2069

Qataadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered to the Prophet ﷺ barley bread with some rancid fat on it. The Prophet ﷺ had had pawned his armor with a Jew in Al-Madeenah for some barley for his family. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) heard him saying, "The household of Muhammad did not possess even a single Saa‘ of wheat or food grains for the evening meal,” although he ﷺ has nine wives to look after..

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ led one of the most ascetic lives, and he ﷺ was content with his little share of Rizq (i.e., provision), and generously spent all the spoils of war conferred upon him by Allah, Exalted is He, on the poor and needy and in the Cause of Allah.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ was once invited over by a Jew - as recorded in Musnad Ahmad – for a meal of barley bread with some rancid fat on it. He ﷺ accepted his invitation and graciously ate that food.
He ﷺ once bought some barley from a Jew for a deferred price, and pawned him his armor that he ﷺ used as protection in war in return for that, because there was no food left in his house. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) heard the Prophet ﷺ say: "The household of Muhammad did not possess even a single Saa‘ of wheat or food grains for the evening meal." It means, ‘There had no wheat or barley left in their houses.’ It is noteworthy that he ﷺ did not say those words out of resentment, nor was he complaining, Allah forbid. Rather, he ﷺ said so as a justification for accepting the invitation over such humble food, and for pawning his armor with the Jew.
Then Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “He ﷺ had nine wives (to look after),” meaning: while he ﷺ had nine wives, who were in dire need of food, and this clarifies the reason for his purchase of barley on credit and pawning his armor.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to sell and buy food or other commodities on credit.
It is also inferred therefrom that a noble and knowledgeable man should buy his own needs, even if he has someone else to shoulder this task, because all the believers were keen on fulfilling the Prophet’s needs, seeking to win his pleasure and earn rewards for their Hereafter (yet he ﷺ undertook such tasks himself).
It is also deduced from it the permissibility of accepting an invitation for small (and humble) food.
The permissibility of engaging in sales transactions and pawning items of wealth with the People of the Book (i.e., the Christians and Jews) is also deduced from the hadeeth..

2070

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
When Aboo Bakr Al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen as the Caliph, he said, "My people know that my earnings from trade were adequate to provide for my family, and as I will be busy serving the Muslim nation; my family will eat from the Public Treasury, and I will practice the profession of serving Muslims (and governing their affairs).".

Commentary :
Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first rightly guided Caliph, the Minister of the Prophet ﷺ, and his Companion during the migration to Al-Madeenah. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was the first free man to embrace Islam and was endowed with the biggest share of faith and ascetism among all the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). He (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of the most beloved people to the Prophet ﷺ and was nicknamed ‘Al-Siddeeq’ because he strongly believed in the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that when Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) was chosen as the Caliph after the Prophet’s ﷺdeath, in 11 A.H., he (may Allah be pleased with him) said that Muslims knew that his earnings from trade before he became the Caliph, were adequate to provide for his family from his personal wealth.But after becoming Caliph and being preoccupied with serving Muslims and governing their affairs, he had no time to practice trade as a profession to provide for himself and his dependents (i.e., those for whom he was obliged to provide for as per the laws of Islam). He (may Allah be pleased with him) informed people that he would take an allowance from the Public Treasury to provide for his family and dependents, because he would be busy governing people’s affairs and he still needed to provide for himself and his family. He (may Allah be pleased with him) informed them that he would put his expertise (as a skilled trader) and profession to use in the service of Muslims, in return for which he would be given that allowance. He (may Allah be pleased with him) willingly committed himself to putting his expertise as a skillful trader to use in the service of Muslims by trading with the public funds to compensate Muslims for the allowance that was allocated for him, or more, to be paid from the generated profits. He (may Allah be pleased with him) voluntarily committed himself to do so and it was not one of his duties as the Caliph.
Ibn Sa‘d narrated in Al-Tabaqaat on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that she said: “When Aboo Bakr fell terminally ill, he said on his deathbed, ‘Take stock of my personal fortune that I have acquired since becoming the Caliph, and hand it over to the new Caliph.” ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “When he (may Allah be pleased with him) died, we did as he commanded and took stock of a servant who used to carry his boys and a camel used to water his garden. We handed these assets over to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in pursuance of Aboo Bakr’s will. On seeing that, ‘Umar, the new Caliph wept and said, ‘O Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), you have made the task of your successor most difficult.’"
The hadeeth highlights the virtues and merits of Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), indicating his asceticism and matchless mindfulness of Allah.
It also underlines the virtue of working and earning a living to meet one’s needs and those of his dependents.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to defend oneself against doubts and fend off (potential) accusations, even if they are false.
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2076

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "May Allah's mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.".

Commentary :
The wise Laws of Islam is keen to foster good relations between Muslims in their interactions and transactions, reflecting the enjoined solidarity, interdependence, love, and cooperation.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to confer His mercy on those who display leniency, which denotes facilitation, (making) concession, overlooking, kindness, and lack of rigidity, in three contexts or situations. First, a seller should be lenient and should not be adamant at his price, but should rather be willing to give up some of his rights. Second, a buyer should be lenient and not undervalue the commodity and insist on buying it for a low price. Third, a creditor should be lenient when claiming his money. He should not make it difficult for poor debtors, but should rather gently and leniently claim his money and give respite to insolvent debtors (until they become able to repay).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to opt for forgiveness, good treatment, embodying noble morals, and avoiding dissention in financial transactions.
It also promotes relieving people of hardship when claiming one’s money and pardoning them (i.e., remitting their debts by way of charity).
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2079

Hakeem ibn Hizaam (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Both parties in a business transaction have a right to rescind it so long as they have not separated; and if they tell the truth and make everything clear to each other (i.e., a seller speaks the truth with regard to the defects of the purchased commodity, if any, and a buyer speaks the truth with regard to the money) they will be blessed in their transaction, but if they conceal anything and lie, the blessing on their transaction will be eliminated. ".

Commentary :
Since people tend to engage in sales transactions without deliberate thinking, and a seller or buyer may regret missing out on some of his goals, the wise Shareer‘ah granted both parties a period in which they could rescind the contract (and undo their transaction).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ made mention of such a period when he said: “Both parties in a business transaction have a right to rescind it so long as they have not separated.” This means that both the buyer and the seller are given an inalienable right to repudiate the transaction or contract as long as they have not separated, meaning to physically leave the meeting place where they concluded the contract. The Prophet ﷺ underlined that if both parties tell the truth and make everything clear to each other, regarding the price, the description of the purchased commodity, and the like, and clarify any defect, they will be blessed in their transaction. This means that they would obtain greater benefits from such transactions and prices, and both parties would get to recieve the blessing of Allah; a seller would obtain such blessing in the price and the buyer in the purchased commodity. However, if they conceal anything and lie, their transaction will be void of blessings. An example of such concealment is when a seller conceals the defects of the commodity, and the buyer conceals the defect of the price and they lie to one another, regarding the description of the commodity on the part of the seller, and the payment of the price on the part of the buyer.Or the buyer claims to agree on buying the commodity for less than the agreed-upon price and deceives the seller until the time of concluding the sale should come. A buyer may also lie to the seller regarding the reason of the purchase to lower its price, contrary to the truth. Thus, both parties would conceal something from the other and each would be cheating the other from what he owed in the exchange. A common example of the buyer’s lies is when he tries to lower the price of a piece of land by claiming to buy it to build a mosque on it, and after concluding the sale, he would build himself a house instead, and had originally lied merely to lower the price. The Prophet ﷺ underlined that the blessing of such business transactions would be eliminated, meaning it would be devoid of increase and growth due to their mutual lying and deceit.
The hadeeth evidences the Khiyaar Al-Majlis (i.e., an option whereby the parties have right to unilaterally withdraw from a contract as long as the parties do not leave the session of contract) for both the buyer and seller, to repudiate or retain the concluded sale.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that the designated period for availing of this option (Khiyaar Al-Majlis) is after concluding the sale and until the two parties leave the contracting session.
It is also inferred therefrom that a sale becomes binding once the two contracting parties physically leave the contracting session.
The hadeeth also highlights the obligation of adhering to honesty and truthfulness in sales transactions.
It is also deduced therefrom that (blessed) worldly gains can only be attained by good-doing, and that the ominousness of sins and acts of disobedience causes one to miss out on what is good in this worldly life and the Hereafter.
The hadeeth also underlines the virtue of truthfulness, and urges Muslims to adhere to it, and highlights that it is a reason for having one’s earnings blessed.
The hadeeth dispraises lying, urges Muslims to abandon it, and underlines that it is a reason for having one’s earnings deprived of blessing.
It also highlights that the performance of good deeds to attain reward in the Hereafter ensures attainment of what is good in this worldly life and the Hereafter as well.
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2080

Aboo Sa’eed(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
We used to be given mixed dates (from the spoils of war) and used to sell (barter) two Saa‘s of those mixed dates for one Saa‘ (of good-quality dates). The Prophet ﷺ said (to us), "No (bartering of) two Saa‘s for one Saa‘ nor two Dirhams for one Dirham is permissible", (as it involves Ribaa). .

