| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

1584

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) whether the round wall (near Ka`bah) was part of the Ka`bah. The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative. I further said, "What is wrong with them, why have they not included it in the building of the Ka`bah?" He (ﷺ) said, "This is because your people (Quraysh) ran short of money (so they could not include it inside the building of Ka`bah)?" I asked, "What about its gate? Why is it so high?" He (ﷺ) replied, "Your people did this so as to admit into it whomever they liked and prevent whomever they liked. Were your people not close to the Pre-Islamic Period of ignorance (i.e., they have recently embraced Islam) and were I not afraid that they would deny it, surely I would have included the (area of the) wall inside the building of the Ka`bah and I would have lowered its gate to the level of the ground."
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Commentary : The Hijr of Ismaa’eel is the curved construction round the Ka’bah, facing the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee. It is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. The Prophet refrained from touching or kissing the other two corners, the Black Stone and al-Rukn al-Yamaanee, because they were not built according to the correct structure of the House.
In this hadeeth ‘Aaishah (raa) relates that she asked the Prophet ﷺabout the Ka’bah and whether the Hijr of Ismaa’eel is part of it or not. He ﷺexplained to her that it is part of the Ka’bah due to the foundation of its wall, but what happened was that Quraysh could not afford to include it and build the Ka’bah on all the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) when they rebuilt the Ka’bah due to lack of funds. The Prophet ﷺadded that had Quraysh not been new to Islam and fearing they may leave Islam because of it, he ﷺwould have restored it to the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), and he ﷺwould have built it anew on all its foundations, included the Hijr of Ismaa’eel, and lowered its gate to the level of the ground. This is because they made the gate so high to have control who would enter it i.e., they have power to allow whoever they like and forbid whoever they wish. It is reported in the authentic hadeeth that he ﷺsaid: “I would have placed two doors for it, one door for people to enter and the other door for them to exit.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils to repel the greater of them. This is because the harm done from making no changes to the construction of the Ka’bah is lesser than the dissension that may be caused by this and having some Muslims turning away from Islam.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts - by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite).
It also shows that people may not be blocked from the House..

1586

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): The Prophet (ﷺ) told her, “O ‘Aaishah! Were it not for the fact that your people being in the closest era to pre-Islam, I would have commanded that the House be demolished, and I would have incorporated into it what was left out of it. I would have made its (door) in level with the ground and I would have made two doors for it, an eastern door and a western door. I would have taken it to the foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him). (One of the narrators said:) “This is what motivated Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) to knock it down. Yazeed said: "I saw Ibn Al-Zubayr (ra) when he knocked it down and rebuilt it and included part of the Hijr in it. And I saw the foundation of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) stones like the humps of camels. Jareer says, “I asked him, ‘Where is its place?’ He replied, ‘I will show you now.’ I entered al-Hijr with him and he pointed towards a place and said, ‘There it is.’ Jareer says, “I estimated the distance from al-Hijr to be six-cubit foot or something similar to it.”
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Commentary : The description of the construction of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) of the House was that it was curved around the two corners of al-Rukn ash-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee; thus, the Hijr of Ismaa’eel was a part of it, and it had two corners, which are the two Yamaanee corners. But when Quraysh built it in the pre-Islamic era, they made four corners for it, and placed the Hijr of Ismaa’eel behind it, as they wanted to perfectly complete the circumambulation of the Ka’bah, and it is in the form of a semi-circle adjoining the two corners, al-Rukn al-Shaamee and al-Rukn al-‘Iraaqee. Hence, al-Hijr is part of the Ka’bah.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah raa reports that the Prophet ﷺ informed her that were Quraysh not closer in time to disbelief (i.e., they are new to Islam) and were there no fear of the hearts denying the act, then he would have commanded to demolish the Ka’bah and would have rebuilt in upon the original foundations of Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) and would have inserted into it what was left out of it and bring the floor closer to the ground, and would have placed two doors for it, an eastern door and a western door, so people could enter from one of them and exit from the other. This hadeeth is the evidence upon which Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) relied to demolish the Ka’bah and rebuild it during his reign on Hijaaz.

Yazeed ibn Roomaan, at-Taabee’ee, one of the sub-narrators of this hadeeth, mentions that he witnessed Ibn al-Zubayr (ra) demolishing the Ka’bah as he undertook the task of demolishing it until he razed it to the ground and when he rebuilt it. This event happened in the 65th year of Hijrah. He inserted in it five-cubit foot of Hijr Ismaa’eel. Yazeed explains that he saw the foundations of Ibraaheem and described that they were made of stones that looked like the humps of the camels.
Jareer bin Haazim asked Yazeed ibn Roomaan to inform him about the place of the foundations?’ He replied that he would show it to him; so, he entered entered al-Hijr with him and then pointed to a place of it and said, ‘Here it is.’ Jareer reported that he estimated the distance referred to from the Hijr as six-cubit foot or so. It is reported in Saheeh Muslim from the narration of the Taabi’ee ‘Ataa’ ibn Abee Rabaah that when Al-Hajjaaj killed Ibn al-Zubayr (ra), he demolished the building, and returned it to the foundations of Quraysh and it is still, until now, upon those foundations.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is that it serves as evidence for perpetrating the lesser of two evils to repel the greater of them. This is because the harm done from making no changes to the construction of the Ka’bah is lesser than the dissension that may be caused by this and having some Muslims turning away from Islam.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to deal tactfully with people in matters of religion - other than the obligatory acts - by leaving and removing from the people that which they deny (i.e., things they view as the norm and not aware of its opposite).
It shows that the ruler should strive to establish the religion of Islam and the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.
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1587

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas ra: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said on the day of the conquest of Makkah, “Verily, Allah made this city sacred; its thorns will not to be cut, its game will not be repulsed, and the things dropped will be picked up only by one who makes a public announcement of it.”.

Commentary : Makkah is the most beloved land to Allah, Most high, which He has venerated it in the hearts of His believing servants. He legislated exclusive injunctions for Makkah and protected it from the evil of the disbelievers. It is one of the best places on earth, hence, the conquest of Makkah, which took place in the eighth year of the Hijrah, was a great conquest for Islam and Muslims.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbaas ra reports that the Prophet ﷺproclaimed on the conquest of Makkah that Allah has made Makkah sacred i.e., no fighting on its land is allowed. The only exemption was given to the Prophet ﷺto conquer it and eradicate disbelief from the holy land. Thereafter, its sanctity was reactivated as reported in the authentic hadeeths of Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. Part of the sanctity of this land is that: neither its thorns nor its trees will be cut or broken, nor its game will be disturbed from its place, let alone hunting it, and any lost property found there will only be picked up by one who intends to announce about it and looks after it for its owner, thereafter, returns it to him when he shows up.. This is known in religion as Luqatah, which refers to the lost property which a person may find on the road whose owner is unknown.
One of the benefits that can be concluded from this hadeeth is learning about the strong emphasis on the sanctity of Makkah and the strict warning against committing any forbidden act in it..

1588

Narrated Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): I said: “O Allah's Messenger! Which house of yours will you choose to stay in Makkah?” He (ﷺ) replied, "Has ‘Aqeel left any property or houses in Makkah?” It happened that ‘Aqeel along with Taalib had inherited the property of Aboo Taalib, whereas Ja’far and ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) did not inherit anything as they were Muslims and the other two were disbelievers. ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “A believer may not inherit (anything) from a disbeliever.” Ibn Shihaab, (a sub-narrator) said, “They (`Umar and others) derived the above verdict from Allah's Statement: {Verily! those who believed and emigrated and strove with their life And property in Allah's Cause, And those who helped (the emigrants), and gave them their places to live in, these are (all) allies to one another.} (Quran 8.72)”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺhas set himself as a perfect example for us in all acts of worship, dealing, and transactions, including the application of the provisions of inheritance between a Muslim and a disbeliever. He ﷺclarified that Muslims cannot inherit their disbelieving relatives.
In this hadeeth, Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he asked the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)at the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year of the Hijrah about which of his homes in Makkah that he left before his emigration to al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺexplained to him that he is not entitled to any of the properties that belonged to Aboo Taalib or any other of his relatives in Makkah because a believer cannot inherit an infidel.
The narrator – perhaps Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) – has explained the meaning of his statement. He mentioned that when Aboo Taalib, the uncle of the Prophet ﷺdied, his two sons inherited his wealth: ‘Aqeel and Taalib, and they both took over all his property comprising of several houses, while Ja’far and ‘Alee, the two believing men did not inherit from him. If they were the heirs, then the Prophet ﷺwould have stayed in their houses as they would be as if they are his properties because he knew that they (Ja’far and ‘Alee) preferred him to themselves.
‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say, “A believer cannot inherit from a disbeliever.” i.e., he made this statement based on the words of the Prophet ﷺwho confirmed that ‘Alee and Ja’far (may Allah be pleased with them) did not inherit from Abu Talib.
Ibn Shihaab al-Zuhree commented on this by saying, “They used to adopt this view based on their interpretation of the following Statement of Allah, {Those who believe and have emigrated and struggled with their wealth and themselves in the path of Allah and those who sheltered and helped, those, some of whom are allies of others.} [Quran 8:72]. They interpreted alliance in this ayah to mean the entitlement to inheritance. The ayah goes to read: {But those who believed and did not emigrate - for you there is no support of them until they emigrate. And if they seek help from you for the religion, then you must help, except against a people between yourselves and whom is a treaty. And Allah is Seeing of what you do.And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [i.e., ally yourselves with other believers], there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and oppression] on earth and great corruption. [Quran 8:72-73]. The meaning of this is that those who believed in Allah but did not emigrate from the lands of disbelief to the lands of Islam, you do not have to - O believers - help them, and protect them, until they emigrate in the path of Allah. However, if the disbelievers wronged them, then they demanded help from you; then, aid them against their enemy, unless there is a covenant between you and the enemy which they have not broken. Allah is watchful of the acts that you do, nothing of your deeds is hidden from Him and He will reward you for them. As for those who disbelieve, disbelief brings them all together and thus aid each other. With that said, no believer may not ally with them, and if the Muslims do not ally with the believers and hate the disbelievers, then there will be strife for the believers, wherein they will not find anyone from their brethren who can help them in religion. Even worse, a great corruption on earth will ensue by preventing people from the path of Allah.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to allow the houses and property of Makkah to be inherited.
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1589

