Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):(The people of) Banoo Salamah intended to move out near the mosque of the Prophet, but he ﷺdisliked to see Madeenah vacated and said, "O the people of Banoo Salamah! Do not you think that you will be rewarded for your footsteps which you take towards the mosque?" So, they stayed at their old places.
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Commentary :
Al-Madeenah is one of the best, most honored, and purified lands on earth, and the Prophet ﷺ loved it, and keenly sought to populate and fortify it. In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) related that when Banoo Salamah, from the Ansaar, wanted to move out of their houses to settle in the outskirts of Al-Madeenah near the Prophet’s Mosque, he ﷺ disliked that some parts of Al-Madeenah should be deserted. He ﷺ said to them: "O people of Banoo Salamah! Do you not think that you will be rewarded for your footsteps which you take towards the mosque?" It means, ‘Do you notaspire to the rewards earned for walking to the (distant) mosque?’ He ﷺ informed them of the abundant rewards earned by walking to a mosque at a distance away from one’s house, urging them to stay in their houses. The Prophet’s words mean, “Stay in your houses to earn greater rewards for your long-distance walking to my mosque.” He ﷺ encouraged them to stay in their houses and aspire to the rewards for each step they took to the mosque, devoting their effort sincerely to Allah, The Exalted. Upon hearing the Prophet’s words, they decided to stay in their houses as advised.
The Prophet’s intention was that Banoo Salamah should remain in their houses so that the various regions of Al-Madeenah would remain populated so that the Muslim populationin Al-Madeenah wouldincrease to instill terror in the hearts of the hypocrites and polytheists. He ﷺ did not explicitly say so to Banoo Salamah, and settled for highlighting the obvious benefit to urge them to comply and motivate them to remain in their houses.
The hadeeth also underlines the virtues of building and populating Al-Madeenah and urges Muslims to walk to the mosques..

1888

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house (room) and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kawthar).”
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has favored some lands and places over others, and one such place is the Noble Rawdhah at the Prophet's mosque.
In this hadeeth, he ﷺ informed us of the virtues of this blessed place, the area between his house (room), where he ﷺ was buried, and his pulpit in the mosque. He ﷺ stated that it is one of the gardens of Paradise. The Arabic word ‘Rawdhah’ means a garden with fertile soil where plants grow,fresh water flows, and beauty manifests. The meaning is that the Noble Rawdhah at the Prophet's mosque is a blessed place where the divine mercy descends and people taste bliss by attending the gatherings of Thikr (remembrance of Allah) and performing prayer in that particular place, especially during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. It could also mean that this particular place is an actual garden of Paradise, like the Black Stone, and shall be moved back to it on the Day of Resurrection. This meaning is further supported by his words at the conclusion of the hadeeth reading: “and my pulpit is on my Lake-Fount (Al-Kawthar),” meaning that his pulpit is located at the bank of his lake-fount (Al-Kawthar), with which Allah shall honor him on the Day of Resurrection, or that he will have a pulpit by Al-Kawthar to stand upon and call upon people.
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of Al-Madeenah and urges Muslims to reside therein..

1889

`Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):When Allah's Messenger ﷺ reached al-Madeenah, Aboo Bakr and Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with them) became ill. Whenever Aboo Bakr's fever got worse, he would recite (this poetic verse): "Everybody is staying alive with his People, yet death is nearer to him than His shoelaces." Meanwhile whenever fever deserted Bilaal, he would recite: "I wish I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I would be surrounded by Ithkhir and Jaleel (kinds of goodsmelling grass). Would that one day I could drink the water of the Majanna and would that (the two mountains of) Shaamah and Tafeel would appear to me!" The Prophet ﷺ said, "O Allah! Curse Shaybah ibn Rabee`ah and `Utbah ibn Rabee`ah and Umaiyah ibn Khalaf as they turned us out of our land to the land of epidemics." Allah's Messenger ﷺ then said, "O Allah! Make us love Al-Madeenah as we love Makkah or even more than that. O Allah! Give blessings in our Saa‘ and our Mudd (measures symbolizing food) and make the climate of Al-Madeenah suitable for us and divert its fever towards Al-Juhfah." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “When we reached Al-Madeenah, it was the unhealthiest of land, and the valley of Bathaan used to flow with impure colored water.”.

