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Hadith
2137
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
I saw the people buy foodstuff randomly without measuring it during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and they were punished (by beating), if they tried to resell it before carrying it to their own houses..

Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying essential matters, to avoid disputes among people and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of deceit and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) related that he saw people during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ buying foodstuff haphazardly, i.e., wholesale without estimation by measuring, weighing, or counting. In Islamic terminology, this type of sale is known as Bay‘ Al-Jizaaf (i.e., sale without estimation). An example of such a type of sale is when a seller sells a bowl of foodstuff without weighting it or estimating its quantity or monetary value. People used to resell the purchased commodity immediately after the purchase in their place (i.e., before carrying it to their homes or marketplaces). Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade them from reselling the purchased commodities in the place of purchase, and commanded them instead to carry the purchased commodities, and take them into their possession before reselling them. He ﷺ used to appoint someone to discipline whoever did not comply with the Prophet’s ﷺcommand and resold the purchased commodities before taking possession of them.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may discipline those who engage in defective and invalid contracts.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to sell foodstuff wholesale without estimation by measuring, weighing, or counting to determine its quantity.
The hadeeth also highlights how the Laws of Islam preserves and regulates all aspects of people’s lives..

2138
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said:
Rarely did the Prophet ﷺ fail to visit Aboo Bakr's house every day, either in the morning or in the evening. When the permission for migration to Al-Madeenah was granted, the Prophet ﷺ came to us at noon, which was unusual time of the day for him to come. When Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was informed, he said, "Certainly the Prophet ﷺ has come for some urgent and serious matter!" The Prophet ﷺ said to Aboo Bark (may Allah be pleased with him), when the latter entered: "Let nobody stay in the house (i.e., I would like to talk with you in private)." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! There are only my two daughters (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them)) are present." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have been granted permission to migrate." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Will I accompany you, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Yes, you will accompany me." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) then said "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! I have two she-camels I have prepared specially for the migration, so I offer you one of them. The Prophet ﷺ said, "I have accepted it on the condition that I will pay its price.".

Commentary :
Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the closest friend to the Prophet ﷺ, and his companion in the migration. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was endowed with the greatest share of faith and belief compared to all Muslims, so much that had his faith been weighed against that of all people, his faith would have outweighed theirs.
This hadeeth underlines an aspect of the strength and genuineness of the relationship between the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that the Prophet ﷺ frequently visited his friend Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) in the early days of Islam in Makkah. He ﷺ used to visit him either at sunrise or sunset.  When Allah, Exalted is He, granted the Prophet ﷺ the permission to migrate from Makkah to Al-Madeenah, the Prophet ﷺ visited Aboo Bakr’s house at noon, and he ﷺ would not have visited him at such an unusual time except for an urgent and serious matter!
Given the seriousness and gravity of the situation, jeopardizing the lives of the Prophet ﷺ and Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ asked to speak with him in private to inform him of the migration.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) informed the Prophet ﷺ that only histwo daughters, namely ‘Aa’ishah and Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with them), were in the house. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ informed him that he ﷺ was granted the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah. Since Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) eagerly waited for that greatopportunity, he (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to accompany him during the journey, despite his knowledge of the gravity of the situation. The Prophet ﷺ granted him the permission to accompany him. In fact, he ﷺ had commanded him to remain in Makkah and did not grant him the permission to migrate to Al-Madeenah earlier with the other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), so to accompany him when he would be granted the permission (from Allah, Exalted is He).
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) had bought and prepared two she-camels for the Prophet ﷺ and himself for that journey. 
When permission was granted to the Prophet ﷺ to migrate to Al-Madeenah, he (may Allah be pleased with him) offered one of the two she-camels to the Prophet ﷺ, who accepted it on the condition that he ﷺ pay him its price.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues and merits of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is also deuced therefrom that the Prophet ﷺ keenly sought the benefit of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) as he ﷺ refused to accept the she-camel without paying its price..

2140
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of goods by a town dweller on behalf of a desert dweller; and similarly, Najsh was forbidden, and one should not override someone’s sale by urging the buyer to return the goods to the seller so as to sell him his own goods (for a lower price); nor should one propose to a woman who has already been engaged to someone else; and a woman should not try to cause the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her.”.

Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that may lead to discord, hatred, and dishonesty among Muslims. Therefore, he ﷺ forbade a town dweller to sell goods on behalf of a desert dweller (or vice versa). This means that a desert dweller may not appoint a town or urban dweller to sell his commodity on his behalf in a given village or town for higher prices, acting as a broker and mediator in the sales transaction.
The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is that it best serves people’s interests; an urban dweller may sell the commodity for a higher price, but if the desert dweller sells his own goods, he may sell it for a lower price, and this would be more beneficial for people. Moreover, an urban dweller may harm the interests of the desert dweller, i.e., principal, and be a means of exposing him to deceit.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash (i.e., bidding to raise the price without intention to buy) to deceive others into buying a commodity for a higher price. The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is because it involves deceit and trickery of people.
He ﷺ also forbade overriding a sales transaction conducted by one’s fellow Muslim. For instance, one may offer a buyer of a given commodity to sell it to him for a lower price if he cancels the previous sale transaction after concluding it and before leaving the contract session, or during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time). The same ruling applies to overriding a seller’s salestransaction after its finalization, offering him a higher price for it and urging him to annul the other transaction.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade a Muslim from proposing to a woman who is already engaged to his fellow Muslim brother. This may happen when someone proposes to a woman, she proclaims her approval, and they agree on the Mahr (dower), but another man proposes to her before the conclusion of the marriage contract, offering her a bigger Mahr, for instance, or opting for other means to tempt her to accept his proposal.
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade a Muslim woman from causing the divorce of her fellow Muslim sister in order to deprive her of what belongs to her. This means that a woman must not urge her husband to divorce her co-wife to (get rid of her,) deprive her of him, and have him all for herself.
The version narrated by Aboo Daawood reads: “…and to marry him. She will have what is decreed for her,” meaning that she must not condition her marriage upon another woman’s divorce. She must not stipulate another woman’s divorce as a condition to her marriage withthis man. Rather, she should marry him (if she wishes) and the decrees of Allah, Exalted is He, for her would inevitably come to pass.
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2142
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade Najsh..

Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash, which means bidding to raise the price without the intention of buying, but merely to deceive others into buying it for a higher price. The wisdom behind the prohibition in this regard is because it involves deceit and trickery of people.

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2143
‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the sale called Bay‘ Al-Habalh, which was a kind of sale practiced in the Pre- Islamic period of ignorance, whereby a man bought an unborn she-camel which was to be the offspring of an unborn she-camel!
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Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the sale called Bay‘ (Habal) Al-Hiblah (i.e., the sale of the unborn animals). It means the sale of unborn animals or thesale of the unborn offspring of an unborn animal. This sale was commonly conducted by Arabs during the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, whereby a man would buy an unborn she-camel or the unborn offspring of an unborn she-camel. A man would buy a she-camel until it produced offspring and the born she-camel produced offspring in turn. The Prophet ﷺ forbade such sale because it involves ambiguity of the sold commodity; the unborn animals may not be born to begin with!
It is deduced from the hadeeth that sales transactions must involve selling an identified commodity for a specified price.
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2150
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they reached the town or marketplace). Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices), and do not practice Najsh. A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller. Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale, and whoever buys such an animal (i.e., being cheated into buying it) has the option of returning it, after milking it, along with a Saa‘ of dates or keeping it (i.e., for the milk).

