It was narrated from Nafi‘ that Ibn ‘Umar used to say: When the Muslims came to Madinah, they would gather and wait for the prayer, because there was no call to prayer. One day they spoke about that, and one of them said: We should have a clapper (naqus) like that of the Christians. Others said: Rather we should have a trumpet like that of the Jews. ‘Umar said: Why don’t you send a man to call people to prayer? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Bilal, get up and call the people to prayer.”.

Commentary : The Muslims used to pray without any adhan (call to prayer) from the time when the prayer was enjoined in Makkah during the Mi‘raj (Prophet’s ascent to heaven), and the matter remained like that until they migrated to Madinah, and until they discussed this matter and the adhan was prescribed, as mentioned in this hadith. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Muslims, after they migrated to Madinah, used to gather and wait for the time of prayer. In other words, they would estimate its time, then they would come and gather for prayer in the mosque. At that time, the adhan had not yet been prescribed. Then one day they spoke about that, wanting to have a signal by means of which they could know that it was time for them to gather for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to consult them and listen to their views, and see how they could work out the best method, based on the general principles of Islam. Some of them suggested a clapper (naqus), which is like the bells that are found in the churches of the Christians. Others suggested a trumpet, like that of the Jews, which they blow into and it makes a sound; those trumpets were made from the horns of animals. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Why don’t you send a man to call people to prayer? This was an example of ‘Umar’s wisdom, virtue and smartness. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) adopted his suggestion, and said to Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him): “O Bilal, get up and call the people to prayer.” There are other hadiths which state that the words of the adhan came to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) in a dream, and he told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed Bilal to get up and call people to prayer with these words that had come to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) in a dream. These are the words of the adhan until today. In Sunan Abi Dawud and elsewhere, it was narrated that the adhan was shown to ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd in a dream, and the next day he went to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and told him about that. He said to him: O Messenger of Allah, whilst I was between sleep and wakefulness, someone came to me and told me about the adhan. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) had seen that in a dream before that, but he had withheld the news for twenty days. Then he told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about it, and he said to him: “What kept you from telling me?” He said: ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd beat me to it, and I felt shy. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Bilal, get up and see what ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd instructs you to do, then do it.”
This hadith constitutes strong proof for one of the basic principles of fiqh, which is the view that one may use an analogy (qiyas) to work out matters of religion, in the process that is known as ijtihad.
It also indicates that there is divine wisdom in the fact that the adhan came from one of the believers, someone other than the Prophet, because the adhan contains praise from Allah for His slave (meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) and highlighting his high status. Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And raised high for you your repute} [al-Sharh 94:4].
It highlights the high calibre of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab and his wisdom..

606

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the number of people increased, they began to discuss how they could know that it was time to pray by means of something they could recognize. They thought of lighting a fire, or beating a clapper. And [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] instructed Bilal to repeat the phrases of the adhan twice, and the phrases of the iqamah once..

608

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the call to prayer is given, the Shaytan runs away, breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the call. When the call ends, he comes back, then when the iqamah for prayer is given, he runs away again. Then when the iqamah ends, he comes back, until he comes between a man and his thoughts, and says: Remember such and such, remember such and such – mentioning things that he had not remembered, until the man becomes unsure of how much he has prayed.”.

