| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2322

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

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

2325

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

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

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2327

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

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

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

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

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

2334

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

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

2339

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

2340

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

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

2346

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

2348

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

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

934

Abu Mālik al-Ash‘ari reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Four in my Ummah are among the affairs of the pre-Islamic era of ignorance that have not been abandoned: boasting of noble ancestries, defaming lineages, seeking rain from the stars, and wailing. And he said: If the wailing woman does not repent before her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment wearing a garment of pitch and a chemise of mange..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on bringing his Ummah out from Jāhiliyyah (pre-Islamic era of ignorance) with all its evils, sins, and polytheism to Islam and its laws with all its goodness and monotheism.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) depicts matters that were and are still practiced by some people, and such matters belong to the people of Jāhiliyyah. So, he warned us against them and pointed out that whoever adopts any of such matters is, in fact, adopting one of the pre-Islamic traits and must abandon it and adhere instead to what has been legislated by Islam concerning such a trait and its likes. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reports that four characteristics exist in the Ummah of Islam that are from the affairs and usual attributes of the people of Jāhiliyyah. He said that such traits would last in the Ummah and would not be abandoned as other pre-Islamic practices have been abandoned, for if they are abandoned by one party, others will come and adhere to them.
The first thing of such matters: It is "boasting of noble ancestries," which is taking pride in, bragging about, and exalting the characteristics, virtues, and bounties that are either in him or his family. "Hasab" (noble ancestry) refers to the personal traits one enumerates, such as bravery, eloquence, etc. "Boasting of noble ancestries" means acting arrogantly and loftily by enumerating one's virtues and his forefathers' remarkable feats, which entails deeming oneself better than others and looking down upon them. In the version of Abu Dāwūd, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah has removed from you the pride of Jāhiliyyah and its boastfulness about the ancestors. It is either a pious believer or a miserable sinner. People are the children of Adam, and Adam is from dust."
The second repugnant matter: "Defaming lineages," which means finding fault with people's lineages like discrediting the lineage or negating one's attribution to his father, is a malicious claim because it results in dividing Muslims and causing turmoils and evils, besides slandering people.
The third matter is: It is "seeking rain from the stars," which refers to supplicating and seeking water through rainfall by believing that the stars are the cause of such rain, as they used to say in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance: we have been given rain because of such-and-such star; whereas, having a belief that it is actually the cause for rainfall is disbelief. Rain is part of Allah's mercy towards His slaves and falls according to His decree. It is one of the things that Allah Almighty spoke about, saying: {Indeed, Allah has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will do tomorrow, nor does any soul know in which land it will die. Indeed, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.} [Surat Luqmān: 34]
Fourth matter: "Wailing" means weeping over the dead by shouting, screaming, expressing impatience, and enumerating the deceased person's traits and virtues by saying, for instance: Alas for the brave one! Alas, for the lion! Alas, for the mountain!
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) , warned the wailing women if they did not repent for wailing before their death, saying, "If the wailing woman does not repent before" the time of "her death, she will be made to stand on the Day of Judgment," the wailing woman, who did not repent, will be made to stand and will be gathered among the standing people to be exposed on the Day of Judgment, as a recompense for her wailing, while wearing a garment of pitch, which is molten copper or paint used for painting. It is also said: that it is grease with which the scabby camel is rubbed to burn the mange, and its heat could reach the inside. "And a chemise of mange," "dir‘" (chemise) is a kind of women's shirts, i.e., she will be wearing another chemise of mange. This means that all her skin will be scabious and will act like a chemise covering her skin and sticking to her the way a chemise covers and sticks to her. He restricted repentance to the time before death to make it known that one of the conditions of repentance is for the repentant to repent while having hopes that he will still live and might commit the act for which he is repenting. This is supported by what is mentioned in the Book of Allah: {However, repentance is not for those who commit evil deeds until death approaches one of them; he then says, “Now I repent.”} [Surat an-Nisā’: 18]
Such a punishment is for wailing and enumerating the dead person's merits because both acts involve objection to Allah's decree. As for crying out of sadness and mercy for the deceased person, there is nothing wrong with that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This is mercy that Allah has placed in the hearts of His slaves. Verily, Allah shows mercy to those of His slaves who are merciful." [Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim]
The Hadīth includes one of the signs of the Prophet's prophethood.
It warns against boasting of noble ancestries and against slandering lineages.
It calls for preserving people's honor and refraining from slander.
It clarifies the fact that one's value depends on his personality and deeds, not on his forefathers' feats.
It warns against wailing over the dead.
It emphasizes that rain comes from Allah Almighty, and the stars have nothing to do with it. So, water should be sought from none but the Creator and the Omnipotent, who can make the rainfall..

