| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2957

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "We are the last (i.e., the Muslim Ummah) but will be the foremost to enter Paradise." The Prophet ﷺ added, "He who obeys me, obeys Allah, Exalted is He, and he who disobeys me, disobeys Him. He who obeys the Imaam (i.e., ruler), obeys me, and he who disobeys the Imaam, disobeys me. The Imaam is like a shelter for whose safety Muslims should fight and where they should seek protection. If the Imaam orders people with righteousness and rules justly, then he will be rewarded for that, and if he does the opposite, he will be responsible for that.”
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Commentary :
The religious and worldly affairs of a given community or group of people are not duly governed and put in order except by appointing an Imaam or ruler to shoulder this vital task, by managing people’s affairs, settling their disputes, and obliging people to abide by the obligations and prohibitions. Therefore, the appointment of the Imaam is inevitable, and his obedience is also entailed.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that Muslims’ obedience to him, i.e., complying with his commands and prohibitions, is entailed by their obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and compliance with His commands and prohibitions. Similarly, disobeying the Prophet ﷺ implies disobeying Allah, Exalted is He, because the Prophet ﷺ conveyed to us the divine commands and prohibitions.
Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that Muslims’ obedience to their Imaam or ruler is entailed by their obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and to the Prophet ﷺ, and their disobedience to him involves disobedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and to the Prophet ﷺ. This general principle applies to all just Muslim rulers. The people of Quraysh and the neighboring Arab tribes did not accept rulers from outside their own people (i.e., other than the chiefs of their tribes). After the advent of Islam, whenever a ruler from a different tribe was appointed over them, they would develop an aversion towards him and some may have defiantly refused to obey him, and therefore, he ﷺ made this statement to edify them on the fact that their obedience to the appointed ruler was entailed by their obedience to the Prophet ﷺ, and to urge them to obey their rulers and governors whom he ﷺ appointed and refrain from defiantly disobeying them.
One of the purposes and benefits gained by appointing the Imaam warranting their obedience is that they serve as shields and a protection, safeguarding Muslims from the harm of their enemies and also from the harm that may be afflicted by some of them on the others. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Imaam is like a shelter for whose safety Muslims should fight and where they should seek protection,” meaning that Muslims fight against the disbelievers, the unjust, and the makers of mischief in general under the leadership of their Imaam, who is a source of protection and strength for them, and to whom they turn for judgment and governance of their affairs. Whenever he commands them to be mindful of Allah, Exalted is He, and establishes justice among them, he earns rewards for fulfilling the rights of Allah over him. However, if his governance is not informed by the enjoined mindfulness of Allah and justice, and he likes and chooses to do so, being inclined to it, such a choice would incur his ruin as he bears the whole sin for it.The commanded person would not bear a sin for it if he were excusedby coercion or the like, otherwise he bears a share of the sin.
In conclusion, obedience to the Imaam is obligatory as long his commands are informed by and in accordance with the Islamic law, otherwise they are not required to obey him, yet they must not rebel against him, to foster the unity of Muslims. Dissension is a reason for the corruption of their religious and worldly affairs, and both the ruler and ruled are bound by what was mentioned at the beginning of the hadeeth, i.e., obedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims are enjoined to obey their rulers, and that disobeying them is forbidden.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to patiently endure the unjust rulers and enjoins them to obey them and refrain from rebelling against them.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that Muslims must fight under the leadership of an Imaam or ruler..

2958

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) said:
When we reached (Al-Hudaybiyah) in the next year (of the Treaty of Al-Hudaybiyah), not even two men amongst us agreed unanimously as to which was the tree under which we had given the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance), and that was out of Allah's Mercy. (The sub narrator asked Naafi‘, "For what did the Prophetﷺ take their pledge of allegiance, was it for death?" Naafi‘ replied "No, but he ﷺ took their Bay‘ah for patience.”
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Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) gave the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to the Prophet ﷺ in the year when Al-Hudaybiyah Treaty was concluded in 6 A.H., to hear and obey Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ and not to flee from the battlefield. Quraysh denied the Muslims access to the Sacred House (to perform ‘Umrah), and the Prophet ﷺ concluded Al-Hudaybiyah Treaty with them, and one of its terms was that the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) must return to Al-Madeenah that year without performing ‘Umrah, on the condition that they may return to perform it the following year.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) returned to Makkah in 7 A.H. to perform ‘Umrah the next year (after the treaty of Hudaybiyah), which was known as ‘Umrat Al-Qadaa’, they reached the place where they had given Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance). They disagreed on the exact location of the tree under which they had given the Bay‘ah. Not even two men amongst them agreed unanimously as to which was the tree under which they had given the Bay‘ah. Perhaps this was a manifestation of Allah's Mercy, lest it would have been a source of Fitnah for some people, being a blessed place that witnessed a significant event (i.e., the Bay‘ah) and the descent of the divine pleasure and tranquility on the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Were the exact location of the tree to be identified and known to people, some ignorant people might have fallen into unprescribed reverence or worship of it. Therefore, the fact that its exact location remained hidden has been a source of mercy from Allah, Exalted is He.
Joowayrirah ibn Asmaa’ asked Naafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), "For what did the Prophetﷺ take their pledge of allegiance, was it for death?" Naafi‘ replied that the Prophet ﷺ took their Bay‘ah for patience, and not for death in Allah’s Cause. It was narrated in other versions that the Prophet ﷺ took their Bay‘ah for death in Allah’s Cause, and for not fleeing from the battlefield in other versions. The term ‘patience’ incorporates all these meanings because giving the Bay‘ah for death in Allah’s Cause is the same as giving the Bay‘ah not to flee from the battlefield even if it meant their death, and this also entails patience, and therefore the term patience includes the rest of the meanings..