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, has permitted selling, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) forbidden. In fact, the consumption of Ribaa is one of the major sins and destructive evil deeds and it was deemed forbidden in all the previous divine laws, given the evils and social and economic damages it incurs.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that they were given mixed dates (from the spoils of war), which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to distribute to Muslims. Such dates were a mixture of various types of date fruits (of different qualities). They used to sell every two Saa‘s (the Saa‘ was a dry measure used for agricultural produce by the Arabs during the Prophet's ﷺlifetime) of such mixed dates, which were of poor quality, for one Saa‘ of good-quality dates. The Saa’ equaled four Mudds, and the Mudd equaled the measure of two open medium-sized handfuls. The Mudd approximately equals (509) grams in the lowest estimate, and (1072) grams in the highest estimate. The Saa’, on the other hand, is equivalent to between 2036 and 4288 grams.
The Prophet ﷺ forbade them from such a sale, and told them that it was not permissible to sell two Saa‘s of mixed dates for one Saa‘ of good-quality dates, despite the difference in quality, because the exchanged commodities in this barter would be the same; they were both dates. He ﷺ also forbade them from selling two Dirhams of old or poor-quality silver for one Dirham of good-quality silver because they are of the same kind (silver). This transaction was known as Ribaa Al-Fadhl, which involved an exchange or sale transaction in trade which effectively results in charging ‘interest’ through the exchange of the same commodity, but of a different quality or quantity, and this is prohibited as per the laws of Islam.
He ﷺ instructed them instead to sell any given type of date for a monetary value and then buy with that money whatever they wished. Thus, they would avoid taking excess in exchange of a given commodity in the event of a barter of two similar commodities, and the Ribaa involved in such a transaction.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that ignorance of a prohibition warrants pardon until one obtains knowledge of it.
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2081

Aboo Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A man from the Ansaar named Aboo Shu‘ayb, came and told his butcher-servant, "Prepare a meal sufficient for five persons, for I want to invite the Prophet ﷺ along with four other persons as I saw signs of hunger on his face." Aboo Shu‘ayb invited them and another person came along with them. The Prophet ﷺ said (to Aboo Shu‘ayb), “This man followed us, so if you allow him, he will join us, and if you want him to return, he will go back.” Aboo Shu‘ayb said, "No, I have allowed him (i.e. he, too, is welcomed to join you for the meal)..

Commentary :
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved the Messenger of Allah ﷺ dearly, and their love for him made themkeenly keep his company, and hastento please him and fulfill his needs.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Mas‘ood ‘Uqbah ibn ‘Amr Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when Aboo Shu‘ayb Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him) saw the signs of hunger on the Prophet’s face, he said to his servant (or a hired butcher as narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim), “Prepare some food that is sufficient for five persons; one of them is the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) prepared a meal for five people because he knew that some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) would most likely come along with the Prophet ﷺ. It is also possible that he saw the Prophet ﷺ sitting with four people at that time and he (may Allah be pleased with him) invited them over for the meal, but a sixth man came along uninvited. The Prophet ﷺ asked the host, Aboo Shu‘ayb (may Allah be pleased with him), for his permission to clarify this sixth guest’s situation and spare him and the host any inconvenience, because he came uninvited. Aboo Shu‘ayb (may Allah be pleased with him) gave his consent and welcomed the uninvited guest.
The Prophet ﷺ did not give permission to that guest except after obtaining the host’s consent first, contrary to the situation when he ﷺ invited many people over to join him for the meal prepared by Aboo Talhah (may Allah be pleased with him), without seeking Aboo Talhah’s permission, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. This is because Aboo Shau‘ayb limited his invitation to five people as he said to his servant, ‘prepare a meal that is sufficient for five people.’ This serves as a thoughtfulgesture on the part of the Prophet ﷺ, teaching us that when a host invites over a specified number of guests, they should abide by that number, and must not bring others along without hispermission.
The hadeeth teaches us that an aspect of showing hospitality to a guest is to invite those in his company as well.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that whoever wishes to invite a group of people over for a meal should prepare for them enough food, and should not serve them a small amount of food (causing theminconvenience).
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable for someone to join a group of people and accompany them to the place of their destination; had it been prohibited, the Prophet ﷺ would have forbidden the man who followed him, and would have commanded him to go back. What is forbidden is to enter someone’s house and show up uninvited without the permission and consent of the host.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that when one of the invited guests seeks the host’s permission to bring someone else with him, the host should give his permission, like what Aboo Shu‘ayb (may Allah be pleased with him) did, and it is indicative of his refined moral character.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is forbidden to eat someone's food without his permission.
The hadeeth also highlights the lawfulness of working and making a living as a butcher.
It is also deduced that a ruler, a noble, or old person is urged to considerately accept the invitation of those of inferior status.
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2084

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
When the last ayaat of Soorat Al-Baqarah (chapter no. 2) were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ recited them in the mosque and proclaimed the trade of Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) as unlawful..

Commentary :
Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) is the mother of all evils, and the Laws of Islamhas warned against drinking it and trading in it, because of the harm it incurs on the individual and society.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that when the last ayaat of Al-Baqarah chapter were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ recited them for people in the (Prophet's) Mosque. The version of the hadeeth complied in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim has an addition reading, “about Ribaa.” This narration refers to the ayaat that read (what means): {Those who consume interest cannot stand [on the Day of Resurrection] except as one stands who is being beaten by Satan into insanity…[thus] you do no wrong, nor are you wronged.} [Quran 2:275-279]. These ayaat included the prohibition of Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury). Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ deemed trading in Khamr prohibited as well, because it involves selling or buying what is unlawful and leads to falling into the sin of consuming Khamr.
The Arabic word Khamr linguistically denotes covering, because Khamr covers intellect, leading a person to commit other destructive sins.
It is known that the prohibition of Khamr was revealed in the ayaat that reads (what means): {O you who have believed, indeed, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone altars [to other than Allah], and divining arrows are but defilement from the work of Satan, so avoid it that you may be successful. * Satan only wants to cause between you animosity and hatred through intoxicants and gambling and to avert you from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not desist?* And obey Allah and obey the Messenger and beware. And if you turn away – then know that upon Our Messenger is only [the responsibility for] clear notification.} [Quran 5:90-92] These ayaat were revealed long before the ayah about the prohibition of Ribaa, which was either the last ayah to be revealed in the Quran or one of the last ones. It is possible that he ﷺ informed them of the prohibition of trading in Khamr when Khamr was deemed prohibited, then informed them of it again after the ayah on Ribaa was revealed, for the sake of laying emphasis on the prohibition in this regard and to ensure that it wasproclaimed more broadly. It is also possible that he ﷺ made mention of them both to indicate that Ribaa and Khamr are equally prohibited. Perhaps those who attended that assembly were absent during the previous one when he ﷺ proclaimed the prohibition of trading in Khamr.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that trading in Khamr is strictly prohibited, since Allah, Exalted is He, coupled it with Ribaa, about which stern warnings have been reported.
The hadeeth also highlights the emphasis laid by the Laws of Islam on the prohibition of Ribaa and Khamr, since the Prophet ﷺ keenly proclaimed such prohibitions in the mosque, emphasizing their gravity..

2086

‘Awn ibn Abee Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: My father bought a slave who practiced Hijaamah (i.e., wet cupping therapy). (My father broke the slave's equipment that he used for cupping). I asked my father why he had done so, and he replied, "The Prophet ﷺ forbade accepting the price of a dog or blood (i.e., fees of Hijaamah), and also forbade the profession of tattooing, getting tattooed and receiving or giving Ribaa, and cursed the image-makers.".

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that which is good lawful to His servants, and decreed unlawful that which is evil to them, and this applies to food, beverages, earnings, trade, and others. The Islamic Laws of Islam also urges Muslims to be a gracious and lift themselves above trivial aspirations.
In this hadeeth, ‘Awn ibn Abee Juhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that his father Abee Juhayfah Wahab ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Suwaa’iy (may Allah be pleased with him)bought a slave who practiced Hijaamah (i.e., wet cupping therapy). He ordered him to break the equipment that he used for cupping, as stated in a narration recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree. His son asked him about the reason for breaking the equipment, and he told him that the Prophet ﷺ had forbidden the price of a dog, i.e., selling a dog, and deemed such earnings unlawful as per the Sheree‘ah, because it is prohibited to own and keep dogs. It has been said that guard and hunting dogs are excluded from this prohibition, because they are beneficial, as stated in the narration reported by Al-Daaraqutnee on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reading: “except for a hunting dog.” Another relevant narration reported by Al-Tirmithee reads: “Except for dogs meant for hunting.”
Likewise, the Prophet ﷺ forbade the price of blood, i.e., the fees of Hijaamah. Hijaamah is (a form of alternative medicine) used to remove bad blood from the body. The Prophet ﷺ had Hijaamah performed on him and paid a fee to the Hijaamah therapist, as narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them). Had it been forbidden to pay fees to the Hijaamahtherapist, the Prophet ﷺ would not have had Hijaamah performed on him nor paid fees to thetherapist! Therefore, the hadeeths stating the prohibition of practicing Hijaamah and profiting from it, and declaring the earnings of this profession unlawful, are interpreted as to indicate that such earnings are deemed inferior and urge Muslims to earn their living byother loftier professions, seek superior ways of earning a living, and exhibit fine moral qualities. It is possible that the prohibition was prescribed in the early days of Islam and was later abrogated, when the Prophet ﷺ paid the Hijaamah therapist his fee.
In the hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ also forbade the practice of tattooing and having tattoos. Tattooing means piercing injections into the skin layers, then filling that location with kohl or something else until it turns blue or green. A tattoo is a form of drawing shapes on the body in a different color to a person's skin tone, and people used to use it for beautification purposes. The tattooist is called (in Arabic) ’Waashimah’, and it refers the one who practices tattooing in return for fees or for free, and the one being tattooed is called ’Mawshoomah’. The Prophet ﷺ forbade tattooing because it was practiced by the dissolute and ignorant people and because it involved changing the creation of Allah, Exalted is He.
The Prophet ﷺ forbade dealing in Ribaa for both parties, the payer and recipient of the interest money. Ribaa linguistically means excess, and in Islamic terminology, it is (the measure of excess in one thing when two things are exchanged in some bargain; or), in the case of a loan, an increased amount of the loan at the time of its payment.
There are two kinds of Ribaa; Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., the excess taken in exchange of specific homogenous commodities and encountered in their hand-to-hand purchase and sale or barter transaction), andRibaa Al-Nasee'ah (i.e., increasing the price of an item in return for deferred payment).
The prohibition incorporates both taking and paying Ribaa (interest) money, even if the recipient does not consume Ribaa, and the reference to consumption in this context is due to the fact that it was one of the main sources of income, and most of people’s earnings at the time when this prohibition was revealed were obtained by dealing in Ribaa.
The Prophet ﷺ also cursed the image-makers. The prohibition in this regard applies only to those who make images of animate objects. It was said that the image-makers here are the sculptors who make and carve statues that imitate the creation of Allah, Exalted is He. It was also said they are the ones who make idols for the purpose of worship.
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2087

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Swearing oaths (by a seller) may persuade the buyer to purchase the goods but such sale will be deprived of Allah's blessing.".

