| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1946

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him):Allah's Messengerﷺwas on a journey once and saw a crowd of people, and a man was being shaded (by them). He asked, "What is the matter?" They said, "He (the man) is fasting." The Prophet ﷺsaid, "It is not an act of righteousness to fast on a journey."
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Commentary :
Legal concessionshave been prescribed for those who are not able to abide by the original rulings pertaining to worshipful acts, as a manifestation ofthe divine mercy and kindness conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on His servants. The status of those who opt for legal concessions must not be undermined, nor should they bereproached for it. Rather, opting for legal concessions in their proper context is held in the same regard as abiding by the original rulings in their proper context,as per the laws of Islam (i.e., none is deemed superior to the other).
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Messenger of Allahﷺ was once on a journey, and he saw a crowd of people around a man shading him from the sun. The man was drained of energy because of thirst and fatigue. He ﷺasked, "What is the matter? (What happened to him?)" They explained that he was exhausted because he was fasting while traveling and did not avail himself of the legal concession in this regard. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺinformed them that his actdid not conform with the due obedience andrighteousness to face such hardship, considering that Allah, Exalted is He,had granted legal concession for a traveler to refrain from fasting, whether it was obligatory of voluntary fasting. The legal concession in this regard was revealed in the Quran; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {…and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.} [Quran 2:185]. The need to avail oneself of the legal concession and refrain from fasting is further emphasized if the traveler is performing Hajj or participating in Jihaad, because both require physical strength.
The permissibility of fasting while travelling as long as one finds the physical strength to endure ithas been deduced from the following hadeeth. Narrated Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with him): “We set out with Allah's Messengerﷺon one of his journeys on a very hot day, and it was so hot that one had to put his hand over his head to protect himself from the burning sun. None of us was fasting except the Prophet ﷺ and Ibn Rawaahah (may Allah be pleased with him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
This hadeeth highlights that the Laws of Islam is founded on ease and facilitation. It also urges Muslims to take it easy on themselves with regard to worship and avail of the legal concessions granted to them by Allah, The Exalted.
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1947

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):We used to travel with the Prophet ﷺand neither did the fasting persons criticize those who were not fasting, nor did those who were not fasting criticize the fasting ones.
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Commentary :
Concessionsinworship have been prescribedfor those who are not able to abide by the original rulings,as a manifestation ofthe divine mercy and kindness conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on His servants.
The status of those who opt for these legal concessions must not be undermined, nor should they be reproached for it. Rather, opting for legal concessions in their proper context is held in the same regardas abiding by the original rulings in their proper context as per the laws of Islam (i.e., none is held superior to the other).
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that they used to travel with the Prophet ﷺ and neither did the fasting persons criticize those who were not fasting, availing themselves of the legal concession, nor did those who were not fasting criticize the fasting ones, who chose to abide by the original ruling. Both options are prescribed for the traveler, to best suit the different conditions of people during travel. Whoever is able to fast should do so, and whoever is unable to fast should avail himself of the legal concession,and there is no harm in that.
The legal concession in this regard was revealed in the Quran; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {…and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.} [Quran 2:185]. The need to avail oneself of the legal concession and refrain from fasting is further emphasized if the traveler is performing Hajj or participating in Jihaad, because both require physical strength.
This hadeeth instructs Muslims not to give in to anger or object to what is permissible and prescribed.
It is also deduced therefrom that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were considerate with one another and knowledgeable of both legal concessions and original rulings.
It is also inferred thathavingknowledge of Laws of Islam provisions prevents disagreement among Muslims..