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
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Commentary : The Farewell Hajj was in the tenth year of the Hijrah, and during which the Prophet ﷺexplained all the rulings pertaining to Hajj and ‘Umrah, including that which is recommended acts and considered from their etiquettes.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed them after he had returned from Mina after completing the rite of throwing the stoning and he headed to the Sacred House for the farewell tawaaf round the Ka’bah that he ﷺwill halt at the Khayf of Banee Kinaanah, known today as al-Muhassab, which is located at the beginning part of the flat land of Makkah, and is now situated in the outskirts of Makkah in the so-called Qasr al-Saqqaaf. This place was where the disbelievers of Quraysh allied with each other before on disbelief, and they allied with each other in their disassociation from Banee Haashim and Banee al-Mutallib, and rejecting any peace treaty with them, and that they will exile the Prophet ﷺ, Banee Haashim, and Banee al-Muttalib from Makkah and drive them to this valley. This valley is Khayf Banee Kinaanah, and they wrote between them the famous sheet, wherein they penned all different kinds of falsehood, breaking of ties of kinship and disbelief. However, Allah, Exalted be He, sent termites which ate all the points of agreement therein about disbelief, severing ties of kinship, and falsehood, and left intact that which was about the remembrance of Allah. His saying: “Allah willing,” is to seek Allah’s blessings and comply with the command of Allah in the Quran.
The scholars differed as to the reason for the encampment of the Prophet ﷺin this place. It was said: It was a halting that was a following part of the rituals, and so it is a Sunnah, which is the view of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). And it was said: It is not a Sunnah, based on the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Daawood - whose origin is found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree – where ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺhalted at al-Muhassab only so that it is facilitating to come out, and it is not a Sunnah; hence, whoever wills can halt at it, and whoever wills can avoid encamping at it.” With that said, it shows that his halting at al-Abtah was because it would be easier and faster for him to depart from there to al-Madeenah, and so that those who are slow and those who have valid excuses would be equal, so that they spend the night there and depart at the last part of the night, and their departure be together towards al-Madeenah..

1590

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (ra): The Prophet ﷺstated the next day, the day of ritual slaughtering while he was at Mina, “We are halting tomorrow at Khayf Bani Kinaanah where they mutually took an oath on disbelief, he meant thereby al-Muhassab.” That is because Quraysh and Kinaanah both allied with each other against Bani Haashim and Bani Abdul al-Muttalib – or Bani al-Muttalib – that they will not intermarry with them and will not mutually do business with them until they surrender the Prophet ﷺto them..

Commentary : The polytheists of Makkah did harm the Prophet ﷺand those who believed in him with all different kinds of harm to the extent that the tribe of the Prophet ﷺand his immediate family members were not spared of their harms, including those who embraced Islam amongst them and those who had not embraced it. Quraysh and Kinaanah penned a sheet wherein they agreed to oppose and harm Banee Haashim and Banee Abdul Muttalib i.e., Quraysh and Kinaanah agreed that they will not marry a woman from Banee Haashim and Banee ‘Abd al-Muttalib, and that they will not marry them a woman from among them, that they will not trade with them or buy from them and will not intermingle with them and there will be nothing at all between them.
This hadeeth shows that the Prophet ﷺpointed out the place where they mutually took an oath, i.e., mutually agreed therein to harm the Prophet ﷺand to hold tight to disbelief. The Prophet ﷺtold his Companions on the Day of Slaughtering in Hajj, “We are halting tomorrow at Khayf Banee Kinaanah.” Khayf means a valley, and it refers to the valley of al-Muhassab, which is located between Makkah and Mina. i.e., it is the beginning area of the plains of Makkah, which is now found at the outskirts of Makkah, and it is called Qasr as-Saqqaaf.
The Farewell Hajj was in the tenth year of the Hijrah, and during which the Prophet ﷺexplained all the rulings pertaining to Hajj and ‘Umrah, including that which is recommended acts and considered from their etiquettes.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺinformed them after he had returned from Mina after completing the rite of throwing the stoning and he headed to the Sacred House for the farewell tawaaf round the Ka’bah that he ﷺwill halt at the Khayf of Banee Kinaanah, known today as al-Muhassab, which is located at the beginning part of the flat land of Makkah, and is now situated in the outskirts of Makkah in the so-called Qasr al-Saqqaaf. This place was where the disbelievers of Quraysh allied with each other before on disbelief, and they allied with each other in their disassociation from Banee Haashim and Banee al-Mutallib, and rejecting any peace treaty with them, and that they will exile the Prophet ﷺ, Banee Haashim, and Banee al-Muttalib from Makkah and drive them to this valley. This valley is Khayf Banee Kinaanah, and they wrote between them the famous sheet, wherein they penned all different kinds of falsehood, breaking of ties of kinship and disbelief. However, Allah, Exalted be He, sent termites which ate all the points of agreement therein about disbelief, severing ties of kinship, and falsehood, and left intact that which was about the remembrance of Allah. His saying: “Allah willing,” is to seek Allah’s blessings and comply with the command of Allah in the Quran.
The scholars differed as to the reason for the encampment of the Prophet ﷺin this place. It was said: It was a halting that was a following part of the rituals, and so it is a Sunnah, which is the view of ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). And it was said: It is not a Sunnah, based on the hadeeth in Sunan Aboo Daawood - whose origin is found in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree – where ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Messenger of Allah ﷺhalted at al-Muhassab only so that it is facilitating to come out, and it is not a Sunnah; hence, whoever wills can halt at it, and whoever wills can avoid encamping at it.” With that said, it shows that his halting at al-Abtah was because it would be easier and faster for him to depart from there to al-Madeenah, and so that those who are slow and those who have valid excuses would be equal, so that they spend the night there and depart at the last part of the night, and their departure be together towards al-Madeenah.
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1591

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Ka’bah will be demolished by a man with thin legs from Abyssinia.”.

Commentary : In this hadeeth the Prophet ﷺinfo that that there will be trials towards the end of time and that the sanctity of sacred places will be violated.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ - who is the truthful and whose truthfulness is attested – informs us that a man with two thin legs from Abyssinia will be the one who will demolish the Ka’bah near the time of the Hour. The Abyssinians are black people from an African race. The word used to describe that his two legs will be thin is a belittling word for shank, meaning, one with two weak shanks. The belittling word is for humiliating purposes. It means it will be a person who is weak, and slim with no status. As if it is intended to say, “The sacredness of this glorified House will be violated by this lowlife despicable ugly person! It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺstated, “As if I can envisage him to be black, hen-toed, who will remove brick by brick.”
Abyssinians will be the ones who will excavate the treasure of the Ka’bah, which is buried under the Ka’bah. It was said that it is a treasure created in it. It was also said that it is what the guardians of the Ka’bah used to accumulate of the gifts, and then they used place under the Ka’bah.
This hadeeth does not contradict with the ayah, {Have We not established for them a safe haven ˹in Makkah˺.} (Quran 28: 57) because its meaning is that: it is a safe haven until the closest time to the Day of Judgment and the ruination of earth at a time when there will be no Muslim on the face of earth. It is said that the story of the man with two thin legs is an exception or that Allah has made it a safe sanctuary given how it is often the case, because there were incidents where the sanctuary of Makkah was violated like the case of Ibn al-Zubayr and the story of al-Qaraamitah and the likes. It was said that the meaning of making it a safe sanctuary is in fact the command to ensure it is so i.e., it is incumbent upon the Muslims to grant safety to people and not to show aggression to anyone therein.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the prophesy of the Prophet ﷺregarding what will happen towards the end of time, which is one of the signs of his prophethood. It is part of the unseen matters concerning which it is obligatory to believe and affirm. Likewise, we are required to believe and affirm all the unseen events that they are proven to be authentic from the Prophet ﷺ..

1592

Narrated ‘Aaishah (raa): The people used to fast on 'Ashura (the tenth day of the month of Muharram) before the fasting of Ramadan was made obligatory. And on that day the Ka`bah used to be covered with a cover. When Allah made the fasting of the month of Ramadan compulsory, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Whoever wishes to fast (on the day of 'Aashooraa') may do so; and whoever wishes to leave it can do so.".

