It was narrated that Jubayr ibn Mut‘im said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “As for me, I pour water over my head three times,” and he gestured with both hands..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to his ummah in both words and deeds how to purify oneself from impurity, which includes doing ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah. In this hadith, Jubayr ibn Mut‘im narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pour water over his head three times. Some of the Sahabah differed concerning the way in which the head is to be washed when doing ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah, and that discussion took place in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as is mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim. Each of them demonstrated how he did it, and some of the people said: As for me, I wash my head like this, showing how much water they used and how many times they poured water over their heads, being extremely thorough in cleansing it. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “As for me, I pour water over my head three times,” and he gestured with both hands. What that means is that he would take water in both hands, then pour it over his head, and he did that three times, to indicate the minimum amount of water that is sufficient to wash the head..

256

It was narrated that Abu Ja‘far said: Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said to me: Your cousin– meaning al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah – came to me and said: How is ghusl to be done to cleanse oneself from janabah? I said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take three handfuls of water and pour them over his head, then he would pour water over the rest of his body. Al-Hasan said to me: I am a man who has a lot of hair. I said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had more hair than you..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) all religious matters – especially those that are done repeatedly every day, such as wudu’, ghusl and prayer – so that they would know these things and convey them to those who came after them.
In this hadith, Abu Ja‘far Muhammad ibn ‘Ali al-Baqir said: Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: Your cousin came to me – meaning al-Hasan ibn Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah; this Muhammad was the son of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Hasan asked Jabir how to do ghusl to cleanse oneself from janabah. The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) as the result of a wet dream or intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to take three handfuls of water and pour it over his head, then he would pour water on the rest of his body. Al-Hasan said to Jabir: I am a man who has a lot of hair, indicating that this amount of water was too little to wash his head, and would not be enough for all of his hair, using that as an excuse to use more water. But Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had more hair than you, meaning that he used to do that with this amount of water, even though his hair was thick. This highlights that no one has any excuse for being extravagant in his use of water on the grounds that he wants to make it reach all of his hair [or body].
This hadith urges us to be economical in using water.
It highlights how long the hair of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was.
It also highlights the eagerness of the Tabi‘in to learn from the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them)..

258

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would call for a vessel the size of a milking pail, then he would scoop up a handful of water from it, and begin with the right side of his head, then the left side, and he gestured with both hands on the middle of his head..

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us in both word and deed how to do ghusl to cleanse ourselves from janabah, and the etiquette and Sunnahs of doing so.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would prepare to do that and he would ask that a vessel the size of a milking pail be brought. This refers to a vessel big enough to hold the milk of a she-camel. Then he would take a handful of water and start with the right side of his head, then the left side, then he did that with both hands on his head. In other words, he would take some water in his hand the first time and wash his head, starting on the right side, then he would take another handful of water and wash his head, starting on the left side. That was because he liked to start on the right in all things. Then he would take water in both hands for the last time, and pour it all over his head from his two hands. This is the Sunnah of ghusl as is proven from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights how the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were keen to describe the tiniest details of his life, so as to teach the ummah..

262

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to do ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah, he would wash his hands first..

266

It was narrated that Maymunah bint al-Harith said: I brought some water for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to do ghusl, and screened him. He poured water over his hand and washed it once or twice – Sulayman [one of the narrators] said: I do not know whether he mentioned a third time or not – then he poured water with his right hand onto his left hand and washed his private part. Then he rubbed his hand on the ground or on the wall. Then he rinsed his mouth and cleaned his nose, washed his face and hands, and washed his head. Then he poured water over his body. Then he stepped aside and washed his feet. Then I handed him a cloth, but he gestured like this with his hand, and did not want it..

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how to do ghusl to cleanse ourselves from janabah, and the etiquette and Sunnahs of doing so.
This hadith includes a description of his ghusl; his wife Maymunah bint al-Harith (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she brought water for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) for him to do ghusl with it, then she concealed him with a curtain or screen. He poured water on his hand before putting his hand into the vessel, washing it once or twice to clean it before putting his hand into the water and scooping it up. The narrator was not sure whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) washed his hands a third time or not. Then he poured water with his right hand over his left hand, and washed his private part, then he rubbed his hand on the ground or on the wall so as to remove dirt from his hand. Then he rinsed his mouth by taking water into his mouth and moving it around, then spitting it out; and he cleaned his nose by sniffing water up into his nose, then expelling it, to clean the nose. Then he washed his face and hands, then he washed his head. Thus he did wudu’ before doing ghusl. Then he poured water over the rest of his body. Then he stepped aside from that place, and washed his feet outside of the place where he had done ghusl. Then – after he had finished his ghusl – Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her) handed him a cloth with which to dry his body, but he gestured with his hand like this, indicating that he would not take it and did not want to take it; rather he left the water to fall from his body without him drying himself.
This hadith highlights how the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) were keen to describe the tiniest details of his life, so as to teach the ummah..

270

It was narrated that Muhammad ibn al-Muntashir said: I asked ‘A’ishah a question, and I told her what Ibn ‘Umar had said: I would not like to enter ihram in the morning with the smell of perfume still emanating from me. ‘A’ishah said: I put perfume on the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then he went around to his wives, then he entered ihram in the morning..

Commentary : Wearing perfume is one of the things that are prohibited whilst in ihram; what is meant is putting on perfume after entering ihram. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not like to have any trace of perfume on him, even if he had put it on before entering ihram. Hence he said: I would not like to enter ihram in the morning with the smell of perfume still emanating from me. When Muhammad ibn al-Muntashir mentioned to ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) what Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had said, she explained that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) put on perfume before entering ihram, and that she herself was the one who had put it on him, adorning him with beautiful fragrances before he formed the intention to perform the rituals, and before he entered ihram for that purpose. Then he went around to his wives and had intercourse with them, then he entered ihram on the morning of the following day, and undoubtedly the traces of that perfume were still present, as is mentioned in the report narrated in al-Sahihayn: It is as if I can still see the glistening of the perfume in the hair of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in ihram.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to put on perfume before entering ihram.
It indicates that the Sahabah sometimes refuted one another’s views.
It highlights the fact that a woman may serve her husband and put perfume on him..

275

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The call immediately preceding the prayer (iqamah) was given, the rows had been straightened and the people were standing, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to us. But when he stood in his place, he remembered that he was junub, so he said to us: “Stay where you are,” then he went back and did ghusl. Then he came out to us with his head dripping with water, and said the takbir and led us in prayer..

Commentary : Purification from impurity is a condition of prayer being accepted; no prayer is valid without one being in a state of purity.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that one day the iqamah was given for one of the prayers in the mosque of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and the rows were organized and straightened as the people stood for prayer. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to lead the people in prayer, but when he stood in the imam’s place, he remembered that he was junub and had not done ghusl to cleanse himself from janabah. The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to remain where they were, then he went back to the apartments of his wives and did ghusl, then he came out to them with his head dripping with water as a result of having done ghusl. Then he led the people in prayer. This was by way of teaching his companions and his ummah that no one should be embarrassed about acts of purification and doing what Allah has prescribed when he remembers it, and he should not feel embarrassed before people.
The hadith indicates that the one who remembers that he is junub when he is in the mosque should leave the mosque and do ghusl; he does not have to do tayammum in order to walk out of the mosque, and the same applies to the one who wants to pass through the mosque when he is junub..

