It was narrated from Abu Wa’il, from Hudhayfah, that he saw a man who did not bow or prostrate completely. When he finished his prayer, Hudhayfah said to him: You have not prayed. He [the narrator] said: And I think he said: If you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : The worshipper should be unhurried and at ease in every essential part of the prayer, because being unhurried and at ease is also an essential part of prayer. So he should be unhurried and at ease when standing, when bowing, when prostrating, when rising from bowing, and when sitting between the two prostrations. Being unhurried and at ease means allowing the limbs to settle into the posture that one is doing. Hence when Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman (may Allah be pleased with him) saw a man not bowing and prostrating completely, and not doing either in an unhurried manner, he said to him: You have not prayed! With this shortcoming, your prayer does not count, and if you die, you will die following something other than the Sunnah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). What is meant by the Sunnah here is the way. This applies to both obligatory and supererogatory prayers, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to move unhurriedly when bowing and prostrating, and in all the essential parts of the prayer. So if you die doing something other than that, you will be going against the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and his way in prayer.
This is an example of the Sahabah teaching the Tabi‘in, and transmitting the Sunnahs and rulings to those who came after them. It is also an example of their keenness to teach people as the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had been keen to teach them..

390

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn Malik [or] ibn Buhaynah that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed, he spread his arms so wide [when prostrating] that the whiteness of his armpits could be seen..

Commentary : Prayer is an act of worship that is to be done as prescribed. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) taught us how it is to be done, and taught us its essential parts, etiquette and postures. That includes how to prostrate and the way in which the arms are to be placed whilst prostrating.
This hadith includes a description of the Prophet’s prostration. ‘Abdullah ibn Malik ibn Buhaynah (may Allah be pleased with him) – and this Buhaynah was the mother of ‘Abdullah, as he was also referred to as her son; she is not the parent of Malik – narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to spread out his arms when prostrating. In other words, he held his arms away from his sides, like wings, to such an extent that the whiteness of his armpits became visible. This is by way of exaggeration in spreading the arms and keeping them far away from his sides. What is meant by whiteness is that there was no hair in his armpits, so their colour was like that of the rest of his body; either that was how he was created, or it was because he continually plucked them and always paid attention to that.
It was said that rather he did that because it was by way of including the arms in this act of worship and making sure that they did not look as if there was any laziness or carelessness in this action, and to show that he was striving hard. And it was said that that was because it would make him lighter on the ground and he would not be heavy and thus carry too much weight on his forehead. And it was said that the wisdom behind that is that it is more akin to demonstrating humility and is more helpful in ensuring that the forehead and nose are touching the ground firmly. Moreover, it makes each part stand out on its own. This action is only for men; in the case of women, it is more appropriate for them to bring their limbs together, because what is required in the case of women is to be more concealing.
This hadith highlights the concern of the Sahabah to transmit the actions of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and to describe them in precise detail.
It also highlights how prostration should be done in the prayer, with humility before Allah (may He be glorified), humbling oneself before Him..

391

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us, that is the Muslim who has the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”.

Commentary : Allah has protected the life, property and honour of the Muslim, and has forbidden transgressing against him or hurting him. He warns the one who transgresses against him without justification under Islamic law of a painful punishment in this world and the hereafter.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains the characteristics of the Muslim who has the right to safety and protection of his property, life and honour: he is the one who prays as we pray, meaning that he offers the five obligatory prayers in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), facing towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is a Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger. Thus his life and property are protected, and he enjoys the protection of Islam, with all the rights that the Muslims enjoy. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
After explaining that, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) enjoined the Muslims not to break the covenant of Allah with regard to that person, not to act treacherously towards him and not to betray him by transgressing his rights, for any transgression against him is a betrayal of Allah and His Messenger, a breaking of their covenant and undermining the sanctity of Islam.
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

393

It was narrated that Humayd said: Maymun ibn Siyah asked Anas ibn Malik: O Abu Hamzah, what makes the life and property of a person sacred? He said: Whoever bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, faces towards our qiblah, prays as we pray and eats meat slaughtered by us, it is he who is a Muslim, with the same rights and duties as any other Muslim..

Commentary : Islam is very keen to emphasize the sanctity of the Muslim and to protect his property and his life, and all his rights in all aspects.
In this hadith there is a description of the Muslim who has the right to protection, and whose life and property are to be protected, as the Tabi ‘i Maymun ibn Siyah narrated that he asked Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him): What is it that protects a person from being killed, and protects his property from being seized? Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) replied by telling him that this protection applies to the one who affirms that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, acknowledging the oneness of Allah, and acknowledging that Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is His Messenger, and who prays as we pray – meaning the five obligatory prayers, in the manner narrated from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) – and faces towards our qiblah, meaning that he faces towards the Holy Kaaba, which is the qiblah that Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) has chosen for His slaves. The reason why the qiblah is singled out for mention – even though it is implied when he mentioned prayer – is to emphasize its high status and to indicate that it is essential to performance of the prayer of the Muslims as prescribed in their Book which was revealed to their Prophet, which is prayer facing towards the Kaaba. Otherwise, whoever prays facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis after coming to know that that has been abrogated, like the Jews, or facing towards the east like the Christians, is not a Muslim, even if he utters the testimony of Tawhid.
Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained that one of the characteristics of the Muslim whose life is protected is that he eats meat slaughtered by the Muslims, and does not refuse to do that, because he regards himself as one of them. Whoever does that and adheres to doing it is the Muslim who enjoys the same rights that all Muslims enjoy and has the same duties as other Muslims. That is because these three characteristics – prayer, facing towards the qiblah and eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims – are only combined in a Muslim who affirms the oneness of Allah and the prophethood of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and acknowledges that he is the Messenger of Allah.
Even though the isnad of this hadith appears to stop with Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), a report such as this is deemed to be attributable to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It appears in a marfu‘ report (one which has an isnaad going back to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)) in Sahih al-Bukhari, in a hadith of Anas ibn Malik, who said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever prays as we pray, faces towards our qiblah and eats meat slaughtered by us, that is the Muslim who is entitled to the protection of Allah and the protection of His Messenger, so do not violate the protection granted by Allah.”
This hadith indicates that people are to be judged as they appear to be, not on the basis of what we think is in their hearts. Whoever appears outwardly to perform the religious duties of Islam is to be subject to the same rulings as the followers of Islam, unless he says or does something to the contrary.
It is indicative of the high status of the qiblah.
It indicates that one of the signs that a person is Muslim is his eating meat slaughtered by the Muslims..

394

It was narrated from Abu Ayyub al-Ansari that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When you go to the outhouse, do not face towards the qiblah or turn your back towards it; rather face east or west.” Abu Ayyub said: Then we came to Syria, and we found lavatories that had been built facing towards the qiblah, so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah (may He be exalted)..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was keen to teach his ummah all the details of religion, which included teaching his ummah the etiquette of relieving themselves and of entering bathrooms and outhouses.
In this hadith, the Sahabi Abu Ayyub al-Ansari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) forbade the one who wants to relieve himself by urinating or defecating from facing towards the qiblah, the direction of the Kaaba, or turning his back towards it, out of respect and veneration for it, for that is the direction that the Muslims face in the prayer; they turn towards it from every place, and that direction represents the sacred House of Allah.
The word translated here as outhouse originally referred to low-lying land, as they used to go there to relieve themselves, then the word began to be used to refer to the action, not the place, because they did not want to refer explicitly to the action.
The words “rather face east or west” mean: face towards the east or the west when you relieve yourselves. This is addressed to the people of Madinah and others for whom the qiblah is in the same direction [namely, south]. As for those for whom the qiblah is towards the east or west, what may be understood is that they are instructed to turn in a different direction, so that they will not be facing towards the qiblah or turning their backs towards it. Then Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Then we came to Syria – which now includes the modern countries of Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Lebanon – and we found lavatories. A lavatory is a place like a small room that is allocated for relieving oneself. The people of Syria had built these lavatories facing towards the qiblah unintentionally, or because they did not know of the prohibition on doing that, or because they thought that the prohibition did not include these structures. Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him) said: so we would turn away, and we would seek forgiveness of Allah. In other words, we would try to orient our bodies away from the direction of the qiblah as much as possible, and as much as the structure allowed, then we would seek forgiveness of Allah in case we committed some infraction. This is an example of the perfect faith of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them), as striving on its own is sufficient in order to avoid this infraction that one might feel ill at ease with if one did not do it. But they still sought forgiveness, so as to be on the safe side, and because they believed in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This seeking of forgiveness would be done outside the lavatories, not inside, because of the prohibition on mentioning the name of Allah (may He be exalted) in outhouses and places where one relieves oneself. This may indicate that the ruling on facing the direction of the qiblah inside the structures built for that purpose is the same as when relieving oneself in the open, without any difference. This is the view of Abu Ayyub (may Allah be pleased with him). But it was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that this prohibition applies only to open spaces, so if there is some kind of screen between the individual and the qiblah, there is nothing wrong with it. In al-Sahihayn, it is narrated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I climbed on the roof of my sister Hafsah’s house, and I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sitting to relieve himself, facing towards Syria, with his back towards the qiblah. .

397

It was narrated that Mujahid said: Someone went to Ibn ‘Umar and said to him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar said: So I came, and the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. I found Bilal standing between the two doors, so I asked Bilal: Did the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) pray inside the Kaaba? He said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter. Then he came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba. .

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, the Tabi‘i Mujahid ibn Jabr narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered Makkah in 8 AH, he entered the Kaaba and prayed two rak‘ahs. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was standing outside when someone came to him and told him: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) has entered the Kaaba. Ibn ‘Umar came, but he found that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had already come out. Bilal was with him, standing at the door. With him inside were Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) and ‘Uthman ibn Talhah al-Hajabi (may Allah be pleased with him), as is narrated in al-Sahihayn. Ibn ‘Umar asked Bilal how the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the Kaaba, and Bilal (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed two rak‘ahs between the two pillars that were on his left when he entered. These two pillars are the two pillars on which the roof rests. In al-Sahihayn it says: He stood with one pillar on his left, another pillar on his right, and three pillars behind him – at that time, the House was resting on six pillars – then he prayed. Between him and the wall of the Kaaba there were three cubits, as is mentioned in the report of Abu Dawud; that is sufficient distance to stand in prayer, and it is sufficient to prostrate. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) came out and prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the front of the Kaaba; what is meant by the front of the Kaaba is the door of the House.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) in Sahih al-Bukhari – in which it says that [the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)] entered the House and said takbir whilst walking around inside it, and he did not pray in it – by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other.
This hadith indicates that it is valid to pray inside the Kaaba..