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Commentary : The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting sales and business transactions. It has laid down rules and principles clarifying the essential matters to avoid disputes among people, and help them conduct lawful and smooth business transactions that are free of ambiguity, deceit, and Laws of Islam violations.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some of the transactions that result in fraud and deception in sales, and lead to incurring harm on the seller or the buyer. He ﷺ said: “Do not go out to meet the trading caravan (to buy from the traders on the way before they have reached the town or marketplace),” meaning do not go out to meet the trading caravan before traders arrive at the marketplace to sell their goods in different towns and they come to know their prices, because it harms the interests of the buyers, who may buy the goods for lower prices, and may also harm the town people who may have to buy the goods for higher prices.
The hadeeth goes on: “Do not override someone’s sale transaction by urging buyers to cancel their purchases to sell them (your own goods for lower prices),” meaning that someone should not urge a buyer to cancel his transaction during the period of Khiyaar Al-Shart (i.e., the right of one or both participants or a third party to confirm or cancel a contract within a specified period of time) to sell him a better commodity for the same price or a lower price instead. The same ruling applies to urging a seller to cancel the transaction to buy it instead for a higher price.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade Najash, meaning bidding to raise the price without intending to buy it, but merely to deceive others into buying it for a higher price.
The hadeeth goes on: “A town dweller may not sell the goods on behalf of a desert dweller,” meaning that a town dweller may not act as a broker or mediator and sell something on behalf of a desert dweller. The same goes for the case when a desert dweller appoints un urban dweller to sell his goods on his behalf.
The Prophet ﷺ added: “Do not leave sheep unmilked for a long time, when they are on sale,” to deceive the buyers into believing that they produce large amounts of milk. The Prophet ﷺ then clarified that if a buyer bought such sheep, and realized after milking them that the seller had tricked and cheated him, he is given the option either to keep the sheep and retain the sale, or return them to the seller, who had deceived him, along with a Saa‘ of dates in return for the milk.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler may guide people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business and sales transactions.

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2157
Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) said:
I gave a pledge of allegiance to Allah's Messengerﷺ for to testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad is His Messenger, observe prayer perfectly, pay Zakaah, listen and obey (Allah's and His Prophet's commands), and be sincere with all Muslims.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ would take the pledge of allegiance from his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when they embraced Islam to verify their faith, and teach them the most important duties required of them after being guided to Islam.
In this hadeeth, Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that he gave the pledge of allegiance and made a covenant with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ to proclaim that none is worthy of worship save Allah, Exalted is He, and that Muhammad ﷺ is the Messenger of Allah. The implication of the two testimonies of faith is that when a servant of Allah proclaims them, he acknowledges Tawheed, i.e., unique Oneness of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He alone is worthy of worship, and also declares his faith in the Prophet Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullahﷺ, confirming such beliefs by his heart, believing in their meanings, and acting upon their implications. These are the testimonies that truly benefit a person in the Hereafter, helping him win Paradise and be delivered from Hellfire.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to observe the five obligatory prayers during the day and night, which are: Fajr, Dhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishaa’, at their respective specified times, while fulfilling their conditions, pillars, and duties. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to pay the Zakaah, which is an obligatory financial act of worship that is due on one’s Zakatable wealth that reaches the Nisaab (i.e., a specific amount set by the Laws of Islam) after the passage of a lunar year. In this case, the owner is required to pay 2.5 % of hissurplus wealth. This also applies to the Zakaah payable on the cattle, crops and agricultural produce, trade goods, and Rikaaz (i.e., buried treasures or minerals), each according to the specified Nisaab and time of payment set by the Laws of Islam. Paying the Zakaah to its eligible recipients is rewarded with having one’s wealth blessed and earning abundant rewards in the Hereafter. On the contrary, withholding Zakaah out of stinginess warrants serious consequences in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Zakaah is an act of worship that incorporates the fulfillment of the right Allah, Exalted is He, and the right of His servants; it is a religious obligation and one of the pillars of Islam, and it helps fulfill the needs of the needy and poor.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to hear and obey the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, reflected in his compliance with the commands and avoidance of the prohibitions.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) also pledged allegiance to the Prophet ﷺ to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by striving to benefit them, doing them good, and warding off evil from them by means of sayings and deeds. The fact that the Prophet ﷺ particularly made mention of one’s fellow Muslims in this context is due to it being theprevalent case, otherwise, it is required of Muslims to embody sincerity in their interactions with non-Muslims as well, by inviting them to Islam, and offering them the correct opinion when they seek their advice. Jareer (may Allah be pleased with him) was singled out for pledging sincerity to his fellow Muslims, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) was the leader and chief of his people. He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ in 10 A.H., embraced Islam, and his people followed in his footsteps. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ guided him to the importance of embodying sincerity toward his fellow Muslims, because he needed it the most.
It is deduced from the hadith that a Muslim is required to be sincere with his fellow Muslims, by treating them nicely, and avoiding cunning, deceit, cheating and betrayal..

2165
‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "You should not try to cancel the purchases of one another (to get a benefit thereof), and do not go ahead to meet the trading caravan (for buying the goods) (but wait) till it reaches the marketplace."
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Commentary :
The Laws of Islam regulates people’s dealings and interactions when conducting business transactions to preserve people’s wealth and serve their best interests by laying down rules and principles that help them avoid potential ambiguity and deceit.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade some business transactions that incur harm on people and sow seeds of discord, enmity, and hatred. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade overriding the sales conducted by one’s fellow Muslims. This means that when someone concludes a sales transaction to buy a specific commodity for a certain price, no one should override their transaction by offering the buyer a similar commodity for a lower price. The same applies to the case when someone offers to buy a sold commodity for a higher price, urging the seller to annul the transaction, or to try buying a commodity from the seller after knowing that his fellow Muslim brother wanted to buy it and had already started negotiations with the seller.
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade going out to meet with the trading caravans and buying the commodities from the traders before they arrived at the marketplaces, because this incurs harm on the buyer or people (at the marketplace); a seller may buy it for a lower price than what he would sell it in the marketplace, and a trader may buy all the goods of the caravan, monopolize them, and offer them at higher prices in the marketplace, and this would cause harm to people.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply the ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
It is also inferred therefrom that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2166
 ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) said:
We used to go out to meet the trading caravan and used to buy foodstuff from them. The Prophet ﷺforbade us to resell it till it was carried to the marketplace.
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Commentary :
Human beings are infused with an inclination to love what benefits them and do what best serves their personal interests even if it harms others, and therefore, the Laws of Islam provisions were prescribed to restrain the evil-enjoining self.
This hadeeth highlights the Laws of Islam provisions that refine human greed and keep it in check. ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they used to go out to meet with the trading caravans and buy foodstuff from the traders before they arrived at the marketplace, and resell the purchased commodities there before carrying them to the marketplaces. The Prophet ﷺ forbade them from reselling the purchased commodities in the purchase place and commanded them instead to carry the purchased goods to the marketplace and then resell them there.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it could be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell the purchased commodity before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’sﷺ keenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is forbidden to apply ways of sale that lead to monopoly and price spikes.
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2167
 ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) said: Some people used to buy foodstuff at the head of the marketplace and used to resell it on the spot. Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade them from reselling it till they brought it to (their) places.
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Commentary :
Islam preserves the interests of the community, as well as the interests of individuals, and also takes into account the interests of people in the worldly life and the Hereafter.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) related that the traders during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ used to go out to meet the trading caravans and buy foodstuff before they arrived at the marketplace, the place where sales transactionswere commonly conducted. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the traders from reselling the purchased foodstuff in the very place where they bought it (i.e., outside the marketplace) and commanded them to take it into their possession first and transfer it to the marketplace, because the aforementioned practice would lead to monopoly and price rises.
It has been reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ forbade going out to meet the trading caravans and purchasing the commodities outside the marketplace. To reconcile between these two hadeeths, it can be said that when a sales transaction is conducted, a buyer must not resell it before it is transferred to the marketplace.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s ﷺkeenness to preserve the best interests of Muslims and his kindness towards them, even with regard to their worldly affairs.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a ruler guides people (to what is lawful and unlawful) with regard to their business transactions in the marketplaces..

