It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque, at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and they did not sprinkle water on any of that..

Commentary : The urine of a dog must be purified if it gets onto the ground, or onto one’s garments and the like, just as it is enjoined to wash a vessel if a dog drinks from it. This hadith may be understood as referring to the opposite of that, because Ibn ‘Umar narrates that dogs used to urinate and come and go in the mosque at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) did not sprinkle water on any of that. What may be understood from the hadith is that they used to urinate outside the mosque, in the places that they frequented, and they would come and go in the mosque, passing through. It is not permissible for dogs to be allowed to remain in the mosque to the point that they play about and urinate in the building. Rather they used to come and go at some times, and there were no doors or gates on the mosque to prevent the dogs from passing through. When the dogs entered the mosque, it was possible that their saliva might drop on the floor of the mosque, but it was not something definite, and it was not known where it would be. Hence the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not sprinkle water on any of that, because certainty cannot be dispelled on the basis of doubt; they were certain that the mosque was clean and pure, but they were not certain as to whether any of the dogs’ saliva was on the ground, or where it was if that had happened. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) ordered that water be sprinkled over the urine of the Bedouin when he was certain that he had urinated and he knew where it was, and the urine of a dog is no less objectionable or impure (najis) than the urine of that Bedouin..

179

It was narrated from Zayd ibn Khalid that he asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): What do you think of someone who has intercourse but does not ejaculate? ‘Uthman said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis. ‘Uthman said: I heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then I asked ‘Ali, al-Zubayr, Talhah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about that, and they all enjoined the same thing..

Commentary : Janabah (impurity following sexual activity) is major impurity and results either from intercourse or the emission of maniy (semen), which exhausts the entire body. Islamic teachings enjoin doing ghusl in that case, to energize and cleanse the body, and to purify it. In this hadith, it says that Zayd ibn Khaalid, who was one of the Tabi‘in, asked ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan (may Allah be pleased with him): Is there ghusl for one who has intercourse with his wife then gets up and leaves her without ejaculating? ‘Uthman (may Allah have mercy on him) said: He should do wudu’ as for prayer and wash his penis, which may be understood as meaning that he does not have to do ghusl. Then ‘Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed that he heard that from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Zayd also asked ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib, al-Zubayr ibn al-‘Awwam, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah, and Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with them) about a man having intercourse with his wife without ejaculating, and they instructed him to do the same as ‘Uthman had instructed him, which was to do wudu’ without doing ghusl.
However, the ruling that is mentioned in this hadith was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” Ghusl is required of everyone who has intercourse with his wife, whether or not he ejaculates. This is the final ruling concerning this issue, as was determined at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and afterwards, and it was proven from all of the Sahabah mentioned here that they issued fatwas requiring ghusl, not wudu’, to the extent that there is consensus in the ummah that ghusl is required of the one whose penis enters the vagina, even if he does not ejaculate..

180

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar, who came with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” And he said yes. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “If you were made to hasten, then you should have done wudu’.” Wahb followed that by saying: Shu‘bah told us: Abu ‘Abdillah said: Ghundar and Yahya did not narrate any mention of wudu’ from Shu‘bah..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to hasten to respond to his call, so they attained the highest level of obedience and submission. This hadith proves that, as Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent for a man of the Ansar – whose name was ‘Itban ibn Malik, or someone else – and he came rushing with his head dripping with water. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) realized that he had been having intercourse with his wife, so he said to him: “Perhaps we made you hasten?” In other words, perhaps you hastened to stop having intercourse before you ejaculated. The man said yes, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught him that if a man hastens to stop having intercourse, and does not ejaculate, then he does not have to do ghusl and wash his entire body; rather it is sufficient to do wudu’. However, this was the ruling at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated by what is reported in al-Sahihayn, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” It is not stipulated that ejaculation should occur in order for ghusl to be necessary. The final ruling is that intercourse necessitates ghusl, regardless of whether the man ejaculates or not..

183

It was narrated from Kurayb, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Abbas, that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas told him that he spent the night in the house of Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who was his maternal aunt. [He said:] I lay along the width of the pillow and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife lay along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) fell asleep, until halfway through the night, or shortly before that or after it. When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up, he sat up, wiping the sleep from his face with his hand, then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran. Then he went to a water skin that was hanging up and did wudu’ from it, and did wudu’ well. Then he went and prayed. Ibn ‘Abbas said: I got up and did what he had done, then I went and stood beside him. He put his right hand on my head, and took hold of my right ear and tweaked it. He prayed two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then two rak‘ahs, then Witr. Then he lay down until the mu’adhdhin came to him, then he got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, then he went out and prayed Fajr..

Commentary : ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a smart boy who followed the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learned his Sunnahs from him so that he could act upon them and convey them to those who came after him.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he spent the night at the house of his maternal aunt Maymunah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He lay down and slept across the width of the pillow, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his wife Maymunah slept along its length. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) slept until half way through the night, or a little before that or a little after, then he woke up. He sat up and wiped the traces of sleep from his face with his hand, to help him wake up fully. Then he recited the last ten verses of Surat Al ‘Imran, {Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth …} [Al ‘Imran 3:190-200], to the end of the surah. Then he got up and went to an old water skin that was hanging there and did wudu’ from it, doing it properly and thoroughly. Then he stood up to pray tahajjud. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then I got up and did what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done, meaning that he did wudu’, doing it well and thoroughly. Then he stood beside the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to pray with him. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put his right hand on the head of Ibn ‘Abbas and took hold of his right ear, twisting and rubbing it, to wake him up, or to tell him to pay attention to the proper way of standing and where the one who is praying behind someone should stand, or to show affection to him, and the like. It was said that he tweaked his ear only because he stood on his left, so he took hold of his ear and pulled it to make him move around to stand on his right.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed twelve rak‘ahs, saying the taslim after each two rak‘ahs. Then he prayed Witr, meaning that he prayed an odd number of rak‘ahs, whether it was a single rak‘ah or three rak‘ahs. Then he lay down on his side until the mu’adhdhin came to wake him up for Fajr prayer. He got up and prayed two brief rak‘ahs, which were the two [Sunnah] rak‘ahs of Fajr, then he went out and offered the obligatory prayer of Fajr.
In this hadith we see that it is permissible to recite Qur’an and so on without wudu’, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited these verses after waking up from sleep, before doing wudu’.
It indicates that it is permissible to make the Sunnah prayer of Fajr brief.
It tells us of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do of worship at night. .

185

It was narrated from ‘Amr ibn Yahya al-Mazini, from his father, that a man said to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd, who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’? ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd said: Yes. He called for some water, and poured some water over his hands and washed them twice. Then he rinsed out his mouth and nose three times, then he washed his face three times, then he washed his arms twice each, up to the elbows. Then he wiped his head with his hands, front and back, starting at the front of his head until he brought his hands to the nape of his neck, then brought them back to where he had started. Then he washed his feet..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn the Prophet’s Sunnah and teach it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Amr ibn Yahya narrates from his father that a man – who was the grandfather of ‘Amr ibn Yahya; his name was ‘Umarah ibn Abi Hasan al-Mazini, as is mentioned in the reports – asked the Sahabi ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’, according to what he had seen him do. ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) responded to his request and called for water, so that he could give him a practical demonstration of how wudu’ was to be done. He poured water on his hands and washed them twice before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving water around in his mouth, then spitting it out. He cleaned his nose three times, sniffing up water then expelling it, which means that he took water into his nose to clean the inside of it. Then he washed his face three times. The definition of the face is from the hairline to the bottom of the chin, and from one earlobe to the other, right and left. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, washing each one twice, by way of showing the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that twice. Then he wiped his head once with both hands, front and back. In other words, he put his hands on the front of his head, then brought them to the back of his head, until they reached the nape of his neck, and he brought them back to the front of the head. Wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head is the place where the hair grows. Then he washed his feet up to the ankles, as is proven in the reports.
This hadith indicates that the learner may ask one who has knowledge, and teaching may be done by demonstrating actions.
It also indicates that the entire head is to be wiped..

189

It was narrated that Ibn Shihab said: Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ – who is the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sprayed water from their well when he was a child, and ‘Urwah said, quoting from al-Miswar and someone else, each confirming that the other was telling the truth – told me: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, they almost fought over his leftover wudu’ water..