943

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made a speech one day and mentioned a man from among his Companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud of bad quality and was buried at night. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked that a man should be buried at night until prayer was offered over him, except when one is forced to do that. And the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good.".

Commentary : The burial of a Muslim is part of the honor granted to him by Allah Almighty. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Ummah how to take care of the dead Muslims, including washing, shrouding, burying, and following the funeral procession, as well as other duties and Sunnah acts.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivered a sermon to his Companions one day and admonished them. In his sermon, he mentioned a man from among his companions who died and was shrouded in a shroud that was unbelievably bad or not completely concealing; moreover, he was buried and put into his grave at night. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rebuked, prohibited, and banned his Companions from repeating an act like this with their dead brother, given his rights upon them. This includes burial at night. Indeed, a dead person should be buried during the daytime so that a lot of people can offer prayer for him, more than the people who would pray for him at night, or so that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could offer the prayer for him, which is another reason for those who died during his lifetime. This also means that the burial of a dead person should be delayed until the morning, if it is hoped that those who will bless him will join the prayer.
And he clarified to them that burial at night should only occur in the case of necessity, like fearing that the body may decay. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When one of you shrouds his brother, he should make his shrouding good." This is intended to direct, teach, and enjoin excellence in shrouding the dead. Excellence, however, does not mean extravagance or immoderation in choosing the shroud or that it should be expensive. Rather, the intended meaning is that it should be clean, pure, thick, concealing, and of the same type of clothing he mostly wore in his life, neither finer nor lower in quality.
In the Hadīth: We are enjoined to use a good shroud, without extravagance or stinginess.
And in it: Demonstrating the Prophet's care about the conditions of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) whether they were alive or dead.

947

‘Ā’ishah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer over a dead person, and all of them intercede for him, except that their intercession for him will be accepted.".

Commentary : The religion of Islam is a religion of bounty and abundant giving from Allah, as He made the Muslims intercessors for one another. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslim and made that one of the rights due to the Muslims among themselves.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a Muslim dies and a group of Muslims numbering a hundred offer the funeral prayer for him, "and all of them intercede for him," i.e., they ask Allah Almighty to pardon his sins and crimes and they supplicate for him, in such a case, people's intercession for him will be accepted and their supplication for him will be answered. But two conditions should be met here: First: Those who intercede for him should be sincere in their supplication and should ask Allah to forgive him. Second: They should be Muslims and numbering a hundred persons, and they should include no one who associates anything with Allah.
Other Hadīths are reported with lesser than this number, such as forty or three rows. It was said: Informing that the intercession of forty people is accepted does not necessarily mean that the intercession of a lesser number is not accepted, and the same holds true for the number of forty people along with three rows. Hence, all Hadīths are applicable, and the intercession is valid with the lesser of two numbers, the three rows or forty persons.
In the Hadīth: Urging the increase of a group offering the funeral prayer, and they are required to reach this number, which is one of the requirements for salvation
And in it: Those offering the funeral prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
And in it: Stressing the significance of sincerity in supplicating for the dead..

948

Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbās, related from ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās that a son of his died in Qudayd - or in ‘Usfān - and he said: "O Kurayb, look and see how many people gathered for him." He said: I went out and found that people had gathered for him. I informed him about that, and he said: "Do you think they are forty?" He said: 'Yes.' He said: "Bring him out, for indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies, and forty men, who associate nothing with Allah, attend his funeral except that Allah will accept their intercession for him.'".

