It was narrated that ‘Ali said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not tell lies about me; whoever tells lies about me, let him enter the Fire.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warns against telling lies about him, or attributing to him any words that he did not utter, or saying about him anything other than what really happened. So it should not be said that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said or did anything that he did not say or do, regardless of whether that is done with a bad intention or a good intention. This prohibition is general and applies to anyone who tells lies, because telling lies about him leads to introducing changes to Islamic teachings, and altering Islamic rulings. The punishment for the one who tells lies about him deliberately is admittance to Hell. Once a divine decree has been issued concerning something, it will inevitably happen and will definitely come to pass. This is a stern warning to anyone who tells lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It was said that there is no difference between telling lies against him or telling lies for him, because what is meant by telling lies about him is attributing something to him that is not true, whether it is done with the intention of undermining his message or of supporting his message. Telling lies against Allah comes under the same heading and is telling lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), because the aim of telling lies against Him is to tell lies with regard to the rulings of religion.
This hadith is indicative of the emphatic prohibition on telling lies about the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It indicates that whoever narrates a hadith knowing or thinking that it is fabricated is included in this warning, unless he explains the status of the narrators and how weak they are. Similar to that is one who rejects a sahih (sound) hadith that was narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) without having any knowledge of the science of hadith, or his reason for rejecting the hadith is stubbornness towards the teachings and rulings of Islam..

111

It was narrated that Abu Juhayfah said: I said to ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib: Do you have anything in writing? He said: No, except the Book of Allah, or understanding that may be granted to any Muslim man, or what is in this sheet. I said: What is in this sheet? He said: [Information about] blood money, the ransom of prisoners, and that no Muslim should be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever..

Commentary : Some of the people thought that before he died, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) left a will containing secret knowledge to his cousin ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him). In this report, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly tells us that all of that is contrary to reality, as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not leave anything behind except the Qur’an and his Sunnah, and the ability to understand the Qur’an that Allah may grant to an intelligent and knowledgeable Muslim. Thus intelligence and ability to understand is regarded as another level, after learning and memorizing the Book of Allah, because by understanding it, meanings and rulings become clear. Alongside the Qur’an, we may include understanding of the Sunnah and deriving rulings from it. The phrase “understanding that may be granted to any Muslim man” highlights the fact that this understanding is not something exclusive or a monopoly for any one person; rather this understanding is something that any Muslim may have, and it is something that is granted by Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), as He says: {And We gave understanding of the case to Solomon} [al-Anbiya’ 21:79]. Understanding is a blessing that Allah may bestow upon any of His slaves.
Then ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) mentions some issues that were written on a sheet; the word refers to something on which words are written, no matter what it is made of, such as leather, palm leaves and the like. This document contained Islamic rulings that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had not given exclusively to him; rather others also knew about them. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would not have concealed anything of the religion of Allah from people and given it exclusively to some of his family. The issues mentioned on this sheet include ‘aql and diyah; these terms refer to blood money, which is a set amount of wealth, as stipulated in Islamic teachings, which is to be given by the relatives of the killer to the family of the one who was killed. It is called ‘aql because they used to hobble (ya‘qilun) the camels in the courtyard of the family who were entitled to the blood money [which was given in the form of camels]. What is meant is that the rulings on blood money, and the number, types and ages of camels to be given [were written in that document].
The document also contained information on the ransom of prisoners. What is referred to is Muslim prisoners, as it is obligatory to strive to ransom them and secure their release by all permissible means, whether by paying money or otherwise.
And the document stated that “no Muslim should be killed in retaliation for a disbeliever.” What is meant is that if a believer kills a disbeliever who is in a state of war against the Muslims, then there is no retaliatory punishment (qisas) in this case; this is different from the case of a disbeliever who has a covenant with the Muslims and is under Muslim protection. And in some reports, other issues and instructions are also mentioned.
This hadith demonstrates the falseness of the claims invented by the Rafidis and Shia who said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bequeathed to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) the secrets and foundations of knowledge, and knowledge of the unseen, that he did not tell to anyone else.
It indicates that the Book of Allah is the source of knowledge, and that understanding of knowledge should only be based on the Qur’an and on the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which explain it.
It indicates that the knowledgeable person may derive from the Qur’an, on the basis of his own understanding, something that was not referred to in the books of tafsir. But that is on condition that it is in accordance with the basic principles of Islam..

112

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that [the tribe of] Khuza‘ah killed a man from [the tribe of] Banu Layth – during the year of the conquest of Makkah – in revenge for one of their own whom Banu Layth had killed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was told about that, so he sat on his camel and addressed the people, saying: “Allah held back killing or the elephant from Makkah – Abu ‘Abdillah [one of the narrators] said it like that; Abu Nu‘aym said: you may take it as being either the elephant or killing; others said that the word is the elephant – and He sent against them the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and the believers. O people, it was not permissible for anyone [to fight in Makkah] before me, and it will not be permissible for anyone after me. O people, it was only permitted to me for part of the day, and undoubtedly at this very moment it is sacred; its thorny shrubs are not to be uprooted and its trees are not to be cut down; lost property that has been dropped in it is not to be picked up except by one who will announce it. If someone is killed, there are two options: either to give blood money or the family of the victim may be given the power to kill him. A Yemeni man came and said: Write it down for me, O Messenger of Allah. So he said: Write it down for Abu Fulan (Father of So-and-so). A man of Quraysh said: Except idhkhir, O Messenger of Allah, for we use it in our houses and our graves. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Except idhkhir, except idhkhir.”.

