| 2 Hadiths


Hadith
2501
‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam narrated that his mother Zaynab bint Humayd took him to the Prophet ﷺ and said, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ! Take the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) from him." But he ﷺ said, "He is still too young (for it)," and passed his hand on his (i.e., ‘Abdullah's) head and invoked for Allah's blessing for him. Zuhrah ibn Ma‘bad stated that he used to go with his grandfather, ‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam, to the marketplace to buy foodstuff. Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn Al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with them) would meet him and say to him, "Make us your partners, as the Prophet ﷺinvoked Allah to bless you." So, he would be their partner, and very often he would win a camel's load and send it home.
.

Commentary :
The Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) given to the Prophet ﷺ meant an agreement to adhere to Islam and a pledge or covenant to abide by its rulings, and the one given to the Muslim rulers (after the Prophet’s death) meant a contract and covenant (between the ruler and ruled) whereby the ruled commit themselves to obey the ruler provided that it does not constitute disobedience to Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ and adhere to such obedience.
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he met the Prophet ﷺ in his early childhood. It was said that he (may Allah be pleased with him) met the Prophet ﷺ six years before his death. His mother, Zaynab bint Humayd (may Allah be pleased with her) took him (as a newly born infant), went to the Prophet ﷺ, and said to him, “Take the Bay‘ah from him!” The Prophet ﷺ said: “He is still too young,” meaning that he was not an adult and the Bay‘ah is only valid when given by an adult person who knows its relevant religious provisions and implications. Afterward, the Prophet ﷺpassed his hand on ‘Abdullah's head and invoked for Allah's blessing for him. For this reason, whenever ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar and ‘Abdullah ibn Al-Zubayr met ‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam (may Allah be pleased with them) in the marketplaces after he had bought foodstuff, they would say to him: “Make us your partners, as the Prophet ﷺinvoked Allah to bless you.” He would make them partners (may Allah be pleased with them) and would often win a camel's load, as profit, and send it home. This means that he often earned a camel’s load as profits from his sale transactions, by the blessing of the Prophet’s supplication in his favor.
The hadeeth highlights one of the signs of hisﷺ prophethood.
It also underlines the merits of ‘Abdullah ibn Hishaam (may Allah be pleased with him).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) worked in the marketplaces to earn a living, and that they keenly sought blessings wherever they were to be found..

2503
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whenever one manumits his share of a jointly owned slave, it is imperative on him to manumit the slave completely if he has sufficient money to pay the rest of his or her price which is to be estimated justly. He should pay his partners their shares and release him or her (i.e., the freed slave).”
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, created all people free, and hated that some people should be enslaved to others. Islam was revealed while the system of slavery was in place (and deeply entrenched into people’s financial and social systems), and therefore the Islamic Laws of Islam keenly assigned special care to the emancipation of slaves, and facilitated its means (to free people from their condition of slavery).
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ stated that whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly owned male or female slave, should completely manumit him or her if can afford the price, paying the other co-owners the monetary values of their shares, based on the adequate price of the slave. Such a co-owner is required to pay his other co-owners the monetary value of their shares, if he can afford it, to manumit the slave completely to become a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
In the same vein, it was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “Whoever manumits his share of a jointly owned slave, it is imperative on him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price, and if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.

.

2505
Narrated Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ (along with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) reached Makkah in the morning of the fourth of Thoo al-Hijjah assuming Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration) for Hajj only. So, when we ﷺ arrived at Makkah, the Prophet ﷺ ordered us to change our intentions of the Ihraam for ‘Umrah and that we could end our Ihraam after performing the ‘Umrah and could go to our wives (for sexual intercourse). People began talking about that. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) said surprisingly, "Shall we go to Minaa while semen is dribbling from our male organs?" Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) moved his hand while saying so (i.e., used hand gesture to emphasize his astonishment). When this news reached the Prophet ﷺ,he delivered a sermon and said, "I have been informed that some people were saying such-and-such; By Allah, I fear Allah, Exalted is He, more than you do, and I am more obedient to Him than you. If I had known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadiy (i.e., animal sacrifice in Hajj) with me and had the Hadiy not been with me, I would have ended my Ihraam." At that Suraaqah ibn Maalik stood up and asked "O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Is this permission for us only or is it forever?" The Prophet ﷺ replied, "It is forever." In the meantime, ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Yemen and was saying ‘Labbayka’ for what the Prophet ﷺhas intended. According to another man, ‘Alee was saying ‘Labbayka’ for Hajj similar to Allah's Messenger’s. The Prophet ﷺtold him to retain his Ihraam and let him share the Hadiy with him.
.