Commentary : Since Allah cast him out from His mercy, Iblis has been trying to mislead humankind, but when he hears the adhan and iqamah – as is mentioned in this hadith – he runs away and flees, breaking wind loudly so that he will not hear the calls to prayer, because he is so afraid when he runs away. Then when the adhan ends, the Shaytan comes back to the person to whisper to him and distract him from doing acts of worship. Then when the iqamah is given for the prayer, he runs away again. He only runs away because of what he hears of the testimony of Allah’s oneness (Tawhid) and what he sees of the teachings of Islam being followed, as he does on the Day of ‘Arafah, and because of what he sees of everyone coming together to testify to the oneness of Allah (may He be exalted), and of mercy coming down to them, for he despairs of ever making them give up what they have proclaimed, and he is certain that he will fail because of what Allah bestows upon them of reward for that. Hence he comes back, after the adhan and iqamah have ended, to whisper to the worshipper whilst he is praying, saying to him: “Remember such and such, remember such and such,” seeking to remind him of worldly matters that he is not usually concerned about when he is not praying. The Shaytan keeps whispering to the worshipper until he makes him confused about his prayer, and he does not know how much he has prayed; what is meant is that he forgets the number of rak‘ahs he has prayed and other parts of his prayer, so he adds something to it or omit something, because he is distracted by the whispers of the Shaytan.
This hadith highlights the virtue of the adhan and iqamah, and the impact that they have, as they cause the Shaytan to flee and keep him and his whispers away from the Muslim.
It also points out to the worshipper that he should focus and show humility in his prayer, and avert the whispers of the Shaytan from himself, and that he should show devotion to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) whilst praying..

609

It was narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn ‘Abdillah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah al-Ansari al-Mazini, from his father, that he told him that Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri said to him: I see that you love sheep and the wilderness. When you are with your sheep or in your wilderness, and you give the call to prayer, raise your voice when you give the call, for no jinn, human or anything else hears the voice of the mu’adhdhin but he will testify in his favour on the Day of Resurrection..

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues, one of which is what Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke of in this hadith, when he said to the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Sa‘sa‘ah, who had sheep which he tended: I see that you love sheep and the wilderness. In other words, you love to tend sheep in the desert – which indicates that he would be on his own when the time for prayer came. So he (may Allah be pleased with him) instructed him, if the time for prayer came when he was in that situation, to raise his voice with the adhan. Then he told him a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in which it says that no jinn, human or anything else hears this call but he will testify on the Day of Resurrection that the mu’adhdhin did that. He only instructed him to raise his voice when giving the call so that whoever is far away from him could hear it, and thus he would have more witnesses to speak in his favour on the Day of Resurrection. Thus on the Day of Resurrection, he will become famous among those who testify to his virtue and high status. Just as Allah (may He be exalted) will humiliate some people and expose them to shame on the basis of the testimony given by witnesses, by the same token He will honour others, perfect their happiness and bring joy to their hearts.
This hadith highlights the virtue of practicing sunnahs and religious matters openly, even in the wilderness..

611

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you hear the call [to prayer], say what the mu’adhdhin says.”.

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues and are matters of high status before Allah (may He be exalted). In order that the listener will not be deprived of this reward, he is instructed to repeat after the mu’adhdhin, as mentioned in this hadith, in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: “When you hear the call [to prayer]”; this refers to the call for the five obligatory prayers. “say what the mu’adhdhin says.” So the listener should say the word of the adhan as the mu’adhdhin does. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us how to do that. In Sahih Muslim, it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When the muezzin says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar (Allah is most great, Allah is most great),’ and one of you says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar’; then he says, ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah (I bear witness that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu an la ilaha illa Allah’; then he says, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah (I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah),’ and you say, ‘Ashhadu anna Muhammadan rasulullah’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-salah (Come to prayer),’ and you say, ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah (there is no power and no strength except with Allah)’; then he says, ‘Hayya ‘ala’l-falah (Come to prosperity),’ and you say, ‘La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah’; then he says, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar,’ and you say, ‘Allahu akbar, Allahu akbar’; then he says, ‘La ilaha illa Allah,’ and you say, ‘La ilaha ill-Allah,’ sincerely from the heart, you will enter Paradise.” Thus it is clear that the reward for repeating the adhan after the mu’adhdhin is a means of admittance to Paradise..

613

It was narrated from Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he [the mu’adhdhin] said Hayya ‘ala al-salah, he said: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah; and he said: This is what we heard your Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying..