2175
Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight, but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {… they said, ”rade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa (interest).} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches Muslims the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight, nor silver for silver unless equal in weight”, meaning that gold may be sold for gold if the exchanged items are equal in weight, and the same goes for silver.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sales transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., the underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling, which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in the case of gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions as well.
Another requirement is Taqaabudh (i.e., immediate exchange and reciprocal taking possession of the purchased commodity and its monetary equivalent by the buyer and seller respectively in the contracting session). The immediate exchange of the two items in the contracting session is required, and it is impermissible to delay the submission of any of them, given the relevant hadeeths. It was reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ said: “A barter of gold for gold is Ribaa except if they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot) and are equal in amount.” This means that the two parties must exchange the two commodities on the spot before leaving the contracting session.
However, in the event of a barter of different commodities, like selling gold for silver for example, there may be a difference in weight. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…but you could sell gold for silver or silver for gold as you like,” meaning that there is no harm if the exchanged commodities differ in weight in this case, provided that they are exchanged hand to hand in the contracting session; the Prophet ﷺ said: “If the exchanged commodities differ in kind, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand on the spot.” [Muslim].
It was also narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “… and do not sell that (gold or silver) which is not present (at the time of the transaction) for that (gold or silver) which is present.” [Al-Bukhaaree]. This is to avoid falling into Ribaa Al-Nasee’ah, which is an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment.
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2177
Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not sell gold for gold unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa; and do not sell silver for silver unless (the two exchanged commodities are) equal in weight, and do not sell less amount for greater amount or vice versa and do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present.”
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {…they said, “Trade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa.} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbids forms of Ribaa involved in the sale of gold and silver, and teaches the lawful ways of buying and selling gold and silver, to avoid falling into what is unlawful. He ﷺ said: “Do not sell gold for gold unless equal in weight,” meaning that the two exchanged commodities must be equal in weight; twenty grams of gold may not be sold for thirty grams of gold for example, and such increase is labelled as Ribaa. The same goes for silver and paper money (i.e., currency exchange).
Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “… do not sell gold or silver that is not present at the moment of exchange for gold or silver that is present,” meaning do not sell gold or silver to be delivered at a deferred time for an immediate payment (of gold or silver) made at the contracting session.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all sale transactions in which the exchanged commodities share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver. Likewise, the ruling applies to whatever is being used as currency, like paper money, and is subject to Ribaa in such sale transactions.
There are two conditions stipulated for the validity of the sale (exchange) of similar commodities: being equal in weight, and immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session. If the exchanged commodities are dissimilar, e.g., gold for silver or the other way round, but the ‘Illah is the same, i.e., being used as currency, the requirement of being equal in weight is no longer stipulated, yet the immediate hand-to-hand exchange in the contracting session is required. The Prophet ﷺ said: “…if the exchanged commodities of a barter are dissimilar, sell as you wish as long as they are exchanged hand to hand (i.e., on the spot).” [Muslim].
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2178
Aboo Saalih Al-Zaiyaat narrated:
I heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) saying, "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." I said to him, "Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) does not say the same!" Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "I asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ or seen it in the Quran and he replied, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I, but Usaamah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed me that the Prophet ﷺ had said, 'There is no Riba (in money exchange) except when it is not done hand to hand (i.e., in the event of a deferred payment).'”
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Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them)sometimes held different opinions regarding certain issues, but they abided by the due Islamic etiquette of disagreement that the Prophet ﷺ taught them, complied with the correct opinion supported by authentic evidence, and gladly gave up their personal opinions and adhered to the truth whenever it was verified.
In this Hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat stated that he heard Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) declaring Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., exchange or sales transactions in trade which effectively result in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of the same commodity, but of a different quality or quantity) when trading in Dinar and Dirham. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The selling of a Dinar for a Dinar, and a Dirham for a Dirham (is permissible)." This means that it is impermissible to sell one Dinar for more than one Dinar (of gold) of equal weight and value, and similarly it is impermissible to sell one Dirham (of silver) for more than one Dirham of equal weight and value. In the event of a barter of gold or silver, the exchanged commodities must be equal in weight and value, and such excess is Ribaa.
Ribaa Al-Fadhl means the sale of currency for currency or food for food which effectively results in the charging of ‘interest’ through the exchange of similar commodities, but of a different quality or quantity, and it is prohibited. The Laws of Islam stipulated its prohibition in six categories of commodity; this hadeeth made mention of two of them, namely, gold and silver, and the six categories were defined in a different hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Gold may be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, salt by salt, like by like, provided that the payment is made hand to hand. If these classes differ (i.e., the exchange of dissimilar commodities), sell as you wish as long as the payment is made on the spot.”
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all commodities that share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver, and being weighted or measured and a type of food in case of the other four categories.
The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Saalih Dhakwaan Al-Zayyaat said to him that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) did not declare that unlawful. He (may Allah be pleased with him) held that the exchanged commodities need not be equal in weight and value, and that it is permissible to sell one Dirham for two Dirhams. Thereupon, Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) replied that he had asked Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) whether or not he had heard it directly from the Prophet ﷺ or deduced it from the Quran. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that he had not heard it from the Prophet ﷺ nor did he inferit from the Quran, and said, "I do not claim that, and you know Allah's Messenger ﷺ better than I,” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was younger than the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).Otherwise the correct criterion is narrating more hadeeths of the Prophet ﷺ, and Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) more hadeeths and acquired knowledge of more Fiqh issues (Islamic jurisprudence) than many other Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
Afterward, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) underlined the wisdom behind holding this view, stating that he had heard it from Usaamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with them), who informed him that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah (i.e., on credit).” Thereupon, he (may Allah be pleased with him) understood that anything else is essentially permissible.
Ribaa Al-Nasee'ah means an increase in the loan or due amount in return for a delay in payment, and it was practiced in the pre-Islamic period of ignorance. It has also been said that the meaning of his saying, “There is no Ribaa except in Al-Nasee’ah,” is that it is the worst kind of Ribaa, or that ruling may be abrogated. It was reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) retreated from his opinion in this regard.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a Muslim should offer sincere advice to anyone who makes a mistake, even if he is a pious and knowledgeable person.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that it is conceivable that an individual Companion (may Allah be pleased with him) may commit a mistake.
It is also deduced therefrom that a scholar may engage in a debate with another scholar, ask him to explain his saying, and convince him to abide by the unanimous opinion of the scholars on the matter.
It is inferred that a younger scholar should acknowledge the knowledge of those endowed with more knowledge.
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2180
Aboo Al-Minhaal narrated:
I asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib and Zayd ibn Arqam about money exchange (i.e., currency exchange). Each of them said about the other, "He is better (i.e., more knowledgeable) than I," and both of them said, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the selling of silver for gold on credit. "
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed buying and selling lawful for His Muslim servants, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) unlawful. He Says (what means): {… they said, “Trade is [just] like Ribaa." But Allah has permitted trade and has forbidden Ribaa.} [Quran 2:275].
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Al-Minhaal Sayyaar ibn Salaamah Al-Rayhaanee stated that he asked Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib and Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with them) about (the Laws of Islam ruling on) money exchange, i.e., exchanging gold or Dinars for silver or Dirhams, and vice versa, namely, selling gold for gold, or silver for silver on credit. Both of them recommended the other to issue his Fatwaa (i.e., scholarly opinion) on the matter, stating that ‘He is better (more knowledgeable) than me!’ They (may Allah be pleased with them) both told him that the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling gold for silver on credit, meaning that gold may not be sold for a deferred payment of silver.
Scholars agreed that it is impermissible to sell gold for gold or silver on credit; the Taqaabudh requirement (i.e., immediate exchange and reciprocal taking possession of the purchased commodity and its monetary equivalent by the buyer and seller respectively in the contracting session) must be fulfilled.
By analogy, the same ruling applies to all commodities that share the same ‘Illah (i.e., underlying legal reason that necessitates the effective cause of the ruling which then leads to its enactment), which is being used as currency (i.e., Thamaniyyah) in case of the gold and silver.
The hadeeth highlights the early Muslim generations’ remarkable mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, and how they acknowledged others’ good qualities and favored them over themselves.
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2183
 ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺsaid, "Do not sell date fruits until they become free of all the dangers of being spoilt or blighted; and do not sell fresh dates for dry ones." Narrated Saalim and ‘Abdullah on the authority of Zayd ibn Thaabit: “Later on Allah's Messengerﷺ permitted the selling of ripe date fruits on trees for fresh dates or dried dates in Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyah (i.e., a sale deal of fruit-on-the trees, usually dates, in which some trees in the garden are not part of the sale deal but are sold by the owner to a poor person who can exchange fresh fruits of these trees for dry dates, for his household consumption and not for resale, and this type of deal is an exception to the general law of sale which prohibits exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones), and did not allow it for any other kind of sale."
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Commentary :
Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between the sellers and the buyers are among the objectives of the Laws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between the buyers and sellers.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling only the unpicked fruits or dates (rather than the fruits and trees altogether) before they appear fully ripe and ready for consumption, by becomingred or yellow or showing any other sign of ripeness. This is because when the fruits ripen, they become safe from potential loss or defects due to pests that may destroy or reduce the yield. In fact, the prohibition of such a sales transaction serves the best interests of both the buyer and seller. It benefits a seller, because the price paid for the unripe fruits is lower; he could sell them for a higher price if he waits until they are fully ripe. Therefore, hastening to sell the unripe crops may cause him to miss out on obtaining more earnings,by his hastening to make small profits (rather than waiting to make big ones), which implies a waste of wealth. Moreover, the unripe fruits may go bad and spoil before they ripen, and thus a seller would have unlawfully devoured the wealth of his Muslim brother. It also benefits the buyer, because when he buys the unripe fruits, he may lose his money if the quality of the purchased fruits turns out to be less than what was expected, and thus he would be risking the loss of his money. In addition, there is another benefit accruing to both parties, for the prohibition of this sale eliminates potential disputes and discord that may be caused between them were the sold fruits to go bad and spoil.
The Prophet ﷺ also forbade the Muzaabanah sale, a transaction in which the owner of fruit trees or palm trees agrees to sell his fruit for an estimated equivalent measure of dried fruits, such as palm fruit for dates or grapes for raisins.
Zayd bin Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ had later deemed allowable one form of this sale, namely, Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated amount of picked and ripe fruits on the ground based on dry measurement), and had not deemed any other form of such sales allowable. Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah is a sale whereby the owner of an orchard grants a poor person, who has no palm trees of his own nor cash to buy fresh dates for his household consumption, the (fresh) dates of his palm tree in return for a payment of surplus dry dates. This poor person and the owner makea barter of the fresh dates of one or two palm trees for instance, for an estimated measure of the poor person’s surplus date fruits he had left, to avail himself of fresh dates like those who could afford buying them. The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Aaraiyah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s..