398

It was narrated that ‘Ata’ said: I heard Ibn ‘Abbas say: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the House, he offered supplication whilst walking around inside, but he did not pray until he came out of it. When he came out, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing the front of the Kaaba, and he said: This is the qiblah..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is the Ancient House of Allah; it is held in very high esteem by all Muslims. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed inside it in the year of the conquest of Makkah.
In this hadith, Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) tells of what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did when he entered the House, meaning the Kaaba. He offered supplication whilst walking around inside, and did not pray inside it, but when he came out of the Kaaba, he prayed two rak‘ahs facing towards the Kaaba, and facing towards the front of it, which refers to the side where the door is. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “This is the qiblah,” meaning that the matter of the qiblah is settled; it is the direction of this House, and this will not be abrogated after today, so pray towards it forever. It may be that he taught them where the imam should stand, as he stands facing the front of it, and not any of its corners or any of the other three sides, although prayer facing any of its sides is valid.
It is proven in al-Sahihayn from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that when Bilal was asked whether the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had prayed inside the House, he said: Yes, [he prayed] two rak‘ahs between the two pillars to the left when you enter.
We may reconcile between this hadith and the hadith of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) by noting that the affirmation of Bilal takes precedence over the negation of anyone else, because Ibn ‘Abbas was not with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on that day; rather he based his negation on what he had heard from Usamah or from his brother al-Fadl. It may be that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) entered the Kaaba twice, and he prayed on one of these two occasions and not on the other..

399

It was narrated that al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, but the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was hoping that he would be told to face towards the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. So he turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people, namely the Jews, said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?” Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. A man prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), then after he prayed, he went out and passed by some of the Ansar who were praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis. He testified that he had just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and he had offered that prayer facing towards the Kaaba. So the people turned until they were facing towards the Kaaba..

Commentary : The Holy Kaaba is held in high esteem by all Muslims, for it is the Ancient House of Allah and the qiblah towards which they face when they pray; they long to see the Kaaba when they go for Hajj.
In this hadith, al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the qiblah towards which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) faced in his prayer, when he first [came to Madinah], was in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, for sixteen or seventeen months. There is no difference of scholarly opinion that that happened in 2 AH. But he was hoping that his qiblah would be changed to the Kaaba. Then Allah revealed the words: {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven…} [al-Baqarah 2:144]. In other words, We see you repeatedly turning your face and looking up to heaven; {and We will surely turn you} that is, we will surely grant you and permit you to turn towards; {to a qiblah with which you will be pleased}, that you love and are inclined towards, for the correct purposes that you have in mind, and that are in harmony with the will and wisdom of Allah. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people – namely the Jews – said: {“What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. They asked this question in astonishment at the reason for the Muslims’ turning away from Bayt al-Maqdis towards the Kaaba, because they had liked it when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had turned towards Bayt al-Maqdis, as it was also their qiblah. So when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) turned towards the Sacred House, they objected to that. But Allah (may He be exalted) responded to them by saying: {Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path”} [al-Baqarah 2:142]. Some of his companions prayed with the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards the Kaaba, then one of the men who had prayed ‘Asr with him – whose name was ‘Abbad ibn Bishr or ‘Abbad ibn Nahik – went out and passed by a group of the Ansar. He found them praying ‘Asr, facing towards Bayt al-Maqdis, so he said to them: I bear witness that I just prayed with the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) facing towards Makkah, and that he was facing towards the Kaaba. When they heard him, they turned around towards al-Masjid al-Haram. They did not interrupt their prayer; rather they completed it facing towards the Kaaba. This reflects how quickly they responded to the command of Allah (may He be exalted).
This hadith highlights the honourable position of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and how dear he was to his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) as He gave him what he had been hoping for, without him asking for it.
It highlights how keen the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were to adhere to their religion.
It indicates that the report of a trustworthy person may be accepted, even if he is only one..

400

It was narrated that Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to pray atop his mount, no matter what direction it was facing. Then when he wanted to offer an obligatory prayer, he would dismount and turn to face the qiblah..

Commentary : Supererogatory prayers are broad in scope, and there is leniency regarding them according to people’s circumstances. If a Muslim is travelling, he is granted concessions that make travel easier for him, such as shortening prayers and putting them together.
In this hadith, Jabir ibn ‘Abdillah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) used to offer supererogatory prayers whilst riding his mount or his she-camel, facing whatever direction his mount was facing. A report narrated by Abu Dawud explains how he prayed atop his mount, as it says: His prostration was lower than his bowing. So he would lean forward when prostrating a little more than when bowing. He did not dismount or insist on facing the qiblah except in the obligatory prayers. Facing towards the qiblah in an obligatory prayer is a condition of the prayer being valid. Whoever offers an obligatory prayer deliberately facing a direction other than the qiblah, without any excuse, his prayer is invalid, whether he is at home or travelling. If he is riding a mount, then he must dismount and turn towards the qiblah to offer an obligatory prayer, and that requirement is not waived except in the case of a legitimate excuse such as rain, sickness, fear and the like. Allah (may He be exalted) says: “And if you fear [an enemy, then pray] on foot or riding” [al-Baqarah 2:239].
This hadith highlights how it is made easier to pray when travelling.
It also indicates that it is valid to offer supererogatory prayers atop one’s mount, and in whatever conveyances come under the same rulings..

401

It was narrated that ‘Alqamah said: ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed – Ibrahim said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something – and when he said the taslim, it was said to him: O Messenger of Allah, has something new been introduced into the prayer? He said: “Why is that?” They said: You prayed such and such. So he knelt and turned to face the qiblah, and prostrated twice, then he said the taslim. When he turned to face us, he said: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it. But I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me, and if one of you is not sure about his prayer, let him think what is most likely to be the case, then complete it on that basis, then let him say the taslim, then prostrate twice.”.

Commentary : Prayer is the foundation of faith, and the individual should strive to maintain proper focus and reflection whilst praying, and not let himself be distracted by worldly matters. But he may make a mistake in the prayer, by omitting or adding to some of its actions. This mistake needs to be compensated for, so the prostration of forgetfulness (sujud al-sahw) is prescribed in such cases.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates what happened to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) with regard to making mistakes in the prayer. He narrates that one day the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him – Ibrahim al-Nakha‘i, the narrator of the hadith, said: I do not know whether he added something or omitted something. It is explained that he added something in al-Sahihayn: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. When he said the taslim at the end of his prayer, some of those who had prayed with him asked him: Has something new been introduced into the prayer? The aim was to ask whether something new had been introduced through revelation that had changed the ruling on the prayer, by adding to what was usually done. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to them: “Why is that?” This is the question of one who did not realize what he did, and is not sure and does not know what is most likely to be the case. This is in contrast to the people behind him, as they said: You prayed such and such, telling him of what they were certain had happened. Their words “such and such” refer to what had happened, which was something additional and more than usual. Ibn Mas‘ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knelt; he sat as for tashahhud, then he prostrated twice, the prostration of forgetfulness. Then he said to them: “If something new had been introduced into the prayer, I would have told you about it.” And he said: “I am only human like you; I forget as you forget. So if I forget, then remind me.”
Perhaps in His wisdom, Allah (may He be exalted) caused the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to make this mistake, so that he would teach his ummah what to do if the imam makes a mistake in the prayer. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to the people: … if one of you is not sure, and he forgets whilst praying and does not know whether he has added something to it or omitted something, then “let him think what is most likely to be the case.” In other words, let him work out what happened, then if he thinks something is more likely to be the case, due to some circumstantial evidence, let him complete his prayer based on that, then do the prostration of forgetfulness.
The point in this hadith is that whoever makes a mistake in his prayer, adding or omitting something by mistake because he forgot, then he remembers after saying the salaam, he should turn to face towards the qiblah and do the prostration of forgetfulness, because the prostration of forgetfulness is part of completing the prayer. Even if it is done after saying the salaam, it is still part of the prayer, and it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah when doing it, as is required in the prayer.
This hadith shows us that even the Prophets (blessings and peace of Allah be upon them) could make some mistakes in their actions, but that does not undermine the position of prophethood or undermine any of the teachings of Islam.
It indicates that the prostration of forgetfulness consists of two prostrations.
It indicates that it is valid to do the prostration of forgetfulness after saying the taslim at the end of the prayer..

402

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I agreed with my Lord in three cases: I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. And regarding the verse of hijab, I said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed. And the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves, and I said to them: Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you, then this verse was revealed..

Commentary : ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) was one of those who were inspired; he was possessed of sharp intuition and deep insight, and sometimes he uttered words of Qur’an before Jibril brought them down, and on other occasions revelation came down, supporting his view from above seven heavens.
This hadith highlights one of the greatest virtues of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). In it, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I agreed with my Lord in three cases. How smart and subtle is the way in which he expressed it, as he paid attention to proper etiquette. He did not say, ‘My Lord agreed with me in three cases,’ because the verses were revealed in approval of and in agreement with his view and what he thought was right. ‘Umar only mentioned that so that the people who were listening to him would think positively of him and would not oppose him when he spoke words of truth, and so that the believers might follow his example in giving precedence to the truth and speaking the truth. Then he mentioned these three things, which were as follows:
Firstly: ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t we take the standing place of Ibrahim (Maqam Ibrahim) as a place of prayer? Then the verse was revealed: {And take, [O believers], from the standing place of Abraham a place of prayer} [al-Baqarah 2:125]. In other words: O people, take the standing place of Ibrahim as a place of prayer at which you pray, as an act of worship and devotion to Allah (may He be exalted) and by way of Allah’s honouring Ibrahim. That prayer is offered after having circumambulated the Kaaba (tawaf), with the Maqam in between the Kaaba and the worshipper. The standing place of Ibrahim is the place where he stood; it is the rock on which Ibrahim (peace be upon him) stood when he was building the Kaaba, and his footprints can be seen on it. Its location is well-known now, beside the Kaaba.
Secondly: the verse of hijab. ‘Umar said: O Messenger of Allah, why don’t you instruct your wives to observe hijab, because both righteous people and immoral people speak to them? Then the verse of hijab was revealed, in which Allah (may He be exalted) says: {O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be known and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful} [al-Ahzab 33:59]. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) knew that it was better for them to observe hijab than not to do so, but he was waiting for the revelation, as is indicated by the fact that he did not go along with ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) when he first suggested that to him. Hijab was enjoined in 5 AH, or in Dhul Qa‘dah 4 AH, or 3 AH.
Thirdly: The wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) conspired against him out of jealousy amongst themselves. There is a long story behind that: when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) to greet her, she would keep him with her for a while and give him a drink of honey that she had received as a gift. ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) did not like the fact that he stayed with her for a while, so she instructed an Ethiopian slave woman of hers, who was called Khadrah, to find out what Hafsah was doing when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to see her. Khadrah told her about the honey, and she got jealous, so she sent word to her co-wives, instructing them to tell the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that they could notice the smell of maghafir – which is a sweet gum with an unpleasant odour – from him, because of his drinking that honey. The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would be troubled if an unpleasant smell came from him, because the angel used to come to him with the revelation. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stopped drinking the honey that he liked. Then news of that reached ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), so he went to the wives of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and admonished and rebuked them. Among the things that ‘Umar said to them was: {Perhaps his Lord, if he divorced you [all], would substitute for him wives better than you}, then this verse [al-Tahrim 66:5] was revealed. This is one of several instances in which ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) agreed with his Lord (may He be glorified and exalted) and his Lord agreed with him. There is nothing in the verse to indicate that any other women were better than them, because the condition mentioned (divorce) did not happen; therefore the verse cannot be taken to mean that there were women who were better than them. The verse speaks of what Allah had the power to do, not something that was actually the case, because Allah (may He be exalted) says {if he divorced you [all]}. But Allah (may He be glorified) knew that he would not divorce them. This is like the verse in which Allah says: {And if you turn away, He will replace you with another people; then they will not be the likes of you} [Muhammad 47:38]; here Allah was speaking of what He had the power to do, in order to alert and alarm them, not that there actually were others who were better than the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). It may be that this virtue [being the best of women] was granted to his wives because of their marriage to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and any other woman he married would also rise to that status, but if he divorced any of them, she would no longer enjoy that status.
The fact that ‘Umar listed three cases in this hadith does not necessarily mean that there were not more than that, because there were other instances in which ‘Umar agreed with his Lord and his Lord agreed with him, one of the most famous of which are the story of the captives of Badr, and the story of offering the funeral prayer for the hypocrites. Both stories are narrated in Sahih al-Bukhari.
This hadith indicates that it is prescribed to examine issues in an effort to find the right answer to some matters of religion..