277

It was narrated that ‘A’ishah said: When one of us became junub, she would scoop water over her head with her hands three times, then she would pour water with her hand over her right side and pour water with her other hand over her left side..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the etiquette of purifying ourselves and doing ghusl, part of which is to start on the right hand side.
In this hadith, ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) tells us that when one of the Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them) became junub – and the word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself, and this applies to both men and women – she would scoop water with her hand and pour it over her head three times, to make the water reach the roots of the hair. Then she would begin by taking water in her hand and pouring it over the right side of her body, then she would do the same on the left side of her body, using the other hand. This is the sequence of actions when doing ghusl, starting on the right to seek blessing thereby, after washing the hair and the head first, to ensure that water reaches everywhere under the hair, because water does not reach there easily. .

278

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The Children of Israel used to bathing naked, looking at one another, but Musa used to bathe alone. They said: ‘By Allah, nothing is preventing Musa from bathing with us except that he has large testicles.’ He went to bathe one time, and placed his garment on a rock, then the rock fled with his garment, so Musa chased after it, saying ‘My garment, O rock!’ until the Children of Israel saw Musa and said: ‘By Allah, there is nothing wrong with Musa.’ Then Musa took his garment and struck the rock repeatedly.” Abu Hurayrah said: By Allah, he left marks on the rock, six or seven marks from striking it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praised modesty and shyness (haya’) and urged people to be modest, stating that it is one of the branches of faith. The Prophets were the most modest of people, and our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was more modest and shy than a virgin in her chamber. Allah’s Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was also very modest and shy.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us of the modesty and shyness of Musa (peace be upon him). Because of his shyness and modesty, he did not bathe naked, even though the Children of Israel used to bathe naked and did not see anything wrong with that. It may be that that was permissible in their law. It was said that this may have happened when they were wandering in the wilderness, because there were no buildings there; it was also said that nakedness was forbidden for them, but they were careless about the matter and did it deliberately, deliberately flouting religious teachings and going against Musa (blessings and peace be upon him). This is an example of their stubbornness and carelessness in following the teachings of Musa.
Musa (peace be upon him) never appeared naked in front of anyone when bathing. When the Children of Israel saw Musa refraining from bathing naked as they did, they began to speak ill of him, and said that he had large testicles; it was also said the word translated here as large testicles refers to a scrotal hernia. On one occasion he went to bathe, and he put his garment on a rock. It was Allah’s will to prove that what they were saying about Musa was false, so the rock fled by Allah’s leave, taking Musa’s garment with it, as he was chasing it and running behind it, saying, ‘My garment, O rock!’ Musa (peace be upon him) only spoke to the rock because he regarded it as something sentient after it had fled with his garment, so it had ceased to be inanimate and now came under the heading of animate things. This is why he called out to it. When Musa appeared naked, the Children of Israel saw him and realized that he was sound in body. It may be that he was wearing a thin waist wrapper which showed what was beneath it and it got wet, so they saw that he was the best of creation, and the vile notion that they had had in mind was dispelled. So they said: By Allah, there is nothing wrong with Musa and no defect in him. Then Musa caught up with the rock, took his garment and put it on. Then he struck the rock, leaving six or seven marks on it, and the traces of his blows, of which there were six or seven, were clearly visible to the onlooker.
This hadith speaks of a miracle of Musa (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), namely: the rock’s running away, carrying his garment, to a group of the Israelites; Musa’s calling out to the rock; and his blows leaving marks on it.
It also indicates that Allah (may He be exalted) made His Prophets perfect both physically and in their character, and He protected them from having defects and shortcomings..

279

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whilst Ayyub was bathing naked, locusts of gold fell on him, so Ayyub started to collect them in his garment. His Lord called out to him: ‘O Ayyub, have I not made you independent of means so that you have no need of what you see?’ He said: ‘Yes indeed, by Your glory, but I cannot do without Your blessing.’”.

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has promised His slaves good things as provision, and has enjoined them to give thanks for His blessings. If a person gives what is due on his wealth and give thanks to the Bestower of blessings, then he has done what is required of him. The Prophets are the most perfect of people, the most grateful and the most assiduous in giving what is due.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that Allah’s Prophet Ayyub (peace be upon him) was bathing naked one day, but he was far away from where people could see him. There came down upon him from heaven locusts of gold, as a miracle from Allah (may He be exalted), so Ayyub (peace be upon him) began to pick them up by the handful and throw them into his garment. Allah (may He be exalted) said to him: “O Ayyub, have I not made you independent of means so that you have no need of what you see?” This was not a rebuke from Allah (may He be exalted); rather it was more like speaking gently to him and testing him to see whether he would give thanks for what had been bestowed upon him, and thus become more grateful. Hence Ayyub (peace be upon him) swore by Allah’s glory that he recognized the blessing that Allah had bestowed upon him, then he said: But I cannot do without Your blessing. It is impossible to think that Ayyub (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took this wealth out of love of worldly gain; rather he took it, as he himself explained, because it was a blessing from his Lord, for it was newly created by Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), or because it was an extraordinary new blessing, so he should accept it and express his need for whatever Allah sent down of good. That was an expression of gratitude and appreciation for the blessing, for ignoring it would have been a kind of ingratitude for it.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to be keen to acquire halal wealth.
It also highlights the virtue of being well off, for one who is grateful, because he called it a blessing..

283

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) met him in one of the streets of Madinah when he was junub, so he turned back from him, then he went and did ghusl, then he came back. [The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] said: “Where did you go, O Abu Hurayrah?” He said: I was junub, and I did not like to sit with you when I was not in a state of purity. He said: “Subhan Allah! The Muslim does not become impure (najis).”.

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) had the greatest respect for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Some of them viewed janabah as a very serious matter, and regarded it as a kind of physical impurity, so they would not like to sit with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or touch him when they were in that state. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained to them the correct view concerning that matter, and that the believer never becomes impure (najis), even if he is junub, as referred to in this hadith. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) met him in one of the streets of Madinah when he was junub. This word refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. So Abu Hurayrah turned back after meeting the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), without speaking to him or greeting him; he went and did ghusl and purified himself, removing the state of janabah and major impurity, then he came back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), who asked him why he had disappeared and hidden in a manner that was not normal in his case. Abu Hurayrah told him that he had refused to meet the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because he believed that if the Muslim is junub, he has become impure (najis). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was surprised by Abu Hurayrah’s thinking and what he believed, for janabah only prevents a person from praying, touching the Mus-haf and entering the mosque; it does not prevent him from sitting with other Muslims or meeting them, and the one who is junub does not become impure in a literal sense. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that the Muslim does not become impure and that he is not filthy, meaning that when the Muslim is not in a state of purity (taharah), he is impure according to Islamic rulings, but he is not impure in a real sense, so he himself does not become najis because of the impurity that happened to him in his body. The description of him being impure is just a ruling that the Lawgiver applies to the body, so janabah prevents him from doing some things, such as praying and reading Qur’an. As for sitting with other people and interacting with them, that is not included among the things that are not allowed when one is junub. The believer is pure (tahir) in and of himself always, whether he is junub or not..

290

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that he said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab mentioned to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he became junub at night, and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Do wudu’ and wash your penis, then go to sleep.”.

Commentary : Islam is a religion of mercy and compassion towards people, and seeks to make things easy for them. One example of that is the fact that purifying oneself from major impurity after becoming junub in order to resume doing acts of worship is a ruling with which one must comply; janabah is a shar‘i description, and it does not prevent one from dealing with other issues of daily life.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that ‘Umar asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) whether a person could go to sleep when he is not in a state of purity because he is junub.
The word junub refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that if he wanted to go to sleep when he was in a state of janabah, it was better for him to do wudu’ and wash his penis, but he did not have to do a complete ghusl. According to a report narrated by Muslim, he said: “Yes; let him do wudu’ then go to sleep, and then he does ghusl when he wants to.” Thus the time of doing ghusl is based on his choice, and ghusl becomes necessary if he wants to do some act of worship, especially when the time for prayer comes; in that case he must do it before the time for that prayer ends.
This hadith indicates that one may ask about matters of concern, and should not feel too shy to ask.
It also indicates that janabah is a shar‘i description, and is not to be taken literally..