Commentary :
Islam laid down etiquette and provisions governing business transactions. Both the buyer and seller are required to acquaint themselves with these provisions and etiquettes, to preserve their religious and worldly interests.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ warns against excessive oaths and swearing too much when selling with the aim to promote one’s commodities. Making an oath, if the person is truthful, may help a seller promote his commodity and conclude the sale, but such sale would bedeprived from Allah’s blessing in the future. Allah, Exalted is He, may cause it to be destroyed by means of theft, burning, drowning, usurpation, plunder, or any other form of destruction by the will of Allah, Exalted is He. Thus, such a seller would be exerting such efforts to earn money and it would be all in vain, and this would be his due punishment from Allah, Exalted is He, for his excessive oaths. In the narration recorded by Muslim on the authority of Aboo Qatadaah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet ﷺ said: “Beware of excessive swearing (and making oaths) in sale, because it may promote trade, but this practice will eliminate the earnings’ blessing.” The hadeeth may also mean ‘false oaths’, as clarified in the narration reported by Imaam Ahmad reading: “Taking false oaths may help you conclude a sale transaction, but it takes (blessing) away from the earnings.”
The Arabic words used in the hadeeth are ‘Munaffiqah’ meaning inducive to the promotion of the commodity, and ‘Mumhiqah’, meaning eliminating the blessings. Other variations used in different narrations of the hadeeth are ‘Manfaqah’ derived from the word ‘Al-Nafaaq’, meaning saleability, and ‘Mumhaqah’ meaning deprivation of blessing and a reason for it.
The hadeeth lays emphasis on the gravity of excessive swearing (oaths) by the name of Allah, Exalted is He, and underlines that it must only be done for a need.
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2088

‘Abdullah ibn Abee Awfaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A man displayed some goods in the market and swore by Allah that he had been offered so much for that, that which was not offered, and he said so, so as to cheat a Muslim. On that occasion, the following ayah was revealed (which means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter…} [Quran 3:77] .

Commentary :
Swearing oaths is a serious matter, and Islam has laid emphasis on its gravity, especially making false oaths by means of which a person unlawfully takes the money of his fellow Muslim brother.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Abee Awfaa (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that a man offered his commodity for sale in the market and falsely swore by Allah, Exalted is He, that he had bought it for such-and-such a price, merely to persuade his fellow Muslim to buy it. On that occasion, the following ayah was revealed. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (that which means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter…} [Quran 3:77]. The ayah reads {Those who exchange} because the two parties of a sale transaction exchange the commodity for money,{the covenant of Allah},meaningthe covenant they made to believe in the Prophet ﷺ and fulfill the trusts, {and their [own] oaths for a small price} meaning their false oaths that they take to affirm the desired statements or actions. The intended meaning is that they trade their covenants with Allah and their oaths, with fleeting worldly gains and desires such as money, benefits, and other worldly gains. The price is described here as being small, to indicate its insignificance, for it was traded for breaching the covenant with Allah and taking a false oath. This makes it fundamentally insignificant, no matter how significantit seemed from a worldly perspective, compared to winning the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and fulfilling the covenants made with Him. Then Allah, Exalted is He, stated the punishment designated for the one who commits such a major sin. He Says (that which means): {…will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]. It means, ‘They shall have no share in the bliss tasted by the believers in the Hereafter, and Allah, Exalted is He, will not speak to them about what would please them, but would rather say to them that which will cause distress and disappointment to them.’ The ayah goes on, {or look at them on the Day of Resurrection} meaning that He will not mercifully look at them, {nor will He purify them}, from sins and misdeeds by conferring upon them His forgiveness, nor shall He commend them like He would commend His righteous servants. Rather, He shall be angry with them and will punish them for breaching their covenant with Him, {and they will have a painful punishment}, because of what they committed. This is a stern warning about making false oaths, because such a sin combines many corrupt evil deeds, including: lyingin the name of Allah, deceiving a purchaser into buying his commodity, making up lies for the sake of promoting it, and unlawfully taking the money of the purchaser, described here as a ‘small price’with which he shall not be availed for long in this worldly life.
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2094

Aboo Haazim narrated:
Some men came to Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) to ask him about the (Prophet’s) pulpit. He replied, "Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent for a woman (Sahl named her) this message: ‘Command your servant-carpenter to make pieces of wood (i.e., a pulpit) for me so that I may sit on it while addressing the people.’ So, she ordered him to make it from the tamarisk (tree) in the forest. He brought it to her and she sent it to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, and he ordered it to be placed in the mosque: so, it was put and he ﷺ sat on it..

Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to deliver his speeches to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) while standing or leaning on a palm-tree trunk.When the number of worshippers in the mosque increased, the Prophet ﷺ thought about taking a wooden pulpit to stand and sit on while delivering his speeches to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
This hadeeth relates the story of the Prophet’sﷺ pulpit. The Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Haazim Salamah ibn Dinaar stated that some men came to the great Companion Sahl ibn Sa‘d Al-Saa‘dee (may Allah be pleased with him) asking him about the Prophet’s ﷺpulpit and he (may Allah be pleased with him) told them that the Prophet ﷺ sent a message to a woman. Sahl (may Allah be pleased with him) mentioned her name, but reporters differed regarding it; some said that it was ‘Aa’ishah and others said it was Minaas. She was from the Ansaar, according to the narration cited in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, or the emigrants according to another narration also recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree, and she had a servant-carpenter. The Prophet ﷺ commanded her to order her servant to make the Prophet ﷺ a pulpit to sit on it when delivering his speeches.
It has also been narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) that a woman from the Ansaar said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: “O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, I have a servant-carpenter; he may make you something to sit on (i.e., pulpit), if you wish.” To reconcile between these narrations, it is possible that she asked the Prophet ﷺ first, and then he ﷺ sent her the reported message, indicating his acceptance of her offer, and commanding her to (order her servant to) make the pulpit for him.
The woman complied with the Prophet’s command and instructed her servant to make the Prophet ﷺ a pulpit from a desert tree called ‘Tarafah’, and the forest was located in Al-‘Awaalee on the route from Al-Madeenah to Al-Shaam, about 14 miles from Al-Madeenah. When the servant finished it, and the woman sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he ordered it to be placed in its place in the Prophet’s Mosque, and he ﷺ sat on it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to seek the help of professionals and skilled workers (in various fields) for whatever may bring benefit to Muslims..

2095

Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
A woman from the Ansaar said to Allah's Messenger ﷺ, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! Shall I make something for you to sit on, as I have a servant who is a carpenter?" He ﷺ replied, "If you wish." So, she (may Allah be pleased with him) had a pulpit made for him. When it was Friday the Prophet ﷺ sat on that pulpit. The date-palm trunk near which the Prophet ﷺ used to deliver his speeches cried so much so that it was about to burst. The Prophet ﷺ came down from the pulpit towards the trunk and embraced it and it started groaning like a crying child and then stopped crying. The Prophet ﷺ said, "It has cried because of (missing) what it was used to hearing Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah) being recited!".