404

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah said: The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed Zuhr with five rak‘ahs. They said: Has something been added to the prayer? He said: “Why is that? They said: You prayed five [rak‘ahs].” So he knelt and prostrated twice..

405

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah, and that upset him to the extent that it could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand and said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord, or his Lord is between him and the qiblah. So no one of you should spit in the direction of his qiblah; rather [he may spit] to his left or beneath his feet.” Then he took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) saw sputum in the qiblah of the mosque. Sputum refers to what is ejected from the mouth or nose of spittle, mucus and the like. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was upset by that and got so angry that his anger could be seen in his face. He got up and scratched it with his hand, to remove it and clean it, then he said: “When one of you stands in prayer, he is conversing with his Lord” – the root meaning of the word translated here as conversing refers to private talk between two people. What is meant is that he should observe proper etiquette in this situation, because the worshipper is conversing with Allah (may He be glorified and exalted). Then he forbade any Muslim to spit in the direction of his qiblah, because spitting is usually a sign of disrespect, so it is not appropriate to the high esteem in which the direction of the qiblah is held. But if he must spit whilst he is in the mosque, let him spit to his left, for that is the direction for such dirty things, or beneath his feet, so that he may cover it with his foot in the earthen floor. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) took the edge of his rida’ [upper garment], spat on to it, then folded part of it over another part and said: “Or let him do like this.” Thus he explained by his actions, so that the listener would understand better, and also to make it clear to the one who would not be able to bury his sputum. Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
This hadith highlights the true nature of ihsan, which refers to a person constantly bearing in mind how close Allah (may He be exalted) is to him, that Allah is watching him and that He knows all about him.
It is also refers to honouring and respecting the qiblah, and highlights the superiority of the right over the left.
It also indicates that sputum is pure (tahir). .

415

It was narrated that Qatadah said: I heard Anas ibn Malik say: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Spitting in the mosque is a sin, and its expiation is to bury it.”.

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explains that spitting on the floor of the mosque is a sin, for which the doer deserves punishment from Allah (may He be exalted). The expiation for that sin is to bury it in the ground and cover it with earth. Whoever commits this bad deed and regrets it, and wants Allah to pardon him and erase this bad deed of his, should hasten to remove it from the mosque, by burying it if the mosque has an earthen floor, or by wiping it away and removing it, if the mosque is carpeted.
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. The worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant.
A report in al-Sahihayn explains that if someone cannot help but spit, he should spit to his left, or beneath his foot, or into the edge of his garment..

416

It was narrated from Hammam [that he heard] Abu Hurayrah [narrate] that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “When one of you stands in prayer, let him not spit in front of him, for he is conversing with Allah so long as he is in his prayer place; [and let him not spit] to his right, for on his right there is an angel. Let him spit to his left, or beneath his foot, then bury it.” .

Commentary : The Muslim should respect the mosques and keep them free of dirt and impurities, and anything that is not appropriate, and he should bear in mind that he is conversing with his Lord in His house.
In this hadith, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) says: When one of you stands in prayer, then he is conversing with his Lord. This is affirming that Allah (may He be exalted) is close to His slave who is praying. What is meant is that the worshipper should bear in mind when praying that Allah is close to him, and that He can see him and hear him, and that he is conversing with Him; He hears what he says, and He responds to his conversing with Him. Therefore the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the worshipper not to spit in front of him, or to his right. If he cannot help but spit, then let him spit to his left, because his devil-companion stands on his left when he is praying, or let him spit beneath his feet, then cover it by burying it in the ground, if the place where he is praying is not carpeted and has an earthen floor. But if the place where he is praying is carpeted, then he should spit into the edge of his garment and the like, as is mentioned in al-Sahihayn in the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him).
Spitting in the mosque is a sin, because it is indicative of disrespect towards the houses of Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) which He has commanded are to be built and His name mentioned therein. Moreover, it is offensive to other worshippers. A worshipper may prostrate on it without realizing, and he may be disgusted if he sees it and find it repugnant..

1471

Ibn ‘Umar reported that he divorced his wife during her menstruation in the Prophet's lifetime. So, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about that and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Order him to take her back and keep her until she attains purity, then menstruates, then attains purity. Then, if he wishes he may keep her, and if he wishes he may divorce her before having intercourse with her. This is the ‘Iddah (waiting period) that Allah Almighty has ordered for the divorce of women." [Another version reads]: That he divorced his wife during her menstruation, once. So, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded him to take her back and keep her until she attains purity, then menstruates again, while still being with him, then to give her time until she attains purity from her menstruation. After that, if he wanted to divorce her, he could do so when she becomes pure before having sexual intercourse with her, as this is the ‘iddah that Allah commanded for the divorce of women. [Another version reads]: On being asked about this, ‘Abdullah said to someone: "If you divorced your wife once or twice, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to do this. However, if you have divorced her thrice, she became forbidden to you until she is married to another man, and you have disobeyed Allah regarding what He commanded you in divorcing your wife.".

Commentary : The legislated divorce is that one divorces his wife one time while being pure (of her menses) without having sexual intercourse with her during this period of purity. It is called Talāq Sunni (Sunnah-compliant divorce). As for the forbidden divorce, it is to divorce one's wife more than once in one utterance, or to divorce her during her menstruation, or during a period of purity in which he had sexual intercourse with her. This is called Talāq Bid‘i (Heretic divorce).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that he divorced his wife - her name was Āminah bint Ghifār, and it was said: Āminah bint ‘Ammār, and there are other opinions as well - during her menstruation before attaining purity, and that was in the Prophet's lifetime. His father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him about the ruling on this divorce that occurred during menstruation, whether it is permissible or not, and whether it counts or not. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded him to order his son, ‘Abdullah, to take her back in marriage and keep her with him "until she attains purity" from the menstruation in which he divorced her, "then menstruates" again, "then attains purity" from the second menstruation. After attaining purity from the second menstruation, he could keep her as his wife if he wished or he could divorce her in the second period of purity before having intercourse with her. This state, namely the state of purity, is the time for starting "the ‘Iddah that Allah Almighty has commanded for the divorce," i.e., during which, "women", as Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, when you [believers] divorce women, divorce them with concern to their waiting period.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] That is to say, divorce them while receiving their ‘Iddah, i.e., at the time they could start the ‘Iddah, and the period of menstruation is not counted in the ‘Iddah. So, if one divorces during this time, his divorce does not occur in the state commanded by Allah, which is starting and entering the ‘Iddah, when the divorce occurs during the period of her purity not during the period of her menstruation. This is because, during the purity period, she can keep an accurate count of her ‘Iddah, which is three Qurū’ (menstrual cycles), and "qur’" is purity, and it was said: menstruation.
In another version, Muhammad ibn Rumh - one of the Hadīth narrators - added: Whenever ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar was asked about divorcing a woman during menstruation, he would say to the questioner: If you divorced your wife once or twice then take her back, as the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded me to do so. However, if you divorced her thrice then this is an irrevocable divorce and you cannot take her back and she becomes forbidden for you "until she is married to another man," and he has sexual intercourse with her and then divorces her. After her ‘Iddah is over, she becomes lawful for you again to marry.
And by doing this, you disobeyed Allah and went against Him "regarding what He commanded you in divorcing your wife" during the purity state in which you had intercourse with her, as Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, when you [believers] divorce women, divorce them with concern to their waiting period.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1]
This clarifies that the divorce counts, whether it is Sunni or Bid‘i. The fact that the Bid‘i divorce is forbidden does not entail that it does not occur. It only means that whoever does this deliberately is considered sinful, yet the divorce still counts.
In a version of Muslim, Anas ibn Sīrīn said to Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father): "Was that divorce that you gave her when she was menstruating counted as such?" and you considered it one of the three divorces. "‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar said: Why would I not count it? (It must be counted) even if I failed and acted foolishly," i.e, failed to fulfill an obligation or acted foolishly and did not fulfill it, or failed to take her back and acted foolishly. Would that be an excuse for him, or would his foolishness make it not count, or would his failure invalidate it?! It is a question of disapproval whose answer is supposed to be: Yes, it is counted, and his failure and foolishness do not prevent it from being counted.
The Hadīth indicates the keenness of Islam to restrict the circumference of divorce as much as possible, and if it happens, it does not cause harm to any of the spouses.
It also indicates that the husband alone has the right to Raj‘ah (taking the wife back) without the guardian..

1472

Ibn ‘Abbās reported: The triple divorce during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that of Abu Bakr and two years of the caliphate of ‘Umar was counted as one. Then ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: "Indeed, people have hastened to a matter regarding which they used to act with deliberation. So, if we would make them count (as three divorces)," and he did that..

