| Hadiths

Bukhari Hadiths 1356
Muslim Hadiths 558

Hadith

126

It was narrated that al-Aswad said: Ibn al-Zubayr said to me: ‘A’ishah used to tell many things exclusively to you; what did she tell you about the Kaaba? I said: She told me that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “O ‘A’ishah, were it not that your people only recently left disbelief behind, I would have demolished the Kaaba [and rebuilt it], and I would have given it two doors, a door for the people to enter and a door for them to exit.” And Ibn al-Zubayr did that..

Commentary : The Kaaba is the House of Allah on earth and the qiblah of the Muslims. Allah has honoured it, caused people to hold it in high esteem and love it, and has made it a destination for the Hajj.
In this hadith, the Tabi’i al-Aswad ibn Yazid al-Nakha‘i narrates that ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr said to him: ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) used to narrate some hadiths exclusively to you. ‘Abdullah asked him what she had told him about the Kaaba, and he told ‘Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr that she had narrated to him what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had said about demolishing and rebuilding the Kaaba. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) wanted to demolish it and rebuild it, giving it two doors, a door through which the people could enter and another through which they could exit. But he did not do that, because Quraysh used to venerate the Kaaba greatly, so he was afraid that – because they had only recently left disbelief behind and entered Islam – they might think that he was changing its structure so that he could have exclusive honour and pride in that regard.
This change was in fact made by Ibn al-Zubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), meaning that he rebuilt the Kaaba in the manner that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had wanted. Then al-Hajjaj came and put it back as it had been, and those who came after him left it as it was, for fear that the people might start to tinker with the Kaaba, repeatedly demolishing it and rebuilding it, which would undermine the esteem in which people held it.
This hadith indicates that a matter that serves some interest may be abandoned lest it lead to some evil consequences.
It indicates that one may refrain from objecting to a reprehensible action lest doing so lead to something even more reprehensible.
It indicates that if, in the running of his people’s affairs, the ruler is faced with two options, he should choose that which best serves their interests, even if it is not the best option, so long as it is not haram.
It indicates that the ruler may strive to soften the hearts of his subjects so that they will not be resentful, and he should avoid what he fears could lead to them developing resentment, so long as that does not involve failing to do something that is enjoined in Islamic teachings..

127

‘Ali said: Speak to people at the level they can comprehend; do you want Allah and His Messenger to be rejected?.

Commentary : People’s ability to understand issues and make sense of them varies. Part of the scholar’s insight and proper understanding is that he should speak to each individual and group at the level that their minds can grasp and will not be put off by.
In this report, the Commander of the Faithful, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) advises us to speak to people at their intellectual level about issues that they will be able to understand, and to refrain from talking about that which will be confusing for them and difficult to understand, lest that lead to them rejecting what Allah and His Messenger said, and not believing them. If people hear something that their minds cannot comprehend, they will quickly reject it. Hence the scholar can use various approaches to present his knowledge when speaking to people. So he should speak to ordinary people in a manner that they can understand, then speak exclusively to intelligent people and seekers of knowledge about some subtle matters, and explain them to them.
This hadith indicates that one should pay attention to the circumstances of the audience and their ability to understand.
It also indicates that we should choose a clear and straightforward approach when calling people to Islam..

128

It was narrated from Anas ibn Malik that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said, when Mu‘adh was riding behind him on his mount: “O Mu‘adh ibn Jabal!” He said: Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “O Mu‘adh!” He said: Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah. That happened three times. He said: “There is no one who bears witness that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, sincerely from the heart, but Allah will forbid him to the Fire.” Mu‘adh said: Should I not tell the people about that, so that they will be of good cheer? He said: “Then they would rely on that [and not strive].” But Mu‘adh narrated it before he died, for fear of incurring sin [by withholding knowledge]..

