Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The people of the tribes of the tribe of Ra‘l, Dhakwaan, Banee ‘Usayyah, and BaneeLihyaancame to the Prophetﷺand claimed that they had embraced Islam, and they requested him to support them with some men to fight their own people. The Prophetﷺsupported them with seventy men from the Ansaar whom we used to call Al-Qurraa'(i.e., Reciters and scholars of the Quran) who (out of piety) used to cut wood during the day and pray all the night. So, those people took the (seventy) men till they reached a place called Bi’rMa‘oonah where they betrayed and martyred them. So, the Prophetﷺinvoked evil on the tribe of tribe of Ra‘l, Dhakwaan, and BaneeLihyaanfor one month in the prayer.
Qataadah narrated: Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told us that they (i.e., Muslims) used to recite a an ayah concerning those martyrs which read: "O Allah! Let our people be informed on our behalf that we have met our Lord Who has got pleased with us and made us pleased,” but the ayah was abrogated later on. .

Commentary :
Supplication is the resort of the servants of Allah, to seek refuge with their Lord. Allah, Exalted is He, prescribed Qunoot (i.e., supplication recited in prayers) whenever calamities and adversities should befall Muslims, because supplication strengthens the heart, boosts faith, and relieves distress.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that people from the tribes of ofRa‘l, Dhakwaan, Banee ‘Usayyah, and BaneeLihyaancame to the Prophetﷺand claimed that they had embraced Islam and requested him to support them with some men to invite their people and teach them Islam. The Prophet ﷺsent seventy men from the Ansaar, led Al-Munthir ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), and it was also said that they were led by Mathrad ibn AbeeMathrad(may Allah be pleased with him). These seventy Muslims were known as the ‘Reciters of the Quran,’ because they devoted their lives to the Quran and its recitation. They used to cut wood during the day to buy food for the People of Suffah (i.e., the poor homeless Muslims who were sheltered in a place annexed to the Prophet’s Mosque) and pray all night long.
They took the (seventy) men till they reached a place called Bi’rMa‘oonah, i.e., a place in the land of Hudhayl between Makkah and ‘Usfaan, where they betrayed and killed them. This took place in Safar, 4 A.H. The Prophetﷺ observed Qunoot for a month,invoking evil on the tribes of Ra‘l, Dhakwaan, BaneeLihyaan, and Banee ‘Usayyahin the prayers. He ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, against all these tribes because the news about the betrayal of the Muslims in the incidents of Bi’rMa‘oonah and Al-Rajee‘ reached him on the same night. It is also possible that the incident of Bi’rMa‘oonah marked the beginning of the Prophet’s Qunoot, and afterward he ﷺ observed Qunoot supplication due to following incidents.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him)said that they (i.e., Muslims) used to recite an ayah concerning those martyrs which reads: "O Allah! Let our people be informed on our behalf that we have met our Lord Who was pleased with us and made us pleased,” but the ayah was abrogated later on.

It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is prescribed to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against the unjust people and those who betray and harm Muslims, proclaiming their names and openly supplicating against them.

The hadeeth also highlights the Companions’ keenness to seek martyrdom and their joy upon attaining it.

It is also inferred that the people of the truth may be harmed by the people of falsehood, and this does not indicate that the people of the truth are not right but is rather an indication of their honor and that the people of falsehood would be ruined and destroyed.
.

3067

Naafi‘ narrated:
A horse of Ibn ‘Umar fled and the enemy took it. Then, Muslims conquered the enemy and the horse was returned to him during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. And also, once a slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) fled and joined the Byzantines, and when the Muslims conquered them, Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed returned the slave to him after the death of the Prophet ﷺ..

Commentary :
Islam upholds people’s rights in all situations and contexts; it has laid down the Islamic rules and provisions regulating the affairs of war, and what Muslims get from the spoils of war and prisoners of war, and the deduction of the due rights from the spoils of war before their division.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that Ibn ‘Umar’s horse fled and the enemy seized it. Afterward, the Muslims conquered the enemy and the horse was returned to him during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, because it was his property. The version of the hadeeth recorded by Aboo Daawood reads: “The Prophet ﷺ returned it to Ibn ‘Umar and did not divide it along with the other spoils of war.” Similarly, once a slave owned by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) fled and joined the Byzantines, and when the Muslims conquered their land and triumphed over them, Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) returned the slave to him after the death of the Prophet ﷺ. This took place at the Battle of Al-Yarmook during the reign of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), as reported in the version compiled by ‘Abd Al-Razzaaq. The battle took place in 14 A.H. between the Muslims and the Byzantines.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when the enemy seizes the property of a Muslim person during war, and then the Muslims retrieve it as part of the spoils of war, this Muslim person is more entitled to his property, and it must not be divided up along with the other spoils of war. It was also said that if the owner was present before the division of the spoils of war, he is entitled to take it back, otherwise he is only entitled to its monetary value..