2959

‘Abdullaah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that in the time (of the Battle) of Al-Harrah a person came to him and said, "Ibn Handhalah is taking the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) from people for death." He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I will never give a Bay‘ah for such a thing to anyone after Allah's Messenger ﷺ!”
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Commentary :
The Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) is a contract and covenant between the ruler and the ruled, and it is given that name by analogy with financial exchange; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offers the promise of reward, and the Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) commits himself to obey him. The Sunnah highlighted that the Bay‘ah for death in war should not be given to anyone after the Prophet ﷺ, but rather the Bay‘ah for patience and steadfastness in fighting to the best of one’s ability. A war took place between the Caliph Yazeed and the people of Al-Madeenah who refused to give him the Bay‘ah. ‘Abdullaah bin Handhalah ibn Abee ‘Aamir and other people from Al-Madeenah went to Yazeed in the capital, Damascus, where they saw him unfit for the office, taking into account the killing of Al-Hussayn ibn ‘Alee in Karbala. They returned to Al-Madeenah, toppled Yazeed, ‘Abdullaah bin Handhalah claimed the Caliphate for himself, and the Ansaar gave him the Bay‘ah. They expelled ‘Uthmaan ibn Muhammed ibn AbeeSufyaan, the governor appointed by Yazeed, from Al-Madeenah. Thereupon, Yazeed sent a huge army from the people of Shaam led by Muslim ibn ‘Uqbah, who was known as Musrif ibn ‘Uqbah by the people of Hijaaz, in 63 A.H. A heinous war took place at (the lava field of) Al-Harrah (in the northeastern outskirts of Al-Madeenah) and resulted in an awful death toll. The army declared Al-Madeenah violable for three days, and theirviolent attack became known as the Battle of Al-Harrah, which is an Arabic word that literally means astony tract or lava field whose stones are black, and it refers to the Harrah (an open area with black stones) at the eastern outskirts of Al-Madeenah.
Before the battle began, ‘Abdullah ibn Handhalah wanted to take the Bay‘ah from people for death, and ‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed(may Allah be pleased with him) knew of it, and said, “I would not give the Bay‘ah for death to anyone after the Prophet ﷺ!” He (may Allah be pleased with him) was referring to the Bay‘ah given to the Prophet ﷺ during Al-Hudaybiyah Treaty, when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) gave him the Bay‘ah for death.
The wisdom behind the Companion’s statement that he would not give the Bay‘ah for death to anyone after the Prophet ﷺ is that the due rights of the Prophet ﷺ over all Muslims entailed that each Muslim should defend him, even if it meant his own death, and it was forbidden for Muslims to flee from the battlefield even if it entailed sacrificing their own lives to protect the Prophet ﷺ, and this is not the case with anyone else after the Prophet ﷺ..