1108
‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah reported that he asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Can a fasting person kiss?" The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Ask her" (’Umm Salamah). So, she informed him that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would do that. Thereupon, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah forgave your past and future sins for you." Whereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Indeed, by Allah, I am the most heedful and fearful of Allah among you.".

Commentary : Fasting has specific rulings that a Muslim must know and act upon. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated its obligatory elements, Sunnahs, and disliked things verbally and physically.
In this Hadīth, ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), the foster son of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), relates that he asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Can a fasting person kiss" his wife or a woman lawful for him during the daytime of Ramadan without his fast being invalidated due to that? Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Ask this" i.e., ’Umm Salamah, who is the mother of ‘Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with them). So, she informed him that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would kiss his wives while he was fasting. Thereupon, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, Allah forgave your past and future sins for you" i.e., this is one of your peculiar traits and you are not blameworthy in what you do, for Allah forgave your past and future sins. In response, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Indeed, by Allah, I am the most heedful and fearful of Allah among you" i.e., I am the most knowledgeable among you of what I do in heedfulness of Allah Almighty and the most fearful among you of His punishment. So, how would you think of me, or see it as possible, that I may engage in something prohibited?! This denotes criticism of those who thought he might fall short in worship due to reliance upon the forgiveness of his sins.
It is said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) referred 'Umar ibn Abi Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him), concerning this question, to his mother, whereas during Jāhiliyyah, a person would not allude to the son or brother of his wife that he kissed or approached her intimately. And indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is more exalted with regard to refraining from that. But, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to point out that their refrainment from that during Jāhiliyyah was frivolous behavior on their part and unrelated to the Shariah. So, he referred him to his mother.
The Hadīth indicates that kissing during the fast is not part of the peculiar traits of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1110
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), asking him for a Fatwa while she was hearing from behind the door, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, the prayer becomes due upon me while I am Junub (ritually impure); should I fast?" The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The prayer also becomes due upon me while I am Junub, and I observe fast." He said: "You are not like us, O Messenger of Allah, for Allah forgave your past and future sins for you." Thereupon, he said: "By Allah, I hope I am the most fearful of Allah among you and the most knowledgeable among you of the things I should be heedful of.".

Commentary : Fasting has specific rulings that a Muslim must know and act upon. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated its obligatory elements, Sunnahs, and disliked things by words and deeds.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that a man came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asking him about something relating to the purification of the fasting person from Janābah (major ritual impurity). Meanwhile, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was behind the door, hearing. The man told the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that the Fajr prayer would sometimes become due while he was Junub; so, should he observe fast while in this state of Janābah and take a bath after that? Janābah refers to the state after someone ejaculates semen or engages in sexual intercourse. It is called such because of Ijtināb (avoidance) of prayer and worship till getting purified from it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "The prayer also becomes due upon me while I am Junub, and I observe fast." He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) responded to him by action, for it is more profound than saying: Take a bath and observe fast. This demonstrates the legitimacy of fasting by a Junub person before he bathes. This is because the occurrence of Janābah before Fajr does not prevent the intention of fasting or make it invalid. The man said: "You are not like us, O Messenger of Allah, for Allah forgave your past and future sins for you" i.e., this is one of your peculiar traits, and you are not to blame for what you do. In the version by Abu Dāwūd: "So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry." Indeed, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry because this man regarded that as a peculiar trait for him without knowledge, though the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed him about his action in response to his question. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "By Allah, I hope I am the most fearful of Allah among you", i.e., that I am the most fearful among you of His punishment, "and the most knowledgeable among you of the things I should be heedful of" i.e., that I am the most knowledgeable among you of that by which I heed Allah Almighty. The hope of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would surely materialize, by consensus. This involves criticism of those who attribute to him neglect in worship for reliance upon the forgiveness of his sins..

