| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
2463
Al-‘Araj narrated that It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), "Allah's Messengerﷺ said, 'No one should prevent his neighbor from fixing a wooden peg in his wall." It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (to his companions), "Why do I find you aayah to it? By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you."
.

Commentary :
Islam assigns great rights to neighbors, and the Prophet ﷺ enjoined Muslims to treat their neighbors nicely, and urged them to be kind and cooperative with them.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to be cooperative and considerate with their neighbors, and to give precedence to kindness and tolerance in some situations. One of the situations in which tolerance is urged is when a neighbor wants to fix a wooden peg in his wall, although the neighbor has no right to this wall and it is no co-owned by him. However, one of the rights of the neighbors over each other is to benefit one another, without causing any harm to either party.
It seems that some people in the audience who were listening to this hadeeth from Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) did not like what they heard and did not approve of it. Therefore, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said to them: “Why do I find you aayah to it?” It means, ‘Why do you seem dissatisfied with the ruling although it is established by the Prophet’s statement, and you refrain from acting upon it?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, I certainly will narrate it to you!” He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant to reproach them and lay more emphasis on this ruling by narrating the hadeeth often to them, even if they disliked it! It could also mean that if they disliked to let their neighbors fix a wooden peg in their wall, he (may Allah be pleased with him) would throw such wooden pegs at their shoulders, and not the walls. This meaning also implies emphasizing the gravity of denouncing the Prophet’s command and rejecting it.
The hadeeth underlines the importance of proclaiming the truth to people, even if it is hard and bitter from them to hear it!
.

2465
Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Beware! Avoid sitting on roadsides." People said, "There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks." The Prophet ﷺ said, "If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the road." They asked, "What are the rights of the road?" He ﷺ said, "They are: lowering your gazes (from looking at what is unlawful to look at), refraining from harming people, returning the greetings of peace, enjoining good and forbidding evil."
.

Commentary :
It is not permissible to harm or cause harm to a Muslim, be it a significant or insignificant harm. The Islamic Laws of Islam keenly recognizes and protects the rights and interests of all people.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warned Muslims against sitting on roadsides; on benches, sofas, chairs, or mats, because sitting on roadsides often leads to harming the passers-by, causing them inconvenience by following them with one’s eyes, or narrowing the roads for the pedestrians and limiting their freedom to walk, and the like. Moreover, the one sitting on roadsides may be exposed to Fitnah (i.e., temptations), or imperil others to it, and the like of evils. People said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks,” meaning that they could not do without sitting on roadsides, being their gathering places where they normally met to discuss their personal affairs, talk about their religious and worldly interests, engage in recreational activities by conversing about lawful matters, and comfort one another, and giving this up would be difficult for them. It seems that they understood from his words that it was for the purpose of warning, not an explicit prohibition, or that it was a non-prohibitively disliked act, because the Prophet ﷺ did not prohibit what was beneficial, nor did he ﷺ permit what was harmful. It is also possible that the prohibition of such an act was related to what was done during such gatherings, not for their own sake, and they believed that they could avoid this objectionable aspect for which the gatherings were deemed forbidden; otherwise the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) hastened to comply with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ. This is why their remarks were more inquiries based on what they understood from his statement, not opposition to him. Had they known that the prohibition in this regard was decisive, they would have hastened to comply immediately. The Prophet ﷺ answered that the prohibition was not of these gatherings in and of themselves, but rather to fulfill the rights of the roads. He ﷺ said: “If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the road,” confirming the Islamic etiquette and rights of the roads. They asked him about such rights, seeking his guidance, and he ﷺ replied: “They are: lowering your gazes (from looking at what is unlawful to look at), refraining from harming people, returning the greetings of peace, enjoining good, and forbidding evil.”
Lowering one’s gaze means refraining from looking at whatever is deemed unlawful to look at as per the laws of Islam, and guarding one’s eyes from seeing what is feared to be a source of Fitnah (i.e., temptations). For instance, one must lower his gazes from looking at what it is not permissible for him to look at, such as looking at women. He ﷺ made mention of lowering the gaze here as a reference to guarding oneself against sources of Fitnah in general (as one may be tempted by women or other passers-by), and consequences of looking at women as they walk down the roads to fulfill their needs.
Refraining from harming people means abstaining from harming others with one’s tongue (words), or hand (actions). This means that one must not verbally abuse passers-by, insult, despise, mock, backbite, or strike them by hand or a stick except rightfully (i.e., for a wrongdoing warranting it as per the laws of Islam). He may not usurp their wealth or belongings wrongfully, pour water on the road, lest it would cause the pedestrians to slip and fall, put obstacles hindering their way, throw dirt or thorns that would hurt the passers-by.People must also refrain from narrowing the roads to pedestrians and limiting their freedom to walk because of their gatherings on roadsides, and causing harm and inconvenience for neighbors by invading the privacy of their womenfolk in their houses and restricting their freedom,which may lead to forcing women to refrain from going out to carry out their errands to fulfill their needs to spare themselves the inconvenience of passing by the roads. In addition, sitting on roadsides also causes the ones sitting there to learn about people’s private conditions what they hate to reveal, and the like of harms that must be eliminated and warded off, and these include refraining from harming animals as well.
Returning the greetings of peace is a religious obligation, and it implies honoring the passers-by, because they greet the one sitting on roadsides and returning the greetings fosters accord and mutual love among Muslims. The one sitting on roadsides must not get frustrated with returning the greetings of the passers-by, because they are inclined to endear themselves to the one sitting on roadsides by greeting and honoring him. Therefore, the one sitting on roadsides should graciously return the greetings of peace with its like or one that is better; he should be gracious and recompense people’s love and consideration in kind. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner].} [Quran 4: 86].
Enjoining good and forbidding evil should be done by means of all the prescribed ways, while avoiding all the unprescribed ones, provided that it would not incur a graver evil, even if the one enjoining good or forbidding evil believes that his act is of no real benefit. If the one sitting on roadsides witnesses any incident that entails advising the doer and edifying him on the truth, he should enjoin what is good. The same goes for seeing what warrants forbidding the evil; he should forbid the evil deed and warn against it, stirring the fear of Allah within the doer. It should be noted that enjoining good and forbidding evil must be done in a loving and kind manner, and must not incur a graver evil than what is being forbidden. For instance, if he sees two disputing people arguing or fighting, he should enjoin them to stop such fighting, and reconcile between them; if he sees a young man chasing a girl or annoying her, he should advise him and prevent him from doing so to the best of his ability without doing anything reckless or causing harm to himself or others, and so on. He should also take into account the need to give priority to the most important and significant interests, and should bear in mind that the elimination of evil takes precedence over the realization of benefit and that the lesser evil may be endured to ward off the graver one.
This was a brief account of the Islamic etiquette of sitting on roadsides, and they also include: good speech, giving directions to a wayfarer, relieving the distressed, guiding the one who has got lost, helping the wronged person, helping people with their loads, and the like.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to treat one another kindly; the ones sitting on roadsides encounter many passers-by, and engage in many interactions with them, and they are required to treat them all kindly and considerately.
.

