Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel! Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so." So, one of the parties ceased throwing. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" On that the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60]. In this ayah, Allah, Exalted is He, commands Muslims to be well-prepared for meeting their enemy and the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, by harnessing all the means of force available to them. Given the fact that archery was one of the most important means of force at that time, the Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to practice it and strongly encouraged learning and mastering archery.
In this hadeeth, it was narrated that the Prophetﷺ passed by some people of the tribe of Banee Aslam who were practicing archery. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Nafar, meaning a number from three to ten men. These men were practicing archery and shooting arrows (in some sort of a competition). The Prophet said, "O BaneeIsma‘eel!” He ﷺ referred to Prophet Ismaa‘eel (Ishamel) because all Arabs are his descendants and he mastered archery. He ﷺ added: “Practice archery as your father Isma‘eel was a great archer. Keep on throwing arrows and I am with Banee so-and-so," referring to one of the two parties (teams). The hadeeth recorded by Ibn Hibbaan on the authority of AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reads: “… and throw and I am with Ibn Al-Adra‘,” whose name was Mihjan ibn Al-Adra‘, and it was also said that his name was Dhakwaan and his nickname was Ibn Al-Adra‘.
So, one of the parties ceased throwing, upon hearing the Prophet’s ﷺstatement. He ﷺ said, "Why do you not throw?" They replied, "How should we throw while you are with them (i.e., on their side)?" They feared that it would be inappropriate to carry on and defeat them, and thus the team aided by the Prophet ﷺ should lose, out of their politeness towards the Prophet ﷺ. Their statement may also mean, ‘How could we compete with a team that you are supporting?’ Thereupon, the Prophetﷺsaid, "Throw, and I am with all of you." He ﷺ urged them to continue with practicing and competing inarchery. The Prophet’s statement guided them to correct their intention.
The hadeeth highlights that Muslims highly revered the Prophet ﷺ..

2900

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them."
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Commentary :
The Great Battle of Badr was the first battle between the Prophet ﷺ and the disbelievers, and it served as the criterion between (truth and falsehood, and between) belief and disbelief. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, called it ‘the Day of Al-Furqaan (lit., criterion),’ and the people of Badr, meaning those who participated in the battle, were blessed with the forgiveness of their sins, as stated by the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ instructed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), as their leader in the Battle of Badr, while they were standing in rows against (the army of) Quraysh. He ﷺsaid, "When they come near you, throw arrows at them,” meaning shoot your arrows (only) when they become near enough, within the range of your arrows, but not too close, within engagement range. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to fire arrows at their enemies when they became within engagement range of the arrows to ensure that they would most likely hit them.Were they to shoot their arrows while they were out of their range, it would be a waste of arrows, especially given that the number of the disbelievers’ army was three times the number of the Muslims’ army! Therefore, shooting arrows at the disbelievers would help the Muslims deflect and hinder their attack.
The Battle of Badr took place in Ramadan in 2 A.H., and Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions(may Allah be pleased with them) victory over the disbelievers of Quraysh.
The hadeeth urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts.
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2901

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
While some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came in, picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." Ma‘mar (the sub-narrator) added that they were playing in the Mosque.
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Commentary :
Training for war and making the proper preparations for meeting the enemy are recommended, because it is part of the enjoined preparation of power (and steeds of war) stated in the ayah that reads (what means): {And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy and others besides them whom you do not know [but] whom Allah knows.} [Quran 8:60].
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah narrated that ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them) came into the Prophet’s Mosque once while some Ethiopians were playing in the presence of the Prophet ﷺ. He (may Allah be pleased with him) picked up a stone and hit them with it. On that the Prophetﷺ said, "O ‘Umar! Allow them (to play)." The Prophet ﷺ said so because he believed that their recreational activity was beneficial for Muslims, as it involved training and getting ready for fighting.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that whoever acts on his own personal reasoning and commits a mistake, should not be blamed, because the Prophet ﷺ did not rebuke ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in that incident..