Commentary :
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ used to deliver his speeches to his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) while standing or leaning on a palm-tree trunk.When the number of worshippers in the mosque increased, the Prophet ﷺconsidered taking a wooden pulpit to stand and sit on while delivering his speeches to the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
This hadeeth relates the story of the Prophet’spulpit and indicates theyearning and longing of the palm-tree trunk for the Prophet ﷺ when he left it and ascended the new pulpit.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with them) stated that a woman from the Ansaar came to the Prophet ﷺ and offered to make him something to sit on while delivering his speeches, for she had a servant who was also a skilled carpenter. The Prophet ﷺ agreed and said to her, ‘If you wish!’
It was narrated in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim on the authority of Sahl ibn Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ sent a message to a woman from the Ansaar, ‘Command your servant-carpenter to make pieces of wood (i.e., a pulpit) for me so that I may sit on it while addressing the people.’ She may have asked the Prophet ﷺ first, and then he ﷺ sent her that message, indicating his acceptance of her offer, and commanding her to (order her servant to) make it for him.
The woman complied with the Prophet’s ﷺcommand and instructed her servant to make the Prophet ﷺ a pulpit. When the servant finished it, the woman sent it to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he ordered it to be placed in its place in the mosque. On Friday, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ started to use the pulpit instead of the palm-tree trunk on which he ﷺ used to lean during his speeches, and sat on the new pulpit instead. The deserted trunk wept so much so that it was about to burst. It produced a loud groaning sound,indicating its yearning and longing for the Prophet ﷺ. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ came down from the pulpit, went to the trunk and embraced it to comfort it. Itstoppedcryinglittle by little like achild does. The Prophet ﷺ clarified the reason for its crying and said, “It has cried because of (missing) what it was used to hearing of Dhikr (i.e., remembrance of Allah) being recited!" It means that the trunk longed for listening to the remembrance of Allah by the Prophet ﷺ when he ﷺ delivered his speeches while standing or leaning on it.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of Prophethood and a miracle with which he ﷺ was aided, having an inanimate object yearn for him and sense his presence and absence.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to stand on an elevated platform while delivering the Khutbah (i.e., Friday speech), and install pulpits in mosques.
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2099

‘Amr said:
Here (i.e., in Makkah) there was a man called Nawwaas and he had camels suffering from a disease causing their thirst to become excessive and unquenchable. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) went to the partner of Nawwaas and bought those camels. The man returned to Nawwaas and told him that he had sold those camels. Nawwaas asked him, "To whom have you sold them?" He replied, "To so-and-so Shaykh (, describing to him how he looked)." Nawwaas said, " Woe to you! By Allah, that Shaykh was Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)." Nawwaas then went to Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) and said to him, "My partner sold you camels suffering from a disease causing their thirst to become unquenchable and he had not recognized you!" Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) told him to take them back (i.e., annul the sale and return the camels). When Nawwaas went to take them, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "Leave them there; I am happy with the judgment of Allah's Messenger ﷺ that there is no ‘Adwaa (i.e., contagion and transmission of infectious disease without the permission of Allah). ".

Commentary :
A Muslim is enjoined to be honest and truthful in all situations, including buying and selling. Sales transactions should be based on clarity and honesty about the merits and flaws of the commodity, to eliminate all chances of cheating, which sows hatred and discord among people.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Amr ibn Dinaar stated that ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) bought camels from a man named Nawwaas and that these camels were infected with a disease known as Hiyaam, making their thirst excessive and unquenchable. It may also refer to a disease that resulted in scabies. It was also said that Al-Heem are thescabby camels painted with tar, and which therefore become thirsty due to the higher body temperature caused by it. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) bought these camels from a partner of Nawaaas, and this partner went to Nawwaas and informed him of the sale.He asked him: “To whom have you sold them?” The partner described the buyer to him, and Nawwaas knew that he was Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).He said to him: “Woe to you! By Allah, that Shaykh was Ibn ‘Umar.” The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which literally means ‘woe to you,’ indicating rebuke, and it is said in reference to someone who has made a serious mistake. Nawwaas went to Ibn ‘Umar and informed him that his partner had sold him some sick camels without informing him of their flaws prior to the sale. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to take them back, given the circumstances. When Nawwaas went to take them, Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, “Leave them there; I am happy with the judgment of Allah's Messenger ﷺ that there is no ‘Adwa (i.e., contagion and transmission of infectious disease without the permission of Allah),” meaning that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did so in compliance with the Prophet’s statement, ‘There is no ‘Adwaa.’ The Arabic word used in the hadeeth (‘Adwaa) means contagion and transmission of infectious disease from one patient to another. The Prophet’s statement means that diseases cannot cause infection by themselves without the permission and decree of Allah, Exalted is He.People of the pre-Islamic era believed that diseases could spread from one person to another without the permission of Allah. The Prophet ﷺ negated that false belief and clarified to them that diseases are mere causes that may only have effects by the decree and permission of Allah, who causes illness (and that contagion is a means through which Allah effects His decrees).
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and his (remarkable) compliance with the Prophet’s guidance and judgments, even if it seemed to be harmful.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that a sale of a defective commodity is valid as long as the buyer is informed of its flaws and gives his consent.
It is also inferred therefrom that a buyer may return a defective commodity (and annul the transaction) if its defect was concealed by the seller.
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2101

Aboo Moosaa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "The example of a good Companion (who sits with you) in comparison with a bad one, is like that of the musk seller and the blacksmith's bellows (or furnace); from the first you would either buy musk or enjoy its good smell while the bellows would either burn your clothes or your house, or you get a bad nasty smell thereof.".

Commentary :
Keeping the company of righteous people and attending their gatherings is one of the qualities of goodness, and a way to attain happiness in both the worldly life and the Hereafter. Likewise, keeping the company of wicked and evil people isa sign of wickedness and the path to loss and ruin.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ gave a good similitude of the two categories of people: a good (righteous) companion and a bad (evil) one, to help us better understand the intended meanings, and urge us to adhere to what is good and avoid what is evil. The first category in the hadeeth is the righteous companion, a pious person who directs his companions to Allah, Exalted is He, and guides them to the sayings and deeds that bring them closer to Him. The Prophet ﷺ likened such a good companion to the musk seller. Keeping his company yields benefits in all cases; you either buy musk and perfume from him or simply enjoy the pleasant smell. Likewise, a good companion may bring you some tangible benefits or you may simplyfind comfort and joy in his company.
The second category is the bad companion, who drives those in his company away from Allah, Exalted is He, and all sayings and acts that draw them closer to Him. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ likened a bad companion to blacksmith's bellows (or furnace), meaning to a blacksmith. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth ‘Keer’ means a bag-like device made of thick leather (with handles) that is used to blow air onto a fire to keep the flame burning. Such a blacksmith (who blows air onto a fire) will either burn your body or clothes with the sparks, or make you smell an unpleasant odor, causing you distress and inconvenience. Likewise, a bad companion either causes you direct harm by committing sins with him, and accordingly suffering their burning flames, or by witnessing firsthand his ugly and evil deeds and therefore being dispraised for keeping the company of such a wicked person.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to keep the company of righteous and obedient people, and keep away from wicked and ill-mannered ones.
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2103

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once the Prophet ﷺ got Hijaamah performed on him and paid that Hijaamah therapist who performed it fees. Had it been unlawful, the Prophet ﷺ would not have paid him..

Commentary :
A Hijaamah therapist is the one who performs Hijaamah (i.e., wet cupping therapy), which is (a form of alternative medicine) used to remove bad blood from the body by making superficial incisions on the skin using surgical scalpels, and removing the bad blood using a funnel-like device or special cups on the skin to create suction.It is used to treat different types of pain.
In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) inferred the permissibility of (undertaking) Hijaamah therapy and the lawfulness of its fees from the action of the Prophet ﷺ, because he ﷺ had Hijaamah performed on him and paid thetherapist a fee. Had paying the Hijaamah therapist been impermissible, the Prophet ﷺ would not have had it performed on him nor paid the fee.
The hadeeths about the unlawfulness of the earnings obtained through performing Hijaamah that described such earnings as ‘unlawful’, and indicate their inferiority and urge Muslims to embody noble manners and seek other loftier means of earning a living. It is also possible that the prohibition was prescribed in the early days of Islam and was later abrogated when the Prophet ﷺ paid the Hijjamah therapist the fee.
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1361

Nāfi‘ ibn Jubayr reported: Marwān ibn al-Hakam addressed the people and made mention of Makkah and its inhabitants and inviolability. Still, he did not mention Madīnah and its inhabitants or inviolability. Thereupon, Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj called him and said: "What is it that I hear you making mention of Makkah and its inhabitants and its inviolability, but you did not make mention of Madīnah and its inhabitants and its inviolability, while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared what is between its two lava fields as inviolable?! And this is with us on Khawlāni parchment. If you wish, I can make you read it." He said: Marwān became silent and then said: "I heard part of that.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty has given Makkah and Madīnah greater status than other places and positions. Allah rendered Makkah a sanctuary for Abraham (Ibrāhīm) (peace be upon him) and made it a safe town. Likewise, He rendered Madīnah a sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
This Hadīth points out that Madīnah is sacred like Makkah. This version has a story. Marwān ibn al-Hakam - the then-governor of Madīnah - addressed the people and mentioned Makkah and its people and its inviolability but did not mention Madīnah and its people and its inviolability. Its inviolability means that everything becomes secure therein, even animals, which may not be hunted, and trees, which may not be cut down, and that no one may do anything in it that contradicts the religion of Allah or commit a crime, an act of injustice, or a sin for which a legal punishment is prescribed. So, it is forbidden to hunt in Madīnah as it is forbidden in the sanctuary of Makkah, but he who hunts in Madīnah faces no punishment, for it is not a place for the rituals, unlike Makkah.
So, Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj (may Allah be pleased with him) called him and said: "What is it that I hear you making mention of Makkah and its inhabitants and sacredness, but you did not make mention of Madīnah and its inhabitants and its inviolability, while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared what is between its two lava fields as inviolable?!" He meant that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared all of Madīnah inviolable. Madīnah lies between two lava fields, eastern and western. A lava field is a land covered with black stones as if it was burned. The eastern lava field is called "Harrat Wāqim", and it now contains Qubā' and the Wāqim fortress. The western lava field is "Harrat Wabarah", and it contains the mosque called the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs. Its borders from the south and north are between the two mountains' Ayr and Thawr. The Prophetic Sanctuary falls between Mount' Ayr from the south, 8.5km away from the Prophet's Mosque, and Mount Thawr from the north, 8km away from the Prophet's Mosque. An official committee in Saudi Arabia has demarcated the Madīnah sanctuary, and the Madīnah Regional Municipality has put architectural signs in the form of arches like those of the Prophet's Mosque, in many places demonstrating these borders.
Then, Rāfi‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "And this is with us" written "on Khawlāni parchment", which is skin attributed to Khawlān, a village in Yemen. Perhaps this skin is characterized by strength and durability suitable for keeping such things. Then, Rāfi‘ said to him: "If you wish, I can make you read it", i.e., if you want to verify this matter by reading the text by yourself, I will enable you to read it. Thereupon, Marwān kept silent and then acknowledged that, saying: "I heard part of that," i.e., the Hadīth in which the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared Madīnah inviolable.
The Hadīth demonstrates the status of Madīnah.
It indicates that a knowledgeable person should alert others if they make a mistake or forget or overlook a Shar‘i ruling..

