| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

2587

‘Aamir narrated:
I heard Al-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) on the pulpit saying, "My father gave me a gift but ‘Amrah bint Rawaahah (my mother) said that she would not agree to it unless he made Allah's Messengerﷺ as a witness to it. So, my father went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and said, 'I have given a gift to my son from ‘Amrah bint Rawaahah, but she ordered me to make you as a witness to it, O Allah's Messengerﷺ!' Allah's Messenger ﷺ asked, 'Have you given (the like of it) to everyone of your children?' He replied in the negative. Allah's Messengerﷺ said, ‘Fear Allah, and be just to all your children (i.e., treat them all on an equal footing).' My father then returned and took back his gift."
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Commentary :
Every guardian is enjoined to be fair and treat those under his care on an equal footing. A father is a guardian and he is responsible for those under his care, i.e., his wife and children, and establishing the enjoined equality between them entails that he should not favor any of his children over the others in terms of gift-giving, giving some and denying the others.
In this hadeeth, Al-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer Al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) related that his father Basheer gave him a gift, which was a male servant. His mother Umm Al-Nu‘maan had asked his father for that servant, as recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. ‘Amrah bint Rawaahah, his mother, (may Allah be pleased with her) said to her husband that she would not agree to such a gift unless he made Allah's Messengerﷺ as a witness to it, aiming to make it binding. So, Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) went to Allah's Messengerﷺ and related to him the matter and that his wife ordered him to make the Prophet ﷺ as a witness to it. He ﷺ asked him, “Have you given (the like of it) to everyone of your children?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) replied in the negative. Allah's Messengerﷺ said, 'Fear Allah, and be just to all your children (i.e., treat them all on an equal footing).' The aim of such a command was to foster mutual accord and affection between siblings, eliminating the causes of discord and hatred, and helping them show the enjoined dutifulness towards their father. Basheer (may Allah be pleased with him) obeyed the Prophet’s ﷺcommand, returned, and took back his gift to establish equality between all his children.
The hadeeth urges parents to establish equality between children in terms of gift-giving.
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2590

Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
Once I said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I have no property except what has been given to me by Al-Zubayr (i.e., her husband). May I give in charity therefrom?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Give in charity and do not withhold it; otherwise Allah, Exalted is He, will withhold it back from you . "
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Commentary : A wife is entrusted with her husband’s wealth and she shall be held accountable by Allah, Exalted is He, for it. It is incumbent on her to preserve his wealth, take care of it, take from it what she needs only (without excess or waste), and spend from it reasonably.
In this hadeeth Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr Al-Siddeeq (may Allah be pleased with them) relates that she once said to the Prophet ﷺ, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! I have no property except what has been given to me by Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam (i.e., her husband),” meaning he gave her to spend therefrom on the household needs. She (may Allah be pleased with her) added: “May I give in charity therefrom?" The Prophet ﷺ said, "Give in charity and do not withhold it; otherwise Allah, Exalted is He, will withhold it back from you.” The Prophet’s ﷺstatement means, ‘Do not withhold wealth, but rather spend in charity, for withholding wealth may be a cause for being deprived of having it blessed and increased by Allah, Exalted is He. Another version of the hadeeth recorded by Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim reads: “Spend according to your means,” meaning spend therefrom reasonably as long as you afford it, even if you can only give very little in charity, and do not hoard wealth and refrain from spending in charity, fearing that your wealth might be exhausted, lest you would be deprived of a blessed Rizq (i.e., provisions).
The Prophet ﷺ may have commanded her to do so and did not ask her to seek her husband’s permission because he ﷺ knew of the leniency of Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him) for which he was known. It is allowable for a wife to spend reasonably from her husband’s wealth (without his knowledge) as long as she knows that he would approve of such disposal of his wealth, that he would not dislike such an act, that she habitually does so and he approves of it, or when she spends in charity small amounts that do not affect the affordability of supporting their dependents, and she would not exceed the proper limits nor aim to waste his wealth. It was narrated on the authority of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “When a woman gives some of the food in her house (in charity without her husband’s prior knowledge), not wasting it, she will have her reward for what she has given and her husband will have his for what he earned. The same applies to a storekeeper; in no respect does the one diminishe the reward of the other.” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim].
It is deduced from the hadeeth that spending in charity is a reason for having one’s wealth blessed and increased, and that generosity begets abundant Rizq (i.e., provisions).
It is also inferred therefrom that stinginess and withholding from giving (charity), especially the obligatory Zakaah, incurs the loss and ruin of wealth.
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2592

Kurayb, the free slave of Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them), narrated that Maymoonah bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her) told him that she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet ﷺ. On the day when it was her turn to be with the Prophet ﷺ, she said, "Do you know, O Allah's Messengerﷺ, that I have manumitted my slave-girl?" He ﷺ said, "Have you really?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ said, "You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e., the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles."
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Commentary :
Spending in charity is one of the best acts of righteousness, and there are numerous channels of giving and spending in charity.Some should be given precedence over the others depending on the situation and circumstances. Charity offered to one’s relatives is better and more rewardable.
In this hadeeth, the Mother of the Believers Maymoonah (may Allah be pleased with her) related that she manumitted a slave-girl without taking the permission of the Prophet ﷺ. She (may Allah be pleased with her) owned this slave-girl, and being a sane adult, her disposal of her own property is valid as per the laws of Islam with no need for her husband’s prior consent. On the other hand, she (may Allah be pleased with her) had known that the Prophet ﷺ would not disapprove of her disposal, and that he ﷺ would even like such act, which did not constitute a violation of the proper conduct of a woman towards her husband in Islam.
On the day when it was her turn to spend the night with the Prophet ﷺ, she said, "Do you know, O Allah's Messengerﷺ,that I have manumitted my slave-girl?" He ﷺ said, "Have you really?" She (may Allah be pleased with her) replied in the affirmative. He ﷺ said, "You would have got more reward if you had given her (i.e., the slave-girl) to one of your maternal uncles,” meaning that it would have been better and more rewardable to give this slave-girl to her maternal uncles to serve them, since they needed a servant, than manumitting her. Her maternal relatives belonged to Banee Hilaal and her mother’s name was Hind bint ‘Awf ibn Zuhayr Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with them).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to uphold ties of kinship, and underlines the abundant reward designated for such a worshipful act..

2606

Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ owed a man some debt (and that man demanded it very harshly). The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wanted to harm him, but the Prophet ﷺ said to them, "Leave him (unharmed); one who has a right is entitled to speak (i.e., claim his right)." He ﷺ then added, "Buy (a camel) of the same age and give it to him." They (may Allah be pleased with them) said, "We cannot get except a camel of an older age than that of his." He ﷺ said, "Buy it and give it to him, as the best amongst you is he who pays back his debt in the most handsome way.”
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was a merciful teacher, a gentle educator, and a kind mentor. Whenever he ﷺ witnessed someone’s mistake, he ﷺ would not harshly reprimand, rebuke, or alienate the doer, and whenever he ﷺ witnessed something right, he ﷺ would praise and laud it, and reward the doer handsomely.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that Allah's Messengerﷺ owed a man some debt (and that man demanded it very harshly). The creditor was discourteous and impolite in demanding the repayment of the debt, as reported in the version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) wanted to harm him verbally or physically, but they refrained from doing so out of politeness towards the Prophet ﷺ, and he said to them, "Leave him (unharmed);” and this mirrored the Prophet’s ﷺgood moral character, kindness, and endurance of people’s harshness despite his ability to retaliate against him, “the one who has a right is entitled to speak (i.e., claim his right)." This means that Allah, Exalted is He, deems it allowable for a person to claim his rights, be he a creditor, landlord, or worker, provided that he does not infringe upon people’s rights. The unpaid debt was a camel. The Prophet ﷺ then added, "Buy (a camel) of the same age and give it to him." The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) could not get except an older, better, and more valuable camel than that of the man. The Prophet ﷺ commanded them to give it to him to repay the debt handsomely. He ﷺ explained the reason for giving him an older, better, and more valuable camel by saying, "the best amongst you is he who pays back his debt in the most handsome way.”
This means that the best of people is the one who is the kindest to others, and fulfills people’s rights, by the repayment of debts or other rights.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that one may delegate another person to repay his debts.
It is also inferred therefrom that one may loan an animal to someone.
It also deduced that whoever owes a debt or is liable to any other financial rights, should repay the debts or fulfill them handsomely.
It is also inferred that a debtor should endure the harshness of a creditor when claiming his rights..

