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

1586

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

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

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

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

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

1588

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

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

1590

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

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

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

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

1592

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

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

1593

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

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

1594

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

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

1595

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

1597

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

1598

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

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

1599

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

1600

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

1160

Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah reported: I asked ‘Ā’ishah, the wife of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): “Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast three days of each month?" She said: 'Yes.' I said to her: "Which days of the month did he use to fast?" She said: "It did not matter to him which days of the month he fasted.".

Commentary : People would ask the Prophet's wives about his custom regarding matters unclear to them or those they liked to learn about.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah informs that she asked ‘Ā’ishah, the Mother of the Believers, (may Allah be pleased with her): "Did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) use to fast three days of each month?" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) urged the observance of fasting for three days every month, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections. In response to her, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: 'Yes', he used to fast them, and this was the minimum he would fast in a month. Then, Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah asked for the specification of these days; whether they were at the start, middle, or end of the month, and whether they were successive or separated? ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) told her that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not care about fixing these days; rather, she would find him fasting at the start of the month and at its middle and at its end. It was said: He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) probably did not observe three specific days in a persistent manner, lest it might be thought they were specified.
In a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast - meaning at the Ghurrah of each month - three days, i.e., the start of the month. The Ghurrah of something is its beginning. It was also said: He meant the white days in the middle of the month during which the moon becomes full, namely the 13th, 14th, and 15th days. This is because Ghurrah also refers to whiteness. So, the Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn Mas‘ūd, who reported the Hadīth, probably mentioned the usual practice based on his knowledge of the Prophet's conditions and that he used to fast these days. Also, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections, reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would fast so often outside Ramadan until it was said: He does not cease fasting. And he would refrain from fasting until it was said: He does not fast. Nonetheless, he used to fast on certain days, like the days at the start of the month and its middle, as well as on Mondays and Thursdays.
The bottom line is that there were numerous conditions for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding fasting. Every Companion reported what he knew about the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), or what he saw, or what was suitable in a certain situation; all the reports about the Prophet's fasting are authentic, which falls under permissibility and flexibility for those who want to fast as they wish while being keen to adhere to the Prophet's Sunnah and keep away from the days in which fasting is prohibited.
In the Hadīth: Demonstrating the practice of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as he used to fast often and diligently.

