Narrated `Abdullah ibn `Amr (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺsaid, "Whoever killed a person having a treaty with the Muslims, shall not smell the scnent of Paradise though its smell is perceived from a distance of forty years.".

Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has commanded the believers to honour contracts and fulfil covenants.He, the Glorified, says, {And fulfil the covenant of Allah when you have taken it. [O believers], and do not break oaths after their confirmation.}[Quran 16:91].For this reason, the Prophet ﷺ warned in this hadeeth the one who kills a person with whom a covenant has been made – that is a person who enters the abode of Islam with assurances of safety and protection – that he will not smell the fragrance of Paradise,and its fragrance can be smelled from as far as the distance of travelling forty years.It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, “… the fragrance of Paradise can be found at a distance of seventy years.” [Sunan al-Tirmithee].Other narrations reported something else, distance-wise.The different versions of the hadeeth have been reconciled to conclude thateach distance depends on thedifferences in people, deeds, and variations in ranks. That is to say, some people will sense its fragrance from as far as the distance of a thousand years,while others will sense its fragrance from a distance of forty years, and for others, from a range in between these distances.All of these narrations describe a long distance.
This hadeeth warns against betraying the covenants made with non-Muslims.
It shows that Paradise is for those who fulfil covenants and those who do not betray them..

3169

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): When Khaybar was conquered, a roasted poisoned sheep was presented to the Prophetﷺas a gift (by the Jews). The Prophetﷺordered, "Let all the Jews who have been here, be assembled before me." The Jews were collected, and the Prophetﷺsaid (to them), "I am going to ask you a question. Will you tell the truth?" They said, "Yes." The Prophetﷺasked, "Who is your father?" They replied, "So-and-so." He said, "You have told a lie; your father is so-and-so." They said, "You are right." He said, "Will you now tell me the truth, if I ask you about something?" They replied, "Yes, O Aboo Al-Qaasim; and if we should tell a lie, you can realize our lie as you have done regarding our father." On that he asked, "Who are the people of the (Hell) Fire?" They said, "We shall remain in the (Hell) Fire for a short period, and after that you will replace us." The Prophetﷺsaid, "You may be cursed and humiliated in it! By Allah, we shall never replace you in it." Then he asked, "Will you now tell me the truth if I ask you a question?" They said, "Yes, O Aboo Al-Qaasim." He asked, "Have you poisoned this sheep?" They said, "Yes." He asked, "What made you do so?" They said, "We wanted to know if you were a liar in which case, we would get rid of you, and if you are a prophet then the poison would not harm you."
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Commentary : The Jews constantly displayed much hatred against the Prophet ﷺfrom the moment he was sent as a Prophet and his migration to al-Madeenah,such that they attempted to assassinate him on several occasions.
Inthis hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that whenAllah allowed the Muslimsto conquer Khaybar in the seventh year of the Hijrah,the Prophet ﷺ intended to protect al-Madeenah from the evil of the Jews who had assembled there. Khaybar was a town in which the Jews used to reside, 153 km away from al-Madeenah, northwards in the direction of the Levant.
As their envy and hatred increased further,a woman from amongst them sent the Prophet ﷺ a gift of lamb containing poison – the name of this woman was Zaynab bint al-Haarith, the wife of Sallaam ibn Mishkam, and the sister of Murahhab(who had been killed during the conquest of Khaybar). In preparation for the assassination, she had asked earlier, “Which part of the lamb is most beloved to him?”She was answered, “The shoulder.” So,she placed more poison in it.When heﷺ partook of the shoulder, he chewed a morsel thereof in his mouth but did not swallow it.It is narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) that Bishr ibn al-Baraa(may Allah be pleased with him) ate with the Prophetﷺ from that lamb, and he swallowed his morsel [Sunan Aboo Dawood].
When the Prophetﷺ came to learn about the poison, he commanded his Companions to stop eating and then ordered the Jews who were present to stand before him,as they were suspected concerning the poison. The Prophet ﷺ said, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They responded, “Of course.”He asked them a few questions to discover their lies thereafter.He asked them, “Who is your father?” They replied, “So-and-so,” mentioning the name of a person who happened not to be their father in reality.The Prophet ﷺ said, “You have lied. Actually, your father is so-and-so,” that is the Prophet of Allah, Jacob the son of Prophet Abraham, peace be upon them. They replied, “You have spoken the truth.”Again, the Prophetﷺ asked, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They replied, “Of course, Abooal-Qaasim!If we lie, you will recognise our lie, as you recognised about our father.”The Prophet ﷺ asked them, “Who are the dwellers of the fire?”They replied that they would remain therein for a little while, then the Muslims would follow them therein, after the Jews exiting it. The Prophet ﷺrebuked them for making such a statement and ordered them todesist from making this false claim, and informed them that they are more rightful to be disgraced, humiliated, and receive the punishment of the fire, and how evil is that place to stay.He ﷺstated that the Muslims would never follow them(as they will remain therein forever).As for our disobedient ones, their stay is limited and temporary, and they will not abide therein forever.Then, heﷺ asked, “I shall ask you about something; will you be truthful to me about it?”They replied, “Of course, Abooal-Qaasim!”He asked them about the reason for placing poison in the lamb.They replied, “We wanted to seek assurance of your prophethood.If you were a liar, you would die straight away from that poison, thus we would gain relief from you and from what you claim.If you were truthful in your prophethood, then that poison would not hurt you and cause you any harm, as Allah would protect you.”
This hadeeth shows that Allah showed to the Prophet ﷺregarding some events from the unseen.
It shows the betrayal of the Jews and their mistreatment of the prophets.
Itdemonstrates the rebellion of the Jews and their lies..