Commentary : Hajj Al-Tamatu‘ means that a pilgrim assumes Ihraam (i.e., ritual state of consecration) for ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj (i.e., Shawwaal, Dhul-Qi‘dah and Thoo al-Hijjah), ends his Ihraam, and then reassumes it to perform Hajj on the same year. This means that he reaches Makkah during the months of Hajj, assumes Ihraam, performs ‘Umrah, ends his Ihraam, and he would be no longer bound by the restrictions that apply to the one in a state of Ihraam until the beginning of Hajj rituals. (On the eighth day of Thoo al-Hijjah, he reassumes Ihraam for Hajj and carries out all of its obligations).
In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) stated that the Prophet ﷺ, along with his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), reached Makkah in 10 A.H., and assumed Ihraam for Hajj, i.e., that which came to be known later as Farewell Hajj. They entered Makkah on the morning of the fourth of Thoo al-Hijjah, intending to perform Hajj only, and did not intend on performing ‘Umrah as well. However, the Prophet ﷺ ordered his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them), who hadnot brought along the Hadiy, i.e., sacrificial animals: camels, cows, sheep, or goats, slaughtered in thesanctuary during Hajj, to change their intentions to Ihraam for ‘Umrah and end their Ihraam after performing Tawaaf (i.e.,circumambulation around the Ka‘bah) and Sa‘y (i.e., going back and forth between Mounts Al-Safaa and Al-Marwah) by shaving or cutting their hair. Afterward, they would be no longer in a state of Ihraam and it would be lawful to them to go to their wives (for sexual intercourse) until the time of Hajj. People began talking about this, perceiving it as very odd. The version recorded in Saheeh Muslim reads: “It was something inconceivable for them”, because people in the pre-Islamic era believed that it was invalid to perform ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj, and even perceived it as a heinous misdeed. Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) exclaimed, "Shall we go to Minaa while semen is dribbling from our male organs?" His question indicated that he (may Allah be pleased with him) disliked performing Hajj Al-Tamatu‘ because it involved engaging in sexual intercourse (after ending the state of Ihraam) until the time of Hajj. Minaa is a valley located near Al-Haram in Makkah where pilgrims stay during the Day of Tarwiyyah (i.e.,the 8th day of Thoo al-Hijjah) and Days of Tashreeq (i.e.,the 11th, 12th and 13th days of Thoo al-Hijjah) to throw the pebbles.
Jaabir (may Allah be pleased with him) further emphasized his disapproval of it by a hand gesture to indicate the semen dribbling from the male organs. When this news reached the Prophet ﷺ,he delivered a sermon stating that he ﷺ feared Allah, Exalted is He, more than those who perceived the performance of ‘Umrah during the months of Hajj as a heinous misdeed, but he ﷺ commanded them to do so, knowing that there was no sin involved in this act. He ﷺ added: “If I had known what I know now, I would not have brought the Hadiy (i.e., animal sacrifice in Hajj) with me,” meaning that if he ﷺ had known the permissibility of performing ‘Umrah during the Hajj months, he would not have brought along the Hadiy to Makkah, and would have intended to perform Hajj Al-Tamatu‘, to act contrary to the belief and practice of the people in the pre-Islamic era. He ﷺ added: “… and had the Hadiy not been with me, I would have ended my Ihraam,” meaning to end his state of Ihraam, because retaining the Ihraam impedes the change of intention from performing Hajj to ‘Umrah and then ending the state of Ihraam after performing it. What the Prophet ﷺ came to know referred to his knowledge of the hardship and inconvenience faced by his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) for changing their intention from performing Hajj to ‘Umrah on their own while he ﷺ did not, so much that they hesitated to do so, and even argued with him about it first! At that, Suraaqah ibn Maalik ibn Ju‘sham (may Allah be pleased with him) stood up and asked the Prophet ﷺ, "O Allah's Messengerﷺ!Is this permission for us only or is it forever?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ whether it was a special command for them in that particular incident, or a general ruling that applied to all Muslims henceforth. The Prophet ﷺ replied that Hajj Al-Tamatu‘ has been prescribed for all Muslims henceforward unto the Day of Judgment.
Afterward, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) stated that ‘Alee ibn Abee Taalib (may Allah be pleased with him) came from Yemen, since the Prophet ﷺ had sent him as a judge and Zakaah collector before the Farewell Hajj. He (may Allah be pleased with him) came to Makkah and assumed the state of Ihraam. The Prophet ﷺ asked him whether he (may Allah be pleased with him) had intended to perform Hajj or ‘Umrah, and he (may Allah be pleased with him) said that he had held the same intention as the Prophet ﷺ. He ﷺ had intended to perform Hajj Al-Qiraan (i.e.,a pilgrim assumes Ihraam for both ‘Umrah and Hajj, or he assumes Ihraam first for ‘Umrah, then makes his intention for Hajj before his Tawaaf for Hajj). The Prophet ﷺ commanded him to retain his Ihraam and let him share the Hadiy with him.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is permissible to assume Ihraam without specifying the type of Hajj a pilgrim is intending to perform, and that he may specify his intention later to perform Hajj only, Hajj Al-Tamatu‘, or Hajj Al-Qiraan.
.

2512
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
Allah's Messengerﷺ said, "A mortgaged animal can be used for riding as long as it is fed and the milk of the milch animal can be drunk according to what one spends on it. The one who rides the animal or drinks its milk should provide the expenditures."
.