Commentary : During the Jahiliyyah, the people lived lives that were based on misguidance, and they prescribed different types of injustice and bloodshed. Then Islam came and forbade all types of injustice and wrongdoing, and emphatically forbade unlawful bloodshed.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the tribe of Khuza‘ah killed a man from the tribe of Banu Layth in revenge for one of their own whom Banu Layth had killed during the Jahiliyyah. That happened during the year of the conquest of Makkah, 8 AH. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to know of that, so he addressed the people from atop his mount – his she-camel – and explained to them that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) had held back killing or the elephant from Makkah on the day when Abrahah the Ethiopian had tried to destroy the Kaaba, forty years before the mission of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began. This event is mentioned in the verse in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Have you not considered, [O Muhammad], how your Lord dealt with the companions of the elephant} [al-Fil 105:1]. Allah (may He be exalted) sent against the companions of the elephant flocks of birds which struck them with stones of hard clay when they reached the bottom of the valley near Makkah, and destroyed them.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only reminded his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of the incident of the elephant in his speech to them in order to highlight the prohibition on killing in Makkah, because even though the people of Makkah were disbelievers at that time, Allah still defended the city, so the sanctity of its people after the advent of Islam is even greater.
But Allah sent against the people of Makkah the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them), and fighting was only permitted in Makkah at the time when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the city as a conqueror, along with his companions. Then the prohibition on fighting was restored as it had been before. Fighting in Makkah was not permitted to anyone before him and will never be permitted to anyone after him, because the sanctity of Makkah is something ancient, something that was decreed in the distant past and is still ongoing; it is not something that was introduced by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) or that is unique to his law. It sanctity was restored after the conquest.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade cutting its vegetation, including large trees, small trees and shrubs, and small plants such as grasses, except the type of grass called idhkir, because the people needed it. It is a type of grass with broad leaves and a pleasant lemony fragrance, the flowers of which may be steeped like tea. It is a beneficial plant that may be burned instead of wood; they used to use it in the roofs of their houses and to cover their graves, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) exempted it from the prohibition on cutting vegetation.
The man from Quraysh who requested the exemption of idhkhir was al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), as is mentioned in as-Sahihayn. His request was a plea, and the Prophet’s granting of that concession was by way of conveying from Allah (may He be exalted) something that came either by way of inspiration or by way of revelation.
The phrase “its thorny shrubs are not to be uprooted” means that they are not to be taken or cut. The mention of thorns indicates that it is more appropriate that other shrubs or trees that are not harmful should be protected, but thorny bushes may be excluded from the prohibition because they are harmful, so it may be permissible to cut them down, by analogy with the permissibility of killing the five vermin in the Haram zone, because what they all have in common is the fact that they are harmful.
It is forbidden to pick up any lost property except by one who will announce it, so nothing that has been dropped by someone in Makkah should be picked up; rather it should be left where it is until its owner comes back and finds it. It should not be picked up except by someone who intends to announce it and keep it until its owner comes.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the choice to the heirs of the one who has been killed between accepting the blood money (‘aql or diyah) and killing the killer in retaliation (qisas); this applies in the case of deliberate killing. In the case of accidental killing, however, there is no option except the blood money. The blood money (‘aql) is an amount of wealth to be given by the offender to the one who was harmed, commensurate with the degree of the offence. It is called ‘aql because they used to hobble (ya‘qilun) the camels in the courtyard of the family who were entitled to the blood money.
According to the report narrated by Ahmad from Shurayh (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave the diyah for the man of Banu Layth whom the tribe of Khuza‘ah had killed.
Whilst the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was saying that, a Yemeni man – whose name was Abu Shah, as narrated in as-Sahihayn – came and asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to write for him some advice that would benefit him. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Write for Abu Fulan.” This was a clear instruction to write, even though previously the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had forbidden writing down the Sunnah. Most of the scholars said that the hadiths which enjoin writing down the Sunnah abrogated the hadiths which forbid that. The prohibition was for a reason, which was that perhaps the hadiths of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be mixed with the Qur’an. Once that reason was no longer applicable, permission was given to write hadiths, because the reason for this reservation was no longer applicable. This is supported by the fact that the instruction to write was general in wording and meaning, and it came at a later time. It was also said that the prohibition was on writing hadiths with Qur’an on the same sheet, because they used to listen to the explanation of verses, and perhaps they wrote the explanation with the verses. So they were forbidden to do that, lest they get confused, but they were given permission to write the Sunnah on separate sheets, or perhaps that was allowed for certain individuals in a few instances, such as one who needed it to be written for him, and so on. Once the revelation was completed, that reason was no longer applicable, and that was after the Sahabah’s knowledge of the Qur’an had become well-entrenched and there was no fear that they might mix it with the words of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And it was said that the prohibition was for those who had reliable memories, for fear that they might begin to rely on writing. As for permission to write the hadith, it was given to those whose memories were not reliable. Some of the Sahabah continued to refrain from writing down hadith by way of being extra cautious and prudent, and because of individual concern lest they incur sin or mix Qur’an with Sunnah, or lest they be distracted from writing down the Qur’an.
In this hadith, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) reminds the people of the blessing of Allah in holding back the elephant from Makkah, which was a sign that was attested to by everyone, good and evil alike.
It indicates that if someone hears beneficial words that he will not be able to memorize properly, he should request that they be written down, as Abu Shah did.
It indicates that it is permissible to ask questions and discuss religious issues with a knowledgeable person or scholar, and to do that in gatherings.
We also see in this hadith the command to write down the hadith and Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). .