291

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.”.

Commentary : The word janabah refers to anyone who emits maniy (semen) or has intercourse with his wife; it is so called because he must avoid (ijtinab) prayer and other acts of worship until he has purified himself. This applies to both men and women. This hadith highlights one of the things that make it obligatory to do ghusl to cleanse oneself of janabah, namely intercourse. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that when the husband sits with his wife in an intimate position, and sits “between her four parts” – meaning between her arms and legs, or between her legs and thighs, and there are other explanations – and has intercourse with her; what is meant is penetration, which is when the man’s penis enters into the woman’s vagina and its head disappears, then ghusl becomes obligatory for both spouses at that point, regardless of whether the man ejaculates or not, as is clearly stated in a report narrated by Muslim, in which it says, “even if he does not ejaculate.” This hadith abrogates other hadiths which say that ghusl is not obligatory for a man who has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate.
This hadith indicates that one should not be explicit or mention words that could cause embarrassment or be considered obscene, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used a metaphor to refer to intercourse..

293

It was narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b that he said: O Messenger of Allah, what if a man has intercourse with a woman and does not ejaculate? He said: “He should wash what touched the woman of his body, then do wudu’ and pray.”.

Commentary : Janabah refers to major impurity that results either from intercourse or the emission of maniy (semen). Islamic teaching enjoins doing ghusl to energize and cleanse the body, and to purify oneself completely.
In this hadith, Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that he asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the ruling on a man who has intercourse with his wife but does not ejaculate; does he have to do ghusl? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) replied by saying: “He should wash what touched the woman of his body”, which is a metaphor for washing the penis, as mentioned in the report narrated by Muslim, then he may do wudu’ and pray, and he does not have to do a complete ghusl, washing his entire body. This was the ruling in the beginning, then it was abrogated by what is mentioned in several other hadiths, which indicate that intercourse necessitates ghusl, regardless of whether ejaculation occurs or not, such as the hadith narrated by Muslim from ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “When he sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and one circumcised part touches the other, then ghusl becomes obligatory.” What is meant is the circumcised part of the man and the circumcised part of the woman. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When a man sits between the four parts (arms and legs) of his wife and has intercourse with her, then ghusl is obligatory.” Thus he stated that ghusl becomes obligatory for both spouses as a result of this intercourse, regardless of whether the man ejaculated or not, as is clearly stated in a report narrated by Muslim: “even if he does not ejaculate.”.

296

It was narrated from Hisham ibn ‘Urwah, from ‘Urwah, that he was asked: Can a menstruating woman take care of me or can a woman come close to me when she is junub? ‘Urwah said: All of that is fine with me; whatever the case, she may take care of me, and there is no problem for anyone in that regard. ‘A’ishah told me that she used to comb the hair of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she was menstruating and the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque; he would put his head out for her when she was in her apartment, and she would comb his hair when she was menstruating..

Commentary : Among the Jews, when one of their women menstruated, they would banish her from the house, and they would not eat with her, drink with her or be in the same room as her. In our religion, however, the menstruating woman is not to be blamed for something that Allah has ordained for her, so her body is pure, apart from the place where the impurity is.
In this report, the Tabi‘i Hisham ibn ‘Urwah narrates that someone asked his father, ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr: Is it permissible for a menstruating woman to take care of him or to come close to him? Or for a woman who has become junub as a result of an erotic dream or intercourse to do that? ‘Urwah explained to him that there is nothing wrong with a woman who is menstruating or is junub taking care of someone else, or coming close to someone else; she may take care of him when she is menstruating or is junub, with no reservations, and she does not incur any sin. Then he narrated that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to comb the hair of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when she was menstruating and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was observing i‘tikaf in the mosque at that time. He would bring his head close to her when she was in her apartment and the rest of his body was in the mosque, and he was aware of her condition and that she was menstruating. Her apartment was attached to the mosque.
Even though this hadith indicates that it is permissible for a menstruating woman to take care of her husband and others, it also indicates that it is permissible for a woman who is junub to be close to other people and to take care of others. This is understood by analogy with the woman who is menstruating; what they have in common is major impurity, and this is a clear analogy.
The hadith refers to combing a man’s hair, and includes other things that come under the heading of adorning oneself.
It indicates that a menstruating woman may care for her husband and help him with personal hygiene.
It indicates that if the one who is observing i‘tikaf puts his head, hand or foot outside the mosque, that does not invalidate his i‘tikaf.
It highlights the Prophet’s kind treatment of his wives, and how he would understand their situation and condition.
It indicates that the body and clothing of the menstruating woman are pure (tahir). .

1050

Abu al-Aswad reported: Abu Mūsa al-Ash'ari sent for the reciters of the people of Basra. Three hundred men who had recited the Qur'an came to him. He said: "You are the best among the people of Basra and their reciters. So, recite it. And let not hope of a long life delude you, and thus your hearts would harden as the hearts of those before you had hardened. We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to Barā‘ah in terms of length and toughness, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley, and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust". We used to recite a Surah, which we would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, and I was made to forget it. However, I memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This will be written as a testimony on your necks, and you will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to direct his Companions and advise them to refrain from keenness on worldly life and hope for an extended stay in it. And the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did the same with the Tābi'is.
In this tradition, Abu al-Aswad ad-Dīli informs that Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) sent for the reciters among the people of Basra to come to him and gather there. Basra is a city located in the south of Iraq. "Three hundred men, who had recited the Qur'an" and memorized it "came to him." He advised and directed them, saying: You are the best among the people of Basra and you are the people of the Qur’an among them. Then, he instructed them to read the Qur’an and recite it in the most proper manner, which entails understanding its meanings, reflecting upon its verses, and acting upon its rulings. And he said to them: "And let not hope of a long life delude you and thus your hearts would harden," i.e., do not have high hopes for worldly life and do not wish to stay therein for long, as this corrupts the hearts by dragging them to greed and hardness, and thus they will not soften to Dhikr or derive benefit from admonition or rebuke. As a result, you will have such hardness and aversion within your hearts that had befallen the nations before you due to their hopes for an extended stay in the life of this world. This includes a reference to the verse that reads: {Has the time not yet come for those who believe that their hearts should be humbled at the remembrance of Allah and the truth that has been revealed? They should not be like those who were given the Scriptures before, whose hearts grew hard after the passage after a long period of time, and many of them were evildoers.} [Surat al-Hadīd: 16]
Then, he informed that they used to recite a long Surah of the Qur’an, whose recitation was abrogated, and they would liken it to Surat Barā’ah, which is Surat at-Tawbah, in terms of length and toughness. He further said that he was made to forget it. Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) made an exception and informed that he memorized from the meanings of this Surah such words that contain dispraise of attention on worldly life and the love and desire for having a lot of it. He said: "If the son of Adam had two valleys of wealth, he would seek a third valley." A valley is any gap between mountains or hills. "and nothing would fill the inside of the son of Adam except dust", i.e., he continues to be keen on worldly life till he dies, and his inside gets filled with the dust of his grave. The inside may also be intended to refer to the heart, and the meaning is that he does not get bored of the love for wealth. This is because man is naturally inclined to love wealth and has an unquenchable greed for it, and he has no limit to stop except a matter like his own, namely dust.
Then, Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that they used to recite a Surah which they would liken to one of the Musabbihāt, which are the Surahs that begin with "subhān, sabbaha, yusabbihu, sabbih ism rabbika" (glory be to, glorified, glorifies, glorify the name of your Lord), and that he was made to forget it; and he memorized from it: "O you who believe, why do you say what you do not do?" This is a question that signifies disapproval and rebuke for those who attribute to themselves good things that they do not do, either in relation to the past, in which case they would be liars, or concerning the future, and this would be a contradiction; both are dispraised. "This will be written as a testimony on your necks and you will be asked about this on the Day of Judgment" i.e., these false statements will be recorded against you, for what you said and did not do is a testimony from you, and you are liable for it, and you will be held accountable, and it will entail an evil recompense on the Day of Judgment.
This abrogation, which Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) told about in this Hadīth, is one of the abrogation types: the abrogation of words and recitation. Abrogation is of three types: First: Abrogation of rulings, while words and recitation endure. Second: Its opposite; and that is the abrogation of words and recitation, while the ruling endures. Third: Abrogation of the ruling along with the words and recitation. This is the abrogation which Allah Almighty mentions in the verse that reads: {We do not abrogate a verse or cause it to be forgotten.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 106] And also in the verses that read: {We will teach you [the Qur’an], so you will not forget*, except what Allah wills.} [Surat al-A‘la: 6-7] These two Surahs are among the Surahs Allah Almighty willed to be forgotten after He revealed them. This is because Allah Almighty does whatever He wills and is Able to do all things He wishes. Indeed, this is all possible. Let not one wrongly assume, because of this and the like of it, that any part of the Qur’an was lost. In fact, this is untrue, as established by the verse that reads: {It is We Who have sent down the Reminder, and it is We Who will preserve it.} [Surat al-Hijr: 9] This is also established by the consensus among the Companions and those after them that the Qur’an, which we are required to recite and act upon its rulings as a form of worship, is the text contained between the two covers of the Mus'haf, without addition or omission.
The Hadīth shows keenness to present advice to the Muslim reciters.
It contains dispraise of the keenness on worldly life and the hope for a long stay therein.
It includes dispraise of lying and bragging about something one did not do.
The Hadīth also mentions that a person's speech is recorded and he will be asked about it on the Day of Judgment.
And it indicates that a believer should be chiefly concerned about working for the Hereafter and he should not be deceived by worldly life and its desires..