1162

Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about his fasting. He said: . The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry. Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We are pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, with Muhammad as a Messenger, and with our pledge of allegiance as a pledge of allegiance." He said: He was asked about fasting of Ad-Dahr (all days), and he said: May he not fast or break his fast, or he has not fasted or broken his fast. He said: He was asked about fasting for two days and not fasting for one day, and he said: Who could bear that?! He said: He was asked about fasting one day and not fasting for two days, and he said: I wish that Allah had given us the strength for that. He said: He was asked about fasting one day and not fasting for one day, and he said: That is the fasting of my brother David (Dāwūd) (peace be upon him). He said: He was asked about fasting on Monday, and he said: That is the day on which I was born and the day on which I was sent (as a Prophet), or the revelation was sent down to me on that day. He said: And he said: Fasting three days every month and from Ramadan to the next Ramadan is (equivalent to) the fasting of Ad-Dahr (all days). He said: He was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah, and he said: It expiates the past year and the coming one. He said: He was asked about fasting on the day of ‘Āshūrā’, and he said: It expiates the past year..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) liked that a Muslim should perform the deeds he can bear and do regularly. People used to ask about his guidance (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding matters confusing and unclear to them, or about things they would like to know, so that they could follow his example and attain success.
In this Hadīth, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about his fasting, meaning: the fasting of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In the version by Ahmed, it is mentioned that the questioner was a Bedouin, an Arab living in the desert. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry and the effect of anger became manifest on his face, due to this man's statement and question. He probably got angry because he disliked the question, as he would need to answer it and feared that his answer would lead to some evil, namely that the questioner might think it to be obligatory or too little, or he might restrict himself to it while his condition allowed for more than that. As for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he restricted himself to it due to his preoccupation with the interests and rights of Muslims, and the rights of his wives and guests and those who came to him, lest his example might be followed by anyone, and this would cause harm to some people. The questioner should have said: How much should I fast? Or: How should I fast? Thus, he would pose the question regarding himself, to which he would give him an answer based on his condition, as he gave answers to others on the basis of their respective conditions. Moreover, the Prophet's fasting did not follow one pattern. Rather, it would differ with the difference of conditions. He would sometimes fast often and at other times less often, and a situation like that makes it hard to answer the question.
When ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) noticed the Prophet's anger, he - out of politeness and respect towards the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and as an apology and appeasement to him, and out of pity towards the questioner - said: "We are pleased with Allah as a Lord, with Islam as a religion, with Muhammad as a Messenger," i.e., we are pleased with His planning and predestination for us, and we have taken Him as our God and Deity, apart from anyone else. And we are pleased with Islam as a religion, as we have chosen it from among all religions and entered it being content and submissive, and we did not seek a religion other than Islam. And we are pleased with Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a Messenger. We are pleased with all he brought from Allah Almighty and accepted that with submission and delight, and we believed what he said, obeyed his commands, and shunned his prohibitions, and we loved, followed, and supported him.
"and with our pledge of allegiance as a pledge of allegiance," which refers to the pledge of allegiance over Hijrah and Jihad. This shows complete faith and submission to Allah and to His Messenger and religion.
When the Prophet's anger subsided, ‘Umar asked him - as related in another version by Muslim - in a more accurate and rational manner that was closer to the truth. He posed his question in a general way that would benefit all people. He asked him about fasting for all days, which is the fasting for all the days of the year consecutively, and about the state of he who observes such fasts, as to whether it is commendable or dispraised. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "May he not fast or break his fast;" or he said: "He has not fasted or broken his fast." The meaning: He does not struggle against the severity of hunger and thirst because he gets used to fasting and so it becomes easier for him, and he does not need the patience over the effort upon which the reward is conditional. Hence, he becomes like one who did not fast. And since he does not gain the comfort and pleasure felt by those who break their fast, it is as if he did not break his fast. It was said: This means supplication against him, by way of deterring him. It may also be an informative statement, meaning that it is as if this person did not break the fast because he ate nothing, and he did not observe the fast because his fast was not prescribed by the Lawgiver.
Then, he asked him about a person fasting for two days and not fasting for one day. Thus, the days he fasts are double the days he does not fast, which makes this act of worship more common than the usual way of life. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who could bear that?!", i.e., who can do that being able to continue fasting while discharging his other duties of the day?! He seemed to have disliked it, for it mostly goes beyond people's capacity, and so it is not encouraged by an easy and tolerant religion. It was said: It indicates that the reason for prohibition is weakness, which means: If anyone can bear it, there is nothing wrong with that.
Then, he asked him about a person fasting one day and not fasting for two days. Thus, the days he does not fast are double the days he fasts, and he continues to do that for all his life. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) replied to him, saying: I wish that Allah had given us the strength for that. He seemed to have approved of this type of fasting and hoped to observe it. It was said: That his wish pertains to others in his Ummah, for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would bear it and more than that, and it is authentically reported that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to observe continuous fasts. It was said: This means that because of his preoccupation with his wives, guests, activities, and people, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not observe this amount of fasting on a continuous basis. This is not because of his weakness to bear fasting, or his lack of patience over abstinence from eating for this period.
Then, he asked him about a person who fasts one day and does not fast for one day, and who takes that as a habit. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the fasting of my brother David (Dāwūd) (peace be upon him)." This indirectly indicates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged this fasting, for it is very moderate and it takes the two aspects of worship and habit into the best consideration, and it is one of the most beloved fasts to Allah Almighty, as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. This is because it is not ongoing fasting nor ongoing abandonment of fasting.
Then, he asked him about the reason behind fasting on Monday. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That is the day on which I was born and a day on which I was commissioned (as a Prophet)," i.e., the day of the beginning of my prophethood; so, it is the day most worthy of being fasted. Or he said: "the revelation was sent down to me therein;" the revelation began to come down on it.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that fasting three days every month - which applies to specification, like the fasting of the white days: the 13th, 14th, and 15th days; or to generality, like fasting three days at the beginning of the month, its middle, or at its end, successively or sporadically - and the fasting of Ramadan every year is equivalent to the fasting of all days. That is, Allah, out of His grace and generosity, multiplies the reward for every act of goodness and worship, involving words or deeds, tenfold. So, a good deed is multiplied to ten similar good deeds. Likewise, the fasting of one day is recorded as fasting of ten days. Accordingly, if a person fasts three days, it is as if he fasts thirty days, which is a whole month. Thus, by fasting three days every month, it is as if he fasts the entire year, in addition to the obligatory fasting in the month of Ramadan.
And he asked him about fasting on the day of ‘Arafah. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that whoever fasts it, Allah forgives for him the sins of two years: the past year and the coming year. This fasting is to be observed by non-pilgrims, for it is disliked for a pilgrim to fast on the day of ‘Arafah. This is because fasting on this day will make the pilgrim too weak to stand and supplicate. As for non-pilgrims, they are addressed by this Hadīth to the relevant merit and attainment of rewards from Allah Almighty. The day of ‘Arafah is the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. It was called as such because it comprises one of the pillars of Hajj, namely standing at ‘Arafah in Makkah.
Then, he asked him about the fasting of the day of ‘Āshūrā’, which is the tenth day of the month of Muharram. This is the day in which Allah saved Moses (peace be upon him) and his people from Pharaoh. So, Moses fasted it in gratitude to Allah for His favor in destroying the oppressors. In response, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said that Allah forgives by fasting this day the sins of the past year.
This expiation includes minor sins, not the major ones. As for major sins, they can only be expiated by repentance or mercy from Allah, or it is hoped the major sins will be alleviated. It was said: The expiation for the coming year is that He will preserve him from committing sins in it. It was also said: that He will give him an amount of mercy and reward that expiates for the past year and the next one if it comes and he commits sins therein.
These questions by ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) point to his proper understanding. He first calmed the anger of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and then asked him about certain types of fasting that comprise all that a Muslim can observe, and he knew their rulings, while demonstrating which of them are valid and which are not and pointing out the merit of some of them. Meanwhile, he taught us all of that. So, whoever wishes can observe the valid fast and choose what is more suitable for himself and his ability.
The Hadīth points out the merit of fasting on Monday.
It also points out the merit of fasting on the day of ‘Āshūrā’.
It also shows the merit of fasting on the day of ‘Arafah.
And it demonstrates the merit of fasting during the month of Ramadan.
The Hadīth points out that Allah is Kind to His servants, and He facilitates things for them and removes hardships and restrictions from them.
The Hadīth prohibits fasting for all days.
And it forbids overburdening oneself in worship with things beyond one's capacity..

