| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2189

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺforbade the selling of fruits before they are ripe, and none of them should be sold except for Dinar or Dirham (i.e., money), except the ‘Arayah trees (, the dates of which could be sold for dates).
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Commentary :
Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between the sellers and the buyers are among the objectives of theLaws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between the buyers and sellers.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling only the unpicked fruits or dates (rather than the fruits and trees altogether) before they appear fully ripe and ready for consumption, by becomingred or yellow or showing any other sign of ripeness. This is because when the fruits ripen, they become safe from potential loss or defects due to pests that may destroy or reduce the yield. In fact, the prohibition of such a sales transaction serves the best interests of both the buyer and seller. It benefits the seller, because the price paid for the unripe fruits is lower; he could sell them for a higher price if he waited until they are fully ripe. Therefore, hastening to sell the unripe crops may cause him to miss out on obtaining more earnings, and hastening to make small profits (rather than waiting to make big ones) implies a waste of wealth. Moreover, the unripe fruits may go bad and spoil before they ripen, and thus a seller would have unlawfully devoured the wealth of his Muslim brother. It also benefits the buyer, because when he buys the unripe fruits, he may lose his money if the quality of the purchased fruits turns out to be less than what was expected, and thus he would be risking the loss of his money. In addition, there is another benefit accruing to both parties, for the prohibition of this sale eliminates potential disputes and discord that may be caused between them were the sold fruits to go bad and spoil.
The Prophet ﷺ also forbade the sale of dates, after they appear ripe and ready for consumption, for dates. Rather, dates should be sold for Dinar, Dirham, or other trade goods, to avoid falling into Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., excess charged in the event of a barter of specific homogenous commodities of different quality or quantity). It involves the sale of gold for gold, silver for silver, or food for food with excess, and it is deemed prohibited as per the laws of Islam with regard to six categories of commodity, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim. TheProphet ﷺ said: “Gold may be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, salt by salt, like by like, provided that the payment is made hand to hand. If the exchanged commodities are dissimilar, sell as you wish as long as the payment is made on the spot.”
The Prophet ﷺ later deemed allowable one form of this sale, namely Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah or ‘Araayaa (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated measure of picked and ripe fruits on the ground based on dry measurement). It is a sale whereby the owner of an orchard grants a poor person, who has no palm trees of his own nor cash to buy fresh dates for his household consumption, the (fresh) dates of his palm tree in return for a payment of surplus dry dates. It is a barter of the owner’s fresh dates of one or two palm trees for instance, for an estimated weight of surplus dry dates provided by the poor person, to avail himself of fresh dates like those who could afford buying them. This transaction was deemed allowable because some people had no palm trees or money during the season of fresh dates and wished to feed their dependents therefrom. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ gave them that legal concession, to conduct the sale of ‘Arayah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s.
The hadeeth highlights how Islam promotes ease and facilitation and eliminates inconvenience for people.

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2191

Sahl ibn Abee Hathmah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade the sale of fruits (fresh dates) for dry dates but allowed the sale of fruits on the ‘Ariyyah by estimation and their new owners might eat their fresh dates. Sufyaan (in another narration) said, "I told Yahyaa (a sub-narrator) when I was a mere boy, people of Makkah used to say that the Prophet ﷺ allowed them to conduct the sale of ‘Ariyyah by estimation.' Yahyaa asked, 'How did the people of Makkah know about it?' I replied, 'They narrated it (from the Prophet ﷺ) on the authority of Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him).' On that, Yahyaa kept quiet." Sufyaan said, "I meant that Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) from the people of Al-Madeenah." Sufyaan was asked whether or not there was a reference in Jaabir's narration any prohibition of selling fruits before their benefit is evident (i.e., they become fully ripen and free of any dangers of being spoilt or blighted). He replied that there was none..