Commentary : The bounty and giving of Allah Almighty is great. He made the Muslims intercessors for one another, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged that a Muslim should attend the funeral of his fellow Muslims and rendered it one of the rights of Muslims upon one another.
In this Hadīth, Kurayb, the freed slave of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās, relates that a son of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) died, and he was present with him, "in Qudayd", a place of water between Makkah and Madīnah, which is located 150km away from Makkah and lies to its northeast, "or in ‘Usfān", a town located 80km to the northwest of Makkah. These are two places close to Makkah. ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered Kurayb to go out and tell him about the number of people who had gathered to attend his funeral procession and prayer. Kurayb went to see the people and then informed them about their gathering and number. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Do you think?" i.e., do you estimate their number to be forty men? Kurayb replied: 'Yes.' In the version by Ibn Mājah, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "How many do you see? Forty?" I said: "No, they are more than that." So, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked those with him to bring the funeral of his son to the people gathered in the mosque to offer prayer for him and bury him. Then, he said: "For indeed I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No Muslim man dies and forty men... attend his funeral'", praying and supplicating for him, and they believe in Allah and associate none with Him in worship. In the version by Ibn Mājah: "No forty believers intercede for a believer." intercession here means request. Those attending the funeral prayer ask Allah Almighty to pardon the sins of the deceased, "except that Allah will accept their intercession for him", i.e., He will accept their intercession for that dead Muslim, out of His grace and bounty, and forgive him.
It is required to increase the number of those who attend the funeral prayer as much as possible, and they are required to reach this number that entails success. This is conditional upon two things: First: They should be intercessors for him, i.e., sincere in supplicating and asking Allah's forgiveness. Second: They should be Muslims and include none who associates anything with Allah.
Other reported Hadīths mention a different number, like one hundred or three rows. So, it is said that intercession by a hundred people will be accepted, but it does not necessarily mean that intercession by a lesser number will not be accepted. The same holds true for the forty men and the three rows. Hence, all the relevant Hadīths are applicable. Intercession is valid by the lesser of the two: by three rows or forty persons; this is because when Allah Almighty promises forgiveness two times in one sense, and one of them is easier than the other, it is His unchanging way that He does not decrease the promised bounty after that. Instead, He gives more out of his bounty and favor from Him toward His servants. It is also probable that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was informed about the acceptance of intercession by a hundred persons. He was informed about it, and then he was informed about the acceptance of intercession by forty persons and then by three rows, even if their number is lesser, yet he was informed about that.
The Hadīth mentions that those who attend the prayer for a dead person are intercessors for him.
It urges Muslims to attend the prayer for the deceased and increase the number of those who attend..

957

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla reported: Zayd used to make four Takbirs upon our funerals, and he once made five Takbirs. So, I asked him (about that) and he said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to make Takbirs like that.".

Commentary : The funeral prayer is one of the due rights to one another among the Muslims. It is mercy towards the dead person, as it was prescribed for supplication for him. A Muslim who offers prayer for a dead person should earnestly supplicate for him to be forgiven and shown mercy.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla relates that the Companion Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) would mostly make four Takbīrs upon "the funerals," a term that refers to the dead person in the bier. This was the approach of most of the scholars among the Companions. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) one day made five Takbīrs at a funeral. So, ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Layla asked him about the reason behind the fifth Takbīr, and Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would make five Takbīrs in some funeral prayers.
The objective of the prayer for a dead person is to supplicate and ask forgiveness for him. Supplication for the dead person occurs after the third Takbīr. A person should supplicate inaudibly with the best things he can recall, and he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead one..

962

Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh reported: Nāfi' ibn Jubayr saw me standing as we were attending a funeral. He was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be held. He said to me: "What makes you stand?" I said: "I am waiting for the funeral to be held, as per a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri." Thereupon, Nāfi 'said: "Verily, Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam related to me that 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up and then sat down.".

Commentary : With its tolerant Shariah, Islam affirms the value of the human soul, from its birth to its death, and holds it in high status, as revealed by these rulings enjoined with regard to it, even after its departure from life. This clearly manifests that Islam devotes attention to the funerals and burial of the dead and taking them to the graves and Barzakh (the period between death and resurrection), where they wait for the Day of Judgment.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Wāqid ibn ‘Amr ibn Sa‘d ibn Mu‘ādh informs that the Tābi‘i Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr saw him while he was at a funeral - a term that refers to a deceased in a bier - and was standing for the funeral. Meanwhile, Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr "was sitting and waiting for the funeral to be placed" in the grave. Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr asked him why he was standing - a disapproving questioning. Wāqid ibn ‘Amr answered him: that he was waiting for the funeral to take place, in accordance with the Hadīth in which Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When you follow a funeral, do not sit down until it takes place." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim. Explaining why he was sitting, Nāfi‘ responded to him with the Hadīth narrated by Mas‘ūd ibn al-Hakam from ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with both of them), who reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would initially stand up for funerals but later abandoned standing and would sit down. ‘Ali's words "and then sat down" may also mean that he would sit down after the funeral passed him by and went away from him.
The Hadīths reported on the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) standing and sitting for funerals, indicating that his sitting abrogated his standing. It is also said that this is not abrogation; instead, it points out that standing is unnecessary..