1949

Narrated Naafi‘ narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)recited the ayah: "They had a choice either to fast or to feed a poor person for every day and said that the ayah was abrogated.
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Commentary :
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam, and the Quranand the Sunnah have clarified all its general provisions. The obligation of fasting in Islam has gone through gradual legislative stages, and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reported to us the key features of these stages.
In this report, Naafi’,the freed slave of ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him),from the Taabi‘oon, informed us that ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him)recited the words of Allah, Exalted is He, (which mean): {And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day].} [Quran 2:184].However, he (may Allah be pleased with him) recited it as “feeding poor persons [each day],” in the plural rather than, “feeding a poor person [each day],”which is one of the approved ten modes of recitation confirmed by Tawaatur (i.e., by collectively contiguous narrations transmitted by a large group of trustworthy narrators, generation after generation, and it is absolutely impossible for them to agree on a lie). It means thatwhoever is unable to fastmust feed one poor person for each missed fast day. At the early legislative stages, it was prescribed for a Muslim to pay this ransom and refrain from fasting in Ramadan, even if he was physically able to fast. Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that the ayahabout the ransom was abrogated and the relevant ruling was abrogated as well, yet it remained in the Quran (its wording was not abrogated). The ruling was abrogated by the ayah that reads (what means): {So whoever sights [the new moon of] the month, let him fast it.} [Quran 2:185].Thus, whoever was able to fast became obliged to observe fasting during Ramadan.
On the other hand, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) held a different opinion in this regard. It has been narrated on the authority of ‘Ataa’ ibn Aboo Rabaah, from the Taabi‘oon, that he heard ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) reciting the ayahthat reads (what means): {And upon those who are able [to fast, but with hardship] - a ransom [as substitute] of feeding a poor person [each day].} [Quran 2:184]. Ibn ‘Abbaas said: “This ayah was not abrogated. It rather refers to the old people who cannot endure fasting; it is allowable for them to pay the prescribed ransom instead, feeding one poor person for each fast day.”
He (may Allah be pleased with him) held that the ruling pertaining to the ransom was not abrogated, but rather that it was applicable to old people who were unable to fast.
The hadeeth affirms the abrogation of some ayaat of the Quran.
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1950

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her)said:
Sometimes I missed some fast days of Ramadan, but could not fast in lieu of them (i.e., make up for them) except in the month of Sha‘baan." Yahya, a sub-narrator said: "She (may Allah be pleased with her)used to be busy serving the Prophet ﷺ.”
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Commentary :
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. The Quran and the Sunnah haveclarified all its general provisions. For instance, the Sunnah clarified that if a woman gets her period in Ramadan, it is incumbent on her to refrain from fastinguntil her periodends and she attains ritual purity.Furthermore, she is required to make up for the missed fast days later on. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)stated that she would sometimes miss out fast days of Ramadan due to menstruation or for other valid excusesand could not make up for them except in the month of Sha’baan of the following year.
Yahya ibnSa’eed Al-Ansaaree, one of the narrators of hadeeth,clarified that what was preventing her from making up for the missed fast days earlier was that she (may Allah be pleased with her) was busy with the service of the Prophet ﷺ,meaning that she (may Allah be pleased with her)keenly ensured that she could always fulfill the Prophet’s right to sexual enjoyment with her. This was the attitude of all the Prophet’s wives, being keen on keeping him happy and satisfied. They would even abstain from seeking his permission to observe fastingfor fear that he ﷺmight have wanted to engage in sexual intercourse with one of them on that day, but would give her the permission to fast, giving precedence to her wish over his desire and need.As for the month of Sha‘baan, he ﷺ used to observe fasting almost all month long,and therefore they would conveniently have the chance to make up for the missed fast days or feel free to ask for his permission to observe fasting,since there would be no other available time to make up for those fast days. This falls under the category of availing oneself of a legal concession orthe less strict scholarly view, because a woman is given the choice to make up for the missed fast days at any time during the year till the following Ramadan.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that honoring and fulfilling the husband’s rights over his wife is given precedenceover other rights, time-bound religious obligations aside.
It also highlights the ease and facilitation fostered by Islamin making up for the missed fast days of Ramadanfor- an excuse which is acceptable in the Laws of Islam.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to delay making up for the missed fast days of Ramadan for a valid excuse or for no excuse at all.
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1952

