1913

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):The Prophet ﷺ said, "We are an illiterate nation; we can neither write nor calculate. The month is like this and this, i.e., sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of thirty days.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be usedto determine the timings of the lunar months. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of one lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on this sighting, many religious obligations are determined, such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “We are an uneducated nation; we can neither write nor calculate,” meaning that we, as Arabs, are mostly uneducated or unlettered. The Arabic word ‘Ummi’ denotes “motherly,” which indicates the inability to read, write, or calculate.
Reference to arithmetic skills here means the use of astronomical calculation to track the movements of stars, lunar stages, and calculate times and dates. Arabs are predominantly unfamiliar with astronomical calculation, although a few have mastered it.
Therefore, Islam assigns clear signs and obvious marks for acts of worship that require no astronomical calculation. Then, the Prophet ﷺexplained by the use of sign language to clarify for both the deaf and the non-Arabs. He ﷺ said: “The lunar month is such and such.” The narrator said: “He ﷺ pointed with his hands to indicate that the lunar month is either twenty-nine or thirty days. He ﷺ first pointed with all ten fingers of his hands twice, and folded the thumb the third time, to indicate twenty-nine days; and then gestured with his two hands thrice, to indicate thirty days.
A lunar month does not exceed thirty days and is not less than twenty-nine days. The beginning of the month is marked by the sighting of the crescent after the sunset of the twenty-ninth day, and if the crescent is not sighted, the month is thirty days.
It is noteworthy that the description ‘Ummi (uneducated)’ is one of the attributes of perfection with which Allah, Exalted is He, endowed His Messenger ﷺ and praised him, even though it may be considered an attribute of imperfection with respect to others, because the practice of reading and writing is a means to acquire knowledge that often refines people’s personalities and elevates their status. Since Allah, Exalted is He, singled out the Prophet ﷺ for the earlier and latter knowledge without the need of learning how to read and write, it was a miracle in this respect, and an indication of the sincerity with which he ﷺ was described in the earlier heavenly books and by which was known to the previous nations. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel…} [Quran 7:157].
In his case, illiteracy is perceived as one of his greatest miracles, and the greatest honor conferred upon him, although it is indicative of apparent deficiency and inability for others.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that the use of sign language is allowable to explain unclear information..

1914

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "None of you should fast a day or two before the month of Ramadan unless he has the habit of fasting (voluntary fasting) (and if his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be usedto determine the timing of the lunar months. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of one lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on this sighting, many religious obligations are determined, such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade Muslims from fasting the day or two days before the month of Ramadan (the last day or two days of Sha’baan). It is not prescribed for Muslims to observe fasting at the end of Sha’baan as a precaution, because theobligatory fastingis contingent on the sighting of the moon and there should beno Takalluf (i.e., overburdening oneself with undue duties) involved, whether the sky is clear or cloudy.
He ﷺ specifically mentioned the last two days of Sha‘baan because doubt may arise on those two days if the sky happened to be cloudy (and it was not possible to sight the new moon clearly) for two or three months. He ﷺforbade fasting on these days for two reasons.First, for fear that this would involve adding extra days to the month of Ramadan.It was also forbidden to fast on the Day of ‘Eid for the same reason, and to avoid following the example of the People of the Book,who had fallen into adding to their obligatory fasting based on their personal whims and preferences. This is whyit is prohibited to fast on the Day of Doubt, i.e., the last day of Sha‘baan. Second, the religion made the obligatory fasting in Ramadancontingent on the sighting of the moon and fasting on the preceding day or two days implies challenging the rulings of Islam.
Then he ﷺmade an exception from this prohibition if a person is used to fasting on a specific day, such as the case of someone who habitually observes fasting on alternate days or on Mondays, if such were to coincide with these two days. In this case, there is no impediment to fasting on these days because it does not fall under the category of forbidden fasting (as intended in the hadeeth) as per the laws of Islam.
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1915