113

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that he said: There is no one among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who narrated more hadiths from him than me, except ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr, for he used to write down hadiths and I did not..

Commentary : The Sahabah used to preserve the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in various ways. Some of them committed it to memory, and others wrote it down on sheets and in books. Some of them did a great deal of that and some of them did a little.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that there was no one among the Sahabah who narrated more hadiths than him, except ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him); he had a unique advantage over Abu Hurayrah in that he used to write down the hadith; he would write down whatever he heard.
The words of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) imply that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with him) collected more hadiths than he did, even though what is narrated from him is less in number. That is for several reasons, the first of which is that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) lived in Egypt, and he used to travel between Egypt and al-Ta’if to reside for some time in each place. Seekers of knowledge did not travel to those two places as they would travel to Madinah, where Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) lived. Abu Hurayrah was also in a position to issue fatwas and teach hadith until he died, as can be seen from the large number of people who narrated from Abu Hurayrah. It was said that eight hundred of the Tabi‘in narrated from him, which did not happen in the case of anyone else. The second reason is that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) was more focused on worship than teaching, so fewer reports were narrated from him. The third reason is something that was unique to Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), which was that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed that he would not forget what he heard from him. The fourth reason was that in Syria, ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) had acquired a camel-load of books of the People of the Book, which he used to read and narrate from them, so many of the leading scholars among the Tabi‘in avoided learning from him.
The words of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) clearly state that they used to write down the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), even though he had previously forbidden them to write down the Sunnah and hadith, as Muslim narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do not write down anything from me. Whoever has written down anything from me other than the Qur’an, let him erase it.” That was for fear that the Qur’an might become mixed with other things. But after the Qur’an had been memorized and become well entrenched in the hearts of the Sahabah, and there was no longer any fear of them mixing it with anything else, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave permission to some of the Sahabah to write down hadiths.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah and ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘As (may Allah be pleased with them both).
It also indicates that those of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who were literate both memorized the hadiths and wrote them down as an extra precaution. If a narrator heard a hadith but did not write it down, he relied only on what he had memorized, so his accuracy was based on only one thing, whereas the accuracy of the literate person who also wrote it down was based on two things..

114

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: When the ailment of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) grew intense, he said: “Bring me something on which to write for you some words after which you will not go astray.” ‘Umar said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is gravely ill, and we have the Book of Allah; it is sufficient for us. But they disagreed, and a great clamour broke out, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Go away and leave me alone; no one should quarrel in my presence.” Ibn ‘Abbas went out, saying: What a great calamity it was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was prevented from writing what he wanted to write..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen for his ummah to remain united and not differ both during his lifetime and after his death. Hence in his Sunnah he clarified all religious matters, highlighted which were most important, and explained in detail many issues concerning which disputes could potentially arise.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet’s pain grew intense during his final illness – and in Sahih al-Bukhari it says that that happened on a Thursday, four days before the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) died – he asked the Sahabah to let him write for them something after which they would not go astray, and that would be a guide for them to the straight path, after which they would never drift away from the path of truth or deviate from the correct way. But ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) spoke up and said that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was overwhelmed with pain, so it was too difficult for him to dictate what he wanted to write, or to write it himself.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) feared for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was worried that his concern about writing something might exacerbate his pain and sickness, especially as he was prone to fainting during this sickness, and so on. He thought that the Prophet’s command, “Bring me something on which to write,” was by way of guiding them to what would be better and more appropriate, and he said: The Book of Allah is sufficient for us, meaning: we have the Qur’an, and that is enough for us, for Allah (may He be exalted) says, {We have neglected nothing in the Book} [al-An‘am 6:38], and He says: {This day I have perfected for you your religion} [al-Ma’idah 5:3]. There is nothing that will happen until the Day of Resurrection except that there is a clear text concerning it in the Qur’an and Sunnah, or there is a reference to it. This is indicative of ‘Umar’s deep insight; it does not mean that the Qur’an is sufficient with no need for the explanation of the Sunnah. ‘Umar’s main concern was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should rest, because he was so ill and overwhelmed by pain, and it would be difficult for him to dictate what he wanted to write or to write it himself, until he recovered, at which time he would be able to dictate whatever he wanted. However, it is as if some of those present insisted on him writing these things. Hence the Sahabah began to argue and there were too many people speaking at once, which prompted the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to order them to go out and leave him alone, explaining that it was not appropriate for them to argue in his presence.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to warn them against dissent and disagreement, because that could lead to the loss of something good, as happened with regard to the definition of Laylat al-Qadr and other matters. The dispute and clamour that occurred in this instance were the reason why this writing did not occur; it was not what ‘Umar or anyone else said (may Allah be pleased with them all). At this point, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, when narrating this hadith: What a great calamity it was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was prevented from writing what he wanted to write. The dispute is the reason why he did not write what he wanted to write.
There is a difference of scholarly opinion as to what he wanted to write. It was said that he wanted to write a document in which he stated some rulings, so as to leave no room for dispute. It was said that he wanted to write the names of the caliphs to come after him, so that there would be no dispute among them. This is supported by a report narrated by Muslim, which says that when his sickness began, when he was in ‘A’ishah’s house, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Call for me your father and your brother, so that I may write something down, for I fear that someone may raise his hopes (of becoming caliph), or someone may suggest (that So-and-so should be the caliph), when Allah and the believers will not accept anyone except Abu Bakr.” A similar report was narrated by al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that dispute and argument may be the cause of being deprived of some blessings and goodness.
It indicates that the Sahabah expressed their views on the basis of their individual understanding (ijtihad) in the presence of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to a matter concerning which there was no revelation.
It indicates that proper etiquette when visiting the sick is not to stay with the sick person so long that it causes him annoyance, and not to speak in his presence of things that could upset him.
It indicates that if sickness and pain become too intense, it is permissible for the sick person to tell his visitors to leave.
It is indicative of the virtue of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and his understanding of religion.
It tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not clearly state that any particular individual should be the caliph after he was gone..