2613

Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
Once the Prophet ﷺ went to the house of Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) but did not enter it. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) came and she told him about that. When ‘Alee asked the Prophet ﷺ about it, he ﷺ said, "I saw a (multicolored) decorated curtain on her door. I am not interested in worldly pleasures." ‘Alee went to Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with them) and told her about it. Faatimah said, "I am ready to dispense with it in the way he ﷺ suggests." The Prophet ﷺ ordered her to send it to such-and-such needy people.
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ was led the most ascetic life and renounced the worldly pleasures, because he ﷺ knew well the essence and true nature of the fleeting worldly life. This worldly life is a short-lived phase during which a Muslim should perform as many worshipful acts and good deeds as possible, to taste eternal bliss in Paradise. The Prophet ﷺ keenly instilled these meanings within the hearts and minds of his family and Companions (may Allah be pleased with them).
In this hadeeth, ‘Abadullaah Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ went once to the house of Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) but did not enter it. ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) came and found her concerned and distressed. He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked her about it and she (may Allah be pleased with her) told him of what the Prophet ﷺ did. When ‘Alee asked the Prophet ﷺ about it, he ﷺ informed him of the reason for not entering their house: that they had a (multicolored) decorated curtain on the door. The Prophet ﷺ disliked the use of such a curtain merely because it contradicts the lauded asceticism; it is neither unlawful nor disliked to use curtains on the doors as per the laws of Islam. However, the Prophet ﷺ merely disliked it because it was multicolored and decorated, i.e., luxurious, and he ﷺ renounced such worldly pleasures. He ﷺ remarked: “I am not interested in worldly pleasures," meaning that he ﷺ did not like or pursue such worldly luxuries. He ﷺ only sought after the Hereafter, and disliked for his own beloved daughter what he ﷺ disliked for himself, namely, enjoying such luxuries and pleasures in the worldly life.
‘Alee went to Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with them) and told her about it. Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "I am ready to dispense with it in the way he ﷺ suggests." The Prophet ﷺ ordered her to send it to such-and-such needy people, to use it or avail themselves of its price.
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2614

‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺ gave me a silken dress as a gift and I wore it. When I saw the signs of anger on his face, I cut it into pieces and distributed it among my womenfolk.”
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Commentary : Islamic teaching regarding dress code and adornment is clearly defined in the Book of Allah, Exalted is He, and the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. The Islamic Laws of Islam has set general guidelines that must be taken into account regarding men’s and women’s clothing.
In this hadeeth, ‘Alee ibn Aboo Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺgave him a silken garment as a gift. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Hullah, which was a suit of two garments (woven with silk stripes). The Prophet ﷺ had forbidden men from wearing silk. When he ﷺ saw ‘Alee (may Allah be pleased with him) wearing it, anger was written all over his face! When he (may Allah be pleased with him) saw the signs of anger on his face, he cut it into pieces and distributed it among his womenfolk, because he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not take another wife besides Faatimah (may Allah be pleased with her) during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ.
This was further clarified by the version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reading: “Divide it among the Faatimahs (i.e., your womenfolk) to make head covers,” meaning Faatimah, the daughter of the Prophet ﷺ, Faatimah bint Asad, the mother of ‘Alee ibn Aboo Taalib, and Faatimah bint Hamzah ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with them).
It is inferred from the hadeeth that it is allowable to give gifts from one’s property even if it is prohibited or disliked to wear such a gift, because the owner is entitled to dispose of it by means of sale or gift to whomever he wishes from those who are allowed to wear or use it, like women and young boys in this case.
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2615

Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
A Jubbah (i.e., cloak) made of thick silken cloth was presented to the Prophet ﷺ, and he used to forbid people to wear silk. So, people were pleased to see it. The Prophet ﷺsaid, "By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad's soul is, the handkerchiefs of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh in Paradise are better than this." Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) added, "The present was sent to the Prophet ﷺ by Ukaydir (a Christian) from Dawmah..

Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ led the most ascetic life and was the keenest in renouncing worldly pleasures, and he ﷺ used to instill these values within his Companions (may Allah be pleased with him), ensuring that their hearts were fixated on and attached to the Hereafter and the eternal bliss prepared by Allah, Exalted is He, for them in Paradise.
In this hadeeth, Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) that Ukaydir (a Christian Arab ruler) of Dawmah Al-Jandal, a town near Tabook, northern Saudi Arabia, gifted the Prophet ﷺ a Jubbah. This ruler was seized by Khaalid ibn Al-Waleed (may Allah be pleased with him) when he was sent by the Prophet ﷺto Tabook in 9 A.H. He (may Allah be pleased with him) killed this Christian ruler’s brother and took him prisoner. The Prophet ﷺ released him on the condition of paying the Jizyah (i.e., head tax on non-Muslim citizens living under the protection of Muslim rule). This ruler gifted the Prophet ﷺ a Jubbah (i.e., cloak) made of thick silken cloth, and it captured the admiration of people. The Prophet ﷺ used to forbid people to wear silk. Since people were pleased to see it, the Prophet ﷺsaid, "By Him in Whose Hands Muhammad's soul is,” a wording that was often used by the Prophet ﷺ when making an oath, “the handkerchiefs of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh in Paradise are better than this." This is a reference to Sa‘d’s least valuable possessions in Paradise, because handkerchiefs – used to clean the hands and remove impurities - are the least possessions a person will be given therein. The least valuable possessions of Sa‘d in Paradise shall be better than this silken Jubbah that they admired much, because the bliss in Paradise will be like what no eyes have ever seen, no ears have ever heard of, and which has never crossed your hearts or minds. Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do.} [Quran 32:17].
The hadeeth highlights the virtues of Sa‘d ibn Mu‘aadh (may Allah be pleased with him) and proves that he shall be admitted to Paradise.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that the Prophet ﷺ used to accept gifts from non-Muslims..