3073

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophetﷺ got up amongst us and mentioned Ghulool(i.e., stealthily take something from the spoils of war before they are divided among the soldiers, without the commander’s knowledge), emphasized its gravity and declared that it was a great sin saying, "Do not commit Ghulool, for I should not like to see anyone amongst you on the Day of Resurrection, carrying over his neck a sheep that will be bleating, or carrying over his neck a horse that will be neighing. Such a man will be saying: 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will reply, 'I cannot help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you nor should I like to see a man carrying over his neck, a camel that will be grunting. Such a man will say, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Intercede with Allah for me, and I will say, 'I cannot help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying over his neck gold and silver and saying, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Intercede with Allah for me,' and I will say, 'I cannot help you for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,' or one carrying clothes that will be fluttering, and the man will say, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Intercede with Allah for me.' And I will say, 'I cannot help you, for I have conveyed Allah's Message to you."
.

Commentary :
The Islamic law sternly warns against Ghulool (i.e., stealthily taking something from the spoils of war before they are divided among the soldiers, without the commander’s knowledge), which involves treason and theft from the spoils of war before they are divided, and clarifies the punishment designated for it which will be executed on the Day of Judgment before all people.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ delivered a speech once and warned against Ghulool and the gravity of this sin, emphasizing the prohibition in this regard. He ﷺ stated that none is entitled to take anything from the spoils of war before their division, and whoever commits Ghulool will carry over his neck what he had stealthily taken from the spoils of war before the division. He ﷺ stated that such a man would be carrying over his neck a sheep that would be bleating, a horse that would be neighing, a camelthat would be grunting, gold and silver, or clothes that would be fluttering, on the Day of Resurrection.
All these people would call upon the Prophet ﷺ saying, “O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Intercede with Allah for me.” To their shock, he ﷺ will say, “I cannot help you,“ meaning that he ﷺ cannot help them have their sins forgiven nor intercede for them, because the intercession requires the permission of Allah, Exalted is He. Afterward, he ﷺwill say, ”I have conveyed Allah's Message to you,“ meaning that he ﷺ had duly delivered the message and warned against the gravity and punishment of that sin, but they still committed it and deserved His punishment. The wisdom behind the fact that such people will carry the stealthily stolen items over their necks is to expose them before all people on the Day of Judgment. Some scholars underlined that this hadeeth explains the ayah that reads (what means): {It is not [attributable] to any prophet that he would act unfaithfully [in regard to war booty]. And whoever betrays, [taking unlawfully], will come with what he took on the Day of Resurrection.} [Quran 3:161]. The Arabic word Ghulool used in the ayah denotes carrying something over one’s neck (on the Day of Judgment).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that punishments may be of the same nature as the sins committed; Allah, Exalted is He, may punish sinners with a punishment of the same nature of the sin they have committed.
The hadeeth underlines different forms of Ghulool and edifies Muslims on them..

3074

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
There was a man who looked after the family and the belongings of the Prophetﷺ and he was calledKirkirah. The man died and Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "He is in Hellfire." People ﷺ then went to look at him and found in his place, a cloak he had stolen from the spoils of war.
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Commentary :
The Islamic law sternly warns against Ghulool (i.e., stealthily take something from the spoils of war before they are divided among the soldiers, without the commander’s knowledge), which involves treason and theft from the spoils of war before their division, and clarifies the punishment designated for it which will be executed on the Day of Judgment before all people.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that there was a man who looked after the family and the belongings of the Prophetﷺ, meaning the luggage during travels, and his name was Kirkirah. After this man died, Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "He is in Hellfire." This was one of the incidents when Allah, Exalted is He, imparted knowledge of the unseen (which is exclusive to Him) to the Prophet ﷺ. People were astonished and went to investigate the matter and look at him and found in his place a cloak he had stolen from the spoils of war before they were divided. This indicates that Ghuloolis forbidden regardless of the value of what is being stealthily taken from the spoils of war before their division, and that the thief bears the sin in all cases..