Commentary : The adhan and the mu’adhdhin have many virtues and are matters of high status before Allah (may He be exalted). In order that the listener will not be deprived of this reward, he is instructed to repeat after the mu’adhdhin. Our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us how to repeat the adhan after the mu’adhdhin. This hadith explains some of that, as the Tabi‘i Yahya ibn Abi Kathir narrates from Mu‘awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he heard the mu’adhdhin say Hayya ‘ala al-salah, Mu‘awiyah said: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah, and stated that he did that as he had heard it from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence this is the Sunnah of repeating after the mu’adhdhin and responding to his words in the case of the two phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah.” When the mu’adhdhin says these two phrases, the listener should respond by saying: La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah. That is because in the case of phrases other than “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah”, both the listener and the mu’adhdhin share in the reward – such as when saying “Allahu akbar” and “La ilaha illa Allah”, and the other phrases of the adhan – because they are a kind of dhikr. However, with regard to the phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah”, the aim is to call the people to prayer, because these phrases effectively mean: Come to prayer, come to strive. This is what the mu’adhdhin is doing when he says these words. Therefore Allah compensates the listener for what he misses out on of the reward for that, with the reward for saying La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah. And it was said that the listener says La hawla wa la quwwata illa Billah at this point because the meaning of the phrases “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” and “Hayya ‘ala al-falah” is: Come with your devotion and clean heart to guidance in the immediate moment, and come to great success later on. So it is appropriate for him to say: This is a momentous matter that I cannot do with the weakness that is inherent in me, unless Allah helps me with His power and strength.
This hadith highlights Mu‘awiyah’s knowledge and keenness to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

614

It was narrated from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever says when he hears the call to prayer, ‘Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’l-da‘wat il-tammati wa’l-salat il-qa’imah, ati Muhammadan al-wasilata wa’l-fadilah, wab‘athhu maqaman mahmudan alladhi wa’adtahu (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call and the prayer that will always be offered, grant Muhammad the privilege and also the eminence, and resurrect him to the praised position that You have promised him),’ will be granted my intercession on the Day of Resurrection.”.

Commentary : Du‘a’ (supplication) is one of the best acts of worship and a means of drawing closer to Allah, and it is a means of attaining good things and blessings. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has taught us many blessed supplications, and has recommended them at certain times and in certain circumstances; he has also highlighted the immense reward that they bring. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told us that whoever says, after hearing the adhan and after the mu’adhdhin has finished giving the call to prayer: “‘Allahumma Rabba hadhihi’l-da‘wat il-tammah (O Allah, Lord of this perfect call)” that is, the phrases of the adhan with which people are called to worship Allah (may He be exalted). What is meant by perfect is that they are complete, with no change or alteration; rather they will remain as they are until the Day of Resurrection. “wa’l-salat il-qa’imah (and the prayer that will always be offered)” – which is constantly offered. Give Muhammad al-wasilah (the privilege)” – this refers to a lofty status in Paradise that no one will attain except him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him); and also al-fadilah (the eminence)” – this refers to a higher status than all other created beings; it may be understood that al-fadilah is a second lofty status. And resurrect the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to the praised position” – this refers to a position on the Day of Resurrection for which all those who are standing on the Day of Resurrection will praise him; it is the position of great intercession. “alladhi wa’adtahu (that You have promised him)” – that is the status that You have mentioned in Your Book, where You say: {it is expected that your Lord will resurrect you to a praised station} [al-Isra’ 17:79].
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned the reward for the one who recites this supplication: it is that he will be entitled to and deserve the intercession of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on the Day of Resurrection. His intercession will be for the sinners (to be forgiven), or for others to be admitted to Paradise without being brought to account, or for others to be raised in status on the Day of Resurrection – each according to his situation.
This hadith highlights the virtue of reciting this dhikr after the adhan, and encourages the Muslim to offer supplication at the times of prayer, when the gates of heaven are open for mercy.
It also affirms the great intercession of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

616

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith said: Ibn ‘Abbas addressed us on a muddy day, and when the mu’adhdhin reached the words “Hayya ‘ala al-salah”, he instructed him to call out “Al-salatu fi’l-rihal (Pray where you are).” The people looked at one another, then he said: One who was better than him did this, and this prayer is an obligatory prayer..