963

‘Awf ibn Mālik reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer, and I memorized his supplication as he said: "O Allah, forgive him and have mercy on him. Make him safe and pardon him. Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one, broaden his entry, and wash him with water, snow, and hail, and cleanse him of sins as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Give him in exchange a home better than his home, a family better than his family, and a spouse better than his spouse. Admit him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave, or from the punishment of Hellfire." He said: Until I wished I had been that deceased person..

Commentary : The objective of prayer for a deceased person is to supplicate for him and ask Allah's forgiveness for him. Many supplications are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), to be said in the funeral prayer. It is preferred that the praying person use these supplications that are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). But there is nothing wrong if one says other supplications. Supplication for the deceased person is made after the third Takbīr; one should supplicate secretly with the best of what he can recall, yet he should be sincere in supplicating for the dead person.
In this Hadīth, ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he attended a funeral prayer with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and part of his supplication which ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) memorized is: "O Allah, forgive him" by blotting out the sins and misdeeds. "and have mercy on him" by accepting the acts of piety. "Make him safe," i.e., avert unpleasant things from him and make him safe from the punishment. "and pardon him," i.e., pardon the sins he committed and his shortcomings in the acts of worship. "Make his Nuzul (welcome treat or gift) an honorable one." The word Nuzul originally means the food prepared for the guest. It here refers to what Allah gives to His servant when he meets Him and honors him therewith. "broaden his entry," i.e., broaden the place of his entry in which he enters - that is his grave - lest it may become narrow for him. This is part of the bliss of the believer in the grave. The grave is either broadened for the one buried in it or made narrow for him. "and wash him with water, snow, and hail." Hail is pellets of ice descending from the clouds of the sky, which means: Purify him from the sins and misdeeds thereby, just as these things are means of purification from uncleanness and dirt. He combined them for emphasis. In other words, purify him from sins by the various kinds of forgiveness. He mentioned snow and hail because they are cold, and he mentioned water because it cleans, whereas the punishment for sins is hot. So, it was appropriate to mention snow along with water. Thus, water will do the cleaning, and snow and hail will do the cooling. "and cleanse him of sins." This is a supplication for cleansing in the sense of purification from sins, as a white garment is cleansed of dirt. Thus, what is conceived is compared to what is perceived. This affirms what is mentioned before and is meant to emphasize purification from sins and misdeeds. "Give him in exchange a home better than his home," i.e., compensate him and give him palaces or a vast grave that is better than his house in this transient world. And give him in exchange "a family better than his family," those who are his relatives in the world, such as his mother, maternal aunt, daughters, father, son, and the like. The wife is excluded from this, as he singled her out after that. It was also said: Family here refers to servants. "and a spouse better than his spouse," i.e., give him a wife from the houris (Hūr al-‘Īn) or from the women of the world in Paradise. It was also said: The exchange of family and wife means the exchange of traits, not people. "Admit him into Paradise." This is a supplication for him to enter Paradise directly, without prior punishment. "and protect him from the punishment of the grave" after he enters it. Or he said: "Protect him from the punishment of Hellfire" in the Hereafter.
‘Awf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) added that after hearing this supplication from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he wished he had been that deceased person, given the great reward and forgiveness entailed by this supplication for him, and so as to reap benefit of the Prophet's supplication, for the Prophet's prayer and supplication are more likely to be accepted and materialized than others.
In the Hadīth: Supplication in the funeral prayer, which is the most important part of its objective
And in it: Establishing the existence of the punishment of the grave.

965

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for Ibn ad-Dahdāh. Then, an unsaddled horse was brought to him, and a man hobbled it and rode it. It kept bounding with him on its back, and we followed it and ran after it. He said: A man among the people said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." [And in a version]: For Abu ad-Dahdāh..