3176

Narrated `Awf ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him): I went to the Prophetﷺduring the Battle of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, "Count six signs before the advent of the Hour: my death, the conquest of Jerusalem, a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep, the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given one hundred Dinars, he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape, and then a truce between you and the people of yellow (i.e. the Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers.
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Commentary : Allah supported the Prophet ﷺand informed him of some of the events that would occur before the establishment of the Last Hour. These are signs that will take place before its establishment so that we can be preparedand do as many good deeds as possible before we meet Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.
In this hadeeth, ‘Awf ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that he came to the Prophet ﷺ during the Battle of Tabuk, which happened in the ninth year of the Hijrah.Tabuk is a city located in the farthest north region of the Arabian Peninsula, right in the middle of the road to Damascus, which is 1252 km away from the Hijaaz.This was the last battle which the Messenger of Allah ﷺfought himself against the Romans.‘Awf found the Prophet ﷺ seated in a tent made of tanned leather.The Prophet ﷺ told him, “Count six things before the advent of the [Last] Hour,” meaning six signs that will appear before the establishment of the Last Hour.Among its closest signswas the demise of the Prophet ﷺ, then the conquest of Jerusalem, which was fully realised in the caliphate of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him).He then added, “Two kinds of death,” that is a pandemic that will be endemic amongst the people,and it will be like the ‘Qu’aas’ of the sheep, a disease that attacks sheep whereby something flows from form their noses, and they die on the spot.This reality happened during the plague of ‘Amwaas, wherein seventy thousand people died within three days.After heﷺ said, “The overflowing of wealth and its abundance”, to the extent that a person will be given a hundred Dinars, yet he will be unpleased and will not be content with it, because he will think that it is too little, and he will belittle that amount. He further said, “The trial”,which is a test and tribulation that will lead to in-fighting and chaotic situationssuch that no house of the Arabs would be saved from it, but rather this trial would penetrate it and cause it harm.
He then said, “Then there will be a peace treaty between you and the people of yellow,” which refers to the Romans, anddenotes a reconciliation or ceasefire. However, they would not fulfil the covenant, and they would betray the Muslims and break the peace treaty.Hence, they would come to fight the Muslims under eighty banners. Under each flag, there would be twelve thousand soldiers.
This hadeeth highlights some of the signs concerning the proximity of the advent of the Last Hour, some of which have already happened.
Itdemonstrates a sign among the signs of the prophethood of the Messenger ﷺ..