1114
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left for Makkah during the year of the Conquest, in Ramadan, and he fasted until he reached Kurā‘ al-Ghamīm, and so the people fasted. Then, he called for a cup of water, which he elevated so that the people could see it, and then he drank. Afterwards, it was said to him: Some of the people fasted. Thereupon, he said: "Those are the disobedient ones, those are the disobedient ones." [Another version adds]: It was said to him: Fasting has become too difficult for the people, and indeed they are watching you to see what you will do. So, he called for a cup of water after ‘Asr..

Commentary : Jihad and being in a battle are among the situations that require all the meanings of good health and strength, particularly upon encountering the enemy. A traveler is given a dispensation not to fast, so that he can have the strength to travel. And there is a greater reason for refraining from fasting during Jihad, as it needs more strength.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out during the year of the Conquest, in 8 A.H., intending to conquer Makkah, during Ramadan. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the army with him were fasting, until he reached "Kurā‘ al-Ghamīm", the name of a place between Makkah and Madīnah. Al-Ghamīm: a valley 8 miles (nearly 13km) opposite ‘Usfān, and 64km away from Makkah on the way to Madīnah. It is known today as Barqā’ al-Ghamīm. Al-Kurā‘: a black mountain connected to it.
When he arrived there, he called for a cup of water and raised it to his mouth until the people looked at him. In a version: "Fasting has become too difficult for the people, and indeed they are watching you to see what you will do" in terms of fasting or breaking the fast. "So, he called for a cup of water after ‘Asr." This version clarifies that fasting exhausted the people and they were waiting for the Prophet's order regarding this matter. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called for water after ‘Asr and drank from it, so that the people would follow his example and break their fast. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought leniency and ease for them, in line with the verse that reads: {But if anyone is ill or on a journey, he should make up for those days. Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 185] Allah Almighty informs that, by breaking the fast during travel, He wants to facilitate things for His servants.
Thereafter, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was told that some of the people fasted. Thereupon, he said: "Those are the disobedient ones; those are the disobedient ones." This is because when he gives a command, it must be observed. He would sometimes give commands by his statements and sometimes by his actions. So, when he broke the fast, this constituted a command, indicated by his very condition, aimed at giving a dispensation, so that he could draw strength from breaking the fast and be able to engage in the Jihad he set out for. When those people renounced his action, they were extremely wrong. If they thought that their observance of the fast was better than the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) breaking the fast, this sufficed as an error and lack of understanding on their part. And if they were not aware that their breaking of the fast would make them more capable of Jihad, this was a poor understanding from them. Hence, they were labeled as disobedient because, by doing so, they violated the Shariah and were not flexible to accept it. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his statement "those are the disobedient ones" for emphasis.
The Hadīth mentions going to battle in Ramadan and the legitimacy of breaking the fast during its daytime, lest the army would be too weak to engage in the war.
It indicates the Prophet's complete mercy and compassion toward his Ummah.
It demonstrates the necessity of following the Prophet's commands and that whoever disobeys him, due to any standpoint, becomes a disobedient person.
It shows the leniency of Islam and the ease of its obligations, as it sanctions breaking the fast for travelers.
As it points to the permissibility of breaking the fast during the daytime for a person who intends to fast from the night if something unexpected occurs to him..

1120
Qaz‘ah reported: I came to Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) and he was surrounded by people, and when they dispersed, I said to him: "I am not going to ask you about what these people were asking." I asked him about fasting during travel. He said: We traveled with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to Makkah while we were fasting. We halted at a place. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You have neared your enemy and breaking the fast will give you greater strength." This was a dispensation. So, some of us continued to observe the fast and some of us broke it. Then, we stopped at another place, and he said: "You are going to encounter the enemy in the morning and breaking the fast will give you greater strength; so, break the fast." This was stressful; so, we broke the fast. Then, he said: I saw us observing the fast with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel after that..

Commentary : Traveling and encountering the enemy are among the things that require physical strength to endure hardships and difficulties. This Hadīth demonstrates some of the dispensations and determinations related to travel by observing the fast therein or breaking it, and the dispensations and determinations upon encountering the enemy in the month of Ramadan and during fasting. The Tābi‘i Qaz‘ah ibn Yahya al-Basri says that he came to Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) "and he was surrounded by people" i.e., a lot of people were around him learning and benefiting from his narration of Hadīths. When the people dispersed and departed, he said to Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him): I will not ask you about the matters people ask you about. He probably meant that his question was not addressed by Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) before that or no one in this gathering asked him about it. He asked him about the ruling on fasting during travel and the involved dispensations or determinations. Demonstrating their conditions during travel along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that they began their journey from Madīnah for the Conquest of Makkah while fasting during the month of Ramadan. When they stopped at some place for rest, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) told them that they came near the enemy and the war, and that breaking the fast would give them greater strength, as encountering the enemy requires strength, and breaking the fast achieves this purpose more than fasting. This indicates that maintaining strength by refraining from fasting is better for someone expecting to face the enemy.
His statement: "This was a dispensation" means that they did not take this statement as denoting a binding command for breaking the fast or asking for that firmly. Rather, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) noted that breaking the fast is more appropriate for those apprehensive of weakness. So, some of them observed the fast and some others broke it.
Then, they halted at another place for rest. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "You are going to encounter the enemy in the morning" i.e., you will attack them in the morning. "and breaking the fast will give you greater strength; so, break the fast." Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "This situation was stressful" i.e., they took his command to break the fast as denoting emphasis and necessity. So, they all broke the fast. This shows that the Companions would understand the objectives of the Prophet's discourse.
Then, Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said that they would later fast along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during travel, which indicates that the prohibition to observe fasting during their travel for the Conquest of Makkah did not abrogate the permissibility of fasting. Indeed, this is linked to ability and casual circumstances and whether there arises a need for breaking the the fast during travel..

1133
Al-Hakam ibn al-A‘raj reported: I came to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was using his garment as a pillow near Zamzam and said to him: "Tell me about the fasting of ‘Āshūrā’." He said: "When you see the crescent of Muharram, then count and observe the fast on the ninth day." I said: "Is this how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast it?" He said: 'Yes.'.

Commentary : The day of ‘Āshūrā’ is the tenth day of Muharram. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on fasting the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and he would urge others to fast it. Its fasting was obligatory before Ramadan, and when the fasting of Ramadan was ordained upon the Muslims, only the fasting of Ramadan became the obligatory one, and the fasting of ‘Āshūrā’ became optional; whoever wished could fast it, and whoever wished could leave it.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Al-Hakam ibn al-A‘raj says that he came to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) while he was putting his garment and clothing underneath his head near the well of Zamzam inside the Sacred Mosque in Makkah. He asked Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) about the fasting of the day of ‘Āshūrā’: When should it be observed? Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: When you see the crescent of the month of Muharram and its beginning is verified, start to count the days until you reach the ninth day and observe the fast on it. In other words: Fast the ninth day along with the tenth one. This does not mean that the tenth day should be neglected and only the ninth day should be fasted. Thereupon, Al-Hakam ibn ‘Abbās asked: Did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to fast the ninth day? In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās said: Yes, referring to the Hadīth narrated by Muslim about the Prophet's intention to fast the ninth day along with the tenth one. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If I live to the next year, I will fast the ninth day", lest it would resemble the Jews in fasting the tenth day only. On the merit of fasting this day, a Hadīth narrated in the Sahīh Muslim Collection mentions that it expiates the sins of the preceding year..