Commentary : Allah Almighty has made divorce a kind of respite between the spouses when life between them becomes impossible. In Islam, divorce has certain criteria and results in a number of rights.
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: During the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and that of Abu Bakr and two years of ‘Umar's caliphate, whoever triply divorced his wife in one session or in one time, would count as a single divorce. An example of this is saying: "You are divorced thrice," or saying: "You are divorced. You are divorced. You are divorced." Then the husband can take his wife back during the period of ‘Iddah (waiting period) without a new contract. If the ‘Iddah is over, he can take her back with a new contract. It is not counted as three divorces that would make his wife unlawful for him until she is married to another man. It is deemed to refer to what was most likely meant, which was the intent of confirmation, not for continuing the count. During the lifetime of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), people used this form frequently while most likely intending to continue the count not by way of confirmation. Hence, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) made it count as three divorces. He said: "Indeed, people have hastened to a matter regarding which they used to act with deliberation," i.e., they were entitled to three divorces to give themselves a chance to reconsider their affairs, as it might seem better for them to take their wives back. His saying: "So if we made them count," i.e., He consulted those who were with him from the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) regarding the one who gave three divorces all at once to make such a divorce an irrevocable triple divorce as he uttered, to deter them from rushing into divorce. Thus, he enforced it on people after consulting the senior Companions and their agreement with him.
This is interpreted from him (may Allah be pleased with him) as a form of Ijtihād and laying down rules that would bring benefit to his subjects within the boundaries of Shariah, without making things too difficult or too easy..

1476

‘Ā’ishah reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to seek our permission on the day he had to stay with one of his wives (by turns) after the following verse was revealed: {You [O Prophet] may postpone [the turn of] whoever you wish [of your wives], and you may share your time with whoever of them you wish.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 51] Mu‘ādhah said to her: What did you use to say to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he asked your permission? She said: I used to say: Were it up to me, I would not give anyone preference over myself..

Commentary : The Prophet's wives loved him dearly to the extent that they used to compete to please him and show their love to him.
In this Hadīth, the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to ask permission from his wife, whose turn was due, to go to another one of his wives. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had nine wives, and he used to allocate a day for each to stay with her overnight. This act of his seeking permission was after the revelation of the following verse: {You [O Prophet] may postpone [the turn of] whoever you wish [of your wives], and you may share your time with whoever of them you wish, and there is no blame on you if you call back any of those whose turn you have set aside. That is more likely that they will be content and not distressed, and that they will be satisfied with what you give them all. Allah knows what is in your hearts, and Allah is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 51] This verse means: O Messenger, you have the right to delay the turn of whoever you wish of your wives and not stay overnight with her, and you have the right to share your time with whoever you wish of them and stay overnight with her; and there is no blame on you if you call back any of those whom you have delayed. Giving you the choice and making things flexible for you are more likely to make your wives content and satisfied with what you give them all for knowing that you have not neglected duty and have not withheld a right, and Allah knows what is in your hearts - O men - of inclination to some women apart from others, as Allah is All-Knowing of His slaves' actions and nothing thereof is hidden from Him, and He is Most Forbearing and does not hasten to punish them hoping that they may return to Him in repentance.
The female Tābi‘i Mu‘ādhah al-‘Adawiyyah asked ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her): "What did you use to say to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) when he asked for your permission?" ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) replied that she used to say to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Were it up to me," i.e., if this act of seeking permission is in my hands, "I would not give anyone preference over myself," i.e., I would not give my day to another wife. This was due to her love to be close to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to serve him, enjoy intimacy with him, and benefit from him.
Such a competition between his wives was not for mere pleasure, intimacy, personal desires, and enjoyment, as is the case with some people. Instead, it was a competition for matters related to the Hereafter and for being close to the master of the first and the last, for expecting the descent of mercy and revelation upon him while being with her and so on.
The Hadīth clarifies one of the Prophet's exclusive rights, namely choosing whomever he wished from his wives whenever he wished.
It also points out some of the etiquettes between spouses and teaches them how a man should seek his wives' permission when sharing his time with them and how the woman should show him love and affection..

1478

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported: Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) came and sought permission to see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He found people sitting at his door and none amongst them had been granted permission, but it was granted to Abu Bakr and he went in. Then came ‘Umar and he sought permission and it was granted to him. He found the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sitting sad and silent with his wives around him, and said: He said: I would say something that would make the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) laugh. So, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, I wish you had seen the daughter of Khārijah when she asked me for extra money, and I got up and slapped her on the neck. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) laughed and said: "They are around me as you see, asking for extra money." So, Abu Bakr got up and slapped ‘Ā’ishah on the neck, and ‘Umar got up and slapped Hafsah on the neck. Both of them did this saying: "Are you asking the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) what he does not have?!" They said: "By Allah, we would never ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for something that he does not have." Then he retreated from them for a month or for twenty-nine days. Then, the following verse was revealed to him: {O Prophet, tell your wives} until the part that reads {for those who do good among you a great reward.} [Surat al-Azāb: 28-29] He said: So, he started with ‘Ā’ishah, saying: "O ‘Ā’ishah, I want to propound something to you but I wish you not to be hasty concerning it until you consult your parents." She said: "What is that, O Messenger of Allah?" So he recited the verse to her. She said: "Is it concerning you, O Messenger of Allah, that I should consult my parents?! Nay, I choose Allah, His Messenger, and the Final Abode; but I ask you not to tell any of your wives what I have said." He said: "None of them asks me except that I will inform her. Allah did not send me to be harsh, or cause harm, but He sent me to teach and make things easy.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was generous with his wives and provided for them from what Allah granted him. However, he used to spend often on the cause of Allah and on what would benefit people, leaving only a little for himself and his family. This led to some harm felt by his wives; however, Allah Almighty gave them the choice to either endure life patiently or get a divorce and be separated from him kindly.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates: Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) once came and sought permission to see the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and found people sitting at his door and none among them was granted permission to see the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) granted Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) permission and he entered. Then, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet's house and sought permission to enter and he permitted him. On entering, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) found the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sitting with his wives around him and he was intensely sad, so much so that he stopped talking. So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to himself - and it was said: The speaker was Abu Bakr - (may Allah be pleased with him): "I should say something that would make the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) laugh." So, he said: "O Messenger of Allah, I wish you had seen," i.e., if you knew that my wife, the daughter of Khārijah, asked and requested from me an extra amount of money, more than the usual or more than needed, so I got up and "slapped her on the neck," i.e., hit her neck with my hand. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) laughed out of the resemblance between his condition and that of ‘Umar. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They", referring to his wives, are sitting "around me as you see, asking for extra money" and requesting more money than the usual amount. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said this, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) got up and went to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) to slap her on the neck by way of discipline. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) also got up to slap his daughter Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) on the neck by way of discipline, and each of them was saying to his daughter: "Are you asking the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) for what he does not have?!" It was an expression of rebuke and reprimand for them because of their asking for an extra amount of money while the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not have it. "They said: By Allah, we would never ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)," after this "something that he does not have." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) got angry because of this and he retreated from his wives for thirty or twenty-nine days without entering their houses or approaching them. Then, the following verses were revealed: {O Prophet, tell your wives, “If you seek the life of this world and its embellishments, then come, I will give you provision and release you graciously. But if you seek Allah and His Messenger and the Final Abode, then Allah has prepared for those who do good among you a great reward.”} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 28-29] The two verses mean: O Prophet, tell your wives when they ask you for an increase in sustenance and you have nothing to give them as an extra amount: If you seek the life of this world and its embellishments, then come I will give you provision that is given to the divorced women and release you in a way that involves no harm or damage. However, if you seek Allah's pleasure and the pleasure of His Messenger, and you seek Paradise in the Final Abode, then endure your conditions patiently, as Allah has prepared for those who do good among you, through patience and good treatment, a great reward.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started with ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in giving her the choice. He called her and informed her that he had something to propound to her and that he wished she would not hasten to give him a reply without consulting her parents. Perhaps this was out of fear for her because of her young age which entailed the desire for worldly embellishments and her not choosing the Hereafter. She asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about that matter and he recited the verse to her, so she hastened to accept being with the Messenger of Allah, and she said: "Is it concerning you," i.e., being separated from you, or staying with you, or regarding your right, "O Messenger of Allah, that I should consult my parents?!" And she told him that she chose Allah, His Messenger, and the Final Abode. She also asked him (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) not to tell any of his wives about her reply out of her jealousy and keenness to have the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) all for herself and enjoy a great deal of his company. In response, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "None of them asks me except that I will inform her," to help her make her choice. He justified this by saying that Allah did not send him to be harsh, i.e., causing someone to be in a difficult situation and "‘anat", meaning difficulty and sin as well, "or cause harm," i.e., seek others' mistakes. "But He sent me to teach" people goodness and make things easy. Facilitation here lies in the fact that if he informed them, his other wives would follow the example of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and it would be easy for them to choose Allah Almighty, His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and the Final Abode.
This Hadīth points out that asking permission is from the Prophet's guidance.
It also indicates that one can discipline one's child, even if he grew up.
It shows the ascetic life of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and his abstention from worldly life.
It also demonstrates how the Companions used to console the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in his sadness.
It denotes the merit of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them)..

1479

‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb reported: When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) secluded himself from his wives, he ('Umar) said: I entered the mosque and found the people pelting the ground with pebbles and saying: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divorced his wives, and that was before they were commanded with Hijāb. ‘Umar said: I said: I must find this out today. He said: I entered upon ‘Ā’ishah and said: O daughter of Abu Bakr, have you gone to the extent of giving trouble to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?! She said: O Ibn al-Khattāb, stay out of my affairs and mind your receptacle. He said: So, I entered upon Hafsah bint ‘Umar and said to her: O Hafsah, have you gone to the extent of giving trouble to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?! By Allah, you know that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) does not love you, and had it not been for me, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would have divorced you. So, she wept bitterly. I said to her: Where is the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)? She said: He is in his cabinet in the attic room. I went there and found Rabāh, the servant of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), sitting on the attic's doorstep with his legs dangling on carved wood, which is a trunk used by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ascend and descend. I called out: O Rabāh, seek permission for me from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Rabāh looked at the room then looked at me and said nothing. Then, I said: O Rabāh, seek permission for me from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Rabāh looked at the room then looked at me and said nothing. Then, I raised my voice and said: O Rabāh, seek permission for me from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). I think the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought I had come for Hafsah's sake. By Allah, if the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands me to strike her neck, I will undoubtedly strike her neck. I raised my voice, and he signaled to me to ascend. I entered upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) while he was lying on a straw mat. I sat down and he drew up his lower garment over him and he had nothing else on him, and the mat had left marks on his side. I looked around in the cabinet of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and found only a handful of barley around one Sā‘ and an equal quantity of the leaves of mimosa flava placed in one side of the room, and a semi-tanned leather bag hanging. He said: Tears started falling from my eyes. He said: O Ibn al-Khattāb, what makes you weep? I said: O Prophet of Allah, how could I not weep when this straw mat has left marks on your side and I see nothing in your cabinet except what I have seen, while Caesar and Khosrau are enjoying fruits and rivers, whereas you are the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and His chosen one and this is your cabinet?! He said: O Ibn al-Khattāb, does it not please you that the Hereafter is for us and the worldly life is for them? I said: Yes. He said: When I entered upon him, I saw signs of anger on his face, so I said: O Messenger of Allah, what trouble have the women caused you? If you had divorced them, verily, Allah is with you, His angels, Jibrīl (Gabriel), Mikā’īl (Michael), I, Abu Bakr, and the believers are with you. I rarely spoke - thanks to Allah - any words except that I hoped Allah would confirm the words I uttered, and this verse, Āyat at-Takhyīr (the Verse of Choice), was revealed: {Perhaps, if he were to divorce you all, his Lord would replace you with better wives.} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 5] {But if you insist on conspiring against him, then indeed Allah is his Protector, as well as Gabriel and the righteous believers, and moreover, the angels are his supporters.} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 4] ‘Ā’ishah bint Abi Bakr and Hafsah were cooperating against the rest of the Prophet's wives. I said: O Messenger of Allah, did you divorce them? He said: No. I said: O Messenger of Allah, when I entered the mosque, I found the Muslims pelting the ground with pebbles and saying: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divorced his wives. Should I go down and tell them that you did not divorce them? He said: Yes, if you wish. I kept talking to him until there were no more signs of anger on his face and until he laughed and his teeth showed, and he had the most charming front teeth of all people. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) descended and I descended while catching hold of the trunk, but the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went down as if he was walking on the ground without touching it with his hand. I said: O Messenger of Allah, you remained in your room for twenty-nine days. He said: The month consists of twenty-nine days. I, thus, stood at the door of the mosque and called out at the top of my voice: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not divorce his wives, and this verse was revealed: {Whenever they hear any news of security or fear, they spread it. If they referred it to the Messenger or to those in authority among them, those with sound judgment among them could know it.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 83] And it was I who drew correct conclusions and Allah Almighty revealed the Verse of Choice..