2960

Yazeed ibn Ubayd narrated:
Salamah said, "I gave the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) of Al-Ridwaan to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and then I moved to the shade of a tree. When the number of people around the Prophetﷺdiminished, he said, 'O Ibn Al-Akwa‘! Will you not give to me the Bay‘ah?' I replied, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have already given to you the Bay‘ah.' He ﷺ said, ‘Give it again.' So, I gave the Bay‘ah for the second time." I asked 'O Aboo Muslim! For what did you give him the Bay‘ah on that day?" He replied, "We gave him the Bay‘ah for death."
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Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) gave the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) to the Prophet ﷺ in the year of Al-Hudaybiyah treaty in 6 A.H. Allah, Exalted is He, praised the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who gave the Bay‘ah and stated (in the Quran) that He was pleased with them, and the Prophet ﷺ testified to the fact that they shall enter Paradise.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he gave the Bay‘ah of Al-Ridwaan beneath the tree in Al-Hudaybiyah to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and then moved to the shade of another tree. Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) is a contract and covenant between the ruler and the ruled, and it is given that name by analogy with the financial exchange; the Messenger of Allah ﷺ offers the promise of reward, and the Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) commits himself to obey him in return. When the number of people around the Prophet ﷺ diminished, he ﷺ said, “O Ibn Al-Akwa‘! Will you not give to me the Bay‘ah?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, “O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have already given to you the Bay‘ah.” He ﷺ said, “Give it again.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the Bay‘ah for the second time, and the Prophet ﷺ wanted him to emphasize his Bay‘ah, given his knowledge of Salamah’s courage, striving in support of Islam, and steadfastness. Therefore, he ﷺ commanded him to give the Bay‘ah for the second time to be added to his virtues (and rewards).
The Taabi‘ee (Follower) Yazeed ibn ‘Ubayd asked Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him), “O Aboo Muslim,” i.e., his nickname, “For what did you give him the Bay‘ah on that day?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "We gave him the Bay‘ah for death,” meaning that they pledged not to flee from the battlefield, even if it cost them their lives.
Other narrations have reported that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ for patience, not death, and other narrations stated that they pledged not to flee from the battlefield. The term ‘patience’ incorporates all these meanings, because giving the Bay‘ah for death in Allah’s Cause is the same as giving the Bay‘ah not to flee from the battlefield even if it meant death, and this also entails patience, and therefore the term patience includes the rest of the meanings.This pledge indicates that they would adhere to endurance and steadfastness on the battlefield and would not flee until they triumphed over their enemy or died trying.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to adhere to patience and steadfastness on the battlefield.
It also highlights the Companions’ great love for the Prophet ﷺ.
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2964

‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Today, a man came to me and asked me a question which I did not know how to answer! He said, "Tell me, if a wealthy active man, well-equipped with arms, goes out on military expeditions with our chiefs, and orders us to do such things as we cannot do (should we obey him?)" I replied, "By Allah, I do not know what to reply to you, except that we, were in the company of the Prophetﷺ and he used to order us to do a thing once only till we finished it. No doubt everyone among you will remain in a good state as long as he obeys Allah. If one is in doubt as to the permissibility of something, he should ask somebody who would satisfy him, but soon will come a time when you will not find such a man. By Him, except Whom none has the right to be worshipped. I see that the example of what has passed of this life (to what remains thereof) is like a pond whose fresh water has been used up and nothing remains but muddy water."
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Commentary :
People’s obedience to the Imaam or ruler, or their deputies, is one of the most important means to rectify and put their religious and worldly affairs in orderand is required for fostering the unity of the Muslim community. The Islamic law clearly identified the defining lines that that determine the limits of people’s obedience to the Imaam and ruler.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that someone asked him a question which he did not know how to answer. The man asked, "Tell me, if a wealthy active man, well-equipped with arms,” meaning that he is energetic and hastens to follow his pursuits and is well-equipped for war, “goes out on military expeditions with our chiefs,” meaning for Jihaad in Allah’s Cause, “and orders us to do such things as we cannot do,” meaning that this ruler or commander strictly imposed on them what they could not bear, “(should we obey him?)"
Ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "By Allah, I do not know what to reply to you.” It was said that the reason Ibn Mas’ood(may Allah be pleased with him) refrained from issuing his Fatwaa (i.e., scholarly opinion) at first was because if an Imaam (i.e., ruler) appoints a group of fighters to partake in Jihaad or perform any given task, such responsibilities entrusted to them became individual obligations required of them.So, if any of these appointed people sought the Fatwaa of a scholar that such anImaamcan strictly impose obligations beyond people’s capabilities based on his personal whims, the Fatwaa would seem objectionable. Also, advising the complainer to obey the Imaam as enjoined may be objected to by the fact that rulers may grow corrupt during corrupt times. On the other hand, if the complainer is advised that it is permissible to rebel against such anImaam and defiantly disobey him, this Fatwaa could lead to Fitnah (i.e., dissension). Therefore, the right thing to do in such a situation was to refrain from issuing a Fatwaa. However, it seems that Ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him) retreated from this stance and then advised the man that he was obliged to obey his Imaam provided that his commands conformed with the enjoined mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, as inferred from Ibn Mas’ood’s statement. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, I do not know what to reply to you except that we were in the company of the Prophetﷺ and he used to order us to do a thing once only till we finished it. No doubt everyone among you will remain in a good state as long as he obeys Allah, Exalted is He.” This indicated the Companions’ swift response (and obedience) to the Prophet’s commands. Whenever he ﷺ commanded them to do anything and emphasized it, they hastened to comply with his command without the need for repeating it.
By doing so, Ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him) prudently issued his Fatwaa, advising this man that obedience to the Imaam was obligatory provided that his commands conformed with the enjoined mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He. This entails that such an Imaam must not command them to avail themselves of any given legal concession in a situation where adherence to the original Islamic ruling is urged (as per the Islamic law) or the other way around. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity.} [Quran 2:286].
Afterward, Ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that a Muslim is safe as long as he adheres to the enjoined mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “If one is in doubt as to the permissibility of something, he should ask somebody who would satisfy him,” meaning to give him a satisfying answer supported by evident truth to eliminate his doubts, and this urges a Muslim to refrain from doing anything about which he harbors doubts before asking those endowed with knowledge. Afterward, Ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him) bemoaned the fact that people would be deprived of knowledge by the death of their scholars as times and the Muslims’ situation would change by the passage of time and the distance from the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. At such times, people would not find someone to issue a Fatwaa in accordance with the truth, to relieve the hearts from doubts and misconceptions. Ibn Mas‘ood(may Allah be pleased with him) sadly added, “…but soon will come a time when you will not find such a man. By Him except Whom none has the right to be worshipped, I see that the example of what has passed of this life (to what remains thereof) is like a pond whose fresh water has been used up and nothing remains but muddywater.” In his statement, he (may Allah be pleased with him) likened the remaining period of the worldly life to a pond whose fresh water is used up and nothing remained but muddy water mixed with impurities and litter.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a scholar should not hasten to issue his Fatwaa regarding matters that seem objectionable to him.
It is also inferred that the army commanders should not overburden the Muslim fighters, lest it should imperil some of them to disobedience. Rather, they should conveniently make things easier for them to the best of their abilities, consult with them, and keep them posted on latest updates that inform the way of handlingtheir affairs.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that whenever a person doubts something, he must not pass his judgment on it based on such doubts. Rather, he is required to inquire and investigate the matter further and seek the light of guidance from the people of knowledge, if any, otherwise he is required to act upon the fundamentals of the Islamic law, and apply Qiyaas (i.e., legal analogy) and Ijtihaad (i.e., personal reasoning)..

