| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
3008
Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
When it was the day (of the Battle) of Badr, prisoners of war were brought including Al-Abbaas who was undressed. The Prophetﷺ looked for a shirt for him. It was found that the shirt of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy would do, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. That was the reason why the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah. The narrator adds, "He had done the Prophetﷺsome favor for which the Prophet ﷺ liked to reward him.”.

Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was considerate of people’s different conditions, rewarded their acts of kindness in kind, and did not repay evil in kind.
‘Abdullaah ibn Ubaiyy ibn Salool was the leader of hypocrites in Al-Madeenah who inwardly nursed enmity towards the Prophet ﷺ and Muslims (while proclaiming otherwise). However, this did not dishearten the Prophet ﷺ to reward him for some good things he did.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullah narrated that Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib(may Allah be pleased with them)was taken prisoner by the Muslims in the Battle of Badr, which took place between the Muslims and the disbelievers (of Quraysh) from Makkah in 2 A.H. and was brought to the Prophet ﷺ while being undressed. Heﷺ looked for a shirt for him and could not find any except that of ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy, so the Prophetﷺ let him wear it. As a reward, the Prophetﷺ took off and gave his own shirt to ‘Abdullaah’s son after his death to be shrouded in it. He ﷺ did so to reward his favor to Al-‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him), and he ﷺ also led his funeral prayer, and came to his grave as requested by his son ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him). It was also said that the Prophet ﷺ did so for the sake of his son, ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Abdullaah ibn Ubayy(may Allah be pleased with him), out of the Prophet’s compassion for all Muslims and to console his son ‘Abdullaah, who was a righteous man, and also to win the hearts of the Khazraj tribe, for he was their chief.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should treat their prisoners of war kindly and provide them with the needed clothes.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to reward favors to one’s relatives if they were done for his own sake and not at the request of such relatives.
It is also deduced that the reward of favors may be given to a person during his lifetime or after his death..

3010
AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains!”
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, conferred His grace, mercy, and generosity on His servants, and promised Paradise to those who embrace Islam, sincerely believe in and obey Him. It is odd that there should be people who reject Islam at first yet may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace it, and afterwards become good and sincere Muslims, earn the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and enter Paradise!
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, wonders at those people who will enter Paradise in chains! This means that such people would be taken prisoners by Muslims and chained. After being edified on Islam and learning that it is the true religion of Allah, Exalted is He, they would willingly embrace Islam, and thus would be admitted to Paradise. It was also said that they may be compelled (by circumstances) to embrace Islam and this would be the reason for their entering Paradise. Another possible meaning is that the hadeeth refers to the Muslims taken prisoner by the disbelievers who died in such a state or got killed by them and were resurrected in such a state. He ﷺ referred to their resurrection (in the very state in which they died) with the reference to entering Paradise because it is authentically reported that they shall enter it after their resurrection.
The hadeeth affirms the divine attribute of ‘wondering’ with respect to Allah, Exalted is He, in a manner that befits Him. We are enjoined to affirm such divine attributes exactly as the Prophet ﷺ affirmed them, without Tahreef (i.e., distortion), Takyeef (i.e., trying to describe "how" an Attribute is, e.g., to say: How is Allah's Face?), Tashbeeh and Tamtheel (i.e., likening Allah to His creation), or Ta‘teel (i.e., denial)..

3012
Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophetﷺpassed by me at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan andwas asked whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." I also heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.”
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Commentary :
This hadeeth establishes various rules and principles, including that what is essential to performing a religious obligation may not be neglected or avoided. Muslims sometimes needed to attack their enemies at night, availing themselves of the element of surprise to achieve victory.These night attacksare deemed allowable, despite the fact thatthey may result in accidently killing non-combatants, such as women and children.These types of people generally may not be killed on the battlefield as per the Islamic law. The Prophet ﷺ gave permission for night attacks, as narrated by Al-Sa‘b ibn Jaththaamah(may Allah be pleased with him). The Prophetﷺpassed by him at a place called Al-Abwaa’ or Waddaan, places in Makkah; the first is 200 km from Makkah and 170 km from Al-Madeenah, and the distance between the two places is about 8 miles. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ whether it was permissible to attack the pagan warriors at night with the probability of exposing their women and children to danger, for Muslims would not be able to identify women and children at night. The Prophetﷺreplied, "They (i.e., women and children) are from them (i.e., pagans)." It means that Muslims bear no sin for accidently killing or harming non-combatants if they were mixed with the combatants.In such cases there may be no other way to target the combatants without killing or harming the non-combatants. It goes without saying that the hadeeth does not mean that Muslims are allowed to target non-combatants (women and children) deliberately, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade killing women and children (on the battlefield). However, when the necessity warrants it, it is inevitable.
In the version of the hadeeth recorded by Ahmad, Al-Zuhree stated that the Prophet ﷺ forbade such an act afterward, referring to his prohibition during the Battle of Hunayn, meaning that he ﷺstrictly forbade killing women and children in war (at that battle) after it was deemed allowable (in the specified situation).
Al-Sa‘b ibn Jathaamah(may Allah be pleased with him) also said that he heard the Prophetﷺ saying, "The institution of Himaa (i.e., preserves and protected areas) is invalid except what belonged to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ.” The Himaa refers to the preserves and protected areas to which people and cattle are denied access to allow the grass therein to grow, and afterward they would be allocated by the ruler for grazing the animals given as part of the Zakaah funds, for instance. It is impermissible for anyone to declare such preserves and protected areas as Himaa except with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, and his deputies who must act in accordance with the permission of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, within the scope of need and for the benefit of Muslims.
The Prophet ﷺ allocated a Himaafor the horses kept for Jihaad purposes and for the camels given in Zakaah. ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him)also allocated a Himaa for the camels given in Zakaah and horses used in Allah’s Cause. The Imaam or ruler may do what he believes to be in the interests of keeping the horses (used for Jihaad purposes) strong, provided that it would not make things hard for people and be at the expense of public pastures. This proves that the use of (public) lands is determined by the rulers only..

