It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

Commentary : This hadith brings great glad tidings from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to the one who is helped to fast the entire month of Ramadan when he is able to do that. Fasting means refraining, with the intention of worship, from eating, drinking, sexual activity and all other things that break the fast, from the break of dawn until the sun sets. Whoever fasts this month “out of faith and in the hope of reward”, believing in the divine command to do it, knowing that it is obligatory, out of fear of punishment for failing to do it, and seeking great reward for his fast – and this is a description of the believer – it is hoped that Allah will forgive him his previous sins, except those that involved transgressions against other people affecting their wealth, honour or physical well-being. Such sins cannot be waived except with their consent, so the person who transgressed against them must seek pardon from those to whom he owes something, or restore their dues.
The reward (forgiveness) is mentioned in the past tense [in the original Arabic], even though the forgiveness will come in the future, in order to give the sense that it will certainly happen and will definitely take place, by the grace of Allah (may He be exalted) to His slaves.
This hadith urges us to fast the month of Ramadan, and highlights the great reward for doing that..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Religion is easy, and no one commits himself to religious practices more than he can bear, but he will be overwhelmed (and unable to continue). So do your best and do not go to extremes, be of good cheer, and seek help in the morning and in the afternoon, and during part of the night.”.

Commentary : The religion of Islam is a religion of ease. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) urged us to persist in a moderate approach to doing righteous deeds and acts of worship, and limiting that to what one is able to do and is able to persist in doing regularly. Whoever commits himself to religious practices more than he can bear, and goes to extremes, will not be able to carry on, and this over-commitment will overwhelm him and defeat him.
In the beginning of the hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sets out this important principle. He says “Religion is easy”, meaning that it is easy and straightforward in its beliefs, in the manners and attitudes that it promotes, in the righteous deeds that it enjoins and in the things that it prohibits and forbids. Then he advises us to be moderate and to do our best, encouraging us with words of glad tidings and urging us not to despair.
Being moderate is mentioned with regard to doing righteous deeds and in doing acts of worship, so that the individual does not fall short with regard to what he is enjoined to do, and he does not take on of such deeds more than he can bear, and thus he avoids going to extremes or becoming negligent. “Do your best” means: even if you cannot do it perfectly, then try your best to do what is close to that level. “Be of good cheer” means: have hope of reward, because you will be rewarded for your good deeds even if they are few.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us about that which could help us to be moderate and do our best, as he said: “and seek help in the morning and in the afternoon, and during part of the night.” These are three times that are good for doing righteous deeds and acts of worship which help a person in his journey towards Allah. The morning is the beginning of the day, and the afternoon is the end of the day. The word translated here as night refers to travelling at the end of the night, which is something praiseworthy in the case of physical, worldly journeys and in one’s spiritual journey towards Allah through doing acts of worship and righteous deeds. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said “and during part of the night”; he did not say “at night”, so as to make it easier, because it is difficult to do deeds at night. The beginning of these words sound as if the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was speaking to a traveller who is trying to cover the distance to reach his destination. So he drew his attention to the times when he has the most energy, when his acts of worship and righteous deeds will produce the best results. Thus he likened man in this world to a traveller, and this is indeed how he is, because this world is a realm of travel and movement that leads to the hereafter, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pointed out to his ummah that they should strive to make the most of these times of opportunity and any periods of free time that they have.
This hadith motivates people who aspire to do righteous deeds and acts of worship, and gives them glad tidings of the reward that will result from their good deeds..

It was narrated from al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) first came to Madinah, he stayed with his paternal relatives – or his maternal uncles among the Ansar. He prayed facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen months, or seventeen months, but he was always hoping that his qiblah would be changed to the Kaaba. The first prayer he prayed [facing towards the Kaaba] was ‘Asr prayer, and a number of people prayed with him. One of the men who had prayed with him went out, and passed by some people in a mosque who were bowing [in the posture of ruku‘], so he said: I bear witness by Allah that I have just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards Makkah. So they turned as they were [still in the posture of ruku‘] to face towards the Kaaba. The Jews and other People of the Book had liked it when he prayed facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis, so when he turned his face towards the Kaaba, they did not like that..

Commentary : Religious laws are based on revelation and what Allah (may He be glorified) has enjoined, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) followed that. If he found himself inclined towards something, he would not do it unless he was instructed to do it. In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah, he stayed with Banu al-Najjar, because they were his maternal uncles, or his forefathers on the side of his father’s grandfather, Hashim ibn ‘Abd Manaf. In the beginning, when prayer was made obligatory, his qiblah [direction faced in the prayer] was Bayt al-Maqdis [Jerusalem], and he continued to face in that direction for sixteen or seventeen months, but he was hoping that his qiblah would be changed to the Kaaba. Allah (may He be glorified) mentions this feeling of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the verse in which He says: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. Thus He promised that He would turn his face towards the qiblah with which he would be pleased. The first prayer that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed whilst facing towards the Kaaba was ‘Asr prayer; there is no difference of scholarly opinion concerning the fact that that happened in 2 AH. Some of his companions prayed with him, then one of the men who had prayed with him went out and passed by the people of another mosque. He found them praying, and they were bowing [in the posture of ruku‘], so he said to them: I swear by Allah that I have just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards the Kaaba in prayer. When they heard him, they believed him and they turned to face towards al-Masjid al-Haram without interrupting their prayer; rather they completed their prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Thus they offered one prayer in two directions: facing towards al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem] and facing towards al-Masjid al-Haram [in Makkah].
The Jews liked the fact that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to face towards Bayt al-Maqdis, because that was their qiblah. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned to face towards the Sacred House, they did not like that. Then Allah (may He be exalted) revealed concerning that the words: {The foolish among the people will say, ‘What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?’ Say, ‘To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path’} [al-Baqarah 2:142], as is clearly stated in other reports.
Some of the Sahabah who had only prayed facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis had died or been killed before the qiblah was changed to the Sacred House. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was asked about them, then Allah revealed the words: {Allah would never let your faith go to waste} [al-Baqarah 2:143], referring to their prayers.
In this hadith, we see how quickly the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) responded to the commands of Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also indicates that it is prescribed to swear to something in order to confirm it, and that one should respond positively to the one who calls people to Allah and His Messenger..

It was narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri that he heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying: “If a person enters Islam and becomes a good Muslim, Allah will absolve every bad deed that he committed, then after that he will be treated fairly: a good deed will bring a tenfold reward, up to seven hundredfold, and a bad deed will be recorded as one, unless Allah pardons it.”.

Commentary : Entering Islam will save a person in this world and the hereafter, for Islam is the religion which affirms the oneness of Allah (may He be glorified) and does not associate anything with Him. It is the message that was brought by all the Messengers and Prophets.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) states that if a disbeliever enters Islam and becomes a good Muslim, and becomes a Muslim in the true sense of the word, with no trace of doubt, believing outwardly and inwardly, then Allah will absolve the bad deeds that he committed, meaning the sins, both minor and major, that he committed before he became Muslim, by His grace. Then after becoming Muslim he will be treated fairly and equitably, meaning that Allah will requite him appropriately for everything that he does, whether it is good or bad. So he will be requited for good deeds with reward, and for bad deeds with punishment. He will be rewarded tenfold for every good deed, and that reward may be multiplied up to seven hundredfold. As for bad deeds, each bad deed will be recorded as just one deed, and he will be requited accordingly. Or Allah may pardon him, by His grace, kindness and mercy, so He will not punish him for doing it.
This hadith indicates that Islam erases whatever sins came before it. .

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered her apartment, when there was a woman with her. He said: “Who is this?” She said: So-and-so, and she spoke about how much she prayed. He said: “Stop! You should only do as much as you are able to, for by Allah, Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary.” The dearest of religious practice to him was that which a person does regularly and persists in it.

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Commentary : Religion is easy and not difficult. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught his ummah the proper way to adhere to religion and to practice it. He explained that the believer should do what he is able to do of worship, whilst encouraging people to be moderate in what they commit themselves to do, so that they will not grow weary or lose energy and momentum. In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates that the Prophet entered her apartment one day, when another woman was with her. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked who she was, ‘A’ishah told him that this was So-and-so, mentioning her by name, then she said how much she prayed and did other acts of worship, praising her a great deal. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rebuked her and said “Stop!” meaning: Stop praising her, for what she is doing is not deserving of praise, because it is contrary to the Sunnah. Proper adherence to religion means following the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and adhering to his Sunnah, not being harsh with oneself and exhausting oneself in doing a lot of acts of worship. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us the right way and said: “You should only do as much as you are able to do”, so commit yourself to deeds that you are able to do regularly and persist in, and do as much as you are able to of fasting and praying at night; do not make it hard for yourselves.
With regard to the words “for by Allah, Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary”, some of the scholars said that this ascribes the attribute of weariness to Allah (may He be exalted) but the weariness of Allah is not like the weariness of people, because when a person grows weary it is an attribute of imperfection, as it indicates that he has become bored and tired of this thing. The weariness of Allah, on the other hand, is an attribute of perfection with no element of shortcoming in it, which is like all the other divine attributes that we affirm for Allah in a manner that is most perfect, even if in the case of people it is an attribute of imperfection. However, some of the scholars say that the phrase “Allah does not grow weary until you grow weary” serves to highlight the fact that no matter how much you do of righteous deeds, Allah will reward you for it, so do as much as you like, for Allah will never tire of rewarding you until you grow weary of striving in doing righteous deeds. Based on that, what is meant by weariness [in the case of Allah (may He be exalted)] is the outcome of that weariness [which is the cessation of reward when the person grows weary and stops doing the good deed he was doing]. And some of the scholars said that this hadith does not indicate that Allah becomes weary at all, because if someone says “I will not get up until you get up,” that does not imply that the other person will get up. By the same token, “He does not grow weary until you grow weary” does not imply that Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) will grow weary.
‘A’ishah also said that the dearest of religious practice to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and according to another report in as-Sahihayn, it says “to Allah” – is that which one persists in and does regularly, even if it is small, as mentioned in the report of Muslim, because persisting in a small action is persisting in worship, dhikr, mindfulness of Allah, intention, sincerity and turning to the Creator (may He be glorified and exalted) and a small action that is done persistently will yield a much greater result than a great deed that is done and then stops.
This hadith highlights the Prophet’s compassion and kindness towards his ummah.
It also indicates that a small action that is done consistently is better than a greater action that is inconsistent..

It was narrated from Anas, that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “There will be brought forth from the Fire everyone who says La ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped except Allah) in whose heart there is goodness the weight of a grain of barley; and there will be brought forth from the Fire everyone who says La ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped except Allah) in whose heart there is goodness the weight of a grain of wheat; and there will be brought forth from the Fire everyone who says La ilaha illa Allah (none has the right to be worshipped except Allah) in whose heart there is goodness the weight of an atom.” He [the narrator] said: Aban said: Qatadah told us: Anas told us, from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) “of faith,” instead of “goodness.”.

Commentary : Allah’s mercy towards His slaves is immense and without limit, and it cannot be fully described. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will show great generosity to many of His slaves, and he will bring forth from the Fire anyone in whose heart is the smallest amount of goodness and faith.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells us that no one will remain forever in Hell who has in his heart an atom’s weight of faith. If the Muslim who sinned dies without having repented from his sin, it is up to Allah: if He wills, He will pardon him for it, and if He wills, He will punish him, but he will not remain forever in the Fire under any circumstances. Allah will bring forth from the Fire anyone who said La ilaha illa Allah and has in his heart as much as a grain of barley, or a grain of wheat, or even an atom’s weight of goodness, which means faith, as is explained in other reports. That is because goodness, in reality, is that which brings a person closer to Allah (may He be exalted), and that can be nothing other than faith. The word dharrah (translated here as atom) may refer to a small ant, or a speck of dust that may be seen floating in rays of sunlight, like the heads of needles. Barley is mentioned before wheat, because its grains are bigger in size, although they are very similar to one another, and the dharrah is mentioned last because it is so small. This is by way of explaining the issue by using the analogy of increasingly smaller likenesses.
This hadith indicates that merely saying La ilaha illa Allah, without there being any faith in the heart, will not benefit a person or bring him forth from the Fire.
It also clearly indicates how people may have different levels of faith, and that some of those believers who commit major sins may enter the Fire, but they will not abide therein forever..

It was narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab that a Jewish man said to him: O Amir al-Mu’minin, there is a verse in your Book that you recite; if it had been revealed to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival. He said: Which verse is it? He said: {This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you and have approved for you Islam as religion} [al-Ma’idah 5:3]. ‘Umar said: We know that day, and the place in which it was revealed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). [It was] when he was standing in ‘Arafah, on a Friday. .

Commentary : The Holy Qur’an is held sacred by all Muslims. The noble Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to learn everything having to do with it, such as the reasons for revelation, the story behind the revelation of verses, and when they were revealed, as well as learning all the rulings and meanings of the verses.
In this report, the Tabi‘i Tariq ibn Shihab narrates that a Jewish man – namely Ka‘b al-Ahbar, before he became Muslim, as is narrated in Tafsir al-Tabari and al-Awsat by al-Tabarani – came to the caliph ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): There is a verse in your Book that you recite; if it had been revealed to us Jews, we would have taken that day as a festival – that is, we would have made it a festival to celebrate, out of respect and honour for that day, and highlighting its virtue. ‘Umar said: Which verse is it? He said: {This day I have perfected for you your religion} [al-Ma’idah 5:3], that is, by causing it to be victorious and prevail over all other religions, {and completed My favor upon you} that is, by guiding you, helping you and perfecting the religion, and with the conquest of Makkah and the destruction of the beacons of jahiliyyah. This is a great verse, and the day when it was revealed is deserving of celebration.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We know that day, and the place in which this verse was revealed, so you are not telling us of something of which we are unaware. It was revealed to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was standing in ‘Arafah on a Friday, so it was a day on which two “festivals” were combined: the day of ‘Arafah, and Friday.
The words of Ka‘b al-Ahbar, “we would have taken that day as a festival” imply: and you have not taken it as a festival, as if he was trying to suggest that the verse was not true, because the Muslims had neglected the day on which it was revealed. So ‘Umar explained to him that they did indeed celebrate it on two counts, and they regarded it as a twofold festival.
This hadith indicates that festivals and days to be commemorated cannot be based on personal opinion and ideas, as the People of the Book (Jews and Christians) did before us. Rather they are to be based on religious texts and following the practice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It also indicates that faith may increase and decrease, as religious commitment may be perfected by perfecting and completing the deeds that it prescribes..

It was narrated that Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah said: A man from Najd came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with dishevelled hair. The rise and fall of his voice could be heard, but his words could not be understood until he came close, and it turned out that he was asking about Islam. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Five prayers every day and night.” The man said: Is anything else required of me? He said: “No, unless you do it voluntarily.” The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And fasting Ramadan.” He said: Is anything else required of me? He said: “No, unless you do it voluntarily.” Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned zakah, and the man said: If anything else required of me? He said: “No, unless you do it voluntarily.” Then the man turned away, saying: By Allah, I shall do no more than that and no less. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “He will succeed if he is telling the truth.”.

Commentary : Being assiduous in doing everything prescribed in Islam and carrying out its pillars in the proper manner, with sincerity, is the path to success and prosperity, and a means of salvation from the terrors of the Day of Resurrection.
In this hadith, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that a man from Najd – which is a region of Arabia between the Hejaz and Iraq – came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That man was Dimam ibn Tha‘labah; his hair was unkempt because of the rigours of travel, and he had a loud voice, but nothing he said could be understood until he drew close to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It turned out that he was asking about the teachings of Islam, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by explaining that the first duty of Islam that was required of him was the five prayers, which are to be offered every day and night. He said: Do I have to offer any prayers other than these five prayers? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) replied: You do not have to offer any other prayers, unless you voluntarily do some of the regular Sunnah and other Sunnah prayers, which are encouraged (mustahabb) and you will be rewarded for doing them, but you will not be punished for not doing them.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that he had to fast Ramadan. Fasting means refraining, with the intention of worship, from food, drink, sexual activity and other things that break the fast, from the break of dawn until the sun sets. He said: Do I have to do anything else? He said: You do not have to do anything else, unless you do it voluntarily, fasting some days other than Ramadan, for they are encouraged and you will be rewarded for doing that. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him about zakah, which is an obligatory, financial act of worship, to be given on every type of wealth that meets the minimum threshold, as defined in Islamic teachings, when one full lunar (or Hijri) year has passed since acquiring that wealth, giving one quarter of one tenth. One should also give zakah on an‘am animals [camels, cattle and sheep] and other livestock; zakah on crops, fruits, and trade goods; and zakah on rikaz, which is buried treasure that is brought out of the earth and, it was said, minerals and metals, on the basis of their nisab (minimum threshold), to be given at the time at which their zakah becomes due. Giving zakah in the proper manner to those who are entitled to it brings increased blessing (barakah) to wealth, and brings great reward in the hereafter, whereas being stingy and withholding it from those who are entitled to it brings bad consequences in this world and the hereafter, as has been explained in many texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Zakah is to be given to those who are entitled to it, who are mentioned in the verse: {Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise} [al-Tawbah 9:60].
The man asked: Do I have to do anything other than that? He said: No, unless you give something else in charity voluntarily, and you will be rewarded for that, but it is not obligatory and you will not be sinning if you do not do it. Then the man turned and left, swearing by Allah that he would not do any supererogatory (nafil) deeds in addition to these obligatory duties, and he would not omit any of them. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “He will succeed if he is speaking the truth.” In other words, if he means what he says, and he does these pillars [of Islam] sincerely for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted), then he will attain Paradise and be saved from the Fire, even if he does not do any supererogatory actions.
This hadith indicates that if a person limits himself to the obligatory religious duties, as prescribed in the religious texts, then he will succeed, but this does not mean that it is not prescribed for him to do some voluntary acts of worship, because the voluntary actions will complete the obligatory actions (and make up for any shortcomings in them) on the Day of Resurrection..

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever follows the bier of a Muslim, out of faith and in the hope of reward, and remains with it until the funeral prayer is offered and the burial is complete, will go back with two qirats of reward, each qirat like Uhud. Whoever offers the funeral prayer then goes back before the burial is done will go back with one qirat.”.

Commentary : Part of honouring a fellow Muslim and showing kindness to him is attending his funeral when he dies, following the bier and offering the funeral prayer for him. This brings an immense reward for the one who does that out of faith and seeking reward.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentions the immense reward to be attained by following the bier, and tells us that the one who follows the bier of a Muslim, out of faith and in the hope of reward – that is, believing in the promise of Allah and seeking reward from Him, doing that sincerely for the sake of Allah (may He be exalted) alone, and not seeking to be seen by people or doing it for any other purpose that is contrary to sincerity – and offers the funeral prayer for the deceased, and follows the bier until the burial is completed, will attain two qirats of reward, each qirat like Mount Uhud, which is the well-known mountain on the northern outskirts of Madinah, 4 or 5 km from the Prophet’s Mosque. It is 7 km long, 2 to 3 km wide, and 350 metres high. Attaining these two qirats is subject to three conditions: firstly, following the bier; secondly, offering the funeral prayer; thirdly, attending the burial. As for the one who only offers the funeral prayer and then goes back before the burial is done, he will attain only one qirat of reward.
This hadith encourages us to offer the funeral prayer for the deceased, follow his bier and attend his burial. It also highlights the immense grace and generosity of Allah, and how great is the reward that He grants for small deeds..

It was narrated that Zubayd said: I asked Abu Wa’il about the Murji’ah, and he said: ‘Abdullah told me that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Insulting a Muslim is an evil action and fighting him is disbelief (kufr).”.

Commentary : Islam urges us to respect people’s honour and lives, and it calls the Muslims to be brothers and have compassion for one another, and not to transgress against one another.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbids the Muslim to insult and revile his fellow Muslim, and explains that impugning his honour and shaming him is regarded as evildoing, and it is going against the command of Allah and His Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) by doing what they have forbidden; according to Islamic teachings, it is worse than merely committing a sin. “And fighting him is disbelief (kufr)” – what is meant here is not disbelief in the sense that it puts one beyond the bounds of faith. Rather it is called disbelief (kufr) in order to emphasize the warning and deter the listener from doing that. Or it may be that it is likened to disbelief because this is the action of one who disbelieves. It may be understood as meaning disbelief in a real sense if the doer believes that it is permissible to do that.
In the original report narrated by al-Bukhari, the Tabi‘i Abu Wa’il Shaqiq ibn Salamah asked ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Murji’ah – who were a group who said that if a person believed, it did not matter if he sinned, and they claimed that the one who committed major sin was not an evil doer. So Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith, which affirms that sin is indeed harmful and affects the faith of the one who does it.
This hadith also indicates that some deeds may be described as disbelief (kufr), which implies that other deeds may be called faith (iman)..

It was narrated from ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to tell the people when Laylat al-Qadr would be, but two of the Muslim men suddenly started arguing, so he said: “I came out to tell you when Laylat al-Qadr would be, but So-and-so and So-and-so started arguing, so it [knowledge of when Laylat al-Qadr would be] was taken away from me, and perhaps that is better for you, so seek it in seven and nine and five.”.

Commentary : Laylat al-Qadr in the month of Ramadan is of great significance and immense virtue, and we have been commanded to seek it and spend the night in prayer, out of faith and seeking reward with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
In this hadith, ‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out one day to tell the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) about Laylat al-Qadr and precisely when it would occur, but he saw two men arguing and disputing, so he said: I came out to tell you about Laylat al-Qadr and which night it would be, but I saw two men arguing, so knowledge of its time was taken away. Thus they were deprived of the blessing of (the knowledge of) Laylat al-Qadr; otherwise Laylat al-Qadr will still remain until the Day of Resurrection. Then he said: Perhaps taking away the knowledge of when it will be and leaving its time ambiguous is better for you, so that you will strive hard in seeking it, and thus increase your reward. If it was known exactly when it would be, you might limit your hard work to that time, so you would make less effort and receive less reward. Then he said: So seek it – that is, look for it and strive hard – on the twenty ninth, the twenty seventh, and the twenty fifth of Ramadan. And it was said that what is meant is: look for it on the odd-numbered nights of Ramadan, when only nine days are left, or seven, or five, so Laylat al-Qadr may be on the twenty-first night, or the twenty-third, or the twenty-fifth, and so on. That is assuming that the month is complete (with thirty days), so if you take away nine, you get twenty-one. And it was said that what is meant by nine in the hadith is the night before the twenty-second, what is meant by seven is the night before the twenty-fourth, and so on. This is assuming that the month is complete (with thirty days). And it was said that it varies from one year to another.
This hadith also condemns arguing and disputing, because they are a cause of punishment for everyone for the sin of a few.
The hadith also indicates that sins may be a cause of some issues of religion that one needs to know being hidden from him, so the more people commit sins, the more likely it is that this will lead to some issues of religion becoming unknown to them. .

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to the people one day, then Jibril came to him and said: What is faith (iman)? He said: “Faith is to believe in Allah, His angels, His Books, the meeting with Him, and His Messengers, and to believe in the resurrection.” Jibril said: What is Islam? He said: “Islam is to worship Allah, not associating anything with Him; to establish prayer; to give the obligatory zakah; and to fast Ramadan.” He said: What is ihsan? He said: “It is to worship Allah as if you see Him, for although you do not see Him, He sees you.” He said: When will the Hour be? He said: “The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking, but I shall tell you about its portents: when the slave woman gives birth to her mistress, and when the insignificant camel herders compete in building lofty structures. It is one of the five things that no one knows except Allah.” Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited the words: {Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour…} Luqman 31:34]. Then the man turned and left. [The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] said: “Bring him back,” but they did not see anything. Then he said: “That was Jibril, who came to teach the people their religion.”.

Commentary : This hadith discusses different religious duties and acts of worship, both outward and inward, including the tenets of faith, physical actions, sincerity in the heart, and caution regarding everything that could undermine righteous deeds. It covers the basic principles, important issues and foundations of faith, as Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained the meaning of faith, Islam and ihsan when Jibril (peace be upon him) came to him in the form of a man and asked him questions, when the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had come out among the people and was sitting with them. The bringer of the revelation, Jibril (peace be upon him), came to him and asked him about faith, in order to teach the people their religion. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: It means to believe in Allah, which means believing in and affirming His existence, and that He possesses all attributes of majesty and perfection, far above any shortcomings; and that He is One, true, the Eternal Refuge, unique, the Creator of all creation, Who does whatever He wills in His dominion, and decrees whatever He wills concerning His creation; that He alone is deserving of all kinds of worship, to the exclusion of all others.
Believing in His angels means believing in all the angels of Allah (may He be exalted): both those who have been mentioned by name – such as Jibril, Mika’il and Israfil – in whom we must believe in detail, and those who have not been mentioned by name, in whom we must believe in general terms.
Believing in His Books means affirming that all the Books that were sent down to the Prophets and Messengers, such as the Torah, Gospel and Qur’an, are the words of Allah and came from Him, and that what they contain – of that which has not been distorted – is true; that Allah sent down the Qur’an to determine what is true in those [previous] Books and to confirm them, and that it is protected from distortion.
Believing in the meeting with Allah means believing and affirming that people will stand before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) for the reckoning and the requital of their deeds.
Believing in the Messengers of Allah means believing in and affirming all the Messengers of Allah, and believing that they spoke the truth in what they conveyed from Allah (may He be exalted), and that Allah supported them with miracles which proved that they spoke the truth; that they conveyed Allah’s message from Him and explained to people what He commanded them to explain; that we must respect them and not differentiate between them; and that we must believe that the last of them is our Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and that all of mankind are obliged to believe in him and follow him.
Believing in the resurrection means believing that Allah will resurrect those who are in their graves and will give life to the dead.
Then Jibril (peace be upon him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about Islam, and he replied: It means to worship Allah, not associating anything with Him, and obeying Him with submission, humility and love.
You should establish prayer, and establishing prayer is done by regularly offering the five daily prayers on time, with all their conditions, essential parts and obligatory actions.
You should give zakah, which is obligatory, and give it to those who are entitled to it. It is an obligatory, financial act of worship, to be given on every type of wealth that meets the minimum threshold, as defined in Islamic teachings, when one full lunar (or Hijri) year has passed since acquiring that wealth, giving one quarter of one tenth. One should also give zakah on an‘am animals [camels, cattle and sheep] and other livestock; zakah on crops, fruits, and trade goods; and zakah on rikaz, which is buried treasure that is brought out of the earth and, it was said, minerals and metals, on the basis of their nisab (minimum threshold), to be given at the time at which their zakah becomes due. Giving zakah in the proper manner to those who are entitled to it brings increased blessing (barakah) to wealth, and brings great reward in the hereafter, whereas being stingy and withholding it from those who are entitled to it brings bad consequences in this world and the hereafter.
And you should fast Ramadan. Fasting means refraining, with the intention of worship, from food, drink, sexual activity and other things that break the fast, from the break of dawn until the sun sets.
Then he asked him about ihsan, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying: It means that you worship Allah like one who sees Allah (may He be exalted), and Allah sees him, so you do not omit any aspects of humility, submission, sincerity, and utmost alertness in controlling your thoughts and physical movements, paying attention to proper etiquette both outward and inward, so long as you are in a state of worship. The ultimate level of ihsan is for the believer to worship his Lord as if he sees Him in his heart, so he will constantly bear in mind the fact that he is in that state (as if seeing Allah in his heart). If he is not able to do that and it is too difficult for him, then he moves to a different level of ihsan, which is to worship Allah with the awareness that Allah sees him and knows what he conceals in his heart and what he does openly, for nothing he does is hidden from Him.
Then Jibril (peace be upon him) said: Tell me about the Hour, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: The one who is asked about it does not know more than the one who is asking. In other words, all of creation is the same with regard to knowledge of when the Hour will begin, for none of them have any knowledge of that in reality. This indicates that Allah (may He be exalted) alone has kept the knowledge of it to Himself, hence he said: It is one of the five things that no one knows except Allah, then he recited the verse: {Indeed, Allah [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die} [Luqmaan 31:34]. These are the keys of the unseen, which no one knows except Allah.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: But I shall tell you about its portents. As it is not possible to know the time of the Hour, which he was asked about, he moved on to describing its portents, which are the signs that the Hour is close at hand. The first of its signs is that the slave woman will give birth to her mistress. What is meant is that there would be many conquests in the lands of the disbelievers, which would lead to the acquisition of slaves, so that a woman would be brought from the land of disbelief when she was young, and she would be freed in the Muslim lands, then her mother would be brought as a slave after her, then the daughter would buy her and employ her as a servant, not knowing that she was her mother. This indeed happened in the history of Islam. Or it may be that slave women would give birth to kings, so the king’s mother would be one of his subjects when he was her master and the master of others among his subjects, and in charge of their affairs. Or it may be that what is meant is that defiant disobedience towards parents would become widespread, to the extent that children would treat their mothers like slaves, by insulting them and humiliating them.
The second sign is that the insignificant camel herders will compete in building lofty structures. What is meant by insignificant is unknown herders and shepherds, or those who have nothing and are destitute. Competing in the building of lofty structures means that they will become rich and kings, ruling people.
What is mentioned in this hadith is only two of the minor portents of the Hour; there are many portents, many of which have already appeared.
After the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had answered these questions, the questioner went away. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions to bring him back to him, but they could not see anything, either the man or his tracks. It was said that perhaps he said “bring him back to me” in order to alert the Sahabah and make them realize that this was an angel, not a human being. Hence he said to them, “That was Jibril, who came to teach the people their religion”, that is, the principles of their religion. He attributed the act of teaching to him, even though he just asked questions, because he was the cause of this teaching, so he attributed it to him, or because teaching was the aim behind his asking these questions, or because he wanted them to learn, as they did not ask. Or it may be that through Jibril’s questions to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the presence of the Sahabah, he wanted to show them that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had a great deal of knowledge, and that his knowledge came through the revelation, so that they would become more eager to acquire knowledge and be more interested in it.
This hadith indicates that when the words Islam and faith (iman) are mentioned together, each of them has its own meaning, and when one of them is mentioned on its own, it includes the meaning of the other.
It also indicates that the angels may appear in human form, as referred to in the verse: {Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man} [Maryam 19:17].
It also highlights the importance of sincerity and remembering that Allah is always watching.
And it indicates that if a knowledgeable person is asked about something he does not know, he should say, “I do not know”, and that does not detract from his status; rather it is indicative of his prudence, piety and abundant knowledge..

It was narrated that an-Nu‘man ibn Bashir said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saying: “That which is halal is clear and that which is haram is clear, and between them are doubtful matters which many people do not know. Whoever avoids the doubtful matters will have protected his faith and his honour, but whoever falls into the doubtful matters is like a shepherd who grazes his flock around a sanctuary: soon he will transgress upon it. Indeed, every king has a sanctuary and, indeed, the sanctuary of Allah on His earth is His sacred limits. Indeed, in the body there is a piece of flesh, which if it is sound, the entire body will be sound, and if it is corrupt, the entire body will be corrupt; indeed, it is the heart.”.

Commentary : This hadith is one of the hadiths which describes the central tenets of Islam. It is a very important hadith, and one of the principal foundations of Islamic teaching. It is an example of the concise speech of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as in it he urges the Muslims to err on the side of caution and avoid doubtful matters concerning which there is no clear reference in the religious texts. He explained that what is halal is clear and evident; it is everything for which there is no evidence that it is prohibited in the Qur’an, Sunnah, scholarly consensus (ijma‘) or analogy (qiyas), because the basic principle is that things are permissible [unless there is evidence to the contrary]. Similarly, what is haram is also clear and evident; it is everything for which there is evidence that it is prohibited, whether that evidence is from the Qur’an, the Sunnah or scholarly consensus. He stated that between what is halal and what is haram, there is a third category, which is doubtful matters. These are matters concerning which there is no clear ruling as to whether it is halal or haram, so many people are not able to know the ruling on these matters. This includes all doubtful and ambiguous matters, such as wealth from dubious sources, or wealth that is mixed with riba, or other kinds of unlawful wealth. As for cases when one is certain that this wealth has definitely been acquired through riba, then it is one hundred percent haram, beyond any shadow of a doubt, and it cannot be regarded as doubtful or dubious. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that whoever avoids doubtful matters is erring on the side of caution, so his faith will be protected from falling short, and his honour will be protected from any aspersions, criticism or bad reputation. As for the one who falls into doubtful matters and has the audacity to accept them, he is exposing himself to danger, for he will soon fall into that which is haram, like a shepherd who grazes his flock around a sanctuary, which is the land that the king sets aside for his own flocks, and warns anyone who grazes his flocks there without his permission that he will face a severe punishment. If a shepherd grazes his sheep around the land that the king has set aside for himself and designated for his personal use, his flock may enter the sanctuary, in which case he will deserve the punishment of the ruler. By the same token, the one who is careless about doubtful matters is in danger, because those matters may be haram, and he may fall into them, or he may become careless about doubtful matters, and that leads to him becoming negligent and careless in general, so he begins to fall into haram matters deliberately. Falling into dubious matters may lead to falling into minor sins, and falling into minor sins may lead to falling into major sins. We ask Allah to keep us safe and sound.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Indeed, every king has a sanctuary and, indeed, the sanctuary of Allah on His earth is His sacred limits.” In other words, the sanctuary of Allah is the sins that He has prohibited to His slaves; whoever enters His sanctuary by committing any of those sins is doomed, and whoever comes close to it by doing doubtful things is in danger.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) spoke a comprehensive word which explains what causes the sons of Adam to behave in a righteous or corrupt manner, which is that the basis of physical wellbeing has to do with the soundness or otherwise of the heart. If the heart is (spiritually) sound, then the person’s intentions will only seek what is right and proper, and all his physical faculties will be sound, and he will not be prompted to do anything except obey Allah and avoid His wrath. Thus he will be content with what is halal and have no need of what is haram. But if the heart is (spiritually) corrupt, then the person’s intentions will be corrupt, and all his physical faculties will be corrupt, and he will be prompted to disobey Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) and to do that which incurs His wrath. He will not be content with what is halal; rather he will hasten to seek that which is haram, in accordance with what his heart desires and the extent to which it drifts away from the truth..

It was narrated that Abu Jamrah said: I used to sit with Ibn ‘Abbas, who would invite me to sit next to him. He said: Stay with me so I can give you a share of my wealth. So I stayed with him for two months. Then he said: When the delegation of ‘Abdul Qays came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), he said: “Who are the people – or who are the delegation?” They said: [The tribe of] Rabi‘ah. He said: “Welcome to the people – or the delegation. You have nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to regret.” They said: O Messenger of Allah, we cannot come to you except in the sacred month, for between us and you there is this tribe of the disbelievers of Mudar. Tell us something clear that we can tell to those whom we left behind, by means of which we may enter Paradise. And they asked him about four kinds of drinks. He commanded them to do four things, and forbade to them four things. He commanded them to believe in Allah alone. He said: “Do you know what believing in Allah alone means?” They said: Allah and His Messenger know best. He said: “Testifying that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” [And he commanded them] to establish prayer, give zakâh and fast Ramadan, and to give one fifth of the war booty. And he forbade them to use four things: glazed pitchers, gourds, hollowed-out stumps, and varnished jars. And he said: “Memorize them [these rulings] and tell them to those you left behind.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to teach the people all matters that would benefit them in their religious affairs, and in this world and the hereafter, so that they would be fully aware of them. In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Abu Jamrah says: I used to sit with Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), i.e., at the time when he was the governor of Basra during the caliphate of ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to honour him and make him sit next to him. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Stay with me so that you can help me to understand those who come to ask questions. That was because he used to translate for him and tell him what non-Arab petitioners wanted, and he would tell the petitioner what Ibn ‘Abbas said. So he stayed with him for two months, and he heard this hadith from Ibn ‘Abbas, in which he told the story of the arrival of the delegation of ‘Abdul Qays who came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). ‘Abdul Qays was the name of a tribe. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked them about their lineage, and they said: Rabi‘ah, referring to their ancestor. Rabi‘ah was the son of Nizar ibn Ma‘add ibn ‘Adnan. They mentioned Rabi‘ah because ‘Abdul Qays was one of his sons. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) welcomed them and said: Welcome to the people who have come with nothing to be ashamed of and nothing to regret. What is meant is that none of them delayed becoming Muslim out of stubbornness, so neither they nor their families were taken captive, or anything else of that nature, that could be a cause of shame or regret. This serves to highlight their honourable position, as they entered Islam willingly, without being subjected to any kind of humiliation.
They said to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): We can only come to you during the sacred month. They mentioned the word in the singular, but what is meant is all four sacred months, namely Rajab, Dhul Qa‘dah, Dhul Hijjah and Muharram. They were only able to come during these months, and not others, because the Arabs used to refrain from fighting during these months; the disbelievers of the tribes of Mudar lived between Rabi‘ah and Madinah, and the tribe of Rabi‘ah could not reach Madinah except by travelling through their land; they were afraid of them, except during the sacred months, because they refrained from fighting at that time. They asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to enjoin upon them something clear, by means of which they could distinguish what was true and what was false, so that they could tell their people in their homeland about it. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined them to do four things: he enjoined them to believe in Allah, and explained that that meant bearing witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah. This twin declaration of faith (shahadatayn) must be uttered verbally, whilst acknowledging and believing it in the heart, acting in accordance with what these words imply, believing, affirming and testifying to the oneness of Allah (may He be exalted), and that none is rightfully worshipped except Allah; and acknowledging the message of Muhammad ibn ‘Abdillah and affirming that he is the last of the prophets and messengers, and that it is obligatory upon all people to follow him and believe in him.
Then he enjoined them to establish prayer, which means regularly offering the five daily prayers on time, with all their conditions, essential parts and obligatory actions.
Then he enjoined them to give zakah, which is an obligatory, financial act of worship, to be given on every type of wealth that meets the minimum threshold, as defined in Islamic teachings, when one full lunar (or Hijri) year has passed since acquiring that wealth, giving one quarter of one tenth. One should also give zakah on an‘am animals [camels, cattle and sheep] and other livestock; zakah on crops, fruits, and trade goods; and zakah on rikaz, which is buried treasure that is brought out of the earth and, it was said, minerals and metals, on the basis of their nisab (minimum threshold), to be given at the time at which their zakah becomes due. Giving zakah in the proper manner to those who are entitled to it brings increased blessing (barakah) to wealth, and brings great reward in the hereafter, whereas being stingy and withholding it from those who are entitled to it brings bad consequences in this world and the hereafter, as has been explained in many texts of the Qur’an and Sunnah. Zakah is to be given to those who are entitled to it, who are mentioned in the verse: {Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler - an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise} [al-Tawbah 9:60].
Then he enjoined them to fast Ramadan, which means refraining, with the intention of worship, from food, drink, sexual activity and other things that break the fast, from the break of dawn until the sun sets.
Then he added: You should give one-fifth of the war booty, because they were neighbours of the disbelievers of Mudar, and they were people who fought in jihad and captured booty. Booty refers to anything that the Muslims seized of the wealth and property of the disbelievers by means of prevailing over them and defeating them. They were to give one fifth (khums) to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as Allah explained in the verse: {Know that one-fifth of the booty (spoils of war) is for Allah, His Messenger, close relatives of the Messenger…} [al-Anfal 8:41], to be spent in the ways prescribed in the religious texts.
Some may be confused by the fact that the report says that he enjoined four things, but mentioned five. The response to that is that the first of the four things that are enjoined is the establishing of prayer. The twin declaration of faith was mentioned only for blessing (barakah). Or, it was suggested, that prayer and zakah were counted as one thing, because they are always mentioned together in the Book of Allah (may He be exalted), or because giving the one fifth is included in the general meaning of giving zakah, and what they have in common is that a specific amount of wealth is to be given in some cases but not in others.
Then he said: And he forbade four things. What is meant is that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade them to use four types of vessels for their food and drink. The first type was glazed pitchers, which were earthenware jars that were painted green or red, or glazed with vitreous material that was used to coat the earthenware jar to block all tiny holes. The second type was gourds, which are a type of squash. What was prohibited was using them as vessels after emptying them out and making them hollow. The third type was hollowed-out stumps, which refers to hollowing out the base of a palm tree so that it could be used as a vessel. The fourth type was varnished jars, which are jars that were coated with tar or pitch, which is made from a plant that is burned after it has dried out; similar substances were used for caulking ships and the like.
The prohibition on using these vessels in particular was because food and drink that were kept in them would soon start to change, and perhaps people might drink from them without realizing that a change had occurred. Then after that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) granted a concession allowing people to use all kinds of vessels, whilst prohibiting drinking anything that caused intoxication, as was narrated in Sahih Muslim: “I used to forbid you to soak [dried dates and the like] in water skins, but now soak [such things] in all kinds of vessels, but do not drink anything that causes intoxication.”
Then at the end of the hadith the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) advised the members of the delegation to memorize these words of his, and convey them to those whom the delegation of ‘Abdul Qays had left behind.
This hadith tells us that people of virtue and prominent figures may be sent to meet leaders when there are important matters to be discussed.
It shows that an apology or explanation may be given before raising an issue.
It highlights the main issues and pillars of Islam, apart from Hajj.
It indicates that righteous actions may be called faith.
It indicates that a knowledgeable person may honour a prominent figure.
It shows that a knowledgeable person may seek help from his companions in explaining something to those who are present, and to understand their questions.
It indicates that the knowledgeable person should urge the people to convey knowledge and spread awareness of Islamic rulings.
It indicates that there is no shame in the seeker of knowledge or the one who is requesting a fatwa asking the knowledgeable person to explain his answer further. .

It was narrated from ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions, and each person will have what he intended. So whoever migrated for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, his migration was for the sake of Allah and His Messenger, and whoever migrated to achieve some worldly gain or to marry a woman, then his migration was for the purpose for which he migrated.”.

Commentary : This important hadith represents one of the main principles and foundations of Islamic teaching, to the extent that it was said concerning it that it constitutes one third of knowledge. In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Actions are but by intentions,” so no prescribed act of worship is valid without being preceded by the intention. “And each person will have what he intended,” so all the Muslim will get from his actions is what he intended thereby. This ruling is general in meaning and applies to all actions, whether they are acts of worship, interactions with others or ordinary actions. Whoever intends by his actions to attain some worldly benefit will gain nothing but that worldly benefit, even if it was an act of worship, and thus he will not attain any reward thereby. Whoever intended by his action to draw closer to Allah (may He be exalted) and to seek His pleasure will attain reward through his deed, even if it was an ordinary action, such as eating or drinking. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave some practical examples to explain the impact of intentions on actions. Hence he stated that whoever intended by migrating to obey the command of his Lord, seek His pleasure, and flee for the sake of his faith from persecution, his migration was a kind of hijrah that is prescribed in Islamic teachings and will be accepted by Allah (may He be exalted), and he will be rewarded for it because of his sincere intention. However, the one who migrated in pursuit of some worldly gain or personal objective, such as wealth, trade, or marriage to a beautiful woman, “then his migration was for the purpose for which he migrated,” and he will not attain anything from his migration except that worldly benefit that he intended, and he will not attain any reward for that..

1204

Nubayh ibn Wahb reported: We went out with Abān ibn ‘Uthmān. When we were at Malal, the eyes of ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh became sore and, when we reached Ar-Rawhā’, the pain grew intense. He sent (someone) to Abān ibn ‘Uthmān to ask him (what to do). He sent him (a message) to apply aloes to them, for ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that if the eyes of a man in a state of Ihrām become sore, he should bind them with aloes..

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. A Muhrim is forbidden from things that have been lawful for him before Ihrām, like applying kohl to his eyes. Hajj involves hardship that entails facilitation. An aspect of facilitation is to allow him to use permissible things for medical treatment.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Nubayh ibn Wahb informs that they went out in a state of Ihrām for Hajj with Abān ibn ‘Uthmān (may Allah be pleased with him), who was a leader of pilgrims. As they reached an area called Malal, which is located to the direct west of the basin of Wādi al-‘Aqīq, west of Madīnah; it is nearly 50km away from it, the eyes of ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullāh started becoming sore. Then, when they reached the area of Ar-Rawhā’, the pain grew intense in a way that required treatment. Ar-Rawhā’: A place between the Two Sacred Mosques, located 80km away from Madīnah. So, he sent someone to Abān ibn ‘Uthmān to ask him about the ruling on medical treatment for the eyes of a Muhrim. Abān ibn ‘Uthmān sent the response to him saying that his father ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) that if the eyes of a Muhrim become sore, he should bind them and put drops of aloes into the eyes. Aloes: A dry extract of a bitter tree. The intended meaning is that he should mix aloes with water and place drops from it into his eyes, or apply it to his eyes like kohl, or put it on his eyes. Aloe is not perfume, so it is not forbidden for a Muhrim.
The Hadīth indicates that a Muhrim can bind the eyes and other areas with aloes..

1209

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Asmā’ bint ‘Umays gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr at the tree. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Abu Bakr to ask her to take a bath and assume Ihrām..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth among the pillars of Islam. It is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. Hajj involves hardship that entails facilitation. An example is that if a Muhrim woman gives birth during her state of Ihrām and before embarking upon the rituals of Hajj, she may take a bath, purify herself, and assume Ihrām for Hajj. She, however, may not perform Tawāf except after her complete purification. This represents facilitation for her, so that she will not miss Hajj on its specific days. The Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) relates that Asmā’ bint ‘Umays gave birth. This is called Nefās in Arabic, for the coming out of a Nafs (a soul), which is the baby or blood. Asmā’ bint ‘Umays was the wife of Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with both of them). When she gave birth to her son Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with both of them) on the way to the Farewell Hajj, in the tenth Hijri year, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her husband Abu Bakr to order her to take a bath to remove her postpartum blood and assume Ihrām for Hajj. This bath is meant for cleanliness, not purification, for a newly-delivered woman is like a menstruating woman: she does not become pure unless the blood stops flowing.
A woman in a menstrual or postpartum period can validly perform all the rituals of Hajj except for Tawāf, as indicated by a Hadīth narrated by An-Nasā’i and Ibn Mājah, in which Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and she should do what people do," of Dhikr and Talbiyah, and stand at Mina, ‘Arafāt, and Muzdalifah, "except that she should not perform Tawāf around the House," i.e., she should not perform Tawāf Ar-Rukn around the honorable Ka‘bah unless she becomes pure of the postpartum bleeding, after which she can do Tawāf.
His statement "at the tree" refers to the tree underneath which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to stop when he left Madīnah for Makkah to perform ‘Umrah or Hajj. He would alight in the shade of this tree, pray, and then assume Ihrām for ‘Umrah or Hajj. In the version by Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh, narrated by Muslim, she gave birth in Dhu al-Hulayfah, and in the version by An-Nasā’i: "in Al-Baydā’". These three locations are close to each other. The tree is located in Dhu al-Hulayfah, and Al-Baydā’ lies on the outskirts of Dhu al-Hulayfah.
The Hadīth points to the validity of Ihrām by a woman in her postpartum period or menstruation as she takes a bath for assuming Ihrām.
It shows Islam's facilitation and care for women who newly delivered in order for them not to miss Hajj and become obliged to return in a subsequent year.
It also indicates that Talbiyah should be proclaimed upon assuming Ihrām for Hajj or ‘Umrah, and that women are like men in this regard..

1211

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Ifrād Hajj..

1213

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We came with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intending to perform the Ifrād Hajj, and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) came to perform ‘Umrah. Then, when we were in Sarif, her menses started. When we arrived, we performed Tawāf around the Ka‘bah and the rituals between Safa and Marwah. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded those of us who did not have a Hady (sacrificial animal) to end our Ihrām. We said: "End [our] Ihrām to what degree?" He said: 'Completely.' So, we had intercourse with our wives, put on perfume, and wore our garments, with only four nights separating us from ‘Arafah. Then, we assumed the Ihrām on the day of Tarwiyah. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the place of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and found her weeping. He said: "What is the matter with you?" She said: "I have got my menses, and the people ended their Ihrām, but I did not end it, nor did I perform Tawāf around the House, and the people are going for Hajj now." He said: "This is something that Allah decreed for the daughters of Adam. Take a bath and then assume Ihrām for Hajj." She did so and performed all the rituals. Then, when she became pure, she performed Tawāf around the Ka‘bah and the rituals between Safa and Marwah. Then, he said: "You have ended Ihrām from your Hajj and ‘Umrah at the same time." She said: "O Messenger of Allah, I feel upset because I did not make Tawāf around the House until I performed Hajj." He said: "Take her, O ‘Abdur-Rahmān, and make her perform ‘Umrah from At-Tan‘īm." That was on the night of Al-Hasbah..

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam which Allah Almighty ordained upon His servants. It must be performed by those who are physically and financially capable. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj once, in the tenth Hijri year, and it was called the Farewell Hajj. So, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) conveyed the details of this Hajj from him, in order for us to learn the manner of Hajj enjoined by Allah, Exalted be He.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that they - i.e., most of them - came with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ready for the Hajj of Ifrād. Ihlāl: raising one's voice with Talbiyah. It here means intending to assume Ihrām. Ifrād means that the pilgrim assumes Ihrām for Hajj only. ‘Ā’ishah, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), was among those who assumed Ihrām for ‘Umrah. When they were in 'Sarif', the name of a place ten miles (nearly 16km) away from Makkah, ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) got her menses. When they arrived in Makkah, they performed Tawāf around the Ka‘bah, and then performed Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah, which are the rituals of ‘Umrah. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) who did not bring a Hady - anything offered to the Ka‘bah from livestock, camels, cows, and sheep as an act of worship to Allah - to end their Ihrām. They asked: To what extent should we end our Ihrām? They were hesitant regarding that because they came for Hajj, and a performer of Hajj should not end his Ihrām until he has completed all the rituals. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered them: 'Completely' i.e., all things forbidden due to Ihrām are now permissible. This state is called Tamattu‘ in Hajj. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and some of his Companions were among those who brought the Hady with them. So, they did not end their Ihrām. Those who did not bring the Hady obeyed the Prophet's command by taking off their clothing of Ihrām and then they cut their hair - they did not shave it so that they could do so after Hajj - and engaged in sexual intercourse with their women, applied perfume, and wore the clothes forbidden under Ihrām. At that point, only four nights separated them from standing at ‘Arafah, on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Then, those who performed ‘Umrah in Tamattu‘ Hajj assumed Ihrām for Hajj on the day of Tarwiyah, the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah. It was called as such because the water was little in Mina; so, they would quench their thirst with water and would carry it for later use.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the place of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and found her weeping. He asked her why she wept, and she told him about her menses and that it prevented her from performing ‘Umrah, as she did not perform Tawāf around the Ka‘bah, and that she was still in her menstruation while the people were preparing for the rituals of Hajj. So, she was weeping over missing all of that. Comforting her, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "This" i.e., the menses, is something that Allah Almighty decreed for the daughters of Adam. So, take a bath for cleansing and then assume Ihrām for Hajj, i.e., be in the Ihrām you have assumed. A woman in menstruation or postpartum period may perform all the rituals of Hajj except for Tawāf, as per the Prophet's statement: "So, do all what the pilgrims do, but do not perform Tawāf." Narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim.
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined her to do. She performed all the rituals, standing at ‘Arafah and going to Muzdalifah and Mina. Then, when she became pure from her menses, she performed Tawāf around the Ka‘bah, and performed Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed her that she ended Ihrām from both her Hajj and ‘Umrah, and this is because the rituals of ‘Umrah were incorporated into Hajj, as she became a performer of Qirān Hajj. Therefore, she ended Ihrām from both at the same time. Thereupon, ‘Ā’ishah said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "I feel upset because I did not make Tawāf around the House until I performed Hajj," i.e., when she assumed Ihrām for ‘Umrah in the beginning. She used the word Hajj and meant ‘Umrah. The intended meaning is that she did not perform the ‘Umrah of Tamattu‘ like others. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked her brother ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) to take her to At-Tan‘īm so that she could assume Ihrām for ‘Umrah from there - comforting her heart. At-Tan‘īm is a place situated from 5 to 6 kilometers away from Makkah, and it is the closest area of Al-Hill (outside of the sacred precinct) to the House. It was called as such because Mount Nu‘aym lies to its right side and Mount Nā‘im lies to its left, and the valley is called Na‘mān. All that happened during the night of Al-Hasbah, i.e., the night of stay in Al-Muhassab after departing from Mina. Al-Muhassab is a place outside Makkah, and it is a broad channel area that contains tiny pebbles. It lies between Mina and Makkah and is closer to Mina. It is said: It is the place of throwing the pebbles in Mina. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) alighted there after the days of throwing the pebbles, where his freed slave Abu Rāfi‘ had set up the tent for him. The stopping and staying in this place happened before the farewell Tawāf. It is narrated in the Sahīh Al-Bukhāri Collection "that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, and ‘Ishā’ prayers and then had a sleep in Al-Muhassab, after which he rode toward the House and performed Tawāf around it."
The Hadīth indicates that if a performer of ‘Umrah is a resident of Makkah or coming from outside Makkah and lies within the Miqāt, his Miqāt is from Al-Hill, and if he lies outside the Miqāt, then his Miqāt is the Miqāt of his Hajj.
It also mentions that Hajj may be dissolved and turned into ‘Umrah.
The Hadīth demonstrates that one Tawāf and one Sa‘i are sufficient for both the Hajj and ‘Umrah of a performer of Qirān Hajj..

1214

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When we ended Ihrām, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to assume Ihrām as we headed to Mina. He said: We pronounced Talbiyah in Al-Abtah..

Commentary : The Prophet's Hajj abounded with rulings. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated the rulings related to Hajj and ‘Umrah and what should be done by a performer of Qirān, Tamattu‘, or Ifrād Hajj, as well as other rituals and rites that he ordered his Ummah to learn from him.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that during the Farewell Hajj, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them, after they ended their Ihrām following the performance of ‘Umrah, to assume Ihrām for Hajj. Earlier, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had ordered some of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to end their Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah, addressing this command to those who had not brought the sacrificial animals with them. This was known as Tamattu‘ Hajj. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered them to assume Ihrām for Hajj as they headed to Mina on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah, the day of Tarwiyah. He said: "We pronounced the Talbiyah," which is to raise one's voice in saying the Talbiyah and to have the intention of Ihrām for Hajj "in Al-Abtah", which is the Bat'hā’ of Makkah, a place full of pebbles and sand. It is also known as Al-Bat'hā’. This is a place located between Mina and Makkah, and it is closer to Mina. It is said: It is the place for throwing the Jamarāt in Mina. It used to be called Khayf Bani Kinānah, and it lies outside Makkah, in the direction of Madīnah. They assumed Ihrām in Al-Abtah because they had alighted there. Indeed, if anyone wants to assume Ihrām for Hajj while he is in Makkah, he should assume it from the place where he stays or alights.
The Hadīth mentions Tamattu‘ Hajj, as ‘Umrah is performed first.
It indicates that Ihrām for Hajj should be assumed on the day of Tarwiyah, which is the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah..

1215

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Neither the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) nor his Companions performed Tawāf between Safa and Marwah except for one Tawāf. [Another version adds]: his first Tawāf.

Commentary : Hajj is one of the pillars of Islam, and it is an act of worship for those who can find a way to do it. Ihrām for it can either be assumed as Ifrād, Qirān, or Tamattu‘, which is performing ‘Umrah before Hajj. This Hadīth clarifies one of the aspects of the Prophet's performance of Hajj in the Farewell Hajj. He performed Qirān Hajj, combining Hajj and ‘Umrah, because he had the sacrificial animals with him. Therefore, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Neither the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) nor his Companions performed Tawāf between Safa and Marwah except for one Tawāf." Another version adds: "his first Tawāf," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those with him who performed Qirān Hajj did not engage in Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah except for one Sa‘i, which is the Sa‘i performed along with Tawāf al-Qudūm (Arrival). Indeed, one Tawāf and one Sa‘i are sufficient for the performer of Qirān Hajj, in which the rituals of ‘Umrah are included in the rituals of Hajj.
As for those who perform Tamattu‘ Hajj, doing ‘Umrah before Hajj, they are required to perform two Sa‘is: one Sa‘i for their ‘Umrah and one Sa‘i for their Hajj on the Day of Nahr (Slaughter). This is clarified by a Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhāri and Muslim, and the wording here is of Al-Bukhāri, in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: "Those who raised their voices in Talbiyah for ‘Umrah performed Tawāf around the House and between Safa and Marwah. Then, they ended Ihrām, and then they performed another Tawāf after returning from Mina," i.e., those who performed Tamattu‘ Hajj. "As for those who combined Hajj and ‘Umrah," i.e., who performed Qirān Hajj, "they performed one Tawāf.".

1217

Abu Nadrah reported: Ibn ‘Abbās used to enjoin Mut‘ah, whereas Ibn az-Zubayr used to prohibit it. He said: I mentioned that to Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh, who said: "This Hadīth happened in my presence. We performed Tamattu‘ with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When ‘Umar rose up, he said: 'Indeed, Allah made permissible for His Messenger what He willed through what He willed, and indeed the Qur’an was already revealed. So, {Complete Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah} [Surat al-Baqarah: 196] as Allah commanded you and cut off the marriage to these women. No man who married a woman for an appointed duration will be brought to me except that I will stone him.'" [And in a version]: Separate your Hajj from your ‘Umrah, for this makes your Hajj more complete and your ‘Umrah more complete..

Commentary : Mut‘ah in the Shariah is a term that jointly refers to the performance of ‘Umrah in Mut‘ah until the coming of Hajj and to the Mut‘ah marriage. The right meaning is to be understood from the context where it occurs. There was a difference of opinion among the Prophet's Companions over the Mut‘ah marriage, with some deeming it permissible and others forbidding it, according to what each side understood from the Prophet's Sunnah. Likewise, there was a difference of opinion over Tamattu‘ of ‘Umrah until the advent of Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Nadrah Al-Mundhir ibn Mālik al-Basri relates that ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) used to enjoin Mut‘ah, whereas ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) used to prohibit it. The difference arose over the interpretation of the meaning of Mut‘ah here: whether it is the Mut‘ah of Hajj or the Mut‘ah marriage. In a version by Muslim: "Ibn ‘Abbās and Ibn az-Zubayr differed over the two kinds of Mut‘ah." The Mut‘ah marriage is to marry a woman for a specified period, using the word Tamattu‘, in return for a sum of money. This kind of marriage was permissible at the beginning. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade it since the day of the Battle of Khaybar until the Day of Judgment. Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when the pilgrim assumes Ihrām for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj and then ends his Ihrām, after which he assumes Ihrām for Hajj in the same year. So, if he comes to Makkah during the months of Hajj and performs ‘Umrah and completes it, he may end his Ihrām and enjoy all that is lawful until the rituals of Hajj begin.
So, Abu Nadrah mentioned that difference of opinion to Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: "This Hadīth happened in my presence" i.e., I was present while it happened. He (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed out that they observed Tamattu‘ during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Jābir's response comprises the Mut‘ah of Hajj and the Mut‘ah marriage. "When ‘Umar rose up," i.e., assuming the caliphate, he said: "Indeed, Allah made permissible for His Messenger what He willed" of rulings "through what He willed" of the revelation which He willed to send down - the Qur’an's verses and the Prophet's Hadīths. He thus indicated that such Mut‘ah marriages were exclusively permissible for them. "and indeed the Qur’an was already revealed," i.e., it was sent down and placed in order, its injunctions were completed and established, and its rulings settled; so, it is not subject to abrogation or alteration after the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) passed away; and it contains the command to complete Hajj and ‘Umrah. Allah Almighty says: {And Complete Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 196] By this, he meant that the Mut‘ah of Hajj was abolished when Allah commanded that Hajj and ‘Umrah be completed; and likewise, the Mut‘ah marriage was abolished when Allah mentioned the conditions of marriage in His Book and clarified its rulings; so, nothing can be added thereto, omitted therefrom, or changed. "So, complete Hajj and ‘Umrah for Allah, as Allah commanded you." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) held that the completion of Hajj and ‘Umrah can be achieved by performing each of them separately. So, ‘Umar's statement apparently indicates that it is invalid to dissolve Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah. He did not mean by this to contradict the Qur’an and the Sunnah. Muslim narrated: "that Abu Mūsa asked ‘Umar about that, and ‘Umar said: Indeed, I am aware that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions engaged in it, but I disliked that the married persons should have intercourse with them under the shade of trees and then set out for Hajj with water trickling down of their heads." The meaning: I disliked Tamattu‘, for it entails exit from Ihrām and engaging in sexual intercourse with women until the departure for Hajj. It is authentically narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that Surāqah ibn Mālik asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he ordered his Companions to dissolve Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah and observe Tamattu‘ until Hajj, saying: Does this apply to this year of ours or forever? Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: But forever.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said on the Mut‘ah marriage: "and cut off," i.e., halt and finish this matter, namely marrying these women, i.e., the Mut‘ah. "No man who married a woman for an appointed duration will be brought to me except that I will stone him." So, he considered the Mut‘ah marriage to be like adultery. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Mut‘ah marriage in the beginning and then forbade it later during the Battle of Khaybar and until the Day of Judgment, and he declared it unlawful during the Farewell Hajj, as narrated by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others.
The Hadīth warns against doing anything prohibited by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
It forbids the Mut‘ah marriage..

1218

Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn reported: We entered the place of Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh, he asked about the people, and when my turn came, I said: "I am Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Husayn." He patted my head with his hand and undid my upper button and then undid my lower button. He then placed his hand between my nipples, and I was a young boy then. He then said: "Welcome, son of my brother, ask what you wish." I asked him, and he was blind. The time of prayer came, and he stood wrapped in a mantle. Whenever he placed it on his shoulder, its ends fell due to its shortness, and his gown was placed on a rack by his side. He led us in prayer. I said: "Tell me about the Hajj of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)." He signaled with his hand and folded his fingers, indicating nine. He said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) remained nine years during which he did not perform Hajj. Then, there was a public announcement in the tenth year to the effect that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was about to perform Hajj. A large number of people came to Madīnah, everyone desiring to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and act like him. We went out with him until we reached Dhu al-Hulayfah. Asmā’ bint ‘Umays gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr. She sent a message to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) asking him: 'What should I do?' He said: 'Take a bath, bandage your private parts with a cloth, and assume Ihrām.' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) prayed in the mosque and then mounted Al-Qaswā’, and his she-camel stood erect with him on its back, on Al-Baydā’ (the wilderness). I looked as far as I could see and saw (many) people on mounts, on foot in front of him, a similar number on his right side, a similar number on his left side, and a similar number behind him. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) was among us, the Qur’an was being revealed to him, and he knew its interpretation. Whatever he did according to it, we did it. He then raised his voice as he declared Allah’s oneness: 'Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak (I am at Your service, O Allah, You have no partner; the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner). The people raised their voices too saying this as they wanted to say. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did not make any comment and he (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) continued his Talbiyah. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We did not intend to perform anything but Hajj. We did not know ‘Umrah. When we came with him to the House, he touched the Corner, doing Ramal (brisk walk) for three rounds and walking for four. Then, he went forward to the Maqām Ibrahim (Station of Abraham) (peace be upon him). He recited: {And take the station of Abraham as a place of prayer} [Surat al-Baqarah: 125]. He kept the Station between him and the House. My father used to say: 'I do not know that he narrated it from anyone except the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).' He used to recite in the two Rak‘ahs the Surahs of: {Say: 'He is Allah, the One'} and: {Say: 'O disbelievers.'} He then returned to the Corner and touched it, after which he went out by the gate to Safa. When he reached near Safa, he recited: '{Indeed, Safa and Marwah [mounts] are among the symbols of Allah} [Surat al Baqarah: 158]. I begin with what Allah began with.' He then began with Safa and ascended it until he saw the House and faced the Qiblah. So, he declared the oneness of Allah, proclaimed his greatness, and said: La ilaha illa Allahu wahdahu la sharīka lah, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamd, wa huwa ‘ala kulle shay’in qadīr, la ilaha illahu wahdahu, anjaza wa‘dah, wa nasara abdah, wa hazama al-ahzābaha wahdah (There is no god but Allah, alone, with no partner. The dominion and the praise belong to Him, and He is Able to do all things. There is no god but Allah, alone. He fulfilled His promise, supported His servant, and routed the confederates, alone.) He then supplicated during that, saying such words three times. Then, he descended to Marwah, and when his feet reached the bottom of the valley, he walked quickly, and when we ascended, he walked, until he reached Marwah. He did at Marwah what he did at Safa, and when it was the end of his Tawāf at Marwah, he said: 'If I had known before what I came to know afterward regarding this matter of mine, I would not have brought sacrificial animals and would have made it an ‘Umrah; so, if any of you has no sacrificial animals, he may end his Ihrām and make it an ‘Umrah.' Thereupon, Surāqah ibn Mālik ibn Ju‘shum got up and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, does this apply to the present year or forever?' The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) intertwined his fingers and said: '‘Umrah has been incorporated in Hajj - twice - No, but forever and ever.' ‘Ali came from Yemen with the sacrificial animals of the Prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and found Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) among one of those who had taken off their Ihrām, and she put on colored clothes and used cohl into her eyes. He expressed disapproval of that, so she said: 'My father commanded me to do this.' He said: ‘Ali said in Iraq: 'I went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to complain against Fātimah for what she had done and to ask for the opinion of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) regarding what she had mentioned to me. He said: 'She spoke the truth; she spoke the truth. What did you say when you put on Ihrām for Hajj?' He said: 'O Allah, I put on Ihrām for the same purpose for which Your Messenger has put it on.' He said: 'I have sacrificial animals with me; so, do not take off Ihrām.' He said: The total of those sacrificial animals brought by ‘Ali from Yemen and of those brought by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was one hundred. He said: Then, all the people except the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those who had the sacrificial animals with them took off their Ihrāms and shortened their hair. When the Day of Tarwiyah came, they went towards Mina having put on their Ihrāms for Hajj, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) rode and prayed the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Ishā’, and Fajr prayers at Mina. After that, he waited a little until the sun rose and gave orders for a tent of hair to be set up at Namirah. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) proceeded, and the Quraysh had no doubt that he would halt at Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām, as the Quraysh used to do in Jāhiliyyah; but he kept on until he reached ‘Arafah and found that the tent had been set up at Namirah. There, he dismounted, and when the sun had passed the meridian, he ordered for Al-Qaswā' to be brought, and when it was saddled for him, he went down to the bottom of the valley and addressed the people, saying: 'Indeed, your blood and your property are as inviolable to you as this day of yours in this month of yours in this town of yours. Lo! Everything pertaining to Jāhiliyyah has been put under my feet and claims for blood vengeance belonging to Jāhiliyyah have been abolished. The first of those murdered among us whose blood vengeance I remit is the son of Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith. He was suckled among Banu Sa‘d and then killed by Hudhayl. The usury of Jāhiliyyah is abolished, and the first of usury which I abolish is our usury, the usury of ‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, for it is all abolished. Fear Allah regarding women, for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allah’s word. It is your right upon them that they should not allow anyone whom you dislike to step on your mattresses; so, if they do that, beat them, but not severely. You are responsible for providing them with food and clothing in a fitting manner. I have left among you something, if you hold on to it, you will never again go astray: the Book of Allah. You will be asked about me, so what will you say?' They said: 'We testify that you have conveyed, fulfilled, and given advice.' Then, he raised his forefinger towards the sky, and pointing it at the people, he said: 'O Allah, bear witness; O Allah, bear witness,' three times. Then, Bilāl called the Adhān and then the Iqāmah, and he performed the Zhuhr prayer. Then, he called the Iqāmah, and he offered the ‘Asr prayer, offering no prayer between the two. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode and came to the place of standing, making Al-Qaswā’ turn its back to the rocks and having the path taken by those who went on foot in front of him, and he faced the Qiblah. He remained standing until sunset, and the yellow light had somewhat gone, until the disc of the sun had disappeared. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took Usāmah up behind him and severely picked the rein of Al-Qaswā’, so much so that its head was touching the front part of the saddle. Pointing with his right hand, he said: 'O people, calmness, calmness.' Whenever he ascended a mound, he let its rein a little loose so that it could ascend, until he came to Muzdalifah, where he performed the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers with one Adhān and two Iqāmahs. He did not offer supererogatory prayers between them. Then, he lay down until dawn and performed the Fajr prayer when the morning light was clear, with one Adhān and one Iqāmah. Then, he mounted Al-Qaswā’ and came to Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām. He faced the Qiblah, supplicated to Him, and proclaimed His greatness, glorified Him, and declared His oneness, and he kept standing until the daylight was noticeably clear. Then, he departed before the sun rose and made Al-Fadl ibn ‘Abbās ride behind him, and he was a man with beautiful hair, white, and handsome. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) departed, women in howdahs began to quickly pass him by. Al-Fadl began to look at them. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) placed his hand on the face of Al-Fadl, but Al-Fadl turned his face towards the other side, looking. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) also turned his hand to the other side, and Al-Fadl also turned his face to the other side, looking at them until he reached the Valley of Muhassir. He urged the camel a little and following a middle road that leads to Al-Jamrah Al-Kubra, he came to the Jamrah that is beside the tree and threw seven small pebbles at it, saying Takbīr with each pebble of them - pebbles like date stones. He threw them from the bottom of the valley. Then, he went to the place of the sacrifice and sacrificed sixty-three camels with his own hand. He then let ‘Ali sacrifice the remainder, and he shared his sacrificial animals with him. After that, he ordered that a piece of flesh from each camel be put in a pot, and when it was cooked, the two of them ate some of it and drank some of its broth. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) rode and headed to the House and performed the Zhuhr prayer in Makkah. He then went to Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib, who were supplying water at Zamzam, and said: 'Draw water, Banu ‘Abd al-Muttalib! Were it not that people would take the right to draw water from you, I would draw it along with you.' So, they handed him a bucket and he drank from it.".

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth among the pillars of Islam. It is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it. All its actions are taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Tābi‘īs would go to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask them and learn from them the Hadīths of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and what he did and said regarding the acts of worship.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn, known as Al-Bāqir - one of the descendants of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - relates that he and others entered the place of Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him), who asked about those who entered, one by one. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) was blind at the time, as he became blind in the latter part of his life. When he asked about Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn Husayn, and he said his name to him, he extended his hand to Muhammad's head and undid the upper button on his shirt and then undid the lower button, i.e., he loosened it from the buttonhole to reveal his chest and place his hand on it, out of complete compassion towards him, for he is one of the household of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He welcomed him. Jābir did that with him to give him a friendly feeling in light of his young age, as Muhammad was a young boy at the time. He said to him: "Welcome, son of my brother." He meant the brotherhood of religion, not blood relationship. All that Jābir did was out of extreme respect for the Prophet's household, in recognition of their status, and to distinguish them from others and treat them in a manner that befits their rank.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) told him to ask him whatever he wished, which he did. The time of prayer came. So, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) stood wrapped in a mantle. Whenever he placed it on his shoulder, its ends fell off his shoulder due to its shortness, and his Ridā’, the garment that covers the upper body, was placed on a rack by his side. A rack is a group of sticks or pieces of wood whose heads are joined together, whereas their pillars have space in between; clothes are hung over it. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) led them in prayer, offering that prayer whose time came. After the prayer, Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn asked him to tell him about the Hajj of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj once, and it is called the Farewell Hajj. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) pointed with his hand and folded nine of his fingers, as the Arabs would use their fingers in counting. It is as if he wanted to count from one to nine. Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained in Madīnah for nine years after the Hijrah without performing Hajj. Then, in the tenth year after Hijrah, he ordered for a public announcement to be made to inform the people that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was going to perform Hajj that year. This is because he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was keen to gather a large number of his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), for them to prepared for Hajj with him, learn the rituals and rulings, observe his words and actions, and so that he would give them advice. Thus, those who were present would inform those who were absent, and the call of Islam would spread. The public announcement was not limited to the people of Madīnah only, but it extended to all places and regions. As a result, a lot of people came to Madīnah, all desiring and seeking to follow the example of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and act like him in Hajj, for he was the role model.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that they went out with him as five nights were remaining of the month of Dhul-Qi‘dah, as related in the version by An-Nasā’i and in the Two Sahīh Collections, in a Hadīth in which ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that he left Madīnah by daytime after performing the Zhuhr prayer as four Rak‘ahs in Madīnah. He departed between the Zhuhr and ‘Asr, until he reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, the Miqāt of the people of Madīnah and non-residents who pass by it. It is a village located nearly 6 or 7 miles (10km) away from Madīnah. In modern times, it is known among the general public as Abiyār ‘Ali or Ābār ‘Ali and it lies 420km away from Makkah.
In this place, Asmā’ bint ‘Umays, the wife of Abu Bakr as-Siddīq, gave birth to her son Muhammad ibn Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them). She sent a message to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asking him about what she should do with her Ihrām after she entered into a postpartum period. In response, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) instructed her to take a bath for cleanliness, for the blood of postpartum bleeding does not cease except after the end of the postpartum period. Therefore, he ordered her, saying: "and bandage your private parts with a cloth." This is to put a piece of cloth over the area of bleeding - the private parts - to stop the flow of blood. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her to assume Ihrām with intention and Talbiyah. A woman in a menstrual or postpartum period can validly perform all the rituals of Hajj except for Tawāf, as indicated by a Hadīth narrated by An-Nasā’i and Ibn Mājah, in which Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and she should do what people do," of Dhikr and Talbiyah, and stand at Mina, ‘Arafāt, and Muzdalifah, "except that she may not perform Tawāf around the House," i.e., she may not perform Tawāf Ar-Rukn around the honorable Ka‘bah unless she becomes pure of the postpartum bleeding, after which she can do Tawāf.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) offered the Zhuhr prayer as two Rak‘ahs, before leaving the Miqāt and after assuming Ihrām. The day when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) reached Dhu al-Hulayfah, he offered the ‘Asr prayer as two Rak‘ahs. Then, he performed the Maghrib, ‘Ishā’, Fajr, and Zhuhr prayers there; thus, he offered five prayers in it and stayed for a day and a night. He probably stayed in that place so that people would successively come to him, and they would thus be acquainted with the manner of his Hajj from its start, as Hajj begins from the Miqāt where Ihrām is assumed.
Thereafter, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mounted Al-Qaswā’, the name of his riding she-camel, and his she-camel stood erect with him on its back, in "Al-Baydā’''. Al-Baydā’ in Arabic language means the empty desert. But here it refers to a certain place between Makkah and Madīnah, and it is located above the two signposts of Dhu al-Hulayfah for those who ascend from the valley. At the beginning of Al-Baydā’ lies a well. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) says that he looked as far as he could see before him and found people around the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), some of whom were riding and others on foot - they were in front of him, on his right side, on his left side, and behind him. The words of Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) indicate the large number of people and their presence and show how much they were keen to pursue the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him); they did what he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did, and they followed him and adhered to his course and way. Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) clarified that the people did that out of their belief that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the one to whom the Qur'an was revealed, and so he was the one who knew its interpretation and the explanation of its meanings and objectives, which included the rituals of Hajj and ‘Umrah.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) raised his voice as he proclaimed the word of Tawhīd; he said: Labbayka allahumma labbayk, labbayka la sharīka laka labbayk, inna al-hamda wa an-ni‘mata laka wa al-mulk, la sharīka lak (I am at Your service, O Allah, You have no partner; the praise, the favor, and the dominion belong to You. You have no partner). It means I repeat my response to You in my compliance with Your command to perform Hajj, for You are the One Who is worthy of gratitude and praise, because You alone possess the ultimate perfection, and You are the true Bestower of favor. There is no favor except that it comes from You; and You are the sole Possessor of the enduring ownership, and every ownership of anyone other than Yours is doomed to vanish. The wisdom behind Talbiyah is to point out the honor Allah Almighty bestows upon His servants as they come to His House in response to a call from Him, which contradicts the words of Shirk the polytheists who used to say in their Talbiyah during the Jāhiliyyah era. They used to say: "Labbayk la sharīka lak illa sharīkan howa lak, tamlikuhu wa ma malak (You have no partner except for a partner who You own, You possess him and what he possesses), according to a Hadīth narrated by Muslim and reported by Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him).
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "The people too raised their voices saying what they used to say," i.e., they did not commit to this particular Talbiyah which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) proclaimed. This is demonstrated by a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, in which Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "People would say Talbiyah and they were not criticized, and people would say Takbīr and they were not criticized;" and the Hadīth narrated by Muslim, in which ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he used to say Talbiyah like the Talbiyah said by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and add the following to it: "Labbayk, Labbayk, wa sa‘dayk, wa al-khayru biyadayka labbayk, wa ar-raghba’ ilayka wa al-‘amal (I am here ready to obey You. Good is in Your Hands. Reward is sought from You, and work is done for Your sake." There are other relevant Hadīths reported by the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), as they understood that it is not specified. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not reject any of these; he would hear them and not criticize them. His silence denotes the approval of their Talbiyahs.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) continued to say his Talbiyah and kept to it. Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We did not intend to perform anything but Hajj." This was in the beginning, at the time of their departure from Madīnah; otherwise, some of them actually assumed Ihrām for ‘Umrah; or he was talking about the case applying to most of them; or that the main objective of their departure was to perform Hajj, even if some of them intended to perform ‘Umrah. Jābir then said: "We did not know ‘Umrah." He probably said that about their initial condition, before Ihrām. They used to regard the performance of ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj as a heinous immorality. But when it was the time of Ihrām, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made things clear to them, saying, as narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections: "Whoever wants to assume Ihrām for Hajj, let him do so. Whoever wants to assume Ihrām for ‘Umrah, let him do so, and whoever wants to assume Ihrām for Hajj and ‘Umrah, let him do so." This dispelled the illusion they had harbored, and they remained like that.
When they reached Makkah - which happened on the morning of the 4th day of Dhul-Hijjah - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions came to the Ka‘bah, and he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) touched the Corner, by which he meant the Black Stone. Touching it includes passing the hand over it and kissing it. Then, he began Tawāf around the House, doing it for seven rounds. In the first three rounds, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took quick and short steps, whereas he walked normally in the other four rounds. He would start the round from the front of the Black Stone and would finish it there.
After he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) finished the Tawāf around the Ka‘bah, he headed to the Station of Abraham and recited the verse that reads: {Take the Station of Abraham as a place for prayer.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 125], i.e., O people, take the Station of Abraham as a place of prayer where you pray, as an act of worship from you to Allah Almighty, and as an honor to Abraham (peace be upon him) from Allah, Exalted be He. This is after finishing the Tawāf around the Ka‘bah, with the Station lying between the House and the praying person. The Station of Abraham is the place of his standing. It is the stone upon which Abraham (peace be upon him) stood at the time of his construction of the Ka‘bah, and it has his footprint. Its location is well-known nowadays beside the Ka‘bah. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made the Station between himself and the House and prayed behind the Station, in compliance with Allah's command.
Ja‘far ibn Muhammad says that his father Muhammad related from Jābir that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited in these two Rak‘ahs Surat: {Say: "O disbelievers"} in the first Rak‘ah, after Al-Fātihah, and in the second Rak‘ah Surat: {Say: "He is Allah, the One"}, as related in Sunan At-Tirmidhi and Sunan An-Nasā’i. The version here is not meant to specify the order.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) returned after offering the two Rak‘ahs of Tawāf to the Black Stone once again and touched it. Thereafter, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out from the gate of Banu Makhzūm, which is known as the gate of Safa. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went out through it because it was the nearest gate to Mount Safa, and because Safa and Marwah were then located outside the Mosque. When he approached Mount Safa, he recited the verse that reads: {Indeed, Safa and Marwah [mounts] are among the symbols of Allah.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 158] And he said: "I begin with what Allah has begun with," i.e., Allah Almighty mentioned Safa first; so, we begin with it in Sa‘i. It was called Safa because its stones are of the Safa type, which is smooth and hard. It is located at the bottom of Mount Abu Qubays. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) began Sa‘i from Safa and ascended Mount Safa until he could see the honorable Ka‘bah, then he faced the Qiblah, declared the oneness of Allah, proclaimed his greatness, and said: "There is no god but Allah, alone," He is One in divinity and in Essence, "with no partner to Him" in divinity or attributes. "The dominion and the praise belong to Him," i.e., He possesses everything, and He can dispose of His dominion as He wishes. And to Him belongs the greatness and the good laudation and comprehensive gratitude for His favors and grace. "and He is Able to do all things;" nothing escapes His power. The absolute ability belongs to Him, Exalted be He. "There is no god but Allah, alone; He fulfilled His promise," i.e., He fulfilled the promise He made to him that He, Exalted be He, would make the religion dominant. "supported His servant," i.e., He gave a great victory to His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "and routed the confederates alone," i.e., He defeated them without fighting by human beings and without a cause on their part. The confederates are those who allied together against the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the battle of the Trench in the 5 A.H. He uttered this Dhikr three times and supplicated with what Allah enabled him to say after each time.
Then, he descended and walked to Marwah, and when his feet went down and headed downwards "at the bottom of the valley," which refers to the low area between the two mountains, "he walked quickly," i.e., he hastened his steps. When his feet ascended and went upwards, he walked normally, until he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came and went up on Mount Marwah, which is a high place at the bottom of Mount Qu‘ayqi‘ān, in the north-east of the Sacred Mosque. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did at Marwah what he had done at Safa, facing the Qiblah and engaging in Dhikr and supplication. The Prophet's Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah consisted of seven rounds. From Safa to Marwah is one round, and from Marwah to Safa is another round. He would begin with Safa and end with Marwah. The place of the Prophet's Sa‘i is now highlighted and marked with green lamps hung on the ceiling along the distance for which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Sa‘i.
When he was in the last part of his Tawāf - the seventh round that would end at Marwah - he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them): "If I had known before what I have come to know afterwards regarding this matter of mine," i.e., If I had known at the beginning of the matter what I came to know at its end - that is the permissibility of performing ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj - I would not have brought sacrificial animals with me from outside Makkah and would have performed a Tamattu‘ Hajj. He wanted to do the opposite of what the people of Jāhiliyyah used to do in their beliefs and deeds. The existence of sacrificial animals prevents the pilgrim from ending the Ihrām of Hajj and making it an ‘Umrah and then ending its Ihrām. The matter the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to know afterward is the hardship faced by his Companions as they ended their Ihrām apart from him; they even stopped, hesitated, and came back to ask him. By contrast, those who did not bring sacrificial animals with them could end the Ihrām for Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah. His statement "If I had known before..." was meant to comfort his Companions whom he ordered to end their Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah, because they had not brought the sacrificial animals with them. Sacrificial animals are the cattle, camels, and sheep that are gifted to the House as a means of closeness to Allah Almighty. This also indicates that Tamattu‘ is better than Qirān and Ifrād, and that if the sacrificial animals are brought, the performer of Qirān and Ifrād Hajj remains in his Ihrām until the Day of Nahr.
Surāqah ibn Mālik ibn Ju‘shum (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Does this apply to the present year or forever?" i.e., is the permissibility of ending Hajj and turning it into ‘Umrah and performing ‘Umrah in the months of Hajj, or along with Hajj particularly related to this year or it applies forever? Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) intertwined his fingers and said: "‘Umrah has been incorporated in Hajj," i.e., ‘Umrah has entered the months of Hajj. He said that twice. He then said: "but forever and ever;" this is a general ruling on the legitimacy of performing Tamattu‘ Hajj, doing ‘Umrah before Hajj, in all years, not only a particular one.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Yemen with sacrificial animals. Before his Hajj, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had sent him as a judge and collector of Zakah, and he returned, and on the way, he raised his voice in Talbiyah and intended to enter the rituals. When ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) entered Makkah, and he was yet to learn about the Tamattu‘ the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had commanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to engage in, he found his wife Fātimah, the Prophet's daughter, to be one of those who ended their Ihrām, and she wore 'colored' clothing, which women are forbidden to wear under Ihrām, and she put kohl in her eyes. This all indicates she was fully adorned and had ended Ihrām. He expressed disapproval of that, thinking it to be impermissible. She informed him that it was the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who commanded her to end the Ihrām. So, ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and complained to him about Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her), i.e., he mentioned to him what entailed rebuking her for what she did; and he sought the Prophet's opinion about what she mentioned about him and that he expressed disapproval of what she did. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "She spoke the truth; she spoke the truth;" he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) affirmed the trueness of what Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) informed him about.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "What did you say when you put on Ihrām for Hajj?" i.e., what did you intend to perform when you assumed Ihrām: Hajj or ‘Umrah, or both of them? ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he said: "O Allah, I put on Ihrām for the same purpose for which Your Messenger has put it on," i.e., I assume the same Ihrām as the Ihrām of Your Messenger. So, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have sacrificial animals with me;" this is to clarify why he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not end his Ihrām. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) also brought the sacrificial animals with him. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved his assumption of Ihrām and instructed him to continue with it.
Then, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the total of sacrificial animals brought by ‘Ali from Yemen and by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from Madīnah was one hundred.
Those who had not brought the sacrificial animals with them ended their Ihrām in compliance with the command of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and they cut their hair and stayed as non-Muhrims (out of Ihrām), engaging in things forbidden for them under Ihrām. He said, "and shortened their hair," though shaving is better than shortening, as authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Regarding that, it was said: So that some hair should remain until the rituals of Hajj and can be shaved on the Day of Nahr after throwing pebbles at Jamrat al-‘Aqabah.
Meanwhile, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those who had sacrificial animals with them did not end their Ihrām. When it was the Day of Tarwiyah - the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah, and it was called as such because water in Mina was little, and they used to drink water from there and carry it for later - the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions headed to Mina. The performers of Tamattu‘ Hajj assumed new Ihrāms for their Hajj. As for the performers of Qirān Hajj - the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those who had sacrificial animals with them - they remained in their Ihrām. Ihrām should be assumed in the place where one alights, and the Companions alighted with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Al-Abtah, so they assumed Ihrām therein, as related in the Two Sahīh Collections. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains, which is located east of Makkah, on the road between Makkah and Mount ‘Arafah, and it lies 6km away from the Sacred Mosque. Mina: It is a place where rituals of Hajj are performed, the pilgrims stay on the Day of Tarwiyah, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, and the Days of Tashrīq. It includes the area of throwing the Jamarāt, which happens between the rise and setting of the sun in those days of Hajj, and it is where the sacrificial animals are slaughtered.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mounted the she-camel upon the rise of the sun on the Day of Tarwiyah, and he offered the Zhuhr, ‘Asr, Maghrib, ‘Ishā’, and Fajr prayers at Mina, each prayer at its time. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained for a little after the performance of the Fajr prayer until the sun rose, and he ordered that a tent be set up for him - and it used to be made of hair, i.e., the hair of goats and wool of sheep - at Namirah before his arrival at ‘Arafah. Namirah lies to the west of the Mash‘ar of ‘Arafāt, and part of the western side of the Namirah Mosque is located in the valley of ‘Uranah.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions headed from Mina to the ‘Arafah Mount, which lies outside the boundaries of the Sacred Mosque, on the road that links Makkah to Tā’if. It is located 22km to the east of Makkah, 10km away from Mina, and 6km away from Muzdalifah; and its total area is estimated to be around 10.4km. The Quraysh had no doubt that he would stop at "Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām," a mountain in Muzdalifah which is called Quzah; this is where the mosque of Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām is located, at the beginning of Muzdalifah. Some people from the Quraysh thought that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would do as the Quraysh used to do in Jāhiliyyah. In a version by Muslim: The Arabs in Jāhiliyyah would be prompted to perform Hajj by a man known as "Abu Sayyārah". He was a man from Banu Bajīlah called ‘Umayrah ibn al-A‘lam, who used to ride a donkey without a packsaddle and with nothing for the rider to sit on. He would depart from Muzdalifah and not go out to ‘Arafāt.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went past Muzdalifah and did not stop at it. Rather, he directly headed to ‘Arafāt. When he approached it, he found the tent set up at Namirah. He alighted at it and stayed there until the sun passed the meridian and moved from the middle of the sky, from the east to the west. He ordered for his she-camel Al-Qaswā’ to be brought, and the saddle was fastened on its back so that he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) could ride it. He rode it and came to the bottom of the valley, the valley of ‘Uranah, which is one of the valleys of Makkah. It lies to the west of ‘Arafāt and cuts through the land of Al-Mughammas, passing by the end of ‘Arafāt from the western side, by the Namirah Mosque. Then, it meets with the valley of Nu‘mān and passes south of Makkah, at the boundaries of the Sacred Precincts. At this place, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stood, addressed the people, and admonished them, saying: "Indeed, your blood and your property," i.e., shedding your blood and taking your property without right "are as inviolable to you" in an emphatic manner like the inviolability of the day of ‘Arafah, the inviolability of the month of Dhul-Hijjah, and the inviolability of Makkah. This denotes emphasis and severity.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Lo! Everything pertaining to Jāhiliyyah," i.e., what they newly introduced and the legislations they laid down in Hajj and other things before Islam. Jāhiliyyah: It is the period in which people were upon Shirk before the advent of Islam. It was given this name because of their prevalent ignorance. "has been put under my feet," i.e., it is false and void and does not count. "and claims for blood vengeance belonging to Jāhiliyyah have been abolished," i.e., they are abandoned, with no legal retribution, blood money, or expiation. The first of those murdered among us whose blood vengeance I remit and abolish - as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would begin with himself - is the son of Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith ibn ‘Abdul-Muttalib. Rabī‘ah ibn al-Hārith was the Prophet's cousin. No legal retribution or blood money was due regarding him; rather, these were void, for his case belongs to the claims for blood vengeance in Jāhiliyyah. "He was suckled," i.e., this son had a wet nurse from Banu Sa‘d, and the tribe of Hudhayl killed him.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The usury of Jāhiliyyah;" usury is prohibited in Jāhiliyyah and Islam. Yet, he attributed it to Jāhiliyyah because they legalized it for themselves. Then, when Islam came, it established its unlawfulness. Usury is a transaction among people with an interest on principal debts and loans, be it the Fadl (excess) usury or the Nasī’ah (deferred) usury. Allah Almighty prohibited it and gave a warning regarding it. Allah Almighty says: {Those who consume usury will not stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except like those being beaten by Satan. That is because they say: "Trade is just like usury." But Allah has permitted trade and forbidden usury. Whoever desists because of receiving admonition from his Lord may keep his past gains, and his case is left to Allah. But whoever returns to it, they are the people of the Fire; they will abide therein forever.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 275] His words "is abolished" mean false and void. All usurious transactions that had previously been conducted in Jāhiliyyah and part of them remains, this is void. Abolished here refers to the interest, not the principal amount, for it will be given back to its owner, as Allah Almighty also says: {However, if you repent, you may retain your capital.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 279] "and the first of usury which I abolish is our usury, the usury of ‘Abbās ibn ‘Abd al-Muttalib, for it is all abolished." He began with the usury of his uncle Al-‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) given his relation to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), so that the people would imitate him in words and deeds and abolish that from their debtors.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) advised them to be kind to women, saying: "Fear Allah regarding women," i.e., fear the punishment of Allah Almighty for failing to observe the rights of your wives and their worldly and religious interests, by treating them fairly and taking care of their rights. "for you have got them under Allah’s security and have the right to intercourse with them by Allah’s word," i.e., you married them by the Shariah of Allah, and Allah made sexual intercourse a right for you upon them. Thus, they are trusts with you. So, you should take care of these trusts and not subject them to harm or offense; rather, you should be benevolent to them and treat them kindly. The word of Allah refers to the contract, which relies on two words of proposal and acceptance from the guardian and the husband.
When he enjoined kindness to women, he mentioned the rights due upon them, saying: "It is your right upon them that they should not allow anyone whom you dislike stepping on your mattresses," i.e., those you dislike that they enter your houses, which applies to men and women, relatives, and non-relatives. It was said: This statement is not understood to denote prohibition from adultery, for this is prohibited with those the husband dislikes and those he does not dislike. "However, if they did so" and allowed in your houses those you dislike entering, without your approval, then you, O men, can discipline them, even if this discipline reaches the limit of beating; "beat them, but not severely," i.e., not hard, or harsh beating. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) also mentioned the rights due upon men to their wives. Due to them is provision, including food, drink, dwelling, and clothing, as much as is sufficient for them, without extravagance or miserliness, or according to their condition in terms of poverty and richness.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have left among you something," i.e., within you. This is addressed to all Muslims, whet.

1218

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Makkah, he went to the Stone and touched it and then walked to its right side, engaging in three rounds of Ramal (a fast walk), and walking four..

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth among the pillars of Islam. It is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it, and all its rituals must be taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This Hadīth reveals one of the aspects of the Prophet's performance of Hajj during the Farewell Hajj, regarding touching the Stone and then performing Tawāf around the Ka‘bah. Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Makkah for Hajj, in the Farewell Hajj, during the 8th Hijri year, he headed to the Black Stone, which is located in the corner of the Ka‘bah close to the gate in the eastern side, and its height from the ground is two cubits and two-thirds of a cubit. "And touched it," which includes wiping over it and kissing it. Then, he walked to the right and began circumambulating the Ka‘bah, with it being to his left. He performed Tawāf around the House for seven rounds. He walked in a fast manner with short steps during the first three rounds and walked at the normal pace in the remaining four rounds.
The Hadīth indicates that Tawāf should be started from the Black Stone after touching it.
It also points out that the performer of Tawāf should walk to the right after touching the Stone, with the House being to his left.
And it demonstrates that one should engage in Ramal during the first three rounds in the Tawāf of Qudūm (arrival), and one should walk calmly in the last four rounds..

1218

Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I slaughtered the sacrificial animals here, and all of Mina is a place of slaughter; so, slaughter your sacrificial animals in your dwellings; and I stood here, and all of ‘Arafah is a place of standing; and I stood here, and all of Jam‘ is a place of standing.".

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, and all its rituals must be taken from the Sunnah of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This Hadīth reveals one of the aspects of the Prophet's performance of Hajj in the Farewell Hajj and demonstrates his leniency and compassion towards his Ummah with regard to standing at ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah and the slaughter of sacrificial animals in Mina. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I slaughtered the sacrificial animals here," i.e., I slaughtered them in this place of mine in Mina. The place where he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) slaughtered the sacrificial animals was Al-Jamrah As-Sughra, which is the first Jamrah after the Khayf Mosque in Mina. However, out of his desire to facilitate things for his Ummah, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and all of Mina is a place of slaughter," i.e., it is valid to slaughter sacrificial animals anywhere in it. So, slaughter the sacrificial animals in your places and dwellings. Mina is a valley surrounded by mountains and located to the east of Makkah, on the way between Makkah and Mount ‘Arafah, and it is situated nearly 6km away from the Sacred Mosque. Mina is the place where the rituals of Hajj are performed and the pilgrims stay during the day of Tarwiyah, the day of Eid al-Ad'ha, and the days of Tashrīq, and it is the site of throwing the Jamarāt, which happens between sunrise and sunset during these days of Hajj. The Hady (sacrificial animals by pilgrims) are also slaughtered there.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and I stood here" in my place at ‘Arafah "and all of ‘Arafah is a place of standing" where it is valid to stand on the ninth day of Dhul-Hijjah. Mount ‘Arafah lies outside the boundaries of the Sacred Mosque, on the way between Makkah and Tā’if, and it is located nearly 22km away from Makkah, 10km from Mina, and 6km from Muzdalifah.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and I stood here, and all of Jam‘ is a place of standing," i.e., I stood here in Muzdalifah at Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām, and all of Muzdalifah is a place of standing. Muzdalifah is the name for the place where the pilgrims alight after departing from ‘Arafāt and stay there for the night of the tenth day of Dhul-Hijjah. It includes Al-Mash‘ar Al-Harām and is situated nearly 12km away from ‘Arafah and next to the Mash‘ar of Mina. Muzdalifah was called 'Jam‘' because the Maghrib and ‘Ishā’ prayers are combined there (combining in Arabic: Jam‘). It is also said: It was named after the practice of its people, as they gather (Yajtami‘) therein and seek closeness to Allah (Yazdalif) by standing in it.
The Hadīth points to the validity of standing anywhere at ‘Arafah and Muzdalifah.
It indicates that all of Mina is a place of slaughter, and it is valid to slaughter the sacrificial animals at any place therein.
The Hadīth urges us not to jostle against one another at the rituals of Hajj and to disperse across the places..

1224

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Tamattu‘ in Hajj was for the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in particular..

Commentary : Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when a pilgrim intends to perform ‘Umrah along with Hajj. As he comes to Makkah and performs ‘Umrah, he ends his Ihrām and enjoys all that is lawful until the beginning of the rituals of Hajj on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah.
In this tradition, Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that Tamattu‘ in Hajj was for the Companions of Muhammad in particular. In other words, dissolving Hajj and turning it into ‘Umrah pertained to the Companions alone. This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered some of his Companions, who had not brought the sacrificial animals with them, to do this during the Farewell Hajj. Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who dissolved their Hajj and turned it into ‘Umrah. As for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the other Companions who had brought the sacrificial animals with them, they were performers of Qirān Hajj, i.e., they combined Hajj and ‘Umrah with one Ihrām.
His statement contradicts some Sahīh Hadiths that are authentically reported from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), which indicate that Tamattu‘ is permissible during the months of Hajj. It is said: The statement of Abu Dharr is taken to mean that the due and compulsory dissolution was that which the Prophet's Companions did. As for others, this is only recommended.
In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections - and the wording here is by Muslim - Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If I had known before what I came to know afterward regarding this matter of mine, I would not have brought the sacrificial animals but made it an ‘Umrah. So, if any of you has no sacrificial animals, he may dissolve his Ihrām and turn it into an ‘Umrah." Thereupon, Surāqah ibn Mālik ibn Ju‘shum got up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, does this apply to this year of ours, or forever?" i.e., is the permissibility to dissolve Hajj and turn it into ‘Umrah and to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj or along with Hajj related to this year or does it apply forever? "Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) intertwined his fingers" signaling that this applies to all years, and not one year in particular "and said: 'The ‘Umrah has been incorporated in Hajj - twice - No, but forever and ever,'" i.e., ‘Umrah has become permissible during the months of Hajj. This means: It is legitimate to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj and to perform it along with Hajj.
In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The verse of Tamattu‘ was revealed in the Book of Allah - meaning Tamattu‘ Hajj - and the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us to perform it. Then, no verse was revealed to abrogate the verse on Tamattu‘ Hajj, and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not prohibit it until he passed away. The verse in question is the one that reads: {then if anyone takes a break between ‘Umrah and Hajj, he must offer a sacrifice of whatever animal is available.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 196].

1225

Ghunaym ibn Qays reported: I asked Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās about Tamattu‘ and he said: We performed that when this was then a disbeliever in the shady dwellings, i.e., the houses of Makkah. [And in a version]: Tamattu‘ in Hajj..

Commentary : In Jāhiliyyah, the Arabs used to regard assuming Ihrām for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj (Rajab, Dhul-Qi‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram) as one of the worst immoral acts and gravest sins. They would prohibit ‘Umrah until the end of the month of Muharram. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) abolished the habits of Jāhiliyyah, including the prohibition of ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and established the Shariah of Islam.
In this tradition, Ghunaym ibn Qays says that he asked the Companion Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) about Tamattu‘ in Hajj. Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when a pilgrim intends to perform ‘Umrah along with Hajj. As he comes to Makkah and performs ‘Umrah, he ends his Ihrām and enjoys all that is lawful until the beginning of the rituals of Hajj on the 8th day of Dhul-Hijjah. In response, Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We performed that," i.e., we, the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), engaged in Tamattu‘, performing ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj. "When this", referring to Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him). Perhaps he wanted to forbid Tamattu‘ altogether during the months of Hajj, and he was then the caliph of Muslims. "Was then a disbeliever," i.e., Mu‘āwiyah was following the religion of Jāhiliyyah and residing "in the shady dwellings," i.e., the houses of Makkah. This is because these houses were covered with fronds of date palms.
Accordingly, the Tamattu‘ here in the words of Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) is intended to refer to the ‘Umrah performed during the 7th Hijri year, which was offered to make up for an earlier missed ‘Umrah. Mu‘āwiyah was a disbeliever at the time. He embraced Islam thereafter, during the year of the Conquest of Makkah, in 8 A.H. The bottom line is that ‘Umrah was performed during the months of Hajj..

1226

Mutarrif reported: ‘Imrān ibn Husayn said to me: "I will narrate to you a Hadīth today by which Allah will benefit you after today, and know that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made some members of his family perform ‘Umrah during the ten days. No verse was revealed to abrogate that, and he did not prohibit it till he passed away. So, after him, everyone held the opinion he liked." [And in a version]: A man held the opinion as he liked, meaning ‘Umar..

Commentary : Tamattu‘ in Hajj is when the pilgrim assumes Ihrām for ‘Umrah along with his Hajj. So, when he comes to Makkah and performs ‘Umrah and completes it, he may end his Ihrām and enjoy all that is lawful until the rituals of Hajj begin, on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah. Some of the Companions did it along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) during the Farewell Hajj.
In this Hadīth, ‘Imrān ibn Husayn (may Allah be pleased with him) said to Mutarrif ibn ‘Abdullāh ibn ash-Shikhkhīr: "I will narrate to you a Hadīth today by which Allah will benefit you after today" i.e., Allah will benefit you by it for the rest of your life, given the Fiqh and religious knowledge contained therein. And know that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted some of his wives to perform ‘Umrah during the first ten days of Dhul-Hijjah, before the commencement of the Hajj rituals. He meant to say to him: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made some of his wives perform ‘Umrah with Tamattu‘ before Hajj. In the version by Al-Bukhāri: "We performed it along with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)." Then, he (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that nothing of the Qur’an forbade Tamattu‘ in Hajj and abrogate this ruling; also, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not prohibit Tamattu‘ in Hajj till he passed away. But, after his death, "everyone held the opinion he liked." In a version: "A man held the opinion he liked" i.e., after the Prophet's death, some people adopted an opinion not supported by proof from the Qur’an or the Sunnah. By this statement, he was referring to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), for he was the one who forbade Mut‘ah in Hajj. His forbiddance, however, was not meant as prohibition. Rather, he intended to encourage people to perform Hajj of Ifrād only, since ‘Umrah is available all year long. So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) did not prohibit Tamattu‘ altogether. He only wanted to encourage Ifrād.
In a version by Muslim, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, separate your Hajj from your ‘Umrah. This makes your Hajj more complete and your ‘Umrah more complete." This points to his forbiddance of Tamattu‘ in Hajj. Perhaps he saw this as more perfect for both acts of worship, or he probably based his opinion on another meaning, such that people should not cease to come to the House; rather, they should frequent it, coming once for Hajj and another time for ‘Umrah - and Allah knows best.
The Hadīth shows that the Companions engaged in Ijtihād regarding religious rulings, and some of them objected to others citing religious texts.
It demonstrates the validity of Tamattu‘ in Hajj, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) made some of his wives observe it..

1232

Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pronouncing Talbiyah for Hajj and ‘Umrah together. Bakr said: I narrated that to Ibn ‘Umar, who said: "He pronounced Talbiyah for Hajj only." I met Anas and narrated to him the words of Ibn ‘Umar, and he said: "You only count us as children. I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: Labbayk ‘Umrah and Hajj.".

Commentary : Hajj is the fifth among the pillars of Islam. It is an act of worship for those who can find a way to it, and all its rituals must be taken from the Prophet's Sunnah. The Tābi‘īs used to go to the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask them and learn from them the Hadīths of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his words and deeds in the acts of worship.
In this Hadīth, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "pronouncing Talbiyah for Hajj and ‘Umrah together" in the Farewell Hajj. This indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing Hajj of Qirān. Then, Bakr ibn ‘Abdullāh - who narrated this Hadīth from Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) - informed that he related to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) what Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said. Thereupon, ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him), commenting on the statement of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), said: "He pronounced Talbiyah for Hajj only" i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was performing Hajj of Ifrād and did not perform ‘Umrah with it. Bakr stated that he returned to Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) and told him about this statement by Ibn ‘Umar; thereupon, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You only count us as children" i.e., you only consider us to be children who know nothing about the conditions and Sunnahs of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He (may Allah be pleased with him) was alluding to his young age during the period in which he accompanied and served the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Madīnah as an emigrant, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was aged ten at the time. Accordingly, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) was twenty years old during the Farewell Hajj. So, Hadīths are to be accepted from him, especially after he reached the age of adolescence and maturity. So, by these words of his, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) expressed disapproval of anyone who may think this way about him. He, therefore, said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: Labbayk ‘Umrah and Hajj." Thus, he (may Allah be pleased with him) affirmed what he narrated from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that he saw and heard him do that.
The correct and more predominant view is that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed Hajj of Qirān, as stated by Anas. Whoever advocated a different view based it on what he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) doing or heard him saying in the assumption of Ihrām. He who heard him assuming Ihrām for Hajj thought that he performed Hajj of Ifrād; he who heard him assuming Ihrām for ‘Umrah thought that he performed Hajj of Tamattu‘; and he who heard him assuming Ihrām for Hajj and ‘Umrah together knew that he performed Hajj of Qirān, making Hajj and ‘Umrah with one Ihrām, and that ‘Umrah was incorporated into the rituals of Hajj..

1233

Wabarah reported: A man asked Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "May I perform Tawāf around the House while I have assumed Ihrām for Hajj?" He said: "What prevents you from doing that?" He said: "I saw the son of so-and-so expressing disapproval of it, and you are dearer to us than him. We saw that he was allured by worldly life." Thereupon, he said: "And who amongst us - or amongst you - has not been allured by worldly life?" Then, he said: "We saw the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assuming Ihrām for Hajj, performing Tawāf around the House, and making Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah. So, the Sunnah of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is more worthy of being followed than the Sunnah of so-and-so, if you are truthful.".

Commentary : Hajj is of great significance, and its rituals were taken in detail from the Prophet's Hajj. Hence, the Tābi‘īs (may Allah have mercy upon them) were keen to verify all that was reported and attributed to him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) from his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Wabarah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān al-Kūfi relates that a man asked ‘Abdullūh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): Is it valid for me to perform Tawāf around the House after assuming Ihrām and before standing at ‘Arafah and performing the other rituals? His words "while I have assumed Ihrām for Hajj" mean that he assumed Ihrām for Hajj of Ifrād and was not performing Hajj of Tamattu‘ or Qirān. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him: What prevents you from starting with Tawāf?! This indicates that Ibn ‘Umar approved the performance of Tawāf first. In response, the questioner said: "I saw the son of so-and-so", meaning ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), "expressing disapproval of it." In a version by Muslim: "Ibn ‘Abbās says: Do not perform Tawāf around the House until you have come to the standing." He (may Allah be pleased with him) used to forbid starting with Tawāf before coming to ‘Arafah. "and you are dearer to us than him"; he meant that he gave precedence to the view of Ibn ‘Umar over the view of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with them), alleging that Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) was allured by worldly life, for he was appointed as a governor of Basrah by his cousin ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him), and authority brings possible peril and temptation. As for Ibn ‘Umar, he did not assume any post of authority.
As for the statement by Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him): "And who amongst us has not been allured by worldly life?" It stems from his asceticism, modesty, and fairness, and it came as a response to this man's criticism of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) and demonstrated the merit of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him).
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assumed Ihrām for Hajj, performed Tawāf al-Qudūm around the House for seven rounds, and made Sa‘i between Safa and Marwah. This means that he started Tawāf and Sa‘i before going out to Mina and ‘Arafah. It is said: If a Muhrim performs Hajj of Ifrād, this Tawāf counts as Tawāf al-Qudūm, and if he performs ‘Umrah only or Hajj of Tamattu‘ or Qirān, this Tawāf counts as the Tawāf for ‘Umrah, whether he intends it as such or not; and a performer of Hajj of Qirān is required to perform another Tawāf for Al-Qudūm.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is famously reported to have assumed Ihrām for Hajj of Qirān, performing Hajj and ‘Umrah together. So, his Tawāf was for the ‘Umrah, and then ‘Umrah was incorporated into the rituals of Hajj.
Then, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) outlined a rule for this man to follow in his pursuit of knowledge, namely that the Sunnah of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) is more worthy of being followed than the Sunnah of so-and-so. His words "if you are truthful" mean: If you are sincere in following the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), do not deviate from his practice.
The Hadīth shows the Companions' caution not to backbite or defame one another.
It indicates that it is unacceptable to praise oneself while despising others..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts Ramadan, out of faith and in the hope of reward, his previous sins will be forgiven.”.

It was narrated that Zubayd said: I asked Abu Wa’il about the Murji’ah, and he said: ‘Abdullah told me that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Insulting a Muslim is an evil action and fighting him is disbelief (kufr).”.

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: Asmā’ bint ‘Umays gave birth to Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr at the tree. Then, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded Abu Bakr to ask her to take a bath and assume Ihrām..

‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) performed the Ifrād Hajj..

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When we ended Ihrām, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to assume Ihrām as we headed to Mina. He said: We pronounced Talbiyah in Al-Abtah..

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Neither the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) nor his Companions performed Tawāf between Safa and Marwah except for one Tawāf. [Another version adds]: his first Tawāf.

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came to Makkah, he went to the Stone and touched it and then walked to its right side, engaging in three rounds of Ramal (a fast walk), and walking four..

Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Tamattu‘ in Hajj was for the Companions of Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in particular..

Ghunaym ibn Qays reported: I asked Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqās about Tamattu‘ and he said: We performed that when this was then a disbeliever in the shady dwellings, i.e., the houses of Makkah. [And in a version]: Tamattu‘ in Hajj..