Commentary :
Love for one’s homeland, an emotional attachment to it, and nostalgia for it are part of the innate human nature thatis not denounced by Islam, but israther channeled in the right direction that serves the religion of Allah and raises its banner high.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed us of the situation when the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) migrated to Al-Madeenah. Aboo Bakr and Bilaal ibn Rabaah (may Allah be pleased with them) got a fever, and each of them put his emotions into words according to his certitude in Allah and knowledge of the anticipated consequences.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) found solace in reciting the following poetic verse (which means): “Everybody is staying alive in the company of his people, yet death is nearer to him than his shoe laces.” Meaning that when everyone wakes up, he is greeted with ‘good morning,’ or ‘may Allah bless your morning,’ and similar greetings exchanged by people and their loved ones, while death may suddenly befall them and they may depart this worldly life in the evening, indicating the proximity of death from all human beings, whether they are sick or healthy.
On the other hand, whenever fever desertedBilaal (may Allah be pleased with him), he would raise his voice and recite some poetic verses. The Arabic expression “Yarfa‘ ‘Aqeeratah” means to raise one’s voice. It was said that a man once had his leg amputated; he raised his amputated leg, placed it over the other leg, and shouted of the top of his voice. Afterward, whenever a person shouted of the top of his voice as such, the Arabs used this expression to describe his act. He(may Allah be pleased with him) used to recite somepoetic verses, expressing longing and hopeto return to Makkah, where he relished sound health. He wished to spend one night in the valley of Makkah to quench his longing for it in the well of Majannah, a well near ‘Ukaath few miles away from Makkah in the direction of the Dhahraan area, where the Arabs had a marketplace in the pre-Islamic era. He (may Allah be pleased with him)wished he could go there to enjoy the view of the Ithkhir and Jaleel (kinds of pleasantly scented grass), which grew back in Makkah, and see Shaamah and Tafeel, two adjacent mountains southwest of Makkah, about 90 km away from it.
He (may Allah be pleased with him)would say, "Would that I could stay overnight in a valley wherein I would be surrounded by Ithkhir and Jaleel. Would that one day I could drink from the water of the Majannah, and that the two mountains Shaamah and Tafeel would appear to me!"
Afterward, Bilaal (may Allah be pleased with him) supplicated against the polytheists who drove them away from Makkah to a land afflicted with epidemics and diseases. He said: "O Allah! Curse Shaybah ibn Rabee`ah and `Utbah ibn Rabee`ah and Umaiyah ibn Khalaf as they turned us out of our land to the land of epidemics." These were the chiefs of the polytheists and their leaders in Makkah.
When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw what had befallen his Companions of fever and epidemic, he ﷺ feared that they might hate Al-Madeenah, because people are innately averted from what they hate. Therefore, he ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to instill the love of Al-Madeenah within their hearts, and make them love it even more than they loved Makkah, and to bless Al-Madeenah and its Saa‘ and Mudd.
The Saa’ equals four Mudds, and the Mudd is the measure of two open medium-sized handfuls. The Mudd approximately equals 509 grams at the lowest estimate, and 1072 grams in the highest estimate. The Saa’, on the other hand, equals tobetween 2036 and 4288 grams. In another hadeeth, cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, he ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to confer upon Al-Madeenah twice the blessings conferred upon Makkah.
He ﷺ asked Allah, Exalted is He, to relieve Al-Madeenah of the epidemic and transfer it to Juhfah, which was an abode of polytheism inhabited by non-Muslims then, so that they would be preoccupied by it and distracted from helping the disbelievers. Juhfah is located between Makkah and Al-Madeenah, at a distance of 190 km from Makkah. Allah, Exalted is He, answered the Prophet’s supplication and blessed people’s livelihoods in Al-Madeenah, and instilled its love in the hearts of the Prophet ﷺ and his Companions, and this love remained apparent until death befell them. One of the manifestations of this love was that whenever the Prophet ﷺ returned from any of his travels back to Al-Madeenah, he ﷺ urged his riding animal to move faster upon seeing the houses of Al-Madeenah, out of his deep love for it, as narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree.
The Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added that when they went to Al-Madeenah, it was the unhealthiest land, afflicted with epidemic diseases, to the extent that the valley of Bathaan, to the south of Al-Madeenah near the Prophet’s Mosque, used to flow with impure colored water that was often stagnant, causing fever and spreading epidemics.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to ask his Lord to bless him with well-being and recovery when ailments befall him, just like he asks Him for sustenance and victory, and that such supplications and desires do not imply blaming Allah or rejecting His decrees.
It is also inferred that it is permissible to supplicate Allah against the wrongdoers and the disbelievers. The hadeeth also highlights the significance of care for good health conditions, fresh air, and pure water, and warns against stagnant and colored water. It also underlines the permissibility of reciting, quoting, and listening to poetry.
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1890

Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father (may Allah be pleased with them):`Umar said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death be in Al-Madeenah of Your Messenger.".