115

It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up one night and said: “Subhan-Allah! How many fitnahs (tribulations and punishments) have been sent down this night, and how many stores have been opened! Wake up the ladies of the apartments, for she who is clothed in this world may be naked in the hereafter.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was kind and compassionate towards the believers. This hadith highlights one aspect of his compassion towards his ummah. The Mother of the Believers Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) woke up one night, when he was in her house, amazed at what Allah had sent down on that night of tribulations and punishments, and what He had opened of the stores of mercy and so on. He referred to punishment by using the word fitnah, because fitnah is a cause of punishment. He referred to mercy as stores, because Allah (may He be exalted) says: {Or do they have the depositories of the mercy of your Lord?} [Sad 38:9].
This was a dream that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw. What is meant is that that after he was gone, there would be fitnahs and troubles, and that the stores of divine mercy would be opened for his ummah. Fitnahs and troubles indeed happened, as is well known, and the stores were opened as the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) prevailed over the Persians, Byzantines and others.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued instructions to wake his wives to pray and seek refuge with Allah from what had come down, so that they would be the first to seek refuge from the fitnahs and tribulations of this world, for it was not appropriate for them to neglect worship and rely on their being wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It is said that this was addressed exclusively to them because they were the ones who were present at that time.
With regard to the phrase “for she who is clothed in this world may be naked in the hereafter”, the word translated as “may” here is sometimes used to indicate that the number referred to is small, or it may be used to indicate that it is great, as is the case here. What is meant is: she who is showered with the blessings of Allah but fails to give thanks, or she who is covered with clothes in this world because she is wealthy, may be naked in the hereafter because she is deprived of reward as she did not strive in the first world; or it may refer to one whose clothing covers part of her body, and exposes part of it, showing off her beauty. It was also said that it refers to one who wears a thin garment that shows the shape of her body, so even if she is covered with clothing, she is naked in reality; or she may be covered with clothing and jewellery, but she is devoid of the garment of piety; or she may be clothed because of the blessing of marriage to a righteous man, but she will be naked in the hereafter because she had no righteous deeds of her own to her credit and the righteousness of her husband will not benefit her.
This hadith indicates that a man may wake his family at night to pray and remember Allah (dhikr), especially when a sign [or natural phenomenon] appears, or following an alarming dream.
It indicates that it is prescribed to say “Subhan-Allah” when one is amazed.
This hadith is one of the signs of the Prophet’s prophethood.
It indicates that prayer protects against fitnahs and troubles, and also protects against calamities.
It also contains a warning against forgetting to give thanks to the Bestower of blessings, and that a woman should not rely on the noble status of her husband..

116

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that he said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in praying ‘Isha’ at the end of his life. When he said the salaam and stood up, he said: “Do you see this night of yours? One hundred years from now, there will be left no one who is alive on the face of the earth tonight.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke of a matter of the unseen of which Allah had informed him, as ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in praying ‘Isha’ one day at the end of his life. According to a report narrated by Muslim from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him), that happened one month before he died. When he said the salaam and finished his prayer, he turned to them and exhorted them, and he told them that after one hundred years had passed, there would be no one left on the face of the earth who was alive on that night. And this is what happened. Even though some of those people lived to a great age, none of them were left alive one hundred years after that night on which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told them of that. That was a reminder to them that life is short. Thus he informed them that they would not live as long as the nations who came before them, so that they would strive hard.
This hadith is one of the signs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

117

It was narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas said: I stayed overnight in the house of my maternal aunt Maymunah bint al-Harith, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was at her house, as it was her night. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed ‘Isha’ [in the mosque], then he came to his house and prayed four rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. Then he got up, then he said: “Has the young lad gone to sleep?” or words to that effect. Then he got up, and I went and stood on his left. He made me stand on his right, then he prayed five rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep, until I heard his deep, rhythmic breathing. Then he went out to pray..