2468
 ‘AbdullahNarrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
I had been eager to ask ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) about the two wives of the Prophet ﷺregarding whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated.} [Quran 66:4] (namely, ‘Aa’ishah and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them))till I performed the Hajj along with ‘Umar (and on our way back from Hajj) he (may Allah be pleased with him) went aside (to answer the call of nature) and I also went aside along with him carrying a tumbler of water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned. I poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he performed ablution. I said, "O Commanders of the believers! Who were the two ladies from among the wives of the Prophet ﷺ to whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated} [Quran 66:4]? He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "I am astonished at your question, O Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them). They were ‘Aa’ishah and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with them)." Then ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went on relating the narration and said, "I and a neighbor of mine from the Ansaar, from Banee Umayyah ibn Zayd who used to live in ‘Awaalee Al-Madeenah, used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went, I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders (i.e., the divine revelation) and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over women, but when we came to live with the Ansaar, we noticed that their women had the upper hand over their men, so our women started acquiring the habits of the women from the Ansaar. Once, I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet ﷺretort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.' What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser.' Then I dressed myself and went to Hafsah and asked her, 'Does any of you keep Allah's Messengerﷺangry all the day long till night?' She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. I said, 'She is a ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Does not she fear that Allah may get angry for the anger of Allah's Messengerﷺ and thus she will be ruined? Do not ask Allah's Messengerﷺtoo many things, and do not retort upon him in any case, and do not desert him. Demand from me whatever you like, and do not be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) in her behavior towards the Prophet ﷺ), for she (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messengerﷺ. In those days it was rumored that Ghassaan, (a tribe living in Shaam) was getting prepared their horses to invade us. My companion went (to the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his turn, went and returned to us at night and knocked at my door violently, asking whether I was sleeping. I was scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. I asked him: What is it? Have Ghassaan come? He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives. I said, Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen someday.' So, I got dressed and offered the Fajr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ. Then the Prophet ﷺ entered an upper room and stayed there alone. I went to Hafsah and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Did not I warn you? Have Allah's Messengerﷺ divorced you all?' She replied, 'I do not know. He is there in the upper room.' I then went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them were weeping. Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation. So, I went to the upper room where the Prophet ﷺ was and requested to a black slave of his: "Will you get the permission of (Allah's Messenger) for ‘Umar (to enter)? The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: "Will you get he permission for ‘Umar? He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, the slave called me saying, "Allah's Messengerﷺ has granted you permission." So, I entered upon the Prophet and saw him lying on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and such mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet ﷺ, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fires. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: "Have you divorced your wives?' He ﷺ raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative. Then while still standing, I said chatting: "Will you heed what I say, 'O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet ﷺsmiled." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsah and said to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (‘Aa’ishah) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet ﷺ.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I could not see anything of importance but three hides. I said (to Allah's Messenger ﷺ), "Invoke Allah to make your followers prosperous for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do not worship Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ was leaning then (and on hearing my speech he sat straight) and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattaab! Do you have any doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this worldly life)? These people have been given rewards of their good deeds in this worldly life only.' I asked the Prophet ﷺ, 'Please ask Allah's forgiveness for me.’ The Prophet ﷺdid not go to his wives because of the secret which Hafsah had disclosed to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them), and he said that he would not go to his wives for one month as he was angry with them when Allah admonished him. When twenty-nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ went to ‘Aa’ishah first of all. She said to him, 'You took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by day.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'The month is also of twenty-nine days.' That month consisted of twenty-nine days. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, 'When the Divine revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ started with me, saying to me, 'I am telling you something, but you need not hurry to give the reply till you can consult your parents." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) knew that her parents would not advise her to part with the Prophet ﷺ. The Prophet ﷺsaid that Allah Says (what means): {O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release.} [Quran 33:28] ‘Aa’ishah said, 'Am I to consult my parents about this? I indeed prefer Allah, Exalted is He, His Messenger ﷺ, and the Hereafter.' After that the Prophet ﷺgave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same reply as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did.”
.