3075

Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
"We were in the company of the Prophetﷺ at Dhul-Hulayfah, and people suffered from hunger. We got some camels and sheep (as spoils of war) and the Prophetﷺ was still behind the people. They hurried and put the cooking pots on the fire. (When he ﷺ came) he ordered that the cooking pots should be upset and then he ﷺ distributed the spoils of war (amongst Muslims) regarding ten sheep as equal to one camel then a camel fled and the people chased it till they got tired, as they had a few horses (for chasing it). So, a man threw an arrow at it and caused it to stop (with Allah's Permission). On that, the Prophetﷺsaid, 'Some of these animals behave like wild beasts, so, if any animal flees from you, deal with it in the same way." He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophetﷺ, “We hope (or are afraid) that we may meet the enemy tomorrow and we have no knives. Can we slaughter our animals with canes?" Allah's Messenger ﷺreplied, "If the instrument used for killing causes the animal to bleed profusely and if Allah's Name is mentioned on killing it, then eat its meat (i.e., it is lawful) but will not use a tooth or a nail and I am telling you the reason: A tooth is a bone (and slaughtering with a bone is forbidden), and a nail is the slaughtering instrument of the Ethiopians.”
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Commentary :
The spoils of warare the gains taken by the warriors from the enemy's property and goods after attaining victory over them. The Prophet ﷺ clarified the Islamic rules and provisions regarding the spoils of war and made it clear that nothing may be taken from the spoils of war before they are duly divided (among the rightful recipients).
In this hadeeth, Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they were in the company of the Prophet ﷺ at Dhul-Hulayfah, a land in Tihaamah between Al-Taa’if and Makkah, and not the one near Al-Madeenah. It was said that it was a village about fourteen kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque, and it is the Miqaat (i.e., appointed place for assuming Ihraam in Hajj and 'Umrah) for the people of Al-Madeenah. People suffered from hunger there and had seized some camels and sheep (as spoils of war) from the disbelievers, and the Prophet ﷺ was still behind with the people to provide the needed help for the weak who needed a ride and urge those who were moving slowly. People hurried and put the cooking pots on the fire to cook the meat of these camels and sheep without seeking the permission of the Prophet ﷺ. When he ﷺ came, he ﷺ ordered that the cooking pots should be turned upside down, as a punishment for them, because the spoils of war had not been divided yet. However, the meat in these pots was not destroyed, but was rather collectedand given back to the rightful recipients of the spoils of war. It is inconceivable that the Prophet ﷺ should command them to dispose of it, for he ﷺ forbade wasting property, and this meat was the property of the rightful recipients of the spoils of war. Moreover, the mistake was committed by some of the rightful recipients of the spoils of war and not all of them; some of them did not partake in the cooking, and others were entitled to one-fifth of the spoils of war. Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺ distributed the spoils of war (amongst the Muslims); ten sheep as equal to one camel. Meanwhile, a camel fled and people chased it till they got tired, and were not able to catch it, as they had few horses (for chasing it) and given their exhaustion. So, a man shot an arrow at its leg and caused it to stop (with Allah's Permission). On that, the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Some of these animals behave like wild beasts, so, if any animal flees from you, deal with it in the same way," meaning shoot an arrow at it to slow it down or stop it from moving, and thus you would be able to catch it.
Then, Raafi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the Prophet ﷺ, “We hope (or are afraid) that we may meet the enemy tomorrow and we have no knives. Can we slaughter our animals with canes?" The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Madaa, which refers to sharp canes used as knives. They feared to use their own swords and blades to slaughter animals lest they should become blunt for the battlefield. The Prophet ﷺ replied, "If the instrument used for killing causes the animal to bleed profusely and if Allah's Name is mentioned on killing it, then eat its meat (i.e., it is lawful) but do not use a tooth or a nail,” meaning that the meat is lawful whenever any tool is used to slaughter the animal causing it to bleed profusely and the name of Allah is mentioned during the slaughter, except when the animal is slaughtered using a tooth or nail, being the slaughtering instruments used by the Ethiopians, who were disbelievers; Muslims are enjoined to avoid resembling the disbelievers. They would stick their nails in the animal’s throat and suffocate it, so it would be strangled, not slaughtered.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s humbleness, as he ﷺ marched behind the army, taking care of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and their needs, checking on them, and taking their advice.
The hadeeth also underlines the Companions’ swift compliance with the Prophet’s commands.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is impermissible for Muslims to take anything from the spoils of war before their division.
It also highlights that Islam promotes facilitation regarding slaughtering instruments.
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3077

Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ said, on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, "There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.”
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Commentary :
In the early days of Islam, the migration to Al-Madeenahwas deemed obligatory on every Muslim, to fight alongside the Prophet ﷺ to raise high the word of Allah (i.e., His religion). After the conquest of Makkah in 8 A.H., the stubborn disbelievers of Quraysh were destroyed (and disarmed), people converted to Islam in large numbers, and Allah, Exalted is He, made Muslims triumphant over their enemies.The migration to Al-Madeenahceased to be obligatory. On the day when Makkah was conquered, the Prophet ﷺ said: "There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.” The obligation that remained binding on Muslims was Jihaad whenever they should be called to defend their lands against enemies’ attacks or to conquer new lands. The migration was deemed obligatory for two reasons: 1) to support the Prophet ﷺ when the number of Muslims was small, and it was incumbent on all Muslims to hasten to his support against his enemies, and 2) to acquire knowledge and understand their religion. The most serious threat for Muslims was the disbelievers of Makkah. When the Muslims conquered Makkah and Islam became widespread, Muslims were taught that they were no longer obliged to migrate to Al-Madeenah, yet they were still required to hold the intention of partaking in Jihaad (whenever they were called for it). This is why the Prophet ﷺ said: “… whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call,” meaning that Muslims should be ready and well-prepared to respond to calls for Jihaad at any given time.
The hadeeth includes the glad tidings that Makkah shall remain a Muslim land for ever. This is because he ﷺ stated that migration from Makkah was no longer obligatory, and this indicated that it would never become a non-Muslim land in the future; migration is only required from non-Muslim lands..