2967

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I participated in a battle along with Allah's Messenger ﷺ. The Prophetﷺ met me (on the way) while I was riding a camel of ours used for irrigation and it had got so tired that it could hardly walk. The Prophetﷺ asked me, "What is wrong with the camel?" I replied, "It has got tired." So. Allah's Messenger ﷺ came from behind it and rebuked it and prayed for it so it started surpassing the other camels and going ahead of them. Then he ﷺ asked me, "How do you find your camel (now)?" I replied, "I find it quite well, now as it has received your blessings." He ﷺ said, "Will you sell it to me?" I felt shy (to refuse his offer) though it was the only camel for irrigation we had. So, I said, "Yes." He ﷺ said, "Sell it to me then." I sold it to him on the condition that I should keep on riding it till I reached Al-Madeenah. Then, I said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I am a bridegroom," and requested him to allow me to go home. He ﷺ allowed me, and I set out for Al-Madeenah before the people till I reached Al-Madeenah, where I met my uncle, who asked me about the camel and I informed him all about it and he blamed me for that. When I took the permission of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, he asked me whether I had married a virgin or a matron and I replied that I had married a matron. He ﷺ said, "Why had not you married a virgin who would have played with you, and you would have played with her?" I replied, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! My father died (or was martyred) and I have some young sisters, so I felt it not proper that I should marry a young girl like them who would neither teach them manners nor serve them. So, I have married a matron so that she may serve them and teach them manners." When Allah's Messenger ﷺ arrived in Al-Madeenah, I took the camel to him the next morning and he gave me its price and gave me the camel itself as well.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was keenly considerate of his Companions’ different conditions, at times of ease and hardship, and in happiness and sadness. He ﷺ would console the distressed, help those in need, rejoice at their happiness, and advise every person with what best suited his situation.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with them) related that he was with the Prophet ﷺ once on a journey back to Al-Madeenah – it was said that this incident took place during the conquest of Makkah - and he was riding a slow camel. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Naadih, meaning a camel used to carry water for drinking or irrigation. The Prophet ﷺpassed by him while he was in this condition, his camel exhausted and almost unable to walk any farther. The Prophet ﷺ asked, "What is wrong with the camel?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he was late due to his slow camel. He ﷺ beat the slow camel with a stick or whip, urging it to move faster, and supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to grant it strength and blessing. The camel surpassed the others thenceforth, leading the way (by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ). He ﷺasked me, "How do you find your camel (now)?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "I find it quite well, now as it has received your blessings."
He ﷺasked Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) to sell him this camel, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) felt shy and replied, "It is (a gift) for you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ,” although it was his only camel. He (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed to sell it to the Prophet ﷺon the condition that he (may Allah be pleased with him) should keep on riding it till they reached Al-Madeenah.
Afterward, Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that he was a bridegroom, and this highlights his merits, for he (may Allah be pleased with him) partook in Jihaad despite being a newlywed! He (may Allah be pleased with him) sought permission to go faster to his bride. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) reached Al-Madeenah, he met his maternal uncle, named Tha‘labah ibn Ghanamah, who asked about the camel and found out that he had sold it to the Prophet ﷺ. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him all about it, he blamed him for that, because Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) had no other camel to carry water thereon. When he (may Allah be pleased with him) sought the Prophet’s permission to go ahead of them, he ﷺ asked him whether he (may Allah be pleased with him) had married a virgin or a previously married woman. He (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that he had married a matron, meaning a previously married woman, and her name was SuhaylahbintMu‘awwdh Al-Awsiyyah(may Allah be pleased with her). The Prophet ﷺ asked, "Why have you not married a virgin who would have played with you, and you would have played with her?" The Prophet ﷺ was asking him about the reason for choosing to marry a previously married woman rather than a virgin, who would most likely be more emotionally attached to her first husband, encouraging her to strive in making him happy and the like of good qualities that warrants the preference of marrying a virgin to a matron. Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) told him that his father was martyred in the Battle of Uhud, and left young sisters under his guardianship, and they needed someone to take care of them and tend to their needs. He (may Allah be pleased with him) believed that a virgin would not be able to shoulder such a task. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “I felt it not proper that I should marry a young girl like them who would neither teach them manners nor serve them.” Therefore, he (may Allah be pleased with him) decided to marry a matron, an experienced woman to look after and raise them properly.
When the Prophet ﷺ reached Al-Madeenah, Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him) went to the mosque with the camel and he ﷺ gave him the price, the camel itself, and his share of the spoils of war like the others, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree. This reflects the Prophet’s gracious generosity with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s gracious humbleness and kindness with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), checking on them and serving their best interests.
It underlines the virtues of Jaabir(may Allah be pleased with him), his compassion towards his sisters, and putting their best interests first before his own.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that a woman should take care of her husband’s family and tend to the needs of his siblings (dependents)..

2974

Tha‘labah ibn Abee Maalik Al-Quradhee narrated:
When Qays ibn Sa‘d Al-Ansaaree, who used to carry the flag of the Prophet ﷺ, intended to perform Hajj, he combed his hair.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was a great commander, and he used to divide the army into coherent groups and used to assign a flag or banner for each people or tribe to fight beneath, teaching Muslims the organization of worldly affairs related to war and politics, as he ﷺ taught us our religious matters and worshipful acts, such as prayer, Zakat, Hajj, and the like.
In this hadeeth, Tha‘labah ibn AbeeMaalik Al-Quradhee (scholars held different opinions as to whether or not he was a Companion) narrated that when Qays ibn Sa‘d Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him), who used to carry the flag of the Prophet ﷺ assigned to the tribe of Khazraj from the Ansaar, intended to perform Hajj, he combed his hair. The flag here refers to the banner of the army’s division. It was said that the banner was the sign of the commander that followed him wherever he went on the battlefield. The Prophet ﷺ used to assign a flag or banner to the chief of each tribe. The banner of the emigrants was assigned to ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) and the banner of the Ansaar was assigned to Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubaadah, and his son Qays(may Allah be pleased with them) held it after him. Whenever Qays(may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to perform Hajj, he (may Allah be pleased with him) cleaned and combed his hair, before assuming Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), to keep his hair kempt for the longest period of time.
The version compiled by Al-Bayhaqee in Al-Sunan Al-Kubraa and Al-Tabaraanee reads: “He (may Allah be pleased with him) combed his hair on one side of his head; a young boy stood and copied him. Qays(may Allah be pleased with him) noticed that his example had been followed; he assumed Ihraam without combing the rest of his hair,” to avoid unbecoming luxury, since unkemptness is preferred for a person in a state of Ihraam. His servant’s act (i.e., copying him) does not count as a deed on his part, yet the two scenarios are possible; he may have commanded his young servant to copy him or chosen to do so out of prudence and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He.
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of Qays ibn Sa‘d(may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to comb one’s hair before assuming Ihraam.
It is inferred therefrom that it is allowable to use flags and banners in war..