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to instill the love of Al-Madeenah within his heart and the hearts of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). He ﷺ said: “O Allah! Make us love Al-Madeenah as we love Makkah or even more than that.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
Allah, Exalted is He, answered his supplication and Al-Madeenah became the most beloved land to his Companions(may Allah be pleased with them). They lived therein and did not wish to die elsewhere.
In this report, Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them), stated that ‘Umar used to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to bless him with martyrdom and to cause him to die in Al-Madeenah. Allah, Exalted is He, answered his supplication and caused him to die as a martyr. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed at the hands of Aboo Lu’lu’ah Al-Majoosi, may Allah punish him proportionally, while he (may Allah be pleased with him) was performing Fajr Prayer in 23 A.H. Thus, he earned the reward of martyrdom, because a disbelieving Zoroastrian killed him out of his resentment against Islam, and against ‘Umar’sdiligence and sincerity in governing the affairs of the Muslims. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was killed in the Cause of Allah, and Allah caused him to die in Al-Madeenah as he wished, and he(may Allah be pleased with him) was buried in the land that he loved the most, next to his beloved friend andProphet ﷺ and his close friend Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him). May Allah be pleased with ‘Umar and all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
This hadeeth highlights the merits of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him)..

1892

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ observed the fast on the 10th of Muharram (‘Ashooraa’)and ordered (Muslims) to fast on that day, but when the fasting of the month of Ramadan was prescribed, the fasting of ‘Ashooraa’ was abandoned. ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) did not observe fasting on that day unless it coincided with his routine fasting by chance..

Commentary :
The Day of ‘Aashooraa’ is the tenth day of the sacred month of Muharram and it is one of the blessed days. On that day, Allah, Exalted is He, saved His Prophet Moses (peace be upon him)s from Pharaoh and his army. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ venerated this day, fasted on it, and commanded Muslims to fast, to express gratitude to Allah, The Exalted.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed us that the Prophet ﷺ fasted on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ and commanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to fast. Other narrations have been reported regarding the reasons why the Prophet ﷺ fasted the Day of ‘Aashooraa’, one of which was narrated on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): “When the Prophet ﷺ came to Al-Madeenah, he found (the Jews) fasting on the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ (i.e., 10th of Muharram). They used to say: "This is a great day on which Allah, Exalted is He, saved Prophet Moosaa and drowned the people of Pharaoh. Moosaa observed the fast on this day, as a sign of gratitude to Allah." The Prophet ﷺ said, "I am closer to Moosaa than they!" So, he observed the fast (on that day) and ordered the Muslims to fast on it.”
Another narration was reported by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “That was a day on which the people of pre-Islamic days used to observe fast. So, he amongst you who likes to observe fast should do so, and he who does not like it should abandon it.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
Narrations have been reported about the virtues of fasting on that day, stating that it expiates the sins committed in the preceding year, like the hadeeth narrated on the authority of Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him)that has been cited in Saheeh Muslim.
Moreover, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that when the obligatory fasting on Ramadan was prescribed in 2 A.H., people abandoned fasting the Day of ‘Aashooraa’ as an obligatory act of worship, but some Muslims observed fasting on it voluntarily.
Naafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), underlined that Ibn ‘Umar did not observe fasting on that day in particular unless it happened to coincide with days when he regularly fasted. He(may Allah be pleased with him) refrained from fasting on that day in particular fearing that people might mistakenly assume that it was obligatory, or that it would be venerated in the same (unprescribed) manner it was venerated in the pre-Islamic era.
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1896

Narrated Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a gate in Paradise called Al-Raiyyaan, and those who observe fasts will enter through it on the Day of Resurrection and none except them will enter through it. It will be said, 'Where are those who used to observe fasting?' They will get up, and none except them will enter through it. After their entry the gate will be closed and nobody will enter through it.".