Commentary :
Like all married couples, the married life of the Prophet ﷺ was not trouble-free and his wives sometimes saddened him with their overjealously or other annoying attitudes.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) stated that he was keen to ask ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him) about the two wives of the Prophet ﷺ about whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated.} [Quran 66:4].The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Saaghat meaning deviated from the obligation and duty, and the ayah means, “If you repent to Allah, Exalted is He, your repentance is justifiable and called for, because your hearts have deviated from the truth and what is obligatory on you towards the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, keeping his secret, being keen on his comfort, and respecting his acts.
Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) remained keen on asking his question, but could not do so, out of his reverence for ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), until the opportunity presented itself when they went together for Hajj. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) related that on their way back from Hajj, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went aside to a deserted path, to answer the call of nature and Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) accompanied him carrying a tumbler of water, i.e., a small container made of leather used for carrying water. When he had answered the call of nature and returned, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) poured water on his hands from the tumbler and he (may Allah be pleased with him) performed ablution. Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "O Commander of the believers! Who were the two wives of the Prophet ﷺ to whom Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {If you two [wives] repent to Allah, [it is best], for your hearts have deviated} [Quran 66:4]? ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was astonished at his question, given the fact that Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) was well-ayahd in Tafseer and this information should not have missed him. It is also possible that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was astonished at his keenness on learning the ambiguous meanings of the Quran as reflected in his question. It was also said that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked the question. Anyway, he (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that they were ‘Aa’ishah bint Aboo Bakr and Hafsah bint ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them).
Afterward, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went on relating the narration to him and said, “I and a neighbor of mine from the Ansaar,” named Aws ibn Khawlee ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) from Banee Umayyah ibn Zayd, “used to live in ‘Awaalee Al-Madeenah,” i.e., the villages near Al-Madeenah, three or four miles away from it in the direction of Najd, “used to visit the Prophet ﷺ in turns. He used to go one day, and I another day. When I went, I would bring him the news of what had happened that day regarding the instructions and orders (i.e., the divine revelation) and when he went, he used to do the same for me. We, the people of Quraysh, used to have authority over women,” and they had no authority over us, “but when we came to live with the Ansaar, we noticed that their women had the upper hand over their men.” It means that the men from the Ansaar were rather more lenient with their wives. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “So, our women started acquiring the habits of the women from the Ansaar,” copying their attitudes towards their husbands. “Once, I shouted at my wife and she paid me back in my coin and I disliked that she should answer me back. She said, 'Why do you take it ill that I retort upon you? By Allah, the wives of the Prophet ﷺretort upon him, and some of them may not speak with him for the whole day till night.'” Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “How strange is it that you, O son of Khattaab, do not like anyone to retort upon you, whereas your daughter retorts upon Allah's Messenger ﷺ until he spends the day angry!” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “What she said scared me and I said to her, 'Whoever amongst them does so, will be a great loser!'”
Then ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he got dressed and went to Hafsah and asked her, “Do any of you keep Allah's Messengerﷺangry all day long till night?” She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “She is a ruined losing person (and will never have success)! Does not she fear that Allah, Exalted is He, may get angry for the anger of His Messengerﷺ and thus she will be ruined?” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) advised his daughter not to ask Allah's Messengerﷺfor too many things, not to retort upon him in any case, and never to desert him even if he ﷺ did. He (may Allah be pleased with him) also told her to demand whatever she wanted and needed from him, and added: “Do not be tempted to imitate your neighbor (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah),” meaning your co-wife, since the Arabs used to refer to co-wives as neighbors, as they share the same husband, “in her behavior towards the Prophet ﷺ), for she (i.e., ‘Aa’ishah) is more beautiful than you, and more beloved to Allah's Messengerﷺ.” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) urged his daughter to follow his advice and warned her against being tempted by the fact that the Prophet ﷺ might overlook such behavior and attitude from ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with him) to follow her example. He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he ﷺ may tolerate ‘Aa’ishah’s behavior given her special status in his heart, and this would not be the case for Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her)! 
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “In those days it was rumored that Ghassaan,” (a tribe living in Shaam) from Qahtaan tribe who left the area around Ma’rib Dam, scattered, and settled by a well called Ghassaan and therefore they were named after it and lived in Shaam. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Ghassaan was getting prepared their horses to invade us (Muslims). My companion went (to the Prophet ﷺ on the day of his turn), and heard the he ﷺ had divorced all his wives. He went at night and knocked at ‘Umar’s door violently, asking whether he was sleeping. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got scared (by the hard knocking) and came out to him. He said that a great thing had happened. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: “What is it? Have Ghassaan come?” He replied that it was worse and more serious than that, and added that Allah's Messenger ﷺ had divorced all his wives. It is possible that the rumor was circulated by the hypocrites that he ﷺ divorced them, contrary to the truth as he ﷺ only forsook them, and this was unusual of him, therefore people thought that he ﷺ had divorced them.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Hafsah is a ruined loser! I expected that would happen someday,” because retorting upon one’s husband incurs his anger and this may ultimately end in divorce. He (may Allah be pleased with him) named Hafsah in particular because she was his daughter and he had just warned her of the gravity of such an attitude.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got dressed, went to the Prophet ﷺ and offered the Fajr prayer with him. Then the Prophet ﷺ entered an upper room, where they used to store food, and stayed there alone, forsaking his wives. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “I went to Hafsah and found her weeping. I asked her, 'Why are you weeping? Did I not warn you (of angering, retorting upon, or deserting Allah's Messengerﷺ)? Has Allah's Messengerﷺ divorced you all?' She replied, 'I do not know. He ﷺ is there in the upper room.' ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went out and came to the pulpit and found a group of people around it and some of them, below ten, were weeping. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “Then I sat with them for some time, but could not endure the situation,” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) was concerned with the news about the Prophet ﷺ and that he had divorced his wives, including his daughter! He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “So, I went to the upper room where the Prophet ﷺ was and requested a black slave of his, named Rabaah: ‘Will you get the permission of (Allah's Messengerﷺ) for ‘Umar (to enter)?’ The slave went in, talked to the Prophet ﷺ about it and came out saying, 'I mentioned you to him but he ﷺ did not reply.' So, I went and sat with the people who were sitting by the pulpit, but I could not bear the situation, so I went to the slave again and said: ‘Will you get his permission for ‘Umar?’ He went in and brought the same reply as before. When I was leaving, the slave called me saying, ‘Allah's Messengerﷺ has granted you permission.’ So, I entered upon the Prophet ﷺ and saw him lying on a bedstead made of date-palm leaves and covered with no mattress, and the mat had left its mark on the body of the Prophet ﷺ, and he was leaning on a leather pillow stuffed with palm fibres. I greeted him and while still standing, I said: ‘Have you divorced your wives?' He ﷺ raised his eyes to me and replied in the negative.
While still standing, I said, chatting: ‘Will you heed what I say, O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!’” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was trying to see if the Prophet ﷺ would forgive them or say something to comfort him and ease his anger. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “We, the people of Quraysh used to have the upper hand over our women (wives), and when we came to the people whose women had the upper hand over them..." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told the whole story (about his wife). "On that the Prophet ﷺsmiled." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) further said, "I then said, 'I went to Hafsah and said to her: Do not be tempted to imitate your companion (‘Aa’ishah) for she is more beautiful than you and more beloved to the Prophet ﷺ.' The Prophet ﷺ smiled again. When I saw him smiling, I sat down and cast a glance at the room, and by Allah, I could not see anything of importance but three hides,” indicating the shabby appearance of the room where the Prophet ﷺ stayed. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “I said (to Allah's Messenger ﷺ), ’Invoke Allah to make your Ummah (followers) prosperous, for the Persians and the Byzantines have been made prosperous and given worldly luxuries, though they do not worship Allah?' The Prophet ﷺ was leaning then, and on hearing my speech he sat straight, disliking my statement, and said, 'O Ibn Al-Khattaab! Do you have any doubt (that the Hereafter is better than this worldly life)? These people, i.e., the Persians and Byzantines, have been given rewards for their good deeds in this worldly life only.'” Thereupon, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ to seek Allah's forgiveness for him, for his boldness to say so in his presence.
The Prophet ﷺdeserted his wives because of the secret which Hafsah had disclosed to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them), and this hadeeth did not underline the details of that secret. It was reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim that the Prophet ﷺ used to spend time with Zaynab bint Jahsh, and that he once drank honey at her house, so Hafsah and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) agreed that the one whom the Prophet ﷺ visited first should say, “I notice that you have an odor of Maghaafeer (i.e., plural of Mughfur, the gum of a kind of mimosa, the odor of which is unpleasant)! Have you eaten some?” When he ﷺ visited one of them and she said that to him he ﷺ replied, “Do not worry; I drank some honey at the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, but I swear that I shall not do it again. Do not tell anyone of that.” It was also said that the reason was not a particular event, but rather that his wives did many things that made him angry.
He ﷺ had said that he would not go to his wives for one month, as he was very angry with them when Allah, Exalted is He, admonished him. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful for you, seeking the approval of your wives? And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.} [Quran 66:1].
When twenty-nine days had passed, the Prophet ﷺ went to ‘Aa’ishah first of all. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said to him, “You took an oath that you would not come to us for one month, and today only twenty-nine days have passed, as I have been counting them day by day.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “The month is also of twenty-nine days!'”That month consisted of twenty-nine days.
‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “When the Divine revelation of Choice was revealed, the Prophet ﷺ started with me.” She (may Allah be pleased with her) was referring to the ayaat that read (what means): {O Prophet, say to your wives, "If you should desire the worldly life and its adornment, then come, I will provide for you and give you a gracious release. * But if you should desire Allah and His Messenger and the home of the Hereafter - then indeed, Allah has prepared for the doers of good among you a great reward."} [Quran 33: 28-29].
Based on these ayaat, the Prophet ﷺ gave his wives the choice for him to divorce them and give them the due provision, or retain his marriage to them and they should endure the straitened circumstances.
He ﷺ said to me, “I am telling you something, but you need not hurry to give the reply till you consult your parents." ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) knew that her parents would not advise her to part with the Prophet ﷺ. Heﷺrecited the two ayaat to her, and ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, “Am I to consult my parents about this? I, indeed, prefer Allah, Exalted is He, His Messenger ﷺ, and the Hereafter.“ After that the Prophet ﷺgave the choice to his other wives and they also gave the same reply as ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did.
The hadeeth highlights the merits of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
It also underlines the asceticism of the Prophet ﷺ, and the virtue of denouncing worldly pleasures and being content with a humbled life, being a distinct quality of the Prophets.
It also emphasizes that worldly pleasures are fleeting, unlike the eternal bliss of the Hereafter.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a woman is liable to punishment for disclosing her husband’s secrets.
It is also inferred therefrom that even a rational and wise woman may consult her parents or seek the opinion of whom she trusts about her own affairs. It is also deduced that the Prophet ﷺ used to smile back at those who tried to make him laugh out of courtesy.
The hadeeth also highlights keenness in seeking knowledge, taking turns in checking the latest updates on the divine revelation and being concerned with such pursuits.
It also underlines the merits of the Mother of the Believers, ‘Aai’shah (may Allah be pleased with her). .