2989

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "There is a (required) Sadaqah (i.e., charity) to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah) every day the sun rises. To judge justly between two persons is regarded as Sadaqah, and to help a man concerning his riding animal by helping him ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it, is also regarded as Sadaqah, and (saying) a good word is also Sadaqah, and every step taken on one's way to offer the obligatory prayer (in the mosque) is also Sadaqah and to remove a harmful thing from the way is also Sadaqah.”
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that all acts of goodness a person performs to fulfill his own rights over himself in terms of worship, and the rights of others in terms of acts of kindness, should be counted as Sadaqah (i.e., charity) as an expression of gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for health and wellbeing.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that there is a (compulsory) Sadaqah to be given for every joint of the human body (as a sign of gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He) every day the sun rises, by performing acts of obedience and righteous deeds every day. This is done by using these joints in performing acts of obedience and worship. The bone structure of the human body is one of the greatest blessings bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon His servant. Therefore, one should offer Sadaqah for each joint in his body to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for such a blessing. However, it is not incumbent to do so; it is adequate for a person to carry out the obligations and avoid the prohibitions.
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ listed some acts of obedience that are counted as Sadaqah, which one may perform to express gratitude to Allah, Exalted is He, for the blessing of his joints. He ﷺ stated: “To judge justly between two persons is regarded as Sadaqah,” or reconcile between disputing people. Reconciliation is a good act, yet if he knew that one of them was rightfully entitled to the disputed item or right, he must establish justice. Another example of Sadaqah is to help a man concerning his riding animal, or any other means of transportation, by helping him ride it or by lifting his luggage on to it. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Akheeh, lit., his brother, and it refers to one’s fellow Muslims in general, since all Muslims are brothers in faith. A Muslim is required to wish for his fellow Muslims what he wishes for himself, and exchange with them acts of kindness and charity. Another example listed in the hadeeth is good speech, in fulfillment of the rights of Allah, Exalted is He, such as Tasbeeh (i.e., saying 'SubhaanAllaah,’ Glory be to Allah), Takbeer (i.e., saying ‘Allaahu Akbar,’ Allah is the Greatest), and Tahleel (i.e., saying 'La ilaahaillaAllaah,’ none is worthy of worship but Allah), or in fulfillment of people’s rights such as embodying good morals in one’s interactions with people. Another example is every step taken on one's way to offer the compulsory prayer (in the mosque), regardless of the distance, and to remove harmful objects from the people’s way.
It was narrated on the authority of AbooDharr(may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “… and two Rak‘ahs which one prays in the forenoon will suffice.” [Muslim]. This means that performing the Duhaa prayer is sufficient asSadaqah for each joint, because the prayer is performed by the whole body and it incorporates all the listed acts of Sadaqah and more.
The hadeeth underlines the numerosity of the acts of goodness and obedience that count as Sadaqah devoted to Allah, Exalted is He.
It urges Muslims to perform acts of obedience regularly.
It also underlines the grace of Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon His servants by guiding them to perform righteous deeds and then rewarding them for them. .

2990

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade people from traveling to a hostile country carrying (copies of) the Quran..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ taught his nation to pursue good in all their affairs, and an example of this is urging Muslims to honor and preserve the Quran and protect it from any form of harm or whatever undermines its sanctity.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Muslims from traveling to a hostile country carrying written copies of the Quran. The wisdom behind the prohibition is the fear that enemies may disrespect it or violate its sanctity. In the version recorded by Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said: “lest the enemy should seize it,” and violate its sanctity. .

2991

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ reached Khaybar in the morning, while people were coming out carrying their spades over their shoulders. When they saw him, they said, "This is Muhammad and his army! Muhammad and his army!" So, they took refuge in the fort. The Prophetﷺraised both his hands and said, "Allahu Akbar, Khaybar is ruined, for when we approach a nation (i.e., enemy to fight) then miserable is the morning of the warned ones." Then we found some donkeys which we (killed and) cooked: The announcer of the Prophetﷺ announced: "Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ forbid you to eat donkey's meat." So, all the pots including their contents were turned upside down.
.