3180

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): "What will your state be when you can get no Dinar or Dirham (i.e. taxes from the Dhimmis)?" on that someone asked him, "What makes you know that this state will take place, O Aboo Hurayrah?" He said, "By Him in Whose Hands Aboo Hurayrah's life is, I know it through the statement of the true and truly inspired one (i.e. the Prophet)." The people asked, "What does the statement say?" He replied, "Allah and His Messenger's asylum granted to Dhimmis will be outraged, and so Allah will make the hearts of these Dhimmis so daring that they will refuse to pay the Jizyah they will be supposed to pay.".

Commentary : Honouring contracts and covenants is one of the most important qualities of a true Muslim.The Prophet ﷺ commanded us to honour our covenants and agreements, including those with the non-Muslims and explained the drastic outcome of breaking them without any valid reason.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) warns the Muslims about breaking a covenant with the non-Muslims under the protection of Islamic law and warns about the evil outcome of subjecting them to injustice.He said to those around him among the Tab’ieen, “How would your state be if you did not take a Dinar or a Dirham from the Jizyah and the Kharaaj (land tax)?”Those around him became wonderstruck and asked him about how this could happen while knowing that the wealth of the Jizyah and Kharaaj continuously poured in towards the Muslims from everywhere!He reported to them that the Prophet ﷺ - who is truthful in his speech and who can be trusted regarding that which Jibraail (peace be upon him) informed him – said that this would happen when the Muslims flouted the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger ﷺ, and that is when the Muslims would break the covenant of Allah and of His Messenger ﷺwith the Dhimmis.They would oppress them and transgress against them; thus,they would be punished in this world before the punishment in the Hereafter, in the sense thatAllah, the Mighty and the Majestic would remove the owe and respect for Muslimsfrom people’s hearts. As a result, they would refuse to give what they possess,i.e. they would stop giving what is incumbent upon them to pay, such as the Jizyah and so on.The Muslims would be unable to take anything from them, resulting in their state becoming contracted economically.
The hadeeth exhibits a sign amongst the signs of the prophethood of the Prophetﷺ.
It shows that our adherence to the commands of Allah and His Messenger ﷺ and their covenants is the path to our salvation.The more the Muslims deviate from their commands and way, the furtherthey will fail and suffer loss.
This hadeeth shows that the Dhimmis have rights that the leader of the Muslims should enforce and protect and that they have a covenant and protection which should be fulfilled and honoured..