1363

Sa‘d reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I declare inviolable what is between the two lava plains of Madīnah, so its thorn trees must not be cut down and its game must not be killed." He also said: "Madīnah is best for them if they only knew. No one leaves it out of dislike for it except that Allah will replace him with someone better, and no one remains therein despite its hardships and distress except that I shall be an intercessor or a witness for him on the Day of Judgment." [Another narration reads]: And no one intends to harm the people of Madīnah except that Allah will cause him to melt in fire like the melting of lead or the dissolution of salt in water..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has granted Makkah and Madīnah a special position that excels other places and positions on account of the Islamic sacred sites found therein, like the Sacred House in Makkah and the Prophet's Mosque in Madīnah.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says: "I declare inviolable what is between the two lava plains of Madīnah," i.e., it is a safe sanctuary, so everything therein should be safe. "Two lava plains": Lava plain, i.e., lava field, which is an area of land with black rocks as if burnt with fire. Madīnah - may Allah increase its honor - is located between two lava fields on the east and the west. The eastern lava field (Harrat Wāqim) now has Qubā’ and Wāqim Fort, whereas the western lava field is Harrat Wabarah, which has a mosque called Masjid Al-Qiblatayn. Its borders from the south and north are between the two mountains ‘Ayr and Thawr. The Prophetic Sanctuary falls between Mount ‘Ayr from the south, which is 8.5 kilometers away from the Prophet's Mosque, and Mount Thawr from the north, which is 8 kilometers away from the Prophet's Mosque. An official committee in Saudi Arabia has demarcated the Madīnah sanctuary, and the Madīnah Regional Municipality has put architectural signs in the form of arches, like those of the Prophet's Mosque, in many places demonstrating these borders.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then clarified what is prohibited within these borders, as it is prohibited to cut down thorn trees, i.e., all trees having thorns, and it is prohibited to hunt animals and birds therein, as they are protected within these borders.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then informed us of some of the merits of Madīnah, saying: "Madīnah is best for them if they only knew," referring to people who would leave Madīnah, i.e., Madīnah is best for those leaving it from such countries for whose sake they are leaving it. Then, he clarified that anyone who leaves and abandons it from among its dwellers out of dislike for it, i.e., out of aversion or unwillingness to get a reward for living there, Allah will replace him with someone better in Madīnah, whether a child born there or someone moving from another city and settling therein.
Then he added that anyone who remains steadfast, patiently enduring its hardships, i.e., straitened circumstances and hunger, "and distress", i.e., its difficulties, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will be an intercessor or a witness for him on the Day of Judgment. The meaning of this may be: the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) will be a witness for some of the people of Madīnah and an intercessor for the rest of them; or he will be an intercessor for the sinners and a witness for the obedient ones; or a witness for those who die during his lifetime and an intercessor for those who die after him; or maybe "or" here is used in the sense of "and", i.e., he will be an intercessor and a witness for them. This is an exclusive merit in addition to the intercession for the sinners or for the worlds on the Day of Judgment and in addition to his testimony to the entire Ummah.
In another narration, he said: "And no one intends to harm the people of Madīnah except that Allah will cause him to melt in fire like the melting of lead or the dissolution of salt in water," i.e., this will happen to him in the Hereafter. This could also mean: Whoever has ill will towards it during the Prophet's lifetime, or in this worldly life, Muslims will be spared of his harm and his plot will fade away just as the lead fades away in fire. Thus, Allah will not grant him a respite and will not grant him authority; rather, He will soon eliminate him.
The Hadīth stresses the importance of Madīnah and its great inviolability.
It also points out how Allah Almighty hastens to inflict His severe punishment on whoever intends to harm Madīnah and its people..

1364

‘Āmir ibn Saad reported: Saad rode to his castle in Al-‘Aqīq and found a slave cutting down the trees or beating them. So, he took all his belongings. When Saad returned, the people of the slave came to him and talked to him about giving back to their slave or to them what he had taken from their slave. Thereupon, he said: "Allah forbid that I should give back anything which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has given me as a spoil!" He refused to return anything to them..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has given Makkah and Madīnah greater status than other places and positions. Allah rendered Makkah a sanctuary for Abraham (peace be upon him) and made it a safe town. Likewise, He rendered Madīnah a sanctuary for the Messenger of Allah, Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Āmir ibn Saad ibn Abi Waqqās informs that Saad ibn Abi Waqqās (may Allah be pleased with him) rode to his castle in Al-‘Aqīq, a place as close to Madīnah as Al-Baqī 'is close to it, situated nearly 20km away from the Prophet's Mosque. Al-‘Aqīq means: what was ripped by the flood a long time ago. He found a slave cutting trees from the sanctuary of Madīnah or beating them. In other words, he was beating the tree leaves or throwing stones at them. So, Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) took all his belongings, i.e., he took the clothes he was wearing and other things which would be taken from a killed person among the disbelievers, which include his horse, weapon, money, etc. The people of the slave came and asked him to return to their slave or to them what he had taken from their slave. He declined that, citing the Prophet's instruction regarding anyone who does so within the sanctuary of Madīnah. He said: Allah forbid that I should give back anything which the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has given me as a spoil, i.e., booty with his permission to anyone who sees someone hunting or cutting trees that he may take his belongings. So, he refused to return what he had taken from them. This is all intended to show extreme rejection and deterrence, and it is also because he considered this act worthy of criticism and firm response so that this issue could spread among the people so that they would refrain from hunting and cutting trees in Madīnah..

1373

Abu Hurayrah reported: When the people saw the first fruits, they would bring them to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and when the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) received them, he would say: "O Allah, bless for us our fruits, bless for us our Madīnah, bless for us our Sā‘, and bless for us our Mudd. O Allah, indeed Abraham is Your slave, friend, and Prophet, and indeed I am Your slave and Prophet; and he supplicated You regarding Makkah, and I supplicate You regarding Madīnah with the same supplication he made to You for Makkah and the like of it along with it." He said: Then, he would call the youngest child and give these fruits to him..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has endowed some places in the world with particular blessings which He has not given to other places. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to supplicate Allah to bless Madīnah and its people and fruits and to fill it with goodness and blessing, as Abraham, the friend of Allah (peace be upon him), supplicated for Makkah.
In this Hadīth, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that when the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) "saw the first fruits", which is the first produce and the first fruits to become ripe in their farms, they would bring them to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) as a gift to him, or they would do that out of a desire for the Prophet's supplication and to notify him of the fruits becoming ripe and the Zakah related to them. When the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) received them, he would supplicate for them, saying: "O Allah, bless for us our fruits" with growth, increase, and continuity. Then, he would supplicate for Madīnah, saying: "bless for us our Madīnah", i.e., in its essence in terms of its opulence and the opulence of its people and so on. Blessing is intended to refer to blessing in this world and the Hereafter. Then, he supplicated with regard to the Sā‘ and Mudd of Madīnah, saying: "bless for us our Sā ', and bless for us our Mudd", i.e., bless for us what is measured in our Sā 'and bless for us what is measured in our Mudd, making what is in it more sufficient than what lies elsewhere. The Sā‘ of Madīnah is a measure that consists of four Mudds, and a Mudd equals one pound and a third among the people of Hejaz and two pounds elsewhere.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for Madīnah as Abraham (peace be upon him) supplicated for Makkah; he said: "O Allah, indeed Abraham is Your slave, friend, and Prophet, and indeed I am Your slave and Prophet; and he supplicated You regarding Makkah" by saying: {So make the people’s hearts incline towards them, and provide for them fruits, so that they may be grateful.} [Surat Ibrāhīm: 37] Meaning, provide the people of Makkah with fruits by bringing them from other lands so that they may show gratitude for this blessing. Certainly, Allah answered his supplication and made it a safe sanctuary to which all different fruits are brought.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "And I supplicate You regarding Madīnah with the same supplication he made to You for Makkah and the like of it along with it," i.e., with the double of what Abraham (peace be upon him) supplicated for. Thus, Madīnah should have double the blessing in the fruits.
Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would give these fruits he received to the youngest child present, and he probably gave them to children in particular because they have a greater desire, want, and longing for them.
The Hadīth demonstrates the Prophet's noble manners, great compassion and mercy, and gentle attitude toward the old and young.
It shows the Prophet's love for Madīnah..

