, his eyes must be closed after the departure of the soul, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) closed the eyes of Abu Salamah..

922

’Umm Salamah reported: When Abu Salamah died, I said: A stranger and in a strange land, I shall, indeed, weep for him in a manner which would be talked of. I was prepared to weep for him when a woman from the Sa‘īd (upper side of the city) came intending to assist me. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) received her and said: Do you want to let the devil enter a house from which Allah has driven him out?! Twice. So, I stopped weeping and did not weep..

Commentary : This Hadīth shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disciplined and taught his Ummah and how keen he was on keeping Muslims away from the devil's temptation, especially when being stricken by the calamity of the death of a relative or a dear and precious person. The Mother of the Believers ’Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that "when Abu Salamah died", i.e., 'Abdullah ibn' Abd al-Asad al-Makhzūmi (may Allah be pleased with him), who was her first husband and who emigrated from Makkah to Madīnah,' Umm Salamah said to herself: "A stranger and in a strange land," i.e., he was from the people of Makkah and died in Madīnah as a stranger far from his relatives and homeland and having none to weep for him except her, so, there were two calamities: that of being far away from one's country and that of death. She intended this sentence to justify the act of weeping copiously. Hence, she swore to weep and wail for him in such an intense manner that would cause people to talk about it and wonder at it because of its intensity. Such were her thoughts because wailing and gathering for that purpose was a pre-Islamic practice, and that was before she learned that wailing is prohibited. Then, ’Umm Salamah reported that she was prepared and ready to cry by having the intention and the determination to do so and preparing the causes of grief, and meanwhile, a woman who wanted to assist her, i.e., assist her with weeping and wailing, came. This woman who wanted to help' Umm Salamah was from the "Sa‘īd" in the 'Awāli region of Madīnah. "Sa‘īd" originally meant the dust on the earth's surface. The 'Awāli today is the region located in the eastern and south-eastern sides of Madīnah on a line extending from Baqī 'to Harrat Wāqim eastwards and parallel to Qubā' Mosque southwards.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, received this woman to advise her and forbid her from doing this. After knowing what she intended to do, he said to her: O woman, do you want by your help with the sin to be a cause for letting the devil enter with his actions and deception, which Allah has driven him out and has kept him far from tempting its dwellers?! The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his advice for the woman twice to confirm such a prohibition. Another probable meaning is: He drove the devil out of this house and kept him far from tempting its dwellers twice, referring by "twice" to the act of soundly embracing Islam by Abu Salamah and his good act of emigration. Or the first time could be referring to the day he embraced Islam, and the second time refers to the day he left this world as a Muslim. Another probability is intending the repetition, i.e., Allah has driven him out time and again, as Allah Almighty says: {Then look again and again.} [Surat al-Mulk: 4] It is also said: Perhaps the first time refers to his emigration from Makkah to Abyssinia and the second time refers to his emigration to Madīnah, as he is one of those who made the two emigrations.
This is a manifestation of the Prophet's good education and discipline of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as he clarified to the woman that if she did that, she would let the devil enter a house from which Allah has driven him out, and this is a serious harm and an evil act. Moreover, he did not just forbid her; instead, he explained to her the disadvantages of this evil act and the resulting damages, harms, and punishments, which makes it more likely to be accepted.
On hearing the Prophet's words,' Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) was deterred from crying and stopped. She refrained from crying in such a dispraised manner, accompanied by lamenting and wailing.
The Hadīth shows that weeping for the dead accompanied by wailing is from the devil's acts.
It also points out how a Muslim must comply with the commands and prohibitions of the Shariah once he knows them.
It also clarifies that assistance in wailing is counted as assistance in sin.
Moreover, it sheds light on the merit of the house of Abu Salamah and ’Umm Salamah, as Allah Almighty has driven the devil out from it, and he could not overpower them through temptation and misguidance.
As it shows that forbidding evil should be carried out wisely by clarifying the harmful consequences..

925

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar reported: We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when a man from the Ansār (Supporters) came and greeted him. The Ansāri man then turned back. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: O brother of the Ansār, how is my brother Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah? He said: Good. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), then said: Who among you would visit him? He stood up, and we stood up along with him. There were more than ten of us. We were wearing neither shoes, leather socks, caps, or shirts. We walked on swampy ground until we came to him. His people around him made way for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those of his Companions who came along with him..