Commentary : This Hadīth describes one of the Prophet's conditions and guidance regarding funerals: following the funeral on foot or riding. It also includes a lot of ethics. Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the funeral prayer for the Companion Ibn ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him). In the version by An-Nasā’i: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out for the funeral of Abu ad-Dahdāh." He is Thābit ibn ad-Dahdāh an ally of the Ansār, nicknamed Abu ad-Dahdāh. It is also said: Abu ad-Dahdāha. The Prophet's prayer brings Allah's mercy to the dead person. Then, "an unsaddled horse" was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In another version by Muslim: "An unsaddled horse was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which he rode after leaving the funeral of Ibn ad-Dahdāh." So, it indicates that he rode the horse after finishing the burial. "and a man hobbled it," i.e., he held it and prevented it from moving until the prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode it. The horse kept bounding and moving, i.e., jumping and taking short steps. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was moving at the front, and the people were walking behind him.
Then, Simāk ibn Harb informed that one of those sitting with Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him), as narrated in Musnad Ahmad, related: A man who was sitting with us in the gathering of Jābir ibn Samurah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about Abu ad-Dahdāh: "Many are the hanging - or drooping - bunches in Paradise for Ibn ad-Dahdāh." This is a glad tiding by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding Abu ad-Dahdāh. In Arabic, ‘Adhq means palm tree, and ‘idhq means a branch in a palm tree. The intended meaning here is the branch, for he said: hanging or drooping.
The reason behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) making this statement is found in a Hadīth narrated by Ahmad in his Musnad Collection, in which Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When this verse: {Who is it that will lend to Allah a goodly loan.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 245] was revealed, Abu ad-Dahdāh gave in charity a garden comprising six hundred palm trees, and his wife was in the garden. He came and said: O ’Umm ad-Dahdāh, go out, for I have lent it to my Almighty Lord. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Many are the heavy bunches in Paradise for Abu ad-Dahdāh." Heavy here indicates that the bunches have abundant fruits. It is as if he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated this statement upon the death of this man.
The Hadīth shows the merit and virtue of Abu ad-Dahdāh (may Allah be pleased with him).
A group may walk along with their leader while he is riding.
There is nothing wrong if a follower serves his leader, with his consent..

966

‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās reported: Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd (a niche in the side of the grave) for me and set up mud bricks over me as was done with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to seek out the Prophet's guidance and try to emulate him in all his conditions, both in his lifetime and death. In this Hadīth, Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) set a clear example in following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Āmir ibn Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās relates that his father Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said during his illness in which he died: "Make a Lahd for me," i.e., dig a niche for me where I will be buried. Lahd is the crevice dug in the side of the grave to place the dead person therein. Then, he said: "and set up mud bricks over me," i.e., place over me the bricks made of mud. The bricks should be lined and arranged above one another without any adhesive in between. The version by Abu Nu‘aym in Al-Mustakhraj has this addition: "And throw dust upon me." Then, clarifying the reason for his choosing that, for he wanted what was done to the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to be done to his grave too.
In the Hadīth: The dead person is buried in the Lahd and the stones are set up over him..

967

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: A red velvet cloak was put in the grave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was highly revered during his lifetime and after his death, and he is favored in the sight of Allah and was held in high esteem among his Companions. He passed away and was buried in the place where he died, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers' Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) died, a red velvet cloak was put in his grave. The cloak is a garment with edges, which are strings remaining at its two sides, apart from its reinforced border. This cloak was thrown by Shokrān, the freed slave of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), according to the version by At-Tirmidhi. It is said: He disliked that it should be worn by anyone after him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to wear it and sit over it. So, Shokrān did not like that it be used by anyone after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

968

Thumāmah ibn Shufayy reported: We were with Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis. A companion of ours died. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd commanded that his grave be leveled. Then, he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) command that it be leveled.".

Commentary : Burial is one of the things by which a dead person is honored. A Muslim should follow the Prophet's guidance in all matters. One of these is the manner of burying the dead and the shape and condition of the grave after burial. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were extremely keen to follow this Prophetic guidance.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Thumāmah ibn Shufayy relates that he was with the Companion Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) on an expedition "in the land of the Romans, at Rūdis" is a Greek island situated east of the Mediterranean Sea and located midway between the main Greek islands and Cyprus. Rūdis was conquered in 53 A.H., during the reign of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him). A Muslim man from their companions passed away. So, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded that this man be buried. After the dust was thrown over him, he commanded that his grave be leveled and blotted out and that it should not be raised or prominent. Then, Fadālah said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanding that it be leveled" i.e., the grave should be leveled to the ground and not be raised a lot; rather, it should be raised as high as a hand span, and it should be flattened or embossed, which is more appropriate so that it can be recognized as a grave and thus be protected from being sat on or trodden.
The Hadīth contains the command that the graves should be leveled and not be raised above the ground.
It indicates that those killed in wars should be buried, and their corpses should not be left without concealment..