Commentary :
Islam assigns great virtue to fasting and the honor of Allah conferred upon those who observe fasting is unmatched. They refrain from all intake of food, water, beverages, and from sexual activity, and in return Allah, Exalted is He, confers upon them His abundant rewards, and distinguishes them with a special divine bestowal.
In this hadeeth, Sahl ibn Sa‘d Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, allocated a gate in Paradise especially for those who observed obligatory fasting and often observed voluntary fasting, or those who keenly assigned a special care to fasting compared to other worshipful acts. This gate is called “Al-Rayyaan,” which is derivedfrom a root that means quenching thirst. The name conveniently suits the situation of these people because it is their reward for enduring thirst and hunger. The name referred to quenching thirst rather than satiating hunger because thirst is harder to endure compared to hunger.
Only those who observed fasting will enter Paradise through this gate, to hasten to quench their thirst. This would be a manifestation of their honor and a special bestowal for them, so that they would not have to crowd with others to enter Paradise, for such crowding may cause thirst in and of itself. It should be noted, though, that there shall be no crowding at the gates of Paradise because they shall be vast and there shall be no harm, distress, or hardship therein. This is an honor conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on them, to elevate their status, and distinguish them from others. The angels will call upon them: “Where are those who observed fasting?” They shall stand up and enter Paradise from it, and then the gate will be closed; none will enter Paradise through it except those who observed fasting. The Prophet ﷺ repeatedly stated that no one else shall enter Paradise through that gate for the sake of emphasis (on their special honor)..

1897

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Whoever gives two items of wealth in charity for Allah's Cause, will be called from the gates of Paradise and will be addressed, 'O slaves of Allah! This is good.' So, whoever was amongst the people who observed prayer, will be called from the gate of the prayer; and whoever was amongst the people who used to participate in Jihaad, will be called from the gate of Jihaad; and whoever was amongst those who used to observe fasting, will be called from the gate of Al-Rayyaan; whoever was amongst those who used to give in charity, will be called from the gate of charity." Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Messenger! No distress or need will befall the one who will be called from those gates! Will anyone be called from all these gates?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Yes, and I hope you will be one of them.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, urged His servants to hasten to perform good deeds, and promised them abundant rewards in this worldly life and the Hereafter. In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed us that the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever spends in charity two items of wealth, e.g., two cows, two Dirhams, two loaves of bread, or two garments, will earn such reward. It may also mean whoever spends them in charity on two consecutive occasions. His saying “in Allah’s Cause” means, ‘while aspiring to His reward,’ and this is more general than Jihaad and other worshipful acts. Whoever does so, the angels will call upon him on the Day of Resurrection from the gates of Paradise, welcoming him to enter it. They will say: “Oh servant of Allah, this is good,” meaning, ‘the good deed that you have done is more virtuous than all worldly pleasures.’ The Arabic word ‘khayr’ (lit. good) used in the hadeeth means in this context ‘virtuous’ rather the comparative adjective ‘better’, even if the wording may imply otherwise, and the wisdom is to urge the listener to seek entering Paradise through that gate. It could also mean that this gate through which you are asked to enter Paradise is good, meaning that therein lies all that is good, and the statement denotes honoring them.
Allah, Exalted is He, allocated a special gate in Paradise for each worshipful act. So, those who devote themselves to performing voluntary prayers after performing the obligatory ones shall be called upon to enter Paradise through the gate of prayer, and they will enter it, and the same goes for all other acts of worship, such as Jihaad and charity. Likewise, the angels shall receive those who devotedly observed fasting frequently at the gate of Al-Rayyaan, calling upon them to enter through it. This gate is called “Al-Rayyaan,” which is derivedfrom a root that means quenching thirst because whoever enters Paradise through it will never experience thirst again. The name conveniently suits the situation of these people because it is their reward for enduring thirst and hunger. The name refers to quenching thirst rather than satiating hunger because thirst is harder to endure compared to hunger.
His saying: “Whoever was amongst those who used to give in charity will be called from the gate of charity,” is not a repetition of the same meaning denoted by his saying: “Whoever spends two items of wealth” at the beginning of the hadeeth, because spending even an insignificant item of wealth in charity is better than the great worldly pleasures, and this applies to all the gates of Paradise, but it is stated here in particular for further emphasis.
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Let my parents be sacrificed for you, O Allah's Messenger! No distress or need will befall the one who will be called from those gates!” This is because such a person shall taste bliss in Paradise. It could also mean that whoever shall be called upon to enter Paradise through some of these gates will not need to be called upon to enter it through other ones; it is adequate to be called upon to enter Paradise through one gate!
Afterwards, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked: “Will anyone be called from all of these gates?” The Prophet ﷺ replied, "Yes, and I hope you will be one of them." He ﷺ replied that some believers will be called upon to enter from all those gates as they will have performed numerous and various worshipful acts. He ﷺ added: “I hope you will be one of them.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) had devotedly performed all worshipful acts for which Allah, Exalted is He, allocated gates in Paradise. It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ asked once: ‘Who among you is fasting today?’ Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, ‘I am.’ He ﷺ asked, ‘Who among you followed a funeral today?’ Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I did.’ He ﷺ further asked, ‘Who among you presented food to a needy person today?’ Again, Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, ‘I did.’ He ﷺ asked, ‘Who among you visited a patient (to inquire about his health and check on them) today?’ Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, ‘I did.’ Upon this, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ remarked: ‘Those (good deeds) never meet in a person but that he would be admitted to Paradise.’” [Muslim].