Commentary :
Islam regulates the contracts and financial transactions between people to ensure that their wealth and interests are well-preserved, so that they should not wrong one another.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺoutlined the Laws of Islam ruling on mortgaged animals. A mortgage is a loan with a property guarantee or security. For example, a creditor takes a mortgaged property as a guarantee or security for a loan. If the debtor fails to repay the debt, the creditor takes back his loan from the mortgaged property. The Prophet ﷺunderlined that when an animal is mortgaged, its owner is allowed to use it for riding, but he must payfees for it. Moreover, he may drink from the milk of the mortgaged animal in exchange for feeding it and providing its needs during the period it is kept by him.
His saying, “The one who rides the animal or drinks its milk should provide the expenditures,” means that the mortgagee or anyone else keeping it with him as a trust, is allowed to ride and milk it as long as he provides the expenditures for its needs.
It is deduced from the hadeeth that a mortgagee is allowed to avail himself of the mortgaged property in return for providing the needed expenditures.
It is also inferred therefrom that a mortgagee may avail himself of the mortgaged property that does not need expenditure, such as clothes and lands..

2514
Ibn Abee Mulaykah narrated:
I wrote a letter to Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with them) and he wrote to me that the Prophet ﷺhad given the verdict that the defendant had to take an oath.
.

Commentary :
Islam has laid out foundations and rules that govern the litigation process to ensure that people would not wrong one another.
This hadeeth highlights a fundamental principle in the litigation process, namely that an oath is required of a defendant, whereas the provision of evidence is required of the plaintiff (i.e., the onus of proof is upon a claimant, and taking an oath is incumbent on those who deny). This means that when two parties dispute, and one of them claims that the other owes him money, the claimant (plaintiff) is obligated to bring forth evidence substantiating his claim. If he fails to bring forth evidence to prove it, the defendant is only required to take an oath to deny what the plaintiff claimed against him.
The wisdom behind requesting the plaintiff to support his claim with evidence, and the defendant to deny it by an oath is that the plaintiff’s stance is weak, because his claim is contrary to the outward appearance, and therefore he is requested to provide a strong argument, namely, a proof to substantiate his claim. On the other hand, the defendant’s stance is stronger, because the basic principle is that his liability is cleared from any given accusations (unless proven otherwise with supportive evidence). Therefore, a defendant is only required to present a weak argument, namely, an oath, because an oath-taker brings benefit for himself and wards off harm, and this reflects the great wisdom of the Laws of Islam in this regard..

2515
Aboo Wa’il narrated:
‘Abdullah (ibn Mas‘ood) said, "Whoever took a false oath in order to (unlawfully) take someone else's property will meet Allah, Exalted is He, while He is angry with him." Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah to confirm it; it reads (which means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]
Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays came to us and asked as to what Aboo ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan (i.e. Ibn Mas‘ood) was telling you." We related the story to him. On that, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "He has told the truth. This ayah was revealed about me. I had some dispute with another man regarding a well and we took the case before Allah's Messengerﷺ and he said (to me), "Produce two witnesses (to support your claim); otherwise, the defendant has the right to take an oath (to refute your claim).' I said, 'The defendant would not mind to take a false oath." Allah's Messengerﷺ then said, 'Whoever took a false oath in order to (unlawfully) take someone else's property will meet Allah, Exalted is He, while He is angry with him.' On that occasion, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the following ayah to confirm that (which means): {Indeed, those who exchange the covenant of Allah and their [own] oaths for a small price will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77] Al-Ash‘ath then recited the ayah.
 (See Hadeeth No. 546)
.