1054

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported that: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Successful is the one who accepts Islam and is provided with mere subsistence and Allah makes him content with what He has given him.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to admonish his Companions, advise them, and encourage them to aim at sublime matters, so that the worldly life would be in their hands, not in their hearts, and what they gained thereof would help them in acts of worship.
This Hadīth contains guidance from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to his Ummah that a person should not tire himself in seeking more than mere subsistence, for what is commendable in sustenance is the amount that enables a person to perform worship and for which he should work as much as needed. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed that success is attained and gained by a person who embraces Islam rightly, for he gets rid of Kufr (disbelief) and Shirk (polytheism), which is the sin that Allah does not forgive, and he is provided with mere subsistence, no more or less, and what makes him self-sufficient and saves him from necessities and wants. This means lawful sustenance, for no success comes with unlawful sustenance. And his words: "and Allah makes him content with what He has given him," i.e., Allah grants him contentment with the mere subsistence he has; so, he does not aspire to pursue more than that.
The Hadīth shows that success and triumph are attained by embracing Islam for the sake of Allah and being pleased with what Allah gives him.
It demonstrates the merit of contentment, and that it is one of the means of success..

1056

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth, and I said: "By Allah, O Messenger of Allah, there are other than those more deserving of it than them?" He said: "They gave me the choice that they either ask of me importunately or regard me as a miser, and I am not a miser.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the most generous and bountiful among the people. He would give like one who fears no poverty. This was to teach his Ummah and serve certain Shar‘i purposes that were probably not known or grasped at the time by anyone other than him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) says The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed some wealth among the people, and he gave some people, whereas ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) held that others were more deserving of being given than them. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to him why he gave to them and not those who were more deserving to be given than them. This is because those he gave were people of ignorance and lying. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that they begged in an importunate manner due to their weak faith and drove him, by their very importunate attitude, to either give them what they asked for or they would describe him as a miser and defame him, while in fact, he is not a miser. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to them and protected his honor by his giving, lest they might lie about him. Miserliness is not part of his character (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he gave to them to appease them and win their friendliness. Similarly, he said in a Hadīth of the Two Sahīh Collections: "Indeed, the worst people in rank in the sight of Allah is the one whom people leave or abandon for fear of his discourteousness." Thus, he endured their rudeness and treated them forbearingly to win their friendliness and protect himself from being described as a miser, a trait that does not befit him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth indicates that we can appease the people of ignorance and harshness and win their friendliness, if this achieves a good interest.
It also shows that patience and forbearance were part of the Prophet's character.
The Hadīth demonstrates and directs a person to spend out of his money to protect his honor and himself from the people of ignorance..

1060

Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, Safwān ibn Umayyah, ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn, and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis, to every one of them, one hundred camels, and gave to ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than that. Thereupon, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās said: You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘ Both Badr and Hābis in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly I am in no way inferior to any one of these two. And he whom you lower today will not be elevated He said: So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) completed one hundred camels for him. [And in a version]: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils of the battle of Hunayn and gave Abu Sufyān ibn Harb one hundred camels... And he narrated the same Hadīth, with the addition: And he gave ‘Alqamah ibn ‘Ulāthah one hundred. [And in a version]: He did not mention poetry..

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals a part of how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to win people's hearts to Islam by giving them money, each according to the strength of Īmān in his heart or his tenderness, and how he was considerate of the circumstances of each one of them.
The circumstances surrounding this Hadīth: After the battle of Hunayn, which took place in the eighth Hijri year between the Muslims and the two tribes of Hawāzin and Thaqīf, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divided the spoils he seized from this battle between the Muslims, preferring some of them over others. He gave some of them a hundred camels and others less than that. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave a hundred camels to Abu Sufyān ibn Harb, the Quraysh leader, Safwān ibn' Umayyah, who had embraced Islam after the Conquest of Makkah and was one of the Quraysh notables during Jāhiliyyah and Islam, 'Uyaynah ibn Hisn al-Fazāri, who had embraced Islam before the Conquest of Makkah and was marked by the typical roughness of desert dwellers, and Al-Aqra' ibn Hābis at-Tamīmi, who had come to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and partook in the Conquest of Makkah, and he was an arbitrator during Jāhiliyyah; he gave each one of these persons a hundred camels. On the other hand, he gave ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās less than a hundred. So, ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās became angry and said these poetic verses: "You allot the share of my booty and that of Al-‘Ubayd between ‘Uyaynah and Al-Aqra‘" Booty: the spoils. Al-‘Ubayd: the name of the horse of ‘Abbās ibn Mirdās. The meaning: Do you give the booty which I took part in seizing from Hunayn with my weapon and horse to ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn and Al-Aqra‘ ibn Hābis and the like of them, by giving them more than me?! By his words "Both Badr and Hābis", he meant the grandfather of ‘Uyaynah and the father of Al-Aqra‘. ‘Uyaynah is the son of Hisn ibn Hudhayfah ibn Badr, and Al-Aqra‘ is the son of Hābis. And his words: "in no way surpassed Mirdās in the assembly". Surpass means: is higher than. Assembly: the meeting place of the clans and tribes. "I am in no way inferior to any one of these two" The meaning: My father was not inferior to theirs, neither am I inferior to them. He seemed to have been gripped with fear that his status might be lowered. Therefore, he said: "And he whom you lower today" by decreasing his share of the booty "will not be elevated", i.e., the people will not elevate him after this day.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave him a hundred camels like the others who were given a hundred, so as to win his heart and dispel the thought of inferiority or that he might be lower in rank than others.
The Hadīth shows how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would win the hearts of some people with money for an apparent interest.
The ruler may prefer some over others if he sees a certain benefit in doing so.
It is permissible to recite poetry and is permissible to listen to it..