3191

Narrated Imran ibn Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him): I went to the Prophetﷺand tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of BaneeTameem came to the Prophetﷺwho said "O BaneeTameem! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him, and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemen, for BaneeTameem refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His Throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn al-Husayn! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering).
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Commentary : Certainly, Allah is One and Unique,and His attributes areMajestic and Perfect.The Prophet ﷺ has informed us about the beginning and the end of creation so that we can sense the grandeur of Allah, the Sublime.
In this hadeeth, ‘Imraan ibnal-Husayn(may Allah be pleased with him)reports that he once went to see the Prophet ﷺ in the Prophet’s Mosque, and before entering the Mosque, he tied his she-camel to the door. On this day,a group of people from Banoo Tameem visited the Prophet ﷺ, andheﷺ met them in a way that warms up the hearts.He ﷺ told them to accept the glad tiding of what he was saying to them;this would follow from them receiving the good news about entrance into Paradise.They replied, “You have already given us the good news; now give us something.”They repeated this twice.Their most important focus was on worldly gainsso that they did not understand well the good news given to them apart from material gifts.
Afterwards, some people from Yemen entered upon the Prophetﷺ,and he told them toaccept the glad tiding since Banoo Tameem failed to accept it.These people were from the clan al-Ash’aree from Yemen, and their response was different from that of Banee Tameem,i.e. they accepted it happily and then asked him about the universe.Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ mentioned to them about the beginning of the creation and the Throne. He ﷺinformed them that there was nothing but Allah, whoseexistence is eternal as He is without a beginning or end. Nothing existed besides Him, neither the water nor the Throne nor anything else.
His Throne was over the water, which is the Throne on which He, the Majestic, rose.It is the topmost of allthe creations and the greatest and the biggest of them all.Allah has described it asgrand in terms of size and the quality of beauty. The Prophet ﷺ added thatAllahwrote everything that will occur until the Day of Judgement, and then He created the Heavens and the Earth. In other words, Allah existed before everything, and there was nothing but Him. Then, He created the water first, and then the Throne – or He created the Throne in the upper side and the water in the lower side - and then created the Pen and the Preserved Tablet, and then the Heavens and Earth. This is the chronological order of the creation.
After, ‘Imraan relates that during this conversation, a person informed him that his she-camel had disappearedi.e.it had escaped from her rope and run away. ‘Imraan pursued her, until she had gone so far that a mirage happened to veil in front of her.Thereupon, ‘Imraan swore that he wished he had left her to disappear and remained in the gathering of the Prophet ﷺ to listen to the remaining hadeeth.
This hadeeth is an urging and encouragement to attend the gatherings of knowledge.
It highlights the virtue of learning the sacred knowledge and listening to it.
It shows that we should give precedence to seeking the sacred knowledge over seeking wealth..

3193

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Allah the Most Superior said, "The son of Adam vilifies Me, and he should not slight Me, and he disbelieves in Me, and he ought not to do so. As for his vilifiing Me, it is that he says that I have a son; and his disbelief in Me is his statement that I shall not recreate him as I have created (him) before."
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Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ reports from His Lord, the Majestic and High, that He states thatthe son of Adam vilifies Him asthey dare to attribute to Allah that which necessitates imperfection and defects.It is not allowed for anyone to describe Allah, the Sublime, with anything that may entail imperfection or defects.Then, Allah states that people disbelievein Him, whereas they ought not to disaffirm Allah, the Sublime.After, Allah, the Sublime, explains His meaning of this vilification and disaffirmation by elaborating that those who have vilified the Lord of the universe are those Jews, Christians and polytheists who have claimed that He, the Sublime, has a child.This does not befit Him, the Mighty and the Majestic, as this entails assimilation, resemblance, imperfection and need.Allah, the Mighty and the Majestic, is One, and the Only One (Unique) who {begets not and nor was he begotten and there is no one like unto Him.}[Quran 112: 3-4].Those who disaffirmed Allah are the ones who rejected the resurrection and considered it to be a distant reality whilst acknowledging that Allah is the One Who created them without having a previous template. He who created them in the beginning from nothing is able to resurrect and recreate them the second time because re-creation is an easier process!
We learn from this hadeeth that attribution of a son to Allah is an act of vilification of Allah Almighty, a rejection of His Oneness, and giving His resemblance to others besides Him, and that is an act of ascribing partners to Him (Shirk).
The hadeeth shows that rejection of resurrection is,in essence, disaffirmation of Allah Almighty and His promise.
It shows that Allah is the One Who started the creation and that it is Him who will recreate it. This confirms that the world has come into being, and also confirms the resurrection and re-creation of the humans after their demise, and that Allah is the One who will bring them back to life on the Day of Judgement, to reward them for their actions..

3195

Aboo Salamah ibn `Abd al-Rahmaan had a dispute with some people on a piece of land. He went to `Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her) and told her about it. She said, "O Aboo Salamah, avoid the land, for Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths.' ".

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ warned people against taking others’ property, by force or authority, unlawfully.