Commentary :
Inflicting harm on people is a reprehensible act in this worldly life, and it incurs on the doer loss and ruin in the Hereafter.
In this narration, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) made such a statement; the apparent indication of the narration suggests that it is a Mawqoof report (i.e., stopped at the level of the Companion), meaning Ibn Mas‘ood’s statement. However, it has also been narrated as a Marfoo‘ hadeeth (i.e., directly attributed to the Prophet ﷺ), recorded in Saheeh Al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim. This is further supported by the narration reported by Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) that whoever swears a false oath to (unlawfully) take someone’s wealth, will meet Allah, Exalted is He, while He is Angry with him. The Anger of Allah, Exalted is He, is not similar to the anger of His creation in the slightest. He Says (what means): {There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 42:11].To confirm this meaning, Allah, Exalted is He, revealed the ayah that reads (what means): {Those who exchange}, because the two parties of a sales transaction exchange a commodity for money, {the covenant of Allah},meaning the covenant they made to believe in the Prophet ﷺ and fulfill the trusts, {and their [own] oaths for a small price}, meaning their false oaths that they take to affirm desired statements or actions. The intended meaning is that they trade their covenants with Allah and oaths for the fleeing worldly gains and desires such as money, benefits, and other worldly gains. The price was described here as being ‘small’, to indicate its insignificance, for it was traded for breaching the covenant with Allah and taking a false oath. Therefore, it is fundamentally insignificant, no matter how significant it seemed from a worldly perspective, compared to winning the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, and fulfilling one’s covenants with Him. Afterward, Allah, Exalted is He, stated the punishment designated for the one who commits such a major sin. He Says (what means): {…will have no share in the Hereafter, and Allah will not speak to them or look at them on the Day of Resurrection, nor will He purify them; and they will have a painful punishment.} [Quran 3:77]. It means, ‘They shall have no share in the bliss that shall be tasted by the believers in the Hereafter and Allah, Exalted is He, will not speak to them about what would please them, but would rather say to them what will cause distress and disappointment to them. The ayah goes on, {or look at them on the Day of Resurrection}, meaning that He will not mercifully look at them, {nor will He purify them}, from sins and misdeeds by conferring upon them His forgiveness, nor shall He commend them like His righteous servants. Rather, He shall be angry with them and punish them for breaching their covenant with Him, {and they will have a painful punishment}, because of what they had committed.
Afterward, the Taabi’ee (a Muslim who saw at least one of the Companions) Aboo Waa’il Shaqeeq ibn Salamah said that Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him)came to them and asked as to what Aboo ‘Abd Al-Rahmaan (i.e. Ibn Mas‘ood) (may Allah be pleased with him) was telling them. They related the story to him. On that, he (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "He has told the truth. This ayah was revealed about me. I had some dispute with another man,” named Ma‘daan ibn Al-Aswad ibn Ma‘dee Karib Al-Kindee, regarding the ownership of a well. They brought the case before Allah's Messengerﷺ and he said to Al-Ash‘ath (may Allah be pleased with him), "Produce two witnesses (to support your claim),” because he (may Allah be pleased with him) was the one who claimed the ownership of the well and it was in the possession of and under the disposal of the other man. He ﷺ added: “… otherwise, the defendant has the right to take an oath (to refute your claim).”' Al-Ash‘ath (may Allah be pleased with him) said, 'The defendant would not mind to take a false oath.’ He (may Allah be pleased with him) meant that the defendant may indifferently take a false oath, and this indicates that Al-Ash‘ath had no evidence to support his claim. Afterward, he (may Allah be pleased with him) related the same hadeeth narrated by Ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him). It was recorded by Aboo Daawood that Al-Kindee, i.e., the defendant, was about to take the oath, when Allah's Messengerﷺ then said, 'Whoever took a false oath in order to (unlawfully) take someone else's property will meet Allah, Exalted is He, while He is Angry with him.' On that, he said: “It is his property.”
It is deduced from the hadeeth that the litigants may talk to each other.
It is also inferred therefrom that the burden of proof is upon the claimant (plaintiff), and an oath is obligated upon the defendant if he denies.
It also highlights the prohibition of unlawfully taking people’s wealth.
Furthermore, it underlines the reason of revelation for the ayaat on oaths in Aal ‘Imraan (chapter no. 3).
.

2517
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever frees a Muslim slave, Allah, Exalted is He, will save all the parts of his body from the Hellfire as he has freed the body-parts of the slave." Sa’eed ibn Marjanah said that he narrated that Hadeeth to ‘Alee ibn Al-Husayn and he freed his slave for whom ‘Abdullah ibn Ja‘far had offered him ten thousand Dirhams or one-thousand Dinars.
.

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam lauds and strongly encourages the manumission of slaves. Therefore, many rulings were prescribed to facilitate and encourage the manumission of slaves.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ underlined some virtues of the manumission of slaves. He ﷺ stated that whoever freed a Muslim male or female slave owned by him or others by paying its price and manumitting him or her, Allah, Exalted is He, would deliver him from Hellfire after deserving it; Allah would save all the parts of his body from the Hellfire, one by one, as he had freed the body-parts of the slave (and released him from slavery).
The hadeeth urges Muslims to free their Muslim slaves, and underlines the great reward of such an act..

2518
Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked the Prophet ﷺ, "What is the best deed?" He ﷺ replied, "To believe in Allah, Exalted is He, and to fight for His Cause." I then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He ﷺ replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master." I said, "If I cannot afford to do that, what should I do?" He ﷺ said, "Help an artisan or do good for an unskilled laborer." I said, "If I cannot do that, what should I do?" He ﷺ said, "Refrain from harming others for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good."
.