Narrated Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him):It was the custom among the Companions of Muhammad that if any of them was fasting and the food was served (fast-breaking meal), but he slept before eating, he would not eat that night and the following day till sunset. Qays ibn Sirmah Al-Ansaaree was fasting and came to his wife at the time of Iftaar (fast-breaking meal) and asked her whether she had anything to eat. She replied, "No, but I would go and bring some food for you." He used to do hard work during the day, so he was overwhelmed by sleep and fell asleep. When his wife came back and saw him, she said, "Disappointment for you!" When it was midday on the following day, he fainted and the Prophet ﷺ was informed about the whole matter and the following ayah was revealed (which mean): {It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]…} [Quran 2:187] So, they were overjoyed by it, and then Allah also revealed: {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset...} [Quran 2:187]
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Commentary :
The wisdom of Allah, Exalted is He, entailed that the Quran should not be revealed all at once, but should rather be revealed on different occasions, to ensurethe gradual building and refinement of the Muslim community that He willed for Muslims.Therefore, the ayaat of the Quran were revealed to address the problems and emerging issues that arose.
In this hadeeth, Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him)related that when fasting was first made obligatory (in Ramadan), any ofthe Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)who happened to sleep before breaking his fast would not eat that night and would fast the following day,eating onlyafter the Maghrib prayer of the following day! They had a limited window of time to break their fast; from Maghrib prayer to the time when they went to bed that night. If anyone happened to sleep before breaking his fast, he would carry on with fasting on the following day, and then break his fast on the following day.The same was true for engagement in sexual intercourse with their wives.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also stated that Qays ibn Sirmah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) was fasting oneday and went to his wife at the time of Maghrib prayer asking her for the Iftaar (fast-breaking) meal. She told him that she hadn’t any food butsought his permission to go and fetch him some. Exhausted after his workday, hefell asleep while waiting for her. When his wife came back and saw him asleep, she said: "Disappointment for you," meaning,“what a deprivation.” Thiswas a commonly used expression for someone who missed out on an attainment to which he aspired. Qays (may Allah be pleased with him)did not eat anything that night and woke up on the following dayand observed fasting. When hewas halfway through the day, he fainted, and the incident was reported to the Prophet ﷺ. On that occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (meaning): {It has been made permissible for you the night preceding fasting to go to your wives [for sexual relations]. They are clothing for you and you are clothing for them. Allah knows that you used to deceive yourselves, so He accepted your repentance and forgave you. So now, have relations with them and seek that which Allah has decreed for you. And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]. Then complete the fast until the sunset. And do not have relations with them as long as you are staying for worship in the mosques. These are the limits [set by] Allah, so do not approach them. Thus does Allah make clear His ordinances to the people that they may become righteous.} [Quran 2:187].The ayah means that it is deemed allowable for you to engage in sexual intercourses with your wives, eat, and drink at any time of the night until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread (of night). At that point of the night, it is obligatory on them to abstain from eating, drinking and sexual intercourse until sunset. The Companions(may Allah be pleased with them)were overjoyed.

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1916

Narrated ‘Adiy ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him):When the above ayahwas revealed (which means): {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of the dawn],} [Quran 2:187] I took two (hair) strings, one black and the other white, and kept them under my pillow and went on looking at them throughout the night but could not make anything out of it! So, the next morning I went to Allah's Messenger ﷺ and told him the whole story. He ﷺexplained to me, "That ayah means the darkness of the night and the whiteness of the dawn.".

Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the source of knowledge for his Companions(may Allah be pleased with them); whenever they were confused regarding any of the laws of Islam or the meaning of any ayaatof the Quran, they turned to him for clarification and guidance, and he ﷺ would teach and guide them.
In this hadeeth, ‘Adiy ibnHaatim(may Allah be pleased with him)reports that when the following ayah was revealed (which means): {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread [of night]} [Quran 2:187], it was prescribed for Muslims to eat and drink all night long until dawn, and prior to that they were only allowed to eat and drink after Maghrib prayer until they went to bed. Whenever any of them went to bed, it was not allowed to eat or drink on that night and on the following day as well (until the Maghreb prayer), as narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree. ‘Adiy ibn Haatim(may Allah be pleased with him) understood that the wording of the ayahto be literal,that it meant actualwhite and black threads, and that it is allowable to eat and drink until one could distinguish between them, i.e., after sunrise. Therefore, he brought two ropes (black and white ones) and put them under his pillow to preserve them so that he could easily look at them without having to get up. He would raise the pillow and look at them to determine the beginning of the fast day. After dawn,he would look at the two ropes, but hecould not distinguish the white from the black one, for the daylight was still faint.
Whereupon he (may Allah be pleased with him)went to the Messenger of Allah ﷺand told him the whole story. The Messenger of Allah he ﷺexplained that the correct meaning of theayahwas not to be able to see clearly actualwhite and black threads, but rather meant the ability to distinguish the blackness of the night from the whiteness of the morning, i.e., after dawn, and that the break of dawn was the time limit for the end of the night and the beginning of the morning.This means that whoever wishes to observe fasting is required to abstain from eating and drinking upon seeing that clear and prominent sign, i.e., the break of dawn..