Commentary :
Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between the sellers and the buyers are among the objectives of the Laws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between buyers and sellers.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling only unpicked dates for an estimated equivalent weight of dry dates, known as the Muzaabanah sale (i.e., a sale that involves the exchange of fresh fruits for dry ones, where the quantity of the dry fruits is actually known, by precise measurement, but the quantity of the fresh fruits to be handed over in exchange is estimated while they are in their unpicked state on trees), but excluded one form of such a sale known as Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated amount of picked and ripe fruits on the ground based on dry measurement). It is a sale whereby a poor person buys the unpicked dates of palm trees, after they appear to be ripe and ready for consumption, to eat therefrom whenever he wishes, in return for an estimated payment of dry dates on the ground. This transaction was deemed allowable because some people had no palm trees of their own, or money during the season of fresh dates, and they wished to feed their dependents therefrom.The Prophet ﷺ gave them that legal concession out of his compassion to them. He ﷺ deemed it allowable to conduct this form of that sale for an estimation of their equal weight of dry dates, provided they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.A Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s.
‘Alee ibn ‘Abdullah - one of the narrators of the hadeeth - told them that Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah narrated this hadeeth to them with two different wordings conveying the same meaning. Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah reported that he said to Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed Al-Ansaaree what had happened with him when he was a little boy, to indicate that he started seeking knowledge at a very young age, and that as a young seeker of knowledge used to debate and discuss with his teachers. Sufyaan said: “People of Makkah used to say that the Prophet ﷺ allowed for them the sale of ‘Arayaa (trees) by estimation.” Yahyaa asked about the supportive hadeeth text on which they relied in this regard, 'How did the people of Makkah know about it?' Sufyaan replied that they narrated such a hadeeth on the authority of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah Al-Ansaaree(may Allah be pleased with him). On that, Yahyaa kept quiet. In fact, Sufyaan made mention of the narrator of this hadeeth because he, i.e., Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him), belonged to the people of Al-Madeenah. Thus, he underlined that the supportive hadeeth was narrated by the people of Al-Madeenah. The difference between the narration reported by Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed and that reported by the people of Makkah was that Yahyaa ibn Sa’eed limited the relevant legal concession in Bay‘ Al-‘Araayaa to estimation without weighing or measuring, and that the buyer must eat the dates fresh. As for the narration reported on the authority of Sufyaan from the people of Makkah, it did not specify such conditions, and indicated that Bay‘ Al-‘Araayaa was deemed allowable without any of these restrictions or conditions. Yahyaa could have said to Sufyaan that the people of Al-Madeenah held that such-and-such restrictions or conditions were stipulated; therefore,that which is general should be made subject to that which is restricted and specific i.e., applying a specific requirement on that which is general. The specification of the condition of estimation without weighing or measuring in the relevant narration is based on an addition made by a narrator, judged as Haafith (i.e., a title, lit. memorizer of hadeeth, awarded to a Hadeeth scholar after he had memorized thousands of hadeeths along with their chains of narration) by Hadeeth scholars, and therefore is essentially approved.Overall, the most likely correct opinion regarding the specification of being eaten fresh is that it is not a condition for the validity of this sale transaction but was rather mentioned to describe their actual situation.
Sufyaan ibn ‘Uyaynah was asked whether or not there was any reference to the prohibition of selling fruits before their benefit is evident (i.e., becoming fully ripe) in Jaabir's narration, and he replied that there was none, meaning that the hadeeth did not state the prohibition of selling fruits before they ripen and become ready for consumption, although this is true according to another version of that hadeeth reported by other narrators.
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2193

Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "During the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ, people used to trade with fruits. When they cut their date-fruits and the purchasers came to receive their rights, a seller would say, 'My dates have gone bad and got rotten; they are blighted with diseases, or afflicted with Qushaam (i.e., a disease which causes the fruit to fall before ripening).' People used to go on complaining of defects in their purchases. Therefore, Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, "Do not sell the fruits before their benefit is evident (i.e., they appear to be fully ripe and free of any dangers of being spoilt or blighted), by way of advice, for they disputed too much." [Another version of the hadeeth reads: Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) used not to sell the fruits of his land till Pleiades appeared and one could distinguish the yellow (unripe) fruits from the red (fully ripe) ones..

Commentary : Preventing cheating in sales and avoiding potential disputes between buyers and sellers are among the objectives of the Laws of Islam. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some sales that could lead to cheating and deception, or cause potential disputes between the two parties.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) that people during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ used to sell the unpicked fruits or dates before they were fully ripe and ready for consumption, as judged by showing signs of ripeness in terms of color or shape. When they cut their date-fruits and the purchasers came to receive their rights, the seller would say, 'My dates have gone rotten, they are blighted with such-and-such diseases; they are afflicted with Qushaam (i.e., a disease which causes the fruit to fall before ripening).' Therefore, when their disputes increased, Allah's Messenger ﷺ forbade selling fruits before their benefit is evident (i.e., they appear to be fully ripe, by means of color or shape or any other sign of ripeness. Then, the fruits would be safe from being spoilt or blighted with pests that may destroy or reduce the yield).
As for his saying, “Do not sell …,” it means that it is prohibited to sell the fruits except after these signs of ripeness are evident.
His saying, “by way of advice, for they disputed too much,” means that they were urged to refrain from buying any unpicked fruits until the whole yield was fully ripe, to avoid potential disputes. It was said that this was an interpretation made by some reporters of the hadeeth and was not part of the Prophet’s saying. This might have been the case in the beginning, and afterward the Prophet ﷺ decisively and explicitly forbade such sales. It was narrated on the authority of Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ forbade the sale of dates until they become fully ripe, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.
Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) used to act upon this prohibition; he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not sell the fruits of his palm trees till Pleiades appeared, marking the beginning of summer, when the wheatear became hot in Hijaaz and fruits became fully ripe. The Laws of Islam-approved criterion is the ripeness of the dates and the appearance of the Pleiades was a mere sign of the season of such ripeness.
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2198

Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the sale of fruits till they are almost ripe. He (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked what is meant by 'are almost ripe.' He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, "Till they become red." Allah's Messenger ﷺ further said, "If Allah caused the fruits to go bad and spoil, what right would one have to take the money of his fellow Muslim brother (i.e., the buyer)?"
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2201

Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree and Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ appointed somebody as a governor of Khaybar. That governor brought to him an excellent kind of dates (from Khaybar). The Prophet ﷺasked, "Are all the dates of Khaybar like this (i.e., in terms of quality)?" He replied, "By Allah, no, O Allah's Messengerﷺ! But we barter one Saa‘ of this (type of dates) for two Saa‘s of dates of ours and two Saa‘s of it for three of ours." Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "Do not do so (as that is a kind of Ribaa) but sell the mixed dates (of inferior quality) for money, and then buy fine (high-quality) dates with that money."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, has permitted for His servants to earn their living by trade, but deemed Ribaa (i.e., interest, usury) prohibited. Hence, the Prophet ﷺ forbade some commercial transactions lest Muslims should fall into Ribaa, directly or indirectly.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Sa’eed Al-Khudree and Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ appointed Sawaad ibn Ghaziyyah (may Allah be pleased with him) as the governor for Khaybar, a northern area of Al-Madeenah where the fortresses of the Jews were located, and it was conquered after the Pact of Al-Hudaybiyyah on the first of Muharram 7 A.H. Sawaad (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet ﷺ with “Janeeb dates”, high-quality dates, and it was also said that the hadeeth rather referred to Sulb dates. The Prophet ﷺ asked him: "Are all the dates of Khaybar like this (i.e., in terms of quality)?" The man said: “No, Allah, O Messenger of Allah, but we barter one Saa‘ of Janeeb dates for two Saa‘s of dates of ours and two Saa‘s of Janeeb dates for three of ours,” meaning that they exchanged one Saa‘of Janeeb dates for two Saa‘s of low-quality dates, and two Saa‘s of Janeeb dates for three Saa‘s of low-quality dates. The Prophet ﷺ forbade him from doing so and commanded him instead to sell the low-quality dates for Dirhams, and then buy with his money the Janeeb dates, to be done in two separate sale transactions, to avoid falling into Ribaa Al-Fadhl (i.e., excess charged in the event of a barter of specific homogenous commodities of different quality or quantity).
It was deemed prohibited as per the laws of Islam with regard to six categories of commodity, as recorded in Saheeh Muslim. The Prophet ﷺ said: “Gold may be paid for by gold, silver by silver, wheat by wheat, barley by barley, dates by dates, salt by salt, like by like, provided that the payment is made hand to hand. If the exchanged commodities are dissimilar, sell as you wish as long as the payment is made on the spot.”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is prohibited to take excess of weight or measure in an exchange of a homogenous commodity of a different quality or quantity.
It also highlights that when the Prophet ﷺ forbade something that had lawful alternatives, he ﷺ used to refer to such alternatives.
It is also inferred from the hadeeth that ignorance of a prohibition warrants pardon until one obtains knowledge of it.
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2207

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messengerﷺforbade Muhaaqalah (i.e., a sale in which grains in ears are sold for dry (processed) grain), Mukhaadharah (i.e., the sale of the unripe crops), Mulaamasah (i.e., a sale which become binding on seller if he just touches the object), Munaabadhah (i.e., a sale which is considered complete if one party just throw his garment to another party), and Muzaabanah (i.e., a sale of fresh fruit for an estimated equivalent weight of dried fruit)..