1163

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported in a Marfū‘ Hadīth: He [i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)] was asked: "Which prayer is the most excellent after the obligatory prayer? And which fasting is the most excellent after the month of Ramadan?" He said: "The most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer in the middle of the night, and the most excellent fasting after the month of Ramadan is fasting Allah's month of Al-Muharram.".

Commentary : Prayer and fasting are among the pillars of Islam. Allah determined the obligatory prayer as five prayers during the day and night and determined the obligatory fasting as the fasting of the month of Ramadan. But, if anyone wants to perform these two forms of worship on a voluntary basis, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) specified its meritorious times during which the servant obtains the best reward.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the best times and conditions for offering prayer and observing fast voluntarily. So, someone asked him: What are the best prayers after performing the five obligatory prayers, which must be offered? These are the best forms of worship whereby a servant can seek closeness to Allah Almighty before thinking about supererogatory and additional worship, in case he wants to offer that voluntarily. In a clarifying and demonstrating reply, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The most excellent prayer after the obligatory prayer is prayer in the middle of the night." This is because prayer during the night is more likely to be free from Riyā’ (show-off) and closer to sincerity, and the praying person can offer it in a focused and carefree manner away from daytime preoccupations. Plus, this is more helpful in remembering the Qur’an and not forgetting some of the verses. The middle of the night means: the last third of the night.
And he was asked about the most excellent fasting after the obligatory fasting of Ramadan, and he replied that the most excellent fasting after the month of Ramadan is fasting Allah's month of Al-Muharram, which is one of the sacred months within which Allah prohibited fighting. The month is attributed to Allah by way of extolment. It is the first month in the Hijri calendar, which is a reason for him to start it with the doing of good and receive it with worship. This is one of the best deeds, just as the first part of the day is received with Dhikr. So, it is hoped that this expiates for the rest of the year, akin to the merit of Dhikr in the early part of the day. It is also probable that since fighting was prohibited during Muharram, seizing its time for fasting was a good opportunity because the times during which fighting is permissible may entail that the believer does not fast, for fasting causes weakness.
The Hadīth points out the merit of prayer in the middle of the night.
It demonstrates the merit of fasting during the month of Muharram.
It also indicates that supererogatory and voluntary worship can be offered after performing the obligations..