1917

Narrated Sahl ibn Sa’d(may Allah be pleased with him):When the following ayah was revealed(which means): {And eat and drink until the white thread of dawn becomes distinct to you from the black thread,} [Quran 2:187] some people who intended to fast, tied black and white threads to their legs and went on eating till they differentiated between the two. Allah then revealed the words, {[of the dawn]}, and it became clear that meant the night and day..

Commentary :
The Noble Quran was not revealed all at once, but was rather revealed to the Prophet ﷺon different occasions, and some ayaat were revealed to further explain and clarify others. The Companions(may Allah be pleased with them)hastened to comply with the divine commands revealed to them.
In this hadeeth, Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) related the occasion during which the following ayah was revealed. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And eat and drink until the white thread becomes distinct to you from the black thread.} [Quran 2:187].Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)understood the wording of the ayah literally, and that it meant actual white and black threads. Therefore, they would bring two threads (a black and a white one) and tie them to their feet and would eat and drink until they were able to differentiate between the black and white one (i.e., to determine the beginning of the fast day after dawn). Afterwards, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the words {of the dawn} [Quran 2:187].in the ayah, and thereupon they learned that it does not referto actual white and black threads, but rather meant the ability to distinguish the blackness of the night from the whiteness of the morning, i.e., after dawn, and that the break of dawn was the time limit for the end of the night and the beginning of the morning. This means that whoever wishes to observe fasting is required to abstain from eating and drinking upon seeing that clear and prominent sign, i.e., the break of dawn.
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1923

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Eat Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) for indeed there is a blessing in it."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ did not leave any good pertaining to this worldly life or the Hereafter without guiding Muslims to it and urging them to abide by it.
In the hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺurgedand commanded those who wished to fast to eat the Suhoor (pre-dawn meal). He ﷺ said: “Eat Suhoor,”meaning the pre-dawn meal during the month of Ramadan(obligatory fasting) and otherwise (voluntary fasting). He ﷺ explained: “for indeed there is a blessing in it,”meaning that it abounds in good, benefits, and blessings. The blessings in Suhoor aretastededon account of following the Sunnah and going against the practices of the People of the Book, because they did not eat before dawn. It also helps the fasting person gain strength to be able to endure fasting, boosts his energylevels for the rest of the day, andempowers him to practice self-restraintand repel the urges toexhibit bad mannerstriggered by hunger. The blessings of Suhoor are also manifest in being a reason for giving charity to those who may ask for it at this time, or join him for the Suhoor meal, in reciting Thikr and supplications at a time when they are most likely accepted, and holding the intention of fasting for those who had forgotten to do so before going to bed on the previous night.
Emphasis is placed on eating the Suhoor meal because most people most likely sleep at this time;they may be overwhelmed by sleep and thus miss out on having thisimportant meal, causingthem to experience fatigue at daytime while performing their daily activities and work.
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1924