Commentary :
The conquest of Khaybar took place in 7 A.H. between Muslims and Jews. Khayber was a village inhabited by Jews and located (153 km) away from Al-Madeenah to the north on the route to Damascus. The Jews gathered therein, so the Prophet ﷺ wanted to secure Al-Madeenah from their evil.
In this hadeeth, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ reached Khaybar in the morning, while its people were coming out carrying their spades (and ploughs) over their shoulders, on the way to their farms. When they saw the Prophet ﷺ, they said, "This is Muhammad and his army! Muhammad and his army!" The Arabic word used in the hadeeth isKhamees, meaning army, which consists of five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. So, they took refuge in the fort. The Prophetﷺraised both his hands and said, "Allahu Akbar, Khaybar is ruined, for when we approach a nation (i.e., enemy to fight) then miserable is the morning of the warned ones,” the Prophet ﷺ repeated it thrice, being upbeat and optimistic about conquering Khaybar, seeing the spades and ploughs. During this battle, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) seized some domestic donkeys, which were used by farmers for cultivation and as riding mounts. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) slaughtered these donkeys and cooked their meat without the knowledge and permission of the Prophet ﷺ. When he ﷺ knew of it, the announcer of the Prophetﷺ announced: "Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ forbid you from eating donkey's meat." Immediately, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) complied and refrained from eating such meat; all the pots including their contents were turned upside down, in compliance with the Prophet’s command.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is prohibited to eat the meat of domestic donkeys.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to recite Takbeer (i.e., saying ‘Allaahu Akbar,’ Allah is the Greatest) when Muslims are blessed with victory and conquest.
The hadeeth highlights the Companions’ immediate compliance with the Prophet’s commands and prohibitions..

2993

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever we went up a place we would say, "Allahu--Akbar (i.e., Allah is the Greatest)", and whenever we went down a place we would say, "Subhan Allah (i.e., Glory be to Allah).”
.

Commentary :
It is becoming of a Muslim to mention Allah, Exalted is He, constantly and evoke the Greatness of his Lord in all his conditions and at all times. The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did so. In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that whenever they went upwards on their way, they would say, "Allahu Akbar (i.e., Allah is the Greatest)," and whenever they went downwards, they would say, "Subhaan Allah (i.e., Glory be to Allah).” This is because reciting Takbeer is suitable to ascending to an elevated place, to remind oneself that Allah, Exalted is He, is the Most Hight and Greatest, and to evoke His Kibriyaa’ (Pride/Grandeur), and Tasbeehis suitable for descending to a lower place, to remind oneself of the fact that Allah, Exalted is He, is Free of all aspects of imperfection, because He is the Most High and the Greatest and also because Tasbeeh means deeming Allah, Exalted is He, above all aspects of imperfection and attributes of lowliness. It was also said that reciting Tasbeeh when passing through valleys and lower places is inferred from the story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah). Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And had he not been of those who exalt Allah. * He would have remained inside its belly until the Day they are resurrected.} [Quran 37:143-144]. Allah, Exalted is He, rescued him as a reward for reciting Tasbeeh inside the whale’s belly. The Prophet ﷺ followed his example and recited Tasbeeh while passing through the valleys, imploring Allah, Exalted is He, to rescue (and safeguard) him (from any potential harm). .

2996

IbraaheemAbooIsma‘eel Al-Saksakee narrated:
I heard AbooBurdah who accompanied Yazeed ibn AbeeKabshah on a journey. Yazeed used to observe fasting on journeys. AbooBurdah said to him, "I heard AbooMoosaa several times saying that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had said, 'When a servant of Allah falls ill or travels, he will get reward similar to that he gets for good deeds practiced at home when in good health."
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, favors His pious servants with more rewards for their good deeds in different circumstances, at times of good health and sickness, and in free time and at times of preoccupation.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) IbraaheemAbooIsma‘eel Al-Saksakee narrated that AbooBurdah ibn AbooMoosaa Al-Ash‘aree and Yazeed ibn AbeeKabshah, who were Taabi‘een (Followers) as well, went on a journey with him. Yazeed used to observe fasting on journeys. AbooBurdah said to him, "I heard AbooMoosaa Al-Ash‘aree(may Allah be pleased with him) several times saying that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had said, 'When a servant of Allah falls ill or travels, he will get reward similar to what he gets for good deeds practiced at home when in good health.’” This means that whoever used to perform any given worshipful act or good deed, such as voluntary prayer, fasting, and the like, regularly and then happened to travel or fall sick and this prevented him from these deeds, Allah, Exalted is He, shall grant him rewards equal to them.
It was said that this also applies to the obligatory worshipful acts as well; when a Muslim is unable to perform some or all of them due to sickness, Allah, Exalted is He, shall grant him equal rewards for such worshipful acts. When a sick person performs the obligatory prayer while sitting down because he is unable to pray while standing, he earns equal rewards to the one who performs the prayer in a standing position.
The hadeeth highlights the great grace bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, on His servants.
It also underlines the virtues of performing voluntary (and obligatory) worshipful acts and good deeds while being in good health and in his residence (not travelling) to earn equal rewards whenever he travels or falls sick (and becomes unable to perform them)..