1164

Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days in Shawwāl, it will be like a perpetual fast.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to fast some days every month on a voluntary basis, and he urged his Companions to do the same. He also urged the fasting of some days within the months of the year, given their abundant reward.
In this Hadīth, he directed the Muslims to fast six days in Shawwāl, after Ramadan, and pointed out that if anyone fasts the entire Ramadan and then fasts six days in Shawwāl, successive or sporadic - for fasting them successively or sporadically falls under the adherence to the Sunnah - he will obtain a reward equivalent to fasting the entire year. This stems from the great bounty of Allah towards His Muslim servants, as He multiplies the reward for them. This is explained by the verse that reads: {Whoever comes with a good deed will be rewarded tenfold.} [Surat al-An‘ām: 160] The month of Ramadan is equivalent to ten months, and fasting six days after Eid al-Fitr completes the year.
The Hadīth points out the merit of fasting six days in the month of Shawwāl..

1166

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr, and then some members of my family woke me up, and I was caused to forget it. So, seek it in the remaining ten days." [And in a version]: I forgot it..

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr is a great night whose status Allah points out in Surat al-Qadr. In this night the Qur’an was revealed; worship in it is better than worship in a thousand months; the angels descend in it with the permission of Allah; and it contains safety, security, and peace. It is known to occur, but its time is unknown. Several versions are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the specification of Laylat al-Qadr. This Hadīth is one of those versions, and in it the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr," i.e., I was made aware of the specification of Laylat al-Qadr and on which night it occurs, but "some members of my family woke me up." This indicates that the Prophet's sighting of it was in a dream. However, his dreams (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the dreams of the prophets (peace be upon them) were divine revelations. This does not denote that he did not learn about it during wakefulness. As the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was caused to forget it, he said: "So, seek it in the remaining ten days," i.e., try to find it in the remaining ten days, which are the last ten days of the month of Ramadan as a whole. Other versions in the Two Sahīh Collections state that it occurs on odd-numbered days within the last ten days of Ramadan. The Prophet's statement: "seek it" denotes encouragement to try to find it. This should be done by engaging in worship, supplication, and pious acts.
This Hadīth mentions that the reason behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forgetting Laylat al-Qadr was that some members of his household awakened him. And it is mentioned in a Hadīth in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection, reported by ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him), that the reason behind that was a dispute and conflict between two men. And also in a Hadīth in the Sahīh Muslim Collection, reported by Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), with the wording: "There came two men contending with each other and along with them was the devil." To reconcile these two Hadīths, this may either be taken to denote plurality; thus, the vision in the Hadīth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was a dream. The forgetfulness happened because of awakening, and the vision in the Hadīth reported by others happened during wakefulness, while the forgetfulness occurred because of the mentioned dispute. Or it may be taken to suggest the occurring of the two stories, in which case the forgetfulness happened twice for two reasons. Or this may probably mean: Some members of my family awakened me, and I heard the dispute between the two men and got up to mediate between them. So, I was caused to forget it, due to my preoccupation with the two men.
The Hadīth indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was subject to forgetfulness, in what Allah willed.
It points out that Laylat al-Qadr lies in the last ten days of Ramadan.
It urges us to seek Laylat al-Qadr..

1168

‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr and then I was caused to forget it. I saw myself prostrating in water and mud on its morning." He said: We had rain during the twenty-third night. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) led us in prayer and left, and indeed the trace of water and mud was on his forehead and nose. He said: ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays used to say: The twenty-third..

Commentary : There is no doubt that the greatest month in the sight of Allah is the month of Ramadan, and the greatest night is Laylat al-Qadr. Therefore, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) diligently tried to specify it. So, numerous Hadīths were reported on determining this night.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I was shown Laylat al-Qadr and then I was caused to forget it," i.e., I came to know on which day it occurs. Then, this knowledge was taken away from me. Jibrīl (Gabriel) (peace be upon him) informed him of its specific time in that year. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw in a dream - and the dreams of the prophets are true and truth, and constitute revelation from Allah Almighty - that its sign is that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was prostrating in water and mud. Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) related that it rained on the twenty-third night. The Prophet's vision of himself prostrating in water and mud came true. He led them in Qiyām al-Layl and departed after the prayer as the trace of water and mud was on his forehead and nose due to prostrating over them. This was confirmation of the Prophet's dream. The roof of his mosque was made of palm leaf stalks. Based on this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ’Unays (may Allah be pleased with him) used to determine Laylat al-Qadr to be the twenty-third night every year. Several Hadīths are reported specifying the time of Laylat al-Qadr. The scholars had a lot to say on reconciling these Hadīths or favoring some above others. This includes: that Laylat al-Qadr moves every year within the last ten days of Ramadan. It was called Laylat al-Qadr because of its high status and rank, or because the pious deeds performed therein are of great significance. Out of Allah's wisdom, He concealed it from people for them to diligently seek it within the nights, and thus, they will engage more in worship, which brings benefits to them.
The Hadīth mentions prostration on water and mud.
It states that the dreams of the prophets are true.
It urges us to seek Laylat al-Qadr and utilize it for the performance of righteous deeds, given the increased merit and reward therein.
It affirms prostration on the forehead and nose..