2902

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the perfect example and optimal role model role model in resolve, courage, and bravery, at times of both peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ and AbooTalhah Zayd ibn Sahl Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) used to shield themselves with one shield in the Battle of Uhud, because AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, who needed someone to hold the shield while he shot the arrows, with both his hands busy. The Prophet ﷺ would hold the shield (while AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) shot the arrows), lest the enemy should shoot back at him. This reflected the humbleness of the Prophet ﷺ and his keenness to participate personally in Jihaad (side by side with the Muslim fighters). He ﷺ was the bravest of all people; whenever the fighting intensified, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)used to shield themselves behind the Prophet ﷺ. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him)was one of the best archers, and therefore whenever he threw (his arrows), the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows, to verify that the arrows hit the enemies. He ﷺ would raise his head to see the target of his arrows. It was recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that when the Prophet ﷺ started looking at the enemy by raising his head, AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger! Let my parents be sacrificed for your sake! Please do not raise your head and make it visible, lest an arrow of the enemy should hit you. Let my neck and chest be wounded instead of yours."
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It also urges Muslimsto learn archery and martial arts..

2904

‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
The properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had transferred to His Messenger ﷺ as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by whatever Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. The properties, therefore, belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ who used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used in Allah's Cause.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ led an ascetic life in the worldly sense, although Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon him riches, and made lawful for him the spoils of war. He ﷺ always kept the worldly pleasures in his hands, not in his heart. He ﷺ did not keep any savings except for the provisions for his own household in order to (shoulder his task and) tend to their needs (as enjoined).
In this hadeeth, ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the properties of Banee Al-Nadeer which Allah, Exalted is He, had granted to Muslims as Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting) were not gained by Muslims with their horses and camels. This means that the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not fight against Banee Al-Nadeer, but Allah, Exalted is He, cast terror into their hearts in awe of the Prophet ﷺ. Banee Al-Nadeer was a Jewish tribe which had settled in thesouth of Al-Madeenah. The Prophet ﷺ laid siege to them and expelled them from Al-Madeenah on account of their betrayal in 3 A.H. It was also said that this took place in Rabee‘ Al-Awwal, 4 A.H. Their properties and weapons belonged especially to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, and none of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had a share of such war-gains, because the disposal of the Fay’ was solely determined by the Prophet ﷺ as he saw fit, unlike the spoils of war (which were divided among the fighters). He ﷺ used to give his family their yearly expenditure and spend what remained thereof on arms and horses to be used for Jihaad in Allah's Cause.
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2906

‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to my house while two girls were singing beside me the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam.) The Prophetﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and scolded me and said disapprovingly, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ Thereupon, Allah's Messenger ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) became inattentive, I waved the two girls to go away and they left. It was the Day of ‘Eid when black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" When I got tired, he ﷺ asked me if that was enough. I replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told me to leave.
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Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was the best of all people to his wives as reflected in his good treatment and kindness towards them.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺcame to her house while two girls were singing beside her the songs of Bu‘aath (i.e., a story about the war between the two tribes of the Ansaar: the Khazraj and Aws, before Islam). Bu‘aath was the name of the fortress that witnessed a massive war between the Khazraj and the Aws tribes which ended with the victory of Aws. Afterward, Allah, Exalted is He, conferred upon them peace and reconciliation, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. Heﷺreclined on the bed and turned his face to the other side, because his refined status entailed that he ﷺ should refrain from listening to singing. However, the fact that the Prophet ﷺ abstained from forbidding it proves that it is permissible according to his tacit approval, for he ﷺ would not approve what is impermissible. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came in and scolded her, based on his knowledge of the prohibition of singing and musical instruments. He (may Allah be pleased with him) disapprovingly said, "Instrument of Satan in the presence of Allah's Messenger ﷺ!” Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was referring to their singing or the Duff (i.e., a tambourine-like instrument without bells) that they used. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Mizmaarah or Mizmaar (i.e., wind instrument), derived from the word Zameer which denotes whistling or hissing, and it is used to refer to pleasant melody or singing. He (may Allah be pleased with him) attributed it to Satan because it distracts the heart from the remembrance of Allah, Exalted is He. Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did not know that the Prophet ﷺ had (tacitly) approved it before making this remark, for he (may Allah be pleased with him) entered abruptly, found him reclined on the bed, and assumed that he ﷺ was sleeping. He (may Allah be pleased with him) forbade this act, and thereupon the Prophet ﷺ turned his face towards him and said, "Leave them." It was a Day of ‘Eid, which is a festive occasion that is prescribed by the religion and therefore celebrating it should not be forbidden, and also this act falls under the category of permissible recreational activities that do not prompt the ‘self’ to do what is improper and unbecoming.
When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) or the Prophet ﷺ became inattentive, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah(may Allah be pleased with her) waved the two girls to go away and they left. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “It was the Day of ‘Eid when Black men used to play with leather shields and spears. Either I requested Allah's Messenger ﷺ or he himself asked me whether I would like to see the display. I replied in the affirmative. Then he ﷺ let me stand behind him and my cheek was touching his cheek and he was saying, "Carry on, O BaneeArfidah (i.e., black people)!" It was also said that it was the name of their great forefather. When she (may Allah be pleased with her)got bored, he ﷺ asked her if that was enough. She (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the affirmative and he ﷺ told her to leave.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims are urged to make less restrictions for their wives and children in terms of provisions, and allow them to engage in prescribed recreational activities on festive occasions to enjoy the celebrations and that what may not be pardonable on other days of the year may be pardonable on the days of ‘Eid (as long as it is permissible as per the law of Islam).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that a father is entitled to discipline his daughter in the presence of her husband; one of the father’s duties is disciplining his children and it is prescribed for a husband to show kindness towards his wife.
It is also deduced that it is allowable to witness the prescribed recreational activities..