Commentary : Our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the best of people in worshipping his Lord and standing before Him. The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and to learn his Sunnah, act in accordance with it and convey it to those who came after them. From an early age, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) was very keen to do that.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he stayed one night with his maternal aunt Maymunah bint al-Harith, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), when it was her night with him. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed ‘Isha’, he came to her house, then he prayed four rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. Then he woke up and asked: Has the boy gone to sleep? – referring to Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). He called him al-ghulayyim (translated here as “the young lad”), which is a diminutive form, by way of showing compassion to the young child, and out of concern that he should get enough sleep .
Then when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) got up, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) got up with him and stood on his left-hand side to pray with him, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took hold of him and made him stand on his right. Then he prayed five rak‘ahs, then he prayed two rak‘ahs, then he went to sleep. The word thumma (translated here as “then”) suggests that some time passed in between, to indicate that his going to sleep did not come immediately after he had prayed; rather he stayed awake for some time after praying, then he went to sleep, until Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) could hear the deep, rhythmic breathing of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which indicates that the sleeper is sleeping deeply. He slept until he got up and went out for Fajr prayer without doing wudu’, as is mentioned in as-Sahihayn. This is something that was unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as falling asleep whilst lying down did not invalidate his wudu’, because although his eyes slept, his heart did not sleep.
The total number of rak‘ahs that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in this report was 11: four, then five, then two. According to a report narrated by al-Bukhari, he prayed thirteen rak‘ahs. This is the most that is mentioned in any report. The two reports can be reconciled by noting that those who mentioned eleven did not count the first two rak‘ahs of Fajr; those who did mention the first two gave the total as thirteen.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) and his intelligence from an early age, and tells us that he was watching what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did all night.
It also highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed at night (qiyam al-layl) and strove hard in worship.
It also indicates that a small movement does not invalidate the prayer. .

118

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The people say that Abu Hurayrah narrates too much. Were it not for two verses in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated any hadith. Then he recited: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160]. Our brothers among the Muhajirin were preoccupied with going to do business in the marketplaces, and our brothers among the Ansar were preoccupied with tending to their properties. But Abu Hurayrah used to stay with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was content with just enough to eat. He was present when they were not present and he memorized what they did not memorize..

Commentary : The Sahabah narrated the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to others; some of them narrated a great deal and some of them narrated only a few reports. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the Sahabah who narrated the most, even though he was late in coming to Islam. Therefore some people said that Abu Hurayrah narrated the most hadith of all the Sahabah, but he was afraid that they might develop doubts about the soundness of his hadiths. Therefore he said: Were it not for these two verses – {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160] – in which Allah (may He be exalted) warns the one who withholds knowledge of a curse, he would not have narrated a single hadith to them. But he was afraid that this curse might befall him if he withheld the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Then he explained the reason that helped him to memorize this great number of hadiths which no one else memorized. It was his staying close to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) more than anyone else among the Sahabah. That was because the Muhajirin were preoccupied with buying and selling in the marketplaces, which kept them from staying with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and regularly attending his gatherings. The Ansar were preoccupied with working for a living in their gardens and fields. As for Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), he stayed close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and was content with a little simple food every day. He attended most of the gatherings of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he memorized from him what the others did not memorize, because he was always with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also points to the importance of preserving knowledge and persisting in seeking it.
And it highlights the virtue of being content with little in this world, and giving precedence to seeking knowledge over seeking wealth..

119

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: I said: O Messenger of Allah, I hear many hadiths from you that I forget. He said: “Spread out your cloak.” So I spread it out. Then he scooped with his hands, then he said: “Gather it up.” So I gathered it up, and I never forgot anything after that. .

Commentary : The Sahabah were keen to learn and memorize the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and convey it to the ummah who came after them. Abu Hurayrah was one of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) who narrated the most reports, even though he was late in coming to Islam. In this hadith, he narrates that he complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that he forgot too many hadiths that he had heard from him, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to spread out his garment, after which he made a scooping gesture with his hands. No mention is made of what was scooped, or of what he scooped, because that was simply a gesture. Then he instructed him to gather it up to his chest, so Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did that, then he never forgot anything that he heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This was one of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and that was the reason why Abu Hurayrah narrated so many reports, as he was in a position to issue fatwas and teach hadiths until he died. Hence many people narrated from him; it was said that eight hundred of the Tabi‘in narrated from him, which did not happen in the case of anyone else. Allah blessed him, and the number of his reports was greater than five thousand.
This hadith highlights one of the miracles of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and shows how the blessing (barakah) of his dua was manifested, as forgetfulness was taken away from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It points to the importance of preserving knowledge and persisting in seeking it..

120

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: I memorized two types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). As for the first type, I spread it; as for the second type, if I were to spread it, this throat would be cut..

Commentary : In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he learned two different types of knowledge from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The first type was Islamic knowledge having to do with beliefs and rulings, which he spread and conveyed. As for the other type, if he had conveyed it and narrated it to the people, he would have been slaughtered like a sheep, with his throat cut. The word used in the original Arabic refers to cutting the oesophagus. Perhaps this knowledge had to do with bad rulers or tribulations, such as the murder of ‘Uthman and al-Husayn (may Allah be pleased with them both).
Someone may say: how could he regard it as permissible to withhold a hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he said, “Convey from me”? And how could the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) have said something that, if it was mentioned, the one who narrated it would be killed? How could the Muslims, namely the Sahabah and Tabi‘in, regard it as permissible to kill someone who narrated from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)? The answer is that what he withheld did not have to do with Islamic teachings, which it is not permissible to withhold or conceal. Abu Hurayrah himself said – as was narrated from him by al-Bukhari –: Were it not for a verse in the Book of Allah, I would not have narrated to you. That verse is: {Indeed, those who conceal what We sent down of clear proofs and guidance after We made it clear for the people in the Scripture - those are cursed by Allah and cursed by those who curse, Except for those who repent and correct themselves and make evident [what they concealed]. Those - I will accept their repentance, and I am the Accepting of repentance, the Merciful} [al-Baqarah 2:159-160].
So how can anyone think that he withheld anything having to do with the teachings of Islam after this verse, and after the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued instructions to convey from him, and he used to say to them: “Let those of you who are present convey to those who are absent”? Rather what was concealed was words such as: So-and-so is a hypocrite; or, You will kill ‘Uthman; or, “My ummah will be doomed at the hands of some young men of Quraysh,” the clan of So-and-so. If he had stated their names openly, they would have declared him to be a liar and killed him.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also indicates that the one who seeks to enjoin what is right and proper may speak in ambiguous terms if he fears for his life were he to speak clearly. .