1134
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasted the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and commanded that it be fasted, they said: "O Messenger of Allah, this is a day on which the Jews and the Christians extol." So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "When the next year comes, Allah Willing, we will fast the ninth day." He said: Before the next year came, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away..

Commentary : The day of ‘Āshūrā’ is the tenth day of Muharram, and the Quraysh used to fast it. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madīnah, he fasted it as a usual practice and commanded that it be fasted. Its fasting was obligatory before Ramadan, and when the fasting of Ramadan was ordained upon the Muslims, only the fasting of Ramadan became the obligatory one, and the fasting of ‘Āshūrā’ became optional; whoever wished could fast it, and whoever wished could leave it.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasted the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and enjoined his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast it, they said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, this is a day on which the Jews and the Christians extol" by fasting too. This is because it is a day in which Allah saved Moses (Mūsa) (peace be upon him) from Pharaoh and his soldiers. Indeed, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) mentioned that to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because it was known that he would mostly intend to differ from the Jews and the Christians. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, said: "We are more entitled to Moses than them. So, fast it" i.e., by agreeing with him in gratitude to Allah Almighty and feeling happy for his salvation. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) accords with him over the basis of the religion. As for the Jews, they engaged in distortion, change, and alteration. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasted it and commanded the people to fast it. On the merit of fasting this day, a Hadīth narrated in the Sahīh Muslim Collection mentions that it expiates the sins of the preceding year.
Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) determined to fast the ninth day along with the tenth one to differ from the People of the Book in their observance of fasting on the tenth day only. Ibn ‘Abbās said that before the following year came, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had passed away.
The Hadīth points out that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to differ from the Jews and the Christians.
It demonstrates the significance of the day of ‘Āshūrā’ and how the Muslims value it highly..

1139
Ziyād ibn Jubayr reported: A man came to Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said: "I made a vow to fast a day and it happened to coincide with a day of Ad'ha, or Fitr." Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: "Allah Almighty enjoined the fulfillment of vows, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade fasting this day.".

Commentary : A vow means that a person obligates himself to do something which the Shariah does not ordain upon him. For example, he says: Upon me is a sacrifice or fasting such and such a day, if Allah cures this ill person of mine. So, it takes the form of stipulating a condition to Allah Almighty.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Ziyād ibn Jubayr relates that a man came to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and told him that he made a vow to fast a certain day, and this vowed day happened to coincide with the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, or the day of Eid al-Fitr. So, he asked him about what he should do: fast it or not? In response, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Allah Almighty enjoined the fulfillment of vows," which occurs in the verse that reads: {and fulfill their vows.} [Surat al-Hajj: 29] "and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade fasting this day" i.e., fasting the two days of the two Eids. He forbade fasting these two days because they are days of festivity, play, joy, and eating and drinking. Also, Eid al-Fitr is the day of breaking the fast of Ramadan. As for the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, this is intended to enable the Muslim to eat from his sacrificial animal, if he has sacrificed. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) seemed to have refrained from giving a Fatwa on this issue, considering the conflict between the proofs he had. This was done by way of Tawarru‘ (caution) from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and he was known for it. And it is said: Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified to him the general ruling and the specific one. So, he should do both things, namely, to not fast the day of Eid, in compliance with the prohibition by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and to fast a day in place of it, given Allah's command to fulfill vows.
The Hadīth contains the command to fulfill vows.
It is prohibited to fast the two days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Ad'ha..

1141
Nubayshah al-Hudhali reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Days of Tashrīq are days of eating and drinking." [Another version adds: "and remembrance of Allah."].

Commentary : Islam is the religion of tolerance and ease. It provides much space to the Muslims, so that they can be generous to themselves and their families in eating and drinking during the Eid days.
In this Hadīth, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "The Days of Tashrīq," are the 11th, 12th, and 13th days of Dhul-Hijjah. They were called as such because in these days people used to cure the meat of sacrificial animals and spread them in the sun to dry, which is known as Tashrīq in Arabic. This was their practice during their era. But, nowadays, the meat of sacrificial animals and offerings is available. They are "days of eating and drinking;" so, people should eat, drink, and not observe fasting therein. They should also remember Allah, supplicate to Him, and show gratitude to Him for the sustenance and guidance He has bestowed upon them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade fasting during the Days of Tashrīq. For example, in a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri in his Sahīh Collection, Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported: "No permission was given for fasting during the Days of Tashrīq except for someone who cannot afford the sacrificial animal," i.e., to the performer of Tamattu‘ or Qirān Hajj who cannot afford the sacrificial animal. This represents flexibility for the people.
In the prohibition of fasting these days and the command to eat and drink lies a good reason. Since Allah Almighty knows that those who come to His House undergo hardships during travel, tiredness because of Ihrām, and self-struggle while performing the rituals, He prescribed rest for them after that, by staying at Mina on the Day of Nahr and three subsequent days. And He ordered them to eat from the meat of sacrificial animals out of His kindness and mercy towards them, for they are the guests of Allah Almighty therein. He also included the people of other countries with them, for they join them in undergoing hardships for the sake of Allah Almighty, like the hard work they endure during the ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, as they observe fasting, remember Allah, and worship diligently, and in seeking closeness to Allah by slaughtering sacrifices and in the attainment of forgiveness. So, they join them in their Eids, and everyone shares rest by eating and drinking. Thus, all Muslims become the guests of Allah Almighty during these days, eating from His sustenance and showing gratitude to Him for His grace. And since it does not befit the Most Generous to let His guests go hungry, they were forbidden to fast these days..

1142
Ka‘b ibn Mālik reported: that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him and Aws ibn al-Hadathān during the days of Tashrīq to announce that none will enter Paradise except a believer, and the days of Mina are days of eating and drinking..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to clarify to the Muslims the matters of the religion and give them good news that would gladden them due to the great rewards for the deeds in Islam. He would also demonstrate to them the ease of the religion and how it cares about people's conditions.
In this Hadīth, Ka‘b ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him along with Aws ibn al-Hadathān during the days of Tashrīq, which are the three days that follow the day of Nahr (slaughter), namely the 11th, 12th, and 13th of Dhul-Hijjah. They were given this name because of people's Tashrīq (cutting into long narrow strips) of the meat of sacrificial animals, as they would cut the meat into strips and leave them to dry in the sun. This was their situation in the early stage of Islam. They are also known as the days of Mina. He commanded them to announce to the pilgrims in the Sacred Precincts that "none will enter Paradise except a believer" i.e., none will enter Paradise except those who believe in Allah, testify that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and act according to this Īmān. This gives glad tidings to the believers and motivates people to complete the pillars of Īmān so that they can win Paradise. And it warns those who did not embrace Islam, and so that the pilgrims will return to their countries and warn the polytheists among their people.
He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed them to announce to the people that the days of Mina are days of eating and drinking. These are the days in which the pilgrims stay in the valley of Mina - located nearly 6km away from the Sacred Mosque - to throw the pebbles. They are the appointed days which Allah mentions in the verse that reads: {And remember Allah during the appointed days. But whoever hastens to depart [Mina] on the second day, there is no sin upon him; and whoever delays [until the third], there is no sin upon him for those who fear Allah.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 203] During these days, the meat of ’Ud'hiyah (sacrificial animals by non-pilgrims on Eid al-Ad'ha) and Hady (sacrificial animals by pilgrims) is abundantly available. So, let the people eat and drink and mention Allah's name for His provision and guidance to them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade fasting the days of Tashrīq. In a Hadīth narrated in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection, Ibn ‘Umar and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported: It was not permitted to fast on the days of Tashrīq except for those who could not afford the Hady (sacrifice).
The Hadīth mentions that Paradise was prepared for the believers only.
It shows merit for Ka‘b ibn Mālik and Aws ibn al-Hadathān (may Allah be pleased with both of them) and a commendable act by them..

