Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺasked Gabriel, "Why don't you visit us more often than you do?" Then the following Holy Verse was revealed (in this respect):-- {And we (angels) descend not but by the order of your Lord. To Him belong what is before us and what is behind us, and what is between those two, and your Lord was never forgetful} ." (19.64)
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺwould long to meeting Gabriel more often; therefore, he ﷺ encouraged him to visit him more often when he asked him: “Why don't you visit us more often than you do?” This is because the Prophet ﷺ hoped that Gabriel would come down to him with revelation more often, as he longed to hear the Words of Allah, Exalted be He.Thereupon, Allah, Most High, revealed: {We only descend by the command of your Lord. To Him belongs whatever is before us, and whatever is behind us, and everything in between. And your Lord is never forgetful.} [Quran 19:64].Angels come down with revelation only by Allah’s command, for He knows whatever is before them, and whatever is behind them; we do not move from one place to another except by Allah’s command and do not descend at any time except by Allah’s command. He knows everything, and nothing escapes His knowledge, for He transcends forgetfulness and heedlessness.

This hadeeth shows that one should ask the righteous to visit him at home to benefit from their company.

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3219

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Gabriel read the Quran to me in one way, and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways."
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Commentary : The Prophet ﷺ would teach his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) the Quran and help them to master it perfectly. He ﷺ would recite it to them in different ways corresponding to many different dialects of Arabs in order to facilitate its recitation for Muslims.

In this hadeeth, the Prophetﷺ mentions that Gabriel (peace be upon him) - the angel that conveys Allah’s revelation to His Prophets and Messengers – would send down the Quran to him and recite it to him in one way. However, the Prophet ﷺ continued to ask Gabriel to recite it for him in other ways until he recited it to him in seven different ways upon receiving the order from Allah, the Exalted, to make its recitation easier for his nation. Whoever recites the Quran in any of the seven ways, his recitation is accepted and valid.

The scholars differed on the intended meaning of the seven different ways, and there are many views. The most likely correct ones are that they refer to seven Arab dialects, seven different aspects of words that give the same meaning, or they are seven different ways that are nothing more.

This hadeeth proves the Prophet ﷺ recited the Quran in different ways..

3220

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺwas the most generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan when the angel Gabriel used to meet him. Angel Gabriel used to meet him every night in Ramadan to teach him the Quran. Allah's Messengerﷺused to become more generous than the fast wind when he met angel,Gabriel..

Commentary : Generosity is of different levels, the highest of which is extravagant generosity, where a person gives others without being asked to. The Prophet ﷺ was the most extravagant giver and most generous person.

In this hadeeth, Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ was the most generous of all the people, and he used to be more generous in the month of Ramadan. He was like that in Ramadan because he would meet the archangel Gabriel (peace be upon him) – the angel that conveys Allah’s revelation to His Prophets and Messengers – and he wouldrevisethe Quran he memorised with the angel Gabriel. Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allah be pleased with him) remarks that the Prophet ﷺ was more generous,even more than the seasonal wind that Allah sends todrive clouds to bring forthrainand mercy.

It is reported that Gabriel (peace be upon him) used to revise the Quran with the Prophet ﷺ once a year, but that he did it twice in the year during which he ﷺpassed away.

The hadeeth encourages us to be generous at all times and shows us that visiting righteous people and sitting with them brings forth goodness and piety.

It highlights that one should be more generous in his giving and recite the Quran more than usual during the month of Ramadan.

The hadeeth highlights the virtue of Ramadan and encourages us to revise and study the Quran..

3226

Narrated Aboo Talhah: The Prophetﷺsaid, "The Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a picture."
Busr said, "Later on, Zayd ibn Khaalid fell ill, and we called on him. To our surprise, we saw a curtain decorated with pictures in his house. I said to Ubaydullah Al-Khawlaanee, "Didn't he (i.e. Zayd) tell us about the (prohibition of) pictures?" He said, "But he excepted the embroidery on garments. Didn't you hear him?" I said, "No." He said, "Yes, he did."
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Commentary : Angels are honoured creatures that do not disobey Allah at all and obey all His orders; thus, their presence in any place brings forth blessings to the people of the place.