Commentary : The testimony of Tawhid is a matter of great virtue, by means of which a person enters Islam and exits disbelief, and by virtue of it he will be saved on the Day of Resurrection from abiding forever in the Fire.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates something that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), when he was riding behind the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) on his mount. The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) called out to Mu‘adh, repeating the call three times, to highlight the importance of what he was going to tell him. Each time, Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) responded by saying: Labbayka ya Rasulallah wa sa‘dayk (Here I am at your service, O Messenger of Allah). In other words, I respond to you, O Messenger of Allah, time after time; or, I am adhering to obedience to you time after time, seeking bliss and well-being in this world and the hereafter each time I respond to you. This means that he was responding to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and affirming his willingness to obey him in whatever instructions he gave him. As Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) responded well and listened attentively, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him that there is no one who testifies that none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, so none is worshipped rightfully except Him, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, sincerely from the heart, but Allah will forbid him to the Fire, meaning that He will forbid him to abide therein forever. The phrase “sincerely from the heart” means that what matters is that saying and uttering the twin declaration of faith (al-shahadatayn) should be based on what one believes in the heart. This is by way of excluding the hypocrite, because the words of the twin declaration of faith will not benefit the hypocrite on the Day of Resurrection, for he did not say these words sincerely from the heart. Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) to let him tell the people about this, so that they would rejoice and be of good cheer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was concerned lest the people rely on it, and therefore strive less and do fewer acts of worship. So Mu‘adh did not narrate it to anyone until just before he died, for fear of falling into the sin of withholding knowledge.
It was said that the apparent meaning of the report indicates that all those who utter the twin declaration of faith will not enter the Fire, because of the general and emphatic meaning of the hadith, but the definitive proof of Ahl al-Sunnah indicates that a group of believers who sinned will be punished in the Fire for the sins that they committed, then they will be brought forth from the fire through intercession.
This hadith gives great glad tidings to those who affirm the oneness of Allah that if the one who committed major sins dies affirming the oneness of Allah, he will not abide in the Fire forever.
It also indicates that there are some types of knowledge that may be told to all people, and some types that may be given only to the elite.
It highlights the humbleness of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
It highlights the high status of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) in terms of knowledge, because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told some knowledge exclusively to him.
It indicates that words may be repeated for a purpose and to make a point.
It indicates that one may respond by saying, Labbayka wa sa‘dayk (here I am at your service)..

129

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: I was told that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said to Mu‘adh ibn Jabal: “Whoever meets Allah not associating anything with Him will enter Paradise.” He said: Should I not tell the people this good news? He said: “No, for I fear that they will rely on that [and stop striving].”.

Commentary : The heart cannot be sound unless it is completely free of shirk, which is contrary to Tawhid, because the worst type of wrongdoing and evil in this world is shirk or associating others with Allah, for that is the cause of a person abiding forever in the Fire.
In this hadith, Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) that whoever dies as a believer, associating nothing with Allah, in the sense that he worships Allah alone, knowing that none is rightfully worshipped except Him, and believing this in his heart, as indicated by these reports, will enter Paradise by the grace of Allah, either straight away or after being punished, but this does not include the hypocrites. Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) asked him to let him tell the people about that so that they might rejoice and be of good cheer, but the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told him not to do that, for fear that they would rely on that and would strive less and do fewer acts of worship. According to the report narrated by al-Bukhari, Mu‘adh (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated this hadith just before he died, for fear of falling into the sin of withholding knowledge.
This hadith highlights the virtue of Tawhid and the danger of shirk.
It indicates that that there are some types of knowledge that may be told to all people, and some types that may be given only to the elite.
It highlights the status and knowledge of Mu‘adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him), because the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told some knowledge exclusively to him.
It indicates that it is prescribed for the seeker of knowledge to ask about that concerning which he is not certain.
It also gives great glad tidings to those who affirm the oneness of Allah..

130

It was narrated that Umm Salamah said: Umm Sulaym came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and said: O Messenger of Allah, Allah is not too shy to tell the truth; does a woman have to do ghusl if she has an erotic dream? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “[Yes], if she sees water.” Umm Salamah covered her face, and said: O Messenger of Allah, can a woman have an erotic dream? He said: “Yes, may your hands be rubbed with dust. How else would her child resemble her?”.