Commentary : The Jews used to fast on the day of ‘Aashooraa’, which is the tenth day of the month of Muharram, as a form of venerating the day in which Allah saved Prophet Moses (peace be upon him) from the clasps of Pharoah and of thanking Allah for this favour. The Prophet ﷺrecommended that Muslims fast the day, albeit with opposing the way Jews fast it by prescribing an additional fast of a day before it. The fast of the day of ‘Aashooraa’ underwent different phases of legislation. It is reported on the authority of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that people used to fast on the day of ‘Aashooraa’ before Allah made the fasting of Ramadan obligatory upon them, and when He made the fasting of the month of Ramadan obligatory upon them in the second year of Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺmade it optional i.e., people have the choice either to fast it or forgo it. It has been mentioned concerning the virtue of its fast, that it expiates the sins of the year that has passed. It is reported in Saheeh Muslim that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Sunnah is to fast the nineth day with it, for the purpose of opposing the Jews.”
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, the ‘Ka’bah would be shrouded on this day i.e., they would shroud its stone bricks and wall with veils and fabrics. Quraysh was the one responsible for the task of shrouding it during that period because the Prophet ﷺthen was in al-Madeenah and he ﷺonly took control of the Ka’bah after the conquest of Makkah in the eighth year of the Hijrah. The Prophet ﷺconfirmed the practice of shrouding it on this day, which has been the practice of Muslims until today, despite the different timings for it. Nowadays, it is shrouded during the season of Hajj straight after the pilgrims making their way to the mount of ‘Arafaat. Its shrouding is among the exhibits of reverence and showing honour for the House of Allah.
The statement of ‘Aaishah in the hadeeth that ‘They used to fast on ‘Aashooraa before Ramadan was made obligatory,’ benefits the possibility that fasting the day of ‘Aashooraa’ was compulsory and obligatory in nature, before Ramadan became mandatory, then the injunction was abrogated to the grade of desirability and recommendation. It was said that this was only an emphasis to fast and was not an obligatory injunction due to the agreed-upon hadeeth of Mu’aawiyah ibn Abee Sufyaan (may Allah be pleased with him) wherein the Prophet ﷺstated, “This is the day of ‘Aashooraa, Allah has not enjoined its fasting on you, but I am fasting it. You have the choice either to fast or not to fast (on this day).'.”
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the significance of the day of ‘Aashooraa and the veneration of the Muslims for it..

1593

Narrated Aboo Sa’eed al-Khudree (ra): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: "The people will continue performing Hajj and `Umrah to the Ka`bah even after the appearance of Gog and Magog." Narrated ‘Abd al-Rahmaan from Shu`bah: The Hour (Day of Judgment) will not be established till the Hajj (to the Ka`bah) is abandoned..

Commentary : Gog and Magog are those who Dhu al-Qarnayn constructed a dam as a barrier to keep them away from people, as mentioned in the Statement of Allah, the Most Exalted, {But assist me with resources, I will build a barrier between you and them.} (Quran 18: 95). Their appearance from behind this barrier or dam is one of the major signs of the Hour.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺprophesises that Muslims in the end of time will continue to perform Hajj and ‘Umrah after the demise of Gog and Magog and after their corruption on earth.
It is reported in another hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “The Hour will not be established until the Hajj (pilgrimage) of the House stops.” That is to say, the Day of Judgment will not be established while there is on earth a person who believes in Allah Almighty and Majestic, which explains the reason why Hajj will cease to exist. It is reported on the authority of Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺsaid, “The Last Hour will not be established until no one on earth will utter the word “Allah”.” It is possible to reconcile between both hadeeths by saying that it is not necessary that performing Hajj after the advent of Gog and Magog means that it will constantly continue until the establishment of the Last Hour. Rather, people will stop performing Hajj at a time just before the Last Hour.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning about the prophesy of the Prophet ﷺconcerning some of the matters of the unseen, which is one of the signs of his prophethood..

1594

Narrated Aboo Waa’il: (One day) I sat along with Shaybah on the chair inside the Ka`bah. He (Shaybah) said, "No doubt, `Umar sat at this place and said, 'I intended not to leave any yellow (i.e. gold) or white (i.e. silver) (inside the Ka`bah) undistributed.' I said (to `Umar), 'But your two companions (i.e. The Prophet (ﷺ) and Aboo Bakr) did not do so.' `Umar said, they are the two persons whom I always follow.' ".

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the Sacred House of Allah; thus, it is not allowed to mess around with it and its possessions. All the Prophets venerated it due to the glorification of Allah of it.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee, Aboo Waa’il, the brother of Ibn Salamah informs that he sat on a chair inside the Ka’bah with Shaybah bin ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah, the guardian and the custodian of the Ka’bah. According to a narration in Sunan Ibn Maajah, it reads, “A man sent me with dirhams as a gift to the House. I entered the House and Shaybah was seated on a chair. I gave them to him. He asked, ‘Are these yours?’ I replied, ‘No. If they were mine, then I would not have brought them to you.’ He said, ‘Since you have stated this, ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab sat on the same sitting place where you are now on.’” He informed him that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) intended not to leave any yellow item or white item (gold and silver) but to distribute it among the people. He meant the treasure that it contained. It is what was gifted to it and what was above the necessity that was stored therein. In the period of ignorance, the people would gift the wealth to the Ka’bah due to its veneration, and this wealth would accumulate therein.
When Shaybah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that his two previous companions – the Prophet ﷺand Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) – did not do that while they saw the treasure of the Ka’bah and its status, although they were in more need of wealth [for distribution] than ‘Umar, yet they did not disturb it and neither did they distribute it among the poor. On this, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) remarked, “They are two perfect persons from whose deeds I would not dissent, rather I would follow them instead.”
It was said that it is possible that the Prophet ﷺleft it there only in consideration with Quraysh just as he ﷺleft the reconstruction of the Ka’bah upon the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him).” This position is corroborated by one report narrated in Saheeh Muslim from the hadeeth of ‘Aaishah concerning the rebuilding of the Ka’bah (on its original foundations), “I would have spent the treasure of the Ka’bah in the path of Allah.” Based on this, its expenditure [in the path of Allah] is permissible just as it was permissible for ‘Abdullah bin al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) rebuilding it upon the foundations of Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him), since the cause of prohibition no longer exists. The Prophet’s statement, “in the path of Allah,” can mean to spend on the good cause for the welfare of the Muslims or the refurbishment of the Ka’bah itself.
From the benefits that we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that we should imitate and empathise with the deeds of the Prophets and the righteous.
This hadeeth shows the following of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) of the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah ﷺand his footsteps in his deeds.
It also highlights that it is important to venerate the Ka’bah and all those things that are related to it..

1595

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺwould foretell people about some events that will occur in the future and explains to them that trials and tribulations like the violation of the sanctities of sacred places will take place towards the end of time.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺtells us that among the events that will occur in the future is that the Ka’bah will be demolished at the hand of a bowlegged black person. This man will dismantle it brick by brick i.e., this is a description of the method of demolition to indicate that he will remove it completely while he has full power and authority to an extent that he will uproot its stones and will break it one after the other!
It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, “The Ka’bah will be ruined by a bowlegged man from the Abyssinians.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree]. Then, the Prophet ﷺmentions that the House will be visited for pilgrimage after the advent of Gog and Magog and that Prophet Jesus (peace be upon him) will perform Hajj and ‘Umrah after that. From the collection of all that it became known that the attack on the Ka’bah and its demolition will occur after the appearance of Gog and Magog and after the time of Jesus (peace be upon him), and that will happen in the end of times closer to the establishment of the Last Hour. And Allah knows best.
This hadeeth does not contradict with the ayah: {Have We not establish for them a haven [in Makkah].} (Quran 28:57) because it means that it will continue to be a haven for people until the approach of the Hour and ruination of the world, at a time when there will be not even be one Muslim on the face of earth. It is said that the story of the man with two thin legs is an exception or that Allah has made it a safe sanctuary given how it is often the case, because there were incidents where the sanctuary of Makkah was violated like the case of Ibn al-Zubayr and the story of al-Qaraamitah and the likes. It was said that the meaning of making it a safe sanctuary is in fact the command to ensure it is so i.e., it is incumbent upon the Muslims to grant safety to people and not to show aggression to anyone therein.
This hadeeth shows that the Prophet ﷺforetold us about some of the unseen matters that will happen in the future, which is considered among the signs of his prophethood ﷺ..

1597

Narrated ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Black Stone, he kissed it and then he stated. “Certainly, I am aware that you are just a stone, which does not harm or benefit. Had I not seen the Prophet (ﷺ) kissing you, then I would have not kissed you.”
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Commentary : The Black Stone is an object of reverence which Allah, Exalted be He, brought down from Paradise. The Prophet ﷺused to kiss it, hence, following his guidance we also kiss it, touch it, and point towards it, although, it is a stone that does not avert harm or bring forth benefit.
This hadeeth highlights the total submission of the Companions and the strength of their faith. The Taabi’ee. ‘Aabis bin Rabee’ah reports that ‘Umar bin al-Khattaab (ra) used to kiss the Black Stone, which is a rock set into the southeast corner of the Ka’bah, and it is embedded in a silver frame.
He (ra) did so because he saw the Prophet ﷺkissing it and had he not seen him doing so, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would not have kissed it, because he knew that it is just a rock that does not harm and benefit per se. The only benefit that one can obtain from kissing it is receiving reward through emulating the command of the Prophet ﷺand following the Sunnah of his kissing.That is because Allah has granted some stones virtues over the others, some pieces of lands over the others, and some nights and days over the others. The kissing of the Black Stone has been prescribed as a form of showing respect and veneration to its right and to observationally know who obeys the command and refrains from the prohibition. This is similar to the story of Satan when he was commanded to prostate to Adam (peace be upon him).
It was said: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) only said that because they were very close in time to the idolatry, and he feared that the ignorant ones will think that touching the Black Stone is the same as what the Arabs used to do in the time of ignorance. He intended to teach them that it is only the exaltation of Allah and adherence to the command of the Prophet intended by the touching of the [Black] Stone and that it is part of the rites of Hajj.
From the benefits of this hadeeth: it contains a great rule about following the Prophet ﷺin all his actions, even if the wisdom therein remains unknown.
This hadeeth shows that it is permissible to kiss the Black Stone and it is prohibited to kiss any other stones and objects that we are not prescribed to kiss, and there is no mention of them in Islam.
It demonstrates the Sunnah through words and actions, and that it is compulsory on the ruler to hasten to clarify a matter and explain it when he fears about the corruption of someone’s creed due to a certain action..