Commentary :
Islam came to eradicate the evil traces of the pre-Islamic era and forbid the sales that contravened the Laws of Islam, involved injustice, and yielded no benefits.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) underlined that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ forbade the Muhaaqalah sale, which was the sale of wheat while still in its ear in return for a certain known measure of wheat.
He ﷺ also forbade Mukhaadarah, which referred to the sale of crops before they become ripe and ready for consumption.
He ﷺ also forbade Mulaamasah, which referred to a way of selling practiced before Islam whereby a buyer purchased clothes or otherwise without seeing it properly with the condition that he was disentitled to annul the sale after properly seeing the purchased commodity; whenever he touched it, the sale became binding.
He ﷺalso forbade Munaabadhah, which is an Arabic word derived from the root ‘Na-ba-dha’, denoting throwing. It refers to a way of selling practiced before Islam, whereby a buyer said to a seller, ‘I shall buy whatever garment you throw at me for such-and-such a price”.Thus, throwing the commodity at the buyer became the seller’s consent to conclude the purchase, and the buyer became obliged to buy it.
He ﷺ also forbade Muzaabanah, which is a transaction whereby an owner of fruit trees sold his fruit for an estimated equivalent weight of the dried fruit, such as palm fruit for dates or grapes for raisins. The Prophet ﷺ deemed such transactions forbidden, but excluded one form known as Bay‘ Al-‘Ariyyah (i.e., a sale of unpicked and unripe fruits, usually dates, for an estimated weight of picked and ripe fruit on the ground based on dry measurement).
It was reported that Zayd ibn Thaabit (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession in case of the ‘Ariyyah sale, selling dry dates for fresh ones after measuring them out.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim].
This refers to a sale whereby the owner of an orchard grants a poor person, who has no palm trees of his own nor cash to buy fresh dates for his household consumption, the (fresh) dates of his palm tree in return for a payment of surplus dry dates made by the poor person. It is a barter of the owner’s fresh dates of one or two palm trees, for instance, for an estimated weight of surplus dates that the poor person had left, to avail himself of the fresh dates like those who could afford to buy them. The Prophet ﷺ gave a legal concession to conduct the sale of ‘Arayah for an estimated weight of dry dates, provided that they were less than five Wasaqs, as narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim, and the Wasaq equaled 60 Saa‘s.
The hadeeth forbade a number of sales and financial transactions that involved Gharar (i.e., risk and uncertainty) and ambiguity.
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2212

Hishaam ibn ‘Urwah narrated on the authority of his father, who heard ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) saying, "Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable.} [Quran 4:6] This ayah was revealed concerning the guardian of the orphans who looks after them and favorably manages their financial affairs. If such guardian is poor, he may avail himself of the orphan’s wealth within what is just and reasonable, (according to his work).
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Commentary : Since an (underage) orphan is unable to manage his own financial affairs, it is prescribed to appoint a guardian to shoulder that task on his behalf, to dispose of his financial (and legal) affairs and preserve his wealth. Allah, Exalted is He, commanded the guardian of the orphan to preserve the orphan’s wealth. The Laws of Islam also forbade the guardian from substituting (his) worthless items of wealth for the good and superior items of wealth owned by the orphan under his guardianship.
In this hadeeth,the Mother of Believers ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) explained the meaning of the ayah that reads (what means): {And whoever, [when acting as guardian], is self-sufficient should refrain [from taking a fee]; and whoever is poor - let him take according to what is acceptable.} [Quran 4:6].She (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that it was revealed regarding the orphan's guardian who is entrusted with taking care of him, tending to his needs, and preserving and managing his wealth. The ayah means that if a guardian of an orphan, whose father died before he reached puberty, has personal wealth to fulfill his own needs and dispense with the orphan’s wealth, i.e., not taking fees in return for managing the orphan’s financial affairs on his behalf, he should do so and graciously refrain from taking fees. However, if the guardian is poor, it is allowable for him to avail himself of the orphan’s wealth reasonably, i.e., taking only the fees that he needs without transgressing the proper limits, leading to the loss of the orphan's wealth.
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2213

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messengerﷺ gave preemption (to a partner) in every joint property, but if the boundaries of the property were demarcated or the ways and streets were fixed, then there was no pre-emption.
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Commentary : The Islamic Laws of Islam fosters whatever preserves people’s interests and perpetuates their mutual amiability, especially partners. Therefore, the Laws of Islam grants the right of Shuf‘ah or pre-emption to a partner and co-owner of a joint property, if the other partner or co-owner wishes to sell his share, according to specific rules and conditions.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah underlined that the Prophet ﷺ affirmed the right of Shuf‘ah or pre-emption in any jointly owned property that is dividable, such as: real estate, land, and the like, but was not divided. The term Shuf‘ah refers to the right of purchasing before others the share of one’s partner and co-owner. If a co-owner is selling his share in a jointly owned house or land for example, the other co-owner has more right to buy this share for the same price. The right of pre-emption is established for any property, be it real estate or land, which is not divided up, but each share is well-defined. If the shares are well-defined and each co-owner knows his share, and ‘the boundaries of the joint property were demarcated or the ways and streets were fixed,’ the right of pre-emption is not established for any of them, and each is entitled to sell his share to whomever he wishes.
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2217