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Aboo Salamah ibn ‘Abd al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf reports that he had a dispute with some people over a piece of land. He mentioned his dispute to ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), and she advised him to be cautious so that he did not take anything from it unlawfully, because the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Any person who takes even a span of land unjustly, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths’”. Themeasure a of span in the hadeeth,no matter how little it is, his neck shall be encircled with it down seven earths on the Day of Judgment as a punishment. It is said that it means the stolen part of the earth will swallow him until his neck is encircled with it. It is also said that it means the weight of this land will be around his neck on the Day of Judgment, and it will remain like that until all the people finish their reckoning. It is mentioned in Musnad Ahmad that the Prophet ﷺ said,“The property of a Muslim that is taken unlawfully will be deprived of Allah’s blessings.”.

3199

Narrated Aboo Tharr (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺ asked me at sunset, "Do you know where the sun goes (at the time of sunset)?" I replied, "Allah and His Messenger know better." He said, "It goes (i.e. travels) till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne and takes the permission to rise again, and it is permitted and then (a time will come when) it will be about to prostrate itself but its prostration will not be accepted, and it will ask permission to go on its course but it will not be permitted, but it will be ordered to return whence it has come and so it will rise in the west. And that is the interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {And the sun runs its fixed course for a term (decreed). that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing} [Quran 36:38] .

Commentary : Allah has predestined everything from the beginning of creation to its end.

In this hadeeth, Aboo Tharr al-Ghafaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ asked him at the time of sunset about where the sun goes after its disappearance. Aboo Tharr replied that Allah and His Messenger know better, which is an answer that displays his politeness as he refrained from putting an answerbefore the Prophet ﷺ, and so he left it to Allah and His Messengerﷺ. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺsaid that it travels till it prostrates Itself underneath the Throne. This prostration is real and regardless of where it prostrates, it will be underneath the Throne. Afterwards, it takes permission to rise again from the east to go on its course again and then it is granted permission. It continues to take permission to rise again from the east to proceed on its course until Allah does not permit it, and commands it to return from where it came. Thereupon, the sun will rise from the west, which is one of the major signs of the Hour.That is an interpretation of the Statement of Allah: {And the sun runs its fixed course for a term (decreed)} [Quran 36:38].The sun continues to go on its fixed course until the end of this world, {that is The Decree of (Allah) The Exalted in Might, The All- Knowing} [Quran 36:38]. The sophisticated accurate movement of the sun in its orbit is evidence of the existence of Allah, Most High, who upholds and arranges the affairs of this world in a fashion that befits His Wisdom, Knowledge, and Might.

This hadeeth highlights the might and power of the Allah and His authority and control of the universe and all the creation. Itdebunks and scolds those who worshipped the creation in this worldly life, so they know their worship to them was invalid and false.
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3200

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): The Prophetﷺsaid, "The sun and the moon will be folded upon the Day of Resurrection.".

Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, the Truth and the Sovereign, is the only one worthy and deserving of our worship and glorification, and it is Him, the only God, to whom our worship and deeds must be devoted. He is the Creator of everything and under His will and power falls everything in this cosmos; hence, it is invalid for a person to worship anything other than Him or beside Him.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ informs us that the sun and moon will be folded up on the Day of Judgment,i.e. they will be deprived of their light.It is said that they will be folded up and then thrown into Hellfire to debunk and scold those who worshipped them in this worldly life, so they know their worship of them was invalid and false. It is said that they were created from Hellfire; thus, they will return to it on the Day of Judgment. However, placing them in Hellfire does not mean they are punished there, for Allah, Exalted is He, has created angels for Hellfire to punish the dwellers of Hellfire.

This hadeeth highlights the Might and Power of Allah to bring creation into existence and terminate the existence of the creation. It shows that all created beings are subject to Allah, Most High.
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3206

Narrate`Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her): If the Prophetﷺsaw a cloud in the sky, his face would change and he would walk back and forth, go out and come in. However, if it rained, he would feel relaxed." `Aaishah inquired from him about his reaction to seeing the cloud. The Prophetﷺsaid, I do not know (am afraid), it may be similar to what happened to some people referred to in theQuran in the following ayah: {Then when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain!' Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened a wind wherein is severe torment} [Quran 64:24]. .