2617

Narrated Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him):
A Jewess brought a poisoned (cooked) sheep for the Prophet ﷺwho ate from it. She was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and he was asked, "Shall we kill her?" He ﷺ said, "No." I continued to see the effect of the poison on the palate of the mouth of Allah's Messengerﷺ.
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Commentary :
The Prophet ﷺ was the humblest of all people, and a manifestation of his good moral character was that he ﷺ accepted the gifts offered to him from anyone, even small gifts and even if the gift-giver was a non-Muslim, to win his heart and encourage him to embrace Islam. The Jews took advantage of that when they knew of his graciousness, and tried to kill him by serving him poisonous food.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that a Jewish woman, named Zaynab bint Al-Haarith, who was married to Salaam ibn Mishkam, gifted the Messenger of Allah ﷺ a poisoned sheep after the battle of Khyber. She cooked the meat for the Prophet ﷺ and put poison in it. The Prophet ﷺ ate from it, but Allah, Exalted is He, protected him from the immediate effects of the poison and he ﷺ did not die. However, the effect of the poison remained in his body. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Icontinued to see the effect of the poison on the palate of the mouth of Allah's Messenger ﷺ.” It seems that the effect of the poison remained visible, in that some black marks or the like could be seen on palate of the mouth of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. This woman was brought to the Prophet ﷺ. The version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “(When the effects of this poison were felt by him) she was brought to the Prophet ﷺ and he asked her about that, whereupon she said: “I had determined to kill you.” Thereupon he ﷺ said: ‘Allah will never give you the power to do it.’ (It is possible that this was ‘Alee’s statement).”
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ permission to kill her, but he ﷺ refused to have her killed on the spot. This is why he ﷺ forbade them from killing her. However, it was authentically reported that she was killed as narrated in Sunan Aboo Daawood. The Prophet ﷺ killed her, or gave her to the guardians of the blood (i.e., ‘Asabah, or blood male relatives from the father's side) of Bishr ibn Al-Baraa’ ibn Ma’roor, who had eaten from it and died; his guardians had the woman killed in Qisaas (i.e., retribution). To reconcile between the two versions of the hadeeth, it could be said that the Prophet ﷺ did not kill her upon knowing of the poison she put in the sheep and refused the companions’ request to kill her, but when Bishr ibn Al-Baraa’ died of this poison, he ﷺ handed her over to his guardians, and they killed her by virtue of Qisaas (i.e., retribution). It is authentically reported that he ﷺ did not kill her immediately and it is also authentically reported that he ﷺ killed her afterward.
The hadeeth highlights the divine protection bestowed upon the Prophet ﷺ; Allah, Exalted is He, Says (what means): {And Allah will protect you from the people.} [Quran 5:67].
It also underlines a miracle with which the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was aided, as Allah, Exalted is He, delivered him from the poison that killed others.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to accept gifts from non-Muslims.
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2618

‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated:
We were one-hundred and thirty persons accompanying the Prophet ﷺ who asked us whether anyone of us had food. There was a man who had about a Saa‘ of wheat which was mixed with water then. A tall pagan with long matted unkempt hair came driving sheep. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Will you sell us (a sheep) or give it as a present?" He said, "I will sell you (a sheep)." The Prophet ﷺbought a sheep and it was slaughtered. He ﷺ ordered that its liver and other abdominal organs be roasted. By Allah, the Prophet ﷺ gave every person of the one-hundred-and-thirty a piece of that; he gave all those of them who were present; and kept the shares of those who were absent. He ﷺthen put its meat in two huge basins and all of them ate to their fill, and even then, more food was left in the two basins which were carried on the camel (or said something like it).
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Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, supported His Prophet ﷺ with miracles, and imparted His blessings through him. An example of such a blessing was increasing small quantities of food to suffice large groups of people, by the blessing of the Prophet ﷺ.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan ibn Abee Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them) narrated that there were one-hundred and thirty people accompanying the Prophet ﷺ,who asked them whether anyone of them had food. There was a man who had about a Saa‘ of wheat which was mixed with water. A tall pagan with long matted unkempt hair pagan came driving sheep. The Prophet ﷺ asked him, "Will you sell us (a sheep) or give it as a present?" He said, "I will sell you (a sheep)." The Prophet ﷺ bought a sheep and it was slaughtered and cooked. He ﷺ ordered that its liver and other abdominal organs be roasted. ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) swore by Allah, Exalted is He, that the Prophet ﷺ gave every person of the one-hundred-and-thirty a piece of that liver; he gave all those of them who were present; and kept the shares of those who were absent! He ﷺordered the meat to be put in two huge wooden basins and all of them ate to their fill, and even then, more food was left in the two basins which were carried on the camel, and this was a miracle performed by the Prophet ﷺ.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to buy from non-Muslims and accept their gifts.
It is also inferred therefrom that Muslims are urged to share their food whenever necessary.
It is also deduced that a person may swear to confirm his statement, even if he is truthful.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to buy things from an unknown person until one comes to know of that which entails caution or makes it incumbent to refrain from engaging in business transactions with him, such as usurpation, theft, or their like.
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2620

Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
My mother came to me during the lifetime of Allah's Messengerﷺ and she was a pagan. I said to Allah's Messenger (seeking his verdict), "My mother has come to me and she desires to receive a reward from me, shall I keep good relations with her?" The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes, keep good relation with her.”
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Commentary : Upholding ties of kinship and dutifulness towards parents are among the good manners preached by Islam and instilled in the hearts of Muslims. The enjoined dutifulness and upholding of kinship ties are not exclusive to Muslims, and are also required for non-Muslim relations, especially close relatives such as the parents, siblings, etc.
In this hadeeth, Asmaa’ bint Abee Bakr (may Allah be pleased with her) stated that her mother, Qutaylah bint Al-‘Uzzaa, who was a pagan,came to her during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ. Another version of the hadeeth recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim reads: “My mother who was a polytheist came to me when he (the Prophet) ﷺ entered into treaty with Quraysh,” meaning in the period between Al-Hudaybiyah Peace Treaty and the conquest of Makkah. Asmaa’ (may Allah be pleased with her) was then married to Al-Zubayr ibn Al-‘Awwaam (may Allah be pleased with him). She (may Allah be pleased with her) sent to Allah's Messenger (seeking his verdict) and told him that her mother wanted to maintain good relations with her and win her heart, since she offered her gifts and aspired to receive a reward or something else from her, but that her mother was not inclined to Islam. She (may Allah be pleased with her) asked the Prophet ﷺ as to whether she should keep good relations with her, despite the fact that she held onto disbelief. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Yes, keep good relations with her,” meaning uphold ties of kinship with her despite her disbelief.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable for a Muslim person to uphold ties of kinship with his non-Muslim relatives.
The hadeeth underlines the merits of Asmaa’ bint Aboo Bakr (may Allah be pleased with them), who keenly sought the Prophet’sﷺ verdict beforehand, and mindfully asked about the relevant religious ruling before acting..

2622

Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The bad example is not for us. He who takes back his present is like a dog that swallows back its vomit."
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Commentary :
Taking back gifts is a reprehensible act and awful behavior that contradicts chivalry, and does not conform with a good moral character or sound human nature. Therefore, the Prophet ﷺ warned against it and likened such a deed to the ugliest and most heinous act to alienate Muslims from it.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that it is unbecoming of Muslims to approve of or do such an act; he ﷺ said, "The bad example is not for us. He who takes back his present is like a dog that swallows back its vomit.” In this hadeeth, he ﷺ likened the gift-giver who takes back his gift to a dog that swallows its vomit. The statement underlines that the believers should not do such a reprehensible act, in which we resemble animals. This simile is rarely used in the Laws of Islam texts, which indicates the gravity and heinousness of such act. The Prophet ﷺ likened it to vomit rather than any other impurity to reflect how disgusting and repugnant that is; it is quite revolting for a person to swallow his vomit, and one should detest and find it equally revolting to take back his gifts.
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2624

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah ibn Abee Maleekah narrated that the tribe of Suhayb, the freed slave of Ibn Jud‘aan, laid claim to two houses and a room that they claimed that the Prophet ﷺ had given to Suhayb. Marwaan said: "Who will testify as witness on your behalf?" They said: "Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).” So, they called him, and he corroborated their claim that the Prophet ﷺ gave Suhayb two houses and a room. Marwaan based his judgment on Ibn ‘Umar's testimony.".