1144
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not single out the night of Friday from among the nights for performing Qiyām al-Layl. And do not single out Friday from among the days for fasting, unless it coincides with the days one of you regularly fasts.".

Commentary : Acts of worship are among the Tawqīfi matters all of whose actions must be taken from the Shariah, with no addition or omission. And none of them may be singled out for specific times unless it is prescribed in the Shariah.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbids that the night of Friday be singled out for Qiyām involving prayer and Dhikr apart from the other nights of the week. He also forbade that Friday be singled out for fasting apart from the other days of the week, unless this coincides with a certain fast a Muslim usually observes, such as when he fasts every other day, and the day he fasts coincides with Friday, or he makes a vow and its time happens to coincide with Friday, or other things that oblige him to observe fasting. In the Two Sahīh Collections: "None of you should fast on Friday unless he fasts a day before or after it." So, he should fast on Thursday or Saturday along with it. It is said: The prohibition of singling out Friday and its night for these acts aims at differing from the Jews and the Christians, for the Jews hold that Saturday should be singled out for fasting, out of reverence to it, and the Christians hold that Sunday should be singled out for fasting, out of reverence to it, and its night for Qiyām al-Layl. Since Friday occupies a status within this Ummah like the status of these two days within the two groups, it is recommended that our practice be different from theirs in the way of revering this day..

1148
Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: A woman came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, my mother passed away and she took an oath to fast, should I fast on her behalf?" He said: "Tell me, if there was a debt due on your mother and you settled it, would it be valid on her behalf?" She replied: 'Yes.' He said: "So, fast on behalf of your mother.".

Commentary : A vow is an act of worship and piety that should not be devoted to anyone other than Allah. In His glorious Book, Allah Almighty praised His pious servants and promised them the reward. Among their attributes which He mentioned is their fulfillment of vows. He says: {They fulfill their vows.} [Surat al-Insān: 7]
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a woman came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asking him about her mother who had made a vow to fast and died before fulfilling her vow: Is it valid for her to fast on behalf of her mother? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Tell me, if there was a debt due on your mother and you settled it, would it be valid on her behalf?" This is an affirmative question. She replied: 'Yes, it settles on her behalf.' He said: "So, fast on behalf of your mother." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened fasting due upon a woman who died and left a debt, which must be paid because it is a right to human beings, whereas the vow is a right to Allah Almighty. So, the fulfillment of His right, Exalted be He, is more significant and proper than the fulfillment of the right of humans, for Allah is more worthy of fulfillment. It is narrated in some narrations by Al-Bukhāri and in the Two Sahīh Collections that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever dies while some fast is due on him, his guardian should fast on his behalf." Walī (guardian): It refers to one's male relatives such as the fathers and sons. If the guardian does not observe the fast on his behalf, he should feed a poor person in return for each day of the fast. Thereby, the deceased person's duty is fulfilled, as the guardian's discharge of this duty is tantamount to his own discharge of it. This applies if the deceased person was able to fulfill the duty at its time or later but failed to do so. But if he dies before being able to make up for the missed fast - like the case of a person whose illness lingers until he dies - then there is nothing due on him, and his guardians are not required to fast or feed the poor on his behalf.
In the Hadīth: It is permissible to fast on behalf of the dead.
And in it: It is permissible to fulfill vows on behalf of the dead.
And in it: Giving parables and analogical comparisons to make the topic clearer and more profound to those who hear it.
And in it: Showing kindness to one's parents by the fulfillment of their vows and debts..

1149
Buraydah reported: While I was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a woman came to him and said: "I gave a maidservant to my mother in charity, and she died." He said: "Your reward became due, and the inheritance has returned her to you." She said: "O Messenger of Allah, a month of fasting was due on her; shall I fast on her behalf?" He said: "Fast on her behalf." She said: "She never performed Hajj; shall I perform Hajj on her behalf?" He said: "Perform Hajj on her behalf." [In a version]: Fast two months..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for Fatwas on many of their acts of worship and dealings, and he would give them Fatwas and clarify the right aspects to them.
In this Hadīth, Buraydah ibn al-Husayb al-Aslami (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that as he was sitting with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day, a woman came to him and told him that she gave a maidservant - a female slave - as charity to her mother during her lifetime, and she transferred her to her ownership through this charity. Then, her mother died and left behind this maidservant as part of her overall wealth, and her sole inheritor was her daughter. So, does she have the right to take the maidservant back to her ownership through inheritance, or not? So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Your reward became due," i.e., your reward is established with Allah by upholding the ties with your mother and giving charity to her, and the maidservant was brought back to you by the inheritance from your mother, a reason in which you have no part. So, this does not detract from the reward for charity, and it is not regarded as retracting the charity or gift, because this is not optional.
Then, the questioner said that a month of fasting was due on her mother - and in a version: "two months" - and asked whether she could fast on her behalf. He did not point out whether this was the fasting of Ramadan, a vow, or an expiation. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Fast on her behalf," i.e., make up for the days missed by your mother on her behalf, for this is a debt due upon her, and the debt of Allah is more worthy of being repaid. According to a version in the Two Sahīh Collections, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) likened the fasting due on a deceased person to a debt, which is payable, for this is a right to human beings; whereas the due fasting - be it related to Ramadan, a vow, or an expiation - is a right to Allah Almighty. So, the fulfillment of Allah's right is more significant and worthy than the fulfillment of the right of human beings; indeed, Allah is more entitled to repayment, as related in some versions by Al-Bukhāri. And in a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever dies while some fast is still due on him, his heir should fast on his behalf." Heirs here refer to male relatives, such as fathers and sons. If the heir does not observe the missed fast on his behalf, he may feed one poor person in return for each day of a missed fast. Thus, this obligation ceases to be due on the deceased person. The observance of this missed fast by the heir is tantamount to the deceased person himself making up for this fast. This applies in case the deceased person was able to observe the fast or make up for it, yet he did not do that. As for someone who dies before being able to make up for the missed fast - like a person who remains ill until he dies - there is nothing due on him, and their heirs should not observe the missed fast, or feed poor people, on his behalf.
Then, the woman informed him that her mother died while she had never performed Hajj. This seems to indicate that she was able to perform Hajj, and so it was due on her. This is because Hajj ceases to be due on anyone who is not able to perform it. But she did not perform Hajj. So, is it valid to perform Hajj on her behalf? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Perform Hajj on her behalf." Perhaps it can be understood from the Prophet's permission to her to perform Hajj on behalf of her mother that the woman had already performed Hajj for herself and then she wanted to perform Hajj on behalf of her mother, based on a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, in which Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) heard a man say: "Labbayk on behalf of Shubrumah." He said: "Who is Shubrumah?" He said: "A brother of mine," or "a relative of mine." He said: "Did you perform Hajj for yourself?" He said: 'No.' Thereupon, he said: "Perform Hajj for yourself and then perform Hajj on behalf of Shubrumah." And in the Sahīh Collection of Ibn Khuzaymah: "This is for you, and then perform Hajj on behalf of Shubrumah." If Hajj becomes due on someone and he dies before performing it, and then someone else performs Hajj on his behalf, he is absolved of this obligation. It is likely in light of the bounty and grace of Allah that if an heir performs Hajj on behalf of a deceased person, Allah will forgive the deceased person by virtue of that, give him a reward for it, or not punish him for his negligence.
The Hadīth indicates that if a person gives something in charity and then inherits it, he has the right to take and dispose of it, without his reward diminishing because of that.
It points out that fasting can be observed on behalf of a deceased person.
It also demonstrates that Hajj can be performed on behalf of a deceased person.
The Hadīth indicates that a person can show kindness to his parents by fulfilling their vows and debts..

