| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2322

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Whoever keeps a dog, one Qiraat of the reward of his good deeds is deducted daily, unless the dog is used for guarding farms or cattle." Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (in another narration) said that the Prophet ﷺ added, "… unless it is used for guarding sheep or farms, or for hunting." Aboo Haazim narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺsaid, "A dog for guarding cattle or for hunting."
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Commentary :
This hadeeth underlines the prohibition of owning and keeping dogs for other than three purposes: hunting, guarding livestock, and guarding farms. It underlines that keeping a dog for other than these three purposes causes one to lose one Qiraat of the rewards of his good deeds every day. Qiraat is a specific measure of reward that is only known to Allah, Exalted is He, and the meaning is that such a person’s rewards are diminished.
It is possible that the reason for the decrease in the reward because of keeping dogs is that the angels do not enter such a person’s house because of it, as narrated in the authentic Sunnah texts. It is also possible that another reason is the harm and intimidation caused by dogs to passers-by, or that it is a punishment for boldly committing a prohibited act and disobeying the Prophet ﷺ.
The hadeeth underlines the kindness of Allah, Exalted is He, towards His creation in permitting what benefits them, in earning their living in the worldly life, and in their Hereafter as well.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that guaranteed benefit should be given precedence over the outweighed evil, mirrored in the exclusion of the three purposes from the relevant prohibition.
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2324

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺsaid, "While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing." The Prophet ﷺ added, "I, Aboo Bakr, and ‘Umar believe in the story." The Prophet ﷺwent on, "A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it, the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts, when there will be no shepherd for it except me?' "After narrating it, the Prophet ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it." Aboo Salamah (a sub-narrator) said, "Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar were not present then."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to narrate to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the news of the previous nations and the miracles performed for them, to deduce lessons therefrom.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ related two miraculous incidents that took place in the past. First, “While a man was riding a cow, it turned towards him and said, 'I have not been created for this purpose (i.e., riding), I have been rather created for ploughing.’” Secondly, “A wolf caught a sheep, and when the shepherd chased it,” to rescue it, “the wolf said, 'Who will be its guard on the day of wild beasts,” near the Last Hour, meaning that there shall be no people left as they would all die and perish, the earth would be destroyed, only beasts would remain and then, there shall be no shepherds to protect the sheep from the wolves and beasts, “when there will be no shepherd for it except me?’”
In these miraculous incidents, the cow and the wolf spoke by the permission and power of Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ said, "I, Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar too believe it,” meaning that they believed in these two unusual and miraculous incidents that were contrary to the law-structure of the uniayah (i.e., natural laws), because the One who created these systems Is (effortlessly) Able to break them. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) even though they were not present at that time out of his unshakable confidence in them, because he ﷺ knew of the sincerity of their faith, the strength of their certitude, and their certain knowledge of the great Omnipotence of Allah and the perfection of His power.
The hadeeth highlights one of the signs of his prophethoodﷺ.
It also underlines an apparent virtue of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is deduced therefrom that animals should be used only for their customary purposes, because Allah, Exalted is He, has prepared these creatures and subjugated them to Man to perform the tasks for which they were created. When they are used to perform tasks other than those for which they were created, it constitutes an act of injustice. It is also inferred that cows should only be used for ploughing, not for riding.
It is also deduced therefrom that a manifestation of faith is to believe absolutely everything that the Prophet ﷺreported..