2909

AbooUmaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that some people conquered many countries and their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, but they were decorated with leather, lead, and iron..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ taught and educated the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) well and instilled within them the moral values of courage and sacrifice of one’s own life and wealth in Allah’s Cause. He ﷺ also taught them to find pride in and drive strength from their faith in Allah, Exalted is He, to confront whoever waged war against Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, AbooUmaamahSudayy ibn ‘Ajlaan Al-Baahilee(may Allah be pleased with him)said that when Allah, Exalted is He, blessed a group of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) with conquering many countries, their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, like people’s swords at those times. Rather, they were decorated with untanned leather, lead, and iron.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) did not adorn their weapons with gold or anything similar, for they dispensed with striking awe in their enemies by means of outward appearances (i.e., demonstrations of force), and rather struck awe in their hearts by means of their true faith in Allah, Exalted is He. However, this does not entail that it is impermissible to adorn the swords with gold and silver, to strike awe and terror in the hearts of the enemies of Allah, Exalted is He, and infuriate them. Rather, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)were contented with their strength and power to defeat their enemies rather than terrorizing them by means of such ornaments..

2920

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles.
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Commentary :
Fostering ease and eliminating inconvenience are among the key principles of our true religion, and the greater the hardship, the greater the facilitation and elimination of inconvenience enjoined by Islam.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about lice (that caused them itchiness). Another version of the hadeeth compiled in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “… because of an itching from which they suffered,” and it seems that such itching was caused by the lice. It is also possible that the reason was the itchiness for one of them and the lice for the other. Accordingly, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession to wear silken clothes, because silk was more suitable to their skin condition. It was narrated in Sunan Aboo Daawood that the Prophet ﷺ took hold of some silk in his right hand and some gold in his left, then said: “These two are forbidden for the males of my Ummah.”
In that incident, the Prophet ﷺ gave them a legal concession because of their problems (i.e., itchiness).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to seek medical treatment and remedies for their health problems.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that availing oneself of the available means does not contradict true reliance on Allah, Exalted is He. .

2926

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’”
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Commentary :
The rancor harbored by the Jews and their hostility towards Islam and Muslims have existed since the advent of Islam and will continue until the Last Hour should come. Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the supporters of truth should prevail, even if the oppression of the Jews continues for a long time and their dominion grows stronger.
In this Hadeeth, the truthful Prophet of Allah ﷺ mentioned one of the signs of the Last Hour; a war shall take place between Muslims and Jews. Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, addressing his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and all following Muslim generations until the end of the world, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews.” This war will take place after the advent of Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus) and Muslims will be his supporters in this war,while the Jews will support Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist). During this war, everything will cooperate with Muslim fighters, even inanimate objects like stones. Whenever a Jew would hide behind any object, it would speak and say to the Muslims, “O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.”Inanimate objects will reveal the truth and help Muslims (defeat the Jews).
The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “… except for the Gharqad (i.e.,Boxthorn or Lycium) tree, for it is the tree of the Jews.” Gharqad trees (known as Boxthorn or Lycium) famously grow in Jerusalem. During the war between Prophet ‘Eesa (Jesus),accompanied by the Muslims on one side, and Al-Dajjaal (i.e., the Antichrist), accompanied by the Jews on the other, these trees shallshelter the soldiers of the Dajjaal, i.e., the Jews. The hadeeth means that that everything (even inanimate objects) will cooperate with Muslims to defeat and kill the Jews, the soldiers of the Dajjaal, except the Gharqad trees, and therefore they are attributed to the Jews in this sense.
The hadeeth evidences that Islam will last until the Day of Resurrection and shall triumph over all its enemies.
It also highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2929