1598

Narrated Saalim from his father: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the House as well as Usaamah bin Zayd, Bilaal, and ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah (ra). They closed the doors on themselves. When they opened the door, I was the first one to enter. I met Bilaal and asked him, “Did the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) pray inside it?” He replied, “Yes, between the two Yamaanee pillars.””.

Commentary : The Ka’bah is the ancient House of Allah that Muslims revere and respect. The Prophet ﷺprayed inside it during the year of the Conquest of Makkah.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ, Usaamah bin Zayd, Bilaal, and ‘Uthmaan bin Talhah (may Allah be pleased with them) entered the Ka’bah and closed the door on themselves from inside. When they opened it, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) happened to be the first one to enter it. He asked Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him), “Did the Prophet ﷺperform prayers inside?” He replied, “Yes, he prayed between the two Yamaanee pillars that face towards Yemen.”
It is reported in another hadeeth that, “He ﷺmade one pillar to be on his left and the other pillar to be on his right and three behind him. The House in that time used to stand on six pillars, then he ﷺperformed his prayers.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. The length between where he prayed and the Qiblah was three cubits, as it is mentioned in Sunan Aboo Daawood.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree wherein the following is mentioned, “He entered the House and he pronounced takbeer in all its corners and he did not pray in it.” The confirmation of Bilaal takes precedence over the negation of others, because Ibn ‘Abbaas was not with the Prophet ﷺon that day. He attributed his negation to sometimes (narrating from) Usaamah and to sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It is said that it is possible that the entrance [of the Prophet ﷺ] to the House happened twice, on one occasion he ﷺperformed prayers, while, on the other, he ﷺdid not pray.
From the benefits we can conclude from this hadeeth is learning that it is permissible to enter the Ka’bah and performing prayers therein.
This hadeeth shows the passion and keenness to acquire knowledge and asking about it, and that it is permitted to ask someone who is of lower status while someone of a higher status is present and to find him sufficient.
It highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) due to his profound eagerness to follow the footsteps of the Prophet ﷺ.
One can also learn from this hadeeth that a companion possessing great virtues would sometimes be absent from the Prophet ﷺduring some virtuous occasions, while someone of a lower rank than him would be present and would come to know what others had not learnt..

1599

Narrated Naafi’: Whenever Ibn ‘Umar (ra) entered the Ka’bah, he would proceed ahead keeping the door at his back on entering. He would walk until the distance between him and the wall in front of him would be three cubits. Then he would offer prayers at the place where the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)had performed prayers, as Bilaal informed him. There is nothing for anyone to offer prayers in any one the corners of the House which he wishes.
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Commentary : Ibn ‘Umar (ra) was known for his profound love and eagerness to follow the example of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, Naa’fi, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, reports that whenever ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar (ra) entered the Ka’bah, he would walk straight ahead and would leave the door behind his back and would proceed until the distance between him and the wall in front of him is of about three cubits, which would give him enough space to pray with ease. He would look for the exact place where the Prophet ﷺprayed, which he came to know about from Bilaal (ra). Then he explained that there is nothing wrong for anyone to perform prayers anywhere inside the Ka’bah if the door is closed. It appears that this statement is made by Naafi’, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, whilst maintaining the possibility that it could be someone else’s statement.
It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ “made one pillar to be on his left and the other pillar to be on his right and three behind him. The House in that time used to stand on six pillars, then he ﷺperformed his prayers.” The distance between him and the Qiblah was three cubits, as reported in Sunan Aboo Daawood.
The scholars reconciliated between this hadeeth and the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Abbaas (ra) in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree wherein the following is mentioned, “He entered the House and he pronounced takbeer in all its corners and he did not pray in it.” The confirmation of Bilaal takes precedence over the negation of others, because Ibn ‘Abbaas was not with the Prophet ﷺon that day. He attributed his negation to sometimes (narrating from) Usaamah and to sometimes to his brother al-Fadl. It is said that it is possible that the entrance [of the Prophet ﷺ] to the House happened twice, on one occasion he ﷺperformed prayers, while, on the other, he ﷺdid not pray.
From the benefits to be concluded from this hadeeth is knowing that it is permissible to enter the Ka’bah and pray therein.
The hadeeth shows that whoever arrives first is more entitled to pray at the virtuous spot.
It also shows that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) learn and benefit from each other..

1600

Narrated ‘Abdullah bin Abee Awfaa (ra): “The Messenger of Allah ﷺperformed ‘Umrah and did circumambulate round the Ka’bah and offered a two-units-prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraaheem (the standing place of Ibraaheem) while some of his Companions covered him from people.” A person inquired from him, “Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺenter the Ka’bah? He replied, “No.”
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Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would eagerly observe all the acts of worship, dealings, and interactions of the Prophet ﷺ. As such, they ensured to closely observe how he performed the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah so as to learn his Sunnah and thereafter to act upon it.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah bin Abee Awfaa (ra) reports that the Prophet ﷺperformed his first ‘Umrah, a.k.a. ‘Umrah al-Qadaa’ in the seventh year of Hijrah, before the Conquest of Makkah. In this ‘Umrah, he performed the Tawaaf round the Ka’bah, offered a two-units prayer behind the Maqaam of Ibraaheem whilst some of his Companions veiled him from the front so that no person can cross in front of him while praying. A man asked him, “Did the Messenger of Allah really enter the Ka’bah in this ‘Umrah?” Ibn Abee Awfaa replied, “In this ‘Umrah the Prophet ﷺdid not enter it.”
Entrance into the Ka’bah is not among the rites of Hajj and ‘Umrah, however, who enters it, then that is good for him, whereas, who does not enter it, then there is nothing to blame him for. It is reported in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺentered inside the Ka’bah when he conquered Makkah after removing all the idols and pictures which were placed inside and then he ﷺprayed inside of it. .

1007

‘Ā’ishah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every one of the children of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints. He who proclaims the greatness of Allah praises Allah, declares Allah's oneness, glorifies Allah, seeks forgiveness from Allah, and removes a stone, or a thorn, or a bone from people's path, and enjoins Ma'rūf (what is good) and forbids Munkar (what is wrong), to the number of those three hundred and sixty joints, will walk that day having saved himself from Hellfire.".

Commentary : Allah created humankind in the best form, prepared for them the circumstances and conditions for life, guided and directed them, and gave them innumerable favors. All this entails gratitude and praise to Allah. But how could that possibly be equal to Allah's favors?! However, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed us in this Hadīth to an act that pleases our Lord, Exalted be He. He told us that Allah Almighty created all children of Adam in one form. He informed us that people's body is created with "three hundred and sixty joints". The joint is the place at which two bones are joined in the body. And this is one of the things for which thanks should be given. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed us to some forms of worship that save those who perform them from Hellfire. He said: "He who proclaims the greatness of Allah", extolling Him or saying: Allāhu Akbar (Allah is the Greatest); "praises Allah, declares Allah's oneness" by saying: Lā Ilāha Illa Allah (there is no god but Allah); "glorifies Allah", declaring Him far exalted above such attributes that do not befit Him, this is to say: Subhān Allah (glory be to Allah); "and removes", i.e., turns away and puts aside "a stone, a thorn, or a bone from people's path". The word 'or' aims at diversification. The intended meaning is to remove all harmful objects with the intention to remove harm in pursuit of Allah's reward. This also applies to enjoining Ma'rūf (good) and forbidding Munkar (evil). Ma‘rūf: It is a term that comprises all that is known to be a form of obedience to Allah Almighty and benevolence to people. "Munkar": 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.
So, if anyone performs these aforementioned good acts and the like to the number of three hundred and sixty joints, he will walk on earth having saved and turned himself away from the fire of the Hereafter.
In a Hadīth by Muslim, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Sufficient instead of all that are two Rak‘ahs which he offers in the forenoon", i.e., it is sufficient instead of the charities due on the joints to offer the Duha prayer, which comprises two Rak‘ahs. This is because prayer is an act that uses all the body parts and includes all that has been mentioned, of charities and other deeds.
The Hadīth points out that the creation of man requires praise and gratitude to Allah.
It indicates that there are numerous areas of goodness that lead to salvation from Hellfire.
It shows that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed his Ummah to all goodness and what involves obedience to their Lord, as well as gratitude and praise to Him, Exalted be He.
The Hadīth urges the performance of good deeds in a continued and persistent manner..