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Prophet ﷺ Ibraaheem (Abraham) migrated with Sarah and entered a village\townwhere there was a king or a tyrant. (The king) was told that Ibraaheem had entered (the village\town) accompanied by a woman who was one of the most charming women. So, the king sent for Ibraaheem and asked, 'O Ibraaheem! Who is this lady accompanying you?' He replied, 'She is my sister, meaning his sister in faith.' Then Ibraaheem returned to her and said, 'Do not contradict my statement, for I have informed them that you are my sister. By Allah, there are no true believers on this land except you and I.' Then Ibraaheem sent her to the king. When the king tries to approach her, she got up, performed ablution, prayed and said, 'O Allah! If I have believed in You and Your Messengerand have guarded my private parts from everybody except my husband, then please do not let this pagan overpower me.' On that, the king had a seizure and started moving his legs violently. Seeing the king’s condition, Sarah said, 'O Allah! If he should die, people will say that I have killed him.' The king regained his powerand proceeded towards her but she got up again and performed ablution, prayed and said, 'O Allah! If I have believed in You and Your Messenger and have guarded my private parts from all men except my husband, then please do not let this pagan overpower me.' The king again had a seizure and started moving his legs violently. On seeing that state of the king, Sarah said, 'O Allah! If he should die, people will say that I have killed him.' The king got either two or three seizures, and after recovering from the last one he said, 'By Allah! You have sent a devil to me! Take her to Ibraaheem and give her a slave-girl.' So, she came back to Ibraaheem and said, 'Allah humiliated the pagan and gave us a slave-girl for service."
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, defends those who believe in Him, and supports them by His grace and kindness, granting them victory over their enemies if they duly relied on Him and declared their utter weakness, powerlessness, and need for His help, support, and strength. Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham) and his wife Sarah duly relied on Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ related the story of Ibraaheem Al-Khaleel (i.e., the close friend of Allah) when he travelled with his wife Sarah, who was a charming woman endowed with a remarkable beauty, to a town ruled by a tyrant king. Upon hearing of her beauty, the king summoned Prophet Ibraaheem and asked him about Sarah. Prophet Ibraaheem said: “She is my sister,” meaning his sister in faith. Prophet Ibraaheem did not tell him that she was his wife because he realized that this tyrant wanted Sarah for his own evil intentions. Knowing his reputation, Prophet Ibraaheem knew that he would be reluctant to harm a man’s sister, but would not hesitate to harm his wife! It was also said that he knew that the king would have killed him, taken her away from him, or forced him to divorce her. Afterward, Ibraaheem said to her: “Do not contradict my statement,’ meaning ‘if this king asked you about me, do not say that I am your husband.’ He clarified to her that he was truthful, because she was essentially his sister in faith. He made an oath that there were no true believers in that land except him and her. His intention was to opt for Tawriyyah (i.e., indirect speech; when a speaker says something that has an apparent meaning that the listener would understand, and another hidden meaning that the speaker intends) to spare himself and his wife the evil of this tyrant had he known that she was his wife. His saying “There are no true believers in this land except you and I,” does not contradict the ayah that reads (what means): {And Lut believed him.} [Quran 29:26]. This is because Prophet Ibraaheem (peace be upon him) meant that there were no true believers in that town except them, and Prophet Lut was not there with them.
Then, Ibraaheem sent her to the king. The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “… Ibraaheem stood in prayer,” meaning that he hastened to stand before his Lord in prayer (to seek His help and protection for his wife). When the king approached her, she got up, performed ablution, prayed and said, ‘O Allah! If I have believed in You and Your Messenger,’ meaning Prophet Ibraaheem. In fact, she was not doubtful of her belief in him, but mentioned it as an assumption to humble herself. She added: “… and have guarded my private parts from everybody’, meaning guarded herself against sin, ‘and enjoyed that which is lawful with my husband, … do not let this pagan overpower me.’ On that, the king had a seizure,’ meaning he suffered from shortness of breath, was nearly suffocated, his snorting could be heard, ‘and started moving his legs violently,’ out of pain. Seeing the condition of the king, Sarah said, 'O Allah! If he should die, people will say that I have killed him.' Allah, Exalted is He, relieved him of the pain, but after regaining his power, he approached her again! She got up again, performed ablution, recited the same supplication, and he again had a seizure. On seeing that state of the king, Sarah supplicated Allah, Exalted is He, to save him lest people would accuse her of killing him, and He relieved him. The king got either two or three seizures, and after recovering from the last one he said, 'By Allah! You have sent a devil to me!’Before Islam, people venerated the Jinn, and attributed to them all supernatural events and actions, and such seizures, which were similar to an epileptic seizure, fit the profile.
He added, ‘Take her to Ibraaheem and give her a slave-girl,’ meaning Hajar, the mother of Prophet Ismaa’eel (Ishmael).
So, she came back to Ibraaheem and said, 'Allah humiliated the pagan and gave us a slave-girl for service.’
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to opt for Tawriyyah and that indirect speech is a safe way to avoid lies.
It is also inferred therefrom the permissibility of beseeching Allah, Exalted is He, by means of one’s good deeds, the greatest of which is one’s faith in Him.
The hadeeth also underlines the protection and help of Allah, Exalted is He, for whoever implores Him sincerely, and that He answers sincere supplications with miracles to foster the supplicant’s faith, and reinforce his belief, submission, and reliance on Allah, Exalted is He.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a gift given by a disbeliever is valid, and that it is permissible to accept it.
It is also inferred that it is allowable to accept a gift offered by unjust kings.
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2219