3014
‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
During some of the Ghazawaat (i.e., battles) of the Prophetﷺa woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the killing of women and children.
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, did not legislate fighting against the disbelievers as a means of retaliation or oppression. Rather, Jihaadwas legislated to subdue the forces of polytheism and tyranny that prevent people from embracing Tawheed (i.e., Islamic monotheism), attaining deliverance from the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He, and earning His pleasure. This makes fighting a manifestation of mercy, not punishment, and for this reason the Prophet ﷺ forbade the killing of women and young boys, as shown in this hadeeth. ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that during one of battles of the Prophetﷺ,a woman was found killed. Allah's Messenger ﷺdisapproved the deliberate killing of women and children, because they do not fight against Muslims, and the purpose of fighting is subduing the combatants to convey the message of Islam, the true religion of Allah, to all people.
It is noteworthy that if women and children are mixed with the disbelieving fighters and combatants and there is no way to get to them except by killing these women and children, Muslims bear no sin for that, because this would be accidental and not deliberate. It is also allowable for Muslim fighters to kill the combatant women and children who partake in fighting against them.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that Muslims should target and kill the combatant men in the disbelievers’ army.
It is inferred therefrom that Islam laid down the guidelines and rules governing matters of war, and considerately took into account the rights of the non-combatant women and children, and those who take the same ruling.
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3017
‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them)burnt some people and this news reached Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them), who said, "Had I been in his place I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment.' No doubt, I would have killed them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, 'If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatize), kill him.’”.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, decreed that burning with fire as a punishment should be exclusive to Him.
In this hadeeth, ‘Ikrimah narrated that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with them) burnt some people, the Saba’eeyyah (i.e., the followers of ‘Abdullah ibn Saba’) whoapostatized and claimed that ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) was their Lord! Verily, Allah, Exalted is He, is far Above their false claims. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) gathered them and burnt them by fire to emphasize the gravity and heinousness of such a crime, and severely punish them for such false claims and Shirk (i.e., associating patterners with Allah). This was a specific incident and the punishment was decided based on the Ijtihaad (i.e., scholarly reasoning) of ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him).Some Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) disapproved of it including Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them). When this news reached him, he said, "Had I been in his place, I would not have burnt them, as the Prophetﷺ said, 'Do not punish (anybody) with Allah's Punishment (i.e., burning with fire),'” which is exclusive to Allah, Exalted is He, and stated that he would have settled for killing them, for the Prophetﷺsaid, “If somebody (a Muslim) discards his religion (i.e., apostatizes), kill him.” This means that if a Muslim apostatizes and gives up Islam, he should be killed for apostasy, provided that the due conditions are met, and only the Imaam or ruler is entitled to execute this punishment.
It was also said that the prohibition of burning with fire as a punishment does not mean that it is impermissible but is rather meant as a manifestation of the enjoined humbleness. The permissibility is evidenced by the fact that the Prophet ﷺpierced the eyes of the shepherds from ‘Uraynah tribe with fire (branding their eyes with heated iron in retribution for doing the same to their victims), as authentically reported in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with them) and his vast knowledge and understanding of the Prophet’s statements.
The hadeeth also underlines the becoming etiquette towards thoseholding dissenting opinions.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that burning with fire as a punishment is prohibited..

3019
AbooHurayrahh(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
I heard Allah's Messenger ﷺ saying, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?".

Commentary :
Islam preaches mercy to all Allah’s Creation: human beings, Jinn, animals, and birds. It enjoins Muslims to show mercy to all creatures and forbids them from vainly killing living beings for no real benefit. Moreover, it fosters people’s interests and protects them from loss and harm. This is why Allah, Exalted is He, admonished one of His Prophets for burning the place of the ants because one ant had bitten him. The Prophetﷺ said, "An ant bit a Prophet of Allah once, and he ordered that the place of the ants be burnt. So, Allah, Exalted is He, inspired to him, 'It is because one ant bit you that you burnt a nation amongst the nations that glorify Allah?’" This means that he ordered a whole nation that glorified Allah, Exalted is He, to be burnt because of one ant that had bitten him!
It should be noted that Allah, Exalted is He, admonished this Prophet for doing Khilaaf Al-Awlaa (i.e., an undesirable, yet permissible act that is not the best choice from a number of alternatives, contradicting that which is most appropriate and what is religiously superior under ordinary circumstances). This means that it would have been better for him to punish only the ant that had bitten him, and were he to do so, Allah, Exalted is He, would not have admonished him. However, He admonished him for exceeding the proper limits and burning the whole colony of ants!
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the punishment must be in proportion to the crime committed and must not be executed on anyone other than the perpetrator.
The hadeeth also highlights the gravity of burning living beings with fire..