Commentary : Perhaps the Prophet's wives caused him trouble like women usually cause their husbands trouble, resulting from jealousy, vexation, and the like.
In this Hadīth, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) secluded himself from his wives and swore not to enter upon them, for he was angry with them, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) entered the Prophet's mosque "and found the people pelting the ground with pebbles," i.e., moving them around and throwing them on the ground, which is something normally done by someone concerned and absorbed in thought. "And saying: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divorced his wives," i.e. when they saw how the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kept himself away from his wives, they thought that he had divorced them, so they said this. "And that was before they were commanded with Hijāb," i.e., women conceal themselves from men. This remark is questionable; rather, it is a clear mistake since Hijāb was enjoined at the time of the Prophet's marriage to Zaynab bint Jahsh (may Allah be pleased with her) in the fourth or fifth year, and Zaynab (may Allah be pleased with her) was among his wives who were given the choice; and the story of his seclusion from his wives and giving them the choice took place in the ninth year of Hijrah. The best thing said with this regard to: "that it was before they were commanded with Hijāb" is from the words of the narrator who, when seeing that 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said he had entered upon 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), thought that this was before Hijāb, so he affirmed it. This could be responded by saying: Entering does not entail removing Hijāb (screen), for he could enter from the door, and she could still talk to him from behind the screen.
Then, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he said to himself: "I must find this out today," i.e., I must find out the truth about this, did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) divorce them or not? So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered upon ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her), the Prophet's wife and Abu Bakr's daughter, and said to her: "O daughter of Abu Bakr, have you gone to the extent of giving trouble to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)?!" blaming her for daring to infuriate the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "O Ibn al-Khattāb, stay out of my affairs," i.e., you are not entitled to admonish me "and mind your receptacle," i.e., rather, you should admonish the one who matters to you, referring to Hafsah bint ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with her). "‘Aybah" (receptacle): the container used for keeping clothes and precious belongings. A man's "‘aybah": his family and those close to him. Then, ‘Umar entered upon his daughter Hafsah and said to her what he had said to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with them) and added reprovingly: "By Allah, you know that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) does not love you, and had it not been for me, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would have divorced you," deterring and frightening her with divorce and the fact that if it had not been for ‘Umar's special status with the Prophet, this would have occurred. Thereupon, Hafsah cried bitterly because of her sadness about being separated from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and expecting her father to be severely mad at her. Then, ‘Umar asked his daughter (may Allah be pleased with both of them) where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was. Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "He is in his cabinet in the attic room." "Mashrubah" (attic room): is an elevated room for storing food and drink. On entering, 'Umar found Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet's servant, "sitting on the attic's doorstep," i.e., on the doorsill "with his legs dangling," i.e., stretching and hanging them "on carved wood", which is a trunk that had stairs used by the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ascend to the room and descend from that place using it as a stair. ‘Umar, then, called out to Rabāh (may Allah be pleased with both of them) to seek permission for him to enter upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). So, Rabāh looked inside the room, then, looked at ‘Umar and said nothing. This indirectly indicates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had heard ‘Umar's voice; however, he expressed no approval or disapproval of permitting him. So, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) again sought permission from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), and Rabāh again looked at the room then looked at ‘Umar and said nothing. On the third time, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) raised his voice so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would hear him and he called out: "O Rabāh, seek permission for me from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). I think that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) thought I had come for Hafsah's sake," i.e., to apologize for what she did and defend her. "By Allah, if the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands me to strike her neck, I will certainly strike her neck." This clarified why he sought permission, namely to console the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and bring him out of his sadness and not for anything related to his daughter Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her). Rabāh, thus, signaled with his head to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) after the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had permitted him to ascend to him in his attic.
On entering upon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), ‘Umar saw him "lying on a straw mat," i.e., lying on his side on the straw mat. Another version in the two "Sahīh Collections" reads: "And he was on a straw mat with nothing between him and the mat," i.e., he was lying thereon without any bedding. "Hasīr" (straw mat): a mat made of palm leaf stalks or others things. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sat down, so the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) drew up his lower garment over his body to cover it more. "Izār" (lower garment): it is the garment used to cover the lower part of the body. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was not wearing anything except this lower garment. "and the mat had left marks on his side," i.e., it left marks on his side as a result of sleeping on it. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) looked around, exploring the room where the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was staying and found nothing but a handful - i.e., a pile - of barley equal to one Sā '. Sā‘: it is four Mudds, and one Mudd is equal to an amount that could fill both hands. He found an equal amount of "the leaves of mimosa flava placed in one side of the room," i.e., in one of its sides and at a distance from the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). It is said that "Qarazh" (mimosa flava) means: a kind of tree used in tanning leather. "And a semi-tanned leather bag hanging," which is leather that is not yet tanned. All this indirectly indicates the threadbareness of the place where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was staying and the straitened circumstances he was living in.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Tears started falling from my eyes," i.e., tears started flowing by way of sympathy for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about the reason for his weeping, so ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) replied: "O Prophet of Allah, how could I not weep when this straw mat has left marks on your side and I see nothing in your cabinet except what I see, while Caesar and Khosrau are enjoying fruits and rivers, whereas you are the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and His chosen one and this is your cabinet?!" All this serves as an indirect reference to the bliss that the disbelievers enjoy compared to the conditions of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). What ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) meant is that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims are more entitled to this bliss than the disbelievers. Khosrau: it is the title of the Persians' king. Caesar: it is the title of the Romans' king. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Ibn al-Khattāb, does it not please you that the Hereafter is for us and the worldly life is for them?" In this way, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) explained to him the logic of the worldly pleasures and that of the Hereafter, as part of Allah's immutable rule regarding His slaves is to make the disbelievers enjoy the worldly pleasures. In contrast, His believing slaves will enjoy the enjoyments of the Hereafter, taking into consideration the contradiction between these two types of pleasures and the believers' eternal abidance in the bliss of Paradise and, on the contrary, the disbelievers' eternal abidance in Hellfire. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Yes" it pleases me, O Messenger of Allah. There were signs of anger on the Prophet's face that ‘Umar noticed the moment he entered, so, ‘Umar said to him: "O Messenger of Allah, what trouble have the women caused you?" He was trying to alleviate the Prophet's sadness and anger. In other words, no trouble will befall you, and you should not care about any of their affairs. "If you had divorced them, verily, Allah is with you, His angels, Jibrīl (Gabriel):" the angel entrusted with the revelation, "Mikā’īl (Michael):" the angel entrusted with the rain and plants, "I, Abu Bakr, and the believers are with you" also with our support and assistance in Da‘wah (call to Allah) and the divine message. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he rarely spoke - thanks be to Allah for this - words except that he hoped Allah would confirm the words he uttered, i.e., he was secretly asking Allah to confirm the soundness of his advice to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with Qur’an. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) was then informed that the Verse of Choice was revealed to confirm his speech with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). It is the verse where the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave his wives the choice either to remain as his wives or to be divorced and released, as Allah Almighty says: {But if you insist on conspiring against him, then indeed Allah is his Protector, as well as Gabriel and the righteous believers, and moreover, the angels are his supporters. Perhaps, if he were to divorce you all, his Lord would replace you with better wives.} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 4-5] It is said: There is no choice in these verses and mentioning it here is a delusion. In Al-Bukhāri's version, it was reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: "The Prophet's wives backed each other against him out of jealousy, so, I said to them: Perhaps, if he were to divorce you all, his Lord would replace you with better wives; and so this verse was revealed." The sound opinion here is what was proven in the two Sahīh Collections and others, namely that the Verse of Choice is the verse where Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, tell your wives, “If you seek the life of this world and its embellishments, then come, I will give you provision and release you graciously. But if you seek Allah and His Messenger and the Final Abode, then Allah has prepared for those who do good among you a great reward.”} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 28-29] It is said: There is a missing "and" probably in his saying: "The Verse of Choice", and the correct view is: "This verse and the Verse of Choice were revealed".
He reported that 'Ā’ishah and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) used to cooperate against the rest of the Prophet's wives, forming a team together. The cause behind their excessive jealousy was divulging his secret, which made him upset and angry. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), then, asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah be pleased with him) if he had divorced his wives, trying to find out the truth about what people were saying in the mosque. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) negated divorcing his wives, and 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him of how the people felt sad for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) because of what was circulated about him divorcing his wives. 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), then asked for the Prophet's permission to go down to the people, inform them of the correct news, and clarify the truth for them to rejoice. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) agreed and said to him: "If you wish," i.e. if you like and want to do so.
‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that he kept talking to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) until there were no more signs of anger on his face and his teeth showed from laughing. "And he had the most charming front teeth of all people." "Thaghr" (front teeth): the mouth and front teeth. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) descended from the attic where he had been staying in seclusion, and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) descended while catching hold of the trunk and resting on it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) went down "as if he was walking on the ground without touching it with his hand," i.e., he did not need to rest on the trunk when coming down due to his strength. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Messenger of Allah, you remained in your room for twenty-nine," i.e., there is one day left to complete a month, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) swore not to have intercourse with his wives for a month. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The month consists of twenty-nine," i.e., this month was twenty-nine days. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stood at the door of the mosque and called out at the top of his voice: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not divorce his wives", telling and informing the Prophet's Companions that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not divorce his wives contrary to what they had been saying, and this verse was revealed: {Whenever they hear any news of security or fear, they spread it. If they referred it to the Messenger or those in authority among them, those with sound judgment could know it.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 83] When the people said that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had divorced his wives based on no information from anyone and without verifying or checking this out, Allah Almighty blamed them because if they had referred this to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), he would have informed them of the truth about it, or they could have referred it to someone who could ask and find out the truth about it from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "And it was I who drew correct conclusions," i.e., verified this matter and checked it out.
"And Allah Almighty revealed the Verse of Choice," as previously mentioned. In the two Sahīh Collections, it was mentioned that ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: He started with me as the first woman. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "I will mention something, but you should only hasten if you consult your parents. She said: Indeed, I know my parents would not order me to leave you." Al-Bukhāri's version reads: "Then, he gave all of his wives the choice, and they said the same as what ‘Ā’ishah had said."
In some narrations in the two Sahīh Collections, the following was reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kept himself secluded from his wives because of the honey he used to drink in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh. 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: "I agreed with Hafsah that the one upon whom the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would enter should say: I can detect the smell of Maghāfīr in you, did you eat Maghāfīr - Maghāfīr: sweet gum that has a foul odor. When he entered upon one of them, she said that to him, and he said: No, but I drank honey in the house of Zaynab bint Jahsh, and I will not drink it again. Thereupon, this verse was revealed: {O Prophet, why do you prohibit [yourself from] what Allah has made lawful to you} to: {You both had better turn to Allah in repentance.} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 1-4] to ‘Ā’ishah and Hafsah, {And [remember] when the Prophet told one of his wives something in secret} [Surat at-Tahrīm: 3], as he said: No, but I drank honey." It is said: The reason is that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had sexual intercourse with his bondmaid Māriyah in the house of Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) and Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) learned about it. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered her not to inform ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). However, Hafsah (may Allah be pleased with her) revealed the Prophet's secret to ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). It is also said: The reason is the things they did as a whole that enraged the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and not a specific incident.
The Hadīth shows the Prophet's good morals and how he would honor whoever smiled at him by smiling back at him.
It also indicates the manifest merit of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
It points out how a man should advise his daughter and fix her manners towards her husband.
It also signifies that putting a lot of pressure on women is something dispraised.
It encourages favoring the Hereafter by performing acts of obedience, avoiding sins, and refraining from being preoccupied with the pursuit of worldly pleasures..