2473
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there was a dispute about the land.
.

Commentary :
During the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ, people used to refer their differences to the Prophet ﷺ, and he used to make things clear to them and settle their disputes. His statements on those occasions have become legislation for all Muslims.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ issued a decree regarding disputes among neighbors over boundaries, spaciousness, and width of roads between their houses. He ﷺ judged that seven cubits should be left as a public way when there isa dispute among people, neighbors, or landlords regarding the width of the road, when landowners want to build thereon. Seven cubits, or seven arms (i.e., an arm is 69 cm approximately) should be left as a public way. This applies to newly constructed roads in the event of disputes among the landlords. A landlord should leave seven arms as a public way, for the public benefit of Muslims, and place his fence around the rest of his property, or build on it as he wishes. As for the old ways, they should be retained as agreed upon by the concerned owners, provided that due regard should be paid to the rights of the road and those of the neighbors.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Laws of Islam keenly regulates the urban planning of towns and cities, the construction of roads, and public utilities..

2474
‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Khatimee Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery (i.e., taking away what belongs to others without their permission), and also forbade mutilation (or maiming) of bodies.
      .

Commentary :
Islam lays a special emphasis on the gravity of violating the inviolability of people's lives, wealth, and honor, and sternly warns against having the audacity to do so.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Yazeed Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that the Prophet ﷺ forbade robbery, which refers to usurping a Muslim’s wealth forcibly, openly, and unjustly. This includes any transgression against people’s wealth, by means of coercion, theft, or betrayal, and it is a sin, because it involves unlawfully consuming people's wealth.
It was also said that the Arabic word used in the hadeeth - Al-Nuhbaa - means what is taken from wealth before dividing it up and estimating its amount, such as stealing from the spoils of war before division. He ﷺ also forbade the mutilation (or maiming) of bodies, which refers to the punishment that involved mutilation by cutting off bodily organs, such as the nose and ears, or poking out the eyes, and the like, because they involve excessive violence, cruelty, and disregard for human dignity, unless it is authorized by the Laws of Islam by virtue of Qisaas (i.e., retribution); it is not forbidden, because Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And if you punish [an enemy, O believers], punish with an equivalent of that with which you were harmed. But if you are patient - it is better for those who are patient.} [Quran 16:126].
The hadeeth highlights one of the etiquettes of Islam and underlines its respect and high regard for individual property..

2475
It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺsaid, "A perpetrator of Fornication (i.e., illegal sexual intercourse) is not a true believer when he commits it; no one who dinks Khamr (intoxicants) is a true believer when he drinks it, and when no thief is a true believer when he steals; and a robber is not a true believer at the time of robbery when people look at him.”
.