2325

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Ansaar said to the Prophet ﷺ: "Distribute the dates (of the palm trees) between us and our emigrant brothers." He ﷺ replied, "No." The Ansaar said (to the emigrants), "Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water, and tend to them and share the fruits with us." They (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "We hear and obey."
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Commentary :
When the Prophet ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ established the bond of brotherhood between the emigrants and the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were exceptionally generous towards their fellow Muslims. None of them was stingy,nor did they withhold their wealth, homes, and food from their Muslim brothers. They graciously and munificently shared their wealth and houses with the emigrants.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Ansaar (may Allah be pleased with them), who were the people of Al-Madeenah, wanted to split their palm trees with their emigrant brothers, putting their best interests before their own. They asked the Prophet ﷺ to divide up the date palms they owned between themselves and the emigrants, but he ﷺ refused, because he ﷺ knew of the future conquests and wealth that they would be given (i.e., spoils of war). Therefore, he ﷺ disliked that the Ansaar should give up their property. When they knew the Prophet’s decision, they sought to realize both benefits, namely, comply with the Prophet’s command and hasten to support their emigrant brothers financially. They said: “Look after the (palm) trees (i.e., water and tend to them) and share the fruits with us." The apparent indication of their statement is that the emigrants would perform the cultivation and irrigation work and take care of the lands, so that the Ansaar would grow their palm trees and they both would share the fruits. This means that the Ansaar retained their ownership of the palm trees,while the emigrants helped them out with the cultivation and irrigation work in return for a share of the picked fruits. This business transaction is known as Musaaqaah, (i.e., a share tenancy or partnership in the yield of trees), wherebytrees are given to someone to look after and irrigate in return for a share of the harvest. The version of the hadeeth recorded in Musnad Abee Ya‘laa reads: “He ﷺ said, ‘No; they may look after the palm trees in return for a half of the yield.’” According to this version, those were the words of the Prophet ﷺ and the meaning would be that the Ansaar would look after the lands, because the emigrants were not familiar with cultivation. This meaning was further supported by the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, the emigrants came to him and said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We have not seen people who are more willing to sacrifice when having a lot, nor more patient when having a little than the people whom we are staying amongst. Our provisions are so sufficient, and we share with them their produce, such that we fear that all our reward is gone. So, the Prophet ﷺ said: "No! As long as you supplicate to Allah for them and praise (i.e., show gratitude to) them (for it).”’
Thereupon, both the Ansaar and emigrants said: “We hear and obey,” in response to the Prophet’s command.
Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah are partnership contracts that are founded on justice between the two partners. The owner of the trees and land may be likened to the owner of capital money (i.e., principal) who gives it to a Mudhaarib (i.e., the one who manages the Mudhaarabah) to invest his capital in trade, provided that they both share the profits and endure the potential loss equally, and this makes their partnership free of risk and ambiguity.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to help their fellow Muslims and relieve them of hardship.
It also underlines the virtues of the emigrants and Ansaar, and their good compliance with the Prophet’s commands.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to engage in Musaaqaah and Muzaara‘ah agreements.
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2326

‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The Prophet ﷺ got the date palm trees of the tribe of Banee Al-Nadheer burnt and the trees cut down at a place called Al-Buwayrah. In such occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse (which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al-Buwayrah."
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Commentary :
Many Jewish tribes lived in Al-Madeenah including: Banee Al-Nadheer, Banee Qurayzah, Banee Qaynuqaa‘, and Banee Haarithah, until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Al-Madeenah. After the migration, he ﷺ concluded peace treaties with some of them and fought others. When Banee Al-Nadheer betrayed the Prophet ﷺ in 4 A.H., and treacherously tried to kill him, he ﷺ led the Muslim army and besieged them. They took shelter in their fortresses and therefore he ﷺ imposed a siege on them, and ordered their palm trees to be cut and burnt, to force them out. It was also said that only fruitless trees were cut and burnt. It was said also that only (palm) trees on the battlefield were cut and burnt. These palm trees were located in a place known as Al-Buwayrah, a known place between Al-Madeenah and Taymaa’ from the direction of Qubaa’ Mosque to the west.
On this occasion, Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said a poetic verse that reads (that which means): "The chiefs of Banee Loo’ay found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah.” It means that the chiefs of Banee Loo’ay, i.e., Quraysh, found it easy to watch fire spreading at Al- Buwayrah that belonged to Banee Al-Nadheer. Hassaan ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) made a reference to Quraysh because they had enticed Banee Al-Nadheer to violate their peace treaty and covenant with the Muslims, and promised them support in case the Prophet ﷺ waged a war against them, but failed to live up to their promise.

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2327

Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We worked on farms more than anybody else in Al-Madeenah. We used to rent the land at the yield of specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landlord. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice. At that time gold or silver were not used (for renting lands). If they provided the seeds, they would get so-and-so much in return.
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2328

‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ concluded a contract with the people of Khaybar to utilize the land on the condition that half the produce, fruits or vegetation, would be their share. The Prophet ﷺused to give his wives one hundred Wasqs each, eighty Wasqs of dates and twenty Wasqs of barley. When ‘Umar became the Caliph, he gave the wives of the Prophet ﷺ the option of either having the land and water as their shares, or carrying on the previous practice. Some of them chose the land and some chose the Wasqs, and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) chose the land.
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2330

‘Amr ibn Dinaar said to Taawoos: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah (i.e., a sharecropping agreement whereby a plot of land is rented for part of its yield, or the cultivation of a sowed land in return for a specific portion of its produce, and the rent is paid in kind from the land's produce), for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them. No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’.

Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this narration, a dialogue took place between ‘Amr ibn Dinaar and Taawoos ibn Kaysaan, who used to engage in Mukhaabarah, which is a sharecropping transaction which involved cultivating a land in return for a fixed share of the yield, and which is similar to the Muzaara‘ah transaction (i.e., a contract in which one of the parties gives a plot of land for a fixed period to the other party to cultivate and divide up the yield), but the difference between them is that the farmer supplies the seeds,in addition to his labor and expertise (and the landlord provides, through lease, the plot of land to be ploughed in preparation for sowing seed and growing crops) in the Mukhaabarahtransaction, whereas a landowner provides both in the Muzaara‘ah transaction. ‘Amr said to him: "I wish you would give up Mukhaabarah, for people say that the Prophet ﷺ forbade it." On that, Taawoos replied, "O ‘Amr! I give the land to sharecroppers and help them,” meaning pay the farmers what sufficed them. He added: “No doubt; the most learned man, namely Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), who claimed that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden it, told me that the Prophet ﷺhad not forbidden it but rather said, 'It is more beneficial to give one’s land free to his fellow Muslim brother than to charge him a fixed rent.’ This means that it is better for a Muslim landowner to lend his fellow Muslim farmer his land gratis and as a loan than to rent it out for a fixed rent, lest it would incur discord, dissention, and infringement of rights. The Prophet ﷺ disliked that practice for them lest it would undermine their rapport and causedissension among Muslims.
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2332

Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We had more farms than anybody else in Al-Madeenah, and we used to rent the land and say to the owner, "The yield of this portion is for us (as a rent) and the yield of that portion is for you." One of those portions might yield something and the other might not. So, the Prophet ﷺforbade us from doing so.
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Commentary :
Preserving wealth is one of the fundamental higher objectives of the Laws of Islam; whatever may harm one of the contracting parties, or may lead to the risk of losing their money is deemed prohibited. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the form of Muzaara‘ah transaction that Raafi’ bin Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in this hadeeth. They used to rent out their land for cultivation in return for the yield produced by a specified part of the land, and the landowner would take the yield of the other part. One part may produce a good yield and the other might not. That is why the Prophet ﷺ forbade this transaction, because of the risk involved;one of those parts might yield something and the other might not, and thus one partywould win his share of the yield, while the right of the other would be lost altogether!
His saying, “We had more farms than anyone else in Al-Madeenah,” means that they owned more lands and farms.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transactions, there is no harm in that.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the yield, rather than renting out one’s land for cultivation in return for the yield of a specific delimited portion..

2334

Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father:
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If it were not for the future Muslim generations, I would have distributed the land of the villages I conquer between the soldiers as the Prophet ﷺ distributed the land of Khaybar."
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Commentary :
Islam gives public interests precedence over private ones. In this hadeeth, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), knowing that wealth was becoming very scarce and that stinginess was prevailing, took pity on the following Muslim generations.Thus he decided to endow the lands seized by the Muslim army as spoils of war for the common benefit of all Muslims, rather than distributing them between the conquerors only, out of his mercy for the following Muslim generations, who would benefit from these lands and avail themselves of their yield. He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that if it were not for the interests of the future Muslim generations, he would have distributed the lands seized by Muslims as spoils of war only between the conquerors, as did the Prophet ﷺ with the land of Khaybar, which was conquered in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a town located to the north of Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam, 95 miles (153 km) from Al-Madeenah, and it was inhabited by Jews. The Prophet ﷺ allocated half of the lands to himself, and divided up the other half among Muslims, who had no farmers, and made agreements with the Jews to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield.
However, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) decided that if he divided up all the lands they conquered between the Muslim soldiers only, nothing would be left for the future Muslim generations.
The hadeeth highlights the ruler’s keenness to secure the present and future interests of Muslims.
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2335

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said:
"He who cultivates a (deserted) land that does not belong to anybody is more rightful (to own it)." ‘Urwah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the same verdict during his Caliphate."
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Commentary :
Islam urges Muslims to revive and cultivate the deserted and uncultivated lands. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever cultivates an unplanted land that has no buildings thereon, reviving it by means of cultivation or development, and it has no known owner and is not connected with the interests of a given town or village, e.g., by being a pasture for their animals, then such a person is more deserving of its ownership than anyone else. He does not need the permission of the ruler for it;though it was also said that the ruler’s permission is required.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to revive and cultivate the uncultivated lands and avail oneself of them..