Commentary :
Given the keenness of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) on performing acts of obedience and what brought them closer to earning the pleasure of Allah, Exalted is He, they (may Allah be pleased with them) often asked the Prophet ﷺ about the best good deeds that would bring them closer to Allah, Exalted is He. The answers of the Prophet ﷺ differed according to the different characters and situations of the inquirers, and what was more beneficial to them.
In this hadeeth, Aboo Dharr Jundub ibn Junaadah Al-Ghifaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ, “What is the best deed?” He (may Allah be pleased with him) was asking about the most rewardable and beneficial good deeds, and the Prophet ﷺ replied with the most fundamental of all good deeds, namely, the belief in Allah, Exalted is He. Such belief means the decisive affirmation, absolute recognition, and full confession of the existence of Allah, Exalted is He, His Lordship, Divinity, Names and Attributes, and the fact that none but Him is worthy of worship, and the acceptance of all that the Prophet ﷺ told about his Lord, and the religion of Islam. Such belief is the best of all good deeds, and the greatest in the sight of Allah, Exalted is He, in terms of reward, because it is a precondition for the validity of all acts of worship, including: prayer, Zakaah, fasting, and others. He ﷺ then made mention of Jihaad, which is striving and fighting in the Cause of Allah to uphold His word, only for His sake rather than any other purpose. Jihaad is the best good deed, second to the belief in Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ because it involves sacrificing one’s life for the sake of Allah, Exalted is He.
Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) then asked, "What is the best kind of manumission (of slaves)?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to know the best (most rewardable) manumission of slaves, and he ﷺ replied, "The manumission of the most expensive slave and the most beloved by his master," meaning the slaves whose prices are the highest and who are the most valuable and beloved to their owners.
Aboo Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If I cannot afford to do that, what should I do?" He (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet ﷺ about any other ways to earn such great rewards if he could not afford the manumission of slaves. He ﷺ replied, "Help an artisan or do good for an unskilled laborer,” meaning to help an artisan do his work or do good for an unskilled laborer who has not mastered his craft.
AbooDharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked, "If I cannot do that, what should I do?" He ﷺ informed him of a simple act of which no one is incapable, namely to refrain from harming others. The least thing a Muslim is required to do is to abstain from harming others, to ensure his own safety and that of others. He ﷺ said, "Refrain from harming others, for this will be regarded as a charitable deed for your own good.”
The hadeeth highlights the diversity and abundance of good deeds that a Muslim may perform.
It is also deduced from the hadeeth that the best (and most rewardable) good deed ever is having a sound belief in Allah, Exalted is He.
It is inferred therefrom that the reward of an action is related to its benefit..

2521
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Whoever manumits a slave owned by two masters, should manumit him completely (not partially) if he is rich after having its price evaluated."
.

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islamhas assigned a special care to the manumission of slaves, urged Muslims to free their slaves, and facilitated its means (to ultimately free people from their condition of slavery). Therefore, it prescribes many laws and regulations encouraging and facilitating the manumission of slaves.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ enjoins whoever wanted to manumit his share of a jointly owned slave, to completely manumit him or her if he can afford the price of the other shares, based on the adequate price of the slave. Such a co-owner of the jointly owned male or female slave is obliged to pay the other co-owners the monetary value of their shares, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely and so that he becomes a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he is financially able to do so, he is enjoined to fairly assess the price of the slave and pay the other co-owners the monetary value of their shares, tomanumit the slave completely.
If he cannot afford it, then the slave will be partially manumitted.
In the same vein, it was narrated that on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “(Whoever manumits his share of a jointly owned slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price), and if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.
.

2525
Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him):
That he used to give his verdict regarding the male or female slaves owned by more than one master, one of whom may manumit his share of the slave. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say in such a case, "The manumitter should manumit the slave completely if he has sufficient money to pay the rest of the price of that slave (which is to be justly estimated) and the other shareholders are to take the price of their shares and the slave is freed (released from slavery)." Narrated Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) this verdict on the authority of the Prophet.ﷺ
.

Commentary :
The Islamic Laws of Islam assigned a special care to the manumission of slaves, urged Muslims to free their slaves and facilitated its means (to ultimately free people from their condition of slavery). Therefore, it prescribes many laws and regulations encouraging and facilitating the manumission of slaves.
In this hadeeth, Naafi‘, the freed slave of ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) used to issue his Fatwaa (i.e., give a scholarly opinion), narrating it on the authority of the Prophet ﷺ, regarding jointly owned male or female slaves when one of the co-owners wants to manumit his share. Regardless of having a big or small share, it is obligatory on the co-owner to completely manumit him or her if can afford the price of the other shares. Such a master of the jointly owned male or female slave is enjoined to pay the other co-owners the monetary value of their shares, if he can afford it, tomanumit the slave completely so that he becomes a free person. Being able to afford it here means having excess wealth beyond his needs and those of his dependents, including their basic needs such as accommodation, clothes, and the like. If he is financially able to do so, he is required to fairly assess the price of the slave and pay the other masters the monetary value of their shares, tomanumit the slave completely and release him from slavery.
In the same vein, it was narrated that on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet ﷺ said: “(Whoever manumits his share of a jointly owned slave, it is imperative for him to get that slave manumitted completely by paying the remaining price), and if he cannot afford it, then the price of the slave should be estimated justly, and he is to be allowed to work and earn the amount that will manumit him (without overburdening him).” [Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim]. This means that the partially manumitted slave may work and earn money to pay the rest of the price to free himself completely, provided that he must not be overburdened by work if he is unable to do so.
.

2528
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Allah, Exalted is He, has accepted my invocation to forgive what whispers in the hearts of my followers, unless they put it to action or verbalize it." (See hadeeth No. 657 Vol. 8)
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He, bestowed His abundant grace on Muslims, as reflected in the provisions of the Laws of Islam that promote ease and facilitation, the multiplication of their rewards, the forgiveness of sins, and pardoning the mistakes and faults of Muslims on many occasions, out of His grace and mercy.
This hadeeth highlights a manifestation of the divine mercy conferred on this nation, as the Prophet ﷺ stated that Allah, Exalted is He, pardoned Muslims and relieved them of the accountability and punishment regarding their sinful inner thoughts. They shall not be held accountable for sinful inner thoughts as long as they do not verbalize them or act upon them. This is a manifestation of the divine grace conferred on Muslims.