Sa‘d (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that his father said: ‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf said to Suhayb, 'Fear Allah and do not ascribe yourself to somebody other than your father.' Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) replied, 'I would not like to say it even if I were given a great fortune, but I say I was kidnapped in my childhood.’”
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Commentary : Islam assigned a special care and attention to lineages, commanded their preservation and protection, and prescribed laws and legislations to protect them from potential mixing of progeny. One of these laws and legislationsis the prohibition of affiliating oneself to other than his biological father.
In this hadeeth, the Companion ‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf warned Suhayb Al-Roomee (may Allah be pleased with them) against attributing himself to other than his biological father, after reminding him to fear Allah, Exalted is He. Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) used to attribute himself to Sinaan ibn Maalik ibn ‘Abd ‘Amr ibn ‘Aqeel, affiliating himself all the way to Al-Nimr ibn Qaasit, and saying that his mother belonged to the Banee Tameem tribe. In fact, he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a non-Arab because he (was captured by the Romans in his early childhood, and) grew up among the Romans, and learned their language.
‘Abdul-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf forbade Suyahb (may Allah be pleased with them) from doing so, assuming that he was attributing himself to other than his real father, being a violation of the Laws of Islam. However, Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) explained to him that he was not attributing himself to other than his real father and said, ‘I would not like to say it even if I were given a great fortune, but I say I was kidnapped in my childhood.’ His father worked for the Persian king Khosrau, who appointed him as a governor of Al-Ubullah (Apologou), located in present-day Mosul in Iraq. The Romans raided the city and captured Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him). He was captured by the Romans in his early childhood and learned their language. He was then bought and brought to Makkah by a man from Kalb tribe, and was then bought and freed by ʻAbdullah ibn Judʻaan.
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2223

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him): It was once brought to the attention of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that a certain man sold Khamr (i.e., intoxicants). Furiously, ‘Umar said, "May Allah curse so-and-so! Does not he know that Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, 'May Allah curse the Jews; Allah, Exalted is He, had forbidden them from eating the fat of animals but they melted it and sold it."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, deemed Khamr (i.e., intoxicants) forbidden, and the Prophet ﷺ made it clear that the prohibition of Khamr included the prohibition of selling, buying, and carrying it, and the same goes for cunning circumventions of the Laws of Islam ruling, by changing its name and the like.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas stated that it was brought to the attention of the Caliph ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab (may Allah be pleased with them) that a man sold Khamr, and the man was Samrah ibn Jundub (may Allah be pleased with him), as recorded in Saheeh Muslim. There are three different opinions regarding how Samrah (may Allah be pleased with him) sold Khamr. First, it was said that he (may Allah be pleased with him) took it from some people who belonged to the People of the Book (i.e., Jews and Christians) as Jizyah, or obtained it as part of his share in the spoils of war or the like, and he sold it to them, believing that it was permissible. Second, it is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) sold (grape) juice to someone who used to make Khamr for people. Grape juice or grapes may be referred to as Khamr, for they are used to manufacture it. Third, it is also possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) made grape vinegar and sold it, mistakenly believing it to be permissible. Upon knowing that, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was furious and said, "May Allah curse so-and-so,’ meaning ‘may Allah destroy him.’ He (may Allah be pleased with him) did not intend to actually invoke the curse of Allah on him, but this expression was commonly used by the Arabs for reproach. He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: ‘Does not he know that Allah's Messenger ﷺ said, 'May Allah curse the Jews; Allah, Exalted is He, had forbidden them from eating the fat of animals,’ meaning dead animals or cows and sheep; Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {and of the cattle and the sheep We prohibited to them their fat,} [Quran 6:146],“but they melted it and sold it.” They melted their fat and sold it to cunningly circumvent the divine command. Accordingly, they incurred the curse of Allah, Exalted is He. This is because Allah, Exalted is He, deemed Khamr ritually impure and unlawful. Therefore, it is impermissible to sell, buy, or avail oneself of its price, just like other ritually impure and unlawful objects, such as: dead animals, blood, stool, and urine. This is why the hadeeth likened the one who sells Khamr and avails himself of its price to the Jews who sold the forbidden fat and availed themselves of its price, even though it was prohibited for them to consume such fat and it was deemed ritually impure, just like Khamr and dead animals as per the laws of Islam. Therefore, those who sell Khamr and avail themselves of its price are likened to the Jews who sold fat and availed themselves of its price.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the means and ways leading to what is deemed unlawful as per the laws of Islam are declared unlawful as well.
It is also inferred therefrom the that it is permissible to draw analogies between similar situations.
It is also deduced that when the Laws of Islam deems something unlawful, the same ruling applies to its price.
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2225