It is deduced from the hadeeth that the angels love the devout people and rejoice at meeting them.
It is also inferred that a Muslim is urged to spend more in charity; the more the merrier, and that it is required of Muslims to wish for good in this worldly life and the Hereafter. The hadeeth also underlines the virtues of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), and the merits of those who combine the qualities of goodness. It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to praise someone to his face as long as it is not feared that it would not usher him into conceit and similar diseases of the heart..

1899

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed and the devils are chained.".

Commentary :
The month of Ramadan is the month of forgiveness and deliverance from Hellfire, during which Allah, Exalted is He,has made easy the material and moral means to attain forgiveness, and the performance of good deeds, including: fasting, night prayer, Zakaah, and the like.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that when the month of Ramadan comes, the gates of heaven are actually opened to celebrate this holy month, to welcome it in the exalted assembly [of angels], to note its abundant virtues and honor, and to inform the angels of its arrival. It could also mean that the gates of Paradise are opened as suggested by the mention of the closing of Hellfire’s gates afterward. Some versions of the hadeeth cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim have been reported to that effect. As it starts, the gates of Hellfire are closed before those who observe fasting; this means that should anyone, who observes fasting, die while fulfilling the due rights (of the sacred month) and observing his religious duties, will be saved from Hellfire in that month of Ramadan. The devils are also chained, and this means that they are tied up with chains and prevented from corrupting Muslims in the same way they do at other times. All these virtues are due to the special honor conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on this month during which He bestows His divine mercy and forgiveness on His servants.
The reference to the ‘devils’ here means the rebellious devils among the Jinn, the most hostile and aggressive ones, as stated in some versions of the hadeeth narrated by Al-Tirmithee and Al-Nasaa’i, and not all the devils. This explains why some evil deeds and sins are still committed by some people during the month of Ramadan. Based on the opinion suggesting that all the devils are chained during the month of Ramadan, it could mean that they are chained and prevented from harming those who observe fasting, complying with its conditions and etiquettes. However, the devils are not chained and prevented from harming those who fail to observe such conditions and etiquettes. Moreover, the chained devils may still harm people, in proportion to the perfection of their fasting, but their harm is lesser and weaker compared to at other times. Whoever perfects his fasting will be shielded from the devils in a way that would not apply to those who fail to perfect their fasting. It is noteworthy that the chaining of all the devils does not necessarily mean that no evil deeds would be committed during the sacred month of Ramadan, because there are other causes for sins, such as the evil-enjoining self and the devils among human beings.
The hadeeth also underlines the virtues of Ramadan, and it serves as supportive evidence on the existence of Paradise and Hellfire and that they have gates that are opened and closed. It also proves the existence of devils, and that they have physical bodies that can be tied up with chains. It also highlights the greatness of Allah's Kindness towards His servants and His Generosity.
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1900