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophetﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come till you fight against people wearing shoes made of hair; and the Last Hour will come till you fight against people whose faces look like shields coated with leather." (AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) added, "They will be) small-eyed, flat nosed, and their faces will look like shields coated with leather.”)
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ explained on many occasions the signs of the Last Hour and the horrors that will take place before the Day of Resurrection, so that Muslims should take the needed precautions, prepare themselves for those (harsh) times, and increase their faith and certitude in their Prophet ﷺ and his truthfulness.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us of some signs indicating the approach of the Last Hour, one of which will be that Muslims shall fight against people wearing shoes made of hair. It could also mean that they shall lengthen their hair so much that it would reach their shoes! Another description of such people is that their faces shall look like shields coated with leather used to protect the fighters from sword strikes on the battlefield. The meaning is that these people’s faces are large, round, and fat. The hadeeth also underlined that these people are small-eyed and have long noses, meaning that their noses are short, with thick and flat tips.
Perhaps these descriptions applied to the Tatars and the Mongols, who swept the Muslim world in the middle of the seventh century A.H., because of the precise physical descriptions that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ gave in this hadeeth (matching their physical description); they fought against Muslims and their onslaught swept many countries, instilling fear and terror in people’s hearts, as if they were Yajooj and Majooj (Gog and Magog). It is noteworthy that many of the Tatars and the Mongols embraced Islam afterwards.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2930

Aboo Is-haaq narrated:
A man asked Al-Baraa,’ "O Aboo ‘Umaarah! Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?" He replied, "No, by Allah! Allah's Messenger ﷺ did not flee, but his young, unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr whose arrows hardly missed a target, and they threw arrows at them hardly missing a shot. Muslims retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule which was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, for victory; then he ﷺ said, 'I am the Prophet, without a lie; I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,’ and then he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the bravest of all people, and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were the best warriors who displayed the most outstanding steadfastness when meeting their enemies.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aboo Is-haaq ‘Amr ibn ‘Abdullaah Al-Sabee‘eesaid that a man named Qays, according to the version recorded by Ahmad, jokingly asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him), "O Aboo ‘Umaarah,” i.e. the nickname of Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him). “Did you all flee on the day (of the battle) of Hunayn?” The Battle of Hunayn took place in 8 A.H., and Hunayn was a valley near Dhul-Mijaaz, close to Al-Taa’if, fifteen miles from Makkah in the direction of Al-Sharaa’i‘ and Al-Sayl Al-Kabeer. It was said that Hunayn was named after a man named Hunayn ibn Qaathibah.
The question was about all Muslims, including the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and therefore Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that he ﷺdid not flee, but rather his young unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who did not even shield themselves with armor or the like, fearlessly passed by the archers of the tribe of Hawaazin and Banee Nasr ibn Mu‘aawiyah, i.e., two Arab tribes renowned for their skill as archers whose arrows hardly missed a target. They shot arrows at the unarmed Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who retreated towards the Prophet ﷺwhile he was riding his white mule that was being led by his cousin AbooSufyaan ibn Al-Haarith ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺ dismounted and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, imploring Him for victory; saying, “I am the Prophet, without a lie;” meaning that he ﷺ was not a liar to flee, ”I am the son of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib,” and he ﷺ attributed himself directly to his grandfather given his fame (among all Arab tribes). Afterward, he ﷺ arranged his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in rows, to resume fighting. The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) fought against the disbelievers, defeated them, and gained many spoils of war in this battle.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should invoke Allah, Exalted is He, at times of adversity and hardship..