1064

Abu Sa‘īd reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned a people who would be among his Ummah, who would emerge out of the dissension of people. Their distinctive mark would be shaven heads. He said: "They would be the worst creatures - or among the worst creatures. The nearer of the two groups, the truth would kill them." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave an example of them, or he said: "A man throws an arrow at the prey - Or he said: at the target - and looks at the arrowhead and finds no trace, and he looks at the body and finds no trace. Then, he looks at the grip and finds no trace." He said: Abu Sa‘īd said: "And you killed them, O people of Iraq.".

1066

Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani reported that he was in the army led by ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that set out to fight the Kharijites. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O people, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'There would arise within my Ummah a people who would recite the Qur’an, and your recitation would be nothing compared to their recitation, your prayer would be nothing compared to their prayer, and your fast would be nothing compared to their fast. They would recite the Qur’an thinking that it supports them, whereas it is against them. Their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. They would pass through Islam as an arrow passes through the prey. If the army that is to encounter them were to know what had been decreed for them by the tongue of their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), they would completely rely upon that and cease to work. The sign of this is that there would be among them a man with an upper arm and without an arm, and the head of his upper arm would be like the nipple of the breast on which there would be some white hairs.' So, will you go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and leave them behind among your children and your property?! By Allah, I hope they are those people, for they have shed inviolable blood and raided the animals of the people. So, go forth in the name of Allah." Salamah ibn Kuhayl said: Zayd ibn Wahb made me alight at a place, till we crossed a bridge. When we encountered them - and ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi was the leader of the Kharijites on that day - he said to them: "Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths, for I fear that they would appeal to you as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā'." They went back and threw their spears and drew out their swords, and people fought against them with their spears and they were killed on top of one another. Only two men were killed from among the people on that day. Then, ‘Ali (Allah be pleased with him) said: "Search for the Mukhdaj (the maimed one) among them." They searched but did not find him. So, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself stood up till he came upon people who had been killed on top of one another. He said: "Move them away from one another." So, they found him near the ground. Thereupon, he proclaimed Takbīr and then said: "Allah told the truth, and His Messenger conveyed it." He said: Then, ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni stood before him and said: "O Commander of the Believers, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, did you hear this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?" He said: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god." He repeated the request for an oath from him three times, and he swore each time..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warned us against religious innovations and extremism, for it leads to the corruption of societies. Extremism, along with the lack of proper understanding of the religion, may result in considering the Muslim communities as people of religious innovations and Kufr (disbelief) and lead to revolt against the rulers unjustly.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani relates that he was with ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) in the army that marched toward the Kharijites. This happened in 38 A.H., in the battle of Nahrawān, located nearly 35km southeast of Baghdad, Iraq. They were those who criticized ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) for the arbitration over his fighting against Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), and they fought him and declared the Muslims as disbelievers and regarded the shedding of their blood as lawful. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed his army to make them firm and urge them to fight and display patience in doing so. He informed that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) point out some traits of the Kharijites, mentioning that they would be a people within the Muslim Ummah, and they would "recite the Qur'an," i.e., recite it a lot. They would also perform prayer and observe fast often, to the extent that if people compared their condition to the condition of others, they would regard the worship of others as nothing next to them. "They would recite the Qur'an thinking that it supports them", i.e., it provides an argument for them in proving their claims, whereas this is not the case in reality; instead, it serves as an argument against them with Allah Almighty. In the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him): "It does not get beyond their collarbones." Likewise, their prayer does not get beyond their collarbones. Prayer here probably refers to the recitation in prayer. The collarbone is the bone that extends from the neck cavity to the shoulder. They do not understand the Qur’an, draw benefit from its recitation, ponder its verses, or reflect upon its meanings. So, they do not reach their hearts through reflection and Khushū‘ (humility and focus) and do not ascend to heaven. Therefore, they obtain no reward for them. "They would pass through" i.e., they would depart from Islam quickly and not get attached to anything in it, just as an arrow passes through prey, i.e., like a powerful and fast arrow that penetrates the target and passes through prey, due to its power and speed, entering from one side and coming out from the opposite one; and it leaves no trace of blood or flesh. Then, they would not go back to the religion, as the arrow does not go back to its place in the bow.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) states that if the army that would kill and defeat them were to know the reward and recompense that their Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them about and determined for them, they would abandon work and solely rely upon this glad tiding which was given to them for killing the Kharijites.
The distinctive mark of those Kharijites is "that there would be among them a man with an upper arm", which extends from the shoulder to the elbow, "and without an arm", which extends from the elbow to the hand. And the head of his upper arm would be like "the nipple of the breast", and there would also be some white hairs on the top of his upper arm.
Then, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed criticism of the army in the form of questioning: Do you want to go to Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant and fight them and leave those Kharijites behind to stay among your women and children and loot your property?! The meaning: This is not proper and should not happen. By this, he intended to urge them to fight the Kharijites first before marching toward Mu‘āwiyah and the people of the Levant.
Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "By Allah, I hope they are those people" who are amongst us, revolted against us, and departed from obedience to us, "the people" whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) described to us. Indeed, they went to extremes in shedding the blood of Muslims, and it is blood whose shedding is forbidden. They killed 'Abdullāh ibn Khabbāb and the mother of his child. "and they raided the animals of the people", i.e., they raided people's property and stole their grazing livestock. Then, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, go forth in the name of Allah", i.e., with the blessing of the name of Allah, seek help from Him and put your trust in Him. This indicates that actions should begin with the mention of Allah.
Salamah ibn Kuhayl al-Hadrami al-Kūfi - one of the Hadīth narrators - informs that the Tābi‘i Zayd ibn Wahb mentioned to him the locations of their travel to fight the Kharijites, one by one, until they reached the bridge at which the fighting took place - the bridge of Dizjān. This is also mentioned in As-Sunan Al-Kubra Collection of An-Nasā’i. A bridge is a structure built over water for crossing on it. This is the bridge of Nahrawān, where the Kharijites gathered.
Zayd ibn Wahb related that when the two armies encountered each other for fighting, the leader of the Kharijites on that day was ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb ar-Rāsibi, who said to the Kharijites: Throw the spears and draw out your swords from their sheaths. He wanted the two armies to start fighting. Thus, there would be no possible alternative to fighting, such as a truce or appeal, which means that they would ask and adjure them by Allah, and this might cause some of his companions to leave him, and, as a result, his army would become weaker. Confrontation with spears puts the two armies at a distance from each other, and this carries the possibility that some of them may feel pity upon seeing the blood and call for the cessation of fighting. On the other hand, fighting with the swords breaks out quickly and ends with defeating one of the two armies. Ibn Wahb hoped that he would be victorious in this battle. "as they appealed to you on the day of Harūrā’." This is a village near Kufa, after which a sect of the Khrijites was named, as their first gathering took place there, "the day" here refers to the day in which the Kharijites gathered, numbering eight thousand - and a different number was also mentioned - and they alighted at Harūrā’. Their leaders were ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Kawwā’ al-Yashkuri and Shabath at-Tamīmi. ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) sent his cousin ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to them. He debated with them, and as a result, many of them came back with him. Then, ‘Ali went out to them, appealed to them, and engaged in a discussion with them. Consequently, they obeyed him and entered Kufa along with him.
When the Kharijites listened to ‘Abdullāh ibn Wahb, they obeyed him and "threw their spears" i.e. they threw them away and engaged in fighting against the army of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) with swords. So, this opinion led to victory for the Muslims and ‘Ali's army, the preservation of their blood, and their empowerment. "and people fought against them with their spears" i.e., the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) stabbed them with their spears like trees. The Arabic text uses a verb derived from 'shajar', which means trees. So, the companions of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) threw the spears at them before they could reach them. Then, they engaged in battle with them and killed so many of them; only two men were killed on the side of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). His words "they were killed on top of one another" mean that they were piled upon one another due to the large number of them who were killed, forming heaps.
Then, after the end of the battle, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered them to search for "the Mukhdaj" man, i.e., his body is incomplete. This is the man described at the beginning of the Hadīth. They searched for him but could not find him. So, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) himself rose and moved to a heap of dead bodies from the Kharijites. He ordered that they be separated from one another, and they found underneath them the man he was looking for dead. Thereupon, 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) proclaimed Takbīr in wonder at seeing the Mukhdaj man with the description given by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he said after the Takbīr: "Allah", Exalted be He, "told the truth" in what He revealed to His Prophet; "and His Messenger conveyed" His message to us and to the people, in truth.
Then, Zayd ibn Wahb al-Juhani informed that the Tābi‘i ‘Abīdah as-Salmāni called out to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him): "O Commander of the Believers", and he adjured him by Allah, other than Whom there is no god, to tell him whether he heard this Hadīth from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In response, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) swore, saying: "Yes, by Allah, other than Whom there is no god" i.e., yes, I heard it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "He repeated the request for an oath from him three times". He asked him to swear to let this be heard by the people present and affirm that to them, and in order to reveal to them the miracle informed by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and show them that ‘Ali and his Companions are the worthier among the two groups in claiming the truth, and that they are rightful in fighting them.
The Hadīth points to the danger of ignorance in religion and dogmatic thinking.
It mentions the great reward of killing the Kharijites.
It warns against extremism in religion and affectation in worship.
Those who revolt against the just rulers should be fought against.
The Hadīth mentions some traits of the Kharijites.
It shows the merit of ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him).
An oath may be requested for verifying something unfamiliar, so as to affirm it to those who hear about it..