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Whoever died and he ought to have fasted (the missed fast days of Ramadan) then his guardians must fast (i.e., make up for them) on his behalf."
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Commentary :
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam. The Quran and the Sunnah haveclarified all its general provisions, and the noble Companions(may Allah be pleased with them)have reported thatfor us.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺmade it clear that if a person dies before making up for the missed obligatory fasting, whether due to avow, expiation, or missed fast days of Ramadan,even though he was able to fast,, his guardian, i.e., any of his relatives, whether he\she was among his heirs or not, should make up for the missed obligatory fast days on his behalf, and it wouldbe sufficient in terms of clearing the dead person’s liability from the obligation in this regard.
However, if someone dies before making up for the missed obligatory fasting for a valid excuse, e.g., a disease that befell him until his death, he shall bear no sin for that and his guardians are not required to make up for the missed fast days, given the general indication of the ayah reading (that which means): {…and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship and [wants] for you to complete the period and to glorify Allah for that [to] which He has guided you; and perhaps you will be grateful.} [Quran 2:185].
In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, enjoins upon the person to make up for the missed fast days on other days. If a sick person dies before recovery, he is cleared from the obligation of making up for the missed fast days and the ransom (feeding a poor person for each missed fast day), because feeding these poor people is an alternative to fasting. If fasting is no longer deemed obligatory, the same goes for feeding as well.
However, if someone does not make up for the missed fast days out of neglect, without having a valid excuse, and dies, it is not incumbent on his guardians to make up for the missed fast days, and it is not valid if they did, because the prescribed time window for making up for the missed fasting has expired.
This hadeeth alsoteaches us keenness in fulfilling the rights of Allah, Exalted is He, over us, and urges us to maintain ties of kinship.
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1953

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): A man cameto the Prophet ﷺand said, "O Allah's Messenger!My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?" The Prophet ﷺreplied in the affirmative and said, "The debt owed to Allah is more deserving (of being paid off)."
In another narration a woman is reported to have said, "My sister died..." Narrated Ibn `Abbas: A woman said to the Prophet ﷺ: “My mother died and she had vowed to fast but she did not fast.” In another narration Ibn ‘Abbaas is reported to have said, "A woman said to the Prophet ﷺ, "My mother died while she ought to have fasted for fifteen days."
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Commentary :
Fasting is one of the pillars of Islam.The Quran and the Sunnah haveclarified all its general provisions, and the noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)have reported that for us.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that a man came to the Prophet ﷺand told him that his mother had died before making up for a missed month of fasting, whether it was the obligatory fasting of Ramadan, or an obligatory fasting due to a vow or expiation.He asked if it would be sufficient for him to make up for the missed fasting on her behalf? (Will it clear her liability from this obligation?) The Prophet ﷺ repliedin the affirmative and instructed him tomake up for the missed fasting on her behalf, upon which her liability would be cleared.Afterwards, he ﷺ drew an analogy between the repayment of the dead person’s debts andhow this clears his liability, andthe repayment of the debts owed to Allah, Exalted is He, i.e., the missed fasting. He ﷺ added: “The debt owed to Allah, Exalted is He, is more deserving of being repaid,” and it is more deserving of being repaid and more likelyto be accepted.
Some versions of the hadeeth, like the one cited in Saheeh Muslim, state that a woman came to the Prophet ﷺ asking him the same regarding her mother. It is possible that these were two different incidents.
If a person dies before making up for missed obligatory fasting, and he was able to make up for it, but did not until death befell him, his guardian, i.e., any of his relatives (whether he\she was among his heirs or not), may make up for the missed obligatory fast days on his behalf.This would be sufficient in terms of clearing the dead person’s liability from the obligation.Otherwise, he may feed a poor person for each missed fast day instead.
However, if someone dies before making up for the missed obligatory fasting for a valid excuse, e.g., a disease that befell him until his death, he shall bear no sin for that, and his guardians are not required to make up for the missed fast days, given the general indication of the ayah’s wording, which reads (what means): {…and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days.} [Quran 2:185]. In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He,stated thatit is obligatory on such a person to make up for the missed fast days on other days. If a sick person dies before attaining recovery, his liability is cleared from the obligation of making up for the missed fast days and the ransom (feeding a poor person for each missed fast day), because feeding poor people here is an alternative to fasting. If fasting is no longer deemed obligatory, the same goes for feeding the poor as well.
The hadeeth encourages us to show keenness in fulfilling the rights of Allah, Exalted is He, over us, and in showing the enjoined dutifulness towards parents after their death.
The permissibility of acting upon Qiyaas (i.e., legal analogy) is also inferred from the hadeeth.
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1955

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn Aboo Awfaa(may Allah be pleased with him):We were once in the company of the Prophet ﷺ on a journey and he ﷺwas fasting. When the sun set, he ﷺaddressed somebody: "O so-and-so, get up and mix some Saweeq with water (i.e., prepare barley beverage\ liquid meal) for us." He replied, "O Allah's Messenger! Will you wait till it is evening?" The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Get down and mix Saweeq with water for us." He replied, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! If you wait till the evening!" The Prophet ﷺ said again, "Get down and mix Saweeq with water for us." He replied, “It is still daytime!” The Prophet ﷺsaid again, "Get down and mix Saweeq with water for us." He finally got down and mixed Saweeq for them. The Prophet ﷺ drank it and then said, "When you see night falling from this side, i.e., indicating sunset, a fasting person should (hasten to) break his fast.".