.

2531
Narrated Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him)
On my way to the Prophet ﷺ, I was reciting a poetic verse (which means): 'What a long tedious tiresome night! Nevertheless, it has saved us from the land of Kufr (disbelief).' I had a slave who ran away from me on the way. When I went to the Prophet ﷺ and gave the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) for embracing Islam, the slave showed up while I was still with the Prophet ﷺ who remarked, "O Aboo Hurayrah! Here is your slave!" I said, "I manumit him for Allah's Sake," and so I freed him.
.

Commentary : The Islamic Laws of Islam assigned a special care to the manumission of slaves, facilitated its causes, and lauded those who took the initiative to free their slaves, promising them  abundant reward. This is why the Companions of the Prophet (may Allah be pleased with them) and the righteous people in all times and places hastened to emancipate their slaves.
In this hadeeth, It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that when he went to the Prophet ﷺ from Yemen to Al-Madeenah, to proclaim his Islam, and this took place in 7 A.H., he (may Allah be pleased with him) recited the following poetic verse (which means): 'What a long tedious tiresome night! Nevertheless, it has saved us from the land of Kufr (disbelief).'
In this poetic verse, Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) described the toil and hardship that he had endured during his long night journey, but it paid off as it saved him from disbelief by proclaiming his Islam to the Prophet ﷺ.
He (may Allah be pleased with him) added: “I had a slave who ran away from me on the way. When I went to the Prophet ﷺ and gave the Bay‘ah (i.e., pledge of allegiance) for embracing Islam, the slave showed up while I was still with the Prophet ﷺ. The Bay‘ah here indicated the proclamation of one’s commitment to adhere to Islam and comply with its rulings and provisions.
After he (may Allah be pleased with him) gave the Bay‘ah to the Prophet ﷺ, his slave showed up. The Prophet ﷺ remarked, "O Aboo Hurayrah! Here is your slave!" It is possible that he (may Allah be pleased with him) had described him to the Prophet ﷺ and he ﷺ recognized him or that such information was imparted to him through divine revelation. It was narrated on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), "I manumit him for Allah's Sake," and so he freed him.
Another version recorded by Al-Bukhaaree reads: “He is for the Sake of Allah (i.e., free).” It is deduced from this hadeeth that when a master says about his slave, “He is for the sake of Allah,” or “He is free,” or any other statement that indicates his manumission, without explicitly saying that he was releasing him from slavery, while holding the intention of manumission, the slave is declared free as per the laws of Islam.
.

2535
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Allah's Messengerﷺ forbade the selling or donating the Walaa’ (lit., loyalty, meaning to maintain a relationship of patronage without pondage with one’s manumitter) of a freed slave.
.

Commentary :
The bond of Walaa’ (lit., loyalty, meaning to maintain a relationship of patronage without bondage with one’s manumitter)between a freed slave and his or her manumitter has been recognized by the Laws of Islam,and considered a strong relationship and bond like that of blood.
In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ forbadeselling or donating (the rights resulting from) the bond of Walaa’. The due rights established by theWalaa’ bond are established by the manumission of the slave. In the pre-Islamic era, people used to transfer (the rights that are established by virtue of) the Walaa’ bond by means of sale or otherwise, but the Islamic Laws of Islam forbade it. When someone manumitted a slave, the freed slave maintained a relationship of patronage without bondage with his or her manumitter, and certain financial rights were established by virtue of this bond, the most important of which was the right of inheritance. Whenever the freed slave died, leaving behind no eligible heirs, his or her manumitter inherited him by virtue of their Walaa’ relationship, which was held similar to that of a blood bond in terms of the relevant financial rights. This is why the Prophet ﷺ forbade selling such rights for a payment or donating it to other than the actual manumitter, because the bond of Walaa’ was held similar to the blood bond;it may not be sold or donated. Moreover, another reason is that freedom (manumission) is one of the greatest favors; a manumitter offers the freed slave the greatest favor by releasing him or her from slavery, and earns the rights of Walaa’ in return, because it is associated with his favor for the freed slave, and it cannot be transferred to anyone other than the manumitter.
The hadeeth highlights that Islam preaches compassion and mercy for slaves; the Laws of Islam exclusively grants the manumitter the rights of Walaa’ and forbids transferring them to anyone else by means of sale or otherwise.
.

2537
Narrated Anas (may Allah be pleased with him):
Some men of the Ansaar asked for the permission of Allah's Messenger ﷺ and said, "Allow us to give up the ransom from our nephew Al-‘Abbaas. The Prophet ﷺ said (to them), "Do not leave (even) a Dirham (of his ransom).”.