1067

Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, there is from my Ummah after me - or there would be from my Ummah after me - a people who would recite the Qur’an, but it would not go beyond their throats, and they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it; they are the worst among the creation and the creatures.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed the Companions about many of the trials that took place during their generation and that would take place after their generation. One of the trials they witnessed during their time was the trial of the Kharijites.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made reference to that. He mentioned people who would be in his Ummah after him; among their characteristics is that they "would recite the Qur'an, but it would not go beyond their throats." They recite the Qur'an but do not get affected by it, understand it, or act upon its verses. So, they will not be recompensed for that by rewards, and their recitation does not go beyond their tongues, so no good deed is accepted from them. This is not something required; instead, it is required to ponder and reflect upon the Qur'an as it influences the heart. This all means that Imān (faith) did not settle firmly in their hearts. "they would pass through the religion as an arrow passes through the prey, and then they would not come back to it", i.e., they come out of the religion like the coming out of a fast arrow, which hits the prey and enters and comes out of it with a high speed, without any trace of the prey sticking to it; this is due to its quick coming out of the target. The "ramiyyah" (prey) is the animal that is hunted and hit with an arrow after getting chased. This is a description of the Kharijites, who do not obey the rulers and revolt against them and declare people as disbelievers on account of major sins that are below Shirk (polytheism) and Kufr (disbelief). They kill the people of Islam and leave the people of idols (disbelievers). After all that, they do not return to the religion again, as they do not repent or reconsider their matter. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remarked: "They are the worst among the creation and the creatures." It is said: "Khalq" (creation) refers to humankind, and "khaliqah" (creatures) refers to animals. It is also said: They both have the same meaning. So, this refers to all creation. They are the worst among all creation because they fight the best people, thus corrupting the land after it was in good condition.
The Hadīth includes one of the Prophet's prophecies, as he told about something that would happen after his death, and it did happen as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed.
It warns against misunderstanding the Qur’an and not pondering its verses, goals, and objectives; and it points out that this causes corruption on earth.
It also indicates that one of the consequences of poor reflection upon the verses of Allah is to depart from the religion..

1068

Sahl ibn Hanīf reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A people will go astray toward the east, with shaven heads.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on teaching his Ummah and warning them against trials. A true Muslim ponders the Prophet's statements and teachings and tries his best to save himself and his Muslim community from falling into misleading trials.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that there will emerge a group of people who will deviate from the true and correct path and go astray in the darkness of religious innovations and misguidance. They will never be guided to the truth; they will be lost and follow the wrong paths. They will emerge from the east, which refers to the direction of the sunrise. Those people who go astray from the true path are described as having shaven heads, which indicates their abandonment and renouncement of worldly life. The intended meaning is that shaving their heads was a habit that they persistently engaged in and for which they were known. This trait was mentioned with regard to the Kharijites, that they are marked by shaving their heads, until it became a slogan for them, by which they were identified.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) warns his Ummah in this Hadīth against the trial of going astray in misguidance and tells us about the signs of deviation.
One of the signs of deviation and misguidance is leading a life of false asceticism..