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was in constant fear of Allah, Most High, and always concerned that his nation may be subjected to Allah’s punishment because of the sins of their sinners.

In this hadeeth, ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that whenever the Prophet ﷺsaw rain clouds, he would march up and down, and his face would show signs of concern and distress because he feared that those clouds carried the punishment of Allah. However, once rain fell, his concern and worry would fade away. ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) asked him about that, so he said that his fear was out of his concern that it might be like the clouds that brought Allah’s tormentto thepeople of Prophet Hood (peace be upon him)about whom Allah, Exalted is He, said: {Then when they saw it as a dense cloud coming towards their valleys, they said, 'This is a cloud bringing us rain!' Nay, but it is that (torment) which you were asking to be hastened.A wind wherein is severe torment.} [Quran 64:24].

If one were to ask, why did the Prophet ﷺfear Allah would punish his people while he was still alive among them,while Allah, Most High, says: {But Allah would never punish them while you ˹O Prophet˺ were in their midst.} [Quran 8:33] it has beensaid is that it is possible the ayah is specific and only applicable to those mentioned in the ayah, or it is only applicable to a particular time, or that the state of fear of Allah necessitates that he should not feel secure against Allah’s planning.In particular,the Prophet ﷺwould act to teach his nation, and one aspect of this is teaching them to never feel secure against Allah’s planning, because Allah, Most High, says: {Did they feel secure against Allah’s planning? None would feel secure from Allah’s planning except the losers.} [Quran 7:99].

This hadeeth shows that nobody should feel immune against Allah’s punishment and torment, and that we should be prepared by being mindful of Allah and resorting to Him in situations of fear and troubles.

It reminds us to reflect on the previous nations who were subjected to Allah’s torment and punishment, to learn from their mistakes and avoid that which caused their punishment.

It highlights the compassion and mercy of the Prophet ﷺ towards his nation, as Allah, Most High, descried him: {He is concerned by your suffering, anxious for your well-being, and gracious and merciful to the believers.} [Quran 9:128]..

3208

Narrated `Abdullah ibn Mas'ood(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺthe true and truly inspired, said, "Each one of you is constituted in the womb of the mother for forty days, and then he becomes a clot of thick blood for a similar period, and then a piece of flesh for a similar period.Then God sends an angel who is ordered to write four things. He is ordered to write down his deeds, his livelihood, the date of his death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched. Then the soul is breathed into him. One amongst you acts [like the people deserving Paradise] until between him and Paradise there remains but the distance of a cubit, when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him and he begins to act like the denizens of Hell and thus enters Hell, and another one acts in the way of the denizens of Hell, until there remains between him and Hell a distance of a cubit that the writing of destiny overcomes him and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has predestined the fate of the creation and penned it in His Preserved Tablet, so it takes place afterwards according to what He had decreed.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ reports that the foetusgoes through four stages in the womb. The first stage, which is ovulation, takes forty days, wherein an egg and sperm travel in opposite directions to meet for implantation; hence pregnancy happens. In the second stage, it becomes a clot of thick blood clinging to the womb for a similar period. In the third stage, it develops into a piece of flesh whose size is as little as that which a human can chew in his mouth for a similar period. In the final stage, its form and shape begin after completing four months. Thereupon, Allah sends the angel that is responsible for wombs to write down all the good and evil deeds that he will do throughout his lifetime, his livelihood, the date of his death, and whether he will be blessed or wretched when he dies.Each person will die upon that which Allah has written.A person would act like the people deserving Paradise until he is so close to entering Paradise when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him, and he begins to act like the dwellers of Hell and thus enters Hell.And another person would act in the way of the denizens of Hell until he is so close to entering Hellfire when suddenly the writing of destiny overcomes him, and then he begins to act like the people of Paradise and enters Paradise.