3024
SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah) said:
I was ‘Umar's clerk. Once ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa wrote a letter to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) when he proceeded to Al-Harooriyah. I read in it that Allah's Messenger ﷺ in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined and then he got up amongst the people saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy, and ask Allah for safety, but when you face the enemy, be patient, and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords." Then he ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book, the Mover of the clouds, and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench), defeat them, and grant us victory over them."
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Commentary :
Wellbeing is one of the great blessings for which a person should constantly ask Allah, Exalted is He.
In this hadeeth, SaalimAboo Al-Nadr (the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn 'Ubaydullaah), who was ‘Umar's clerk, narrated that he once read a letter from ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa to ‘Umar ibn ‘Ubaydullah(may Allah be pleased with them) when he was proceeding to Al-Harooriyah. ‘Abdullaah ibn AbeeAwfaa(may Allah be pleased with him) was the commander of the army sent to fight against the Khawaarij (Kharijites), also known as Al-Harooriyah, during the reign of ‘Alee ibn AbooTaalib(may Allah be pleased with him). Al-Harooriyah was a name given to a deviant sect of the Kharijites attributed to Harooraa, a town near Kufa, where the Kharijites first gathered. The letter read that the Prophet ﷺ, in one of his military expeditions against the enemy, waited till the sun declined, avoiding the extreme heat of the sun, and then he got up amongst the Muslim fighters saying, "O people! Do not wish to meet the enemy,” and the prohibition in this regard is because one does not know what he would do, and whether or not he would survive, and because people’s abilities to patiently endure calamities vary, and also because wellbeing and safety are the ultimate attainments. He ﷺ also forbade Muslims from wishing to meet the enemy because it can involve arrogance, reliance on one’s personal abilities, and placing one’s trust in the effectiveness of the available means or material power (rather than relying on Allah, Exalted is He). Moreover, it implies underestimation of the enemy and belittling their power, which is contrary to the enjoined precaution and prudence. He ﷺ added, “and ask Allah for safety and wellbeing,” which is a general and all-inclusive term that incorporates protection from all harms and evils befalling a person’s body, property, family and loved ones in the worldly life and Hereafter. The Prophet ﷺ urged Muslims to ask Allah, Exalted is He, specifically for wellbeing on that occasion because a person is (more) vulnerable to injuries and adversities during wartime. He ﷺ added, “but when you face the enemy, be patient,” because it is incumbent on Muslims to adhere to patience and endurance during wartime as long as it is within their capacity, and those who keenly adhere to patience are rewarded with victory. The Prophet ﷺ also said: “and remember that Paradise is under the shades of swords."  This means that meeting the enemies of Islam and Muslims and fighting against them is one of the keymeans of entering Paradise. Afterward, he ﷺ implored Allah, Exalted is He, for victory. He ﷺ said, "O Allah, the Revealer of the Holy Book,” meaning the Quran, “the Mover of the clouds,” meaning the One who causes the rain to descend, the wind to blow, and the like, “and the Defeater of the clans (i.e., in the Battle of the Trench),” meaning the disbelievers from various clans who joined forces in the Battle of the Trench to eradicate Islam and the Muslims. Allah, Exalted is He, defeated them with a strong wind, and the Muslims did not even have to fight them off, “defeat them, and grant us victory over them.” In this statement, the Prophet ﷺreferred to what is mentioned the Quran, in the ayah that reads (what means): {Fight them; Allah will punish them by your hands and will disgrace them and give you victory over them and satisfy the breasts of a believing people.} [Quran 9:14]. He ﷺ also mentioned the moving of the clouds, in reference to Allah’s Power in causing the wind to blow and the clouds to move as He wills and causing rain whenever He wills. This indicates Allah’s Power in aiding the Muslim fighters by causing their movement, i.e., striving and fighting against the disbelievers, and putting the disbelievers’ movement to a halt and safeguarding Muslims from their harm; his mention of Allah’s Power in causing rain also indicates His bestowal of victory over their enemies, killing them, and taking spoils of war. All the while,withholding rain resemblesthe Muslims’ defeat and failure to kill their enemies or obtain spoils of war. He ﷺ also made mention of defeating the ‘clans,’imploring Allah, Exalted is He, to bestow His grace in that battle as He did in the Battle of the Trench, and reminding Muslims to rely solely on Allah, Exalted is He, and to believe that nothing comes to pass except by His will.
The hadeeth forbids Muslims from wishing for meeting the enemy and going to war, and this is different from aspiring to martyrdom.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that when Muslims meet their enemies, it is incumbent on them to adhere to patience.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to supplicate Allah, Exalted is He, to defeat and destroy the disbelievers.
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3029
Narrated AbooHurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him):
Allah's Messenger ﷺ said: "War is deceit"..

Commentary :
A person may be allowed to do at a time of war what isn’t generally allowed in other situations, including: resorting to deceit, meaning Tawriyyah (i.e., indirect speech; when a speaker says something that has an apparent meaning that the listener would understand, and another hidden meaning, and the speaker’s intention is this hidden meaning, except that he concealed it with that apparent and immediate meaning that first comes to the listener’s mind) and lying, if needed, because war is deceit, as the Prophet ﷺ described it,as narrated by AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him).
It was also said that it is allowable to resort to deceit at times of war whenever possible, to realize significant benefits for Muslims. When Muslims exhaust all means of deceit at times of war, they should then opt for fighting. It was also said that when one is deceived once at time of war, it incurs his destruction for good, and there is no way back from it.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to tell a lie and speak contrary to the truth to display strength and motivate his fellows with the aim of demoralizing the enemy or lie to their enemies to deceive them. It was narrated on the authority of Asmaa’ bintYazeed(may Allah be pleased with her)that the Prophet ﷺ said: “It is not lawful to lie except in three cases: a man tells his wife something (untrue) to please her, to lie during war, and to lie in order to bring peace between disputing people.”.