Commentary : The teachings of Islam are easy-going and seek to make things easy for people. One example of that is that despite the importance of prayer in congregation in the mosque, Islam takes into consideration people’s circumstances at difficult times, when going to the mosque is hard, such as in the event of high winds, rain, fear, and so on.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn al-Harith narrates that whilst Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was addressing the Muslims on a muddy day, when there was a great deal of mud because of rain, he instructed the mu’adhdhin to say, when he reached the words “Hayya ‘ala al-salah” to say: “Al-salatu fi’l-rihal (Pray where you are)” – meaning in their houses and homes. Giving the call in this manner is a concession to allow people to pray at home, and not to pray in congregation, so that no one will encounter difficulty in coming to the mosque. When he instructed the mu’adhdhin to do that, those who were present questioned his doing that, and they looked at one another in astonishment, finding that odd, because they had never seen such a concession before that from any of the other Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them all). When Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) saw their reaction, he said: One who was better than me did that – meaning the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to them that this was not something new that had been introduced into the adhan, and nothing had changed; what he instructed the mu’adhdhin to do was something that the Prophet himself (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had done. This indicates that on a rainy or muddy day, the mu’adhdhin may say in the adhan: “Sallu fi rihalikum (pray in your houses).” Thus it becomes clear to the people that it is permissible to pray in their houses on rainy and muddy days. This is what is meant by the words of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), “and this prayer is an obligatory prayer”: Jumu‘ah prayer is an obligatory prayer. According to another report, he said: Indeed Jumu‘ah is an obligatory prayer, and I did not like to make you come out and walk in the mud. That was because they would be reluctant to stay away from Jumu‘ah prayer, and would put up with hardship in order to go there in the mud. Hence he instructed the mu’adhdhin to say “Sallu fi rihaalikum” so that they would know that doing so was permissible, and they would not be upset about it.
This hadith highlights the easy nature of Islamic teachings, and that the teachings of Islam seek to spare the Muslims hardship by granting concessions allowing them not to pray in congregation in the event of rain, hail and disasters.
It also highlights the knowledge of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and his keenness to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

617

It was narrated from Salim ibn ‘Abdillah, from his father, that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Bilal gives the adhan at night, so [continue to eat and drink] until Ibn Umm Maktum gives the call to prayer.” Then he said: “He is a blind man; he does not give the call to prayer until he is told: Dawn has broken, dawn has broken.”.

618

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Hafsah told me that when the mu’adhdhin started to watch out for the break of dawn, and when the time of Fajr had begun, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would pray two brief rak‘ahs before the iqamah was given for the prayer..

Commentary : The supererogatory prayers make up for any shortcomings that occur in the obligatory prayers, and they are like an arena in which people may compete to earn hasanat (rewards for good deeds) and attain high status before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the sunnah prayers and explain them to the people in word and deed. The sunnah prayer of Fajr is one of the sunnah prayers that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) upheld most assiduously.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that when the mu’adhdhin started to watch out for the break of dawn – it was said: perhaps what is meant by watching out was that he would sit and wait for the break of dawn, and remain there for that purpose, or that when the mu’adhdhin stood up, ready to give the adhan; that is explained in other reports. In al-Sahihayn, it says: when the mu’adhdhin had finished giving the adhan for Fajr prayer. Al-Bukhari narrated from Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the mu’adhdhin had given the adhan for Fajr. What we may understand from the variation in these reports is that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) became certain that the adhan for Fajr would be given soon, and the light of dawn began to appear – which is what confirms that the time for Fajr has begun – at that time, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would stand up and offer two brief sunnah rak‘ahs before standing up to offer the obligatory prayer of Fajr.
This hadith indicates that the sunnah prayer of Fajr is two brief rak‘ahs, which are to be done after the adhan and before the iqamah for the (obligatory) prayer..

621

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “No one of you should stop eating suhur when he hears the adhan of Bilal, for he gives the adhan – or he gives the call to prayer – at night, so that the one who is praying qiyam may rest, and the one who is sleeping may wake up. And one should not think that the dawn has come – and he gestured with his fingers, up and down – until it is like this – and Zuhayr (one of the narrators) gestured with his two fingers, holding one above the other, then pulling them apart, right and left..