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "When you see the crescent (of the month of Ramadan), start fasting, and when you see the crescent (of the month of Shawwaal), stop fasting; and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it) then regard the month of Ramadan as of 30 days.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be used to determine the timings of the lunar months. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of a lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on that sighting, many religious obligations are determined, such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined that Muslims must not observe fasting in the month of Ramadan except after sighting the new moon after the sunset of the twenty-ninth day of Sha‘baan, and also must not end their fasting (at the end of the month) except after sighting the crescent of the month of Shawwaal after sunset on the twenty-ninth day of Ramadan. If the sighting of the new moon is not possible because of clouds, or for any given reason, the month will be considered thirty days, because the maximum length of a lunar month is thirty days, and thus it is proved with certainty that the month has begun or ended.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that it is not allowable to rely on meansother than the sighting of the new moon to determine the beginning and end of lunar months, such as the astronomical calculation.
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1903

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
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Commentary :
Among the wisdoms behind fasting and its great aims are to attain Taqwa (mindfulness of Allah), tame sexual urges, and discipline the ‘self’ (i.e., practice self-restraint). The ultimate purpose of fasting is notto abstain from eating and drinking only, but rather to discipline, refine, and reform the ‘self’.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warned those who perceive fasting as mere refrainment from eating and drinking, and do not abstain from lying, deviation from the truth, and following falsehood and doubtful matters, that Allah, Exalted is He, does not accept their refrainment from eating and drinking. However, this does not mean commanding those who observe fasting and fall into sin to give up fasting, but rather it serves as a warning against false speech and acting upon it, and it also emphasizes the gravity of committing these sins while fasting, as it causes the decrease in the rewards of one of the best (and most rewardable) worshipful acts. How should someone abstain from eating, drinking, and sexual activity, and yet let his rewards diminish because of false speech and acting upon it! It is narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger.” [Sunan Ibn Maajah].
This hadeeth urges the fasting person to give up evil deeds and forbidden acts.
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1904