Commentary : The companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) respected and venerated him very much, and held him in the highest esteem. One of the examples of that is what is mentioned in this hadith. The context is the story of al-Hudaybiyyah, when the polytheists prevented the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions from reaching the Sacred House for ‘umrah, and they sent the delegation to negotiate with him, until they drew up the treaty of al-Hudaybiyyah with him. The time for prayer came whilst ‘Urwah ibn Mas‘ud, who had come to negotiate with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was there. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up to do wudu’, his companions almost fought over his left over wudu’ water, because they were rushing to get it. But the one who narrated that – in this hadith – was Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him); he was the one in whose face the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had playfully sprayed water onto his face from his mouth, when Mahmoud was a small child; that water came from a bucket drawn from the well of the people of Mahmoud ibn al-Rabi‘.
This was also narrated by ‘Urwah ibn Zubayr, from al-Miswar ibn Makhramah (may Allah be pleased with him) and someone else, namely Marwan ibn al-Hakam, each of them confirming that the other was telling the truth; in other words, both al-Miswar and Marwan confirmed one another’s narration of the hadith.
This hadith indicates that leaders and people of virtue may play and joke with children.
It also highlights how the Sahabah venerated and respected the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and how they sought blessing (barakah) from his relics and leftover wudu water..

190

It was narrated that al-Ja‘d said: I heard al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid say: My maternal aunt took me to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, my sister’s son is in pain. He patted me on the head and prayed for blessing for me, then he did wudu’, and I drank some of his wudu’ water. Then I stood behind him and looked at the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, like the egg of a partridge..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards his companions, and would pray for them. He would offer supplication for them, pray for healing for those who were sick, and pray for the safe return of those who were absent. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) would come to him so that he would pray for them and their children. In this hadith, al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was sick, and he was very young at that time, so his maternal aunt took him to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said to him: My sister’s son is in pain, meaning that he was sick. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) patted him on the head and prayed for blessing for him. Then he did wudu’, and al-Sa’ib drank some of the water that was left over after the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done wudu’. When al-Sa’ib stood behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he saw the seal of prophethood between his shoulder blades, which was the size of a partridge egg. The partridge is a type of bird.
The seal of prophethood was a mark between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which had been described in earlier scriptures; it was a sign by which the promised Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be known, after whom there would be no other Prophet. The seal of prophethood is described in the sahih Sunnah as something that stood out between the shoulder blades of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); it was surrounded by moles, which are dark spots, and was covered with a few hairs.
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took good care of his companions, and how he would pray for blessing for the children and pat their heads.
It highlights the virtue of al-Sa’ib ibn Yazid (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also tells us how the Sahabah sought blessing from the relics and wudu’ water of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

191

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd that he poured water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them, then he washed – or rinsed his mouth and nose – from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his arms up to the elbows, twice each, and he wiped his head, front and back, and washed his feet up to the ankles. Then he said: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and taught it to the Tabi‘in, so that the rulings of religion would become deeply rooted in a correct manner and would be handed down from one generation to the next.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Yahya al-Mazini narrates that a man came to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) and asked him: Can you show me how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’, and he said yes. Then he called for water, and when it was brought to him, he poured some water from the vessel onto his hands and washed them before starting to do wudu’. Then he cleaned his mouth by moving the water around in it, in order to wash it thoroughly. Then he spat the water out of his mouth, and sniffed up water into his nose to make it reach the highest part of the nose, and then blew it out of his nose, to cleanse his nose of any dirt that might be inside it. He cleaned his mouth and nose from one handful of water, and he did that three times. Then he washed his hands and forearms up to the elbows, twice each, washing each of them twice in order to show the easier way and to highlight the fact that it is permissible to do that.
Washing the forearms cannot be done except after washing the face, but he did not mention it here, although he mentioned it in another report in al-Bukhari, which says that he washed his face three times. It was said that perhaps he wanted to make the description brief here, because the issue of washing the face is clearly mentioned in the verse of wudu’, and there is no need to mention it here. It was also said that perhaps one of the narrators forgot to mention washing the face, as he was also not sure about whether he washed or rinsed his mouth. It was also suggested that the reason why the face was not mentioned is that it may be that what is omitted is the word face; in other words, then he washed his face. It was omitted because it is clear [from the context], and the word aw (or) in the phrase “or rinsed his mouth” means “and”, and the phrase “from one handful of water” refers to rinsing the mouth and nose only.
Then he wiped his head, placing his hands on the front of his head, then bringing them to the back of his head, until he reached the nape of his neck, then bringing them back to the front of his head again. He did that once, and wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head here is the place where the hair grows. And he washed his feet up to the ankles.
Then ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after he had finished his wudu’: This is how the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’. In other words, his wudu’ was a precise imitation of the wudu’ of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was done to teach those around him of the Tabi‘in and others who wanted to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’ in a practical manner.
It also indicates that one should wash the hands before putting them in the vessel when starting to do wudu’..

193

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, that he said: Men and women both used to do wudu’ at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : Islam honours women and does not treat them as outcasts, as was the case during the jahiliyyah. It permits some things to both women and men, whilst paying attention to the guidelines on gender interactions.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that both men and women used to do wudu’ at the time of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other words, they would both do wudu’ from one vessel, as is mentioned in other reports narrated by Ibn Majah. What is meant is that such actions were well known at that time, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not object to that or try to change it. This was quoted as evidence by those who think that water left over by women may be used by men, and water left over by men may be used by women, and if that were not allowed, they would not have done that, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would have told them not to do that.
It is proven that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did ghusl to purify themselves of janabah from a single vessel, and that he also did that with Maymunah. What is meant by them both doing wudu’ – as was narrated by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) – is that the men would do wudu’ and leave, then the women would come and do wudu’..

201

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would do ghusl using a sa‘ of water, up to a maximum of five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. .

Commentary : Islamic teachings forbid extravagance, and extravagance refers to anything that is surplus to a person’s requirements, even with regard to using water for ghusl or wudu’. In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do ghusl using a sa‘ or five mudds, and he would do wudu’ with one mudd. The sa‘ is a unit of measurement equivalent to four mudds or eight ratls. In modern terms, it is said that the ratl is equivalent to approximately 380 grams, or less than half a litre; or it is said that it is equivalent to 538 grams, or more than half a litre. The mudd is equivalent to one quarter of a sa‘ or, it was said, it is equivalent to one and a third ratls, or two ratls. It is the amount of water that may be held in the joined palms of both hands.
This report tells us how much water was sufficient for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), not that it is not permissible to use more than that. Rather people vary in that regard; some people cannot do wudu’ and ghusl properly except with more than that, but whatever the case, it is essential to avoid being extravagant with water. This comes under the heading of proper use of resources and making the best use of them by disposing of them properly, and using only is much as is needed..

202

It was narrated from Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), that he wiped over his khuffs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked ‘Umar about that, and he said: Yes, if Sa‘d tells you something from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it..

Commentary : Wiping over the khuffs is proven in sound, clear texts. This was narrated by a large number of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them). The number of those who narrated it is more than eighty of the Sahabah, including the ten who were given the glad tidings of Paradise, and no one denies that except an innovator. In fact, wiping over the khuffs is one of the minor issues of fiqh which distinguishes Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama‘ah from others who have deviated and are misguided. This is one of the hadiths in which it was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he wiped over the khuffs. The khuff is a kind of footwear made of thin leather that is worn on the foot and covers the ankles and more. This report mentions Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him), when ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar asked his father ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) about this hadith. He said to him: If Sa‘d narrates something to you from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then do not ask anyone else about it. That was because they trusted Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with them all).
This hadith highlights the virtue of Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also highlights how the Sahabah spoke highly of one another..

205

It was narrated that ‘Amr ibn Umayyah said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban and khuffs..

Commentary : One of the distinguishing characteristics of Islamic teachings is that they make things easy for the accountable. Islam came to make easy that which is difficult for people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us about wudu’, how to do it and the etiquette thereof.
In this hadith, ‘Amr ibn Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wipe over his turban, which is something that is wrapped around the head. Wiping over it is done when wanting to wipe the head, which is an essential part of wudu’. It is done by wiping a wet hand over whatever is visible of the hair, and completing the action by wiping over the turban, without taking it off the head. Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when it came to washing the feet, which is another essential part of wudu’, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wiped over the khuffs instead of washing the feet. The khuff is something made of leather that covers the foot, and is usually worn for warmth. Wiping is done on the top of the feet, not the bottom, and the length of time for which one may wipe over the khuffs is one day and night for one who is not travelling, and three days and nights for one who is travelling.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to wipe over the turban and khuffs when doing wudu’..

214

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer. I said: What did you [the Sahabah] used to do? He said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it..

Commentary : Wudu’ will be the light of the believer on the Day of Resurrection, for wudu’ will brighten his face and limbs, and the Muslims will be recognized in the place of gathering by this characteristic, which is unique to this ummah. Because wudu’ has this virtue, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every obligatory prayer, so as to attain this reward and virtue, as Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from him. Doing wudu’ for every prayer is Sunnah, but it is permissible for the Muslim to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’, so long as he has not invalidated it. This is what Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) meant when he said: One wudu’ would be sufficient for one of us so long as he did not invalidate it by minor impurity that invalidates wudu’, such as passing wind, urinating or defecating. It is proven in Sahih Muslim, in the hadith of Buraydah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do wudu’ for every prayer, but on the day of the conquest [of Makkah] he offered all the prayers with one wudu’. ‘Umar said to him: You have done something that you never used to do. He said: “I did it deliberately”, meaning that he did it in order to show that it is permissible to offer more than one prayer with one wudu’.
This hadith highlights the virtue of doing wudu’ for every prayer..