Commentary : The practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was to have two adhans for Fajr prayer. The first was an adhan given at night, allowing enough time before the time for the prayer began so that one who was sleeping could wake up, and one who was praying qiyam could rest, and one who wanted to fast could eat sahur. The second was an adhan given when the time for Fajr began; this is the time when people stop eating and drinking, and begin the fast.
This hadith confirms that, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained, the adhan that Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) gave for Fajr prayer was given before the time for the prayer began, so this adhan should not make anyone stop eating sahur. The word sahur refers to what is eaten, and suhur refers to the action of eating food before the time of Fajr begins, for the one who intends to fast. The reason why he should not stop eating sahur when hearing the adhan of Bilal was that he only gave the adhan at night, before the time for the prayer had begun, in order to alert the one who was praying qiyam al-layl that dawn was approaching, so that he could go back and sleep a little, and thus be able to get up refreshed to pray Fajr, or so that the one who needed to eat sahur could get up and eat sahur, and so that the one who was asleep could get up and get ready to pray.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the difference between the false dawn and the true dawn. The false dawn is of no significance, so the one who wants to fast should not stop eating when he sees it, and the people should not pray Fajr when they see it. The way in which it may be recognized is that it is a vertical line of light that appears in the sky; hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gestured with his fingers, moving them up and down, to explain with this gesture that the vertical light that appears from top to bottom of the sky is not dawn. Rather the true dawn is that which, when people see it, means that the one who wants to fast should stop eating, and it marks the beginning of the time for prayer. This is the light that appears along the horizon, and is explained in the hadith by the words “until it is like this”, meaning: until the dawn appears like this, referring to the width of the sky. Zuhayr ibn Mu‘awiyah al-Ju‘fi [one of the narrators of the hadith] described the gesture of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by gesturing with his forefingers, holding one above the other, then pulling them apart, right and left, to demonstrate that the true dawn is the light that appears along the horizon in the east, extending south and north.
This hadith indicates that further clarification may be done with gestures in order to make clear what is being taught.
It highlights the difference between the true dawn and the false dawn.
It indicates that the time for Fajr prayer begins and the time for suhur ends after the true dawn has broken..

624

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Mughaffal al-Muzani that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Between the two calls there is prayer – three times – for whoever wishes.”.

Commentary : One of the wisdoms behind the supererogatory and sunnah prayers is that they make up for any shortcomings that occur in the obligatory prayers, and they are like an arena in which people may compete to earn hasanat (rewards for good deeds) and attain high status before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to offer the sunnah prayers and explain them to the people in word and deed.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains a supererogatory and sunnah prayer that is connected to an obligatory prayer, as he says: “Between the two calls there is prayer.” What is meant by the two calls here is the original adhan before any obligatory prayer, and the second call is the iqamah which comes just before the prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said this three times, to make sure that everyone understood it and to emphasize the importance of what he was saying. And so that no one would think that this prayer was obligatory, after the third time, he (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “for whoever wishes”; that is, for whoever wishes to pray between the adhan and iqamah. Thus he explained that the matter was broad in scope and based on individual choice and that it was for the purpose of doing more acts of worship and attaining more reward, but it was not obligatory.
This hadith encourages the Muslim to offer the voluntary prayer between the adhan and iqamah.
It also indicates that there should be a pause between the adhan and iqamah, even if it is only short..