3080

‘Ataa’ narrated:
I and ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Umayrwent to ‘Aa’ishah while she was staying near Thabeer (i.e., a mountain). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "There is no migration after Allah, Exalted is He, gave His Prophet ﷺ victory and conquest of Makkah.”
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Commentary :
The migration to Al-Madeenahwas deemed obligatory on the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims in the early days of Islam, to escape religious persecution in the disbelievers’ lands and to support the Prophet ﷺ. The best of the believers were those who migrated to Al-Madeenah. Theywere given the title ‘emigrants,’ and Allah, Exalted is He, singled them out for praise.
In this report, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) ‘Ataa’ ibn AbeeRabaah narrated that heand ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Umayr, the Judge of Makkah, went to the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) while she was staying near Thabeer, i.e., a huge mountain in Al-Muzdalifah to the left on the way to Minaa. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "There is no migration after Allah, Exalted is He, gave His Prophet ﷺ victory and the conquest of Makkah.” This is because the believers escaped religious persecution in their lands and fled to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenah, lest they should be proselytized and forced out of their religion. However, Islam became triumphant after the conquest of Makkah,so this ceased to be the case. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that Muslims were no longer required to migrate, yet they were enjoined to be ready to respond whenever they should be called for Jihaad, to fight against the enemy.
The hadeeth highlights the keenness of the Taabi‘oonfor learning and acquiring knowledge from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of the Prophet ﷺ..

3082

Ibn AbeeMulaykah narrated that Ibn Al-Zubayr said to Ibn Ja‘far(may Allah be pleased with them), "Do you remember when I, you and Ibn ‘Abbaas went out to receive Allah's Messengerﷺ?”Ibn Ja‘far(may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative. Ibn Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "And Allah's Messenger ﷺmade us (i.e., I and Ibn ‘Abbaas) ride along with him and left you."
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Commentary :
Receiving travelers and those coming from Jihaad and Hajj and giving them a warm welcome is an act of righteousness, and it shows the joy and the mutual love between the travelers and their friends and families.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah ibn AbeeMulaykah narrated that Ibn Al-Zubayr said to ‘Abdullaah ibn Ja‘far(may Allah be pleased with them), "Do you remember when me, you and Ibn ‘Abbaas went out to receive Allah's Messengerﷺ?”‘Abdullaah ibn Ja‘far(may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative. Ibn Ja’far(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "And Allah's Messenger ﷺmade us (i.e., Ibn ‘Abbaas and me) ride along with him and left you." He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that the Prophet ﷺ gave him and ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) a ride and not ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with him)on that occasion.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s humbleness.
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3083

As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I along with some boys went out to receive Allah's Messenger ﷺ at Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘.
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Commentary :
Receiving travelers and those coming from Jihaad and Hajj, and giving them a warm welcome,are acts of righteousness, which show the joy and mutual love between the travelers and their friends and families.
In this hadeeth, As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he and some other boys went out to receive Allah's Messenger ﷺ at Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘ when he ﷺ was coming back to Al-Madeenah after the Battle of Tabook in 9 A.H. The Arabic word Thaniyah means a mountainous pathway, and Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘ refers to the mountainous pathway on the way from Al-Madeenah to Tabook.It was given this name because people, young and old, used to bid farewell to their travelers who set out on their journeys for Jihaad or Hajj purposes, and it became the regular place for bidding farewell to the travelers.
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3086

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he and AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with them) came in the company of the Prophetﷺ and Safiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her) was accompanying the Prophet ﷺ and he let her ride behind him on his she-camel. During the journey, the she-camel slipped and both the Prophetﷺand (his) wife fell down. AbooTalhah (the sub-narrator thinks that Anas said that AbooTalhah jumped from his camel quickly) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!May Allah sacrifice me for your sake! Did you get hurt?" The Prophetﷺ replied, "No, but take care of the lady." AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) covered his face with his garment and proceeded towards her and covered her with his garment, and she (may Allah be pleased with her) got up. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then set right the condition of their she-camel and both of them(i.e., the Prophet ﷺ and his wife)rode and proceeded till they approached Al-Madeenah. The Prophetﷺsaid, "We are returning with repentance and worshipping and praising our Lord." The Prophetﷺ kept on saying this statement till he ﷺ entered Al-Madeenah.
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Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) dearly loved the Prophet ﷺ more than themselves and were eager to please him and preserve his sanctity and were even willing to sacrifice their own lives to spare him any harm, when needed.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he and AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with them) came in the company of the Prophet ﷺ after the Battle of Khaybar, as reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and his wife SafiyyahbintHuyay ibn Akhtab(may Allah be pleased with her) was accompanying him, for he ﷺ had married her during that journey. He ﷺ let her ride behind him on his she-camel. During the journey, the she-camel slipped and both the Prophet ﷺ and his wife fell down. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) jumped from his camel quickly, and said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! May Allah sacrifice me for your sake! Did you get hurt?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "No, but take care of the lady," meaning Safiya (may Allah be pleased with her); help her. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) covered his face with his garment, to respect her privacy, and proceeded towards her. He (may Allah be pleased with him)covered her with his garment, and she (may Allah be pleased with her) got up. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then set right the condition of their she-camel, and the Prophet ﷺ and his wife (may Allah be pleased with her) rode and proceeded till they approached Al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺ said, "We are returning with repentance and worshipping and praising our Lord." The supplication means, ‘We return to Allah, Exalted is He, repenting of all which is unprescribed as per the Islamic law and renewing our commitment to all which is prescribed, devoting our worship, including our praise and expression of gratitude, exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He.’ He ﷺ kept on repeating this supplication till he ﷺ entered Al-Madeenah.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a woman to ride behind a man on his riding animal, and that her privacy must be respected.
It is also inferred therefrom that a Muslim man should cover the (‘Awrah of the) women whom he is not allowed to see as per the Islamic law and cover his face to avoid accidentally looking at them.
The hadeeth also encourages travelers to praise Allah, Exalted is He, thank Him for returning safely to his family, and ask Him for steadfastness in repentance and worship..