Commentary :
It is known that all good lies in following the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ and sheer evil lies in introducing religious innovations.Being one of the loftiest worshipful acts and best means to draw closer to Allah, Exalted is He, it is incumbent upon a Muslim to follow the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ regarding fasting, and he ﷺ urged the fasting people to hasten in breaking their fasts.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Aboo Awfaa(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that they went once on a journey with the Prophet ﷺwhen he was fasting. After sunset, heﷺ commanded a man to mix some Saweeq with water(i.e., prepare a liquid meal bymixing roasted barley flour with milk or water), for them to break their fast.The man thought that it was early to break the fast then, and therefore said to the Prophet ﷺ: “O Messenger of Allah! If you wait till the evening,”meaning to wait longer to ensure that the time of sunset had come. However, the Prophet ﷺ repeated his command twice and the man gave him the same answer! On the third time, the man said to the Prophet ﷺ: “It is still daytime!” He thought that the sun had not yet set because he could still see daylightand assumed that the fast day had not ended yet.It is possible that he saw strongdaylight due to the clear sky, so he thought that the sun had not set, or perhaps he assumed that the sunlight was merely blocked by a mountain or clouds or the like. Had he understood that sunset had already taken place,he would not have been reluctant to comply with the Prophet’s ﷺcommand, which would have constituted disobedience. Rather, he merely wanted to investigate the matter further to be on the safe side and ensure that he had abided by the relevant Laws of Islamruling. On the fourth time, the man did as he was ordered by the Prophet ﷺ, whodrank the barley meal and then instructed people that whenever the sun sets and they can see night falling from the east, marking the end of the day and the beginning of the night, a fasting person should break his fast.
A fasting person is urged to hasten to break his fast directly after sunset so as not to increasedaytime at the expense of nighttime, and because it is more convenient and kinder for the fasting person, andimplies availing oneself of the relevant legal concession and expressing more gratitude to Allah for His blessings.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable toreminda scholar of what he might have forgotten, and the practice of refrainingfrom doing so after the third time.
It is also inferred that it is permissible to observe fasting while travelling, and that it is betterand more virtuous than refrainment from fasting, as long as it does not cause apparent hardship for the fasting person.
In addition, it is deduced from the hadeeth that a religious command has more (authoritative) weight than sensory judgment (and conclusions), and that the Laws of Islam must be given precedence over intellectual judgment..

1957

Sahl ibn Sa‘d(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "People will remain on the right path as long as they hasten to break their fast.".

1959

Aboo Usaamah narrated on the authority of Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah narrating on the authority of Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) that Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "We broke our fast during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ on a cloudy day and then the sun appeared." Hishaam was asked, "Were they ordered to fast in lieu of that day?" He replied, "It had to be made up for (i.e., making up for it is inevitable)." Ma‘mar said, "I heard Hishaam saying, "I do not know whether they fasted in lieu of that day or not.".

1960

Al-Rubay‘ bint Mu‘awwidh (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
"The Prophet ﷺ sent a messenger to the village of the Ansaar in the morning of the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ (10th of Muharram) to announce: 'Whoever has eaten something should not eat but complete the fast, and whoever is observing fast should complete it.' She (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "Since then we used to fast on that day regularly and also make our boys fast. We used to make toys of wool for the boys and if anyone of them cried for food, he was given those toys till it was time to break the fast.".