Commentary :
The settlement of people’s disputes is a great role and Islam has strictly regulated the judiciary process and sternly warns against the gravity of passing judgments and rulings without knowledge or acting on one’s sinful desires. Hence, a ruler is enjoined to be substantive (and firm) when settling disputes and adjudicating allegations.
In this hadeeth, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Ubaydullaah ibn Abee Maleekah narrated regarding the tribe of Suhayb ibn Sinaan Al-Roomee (may Allah be pleased with him), the freed slave of ‘Abdullah ibn Jud‘aan who had bought and freed him. The tribe of Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) laid claim to two houses and a room that they claimed that the Prophet ﷺ had given to Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him). A house referred to a roofed building and it translates into Bayt in Arabic because it the place where one spends the night (as denoted by the Arabic term); a room is one section of a house. The tribe of Suhayb referred to his children and descendants: Hamzah, Sa‘d, Saalih, Sayfee, ‘Abbaad, ‘Uthmaan, Habeeb, and Muhammad. They claimed these two houses and room and argued that the Prophet ﷺ had given them to their father (may Allah be pleased with him), and that they had inherited them from him. Marwaan ibn Al-Hakam, the governor of Al-Madeenah appointed by Mu‘aawiyah (may Allah be pleased with him), requested that they should provide substantial proofs to support their claim. He said, "Who will testify as witness on your behalf?" It is possible that two of them referred the dispute to the governor and the rest of them gave their consent to it. Marwaan addressed the two claimants, as suggested by the wording of the Arabic text, and they said: "Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).” Marwaan called for Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) to testify, and he corroborated their claim that the Prophet ﷺ had given Suhayb (may Allah be pleased with him) the two houses and a room. The wording of the Arabic text indicates that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) took an oath affirming their claim. Thereupon, Marwaan based his judgment on Ibn ‘Umar's testimony, and gave them the two houses and room. It was also said that he passed his judgment and verdict based on Ibn ‘Umar’s testimony and their oath.
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2625

Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Prophet ﷺgave a verdict that a lifelong gift belongs to the one to whom it was given.
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Commentary :
Islam urged interdependence, solidarity, and cooperation between people. The enjoined interdependence and solidarity take many forms, such as Zakaah, charity, and gifts, one of which is lifelong gifts.
In this hadeeth, Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet ﷺ gave a verdict that a lifelong gift belongs to the one to whom it was given. An example of a lifelong gift is when someone says to another, “My house is now yours as long as I should live,” or “You may reside in my house until I die.” This gift is binding as per the laws of Islam and it is impermissible for the gift-giver to take it back and annul the gift. This is the case when the gift-giver offers the recipient the gift without stipulating any conditions that it should be returned to him after a specified period of time. For example, a person might say, ‘I gift you my house as long as you should live,” or “throughout your life,” or any similar wording indicating the same meaning. Such wordings are indicative of lifelong gifts. The gifted property becomes the property of the beneficiary or receiver and his or her heirs afterward, according to the verdict of the Prophet ﷺ. In the same vein, the Prophet ﷺ said: “If anyone gives a life-tenancy it goes to the one to whom it is given, both during his lifetime and after his death, and to his descendants (heirs).” [Muslim].
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2626

It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said, "The ‘Umraee (i.e., lifelong gift) is permissible." ‘Ataa’ said, "Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated the same to me on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ.”
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Commentary :
Islam has urged interdependence, solidarity, and cooperation between people. The enjoined interdependence and solidarity take many forms, such as Zakaah, charity, and gifts, one of which is lifelong gifts.
This hadeeth highlights the permissibility of lifelong gifts. An example of such gifts is when someone says to another, “My house is now yours as long as I should live,” or “You may reside in my house until I die.” This gift is binding as per the laws of Islam, and it is impermissible for the gift-giver to take it back and annul the gift. This is the case when the gift-giver offers the recipient the gift without stipulating any conditions that it should be returned to him after a specified period of time. For example, a person might say, ‘I gift you my house as long as you should live,” or “throughout your life,” or any similar wording indicating the same meaning. Such wordings are indicative of lifelong gifts. The gifted property becomes the property of the beneficiary or receipt and his or her heirs afterward, according to the verdict of the Prophet ﷺ. In the same vein, the Prophet ﷺ said: “If anyone gives a life-tenancy it goes to the one to whom it is given, both during his lifetime and after his death, and to his descendants (heirs).” [Muslim].

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2628

Ayman narrated:
I went to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and she was wearing a coarse dress costing five Dirhams. ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said, "Look up and see my slave-girl who refuses to wear it in the house though during the lifetime of Allah's MessengerﷺI had a similar dress which no woman desiring to appear elegant (before her husband) failed to borrow from me."
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Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with him) devoted their good deeds exclusively to Allah, Exalted is He, aspiring to His rewards only rather than worldly gains. Thus, Allah, Exalted is He, caused them to be the means to perfect the divine light of guidance bestowed upon humanity through the Prophet ﷺ, and rewarded them by conferring upon them abundant wealth and blessings.
In this hadeeth, Ayman Al-Habashee Al-Makhzoomee narrated that he went to ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) while she was wearing a coarse dress costing five Dirhams. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth is Qitr, which referred to a reddish coarse cotton dress from Yemen. It was also said that Qitr meant a dress made of a coarse fabric or cotton in particular. Another saying was that the name Qitr was derived from a village in Bahrain called Qatar. The point is that such a dress was coarse, and its price was about five Dirhams (of silver). ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) disapprovingly said, “Look up and see my slave-girl who refuses to wear it in the house,” meaning that she looked down on such an inexpensive dress in the house. She (may Allah be pleased with her) then described the changed conditions in comparison to her past life conditions during the lifetime of the Prophet ﷺ. She added that during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger ﷺ she had a similar dress that the women of Al-Madeenah admired so much that no woman desiring to appear elegant (before her husband in their wedding) failed to borrow from her, since people were less fortunate and had smaller properties, and therefore perceived such inexpensive dress as elegant and expensive at that time.
This underlines the changed life conditions and the riches acquired by Muslims after the conquests. Women used to borrow such a coarse dress to beautify themselves for their husbands in weddings, but ‘Aa’ishah’s slave-girl refused to wear such a dress in the house!
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to lend and borrow clothes, and the same goes for other precious jewelry and jewels for a bride and others.
It is also inferred therefrom that a woman may wear elegant dresses inside her home and what some servants may wear.
It also highlights the humbleness of ‘Aa’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) and the fact that she renounced worldly pleasures at times when she (may Allah be pleased with her) was given wealth.
.

1552

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered an orchard upon ’Umm Ma‘bad and said: O ’Umm Ma‘bad, who planted these palm trees, a Muslim or a disbeliever? She said: Rather, a Muslim. He said: No Muslim plants a plant wherefrom a man, an animal, or a bird eats except that it will be counted for him as a charity until the Day of Judgment..