1480

Abu Is-hāq reported: I was with Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd sitting in the grand mosque, and Ash-Sha‘bi was with us, and he narrated the Hadīth of Fātimah bint Qays: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entitled her to no housing or financial maintenance. Then, Al-Aswad took a handful of pebbles and threw it at him and said: Woe to you! How could you narrate this?! ‘Umar said: We must not abandon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on account of a woman's statement. We do not know whether she memorized or forgot. She is entitled to housing and financial maintenance. Allah Almighty says: {Do not force them out of their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear shameful act.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1].

Commentary : Allah has prescribed divorce after sparing no effort in reconciliation between the spouses. He has clarified its rulings and consequences, and He has made it three incidents of divorce so that each of the spouses would reconsider his stance; otherwise, they should be separated after the third incident of divorce, and the woman becomes unlawful for him after that until she is married to another man.
This Hadīth is related to a story mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections and others about the female Companion Fātimah bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her) who was triply divorced by her husband. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her to move to the house of Ibn' Umm Maktūm - who was her cousin and was blind - and spend her 'Iddah (waiting period) there. He made her not entitled to financial maintenance for her particular case, as she used to offend her husband's family verbally or because she was in a desolate area and it was feared that someone might assault her; hence, he moved her to the house of Ibn' Umm Maktūm, as he was blind and would not see her. Fātimah bint Qays kept on narrating this Hadīth of hers after the Prophet's death; however, a group of the Companions disapproved of it. The Tābi‘i Abu Is-hāq as-Sabī‘i narrates that he was with Al-Aswad ibn Yazīd an-Nakha‘i - one of the Tābi‘is - in the great mosque, i.e., the grand mosque, which refers to the mosque of Kūfah, while Ash-Sha‘bi - ‘Āmir ibn Sharāhīl one of the Tābi‘is - was narrating the Hadīth of Fātimah bint Qays in this mosque, i.e., giving a legal fatwa based on this Hadīth. In this Hadīth, it is stated that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not make Fātimah entitled to housing or financial maintenance after being triply divorced. So, Al-Aswad took a handful of pebbles and threw them at him and said: "Woe to you!", i.e., may Allah afflict you with ruin and destruction. It was a common saying among the Arabs that was not intended as a supplication. "How could you narrate this?!" All this was meant to express Al-Aswad's disapproval of Ash-Sha‘bi's narration of this Hadīth. Then, he informed him that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We must not abandon the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of our Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on account of a woman's statement," i.e., we do not rely on issuing a Fatwa (legal opinion) like this on the Hadīth of Fātimah, given the importance of such a Fatwa, because she might have memorized it in the wrong way or she might have forgotten. Perhaps what ‘Umar meant by the Prophet's Sunnah was what his rulings indicated of adhering to the Book of Allah not a specific Sunnah in this regard. ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), then, supported his saying that the triply divorced woman is entitled to housing and financial maintenance in her ‘Iddah by the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, when you [believers] divorce women, divorce them with consideration to their waiting period and keep a precise count of the waiting period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not force them out of their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear shameful act.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] In other words: O people, fear Allah your Lord and beware of disobeying Him by transgressing His limit; do not force your divorced wives out of their houses, where you made them live before divorce, until their ‘Iddah is over. "Shameful act" here refers to recalcitrance and bad morals. It is said: It means indecency towards her husband's family. It is also said that it means: Unless they commit adultery.
The Hadīth of Fātimah bint Qays was refuted by a group of the Companions, including ‘Umar, ‘Ā’ishah, and others who knew the Sunnah better than Fātimah bint Qays. Some considered the apparent meaning of the Hadīth and, thus, made the triply divorced woman entitled to spend her 'Iddah wherever she chooses without being obliged to spend the night at her ex-husband's house.
The Hadīth shows how a scholar should be corrected, even in his gatherings of knowledge, if he is mistaken.
It also highlights the Companions' keenness on adhering to the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah..

1480

‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah reported: Abu ‘Amr ibn Hafs ibn al-Mughīrah set out along with ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib to Yemen. He sent to his wife, Fātimah bint Qays, one pronouncement of divorce that was still left from her divorce. He commanded Al-Hārith ibn Hishām and ‘Ayyāsh ibn Abi Rabī‘ah to give her alimony. They said to her: By Allah, there is no alimony for you unless you are pregnant. Thereupon, she went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of what they had said. He said: There is no alimony for you. She, then, asked his permission to move, and he permitted her. She said: O Messenger of Allah, where? He said: To the house of Ibn ’Umm Maktūm, as he was blind and she could take off her clothes in his presence and he would not see her. When her ‘Iddah (waiting period) was over, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her in marriage to Usāmah ibn Zayd. Marwān sent Qabīsah ibn Dhu’ayb to ask her about the Hadīth, and she narrated it to him, whereupon Marwān said: We have not heard this Hadīth except from a woman. We shall adopt a safe path that we have found people upon. On hearing what Marwān said, Fātimah said: The Qur’an is between me and you. Allah Almighty says: {Do not force them out of their houses.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] She said: This is regarding revocable divorce. What happens after the three? Why do you say there is no alimony for her if she is not pregnant? Then, on what grounds do you restrain her?.

Commentary : Allah has prescribed divorce and clarified its rulings and consequences after sparing no effort in reconciliation between the spouses. He has made it three incidents of divorce so that each of the spouses would reconsider their stance; otherwise, they should be separated after the third incident of divorce, and the woman becomes unlawful for him after that until she is married to another man.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Ubaydullah ibn ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Utbah reports that the Companion Abu ‘Amr ibn Hafs ibn al-Mughīrah (may Allah be pleased with him) set out on a journey along with ‘Ali ibn Abi Tālib (may Allah be pleased with him) to Yemen when the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) sent him there. Abu ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) sent to his wife Fātimah bint Qays a pronouncement of divorce while traveling. He had previously divorced her twice and had taken her back, and this was the third incident that made the divorce irrevocable. Abu ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded Al-Hārith ibn Hishām and ‘Ayyāsh ibn Abi Rabī‘ah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) to give her alimony. Another version narrated by Muslim reads: "He sent his deputy to her with barley, " but Fātimah declined it because she found it inadequate and did not accept it. They said to her: "By Allah, there is no alimony for you" because you are irrevocably divorced, and alimony is not for someone in your case "unless you are pregnant". In the version of An-Nasā’i: "So, she sent to Al-Hārith and 'Ayyāsh asking them for the alimony that was appointed for her by her husband, and they said: By Allah, no alimony is due on us for her unless she is pregnant, and she is not entitled to live in our house except with our permission." Thereupon, Fātimah went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him of what they had said, namely that she was not entitled to alimony unless she was pregnant. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) approved of what they had said and said to her: "There is no alimony for you." She then sought the Prophet's permission to move from her house, where she was divorced, as she was afraid for herself. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted her to move to the house of her cousin Ibn' Umm Maktūm as he was blind and would not see her when taking off her clothes. His permission for her to go out is justified by the fact that he permitted her to move for an excuse, namely her indecency towards her husband's relatives or her fear that she might be assaulted, as mentioned in the narrations. However, if there is no need, then it is impermissible for her to go out or move, and it is forbidden to move her. Allah Almighty says: {Do not force them out of their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear shameful act.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] "Shameful act" here refers to recalcitrance and bad morals. It is said: It means indecency towards her husband's family. It is also said that it means: Unless they commit adultery.
When her 'Iddah was over, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave her in marriage to Usāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) for knowing that he was religious, virtuous, had good morals and noble traits.
At that time, Marwān ibn al-Hakam was the ruler of Madīnah. He sent Qabīsah ibn Dhu’ayb to Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) to ask about this Hadīth, and she narrated it to him. The reason why Marwān asked her was mentioned in the version of An-Nasā’i: "'Abdullah ibn' Amr ibn' Uthmān, being a young man in the emirate of Marwān, divorced the daughter of Sa‘īd ibn Zayd and her mother was Bint Qays al-Battah. So, her maternal aunt, Fātimah bint Qays, sent to her commanding her to move from the house of 'Abdullah ibn' Amr. When Marwān heard about that, he sent to the daughter of Sa‘īd, commanding her to return to her house and asking her why she moved from her house before completing her 'Iddah." She informed him of the Hadīth of Fātimah, thereupon, Marwān was sent to Fātimah to verify this Hadīth. After hearing her Hadīth, Marwān said: "We have not heard this Hadīth except from a woman," by way of disapproval, and before Marwān, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb and ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) expressed their disapproval of Fātimah's Hadīth. Marwān said: "We shall adopt a safe path that we found people upon," i.e., what is reliable, strong, and authentic and what people held fast upon and adhered to and acted upon. In other words, we shall adopt the opinion that a woman must not leave her house except after her ‘Iddah is over and that there is no alimony for her. On hearing what Marwān said and how he prevented the irrevocably divorced woman from leaving her house under all circumstances, Fātimah (may Allah be pleased with her) said: The Qur’an is between me and you, Allah Almighty says: {Do not force them out of their houses.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] Taking this as supporting evidence, she said: This prohibition, which is understood from the first part of the verse, addresses the husband who can take back his wife, i.e., the housing is for the divorced woman whose divorce is revocable, which accords with what Allah Almighty says: {Then when they have approached the end of their waiting period, either retain them honorably or part with them honorably.} [Surat at-Talāq: 2] She said: So, what happens after the three incidents of divorce? How do you prevent her from going out, then, you say: There is no alimony for her unless she is pregnant? Then, on what grounds do you restrain her? She said this as an objection to Marwān, who made the irrevocably divorced woman entitled to housing and prevented her from going out without giving her financial maintenance. To sum up, her objection was: If you do not make the alimony obligatory, how could you prevent her from going out if the alimony is the recompense of being restrained?!.