Sa’eed ibn Abee Al-Hasan said: “While I was with Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) a man came and said, "O father of ‘Abbaas! I earn my living by making these images." Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "I will tell you only what I heard from Allah's Messenger ﷺ.I heard him saying, 'Whoever makes an image will be punished by Allah till he brings it back to life, and he will never be able to do so!’ Hearing this, that man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said to him, "What a pity! If you insist on taking image-making as a profession, I advise you to make images of trees and any other unanimated objects.”
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Commentary : A Muslim is urged to consume only lawful earnings and keenly seek lawful means of earning a living; a body that has been nourished with what is unlawful deserves to be thrown into Hellfire, as the Prophet ﷺ said.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions)Sa’eed ibn Abee Al-Hassan related that a man went to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), asking him about the lawfulness of his profession through which he earned a living, and he used to make statues and images. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) told him that he would only answer him with what he had heard from the Prophet ﷺ, 'Whoever makes an image will be punished by Allah till he brings it back to life, and he will never be able to do so!’ Allah, Exalted is He, will command the makers of statues and images, to bring back to life the animated beings in their images and statues. These image makers will be punished until they do as commanded, and obviously, they would never be able to bring them back to life! Thus, they would continue to receive such punishment endlessly. Upon hearing that, the man heaved a sigh and his face turned pale, out of fear of such severe punishment. Thereupon, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) said to him, ‘What a pity!’ The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is ‘Wayhaka,’ which literally means ‘Woe to you’, and may be translated as ‘What a pity’ or ‘May Allah be Merciful to you.’ It was commonly used to remark on a situation of a person who inadvertently incurs a disaster. He (may Allah be pleased with them) added: “If you insist on taking image-making as a profession, I advise you to make images of trees and any other unanimated objects,” for making such images is permissible.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is prohibited to make images of animated things and take it as a profession to earn a living.
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2227

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah says, 'I shall be the opponent of three persons on the Day of Resurrection: -1. One who makes a covenant in My Name, but proves treacherous. -2. One who sells a free person (as a slave) and consumes the price, -3. And one who employs a laborer and gets the full work done by him but does not pay him his wages.' "
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Commentary : Islam regulates the interactions and transactions between people to preserve their rights, and establish justice in the Muslim community. It sternly warns against unlawful interactions and transactions, urges Muslims to avoid them, and underlines their evil consequences.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, said that there are three categories of people who commit evil deeds warranting His wrath on the Day of Resurrection, and this is a stern warning, because whoever has Allah, Exalted is He, as his opponent will inevitably incur utter loss.
The first category is those who make a covenant or swear an oath by the Name of Allah, and then break it. Allah, Exalted is He, commanded Muslims to honor and fulfill their covenants and oaths; He Says (what means): {And fulfill [every] covenant. Indeed, the covenant is ever [that about which one will be] questioned.} [Quran 17:34]. Moreover, the Prophet ﷺ said: “Every perfidious one will have a standard on the day of resurrection by which he will be recognized.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
The second category includes those who knowingly sell a free Muslim man as a slave, and consume the earnings, meaning availing oneself of such money. The hadeeth made reference to ‘consumption’ in particular because this is the most fundamental way of availing oneself of the earnings, and the need to satisfy one’s hunger may force a person to commitprohibitions and violations of the Laws of Islam. The sin is grave when a Muslim man knowingly sells a free Muslim man as a slave, because all Muslims are held on an equal standing in terms of inviolability and sanctity, and a Muslim has rights over his fellow Muslims: to support him, refrain from doing injustice to him, be sincere to him, and abstain from handing him over to an oppressor. The worst act of injustice to be done to a fellow Muslim is to enslave him or imperil him to such a fate. Whoever sells a free Muslim as a slave, has deprived him of his right to dispose of what Allah, Exalted is He, has deemed lawful to him and forced him into a life of humiliation and slavery; this is why it is a serious sin.
The third category comprises the employers who hire workers to perform certain tasks, and after the work is done, they refuse to pay them the due wages, because such workers had trusted the employers’ honesty. If the employer betrays his trust, Allah, Exalted is He, punishes him Himself, and because the employer availed himself of the worker’s service in return for no compensation; he has unlawfully devoured his wealth. This is one of the worst and most grievous acts of injustice.
It is noteworthy that mentioning the three categories in this hadeeth does not mean that Allah, Exalted is He, will not be the opponent of all wrongdoers, but He wanted to lay a special emphasis on these three categories, given the fact that they all share the heinous trait of treachery, being one of the worst, immoral qualities.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Islam declares selling a free person a serious crime and major sin, because such stern warnings are only associated with major sins.
It is also inferred therefrom that boldly swearing false oaths, breaking covenants and oaths, and denying a hired worker’s wages are grave sins.
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2234