Commentary : Islam has encouraged all types of righteous and good acts and has made them worthy of reward and recompense. One of these righteous acts promoted by Islam is doing whatever entails goodness and benefit for human beings and animals.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) narrates that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) entered "an orchard," i.e., a garden of palm trees, and ’Umm Ma‘bad was in that orchard. It is said: She is the wife of Zayd ibn Hārithah. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked her about the one who planted the palm trees in that orchard, whether he was a Muslim or a disbeliever. She informed him that the one who planted it was a Muslim. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "No Muslim plants a plant," i.e., cultivates plants, "wherefrom a man, an animal, or a bird eats" he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned them in general to include all living beings in the sea and on land, "except that it will be counted for him as a charity until the Day of Judgment" because of eating from what he has planted, as long as the benefit of such plants remains even if it remains until the Day of Judgment. The Muslim was mentioned in particular because he mostly plants with the intention that Muslims would gain strength from the fruits of such a plant to worship Allah Almighty and because the Muslim is the one who gets a reward. In contrast, the disbeliever does not get a reward for his good deeds, which might only alleviate his punishment, or he might be provided with food and thus be repaid in this world.
The Hadīth indicates that rewards in the Hereafter for good deeds are exclusive to Muslims and not for the disbelievers.
It also points out the merit of agriculture and cultivation given their effect in populating the earth and benefitting all creatures.
It encourages the construction of earth so that man himself can live or those who come after him on account of whom he gets rewarded..

1553

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: When - [another version reads]: if - you sell your brother some fruit and it is stricken by a calamity, it is unlawful for you to take anything from him. How can you take your brother's money unjustly?!.

Commentary : Islam is keen on protecting and maintaining rights, and such keenness is manifest in its warning against taking people's rights unjustly and its severe threat against whoever transgresses or violates such a prohibition.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) clarifies that if someone buys fruits from his Muslim brother, the form of this sale is to buy the fruits while still on the trees or while still in the seller's possession and not yet delivered to the buyer, then, the fruits are stricken by a calamity, which is a disaster or blight that overruns the fruits, causing their destruction and ruin. In this case, it will not be lawful for the seller, who is the owner of the fruits, to take anything from the buyer. How could he take his brother's money when the fruits are damaged and stricken by blight and calamity that prevented benefiting from them?! No one should take his brother's money wrongfully because when the fruits are spoilt, there is nothing left for the buyer in return for what he has paid. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade selling fruits before they seem in good condition and ripen - as mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections - since rulings are based on what is predominant.
In the version mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked: "What is its good condition? He said: Till there is no danger of blight," and it turns out as desired as when it appears to be ripe, for only then, it is safe from disease, which is the blight..

1554

Jābir reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that calamities should be remitted..

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) established the pillars of society upon mercy and solidarity, knowing that if financial transactions are not based on justice, they will lead to the spread of oppression and the transgressing of rights among people.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded that Jawā’ih (calamities), plural of 'jā’ihah', which is the blight that affects fruits and leads to their eradication, should be remitted. This refers to every prevalent spoiler like rain, snow, locusts, wind, or fire. This means: If fruits are sold after seeming to be in good condition and were then hit by some calamity, the loss is to be suffered by the owner, not the buyer. In a version by Muslim: "If you sell your brother some fruit and it is stricken by a calamity, it is unlawful for you to take anything from him. How can you take your brother's money unjustly?!" This means: None of you should take his brother's money wrongfully because something predominant has overwhelmed the fruits without any negligence on the buyer's part. Therefore, the seller should not require him to pay for what Allah has damaged before he took possession of it in the usual manner, and because when the fruits are spoilt, there is nothing left for the buyer in return for what he has paid..

1556

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: At the time of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a man suffered a loss in fruits he had purchased, and his debts increased. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Give him charity." So, the people gave him charity, but that was not enough to repay his debt in full. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to his creditors: "Take what you find, and that is all you may have.".

Commentary : The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) established the pillars of society upon mercy and solidarity. He used to urge creditors to reduce the debt for the debtor who was afflicted by some calamity that ruined his property, be it fruits, cash, assets, or anything else. Therefore, it became part of the Muslim's attitude to constantly seek to fulfill his Muslim brother's need, especially in times of calamities and misfortunes.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that at the time of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), a man's fruits, which he purchased but had not paid for yet, suffered blight that caused them damage, thereby his debts increased. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded people to give him charity so he can repay his debt. In obedience to the Prophet's command, the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) gave the man charity; however, what he took from people was not enough to settle his debt because it was huge, and there still remained an unsettled part thereof. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, ordered the creditors - those to whom the debt was owed - to take what they found with him from the remaining fruits that could still be useful in addition to what he got from charity. His saying: "and that is all you may have," i.e., you should not ask for what is left of the debt and what he is not able to repay. It was said: That is all you may have because he is currently bankrupt and should be given respite until it is easy for him to pay it back, as Allah Almighty says: {If the debtor is in hardship, give him respite until it is easy for him to pay [the debt] back.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 280]
The Hadīth denotes that whatever the bankrupt still has, should be taken according to its assessed price. He should not be imprisoned or rebuked; rather, he should be given respite until it is easy for him to pay back, then he could settle his debts.
It also shows the merit of consoling the needy and the indebted, and it encourages the act of giving them charity..

1563

‘Abdullah ibn Abi Qatādah reported: Abu Qatādah went looking for his debtor, who hid from him. Then, when he found him, he (the debtor) said: "I am insolvent." Thereupon he said: "By Allah?" He said: "By Allah." So, he said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'Whoever is pleased to be saved by Allah from the anguish of the Day of Judgment, let him give an insolvent respite or grant him remission.'".

Commentary : Islam is keen on providing treatment for evil human tendencies in transactions, as it is keen on solving disputes between people through tolerance and facilitation in fulfilling financial rights.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Qatādah reports that his father, Abu Qatādah al-Ansāri (may Allah be pleased with him), "went looking for his debtor," and the debtor is the person who owes money to someone else. The debtor hid from Abu Qatādah when he was searching for him, and when Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) found him, the debtor said to him: "I am insolvent," and I have no money to repay your debt. So, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him by Allah if he really did not have money, and the debtor swore by Allah that he was telling the truth.
Thereupon, Abu Qatādah (may Allah be pleased with him) informed him that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "'Whoever is pleased," i.e., glad "to be saved by Allah from the anguish of the Day of Judgment," "Karb" (anguish) means distress and poverty, and "the Karb of the Day of Judgment" means: its hardships and horrors. "Let him give the insolvent respite," i.e., postpone or delay the demand for payment for one who failed to repay it on time. "Or grant him remission," i.e., reduce the debt or cancel it, as Allah Almighty says: {If the debtor is in hardship, give him respite until it is easy for him to pay [the debt] back. But if you waive it as charity, that is better for you.} [Surat al-Baqarah: 280]
The Hadīth encourages the act of giving the insolvent person respite or canceling his debt..

1565

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the selling of a camel's copulation, selling water and land for cultivation. This is what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade..