216

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah, and he heard the sound of two people being punished in their graves. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” Then he said: “Nay [it is serious]; one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from his urine getting on him, and the other used to walk about spreading malicious gossip.” Then he called for a stalk of a palm leaf, broke it in two, and placed one piece of it on each grave. It was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, why did you do that? He said: “Perhaps they will reduce [the punishment] for them so long as they do not dry out, or until they dry out.”.

Commentary : The grave is the first stage of the hereafter, and punishment and bliss in the grave are real. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained some deeds that lead to punishment in the grave, as mentioned in this hadith, in which ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) passed by one of the walled gardens of Madinah or Makkah – this refers to uncertainty on the part of Jarir ibn ‘Abdul Hamid, one of the narrators of the hadith. Al-Bukhari narrated it in al-Adab al-Mufrad, where he said: one of the gardens of Madinah, with certainty, beyond any doubt. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) heard the sound of two dead people being punished in their graves, and he said: “They are being punished, but they are not being punished for something serious.” In other words, they are not being punished for something you regard as serious, although in fact it is serious before Allah (may He be exalted). Hence he said “Nay,” to indicate that the matter is indeed serious.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the reason for their punishment, which was that one of them used not to take precautions to protect himself from urine contaminating his body and clothes, and the other used to walk around spreading malicious gossip among the people, so he would tell one person what someone else had said with the intention of causing harm, stirring up trouble and creating hatred among people.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called for the stalk of a palm leaf; he broke it into two halves, and placed one piece of it on each of the two graves. The Sahabah asked him: Why did you do that? And he told them that he had done that in the hope that Allah (may He be exalted) would reduce the punishment for them until the palm stalks that he had placed on their graves dried out. It was said that the reason why he chose palm stalks was that they are slow to dry out. It was also said that this may be interpreted as meaning that he offered supplication for them and prayed that their punishment would be reduced so long as the palm stalks remained fresh and moist, not that there is anything inherently special about palm stalks, or that that which is fresh and moist has some special impact that are not found in a dry stalk. It was said that what is meant is that the palm stalk glorifies Allah so long as it remains fresh and moist, thus the reduction of the punishment was by the blessing of that tasbih.
This hadith affirms the punishment of the grave and confirms that it is real; we must believe in it and accept it.
It also warns against not taking precautions to protect oneself from urine; this applies also to other types of impurity that could contaminate one’s body or garments.
It also warns against malicious gossip, and highlights the bad consequences thereof..

217

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to answer the call of nature, I would bring the water to him and he would wash himself with it..

Commentary : The teachings of Islam urge Muslims to purify themselves both physically and in intangible ways. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how to purify ourselves after relieving ourselves.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) speaks of when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went out to relieve himself – the Arabic term refers to going out to a spacious, flat piece of land where they used to go to relieve themselves, because they used to go out to places where there were no people, before they acquired outhouses and bathrooms in their houses. Hence Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he used to bring water to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), so that he could wash himself and clean the site of the urine and faeces, to make sure that it was clean. What is mostly known of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is that he used to clean himself with pebbles, as is proven in the reports. The hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) highlights the fact that it is valid to clean oneself with water.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was a servant of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); he used to follow him wherever he went to see how he could serve him, and so that he could do whatever was asked of him. He knew how much the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) loved to purify himself with water after Allah praised those who purify themselves..

973

‘Ā’ishah reported: When Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās died, the wives of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent a message to bring his bier into the mosque so that they should offer prayer over him, which they did. It was placed in front of their rooms, and they offered prayer over him. It was brought out of the Door of Funerals, which was towards the side of Maqā‘id, and news reached them that the people criticized that, saying: It is not appropriate for a bier to be taken into the mosque! This was conveyed to ‘Ā’ishah, and she said: "How quick people are in criticizing what they have no knowledge about! They criticized us that a bier should be brought into the mosque, whereas the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not offer prayer over Suhayl ibn Baydā’ except deep inside the mosque.".

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the keenest among people on following the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they would probably correct one another when it came to unclear matters or confusing to them.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says when the Companion Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) died, and he passed away in his palace in the region of Al-‘Aqīq, ten miles away from Madīnah, in 55 A.H., according to the famous view, and he was carried on the shoulders of men so as to be buried in the Baqī‘, the graveyard of the people of Madīnah, which happened during the caliphate of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), and Marawān ibn Al-Hakam was the then-governor of Madīnah. The Prophet's wives sent word to those who were carrying him and asked them to bring the bier - in reference to the deceased person - to the Prophet's Mosque so that the Mothers of the Believers, the Prophet's wives, could offer prayer over him. In a version by Muslim, it was ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) who asked for that. The bier was brought into the mosque and placed in front of the rooms of the Mothers of the Believers, who offered the funeral prayer over him. After the prayer was finished, he was taken out of the Door of Funerals, i.e., the door of the mosque that was prepared for the passing of funerals; or because the funerals would often pass through this door - given its closeness to the direction of the Baqī‘ - it was called as such. It was located near "the Maqā‘id", which was situated behind the eastern wall of the Prophet's Mosque, east of the noble chamber, where the Imām would stand up to offer the funeral prayer, the Prophet's grave would lay to his right. It was said: "The Maqā‘id" is a place at the door of the mosque reserved for sitting for the fulfillment of needs, performing ablution, and taking rest. And it was said: It was a stone near the house of ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) upon which he used to sit. It was also said: It was stairs. News reached ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the people criticized the entry of the bier into the mosque for the funeral prayer. That is because they would usually offer the funeral prayer outside the mosque, in an open space. Thereupon, ‘Ā’ishah said in wonder: "How quickly people are criticizing what they have no knowledge about!" i.e., how quickly they forgot the Sunnah. It was said: How quick they are in maligning and finding faults. It was also said: How quick they are in denying what they do not know, namely the ruling on bringing the bier into the mosque. Therefore, they criticized us for bringing the bier into the mosque. Then, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) cited the Prophet's action as evidence, saying: "Whereas the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not offer prayer for Suhayl ibn Baydā,’" i.e., for his funeral. Suhayl (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who engaged in the two immigrations—to Abyssinia and Madinah—and he participated in the battles of Badr and ’Uhud. He (may Allah be pleased with him) died after the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned from the battle of Tabuk, 9 A.H. "except deep inside the mosque" and within it. This proves that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did offer the funeral prayer in the mosque, even if a few times, but this points to permissibility.
In the Hadīth: The merit of the knowledge of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)
And in it: Offering the funeral prayers inside the mosque and outside it
And in it: Offering the funeral prayer by women
And in it: The Sunnah should not be abandoned because some people deny it out of ignorance; rather, it should be demonstrated to the people and taught to those who are ignorant about it..