969

Abu al-Hayyāj Al-Asadi reported: ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said to me: "Shall I not send you with the same instructions as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) sent me with? Do not leave any statue without blotting it out or any raised grave without leveling it." [In a version]: And he said: and any image without blotting it out..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to remove anything that pointed to the traces of Jāhiliyyah, which included their keenness on extolling images, the dead, and the graves.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Hayyāj al-Asadi relates that ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: Shall I not send you for something the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent me for, and appoint you as a leader in charge of that, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed me as a leader in charge of it? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered ‘Ali not to leave any 'statue', i.e., an image of a living being, without eliminating and abolishing it, by cutting off its head, changing its face, and so on; and not to leave any raised grave without leveling it and making it like the surrounding area. Taswiyah (leveling) may also mean making it sound and compliant with the Shariah. Or it means: flattening, that it should not be raised a lot above the ground, but only as high as a hand span. It is more appropriate to make it flat or a saddle high. What is intended here is the grave upon which a structure is built, and it becomes raised, not the grave upon which sand, pebbles, or stones are placed for identification, so that no one should trample or sit on it, and there is no use in building over it; hence, it was prohibited.
In the Hadīth: The command to remove statues and idols
And in it: The command to level raised graves
And in it: Removing what is wrong with one's hand in case a person has authority or ability to do so.

970

Jābir reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade plastering a grave, sitting on it, and building over it..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the keenest among people on eliminating the traces of Jāhiliyyah, like building over the graves and raising them, for this involves a waste of money and boastfulness, as well as other things that do not befit the Hereafter and the state of death and decay. He was also keen on directing the Muslims to what shows honor for one another both in this life and after death.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "plastering the grave." In a version by Muslim: "It was forbidden to plaster the graves with gypsum," i.e., to build them with gypsum and paint them, for this involves veneration and immoderation. And he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade "sitting on it," as this denotes disregard for the right of his fellow Muslim. In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal, which will burn his clothes and get to his skin than to sit on a grave!" This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition against sitting on a grave. And he forbade "building over it." This probably means building over the very grave to raise it, or building around it, like constructing a tent, a mosque, or the like around the grave. Both are prohibited, for this belongs to the practices of the people of Jāhiliyyah and it involves a waste of money.
So, the prohibition mentioned in the Hadīth comprises two types: going to excess as well as neglect regarding the graves. The dead people should not be insulted by trampling and sitting on their graves, nor should people show them immoderate reverence by constructing a building there and extolling them in a way that leads to certain forbidden things and evils..

971

Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is better for one of you to sit on a live coal and it burns his clothes and gets to his skin than to sit on a grave.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, in this Hadīth, he prohibited sitting on the graves and was vehement in this prohibition. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed and warned that if a person sits on a piece of inflaming fire and this live coal burns his clothes and reaches his skin, which involves tremendous harm and severe pain, this burning of his clothing and skin is better and easier for him than sitting on a grave. This is a stern warning and emphatic prohibition from sitting on graves. He forbade sitting on graves because this constitutes belittlement of the rights of fellow Muslims, even if they are dead.
The usual practice regarding the graves is only to visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī' cemetery. He would say: "Assalāmu ‘alaykum ahl ad-diyār min al-mu’minīn wa al-muslimīn, wa inna in shā’ Allah la lāhiqūn; as’al Allah lana wa lakam al-‘āfiyah" (Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for you and us). Narrated by Muslim..

972

Abu Marthad al-Ghanawi reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not sit on the graves and do not pray towards them.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to direct the Muslims to what demonstrates honor among themselves, both in life and after death. So, he prohibited sitting on the graves, and he was vehement in this prohibition.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "Do not sit on the graves," for this shows disregard for the rights of fellow Muslims. In another Hadīth narrated by Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that sitting on lively embers is better than sitting on the graves. The usual practice regarding the graves is to only visit them and supplicate there while standing, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do when he headed to the Baqī‘ cemetery. He would say: "Peace be upon the dwellers of this place among the believers and Muslims. Indeed, we will join you, Allah Willing. I ask Allah for safety for us and you." [Narrated by Muslim] Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and do not pray towards them," i.e., do not pray, facing the graves. This is to differ from the Jews and the Christians who used to take the graves of their prophets and righteous ones as places of worship, in exaltation of them. And they would probably do there things that are only due to the Creator, the Almighty Lord. This applies to praying upon the grave, towards it, or between two graves, for this leads to the exaltation of the graves and to worshiping them as was the practice during Jāhiliyyah. Excluded from this prohibition is the funeral prayer at the graves, as authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In the Hadīth: It is prohibited to sit on the graves.
And in it: It is prohibited to pray at the graves, between them, or towards them..

Book of Hadith