3088

Ka‘b(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever the Prophetﷺreturned from a journey in the forenoon, he ﷺ would enter the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs before sitting.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was an excellentmentor and educator; he ﷺ taught us the Islamic etiquette of travelling and returning back, what a traveler should do when he returns back to his family, and the activity that should be done first.
In this hadeeth, Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that whenever the Prophetﷺreturned from a journey, for Jihaad or Hajj purposes, or otherwise, in the forenoon, he ﷺ would enter the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs before sitting down. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “The Prophet ﷺ always came back from a journey at daytime in the forenoon.” Upon arriving back to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ would go first to the mosque to perform two Rak’ahs, to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for his safe return, before he ﷺ would sit down with people,so they could greet him and welcome him back..

3089

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "When Allah's Messenger ﷺarrived at Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ slaughtered a camel or a cow." Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "The Prophetﷺbought a camel from me for two Awaaq (pl. Ooqiyyah, i.e., a weight measurement that varies based on the weighable goods as well as countries) (of gold) and one or two Dirhams. When he ﷺ reached Siraar, he ﷺ ordered that a cow be slaughtered and they ate its meat. When he ﷺ arrived at Al-Madeenah, he ordered me to go to the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs and weighed (and gave) me the price of the camel."
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Commentary :
Returning back to one’s home safely after travel is a blessing that should entail expressing gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for blessing the traveler with a safe trip and return back to his home.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the Prophet ﷺ arrived at Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ slaughtered a camel or a cow, to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for returning safely to Al-Madeenah. Giving out food is one of the best and most rewardable good deeds that draws a person closer to Allah, Exalted is He.
In another version of the hadeeth, Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ bought a camel from him for two Awaaq (pl. Ooqiyyah, i.e., a weight measurement that varies based on the weighable goods as well as countries) of gold and one or two Dirhams. When he ﷺ reached Siraar, a place located three miles to the east of Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ ordered that a cow be slaughtered, and they ate its meat. The banquet thrown by a person after returning safely from a journeyis called ‘Al-Naqee‘ah,’ derived from the Arabic word Naqa‘ denoting the dust, because when a traveler returns home, he needs to wash off the dust of travel and have a satisfying meal to replenish his energy.
When he ﷺ arrived at Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ ordered Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) to go to the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs and weighed (and gave) him the price of the camel that he ﷺ had bought from him during their journey. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “When he ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, I went to him to give him the camel; he ﷺ gave me the price of the camel, the camel itself (as a gift), and my share of the spoils of war like the others.”
The hadeeth encourages the Imaam (i.e., ruler) and chief of the people to throw a banquet for his companions upon returning from travels.
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3094