2339

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

2340

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
People used to rent their land for cultivation in return for one-third, one-fourth or half its yield. The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated." It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise, he should keep it uncultivated."
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Commentary :
Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people, and ensures that they are based on the principles of cooperation, (fostering) rapport, affection, love, and avoiding conflict, discord, and deceit.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to rent their lands for cultivation in return for a third, a quarter, or a half of the yield during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. Therefore, he ﷺ said: “Whoever has land should cultivate it himself or give it to his (Muslim) brother gratis; otherwise keep it uncultivated.” He ﷺ commanded the landowners to cultivate their own lands, give it to other farmers to cultivate it free of charge, if unable to do it themselves, otherwise they should keep them uncultivated and should not rent them out for cultivation.
The indication of the hadeeth’s wording seemed objectionable because keeping the land uncultivated constitutes missing out on its benefit and implies wasting wealth, which was deemed prohibited by authentically reported texts.
In refutation, scholars underlined that the prohibition of wasting wealth means wasting the assets themselves or their benefits that cannot be compensated for, because if a land is left uncultivated, its owner does not miss out on its benefit in totality, for it may still be used as a pasture, or a source of firewood, in addition to many other benefits. Even if this was not the case, delaying the cultivation of the land for a while may be better for the quality of the yield. It may produce a greater and better yield in the following year,on whichthe landowner may have missed out if it was not left uncultivated. This is based on the interpretation of the relevant prohibition as to mean renting in general. However, if it meant the specific manner of renting practiced by them at that time, as narrated on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, this does not necessarily entail missing out on its benefit in totality; the landowner may rent it out for gold or silver, for example.
A version of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “We used to rent the land at the yield produced by a specific delimited portion of it to be given to the landowner. Sometimes the vegetation of that portion was affected by blights etc., while the rest remained safe and vice versa, so the Prophet ﷺ forbade this practice.” The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “People used to rent out their lands during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ for what grew by the river-beds, and the edges of the brooks/streams, or for a portion of the crop. However, sometimes this portion of the crop would be destroyed or go bad while the other was safe, or vice versa. Thus, there would be no fee to pay landowners except for the portion which produced a crop.” These versions clarified that his saying “one-fourth of the yield,” means a fixed share of the yield (i.e., the yield produced by a specific part of the land) and not one-fourth of the yield of the whole land.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction that was evidently corrupt, warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the lands in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than for the yield of a specific delimited portion.
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2343

Naafi‘ narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was told the narration of Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting out farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and I accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ who replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams (rivers) and for certain amount of straw.”
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Commentary :
Renting farms means leasing them for cultivation in return for a share of the yield. As narrated in this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to rent his farms during the reigns of Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Uthmaan, and in the early days of the reign of Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with them). Then he was informed that Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar went to Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with them) and asked him about it, and his freed slave Naafi‘ accompanied him. He asked Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) about it, and he replied that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden renting farms. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "You know that we used to rent our farms during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ for the yield of the banks of the water streams and for a certain amount of hay,” meaning fresh and dried grass used as fodder. This means that the Prophet ﷺ specifically forbade a certain type of renting that involved stipulating a defective contractual condition and ambiguity. The yield produced by one portion of the land may be afflicted with pests and go bad, while the other might not. Thus, the Muzaara‘ah transaction would be concluded, but the farmer or the landowner might incur loss.
This hadeeth indicates that the business transaction that the Prophet ﷺ forbade was the unjust Muzaara‘ah transaction which was evidently corrupt,warranting forbidding it. However, if there is a guarantee for the capital in the Muzaara‘ah transaction, there is no harm in that, as reported in other hadeeths and narrations.
It is noteworthy that this does not contradict the fact that the Prophet ﷺ concluded an agreement with the Jews of Khaybar to cultivate the land in return for half the yield while the other half would be given to the Prophet ﷺ. This agreement remained in force until the death of the Prophet ﷺ, and continued to be in force during the reigns of the rightly guided Caliphs. Muzaara‘ah transactions may be concluded in return for a share of the total yield, rather than the yield of a specific delimited portion.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), his keenness in learning the Sunnah, and his deep knowledge..

2346

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

2348

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Once the Prophet ﷺwas narrating (a story), while a Bedouin was sitting with him, "One of the inhabitants of Paradise will ask Allah, Exalted is He, to allow him to cultivate the land. Allah will ask him, 'Are you not relishing therein the pleasures that you like?' He will say, 'Yes, but I like to cultivate the land.'" The Prophet ﷺadded, "When the man (will be permitted, he) will sow the seeds and the plants will grow, ripen, and become ready for reaping and so on till it will be as huge as mountains within a wink. Allah will then say to him, 'O son of Adam! Here you are, gather (the yield); nothing satisfies you.'" On that, the Bedouin said, "The man must be either from Quraysh (i.e., an emigrant) or the Ansaar, for they are farmers, whereas we, desert dwellers, are not farmers." The Prophet ﷺsmiled (at this).
.

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

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