974

‘Ā’ishah reported, saying: "Should I not tell you about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and me?" We said: 'Yes.' [In a version] from Muhammad ibn Qays ibn Makhramah ibn al-Muttalib that he said one day: "Should I not tell you about me and my mother?" He said: "We thought he meant his mother who gave birth to him." He said: "‘Ā’ishah said: 'Should I not tell you about me and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?' We said: 'Yes.' She said: 'When it was my turn and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was to spend the night with me, he turned and put down his mantle and took off his shoes and placed them near his feet. Then, he spread the end of his Izār (lower garment) on his bed and lay down until he thought that I had gone asleep. He took hold of his mantle slowly and put on his shoes slowly, and opened the door and went out and then closed it gently. I put on my head cover and my veil and tightened my Izār, and then went out following his steps until he reached the Baqī‘. He stood there for a long time. He then lifted his hands three times, and then returned and I also returned. He hastened his steps, and I also hastened my steps. He ran and I ran too. He came (to the house), and I also came (to the house). I, however, preceded him and entered (the house), and as I lay down in bed, he entered and said: 'What is the matter with you, O ‘Ā’ishah; you are out of breath and your abdomen is heightened?' I said: 'Nothing.' He said: 'Either you tell me or the Gentle and the All-Aware will inform me.' I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be redeemed for you.' Then, I told him everything. He said: 'So, you were the darkness that I saw in front of me?' I said: 'Yes.' He struck me on the chest, and it was painful, and he then said: 'Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would be unfair to you?' I said: 'Whatever people conceal, Allah knows it. Yes.' He said: 'Jibrīl came to me when you saw me. He called me and he concealed it from you. I responded to his call, but I too concealed it from you, as he would never come to you while you are undressed. I thought that you had gone asleep, and I did not like to awaken you, fearing that you might be afraid of being left alone. Jibrīl said to me: 'Your Lord commands you to go to the inhabitants of the Baqī‘ and seek forgiveness for them.'’ I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what should I say to them?' He said: 'Say: Peace be upon the inhabitants of this place among the believers and Muslims. May Allah have mercy upon those of us who went before and those who will go later, and we will join you, Allah Willing.’’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was compassionate and merciful towards his Ummah. He used to supplicate for the Muslims while they were alive and dead, and he would teach those who asked what was beneficial to them. His wives (may Allah be pleased with them) were among the people with the most knowledge of his conditions at home.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Muhammad ibn Qays ibn Makhramah ibn al-Muttalib relates that he heard the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrate to the people one day about some situation between her and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In an exciting manner, she said to those around her: "Should I not tell you about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and me?" i.e., information related to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Sunnah in his dwelling and house. People listened to her and replied in the affirmative that she should narrate to them, and in the same interesting manner in another version: Muhammad ibn Qays one day said to his companions: "Should I not tell you about me and my mother?" The people thought he meant his mother who had given birth to him. Yet, he meant our Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), as Allah Almighty says: {The Prophet has a greater claim over the believers than their own selves, and his wives are their mothers.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 6] Then, he mentioned that she (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that when it was her night in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would stay with her, he turned to his bed in which he would lie down. It was said: He departed from the mosque after the ‘Ishā’ prayer and turned back to his bed, took off his clothing and shoes, and placed them near his legs so that he could put them on when he got up to leave. He spread his Izār - the garment that covers his lower body - over the bed and slept on it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) lay down in bed to sleep, but he only remained in this state of lying down for as long as he thought that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) had lain down and slept. He took his garment gently and calmly, lest she might get up from her sleep. And he wore his shoes, also in a calm and gentle way. He opened the door, went out of the house, and closed the door calmly and gently, without making a sound. He did all that in a subdued and calm manner out of compassion toward her, lest he awaken her, and thus he would leave her awake, and she might feel solitude and loneliness in the darkness of night.
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) sensed the departure of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and she wore her garment from above her head, covered her head with a veil, and used her Izār as a cover whereby she concealed her face. Then, she went after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to know where he was about to go. She found that he had left and headed towards the Baqī‘, the graveyard of the people of Madīnah located on the eastern side of the Prophet's Mosque. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood up in the Baqī‘ to supplicate for its people. He stood for a long time and then raised his hands supplicating for them three times. When a supplication is repeated, it is more likely to be accepted. After he had finished, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the Baqī‘ and headed home. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) left her place before she could be seen by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) quickened his steps, and so did ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). He ran moderately at a pace faster than walking. So, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) jogged. Thereupon, he increased the intensity of his running, and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) increased the intensity of her running as well.
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reached there ahead of him and entered the house. Once she lay down in her sleeping place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered after her. He asked her: "What is the matter with you, O ‘Ā’ishah?!" He called her name with a shortened form out of gentleness and cordiality. "you are out of breath," which happens to a person when he walks fast or talks in a nervous way. "and your abdomen is heightened?" What is the reason behind the disturbance of your body and your breathlessness? She informed him that there was nothing in her that caused that. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Either you tell me" about the reason for your disturbance and breathlessness, "or the Al-Latīf (the Gentle)," the Compassionate towards His servants "and the Al-Khabīr (the All-Aware)" the Knower of their conditions, apparent and hidden "will inform me" about the reason for your disturbance and breathlessness. ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied: "O Messenger of Allah, may my father and mother be redeemed for you," may my parents be redeemed to protect you from any harm. She told him about the reason and that she walked after him to find out where he was going. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) understood and knew that she was the person he saw while returning. So, he said to her: "So, you were the darkness," i.e., the person that I saw in front of me when I returned from the Baqī‘? She said: Yes. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pushed her hard, or struck her on her chest with his fist, causing pain to her. Then, he said to her: "Did you think that Allah and His Messenger would be unfair to you?" i.e., that Allah and His Messenger would wrong you. The meaning: Did you think that I have wronged you by giving you your day and turning to someone else? The mention of Allah is a preparation and prelude for the mention of His Messenger. He is not meant by the word 'unfairness'. His mention affords respect to the Messenger and indicates that the Messenger would not do anything without permission from Allah Almighty.
Confirming the Prophet's statement, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "Whatever people conceal," i.e., anything a person conceals and hides from others, "Allah knows it," for He is the One Who knows the innermost thoughts. This seems to be an acknowledgment by her of this thinking.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her about the reality of what he did and his leaving at that time, namely that Jibrīl (peace be upon him), the angel in charge of the revelation, came to him when ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) get up from his bed. So, Jibrīl (peace be upon him) called out to him from outside the room and hid his call from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) so that she would not hear it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered him and responded to his call and hid his response from ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). Then, he clarified to her the reason for this concealment, saying that Jibrīl (peace be upon him) called out to him from outside the room because he would not enter the room of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) when she was undressed. Also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told her that upon leaving, he thought that she had slept; so, he disliked awakening her and feared she might feel gloomy if he had left her awake alone in the darkness of the night.
Then, when he went out to Jibrīl (peace be upon him), he said to him: "Your Lord commands you to go to the dwellers of the Baqī‘ graveyard and seek forgiveness for them," i.e., supplicate and ask Allah Almighty to forgive their sins. Whereupon, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked: "'O Messenger of Allah, what should I say to them" if I want to visit them? This applies to the people of the graves in general. In other words: What dhikr and supplication should I say when I visit the graves? So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught her to say: "Peace be upon the dwellers of these dwellings among the believers and Muslims;" the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called the place of the graves a dwelling and dwellings, for they are gathered therein like the living people in houses. "May Allah have mercy upon those of us who went before," i.e., those who died before us. "of us," the community of believers. "and those who will go later," i.e., those who will die later, after us. "and we will join you, Allah willing," in dying while being Muslims. His statement "Allah willing" does not denote doubt; rather, it was for seeking blessing and complying with Allah's command to him: {And never say about anything, “I will surely do this tomorrow*," without adding: "if Allah wills"} to the rest of the verse. [Surat al-Kahf: 23-24]
In the Hadīth: Prolonging and repeating supplication
And in it: Raising one's hands in supplication
And in it: Supplication while standing is more perfect than supplication while sitting in the graveyards
And in it: The Prophet's leniency and mercy
And in it: What should be said upon entering the graveyards
And in it: Greeting the dead is like greeting the living.
And in it: Supplicating for Allah's mercy upon the living and the dead
And in it: Demonstrating women's innate disposition of jealousy
And in it: A husband disciplining his wife by striking her with his hand and the like, even if this causes pain to her
And in it: Visiting the graves by women.

976

Abu Hurayrah reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) visited the grave of his mother and wept and caused those around him to weep. Then, he said: "I sought permission from my Lord to ask forgiveness for her, but I was not permitted, and I sought permission from Him to visit her grave, and I was permitted. So, visit the graves, for they remind of death.".

Commentary : Mentioning death and visiting the dead and the graves remind one of the Hereafter and the inevitable end for every human. This motivates one to work. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to visit those buried in the Baqī‘ cemetery.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates the story of the Prophet's visit to the grave of his mother and the lessons it offers. The grave of the Prophet's mother was in Al-Abwā’, located between Makkah and Madīnah, 67km away from Rābigh, north of the region of Makkah. During Jāhiliyyah and the early period of Islam, it belonged to the dwellings of Banu Damrah, from the tribe of Kinānah. Today, it belongs to the dwellings of Banu ‘Amr ibn Harb. This visit took place during the year of the Conquest of Makkah, 8 A.H. The reason behind the Prophet's visit to her grave was to seek strong admonition and reminder by watching her grave. This is supported by his statement at the end of the Hadīth: "So, visit the graves, for they remind of death." It was said: The Prophet's visit to her grave, despite her being a disbeliever, was meant to teach the Ummah the rights due to one's parents and relatives. He did not fail to fulfill her rights although she was a disbeliever. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw the grave of his mother, he wept, and those around him wept for his weeping.
So, clarifying the reason for his weeping, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I sought permission from my Lord to ask forgiveness for her" - by supplicating for the pardon and elimination of sins - "but I was not permitted" because she was a disbeliever, and it is not permissible to ask for Allah's forgiveness for the disbelievers, for Allah will never forgive them. Allah Almighty says: {Allah does not forgive associating partners with Him but forgives anything less than that for whom He wills.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 48] The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that he sought permission to visit the grave of his mother, and Allah Almighty permitted him to do that. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, visit the graves, for they," i.e., the graves or visiting the graves" remind of death." Remembrance of death softens the believing hearts, particularly when it is associated with the meanings of elimination, resurrection, questioning, and standing before Allah.
In the Hadīth: It is prohibited to ask for Allah's forgiveness for anyone who dies in a religion other than Islam.
And in it: Visiting non-Muslim parents
And in it: Visiting the graves reminds of death and the Hereafter.
And in it: Weeping during the visit to the graves.