2937

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of Daws tribe disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." People said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance and guide them to embrace Islam."
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was sent as a mercy to the worlds, and he ﷺ loved for all people to be guided to Islam, and did not hasten to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them as long as there was hope for them to embrace Islam.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Tufayl ibn ‘Amr Al-Dawsee and his companions came to the Prophet ﷺ in Al-Madeenahand said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! The people of the tribe of Daws,” an Arab tribe, “disobeyed and refused to follow you; invoke Allah, Exalted is He, against them." Upon hearing so, people said, "The tribe of Daws is (certainly) ruined (i.e., because the Prophet’s supplications are undoubtedly answered)." They thought that the Prophet ﷺ was going to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, against them and his supplications would not be rejected! The Prophetﷺ said, "O Allah! Bless the people of Daws with guidance, and guide them to embrace Islam,” and migrate to Al-Madeenah. This reflects the Prophet’s refined moral character, mercy, and kindness towards his Ummah. May Allah, Exalted is He, bless him with the most perfect and abundant reward, better than what any other Prophet of Allah was rewarded for guiding his followers (to the truth). It is noteworthy that the Prophet’s supplications against some disbelievers were because their guidance to Islam was not hoped for; their harm and evil were feared; and they had severely abused and persecuted Muslims.
The supplications of the Prophet ﷺwere answered and the tribe of Daws embraced Islam. It was narrated by Al-Bayhaqee in his book Dalaa’il Al-Nubuwwah that the Prophet ﷺ commanded Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) toreturn to his people and invite them to Allah, Exalted is He, and urged him to be kind towards them. Al-Tufayl(may Allah be pleased with him) did so until the Prophet ﷺ conquered Khaybar, and then went to Al-Madeenah after seventy or eighty households from the tribe of Daws had embraced Islam.
The hadeeth highlights a sign proving the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ..

2943

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked some people, he would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight, and if he did not hear the Adhaan, he would attack them immediately after dawn. We reached Khaybar at night.”
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the best role model and teacher for the Muslim Ummah, and our source of guidance on all matters of peace and war.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that,“Whenever Allah's Messenger ﷺ attacked any given people, he ﷺ would never attack them till it was dawn. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan (i.e., call for prayer) he would delay the fight,” as it would be indicative of their Islam, “and if he did not hear the Adhaan,” being a manifest sign of their disbelief, “he ﷺ would attack them immediately after dawn.” This means that whenever the Prophet ﷺ did not know for sure whether a given people had embraced Islam and were edified on it before attacking them, he ﷺ would wait until dawn to see whether or not they would raise the Adhaan. If he ﷺ heard the Adhaan, he ﷺ would refrain from attacking them, otherwise, he ﷺ would proceed.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “We reached Khaybar at night,” to conquer it in 7 A.H. Khaybar was a village inhabited by Jews, about 153 km from Al-Madeenah on the route to Shaam. The Prophet ﷺ waited until dawn and then attacked them. It was narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that Allah's Messenger ﷺ reached Khaybar at night, and it was his habit that, whenever he ﷺ reached the enemy at night, he would not attack them till it was morning. When it was morning, the Jews came out with their spades and baskets, and when they saw him (i.e., the Prophet ﷺ), they said, "Muhammad! By Allah! Muhammad and his army have arrived!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Khaybar is (already) destroyed, for whenever we approach a (hostile) nation (to fight them), {then evil is the morning of those who were warned.} [Quran 37:177]."
The hadeeth underlines the Prophet’s precautions before fights, fearing that he ﷺ would mistakenly kill Muslims (when conquering non-Muslim lands)..

2950

Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ used to single out certain days with particular acts of worship or good deeds.
In this hadeeth, Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophetﷺ used to prefer to travel on Thursdays, and that he ﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook in 9 A.H. to fight against the Romans. Tabook was a town in the far north of the Arabian Peninsula, in the middle of the road to Damascus, about 700 km away from Al-Madeenah. The Battle of Tabook was the last battle in which the Prophet ﷺ personally partook against the Romans.
He ﷺ habitually set out on his journeys for travel or Jihaad purposes (i.e., conquests) on Thursdays, except for a few occasions. It was authentically reported that the Prophet ﷺtravelled on Saturday, and perhaps this was one of the examples of the few occasions mentioned by Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) in the other version of the hadeeth recorded by Al-Bukhaaree when he (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “It was rarely that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ set out on a journey on any day other than Thursday.”
The point is that he ﷺ used to set out on Thursday for most of his travels and conquests, and the wisdom behind that is known only to Allah, Exalted is He. It was said that he ﷺ hated to travel on Fridays, and therefore used to set out on the day before (Thursday) or the day after it (Saturday). It was also said that Thursday is a blessed day during which people’s deeds are presented to Allah, Exalted is He, and he ﷺ only set out on his journeys or battles for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He, and therefore he ﷺ wanted to perform such good deeds on that blessed day in particular. It is also possible that he ﷺ believed it was a good omen to embark on his journeys and battles on Thursdays in particular, for the Arabic word Khamees (i.e., Thursday) means ‘army,’ which consists of five divisions: front, rear, left, right, and center. He ﷺ might have believed that going out for conquests on Thursday would be a good omen that Allah, Exalted is He, would protect him and bless him with the support of his soldiers (army). He ﷺ may have also found it a good omen to set out on his conquests on Thursday, hoping that he ﷺ would defeat the enemy’s army, denoted by the very Arabic word for Thursday, Khamees, and because he ﷺ would avail himself of the fifth of the gained spoils of war (i.e., the Arabic word for ‘five’ is Khamsah, derived from the same root as Khamees)..