3035
Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺdid not screen himself from me since my embracing Islam, and whenever he ﷺ saw me, he would receive me with a smile. Once I told him that I could not sit firm on horses. He ﷺ stroke me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man."
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Commentary :
The hadeeth highlights the merits of Jareer ibn ‘Abdullaah(may Allah be pleased with him). He (may Allah be pleased with him)narrated that the Prophet ﷺdid not screen himself from him since he embraced Islam, meaning that he ﷺ did not deny him access to his house or gatherings, even though he (may Allah be pleased with him) was a young man. Whenever he (may Allah be pleased with him) requested permission to enter his house, he ﷺ granted him permission and he ﷺ always met him with a smile, and this reflects the Prophet’s kindness towards his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him)was held in high regard by his people, and therefore the Prophet ﷺ respected that, and held him in high regard as well. Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) once complained to the Prophet ﷺ that he would fall down from his horse or feared to fall down from it when it ran. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Once I told him that I could not sit firmly on horses. He ﷺ stroked me on the chest with his hand and said, "O Allah! Make him firm and make him a guiding and a rightly guided man.” Henceforth, Jareer(may Allah be pleased with him) did not fall down from his horse. Another version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads, “… and make him guided and a source of guidance (to others).”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) always hastened to inform the Prophet ﷺ of all their affairs, seeking his advice and supplication.
It is also inferred therefrom that meeting people with a smile is part of the Prophets’ considerate attitude towards people; it indicates humbleness and fosters mutual affection.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of chivalry and horse riding, being essential skills for every noble man and chief.
It is inferred from the hadeeth that there is no harm for a scholar or Imaam (i.e., ruler) to touch the person to whom he is referring whether he is the addressee or otherwise.
The hadeeth underlines amethod to win people’s hearts..