1374

Abu Sa‘īd, the freed slave of Al-Mahri, reported: they suffered distress and hardship in Madīnah, and he came to Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri and said to him: "I have a lot of dependents, and we are enduring hardship. I have, therefore, made up my mind to take my dependents to some rural land." Abu Sa‘īd said: "Do not do that; stick to Madīnah, for indeed we came out with the Prophet of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) - I think he said:- until we reached 'Usfān, and he stayed there for some nights. The people said: 'By Allah, we are here for nothing, whereas our children are unprotected, and we do not feel secure about them.' This was conveyed to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he said: 'What is this that was conveyed to me from your speech?! - I do not know what he said: By the One by Whom I swear, or by the One in Whose Hand my soul is - I made up my mind, or if you will - I do not know which of that he said - that I should command my she-camel be prepared for proceeding and I will not untie any of its knots until I come to Madīnah.' Then, he said: 'O Allah, indeed Abraham declared Makkah as sacred and rendered it a sanctuary, and I declare Madīnah as sacred and a sanctuary between its two mountains. Thus, no blood is to be shed on it, no weapon is to be carried therein for fighting, and the leaves of trees are not to be beaten off except for fodder. O Allah, bless us in our city; O Allah, bless us in our Sā '; O Allah, bless us in our Mudd; O Allah, bless us in our Sā '; O Allah, bless us in our Mudd; O Allah, bless us in our city; O Allah, give with the blessing two more blessings. By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, there is no ravine or mountain path in Madīnah which two angels do not guard until you reach there.' Then, he said to the people: 'Proceed,' We proceeded and came to Madīnah. By the One in Whose name we take oath - or in Whose name oath is taken - we had hardly put down our camel saddles upon entering Madīnah that we were attacked by Banu ‘Abdullāh ibn Ghatafān, and nothing prevented them from doing it before that.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty endowed some places of the world with particular blessings that He did not give to other places, and He made some places locations for evils and trials and some others locations for goodness and blessings. The Prophet's Madīnah has been endowed with abundant goodness and blessing.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Sa‘īd, the freed slave of Al-Mahri, who was living in Madīnah, relates that they suffered distress and hardship due to poverty and lack of provisions, he complained to Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) about his condition and that he had "a lot of dependents," i.e., the members of one's household and those he supports; and he wants to leave Madīnah and go to some rural land where there are plants and fertility. In response, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) enjoined him to stick to Madīnah and not leave it. Clarifying the reason behind that, he mentioned that they went out of Makkah along with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) until they reached 'Usfān, a village lying 80km to the northwest of Makkah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stayed in it for nights and days. The people said: "We are here for nothing," i.e., business or work, or anything related to war. "whereas our children are unprotected," i.e., without men or any means of protection. We left them behind, and "we do not feel secure about them"; rather, we fear for them that the enemy may attack them while we are away. These words reached the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and he asked them: "What is this that was conveyed to me from your speech" regarding your dependents and families?! Then Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I do not know what he said"; Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) was doubtful about the oath taken by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), whether he said: "By the One by Whom I swear, or by the One in Whose Hand my soul is"; the latter is the form the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would mostly use for swearing. Also, Abu Sa‘īd was in doubt about whether the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I made up my mind, or if you will", meaning he resolved and intended to do something, but he did not actually do it, or he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) left the matter to them; and that is: to command his she-camel be saddled and prepared for riding and travel and he would ride it and proceed and not untie any of the knots of the luggage loaded on it till he reaches Madīnah. This indicates that they alighted in 'Usfān for rest and to let their animals rest. Had it not been for that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would have hastened to Madīnah nonstop, which shows the Prophet's intense love for Madīnah.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Allah, indeed Abraham declared Makkah as sacred and rendered it a sanctuary", i.e., he proclaimed its sacredness and informed people that it is a sanctuary because Allah made it sacred. "And I declare Madīnah as sacred"; the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rendered it "a sanctuary between its two mountains." In another version by Muslim: "I declare what is between the two lava fields of Madīnah as sacred." A lava field is called Al-Harrah. Madīnah lies between two lava fields, eastern and western. A lava field is a land covered with black stones as if it was burned. Madīnah is bordered by Mount Thawr, behind' Uhud, from the north and Mount Ayr from the south. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) meant that he declared all of Madīnah as sacred. An official committee in Saudi Arabia has demarcated the Madīnah sanctuary, and the Madīnah Regional Municipality has put architectural signs in the form of arches like those of the Prophet's Mosque, in many places demonstrating these borders.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed out that his declaration of Madīnah as sacred means: "that no blood is to be shed in it", i.e., nobody is to be unjustly killed therein. The unjust shedding of blood is forbidden everywhere, but shedding it in Makkah and Madīnah is more severely forbidden. "no weapon is to be carried for fighting" except for self-defense and the like. And no tree should be cut off except for fodder. Fodder is a name for grass, hay, barley, and the like, and it is intended to refer to the food of animals.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated for them to have the blessing in their foods. He said: "O Allah, bless us in our city; O Allah, bless us in our Sā '; O Allah, bless us in our Mudd", i.e., bless the food measured by the two of them. Also, the supplication probably means that blessing should lie in the very measure, and thus, a Mudd in it be sufficient in a way not found elsewhere. The Sā‘ of Madīnah is a measure that consists of four Mudds, and a Mudd equals one pound and a third according to the people of Hejaz and two pounds elsewhere. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) repeated his supplication: "O Allah, bless us in our Sā '; O Allah, bless us in our Mudd; O Allah, bless us in our city." And he added: "O Allah, give with the blessing two more blessings", supplicating Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, to increase and multiply the blessings and favors for the people of Madīnah. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore by Allah in Whose Hand lies the soul of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and all humankind: "There is no ravine or mountain path in Madīnah which is not guarded by two angels", i.e., they protect it by the command of Allah Almighty until the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and those with him returned to Madīnah. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) enjoined his Companions to prepare for travel. So, they got prepared and proceeded toward Madīnah.
Then Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) swore by Allah Almighty - by Whom every Muslim swears - that once they unloaded their luggage from their animals as they entered Madīnah, Banu' Abdullāh ibn Ghatafān raided Madīnah, those are people who used to be called Banu' Abd al-‘Uzza during Jāhiliyyah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called them Banu' Abdullāh, and then the Arabs called them Banu Muhawwalah due to Tahwīl (the change) of their name. The meaning: In their absence, Madīnah was guarded, as informed by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). No apparent cause prevented those people from raiding Madīnah before the return of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions, except that Allah Almighty and His angels guarded it.
There is no contradiction in this Hadīth between the Prophet's supplication for Madīnah to be blessed and the fact that some of its people endured hardship, as there is no conflict between the existence of hardship in it and the existence of blessing and no harm done if it is lacking with regard to some people. It is said: What appears to be more correct is that the blessing in it lies in the obtainment of sustenance, and the Mudd in it is sufficient for such an amount that needs three Mudds elsewhere. So, the hardship can be endured in getting the Mudd, and the blessing is represented by multiplying the sustenance therein.
The Hadīth mentions that Allah blessed the people of Madīnah with their fruits and foods and placed blessings in their measures.
It demonstrates the Prophet's intense love for Madīnah and how he would yearn for it whenever he went out until he returned.
It points out the merit of Madīnah and that it was guarded during the Prophet's lifetime and numerous guards were stationed in all ravines, by way of increasing the honor of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)..

1375

Sahl ibn Hunayf reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to Madīnah and said: "It is a safe sanctuary.".

Commentary : Allah Almighty endowed some places of the world with particular blessings that He did not give to other places, and He made some places' locations for evils and trials and others' locations for goodness and blessings. The Prophet's Madīnah has been endowed with abundant goodness and blessing.
In this Hadīth, the noble Companion Sahl ibn Hunayf (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to Madīnah and then said: "It is a safe sanctuary." So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) declared it - as in another version by Muslim -: "inviolable throughout the area between its two mountain paths, that no blood should be shed in it, no weapon should be carried in it for fighting, and no leaves should be beaten off trees except for fodder." Fodder is a name for grass, hay, barley, etc. In another version in the Sahīh Muslim Collection: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I declare inviolable the area between the two lava fields of Madīnah, that its large thorn trees should not be cut down or its game be killed." The meaning: It is forbidden to cut down its trees or kill its game. Its sanctuary lies between its two lava fields, the eastern and the western. A lava field is a land covered with black stones as if it was burned. Madīnah is bordered by Mount Thawr to the north, behind ’Uhud, and by Mount ‘Ayr to the south..

1377

Yuhannas, the freed slave of Az-Zubayr, reported that while sitting with 'Abdullāh ibn Umar at the time of the trial, one of his freed female slaves came and greeted him. She said: "I want to leave, O 'Abu' Abdur-Rahmān. The time has become harsh for us." Thereupon, 'Abdullāh said to her: "Stay, O you Lakā ', for indeed I have heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'No one patiently endures its hunger and hardship except that I will be a witness or intercessor for him on the Day of Judgment.'".

Commentary : Allah, the Exalted and Glorified, endowed some places of the earth with particular blessings that He did not give to other places, and He made some of them locations for evils and trials and others for goodness and blessings. The Prophet's Madīnah has been endowed with abundant goodness, blessing, and merit.
In this Hadīth, Yuhannas, the freed slave of Az-Zubayr - or the freed slave of Mus‘ab ibn az-Zubayr - relates that while he was sitting in the company of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), "one of his freed female slaves came and greeted him", a greeting of farewell, as she wanted to leave Madīnah. This was at a time in which some tribulations occurred among the Muslims, involving fighting and the like. He was apparently referring to the trial of Al-Harrah, which took place during the reign of Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah. She said: "I want to leave" Madīnah, "O ‘Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān", the surname of ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). And she said: "The time has become harsh for us." This demonstrates the reason behind her desire to depart from Madīnah. She meant that famine had become severe at this time because of the trial. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) disapproved of that and urged her to stay in Madīnah, given the merit of doing so. He said: "Stay, O you Lakā '". The word 'Lakā" is used to refer to a vile person, a slave, a fool who does not benefit from the speech of others, or a child. Ibn' Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) addressed her by this word in a friendly manner and to express disapproval of her desire to depart from Madīnah, for one should not leave it due to difficulty and hardship.
Then, he clarified to her why he enjoined her to stay in Madīnah, and this is because he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "No one patiently endures its hunger and hardship except that I will be a witness or intercessor for him on the Day of Judgment." The intended meaning is that he will be a witness for some of the people of Madīnah and an intercessor for the rest of them; or an intercessor for the disobedient and a witness for the obedient; or a witness for those who die during his lifetime and an intercessor for those who die after him; or the word 'or' here means 'and', in which case the meaning will be that he will be an intercessor and witness for him. This is an additional characteristic besides the intercession for sinners or humankind on the Day of Judgment and besides his testimony over the entire Ummah.
The Hadīth urges dwelling in Madīnah.
It points out the merit of patiently enduring hardship and hunger in Madīnah.
It demonstrates the Prophet's favor upon the people of Madīnah..