1170

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were talking about Laylat al-Qadr in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose and it was like a half of plate?".

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr is a great night. Allah points out its status in Surat al-Qadr. The Qur’an was revealed therein. Worship in it is better than worship in a thousand months. The angels descend in it with the permission of Allah, and it contains safety, security, and peace. It is known to occur, but its time is unknown. Several versions are reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the specification of Laylat al-Qadr or the nature of its night.
This Hadīth is one of those versions, and it identifies one of the characteristics of Laylat al-Qadr. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they talked to one another about Laylat al-Qadr and its status and significance, the merit of performing Qiyām al-Layl therein, and its signs which were mentioned by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose, and it was like a half of plate?" He likened the moon to half of a food plate. The meaning: Who amongst you remembers the night in which half of the moon appeared like half of a food plate? This was the sign of Laylat al-Qadr in this month known to them and in that year, or the sign of Laylat al-Qadr in all years. This indicates that Laylat al-Qadr can be seen and verified by whomever Allah wills..

1175

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in the last ten days than he would strive in other than them..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was most keen on attaining rewards, and he was good at utilizing the virtuous times, including the last ten days of Ramadan, which are the best nights of the year, and they contain Laylat al-Qadr (the Night of Decree), which is better than a thousand months.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that when the last ten days of Ramadan came - starting from the night of the 21th day until the end of the month - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in them than he would strive at other times, i.e., more than his diligence in other nights. This is due to the significance and merit of those nights and in pursuit of Laylat al-Qadr. He would engage more in righteous deeds and worship, draw close to Allah Almighty, retire in his praying place, and keep away from women. This is demonstrated by another version in the Two Sahīh Collections: "When the ten days came, he would pray all night, wake up his family, show diligence, and tie up his lower garment firmly."
The Hadīth demonstrates keenness to engage diligently in worship during the last ten days of Ramadan.
It indicates that one should strive to have the best possible ending of Ramadan..

1176

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days..

Commentary : The month of Dhul-Hijjah is one of the sacred months. It includes the ten days at its beginning, during which righteous deeds are greatly meritorious. They include the day of ‘Arafah, the ninth day. And they include the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, the tenth day. A number of Hadīths are reported on their merit.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that she did not see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. In another version narrated by Muslim, she said: "He did not fast the ten days." The ten days here refer to the nine days from the beginning of Dhul-Hijjah, for fasting on the day of Eid is forbidden.
This Hadīth indicates that it is disliked fasting the ten days; whereas other Hadīths point to the merit of performing pious deeds - which include fasting - in those ten days. It is authentically narrated in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are no deeds on any day better than deeds in these," i.e., the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah. It is probable that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not observe fasting on these days because he would sometimes abandon certain deeds, though he would like to perform them, for fear that they might be ordained upon his Ummah. The merit of fasting the day of ‘Arafah by non-pilgrims is mentioned in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim: "Fasting the day of ‘Arafah, I expect from Allah that it expiates the sins of the preceding year and the next one.".

1184

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaim Talbiyah with his hair matted, saying: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak." (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service, here I am at Your service. You have no partner; the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner). He would not say anything more than these words. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would offer two Rak‘ahs in Dhul-Hulayfah, and when his she-camel stood upright with him on its back near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, he proclaimed Talbiyah with these words. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) used to proclaim Talbiyah like the Talbiyah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with these words and would say: Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka wa sa‘dayk, wa al-khayr fi yadayk, labbayka wa ar-raghba’ ilayka wa al-‘amal (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service. Here I am at Your service, in bliss. Good is in Your Hands. Here I am at Your service; things are sought of You, and deeds are done for Your sake)..