977

Buraydah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have forbidden you from receptacles; indeed, receptacles - or a receptacle - do not make something lawful or unlawful, and every intoxicant is unlawful.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was concerned about the Muslims and what served their interests and welfare, and he would probably enjoin something or prohibit it at a certain time and under certain circumstances for some purpose and then change the command or prohibition after the end of the circumstances for another purpose.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "I have forbidden you from receptacles," i.e., I have forbidden you before that from some receptacles and vessels which were used for keeping food and drink. These receptacles whose use was forbidden by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) include the following: Ad-Dubbā’: The pumpkin, after withering and becoming dry, is used as a receptacle. An-Naqīr: The hole and empty space made in the trunks of palm trees. Al-Muzaffat: What is smeared with the asphalt. Al-Hantam: The green jars among the pottery made of mud, blood, and hair. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them to block the means to what is unlawful, lest intoxication may happen because of them, for these receptacles help in this process; so, the drink may turn into wine while they do not know, and thus they will fall into what Allah prohibited.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "indeed, receptacles - or a receptacle - do not make something lawful or unlawful." A receptacle is a container or vessel. The meaning: These vessels were not prohibited per se, but they were prohibited due to their effect on the drink placed therein, which hastens its transformation into wine. This indirectly indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the use of these receptacles which he used to prohibit; but if what is in them turns into wine, it is prohibited to drink it.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and every intoxicant is unlawful," i.e., the rule governing whether a vessel is lawful or unlawful is that every drink that covers the mind and causes its loss is unlawful. This statement by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) constitutes a key principle in prohibiting the consumption of all intoxicants that cover the mind, with all their different forms and types.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating Islam's care about the soundness and attentiveness of the mind, for it is the basis of accountability..

977

Buraydah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I forbade you from visiting graves, but you may visit them, and I forbade you from the meat of sacrificial animals after three days, but you may keep it as long as you wish, and I forbade you from wine except in a water-skin, but you may drink it from all kinds of water-skins, yet you must not drink anything intoxicating.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was concerned about the Muslims and what served their interests and welfare, and he would probably enjoin something or prohibit it at a particular time and under certain circumstances for some reason and then change the command or prohibition after the end of the circumstances for another reason.
This is one of the Hadīths that combine abrogating and abrogated rulings. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I forbade you from visiting graves, but you may visit them," i.e., I earlier forbade you from visiting graves, for they were not too far from the era of Jāhiliyyah and the worship of idols and the supplication to idols. So, they were prohibited from visiting graves for fear they might say or do any of the things they used to say or do in Jāhiliyyah and for fear that this might be a means leading to the worship of those buried in the graves. But now Islam has become strong, and the foundations of polytheistic visits have been demolished. So, you may visit them, for this inspires softness of the heart, reminds of death and decay, etc., which prompts one to do good and prepare for this day.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that he had initially forbidden the Muslims to store the meat of sacrificial animals for more than three days. This prohibition was for the sake of the poor and needy who came to Madīnah when famine hit the desert. As a result, the desert dwellers entered Madīnah. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited the Muhājirūn and the Ansār from storing the meat of sacrificial animals for more than three nights so that they should instead give to those poor and needy people. Then, he gave them the new command, saying: "but you may keep it as long as you wish" i.e., you may store their meat for the period you want. Or the intended meaning: Keep the meat that remains after you have given out what is due to the poor.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told that he had earlier forbidden the Muslims from drinks prepared in certain containers. This refers to such sweet fruits as raisins, dried dates, figs, or others, that are soaked in water till they turn into wine. He excluded from those vessels the water-skin vessel, which is a leather container that does not make water hot; therefore, the drink does not become intoxicating in a short time. By contrast, other vessels make water hot and turn the drink into an intoxicant. Hence, he allowed them to consume drinks in any container, unless they become intoxicating. He said: "But you may drink it from all kinds of water-skins, yet you must not drink anything intoxicating." The meaning: Drink all kinds of drinks put in vessels and containers, provided that the drink is not intoxicating. Consequently, what is prohibited is intoxicants, not the utensils or vessels themselves.
The Hadīth indicates that a Muslim may store the meat of sacrificial animals for as long as he wishes.
It enjoins visiting graves for reminder and admonition.
It forbids the drinking of intoxicants..

978

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: A man who killed himself with a broad-headed arrow was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), but he did not offer the funeral prayer for him..

Commentary : The preservation of life is one of the supreme objectives of the Islamic Shariah, and killing a person unjustly is one of the gravest major sins. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to deter the Muslim from killing himself.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the bier of one of the Muslim men who had killed himself with a broad-headed arrow, was brought to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), but the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not offer the funeral prayer for him by himself, by way of deterring people from acting like the dead person. However, the Companions offered the funeral prayer for him. Likewise, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) initially refrained from offering the funeral prayer for a debtor, to deter them from taking borrowing lightly and neglecting repayment. He commanded his Companions to offer the funeral prayer for him. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Pray for your companion." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
In the Hadīth: The graveness of killing people.

982

Abu Hurayrah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No Zakah is payable on the slave except Zakat al-Fitr.".

Commentary : Zakah is an obligation Allah Almighty ordained upon the rich to be given back to the poor. Allah Almighty and His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specified all details and rulings related to this obligation so that the rich would not be wronged and the poor's rights would not be lost.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "No Zakah is payable on the slave except Zakat al-Fitr" i.e., Zakah on personal property is not payable on slaves and slavegirls who serve their owners and are not retained for trade; this is because Zakah is due upon growing wealth, which grows and increases by earning. As for slaves, they are used in the service of their masters and owners. As regards them, their owners either pay only Zakat al-Fitr on their behalf, which is a Sā‘ of food for each slave, or, in case they are slaves with whom their owner does business, he should pay Zakah on the commodities and profits of his trade, if they reach the Nisāb (the minimum Zakatable amount) and witness the passage of one lunar year.
The Hadīth shows Allah's mercy toward His servants, as He pardoned the Zakah on slaves..

987

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Any owner of gold or silver who does not pay what is due on them, on the Day of Resurrection, plates of fire will be heated for him in the fire of Hell, and his side, forehead, and back will be seared with them. When they cool down, they will be heated again and the same process will be repeated during a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years long until judgment is established among the slaves and he will see his path, either to Paradise or to Hellfire." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about camels?" He said: "Any owner of camels who does not pay what is due on them, and part of what is due on them is to milk them on the day they are taken to water, when the Day of Resurrection comes, he will be made to lie down on a vast smooth plain, and they (the camels) will come, more numerous than they have ever been without even a single young one missing thereof. They will trample him with their hooves and bite him with their mouths; as often as the first of them passes over him, the last of them will be made to return and pass over him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years, until judgment is established among the slaves and he sees his path, either to Paradise or to Hellfire." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about cows and sheep?" He said: "Any owner of cows or sheep who does not pay what is due on them, when the Day of Resurrection comes, he will be made to lie down on a vast smooth plain and they will come without any of them missing. There will be none among them with twisted horns, without horns, or with a broken horn; they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their hooves; as often as the first of them passes over him, the last of them will be made to return and pass over him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years, until judgment is established among the slaves and he will see his path, either to Paradise or to Hellfire." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about horses?" He said: "Horses are of three types: for a man they are a burden, for another man they are a shield, and for a third man they are a source of reward. The one for whom they are a burden is the person who rears them in order to show off, for vainglory, and to oppose the Muslims; so they are a burden for him. The one for whom they are a shield is the person who keeps them for the sake of Allah and then does not forget the right of Allah concerning their backs and their necks, and so they are a shield for him. The one for whom they bring reward is the person who keeps them in a meadow and pasture for the sake of Allah in order to be used for the interest of the people of Islam. Whatever they eat from that meadow or pasture will be recorded for him as good deeds, and even their dung and urine will be recorded for him as good deeds. They will not break their halter and prance a course or two except that Allah will record their hoof marks and their dung as good deeds for him. And their owner does not take them past a river from which they drink, though he did not intend thereby to quench their thirst, except that Allah will record for him the amount they drink as good deeds." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, what about donkeys?" He said: "Nothing has been revealed to me in regard to donkeys except this unique comprehensive verse: {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it*. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Surat az-Zalzalah: 7-8]".