Narrated Salamah ibn Al-Akwa’ (may Allah be pleased with him):Once the Prophet ﷺordered a person on ‘Aashooraa’ (the 10th day of Muharram) to announce, "Whoever has eaten, should not eat any more, but observe fasting, and who has not eaten should not eat, but complete his fast (till the end of the day)”.
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Commentary :
The Day of ‘Aashooraa’ is one of the blessed days of Allah, Exalted is He, on which He saved His Prophet Moosaa from Pharaoh and his army. The Messenger of Allahﷺ fasted it, and commanded Muslims to fast as well. It was the first prescribed fast for Muslims before fasting was deemed obligatory in Ramadan.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ sent a man, i.e., Hind ibn Asmaa’ ibn Haarithah Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him), as stated in Musnad Ahmad and other Hadeeth collections, to announce to people on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, the 10th day of the sacred month of Muharram, that whoever had eaten on that day should abstain from eating for the rest of the day until the time of Iftaar, to honor the sacredness of this blessed day, and that whoever had not eaten yet should hold the intention of fasting and fast.
After the fasting of Ramadan was deemed obligatory, fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’became optional.It has been reported that fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ expiates the sins committed during the previous year, as reported on the authority of Aboo Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) and narrated by Imam Muslim.
Many narrations have been reported regarding the reasons why the Prophet ﷺ fasted onthe Day of ‘Aashooraa’. For instance, it was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said:“When the Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Madeenah, he found (the Jews) fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ (i.e., 10th of Muharram). They used to say: "This is a great day on which Allah, Exalted is He, saved Prophet Moosaa and drowned the folk of Pharaoh. Moosaa observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I am closer to [Prophet] Moses than they!" So, he observed fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
Moreover, it was reported on the authority of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)that the Prophet ﷺ said about the Day of ‘Aashooraa’: “That was a day on which the people of pre-Islamic days used to observe fast. So, he who amongst you likes to observe fast should do so, and he who does not like it should abandon it.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
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1926

‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them)said:At times, Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to get up in the morning in a state of Janaabah (i.e., post sexual-intercourse ritual impurity) after having sexual relations with his wives, take a bath and fast.
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Commentary :
The Companions sometimes held different opinions regarding certain issues, but they abided by the due Islamic etiquette of disagreement that the Prophet ﷺ taught them.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Al-Haarith, a Taabi‘i (Follower, from the generation of Muslims who followed the Companions), narrated thathe told Marwaan ibn Al-Hakam that the Mothers of Believers ‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah(may Allah be pleased with them) told him that the Prophet ﷺ sometimes woke upafter dawn in a state of Janaabah after having intimate relations with some of his wives,and that he ﷺ would perform Ghusl and observe fasting on that day, as long as he ﷺ had not eaten or drunk anything after dawn. This indicates the permissibility ofcommencing fasting while being in a state of Janaabah before performing Ghusl. The state of Janaabah refers to the post sexual-intercourse state of major ritual impurity experienced by whoever discharges(ejaculates) Manniy (semen) or engages in a sexual intercourse, and the Arabic word denotes the refrainment from prayer and certain worshipful acts until attaining ritual purity (by performing Ghusl).
When Marwaan ibn Al-Hakam, who was then the governor of Al-Madeenah,heard that, he made‘Abd Al-Rahman swear to tell this hadeeth to Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) - for he used to give Fatwa (scholarly opinion) that whoever wakes upin a state of Janaabah in the morning, his fast on that day is not valid - because the wives of the Prophet ﷺwere the most knowledgeable in such matters. He added: “I urge you tosurprise Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)with it,” and this could also mean to rebuke him with it.Marawaan made ‘Abd Al-Rahmaanswear to inform Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) of that hadeeth to investigate the relevant ruling further, to know whether or not he (may Allah be pleased with him)knew of another abrogated text, or one that abrogated this ruling, or warranted specification of its general indication or its interpretation to a different effect.
‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibnAl-Haarith disliked doing what Marwaan ibn Al-Hakam asked him to do, and later on met with Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)at the Miqaat of Dhul-Haleefah, theMiqaat of the people of Al-Madeenah who wish to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah.This place is currently known as Aabaar ‘Ali,a specified placeat the beginning of the route from Al-Madeenah to Makkah, about six miles (approximately 13 km) away from Al-Madeenah and two hundred miles (approximately 408 km) away from Makkah, and it is the farthest Miqaat from Makkah. Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) owned a plot of land there. ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan said to him, “I shall tell you something, and had not Marawaan urged me to do so, I would not have brought it up!” He then informed him of the statement the Mothers of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them). Thereupon, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that Al-Fadhl ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) had reported to him that the Prophet ﷺ said that whoever wakes up in the morning of a fast day while being in a state of Janaabah, his fasting is invalid, but ‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them) were more knowledgeable of such matters.A version of the hadeeth cited in Saheeh Muslim reads: “Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) ‘Have they said that?’ He (‘Abd Al-Rahmaan) replied: ‘Yes!’ Thereupon, Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) ‘They are more knowledgeable (of such matters)!’”
Clearly, they were more knowledgeable of such matters than Al-Fadhl (may Allah be pleased with them), and their statement in this regard is given precedence overothers, because they narrated it based on close observation of the Prophet’s private life, unlike others.
It is deduced fromm the hadeeth that Muslims should accept and embrace the truth and give up opinions that are proven wrong by means of sound argument and proof.
It is also inferred from it that it is permissible for scholars to visit therulers, discuss with them issues of knowledge, and obey them in what is permissible and good.
Finally, it is deduced that ifa religious ruling on a given matter is disputed, it should be referred to the ones who are most likelyknowledgeable of it.
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1927