1013

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The earth will vomit long pieces of its liver like columns of gold and silver, and the murderer will come and say: It was for this that I committed murder; the breaker of kinship ties will come and say: It was for this that I broke the kinship ties; and the thief will come and say: It was for this that my hands were cut off. Then, they will leave it and will not take anything from it.".

Commentary : Intense love for money may be a cause for killing and severing kinship ties, but one day, it will be valueless. One of the minor signs of the Hour, which is yet to happen, is that the earth will bring out its hidden treasures.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs us that a day will come when the earth will throw pieces of its liver. i.e., it will bring out the pieces and treasures buried in its bowels. What is inside the earth is called liver by way of likening it to the liver in the abdomen of camels and other animals. In fact, this is the dearest among the things hidden therein, just as the liver is the tastiest among the contents of the abdomen of camels and the most beloved among them to the Arabs. "like columns of gold and silver". He likened them to columns for their massive size and abundance. "and the murderer will come and say: It was for this", i.e., for the like of this and because of this, I killed the soul forbidden by Allah to be killed. The one who broke kinship ties due to his intense keenness on wealth will come, look at what the earth brought out, and say: It was for this that I broke the ties with my relatives. I did not uphold the ties with them and denied them their rights. And the thief will come and say: It is for the like of wealth that I stole and so my hands were cut off as a legal punishment. Then, after they looked and said what they said, they would leave the treasure thrown by the earth, as it would be abundant and become like dust, and they would be in no need for it and have no desire for collecting wealth or because it would be of no avail then, as the Hour would be imminent and hopes for staying in worldly life would be dashed..

1015

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah is good and accepts only what is good. And Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded the messengers. He says: {O messengers, eat from the lawful things and act righteously, for I am All-Knowing of what you do} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 51]. And He says: {O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 172]" He then mentioned a person who travels for so long that his hair is disheveled, and he is covered with dust, and he lifts his hands toward the sky (saying), "O Lord, O Lord," but his food is unlawful, his drink is unlawful, his clothing is unlawful, and he has been nourished by the unlawful. So, how could that be answered?!.

Commentary : This Hadīth is one of the Hadīths that constitute the principles of Islam and the foundations of rulings. In it, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs his Ummah about the reasons for accepting supplications and that Allah is good and exalted above imperfections and He loves what is lawful and good. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) tells us that Allah is 'good' and exalted above imperfections and defects, and He possesses the perfect attributes and does not accept charity or other deeds unless they are free from the Shar‘i defects and evil intentions. And he said that Allah commanded the believers with what He commanded His messengers, delivering to them the same speech; He commanded them to eat what is lawful and act righteously. Allah says in His Qur'an: {O messengers, eat from the lawful things and act righteously, for I am All-Knowing of what you do.} [Surat al-Mu’minūn: 51] This call is addressed to all prophets, yet not at the same time, for they were sent at different times; rather, each of them was addressed at his time. This indicates that the legalization of good things is old legislation and that monasticism, and the abandonment of pleasures are objectionable. It also gives an indication that eating good things is conducive to righteous deeds whereby one seeks closeness to Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty commands the believers, saying: {O you who believe, eat of the good things We have provided for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 172] Meaning: O you who believe, eat of His lawful and pleasant things.
Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a person who travels for so long and frequently embarks on journeys; he travels for acts of worship, such as Hajj, ‘Umrah, Jihad, the pursuit of knowledge, and other areas of goodness. So, his hair becomes disheveled and scattered due to his long travel and fatigue, as he fails to tidy or comb his hair. Moreover, the color of his skin and clothes becomes dusty. In this state of his disheveled hair, dustiness, fatigue, and exhaustion, he raises his hands toward the sky in supplication - and raising one's hands toward the sky is one of the reasons that make a supplication readily answered - and says repeatedly: "O Lord, O Lord." It indicates that supplication with the word 'Lord' influences it being answered. So, it combined four reasons for making a supplication readily answered: Long travel, dull clothes and appearance, raising the hands toward the sky, and importunately asking Allah by repeatedly mentioning His lordship.
Yet his food, drink, and clothing are obtained through unlawful earning, and he has been nourished by the unlawful. His words "and he has been nourished by the unlawful" after the words "but his food is unlawful" is either because the fact that his food is unlawful does not necessitate that he has been nourished by it, or this points out that both conditions do equally apply to him; i.e., when he spends as an adult and when he was provided for as a child. In both conditions, the unlawful reaches his abdomen. So, by his words "but his food is unlawful," he pointed to his condition as an adult, and by his words "and he has been nourished by the unlawful," he pointed to his condition as a child.
So, the unlawful money was a reason for not answering his supplication. As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, how" i.e., for what reason "could that" i.e., the man or because of his mentioned condition "be answered?!" The question here denotes unlikelihood.
The Hadīth urges us to spend money out of lawful money and prohibits otherwise.
It indicates that drink, food, clothing, and the like should be lawful, pure, and subject to no suspicion.
It also exhorts us to close the door to unlawful earning and block the means to the unlawful, by declaring it as a reason for not answering supplications..

1017

Jarīr reported: We were with Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the early morning when there came to him some people barefooted and nude, clad in striped woolen rags, or covered with cloaks, with swords hanging down from their necks. Most of them, rather all of them, belonged to the Mudar tribe. The Prophet's face changed when he saw them starving. Then, he went into his house and came out, then he commanded Bilāl to call the Adhān. So, he called the Adhān and the Iqāmah, and he prayed and then delivered a sermon, saying: {O people, fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul} to the rest of the verse: {for Allah is ever Watchful over you} [Surat an-Nisā’: 1]. And the verse in Surat al-Hashr: {O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah} [Surat al-Hashr: 18]. A man gave charity from his Dinar, from his Dirham, from his clothes, from Sā‘ of his wheat, and from Sā‘ of his dates, until he said: "Be it half a date." He said: Then, a man from the Ansār came with a bundle which was difficult for him to hold in his hand. He said: Thereafter, the people came successively until I saw two heaps of food and clothes. I noticed that the Messenger's face was glowing like gilded silver. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam, he will have its reward and the reward of those who act upon it after him without anything being diminished from their rewards. And whoever introduces an evil practice in Islam will shoulder its sin and the sins of those who act upon it, without diminishing in any way their sins." [In a version]: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the early morning... and the rest is the same. It includes- He said: Then, he performed the Zhuhr prayer and then delivered a sermon. [In a version]: I was sitting with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when there came to him some people who were clad in woolen rags... and they narrated the Hadīth and its story. And it included- He offered the Zhuhr prayer and then ascended a small pulpit. He praised Allah, extolled Him, and then said: To proceed; indeed, Allah revealed in His Book: {O people, fear your Lord} to the rest of the verse. [In a version]: Some nomad Arabs came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), dressed in woolen clothes. He saw their dismal condition, as they were in severe want, and he narrated a similar Hadīth..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was a wise mentor, and he was considerate of the conditions of the people around him. He would teach them what was suitable for them in every situation. This includes urging them to give charity to the poor and needy.
In this Hadīth, Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the early part of the morning, "when there came to him some people barefooted," a barefooted person is one who does not wear leather socks, sandals, shoes, or any footwear, 'nude' as if they were mostly naked and wearing some clothes that concealed their private parts while leaving the rest of the body uncovered, "clad in striped woolen rags:" torn and worn clothes. The clothes were striped, made of wool, and were black and white in color, as if taking after the color of a tiger, i.e., they were wearing torn striped clothes. He expressed that by the word 'clad' because they wrapped the clothes around their bodies, making themselves inside them, or because they tore them from the middle and entered therein. Or they were wearing 'cloaks', which is a type of clothing. All these indications point to their severe poverty. Another feature of them is that they were hanging swords around their necks. They all belonged to Mudar, a major Arab tribe. In a version: They were Bedouins, and those are the Arabs who live in the desert. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw them in that state, his face changed and signs of sadness appeared on him, given the severe poverty he observed in them. He entered his house and then went out for the Zhuhr prayer when its time came, as related in another version; so, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded his muezzin Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him) to call the Adhān. So, he called the Adhān for the prayer and then the Iqāmah. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in prayer. After finishing the prayer, he ascended the pulpit and delivered a sermon. In another version: "He ascended a small pulpit and praised Allah and extolled Him. Then, he said: to proceed," a phrase to separate between parts of speech when the speaker wants to shift from one topic to another. The meaning: I say after the previous testimony of faith and praise of Allah Almighty. Then, he recited the verse that reads: {O people, fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul, and created from it its mate, and from both of them created countless men and women. Fear Allah in Whose name you ask one another, and be mindful of your kinship ties, for Allah is ever Watchful over you.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 1] This is the first verse of Surat an-Nisā’, wherein Allah Almighty calls out to His servants and commands them to fear Him, by observing His commands and prohibitions, for He is the One Who created them from a single soul, namely their father Adam, and created from Adam his wife Eve, their mother, and from both of them, He created so many people, males and females, all over the world. Then, He, Exalted be He, commands them again to fear Him, stressing the significance of this for the Muslim. He is the One in Whose name if one of you asks another for something, he will grant his request. Likewise, extol Him by obeying His commands to you, and beware of cutting the kinship ties that connect you together. Indeed, Allah is ever Watchful over you, and nothing of your deeds escapes Him; rather, He records them and recompenses you accordingly.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited to them the verse that reads: {O you who believe, fear Allah, and let every soul consider what it has sent forth for tomorrow. And fear Allah. Indeed, Allah is All-Aware of what you do.} [Surat al-Hashr: 18] Allah Almighty directs the call in this verse to the believers, and after He, Exalted be He, commands them to fear Him, He invites them to perform the righteous deeds that will preserve them in the Hereafter.
Then, in his sermon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised and urged them to give charity, saying: "A man gave charity" is an informative statement that gives the sense of command, meaning: Let a man give charity according to his ability "from his Dinar," which is gold, or "from his Dirham," which is silver, or "from his clothes," or "from Sā‘ of his wheat," or "from a Sā‘ of his dates." This falls under giving food in charity. A Sā‘ is a kind of measure that was used during the Prophet's time. Here it is not meant as a specific measure but urging them to give charity from what is possible. "until he said: be it half a date."
Jarīr (may Allah be pleased with him) said that a man from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - came with 'a bundle' - which is a tied sack containing Dirhams or Dinars - that was difficult for him to hold in his hand, given its heaviness due to numerous coins therein. Thereafter, the people came successively and gave charity one after another, until Jarīr ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) saw "two heaps." A heap refers to a lot of things placed one on top of the other. "of food and clothes;" they were probably singled out, with no mention of money, because food and clothes were the dominant elements. This was until he noticed that the Messenger's face was glowing in joy and pleasure, like "gilded silver," which is more profound in indicating the beauty and brightness of the face. The meaning: The Prophet's face became cheerful so much so that it glowed and brightened in pleasure and joy over the Muslims' readiness to obey Allah and His Messenger, give from their money, fulfill the needs of those needy people, show compassion towards their brothers, and cooperate in righteousness and piety.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever introduces a good practice in Islam," i.e., he introduces a praiseworthy way that is confirmed by one of the fundamental principles of the religion, or which becomes a motive and reason for promoting something established in the Shariah; and others follow his example in it. So, he will obtain the reward for doing this act, as well as the reward of those who do it after he has introduced this practice, without anything, large or small, being diminished from their rewards. Indeed, this reward is for prompting them to do this act, not for the act itself. This points to the Prophet's praise of the Ansāri man who came with the bundle, shows his merit, and encourages his act. "And whoever introduces an evil practice in Islam," i.e., he does a reprehensible act and produces an unpraiseworthy way that is not supported by any of the fundamental principles of the religion, and he begins to engage in it before others, and so others follow his example in this regard; hence, he will incur the sin for doing it and the sin of those who do it after him, without anything being diminished from their sins.
The Hadīth urges that a person hasten to do good first, so that others can follow his example. It also warns that he shouldn't be the first to do evil, lest his example be followed by others.
It encourages the doing of good whose reward is repeated by virtue of imitation and warns against evil whose sin is repeated because of imitation.
It shows the Prophet's mercy towards his Ummah..