3039
Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr as the commander of the infantry men (archers), who were fifty on the day (of the battle) of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us, till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." Then the disbelievers were defeated. By Allah, I saw the women fleeing lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs. So, the Companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) said, "Have you forgotten what Allah's Messenger ﷺ said to you?" They replied, "By Allah! We will go to the people (i.e., the enemy) and collect our share from the spoils of war." But when they went to them, they were forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺin their rear was calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ and the disbelievers martyred seventy men from us. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the Pagans to lose 140 men, seventy of whom were captured and seventy were killed. Then AbooSufyaan asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You told a lie, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed" After that he started reciting cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high! On that the Prophetﷺ said (to his companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They said, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." (Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." The Prophet ﷺ said (to his Companions), "Why do not you answer him back?" They asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ!What shall we say?" He ﷺ said, "Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.”
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Commentary :
Uhud is one of the mountains of Al-Madeenah, four kilometers from the Prophet’s Mosque, where the Battle of Uhud took place in Shawwal 3 A.H. between the Muslims and Quraysh.
In this hadeeth, Al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ appointed ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of the archers, who were fifty, at the Battle of Uhud. He ﷺ instructed them, "Stick to your place, and do not leave it even if you see birds snatching us,” meaning that even if we got killed and birds started eating our flesh, do not leave your posts, “till I send for you; and if you see that we have defeated the disbelievers and made them flee, even then you should not leave your place till I send for you." This was a stern warning against disobeying the Prophet’s command, to emphasize the gravity of the situation, and the importance of guarding Muslims from the top of the mountain lest the disbelievers should seize the opportunity and defeat them.
The battle started and the disbelievers were defeated. Al-Baraa’ (may Allah be pleased with him) even said: “By Allah, I saw the women,” meaning with the disbelievers, “fleeing,” in a hurry so much that they were, “lifting up their clothes revealing their leg-bangles and their legs.”
On seeing that, the companions of ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him), the very men whom the Prophet ﷺ sternly warned against leaving their places, said, "The spoils of war! O people, the spoils of war! Your companions have become victorious, what are you waiting for now?" They noticed that the defeated soldiers were trying to take their properties and flee (and therefore hastened to take the spoils of war). ‘Abdullaah ibn Jubayr(may Allah be pleased with him) reminded them of the Prophet’s command and warning against leaving their place, but they still insisted on leaving and taking the spoils of war. When they reached the spoils of war, they were confused and did know where to go, as a punishment for their disobedience to the Prophet’s command andwere forced to turn back defeated. At that time Allah's Messenger ﷺ wasin their rear, calling them back. Only twelve men remained with the Prophetﷺ, and it was also said fourteen, including: Aboo Bakr, ‘Umar, ‘Alee, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf, Sa‘d ibn AbeeWaqqaas, Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam, Aboo ‘Ubaydah ibn Al-Jaraah(may Allah be pleased with them), from the emigrants; Al-Hubaab ibn Al-Munthir, AbooDujaanah, ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit ibn Abee Al-Aflah, Al-Haarith ibn Al-Summah, Usayd ibn Hudayr, and Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh(may Allah be pleased with them), from the Ansaar, and Sahl ibn Hunayf(may Allah be pleased with him) was also said to be among them.
The disbelievers killed seventy Muslim men including Hamzah ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttallib(may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet’s uncle, and he was killed at the hands of Wahshee, the slave of Jubayr ibn Mut‘im. On the day (of the battle) of Badr, the Prophetﷺ and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) had caused the pagans to lose 140 of their men, seventy of whom were captured, and seventy of whom were killed.
After the battle ended, AbooSufyaan, who was a disbeliever then, asked thrice, "Is Muhammad present amongst these people?" The Prophetﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) not to answer him. Then he asked thrice, "Is the son of AbooQuhaafah present amongst these people?" He asked again thrice, "Is the son of Al-Khattaab present amongst these people?" He then returned to his companions and said, "As for these (men), they have been killed." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) could not control himself and said (to AbooSufyaan), "You have lied, by Allah! O enemy of Allah! All those you have mentioned are alive and sound, and the thing which will make you unhappy is still there." ‘Umar’s response despite the Prophet’s command was motivated by his zeal for the Prophet ﷺ lest the disbelievers believe that he ﷺ was killed and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) were weak, yet it did not actually imply disobedience; his act was rather rewardable, since the Prophet ﷺ commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) afterward to answer AbooSufyaan. The Prophet’s second command constituted a tacit approval of ‘Umar’s response, because it served the best interests of Muslims. Thereupon, AbooSufyaan said, "Our victory today is a counterbalance to yours in the Battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents, and you will find some of your (killed) men mutilated,” by the breaking of their noses, the splitting open of their stomachs, and the like, all of which is prohibited in Islam as delineated in the Islamic etiquette of war. AbooSufyaan stated that he did not disapprove of his soldiers’ acts and the mutilation of Muslims’ dead bodies, being their enemies. Afterward, he started reciting some rhymingRajaz verses (i.e., poetic verses composed in a meter used in classical Arabic poetry called Rajaz) cheerfully, "O Hubal, be high!” Hubal was the name of the idol placed inside the Ka‘bah and was worshipped by the pagans of Makkah. On that the Prophetﷺ commanded his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer back and say, "Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime." The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to respond to AbooSufyaan because he ﷺwas commissioned to raise the word of Allah (i.e., His religion) high and proclaim it. When AbooSufyaan said what he said, he ﷺ could not remain silent and had to raise the word of Allah high and proclaim it. In the response, the Prophet ﷺ emphasized that Muslims believe that Allah, Exalted is He, is Greater and Higher than all these idols worshipped by the pagans.
(Then) AbooSufyaan said, "We have the (idol) Al-‘Uzzaa, and you have no ‘Uzzaa." Al-‘Uzzaa was the name of one of their idols, and it was also said that it was the name of a tree worshipped by the people of Ghatafaan. The Arabic word ‘Uzzaa denotes glory and pride, suggesting that the pagans had a god that was their source of glory and pride, unlike Muslims. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ commanded Muslims to respond by saying, Says Allah, Exalted is He, is our Helper and you have no helper.” Meaning that Allah, Exalted is He, is the ultimate source of help and He bestows upon the believers victory and support, and deserts the disbelievers whose idols cannot avail them anything nor grant them support. AbooSufyaan could not say anything more and remained silent. The Prophet ﷺ did not answer back to him personally,and his refined status was vastly superior to AbooSufyaan’s; instead,he commanded the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to answer to him.
The hadeeth highlights the gravity of disobeying the Prophet’s commands, for it incurs loss and defeat.
It also underlines that when Muslims disobey Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ, they would be the same as the non-Muslims and in the event of a confrontation between the two parties, the ones who avail themselves of the worldly material means (numerical superiority, arms, and strength) win (i.e., Muslims will be deprived of the support of Allah, Exalted is He).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that Muslims are required to avail themselves of the worldly material means leading to victory,and also duly rely on Allah, Exalted is He.
It is deduced therefrom that soldiers are enjoined to obey their commander, for disobeying his commands is one of the key reasons for defeat and loss.
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Aboo Bakr and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them), and their special status in the Prophet’s heart.
.

3040
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ was the (most handsome), most generous and the bravest of all people. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. So, the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ said (to them), "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”.

Commentary :
Courage is a praiseworthy quality and the Prophet ﷺwas characterized by outstanding courage, reflected in many incidents throughout his lifetime.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ was the most handsome person and had the best moral character; he ﷺ was the most generous and the bravest of all people; he ﷺ never fled from the battlefield, and steadfastly faced his enemies. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) listed only these three qualities, because they are consideredfrom the key human virtues. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) related an incident that reflected the Prophet’s remarkable courage. Once the people of Al-Madeenah got frightened, having heard an uproar at night. Frightened, they headed towards the source of the sound, and the Prophetﷺ met the people while he was riding an unsaddled horse belonging to AbooTalhah(may Allah be pleased with him) and carrying his sword (slung over his shoulder). He ﷺ had gone and investigated the matter and was on his way back when he ﷺ met them. He ﷺ said to them, to calm them down, "Do not get scared, do not get scared." Then he ﷺ added, "I found it (i.e., a horse that was) very fast.”
It was said that the horse in reference was awfully slow, but when the Prophet ﷺ rode it, it became very fast, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ. In the hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ likened the fast horse to the sea; the Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Bahr, meaning sea, to indicate its speed and the rider’s comfort as smooth as a boat ride.
The hadeeth underlines the noble qualities with which Allah, Exalted is He, endowed His Messenger ﷺ.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim to go alone to (investigate dangerous situations and) spy on the enemy as long as it is not certain that it would incur his destruction.
It is deduced that it is allowable to ride a horse without a saddle.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is permissible to borrow a horse to ride it to partake in Jihaad.
The hadeeth urges Muslims to bear glad tidings to people after the reasons of their fear are eliminated. .