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
The Prophet ﷺ used to kiss and embrace (his wives) while he was fasting, and he had more power to control his sexual desires than any of you.”Narrated Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him): "The person who discharges (semen) after casting a look (on his wife) should complete his fast.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ made clear for us the permissible and impermissible acts for a fasting person by means of his sayings and actions, and the honorable Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reported such sayings and actions to us.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, clarified to us the allowable acts of intimacy between spousesduring fasting. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “The Prophet ﷺ used to kiss and embrace (his wives) while he was fasting,” meaning kissing ortouching (skin-to-skin contact), without engaging in sexual intercourse, such asforeplay and embracing. He ﷺ used to do so in the obligatory and voluntary fasting. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “… and he had more power to control his sexual desires than any of you,” meaning that he ﷺ had the best self-control ability to curb his sexual desires from invalidating his fast. The Arabic word ‘Al-’Irab’ used in the hadeeth refers to the sexual need or body part. The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her)indicated by her saying: “… and he had more power to control his sexual desires than any of you,” that it is permissible to kiss and to engage in lesser acts of intimacy (without actually having sexual intercourse) for those who are able to control themselvesso that there is no fear of ejaculation or even having sex.
The hadeeth also highlights the good manners of the Prophet ﷺ and his kindness with his wives.
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1929

Zaynab(may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of Umm Salamah, narrated that her mother said, "While I was (lying) with Allah's Messenger ﷺ underneath a woolen sheet, I got the menstrual bleeding, and then slipped away and put on the clothes (which I used to wear) in menses. He asked, "What is the matter? Did you get your menses?" I replied in the affirmative and then entered underneath that woolen sheet. I and Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to take a bath from one water pot and he used to kiss me while he was fasting.".

Commentary :
The Mothers of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with them), the wives of the Prophet ﷺ, reported to us manydetails of his private life with them. This has helped tofurther explain the laws of Islam and clarify for Muslims their religion.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers, Umm Salamah, Hind bint Aboo Umayyah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that while she was lying next to the Prophet ﷺ beneath a blanket or covering called ‘Al-Khameelah,’a black sheet made of wool or other fabric, she experienced the menstrual bleeding. Therefore, shegot up hurriedly anddiscreetly so thatno blood shouldreach the Prophet’s ﷺbody. It could also mean that she was disgusted to sleep next to him in such acondition. She (may Allah be pleased with her)took the clothes that she had prepared to wear during menstruation to put them on. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺnoticed and said to her: "What is the matter? Did you get your period?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative and then he ﷺ asked her to come back to bed next to him underneath that woolen sheet (Khameelah).
She (may Allah be pleased with her)also stated that she and the Prophet ﷺ used to take a bath from one water pot while both were in a state of Janaabah. They used to share the same water pot during Ghusl and he ﷺused to kiss her while he was fasting, for he ﷺhad more power in controlling his sexual desires, and kissing his wives would not result in engaging in sexual intercourse during daytime of Ramadan, as the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “… and he had more power to control his sexual desires than any of you.” It is deduced therefrom that it is allowable for a Muslim man to kiss and engage in Mubaasharah (i.e., lesser acts of intimacy like kissing, embracing, and skin-to-skin contact without engaging in sexual intercourse) with his wife during daytime inRamadan, provided that he has the power to control himself and abstain from any act of intimacy where there is fear of ejaculation or engaging in sexual intercourse.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is preferable for a woman to wear special clothes for menstruation, other than her usual clothes.
The hadeeth also underlines the good manners of the Prophet ﷺ and his kindness with his wives..

1938

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺhad Hijaamah performed on him while he was in the state of lhraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), and also while he was observing fasting..