Commentary : This Hadīth demonstrates the manner of the Prophet's Talbiyah upon assuming Ihrām for Hajj. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "proclaimed Talbiyah," i.e., he said Talbiyah in a loud voice, "with his hair matted," i.e., he put something like glue in his hair to prevent it from drooping or to keep insects away. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to say in his Talbiyah: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk" (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service), i.e., I repeat my response to You in complying with Your command to perform Hajj; so, I respond to Your command time and again. "labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk" (Here I am at Your service; You have no partner), i.e., You alone are Sovereign in Your dominion, without any opponent or partner. "inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka" (the praise, the favor... belong to You), i.e., praise, gratitude, and laudation are due to You alone, and every favor comes from You, and You are the Giver of it. "wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak" (and the dominion belongs to You; You have no partner). He mentioned the dominion after the praise and favor to generalize the causes of obedience and demonstrate the aspects of submission and worship. Then, he followed that with the words "la sharīka lak" (You have no partner) to dispel any resemblance to Him and affirm that He alone is the Possessor of the dominion, the praise, and the favor. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not say anything beyond these words in his Talbiyah and the assumption of Ihrām. It is said: The wisdom behind Talbiyah is to note Allah's honor to His servants as they come to His House after a call from Him.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered two Rak‘ahs in the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah. This refers to the Zhuhr prayer performed in a shortened form, as related in a Hadīth narrated by Muslim and reported by Ibn ‘Abbās. Dhul-Hulayfah is a place lying outside Madīnah, on the way to Makkah. Dhul-Hulayfah is located 6 or 7 miles, nearly 9 or 10km, away from Madīnah. It is the Miqāt of the people of Madīnah and the non-residents who pass by it. It is known today among the ordinary people as Abiyār ‘Ali or Ābār ‘Ali. It lies about 420km away from Makkah. On the day he arrived in Dhul-Hulayfah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the ‘Asr prayer therein as two Rak‘ahs. Then, he performed the Maghrib, ‘Ishā’, Fajr, and Zhuhr prayers there. Thus, he offered five prayers there and stayed for a day and night. "and when his she-camel stood upright with him on its back near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah," i.e., he rode his she-camel, and it stood up in preparation for moving, "he proclaimed Talbiyah with these words," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) raised his voice as he said this supplication mentioned earlier.
Then, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) would assume Ihrām and raise his voice as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to do and say: "Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka wa sa‘dayk" (Here I am at Your service, O Allah, here I am at Your service. Here I am at Your service, in bliss), i.e., bliss after bliss, and I repeat that time and time again. "Wa al-Khayr fi yadayk" (Good is in Your Hands); good comes from You alone. "Labbayka wa ar-raghba’ ilayka wa al-‘amal." (Here I am at Your service; things are sought from You, and deeds are done for Your sake), i.e., things are sought from You and asked of You.
This addition was from the words of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). Other additions to Talbiyah are reported from some of the Companions, who added them by way of increasing what is good. It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not criticize the Talbiyah proclaimed by any of his Companions..

1185

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The polytheists used to say: "Labbayk la sharika lak" (Here I am at Your service; there is no partner with You.) He said: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would say: "Woe to you! Enough, enough." They would say: "illa sharika howa lak; tamlikuhu wa ma malak" (Except a partner with You, whom You possess and all what he possesses." They would say that while performing Tawāf around the House!.

Commentary : Talbiyah for Hajj among the Muslims involves proclamation of the Tawhīd of Allah, sincere devotion to Him, and keeping away from Shirk. As for the polytheists, they used to proclaim Talbiyah for Hajj with Shirk.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the polytheists used to say while performing Tawāf around the Ka‘bah: "Labbayk, there is no partner with You." So, they would commence the Talbiyah with Tawhīd. Since the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) knew what they would add after that, he would say to them when they pronounced Talbiyah with Tawhīd: "Woe to you!" i.e., you will be in ruin and destruction for what you add to the Talbiyah. "Enough, enough!" i.e., your statement of Tawhīd is sufficient. Limit your Talbiyah to it and do not add the subsequent words: "illa sharika howa lak; tamlikuhu wa ma malak" (Except a partner with You, whom You possess and all what he possesses." By the partner, they meant their idols. This phrase in Arabic (tamlikuhu wa ma malak) has two potential meanings: First: You possess him and what is in his possession. Second: You possess him and he possesses nothing. They acknowledge that he is not worthy of any worship, for he is capable of nothing for himself or others, and that indeed the Sovereign is Allah. Nonetheless, they associate him with Allah in worship, out of ignorance or stubbornness, transgression, and arrogance! Allah Almighty says: {They have taken besides Him other gods who can create nothing but are themselves created. Nor do they have the power to harm or benefit themselves, nor do they have the power to cause death, give life or resurrect the dead.} [Surat al-Furqān: 3]
Moreover, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) says that they used to say that while performing Tawāf around the Sacred House of Allah by way of seeking closeness to Allah Almighty through false words, which are rejected..