1481

‘Ā’ishah reported: It is no good for Fātimah to mention this. He said: She was referring to her statement: No housing or financial maintenance..

Commentary : Allah has prescribed divorce for spouses who choose separation after exerting their utmost in reconciliation between them. He has made it three incidents of divorce so that each of the two spouses would reconsider their stance. Otherwise, they would be separated after the third incident of divorce, and she becomes unlawful for him after this until she gets married to another man. Islam has also regulated the rights and duties between spouses after divorce.
In this Hadīth, Muhammad ibn al-Qāsim narrates that when the Mother of the Believers ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) was informed of what Fātimah bint Qays had said, namely that her husband had divorced her thrice and the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not make her entitled to housing or financial maintenance during her ‘Iddah (waiting period), she said disapprovingly: "It is no good for Fātimah" bint Qays "to mention" and narrate "this" Hadīth to people because it contradicts the explicit texts of the Book of Allah Almighty and the Sunnah of His Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him).
A group of the Companions, including ‘Umar, ‘Ā’ishah and others, rejected the Hadīth of Fātimah bint Qays because it contradicts, in their opinion, the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, when you [believers] divorce women, divorce them with concern to their waiting period and keep an accurate count of the waiting period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not force them out of their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear shameful act. Such are the limits ordained by Allah.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1] It is said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her to leave her house and spend her 'Iddah in the house of Ibn' Umm Maktūm and did not make her entitled to financial maintenance only because of her special case, as she used to verbally offend her husband's family, or because she was in a desolate place and it was feared that her husband or anyone else might assault her. 'Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) censured her narration..

1482

Fātimah bint Qays reported that she said: "O Messenger of Allah, my husband divorced me thrice, and I am afraid that my house will be broken into." So, he commanded her, and she moved (to another house)..

Commentary : Allah has prescribed divorce for spouses who choose separation after exerting their utmost in attempting reconciliation between them. He has made it three divorces; so that each of the two spouses would reconsider their stance. Otherwise, they would be separated after the third divorce, and she becomes unlawful for him after this until she gets married to another man. Islam has also regulated the rights and duties between spouses after divorce. Allah Almighty has commanded the divorced woman - whether the divorce is revocable or irrevocable - to spend the ‘Iddah (waiting period) in her house. Allah Almighty says: {O Prophet, when you [believers] divorce women, divorce them with concern to their waiting period and keep an accurate count of the waiting period, and fear Allah, your Lord. Do not force them out of their houses, nor should they leave unless they commit a clear shameful act. Such are the limits ordained by Allah.} [Surat at-Talāq: 1]
In this Hadīth, Fātimah bint Qays (may Allah be pleased with her) narrates that she came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and said: "O Messenger of Allah, my husband divorced me thrice," so the divorce was irrevocable and final. "And I am afraid that my house will be broken into" during her stay in his house for her ‘Iddah. "Iqtihām" (breaking into): entering quickly. This means: She was afraid that someone would enter upon her and harm her because she was in a desolate place. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded her to leave that place and she went to the house of her paternal cousin, Ibn ’Umm Maktūm, because he was blind, and she could take off her clothes without him seeing her. Since she did not spend her ‘Iddah in her husband's house, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) did not make her entitled to habitation or financial sustenance during her ‘Iddah..

1483

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported: My maternal aunt was divorced, and she wanted to harvest her date palm trees. A man rebuked her for going out, so she went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) who said: "Yes, go out and harvest your date palm trees, for you may give (some of it) in charity or do a good deed.".

Commentary : The Islamic Shariah has brought facilitation and goodness to people. It takes into consideration their conditions when carrying out the Shariah rulings to prevent them from falling into difficulty or distress.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that his maternal aunt - it was said: her name is Asmā’ - was irrevocably divorced, as mentioned in the version of Abu Dāwūd: "My maternal aunt was divorced thrice." She wanted to go out, during her ‘Iddah (waiting period), to collect the fruits from her date palm trees; however, a man rebuked her and forbade her from going out until her ‘Iddah was over. She went to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) to ask him. She informed him of what had happened and of her condition and her need for harvesting her date palm trees and asked him if it was permissible for her to go out of her house during her ‘Iddah due to this necessity. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessing be upon him) replied saying: "Yes," and the version of Abu Dāwūd reads: "Go out," and collect your fruits, for perhaps after collecting the fruit of your date palm trees you may give part of it in charity to the poor and the needy "or do a good deed." "Ma‘rūf" (good deed): a comprehensive name including every known act of obeying Allah and doing good to people. This is an explanation of permitting the act of going out, even though it came in the form of notifying and urging her to do good. Moreover, he permitted her to go out due to her need to look after her interests, her date palm trees, and her properties as understood from the apparent indication of the beginning of the Hadīth.
Perhaps the difference between charity and a good deed is that the former refers to obligatory charity, while the latter refers to voluntary charity. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said this to her only because he knew that she was a charitable person, who used to do good deeds frequently, or he answered her with what would guide her to charity and voluntary charity, and this denotes obvious kindness and wisdom.
The Hadīth implies guiding the questioner to what is good for him in his religion and worldly matters and adding to the response what the questioner needs.
It also indicates the permissibility of going out for the divorced woman during her ‘Iddah for a necessity and for fulfilling her interests that she cannot dispense with.
It denotes the permissibility of being keen on preserving wealth and acquiring it to do good and use it in consoling others.
It also indicates that charity in dates is to be given at the time of their harvest, and gifting others therefrom.
It also includes giving an indirect reference to the dates' owner to give charity and reminding him of good deeds and beneficence..

1493

Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr reported: I was asked about the two who swore the oath of condemnation during the governance of Mus‘ab; should they be separated? I did not know what to say, so I went to Ibn ‘Umar's house in Makkah. I said to the servant: Seek permission for me. He said: He is taking a nap; but he heard my voice and said: Is this Ibn Jubayr? I said: Yes. He said: Come in. By Allah, you have not come at this time except for a need. I entered and found him lying on a saddlecloth and resting his head on a fibre-filled pillow. I said: O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān, should the two involved in a case of Li‘ān (oath of condemnation) be separated? He said: Glory be to Allah! Yes. The first one who asked about this was so-and-so, the son of so-and-so. He said: O Messenger of Allah, what if any of us found his wife committing adultery? What should he do? If he were to say anything, his statement would be a horrible matter, and if he were to remain silent, his silence about the matter would also be terrible. He said: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) kept silent and did not answer him. Later on, he came to him and said: I have been afflicted with what I asked you about. Thereupon, Allah Almighty revealed these verses of Surat an-Nūr: {As for those who accuse their wives [of adultery]} [Surat an-Nūr: 6] So, he recited them to him, admonished and reminded him, and informed him that the worldly punishment is less severe than the punishment of the Hereafter. He said: No, by the One Who sent you with the truth I did not lie about her. Then, he called her, admonished and reminded her and informed her that the worldly punishment is less severe than the punishment of the Hereafter. She said: No, by the One Who sent you with the truth, he is a liar. So, he started with the man who testified four times by Allah that he was truthful and the fifth time that the curse of Allah would be upon him if he were a liar. Then, the woman came next, and she testified four times by Allah that he was a liar and the fifth time that Allah's wrath would be upon her if he were truthful. Then, he separated the two of them..