121

It was narrated from Jarir that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him during the Farewell Pilgrimage: “Tell the people to listen attentively.” Then he said: “Do not go back to being disbelievers after I am gone, striking one another’s necks.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to advise his ummah and guide them to that which was in their best interests, and he would forbid them to do that which would harm them in their religious and worldly affairs, in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, Jarir ibn ‘Abdillah al-Bajali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him, during the Farewell Pilgrimage, to tell the people to be quiet and pay heed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and to listen attentively to what he was going to say to them. When they fell silent, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) addressed them and warned them not to go back to being disbelievers after he was gone, striking one another’s necks. That would be the case if they let enmity and hatred amongst themselves prompt them to regard it as permissible to shed one another’s blood. It was said: it may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew that this would not happen during his lifetime, so he forbade them to do that after he died. In other words, he was saying: when I depart this world, remain steadfast after I am gone in the faith and piety that you are currently adhering to; do not wage war against the Muslims, and do not take their wealth unlawfully. It was also said that what was meant was: Do not let your actions be like the actions of the disbelievers by striking the necks of the Muslims.
This hadith indicates that a person should listen attentively to his companion, so long as he is not speaking of anything haram.
This hadith is also one of the signs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also indicates that it is emphatically forbidden for the Muslims to fight one another and shed one another’s blood..

122

It was narrated that Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: I said to Ibn ‘Abbas: Nawf al-Bakali is claiming that Musa is not the Musa of the Children of Israel; rather he is some other Musa. He said: The enemy of Allah is lying. Ubayy ibn Ka‘b told us, narrating from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): “Musa the Prophet stood up and addressed the Children of Israel. He was asked: ‘Which of the people is most knowledgeable?’ He said: ‘I am the most knowledgeable.’ Then Allah rebuked him for not referring the matter of knowledge to Him, and Allah revealed to him: ‘One of My slaves, at the junction of the two seas, is more knowledgeable than you.’ He said: ‘O Lord, how can I reach him?’ It was said to him: ‘Carry a fish in a basket, and when you lose it, he will be there.’ So he set out with his servant, Yusha‘ ibn Nun, and they carried a fish in a basket, until they reached the rock, where they lay down their heads and slept. The fish snuck out of the basket and took its course into the sea, slipping away, and Musa and his servant were amazed. They continued on their way for the rest of that night, and the following day, in the morning, Musa said to his servant: ‘Bring us our morning meal. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue.’ Musa did not feel any fatigue until he went beyond the place he had been instructed to seek. His servant said to him: ‘Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan.’ Musa said: ‘That is what we were seeking.’ So they returned, following their footprints. When they reached the rock, they saw a man covered with a garment, or covering himself with his own garment. Musa greeted him with salaam, and Khadir said: ‘Do people in your land greet one another with salaam?’ He said: ‘I am Musa.’ Khadir said: ‘The Musa of the Children of Israel?’ Musa said: ‘Yes.’ He said: ‘May I follow you so that you might teach me some of that knowledge which you have been taught?’ Khadir said: ‘You will never be able to remain patient with me, O Musa. I have some knowledge that Allah has taught me, which you do not know, and you have some knowledge that He taught you which I do not know.’ Musa said: ‘You will find me, if Allah wills, patient, and I will not disobey you in anything.’ So they set out, walking along the seashore, as they did not have a boat. Then a boat passed by them, so they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized al-Khadir, so they took them on board without any fare. Then a sparrow came and alighted on the edge of the boat, and dipped its beak in the sea once or twice. Al-Khadir said: ‘O Musa, my knowledge and your knowledge has not detracted anything from the knowledge of Allah except as much as the beak of this sparrow has detracted from the water of the sea.’
Then al-Khadir went to one of the planks of the boat and pulled it out. Musa said: ‘These people took us on board without any fare, but you have scuttled their boat so as to drown its crew!’ Al-Khadir said: ‘Did I not tell you that you would never be able to remain patient with me?’ Musa said: ‘Do not blame me for what I forgot and do not make it too difficult for me to follow you.’ So in the first instance, Musa’s excuse was that he forgot.
Then they continued on their way, and saw a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the top of the boy’s head and pulled it off with his hands. Musa said: ‘Have you killed an innocent soul who killed no one?’ Al-Khadir said: ‘Did I not tell you that you would never be able to remain patient with me?’ – Ibn ‘Uyaynah said: Here it became more certain [that Musa would not be able to remain patient with him] –
Then they continued on their way until they came to the people of a town, and asked its people for food, but they refused to show them any hospitality. In the town, they found a wall that was about to collapse, so al-Khadir gestured with his hands and repaired it. Musa said: ‘If you wish, you could have taken payment for it.’ Khadir said: ‘This is the parting of the ways between me and you.’”
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah have mercy on Musa. We wish that he had been patient so that we could have known more about his story with Khadir.”.

Commentary : In this hadith, Sa‘id ibn Jubayr narrates that he asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) about Musa, the one who met al-Khadir, because Nawf al-Bakali – who was a Tabi‘i from Damascus, a man of virtue and knowledge, especially with regard to the reports from Jewish sources (Isra’iliyyat), and he was the son of the wife of Ka‘b al-Ahbar – had claimed that he was not Musa, the Messenger who was sent to the Children of Israel. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he was lying, and Sa‘id responded that he was indeed Musa, the Prophet who was sent to the Children of Israel. Then he told him of a hadith narrated from Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him), that he heard from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the story of Musa (peace be upon him) and al-Khadir. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said that whilst Allah’s Prophet Musa was among a group of Israelites, a man came to him and asked him: Do you know of anyone more knowledgeable than you on earth? Musa (peace be upon him) said no, because he thought that there could not be anyone who was more knowledgeable than him, for he was a prophet who received revelation. But Allah rebuked him for not referring the matter of knowledge to Him. It was said that this was by way of alerting Musa (peace be upon him) and to serve as a lesson for those who came after him, lest anyone else follow his example in self-praise and self-admiration, and thus become doomed. So Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) revealed to him: there is indeed someone who is more knowledgeable than you, to whom Allah has granted knowledge from Himself other than what He has revealed to you. He is a slave of Allah whose name is Khadir, and he is at the junction of the two seas; the two seas were the sea of Persia which is in the east, and the sea of the Byzantines which is in the west. And it was said that the junction of the two seas was at Tangiers, in the furthest reaches of the Maghreb [modern-day Morocco].
So Musa asked: How can I reach him? Allah (may He be exalted) said: Look for him on the seashore, by the rock. He said: O Lord, how will I find the place? Allah said: Take a fish in a basket, and when you lose the fish, then go back to the place where you lost it, and you will meet him there. It was said that he took a salted fish and said to his servant: When you lose the fish, tell me. When they reached the rock by the sea, they lay down their heads and slept, and the fish came out of the basket when they were not looking, went into the sea and swam away. That was something amazing for Musa and his servant, as the fish came back to life, slipped out of the basket and went into the sea. Then the water was held in place with the fish, whilst they proceeded for the rest of that night and the following day. In the morning, Musa said to his servant Yusha‘ ibn Nun: Bring us our morning meal so we can eat. We have certainly suffered in this, our journey, [much] fatigue. Musa did not experience any fatigue until he went beyond the place he had been instructed to go to in order to meet al-Khadir. The servant said to Musa: {Did you see when we retired to the rock? Indeed, I forgot [there] the fish. And none made me forget it except Satan} [al-Kahf 18:62]. That was because, after resting by the sea, the servant forgot the fish, then they travelled on for a while. When the servant remembered that, he told Musa (peace be upon him) about that, so he said to him: {“That is what we were seeking.” So they returned, following their footprints} [al-Kahf 18:64]. So they went back, tracing their footsteps, until they reached the place where they had lost the fish. There they found al-Khadir, covered with his garment. Musa greeted him with salaam, and al-Khadir said: Do people in your land greet one another with salaam? This appeared in the form of a question, but what was meant was that it was thought unlikely, which indicates that the people of that land were not Muslims at that time. According to a report narrated by Muslim: Musa said to al-Khadir: Al-salaamu ‘alaykum (peace be upon you), so he uncovered his face and said: Wa ‘alaykum al-salaam. The two reports may be reconciled by noting that he asked this question after returning the greeting.
Musa asked him to allow him to follow him, so that he could learn from his knowledge, but al-Khadir explained to him that he would never be able to bear with patience what he would see, because of the difference in the types of knowledge that each of them had learned, even though all of that came from Allah. Musa (peace be upon him) promised him that he would show patience and would never comment on anything that al-Khadir did. So they travelled along the seashore, then a boat passed by them, so they asked the crew to let them on board. They recognized al-Khadir, so they took them on board without any fare, by way of honouring him.
Then a sparrow came and sat on the edge of the boat, and dipped its beak in the sea once or twice, picking up some of the seawater. This was a kind of parable which al-Khadir explained to Musa as meaning that the knowledge of each of them, in comparison to the knowledge of Allah, was like the drop of water that the bird took from the sea.
Then al-Khadir removed a plank from the boat, with the aim of making it appear defective. Musa (peace be upon him) was astounded at his action, especially after the crew of the boat had honoured them, and he asked al-Khadir why he had done that. Al-Khadir said to him: {Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?} [al-Kahf 18:72], so Musa (peace be upon him) apologized. So in the first instance, Musa’s excuse was that he forgot.
Then they disembarked from the boat, and they found a small boy playing with other children. Al-Khadir grabbed the top of his head and separated his head from his body for no obvious reason, or for any offence on the child’s part. Once again, Musa was shocked, and he broke the condition of patience, and asked in amazement: Have you killed an innocent soul for no sin and for not having killed another? This was the second time that he did not show patience.
Then they continued on their way, and entered a town, where they asked its people for food and hospitality, but they refused. Despite that, when al-Khadir found a tumbledown wall that was about to collapse, he built it up and repaired it so that it would not collapse. Musa said to him: If you wish, you could charge a fee for rebuilding it. This was the third time that Musa (peace be upon him) did not show patience, and this was the parting of the ways between them, so they separated after al-Khadir explained to him the wisdom behind all of these things, as is mentioned in the verses in which Allah (may He be exalted) says:
{As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working at sea. So I intended to cause defect in it as there was after them a king who seized every [good] ship by force.
And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared that he would overburden them by transgression and disbelief,
So we intended that their Lord should substitute for them one better than him in purity and nearer to mercy.
And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and there was beneath it a treasure for them, and their father had been righteous. So your Lord intended that they reach maturity and extract their treasure, as a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation of that about which you could not have patience}
[al-Kahf 18:79-82].
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah have mercy on Musa. We wish that he had been patient.” This was an expression of his wish that Musa (peace be upon him) had adhered to the condition of showing patience with al-Khadir, so that he could have told us of the wondrous and amazing things that would have occurred on their journey together.
After that, the extent of al-Khadir’s knowledge became clear to Musa (peace be upon him), which was based on what Allah had taught him of unseen matters and events that demonstrate the power of Allah, of which the Prophets had no knowledge except what they were told by the Creator (may He be glorified in exalted).
This hadith encourages people to put up with hardship for the sake of seeking knowledge.
It indicates that one should strive to increase in knowledge and seek more of it, and show due respect to one who has more knowledge. It also highlights the virtue of seeking knowledge and of showing the proper etiquette towards scholars and knowledgeable people.
It indicates that one should remain humble when seeking knowledge, and the seeker of knowledge should serve his teacher if he is younger than him.
It highlights an important basic principle of Islam, which is that one should not object on the basis of reason to what one may not understand of the teachings and rulings of Islam, and that nothing may be regarded as good or bad except on the basis of Islamic teachings and religious texts.
It indicates that a person should apologize if he goes against the rules to which he committed himself.
It also indicates that one should judge matters on the basis of what they appear to be, unless one learns otherwise.
It indicates that lying is saying something other than what in fact is the case, either deliberately or by mistake.
It indicates that when there are two evils, it is permissible to ward off the greater evil by committing the lesser evil..