Commentary : There are some natural resources that man cannot dispense with and that are beneficial for all people. If such resources are unavailable, man will perish. Hence, they have been made common among Muslims. Moreover, one may possess what others cannot dispense with, and he may possess something without exerting effort, something that Allah has bestowed upon him, and it could exceed his need, and giving out this surplus is a manifestation of noble morals.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the selling of a camel's copulation. In a version by Al-Bukhāri, Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the stud fees of a stallion," which is the fee taken for the copulation of a male animal, whether a horse, camel, ram, etc. Its form: When someone gives his stud to someone else who owns females and keeps it with him until the stud mates with the females for a fee in return, or when the owner of the females brings them to the owner of the stud and leaves them with him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade this. It is said that because it is ambiguous and uncertain whether it will be of benefit or not and whether the female will or will not be inseminated, it is presumable and involves uncertainty. Or the prohibition could be interpreted as a way of encouraging noble morals and recommending lending it without a return so animals would reproduce abundantly. This is something that Muslims should be willing to grant each other because it is one type of simple assistance that leads to the dominance of the spirit of cooperation and solidarity among people. In the Hadīth of Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) in At-Tirmidhi Collection, he reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) granted a concession in the honorarium, i.e., the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) permitted the acceptance of a gift given by the female owner as an honorarium, not as a compensation.
He also forbade selling water. It is said: The prohibition is general, as water should not be sold to Muslims given the fact that it is from their life necessities. In another version by Muslim, the prohibition has to do with "selling excess water," which is the water exceeding the need of the well owner, his children, cattle, and crops. In the two Sahīh Collections, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not withhold excess water to prevent thereby excess herbage," which is the grass. This means: When a man owns a well in the desert and it has water that exceeds his needs and there is grass that has no other source of water except this water, the cattle owner cannot graze it unless they are watered from this well, in this case, it is unlawful for him to withhold this excess water from the cattle and he has to give it out without compensation.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade land for cultivation, i.e., leasing it for cultivation. This is when a man gives his land to someone to cultivate in return for taking a share of his produce. This has many forms, as the Companions used to cultivate the land in return for one-third, one-fourth, or half its fruits during the lifetime of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). In the two Sahīh Collections and Musnad of Ahmad Collection - and this is the wording of Ahmad - Hanzhalah ibn Qays reported that Rāfi‘ ibn Khadīj said: "The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade leasing farms. He said: I said: Even if it is in return for gold and silver? He said: No, but he forbade it in return for part of its produce, but in return for gold and silver, there is no harm in it." In a version by Muslim: "As for something known and guaranteed, there is nothing wrong with it." This Hadīth indicates that what the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) has forbidden was something clearly evil, namely the unfair and unjust Muzāra‘ah (sharecropping). This is why he prohibited it; however, there is nothing wrong with something known and guaranteed in dinar and dirham, as mentioned in the Hadīths and narrations.
The Hadīth encourages the act of giving excess water for free without demanding compensation..

1568

Rāfi‘ ibn Kahdīj reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The price of a sold dog is evil, the earning of a prostitute is evil, and the earning of a cupper is evil.".

Commentary : Allah has made what is good lawful for His slaves and has made unlawful for them whatever is evil from among food, drink, gains, trade, etc. Shariah has also urged Muslims to have self-esteem and to look down on lowly things.
In this Hadīth, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The price of a sold dog is evil," i.e., unlawful. This means that the price of selling or buying it or what is earned from that is ill-gotten money because it is prohibited to own or raise dogs except for dogs that are used in guarding livestock or farming. It is said: This is a general ruling, whether it is trained to hunt or untrained, and whether it is permissible to keep it or not. It is also said: The dog used in guarding and hunting is an exception because it is useful, as mentioned in the Sunan At-Tirmidhi Collection from the Hadīth of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him): "Except for the hunting dog." The version of Ad-Dāraqutni reads: "Except for the dog trained to hunt," which is the one accustomed to hunting. It is as if the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade the price of the dog except for the dog that is permitted to be kept for a certain benefit, or perhaps the prohibition of the dog's price was at the beginning of Islam. Then it was abrogated later, and it became permissible to use it in hunting and, thus became like all the birds of prey in terms of the permissibility of selling it.
Likewise, the money the adulteress takes in return for adultery and for giving herself to a foreign man is unlawful because adultery is unlawful, and the money gained therefrom is unlawful. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) called it "dowry" because it takes the form of a dowry, as it is paid in return for being allowed by the woman to have intercourse with her. In the pre-Islamic era of ignorance, they used to force their slave girls to commit adultery and take it as a means of earning money. But Islam criticized this, as Allah Almighty says: {Do not compel your slave girls into prostitution – if they wish to keep chaste – seeking the worldly gains of this life. But if anyone compels them, then Allah, after such a compulsion, is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.} [Surat an-Nūr: 33]
"And the earnings of a cupper are evil." "Hajjām" (cupper) is the one making Hijāmah (cupping), which means drawing blood from veins and removing the bad blood from the body. Being an evil earning does not mean it is unlawful because the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had Hijāmah made for him and he paid the cupper a fee, as mentioned in the Two Sahīh Collections from the Hadīth of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father). Had it been unlawful, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would not have given him. So, the Hadīths that forbid the cupper's earnings and clearly state that they are evil are interpreted in the sense of encouraging the act of keeping away from and rising above this means of earning and promoting good morals and noble things. Or perhaps the prohibition was at the beginning of Islam, then it was abrogated. So, when he gave the cupper his fee, this abrogated the previous ruling..

1572

Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded us to kill dogs; even when a woman brought her dog along with her from the desert, we used to kill it. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing them and said: Restrict yourselves to the pitch-black one that has two spots, for it is a devil..

Commentary : The pure Shariah has regulated the rulings of everything even animals, which include dogs. The Shariah has determined the way of benefiting from them and has clarified the rulings of what is lawful and unlawful regarding them.
In this Hadīth, Jābir ibn ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reports that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commanded them to kill all dogs without any exception, to the extent that even when a woman came from the Bādiyah, which is the desert, bringing along her dog that would guard her and accompany her, we used to kill it in response to the Prophet's command. Afterwards, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing dogs except for the pitch-black dog, the one that is totally black, "that has two spots," i.e., the two white spots above his eyes, as this dog is to be killed. His saying: "For it is a devil", means either in the true sense of the word for being pure harm that is void of any benefit or it is far from being beneficial and close to being harmful and detrimental, which is the case with the devil. So, this is a simile where the black dog is likened to the devil given its malice and because the black dog is the worst of dogs, the least in benefit, the most harmful, and the most mordacious.
It was authentically reported in other Hadīths that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing dogs except for the mordacious dog that hurts people, which should be killed, as mentioned in the Hadīth of ‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) in the two Sahīh Collections: "Five animals are all vicious and harmful and are to be killed inside the Sacred Precincts: the crow, the kite, the scorpion, the mouse, and the mordacious dog."
In this Hadīth and similar ones, there is a prohibition of killing dogs, apart from those excluded, which are kept for benefiting from them in guarding, hunting, etc. It is said: Rather, he commanded killing them at first because people were so accustomed to having them, and dogs used to share with them their utensils. So, he wanted to wean them off that and, thus, gave the command of killing. However, when the idea of their filthiness and keeping them away became firmly established in themselves, he forbade this. Such a prohibition abrogated that command. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade killing all dogs, even jet-black dogs, except for the harmful and aggressive ones..

1578

Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) delivering a sermon in Madīnah saying: "O People, Allah Almighty is alluding to intoxicants, and perhaps Allah will send down a ruling regarding it. So, whoever has some of it, let him sell it and benefit from it." He said: Only a short while after that, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Verily, Allah Almighty has forbidden intoxicants. Whoever knew this verse and had some of it, let him neither drink it nor sell it." He said: The people received this (prohibition) and came out into the street of Madīnah with what they had and poured it all out..