1025

‘Umayr, the freed slave of Ābi al-Lahm, reported: My master commanded me to cut some meat into strips. Meanwhile, a poor man came to me, and I gave him some of it to eat. My master came to know about it, and he beat me. I went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned that to him. So, he summoned him and said: "Why did you beat him?" He said: "He gives away my food without me commanding him to do so." He said: "The reward is divided between you.".

Commentary : Islam is the religion of virtuous morals and sublime manners with all people, even servants who serve others in return for wages and slaves and bondmen; Islam enjoined kindness to them and helped liberate them from slavery and servitude.
In this Hadīth, ‘Umayr, the freed slave of Ābi al-Lahm (may Allah be pleased with him), relates that that his owner and master commanded him to cut some meat and dry it in the sun, a common practice among the Arabs. Qadd: is a lengthwise cutting. Some versions contain: "to Aqdur meat" i.e., to cook a pot of meat.
Meanwhile, a poor, needy person came to him, and he gave him a part of the meat without permission from his master. When his master learned about what he spent and gave in charity, he beat him as a discipline for his wrong act of disposing of someone else's property without their permission. ‘Umayr (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and related to him what happened. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent for his owner to come to him. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Why did you beat him?" By this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) first sought clarification about the beating and its cause. The man, the owner of the money and the slave's master, cited the reason that he gave out from his food without his permission. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "The reward is divided between you," i.e., do not beat him for that, because the reward obtained for the charity he gave from your property is divided between the two of you if you agree to that and make it permissible for your servant to give such things that are usually tolerated; so, you will have the reward for charity. This is not intended as approval that a slave may give from his master's property without his permission. Rather, he disliked the master's attitude as he beat him for something that turned out to be good. So, he urged the master to seize the reward and pardon him. This constitutes teaching and guidance for Ābi al-Lahm, not approval of the slave's action.
His statement: "The reward is divided between you" does not mean that the reward of one of them is shared with the other; thus the reward of the money itself is divided between the two of them. Rather, it means that each of them has a reward. In other words, this charity which the slave gives out with the permission of his master entails a reward for the amount of money and for the deed. Thus, it is divided between them: this person takes the share of his money, and this person takes the share of his deed. So, the owner of the money does not compete with the performer of the deed over the share of his deed, neither does the performer of the deed compete with the owner of the money over the share of his money.
The Hadīth mentions that the slave and the master are rewarded for the charity given by the slave: the master is rewarded for his money, and the slave is rewarded for his deed.
It indicates that a master can discipline his slave if he acts wrongly..

1025

‘Umayr, the freed slave of Ābi al-Lahm, reported: I was a slave, and I asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "May I give charity from the money of my masters?" He said: "Yes, and the reward will be half and half between you.".

Commentary : Islam urges noble manners and forbids evil ones. Noble manners include spending and giving charity to the poor and upholding kinship ties.
In this Hadīth, ‘Umayr, the freed slave of Ābi al-Lahm, relates that he was a slave at the early stage of Islam, and as he was a slave, not possessing money and could not dispose of his master's money. So, he asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about giving charity from his master's money to the poor and needy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied to him: "Yes, and the reward will be half and half between you" i.e., yes, you have the right to give charity from the money of your masters, and the reward of charity will be divided between you. So, Allah will give the reward to the servant who gives charity for his deed and will give the reward to the owner of the money for his money.
What appears from the narrations of this Hadīth is that the reward is divided between both of you if the master agrees to that and permits his servant to give charity out of his money in the first place. It is not intended that the slave may give without the approval of his master.
The reward being divided between them does not mean that the reward of one of them is shared with the other; thus the reward of the money itself is divided between the two of them. Rather, it means that each of them has a reward. In other words, this charity that the slave gives out with the permission of his master entails a reward for the amount of money and for the deed. Thus, it is divided between them: this person takes the share of his money, and this person takes the share of his deed. So, the owner of the money does not compete with the performer of the deed over the share of his deed, neither does the performer of the deed compete with the owner of the money over the share of his money.
The Hadīth indicates that we should ask the people of knowledge about things that cause unease within our minds.
It also points out that people should take care of their slaves and servants and comfort them by allowing them to give charity from their money, with their permission.
And it mentions that the slave and the master are rewarded for the charity given by the slave: the master is rewarded for his money, and the slave is rewarded for his deed..

1028

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who amongst you is fasting today?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am." He said: "Who amongst you followed a funeral procession today?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I did." He said: "Who amongst you fed a needy person today? Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I did." He said: "Who amongst you visited a sick person today? Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I did." Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They are not combined in a man except that he will enter Paradise.".

Commentary : One of the features of Prophetic guidance and education was that he used to draw people's minds and attention to his subject by asking a question. In this way, those present would become attentive. This is because every question by him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had a certain significance and objective, which would be known after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified and revealed the purpose behind his question.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs us to some virtues that lead those in whom they are combined to enter Paradise. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked a question to his Companions who were in his gathering. "Who amongst you is fasting today? Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am." He answered by saying "I am" by way of giving specific information, not as a form of self-pride, as people say when they are boastful. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) followed this question with other questions to proceed with clarifying the causes of entering Paradise. He said: "Who amongst you followed a funeral procession today?" by offering the funeral prayer and following the funeral procession till the deceased person is buried. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "I did." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who amongst you fed a needy person today? And he made him satiated and gave him the food he needed. A needy person is the one who cannot find sufficient sustenance. Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "I did." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked: "Who amongst you visited a sick person today?" Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "I did." So, regarding all the traits and acts the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked about, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he did all of them. Thus, all these honorable deeds were combined in one day for Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him). This indicates the keenness of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to do all kinds of virtuous deeds, seek their areas, and seize their times, as if he had nothing but pursuing them and seeking to get their rewards.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that if these four acts are combined and done in one day by someone, he will enter Paradise. It probably means that he will enter Paradise without reckoning or recompense for his bad deeds; otherwise, the mere Imān (faith) is sufficient for entering Paradise, even if the sinner is punished in Hellfire for his sins; his ultimate outcome is entering Paradise, so long as he is a believer in Tawhīd (monotheism); or it means: He will enter Paradise from any gate he wills, and Allah knows best.
The Hadīth shows the merit of righteous deeds, including fasting, charity, feeding the needy, and visiting the sick, and that they are traits and acts that lead to entering Paradise.
It points out that Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) possessed virtues, and this is part of his noble characteristics (may Allah be pleased with him).
It demonstrates how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to check on his Companions and direct them to do various kinds of good deeds..