1150
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you is invited for food while he is fasting, let him say: 'I am fasting.'".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen on maintaining good relations, harmony, and continuous cordiality among the Muslims. Hence, he made the acceptance of an invitation a due right among the Muslims, so that they stay connected and get together.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "If one of you is invited to food," i.e., any food, be it a banquet or something else, "while he is fasting" on a supererogatory basis, or making up for a missed fast, or in fulfillment of a vow, he should apologize. Specifically, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) directed the fasting person to clarify his condition: "let him say: 'I am fasting'" in an apology to the inviting person and to inform him that he is fasting and cannot eat from his food.
This is also meant to notify his fellow Muslim who invited him that his abstention is only because of fasting, not that he did not want to eat from his food. It was the habit of the Arabs that if they held evil intentions toward someone, they would not eat from his food. It is narrated in the Sahīh Muslim Collection that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If one of you is invited, let him answer the invitation. If he is fasting, let him supplicate (for the inviter); if he is not fasting, let him eat."
In the Hadīth: There is nothing wrong with revealing voluntary acts of worship - like prayer and fasting - if there is a need for that..

1151
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every action of the son of Adam is multiplied, and a single good deed is worth ten to seven hundred times. Allah Almighty said: 'Except for fasting, for indeed it is for Me, and I will give reward for it. He leaves his desires and food for My sake.' For the fasting person, there are two moments of joy: a moment of joy when he breaks his fast, and a moment of joy when he meets his lord. Verily, the Khulūf (unpleasant smell) coming from his mouth is more fragrant with Allah than the smell of musk.".

Commentary : Fasting is one of the most beloved acts of worship to Allah and the most sublime acts of piety whereby a servant seeks closeness to his Almighty Lord. Thus, its reward is immense, and its merit is great. The honor afforded by Allah for the fasting people is ceaseless, for they deprive themselves of food, drink, and sexual relations, and so Allah Almighty gives them from His vast bounty and prefers them over others.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentions that the reward for every act of goodness, righteousness, and worship performed by a Muslim gets multiplied, with a good deed being rewarded tenfold, up to seven hundred fold. Allah Almighty says: {Whoever comes with a good deed will be rewarded tenfold.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 160] Allah Almighty also says: {The likeness of those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah is like a grain that sprouts seven ears, each ear bearing a hundred grains. And Allah gives multiple [rewards] for whom He wills. And Allah is All-Encompassing, All-Knowing.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 261]
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that Allah Almighty said: "Except for fasting, for indeed it is for Me," i.e., fasting is excluded from these acts whose rewards are multiplied, for the reward of fasting can only be estimated by Allah Almighty. This is because fasting is a secret between a servant and his Lord. "and I will give reward for it," i.e., Allah Almighty is the One Who undertakes this reward and recompense, for the reward of fasting can only be enumerated by Allah, Exalted be He. He did not leave that to His angels. Rather, He undertook the giving of reward for it by Himself, and when Allah undertakes something by Himself, this denotes the immensity of this reward and recompense. This is because the fasting person abandons what his soul desires and the pleasures of food, drink, and copulation which are made lawful by Allah Almighty, in obedience to Allah, Exalted be He, and in pursuit of His love and approval.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the fasting person has two moments of joy: The First Joy: "a moment of joy when he breaks his fast;" this joy occurs in the worldly life after he ends and breaks the fast and completes the worship, hoping for Allah's reward and bounty. The second joy occurs when he dies and obtains the reward and recompense.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swears that "the Khulūf (unpleasant smell) coming from his mouth" - the unusual foul smell that remains, after eating, in the mouth of a fasting person - "is more fragrant," i.e., better to Allah than the smell of musk. There is a difference of opinion regarding the Khulūf being more fragrant to Allah than the smell of musk. It means that it is more fragrant to Allah than the smell of musk to you; or it means that Allah Almighty will reward him in the Hereafter until his smell becomes more fragrant than the smell of musk; or that the person with the Khulūf will obtain a reward better than the smell of musk; or that the Khulūf is more rewardable than musk, which is recommended during Fridays and Eids; or that the angels find the Khulūf more pleasant than the smell of musk.
The Hadīth points out the reward and merit of fasting..

1154
‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), reported: One day the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "O ‘Ā’ishah, do you have something (to eat)?" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, there is nothing with us." Thereupon, he said: "Then, I am fasting." She said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out, and a gift was given to us - or some visitors came in. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came back, I said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, a gift was given to us - or some visitors came in - but I have saved something for you." He said: "What is it?" I said: "Hays." He said: "Bring it." So, I brought it to him, and he ate. Then, he said: "I woke up in the morning while fasting." Talhah said: I narrated this Hadīth to Mujāhid and he said: "This is like a man giving charity out of his wealth. He may spend it if he wills or withhold it if he wills.".

Commentary : This Hadīth reveals one aspect of the Prophet's guidance in intending to fast, if a person did not find food, and breaking the fast if he found food. This stems from the leniency, ease, and flexibility of Islam. ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) one day asked her while being in her house in the morning, according to the version by An-Nasā’i: "O ‘Ā’ishah, do you have anything?" He meant food for him to eat, as related in the wording by Abu Dāwūd. She replied to him that she had no food. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), intending to fast, said: "Then, I am fasting," i.e., I am observing fast and abstaining from food. This indicates the legitimacy of intending to observe supererogatory fasting during the daytime, in case one has not eaten or drunk anything since the Adhān of Fajr.
Then, ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), said that after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out in a state of fasting, a gift of food was given to them - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would eat from gifted food, unlike food given as charity - or some visitor came to them and brought a gift of food.
When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came back to the house of ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), she told him about that and said that she hid part of the food for him to eat, as she knew he wanted to eat. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked her about the kind of food. She said: "Hays", which is a food made from a mixture of butter with dried dates. It is said: Flour or dried milk is added to it. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked her to bring it for him to eat therefrom. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ate from it after having the intention to fast. Therefore, he said after eating: "I woke up in the morning fasting." This was supererogatory fasting. This is a teaching from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to the Muslims so that they can follow his example.
Talhah ibn Yahya, who narrated the Hadīth from ‘Ā’ishah bint Talhah, said: I narrated this Hadīth narrated by ‘Ā’ishah bint Talhah to Mujāhid ibn Jabr al-Makki, the erudite Imām, and he said: "This is like a man giving charity out of his wealth. He may spend it if he wills or withhold it if he wills," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did that because he had free choice regarding supererogatory fasting. This is like a man who intends to give charity from his wealth. If he wills, he can go ahead and give it to the one to whom he intended to give it, and if he wills, he can withhold it and not give it out.
The Hadīth indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could break the supererogatory fasting at any time of the day.
It shows that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) possessed little of worldly things because he adopted an ascetic approach to the transient worldly pleasures and preferred the bliss of the Hereafter with Allah.
It also suggests that if a person allocates part of his wealth for charity and then reconsiders and decides not to give charity, there is nothing wrong with that..