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Allah said, 'All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them, except fasting which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.' Fasting is a shield or protection from Hellfire and from committing sins. If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife and quarreling, and if somebody should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting.' By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person is better in the sight of Allah than the smell of musk. There are two pleasures for the fasting person: one at the time of breaking his fast, and the other at the time when he will meet his Lord; then he will be pleased because of his fasting."
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Commentary :
Islam assigns great virtues to fasting and the honor conferred by Allah upon those who observe fasting is unmatched. They refrain from all intake of food, water, beverages, and from sexual activity, and in return Allah, Exalted is He, confers upon them His abundant rewards, and distinguishes them with a special divine bestowal.
In this hadeeth, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ informed us that Allah, Exalted is He, said: “All the deeds of Adam's sons (people) are for them,” meaning that the doer aspires to some worldly gains when performing them,“except for fasting; it is exclusively devoted to Me, and none knows its reward except Me. I shall give the doer its allocated reward and only I knows the amount of such reward and its multiplication.” As for other worshipful acts, their designated rewards and their multiplication are known by people; their rewards may be multiplied until seven hundred times, except for fasting. Allah, Exalted is He, multiplies the reward of fasting as He sees fit, with no maximum limit.
Another version of this hadeeth reads: “Every (good) deed of the son of Adam would be multiplied, a good deed receiving a tenfold to seven hundredfold reward. Allah, Exalted is He, has said: ‘With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it.’” [Muslim].
Since the reward of fasting is only known to Allah, Exalted is He, He did not entrust it to His angels, but rather grants it Himself, and this indicates its greatness and significance.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ stated that fasting is a protection and shield against sins and misdeeds in the worldly life and against Hellfire in the Hereafter.
He ﷺalso forbade the fasting person from engaging in obscene speech and using foul language, and also forbade him from shouting and quarreling.
Should anyone should fight or quarrel with him, he should say, 'I am fasting,’ to urge his opponent to stop or to evoke this meaning within his heart to restrain his anger. The prohibition in this hadeeth is meant as an emphasis on the prohibition in this regard during fasting; the one who is not fasting is also enjoined to do the same.
Then, the Prophet ﷺ swore by saying: “By Him in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad,” because to Allah, Exalted is He,belongs our souls. The Prophet ﷺ often swore by Allah, Exalted is He, with this wording. In this hadeeth, he ﷺ swore to the fact that the unpleasant smell coming out from the mouth of a fasting person, which is generally due to an empty stomach, is better and nicer in the sight of Allah on the Day of Resurrection than the smell of musk, which is the best fragrance. The superiority of fasting compared to other worshipful acts is indicated because it is attributed directly to Allah, Exalted is He, (“With the exception of fasting, for it is done for Me and I will give a reward for it.”),qualifying it to have one of the most refined statuses.
The smell of the mouth is declared better than musk in the sight of Allah because fasting is a secret between a servant and his Lord, and only He knows if it is accepted or rejected. Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, rendered the smell of the fasting person’s mouth a manifest indication on the Day of Resurrection, to highlight his honor and refined praiseworthy status.
Afterwards, the Prophet ﷺ informed us that the fasting person who fulfills the due rights of fasting, by carrying out its obligations and recommended acts, will taste two great joys: one in this worldly life, and the other in the Hereafter. As for the first, he rejoices when he breaks the fast, because he quenches his thirst and satisfies his hunger whenever it is deemed allowable, and this joy is normal in this context. It could also mean that he would rejoice at the completion of his fasting and the conclusion of his worshipful act. People’s joy varies according to their different statuses in this regard. As for the second joy, he tastes it upon meeting his Lord (on the Day of Judgment); he would rejoice at his fasting, meaning that he would rejoice at receiving its reward, or meeting his Lord, or having his fasting accepted and earning its abundant reward.
Perfecting fasting entails guarding one’s tongue against committing sins such as: lying and obscene and false speech, guarding one’s stomach by abstaining from eating and drinking, and guarding his private parts by refraining from sexual activity. This means that a fasting person should not utter what may undermine his fasting and should only confine himself to good and useful speech, and the same goes for his actions. This is the prescribed fasting, which is not limited to the refrainment from eating and drinking. It has been narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever does not give up false speech and evil actions and does not abandon foolishness, Allah is not in need of his leaving food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fasting).” [Al-Bukhaaree]. He ﷺ also said: “There are people who fast and get nothing from their fast except hunger.” [Sunan Ibn Maajah].
Correct fasting requires guarding oneself against sins along with the refrainment from eating and drinking. The consumption of food or beverages invalidates the fasting, and similarly committing sins undermines the rewards and outcomes of fasting, as if the person has not observed fasting to begin with.
The hadeeth urges the fasting person to give up evil deeds and prohibitions.
Also deduced from it the affirmation of the Hand ofAllah, Exalted is He, as befits His majesty.
It is also serves as evidence on the affirmation of the Speech of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He speaks wherever He wills to whomever He wills with whatever He wills, and that His words are not limited to the Holy Quran.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that acts of worship differ in terms of reward.
It may also be deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to swear an oath to confirm one’s statement, even if the listener does not deny it.
Finally, it underlines that whoever worships Allah, Exalted is He, and seeks His pleasure in this worldly life, yet his actions result in unpleasant outcomes in this worldly life, they are loved by Allah, Exalted is He, and regarded as ‘good’ in His sight, being the outcome of obedience to Him and seeking after His pleasure.
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1907

Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The (lunar) month is 29 nights (i.e., days), and you should not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha‘baan as thirty days.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be usedto determine the timings of the lunar month. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of one lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on this sighting, many religious obligations are determined, such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told them that the month may be twenty-nine or thirty days, and that both scenarios arepossible and valid, but determining the timings to observe or break fasting requires the sighting of the moon, and this is the meaning of his saying: “Do not fast until you see the moon,” meaning, ‘do not fast until you see the crescent after sunset of the twenty-ninth day of Sha‘baan.’ He ﷺ added: “If the sky is overcast, then complete Sha‘baan as thirty days.” If the crescent is not seen for some reason - such as clouds and the like - then the month of Sha‘baan is thirty days.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that it is not allowable to rely on means other than the sighting of the new moon to determine the beginning and end of lunar months, such as astronomical calculation.

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1908

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The month is like this and this," (at the same time he showed the fingers of both his hands thrice) and left out one thumb on the third time.
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be usedto determine the timings of the lunar months. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of one lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on this sighting, many religious obligations are determined, such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told them that the lunar months generally alternate between 29 and 30 days. He ﷺ said: “The (lunar) month (may be) thus and thus,” holding up his hands with all their fingers twice, but at the third time withdrawing or folding his left thumb (indicating that the month might consist of twenty-nine days). The use of sign language is the best way to explain the correct meaning, because it is more tangible and leaves no possibility of incorrect assumptions.
To sum up, determining the end of the current lunar month and the beginning of the following month requires the sighting of the crescent; if the crescent is sighted on the eve of the twenty-ninth day, then the month will have ended, and that night will be the first night of the new month, and if the crescent is not sighted for some reason - such as clouds and the like - then the month is thirty days.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to use sign language to explain an intended meaning.
It is also inferred that it is not allowable to rely on means other than the sighting of the new moon to determine the beginning and end of lunar months, such as astronomical calculation.