123

It was narrated that Abu Musa said: A man came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, what is fighting in Allah’s cause? For one of us may fight out of anger, or he may fight on the basis of tribal feelings. He lifted his head to him, and he only lifted his head to him because the man was standing, and said: “Whoever fights so that the word of Allah may be supreme is fighting in the cause of Allah.”.

Commentary : Having a good intention is a condition of deeds being acceptable to Allah (may He be exalted). Any deed in which this condition is not met will be as worthless as scattered dust, and will not bring any benefit to the doer, whether it is fighting in Allah’s cause or any other deed.
In this hadith, Abu Musa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the true definition of fighting in Allah’s cause, and told him that a man may fight out of anger, meaning that he is seeking revenge and retaliating against an enemy, or he may fight out of tribal feeling, which is based on pride, in defence of his own people. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by stating that the one who fights so that the word of Allah may be supreme, and his aim and intention in fighting is that the word of Tawhid should be the word that prevails in this land, the word that has power and authority that cannot be pushed back, and its dominion has no limits, is truly striving in Allah’s cause. This is the true mujahid who, if he is killed, will attain martyrdom, and if he returns, he will return with reward and booty.
In this hadith, we see that having a sound intention is a condition of deeds being acceptable to Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
This hadith highlights what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was given of eloquence and concise speech.
It also mentions that the virtue that is ascribed to the mujahidin is only for those who fight so that the word of Allah (may He be exalted) may be supreme..

125

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: Whilst I was walking with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a remote part of Madinah, and he was leaning on a stick made of palm leaves that he had with him, he passed by a group of Jews. They said to one another: Ask him about the soul. One of them said: Do not ask him, lest he say something about it that you dislike. Another of them said: No, let us ask him. One of them stood up and said: O Abul Qasim, what is the soul? He remained silent, so I thought: Revelation is coming to him. So I stood up. When the revelation had finished, he said: {And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little”} [al-Isra’ 17:85]. Al-A‘mash [one of the narrators] said: This is how it is in our recitation..

Commentary : In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he was walking with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in a remote part of Madinah, which was a sparsely populated area, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was leaning on a stick made of palm leaves. He passed by a group of Jews, some of whom wanted to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the soul, thinking that by doing so, they would be asking him something that he could not answer, and thus they would stir up doubts about him. Some of them supported the idea, but others thought that they should not ask him this question, for fear that he might say something about it that they would dislike. Then they decided to go ahead and ask him. The kunyah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was Abul Qasim so they called out to him by this kunyah and asked him about the soul. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) remained silent, and the revelation came down to him, and he recited the verse: {And they ask you, [O Muhammad], about the soul. Say, “The soul is of the affair of my Lord. And mankind have not been given of knowledge except a little”} [al-Isra’ 17:85]. In other words, knowledge of the soul is a divine matter that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) has kept to Himself, to the exclusion of all others, and the knowledge that you have is only a small part of knowledge, because no matter how great human knowledge may grow, it is still limited, and human reason is also limited; the secrets of this universe are too great to be comprehended by finite human reason.
In this hadith, we see that the soul is a matter of the unseen, and one of the secrets of divine knowledge.
It also indicates how very small human knowledge is, and that human reason cannot comprehend everything..

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