Commentary : The noble Shariah has clarified the rulings of marriage between the man and the woman and has explained the rulings of the husband's accusation of his wife for committing adultery without evidence and the consequent practice of Li‘ān, besides other rulings of separation, to protect lineages, repel shame from the spouses, and ward off the legally prescribed punishment of Qadhf (false accusation of adultery).
In this Hadīth, the great Tābi‘i Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr tells us that he was asked about the ruling of the two involved in Li‘ān - when a husband accuses his wife of adultery and denies the attribution of her child to himself and the woman negates this, they are required to practice Li‘ān (oath of condemnation) - should they be separated? He did not know what to say and was not aware of the ruling in this regard, and this was during the governance of Mus‘ab ibn az-Zubayr, who was the ruler of Iraq. Mus‘ab did not separate the spouses who practiced Li‘ān, as clarified in another version of Muslim.
Sa‘īd said: "So, I went to the house of Ibn ‘Umar in Makkah" showing that it was a different house than that in Madīnah. It seems that it was the house of Ibn ‘Umar where he stayed when going to Makkah for Hajj or ‘Umrah, and it seems also that Sa‘īd traveled from Kūfah to Makkah. On reaching the house of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), he asked the boy, Ibn ‘Umar's servant, to seek permission for him to enter. The servant informed him that Ibn ‘Umar was taking a nap, it was noontime and midday. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) heard the voice of Ibn Jubayr and recognized him and asked: Is this Ibn Jubayr who is asking for permission? Ibn Jubayr replied: Yes, I am Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr. So, he permitted him to enter and said: "By Allah, you have not come at this time except for a need." This signifies the understanding and modesty of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) and how he did not make things difficult for whoever needed him during his rest, knowing that the one who would come to him during his rest had only come for a necessity; hence, he should not be upset with him; rather, he should receive him with a cheerful face. Ibn Jubayr entered upon Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) and found him lying on a "saddlecloth," a cloth laid on an animal's back under the saddle, and he was resting his head on a pillow, which is a cushion, and it was filled with fiber, i.e., tree or palm cortex.
Then, Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr said: "O Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān," which is the nickname of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, and he asked him: Should the two involved in a case of Li‘ān be separated? Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: "Glory be to Allah! Yes." Ibn ‘Umar glorified Allah to express his surprise that Sa‘īd ibn Jubayr was unaware of this famous ruling. Ibn ‘Umar then said: "The first one who asked about this," i.e., the first one who asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about what you asked me about "was so-and-so the son of so-and-so," who was ‘Uwaymir al-‘Ajlāni as mentioned in another version in Sahīh Muslim Collection: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) separated between the two members of Banu al-‘Ajlān." He asked: O Messenger of Allah, tell me about the ruling of one who found his wife committing adultery; what should he do in such a situation? If he spoke about what he had seen, "his statement would be a horrible matter" that people would find disgusting. It would be Qadhf (false accusation of adultery) that entails flogging as a legally prescribed punishment in case he brought no evidence. "And if he were to remain silent" and did not speak about what he had seen, his silence about the matter would also be horrible and an unbearable feeling of anger. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) remained silent and did not answer the man's question, waiting for the revelation and considering this a serious issue. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would hate questions about things that did not occur. This man who asked the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) came back after some time and said: O Messenger of Allah, "I have been afflicted by" the matter I had asked you about, i.e., I have been afflicted and tested in this regard, as I saw my wife committing adultery. Thereupon, Allah Almighty revealed verses of Surat an-Nūr: {As for those who accuse their wives [of adultery] but have no witnesses except themselves, then the evidence of one of them is to testify four times by Allah that he is telling the truth, and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah curse him if he is telling a lie. But she will be spared the punishment if she testifies four times by Allah that he is telling a lie, and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah’s wrath be upon her if he is telling the truth.} [Surat an-Nūr: 6-9] This means: That Men who accuse their wives without having witnesses besides their own selves to testify to the truthfulness of their accusation, each of them should testify four times by Allah: that he is telling the truth about accusing his wife of adultery, then, in the fifth testimony, he should add the supplication against himself of being worthy of curse if he was lying about his accusation, which makes her subject to the legal prescribed punishment of adultery. What spares her this punishment is to testify four times by Allah that he is lying about accusing her, then, in her fifth testimony, she should add the supplication against herself of being liable to Allah's wrath if he was telling the truth about what he accuses her of.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) recited these verses to the man and admonished him in the hope that he might take back his accusation "and reminded him" to repent, telling him that the worldly punishment - which is the legally prescribed punishment of Qadhf - is less severe and much easier than the punishment of the Hereafter. However, the man said: "No" I shall not take back what I said because it is true, and he swore, saying: By the One Who sent you with the truth, I did not lie about her by accusing her of adultery and immorality. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called the woman and admonished her to repent in case she had sinned. He reminded and informed her that the worldly punishment - which is the prescribed punishment of adultery, i.e., being stoned - is less severe and much easier than the punishment of the Hereafter. However, the woman swore that her husband was lying in his claim against her. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded both of them to swear the oath of condemnation. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) started with the man since Allah Almighty started with him in the verse. The man swore four times by Allah that he was telling the truth about what he accused her of, and in the fifth testimony, he invoked the curse upon himself if he was a liar. Then, it was the woman's turn. So, she swore four times by Allah that her husband was lying about his claim against her by accusing her of adultery and immorality, and in the fifth, she supplicated against herself invoking Allah's wrath upon her if her husband was truthful in what he said. So, none of them admitted the truthfulness of the other. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) separated between them. One of the rulings of Li‘ān is that if each of the spouses insists on what he said, then, they should not be united after Li‘ān and their marriage is invalidated.
The Hadīth clarifies the ruling of Li‘ān and its manner.
It points out how the sinner should be admonished and reminded of repentance..

1495

‘Abdullah reported: It was Friday night, and we were in the mosque when a man from the Ansār (supporters) came and said: If a man found another man with his wife and he speaks about it, you will flog him; or if he kills, you will kill him; and if he remains silent, he will remain silent in anger. By Allah, I will surely ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about it. On the next day, he came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and asked him saying: If a man found another man with his wife and he speaks about it, you will flog him; or if he kills, you will kill him; or if he remains silent, he will remain silent in anger. He said: O Allah, judge; and he kept supplicating, so the verse of Li‘ān (oath of condemnation) was revealed: {As for those who accuse their wives [of adultery] but have no witnesses except themselves} [Surat an-Nūr: 6], these verses. This man, of all people, was afflicted with this. So, he came with his wife to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and swore the oath of condemnation. The man testified four times by Allah that he was from the truthful, then, the fifth time he invoked a curse that Allah's curse be upon him if he was from the liars. She went to invoke a curse, but the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: Stop. However, she refused and invoked a curse. After they had both left, he said: Perhaps she will give birth to a curly-haired black child, and she gave birth to a curly-haired black child..

Commentary : The Shariah has clarified the rulings of marriage between the man and the woman and has explained the rulings of the husband's accusation of his wife for committing adultery without evidence and the consequent practice of Li‘ān, besides other rulings of separation, to protect lineages, repel shame from the spouses, and ward off the legally prescribed punishment of Qadhf (false accusation of adultery).
In this Hadīth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were in the Prophet's mosque on Friday night when a man from the Ansār - the people of Madīnah - came. It was Hilāl ibn ’Umayyah, and it is said: ‘Uwaymir al-‘Ajlāni. He said: "If a man found another man with his wife," i.e., he saw her committing adultery with him. If "he speaks" about it, "you will flog him" inflicting on him the legally prescribed punishment of Qadhf for having no witnesses, and if "he kills" the adulterer, "you will kill him" by way of legal retribution. "And if he remains silent" and does nothing, "he will remain silent in anger," i.e., anger and hatred for her. It seems that the man's speech was before the revelation of the verses of Li‘ān and it also seems that it was a mere question posed by that man at that time, not a real incident that had already occurred. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to hate such questions as mentioned in the Hadīth of Sahl ibn Sa‘d in the two Sahīh Collections.
Then, this man swore to ask the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) about this matter. On the next day - the next morning - the man went to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asking about what was previously mentioned. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) supplicated: "O Allah, judge," i.e., clarify to us the ruling in this regard, and he continued supplicating Allah Almighty to clarify this incident, so, the verses of Li‘ān were revealed. These are the verses in which Allah Almighty says: {As for those who accuse their wives [of adultery] but have no witnesses except themselves, then the evidence of one of them is to testify four times by Allah that he is telling the truth, and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah curse him if he is telling a lie. But she will be spared the punishment if she testifies four times by Allah that he is telling a lie, and the fifth [oath] is that may Allah’s wrath be upon her if he is telling the truth.} [Surat an-Nūr: 6-9] This means: Men who accuse their wives without having witnesses besides their own selves to testify to the truthfulness of their accusation, each of them should swear four times by Allah that he is telling the truth about accusing his wife of adultery. Then, in the fifth testimony, he should add the supplication against himself of being worthy of condemnation if he is lying about his accusation, which makes her subject to the legally prescribed punishment of adultery. What spares her of this punishment is to testify four times by Allah that he is lying about accusing her. Then, in her fifth testimony, she should add the supplication against herself of being liable for Allah's wrath if he is telling the truth about what he accuses her of.
Among all people, this man was afflicted by the occurrence of what he asked about to his wife. So, he accompanied his wife to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). They both swore the oath of condemnation, i.e., the man testified four times by Allah that he was telling the truth, and then, the fifth time, he invoked the curse of Allah upon himself if he was lying. This is because testimony in an adultery case is not complete except with four witnesses, but this case was witnessed by none except the husband; hence, he was assigned four testimonies so that each oath would replace a witness, as an oath could sometimes replace a witness like when someone is entitled to some right but has one witness only. In this case, the Shariah considers his oath in place of the witness. After completing the four testimonies that replace the four witnesses, nothing is left after the testimony of the four witnesses in adultery against the married person, as in this case, except stoning, which is death. There is nothing left after taking the oath of condemnation four times except the curse of Allah Almighty or His wrath, which also indicates death (ruin). The woman, then, went to swear the oath of condemnation, but the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to her: "Stop," a word meant here to deter her, i.e., refrain and take your time. However, she refused to stop or be dissuaded from completing Li‘ān. Hence, she took her part in Li‘ān. When the two parties swore the oath of condemnation and went away after finishing their testimonies, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Perhaps she will give birth to" the baby in her womb, and he will be "a curly-haired black child," i.e., not straight-haired, which was the description of the one she was accused of committing adultery with. It is as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) most likely believed that she was lying, and the child she gave birth to was just as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had described.
The Hadīth clarifies that the ruling of Li‘ān, in principle, is to take place between the man and his wife if he accuses her of adultery and has no witness but himself.
It also points out that things must be judged according to what is apparent, whereas Allah Almighty is the One Who judges the intentions.
It explains how Li‘an must take place in the presence of the Imam or the judge and in the presence of an assembly of people.
It shows the condition that makes Li‘ān obligatory, which is the woman's denial of committing adultery because if she admits it, Li‘ān becomes impermissible and she becomes subject to the legally prescribed punishment.
It also signifies that it is Sunnah for the ruler to admonish the two persons involved in Li‘ān when intending to swear the oath of condemnation, which becomes confirmed after the fifth time..

1496

Muhammad ibn Sīrīn reported: I asked Anas ibn Mālik, knowing that he had knowledge of that, and he said: Hilāl ibn ’Umayyah accused his wife of committing adultery with Sharīk ibn Sahmā’, the brother of Al-Barā’ ibn Mālik from his mother's side. He was the first man who practiced Li‘ān (oath of condemnation) in Islam. He swore oaths of Li‘ān against his wife, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Watch her, if she gives birth to a white-complexioned child having straight hair and sore eyes, he is the son of Hilāl ibn ’Umayyah, but if she gives birth to a child with dark eyelids, curly hair, and thin shanks, then he is the son of Sharīk ibn Sahmā’." He (the narrator) said: I was informed that she gave birth to a child with dark eyelids, curly hair, and thin shanks..

1498

Abu Hurayrah reported: Sa‘d ibn ‘Ubādah al-Ansāri said: O Messenger of Allah, what if a man finds his wife with another man? Should he kill him? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: No. Sa‘d said: Yes, by the One Who honored you with the truth. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Listen to what your master is saying!.

1502

Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said about the slave whose ownership is shared between two men and one of them emancipates him, he said: He should guarantee..

Commentary : The Shariah has protected all rights including the partners' rights. It has forbidden any kind of offense practiced by one partner against the other. This Hadīth clarifies that when two people own a slave jointly and one of them emancipates his share of that slave, this entails emancipating the rest of the slave. When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "He should guarantee," it meant that the emancipator should guarantee his partner's share of the slave whom he emancipated, i.e., he is financially responsible for securing the complete freedom of that slave. In the Two Sahīh Collections: "But if he has no money, the slave will be required to work to pay for his freedom, but must not be overburdened." So, it made it clear that if the emancipator is poor and has no money to free the rest of the slave, he remains in slavery and is required to work for his freedom and to pay for the share of the partner who did not emancipate him. However, he should not be assigned tasks that are hard for him or beyond his ability..

Book of Hadith

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