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1909

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwaal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha‘baan."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that the sighting of the new moon (crescent) should be usedto determine the timing of the lunar months. The sighting of the crescent marks the end of one lunar month and the beginning of another. Based on that sighting, many religious obligations are determined such as fasting and Hajj.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commanded us to fast Ramadan upon sighting the new moon after sunset on the twenty-ninth day of Sha’baan, and break the fast when the crescent moon is sighted after sunset on the twenty-ninth day of Ramadan. This means that the lunar month may be twenty-nine or thirty days, and both scenarios are possible and valid. However, determining the times of fasting and breaking the fast depends on the sighting of the new moon. If the crescent moon of Ramadan is not sighted for any given reason, such as clouds and the like, we are commanded to complete thirty days of Sha’baan; likewise, if the crescent moon of Shawwaal is not sighted, we should complete thirty days of fasting in Ramadan..

1912

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, “The two months of ‘Eid i.e., Ramadan and Thoo al-Hijjah, do not decrease (in terms of reward).”.

Commentary :
If a person complies with the divine commands, and diligently strives to abide by the divine will of Allah, and to earn His pleasure to the best of his ability, Allah, Exalted is He, will not deprive him of the full reward and will even grant him more rewards, out of His grace and generosity.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Bakrah Naafi‘ ibn Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ informed us that the reward of two months will not be diminished, even if the number of their days decreases. These months are Ramadan and Thoo al-Hijjah. The Prophet ﷺ mentioned them in particular because the obligatory fasting and pilgrimage are performed on these two months.
The month of Ramadan is described as a month of ‘Eid, because it is followed by ‘Eid Al-Fitr. This hadeeth eliminates any doubts that may find their way into the hearts of those who fasted twenty-nine days (because they know that their rewards shall not be diminished).
The hadeeth also highlights the virtues of the month of Ramadan and Thoo al-Hijjah..

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..

1202

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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house (room) and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kawthar).”
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Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father (may Allah be pleased with them):`Umar said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death be in Al-Madeenah of Your Messenger.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed and the devils are chained.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
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Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The (lunar) month is 29 nights (i.e., days), and you should not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha‘baan as thirty days.".

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The month is like this and this," (at the same time he showed the fingers of both his hands thrice) and left out one thumb on the third time.
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Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwaal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha‘baan."
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Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, “The two months of ‘Eid i.e., Ramadan and Thoo al-Hijjah, do not decrease (in terms of reward).”.

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 Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house (room) and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kawthar).” .

Zayd ibn Aslam narrated on the authority of his father (may Allah be pleased with them):`Umar said, O Allah! Grant me martyrdom in Your cause, and let my death be in Al-Madeenah of Your Messenger.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of Hellfire are closed and the devils are chained.".

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fasting.)" .

Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them):Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The (lunar) month is 29 nights (i.e., days), and you should not fast till you see the moon, and if the sky is overcast, then complete Sha‘baan as thirty days.".

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The month is like this and this," (at the same time he showed the fingers of both his hands thrice) and left out one thumb on the third time. .

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwaal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha‘baan." .

Narrated Aboo Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophet ﷺ said, “The two months of ‘Eid i.e., Ramadan and Thoo al-Hijjah, do not decrease (in terms of reward).”.

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): The Prophet ﷺ said, "There is a garden from the gardens of Paradise between my house (room) and my pulpit, and my pulpit is on my Lake Fount (Al-Kawthar).”
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving his food and drink (i.e., Allah will not accept his fasting.)"
.

Narrated Ibn `Umar (may Allah be pleased with them): The Prophet ﷺ said, "The month is like this and this," (at the same time he showed the fingers of both his hands thrice) and left out one thumb on the third time.
.

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophet ﷺ said, "Start fasting on seeing the crescent (of Ramadan), and give up fasting on seeing the crescent (of Shawwaal), and if the sky is overcast (and you cannot see it), complete thirty days of Sha‘baan."
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