3045
AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Allah's Messenger ﷺ sent ten men on a military expedition to spy on the enemies under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with them). They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan, and Makkah, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan. About two-hundred men, who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., Al-Madeenah), "and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up a high place and the disbelievers circled them. The disbelievers said to them, "Come down and surrender, and we promise and guarantee you that we will not kill any one of you." ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers. O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ. Then the disbelievers threw arrows at them till they were martyred ‘Aasim along with six other men, and three men came down accepting their promise and convention, and they were Khubayb Al-Ansaaree and Ibn Dathinah and another man. So, when the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third (of the captives) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyred, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah (and all that took place) after the battle of Badr. Khubaybwas bought by the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf. It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day (of the battle of) Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with those people. Al-Zuhree narrated: ‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad said that the daughter of Al-Haarith had told him, "When those people gathered (to kill Khubayb) he borrowed a razor from me to shave his pubes and I gave it to him. Then he took a son of mine while I was unaware when he came upon him. I saw him placing my son on his thigh and the razor was in his hand. I got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on my face and said, 'Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.' By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah." The daughter of Al-Haarith used to say, "It was a boon Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was afraid (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception." (He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body." Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him. So, it was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed). Allah fulfilled the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit on that very day on which he was martyred. The Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. Later on, when some disbelievers from Quraysh were informed that ‘Aasim had been killed, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he would be recognized. (That was because) ‘Aasim had killed one of their chiefs on the day (of the battle) of Badr. So, a swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim and protect him from their messenger and thus they could not cut off anything from his flesh.

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عَمْرُو بْنُ أَبِي.

Commentary :
The battle of Al-Rajee‘ took place in Safar 4 A.H., and it was named after a well located between Makkah and ‘Usfaan, closer to the latter. It was a village about 80 miles (128 km) from northern Makkah on the way to Al-Madeenah.
In this hadeeth, AbooHurayrah(may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet ﷺ dispatched ten men on a military expedition. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Raht, which denotes a number of men below ten, and it has also been said that it was below forty. A military expedition consisted of maximum 400 men (soldiers). Their task, under the leadership of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree, the grandfather of ‘Aasim ibn ‘Umar Al-Khattaab on his mother’s side (may Allah be pleased with them), was to spy on the Muslims’ enemies. They proceeded till they reached Had’ah, a place between ‘Usfaan and Makkah, 7 miles away from ‘Usfaan, and their news reached a branch of the tribe of Hudhayl called BaneeLihyaan, meaning that the people of this branch knew of the military expedition. Therefore, about two-hundred men (from BaneeLihyaan), who were all archers, hurried to follow their tracks till they found the place where they had eaten dates that they had brought with them from Al-Madeenah. They said, "These are the dates of Yathrib (i.e., the old name of Al-Madeenah),” and continued following their tracks. When ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) saw their pursuers, they went up to a high place and the disbelievers circled them. During the siege, the disbelievers promised them security and guaranteed that they would not kill any one of them if they surrendered. ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him), the leader of the military expedition, said, "By Allah! I will not come down to be under the protection of disbelievers,” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) knew that he could not trust them. He (may Allah be pleased with him) invoked Allah, Exalted is He, saying: “O Allah! Convey our news to Your Prophet ﷺ.” Since ‘Aasim and his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) defiantly refused to surrender, the disbelievers shot arrows at them till they were martyred. ‘Aasimand six other men (may Allah be pleased with them) were killed, and three men came down, accepting the promise of security, and they were Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy Al-Ansaaree, Zayd ibn Al-Dathinah Al-Ansaaree and another man (may Allah be pleased with them); it was said that his name was ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq. When the disbelievers captured them, they undid the strings of their bows and tied them. Then, the third man (of the captives, i.e., ‘Abdullaah ibn Taariq) said, "This is the first betrayal. By Allah! I will not go with you. No doubt these, namely the martyrs, have set a good example to us." So, they dragged him and tried to compel him to accompany them, but as he refused, they killed him. They took Khubayb and Ibn Dathinah with them and sold them (as slaves) in Makkah. All this took place after the battle of Badr, explaining why the disbelievers sought revenge. Khubayb was bought by one of the sons of Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir ibn Nawfal ibn ‘Abd Manaaf, named ‘Uqbah, AbooSirwa‘ah and his half-brother Hujayr ibn Abee ‘Ihaab (on his mother’s side). It was Khubayb who had killed Al-Haarith ibn ‘Aamir on the day of Badr. So, Khubayb remained a prisoner with the sons of Al-Haarith, and Sawfaan ibn Umayyah bought Ibn Al-Dathinah and killed him in Makkah.
‘Ubaydullaah ibn ‘Iyyaad, one of the hadeeth’s narrators, said that Zaynab bint Al-Haarith told him of what happened to Khubayb. She said that when Banee Al-Haarith gathered (to kill Khubayb), he borrowed a razor from her to shave, and she gave it to him. Her son came near Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) while she was unaware. She saw him placing her son on his thigh, and the razor was in his hand. She got scared so much that Khubayb noticed the agitation on her face and comforted her, saying, “Are you afraid that I will kill him? No, I will never do so.”
She also made mention of some Karaamaat (i.e.,supernatural abilities or events bestowed by Allah, Exalted is He, upon a righteous person which contradict universal norms and human standards) that happened to Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him). She said: “By Allah, I never saw a prisoner better than Khubayb. By Allah, one day I saw him eating of a bunch of grapes in his hand while he was chained in irons, and there was no fruit at that time in Makkah.” She used to say, "It was a blessing that Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed upon Khubayb." This was one of the manifest Karaamaat conferred by Allah, Exalted is He, on him.
When they took him out of the Sanctuary (of Makkah) to kill him outside its boundaries, Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) requested them to let him offer a two Rak‘ah prayer. They allowed him and he offered two Rak‘ahs and then said, "Had not I been afraid that you would think that I was scared (of being killed), I would have prolonged the prayer. O Allah, kill them all with no exception,” meaning eradicate them all. He (may Allah be pleased with him) then recited the poetic verse, "I am being martyred as a Muslim; I do not mind how I am killed in Allah's Cause, for my killing is for Allah's Sake; and if Allah wishes, He will bless the amputated parts of a torn body."
He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that he cared less about death, since he was being killed in Allah’s Cause, and Allah, Exalted is He, would bless his torn body, if He willed it. Then the son of Al-Haarith killed him in Al-Tan‘eem and crucified him. It was Khubayb(may Allah be pleased with him) who set the tradition for any Muslim sentenced to death in captivity, to offer a two Rak‘ah prayer (before being killed).
Allah, Exalted is He, answered the invocation of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit(may Allah be pleased with him) on that very day on which he was martyred; the Prophetﷺinformed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) of their news and what had happened to them. ‘Aasim(may Allah be pleased with him) had killed one of the chiefs of Quraysh named ‘Uqbah ibn AbeeMu‘ayt in the Battle of Badr. When the news of ‘Aasim’s death reached the people of Quraysh, they sent some people to fetch a part of his body (i.e., his head) by which he could be recognized, to verify the news. A swarm of wasps, resembling a shady cloud, were sent to hover over ‘Aasim’s dead body and protect him from their messenger, and thus the disbelievers of Quraysh could not cut off anything from his flesh.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ.
It also underlines that Allah, Exalted is He, protects and preserves His believing servants both during life and after death, and that attaining martyrdom does not indicate the destruction and defeat of Muslims, but is rather an honor, and an indication of their merits.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that betrayal is unbecoming of a true Muslim, even with those who betray him.
The hadeeth underlines the virtues of ‘Aasim ibn Thaabit Al-Ansaaree and Khubayb ibn ‘Adiyy(may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth affirms the bestowal of Karaamaat on the allies and righteous servants of Allah, Exalted is He, and that He answers their supplications.
.