Commentary : Wealth is the adornment of worldly life. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) outlined the rights due on those who own ample wealth - of Zakah and charity - and demonstrated the merit and reward they will gain in return for that. He also clarified the punishment for those who do not fulfill these rights.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that anyone who owns wealth, including gold and silver, and hoards it without fulfilling the rights due on them, by paying the Zakah and fulfilling Allah's rights therein, this wealth will certainly take the form of plates of iron on the Day of Judgment. It was said: of the same metal he hoards; they will be heated in the fire of Hell and his side, forehead - alluding to his face - and back will be seared with them. They will be placed on his body to torment him. This accords with the verse that reads: {On the Day when their treasures will be heated up in the Fire of Hell, and their foreheads, sides and backs will be branded therewith. [They will be told]: "This is what you hoarded for yourselves; so, taste [the punishment of] what you used to hoard."} [Surat at-Tawbah: 35] So, He made the gold, silver, and wealth the very things that will be heated up in the fire of Hell on the Day of Judgment. What they hoarded and withheld its rights will be kindled in Hellfire. When its heat becomes intense, it will be placed on their foreheads, sides, and backs, and it will be said to them, rebukingly: This is your wealth, which you collected but did not fulfill. So, taste the outcome and evil consequences of what you used to collect and not fulfill its rights.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that whenever their heat subsides, they will be heated again, and he will be tormented therewith again. This is meant to point to the continuity and permanence of the punishment. This punishment will be inflicted upon him on the Day of Judgment, the measure of which is fifty thousand years, which is the length of the day of reckoning. He will continue to receive punishment for all this period until Allah judges between all humankind. Then, after this punishment, the owner of the wealth will know his fate and recompense. Either Allah will show mercy to him and admit him to Paradise, by His grace, or he will endure in the punishment of Hellfire as a just recompense for his evil deed.
After demonstrating the condition and recompense of he who hoards gold and silver, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the wealth of camels as to what should be done with it and about the punishment of one who does not fulfill the right and Zakah due on it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned camel owners about not paying the Zakah due on them and not giving charity from any wealth derived from them. Part of these rights concerning camels is to milk them and give charity from their milk, especially when they go to drink from the reservoirs of wells and the like, as camels drink every three or four days; so, their milk is to be given to those who need it or to the passers-by, and so on. This is because milking on this day is better for the she-camel and more kind to the needy. It was the habit of the poor and needy to come to that place where camels arrive for drinking, in order to take from their milk; so, if anyone does not fulfill these rights, his recompense on the Day of Judgment will be that he will be made to sit and lie down on his face before these camels, "on a vast smooth plain," which will be broader for the camels, and so they will trample him without hindrance. The camels will come and be created again with a larger number than they were in his possession, and in the best condition, and they will come in their entirety, with none missing, even the young of the she-camel will come with them. "They will trample him with their hooves and bite him with their mouths," i.e., they will walk over him. A hoof is like a foot for humans. Every time they walk and pass over him up until the last camel among them, they will return and pass over him beginning with the last camel, which will now be the first. This means that they will keep walking over him nonstop, on the Day of Judgment, the measure of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the slaves; and he will know his fate, either to Paradise or to Hellfire, like the former person, the owner of silver and gold.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about the other types of wealth, namely cows and sheep, in case their owner does not fulfill their Shar‘i rights; what is his recompense? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that if any owner of cows or sheep does not give what is due on them, his recompense on the Day of Judgment will be that he will be made to sit and lie down on his face for these cows and sheep in a vast level place, which will be broader for the cows and sheep. So, they will come in their most complete number in worldly life; "There will be none among them with twisted horns," i.e., none of the cows or sheep will have twisted horns; rather, their horns will be level and extended. So, they will be stronger and more severe in hitting; "without horns," i.e., none of the cows or sheep will be without horns; rather, they will all have horns. And they will include no cow or sheep with broken horns. These animals will all walk upon their owner, hitting him with their horns and heads and trampling him with their hooves and feet. Hooves are the protruding bones at the tips of the feet of cows and sheep. Every time the first of them passes over him, the last of them will be made to return and pass over him on the Day of Judgment, the measure of which is fifty thousand years, until Allah judges between the slaves. And he will know his fate, either to Paradise or to Hellfire.
So, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): What should we do with horses, and what is due regarding them? In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Horses are of three types," i.e., their owners fall under three categories in terms of reward and recompense. First: "for a man they are a burden," i.e., they bring him sins and misdeeds. Such is the man who keeps and raises them to show off among people by their substantial number, value, and good appearance, and by riding them. They may also be intended for hostility and war against the people of Islam and engaging in war against them. So, they incur burdens and sins for their owner. Second: "for another man they are a shield," i.e., they shield him and make him in no need to beg people in this life. Such is the man who keeps, raises, and fosters them for charitable purposes for himself and for others. In a version by Al-Bukhāri: "who keeps them for earning his living and to be free from asking others," like trading in them or utilizing them for his interests and the benefits of his land and so on, even if he does not offer them for Jihad in the cause of Allah and war; and he does not neglect the right of Allah in them; rather, he fulfills the rights due on him regarding them; one of these is to extend their benefits to people, by lending them to those who need them. Third: "and for a third man they are a source of reward," i.e., they bring reward for their owner. Such is the one who devotes them for serving the people of Islam, spreading the religion, and conducting Jihad for His cause. Part of his preservation of them is that he fosters them "in a meadow and pasture," i.e., in gardens and groves where they pasture and eat. Every time they eat or drink from that garden or grove, a reward is recorded for him with Allah Almighty and as many virtuous deeds as the number of dungs they excrete are recorded for him. Dung is the excrement and waste coming out of the abdomens of animals. This indicates the extreme keenness to count the reward, for if honorable deeds are recorded according to the number of dung and urine, so what about other things?!
It was said: Dung and urine are recorded as good deeds because the continuity of their lives lies in them, though their origin, before the transformation, mostly come from their owner's money.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out the additional rewards for their owners due to their foot marks and the movements they make. So, he said that "they will not break their halter," i.e., any of their ropes; "and prance a course or two," i.e., they run quickly, go off, and ascend a high land or a mountain or two; "except that Allah will record their hoof marks," i.e., the number of their steps, "and their dung as good deeds for him. And their owner does not take them past a river from which they drink, though he did not intend thereby to quench their thirst, except that Allah will record for him the amount they drink as good deeds." The intended meaning: All the times of their life and all their movements, eating, and drinking are recorded for their owner as rewards and good deeds, by the grace and bounty of Allah.
Then, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him: What is due regarding the local donkeys which are used for ploughing and servicing the land? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied that nothing was revealed to him about donkeys and what is due regarding them, "except this unique comprehensive verse," i.e., it is unparalleled, and it contains all meanings of good and evil deeds, including the obligatory or supererogatory acts of worship. It is the words that read: {So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it. And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.} [Surat az-Zalzalah: 7-8] An atom is a small ant or fine dust that floats in the air and can be seen in light. The meaning: The effect of every deed, good or evil, even if it is so little, will be seen, and the person will be held accountable for it before Allah Almighty. So, if he helps someone to ride them, he will be rewarded, and if he rides them to commit a sin, he will be punished.
In the Hadīth: It intimidates and deters us from hoarding wealth and failing to give what is due to Allah therein.
And in it: It demonstrates the harsh punishment for withholding the Zakah.
And in it: It demonstrates the duty of paying Zakah on silver and gold, and on camels, cows, and sheep, with the relevant conditions.
And in it: It shows the merit of horses and the goodness and blessings lying in their forelocks, if they are used for righteous purposes.
And in it: It encourages the doing of good, no matter how small or light in weight it may be..

988

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Ansāri reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "There is no owner of camels who does not pay what is due on them except that they will come on the Day of Judgment with a greater number than they ever were, and he will be made to sit on a level expanse, and they will trample on him with their forelegs and hooves. And no owner of cows who does not pay what is due on them except that they will come on the Day of Judgment with a greater number than they ever were, and he will be made to sit on a level expanse, and they will gore him with their horns and trample him with their forelegs. And no owner of sheep who does not pay what is due on them except that they will come on the Day of Judgment with a greater number than they ever were, and he will be made to sit on a level expanse. They will gore him with their horns and trample him with their cloven hooves, and none among them will be without horns or with broken horns. And no owner of a treasure who does not pay its due on it except that his treasure will come on the Day of Judgment like a bald snake and will pursue him with its mouth open, and when it comes near him, he will run away from it, and it will call him: 'Take your treasure which you concealed, for I am in no need for it.' When he sees that there is no way out, he will put his hand in its mouth, and it will gnaw it like a he-camel." Abu az-Zubayr said: I heard ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr say: A man said: "O Messenger of Allah, what is due on camels?" He said: "Milking them near water, and lending their bucket, lending their males and their females, and providing them as a ride in the cause of Allah.".