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) I heard the Prophet ﷺ saying, "If a slave-girl of yours commits Fornication and her sin is proved, she should be lashed, and after that nobody should blame her, and if she commits Fornication the second time, she should be lashed and nobody should blame her after that, and if she commits the offense for the third time and her sin is proved, she should be sold even for a hair rope (i.e., for a very cheap price). "
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Commentary : The Hadd (i.e., the corporal punishment determined by the Islamic Laws of Islam) for Fornication (i.e., illicit sexual intercourse) prescribed for a slave woman is half of the Hadd prescribed for a free woman. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {But once they are sheltered in marriage (i.e., married), if they should commit adultery, then for them is half the punishment for free [unmarried] women.} [Quran 4:25].
A perpetrator of Fornication is subjected to the prescribed Hadd each time (s)he commits Fornication.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ commands the owner of a slave-girl, who commits Fornication and her sin is verified by means of evidence, pregnancy, or confession, to subject her to the prescribed Hadd, i.e., 50 lashes, and she should not be rebuked or blamed afterward for her sin from which she had repented, because the application of the Hadd expiates her sin. If she commits Fornication again, she should be subjected to the Hadd again, and should not be rebuked or blamed for her sin afterward as well. If she commits Fornication for a third time, her master is urged to sell her even for a hair rope (i.e., for a very cheap price), after subjecting her to the Hadd ofFornication. It was not mentioned in the third time because it is understood from the previous references. He is urged to sell her for any price, no matter how low it is. This is meant as to stress that he is strongly advised to sell her and indicate that is not considered a waste of money, because she has become dissolute and rectifying her conduct would be a difficult task. Moreover, a pious Muslim is urged to refrain from keeping the company of dissolute sinners and to keep away from them. Therefore, he is urged to sell such a slave-girl so she would (have a chance for a new beginning in which she would) adhere to chastity with her new master or she would be deterred by his status, kindness, or generosity towards her, or he may marry her off to someone or the like.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a master is entitled to subject his slave to the prescribed Hadd.
It is also inferred therefrom that a sinner must not be blamed or rebuked for his sin, especially if he was subjected to the prescribed Hadd.
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2236

Narrated Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him): I heard Allah's Messengerﷺ in the year of the Conquest of Makkah, saying, "Allah and His Messenger made unlawful the trade of Khamr, dead animals, pigs and idols." People asked, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! What about the fat of dead animals, for it was used for greasing boats and varnishing hides; and people use it for lights?" He ﷺ said, "No, it is lawful." Allah's Messengerﷺ further said, "May Allah curse the Jews, for Allah deemed the fat (of animals) unlawful to them, yet they melted the fat and sold it and consumed its price."
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Commentary : Allah, Exalted is He, deemed lawful that which is good, and deemed unlawful that which is evil, with regards to food, beverages, earnings, trade, and so on.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) informed us that in 8 A.H., during which Makkah was conquered, the Prophet ﷺ prohibited the sale of intoxicants in all its forms, dead animals,some birds, pigs, and idols, i.e., three-dimensional statues, because they are a means leading to Shirk (i.e., associating partners to Allah in worship), whether by imitating Him in creation or worshipping such idols like people did in the pre-Islamic era. People informed the Prophet ﷺ that the fat of dead animals was used for greasing boats and varnishing hides; people would use it for lights. The Prophet ﷺ informed them that this was strictly prohibited because Allah, Exalted is He, deemed dead animals unlawful in His Book. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺ said: “May Allah curse the Jews,” meaning, may Allah destroy and curse them, “for Allah deemed the fat (of animals) unlawful to them,’ meaning the fat of dead animals or that of cattle and sheep; Allah, Exalted is He Says (what means): {and of the cattle and the sheep We prohibited to them their fat,} [Quran 6:146]. “Yet they melted the fat and sold it and consumed its price,” to cunningly circumvent their divine law. Therefore, they incurred the curse of Allah, Exalted is He. This serves as a warning against circumventing the prohibitions like the Children of Israel did.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the means leading to what is prohibited are declared prohibited as well.
It is also inferred therefrom that when something is deemed unlawful as per the laws of Islam, its price is deemed unlawful accordingly.
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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