This scenario is further explained in another hadeeth. It is narrated on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa’d al-Saa’idee (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “that a person performs deeds like the deeds of the people of Paradise apparently before people and he would be amongst the dwellers of Hell, and a person acts apparently like the people of Hell, but (in fact) he would be among the dwellers of Paradise.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].That means, a person who spends life in good deeds but before passing he deviates, and a person whose life is spend in bad deeds but dies upon goodness.This is because the state of such a person as it appears to people is different to that reality which Allah knows.

This hadeeth highlights the belief in fate and predestination, regarding deeds and provisions, and lifespan. It warns us from being befooled of that which is apparent to us, because deeds are judged based on how they end.

It shows that good deeds and bad deeds are just signs indicating the reality of a person and do not necessarily reflect the reality or the end of people, which Allah has predestined and decreed.
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3209

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him):The Prophetﷺsaid, "If Allah loves a person, He calls Gabriel saying, 'Allah loves so-and-so; O Gabriel! Love him.' Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven, 'Allah loves so-and-so; therefore you should love him also,' and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and then he is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth."
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Commentary : In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains the benefits of being loved by Allah, Most High, in this life,and the rewarding outcome in the Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ explains that if Allah loves a person, He will call Gabriel telling him that He loves so-and-so; thus, Gabriel would love him and make an announcement amongst the inhabitants of the Heaven, “Allah loves so-and-so; therefore you should love him also,” and so all the inhabitants of the Heaven would love him, and the inhabitants of the Heaven here refer to the angels. As a result, this person is granted the pleasure of the people on the earth such that most of the believers who know him would be inclined to him, and his good reputation lasts. It is said that it means Allah makes the hearts of His believing servants inclined to him and praise him.
Love is one of the established attributes of Allah, Exalted is He, and it is understood according to its apparent meaning in a way that befits Allah, the Most-High. As for how Gabriel andthe angels love him, it means they would praise him and ask Allah to forgive him, or love as people know it,i.e. their hearts become inclined to him and long for him because of his obedience and Allah’s love for him..

3210

Narrated `Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her): “I heard Allah's Messengerﷺsaying, "The angels descendto the clouds and mention the matter decreed in the Heaven. The devils then listen stealthily to them, come down to inspire the soothsayers with it, and the latter would add to it one-hundred lies of their own."
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Commentary : Islam eradiates all forms of superstition and stands against the manipulation of people’s hopes and dreams such that it considers it from the major sins. To this end, Islam reinforces in the hearts of believers that no one knows the future and the unseen except Allah, who alone can bring forth benefit and avert harm. The Muslim is required, therefore, to attach his heart to Allah and submit all his affairs to Him alone.

In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ explains that the angels descend from above to the clouds wherein they mention that which has been decreed in the Heaven. This is because the angels would hear all the events that Allah decrees every day and every moment. The angels mention them to each other, so the devils eavesdrop and then share what they heard to soothsayers and fortune-tellers who, in their turn, add one hundred lies to thenews they received from devils.

This hadeeth was an answer given by the Prophet ﷺ in response to a question that ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her) posed to him - as recorded in Saheeh Muslim – as she inquired from him abouthow the soothsayers before Islam could foretell some events that took place afterwards as they mentioned.

The eavesdropping of devils of the conversations of the dwellers of the heavens used to happen before Allah’s revelation to the Prophet ﷺ. However, this eavesdropping was stopped immediately upon the advent of Islam when Allah revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ the message of Islam. Allah, Most High, says: {We used to take up positions there for eavesdropping, but whoever dares eavesdrop now will find a flare lying in wait for them.} [Quran 72:9].

The Prophet ﷺ has prohibited us from visiting soothsayers and fortune-tellers. It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever visits a soothsayer or a fortune-teller and believes him, he has disbelieved in that which was revealed to Muhammad.” [Musnad Ahmad].

This hadeeth serves as a warning against listening to soothsayers, falsifiers and fortune-tellers. .