Commentary : Wealth is the adornment of worldly life. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) outlined the rights obligatory for those with ample wealth - of Zakah and charity - and demonstrated the merit and reward they would gain in return. He also clarified the punishment for those who do not fulfill these rights.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates to us that if anyone does not pay Zakah on the cattle he possesses, they will come on the Day of Judgment with a more significant number than they were in his ownership, for they may undergo different conditions with him; sometimes lean, sometimes fat, and occasionally young, and at other times old. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed us that they would come in the best condition in which they were with their owner. If they are camels or cows and he does not pay the Zakah due on them, they would trample him with their legs and gore him with their horns, and the camels would hit him with their hooves. A hoof is the pliant part at the end of the foot of the camel. Such a man would be made to sit for them against his will. "on a level expanse" (in Arabic Qā‘ Qarqar): Qā‘: an area of level ground, and water from the sky goes over it and it holds it. Qarqar: is also a vast plain. This indicates that the place can hold any number of animals. So, all that he possessed would come to this place, and he would be punished with his wealth, which he did not pay what was due to Allah. Likewise, if they are sheep and he does not pay the Zakah due on them, they would gore him with their horns and trample him with their cloven hooves, which exist in cows, sheep, and antelopes, within their forelegs. These animals would come in their complete strength, and none of them would come without having horns or with broken horns.
If the person who withholds what is due on wealth is the owner of a treasure, which refers to a collected fortune inside the earth or above it, and he does not pay the Zakah on it, his treasure would come in the form of "a bald snake". When a snake is bald, i.e., with no hair on its head, this is due to its excessive poison and prolonged age, or this refers to a snake whose head turned white because of the poison. Allah would punish the owner of the treasure with this snake, which would pursue him with its mouth open. When the snake approached the punished person, he would flee and run away from it. Then, the snake would address the treasure owner, saying: "Take your treasure which you concealed, for I do not need it." As this man saw that he had no way of escaping from this snake, he would extend his hand and enter it inside its mouth, and the snake would "gnaw it" - gnaw means: eating and chewing vigorously - "like a he-camel", given its powerful gnawing.
Then, ‘Ubayd ibn ‘Umayr informs that a man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "What is due on camels?" i.e., the usual and customary right among the Arabs towards the poor and destitute, by way of solace and generosity. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that camels should be milked upon coming to the water, and the poor people who are present should be given to drink from their milk. He associated milking with the place of water because it is easier for the poor to go to such places and this is kinder to cattle. It is also because their milk becomes abundant there. "and lending their bucket", which is to give their vessels, where they are milked, or they drink, to others so that they can utilize them in case of need; "lending their males", and in a version by Muslim: "lending their males for breeding"; this is when the male copulates with the female to make it pregnant - without taking a wage for that. "and their females"; Minhah, in Arabic, is an ewe or a she-camel. Its owner gives it to someone to drink from its milk and returns it when it ceases to flow. "and providing them as a ride in the cause of Allah", which is to give them to those who ride them in the battle to spread Allah's religion or for any charitable purpose. This version indicates that these four acts are obligatory. This Hadīth is probably taken to apply to the time of need, the duty of providing solace, and the state of necessity, as was the condition during the early phase of Islam. Thus, the Hadīth means that once these rights exist, become due, and are not fulfilled, this stern warning applies to the person who refrains from observing them.
The Hadīth mentions the punishment for those who do not pay Zakah.
It is enjoined to give Zakah on cattle.
It indicates that if a person does not show gratitude for a specific blessing and fulfill Allah's rights, it will cause misfortune and evil consequences for him on the Day of Judgment.
It is also indicated in the Hadīth that Allah Almighty will resurrect the very camels, cows, and sheep whose Zakah was not paid to punish those who withheld Zakah..

989

Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: Some people from among the Bedouins came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "Some people from among the Zakah collectors come to us and treat us unjustly." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Make your Zakah collectors pleased." Jarīr said: Ever since I heard this from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), no Zakah collector left me without being pleased with me..

Commentary : Islam regulated the matters of the religion and demonstrated how to perform the obligations and pillars. This includes its clarification of the rulings of Zakah, how to collect it, and the relevant requirements and etiquettes, so that this obligation can be fulfilled with willing hearts.
In this Hadīth, Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that a group of Bedouins - those who live in the desert - came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Madīnah and said: "Some people from among the Zakah collectors" who estimate people's wealth and take the due Zakah therefrom, "come to us and treat us unjustly," i.e., they take more than the amount required of us. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Make your Zakah collectors pleased." This means: Make them pleased by giving what is due, treating them gently, and refraining from opposing them. In a version narrated by Abu Dāwūd, they said: "O Messenger of Allah, even if they wrong us?" He said: "Make your Zakah collectors pleased, even if you are wronged." This statement is based on the presumed occurrence of injustice, not on its actual occurrence, and on the fact that if the Zakah collectors act justly, this is for themselves, and if they act unjustly, it is against themselves; whereas the property owner can lodge a complaint or clarify to him that this is not due to you; rather, what is due to you is such and such.
Then, Jarīr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that no Zakah collector had left him without being pleased with him, out of tolerance towards him and in compliance with the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
Meanwhile, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered the Zakah collectors to refrain from injustice and to avoid the most precious items of people's property. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim and reported by Mu‘ādh (may Allah be pleased with him), he said to them: "So, do not take the most precious items of their property. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is no barrier between it and Allah." Thus, both the Zakah collector and the Zakah payer should observe the limits set by Allah.
In the Hadīth: The necessity of paying the Zakah in all conditions.
And in it: Pleasing the Zakah collectors by paying the Zakah willingly and avoiding procrastination in its estimation
And in it: The keenness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to comply with the commands of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

992

Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays reported: While I was in the company of a group from Quraysh, Abu Dharr passed by as he was saying: "Give glad tidings to the hoarders of the wealth of branding in their backs that would come out of their sides, and branding from the direction of their napes that would come out of their foreheads." He said: Then, he turned aside and sat down. He said: I said: "Who is this?" They said: "This is Abu Dharr." He said: I rose and went to him and said: "What is the thing which I heard you say a while ago?" He said: "I only said something which I heard from their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." He said: I said: "What do you say about this gift?" He said: "Take it, for indeed it is a help today. But if it is a price for your religion, leave it.".

Commentary : Lawfully earned money is a favor from Allah Almighty, and it includes rights to the beggar and the destitute, and due upon it is Zakah and charity, which purifies it, grows it, and increases its blessing. Some people, however, act stingily and hoard wealth; as a result, their wealth brings them evil consequences in this world and the Hereafter.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Al-Ahnaf ibn Qays informs that while he was in a group and company from Quraysh, in Madīnah, the Companion Abu Dharr al-Ghifāri (may Allah be pleased with him) passed by as he was saying: "Give glad tidings to the hoarders of wealth of branding in their backs." Glad tidings are given about pleasant incidents. So, he said it mockingly. Hoarding refers to wealth whose Zakah was not paid. However, if its Zakah is paid, this is not deemed hoarding, whether the wealth is large or little. The punishment for the hoarders on the Day of Judgment is that their backs will be branded with something that will emerge from their sides, and they will be branded from the back side of their heads with something that will emerge from their foreheads.
Then, after expressing these words, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) went away, turned aside, and sat down. Thereupon, Al-Ahnaf asked: Who is this person who spoke earlier? They said: This is Abu Dharr, the Companion of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, Al-Ahnaf went to him and asked him: What is the meaning of the statement you made a short while ago? Is this your speech or something you heard from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)? Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he had heard what he said from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, Al-Ahnaf asked him: "What do you say about this gift?" i.e., what do you think about the gifts we receive from the caliphs and governors? It is as if Al-Ahnaf feared the warning uttered by Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) regarding those who hoard wealth and do not spend it in the way of Allah. Abu Dharr replied to him: "Take it, for indeed it is a help today" i.e., take it if it will help you fulfill your needs. However, if this gift is a bribe, so that you remain silent and do not criticize wrong acts and sell your religion, then leave it and do not take it if you cannot obtain it except in an unlawful way. Do not care about it, for the religion's soundness is more important than acquiring worldly gains.
The Hadīth demonstrates the stern warning to those who do not pay Zakah on their wealth.
It warns against gifts by the rulers if they cause people to be silent and not speak the truth, or buy their religion and consciences and make them speak falsehood..

994

Thawbān reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most excellent Dinar (money) a man spends is the Dinar he spends on his dependents, and a Dinar he spends on his riding animal in the cause of Allah, and a Dinar he spends on his companions in the cause of Allah." Abu Qilābah said: He began with the dependents. Then, Abu Qilābah said: Who could obtain a greater reward than a man who spends on young dependents and saves them from want, or Allah benefits them through him and makes them self-sufficient?!.