1186

Sālim reported: When Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that Ihrām should start from Al-Baydā’, he would say: Al-Baydā’ about which you tell a lie about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)! The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not proclaim Talbiyah except at the tree when his camel stood up with him on its back..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) learned the rituals of Hajj from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj, as he enjoined them to do, and they passed them on to those who came after them.
In this Hadīth, Sālim ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar mentions that when his father ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) was told that raising one's voice with Talbiyah in Hajj or ‘Umrah should start from Al-Baydā’, he would deny that and say: "Al-Baydā’ about which you tell a lie about the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)!" i.e., you allege that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started his Talbiyah in his Hajj when he reached Al-Baydā’. You are mistaken in this. He attributed lying to them, for they said something contrary to reality. This does not mean intentional lying. Indeed, the Arabs tend to say to one who made an error: You lied. Al-Baydā’ is a place near Dhul-Hulayfah from the direction of Makkah. It was called Baydā’ for the absence of landmarks therein such as buildings and the like. What is meant here is the elevated and high place opposite Dhul-Hulayfah from the direction of Makkah.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) explained what is right to them, namely that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not raise his voice with Talbiyah "except at the tree" located near the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, which is a village situated 6 or 7 miles (nearly 10km) away from Madīnah, and it is the Miqāt for the people of Madīnah and the non-residents who pass by it. This happened when he set out for the Farewell Hajj. He raised his voice with Talbiyah as he rode his camel and made it stand up to leave, after he had assumed Ihrām at that location.
The difference between the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) over the places from which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed Talbiyah is probably caused by the fact that each of them talked about what he saw. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left Madīnah for Hajj. When he prayed in the mosque of Dhul-Hulayfah, he proclaimed Talbiyah for Hajj, which some people heard and memorized from him. Then, he rode his she-camel, and it stood up, he proclaimed the Talbiyah, of which some people became aware, for they were coming in groups. So, they heard him and said: Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed the Talbiyah when his she-camel stood up with him on its back. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proceeded, and when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’, he proclaimed the Talbiyah, which some people became cognizant of and said: Indeed, he proclaimed the Talbiyah when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’. So, each of them transmitted what he had heard. This shows that the difference arose over the starting of the Talbiyah and the assumption of Ihrām from the Miqāt. This confusion is cleared up by a Hadīth narrated by Abu Dāwūd, in which Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, he proclaimed the Talbiyah in his place of prayer, proclaimed the Talbiyah when his she-camel stood up with him on its back, and proclaimed the Talbiyah when he ascended the elevated place of Al-Baydā’.".

1195

Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that Zayd ibn Arqam came, and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās said to him, reminding him: "How did you tell me about the meat of the game presented as a gift to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was in a state of Ihrām?" He said that he said: "He was presented with a slice of the meat of the game, and he refused it, saying: "Indeed, we will not eat it; we are in a state of Ihrām.".

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. During it, some permissible things become forbidden for those who assume Ihrām for Hajj. One of these is that Allah Almighty says: {But hunting land animals is forbidden to you as long as you are on pilgrimage.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 96]
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Tāwūs ibn Kaysān al-Yamāni relates that Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Kufa to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), and Ibn ‘Abbās asked him to relate to him what he had previously told him about the Prophet's action when some meat from a hunted land animal was presented to him as a gift while he was in a state of Ihrām for Hajj. In other words, did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) accept it and eat therefrom or refuse it? So, Zayd ibn Arqam (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was presented with some meat and he knew that it was part of a hunted land animal, he refused the gift and did not accept it from the person who offered it to him. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified to the man who presented the gift that he refused it because he was in a state of Ihrām, and a Muhrim may not eat from hunted land animals.
In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ate from his game while being in a state of Ihrām. However, Abu Qatādah was not in a state of Ihrām when he hunted this animal from which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ate. Reconciling the two Hadīths, the scholars said that he refused the first gift because the man hunted it for his sake, whereas he deemed the second game lawful because no role was played by a Muhrim in its hunt, and he did not hunt it for his sake. So, if a non-Muhrim hunts an animal for himself and then presents part of it to a Muhrim, there is nothing wrong with that, and the Muhrim may eat from it.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's guidance upon refusing a gift, and that he would mention the reason for refusing it. This stems from his good manners (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1197

Mu‘ādh ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Uthmān at-Taymi reported: We were with Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullāh as we were in a state of Ihrām. A bird was presented to him as a gift. Meanwhile, Talhah was sleeping. Some of us ate and some of us refrained. When Talhah woke up, he agreed with those who ate it and said: "We ate it along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).".