Commentary :
The Day of ‘Aashooraa’ is a blessed day, on which Allah, Exalted is He, saved His Prophet Moosaa from Pharaoh and his army. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ fasted it, and commanded Muslims to fast as well, to express their gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, Al-Rubay‘ bint Mu‘awwidh (may Allah be pleased with her)related that the Prophet ﷺ once sent his messengers on the morning of the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, the tenth of Muharram, to the villages of Al-Madeenah. They called out to the people, “Whoever has eaten something should not eat, but complete the fast, and whoever is observing fast should complete it.”
Then, she (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that since then they used to fast on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ regularly and also made their young boys fast. They used to make them toys of dyed wool and if anyone of them cried for food, he was given those toys to be distracted by them till it was time to break the fast, to encourage and train young children in performing worshipful acts.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ deemed fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ optional after the obligatory fasting ofRamadan was prescribed. It was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that he ﷺ said: “That was a day on which the people of pre-Islamic days used to observe fast. So, heamongst you who likes to observe fast should do so, and he who does not like it should abandon it.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
He ﷺ commanded them to fast on it as a voluntary act of worship.
The merits of this blessed day have been reported in many texts of the Sunnah. For instance, it has been narrated that fasting it expiates the sins committed in the previous year, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and recorded in Saheeh Muslim.
The permissibility of training young children in fasting can be inferred from the hadeeth.
It is also deduced therefrom that when any of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) says, “We used to do such-and-such during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ,” such a report is considered Marfoo‘ (i.e., a Hadeeth that is directly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ), because the fact that he ﷺ did not disapprove their act serves as a tacit approval of it on his part, otherwise he ﷺ would have forbidden them from such an act.
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1968

Aboo Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between Salmaan and Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them). Salmaan once paid a visit to his brother Aboo Al-Dardaa’ and found his wife, Umm Al-Dardaa’, dressed in shabby clothes. He inquired about her state, and she replied, “Your brother Aboo Al-Dardaa’ is not interested in (the luxuries of) this worldly life!” In the meantime, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ came and prepared a meal for Salmaan, who requested Aboo Al- Dardaa’ to eat (with him), but he said, "I am fasting." Thereupon, Salmaan said, “I am not going to eat unless you eat with me!” So, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ ate (with Salmaan). When it was night and (a part of the night passed), Aboo Al-Dardaa’ got up (to offer night prayer), but Salmaan told him to sleep and Aboo Al-Dardaa’ complied. After sometime, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ again got up but Salmaan told him to sleep longer. When it was the last hours of the night, Salmaan told him to get up then, and both of them offered night prayer. Salmaan told Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them), "Your Lord has a right on you, your self has a right on you, and your family has a right on you; give everyone who has a right over you his due right!" Aboo Al-Dardaa’ went to the Prophet ﷺ and reported to him the whole story. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Salmaan has spoken the truth.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, did not enjoin Muslims to devote their lives exclusively to worship; monasticism is not prescribed in Islam, contrary to the Christians who invented monasticism and added it to their religion.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Juhayfah,Wahab ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Suwaa’i (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophet ﷺ established a bond of brotherhood between Salmaan Al-Faarsi and Aboo Al-Dardaa’ ‘Umayr ibn Qays Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with them). It is noteworthy that this was a different kind of brotherhood bond than the one that was first established by the Prophet ﷺ between the emigrants and Al-Ansaar after the migration to Al-Madeenah, which entitled brothers to inherit from each other at first and was abrogated later on. Rather, it was more of a moral bond. One day, Salmaan Al-Faarisi visited his brother Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them) and found his wife Umm Al-Dardaa’, Khayrah bint Aboo Hadrid Al-Aslameeyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) wearing shabby clothes, of the type usually worn by women while carrying out the household chores, instead of wearing fancy clothes and beautifying herself for her husband. Salmaan inquired about her state and she replied, “Your brother Aboo Al-Dardaa’ is not interested in (the luxuries of) this worldly life!” Her statement was meant as a euphemism for his refrainment from approaching her; she felt bashful to say it explicitly. This visit took place before the obligation of Hijaab was prescribed for Muslim women. Afterward, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ came and prepared some food for Salmaan, who asked Aboo Al-Dardaa’ to join him and eat with him, but he informed him that he was fasting. However, Salmaan insisted that he should join him and said: “I am not going to eat unless you eat with me!” Therefore, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ ate with Salmaan, whose aim was to forbid Aboo Al-Dardaa’ from overburdening himself with worship to the extent of harming his wife! Aboo Al-Dardaa’ complied and ate with Salmaan (may Allah be pleased with them).
Salmaan spent the night with them. When a part of the night passed, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ got up to offer night prayers, but Salmaan commanded him to sleep and Aboo Al-Dardaa’ complied. After sometime, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ got up again but Salmaan commanded him to sleep longer. When it got to the last hours of the night, Salmaan told him to get up then, and both of them offered night prayer. Salmaan advised Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them) and clarified to him that Allah, Exalted is He, had a right over him, his body and health had rights over him, and his family and children had rights over him; such as showing kindness and intimacy to his wife, tending to the needs of his wife and children, and teaching them what benefits them in this worldly life and the Hereafter. He then commanded Aboo Al-Daraa’ to give everyone who had a right over him his due right.
Later on, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ went to the Prophet ﷺ and reported to him the whole story. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Salmaan has spoken the truth."
This hadeeth serves as evidence for the fact that a person should not overburden himself with fasting and night prayer (beyond his abilities), but should rather pray and perform night prayer moderately to attain the desired benefit (gain reward) and avoid fatigue, difficulty, and hardship.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to establish bonds of brotherhood between Muslims, and that it is allowable to visit one’s friends and brothers in faith and spend the night in their houses.
The permissibility of talking to a non-Mahram (marriageable) woman for a valid need and offering advice to one’s fellow Muslim brothers can also be inferred from the hadeeth.
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of performing night prayer in the last hours of the night.
Furthermore, it is also deduced therefrom that it recommended acts may be deemed forbidden for someone if it is feared that they may cause boredom and tedium, and lead him to neglect the enjoined fulfillment of the rights due over him.
The hadeeth underlines that it is disliked to overburden oneself with worship.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to break a voluntary fast for a need and interest.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible for a woman to beautify herself for her husband.
Finally, the hadeeth also highlights the merits of Salmaan Al-Faarisi (may Allah be pleased with him), since the Prophet ﷺ approved his act and stated that he spoke the truth.
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1969

‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to fast till one would say that he would never stop fasting (on that month), and he would refrain from fasting till one would say that he would never fast (on that month). I never saw Allah's Messenger ﷺ fasting for a whole month except the month of Ramadan, and did not see him fast in any month more than he fasted in the month of Sha‘baan..

Commentary :
Perseverance in performing righteous deeds regularly leads a servant of Allah to attain divine mercy and deliverance from the Hellfire. The Prophet ﷺ was the optimal role model in this regard. He ﷺ persevered in performing acts of worship and acts of obedience regularly; one of such acts was voluntary fasting, which is not bound to a specific time.
In this hadeeth, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed us that the Prophet ﷺ sometimes observed fasting most of a month, so much that they thought that he ﷺ was going to fast the whole month, and sometimes refrained from fasting on a month so much that they thought that he ﷺ was not going to observe fasting on that month at all. He ﷺ did not fast an entire month except Ramadan, because it is obligatory, and it was mentioned in the hadeeth to emphasize this fact. The only month he ﷺ fasted in full was Ramadan, so that voluntary fasting in any other month would not be mistakenly believed to be obligatory. He ﷺ observed fasting most of Sha‘baan, but did not fast it in full lest people should mistakenly assume that it was obligatory, and to distinguish it from the obligatory fasting ofRamadan. He ﷺ often fastedin Sha‘baan in particular because deeds are presented to Allah, Exalted is He, in the month of Sha‘baan, and he ﷺ loved to have his deeds presented to Him while he ﷺ was fasting.
Furthermore, people often neglect that month, being in between two significant months, i.e., Rajab and Ramadan, as stated in a hadeeth cited by Al-Nasaa’i and Ahmad.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the voluntary acts of worship are not bound to specific times, but may be performed at any time based on the willingness and ability of the doers.
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of Sha’baan, and encourages Muslims to fast during it more often. It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to observe voluntary fasting on only one or a few days each month. .

1973

Humayd narrated that he asked Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) about the fasting of the Prophet ﷺ. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said "Whenever I liked to see the Prophet ﷺ fasting in any given month, I could see that, and whenever I liked to see him not fasting, I could see that too, and if I liked to see him praying in any given night, I could see that, and if I liked to see him sleeping, I could see that, too." Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "I never touched silk or velvet softer than the hand of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and never smelled musk or perfumed smoke more pleasant than the smell of the Messenger ﷺ.".