1380

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Anti-Christ (Al-Masīh ad-Dajjāl) will come from the east with the intention to attack Madīnah until he will alight behind' Uhud, and then the angels will dissuade his face toward the Levant, and there he will be destroyed.".

Commentary : The Prophet's Madīnah possesses great merits, and Allah Almighty has protected it from evils and ills and the Anti-Christ, preventing him from entering it, as He also protects Makkah from him by virtue of the Prophet's supplication for it.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that the Anti-Christ will be keen on going to the Prophet's Madīnah, and his primary goal and intention behind entering it will be to destroy and ruin it. "he will alight behind' Uhud", i.e., he will reach the area behind Mount' Uhud, the well-known mountain lying on the outskirts of Madīnah from the north and situated 4 or 5km away from the Prophet's Mosque. In his story in which he met the Anti-Christ, Tamīm ad-Dāri narrated that he said to him: "and I will travel in the land and not leave any town except that I will stay in it for forty nights, except for Makkah and Taybah (Madīnah), as both of them are forbidden for me. Each time I try to enter one of them, an angel with a sword in his hand unsheathed will confront me and bar my way, and there are angels to guard every passage leading to it." [Narrated by Muslim] But, the angels who guard Madīnah will direct him toward the Levant, which nowadays includes Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon. The Anti-Christ will come to the Levant, and there he will be destroyed, as Jesus the son of Mary (‘Īsa the son of Mariyam) (peace be upon both of them) will descend at the white minaret in eastern Damascus, placing his hands on the wings of two angels. Then, he will pursue him and find him at the gate of Ludd, where the Messiah, the son of Mary, will kill him. as related in another Hadīth narrated by Muslim and others.
The Anti-Christ was called Masīh because one of his eyes is Mamsūh (effaced); he is one-eyed. He is a person from the children of Adam, and his emergence is one of the major signs of the Day of Judgment. Allah will afflict His servants through him and enable him to do things of which only Allah Almighty is capable: bringing the dead person he will kill back to life, the emergence of worldly flourishment and abundance along with him, his paradise and fire, his two rivers, the treasures of earth going after him, and his command to the sky to rain and it will rain and to the earth to produce plants and it will produce plants. All this will happen by the will and power of Allah Almighty. He will come on this day from the east. In a Hadīth narrated by At-Tirmidhi, Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The Ant-Christ will emerge from a land in the east called Khurāsān," which is located in the east of Iraq..

1381

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A time will come for the people when a man will invite his cousin and relative: 'Come to prosperity, come to prosperity.' But Madīnah is better for them if they only knew. By the One in Whose Hand my soul is, none amongst them will go out with a dislike for it except that Allah will make someone better succeed him therein. Indeed, Madīnah is like a bellows, which expels the impurities. The Last Hour will not come until Madīnah banishes its evils just as a bellows eliminates the impurities of iron.".

Commentary : The Prophet's Madīnah is a blessed spot on earth. Allah rid it of impurities and chose it to be the place of Hijrah for the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), the incubator of his mission and the foundation of his state.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that a time will come for the people when a man will call his cousin and relative, saying: "Come to prosperity", i.e., leave Madīnah and hasten to prosperity. By this, he meant that countries would be conquered by the Muslims, and thus, there would be abundant fortunes. Consequently, many of those who left the Hejaz and the Arab land would be inclined to the fortunes they found in these conquered countries and would take them as a homeland and invite their relatives in Madīnah to come to them, given the difficult living there. But in reality, staying in Madīnah is better for them as it is the sanctuary of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his refuge and the place where divine revelation and blessings descended if they only knew the religious benefits and results of staying in it, compared to which the worldly transient and fleeting fortunes they find in living elsewhere would seem trivial. Or the meaning: If they only had any knowledge, i.e., Would that they were among the people of knowledge - by way of emphasis and rebuke.
Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took an oath, saying: "By the One in Whose Hand my soul is", and this is swearing by Allah, Who possesses the life and soul, "none amongst them will go out" i.e., none of those who live in it will abandon and leave it, disliking and being disinterested in it, or disinterested the reward for dwelling in it, except that Allah, the Glorified and Exalted, will make a better person than him will succeed him - who will be born in Madīnah or move to it from another place. Then the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned that it banishes evil people from it, and they do not bear to live therein. Only the righteous believers bear to stay in it. Indeed, it does not leave in it anyone in whose heart there is wickedness and corruption. Rather, it distinguishes him from people with sincere hearts and drives him out, as fire separates bad iron from good one. A bellows is the leather by which the blacksmith blows into the fire. The Hour will not occur until Madīnah banishes its evils just as a bellows eliminates the impurities of iron. The impurities of iron are the dirt and filth extricated therefrom by fire. It is said: It is meant to refer here to some of the hypocrites who lived during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Otherwise, many righteous and virtuous people left Madīnah after the Prophet's lifetime, and some wicked and evil people remained therein. It is also said That Madīnah banishes its evils, which probably applies to the time of the Dajjāl and may also apply to different eras.
The Hadīth demonstrates some merits of Madīnah.
It includes one of the signs proving the Prophet's prophethood..

1385

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, Allah Almighty named Madīnah Tābah.".

Commentary : The Prophet's Madīnah is a blessed spot on earth. Allah has purified it from filth and has chosen it to be the Prophet's destination of Hijrah (immigration), the incubator of his call, and the basis of his state.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informs that one of the names by which Allah Almighty called Madīnah is 'Tābah'. The meaning is that Allah Almighty named it in the Preserved Tablet or commanded His Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to name it as such in response to the hypocrites concerning its name as Yathrib. Tābah is derived from At-Tīb, which means good scent, or from something Tayyib (good) or something Tāhir (pure), for it has been purified from Shirk (polytheism). It is said: Because it is Tayyibah (good) for those who dwell in it. And it is said: Because living in it is Tayyib (good). It is also said: Because its soil and air are Tayyib. He who stays in it finds a good scent in its soil and walls that can hardly be found elsewhere.
Madīnah used to be called Yathrib before the Prophet's Hijrah to it. In the Two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I have been commanded to go to a town which will devour all towns. People call it Yathrib, but it is Madīnah." He (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) seemed to have disliked the name Yathrib, for it comes from "Tathrīb", which means censure and punishment, or from "Tharb", which means corruption, and because it was the name used in Jāhiliyyah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to change bad names. Also, Allah Almighty calls it Madīnah in several Qur'anic verses. When something has numerous names, this denotes its greatness.
As for calling it "Yathrib" in the Qur'anic verse that reads: {And [remember] when a group of them said: "O people of Yathrib, you cannot withstand [the enemy attack], so go back"} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 13], this is taken as a quotation of the words of the hypocrites whose hearts had sickness..

1386

Abu Hurayrah reported that Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever intends to do harm to the people of this city - meaning Madīnah - Allah will make him dissolve just as salt dissolves in water.".

Commentary : Prophetic Madīnah is a blessed spot on earth. Allah has purified it from filth and has chosen it to be the Prophet's destination in his Hijrah (emigration), the incubator of his call, and the basis of his state.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) says that Allah Almighty defends Madīnah and its righteous believing dwellers. So, whoever intends to do harm to the people of Madīnah and is determined to hurt them, Allah will make him dissolve as salt dissolves in water, and this will be in the Hereafter as mentioned in Sahīh Muslim: "No one intends evil for the people of Madīnah except that Allah will make him melt in fire like the melting of lead;" so He made the punishment in Hellfire. This could also mean: Whoever has ill will towards it during the Prophet's lifetime, Muslims will be spared his harm, and his plot will fade away just as salt fades away in water. This could also be in reference to whoever has an ill will towards it generally in this life, so Allah will not grant him a respite and will not grant him authority; rather, He will soon eliminate him..

1398

Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān reported: ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Sa‘īd al-Khudri passed by me, and I said to him: What did you hear your father say about the mosque that was founded on piety? He said: I heard my father say: I entered upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the house of one of his wives and I said: O Messenger of Allah, which of the two mosques is the one founded on piety? He said: He took a handful of pebbles and threw them on the ground and then said: It is this very mosque of yours, i.e., the Madīnah Mosque. I said: I bear witness that this is how I heard your father make mention of it..