In this hadeeth, Aboo Talhah al-Ansaaree (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet ﷺ said: “The Angels do not enter a house wherein there is a picture.” The angels referred to in this hadeeth are those who convey Allah’s mercy and blessings and ask Allah’s forgiveness for people; they are not the recording angels. The pictures referred to in the hadeeth are the images of humans and animals and not inanimate beings and plants.The reason angels do not enter a house that contains a picture or a dog is that such pictures are forbidden, and they imitate the creation of Allah, the Exalted.

Then the Taabi’ee Busr ibn Sa’eed, the sub-narrator of this hadeeth, mentioned that Zayd ibn Khaalid fell ill after he narrated to them this hadeeth and that he went with ‘Ubaydullah al-Khawlaanee to visit him. To their surprise, they found a curtain decorated with pictures in his house. ‘Ubaydullah clarified to Busr that Zayd ibn Khaalid added that the Prophet ﷺ excepted embroidery on garments. ‘Ubaydullah asked if he had heard it, but Busr replied that he had not. Thereupon, ‘Ubaydullah confirmed to him that he had narrated it. It has been said there is an exception due to the necessity for people to have garments and that some images are allowed in objects thatare not treated with respect since even the ignorant will not glorify that which is not treated with respect. The opposite has been said for objects that are treated with respect, considered a luxury and not a necessity,or that which remains permanently like engraving images into rocks and making sculptures;that they are forbidden and imitate the creation of Allah. .

3227

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar: Once Gabriel promised the Prophetﷺ (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."
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Commentary : Angels are assigned different roles, duties, and functions. One kind of them accompany people all the time, and their duty is to record all of our good and bad deeds. Andthey are the ones referred to in the Quran: {not a word does a person utter without having a (vigilant) observer ready ˹to write it down˺} [Quran 50:18]. Other angels are assigned to bring down Allah’s mercy and blessings upon people who engage in Allah’s remembrance.

In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the archangel Gabriel (peace be upon him) – who is assigned to send down Allah’s revelation to His Prophets and Messengers – promised the Prophet ﷺ to visit him at a specific time, as further explained in Saheeh al-Bukhaaree, but he did not show up. Afterwards, when the Prophet ﷺ asked him about it, he explained that angels do not enter a house that contains dogs or pictures (explained as being of living beings like animals and humans). This does not include the pictures of creatures that have no soul, like plants and inanimate beings.

It is reported on the authority of Aboo Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Jibreel came to me and said: "Indeed I had come to you last night, and nothing prevented me from entering upon you at the house you were in, except that there were images of men at the door of the house, and there was a curtain screen with images on it, and there was a dog in the house. So go and sever the head of the image that is at the door so that it will become like a tree stump and go, and cut the screen and make two throw-cushions to be sat upon, and go and expel the dog." So, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ did so.” [Sunan Aboo Dawood and Sunan al-Tirmithee]. According to the report in Sunan al-Nisaa’iee, it reads: “You should either cut off their heads or make it into a rug to be stepped on.” It is said that the reason angels do not enter a house that contains a picture or a dog is that such pictures are forbidden, and they imitate the creation of Allah, the Exalted. For that reason, the one who commits such a sin is punished by the disallowance of angels to enter his house; thus, he is deprived of their blessing, prayers, and protection from the evil of Satan. Likewise, angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog, and this seems applicable to all types of dogs, including those that we are allowed to keep, like hunting and security dogs – since they are not meant to be kept inside the house. The house that angels visit and enter basks in serenity and security as it gives a sign that it is a house of goodness and Imaan..