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. During it, some permissible things become forbidden for those who assume Ihrām for Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Uthmān at-Taymi says that they were one day with the Companion Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) as the people were in a state of Ihrām for Hajj or ‘Umrah. Meanwhile, a grilled or cooked bird was gifted to Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), and it probably was a hunted bird. Talhah was reclining, asleep. So, he did not know about the bird gifted to him, and the ruling on eating therefrom was not clear to those in the state of Ihrām. Therefore, the people fell under two categories; some of them ate from this bird, and others feared and refrained from eating from the gifted bird thinking that a Muhrim may not eat from it. "When Talhah woke up, he agreed with those who ate it," i.e., he described their action as right, by words or deeds. Clarifying the reason behind his approval of those who ate, Talhah said: We ate the like of that along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while we were in a state of Ihrām. So, eat from what was gifted to me.
In the Two Sahīh Collections, Ibn ‘Abbās reported: As-Sa‘b ibn Jaththāmah al-Laythi presented to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the meat of a zebra while he was in Al-Abwā’ or Waddān (they are two places). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declined to eat therefrom. Upon noticing the unpleasant feeling on his face, he said to him: "Indeed, we only declined it because we are in a state of Ihrām."
Reconciling between the two Hadīths, it is to be said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the bird for them because the Muhrims played no role in hunting it. This is also explicitly mentioned in a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, in which Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he hunted a zebra, and when they asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he said to them: "Did anyone of you command him or point to him with something?" They said: 'No.' So, he said: "Then, eat what is remaining of its meat."
As for declining the meat of the hunted animal from As-Sa‘b ibn Jaththāmah, this is because he hunted it for the Prophet's sake, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was in a state of Ihrām, and a Muhrim may not eat from the meat of a prey which was hunted for him. Had he not been in a state of Ihrām, he would have accepted it and eaten it.
The Hadīth shows how the Companions used to explain the rulings of the religion to the contemporary Tābi‘is..

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Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got himself cupped and paid the cupper his wage, and he put medicine in his nose..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has made good things lawful for His slaves and made unlawful for them anything evil and impure concerning food, drink, gains, trade, etc. The Shariah has also urged Muslims to have self-esteem and to elevate themselves from lowly things.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "got himself cupped," i.e., he asked someone to cup him. Cupping is to extract some blood from the body by pricking the area of pain and then absorbing and extracting this blood after collecting it by means of a cup, which is an instrument resembling a funnel. Cupping provides treatment for a variety of pains. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) paid the person who cupped him his wage for that. This is part of the Prophet's actual acts of Sunnah. If it was prohibited to give a wage to a cupper, he would not pay this cupper a wage. The scholars took the Hadīths prohibiting the earning by a cupper and stating that it is impure to denote purification and exaltation above lowly earnings and to urge noble manners and lofty matters. Or perhaps the prohibition was in the early days of Islam, and it was subsequently abolished. So, when he paid the cupper his wage, he abrogated the previous ruling.
Then, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned another medicine which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used, saying: "and he put medicine in his nose." To use it, a person lies down and places something below his shoulders to raise them, and then he puts drops of the medicine into his nose, so that they can reach his brain. Then, the illness comes out with sneezing.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's use of medicine and his pursuit of the proper means of treatment.
It mentions that the cupper took a wage for cupping..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

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

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
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Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The Ka’bah will be demolished by a man with thin legs from Abyssinia.”.

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
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Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days in Shawwāl, it will be like a perpetual fast.".

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were talking about Laylat al-Qadr in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose and it was like a half of plate?".

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in the last ten days than he would strive in other than them..

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days..

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got himself cupped and paid the cupper his wage, and he put medicine in his nose..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

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

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.”” .

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

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.” .

Abu Ayyūb al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If anyone fasts Ramadan and then follows it with six days in Shawwāl, it will be like a perpetual fast.".

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were talking about Laylat al-Qadr in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), who said: "Who amongst you remembers when the moon rose and it was like a half of plate?".

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would strive more in the last ten days than he would strive in other than them..

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I never saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) fasting during the ten days..

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got himself cupped and paid the cupper his wage, and he put medicine in his nose..

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): “Allah’s Messenger ﷺstated when he came to Makkah, “Our encampment tomorrow, Allah-willing, will be at Khayf Banee Kinaanah where they (the pagans) took an oath between themselves on disbelief.””
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Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “I can envisage him as a bowlegged black person, dismantling it [the Ka’bah] brick by brick.”
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