Commentary : Advising common people regarding their religious and worldly affairs is necessary, and the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was the keenest on offering his Ummah advice on their religious and worldly affairs.
In this Hadīth, Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) reports: When the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) felt that intoxicants would be prohibited - as it was lawful at first - he advised them to hasten to benefit from it. He addressed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) in a sermon that he delivered in Madīnah saying: "O People, Allah Almighty is alluding to intoxicants," i.e., He is mentioning it without prohibiting it or making it unlawful, in reference to the verse in which Allah Almighty says: {They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. Say, “In both, there is a great sin, and some benefits for people, but their sin is far greater than their benefit.”} [Surat al-Baqarah: 219] And His saying: {O you who believe, do not approach the prayer while you are intoxicated until you know what you are saying.} [Surat an-Nisā’: 43] The two verses include a reference and a hint that intoxicants will be inevitably prohibited. Hence, as a word of advice, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered his Companions that whoever had something of such intoxicants should either sell it or benefit from it before it is completely prohibited in such a way that would make it impermissible to either sell it or benefit from it. This is because some of them used to work and trade in intoxicants and others used to keep and store them. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) wanted to protect their properties, and only a short while after the Prophet's advice, Allah revealed the prohibition of intoxicants in His Book saying: {O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, [sacrificing on] stone alters, and divining arrows are of Satan’s evil work; therefore, avoid such [evil], so that you may be successful.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 90] When it was revealed, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) informed them that whoever learned about this verse must "neither drink it nor sell it." So, all those who had something of the intoxicants poured it all out in the streets of Madīnah.
The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) understood from the Prophet's prohibition of its drinking and selling that it must not also be used in any aspect. Hence, they hastened to pour it out and ruin it. Had it contained any permissible benefit, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) would have called attention to it.
The Hadīth indicates how the ruler should take care of his Ummah's interests, prepare people, and gradually issue rulings, especially concerning matters that are deeply rooted in the society.
It also shows how a true believer hastens to respond to Allah's command..

1579

‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Wa‘lah as-Saba’i (from the people of Egypt) reported: That he asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās about what is squeezed from grapes. Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) said: A man gave the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) a waterskin of wine as a gift. Thereupon, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: Did you know that Allah has forbidden it? He said: No. He, then, whispered to another man, so the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him: What did you whisper to him? He said: I ordered him to sell it. He said: The One Who has forbidden drinking it has forbidden selling it. He said: So, he opened the waterskin and poured out what was in it..

Commentary : Khamr (intoxicants) is the mother of all evils and its harm is far greater than its benefit. A Muslim must by no means drink it. The Shariah has forbidden all forms of Khamr and all forms of benefiting from it.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Wa‘lah narrates that he asked ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) about the ruling on the drink extracted from grapes; he was apparently asking about the Khamr derived from grapes. ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) informed him that a man gave the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) "a waterskin of wine" as a gift. "Rāwiyah" (waterskin): a container made of skin. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: Did you know that Allah Almighty has forbidden it? Perhaps the question was intended to find out about his stance, for if he knew about its prohibition, he would object upon him for giving it as a gift, holding and carrying it, and he would be subject to discretionary punishment. However, when he informed him that he did not know about it, he excused him. It is possible that the man was among those outside Madīnah before the ruling of its prohibition spread. So, the man negated having any knowledge about its prohibition and its unlawfulness. This man whispered secretly to another man beside him without letting the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) hear him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), thus, asked him: "What did you whisper to him?" The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) asked him about what he whispered only because he probably thought that his words to the other man had to do with this wine, so he wanted to clarify to him the comprehensiveness of the ruling of Khamr and how the prohibition is not just about drinking it as will be clarified later. The man answered the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "I ordered him to sell it." In a version by Ahmad: "The man went to his servant and said: Go and sell it," whereupon, he (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The One Who has forbidden drinking it has forbidden selling it," so selling it is just as prohibited as drinking it. His saying: "The One," is an indirect reference to the name of Allah Almighty, as if he said: Allah has forbidden drinking it and has forbidden selling it. It could also mean: What required the prohibition of drinking it required the prohibition of selling it, since it could only be wanted for drinking, so, if drinking is forbidden, then the sale is impermissible as it is deemed to be consumption of property wrongfully. So, the man opened the Mazādah - which is the waterskin - and poured out what was in it and got rid of it.
What is apparent from the reporting of Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) is that this Hadīth is an answer to the question of ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Wa‘lah is to make it clear that the prohibition is relevant to whatever is considered Khamr, is intoxicating, and causes one to lose control of his mental faculties, whether it is made from grapes or other things.
The Hadīth highlights the Prophet's good approach of teaching.
It points out the prohibition of selling intoxicants.
It indicates that whoever presents something unlawful as a gift, his gift must not be accepted.
It signifies that whoever commits a sin without knowing about its prohibition incurs no sin and must not be subject to discretionary punishment..

1585

‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not sell a dinar for two dinars or a dirham for two dirhams..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba has various types, all of which are prohibited. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one type and it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams, which have been prohibited by the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in this Hadīth.
An example of this is selling new gold or silver coins for those that weigh more, thus, taking in return for every one coin two old gold or silver coins. The Shariah states that such a sale is not to be concluded unless they are both alike and equal in weight, regardless of the quality or the inferiority, and on condition that the two currencies are present during the sale transaction and are exchanged hand to hand. So, equality and exchange during the contract session are conditions when selling an item for another item of the same type. However, if the type varies and the cause remains - like selling gold for silver - equality is no longer required, but exchange during the contract session is still a condition, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in Sahīh Muslim Collection: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
The Hadīth indicates the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus)..

1586

Mālik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathān reported: I came saying: "Who will exchange the dirhams?" Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah, who was with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, said: "Show us your gold, then come to us when our servant comes to give you your silver." Thereupon, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb said: "No, by Allah, you must either give him his silver (now) or give him back his gold, for the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: 'Silver for gold is Riba (usury) unless they are exchanged on the spot; wheat for wheat is Riba unless they are exchanged on the spot; barley for barley is Riba unless they are exchanged on the spot; and dried dates for dried dates is Riba unless they are exchanged on the spot.'".

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the revealed laws.
In this Hadīth, Mālik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathān (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that he came to a gathering and ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) was among them. Mālik was saying: "Who will exchange the dirhams?" i.e., Who will buy the golden dinars that I have with silver dirhams, as Mālik ibn Aws ibn al-Hadathān had one hundred dinars - as mentioned in the version of Al-Bukhāri - which he wanted to exchange for dirhams. Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydullah - who was in this gathering with ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) - said: "Show us your gold," i.e., give us your dinars to see them, "then come to us" later on "when our servant comes, we will give you your silver," i.e., the silver dirhams. On hearing this, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No," which indicates his refusal of this kind of transaction. Then, ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) swore that he should give him the silver he wanted to buy on the spot, or he should give him back the gold that he took from him. He explained that by quoting the statement of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): "Silver for gold is Riba," i.e., selling silver for gold is Riba (usury) in all cases "unless they are exchanged on the spot," i.e., except in the case of physical presence and the immediate exchange of items hand to hand. Likewise, selling "Burr" - which is wheat - for Burr, selling barley for barley, and selling dried dates for dried dates all constitute Riba in all cases except in the case of physical presence and the immediate exchange of items hand to hand.
The Hadīth denotes the prohibition of the Nasī’ah Riba (usury of deferred payment).
It also encourages the act of forbidding evil for whoever has the ability to do so.
It points out that the evidence should be mentioned when forbidding evil.
It also shows that some knowledge may not be known to an old man until someone else reminds him of it..