5065

Narrated ‘Alqamahh: While I was with `Abdullah, `Uthmaan met him at Minaa and said, "O Aboo `Abd al-Rahmaan! I have something to say to you." So, both of them went aside, and `Uthmaan said, "O Aboo `Abd al-Rahmaan! Shall we marry you to a virgin who will make you remember your past days?" When `Abdullah felt that he was not in need of that, he beckoned me (to join him), saying, "O ‘Alqamah!" Then I heard him saying (in reply to `Uthmaan), "As you have said that I tell you that the Prophetﷺonce said to us, 'O young people! Whoever among you is able to marry should marry, and whoever is not able to marry is recommended to fast, as fasting diminishes his sexual power.
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Commentary : Islam is the religion of tolerance and uprightness that considers the innate nature of humans and thus legislates the appropriate means to fulfil their needs. It neither demands us to suppress our sexual desires nor to unleash them without constraints like animals.

In this hadeeth, the Taab’iee ‘Alqamah ibn Qays al-Nakh’iee reports that he was walking with ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with him) in Minaa, as reported in Sunan Aboo Dawood. Minaa is a valley located near the Haram of Makkah wherein pilgrims spend the night of the Day of Tarwiyah,stay during the days of Tashreeq, and perform the rite of throwing stones. While they were walking, they encountered ‘Uthmaan ibn ‘Affaan,who asked Ibn Mas’ood (may Allah be pleased with them) to talk with him in private. They went aside, and ‘Uthmaan suggested to marry Ibn Mas’ood to a virgin girl, as doing so would revive his strength and better his condition. It is said that ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) suggested it only after he noticed his austerity and rough clothing, as he believed he was in that condition because he had no wife to look after him and entertain him. However, Ibn Mas’ood showed no interest, and so he called ‘Alqamah to join them after their private conversation ended.

Ibn Mas’ood then quoted to ‘Uthmaan(may Allah be pleased with them) a hadeeth he had heard from the Prophet ﷺ that he found relevant to their conversation, which encourages youth to marry as soon as they are able to. The reason the Prophet ﷺ addressed the youth is that theirsex drive is often so high compared to older people. The ability to marry includes both financial and physical ability,i.e. whoever is physically capable and can afford the expenses and cost of marriage, should marry because there is no celibacy in Islam. It is reported in another authentic hadeeth that marriage “protects eyes from looking at that which is unlawful and safeguards one from adultery.” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim]. The Prophet ﷺ explained that marriage helps a person to lower his gaze and abstain from sinful interactions with women.However, as he ﷺ understood that not every young person can afford it, he ﷺ directed those who lack the means to fast because it wouldweaken his sexual power and keep him from acting upon his sexual desires. The Arabic word used in the hadeeth to describe the power of fasting is Wijaa, which is an Arabic word that literally means a form of castration – that is to say,fastingis as effective as castration. With that said, whoever fasts often, his sexual desires will be tamed because the strength of lust depends on food (i.e. physical strength).

This hadeeth shows that a man suggests to his friend to marry and suggest it in private. It shows the mutual love and respect between the Companions.

It encourages marrying young women as it is [often] more satisfying,they are more attractive and fun to men, and they are more flexible to adapt and learn from their husbands.

It shows that it is permissible to tame our sex drive through means that keep it under control and does not eliminate it completely.

It highlights the virtue of fasting..

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..

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..

Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Gabriel read the Quran to me in one way, and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways."
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Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar: Once Gabriel promised the Prophetﷺ (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."
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Book of Hadith

| Hadiths

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Gabriel read the Quran to me in one way, and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways." .

Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar: Once Gabriel promised the Prophetﷺ (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog." .

Narrated Ibn `Abbaas(may Allah be pleased with him): Allah's Messengerﷺsaid, "Gabriel read the Quran to me in one way, and I continued asking him to read it in different ways till he read it in seven different ways."
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Narrated ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar: Once Gabriel promised the Prophetﷺ (that he would visit him, but Gabriel did not come) and later on he said, "We, angels, do not enter a house which contains a picture or a dog."
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