Commentary :
Hijaamah (cupping therapy)is one of the ancient forms of alternative medicine used to remove bad blood from the body.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullahibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) informed us that the Prophet ﷺhad Hijaamah performed on him while he was in a state of lhraam (ritual state of consecration), and also while he was fasting.
The apparent indication of the hadeeth is that it refers to two sperate occasions. The version of the hadeeth cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree reads: “The Prophet ﷺhad Hijaamah performed on his head while he was in a state of lhraam to cure migraine headaches. This took place in Lahy Jamal,a place between Makkah and Al-Madeenah, about seven miles (12 km) away from Al-Madeenah..

1940

Narrated Thaabit Al-Bunaanee:Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)was asked whether they believed that undertaking Hijaamah therapyis disliked for a fasting person. He replied in the negative and said, "No [not for a religious reason], except for fear of weakness.".

Commentary :
Hijaamah (wet cupping therapy) is one of the ancient forms of alternative medicine used to remove bad blood from the body.
In this hadeeth,the Taab’iee Thaabit Al-Bunaaneeinforms us that Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked whether they believed that Hijaamah therapy was disliked for a fasting person during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) clarifiedthat it was held as non-prohibitivelydisliked(Makrooh Tanzeehan) rather than prohibitively disliked (Makrooh Tahreeman), because it may cause fatigue during fasting, possibly drainingthe fasting person and requiringhim to getnutrients into his body (i.e., break his fast).
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1942

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger!I fast continuously."
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Commentary :
Islam commands Muslims to avail of their share of the worldly life, and not to neglect the right of Allah to be worshipped. Thus, it preaches harmonious balance between the life of the body and that of the heart. Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)used to abide by the original religious rulings rather than opting for concessionsgranted by the religion with the aim of drawing closer to Allah, without hindering their abilities to carry on with their normal everyday activities.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) told the Prophet ﷺ he used to fast continuously, meaning to fast all year long,except for days when fasting is deemed forbidden such as the two days of ‘Eid andthe days of Tashreeq (i.e., the 11th 12th and 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah).
A version of the hadeeth in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim states that he (may Allah be pleased with him) said so to the Prophet ﷺ because hetravelled often and was asking about fasting while traveling. The Prophet ﷺ said: “You may fast if you wish or refrain from fastingif you wish!” As far as voluntary fasting while traveling is concerned, a person is given the choice to observe fasting or refrain from it. The prohibition of fasting continuously (all year long) has been reported in the Sunnah. It has been narrated on the authority of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) that the Prophet ﷺ said to him: “There is no (reward for) fasting (for him) who fasts perpetually (all year long).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
To reconcile between the two hadeeths,scholars have advised that the wisdom behind forbidding fasting perpetually (all year long) is that it drains a person and renders him unable to partake in Jihaad and fulfill the rights due on him. However, if someone has the physical strength to endure fasting all year long while fulfilling the rights due on him (and carry out his obligations), there is no harm in that..

1943

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, said:“Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet ﷺreplied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.”
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Commentary :
Travelling is a tortuous experience and it is usually accompanied by fatigue and hardship. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He,has relieved travelersof certain religious duties and the Laws of Islamhas granted him legal concessions to eliminate such hardship. However, some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to abide by the original religious rulings rather than opting for legal concessions granted by the religion with the aim of drawing closer to Allah.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)asked the Prophet ﷺwhether or not he should fast while traveling. The Prophet ﷺ gave him the choice to fast or refrain from fasting while traveling. He ﷺ said: "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.”
Refrainment from fasting while traveling is a legal concession granted to the traveler, upon whom fasting is otherwise deemed obligatory. A traveler is given the choice between availing himself of this legal concession or abiding by the original ruling.
Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)observed voluntary fasting often and it has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that he even used to fast continuously, meaning all year long, except for days when fasting is deemed forbidden, such as the two days of ‘Eidand the days of Tashreeq (i.e., the 11th 12th and 13th of Thoo al-Hijjah).
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1945