Commentary : This Hadīth shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Ummah. He was keen on establishing good relations among Muslims through visits and communication, especially visiting the sick. 'Abdullah ibn' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and this was the Companions' habit with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), i.e., gathering around him to teach and guide them. During this session, a man from the Ansār - people of Madīnah - came to him and greeted the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those who were present, which is the etiquette of Islam in extending the greeting of peace to all. After greeting the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the Ansāri man wanted to leave. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in a pleasant way: "O brother of the Ansār, how is my brother Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah?" Sa'd (may Allah be pleased with him) was the chief of the Khazraj, and he was sick then. Here, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was teaching Muslims to ask after each other in case of being absent or falling sick. His saying: "O brother of the Ansār", is a call by the brotherhood of Islam and a call for the man to show that he was from the Ansār, besides the act of honoring Sa'd ibn' Ubādah as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called him: "My brother". Answering the Prophet's question, the man said: He is "good," i.e., no worry about him, as he is still alive and is likely to recover from his sickness, which is a polite thing to say and is said as a form of being optimistic that the patient will recover and be healthy once again.
Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged his Companions to visit him, saying: "Who among you would visit him?" This was how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) practically taught Muslims, as he got up along with his Companions to visit Sa'd ibn' Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him), and they were "bid'at 'ashr" (more than ten), and "bid '" is: from three to ten. At this time, those who were present from among the Companions were suffering from indigence and poverty to the extent that 'Abdullah ibn' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We were wearing neither Ni‘āl (shoes)", plural of "Na‘l", which is the shoe, "nor Khifāf (leather socks)", plural of "Khuff", which is footwear made of thin leather. In other words, they had nothing to wear on their feet. "Nor Qalānis (caps)", plural of "Qalansuwah", which is something worn on the head, "nor Qumus (shirts)", plural of "Qamīs", which is a sewn undergarment having two sleeves, or that which is made either of cotton or linen and this means that they were wearing Izār (lower garment) and Ridā' (upper garment). They went walking on foot to the house of Sa'd ibn' Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) "on such swampy ground," which is the earth that is highly saline and nothing grows therein except some trees, i.e., they were wearing nothing on their feet to protect them from the harm of such ground. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reached the house of Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him), Sa‘d's people, family, and kinfolk moved from around him to give the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him) and his Companions who came to visit him the chance to proceed and get close to him, which is part of the visit etiquettes and honoring guests.
The Hadīth encourages asking after the absent and the sick and shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask after his Companions.
It prompts us to visit the sick and communicate with them.
It points out the indigence and poverty of some of the Companions and how far they were from lavish in their clothes and their appearance.
It sheds light on honoring the guest who comes to visit by making room for him.
It shows that whoever has no shoes may walk barefoot..

929

[Ibn ‘Abbās reported:] So, I stood up and entered upon ‘Ā’ishah and informed her of what Ibn ‘Umar had said. Thereupon, she said: No, by Allah, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never said: The dead person is punished because of anyone's weeping; however, he said: Allah increases the punishment of the disbeliever because of his family's weeping. Verily, Allah is the One {Who makes people laugh and weep} [Surat an-Najm: 43], {No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another.} [Surat Fātir: 18] [Another version reads:] When the words of ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Umar were conveyed to ‘Ā’ishah, she said: You are conveying to me the words of these two who are neither liars nor suspected of lying, but one may mishear..

Commentary : In this Hadīth, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) says: I entered upon ‘Ā’ishah and informed her of what Ibn ‘Umar had said, i.e., that he had heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, the dead person is punished because of his family's weeping." After that, she said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) never said: "The dead person is punished because of anyone's weeping," however, he said: "Allah increases the punishment of the disbeliever because of his family's weeping," i.e., he is punished on account of his family's weeping over him, and if you wish, you may recite. Verily, Allah is the One {Who makes people laugh and weep}. [Surat an-Najm: 43] This means: man's weeping and laughter, his sadness and delight are all from Allah. {No bearer of burden will bear the burden of another.} [Surat an-Najm: 38], which means: On the Day of Judgment, every soul will bear only the sins it had committed.
Another version reads: "When the words of ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Umar were conveyed to ‘Ā’ishah, she said: You are conveying to me the words of these two who are neither liars nor suspected of lying, but one may mishear," i.e., they have misheard this. Some scholars are of the opinion that what is meant by punishing the dead person due to the weeping of those who are alive is, in case such weeping was a regular habit of the deceased person and his own choice..

931

‘Urwah reported: The words of Ibn' Umar: The dead person is punished because of his family's weeping over him, were mentioned to 'Ā’ishah, who said: May Allah have mercy upon Abu' Abdur-Rahmān; he heard something but did not memorize it. A Jew's funeral passed before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they were weeping over him. So, he said: You are weeping, and he is being punished..

Commentary : No matter how grave it is, every calamity includes a reward for whoever patiently endures its severity, and the same applies to the catastrophe of death that entails losing people and dear ones. One of the habits of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance was to request in one's will that people should weep and wail over his death in opposition to all traditions and revealed laws. Islam has, indeed, forbidden this and has threatened to punish the one who does this deliberately and persistently. It has clarified that such an act brings pain and torment to the one who makes a will with it or approves it.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Urwah ibn az-Zubayr reports that it was mentioned to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: "The dead person is punished because of his family's weeping over him," i.e., he is punished in his grave because those who are alive from among his family are weeping over him, besides doing other things of the pre-Islamic habits. A group of scholars interpreted this to be referring to whoever makes a will with it, or if this is their habit, and he does not forbid them by advising them before his death not to say or do something evil. This was a famous practice among the Arabs. So, if one thinks they will likely do this and does not advise them to refrain from it, then he is asking them to do it, and he becomes like one who does not forbid evil despite having the ability to do so. However, if he advises them to refrain from such an act and they disobey him, then Allah is far more Generous to punish him for that.
Upon hearing this, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "May Allah have mercy upon Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān, he heard something but did not memorize it," because this Hadīth had a reason and it was not as understood by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), or he mistakenly thought the Hadīth to have a general indication including all the dead people. Therefore, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported the reason behind this Hadīth, saying: "A Jew's funeral passed before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)", and his family members were weeping over him. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You are weeping" after his death, addressing the dead person's family, "and he is being punished". An agreed-upon version reads: Thereupon, she said: "He missed the point; the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had only said: Indeed, he is punished for his sins and misdeeds, and his family members are weeping over him right now," i.e., his family members are weeping over him while he is being punished for his sins. So, the reason for his punishment is not his family's weeping over him; rather, it is his misdeeds and sins.
Allah Almighty says: {No bearer of burden will bear the burden of another.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 164] This means: no soul bears the sin of another soul.
The Hadīth highlights the status of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in terms of understanding and knowledge.
It also corrects the wrong concepts that some people have by using evidence and means of persuasion..

Book of Hadith