Commentary : Spending in the cause of Allah is one of the best areas of benevolence. Such spending has numerous forms that are valued based on their respective worth and preferred over one another according to the relevant conditions and circumstances.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates forms and areas of spending and arranges them in accordance with the relevant conditions, if a number of areas of spending converge at the same time. He said that the Dinar entailing the greatest reward is the one a person spends on his dependents and those he is obliged to provide for, such as his wife, children, and servants, if he seeks the Countenance of Allah thereby. In a version of the Two Sahīh Collections: "When a Muslim spends on his family seeking reward for it (from Allah), it counts for him as charity." So, it clarifies that if he seeks a reward for it from Allah, it counts as charity for him. This is because spending money on them is a duty, and he incurs a sin if he neglects them. Therefore, this entails a greater reward than if he spends on people other than his dependents and forsakes his dependents. The word 'Dinar' here is general and it comprises all money used for spending, and this applies to the contemporary currencies with their different kinds.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned spending on a person's riding animal which is prepared for war in the cause of Allah. He said: "and a Dinar he spends on his riding animal" which is garrisoned "in the cause of Allah," i.e., he prepared it to be ridden in battle and other similar endeavors. "and a Dinar he spends on his companions" while they are fighting "in the cause of Allah;" so, he spends on his comrades in battle. It was said: "in the cause of Allah" means every act of piety.
At the end of the Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Qilābah ‘Abdullāh ibn Zayd, the narrator of the Hadīth, said: "He began with the dependents," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarded a man's spending on his dependents as the worthiest of all spending. Then, Abu Qilābah said: "Who could obtain a greater reward than a man who spends on young dependents and saves them from want, or Allah benefits them through him and makes them self-sufficient?!" This is the opinion of Abu Qilābah regarding spending and the prioritization of the mentioned categories. He held that the best and most worthy spending is the one spent on young dependents and children who cannot earn their living. So, this spending saves them from begging people and makes them self-sufficient and away from humiliation and disgrace. This accords with a Hadīth narrated by Muslim, in which Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and a Dinar you spend on your family; the greatest in reward is the one you spend on your family."
The Hadīth shows numerous areas of spending for benevolence, goodness, and charity.
It also demonstrates that spending on one's dependents is one of the greatest areas of spending.
As it indicates that spending on Jihad in the cause of Allah is one of the greatest areas of spending, such as preparing the equipment and men for Jihad..

995

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A Dinar you spend in the cause of Allah, a Dinar you spend on (freeing) a slave, a Dinar you give in charity to a needy person, and a Dinar you spend on your family; the greatest in reward is the one you spend on your family.".

Commentary : In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrates the areas of spending and goodness, their varying rewards, and which of them should be given precedence over others in case of the inability to do all of them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the best spending is a Dinar you spend in the cause of Allah, i.e., in the battle, or in the general sense: in the way of goodness; a Dinar you spend to free someone from captivity or a slave from slavery; and a Dinar you spend on your family, like your wife and children and those you are obliged to spend on. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) points out that the greatest of all these types of spending in terms of reward is the Dinar you spend on your family, provided that one intends it for the sake of Allah Almighty. In a version in the Two Sahīh Collections: "When a Muslim spends on his family seeking reward for it (from Allah), it counts for him as charity." So, it clarifies that if he seeks a reward for it from Allah, it counts as charity for him. This is because spending money on them is a duty, and he incurs a sin if he neglects them. Therefore, this entails a greater reward than if he spends on people other than his dependents, forsaking his dependents.
In the Hadīth: There are numerous areas of spending in righteousness, goodness, and charity.
And in it: Spending on one's dependents is one of the greatest areas of spending.
And in it: Spending on Jihad in the cause of Allah is one of the greatest areas of spending, such as preparing the equipment and men for Jihad..

996

Khaythamah reported: A household manager of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr came in while we were sitting with him. Ibn ‘Amr said: "Did you give the slaves their sustenance?" He said: 'No.' Thereupon, he said: "Go and give them, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'It is enough sin for a man to withhold sustenance from those whom he should provide for.'".

Commentary : The Shariah cares about the rights of all people, even slaves, and even animals and cattle, as it obliges their owners to spend on them and observe their rights. How perfect the Shariah is! How comprehensive, upright, just, and complete the Shariah is!
In this Hadīth, Khaythamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān, one of the Tābi‘īs, informs that as they were sitting with ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), one of his household managers came to him. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: "Did you give the slaves their sustenance?" Sustenance is the food that sustains the strength of one's body. He said: No, I did not give them their sustenance. So, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded him to quickly go and give them the food. Then, he clarified the reason behind that, saying that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is enough sin for a man," i.e., it is sufficient for a man as a means of incurring sins and misdeeds. "to withhold sustenance from those whom he should provide for," i.e., those he is obliged to spend on, like his family, dependents, and slaves. This means that if a person committed no other sin than withholding sustenance from those whom he should provide for, this would be enough as a sin for him that would make him worthy of entering Hellfire.
In the Hadīth: We are enjoined to spend money on those whom we are obligated to provide for..

1006

Abu Dharr reported: Some of the Prophet's Companions said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people have taken all the rewards. They pray as we pray and fast as we fast, but they give charity from their excess wealth." He said, "Has Allah not given you something to give as charity? Every utterance of ‘Subhān Allah' (glory be to Allah) is charity; every utterance of ‘Allāhu akbar' (Allah is the Greatest) is charity; every utterance of ‘Alhamdulillāh' (praise be to Allah) is charity; every utterance of ‘Lā ilāha illa Allah' (there is no god but Allah) is charity; commanding the right is charity; forbidding the wrong is charity; and there is charity in sexual intercourse." They said, "O Messenger of Allah, does one of us satisfy his desire and get rewarded for that?" He replied, "What if he satisfies it unlawfully? Will he not incur a sin? Likewise, if he satisfies it lawfully, he will get a reward.".

Commentary : Due to their extreme keenness on performing righteous deeds and their fervent desire to do good, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would grieve over the honorable deeds they could not do while others were able to do them. So, the poor would feel sad because they missed the financial charity of which the rich were capable and would feel sad over their failure to join Jihad because they could not afford its equipment. Allah Almighty says: {Nor is there any blame on those who came to you asking you for mounts to take them along, and you said, "I can find no mounts for you," they turned away with their eyes overflowing with tears out of grief that they had nothing to spend.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 92]
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Abu Dharr al-Ghifāri (may Allah be pleased with him) says that a group of poor people from among the Prophet's Companions said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, the wealthy people have taken all the rewards," i.e., people of great wealth exclusively obtain more reward from Allah Almighty and take it instead of us, by giving charity out of their money. "They pray as we pray and fast as we fast, but they give charity from their excess wealth." This is a complaint driven by positive greed, not envy or objection to Allah Almighty. They, however, asked for some bounty that would distinguish them from those to whom Allah gave wealth and so they gave their surplus money in charity. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed them to certain types of charity of which they were capable. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Has Allah not given you something to give as charity?!" "Every utterance of ‘Subhān Allah' is charity," i.e., saying "glory be to Allah" is recorded as a reward of charity. "every utterance of ‘Allāhu akbar' is charity," i.e., saying "Allah is the Greatest." "every utterance of ‘Alhamdulillāh' is charity," i.e., saying "praise be to Allah." "every utterance of ‘Lā ilāha illa Allah' is charity," i.e., saying "there is no god but Allah." "commanding the right is charity;" it is recorded for him as a reward. "Ma‘roof" (the right): It is a term that refers to all that is known to be obedience to Allah Almighty and kindness to people. "forbidding the wrong" is recorded as a reward of 'charity' for the one who forbids it. "Munkar" (the wrong): It is every reprehensible deed or word that leads to disobedience to Allah Almighty, and it is a term that refers to all kinds of evil. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that if a man approaches his wife - alluding to the copulation and sexual intercourse between a man and his wife - this counts as charity. They said in wonder: "O Messenger of Allah, does one of us satisfy his desire and get rewarded for that?!" In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What if he satisfies it unlawfully? Will he not incur a sin?" i.e., if he commits adultery and satisfies his desire unlawfully, will he incur a sin and be subject to a penalty? Likewise, if he satisfies it lawfully, he will obtain a reward, for permissible things turn into acts of obedience by virtue of sincere intentions.
In a version narrated by Muslim and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): "So, the poor among the Muhājirūn (immigrants) returned to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: 'Our brethren, the possessors of wealth, have heard about what we did, and they have done the same.' Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'This is Allah’s favor He bestows upon whom He wills.'"
In the Hadīth: If a man suffices himself by what is lawful and makes himself in no need for what is unlawful, he gets rewarded for that.
And in it: Demonstrating that every type of goodness is charity
And in it: Showing the merit of glorifying Allah and all other dhikrs, commanding the right, and forbidding the wrong, and recalling the proper intention in doing permissible things
And in it: A knowledgeable person may cite evidence for some unknown questions.
And in it: Giving parables and analogical comparisons to make the topic clearer and more profound to those who hear it.

Book of Hadith

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