3212

Narrated Sa’eed ibn Al-Musaiyyab:`Umar came to the Mosque while Hassaan was reciting a poem. (`Umar disapproved of that). On that Hassaan said, "I used to recite poetry in this very Mosque in the presence of one (i.e. the Prophet ﷺ) who was better than you." Then he turned towards Aboo Hurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) and said (to him), "I ask you by Allah, did you hear Allah's Messengerﷺsaying (to me), "Retort on my behalf. O Allah! Support him (i.e. Hassaan) with the Holy Spirit?" Aboo Hurayrah said, "Yes.".

Commentary : The ruling on poetry is the same as the ruling on speech or words, of which it is a part; therefore, what is good is good, and what is bad is bad.One of the prominent poets among the Companions was Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him).

In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee Sa’eed ibn al-Musayyab reports that one day ‘Umar ibn al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with him)found Hassaan ibn Thaabit recitingpoetry in the Mosque. The facial gesture of ‘Umar showed his disapproval, but Hassaan informed him that he used to recite poetry in the Mosque in the presence of him who is better than ‘Umar, meaning the Prophet ﷺ. Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) looked at Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him, “I ask you by Allah, did you hear Allah's Messengerﷺ saying to me, ‘Retort on my behalf. O, Allah! Support Hassaan with the Holy Spirit?’”Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) confirmed it. The reason Hassaan did that wasthat ‘Umar was known for his strictness about the hadeeths of the Prophet ﷺ, and he would only accept it if two men testified to the correctness of the hadeeth.

The background story of the statement of the Prophet ﷺ to Hassaan ibn Thaabit is that some poets from Quraysh lampooned the Prophet ﷺ. Hence, he ﷺ asked his Companions to respond to them and lampoon Quraysh. A couple of Companions stepped forward to take this mission, and Hassaan ibn Thaabit was one of them. However, the poetry of Hassaan was the most effective and most intimidating to Quraysh. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ asked Allah to support Hassaan with the holy spirit (i.e. angel Gabriel). It has been said that the Prophet ﷺ made this supplication so Allah would protect him through the angel Gabriel from falling into scurrility, as it would backlash, causing more damage.

The hadeeth highlights the virtue of Hassaan ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him), and shows that it is permissible to recite poetry in the Mosque to defend the truth and encourage the good..

3217

Narrated`Aaishah(may Allah be pleased with her):The Prophetﷺsaid to her: "O `Aaishah! This is Gabriel, and he sends his salutations to you." `Aaishah said, "I send my salutations to him, and may Allah's Mercy and Blessings be on him," and addressing the Prophetﷺshe said, "You see what I do not see."
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Commentary : Allah, the Exalted, invested His Prophet ﷺwith exclusive qualities and privileges, like selecting him to receive His revelation and entrusting him to be His Messenger who conveyed all that which he received from revelation.

In this hadeeth,‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Mother of the Believers, reports that the Prophet ﷺ said to her that Gabriel sends his greeting to her using the greeting of Islam (i.e. Assalam ‘Alaykom). She replied to his greeting with the perfect greeting of Islam, saying, “Wa ‘Alaykom Assalam wa rahmatu Allahi wa Barakaatuh,” and then remarked, “You see what I do not see,” i.e. O Messenger of Allah! You can see Gabriel, but I cannot see him; thus, rejoice in the blessings of revelation and prophethood and the ability to see the noble, righteous angels.

The hadeeth clearly highlights the virtue of ‘Aaishah (may Allah be pleased with her). It shows one of the incidents where the Prophet ﷺ was the only one able to see the angel, Gabriel, although the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw him in another incident in the form of Dahiyyah al-Kalbyy (may Allah be pleased with him).

This hadeeth proves the existence of angels, including the archangel Gabriel – Allah’s trusted messenger to His Prophets and Messengers.
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1160

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

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

1162

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

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

1163

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

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

1164

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

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

1166

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

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

1168

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

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

1170

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

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

1175

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

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

1176

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

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

1184

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

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

1185

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

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

1186

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

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

1195

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

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

1197

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

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

1202

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

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

Book of Hadith

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