Commentary : Piety means fearing Allah and being heedful of Him in all deeds, and abiding by His commands, prohibitions, and rulings in all aspects of life. The Muslim must adopt piety and must seek to attain it. Allah Almighty commended piety and the pious people in the Qur’an.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn ‘Awf reports that ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Sa‘īd al-Khudri passed by him, so he asked him: What did you hear your father, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) say in relation to what is meant by the mosque that was founded on piety, which Allah Almighty described in His statement: {A mosque that was founded on piety from the first day}? [Surat at-Tawbah: 108] That is to say, it was founded and built on fearing Allah and obeying Him from the very beginning.
He told him that Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he was in the house of one of his wives and asked him: "Which of the two mosques is the one founded on piety?" The "two mosques" refer to Qubā’ Mosque and the Madīnah Mosque, which was built by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) took a handful of small pebbles from the ground and threw them on the ground, then he answered the question of Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) saying: "It is this very mosque of yours," i.e., the Madīnah Mosque. This is meant as a form of exaggeration in clarifying that it is the Madīnah Mosque.
Thereupon, Abu Salamah ibn ‘Abdur-Rahmān said to ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Abi Sa‘īd: "I bear witness that this is how I heard your father," i.e., Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him), "make mention of it," i.e., he had mentioned to me the like of what you mentioned to me about it.
The Hadīth clarifies the merit of the Prophet's Mosque and the fact that it was founded on piety..

1403

Jābir reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a woman, so he came to his wife Zaynab, while she was tanning a Manī’ah (piece of leather), and satisfied his need. Then, he came out to his Companions and said: "The woman advances in the shape of a devil and retires in the shape of a devil. So, when any of you sees a woman, he should come to his wife, for that will repel what he feels in his heart." [In another version]: He did not mention: "retires in the shape of a devil.".

Commentary : Islam has protected women from all evil, and the Shariah has commanded women to avoid Tabarruj (impermissible exposure of adornment), so as not to arouse desires and become a cause of tempting others.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saw a woman, as if he saw her all of a sudden. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went to his wife, Zaynab bint Jahsh, to satisfy his human lust and maintain his chastity. Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was tanning a piece of leather, i.e., rubbing it. "Manī’ah": it is the leather once put in tannin. He did this only to clarify to people and guide them to what they should do, as he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught them with his acts and words. As for what he felt in his heart, he is not to be blamed for it, and it does not negatively affect his status. It is a requirement of human nature and lust. It must not be thought that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did this out of a whim or for being overcome by lust, far be it from him. Rather, he did this by way of legislation and to set an example and to ward off what is expected to happen.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The woman advances in the shape of a devil and retires in the shape of a devil" referring to personal desires and inviting others to be tempted by her, given the natural inclination for women that Allah Almighty has instilled in men and the pleasure they get by looking at women and at whatever is related to them. The woman is, thus like the devil who calls to evil through his whispering and through making evil appealing to them. This is because her advance calls men to look stealthily at her just like the devil that calls to evil and whispering. The same applies to her turning back because the gaze is the heart's guide, so when she turns back, she attracts a man's gaze and he tries to take backdoors to reach her, as seeing her from all directions is a cause of corruption.
Then, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "So, when any of you sees a woman," i.e., likes and admires her, because seeing something that arouses one's amazement, leads to admiring it. Another version by Muslim reads: "When any of you admires a woman and his heart is captivated by her, he should go to his wife and have sexual intercourse with her." Here he said: "He should come to his wife," i.e., and have sexual intercourse with her. "For that will repel what he feels in his heart," i.e., his sexual intercourse with his wife will repel what he feels in his heart and will satiate his lust and calm him down.
The Hadīth indicates that there is nothing wrong with one asking his wife for sexual intercourse during daytime or at any other time, even if she is preoccupied with something that could be postponed because a man might be overcome by lust and the delay might cause him harm in his body, or in his heart and sight.
It also denotes how the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) taught his Companions the way of ridding the devil's whispers by going for what is lawful instead of what is unlawful..

1405

Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allowed the Mut‘ah marriage (temporary marriage) for three days in the year of Awtās, then he forbade it..

Commentary : Islam has established the legal marriage system to protect the progeny and people's honor. It has forbidden all means of enjoying women that were widespread in the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, which do not protect women's rights.
In this Hadīth, Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted and allowed his Companions to enter into Mut‘ah marriage for three days and that was when it became so hard for them to stay unmarried in the Battle of Awtās, which took place in the same year after the Conquest of Makkah, i.e., 8 AH. The Mut‘ah marriage is a fixed-term marriage, with the word "tamattu‘" (enjoyment) verbally stated, in return for an amount of money. Awtās is a valley in Tā’if where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) distributed the spoils of Hunayn and Awtās. Then, he forbade the Mut‘ah marriage after those three days and made it permanently forbidden until the Day of Judgment.
The Mut‘ah marriage was known during the early stages of Islam and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not forbid them from it during their travels, given their need for it. However, he forbade them from it during their stay and residence in their countries. The ruling of the Mut‘ah marriage passed through various phases, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from it more than once, then he ordered them to engage in it at various times until he made it permanently forbidden. Forbidding the Mut‘ah marriage was reported in many narrations, which point out that the prohibition was in the Conquest of Makkah, which is the most famous opinion, or in the Battle of Awtās, or in the Battle of Khaybar, or during the Prophet's last days in the Farewell Hajj. It was a permanent prohibition and not a temporary one, thus leaving no room for any difference of opinion among the jurists and the leading scholars of the Ummah. Only some of the Shiites hold a different opinion whose opinion does not count..

1405

‘Atā’ reported: Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh came for ‘Umrah. We came to his abode, and the people asked him about certain matters, and then they mentioned Mut'ah. Thereupon, he said: "Yes, we engaged in Mut'ah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr and 'Umar.".

Commentary : Islam has established the Shar‘i marriage system to protect progeny and honor. It has forbidden all means of enjoying women that were widespread in Jāhiliyyah (the pre-Islamic era of ignorance), which do not protect their rights.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Atā’ ibn Abi Rabāh informs that Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Makkah to perform ‘Umrah, and some of the Tābi‘is came to him in his dwelling and began to ask him about religious matters and seek his Fatwas on them. This was the attitude of the Tābi‘is; they were keen on receiving knowledge from the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, they asked him about Mut‘ah marriage, in which a man enjoys a woman in return for compensation agreed upon by them and for a specified period, and the marriage ends with the elapse of this period. In response, Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes, we engaged in Mut‘ah during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr and ‘Umar," i.e., during the reign of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) and during the reign of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). In another version by Muslim: "We used to engage in Mut'ah in return for a handful of dates and flour during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and Abu Bakr, until 'Umar forbade it in the case of 'Amr ibn Hurayth." 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) married a woman by Mut'ah marriage during the reign of 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), and she got pregnant from him. The statement of Jābir and the action of 'Amr (may Allah be pleased with both of them) are taken to indicate that the Prophet's prohibition of such marriage did not reach them.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the Mut'ah marriage in the beginning and then forbade it later during the battle of Khyber until the Day of Judgment, and he declared it unlawful during the Farewell Hajj, as narrated by Al-Bukhāri, Muslim, and others. In a Hadīth in the Two Sahīh Collections, ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the Mut‘ah marriage of women as well as eating the flesh of domestic donkeys. In the Sahīh Muslim Collection: Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allowed the Mut‘ah marriage for three days in the year of Awtās, and then he forbade it..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "May Allah's mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.".

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
When the last ayaat of Soorat Al-Baqarah (chapter no. 2) were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ recited them in the mosque and proclaimed the trade of Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) as unlawful..

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Swearing oaths (by a seller) may persuade the buyer to purchase the goods but such sale will be deprived of Allah's blessing.".

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once the Prophet ﷺ got Hijaamah performed on him and paid that Hijaamah therapist who performed it fees. Had it been unlawful, the Prophet ﷺ would not have paid him..

Sahl ibn Hunayf reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to Madīnah and said: "It is a safe sanctuary.".

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, Allah Almighty named Madīnah Tābah.".

Abu Hurayrah reported that Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever intends to do harm to the people of this city - meaning Madīnah - Allah will make him dissolve just as salt dissolves in water.".

Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allowed the Mut‘ah marriage (temporary marriage) for three days in the year of Awtās, then he forbade it..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "May Allah's mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.".

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): When the last ayaat of Soorat Al-Baqarah (chapter no. 2) were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ recited them in the mosque and proclaimed the trade of Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) as unlawful..

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Swearing oaths (by a seller) may persuade the buyer to purchase the goods but such sale will be deprived of Allah's blessing.".

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): Once the Prophet ﷺ got Hijaamah performed on him and paid that Hijaamah therapist who performed it fees. Had it been unlawful, the Prophet ﷺ would not have paid him..

Sahl ibn Hunayf reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pointed with his hand to Madīnah and said: "It is a safe sanctuary.".

Jābir ibn Samurah reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Indeed, Allah Almighty named Madīnah Tābah.".

Abu Hurayrah reported that Abu al-Qāsim (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever intends to do harm to the people of this city - meaning Madīnah - Allah will make him dissolve just as salt dissolves in water.".

Salamah ibn al-Akwa‘ reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) allowed the Mut‘ah marriage (temporary marriage) for three days in the year of Awtās, then he forbade it..

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "May Allah's mercy be on him who is lenient in his buying, selling, and in demanding back his money.".

‘Narrated Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her):
When the last ayaat of Soorat Al-Baqarah (chapter no. 2) were revealed, the Prophet ﷺ recited them in the mosque and proclaimed the trade of Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) as unlawful..

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "Swearing oaths (by a seller) may persuade the buyer to purchase the goods but such sale will be deprived of Allah's blessing.".

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once the Prophet ﷺ got Hijaamah performed on him and paid that Hijaamah therapist who performed it fees. Had it been unlawful, the Prophet ﷺ would not have paid him..