625

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the mu’adhdhin gave the adhan, some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stood up and rushed towards the pillars, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out whilst they were like that, praying two rak‘ahs before Maghrib, and there was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah. ‘Uthman ibn Jabalah and Abu Dawud narrated from Shu‘bah: There was only a short time between them..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to do anything that would bring them closer to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). That included offering supererogatory and sunnah prayers before and after the [obligatory] prayers.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik says that when the mu’adhdhin gave the adhan for Maghrib, some of the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up and rushed towards the pillars that held up the roof of the mosque. The purpose behind rushing to the pillars was so that they could use them as sutrahs to screen them from those who were walking in front of them, so that they could pray individually before Maghrib prayer, until the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out of his apartment to pray Maghrib whilst they were like that, rushing and hastening to pray two rak‘ahs before Maghrib prayer. A report narrated by Muslim from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) adds: A stranger would come and think that the prayer had already been offered, because of the large numbers of people who were praying these two [voluntary] rak‘ahs.
This is indicative of the large numbers of people who did these two rak‘ahs. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: And there was hardly any time between the adhan and iqamah; in other words, there was not much time, so they would pray those two rak‘ahs within a brief period of time. This is what was explained and affirmed by Shu‘bah ibn al-Hajjaj al-Wasiti, one of the narrators of this hadith, when he said: There was only a short time between them.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to pray two supererogatory rak‘ahs before Maghrib.
It also indicates that the one who is praying on his own should have a sutrah (screen)..

632

It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: Ibn ‘Umar gave the adhan on a cold night in Dajnan, then he said: Pray where you are staying. Then he told us that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would instruct a mu’adhdhin to give the call to prayer, then say immediately afterwards: Ala sallu fi’l-rihal (Attention! Pray where you are), on a cold or very rainy night, when travelling..

Commentary : Islam urges the Muslim to regularly pray in congregation in the mosques, but if it is difficult to attend the prayer in congregation, then Islam grants a concession allowing the Muslim not to pray in congregation. The types of excuses allowing that include severe cold and rain.
This hadith highlights that, as Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, narrates that Ibn ‘Umar gave the call to prayer on an extremely cold night in Dajnan, which is a mountain in Tihamah, twenty-five miles from Makkah. Then Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, straight after giving the adhan: Pray where you are; that is, in the places where you are staying and your tents. And he told him that this was the practice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as he would instruct a mu’adhdhin to give the adhan, then say straight after finishing the adhan: Ala sallu fi’l-rihal (Attention! Pray where you are). That would be on a cold or very rainy night, whilst travelling. The apparent meaning of the report is that this concession is only for travel, but the scholars stated that this concession is general and also applies to anyone who is not travelling but could find it difficult to attend the prayer in congregation.
This report states that when this phrase, “Sallu fi rihalikum (pray where you are)” is to be said is immediately after finishing the adhan. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated in the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas that it is to be said in place of the phrases Hayya ‘ala al-salah and Hayya ‘ala al-falah. Whichever of the two options the caller chooses, there is nothing wrong with it.
This hadith highlights the kindness of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and how He makes things easy for His slaves.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to stay away from attending prayers in congregation when there is fear of harm that could result from that..

633

It was narrated from ‘Awn ibn Abi Juhayfah that his father said: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, when Bilal came to him and told him that it was time to pray. Then Bilal brought out a long stick and set it up in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, then he gave the iqamah for prayer..

Commentary : The Sahabah showed a great deal of etiquette with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that they (may Allah be pleased with them) were very keen to follow his guidance and practice in all things, and to transmit it to those who came after them, especially with regard to prayer, which is the foundation of faith.
In this hadith, Abu Juhayfah Wahb ibn ‘Abdillah al-Suwa’i (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to do in prayer, as he says: I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in al-Abtah, which is a place outside Makkah al-Mukarramah; it was originally a watercourse that runs through the valley of Makkah. It is located south of the Haram, in front of Jabal Thawr. Bilal ibn Rabah (may Allah be pleased with him) came to him and told him that the time for prayer had begun, then Bilal came out with a long stick and set it up in front of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to be a sutrah for him and to mark the place where he would be praying, so that no one would pass in front of him. He used to do that on his journeys, because the traveller usually cannot find a wall to use as a sutrah, and he usually prays in open ground. However, if he prays in the mosque, or behind a wall or fence, that forms a natural sutrah.
Then Bilal gave the iqamah for prayer. That happened during the Farewell Pilgrimage. This report clearly refers to the iqamah without an adhan, but in another report, al-Bukhari mentions the adhan.
This hadith highlights the great respect that the Sahabah showed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also refers to giving the adhan and iqamah whilst travelling.
It also indicates that the one who wants to pray should set up a sutrah if he fears that people will pass directly in front of him..

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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