2998

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night."
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Commentary :
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warns against travelling and walking alone at night. He ﷺ stated that if people knew what he ﷺ knew about the risks and harms that may befall a person when traveling or riding his mount alone at night, nobody would travel alone at night. This statement aims to discourage Muslims from traveling or walking alone at night.It imperils a person to the danger of being robbed, and were he to die during such a time, there would be no one to wash and shroud his dead body and perform the funeral prayer over him. It is also possible that the Prophet ﷺ said so out of his fear and compassion for the one traveling or walking alone at night lest he should be harmed by the devils, for they come out at night and may harm people by taking human form, scaring them, or targeting them with their whisperings. .

3004

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night."
.

Commentary :
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warns against travelling and walking alone at night. He ﷺ stated that if people knew what he ﷺ knew about the risks and harms that may befall a person when traveling or riding his mount alone at night, nobody would have travelled alone at night. This statement aims to discourage Muslims from traveling or walking alone at night.It imperils a person to the danger of being robbed, and were he to die during such time, there would be no one to wash and shroud his dead body and perform the funeral prayer over him. It is also possible that the Prophet ﷺ said so out of his fear and compassion for the one traveling or walking alone at night, lest he should be harmed by the devils, for they come out at night and may harm people by taking human form, scaring them, or targeting them with their whisperings. .

3005

Aboo Basheer Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he was in the company of Allah's Messenger ﷺon some of his journeys. (The sub-narrator ‘Abdullaah adds, "I think that Aboo Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) also said, 'And the people were at their sleeping places.") Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent a messenger ordering: "There shall not remain any necklace of string or any other kind of necklace round the necks of camels except it is cut off."
.

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was compassionate and kind towards people; he ﷺ commanded them to do whatever would benefit them with regard to their religious and worldly affairs and corrected their erroneous actions to which they were accustomed and which would undermine their beliefs or worldly benefits.
In this hadeeth, AbooBasheer Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he was in the company of Allah's Messenger ﷺon one of his journeys. People were at their sleeping places and tents. Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent a messenger, i.e., his freed slave Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him), commanding them that there shall not remain any necklace of string or any other kind of necklace round the necks of camels except it is cut off.
These necklaces referred to the bells, horseshoes, and the like, and strings were similar toa bow’s strings, which were attached to the camels’ necks (used as amulets) to ward off envy and the evil eye. They were commanded to cut off these necklaces and strings, because they can neither avert nor hinder the decrees of Allah, Exalted is He. It was also said that he ﷺ forbade attaching such strings to the animals’ necks, because they are harmed by them; they may get attached to trees or the like and cause the poor animal to suffocate and die, and they may also suffocate the animal when running extremely fast; or because they attached bells to them. AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The angels do not go along with a travelling company in which there is a dog or a bell.” [Muslim].
The hadeeth urges Muslims to perfect their belief in Tawheed (i.e., unique Oneness of Allah, Exalted is He) and eliminate all traces of Shirk (i.e., associating partners with Allah) and all means leading to it..

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

| Hadiths

Tha‘labah ibn Abee Maalik Al-Quradhee narrated: When Qays ibn Sa‘d Al-Ansaaree, who used to carry the flag of the Prophet ﷺ, intended to perform Hajj, he combed his hair. .

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated: Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade people from traveling to a hostile country carrying (copies of) the Quran..

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: Whenever we went up a place we would say, "Allahu--Akbar (i.e., Allah is the Greatest)", and whenever we went down a place we would say, "Subhan Allah (i.e., Glory be to Allah).” .

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night." .

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night." .

‘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.".

‘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.".

‘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).".

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)..

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..

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.".

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.".

Tha‘labah ibn Abee Maalik Al-Quradhee narrated:
When Qays ibn Sa‘d Al-Ansaaree, who used to carry the flag of the Prophet ﷺ, intended to perform Hajj, he combed his hair.
.

‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade people from traveling to a hostile country carrying (copies of) the Quran..

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever we went up a place we would say, "Allahu--Akbar (i.e., Allah is the Greatest)", and whenever we went down a place we would say, "Subhan Allah (i.e., Glory be to Allah).”
.

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night."
.

Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated on the authority of the Prophetﷺ the following Hadeeth (No. 242). The Prophetﷺ said, "If people (only) knew what I know about traveling alone, then nobody would travel alone at night."
.