1036

Abu ’Umāmah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O son of Adam, indeed if you spend your surplus wealth, it is good for you; and if you withhold it, it is bad for you. You are not blameworthy regarding the subsistence. Begin with your dependents. And the upper hand is better than the lower hand.".

Commentary : This Hadīth contains a Prophetic instruction to people not to withhold and amass wealth, and it directs them to spend and give and not to beg of others. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "O son of Adam"; this is a call from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to all children of Adam, though his instruction is particularly addressed to his Muslim Ummah. To spend your excessive wealth and give it in charity for the sake of Allah is "good for you" in this world and the Hereafter for its enduring reward. But to withhold this surplus and deny it to others is "bad for you" in the sight of Allah and the sight of people because if someone withholds it from fulfilling a duty, he deserves the punishment for that. If he withholds it from doing something commendable, this diminishes his reward, and he misses a benefit for himself in the Hereafter, and this is all bad.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determines that a person is not to blame for withholding the money sufficient for him and his dependents and which enables him to spend on his family, lest they may beg people. Subsistence is the provision that suffices a person and makes him in no need for begging others, along with contentment, and it does not exceed one's needs.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructs us to begin with our dependents, such as ourselves and our wives and children. Indeed, the best charity is what a person gives out of his wealth after fulfilling the rights of himself and his dependents so that the giver of charity will not become needy after giving charity to others. His statement "begin with your dependents" is evidence that spending on one's family is better than giving charity, for charity is voluntary, whereas spending on one's family is obligatory. This all falls under the Prophetic education to be abstinent and content, prioritize spending to provide for his family and dependents sufficiently and give charity when financially stable.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determines an instructive rule, saying: "And the upper hand", which spends, "is better than the lower hand" i.e., which begs or takes.
The Hadīth directs us to spend our excessive money on charitable and good purposes.
It determines the order of priority in spending, giving, and charity, and we should begin with what is more important and then what is next in importance..

1037

Mu‘āwiyah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever Allah wills to do good to, He makes him well-versed in the religion." And I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, I am a treasurer, so whoever I give something willingly will be blessed for him, and whoever I give something due to his begging and covetousness is like one who eats and is not satiated.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty is Forbearing and Merciful toward His servants, and He loves good for them. And our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the best-natured person among people, and he taught us abstinence and contentment.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that when Allah wants to do a lot of good and a great benefit to someone, He makes him well-versed in religion. He grants him the Shar‘i knowledge and awareness of the matters of his religion until he gains a proper understanding of it and becomes knowledgeable about the truth, acting upon it and calling others to it with insight and guidance. This is the goodness to which no other goodness in this existence comes close in terms of its merit, honor, and high status, for it is the legacy of the prophets, who left behind no other legacy.
Goodness is particularly linked to having a good understanding of the religion and not merely hearing and bearing the Fiqh, for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), in a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd and others, said: "May Allah brighten (his face) a man who hears a Hadīth from us, memorizes it, and passes it on to others, for a bearer of Fiqh may convey it to someone who has better understanding than him, and there may be a bearer of Fiqh who is not a Faqīh." A person who hears a Hadīth and narrates it may not be a scholar or Faqīh, but he memorizes the Sunnah and passes it on to others who are capable of comprehension and deduction. A Faqīh in religion is one who can deal with the texts and understand them properly, and thus, things become clear to him, and he can see the way. This type of knowledge leads the one who possesses it to fear Allah, adhere to His obedience, and avoid His prohibitions. Fiqh in religion is attained by contemplating the texts of the Qur’an and the Sunnah and knowing the treasures, creeds, rulings, and wisdom contained therein.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, I am a treasurer", i.e., a trustee and preserver of what Allah Almighty gave me. The real Giver is Allah Almighty, not me. I only distribute what I have in the way Allah commanded me. Verily, all matters happen according to His will and determination, Exalted be He, whereas people are directed slaves of Allah. "So, whoever I give something" without him asking for it; rather, I give it to him "willingly, it will be blessed for him," i.e., the benefits of this taken money will increase, and it will see greater growth. "and whoever I give something due to his begging and covetousness", i.e., as for a person who asks for something while coveting it and being keen to obtain it, he is "like one who eats and is not satiated", i.e., the more he takes from it, the greater his desire for it becomes, and he becomes covetous, belittles what he possesses, and aspires to have more. As a result, Allah Almighty does not bless what he has taken by begging, while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) disliked his importunateness. This demonstrates the evil outcome of begging without a valid excuse.
The Hadīth points out the merit of knowledge and acquiring knowledge of the religion.
It urges abstinence and contentment and forbids begging without necessity..

1037

Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Beware of Hadīths, except those Hadīths during the reign of ‘Umar, for indeed ‘Umar used to make people fearful of Allah Almighty.".

Commentary : Transmitting the Prophet's Sunnah and narrating Hadīths from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is a great matter and serious responsibility. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen on the accuracy and authenticity of these narrations.
In this tradition, Caliph Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him) warns his subjects and those around him about the excessive narrating of Hadīths from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) without verification of the reports or differentiation between the Sunnah and Prophetic Hadīths and other reports, lest they might engage in lying about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Indeed, lying about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is a sin that is more grave than lying about others. Mu‘āwiyah's warning to the people was during his reign, given the prevalent transmission of reports about the People of the Book and the contents that were found in their books after their countries were conquered. So, he feared that their statements could be mixed with the statements of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Yet, he excluded the time and reign of 'Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: "Beware of Hadīths, except those Hadīths during the reign of ‘Umar" i.e., unless you accept and narrate the Hadīths that were known, widely acted upon, and acknowledged during the time of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). And more worthy among them are those Hadīths that were narrated by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) himself.
Then, clarifying why he excluded Hadīths that were during the reign of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), he said: "For indeed 'Umar used to make people fearful" by his strength and firmness, as he used to punish those who committed mistakes and beat them with his small staff in order to defend and preserve the rights of Allah Almighty and the matters of His religion, lest the Hadīths of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) might be subject to distortion and alteration. Therefore, Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) urged the people to refer to the Hadīths that were narrated during that era, given that it was marked by great meticulousness in the narration of Hadīths. This is because 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to emphasize to his subjects the seriousness of transmitting reports from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). For example, he would require witnesses for Hadīths. So, he regulated this matter, and the people feared his authority and prohibition of hurried narration of Hadīths. As a result, the sound Hadīths were verified, and the Sunan became widely known and distinguished from other texts during his time (may Allah be pleased with him).
This does not limit the meticulousness in the narration of Hadīths to the reign of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) only, but it also existed during the Prophet's lifetime and after that, till the era of Hadīth compilation, as Allah Almighty caused to exist those who revised the Hadīths of His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and distinguished the sound ones from others and verified the narrations and those who transmitted them, based on precise and strict rules. Mu‘āwiyah's attitude shows his keenness during his time in examining and distinguishing the Prophet's statements from others.
The Hadīth points out the merit of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) with regard to preserving the Sunnah during his caliphate.
The ruler should urge his subjects to seek knowledge and try to verify and distinguish the sound from the unsound..

1038

Mu‘āwiyah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not be importunate in asking, for by Allah, if one of you asks me for something and I give it to him while I am reluctant, there will be no blessing in what I give him.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to teach and educate the Muslims to be well-mannered and to ask for things with dignity in all matters. This is intended to keep the relationships between the Muslims good and free from such ill feelings as hatred, anger, and the like, which may exist due to importunate and persistent asking.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directs us not to ask for something in an immoderate or importunate manner, needlessly and unjustifiably. Allah Almighty says: {They do not ask people importunately.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 273] Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained why he forbade importunate asking. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore in an emphatic way that if anyone importunately asks him for something and he grants his request, while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is actually reluctant to give that thing to him, because he only gives it to him to avert his bad attitude, the result is that Allah Almighty will not bless him in what he has taken by persistent and importunate asking. This demonstrates the evil outcome of importunate asking.
The Hadīths reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) indicate that blessing will exist in the given money if it is given willingly and taken kindly.
It urges abstinence and kindness and prohibits asking for something without necessity..

1041

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He who asks people for their wealth to increase his own only asks for live coals; so, let him ask for a little or much.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to teach the Muslims and educate them to be well-mannered and to ask for anything in a good and dignified way.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that if a person asks people to give him from their wealth to increase his own wealth without truly being in need, the result of such asking is that this money will become live coals in the Hereafter with which he will be burned. This is also indicated by another version in Sunan Ibn Mājah: "he only asks for the live coals of Hell." Seeking to increase one's wealth is called live coals because live coals come because of it. This is similar to the verse that reads: {Indeed, those who consume the orphans’ property unjustly, only consume fire into their bellies} to the rest of the verse. [Surat an-Nisā’: 10]
After this intimidation and clarification, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "so, let him ask for a little or much," i.e., let the beggar take a little of these live coals, or let him take much of it. This command was said by way of threatening, warning, and deriding.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left it to the beggar whether he wants to ask for a little or much, seeking to deter him from that. Begging is self-humiliating, and Allah Almighty does not like it for the believer. A Muslim should be self-respecting.
The Hadīth warns against devouring people's property unjustly.
It shows disapproval of begging people without necessity.
It also demonstrates the penalty for he who begs of people often.
The Hadīth indicates that the Day of Judgment is the day of full recompense, be it a reward or punishment..