Narrated Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with him):We set out with Allah's Messengerﷺon one of his journeys on a very hot day, and it was so hot that one had to put his hand over his head because of the severity of heat. None of us was fasting except the Prophet ﷺand Ibn Rawaahah (may Allah be pleased with him).
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Commentary :
Traveling is not free of physical and psychological hardship, and therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, relieved travelersof certain religious duties, and the Laws of Islam grants legal concessions to eliminate such hardship. However, some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to abide by the original rulings rather than opting for legal concessions granted by the Laws of Islam whenever they were able to do so, with the aim of drawing closer to Allah.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Al-Dardaa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) related that they set off on a journey with the Prophet ﷺ on a very hot day during the month ofRamadan, as stated in the narration in Saheeh Muslim. It was so hot thatthe Companions had toput their hands over their heads because of the severity of the heat. None of them fasted on that day except for the Prophet ﷺ and‘Abdullahibn Rawaahah(may Allah be pleased with him).The rest of the Companions(may Allah be pleased with them) availed themselves of thelegal concession in this regard. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {…and whoever is ill or on a journey - then an equal number of other days. Allah intends for you ease and does not intend for you hardship.} [Quran 2:185].
It has been reported that the Prophet ﷺ refrained from fasting during some of his travels and criticized those who were fasting, as narrated in Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them): “The Messenger of Allahﷺwent off to Makkah in Ramadan in the year of the Conquest, and they fasted until they arrived at Kuraa‘Al-Ghameem (i.e., a valley two stages from Makkah on the way to Al-Madeenah). He ﷺthen called for a cup of water which he raised until people looked at it, and then he drank. He ﷺwas told afterwards that some people had carried on with their fast (and had not broken it). Thereupon, heﷺ said, “Those are the disobedient ones; those are the disobedient ones.””
The reason the Prophet ﷺ described those people as ‘disobedient’ was that he ﷺ had commandedthem to break their fast and it was upon them to obey him. He ﷺ sometimes commanded Muslims verbally and sometimes tacitly by his actions.When he ﷺ broke his fast, this was a tacit command for themto avail themselves of the relevant legal concession so that they would gain strengthen forJihaad. Since these disobedient people refused to comply with his command, they fell into manifest error. They were described as ‘disobedient’ because in doing so they contravened the Laws of Islam..

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

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):The Prophet ﷺ said, "We are an illiterate nation; we can neither write nor calculate. The month is like this and this, i.e., sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of thirty days.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "None of you should fast a day or two before the month of Ramadan unless he has the habit of fasting (voluntary fasting) (and if his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day.".

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Eat Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) for indeed there is a blessing in it."
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‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them)said:At times, Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to get up in the morning in a state of Janaabah (i.e., post sexual-intercourse ritual impurity) after having sexual relations with his wives, take a bath and fast.
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Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺhad Hijaamah performed on him while he was in the state of lhraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), and also while he was observing fasting..

Narrated Thaabit Al-Bunaanee:Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)was asked whether they believed that undertaking Hijaamah therapyis disliked for a fasting person. He replied in the negative and said, "No [not for a religious reason], except for fear of weakness.".

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger!I fast continuously."
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‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, said:“Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet ﷺreplied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.”
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‘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.".

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.".

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.".

‘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.".

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):The Prophet ﷺ said, "We are an illiterate nation; we can neither write nor calculate. The month is like this and this, i.e., sometimes of 29 days and sometimes of thirty days.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "None of you should fast a day or two before the month of Ramadan unless he has the habit of fasting (voluntary fasting) (and if his fasting coincides with that day) then he can fast that day.".

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Eat Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) for indeed there is a blessing in it." .

‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them)said:At times, Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to get up in the morning in a state of Janaabah (i.e., post sexual-intercourse ritual impurity) after having sexual relations with his wives, take a bath and fast. .

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺhad Hijaamah performed on him while he was in the state of lhraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration), and also while he was observing fasting..

Narrated Thaabit Al-Bunaanee:Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)was asked whether they believed that undertaking Hijaamah therapyis disliked for a fasting person. He replied in the negative and said, "No [not for a religious reason], except for fear of weakness.".

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger!I fast continuously." .

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, said:“Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet ﷺreplied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.” .

‘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.".

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.".

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.".

‘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.".

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺsaid, "Eat Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) for indeed there is a blessing in it."
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‘Aa’ishah and Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them)said:At times, Allah's Messenger ﷺ used to get up in the morning in a state of Janaabah (i.e., post sexual-intercourse ritual impurity) after having sexual relations with his wives, take a bath and fast.
.

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger!I fast continuously."
.

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her), the wife of the Prophet ﷺ, said:“Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him)asked the Prophet ﷺ: "Should I fast while traveling?" The Prophet ﷺreplied, "You may fast if you wish, and you may not fast if you wish.”
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