Commentary :
A Muslim may commit a major sin and repent from it. Allah, Exalted is He, forgives all sins, including major ones, Shirk (i.e., polytheism) aside. When a Muslim commits a sin, no matter how grave it is, Allah, Exalted is He, forgives him and confers upon him His pardon whenever he repents.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ makes it clear that a believer may fall into grave sins, but he cannot be described as a believer when he commits such a major sin. Rather, he is deprived of his faith while committing such major sins. For instance, a perpetrator of Fornication is not a true believer when he is committing Fornication, and it could also mean that the light of faith is removed from his heart at such time. Faith denotes the beliefs harbored in the heart, declarations made by the tongue, and actions, translating such faith (i.e., acting upon it). If a believer commits Fornication, drinks Khamr, or steals, the light of faith is taken away from his heart and he is left with the darkness of sin. It could also mean that the faith of a perpetrator of major sins is imperfect rather than negating his faith altogether. Thus, the hadeeth would mean that a perpetrator of Fornication does not commit such sin while having perfect and true faith. It is also possible that it means that whoever commits such major sins while believing them to be lawful is not a believer, for declaring lawful what is unlawful warrants Kufr (disbelief). The Prophet’s statement could also be a warning against the loss of faith if one becomes accustomed to committing these major sins and persistently adhering to them. Theft (that warrants the prescribed Hadd) means unlawfully taking the property of another person that is recognized by the Laws of Islam as wealth, stealthily from where similar things are normally kept and there is no suspicion involved (i.e., uncertainty warranting the dismissal of the prescribed punishment).
Similarly, a robber is not a true believer when he robs. Robbery means taking someone’s property openly and forcibly. His saying, “the people look at him,”refers to the situation of the people being robbed as they look at the robber while being unable to keep him off, even if they beg him. It could also refer to the fact that a robber takes people’s property openly, contrary to theft and embezzlement that are done stealthily. Robbery is a more serious crime because it involves audacity and indifference to (the inviolability of) people. It was also said that the Arabic word Nuhbah refers to what is taken from property before dividing it up and estimating its amount, such as stealing from the spoils of war before division. Accordingly, the meaning of his saying “the people look at him,” would be that such a sin is so grave and serious that it catches the attention of people just like robbery committed by the dissolute at times of Fitnah (i.e., civil war and dissension).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that faith increases with obedience and decreases with disobedience.
It also emphasizes the gravity of Fornication, theft, consumption of Khamr, and usurping people’s wealth wrongfully..

2478
‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Prophet ﷺentered (i.e., conquered) Makkah and (at that time) there were three hundred-and-sixty idols around the Ka‘bah. He ﷺ started stabbing the idols with a stick he had in his hand and reciting the ayah that reads (what means): {And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."} [Quran 17:81]
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {That is because Allah is the Truth, and that which they call upon other than Him is falsehood, and because Allah is the Most High, the Grand.} [Quran 22:62].Islam and Tawheed (i.e., Unique Oneness of Allah) are the clear truth, and Shirk (i.e., polytheism) and idolatry are sheer falsehood. The Prophet ﷺ strove to promote Islam and establish Tawheed on one hand, and demolish Shirk and idolatry on the other hand, and thus Allah, Exalted is He, perfected His light of guidance imparted to the worlds through him.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when Allah, Exalted is He, blessed His Messenger with triumph over the disbelievers at the conquest of Makkah during the month of Ramadan in 8 A.H., he ﷺ entered it to find three hundred and sixty idols around the Ka‘bah, which people had made out of stone and taken as objects of worship. The Prophet ﷺ stabbed these idols with a stick, to demolish them, indicating the humiliation of such idols and their worshippers, and to show people that these idols did not harm or benefit, and could not even protect or defend themselves! While demolishing the idols, the Prophet ﷺ recited the ayah that reads(what means): {And say, "Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed, is falsehood, [by nature], ever bound to depart."} [Quran 17:81]. The ayah means, ‘O Messenger of Allah, say, ‘Truth has come, and falsehood has departed. Indeed, falsehood is innately ever bound to depart,’ to express gratitude to your Lord, acknowledging His grace, and celebrate His victory. It means, ‘Truth, with which Allah, Exalted is He, sent me has triumphed over all the opposing (false) beliefs: Shirk, Kufr (i.e., disbelief), and falsehood.’ They faded away and their power vanished, for falsehood is inherently unstable and precarious at all times.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to recite this ayah when eliminating an evil..

2480
 ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr ibn Al-‘Aas (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "Whoever is killed while protecting his property is a martyr."
.

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam aims at the preservation of the five necessities, which are: religion, life, intellect, lineage, and property.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that a person has the right to defend his wealth against a usurper or aggressor, and if he is killed while protecting his wealth, he earns the reward of martyrdom in the Hereafter, because Allah, Exalted is He, has legislated the preservation and protection of wealth. If someone fights off his attacker to defend his wealth, he would be fighting in the cause of Allah, and if he is killed in the process, he would be regarded as a martyr in the Hereafter. Such martyrs earn the reward of martyrdom in the Hereafter, but they are not treated as the martyrs who are killed on the battlefield, in the sense that their dead bodies are washed and shrouded and the funeral prayers are performed over them.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to defend their wealth and fend off the attacker rather than surrender to his aggression and allow him to take one’s wealth by force.
.