Commentary :
Al-‘Abbaas ibn ‘Abd Al-Muttalib (may Allah be pleased with him), the maternal uncle of the Prophet ﷺ, partook in the Battle of Badr with the polytheists of Quraysh and was taken prisoner by the Muslims. The Prophet ﷺ demanded ransom for the release of the prisoners of war, and Al-‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) paid the ransom for himself.
In this hadeeth, Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that some men from the Ansaar wanted to return the ransom paid by Al-‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) out of reverence for the Prophet ﷺ. They said to the Prophet ﷺ, “Allow us to give up the ransom from our nephew Al-‘Abbaas.” They referred to him as their ‘nephew’ because they were the maternal relatives of his father ‘Abd Al-Muttalib, because the mother of ‘Abd Al-Muttalib was Salmaa bint ‘Amr ibn Uhayhah who belonged to Banee Al-Najjaar. They did not wish to say, ‘Allow us to give up the ransom for your maternal uncle,’ and rather referred to him as their nephew, to indicate that they were asking the Prophet ﷺ for a favor rather than doing him a favor!
However, the Prophet ﷺ refused and rather said (to them), "Do not leave (even) a Dirham (of his ransom).” He ﷺ did not allow them to give up any part of his ransom lest there should be favoritism in Islam, and Al-‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) was rich. The ransom was taken from him and distributed to the eligible recipients of the spoils of war.
The hadeeth highlights the Prophet’s keenness on serving the best interests of Muslims and his love for them.

.

2541
Ibn ‘Awn narrated:
I wrote a letter to Naafi‘ and he wrote in reply to my letter that the Prophet ﷺ had attacked Banee Mustaliq without a prior warning while they were heedless and their cattle were being watered at the places of water. Their fighting men were killed and their women and children were taken as captives; the Prophet ﷺ got Juwayriyah on that day. Naafi‘ said that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) had told him the above narration and that Ibn ‘Umar was in that army.
.

Commentary :
Allah, Exalted is He,has prescribed Jihaad to support His religion, and this religious obligation shall remain binding until the Day of Resurrection, and nothing will abrogate it. A group of the believers shall continue to adhere to the truth (i.e., by upholding the obligation of Jihaad) and will be supported by Allah, Exalted is He, to strive for what is right, and will be granted triumph.
In this hadeeth, ‘AbdullahIbn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺhad attacked Banee Mustaliq, a branch of Khuzaa‘ah tribe, in 5 A.H., and the battle came to be known as Banee Al-Mustaliq or Al-Muraysee‘, the name of the well where the battle took place.
Upon hearing that they were preparing to attack Muslims, the Prophet ﷺ proactively attacked them without prior warning while they were heedless, although the basic principle is that Muslims must warn enemies before attacking them, but since the call of Islam had become widespread at that point and people were well-informed of Islam, this sufficed and there was no need for a prior warning. Being heedless to the Muslims’ attack, their cattle were being watered at the places of water; they did not take any precautions. The Prophet ﷺ fought them; their fighting men were killed and their women and children were taken as captives. The Prophet ﷺ got Juwayriyah bint Al-Haarith (may Allah be pleased with her) on that day and married her. Her father was the chief of his people. It was said that she was among the share of Thaabit ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) and she bought her freedom through Mukaatabah (i.e., a contract of manumission between a master and a slave whereby the slave is required to pay a certain sum of money during a specific time period in exchange for freedom). The Prophet ﷺ approved her Mukaatabah and married her. Out of courtesy to the Prophet ﷺ, Muslims freed the captives from her people, the Prophet’s in-laws. There was no woman whose blessing shined on her people like her (i.e., they regained their freedom because of her).
It is deduced from the hadeeth that it is allowable to attack enemy fighters without prior warning.
It is also inferred therefrom that it is allowable to take Arab captives as prisoners of war and retain ownership of them,as is the case with non-Arab captives.
It is also deuced that only the adult enemy fighters may be killed during battles, and that women and children may not be killed, and may be only seized as prisoners of war.
.

1591
Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on the Day of Khaybar, making deals with the Jews with the Wuqiyyah of gold for two or three dinars, whereupon the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: Do not sell gold for gold except weight for weight..

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, 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.
In this Hadīth, Fadālah ibn ‘Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that they were with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in the Battle of Khaybar in 7 AH. They were making deals with the Jews and buying from them one Wuqiyyah of gold worth forty silver dirhams for "two or three dinars", and the dinar was equal to 12 dirhams. It could mean they were selling one' Uqiyyah of gold, beads, and others for two or three dinars. It is known that this amount of pure gold is not to be sold for two or three dinars, and this was the reason why the Companions made such a transaction, as they thought it was permissible because the gold was mixed with other things. However, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade them from selling gold for gold "except weight for weight," i.e., each must be equal to the other in terms of weight without any addition or surplus.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus)..

1592
Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah reported: That he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and said to him: Sell it then buy with it barley. The servant went and took one Sā‘ and part of a Sā‘. When he came to Ma‘mar, he informed him of that, whereupon, Ma‘mar said to him: Why did you do that?! Go ahead and return it and do not take except like for like, as I used to hear the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: Food for food, like for like. He said: Our food at that time was barley. It was said to him: It is not like it. He said: I am afraid that it could be similar..