1042

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "For one of you to go out early to gather firewood and carry it on his back so that he can give charity from it and be free of the need to people is better for him than asking a man who may give to him or refuse. Indeed, the upper hand is more virtuous than the lower hand, and begin with your dependents." [In a version]: "By Allah, for one of you to go out early in the morning to gather firewood and carry it on his back and sell it for its equivalent.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on teaching and educating Muslims to be well-mannered and to ask for things with dignity in all matters. This is intended to keep the relationships between the Muslims good and free from ill feelings such as hatred, anger, and the like, which may exist due to importunate and persistent asking.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) teaches us that if a poor man goes out in the early morning and gathers firewood and carries it on his back and then sells it and earns money, and from this money he gives charity and becomes in no need for begging from people - even though this involves hardship - is better, nobler and more honorable and merciful for him "than to ask a man" and beg from others. "Who may give to him or refuse?" Giving and withholding are alike; both are humiliating. If he refuses to give to him, he makes him heartbroken and sad; and if he gives to him, this counts as a favor bestowed upon him.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged abstinence, saying: "the upper hand", which gives, is more virtuous and dearer in the sight of Allah Almighty "than the lower hand", which begs and takes charity.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructs us to begin with our dependents, including ourselves and our wives and children. Indeed, the best charity is what a person gives out of his wealth after fulfilling the rights of himself and his dependents so that the giver of charity does not become in need after giving charity to others. His statement "begin with your dependents" shows that spending on one's family is better than giving charity, for charity is voluntary, whereas spending on one's family is obligatory. This all falls under the Prophetic education to be abstinent and content and prioritize spending so that a person should sufficiently provide for his family and dependents and then give charity when financially stable.
The Hadīth urges us to eat from the earnings of our labor and to earn money by permitted means, like collecting firewood, and it urges us to give charity..

1043

‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘i reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and we were nine, eight, or seven. He said: "Will you not give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?" We said: "We have already given you the pledge of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah." Then, he said: "Will you not give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?" We said: "We have already given you the pledge of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah." Then, he said: "Will you not give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?" He said: We extended our hands and said: "We have already given you the pledge of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah. So, for what should we give you the pledge of allegiance?" He said: "To worship Allah and not associate any partners with him; to establish the five prayers; to obey; (and he said in a low tone) and to not ask people for anything. Indeed, I saw some of those men so much so that if the whip fell from one of them, he would not ask anyone to hand it to him.".

Commentary : Mubāya‘ah is to give the pledge of allegiance to adhere to Islam and be committed to abide by its rulings. It was called Mubāya‘ah because each one of those involved in it would extend his hand to his companion, and as it involves the Mu‘āwadah (compensation), as Allah Almighty says: {Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their wealth, and in return they will have Paradise.} [Surat at-Tawbah: 111] This was a deal with Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he was with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) within a group of the Companions, who had recently given the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). They numbered nine, eight, or seven. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked them to give him the pledge of allegiance, beginning his speech with words that drew their attention and aroused their minds, saying: "Will you not give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?" This is intended to urge them to give the pledge of allegiance to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said, "give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah," and did not say, "give the pledge of allegiance to me," to notify that the motive for this pledge is the message. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his question "Will you not give the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?" three times to exert emphasis on that. So, they extended their hands after the third time to give the pledge of allegiance, in compliance with the Prophet's command. When they wanted to give the pledge of allegiance to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they said: "We have already given you the pledge of allegiance, O Messenger of Allah." They said that thinking he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) may have forgotten that they had previously given him the pledge of allegiance, as they had done so only recently. Hence, they wanted to remind him of that. Or they sought clarification over what kind of pledge of allegiance was required of them now? This is indicated by their words "for what?" i.e., what are the things over which we should "give you the pledge of allegiance?" In response, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "To worship Allah" alone, to obey Him, and not to associate any partners with him, major or minor Shirk and the apparent or hidden one. The second thing is to give the pledge of allegiance over establishing the obligatory "five prayers" along with their requirements and pillars. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said "in a low tone," i.e., he did not say these words as loudly as he said the previous ones. These words are about not asking people for anything. Thus, he urged self-restraint and presenting one's needs to Allah alone and not asking any person for anything. It seems that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) uttered the prohibition about asking people in a low voice so as to direct this to some people and not others and not to make it applicable to everyone, for this cannot be applicable to all, because asking is unavoidable, self-restraint is necessary, richness is sure to exist, and poverty is certainly there. Allah Almighty predestined all of these. So, people are necessarily divided into two categories.
The prohibited asking is that which pertains to worldly matters. This does not include asking about knowledge and religious matters, as Allah Almighty says: {Ask the people of knowledge, if you do not know.} [Surat an-Nahl: 43]
This is all spiritual education and psychological discipline for the Muslims that they should ask of their Lord alone, which achieves self-restraint for themselves. By this, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) exhorts noble manners and avoidance of bearing favors from others, and he teaches patience over unpleasant things, not asking people for things, and self-respect.
Then, ‘Awf (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Indeed, I saw some of those men", referring to the Companions who gave the pledge of allegiance to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in that gathering, "that when the whip fell from one of them, he would not ask anyone to hand it to him," i.e., some of them took the prohibition to mean asking in general. So, if anything fell from them, they would not ask anyone to hand it over to them. Even if something fell from one of them while riding a mount, he would get off and pick it up and not ask anyone to hand it to him, in compliance with the pledge of allegiance he gave to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This shows their care and complete observance of the things over which they gave the pledge of allegiance, even regarding such simple matters.
The Hadīth turns people away from asking others and urges them to keep away from all such things that are called asking, even if a little.
It also points to the adoption of general rules, for they were prohibited from asking, and so they took the prohibition to be generally applicable..

1044

Qabīsah ibn Mukhāriq al-Hilāli reported: I became a guarantor for a payment, and I came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to beg him regarding it. He said: "Wait until the Zakah comes to us, and we will order it to be given to you. He said: Then, he said: "O Qabīsah, begging is only lawful for one of three: a man who has become a guarantor for a payment; begging is lawful for him until he gets it, after which he must stop (begging); a man who has been stricken by a catastrophe and it destroys his property; begging is lawful for him until he gets what makes ends meet - or he said: what provides a sufficient subsistence; and a man who has been smitten by poverty, about whom three wise members of his people confirm by saying: So and so has been smitten by poverty; begging is lawful for him until he gets what fulfills basic needs - or he said: what provides a sufficient subsistence - after which he must stop (begging). Any other reason for begging - O Qabīsah - brings unlawful gains, and one who engages in it consumes it as an unlawful gain.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to teach and educate the Muslims to be well-mannered and to ask for things in a good and self-respecting way, regarding all matters. This is intended to keep the relationship among the Muslims a good one that does not involve hatred or the like.
This Hadīth clearly shows a practical aspect of this Prophetic education, and it has an illustrative introduction that demonstrates the reason that obliged and forced the Companion Qabīsah ibn Mukhāriq (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask for help from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Qabīsah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I became a guarantor for a payment," i.e., I became responsible for a debt. Payment here refers to what a person bears, takes as a debt, and pays it for the purpose of reconciliation, like reconciling between two tribes, and so on. If a guarantor asks someone to help him with the required payment, this is not regarded as detracting from his status; rather, it is considered to be a source of honor and pride. Therefore, this man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to help him with this payment of his, according to their tradition. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded to him positively, by way of helping in what is good. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him to wait until the Zakah of people came to him, and then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give him therefrom, for indeed begging was lawful for him and he deserved to be given out of the Zakah. This is because he incurred a debt for something not sinful, and he was one of those in debt who are mentioned in the verse of Zakah.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to him the types of persons for whom it is lawful to beg of people; As for the first type: It is he who incurred a debt for the purpose of reconciliation among people. He asks people for money so that he can pay off that debt. So, he takes the amount that is needed from the Zakah money, after which he should desist and refrain from asking and begging.
The second type of people for whom begging is lawful: "a man who has been stricken by a catastrophe;" a catastrophe is a blight that befalls fruits and property and eliminates them. So, if a person is hit by a heavenly blight and it eliminates his fruits or property, it becomes lawful for him to beg until he gets what fulfills his basic needs and subsistence. "Qiwām" and "Sidād" refer to such things that bring self-sufficiency and fulfill needs.
The third type of people for whom begging is lawful: A man who has been stricken by severe poverty, and it becomes so clear and apparent that three wise and rational persons from his people give testimony and say: "So and so has been smitten by poverty." He restricted that to rational people to point out that mindfulness is required for testimony. Hence, testimony should not be accepted from simple-minded people. And he determined they should be from his people because they are more aware of his condition.
Those are the people for whom begging is lawful, as related in the Hadīth. Begging for other reasons brings unlawful gains, and he who engages in it consumes unlawful gains. Indeed, unlawful gains eliminate blessing. Consuming here means benefiting in general.
His statement "and one who engages in it consumes it as an unlawful gain" signifies that a person who consumes an unlawful gain does not find a doubt that renders it permissible for himself; rather, he consumes it as an unlawful gain and a forbidden thing.
The Hadīth prohibits begging from people except for an urgent necessity.
It demonstrates the types of people for whom begging is lawful and clarifies the compelling reasons for that.
It also indicates that whoever takes people's property unjustly indeed consumes an unlawful gain and forbidden thing..

Book of Hadith