2484
Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Once (on a journey) our provisions diminished and the people were reduced to poverty. They went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked his permission to slaughter their camels, and he agreed. ‘Umar met them and they told him about it, and he said, "How would you survive after slaughtering your camels?" Then he went to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!How would they survive after slaughtering their camels?" Allah's Messengerﷺ ordered ‘Umar, "Call upon the people to bring what has remained of their food." A leather sheet was spread and all the food was collected and heaped over it. Allah's Messenger ﷺstood up and invoked Allah, Exalted is He, to bless it, and then directed all the people to come with their utensils, and they started taking from it till all of them got what was sufficient for them. Allah's Messengerﷺ then said, "I testify that none is worthy of worship but Allah, Exalted is He, and I am His Messenger ﷺ."
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, supported His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ with extraordinary miracles that indicated his prophethood, and one such miracle was the miracle of abundance, blessing small quantities of food to turn into large quantities.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said that they were once on a journey or at one of the battles, probably Tabook; it was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Muslim, “On the day of the battle of Tabook, the Muslims were hard pressed by hunger and they asked Messenger of Allah ﷺ: ‘O Messenger of Allah, grant us permission to slaughter our camels to eat and use their fat.’”
Salamah (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “… our provisions diminished and the people were reduced to poverty,” meaning that their food supplies were exhausted and they almost ran out of food. They went to the Prophet ﷺ, seeking permission to slaughter the camels that they were riding to eat their meat, and he ﷺ gave them permission. Upon knowing of it, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “How would you survive if you slaughtered your camels?” Meaning that they would not be able to survive without their riding mounts. He (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Prophet ﷺ and said: "O Messenger of Allah, if it is done, we shall suffer from lack of transportation. I suggest you pool together whatever has been left of the food and supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to bless it.” He ﷺ agreed, called for leather mat and had it spread out.He ﷺcommanded ‘Umar to call upon the people to bring the leftovers of their provisions. Some provisions were collected on the mat and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ invoked blessings on the small quantity of food, and then called upon people to bring their vessels. They came and started taking handfuls of the blessed food, and everyone filled his vessel with food, with the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ! Thereafter, he ﷺ said: “I bear witness that none is worthy of worship except Allah, Exalted is He, and that I am His Messenger ﷺ,” indicating that this miracle performed by him proved that he was a Messenger of Allah, Exalted is He.
The hadeeth highlights a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ and the clear effects of his blessings, as abundantas they are.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that people may offer their advice and give their opinions to the ruler regarding what serves the best interests of Muslims, even if they were not consulted.
It is also inferred therefrom that Muslims are urged to foster solidarity regarding food and share the small quantities of food together..

2485
Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We used to offer the ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and slaughter a camel, the meat of which would be divided in ten parts. We would eat the cooked meat before sunset.
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, set specific times for the daily prayers that must be observed. Performing the prayers at the beginning of their specified times is one of the best good deeds.
In this hadeeth, Raafi‘ ibn Khadeej (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they would perform ‘Asr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ, and then go to slaughter a camel. The slaughtered camels were divided into ten parts, and afterward they cooked some of the meat until it was ready before sunset. This indicates that they used to perform ‘Asr prayer at the beginning of its prescribed time. It was also said that this may have been the case during summer, when the days are long..

2486
Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, “When the people of the Ash‘aree tribe ran short of food during the battles, or the food of their families in Al-Madeenah ran short, they would graciously collect all their remaining food in one sheet and then distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl. So, these people are from me, and I am from them.”
.

Commentary :
Sympathy and solidarity among people at times of hardship are among the moral values embodied by the Prophets of Allah, and the people of the Ash’aree tribe, from Yemen, to whom belonged Aboo Moosaa Al-Ash‘aree (may Allah be pleased with him), were the epitome of such moral values. The Prophet ﷺ praised them for that quality. He ﷺ said: “When the people of the Ash‘aree tribe ran short,” meaning when their food supplies were exhausted and they almost ran out of food, during the battles, or the food of their families in Al-Madeenah ran short, they would graciously collect all their remaining food in one sheet, “and then distribute it among themselves equally by measuring it with a bowl.” This means than each person received an equal share of the remaining food, and this reflected their exemplary altruism and solidarity, because some of them had no food left to begin with and others had small quantities, yet all took equal shares. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “So, these people are from me, and I am from them,” meaning that their moral character mirrors mine as reflected in their solidarity, as if he ﷺ was saying that this act conformed with his Sunnah and guidance and they followed his example. This highlights their noble moral character, and urges Muslims to follow their example and do the same.
The hadeeth underlines the great merits of the people of the Ash‘aree tribe, lauding their altruism and solidarity, and the greatest honor that could have been bestowed upon them was the fact that the Prophet attributed them to himself, “these people are from me, and I am from them.”
.

2491
Naafi‘ narrated:
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, 'If one manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, and can afford the price of the other shares according to the adequate price of the slave, the slave will be completely manumitted, otherwise he will be partially manumitted.'” (Ayyoob, a sub-narrator is not sure whether the saying, “otherwise he will be partially manumitted” was said by Naafi‘ or the Prophet ﷺ.)
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, created all people free, and hated that some should be enslaved to others. Islam was revealed while the system of slavery was in place (and deeply entrenched into people’s financial and social systems), so the Islamic Laws of Islam keenly assigned special care to the emancipation of slaves, and facilitated its means (to free people from their condition of slavery).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly possessed slave, be it a male or female slave, he should completely manumit him or her if can afford the price of the other shares according to the adequate price of the slave. This means that if the price of the slave is twenty Dirhams, for instance, and he is jointly owned by two masters and one of them manumits his share, he should graciously pay his co-owner the other ten Dirhams, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely to become a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
In the same vein, it was narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price, and if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.

.