2954

AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent us on military expedition telling us, "If you find such and such persons (he ﷺ named two men from Quraysh), burn them with fire." Then we came to bid him farewell, when we wanted to set out, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead).".

Commentary :
Many of the disbelievers committed heinous crimes against Muslim men and women before and after the emigration, and accordingly deserved punishments for that. An example of such crimes was that when Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her), the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, decided to migrate and headed towards Al-Madeenah, two men from the disbelievers, Habbaar ibn Al-Aswad and another man who was said to be Naafi‘ ibn Qays, encountered her. They hit the camel that she was riding, she fell to the ground while being pregnant, and had a miscarriage as a result.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent him on a military expedition, led by Hamzah ibn ‘Amr Al-Aslamee(may Allah be pleased with him) to kill these two men (in retribution). He ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men by burning them with fire. When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) went to bid the Prophet ﷺ farewell, before setting out on the journey, he ﷺ said: "Previously, I ordered you to burn so-and-so and so-and-so with fire, but as punishment with fire is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, if you capture them, kill them (instead)." This means that only Allah, Exalted is He, punishes His creation with fire, and such punishment is exclusive to Him; none may use burning with fire as a punishment. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ commanded them to kill these two men instead. His second statement forbade the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) from punishing them with fire and it abrogated the first command, whether it was abrogated based on new divine revelation or based on the Prophet’s personal Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning). The prohibition in this regard means that none should deliberately burn a particular person with fire.
Anyway, the Muslim army could not find the two men in question, and afterward Habbaar embraced Islam and lived until the reign of Mu‘aawiyah(may Allah be pleased with him), but no further information was reported about the other man. His name was not recorded among the Companions’ names (in the Sunnah books); he may have died as a disbeliever.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to judge a situation based on one’s personal reasoning and then change one’s judgment afterward.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is prohibited to burn someone with fire.
It is deduced therefrom that Sunnah texts may abrogate one another.
It is also inferred that it is permissible for someone to bid farewell to the elite people in one’s town before traveling, and his companions may bid farewell to him as well..

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..

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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

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them."
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Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows.
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AbooUmaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that some people conquered many countries and their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, but they were decorated with leather, lead, and iron..

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’”
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Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays.
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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

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said: On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them." .

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows. .

AbooUmaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that some people conquered many countries and their swords were decorated neither with gold nor silver, but they were decorated with leather, lead, and iron..

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles. .

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’” .

Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays. .

‘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.".

AbooUsayd Al-Saa‘idee(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
On the day (of the battle) of Badr when we stood in rows against (the army of) Quraysh and they stood in rows against us, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "When they do come near you, throw arrows at them."
.

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
AbooTalhah and the Prophetﷺ used to shield themselves with one shield. AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) was a good archer, and when he threw (his arrows) the Prophetﷺwould look at the target of his arrows.
.

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and Al-Zubayr(may Allah be pleased with them) complained to the Prophet ﷺ about the lice (that caused itching) so he ﷺ allowed them to wear silken clothes. I saw them wearing such clothes in the battles.
.

Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The Last Hour will not come until you fight against the Jews, and the stone behind which a Jew will be hiding will say, ‘O Muslim! There is a Jew hiding behind me, so (come and) kill him.’”
.

Ka‘b ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ set out on Thursday for the Battle of Tabook and he used to prefer to set out (i.e., travel) on Thursdays.
.