1072

‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith reported: Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith and Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib got together and said: "By Allah, if we sent these two young men - I and Al-Fadl ibn al-‘Abbās - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and they spoke to him, he would put them in charge of these Zakah funds, and they would pay as the people pay and get a share as the people get." He said: As they were talking about that, 'Ali ibn Abi Tālib came and stood before them, and they mentioned it to him. Thereupon, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib said: "Do not do this, for, by Allah, he would not do that." Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith turned to him and said: "By Allah, you are only doing this out of jealousy toward us. By Allah, you became the son-in-law of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), but we felt no jealousy toward you." 'Ali said: "Send them." So, they set out, and 'Ali lay on the bed. He said: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Zhuhr prayer, we went ahead of him to his room and stood near it till he came, took hold of our ears, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves." Then, he entered, and we entered his place. He was on that day in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh. He said: We urged each of us to speak. Then, one of us spoke, saying: "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most righteous and the best of people in upholding kinship ties. We have reached the marriageable age. We have come so that you may put us in charge of some of these Zakah funds, and we would submit them to you as the people submit and get a share as they get." He said: He kept silent for a long time until we wished to speak with him. He said: Zaynab pointed to us from behind the curtain, telling us not to talk to him. He said: Then, he said: "Zakah does not befit the family of Muhammad, for it is the impurities of people. Call Mahmiyah to me - and he was in charge of the Khums funds - and Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn' Abdul-Muttalib." They both came to him, and he said to Mahmiyah: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās. He married her to him. And he said to Nawfal ibn al-Hārith: "Marry your daughter to this young man", i.e., me. He married her to me. And he said to Mahmiyah: "Pay such and such from the Khums funds as a dowry on behalf of both of them.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty honored His Prophet and the believing members of his household and purified them of all filth and impurities. An example is that Zakah is forbidden for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his household. They may not take from it or accept it.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith, the Prophet's cousin, met with his uncle Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the Prophet's uncle, and they said: By Allah, if we sent these two young men - meaning: 'Abdul-Muttalib ibn Rabī‘ah and Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them) - to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they talked to him, and he appointed them as Zakah collectors, and they would submit as the people submit and get a share like the people, as a wage for the Zakah work. They wanted this money to help them get married, as they reached the marriageable age and could not afford marriage, as narrated in the version by Abu Dāwūd. As Al-‘Abbās and Rabī‘ah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) were talking and discussing this matter, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), also a cousin of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), came and stood before them. They mentioned to him what they were discussing and told him about what they intended to do. So, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade them from doing that and swore that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not agree to their request in this regard. Thereupon, Rabī‘ah turned to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him tough words and swore that he did not forbid them from sending the two young men and asking the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to put them in charge of Zakah funds except because of jealousy toward them and his desire to be the only one among them with closeness to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, he swore by Allah to ‘Ali that he won the relationship with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) by marriage - meaning his marriage to his daughter Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) - and they felt no jealousy toward him because of that. When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) heard that from him, he asked them to send them so that they could be certain about his advice to them. "and ‘Ali lay on the bed." In another version by Muslim: "'Ali threw his cloak and lay on it, and he said: I am the father of Hasan, and I am the Qarm (chief). By Allah, I would not move from my place till your sons return to you with the reply to that for which you sent them to the Messenger of Allah the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Qarm: the stud among animals. It refers to a master and chief who possesses knowledge and wise judgment. He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant: I spoke what I said to you from knowledge, and I would not move from my place, and I would wait for the reply they would come with from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He knew that the reply would be as he told them.
So, ‘Abdul-Muttalib and Al-Fadl (may Allah be pleased with both of them) left and headed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). 'Abdul-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr prayer, they went ahead of him to the room he would enter after the prayer, and that was the room of the Mother of the Believers Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her). They waited for him at the door till the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came, took hold of their ears by way of jesting, and then said: "Take out what you keep within yourselves" i.e., the talk you harbor within your chests. Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered his room, and they entered after him so as to proceed with their talk and let him hear them. Each of them wanted the other to start the talk with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in awe of him. Then, one of them talked. He said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, you are the most benevolent of all people", i.e., the best among people in benevolence and doing good to others. "and the best of people in upholding kinship ties" i.e., you are most keen on maintaining the ties of kinship. "We have reached the marriageable age." Thus, they presented the reason for their following requests. "We have come so that you may put us in charge of" collecting "some of these Zakah funds", which are to be calculated and taken from money owners and kept and given to you and distributed to the due recipients. "and we would submit to you as the people submit" i.e., we would transfer the Zakah funds and hand them over to you like others. "and get a share as they get" as a wage for the Zakah work. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent for so long that they wanted to repeat their speech and request. Meanwhile, Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) began to point to them with her garment or hand from behind the curtain to not talk to him. After his long silence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made clear to them that Zakah may not be given to the household of Muhammad, i.e., it is forbidden for him and his family, whether it is given for work or because of poverty, destitution, or some other reason. "for it is the impurities of people", i.e., it purifies their wealth from the sin of hoarding and their souls from the sin of stinginess. Or it is the impurities of people because it expiates for sins, removes afflictions, and acts as a ransom for the person in this regard. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to call Mahmiyah ibn Jaz’ ibn ‘Abd Yaghūt az-Zubaydi (may Allah be pleased with him) to him. He was a man from Banu Asad, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had put him in charge of the Khums (one-fifth of the spoils), and to call Nawfal ibn al-Hārith ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib, the brother of Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Mahmiyah and Nawfal came and appeared before the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered Mahmiyah ibn Jaz' to marry his daughter to Al-Fadl ibn' Abbās, which Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) did. And he ordered Nawfal ibn al-Hārith to marry his daughter to Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. Both of them (may Allah be pleased with both of them) complied. Mahmiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) was in charge of the Prophet's expenses from the Khums. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered him to pay an amount which he specified for him as a dowry on behalf of each of them to his wife. The Khums refers to the share of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the spoils, as revealed in the verse that reads: {Know that whatever spoils you obtain, one-fifth belongs to Allah and the Messenger, his close relatives, the orphans, the needy and the [stranded] travelers.} [Surat al-Anfāl: 41]
The Hadīth indicates that Zakah funds are to be paid to the ruler and the authority holder.
It shows the Prophet's modesty and cheerfulness and how he would jest with and show compassion toward the young.
Words of praise may be said before asking for something.
The Hadīth mentions that it is forbidden to give Zakah to the household of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It indicates that the Prophet's household were not employed for the collection of charity and Zakah.
It also shows that a person should seek to obtain the wherewithal for marriage.
It demonstrates a father's interest in helping his son get married to maintain his chastity.
The Hadīth also points out the merit of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), as he was more knowledgeable about this matter than those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
And it shows the extreme politeness of Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) as she pointed to the two young men not to repeat the speech to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1087

Kurayb reported: that ’Umm al-Fadl sent him to Mu‘āwiyah in the Levant. He said: I came to the Levant and fulfilled her errand. Then, the crescent of Ramadan was sighted while I was in the Levant. I saw the crescent on the night of Friday. Then, I came to Madīnah at the end of the month. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked me about the sighting of the moon and said: "When did you see the crescent?" I said: "We saw it on the night of Friday." He said: "Did you see it yourself?" I said: "Yes, and the people saw it and fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah." He said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday; so, we will continue fasting until we have completed thirty days, or we see it." I said: "Will you not be content with the sighting of Mu‘āwiyah and his fasting?" He said: "No, this is what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined upon us." Yahya ibn Yahya was doubtful about whether it is "Will we not be content?" or "Will you not be content?".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Kurayb ibn Abi Muslim says that ’Umm al-Fadl Lubābah bint al-Hārith, the wife of Al-‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib and the mother of ‘Abdullāh ibn al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them), sent him to Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was then the caliph of Muslims. Kurayb went to the Levant and finished her errand. Then, the crescent of the month of Ramadan appeared while he was in the Levant. The crescent was sighted on the night of Friday. There are over 1,120km between the Levant and Madīnah, the center of the caliphate during the era of Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān, from which the state was run, and which was followed by all the Muslim provinces.
Then, Kurayb said that he went back to Madīnah once again at the end of the month of Ramadan. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him about the journey and the fulfillment of his mother's errand. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned the crescent and asked him: When did you see the crescent in the Levant? Kurayb told him that they saw it on the night of Friday. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) further asked: "Did you see it" with your own eyes? In response, Kurayb said: Yes, and the people also saw it, and they fasted and so did Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him). Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās said: "But we saw it on the night of Saturday," i.e., one night after it was sighted in the Levant. Therefore, we will continue to fast until we complete the thirty days of the month or see the crescent before that with the month being 29 days. This results from the different sightings of crescents from different places. So, Kurayb asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him): Will you - or he said: will we - not be content with the sighting by the people of the Levant of the crescent of Ramadan at its beginning, and with them is Caliph Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him)? Thus, you fast with their fasting at the start of the month and break your fast with their break of the fast. In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās said: 'No' i.e., we are not content with their sighting. Rather, we observe the fast or complete the month according to our sighting. He probably said that given the great distance between Hejaz and the Levant which allows for different crescent sightings. Also, news could not reach Madīnah from the Levant on the same night. Hence, they comply with the Prophet's command to observe the fast and break the fast based on sighting the crescent. In a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Fast when you see it and break your fast when you see it, and if the weather is cloudy, complete it as thirty." This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we must rely on sighting the crescents to know the beginnings and ends of the lunar months.
It also points out that the people of each region should fast based on their sighting of the crescent..

1088

Abu al-Bakhtari reported: We saw the crescent of Ramadan while we were at Dhāt ‘Irq. So, we sent a man to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about that. In response, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen, but if the weather is cloudy, then complete the period.".