Maalik ibn Aws ibn Al-Hadthaan narrated:
While I was at home, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of ‘Umar ibn Al- Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) came to me and said, "The Commander of the Believers has sent for you." So, I went along with him till I entered the place where ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting on a bedstead that is made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was leaning over a leather pillow. I greeted him and sat down. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Maali! Some persons of your people who have families came to me and I have ordered that a gift should be given to them, so take it and distribute it among them." I said, "O Commander of the Believers! I wish that you order someone else to do it." He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O man! Take it." While I was sitting there with him, his doormanYarfa’ came saying, "‘Uthmaan, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Al-Zubayr and Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas(may Allah be pleased with them) are asking your permission (to see you); may I admit them?" ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Yes", So they were admitted and they came in, greeted him, and sat down. After a while Yarfa’ came again and said, "May I admit ‘Alee and ‘Abbaas?" ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "yes." So, they (may Allah be pleased with them)were admitted and they came in and greeted (him) and sat down. Then ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Commander of the Believers! Judge between me and this (i.e., ‘Alee)." They had a dispute regarding the property of Banne Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had given to His Messenger ﷺ as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting). The group (i.e., ‘Uthmaan and his companions) said, "O Commander of the Believers! Judge between them and relieve both of them front each other." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Be patient! I beseech you by Allah by Whose Permission the Heaven and the Earth exist, do you know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (i.e., Prophets') property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave, is Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity),' and Allah's Messenger ﷺ meant himself (by saying "we'')?" The group said, "He said so." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then turned to ‘Alee and ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and said, "I beseech you by Allah, do you know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said so?" They replied, " He said so." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then said, "So, I will talk to you about this matter. Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed on His Messenger ﷺ a special favor of Fay’ which He gave to nobody else." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the ayaat (which mean): {And what Allah restored [of property] to His Messenger from them - you did not spur for it [in an expedition] any horses or camels, but Allah gives His messengers power over whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.} [Quran 59:6] ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "So, this property was especially given to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, but, by Allah, neither did he ﷺ take possession of it and leave you, nor did he ﷺ favor himself with it to your exclusion, but he ﷺ gave it to all of you and distributed it amongst you till this property remained out of it. Allah's Messenger ﷺused to spend the yearly expenses of his family out of this property and used to keep the rest of its revenue to be spent in Allah's Cause. He ﷺ kept on doing this during all his lifetime. I ask you by Allah do you know this?" They (may Allah be pleased with them) replied in the affirmative. ‘Umar then said to ‘Alee and ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), "I ask you by Allah, do you know this?" ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "When Allah had taken His Prophet unto Him,’ Aboo Bakr said, 'I am the successor of Allah's Messenger ﷺso, Aboo Bakr took over that property and managed it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺused to do, and Allah, Exalted is He, knows that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was true, pious and rightly guided, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a follower of what was right. Then, Allah took Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) unto Him and I became Aboo Bakr's successor, and I kept that property in my possession for the first two years of my Caliphate, managing it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to do and as Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do, and Allah knows that I have been true, pious, rightly guided, and a follower of what is right. Now you both (i.e., ‘Alee and ‘Abbaas) came to talk to me, bearing the same claim and presenting the same case; you, ‘Abbaas, came to me asking for your share of your nephew's property, and this man, i.e., ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), came to me asking for his wife's share of her father's property. I told you both that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (prophets') properties are not to be inherited, but what we leave is Sadaqah (i.e., to be spend in charity).' When I thought it right that I should hand over this property to you, I said to you, 'I am ready to hand over this property to you if you wish, on the condition that you would take Allah's Pledge and Convention that you would manage it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to, as Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do, and as I have done since I was in charge of it.' So, both of you said (to me), 'Hand it over to us,' and on that condition I handed it over to you. So, I ask you by Allah, Exalted is He, did I hand it over to them on this condition?" The group aid, "Yes." Then ‘Umar faced ‘Alee and ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) saying, "I ask you by Allah, did I hand it over to you on this condition?" They (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "Yes. " He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, " Do you want now to give a different decision? By Allah, by Whose Leave both the Heaven and the Earth exist, I will never give any decision other than that (I have already given), and if you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will do the job on your behalf."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, singled out the Prophet ﷺ for the Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) rather than the spoils of war (for they were distributed among the Muslim fighters). The Prophet ﷺ stated what should be done with the Fay’ and how it should be spent, and also underlined what should be done with his personal property after his death.
In this hadeeth, Maalik ibn Aws – scholars held different opinions as to whether or not he was a Companion – narrated that while he was sitting with his family at home once, the sun rose high and it got hot. Suddenly the messenger of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn Al- Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) came and asked him to come and meet the Commander of the Believers. He went along with him to a place where ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was sitting on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was leaning over a leather pillow. Maalik greeted him and sat down. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Maali,” which is a term of endearment indicating emotional proximity and friendliness, “Some persons of your people who have families came to me;” it was said that they belonged to Banee Nasr ibn Mu‘aawiyah ibn Abee Bakr ibn Hawaazin,that they were afflicted with drought, and that they came to Al-Madeenah asking for financial support and supplies. Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered that a gift (a small, unfixed grant) should be given to them. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Radkh (i.e., a smallportion of the war gains which is less than the share of a single fighter, given by a ruler or his deputy to a person who is not entitled to a share despite taking part or helping in the fighting, such as a woman, a child, or a disbeliever). ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded Maalik to take this grant and distribute it among them. Maalik apologized and said, "O Commander of the Believers! I wish that you would order someone else to do it." He said, "O man! Take it." While Maalik was sitting there with him, his doormanYarfa’, one of ‘Umar’s freed slaves, came saying, "‘Uthmaan, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Al-Zubayr and Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas(may Allah be pleased with them) are asking your permission (to see you); may I admit them?" ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Yes." So, they (may Allah be pleased with them)were admitted and they came in, greeted him, and sat down. After a while Yarfa’ came again and asked to admit ‘Alee ibn AbeeTaalib and Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with them).They came seeking the settlement of their dispute over the property of Banee Al-Nadeer.This was property which Allah had given to His Messenger ﷺas Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting).They (may Allah be pleased with them) were seeking ‘Umar’s judgment as to who should manage it. The group (i.e., ‘Uthmaan, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Al-Zubayr, and Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas(may Allah be pleased with them)) asked ‘Umar to judge between them (i.e., ‘Alee and Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them)) and relieve each of them of the other. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Raht, and it means a group of men below ten or forty. Afterward, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to these Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), "Be patient! I beseech you by Allah, by Whose Permission the Heaven and the Earth exist, do you know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (i.e., prophets') property will not be inherited, and whatever we leave is Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity),' and Allah's Messenger ﷺ meant himself (by saying ‘we'’)?" The group (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "He said so." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then turned to ‘Alee and Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and said, "I beseech you by Allah, do you know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said so?" They replied, "He ﷺ said so." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then said, "So, I will talk to you about this matter. Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed on His Messenger ﷺ the special favor of Fay’ which He gave to nobody else." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the ayaat (which mean): {And what Allah restored [of property] to His Messenger from them - you did not spur for it [in an expedition] any horses or camels, but Allah gives His messengers power over whom He wills, and Allah is over all things competent.} [Quran 59:6].
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained how the Prophet ﷺ used to manage this Fay’ and that he ﷺ used to cover the yearly expenses of his family from this property and allocate the rest of its revenue to the Muslim Treasury, to be spent in Allah's Cause. He (may Allah be pleased with him) continued to remind them of what the Prophet ﷺ did and how he ﷺ managed this Fay,’ stressing that he ﷺ did not keep it all for himself. They (may Allah be pleased with them) availed themselves of such property as members of his family. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked them as to whether the Prophet ﷺ did so during his lifetime and they (may Allah be pleased with them) replied in the affirmative. ‘Umar then reminded ‘Alee and Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) that Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), being the successor of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, took over that property and managed it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to do, and so did ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him) stated: “Allah, Exalted is He, knows that he (i.e., Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him)) was true, pious and rightly guided, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a follower of what was right.”
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also reminded them that he (may Allah be pleased with him) became Aboo Bakr's successor and kept that property in his possession for the first two years of his Caliphate, managing it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do, and said about himself, “Allah knows that I have been true, pious, rightly guided, and a follower of what is right.”
Afterward, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reminded ‘Alee and Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) of what they did when they came to him before this dispute. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “You both came to talk to me, bearing the same claim and presenting the same case;” meaning that there was no dispute, “you, ‘Abbaas, came to me asking for your share of your nephew's property,” being the Prophet’s paternal uncle, “and this man, i.e., ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him), came to me asking for his wife's share of her father's property. I told you both that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'Our (prophets') properties are not to be inherited, but what we leave is Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity).' When I thought it right that I should hand over this property to you, I said to you, 'I am ready to hand over this property to you if you wish, on the condition that you would take Allah's Pledge and Convention that you would manage it in the same way as Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to, and as Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to do, and as I have done since I have been in charge of it.' ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed to put them in charge of the property on that condition.
Afterward, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked ‘Uthmaan and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) with him whether he was speaking the truth, and they replied in the affirmative. He (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed ‘Alee and Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and they both replied in the affirmative. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then rebuked them for seeking a different judgment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Allah, by Whose Leave both the Heaven and the Earth exist, I will never give any decision other than that (which I have already given), and if you are unable to manage it, then return it to me, and I will do the job on your behalf,” in the manner that the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) managed it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a knowledgeable ruler may settle complicated disputes and govern the affairs of the Muslim state in the way that serves the best interests of Muslims, after consulting with thepeople of knowledge and specialists.
The hadeeth states that the Prophets of Allah did not leave personal properties (i.e., estates), and rather their inheritance was knowledge, and whatever property they left was Sadaqah.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that it is allowable to decline assignments and mandates that are assigned to a Muslim individual by the ruler if the person knows his weakness and inability to fulfill the rights of such office.
It also highlights the virtues of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his (outstanding)asceticism, justice, and good judgment when settling disputes. .

3096

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "My heirs should not take even a single Dinar (i.e., anything from my private property), and whatever I leave, excluding the expenditure of my wives and my laborers, will be Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity)."'
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, blessed His Prophets with non-attachment to worldly pleasures and gains; they led the mostascetic lives and were content with their modest shares of worldly property. They availed themselves of their worldly gains within the scope of their needs only, and graciously offered the excess to be spent on what benefits people.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commanded that his private property must not be inherited by his heirs. He ﷺ stated that his heirs had no right to even a single Dinar (i.e., anything from his private property) after his death, and whatever wealth he ﷺ should leave, beyond the due expenditure of his wives and laborers, should be given as Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity) for the benefit of Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ used to take his share of the (conquered) lands (i.e., Fay,’ meaning war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting, and spoils of war) to provide for himself and his dependents and spend the rest for the benefit of Muslims. The reference to his ‘laborers’ here is said to mean his successors (Caliphs) after his death, and it was also said that it means the workers whom he ﷺ had appointed to tend to the palm trees in his lands.These lands were part of the Fay’ gained after the battle with Banee Al-Nadeer, the land of Fadak, and his share of the lands of Khaybar. It was also said that it means his servants or the workers whom he ﷺ had appointed to collect the Zakaah funds.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s keenness in taking care of his family and dependents and allocating allowances for the workers and employees appointed to manage the Muslims’ affairs to keep them secure and able to shoulder the tasks entrusted to them.
It is inferred therefrom that the Prophets of Allah did not leave behind personal properties to be inherited by their heirs, and that their estates were rather spent in charity. .

3097

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ died, and there was nothing in my house that a living being could eat, except some barley lying on a shelf. So, I ate of it for a long period and measured it, and (after a short period) it was consumed.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to invoke Allah, Exalted is He, to bless him and his family with enough sustenance that would spare them the need to ask others for financial help. His wives and household members (may Allah be pleased with them) were content (with their modest shares of worldly pleasures and properties) and endured the strained living conditions, aspiring to the rewards of Allah, Exalted is He, and the everlasting bliss in Paradise.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) stated that when the Prophet ﷺ died, there was nothing in her house that a living being could eat, except some barley lying on a shelf. So, she (may Allah be pleased with her) ate of it for a lengthy period and it was not consumed. She (may Allah be pleased with her) measured it, and (after a brief period) it was consumed. This means that she (may Allah be pleased with her) used to eat of this small quantity of barley for an extended period of time and it was not measured. When she (may Allah be pleased with her) measured it and knew its exact weight and amount, it was no longer so blessed and was consumed (after a short period). Not knowing the exact measure of the foodstuff made it blessed; each day she would think that the barley would be consumed, as it seemed a small quantity, and this is why it lasted for longer before being ultimately consumed. It is also possible that this was related to the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ, and when she measured it, such blessing ceased. It was recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Asmaa’ bintAboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Spend in charity and do not calculate, (for) Allah would calculate in your case; and do not hoard, otherwise Allah would be withholding from you.” It means, ‘Do not measure and meticulously calculate what you spend in charity, lest Allah, Exalted is He, do the same to you (i.e., in terms of reward and blessing). When one relies on the blessing of Allah, Exalted is He, refrains from measuring and meticulously calculating his foodstuff, and eats thereof until it is consumed, he would avail himself of the blessings bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to give precedence to the enjoined reliance on Allah, Exalted is He, (over the reliance on the worldly and material causes) in all matters.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when a person measures and meticulously calculates the quantity of foodstuff, closely monitoring the consumed or remaining amount, it becomes unblessed. .

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

| Hadiths

Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ said, on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, "There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.”
.

‘Ataa’ narrated:
I and ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Umayrwent to ‘Aa’ishah while she was staying near Thabeer (i.e., a mountain). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "There is no migration after Allah, Exalted is He, gave His Prophet ﷺ victory and conquest of Makkah.”
.

As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I along with some boys went out to receive Allah's Messenger ﷺ at Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘.
.

Ka‘b(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever the Prophetﷺreturned from a journey in the forenoon, he ﷺ would enter the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs before sitting.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "My heirs should not take even a single Dinar (i.e., anything from my private property), and whatever I leave, excluding the expenditure of my wives and my laborers, will be Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity)."'
.

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ died, and there was nothing in my house that a living being could eat, except some barley lying on a shelf. So, I ate of it for a long period and measured it, and (after a short period) it was consumed.
.

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..

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

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.".

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.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: The Prophetﷺ said, on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, "There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.” .

‘Ataa’ narrated: I and ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Umayrwent to ‘Aa’ishah while she was staying near Thabeer (i.e., a mountain). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "There is no migration after Allah, Exalted is He, gave His Prophet ﷺ victory and conquest of Makkah.” .

As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: I along with some boys went out to receive Allah's Messenger ﷺ at Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘. .

Ka‘b(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Whenever the Prophetﷺreturned from a journey in the forenoon, he ﷺ would enter the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs before sitting. .

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "My heirs should not take even a single Dinar (i.e., anything from my private property), and whatever I leave, excluding the expenditure of my wives and my laborers, will be Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity)."' .

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated: Allah's Messenger ﷺ died, and there was nothing in my house that a living being could eat, except some barley lying on a shelf. So, I ate of it for a long period and measured it, and (after a short period) it was consumed. .

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..

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

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.".

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.".

Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ said, on the day of the Conquest of Makkah, "There is no migration (after the Conquest of Makkah), but Jihaad and good intentions, and whenever you are called for Jihaad, you should hasten to respond to the call.”
.

‘Ataa’ narrated:
I and ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Umayrwent to ‘Aa’ishah while she was staying near Thabeer (i.e., a mountain). She (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "There is no migration after Allah, Exalted is He, gave His Prophet ﷺ victory and conquest of Makkah.”
.

As-Saa’ib ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I along with some boys went out to receive Allah's Messenger ﷺ at Thaniyat Al-Wadaa‘.
.

Ka‘b(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever the Prophetﷺreturned from a journey in the forenoon, he ﷺ would enter the mosque and offer two Rak‘ahs before sitting.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "My heirs should not take even a single Dinar (i.e., anything from my private property), and whatever I leave, excluding the expenditure of my wives and my laborers, will be Sadaqah (i.e., to be spent in charity)."'
.

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ died, and there was nothing in my house that a living being could eat, except some barley lying on a shelf. So, I ate of it for a long period and measured it, and (after a short period) it was consumed.
.