Commentary :
Perseverance in performing righteous deeds regularly leads a servant of Allah to attain divine mercy and deliverance from the Hellfire. The Prophet ﷺ was the optimal role model in this regard. He ﷺ preserved in performing worshipful acts and acts of obedience regularly, and among such acts were voluntary fasting and night prayer.
Humayd, from the Taabi‘oon (Followers), informed us in this hadeeth that he asked Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) about the fasting of the Prophet ﷺ, and he replied that whenever he wished to see the Prophet ﷺ observing fasting or refraining from it on any given day of the month, he could, and whenever he wished to see him performing night prayers or sleeping at any given time of the night, he could. This means that he ﷺ used to observe fasting often on some days of the month and refrain from fasting on others, and used to divide his night between sleep to get rest (i.e., fulfill the rights of his body over him) and worship (i.e., fulfill the rights of Allah, Exalted is He, over him).
Afterward, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)described some of the distinct physical qualities of the Prophet ﷺ. He said that he never touched silk or velvet softer than the hand of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and never smelled musk or perfumed smoke (i.e., ‘Abeer, which is a blend of beautiful and sweet scents) more pleasant than his smell. He ﷺ was endowed with the most perfect moral and physical qualities, and Allah, Exalted is He, singled him out for these distinct qualities so that his perfected outward appearance would mirror and further refine his perfected inner character.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ adhered to moderation in worship; he ﷺ did not observe fasting all year long, nor did he pray all night long, so as not to overburden himself and his nation with worship, lest they should follow his example in this regard,which would be unfair to them (i.e., since they cannot stand what he ﷺ could).
The hadeeth also highlights some distinct physical qualities of the Prophet ﷺ and that he ﷺ was endowed with a pleasant outward appearance (and good looks).
The hadeeth encourages Muslims to perform night prayer and observe voluntary fasting.
.

1982

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet ﷺ paid a visit to Umm Sulaym once and she placed before him dates and ghee. The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Put the ghee and dates in their respective containers for I am fasting." Then, he ﷺ stood somewhere in her house and offered voluntary prayer and then invoked Allah, Exalted is He, to bless Umm Sulaym and her family with all that is good. Then Umm Sulaym said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have a special request (today)." He ﷺ said, "What is it?" She replied, "(Please invoke Allah for) your servant Anas." Thereupon, he ﷺ did not leave anything good in the worldly life or the Hereafter which he did not invoke (Allah to bestow) on me and said, “O Allah! Bless him (i.e., Anas) with abundant wealth and offspring!”
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Therefore, I was one of the richest among the Ansaar and my daughter Umaynah told me that when Al-Hajjaaj came to Basrah, more than 120 of my offspring had been buried..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to honor his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and visit them from time to time, to check on their conditions and supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to bless them and their families and bestow upon them all that is good, as stated in this hadeeth.
Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ once visited his mother Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with them) and that she served him some dates and ghee to show hospitality to him. However, he ﷺ apologized and informed her that he was observing voluntary fasting, and asked her to put the dates and ghee back in their containers. Afterwards, he ﷺstood somewhere in her house, offered a two-Rak‘ah voluntary prayer and then invoked Allah, Exalted is He, to bless her and her family with all that is good. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) often asked the Prophet ﷺ to pray in their homes and supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, for them. Then, Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) informed the Prophet ﷺ that she had a special request. He ﷺ inquired about her request and she told him that she wanted him to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in favor of her son Anas, who was the Prophet’s ﷺservant. Thereupon, he ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to bless him with abundant wealth and offspring.
The version of the hadeeth cited in Saheeh Muslim reads: “He ﷺ he invoked blessings for me (that I should be blessed with) all that is good and this was what he ﷺ (said) at the end of what be supplicated for me: “O Allah, grant him wealth and progeny, and confer blessings (upon him) in (each one) of them.’” [Muslim].
The Prophet’s ﷺsupplication was answered as indicated by the words of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) when he said: “I was one of the richest people from the Ansaar and my daughter Umaynah told me that when Al-Hajjaaj ibn Yusuf Al-Thaqfi came to Basrah, in 75 A.H., more than 120 of my descendants (i.e., the children of my sons and daughters) had been buried.” Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was about eighty years old at that time, and he died in 93 A.H. when he was nearly a hundred years old!
It is inferred from the hadeeth that being blessed with abundant wealth and offspring could be an aspect of the goodness, blessing, and prosperity conferred upon a servant of Allah, Exalted is He. He ﷺ would not have supplicated Allah for Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) except with what was good for him with regards to his religiosity and worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, for abundant wealth and offspring.
The hadeeth also highlights the Prophet’s ﷺhumbleness and kindness towards his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and it is deduced therefrom that a ruler may visit the ruled to check on their conditions.
The hadeeth also emphasizes the merits of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him).
Among other lessons inferred from the hadeeth are the following: putting one’s child before oneself (i.e., Umm Sulaym asked the Prophet ﷺ to supplicate Allah for Anas rather than herself), and kindness in presenting requests. It is also deduced that the death of a great number of his descendants does not contradict the fact that the Prophet’s ﷺsupplications to bless him with abundant offspring was answered.
The hadeeth also emphasizes the permissibility of showing hospitality to guests and honoring them.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to turn down a gift as long as it would not cause hardship for the gift-giver, and that he should explain the reason to him.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to preserve food and refrain from wasting.
It also shows that if a guest will not eat from the food served to him by the host, he should considerately supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, in his favor to make him feel better.
Finally, it also encourages Muslims to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, for all that is good in the worldly life and the Hereafter, because all good lies in the Hands of Allah, Exalted is He, and to proclaim and celebrateHis blessings bestowed upon us..