Commentary : Allah made crescents a means for counting months and years. By sighting the crescent, one month begins and another ends. Based on this sighting, many obligations are determined, like fasting and Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu al-Bakhtari Sa‘īd ibn Fayrūz at-Tā’i informs that they saw the crescent of Ramadan one day while they were at a place called Dhāt ‘Irq. This is the locational Miqāt of the pilgrims of the people of Iraq. It lies 42 miles (100km) to the northeast of Makkah. They sent a man to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the crescent of Ramadan and the related rulings, especially if the weather is too cloudy for the people to see it. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, Allah has deferred it till it is seen," i.e., indeed, Allah extended the period of sighting the crescent till the people could see it. If it is not possible to see it until the end of the twenty-ninth day of the month, and you cannot see it for one reason or another, like the clouds being in the way, you should observe the complete period of the month of Sha'bān as thirty days. This also applies to all Hijri lunar months. This does not exclusively pertain to the people of a certain region; rather, it is addressed to all Muslims.
The Hadīth indicates that we should ask the people of knowledge about obscure and confusing matters.
It also points out that we should leave doubt to certainty when the crescent is hidden by completing the month as thirty days..

1094

Samurah ibn Jundub reported: I heard Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way until it spreads this way.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) defined the time in which a fasting person should refrain from eating during the month of Ramadan; that is the time of "al-Fajr as-Sādiq" (the true dawn). He pointed out that a Muslim may eat and drink till the Adhān of the real dawn.
In its meaning, this Hadīth is linked to other versions which demonstrate that there were two Adhāns for Fajr during the Prophet's lifetime: The first Adhān was proclaimed by Bilāl ibn Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him). This is the one about which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not be misled with regard to your Suhūr by the Adhān of Bilāl or the whiteness of the horizon that grows long in this way." This teaches the Muslims that they may eat and drink when they hear the Adhān of Bilāl, for it was only intended to give notice that the time of Fajr was approaching. The Adhān of Bilāl was proclaimed at the time when the whiteness of the horizon grows long in the sky. And it was meant to make the sleeping person wake up and alert the one standing in prayer. It was followed by the second Adhān, which was proclaimed by Ibn ’Umm Maktūm. Upon hearing it, the people would abstain from food and drink and start fasting.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed the people to the sign of the true dawn. He commanded them to eat and drink till "it spreads this way" i.e., until dawn appears extended on the horizon..

1096

‘Amr ibn al-‘Ās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge and enjoin the Muslims to have the Suhūr meal, given the blessing it contains for the fasting person.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The difference between our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book is the Suhūr (pre-dawn) meal," i.e., the Suhūr meal - for he who wants to observe fasting, obligatory, or supererogatory - differentiates between the nature of our fasting and the fasting of the People of the Book - the Jews and the Christians. This is because Allah made permissible for us some of what He has prohibited for them. So, our difference from them in this regard represents gratitude for this favor. They do not have a Suhūr meal, while we are enjoined to have it. The best time for this meal is the time of Sahar, which comes shortly before the rise of the true dawn.
This meal is stressed because at this time most people will probably be sleeping, and sleep and its enjoyment may overcome and distract them from the significance of this meal. Then, as a result of abandoning this meal, they will be weakened in undertaking their activities during the daytime.
The Hadīth urges us to have the Suhūr meal.
It shows the Prophet's keenness on being distinguished and different from the People of the Book in the acts of worship common between us and them..

1099

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān; due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: That is because of the status of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). [And in a version]: Being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is not mentioned in the Hadīth..

Commentary : The Shariah urges and encourages us to use the dispensations, particularly if they entail something that may lead to a certain harm or hardship.
In this Hadīth, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: "Sometimes I missed some fasts of Ramadan," i.e., days of fasting in Ramadan were due upon me, for I did not fast them due to things that happen to women, like menstruation, illness, etc. "and I would not be able to make up for them except in Sha‘bān," i.e., she could not make up for these days throughout the year except in Sha‘bān. "due to being busy with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or because of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." She used to keep herself prepared and ready for his affairs (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and for pleasing him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) at all times. This shows her extreme politeness and love for him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and it indicates the great rights of the husband upon one's wife.
The Hadīth indicates the legitimacy of delaying the fast of Ramadan until the next Sha‘bān.
It also demonstrates the flexibility provided in the acts of worship and religious obligations.
The Hadīth also shows the significance of the rights of the husband and being busy with obeying him and tending to his affairs..

1104

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: As the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing prayer during Ramadan, I came and stood by his side. Then, another man came and stood likewise till we became a group. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived that we were behind him, he lightened the prayer. Then, he went to his abode and performed such a prayer that he would not perform with us. In the morning, we asked him, "Did you perceive us during the night?" He said: "Yes, it was this that prompted me to do what I did." He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl (continuous Qiyām and fasting) at the end of the month, and some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What about those men who observe Wisāl?! You are not like me. By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me, I would observe Wisāl in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration abandon their exaggeration!".

Commentary : Acts of worship must be performed exactly as the Shariah prescribed them. We were commanded to fear Allah as much as we can, without overburdening ourselves or adopting a strict approach in religion, for people differ in terms of their abilities and capacities, and lest people become bored of worship and the religious injunctions.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) once performed a supererogatory prayer in Ramadan during a night in the mosque. Meanwhile, he came and stood on his right side, praying with him. Then, another man came and also stood to pray with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, people continued to come and pray behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) till they became "Raht" (a group), which is less than ten persons or more, up to forty men. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) perceived they were praying behind him, he began to lighten the prayer to facilitate the matter and make it easy for them. This contrasts with his usual performance of Qiyām al-Layl when he prayed alone. After he made Taslīm ending the prayer, he entered "his abode" i.e., his house, where he performed a long prayer the like of which he did not perform with him. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that in the morning after that night, they said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Did you perceive us?" i.e., did you feel our presence during that night when we prayed behind you? He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Yes' i.e., I perceived you praying behind me. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "it was this that prompted me to do what I did", i.e., it was what you did as you prayed behind me that drove me to lighten the prayer, go to my house and pray there, and refrain from coming out to you, lest it may be made obligatory for you. Indeed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is the most lenient and merciful among people toward his Ummah.
Then, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) told that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began to observe Wisāl, performing Qiyām all night long and observing fast day and night without breaking it. This Wisāl was at the end of the month of Ramadan. So, some men among his Companions began to observe Wisāl and act like him, thinking that the Prophet's prohibition was meant for discouraging, not unlawfulness. As a result, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry and disapproved of them, as Wisāl was not prescribed for the Ummah. Rather, it is one of his peculiar traits (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "What about those men who observe Wisāl" of fasting?! "You are not like me", i.e., in this matter, you are not like me. Rather, you are required to do what is easier for you. It is authentically reported in the Two Sahīh Collections that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would spend the night with his Lord so Allah would provide him with food and drink. This stems from the Prophet's complete compassion and mercy toward his Ummah and his fear that they might get bored of worship and fall short of some tasks of the religion. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore to them: "By Allah, if the month were lengthened for me" i.e., if the days of the month of Ramadan increased, as they sighted the crescent one or two days after their observance of Wisāl, according to a Hadīth narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections and reported by Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him). "I would observe Wisāl," i.e., he would continue this Wisāl of his, "in a way that would make those who act with exaggeration", those who overburden themselves, adopt a strict approach, and oblige themselves to do things that were not prescribed for them, "abandon their exaggeration." i.e., so that they would abandon it because of tiredness and hardship, and thus they would themselves be sure of the leniency of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) toward them when he prohibited them from Wisāl. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would indeed increase Wisāl for them to deter and punish them for their lack of compliance with his command (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
The Hadīth points out the Prophet's leniency toward his Ummah and that he would not burden them with things beyond their capacity.
It warns of exaggeration in the acts of worship.
And it warns against overburdening oneself with supererogatory acts of worship..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths