It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Do you see this qiblah of mine here? By Allah, your khushu‘ [proper focus and humility] and your bowing are not hidden from me, for indeed I see you behind my back.”.

Commentary : Khushu‘ (proper focus and humility) forms the essence of prayer; by means of khushu‘ the worshipper will be calm and unhurried in his prayer, and will turn more wholeheartedly to Allah (may He be glorified). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught the Muslims the etiquette of prayer and what is most important when praying, so that their prayer might be perfected.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked his companions: “Do you see this qiblah of mine here?” This is a question objecting to what they might think when he is facing towards the qiblah. In other words: do you think that I do not see what you do, because my qiblah is in this direction, and the one who faces towards something turns his back towards what is behind him. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that what he could see was not limited to one direction; he swore by Allah that he could see who was focusing properly in his prayer, and who was not, behind him. His intention in saying that was to urge them to focus properly, with humility, and bow properly in the prayer. What his words “for indeed I see you behind my back” meant was that Allah (may He be exalted) had created in him the ability to see those who were standing behind him. This is something that was unique to him, and he was able to see them in a real sense, which was something extraordinary. He was also granted other extraordinary abilities apart from this, and that is not contrary to rational thinking or to any religious text; rather there are religious texts that confirm that, and we must believe in it.
It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw them through what was revealed to him about their actions and how they performed the prayer, because seeing may mean knowing and believing.
What he meant when he said that was: Focus properly in the prayer, with humility, and do the essential parts thereof properly, as if I am watching you and directing you to do it correctly, for I see your actions in prayer behind me when I am standing and leading you in prayer and you are behind me, just as I see you when I am looking at you in front of me.
This hadith is one of the proofs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

419

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led us in prayer, then he ascended the minbar and said regarding the prayer and bowing: “Indeed I can see you behind me as I see you [now].”.

Commentary : Khushu‘ (proper focus and humility) form the essence of prayer; by means of khushu‘ the worshipper will be calm and unhurried in his prayer, and will turn more wholeheartedly to Allah (may He be glorified). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught the Muslims the etiquette of prayer and what is most important when praying, so that their prayer might be perfected.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) led them in prayer, then he ascended the minbar and spoke regarding the prayer and bowing, meaning that he exhorted them with regard to the prayer and bowing. He singled out bowing for mention, even though it is included in the prayer, because he wanted to pay extra attention to it, either because it is the greatest of the essential parts of the prayer, based on the fact that if a latecomer to a congregational prayer catches up with bowing, he has caught up with that entire rak‘ah, or because he knew that they were falling short in bowing, so he mentioned it in order to highlight their shortcomings in it. Then he said: “Indeed I can see you behind me as I see you [now].” This was one of his miracles and unique characteristics, and one of the proofs of his prophethood. What is meant is that Allah (may He be exalted) had created in him the ability to know what was happening behind him, and his seeing meant knowing in a true sense what was happening, by extraordinary means. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was granted many extraordinary feats and events in addition to this, and nothing in that is contrary to rational thinking or religious texts, rather the religious texts speak of such miracles and extraordinary events, so we must believe in them.
It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw them through what was revealed to him about their actions and how they performed the prayer, because seeing may mean knowing and believing.
What he meant when he said that was: Focus properly in the prayer, with humility, and bow and do the essential parts thereof properly, as if I am watching you and directing you to do it correctly, for I see your actions in prayer behind me when I am standing and leading you in prayer and you are behind me, just as I see you when I am looking at you in front of me.
This hadith urges us to offer the prayer in the manner enjoined by Allah (may He be glorified and exalted).
It is also one of the proofs of the prophethood of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

420

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) held a race between horses that had been made lean, starting from al-Hafya’ and ending at Thaniyyat al-Wada‘, and another race between horses that had not been made lean, starting from Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ and ending at the mosque of Banu Zurayq. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was one of those who took part in these races..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prescribed for his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that by means of which they could attain some pleasures of this world and would also have a good impact on their faith and their hereafter. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) held a race between horses that had been made lean, which means that they were fed until they grew fat and strong, then their feed was reduced, giving them just enough to survive, and they were put in an enclosed space and covered with blankets until they became hot and sweated. Then when the sweat dried, their flesh would be reduced and they would be able to run fast. The course of the race began at al-Hafya’, which is a place near Madinah, to the west of Mount Uhud, and ended at Thaniyyat al-Wada‘; a thaniyyah is a path through the mountains, and it was called Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ [lit. the mountain pass of farewell] because when someone departed from Madinah, his family would take him to that mountain pass, then they would bid farewell to him in that place, and go back home. Between Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ and al-Hafya’ there is a distance of five miles or more (approximately 8 km). He also held a race between heavy horses that had not been made lean, from Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ to the mosque of Banu Zurayq, who were a tribe of the Ansar. The mosque was named after them by way of describing which mosque it was, not that they owned it. Between Thaniyyat al-Wada‘ and the mosque of Banu Zurayq there was a distance of one kilometre. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who took part in these horse races.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to attribute a mosque to the one who built it or the one who prays in it, and to name it after him, and that it is valid to attribute righteous deeds to their doers.
It indicates that it is permissible to make horses lean and to train them to run, preparing them to make the word of Allah (may He be exalted) supreme and to support His religion.
It indicates that it is permissible to make animals go hungry for a good purpose, not by way of cruelty.
It indicates that it is essential to state the distance and the length of the course in horse races..

421

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Some wealth from al-Bahrain was brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and he said: “Display it in the mosque.” It was the largest amount of wealth ever brought to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to pray, and he did not pay any attention to it. When he had finished the prayer, he sat by it, and he did not see anyone but he gave him something. Then al-‘Abbas came to him and said: O Messenger of Allah, give me something, for I paid ransom for myself and for ‘Aqil. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to him: “Take.” So he scooped up some wealth into his garment, then he tried to lift it, but he could not. He said: O Messenger of Allah, tell someone to lift it up for me. He said: “No.” He said: Then lift it up onto me yourself. He said: “No.” So he reduced it, then he tried to lift it up, and he said: O Messenger of Allah, tell someone to lift it up onto me. He said: “No.” He said: Then lift it up onto me yourself. He said: “No.” Then he reduced it some more, then he lifted it up onto his back, and left. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) kept watching him until he disappeared from our view, because he was astonished at how much he wanted to have of it. And the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not leave until there was not even a single dirham left of it..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) warned his ummah against accumulating worldly gains, and said that those who acquire a great deal of wealth in this world will be those among the people who have the least share of reward on the Day of Resurrection, except those who pay what is due on wealth [i.e., zakah and charity]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the least interested of people in worldly gains.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the wealth of al-Bahrain – meaning the land tax [kharaj] that was imposed on the Magians of Hajar, which was a region in the land of al-Bahrain – was brought by Abu ‘Ubaydah ibn al-Jarrah (may Allah be pleased with him); it had been sent by al-‘Ala’ ibn al-Hadrami from al-Bahrain. The total amount was eighty thousand dirhams. The name al-Bahrain in ancient times referred to the region that now includes [the island of] Bahrain, al-Ahsa’ and al-Qatif, in the eastern part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed his companions to display that wealth in the mosque; this wealth was the largest amount that had been brought to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out to pray without paying any attention to it or looking at it, in order to show his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) that wealth was not something to be concerned about, and it should not distract one from prayer and faith. When he had finished his prayer, he sat, and he did not see anyone but he gave him some of that wealth. Then al-‘Abbas ibn ‘Abdul Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), the paternal uncle of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), came to him and said: Give me something, for I ransomed myself and ‘Aqil – meaning that he had paid the ransom for himself and for ‘Aqil ibn Abi Talib when they were taken prisoner on the day of Badr. It was said that he paid a ransom of eighty uqiyahs of gold, or that he paid one thousand dinars. What he meant was that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) should compensate him for the wealth that he had lost.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Take.” So al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) scooped up a great deal with his hands, and placed it in his garment. Then he tried to lift it up, but he was not able to do so. So he told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to instruct one of those present to lift it up onto him so that he could carry it. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) refused to instruct anyone to do that. So al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to lift it up onto him himself, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) refused to do that. Al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) threw some of it aside, so that he would be able to carry it, then he tried to lift it but he was not able to do so. He told the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to instruct someone to lift it up onto him, but he refused, and he also refused to lift it onto him himself. So al-‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) put back some more of it, then he lifted it onto his back – the Arabic word translated here as back refers to the part of the back between the shoulders – then he left. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) kept watching him until he went away and disappeared from view. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was astonished at how keen al-‘Abbas was to acquire wealth. The only reason he did not instruct anyone to lift the wealth onto al-‘Abbas’s back was – and Allah knows best –that he wanted to deter this eagerness to take too much wealth that al-‘Abbas demonstrated, and so that he would not take more than he needed of worldly gains, and would limit himself to what was sufficient for him, as he himself used to do.
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not get up and leave until he had shared out all the wealth, and not a single dirham of it was left. This was his usual habit.
This hadith indicates that the wealth of al-fay’ [booty seized without fighting] may be given to both rich and poor.
It highlights how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) looked down on worldly gains and glamour, no matter how great they were.
It indicates that one may be astonished at the eagerness of someone who is keen to acquire wealth and to acquire a great deal of it.
It indicates that it is permissible to share out fay’ in the mosque, and to put it in the mosque..

422

It was narrated from Ishaq ibn ‘Abdillah ibn Abi Talhah that he heard Anas say: I found the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the mosque, and some people were with him. I stood there and he said to me: “Did Abu Talhah send you?” I said: Yes. He said: “[Is he inviting me] to eat?” I said: Yes. He said to those who were with him: “Let’s go!” He set out, and I set out ahead of them..

Commentary : This text is an abridgement of a lengthy hadith the authenticity of which is agreed upon. During the battle of al-Khandaq, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) suffered greatly from hunger and exhaustion, to the extent that that showed in the voice of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), as it sounded weak. Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) sensed hunger in the voice of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He told his wife Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was hungry, and asked her whether she had any food. She brought out some baked loaves of barley flour, then she brought out a scarf and put the bread together and wrapped it in the scarf. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) – whose mother was Umm Sulaym – said: Then she tucked it under my arm, to hide it, and sent me to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Umm Sulaym (may Allah be pleased with her) did what she did because there was so little bread and food. The apparent meaning of that report indicates that she sent the food to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). In other reports in al-Sahihayn, it says that she prepared food, and Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) sent Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to invite him to come and eat some of that food. Perhaps this version is in harmony with the text, and perhaps the story of offering food to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) happened on two separate occasions.
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and found him sitting in the mosque with his companions. He stood waiting for the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to be alone, so that he could give him the bread, because it was not enough for his companions. When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw him standing there, he said to him: “Did Abu Talhah send you?” Anas replied: Yes. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “[Is he inviting me] to eat?” Anas said: Yes. This was one of his miracles and a sign of his prophethood, that he told Anas why he had come before Anas even spoke. Abu Talhah’s full name was Zayd ibn Sahl al-Ansari, one of the leaders who had been present at the pledge of al-‘Aqabah; he was the husband of the mother of Anas (may Allah be pleased with them all).
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought his companions to the house of Abu Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him) to eat with him, because they were very hungry and exhausted. This is an example of the Prophet’s etiquette and kind treatment of his companions, as he did not keep that invitation to himself; rather the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) brought them to eat with Abu Talhah even though his food was little, because he knew that it would be sufficient for all of them, by virtue of his barakah and what Allah (may He be exalted) had granted uniquely to him of honour and virtue. This was another sign of his prophethood.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) set out, along with his companions, and Anas was walking quickly ahead of them, to bring this news to Abu Talhah. So he came to him and told him, and Abu Talhah told his wife Umm Sulaym about the news, and that they did not have enough food for the companions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Umm Sulaym referred the matter to Allah, which is indicative of her strong faith and religious commitment. Abu Talhah went out to welcome the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then they came in to where Umm Sulaym was. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O Umm Sulaym, bring me what you have”, asking her to bring to him what she had of bread. When she brought it, the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed that it be broken into pieces, then Umm Sulaym squeezed a round leather vessel of ghee and honey over the bread, like a condiment. Then the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said whatever he wanted to say concerning it, and he offered supplication that the food be blessed. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Abu Talhah: “Give permission to ten men to come in.” That was because the place was not big enough to hold all the people. Permission was given to them, and they came and ate until they were full, then they left. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Give permission to another ten to come in.” And it carried on like that until all the people – of whom there were seventy or eighty men – had eaten their fill, by the blessing of the supplication of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see that if someone is invited to a meal and knows that the host will not mind if he brings someone else with him, and that the food will be sufficient, then there is nothing wrong with him bringing that other person with him. .

428

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to Madinah and halted in A‘la al-Madinah, among a tribe called Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed among them for fourteen days, then he sent for Banul Najjar, who came armed with their swords. It is as if I can see the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on his mount, with Abu Bakr riding behind him, and Banul Najjar all around him, until he dismounted in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub. He liked to pray wherever he was when the time for prayer came, and he would pray in sheepfolds. He issued instructions that the mosque be built, and he sent for a group of Banul Najjar and said: “O Banul Najjar, name your price for this garden of yours.” They said: No, by Allah, we will not ask for any price for it, except [reward] from Allah. Anas said: There was in [that garden] what I am going to tell you: there were some graves of the polytheists, and a ruin, and some palm trees. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued orders that the graves be dug up, the ruin be levelled, and the palm trees cut down; [the trunks of the palm trees] were lined up to make a wall in the direction of the qiblah of the mosque, and they made its other two supporting walls of stone. They brought stones whilst reciting rajaz verse, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was with them and was saying: “O Allah, there is no good except the good of the hereafter; have mercy on the Ansar and the Muhajirin.”.

Commentary : The migration from Makkah to Madinah took place by the command of Allah to His Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). That was the beginning of a new stage in the da‘wah (call) and the spread of Islam.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) migrated to Madinah, he halted and stayed in A‘la al-Madinah, which is an area also known as al-‘Awali and al-‘Aliyah. This refers to Quba’ and its environs. Quba’ was the land of Banu ‘Amr ibn ‘Awf. It was also said that everything on the side of Madinah in the direction of Najd, of villages and populated areas as far as Tihamah, is called al-‘Aliyah, and everything other than that is called al-Safilah.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stayed with them for fourteen days, then he sent for his maternal uncles, Banul Najjar. They came with their swords on their shoulders, as was their custom when they went to meet one of their prominent figures; or it may be that they came in this manner because they feared that the Jews might harm the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and this was a display of their support for the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The Prophet’s intention was to move from al-‘Awali to the centre of Madinah and find a place to settle there. So he rode his she-camel, and Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) rode behind him, which is indicative of the honourable and unique status of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), which none of the other companions shared with him. The men of Banul Najjar, their bravest fighters and nobles, surrounded him, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) rode until he dismounted and unloaded his luggage in the courtyard of Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him), who was one of Banul Najjar. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) liked to pray wherever he was when the time for prayer came, to show that the entire earth had been made a place of prostration and a means of purification for him. He would pray in sheepfolds, which are enclosures to which the sheep go to sleep, rest and spend the night. This was a concession granted by the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), allowing people to pray in the places where sheep gathered, because sheep are peaceful animals that do not harm anyone, and there is blessing in them because they are so peaceful and gentle, and do not move very much, in addition to other benefits. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to build the mosque on the site of a garden belonging to some of Banul Najjar, so he sent word to them and said to them: Name your price for your garden; tell me how much you want for it, so that I can buy it from you. But they swore by Allah that they would seek the reward for that with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted), and they did not want any money for it. In this place there were some old graves of the polytheists, a ruin and some palm trees, so the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) issued orders that the graves of the polytheists be dug up, and the bones and remains be removed to another place. The ruin, in which there were holes, stones, cracks and the like, was to be leveled. It was said that what was meant by levelling the ruin is that the ruined building that is to be demolished will result in piles of rubble on the ground, so there is a need to remove that rubble, then make the ground level. And he issued orders that the palm trees be cut down, then the trunks of the felled trees were lined up to form a wall in the direction of the qiblah of the mosque. They made two other supporting walls of stone; the word translated here as supporting wall refers to anything that supports a structure around it. It is as if they put stones around the wall made of palm trunks. As they worked, they were reciting lines of rajaz verse, like chanting; rajaz is a type of rhythmic speech, like poetry. They did that to energize themselves and make the work go more smoothly. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was reciting lines of rajaz verse with them, and saying: “O Allah, there is no good except the good of the hereafter”, meaning that true goodness is the bliss of the hereafter, because it is eternal, and everything else is temporary; “have mercy on the Ansar and the Muhajirin” – this was a supplication for forgiveness for them. The Ansar were [the tribes of] al-Aws and al-Khazraj who supported him against his enemies, and the Muhajirin were those who migrated from Makkah to Madinah.
There was an issue regarding how to understand the report that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) recited lines of rajaz verse when Allah (may He be exalted) says: {And We did not give Prophet Muhammad, knowledge of poetry} [Ya-Sin 36:69]. The response to that is that what was not possible for him was to compose poetry of his own; it does not refer to him reciting poetry composed by others. It was not something that he did deliberately, and it was never proven that he composed poetry of his own.
This hadith indicates that it is permissible to recite poetry and rajaz verse when working and when on a military campaign, and to use that as a means to energize people and make the work go more smoothly.
It indicates that the one who owns something has more right to name its price.
It indicates that if a graveyard is dug up and the bones of the dead are removed, then it is no longer regarded as a graveyard, and it is permissible to pray there.
It indicates that one should not pray in graveyards, even if they are the graveyards of the polytheists, because that is barring a means that may lead to taking graves as places of worship, because with the passage of time people will forget what the situation was, and there is the fear that it may lead to fitnah and going astray.
It indicates that the graves of the polytheists have no sanctity, and that it is permissible to exhume their bones and remove them from that place, in order to make use of the land, if there is a need for that.
It indicates that it is permissible to cut down palm trees and other trees, if that serves the public interest. .

430

It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: I saw Ibn ‘Umar praying facing towards his camel, and he said: I saw the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing that..

Commentary : The qiblah is the direction faced during prayer, in which a person turns to Allah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the worshipper to have a sutrah (screen) so that no one will pass in front of him and interrupt his prayer, especially in open spaces. However, in the case of congregational prayer, if the imam has a sutrah for himself, then he is the sutrah for those who are praying behind him.
In this hadith, Nafi‘, the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, narrates that he saw Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) praying, using his camel – the Arabic word refers to a camel used for travelling – as a screen whilst he was praying, so that no one would walk in front of him, between him and the qiblah. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated – and it is as if he was asked about what he had done – that he had seen the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) praying whilst facing towards his camel, making it like a screen whilst he prayed, and that he was following the example of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This is different from the issue of praying in camel pens, concerning which it was narrated that that is prohibited – as it was narrated by al-Tirmidhi, al-Nasa’i, Ibn Majah and others that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “… and do not pray in camel pens.” Rather the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed in the direction of the camel, not in the place where it was kept. It cannot be said that if a camel kneels in a place, that place then becomes a pen for it, or a place that is known to be for camels; rather pens are the places that are already prepared and equipped for camels to stay there overnight, and it is known to the people and to the camels themselves that these places are for them, so they naturally go to that place at the end of the day, without any trouble..

432

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Offer some of your prayers in your houses, and do not make them like graves.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to teach his ummah good things, and he would instruct them to do what would be beneficial to them.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the Muslims to offer some of the supererogatory and sunnah prayers – such as Duha, qiyam al-layl, tahajjud and so on – in their houses. His aim was to encourage people to offer supererogatory prayers at home. It is narrated in al-Sahihayn from Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The best prayer is the prayer that a man offers in his house, except for the prescribed prayers.” That is because this is furthest removed from showing off, and is a precaution against anything that could make the prayers null and void; it brings blessing (barakah) and mercy to the house, attracts angels to the house and drives devils away; thus these houses will be revived with the blessing of the prayer and what it involves of remembering Allah and calling upon Him. Then houses will not be made like graves, as if the people in them are dead and residing in graves. It was said that it may be that what is meant is: do not make your houses places that are only for sleeping, in which you do not pray, for sleep is the brother of death..

437

It was narrated from Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah destroy the Jews! They took the graves of their prophets as places of worship.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was very concerned about warning his ummah against falling into shirk, as happened to the nations who came before us, who took the graves of their prophets as places of worship.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “May Allah destroy the Jews!” This is a supplication against them, praying that Allah kill them and oppose them. It was said that it is an expression that refers to their being cast far away from mercy, because they took the graves of their prophets as places of worship. They did that either by way of prostrating to them and venerating them; or by taking them as a direction towards which they faced when praying, and turning to it in worship; or because they built places of worship over the graves.
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) only singled out the Jews for mention here because they were the first people to establish this idea and were the first to take the graves of their prophets as places of worship, so their wrongdoing is worse than that of others, and thus they are more extreme in that regard.
This is a stern warning and prohibition, and teaches the ummah to avoid taking graves as places of worship, because that is a means that may lead to believing in them and worshipping them..

438

It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “I have been given five things that were not given to any of the prophets before me: I have been supported with fear for a distance of one month; the earth has been made a place of prostration and a means of purification for me, so wherever any man of my ummah is when the time comes to pray, let him pray; war booty has been made permissible for me; each prophet before me was sent exclusively to his own people, whereas I have been sent to all of mankind; and I have been granted intercession..

Commentary : Allah (may He be glorified and exalted) granted certain blessings exclusively to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) which He did not grant exclusively to any of the prophets before him.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) tells of these characteristics which were never given in combination to any of the prophets except to him (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The first is that he was supported with fear for the distance of a month, so fear would be cast in the hearts of his enemies when there was a distance of a month’s journey between him and them, as Allah (may He be exalted) says: {We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve for what they have associated with Allah} [Al ‘Imran 3:151]. And Allah said concerning the Battle of Badr: {[Remember] when your Lord inspired to the angels, “I am with you, so strengthen those who have believed. I will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieved”} [al-Anfal 8:12].
The second was that the earth was made a place of prostration and a means of purification for him. This is one of the things that were granted exclusively to this ummah. So wherever a man is when the time for prayer comes, he may pray in the place where he is when the time for prayer comes. If he cannot find water, then he may do tayammum with clean earth, or whatever comes under the same ruling as it, then pray, for prayer is not only to be done in the mosques that are built for that purpose, as was the case with previous nations; rather the Muslims may pray wherever they are on earth when the time for prayer comes. This is not contradicted by the fact that prayer is not allowed in certain places on earth, for reasons specific to those places, such as the prohibition on praying in camel pens, graveyards and bathrooms.
Mentioning that tayammum is one of the unique blessings that were granted to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gives the impression that purification with water was not something unique to him that was not granted to other prophets. Rather what is unique to him is tayammum, which was granted to him so as to make things easier when water is not available, or when it is not possible to use it.
The third thing is that war booty was made permissible for him; this refers to what the Muslims capture during their wars with the disbelievers, and everything captured by force from the disbelievers. This was not permitted to the prophets who came before him, as it is narrated in al-Sahihayn from Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “One of the prophets went on a campaign and collected booty, then a fire came to consume it…”
The fourth thing is that he was sent to all of mankind, for he was the last of the prophets. Hence his message was made universal, to reach all of mankind. The prophets before him were sent exclusively to their own people. Muslim narrated from Abu Hurayrah in a marfu‘ hadith: “I have been sent to all people; the prophets end with me.”
The fifth thing is that he was granted intercession, so he will intercede for the people on the Day of Resurrection at the beginning of the reckoning, which will be the general intercession or the greater intercession, and there are other things that will be exclusive to him on the Day of Resurrection.
The intercession that is unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) among the other prophets is not the intercession to bring forth the sinners from the Fire, for other prophets and the believers will also have a share of that intercession, as is mentioned in mutawatir texts. Rather the intercession that is unique to him, to the exclusion of the other prophets, is of four types: (i) he will intercede for all people, asking for judgement to be passed among them; (ii) he will intercede for the people of Paradise to be admitted to Paradise; (iii) he will intercede for those who committed major sins among the people of Hell, and it was said that this is something that is granted uniquely to him; (iv) he will intercede for large numbers of his ummah, for he has saved and stored up his intercession for the Day of Resurrection. There are sahih reports which clearly state that this intercession is what is referred to in this hadith, such as the hadith which was narrated by Ahmad from ‘Amr ibn Shu‘ayb, from his father, from his grandfather ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Tonight I was granted five things that were not granted to anyone before me… The fifth of which is that it was said to me: Ask, for every prophet [before you] asked. But I have delayed my asking until the Day of Resurrection, and it will be for you and for everyone who testifies that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah.”
Some of the scholars mentioned a fifth type of intercession that is unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which is his intercession for the punishment to be reduced for some of the polytheists, such as his intercession for his uncle Abu Talib. This was granted exclusively to our Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). And some scholars include a sixth kind of intercession that is unique to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), namely his intercession for seventy thousand to enter Paradise without being brought to account.
The one who reflects upon the texts and reports will realize that the characteristics that were granted exclusively to him, to the exclusion of other prophets, are not limited to five. On some occasions he mentioned six, or five, or four, or three, according to what needed to be mentioned.
This hadith highlights the status of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) before Allah (may He be glorified and exalted.
It also highlights the fact that some of the prophets are superior to others, by the blessing of Allah (may He be exalted)..

439

It was narrated from ‘A’ishah that Walidah was a black slave woman belonging to a tribe of the Arabs. They manumitted her, but she remained with them. She said: One of the girls of the tribe went out wearing an adorned red leather scarf. She took it off – or she dropped it – and a kite [a type of bird] flew over and thought that it was meat, so it snatched it up. They looked for it, but they did not find it, so they accused me of taking it. They started to examine her, to the extent that they even examined her private parts. She said: By Allah, I was standing with them when the kite flew by and dropped it, and it fell in their midst. I said: This is what you are accusing me of, and you claimed [that I took it], but I am innocent of that; here it is. Then she came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and became Muslim. ‘A’ishah said: She had a tent – or a small room with a little roof – in the mosque. She used to come to me and talk to me, and she never sat with me but she said: The day of the scarf was one of the wonders of our Lord… But it saved me from the land of disbelief. ‘A’ishah said: I said to her: What is the matter with you? Every time you sit with me, you say this. And then she told me the whole story..

Commentary : Our Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) is most merciful to His slaves, especially the weak and oppressed among them; He supports them against those who wrong them and causes the truth to be manifest sooner or later.
In this hadith, the Mother of the Believers ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that there was a black slave woman who belonged to one of the Arab tribes. They manumitted her and freed her from slavery, but she remained with them. This former slave woman told the story of how a girl from that tribe went out wearing a red scarf made of leather, that was adorned with strings of pearls; this was something that women wore to adorn themselves. It was also said that it was woven from strips of leather adorned with pearls, and a woman would tie it between her shoulder and waist. The girl dropped the scarf, and a kite – which is a well-known, harmful type of bird; it is permissible to kill this bird both outside and inside the Haram zone – flew by. The kite snatched up the scarf, thinking that it was meat. They looked for this scarf, searching for it and asking about it, but they did not find it, so they accused that former slave woman of stealing it. They came and examined her, to the extent that they even examined her ‘awrah, but Allah (may He be glorified) made known the innocence of this former slave woman. Whilst that was happening, and she was standing with them, the kite flew over them and dropped the scarf from its beak; when it realized that it was not meat, it dropped it in their midst. The former slave woman said to them: This is what you are accusing me of, and you claimed that I stole it, but I am innocent of that. Then this former slave woman came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and became Muslim. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: This former slave woman had a tent or a small and narrow room in the mosque. She used to come to ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her and talk to her, and she never sat with her but she said this line of poetry: “The day of the scarf was one of the wonders of our Lord” meaning that it was a strange and unique incident; “But it saved me from the land of disbelief.” What this line of poetry means is that the trial that she went through when she was accused of stealing and mistreated was the reason why she became Muslim and migrated. The scarf was one reason why she was saved; the day of the scarf was a wonder, because what happened on that day, of the kite snatching up the scarf and her being accused of taking it, was one of the wonders of the age. It was one of the blessings that Allah bestowed upon her, as it became a turning point in her life, taking her from wretchedness to bliss, and it was a cause of her becoming Muslim and being saved, and migrating from the land of disbelief to the land of faith, as the proverb says: “Something harmful may turn out to be beneficial.” When ‘A’ishah asked her about the reason why she used to say those words, she told her this story. What appears to be the case is that this woman only became Muslim after the story of the scarf took place.
This hadith tells us that Allah (may He be exalted) may relieve the distress of the distressed by extraordinary means, even if they are disbelievers, and that Allah’s justice extends to both believers and disbelievers, righteous people and evildoers.
It indicates that it is permissible for the one who does not have a home or a place to sleep at night – whether man or woman – to spend the night in the mosque, so long as there is no risk of fitnah.
It also highlights the virtue of migrating from the land of disbelief, and that the Sunnah is to leave a land in which one is subject to trials and tribulations..

440

It was narrated that Nafi‘ said: ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar told me that when he was young and unmarried, and had no family, he used to sleep in the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The mosque is regarded as a sacred place and is held in high esteem by the Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us what is and is not permissible in the mosque.
In this hadith, Nafi‘, the freed slave of Ibn ‘Umar, tells us that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that when he was a young, unmarried man who had no wife – and even though the fact that he had no wife is understood from the word unmarried, it is added here for emphasis – he used to sleep in the Mosque of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It was said that he used to spend the night there because he did not have a house of his own, or it may be that he used to spend the night in the mosque so that he could be near to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and learn from him, and so that he could pray in the mosque whenever he wanted to. It is proven that the ‘Uranis [people from the tribe of ‘Uraynah] used to sleep in the mosque. It is proven in al-Sahihayn that ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) slept in the mosque, as did Safwan ibn Umayyah, and the woman who had been accused of stealing a scarf also slept in the mosque; and it is proven that numerous others among the Sahabah also did that. It was narrated that Thumamah ibn Uthal used to sleep in the mosque before he became Muslim. All of that happened at the time of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), which indicates that it is permissible to spend the night and to sleep in the mosque, especially for the poor and those who have no home.
This is a call to mosques to be refuges for the poor, especially now, as they are sturdily constructed and are suitable to offer such refuge..

441

It was narrated that Sahl ibn Sa‘d said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to the house of Fatimah and did not find ‘Ali there. He said: Where is your cousin? She said: We had an argument and we got angry with one another, so he went out and did not take his siesta here. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to someone: “Go and find out where he is.” That person came back and said: O Messenger of Allah, he is sleeping in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came [to the mosque and found him] laying on his side; his rida’ had slipped on one side, and he had dust on him, so the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to wipe the dust from him, saying: “Get up, Abu Turab; get up, Abu Turab.”.

Commentary : The mosque is regarded as a sacred place and is held in high esteem by the Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us what is and is not permissible in the mosque.
In this hadith, Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came to the house of his daughter Fatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) one day, to check on his daughter and see how she was getting on with her husband. He did not find ‘Ali in the house, and that was at a time when the men would usually be at home. So he asked her: Where is your cousin? He did not say, Where is your husband, or your father’s cousin, so as to soften her heart by reminding her of the ties of kinship between them. She told him that something had happened between them, and they had had an argument that led to both of them becoming angry, so he had left, because he wanted to put a stop to the argument, and because going out and keeping away would allow the flames of anger to die down. Hence he did not spend the time of the siesta with her at home. The siesta is a nap that is taken at midday or in the afternoon. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed one of his companions to look for ‘Ali and find out where he was, and he found him in the mosque. So the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came and found ‘Ali asleep, laying on his side in the mosque. His garment had fallen from his side, and dust had gotten onto him. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) began to wipe the dust from him with his hand, saying: Get up, Abu Turab; get up, Abu Turab.
Abu Turab (lit. Father of Dust) was a kunyah that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave to ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) because he was sleeping on the dust and it had gotten onto his clothes and body. By doing that, he showed kindness to him and calmed his anger; it comforted him whilst carrying an implicit and gentle rebuke, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not rebuke ‘Ali for being angry with his wife; rather he said to him, “Get up,” implying that he should get up and go back to his wife. This is indicative of the Prophet’s good attitude and how gentle he was with people.
This hadith indicates that a father may enter his daughter’s house without the permission of her husband, if he knows that her husband approves of that.
It indicates that one may joke with one who is angry, and call him by a kunyah other than his own, if that will not upset him or make him angry; rather it will comfort him.
It indicates that it is permissible to give someone a kunyah that is not based on his child’s name.
It highlights the great virtue of ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him).
It indicates that it is permissible to sleep in the mosque at any time..

442

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: I saw seventy of ashab al-suffah, not one of whom was wearing a rida’; each of them had either an izar or a kisa’ which they tied around their necks; some of them would reach mid-calf, and some would reach the ankles, and the wearer would gather it in his hand, so that his ‘awrah would not be seen..

Commentary : When the Muslims first migrated to Madinah, there were some among the Sahabah who were poor and did not possess any worldly goods, for they had left behind their wealth and their homes, and had fled for the sake of Allah and His Messenger to Madinah. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave them shelter in his mosque, and he fed them from what came to him of the provision of Allah and what was given to him as gifts by the wealthy Muslims (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he saw seventy of ahl al-suffah – who were the poor Muslims among the companions of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who had no houses in which to live, and they sought shelter in the suffah, which was a canopy at the back of the Prophet’s Mosque. He narrates that he saw them, and there was not one man among them who was wearing a rida’, which is a garment that covers the upper part of the body only. Rather each of them was wearing either an izar only, which is a garment that covers the lower half of the body, or a kisa’ only, which is a single garment. They tied their kisa’s on their necks, and some of these kisa’s would reach mid-calf, because they were short and would not reach any longer than that. Others of them reach the ankles, below the calves. One of them would gather his garment in his hand, so that his ‘awrah would not be seen. In some reports it says that they used to hold the garment together when praying, for no one among them had two garments, and he pray in it whilst taking precautions so that his ‘awrah would not become uncovered.
This hadith highlights the patience of the early Sahabah in bearing hardships and poverty out of love for Allah and His Messenger, and preferring Islam to disbelief..

443

It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah said: I came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) when he was in the mosque – Mis‘ar [one of the narrators] said: I think he said: at mid-morning – and he told me: Pray two rak‘ahs. He owed me something, and he paid it back, giving me more than he owed..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was the most compassionate of people towards his companions; he would check on them and help them in their religious and worldly affairs.
There is a story behind this text. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) bought a camel from Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah on the way back from the conquest of Makkah, on the basis that he would give him its price when they returned to Madinah. It was also said that he bought it from him on the way back from Tabuk, or that that happened when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was returning from the campaign of Dhat al-Riqa‘.
When Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Madinah, he went to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in his mosque, to greet him. That happened at the time of mid-morning. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) welcomed him warmly and told him to pray two rak‘ahs to “greet the mosque” (tahiyyat al-masjid). Then he paid him what he owed him, which was the price of the camel that he had bought on credit, and he gave him more than he owed him. According to Ibn Majah, Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: He kept giving me more, dinar after dinar, and every time he gave me another dinar, he said, “And may Allah forgive you,” until the number reached twenty dinars. When I came to Madinah, I took my camel by the head and brought it to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he said: “O Bilal, give him twenty dinars from the war booty.” Then he said: “Go and get your camel, and take it back to your family.” This was by way of honouring Jabir and showing generosity to him, because his father ‘Abdullah ibn Haram (may Allah be pleased with him) had died in the Battle of Uhud, leaving Jabir with sisters to take care of. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to help him to take care of them. Hence he bought the camel from him, so as to avoid embarrassing him, and so that that would be a reason to give him something and show him kindness, without embarrassing him, as is clearly explained in other versions of this hadith. The reports differ concerning the price and the additional amount that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave him.
This hadith indicates that part of paying off debts properly is to repay what is owed with something of better quality or greater quantity, so that the debtor gives the lender more than he took from him. This comes under the heading of dignity and decency.
It highlights the kindness and generosity of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to his companions.
It also indicates that the one who enters the mosque should pray two rak‘ahs as a greeting to the mosque (tahiyyat al-masjid)..

1316

Bakr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Muzani reported: While I was sitting with Ibn' Abbās near the Ka'bah, a Bedouin came to him and said: "What is the matter that I see that the children of your uncle supply honey and milk, whereas you supply Nabīdh (water sweetened with dates or raisins)?! Is it due to your poverty or due to your stinginess?" Thereupon, Ibn' Abbās said: "Praise be to Allah, we are neither poor nor stingy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came riding his mount, and Usāmah was sitting behind him. He asked for water, and we gave him a cup of Nabīdh, and he drank and gave the remaining amount to Usāmah, and he said: 'You have done something good and pleasant. Continue doing it.' So, we do not want to change what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded.".

Commentary : A true Muslim follows in the footsteps of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and adheres to his guidance, especially concerning what is authentically reported from him. This was the attitude of the Prophet's Companions, who were keen to follow the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in all his actions and statements.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Bakr ibn ‘Abdullāh al-Muzani informs that while he was sitting with Ibn ‘Abbās near the Ka‘bah, a Bedouin - a dweller of the desert - came to him and said: "What is the matter that I see that the children of your uncle", meaning the rest of the Quraysh tribe apart from the children of Al-‘Abbās. "supply honey and milk, whereas you supply Nabīdh?!" The Bedouin was referring to supplying water to the pilgrims. The children of Al-‘Abbās would provide the people with Nabīdh, dates or raisins soaked in water till their taste became sweet. It is not intoxicating. Water in Makkah was subject to change, and so they used to sweeten it by that. He asked him: Is your abandonment of the supply of honey and milk due to poverty or stinginess? Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Praise be to Allah", and he told him that they were neither poor nor stingy; instead, they did so in adherence to the teaching they had received from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). This is because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had come to Makkah while riding his mount, i.e., his she-camel, and Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) was riding behind him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked for water, and they brought him a vessel containing Nabīdh, and he drank and made Usāmah drink the amount left over. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to them: "You have done something good and pleasant," i.e., you have done a good and pleasant act by sweetening water with Nabīd made of dates or raisins. This indicates that this drink is not prohibited; otherwise, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not have drunk it, and he would have forbidden it.
Then, clarifying the reason for that, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "So, we do not want to change what the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded" about sweetening water with Nabīdh, when he said: "Continue doing it," i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them to continue supplying Nabīdh to the people, and they complied with his command. The meaning: We do not change the supply of Nabīdh into the supply of something else like honey and milk, even if this is deemed more appropriate to people, but we will not change something which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) liked and then commanded us to do. Indeed, this is more appropriate and befitting for us.
The Hadīth shows how the Companions followed the Prophet's guidance and were keen to adhere to his Sunnah.
It points out the merit of supplying drinks to the pilgrims.
It indicates that it is legitimate to drink non-intoxicating Nabīdh.
It includes praise for those who supply drinks to the pilgrims and for every doer of good.
The Hadīth demonstrates that wealthy people may consume the water provided in the mosques or roads, for it is supplied for everyone, not the poor alone..

1318

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: We joined the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Hajj and ‘Umrah, and seven persons shared in a Badanah. A man asked Jābir, "Can a Jazūr be shared as a Badanah is shared? He said: "They are but from among the Badanahs." Jābir was present at the Hudaybiyah, and he said: We slaughtered seventy Badanahs during that day, and every seven persons shared in a Badanah. [In a version]: He commanded us that when we ended our Ihrām, we should present the Hady, and a group of us should share in one Hady. This was when he enjoined them to exit their Ihrām for Hajj..

Commentary : The Hady and Nahr (animal slaughter) are among the rituals of Hajj, and they represent a means of drawing closer to Allah and feeding the poor and needy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified its rulings and that it is valid for seven persons to share in one Badanah, which is sufficient for them.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that when they were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Hajj and ‘Umrah, every seven persons shared in a Badanah. Badanah: It particularly belongs to camels. And it is said: It refers to camels and cows. In another version by Muslim: "in camels and cows, and every seven persons of us shared in a Badanah." This means that if the Hady is a camel or a cow, it is valid and sufficient to be shared by seven persons.
A man said to Jābir: "Can a Badanah be shared as a Jazūr is shared? Jazūr: young camels. And it is said: a Badanah is offered to the House before assuming Ihrām for the rituals, whereas Jazūr is the camels bought and offered to the House after Ihrām. Hence, the man asked about it and whether it is valid to also share in it? Jābir said to him: "They are, but from the Badanahs", i.e., when Jazūr is bought for the rituals, it becomes like Badanah.
Then, Abu az-Zubayr - who narrated the Hadīth from Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) - informed that Jābir attended the Hudaybiyah, the incident when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims were prevented from entering Makkah to perform 'Umrah. So, he ended his Ihrām and slaughtered the Hady at the place where he was stopped from proceeding. This happened in the sixth Hijri year. Hudaybiyah is the name of a well located near Makkah, almost 20km away on the old Jeddah Road.
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they slaughtered seventy Badanahs on that day, and every seven persons shared in one Badanah. And in a version: "He", i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), "commanded us that when we ended our Ihrām, we should present the Hady and a group of us should share in one Hady", i.e., a group up to seven persons would share in one Badanah. "This is when he enjoined them to exit their Ihrām for Hajj"; by Hajj, he meant the Farewell Hajj; and by ‘Umrah, he meant the ‘Umrah of Hudaybiyah, as indicated by his words: "Jābir was present at the Hudaybiyah."
The Hadīth indicates that it is legitimate for seven persons to share in one Badanah to offer it for Hajj..

1318

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: In the year of Al-Hudaybiyah, we slaughtered with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a camel on behalf of seven persons and a cow on behalf of seven persons..

Commentary : Hady (sacrificial animals) and Nahr (slaughtering) are from the rituals of Hajj, and they represent a means of drawing closer to Allah and of feeding the poor and the needy. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarified its rulings pointing out that it is valid for seven persons to share one camel or one cow and this will be sufficient for them.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) slaughtered their sacrificial animals with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the year of Al-Hudaybiyah, the 6th year after Hijrah. Al-Hudaybiyah is the name of a well located near Makkah, almost 20 km away on the old Jeddah Road. The year of Al-Hudaybiyah is the year when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) set out to perform ‘Umrah. He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) assumed Ihrām (ritual state of consecration) for ‘Umrah from Dhul-Hulayfah and brought the Hady with him. However, when the polytheists prevented him from reaching the House, they slaughtered the Hady. Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Badanah was shared by seven and the cow was shared by seven, and this was sufficient for them. "Badanah" here means a camel.
The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of sharing the Hady..

1324

Abu az-Zubayr reported: I asked Jābir about riding the Hady (sacrificial animal) and he said: I heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Ride it gently if you have nothing else until you find a mount.".

1325

Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali reported: Sinān ibn Salamah and I set out to perform 'Umrah. Sinān proceeded while having a sacrificial camel with him, which he was driving. The camel stopped in the way, being completely exhausted, and this state of it made him helpless - if it stopped proceeding further, how would he be able to take it along with him? He said: "When I come to the town, I will surely ask about that." I moved on in the morning, and as we encamped at Al-Bat'hā', he said: "Let us go to Ibn' Abbās to talk to him." He said: He mentioned to him the affair of his sacrificial camel, and he said: "You have come upon the well-informed one. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent sixteen sacrificial camels with a man, and he put him in charge of them. He proceeded and then returned and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, what should I do with those of them which become too exhausted to move?' He said: 'Slaughter them and then dye their hooves in their blood, and then put in on the sides of their humps. Neither you nor anyone of those in your company may eat from it.'" [In a version]: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent eighteen sacrificial camels with a man... and the rest of the Hadīth is the same. He did not mention the first part of the Hadīth..

Commentary : Allah Almighty sent His Prophet Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a mercy to the worlds and made obedience to his commands and avoidance of his prohibitions the cause of salvation in this world and the Hereafter. His way was to make things easy for people in their worship and life, especially in those matters that involve hardship and harm.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Mūsa ibn Salamah al-Hudhali informs that he set out on a journey along with his brother Sinān ibn Salamah to perform ‘Umrah, Sinān had a sacrificial camel which he was driving. Badanah in Arabic and the plural is Budn, refers to a camel or cow brought and presented to the Sacred House of Allah. "The camel stopped in the way, being completely exhausted," i.e., it fell due to exhaustion before reaching where it would be slaughtered. So, Sinān was confused and did not know what to do about it. "If it stopped proceeding further", i.e., if it became tired and exhausted, what should he do with it? So, he swore, saying: "When I come to the town", meaning Makkah, "I will surely ask about that", which means: I will pose a thorough question about that. When he reached Makkah - in the forenoon - he alighted at Al-Bat'hā', a place containing small pebbles. It was initially the channel of the valley of Makkah, and it lies south of the Sacred Precincts, opposite Mount Thawr. It is also called Al-Abtah. He asked Mūsa ibn Salamah to go along with him to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). When they went to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), Sinān told him about the sacrificial camel and what happened to it. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have come upon the well-informed one", i.e., you have come across a person well aware of the truth of what you have asked about and knowledgeable of all its aspects, apparent and hidden. Then, Ibn ‘Abbās said to him: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent" from Madīnah to Makkah "sixteen sacrificial camels with a man, and he put him in charge of them." He said: "He proceeded," i.e., he departed from the Prophet's gathering. "and then returned" and asked the Messenger of Allah, saying: "What should I do with those who become too exhausted to move?" i.e., they got exhausted and could not move on and reach the place of slaughter. In response, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Slaughter them", i.e., slaughter them in the place where you would leave them, and then dye the hooves hung around their necks in their blood, and then put the blood "on the sides of their humps" so that they could be recognized by anyone passing them by after that and known to be Hady that have been spoiled, and thus he could eat from them freely and would not think them to be dead animals. This is because the routes people took on their journeys were well-known to everyone. Also, it was a common habit for the dwellers of the desert - the Bedouins - and others to follow the positions of the pilgrims to pick up whatever they left behind in the places of their rest.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: "Neither you nor anyone of those in your company may eat from it", i.e., your companions who travel with you. This is intended to block the means to wrong action, lest some people may slaughter the Hady or deem them defective before the right time.
The Hadīth indicates that a person may send presents to Makkah or appoint someone to do so on his behalf in case he does not go by himself..

1326

Dhu’ayb Abi Qabīsah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to send the sacrificial camels under his charge and say: If any of these is completely exhausted and you fear it may die, then slaughter it and dip its shoe in its blood, then strike its side therewith; however, neither you nor anyone of your companions should eat it..

Commentary : Hady is the name given to what is offered as a gift and slaughtered at the Haram (sanctuary) from the camels, cows, sheep, and goats. In this Hadīth, Abu Qabīsah Dhu’ayb ibn Halhalah al-Khuzā‘i narrates that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to send the Budn, which refers to the livestock gifted to Allah's Sacred House, with him and then say to him: "If any of these is completely exhausted," i.e., afflicted with a disease or overcome by exhaustion that is likely to cause its death before reaching the place where it should be slaughtered, "then slaughter it" on the spot, "And dip its shoe" that is tied in its blood, "then strike" with this shoe stained with blood on its side, i.e., put the two sandals on the side of the camel's hump as a known sign to be recognized by whoever passes by it. Thus, whoever comes after them will look at it and realize that it is a damaged Hady and that it is permissible to eat from it without thinking it to be a dead animal. This is because the routes that people took in their travels were known to others as well, besides the fact that it was a regular habit of the desert dwellers from among the Bedouins and others to follow the traces of the pilgrims' lodgings to pick whatever they left behind therein. "But neither you nor any of your companions should eat it," i.e., he should not eat from it whether he is poor or rich, which entails blocking the means to what is unlawful lest some people should slaughter the Hady or make it defective prior to its due time.
The Hadīth encourages the act of sending Hadys to Makkah and appointing a proxy in case one does not go there himself..

1328

Tāwūs reported: I was in the company of Ibn' Abbās when Zayd ibn Thābit said: "Do you give Fatwa that a menstruating woman may depart without the last thing she does being Tawāf around the House?" Ibn' Abbās said, "If not, then ask the Ansāri woman so-and-so as to whether the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her to do that." He said: Then, Zayd ibn Thābit returned to Ibn' Abbās, laughing as he said: "I only found that you spoke the truth.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty says: {Allah wants ease for you and does not want hardship for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 185] Allah Almighty also says: {and He has not imposed upon you any hardship in religion.} [Surat al-Hajj: 78] This clearly manifests the facilitation of things for people and the removal of hardship from them during the rituals of Hajj.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Tāwūs ibn Kaysān informs that he was with the Companion ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) when Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him: You issued a Fatwa that a menstruating woman may leave Makkah without performing the Farewell Tawāf! Ibn ‘Abbās replied to him, saying: "If not" i.e., if you do not accept my view, then leave it and go ask the Ansāri woman so-and-so - this is ’Umm Sulaym bint Milhān (may Allah be pleased with her) - as to whether the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined her to do that. So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) went and asked her, and she agreed with the view of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). It is narrated in the Two Sahīh Collections that ‘Ā’ishah, the Prophet's wife, reported that Safiyyah bint Huyay, the Prophet's wife, got her menses during the Farewell Hajj. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Will she delay us?!" I said: "O Messenger of Allah, she has performed the Ifādah Tawāf around the House." Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Then, let her depart."
When Zayd ibn Thābit (may Allah be pleased with him) knew the right thing, he went back to Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him), laughing, as he found his view to be correct. Then, he said: "I only found that you spoke the truth." So, Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed with the view adopted by Ibn' Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him). This is what we are required to do when a dispute arises over something; we should refer to the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and when a sincere person finds proof that disproves his own opinion, he complies with it and scraps stubbornness.
The Hadīth shows the politeness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), their righteousness, their keenness to follow the Sunnah, and their readiness to go back to what is right when it becomes manifest.
It indicates that if a woman gets her menses, she can depart and leave the Farewell Tawāf.
It also demonstrates that some rulings may be unknown to some scholars..

1331

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka‘bah while there were six pillars in it. He stood near a pillar and supplicated, and he did not pray..

Commentary : The Conquest of Makkah took place in the eighth Hijri year. It was a blessed victory for the Muslims. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered it, he did so in modesty and humility toward Allah Almighty, Who bestowed this victory upon him.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah during the day of the Conquest of Makkah, and "there were six pillars" in it, i.e., six columns, and he stood near a pillar and supplicated while standing and did not pray therein. However, the opposite of that is established by a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah with Usāmah ibn Zayd, Bilāl, and 'Uthmān ibn Talhah al-Hajabi, and he locked it behind him and remained inside. I asked Bilāl when he came out: What did the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) do? He said: "He took up a position with one pillar on his left, one pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him - the House had six pillars at the time - and then he prayed. They are reconciled by giving precedence to the Hadīth reported by 'Abdullāh ibn' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), as Bilāl (may Allah be pleased with him) was with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) inside the Ka'bah; or that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered the Ka'bah twice; he prayed at one time and did not pray at the other..

1333

‘Atā’ reported: When the House (the Ka‘bah) was burned during the time of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah as the people of the Levant invaded it, and what happened to it happened, Ibn az-Zubayr left it until the people came to the season, seeking to encourage - or incite - them against the people of the Levant. When the people departed, he said: "O people, advise me regarding the Ka'bah. Should I demolish it and then rebuild it or repair its damaged part?" Ibn ‘Abbās said: "An opinion has occurred to me concerning it; that you repair the damaged part of it and leave a House upon which the people embraced Islam and stones upon which the people embraced Islam and upon which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sent." In reply, Ibn az-Zubayr said: "If the house of one of you was burned, he would not be pleased until he renewed it. So, what about the House of your Lord? I will make Istikhārah (consult my Lord) for three and then determine my affair." When the three were over, he decided to demolish it. The people kept away from him, fearing that something from heaven might descend upon the first one to climb it. Then, a man climbed and threw down some stones from it. When the people saw that nothing harmed him, they went one after another and demolished it to the ground. Ibn Az-Zubayr erected pillars and hung curtains on them until its structure rose up. Ibn az-Zubayr also said: I heard ‘Ā’ishah say: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not for the fact that the people have recently left Kufr (disbelief) and that I do not have enough funds to enable me to build it, I would incorporate five cubits from the Hijr into it and make for it a door through which people enter and a door through which they exit." He said: "Today, I have the funds, and I do not fear people." He said: "He added to it five cubits from the Hijr till there appeared a foundation the people could see it. He built the structure upon it. The length of the Ka‘bah was 18 cubits, and when he added to it, he regarded it as short. So, he increased its length by ten cubits and made two doors for it: one for entrance and the other for exit. When Ibn az-Zubayr was killed, Al-Hajjāj sent a message to ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān informing him about that and telling him that Ibn az-Zubayr had placed the structure upon a foundation that was seen by the upright people in Makkah. In reply, ‘Abdul-Malik sent a message to him saying: "We do not have anything to do with Ibn Zubayr's smearing. As for the addition he had made to its length, approve it. As for the addition he had made to it from the Hijr, revert it to its structure and wall up the door he had opened." So, he demolished it and restored it to its structure..

Commentary : The Ka‘bah is the Sacred House of Allah and the Qiblah of the Muslims. It is the first house to be appointed for humankind. Abraham and Ishmael (Ismā‘īl) (peace be upon both of them) had constructed it at the command of Allah Almighty, and it was demolished and built more than once.
In this Hadīth, ‘Atā’ ibn Abu Rabāh relates that when the Sacred House was burned, which happened when Al-Husayn ibn Numayr as-Sakūni surrounded ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) in Makkah after the incident of Al-Harrah in Madīnah, in 63 A.H., at the command of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah, the then Caliph of the Levant. Ibn Az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) was in dispute with him over the caliphate at the time. So, the people of the Levant entered the Sacred House to fight ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr and the Ka‘bah was burned, and its wall inclined due to the throwing of a catapult, a tool that throws stones. This burning and damage that happened to the Ka‘bah were not intended to occur to it; rather, the intended purpose was to besiege Ibn Az-Zubayr. So, the catapult strikes were targeting him, not the Ka‘bah.
During the siege, there came news about the death of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah in 64 A.H. Thereupon, the Levant army returned to its land. Then Ibn Az-Zubayr rose and declared himself as the Caliph, and the pledge of allegiance was given to him as the Caliph, and he commanded the obedience of the people of the Hejaz, Egypt, Iraq, and Khurāsān. After the departure of the Levant army, ‘Abdullāh ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) left the House in its damaged state until people came from every place for the season of Hajj and gathered there. Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to "embolden them", i.e., encourage them to fight the people of the Levant, or "incite them", i.e., stir up rage in their hearts by making them see the burned House, and so they would fight the people of the Levant. When the people turned back to their homeland after the end of Hajj rituals, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) said to the people of Makkah or the notables among them: "O people, advise me regarding the Ka'bah", i.e., give me your opinion: Should I demolish it and then rebuild it anew, or repair its weakened and damaged part? In reply, Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "An opinion has occurred to me concerning it", i.e., an opinion has appeared and become clear to me, which is that you repair the weakened and damaged part in it and restore it to its former condition and leave the Ka'bah in the state which the people were familiar with when they embraced Islam. "and stones upon which the people embraced Islam", meaning the stones of the Ka'bah without alteration, and upon which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was sent, and he did not change them. Ibn az-Zubayr said: "If the house of one of you was burned, he would not be pleased," i.e., the owner of the burned house until he renewed it. "So, what about the House of your Lord?!" In other words, the House of Allah Almighty is more worthy of being repaired and renovated. Then, he said to them: "I am going to make Istikhārah (consult my Lord) for three", i.e., I will perform the Istikhārah prayer and seek goodness and help from my Lord for three times or three days, and then I will make up my mind. When the three days were over, he realised that he should demolish and rebuild it, and he was determined to do that. As a result, the people avoided him. They turned away, fearing punishment would descend upon the first person to go above the House to demolish it, like what happened to the Companions of the Elephant. They remained in that situation till a man from them ascended the Ka‘bah and began to pull out the stones. When the people saw no punishment hit him, they moved and headed to the House one after another in constant succession. They demolished it and removed its stones until it was leveled to the ground. "Ibn az-Zubayr erected pillars and hung curtains on them until its structure rose up." The purpose was to make these pillars and curtains a Qiblah for worshippers so that they could identify the location of the Ka'bah through them. These curtains remained till the structure went up and became visible to the people. At that point, he removed them, as the objective was achieved, which was to build the high structure of the Ka'bah.
Then, Ibn az-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned a Hadīth which he heard from his maternal aunt ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), who reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Were it not for the fact that the people have recently left Kufr", i.e., they have recently embraced Islam and departed from Kufr. "and that I do not have enough funds" i.e., I do not possess enough money to enable me to build it, I would incorporate into the House "from the Hijr" - which is the circular structure around the Ka'bah from the side opposite the Black Stone and the Yemeni Corner, and it takes the shape of a semicircle adjacent to the Levantine and Iraqi Corners, and this Hijr is part of the Ka'bah - "five cubits"; In another version by Muslim: "and I added to it six cubits from the Hijr." This is because the Quraysh did not have enough money to construct the Ka‘bah. So, they built it according to their available means and left the remaining part outside and called it Hijr. Therefore, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to include it in the House. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "and make for it a door through which people enter", which is the eastern door, "and a door through which they exit", which is the western one. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) decided not to demolish the Ka'bah and incorporate the Hijr into it out of fear of possible Fitnah (confusion, strife), so he left it as it was. After narrating the Hadīth, Ibn az-Zubayr said: "Today I have the funds", and I possess money sufficient for this purpose, and I do not fear Fitnah for the people as Imān (faith) is well established in their hearts. So he added to the Sacred House, incorporated into it five cubits from the Hijr, and dug an area in the ground of the Hijr till he reached the foundation of the House, upon which Abraham (peace be upon him) constructed the building, and the people saw and observed it. Ibn Az-Zubayr built the structure upon it. "The length of the Ka'bah was 18 cubits, and when he added to it, he regarded it as short," i.e., he considered it to be short. So, Ibn az-Zubayr increased its length by ten cubits. A cubit is about 69 cm. "and he made for it two doors: one for entrance and the other for exit." So, Ibn Az-Zubayr built the Ka'bah according to the design intended by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
When Ibn az-Zubayr was killed in 73 A.H., and the caliphate was established for Banu Umayyah, Al-Hajjāj ibn Yūsuf ath-Thaqafi sent a message to ‘Abdul-Malik ibn Marwān - the then Caliph of the Levant - informing him "that Ibn az-Zubayr had placed the structure upon a foundation" i.e., upon the foundation of Abraham, which he revealed when the Hijr was dug; "that was seen" i.e., observed "by the upright people", those whose testimony is acceptable, "in Makkah"; so, should he leave it in the way Ibn az-Zubayr built it or demolish it and then rebuild it according to its old design? ‘Abdul-Malik sent a reply to Al-Hajjāj: "We do not have anything to do with Ibn Zubayr's smearing", i.e., we have nothing to do with the blame for the crime Ibn Az-Zubayr perpetrated by demolishing the Ka‘bah. In other words, we are innocent of his crime of demolishing the House. "As for the addition he had made to its length, approve it", i.e., keep it as it is. "As for the addition he had made to it from the Hijr, revert it to its structure," i.e., demolish it and restore it to its former structure, as it was during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). "and seal up the door he had opened"; this is the other door, which Ibn Az-Zubayr added. So, Al-Hajjāj demolished the House and restored it to its former structure.
The Hadīth highlights the significance of seeking the opinion of those with sound judgment and experience.
It mentions the repair of the damaged part of the Sacred House.
It indicates the permissibility of abandoning something recommended and legitimate for fear that people may fail to understand it.
It also indicates that an interest may be abandoned for the sake of being safe from falling into evil.
It shows how the ruler should win the hearts of his subjects and work to protect them.
The Hadīth demonstrates how the Companions were keen to comply with what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted.
It points out that the Istikhārah prayer should be performed with regard to important matters..

1336

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came across a caravan at Ar-Rawhā’. He said: Who are the people? They replied: The Muslims. Then, they asked: Who are you? He said: The Messenger of Allah. So, a woman lifted up a boy to him and said: Is Hajj counted for this one? He said: Yes, and you will have a reward..

Commentary : Islam has laid down certain conditions for a Muslim to be held accountable for religious duties and obligations. One of these conditions is making Hajj obligatory only upon the adult, sane, and free Muslim who has the ability.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "came across a caravan," i.e., a traveling group. A caravan specifically refers to the owners of camels. And it is originally used to refer to ten or less than that. "At Ar-Rawhā’", is a village located almost 80 km away from Madīnah, that was on the way back from the Farewell Hajj, as mentioned in the narration of An-Nasā’i. He asked them: "Who are the people?" They answered him saying that they were from the Muslims. Then, they asked him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Who are you?" He replied: "The Messenger of Allah". Perhaps they did not recognize him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because they had not seen him before, as they did not emigrate, i.e., they embraced Islam in their countries and did not emigrate before this incident.
On knowing that he was the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a woman from among them lifted up a little boy - one who had not reached the age of puberty - and she asked: "Is Hajj counted for this one?", i.e., does this little boy obtain the reward of Hajj? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered her, saying: "Yes" he gets the reward of voluntary Hajj, "and you will have a reward," i.e., because of making him avoid what the Muhrim (one in state of ritual consecration) avoids, and doing what the Muhrim does, and teaching him if he is discerning, or the reward of being his deputy in Ihrām (state of ritual consecration), throwing the pebbles, standing, and carrying him during Tawāf (circumambulating the Ka‘bah) and Sa‘y (walking at a brisk pace between Safa and Marwah) if he is undiscerning. His saying: "And you will have a reward" is meant to encourage her.
A boy's Hajj is valid, and he gets a reward for it; however, it does not exempt him from the obligation, and he will have to perform the obligatory Hajj after reaching puberty.
The Hadīth indicates the permissibility of performing Hajj on behalf of the minor in general.
It also makes it clear that the boy is rewarded for his act of obedience and his virtuous deeds are recorded for him.
The Hadīth also affirms the reward of the boy's guardian if he makes him perform Hajj.
It also denotes that whoever does not know something must ask the scholars about the rulings he does not know.
It points out that whoever helps someone offer an act of obedience gets rewarded..

1342

‘Ali al-Azdi reported that Ibn ‘Umar taught them: Whenever the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mounted his camel to set out on a journey, he would say Takbīr three times and then say: "Subhāna al-ladhi sakhkhara lana hādha wa ma kunna lahu muqrinīn wa inna ila rabbina lamunqalibūn. Allāhumma inna nas’aluka fi safarina hādha al-birra wa at-taqwa wa min al-‘amali ma tarda. Allāhumma hawwin ‘alayna safarana hādha watwi ‘anna bu‘dah. Allāhumma anta as-sāhibu fi as-safar wa al-khalīfatu fi al-ahl. Allāhumma inni a‘ūdhu bika min wa‘thā’ as-safar wa ka’ābat al-manzhar wa sū’ al-munqalab fi al-māli wa al-ahl (Glory be to Him Who has subjected this for us, for we could not have done it by ourselves, and we will surely return to our Lord. O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for goodness and piety, and for deeds that are pleasing to You. O Allah, make this journey easy for us and make its distance short for us. O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the One in Whose care we leave our family behind. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from this journey's hardships, from the terrible sights, and from a misfortunate return to our property and our family)." On returning, he would say the same and add: "Āyibūn tā’ibūn ‘ābidūn lirabbina hāmidūn (We are returning in safety, turning to our Lord in repentance, worshiping Him, and praising Him).".

Commentary : Traveling involves hardship and fatigue, but Allah Almighty, out of His mercy, has created for His slaves and guided them to make ships that they could ride on the sea; camels, horses, and cars that they could ride on land; and airplanes that they could ride in the air. They carry them to their destinations without any fatigue or hardship. So, when they settle on them, they remember the favor that Allah Almighty has bestowed on them by subjugating and making such mounts and vehicles easy for them to ride.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) teaches some of his companions the supplication for traveling. He informed them that when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rode and settled on his mount - which was the camel, and this includes all types of animals that could be ridden and the modern means of transportation - to set out from Madīnah on some journey, he would remember Allah and say: "Allāhu akbar (Allah is the Greatest)", three times. The Prophet's (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying Takbīr when riding and settling on the mount was acknowledging the greatness of Allah Almighty and the fact that He is greater than everything. He, thus, proclaimed His greatness to thank Him for that, so Allah would grant him extra bounty from Himself. Then, he would say: "Glory be to Him Who has subjected this for us" and has made it submissive to us, referring to the mount. "For we could not have done it by ourselves," i.e., we could not have been able to subjugate it and use it if Allah Almighty had not subjected it for us. "and we will surely return to our Lord," i.e., surely, we will return and go back to our Lord after death. It is as if the traveler who rides on what Allah has subjected for him remembers the last journey in this world, which is one's journey to Allah Almighty when he dies and people carry him on their shoulders.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would praise Allah and supplicate Him saying: "O Allah, we ask You on this journey of ours for goodness and piety," Birr (goodness): adherence to obedience. Taqwa (piety): refraining from sins; thus, obeying the commands and avoiding the prohibitions. Then, he would ask his Lord to grant him deeds so that He becomes pleased with him. After that, he would ask Allah to make the journey easy for him and make its distance short for him. Following his supplication, he would say: "O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey," i.e., You accompany me on my journey and, thus, You make it easy for me. "And the One in Whose care we leave our family behind," in my absence, so, You surround them with Your care and protection, as Allah Almighty is with man on his journey and the One Who takes care of his family in his absence because Allah Almighty encompasses all things.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would seek refuge with Allah from some of what afflicts man during his journey including: "This journey's hardships," i.e., its severity, difficulty, and the fatigue it causes. and "the terrible sights," i.e., the change in the face as if one is sick, and the feeling of defeat as a result of seeing what one likes undergoing something bad, which causes grief and sadness. It was also said: It means seeking refuge with Allah from every sight that results in grief when looking at it. "A misfortunate return," indicates when returning and seeing what displeases him in his family and property. In the Hadīth of ‘Abdullah ibn Sarjis (may Allah be pleased with him) - in Sahīh Muslim and Musnad Ahmad - it was mentioned that he would start with "the family" on returning, as he would say: "And from a misfortunate return to our family and our property" instead of "our property and our family." The Hadīth also states: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sought refuge from "Hawr" after "Kawr", i.e., from scarcity after abundance and from the change in state from obedience to sin. He also sought refuge from the supplication of an oppressed person, i.e., I seek refuge with You from oppression, as it leads the oppressed person to engage in supplication, and there is no barrier between it and Allah, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections.
On returning, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would say these aforementioned words and would add: Āibūn (We are returning), i.e., we are returning from the journey safely. Tāibūn: (We are repenting), i.e., turning to our Lord from sins to obedience. Ābidūn, lirabbina hāmidūn (We are worshiping Him, and praising our Lord,) i.e., praising Allah Almighty with His attributes of perfection and majesty and showing gratitude to Him for His blessings and favors. It means: We are on our way back to our country, homeland, and families, and we are determined to return to Allah in sincere repentance coupled with righteous deeds, including showing gratitude to Allah, worshiping Him on a regular basis, and drawing close to Him by prayer and frequent prostrations.
So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to remember Allah's worship and the fact that he was a slave of Allah Almighty all the time.
The Hadīth urges the act of Allah's remembrance when setting out on a journey and on returning therefrom..

1348

‘Ā’ishah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There is no day on which Allah sets free more of His slaves from the Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah. He verily draws near, then He boasts about them before the angels saying: 'What do these [people] want?'".

Commentary : Allah has favored some days over others, and these favored days are occasions for Allah's grants and gifts that He offers His slaves, forgiving sins and elevating degrees, and the Day of ‘Arafah is one of these virtuous days.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that saving people from torment and setting them free from the Fire takes place on a larger scale on the Day of ‘Arafah than on any other day. ‘Arafah is a spot located on the way between Makkah and Tā’if. It is almost 22 kilometers away from Makkah, 10 kilometers away from Mina, and 6 kilometers away from Muzdalifah. It is the place where the pilgrims stand on the 9th of Dhul-Hijjah supplicating to Allah and asking for His forgiveness. "He" the Almighty verily "draws near" in a manner that befits His majesty and greatness, in compliance with what Allah Almighty has established for Himself, without Tashbīh (drawing comparison) or Tamthīl (likening Him to His creatures). Then, He boasts before the angels about the Muslims standing at ‘Arafah, demonstrating their merit and the excellence of what they do, and praising them before the angels. The word "bahā’" (boast) originally means beauty and grace. So, Allah boasts about them and praises them in the angels' presence. "Saying: What do these [people] want?", i.e., what do these people want by leaving their families and homelands, spending their money, and exhausting their bodies? The answer is omitted, and it is assumed to be: They only sought Allah's forgiveness and pleasure, which indicates that they are granted forgiveness, as Allah does not boast about sinners and wrongdoers except after repenting and being granted forgiveness.
The Hadīth establishes the attribute of drawing near to Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty and greatness.
It also establishes the attribute of boasting for Allah Almighty in a way that befits His majesty and greatness..

1356

Jābir reported that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "It is not lawful for any of you to carry a weapon in Makkah.".

Commentary : Makkah is a sacred city as it has the Sacred House and sacred sites. The Shariah has legislated for its special rulings that affirm such meanings. It has legislated therein means of security that have not been legislated in any other spot on earth.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade carrying weapons in Makkah. Perhaps the reason behind this is to prevent it from being a cause of terrifying a Muslim or doing harm to anyone. Undoubtedly, this enhances the sense of security in a place like Makkah where the Islamic sacred sites are found. The prohibition here is meant when there is no necessity for carrying a weapon. However, if there is a necessity - like fighting the disbelievers and their likes - it is permissible to carry weapons like what happened in the Year of the Conquest when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah with his armies carrying their weapons. Allah granted him permission to do so to spread His religion and make His word superior. Hence, Allah made this Sanctuary lawful for him for part of the day, from sunrise to ‘Asr prayer. Then, he declared among people that its sanctity had returned to its former state..

1358

Jābir ibn Abdullah al-Ansāri reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah, Qutaybah said: - [another narration reads]: He entered on the day of the Conquest of Makkah - wearing a black turban without being in Ihrām (state of ritual consecration)..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to observe the Prophet's states to learn from him, especially during calamities like wars and battles, and reported all this to those who came after them. They described his appearance, his clothes, and all his states.
In this Hadīth, the great Companion, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered Makkah on the day of the Conquest, 8 AH, wearing a black turban on his head. He was not wearing the clothes of Ihrām and did not have the intention to make Ihrām on that day because he did not want to perform the rituals; rather, he wanted to conquer Makkah.
In the two Sahīh Collections, Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered in the year of the Conquest wearing a helmet on his head." It is likely that the helmet was over the turban to protect his honorable head from iron rust, or the turban was over the helmet, or perhaps he was wearing the helmet when first entering, then he took it off and put on the turban later. Thus, each one of them reported what he had seen..

1359

‘Amr ibn Hurayth reported: It is as if I am looking at the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the pulpit, wearing a black turban, the two ends of which he has let hang down between his shoulders..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to observe the Prophet's conditions to learn from him, and they conveyed what they saw to those who came after them and described his appearance, clothes, and all conditions.
In this Hadīth, ‘Amr ibn Hurayth (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that he saw the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in one of his sermons on the pulpit - and this took place at the time of the Conquest of Makkah, as narrated by Al-Humaydi in his Musnad Collection - wearing a black turban on his head and letting the two ends of his turban hang down between his shoulders. The words "two ends" are reported like this, in the plural form, whereas it is narrated by Abu Dāwūd in the singular form 'end', which is more preponderant.
The Hadīth makes mention of wearing a black turban..

Book of Hadith

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