1983

Mutarrif narrated on the authority of ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him):
That the Prophet ﷺ asked him (‘Imraan) or asked a man and ‘Imraan was listening, "O Aboo so-and-so! Have you fasted the last days of this month?" (The narrator thought that he ﷺ said, "the month of Ramadan"). The man replied, "No, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!" The Prophet ﷺ said to him, "When you finish your fasting (of Ramadan) fast two days (in Shawwaal)." Through another chain of narration, ‘Imraan said, "The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘(Have you fasted) the last days of Sha‘baan?’".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to fast more often in the month of Sha’baan, and he ﷺ urged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast during it.
In this hadeeth the Companion ‘Imraan ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ asked him once - or he asked another man while ‘Imraan was listening. Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Shikhkheer, one of the narrators of the hadeeth, it was unsure. He ﷺ said: "O Aboo so-and-so! Have you fasted the last days of this month?" The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Sarar’ meaning the last days of the month, and the word linguistically denotes the concealment of the moon during these days, i.e., the twenty-eighth, twenty-ninth, and thirtieth nights (if the month is thirty days). It has also been said that the word refers to the three ‘white’ days in the middle of the month, namely, the thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth of the lunar month.
He ﷺ commanded him to make up for those fast days after ‘Eid Al-Fitr and the end of the Ramadan fast, to observe the acts of worship he habitually performed, because the most endeared deed to Allah, Exalted is He, is the one performed regularly.
Aboo Al-Nu’maan Muhammad ibn Al-Fadhl Al-Sadoosi (the narrator of the hadeeth) said: “I think he said: ‘He ﷺ meant Ramadan.’” However, the mention of Ramadan here is a mistake in the narration because it is incumbent on Muslims to fast duringRamadan. It could also be in reference to the time when he ﷺ made that statement and not the fasting that the addressee did not observe, conforming to the version of the hadeeth cited in Saheeh Muslim reading: “Fast for two days instead of (one fast) when you have completed (the fast of) Ramadan.” The question was about fasting on the last days of Sha‘baan. If the intended meaning of the hadeeth’s wording is the last days of the month, this means that this hadeeth seemingly contradicts the authentic hadeeth reported about the prohibition of fasting one or two days before Ramadan. This can be explained by the assumption that this man habitually fasted the last days of the lunar month, and abstained from fasting them merely for fear of the reported prohibition of fasting one or two days before Ramadan. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ made it clear to him that the prohibition in this regard does not apply to habitual or vowed fasting on these days, but rather that what is prohibited is singling them out for fasting.
It is deduced from this hadeeth that it is permissible to make up for missed voluntary fasting.
The hadeeth also shows that the Prophet ﷺ used to advise his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and urge them to perform acts of obedience..

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