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, 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 Sā‘ of wheat for two Sā‘s thereof, or one hundred grams of gold for one hundred and ten grams thereof.
In this Hadīth, Ma‘mar ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Nadlah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that he sent his servant with one Sā‘ of wheat and ordered him to sell it for cash, i.e., for dirhams and dinars, then buy barley with its price. The boy went and bought one Sā‘ of barley and part of a Sā in return for the wheat directly without selling the wheat first and then buying the barley with its price. Perhaps he did that because buying barley was the goal and it was achieved by this.
When the servant returned to Ma‘mar, he informed him of what he had done, i.e., selling one Sā‘ of wheat for one Sā‘ and more of barley. Ma‘mar asked him: Why did you do that?! This is an objecting question. Then, he ordered him to return and bring back the wheat and return the barley and not to take the barley from him except like for like in terms of weight. Then, he clarified to him the reason for returning the extra barley, as he heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Food for food," i.e., when selling one of them for another, it should be "like for like," i.e., in terms of weight and amount without any addition or surplus, and the two foods here refer to those of the same type, as it was mentioned in a version in Sahīh Muslim Collection that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If these classes differ, sell as you wish as long as payment is made hand to hand."
Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "Our food at that time was barley," i.e., it was the staple food during the time of the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). Some of those who were present objected that barley and wheat are not of the same type, i.e., wheat and barley are two different types, therefore, surplus between them is not unlawful. Ma‘mar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I am afraid that it could be similar," i.e., a similar case. In other words, he was afraid it was included among the similar types and, thus, should have the same ruling of the prohibition of Riba since wheat and barley are close and each of them is called food. He (may Allah be pleased with him) did this out of religious prudence and as a precautionary measure.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It shows how the Companions were cautious not to fall into committing what is unlawful..

1594
Abu Nadrah reported: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf (currency exchange), and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. I informed Abu Sa‘īd about it, saying: I asked Ibn' Abbās about Sarf, and he said: Is it hand to hand? I said: Yes. He said: There is no harm in it. He said: Did he say that?! We will write to him not to give you this Fatwa (legal opinion). He said: By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) brought dry dates, but he rejected them and said: It seems those are not from the dry dates of our land. He said: This year, there was something wrong with the dry dates of our land - or with our dry dates - so I took that and made some addition, whereupon he said: You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this. If you have doubts about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like..

Commentary : Riba (usury) is one of the gravest major sins. The Shariah has forbidden all sales that involve a possibility of Riba and has permitted lawful sales that are free of Riba. The pre-Islamic era of ignorance was swarming with Riba-based sales, so Islam rectified and refined such sale transactions.
In this Hadīth, the Tābi‘i Abu Nadrah al-Mundhir ibn Mālik al-‘Abdi narrates that he asked the Companion ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) about Sarf, which is selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus and an addition in the taken or given item, like selling a dinar for two dinars or a dirham for two dirhams; whether it is a Riba-based sale or not. Ibn ‘Abbās answered by saying that it is not Riba in case it is exchanged hand to hand, i.e., at the time that the act of selling took place. Ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) did not deem selling an item for another of the same type with a surplus Riba, and he believed that Riba is not unlawful except in case of a deferred payment.
So, Abu Nadrah informed Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) about the Fatwa of Ibn ‘Abbās, whereupon Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) told him that he would write to Ibn ‘Abbās not to give such a Fatwa and would review it with him, clarify the truth, and advise him. Then, Abu Sa‘īd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated his supporting reference and evidence in forbidding the Riba of surplus and addition. He swore and said: "By Allah, some of the boys of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)," who are the servants, "brought dry dates, but he rejected them," the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) rejected them because they were not from the dry dates produced by their land and not the ones known among them. It was said to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him): This year, the dry dates of Madīnah were of bad quality. So, the servant took some of the bad dry dates and exchanged them for others and brought those good dry dates to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in return for the defective ones and gave the buyer an excess in the weight and amount of the defective dry dates. Thereupon, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "You made an addition! You committed Riba (usury)! Do not approach this," i.e., what you did and the addition you made in the weight is from Riba. So, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from eating from the dry dates he had brought. Then, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to him by way of teaching: "If you find some doubt about your dry dates, sell them and then buy the dry dates you like," thus, the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) forbade him from taking dry dates for dry dates. So, if there was something wrong with his dry dates, he should first sell them for money, then buy with that money whatever he liked of the dry dates, and there should be no surplus between the two.
It seems that Ibn ‘Abbās gave that Fatwa of permissibility based on the apparent indication of the Prophet's statement mentioned in the two Sahīh Collections: "Riba is only in Nasī’ah (deferred payment)." This apparently indicates exclusiveness, as if he said: There is no Riba except in the deferred payment. However, there is a report in the Sahīh Muslim Collection indicating that Ibn ‘Abbās reconsidered his stance regarding his Fatwa, as Abu as-Sahbā’ narrated: "That he asked Ibn ‘Abbās about it in Makkah, and he disliked it," i.e., he disliked the permissibility of surplus in Sarf.
The Hadīth highlights the prohibition of Riba al-Fadl (usury of surplus).
It indicates the invalidity of the transaction that involves Riba.
It highlights the fact that the Shariah rulings are to be sought only through the Qur‘an and the Sunnah.
It shows how the Companions used to correct each other whenever they made a mistake..