2492
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever manumits his share of a jointly possessed slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price, and if he does not have sufficient money to manumit him, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him)".
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, created all people free, and hated that some should be enslaved to others. Islam was revealed while the system of slavery was in place (and deeply entrenched into people’s financial and social systems), so the Islamic Laws of Islam keenly assigned special care on the emancipation of slaves, and facilitated its means (to free people from their condition of slavery).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly possessed slave, he should completely manumit him or her if he can afford the price of the other shares,based on the adequate price of the slave. Such a master is required to pay his co-owner the monetary value of his share, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely to become a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
However, if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he (the partially manumitted) is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him). This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.

.

2493
An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The example of the person abiding by Allah's order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those people who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them. So, if the people in the upper part left the others do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe."
.

Commentary :
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the best acts of worship that puts in order the affairs of the Muslims, and rectifies the situation of their nation, and without it, the whole Muslim community would collapse and perish.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ gives an example of the importance of observing the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil. He ﷺ stated that the example of those who comply with the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, by enjoining good and forbidding evil, and those who violate them, i.e., by neglecting that obligation, is like the example of passengers who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, 'Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water), saving those who are above us from trouble. A version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree reads: “One of them (i.e., the people in the lower part) took an ax and started making a hole in the bottom of the boat.” If the people in the upper part let the others do what they had suggested, the ship would sink and they all would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe.
Similarly, if those who uphold the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil give it up, the whole nation would be destroyed, but if they keenly enjoin good and forbid evil, they would all be delivered, and the situation of all the people would be rectified.
.

2494
 ‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr narrated that he had asked ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) about the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3] She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “O my nephew! This is about an orphan girl who lives with her guardian and shares his property. Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (i.e., dower) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr, otherwise they were ordered to marry any other women.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further said, "After that ayah was revealed, people again asked the Prophet ﷺ (about the marriage with orphan girls), so Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah. Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {And they request from you, [O Muhammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, " Allah gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them.} [Quran 4:127] What is meant by Allah's Saying in this ayah {what has been recited to you in the Book}, is the other ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3] She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “His Saying {and [yet] you desire to marry them} [Quran 4:127] in the other ayah, means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his guardianship when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). The guardians were forbidden to marry their orphan girls possessing property and beauty without being just to them, as they generally refrain from marrying them (when they are neither beautiful nor wealthy).
.

Commentary :
The wise Laws of Islam enjoins care for the orphans and preservation of their wealth, and regulates the affairs of guardianship over orphans’ wealth to best serve their interests.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)‘Urwah ibn Al-Zubayr asked his maternal aunt ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, about the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. She (may Allah be pleased with her) said: “O my nephew,” since his mother was Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). “This is about an orphan girl who lives with her guardian,” meaning under his care. An orphan is a minor whose father passes away before he or she reaches puberty.
She added: “and shares his property,” meaning invests her wealth in trade, “Her wealth and beauty may tempt him to marry her without giving her an adequate Mahr (i.e., dower) which might have been given by another suitor. So, such guardians were forbidden to marry such orphan girls unless they treated them justly and gave them the most suitable Mahr,” meaning the highest that may be paid to women of their same social standing.
Otherwise, they were ordered to take one, two, three, or four wives from any other women.
Thereafter, ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) further stated that after that ayah was revealed, people again asked the Prophet ﷺ (about marriage with orphan girls). Therefore, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah. He Says (what means): {And they request from you, [O Muhammad], a [legal] ruling concerning women. Say, " Allah gives you a ruling about them and [about] what has been recited to you in the Book concerning the orphan girls to whom you do not give what is decreed for them - and [yet] you desire to marry them.} [Quran 4:127]. She (may Allah be pleased with her) underlined that what was meant by Allah's Saying in this ayah {what has been recited to you in the Book}, was the other ayah that reads (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. His Saying {and [yet] you desire to marry them,} [Quran 4:127] in the other ayah, means the desire of the guardian to marry an orphan girl under his guardianship and care when she has not much property or beauty (in which case he should treat her justly). This means that a guardian may marry off the orphan girl under his care, and he may want to marry her himself. Allah, Exalted is He, commanded him to pay her the due Mahr that is paid to other women or else marry another. Allah, Exalted is He, laid no restrictions on him to marry other women; He Says (what means): {And if you fear that you will not deal justly with the orphan girls, then marry those that please you of [other] women, two or three or four.} [Quran 4: 3]. Moreover, some guardians were not inclined to marry the orphan girls under their care because they possessed no beauty or adequate property in their views. Allah, Exalted is He, forbade them from refraining from marrying off such orphan girls to suitable suitors fearing that they would have a share in the joint property owned by the guardian and orphan girl. 
In the pre-Islamic era, a guardian used to throw his robe over orphan girls under his care and this meant that no one would be ever allowed to marry such an orphan girl. If she was beautiful, he would marry her and devour her wealth, and if she was not beautiful, he would deny her marriage until she died and he would inherit her! This unjust practice was deemed prohibited in Islam. It goes without saying that marriage - especially to an orphan girl - must be based on justice and what is permissible as per the laws of Islam.
The hadeeth warns against the oppression and injustice committed against orphans, and urges guardians to fulfill their rights.
It is also inferred therefrom that the guardians are entrusted with those placed under their care and guardianship, and that wronging them constitutes a breach of trust..

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..