3051
Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
A disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. The spy sat with the companions of the Prophetﷺ and started talking and then went away. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his companions), 'Chase and kill him.' So, I killed him. The Prophetﷺ then gave him the belongings of the killed spy (in addition to his share of the spoils of war).
.

Commentary :
Betraying Muslims and spying on them are among the worst sins and misdeeds, especially at times of war.
In this hadeeth, Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a disbelieving spy came to the Prophetﷺwhile he was on a journey. It was said that this took place during the battle of Hawaazin in 8 A.H., as recorded by Muslim. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth for spy is ‘Ayn, lit. an eye, because a spy’s job is mostly related to vision.
The version of the hadeeth complied by Muslim stated that the spy came riding a red camel. He made it kneel down, extracted a strip of leather from its girth and tethered the camel with it. Then he began to eat with the people and look (curiously around). He ate with the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) and talked with them so that he would not look suspicious. He started looking around and collecting the needed information. He learned that the Muslims were in a poor condition,in that some of them were on foot and had no riding animals. All of a sudden, he left hurriedly; he went to his camel, untethered it, made it kneel down, mounted it and urged the beast which ran off with him. The Prophetﷺsaid (to his Companions), “Chase and kill him.“ This was because leaving him unharmed would harm the Muslims, as he would convey information to the enemy and expose the Muslims’ weak points. This is contrary to messengers sent by the enemy; they may not be harmed as per the Islamic law, because they are bearers of peace and links of communication, and this reflects the beauty and graciousness of Islam.
Salamah ibn Al-Akwa‘ (may Allah be pleased with him) chased and killed the spy. The Prophet ﷺ gave him all the spy’s belongings, arms, clothes, and riding animal.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to kill awar spy if he comes to the Muslim lands and he is not given security.
It is also inferred therefrom that the spoils of war taken from a killed spy belong to the one who kills him
.

3059
Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that ‘Umar appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals). He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims and ward off their curse (invocations against you) for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah); and allow the shepherd having a few camels and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan, for if their livestock should perish, then they have their farms and gardens, while those who own a few camels and those who own a few sheep, if their livestock should perish, would bring their dependents to me and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' Would I then neglect them? (No, of course). So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' treasury). By Allah, these people think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession. By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause, I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa.”
.