1587

Abu Qilābah reported: I was in the Levant in a circle and Muslim ibn Yasār was there. There came Abu al-Ash‘ath. He said: They said: Abu al-Ash‘ath, Abu al-Ash‘ath. So, he sat down. I said to him: Narrate to our brother the Hadīth of ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit. He said: Yes. We set out on an expedition while Mu‘āwiyah was the leader of the people, and we gained a lot of spoils. There were silver utensils among such spoils, so Mu‘āwiyah ordered a man to sell them for the people's payments. The people hastened to that. On hearing about it, 'Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit stood up and said: Verily, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbidding the sale of gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dry dates for dry dates, and salt for salt except equal for equal and like for like. So, whoever made or accepted an addition has committed Riba (usury). Thereupon, the people returned what they had taken. On hearing about it, Mu‘āwiyah stood up and delivered a sermon saying: What is the matter with some men narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Hadīths that we had not heard from him although we saw and accompanied him?! Thereupon, ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit stood up and repeated the story, then said: We will surely narrate what he heard from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) even if Mu‘āwiyah disliked this, or he said, Even if it is against his will. I do not mind if I do not accompany him in his troops on a black night..

Commentary : The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) used to advise one another in all states. They used to convey the Shariah-related commands and prohibitions without showing favoritism to or fear of a ruler or a caliph, and they would all comply with the truth.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Qilābah ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd reports that he was in the Levant - which is currently Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Lebanon - and was sitting in a circle that was attended by the Tābi‘i Muslim ibn Yasār. They were probably holding a gathering of knowledge. Then, Abu al-Ash‘ath Sharāhīl ibn Ādah came and sat with them. Abu Qilābah said to him: "Narrate to our brother" referring to Muslim ibn Yasār. Abu al-Ash‘ath responded to him and narrated to him the Hadīth of the Companion ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him) and reported that they fought a battle, led by Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him and his father), and the Muslims gained a lot of spoils. "Ghanīmah" (spoils): it is everything Muslims take from the disbelievers' properties after overpowering and conquering them. There were silver utensils among the spoils, so Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) commanded a man to sell them in dirhams as a deferred payment from the people's payments. "U'tiyāt" (payments) is the plural of "u'tiyah", and it refers here to what the country gives the soldiers as a regular payment monthly or annually. This means: He ordered these silver utensils to be sold in dirhams as a deferred payment until the buyers received their salaries. So, people from the army havetened to buy these utensils in return for deferred dirhams until it was time for them to receive their wages. ‘Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him), who was present in the army, learned about this, so he stood up and delivered a sermon saying: Verily, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbidding the sale of gold for gold, silver for silver, wheat for wheat, barley for barley, dry dates for dry dates, and salt for salt except equal for equal and like for like, i.e., The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade selling these similar types in all cases unless they are like for like, i.e., equal in weight, and are visible, and present not absent, as mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections: "Do not sell available money for something absent."
The one who gives excess and the one who asks for it each of them has committed the prohibited Riba (usury), and both are equally sinful.
On hearing this, the people returned the utensils they had taken to the man who had sold them to them. When Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) heard about the Hadīth that was narrated by ‘Ubādah, he stood up and delivered a sermon saying: "What is the matter with some men?" alluding to what 'Ubādah (may Allah be pleased with him) had said, "narrating from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) Hadīths that we had not heard from him although we saw" him, i.e., we used to be in his presence and accompany him in his journeys. It seems that Mu‘āwiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) neither heard nor knew about this Hadīth, as was the case with others who did not know about it initially. The fact that he (may Allah be pleased with him) did not hear it does not serve as proof. Thereupon, Ubādah ibn as-Sāmit (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up when Mu‘āwiyah criticized him, and repeated the Hadīth once again and said: "We will surely narrate," i.e., we will surely tell people "what he heard from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) even if Mu‘āwiyah disliked it," referring to Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān, the army leader, or he said: "Even if it is against his will," i.e., even if he is disgraced and stuck to dust. Then, he said: "I do not mind if I do not accompany him," i.e., I do not care about not accompanying him, and I do not want to be employed among his soldiers, and I want to part with him on a black night, i.e., dark and moonless.
The Hadīth signifies the keenness to convey the Sunnah acts and spread knowledge even if it is against the will of anyone.
It highlights the prohibition of Riba.
It stresses that the truth should be declared even if the one to whom it is declared is senior..

1588

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Gold for gold, weight for weight, like for like; and silver for silver, weight for weight, like for like. Whoever gives or takes more is engaged in Riba (usury)..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba has various types, all of which are prohibited. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one type of it; it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same kind with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams. Hence, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) ordered us in this Hadīth to sell gold for gold - whether in the form of gold dinars or others - weight for weight and like for like without addition or reduction, so, both should be similar in weight and equal. Likewise, silver is to be sold for silver - whether in the form of silver dirhams or others - weight for weight and like for like without addition or reduction, so both should be equal in weight. Whoever gives more or takes more has committed unlawful Riba.
Other versions have clarified that if the types vary, then selling with a surplus is permissible; however, the sale should not be for a deferred payment; rather, it should be immediate, as the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said in the two Sahīh Collections - and this is the wording of Al-Bukhāri -: "And sell gold for silver and silver for gold as you wish." In Sahīh Muslim Collection: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It stresses the prohibition of all transactions that entail harm to people in terms of their properties and relations..

1591

Hanash reported: We were along with Fadālah ibn' Ubayd on an expedition. A necklace made of gold, silver and jewels fell to my and my friends' lot. I wanted to buy it, so I asked Fadālah ibn' Ubayd, at which point he said: Separate its gold and place it in one pan and place your gold in the other pan and do not receive but like for like, as I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should not take but like for like..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the types of exploitation in transactions. It entails great harm and involves unlawful earnings and taking extra money wrongfully. Therefore, it has been prohibited in all the laws that have been revealed. Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus) is one of the types of Riba; it means selling an item that is subject to Riba rulings for another of the same type with excess in one of the two, like selling a gold dinar for two dinars and a silver dirham for two dirhams.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Hanash as-San‘āni narrates that they were with the Companion Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) on an expedition. A necklace, a piece of women's jewelry worn around the neck, from the spoils fell to his lot along with a group of his companions and it had gold, silver, and jewels like pearls and the like. Hanash wanted to buy it all and take his companions' share, so he asked Fadālah ibn' Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) about the ruling and manner of buying it along with everything in it. Thereupon, Fadālah (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered him to remove and separate its gold and place it in a balance pan - where the weighed item is put - and to put his gold on the opposite pan so there would be equality between the two amounts of gold without any surplus, and this could not be known except by separating it from the jewels. Then, he should not take of its gold except for like of his own gold that he deemed a payment for it so that he would not give or take any extra and, thus, engage in unlawful Riba. Likewise, the silver in it should be sold for an equal weight, and other jewels should be sold at their price for cash. He then justified this by saying that he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever believes in Allah" Who created him and has full faith in Him "and the Last Day", which is the Day of Judgment to which he will return and on which he will receive recompense for his deeds, should not buy gold or silver except like for like in terms of weight without any addition or surplus.
The Hadīth emphasizes the prohibition of Riba, as it linked its prohibition to belief in Allah and the Last Day..

Book of Hadith