Commentary :
‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab(may Allah be pleased with him) was an exemplary and just ruler and is still referred to as theepitome of justice and mindfulness of Allah, Exalted is He, regarding Muslims’ funds entrusted to him, and the duty of governing Muslims’ religious and worldly affairs.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi‘ee (Follower) Aslam, the freed slave of ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, narrated that ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed a freed slave of his, called Hunayy, as the manager of the Himaa (i.e., preserves, protected areas, pasture devoted for grazing the animals of the Zakaah or other specified animals), allocated for grazing the animals (camels, horses, and other animals) of Zakaah that belonged to the Muslim Treasury, and no other animals were allowed to graze therein. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had declared this pasture as Himaa. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said to him, "O Hunayy! Do not oppress the Muslims, and ward off their curse (invocations against you), for the invocation of the oppressed is responded to (by Allah),” as there is no veil between it and Allah, “and allow the shepherd having a few camels” below thirty, “and those having a few sheep (to graze their animals), and take care not to allow the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of (‘Uthmaan) ibn ‘Affaan,” because they were rich and owned much livestock. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did not mean that their livestock must be denied access to the Himaa in all cases, but rather when the pasture could only accommodate the livestock of one of the two parties. In this case, the owners of fewerlivestock should be given priority. This was because if the livestock of ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn ‘Awf and the livestock of ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaanwere denied access to the Himaa, they had their farms and gardens, while those who owned fewer camels and sheep, if their livestock were denied access, they would bring their dependents and appeal for help saying, 'O Commander of the Believers! O Commander of the Believers!' He (may Allah be pleased with him) would not let them down and would have to compensate them by paying them gold and silver to satisfy their needs. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “So, I find it easier to let them have water and grass rather than to give them gold and silver (from the Muslims' Treasury).” ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “By Allah, these people,” meaning the owners of few camels and sheep in Al-Madeenah, “think that I have been unjust to them. This is their land, and during the pre-Islamic period, they fought for it, and they embraced Islam (willingly) while it was in their possession.” This is contrary to the situation of those who embraced Islam after conquests and their lands were seized as spoils of war and Fay’ (i.e., war-gains taken by Muslims from the disbelievers without fighting), because their lands and properties were seized by force. It was acceptable for ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to do as he did because this protected pasture was uncultivated and deserted, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) declared it Himaa, for the benefit of all Muslims.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “By Him in Whose Hand my life is! Were it not for the animals (in my custody) which I give to be ridden for striving in Allah's Cause,” meaning the camels and horses used for Jihaad purposes, “I would not have turned even a span of their land into a Himaa,” declaring any area as protected pasture and denying Muslims access to it.
The hadeeth underlines ‘Umar’s strength, good judgment, and compassion for Muslims.
The hadeeth warns against the supplication of theoppressed person against the oppressor.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the pasture must not be allocated for the livestock of rich owners rather than those of the poor ones.
It is also inferred therefrom that the Imaam (i.e., ruler) may investigate different alternatives and opt for what serves the best interests of people.
It is also deduced that the Imaam should give precedence to the interests of the poor people over those of the rich.
.

3060
Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophetﷺsaid (to us), "List the names of those people who have announced that they are Muslims." So, we listed one thousand and five hundred men. Then we wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" No doubt, we witnessed ourselves being afflicted with such bad trials that one would have to offer the prayer alone in fear.
Al-A‘mash narrated:
"We (listed the Muslims and) found them five hundred." And AbooMu‘aawiyah said, "Between six hundred to seven hundred."
.

Commentary :
In this hadeeth, Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yamaan(may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Prophet ﷺ commanded to make a list of the Muslims’ names at that time. It was said that this took place during the time of theHudaybiyah Treaty, and the Prophet ﷺ wanted to know the number of Muslims; should any unfortunate event happen and the Muslims had to fight, he ﷺ would know the number of Muslims and who was able to fight. The number was one thousand and five hundred men. Another version of the hadeeth reads: “five hundred,” and a third version reads: “between six hundred and seven hundred.” The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wondered, "Should we be afraid (of disbelievers) although we are one thousand and five hundred in number?" It seems that they(may Allah be pleased with them) could not believe the large number of Muslims at that time and believed that it was inconceivable that such a large number of men should be defeated. The version compiled by Muslim reads: “We said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, do you entertain any fear concerning us and we are (at this time) between six hundred and seven hundred (in strength).’” He ﷺ remarked: “You do not perceive; you may be put to some trials.” He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: ”We actually suffered trials so much so that some of our men were forced to offer their prayers in concealment.” This means that such confidence due to numerical superioritywas eliminated when Muslims were afflicted with fear and Fitnah (i.e., dissension and civil strife) after the Prophet’s death, so much so that some used to pray individually out of fear, despite the enormous number of Muslims at that time! Perhaps this referred to the Fitnah that took place after the Prophet’s death when some Muslims used to hide and perform the prayers in secret, fearing prominence and getting caught up in such Fitnah and wars. It was said that this was a reference to the late period of ‘Uthmaan’s reign during the tenure of some governors of Kufa, like Al-Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah, who used to delay the obligatory prayers or failed to establish them as enjoined. During this period, some devout Muslims (who were earnestly mindful of Allah, Exalted is He), used to perform the prayers in secret and then join the (delayed) congregational prayers with the governor, lest it should lead to Fitnah.
The hadeeth highlights a sign of the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ; he foretold a future event that happened afterward, and Muslims were actually afflicted with worse situations after the lifetime of Hudhayfah(may Allah be pleased with him), during the reigns of Al-Hajjaaj and others.
Many narrations were reported with different numbers. To reconcile between the different narrations, it was said that there may have been several lists of Muslims’ names that were made on various occasions. It is also possible that the narrations mean that the number of Muslims was a total of one thousand and five hundred, including men, women, slaves, and boys, and between six and seven hundred men, and five hundred soldiers in particular. It is also possible that what is meant is that the number of Muslims was five hundred fighters from the people of Al-Madeenah in particular; six hundred to seven hundred fighters and non-fighters; and a thousand and five hundred Muslims including those living in the surrounding towns and villages.
It is deduced that it is allowable for the Imaam (i.e., ruler) to count the number of the ruled when needed to defend and protect the Muslims.
It is inferred that it is allowable to make a register of the soldiers’ names.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that Allah, Exalted is He, afflicts His servants with punishments for their unwarranted confidence due to numerical superiority. .

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..