Commentary : All shyness (haya’) is good, for it is part of faith and is one of the praiseworthy characteristics that both men and women should seek to acquire.
In this hadith, Zaynab, the daughter of Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her), narrates that Umm Sulaym – who was the mother of Anas ibn Malik and the wife of Talhah ibn ‘Ubaydillah (may Allah be pleased with them all) – came to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the presence of Umm Salamah, the wife of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). She introduced her question by saying: Allah is not too shy to tell the truth, so He would not refrain from explaining the truth and making it clear. That was because what she was going to say to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was something that women usually feel too shy to mention in the presence of men. Then she asked her question: Does a woman have to do ghusl if she has an erotic dream, and sees in her dream that a man is having intercourse with her? The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by saying that ghusl is required of her if she sees “water”, meaning discharge, when she wakes up. If she does not see it, then she does not have to do ghusl. Umm Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) covered her face out of embarrassment at this question, because the emission of a discharge in women is indicative of strong desire for men, and she asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in astonishment: Can a woman have an erotic dream? In other words, can a woman see discharge and have an erotic dream like men? He answered: Yes, a woman may have an erotic dream and see discharge. Then he said to her: “May your hands be rubbed with dust,” meaning: May you become poor and left with nothing. This was a saying among the Arabs, but they did not mean it literally as a prayer against the one to whom it was addressed. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: How else would her child resemble her? In other words, for what other reason would her child resemble her, if she did not emit a discharge of her own? The discharge of the man is thick and white, and the discharge of the woman is thin and yellow. It was narrated that whichever of the two discharges overwhelms the other, the child will resemble that parent.
This hadith indicates that there is no need to feel shy when seeking knowledge and asking questions about religion, because it is truth.
It highlights the fact that women emit discharge and may see erotic dreams like men, and because of this discharge the child may resemble the mother.
It also indicates that it is enjoined for the one who has an erotic dream to do ghusl if he (or she) sees “water” (discharge) after waking up.
And it indicates that the child may resemble his father or his mother..

131

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “Among trees, there is one tree whose leaves do not fall, and it is like the Muslim. Tell me what it is.” The people started listing the trees of the desert. ‘Abdullah said: It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I felt too shy to say anything. Then they said: Tell us what it is, O Messenger of Allah. He said: “It is the palm tree.” ‘Abdullah said: I told my father about what had occurred to me, and he said: If you had said it, that would have been dearer to me than such and such..

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was a wise teacher and great educator. He used to give likenesses to the people to explain some ideas.
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) asked his companions about the tree whose leaves do not fall, which he likened to the Muslim. They started to think only about trees of the desert, each of them listing different types of desert trees, but the palm tree completely slipped their minds. Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) thought to himself that it was the palm tree, but he was too shy to mention what he had in mind, out of respect for the senior Sahabah present, who could not give the right answer. So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) gave them the answer, telling them that it was the palm tree. The palm tree is like the Muslim in the sense that it offers a great deal of goodness: it constantly offers shade (because it does not lose its leaves), it bears good fruit, and it offers many other benefits. It is full of benefits, goodness and beauty. Similarly, the believer is all good because he does many acts of worship, has good characteristics, and persists in doing righteous deeds, giving charity and doing all kinds of good deeds. So it is as if he never stops doing good, so he constantly does good deeds just as the leaves of the palm tree are always there, then it gives fruits at the right time.
Then ‘Abdullah told his father, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) of what had occurred to him, that it was the palm tree, but he had felt too shy to mention that. His father said to him: If you had said it and told the Messenger (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that it is the palm tree, that would have been dearer to me than having such and such; in other words, then being given such and such, such as red camels, for example. Ibn Hibban added in his Sahih: I think he said: Red camels. ‘Umar only wished for that so that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would offer supplication for his son, and he would thus attain the blessing of his supplication, as ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) did, and so that it would be clear that his son possessed smartness and understanding from an early age, and thus would become prominent when he grew up.
In this hadith we see that a knowledgeable person may ask questions of those who want to learn, in order to see how smart they are and how much they understand.
It also indicates that one should show respect to elders, as Ibn ‘Umar did. But if the elder cannot work it out, then the younger person may speak up.
This hadith also highlights the intelligence of ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him), for Allah (may He be exalted) gifted him with intelligence.
It highlights the virtue of the palm tree and how it is like the Muslim, and how it is blessed because of what it bears of fruits.
It indicates that a man may be keen for his son to show that he has more knowledge than one who is older than him.
It indicates that a father may express happiness with the intelligence and smartness of his son..

132

It was narrated that ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib said: I was a man who emitted a great deal of madhiy, so I told al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that; he asked him and he said: “Do wudu’ for it.”.

Commentary : Islam is the religion of mercy and compassion towards people, and seeks to make things easy for them. It is also the religion of purity and cleanliness. One of the things that proves this is the fact that Islam makes things easy for people and pays attention to their circumstances.
In this hadith, ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I was a man who emitted a great deal of madhiy, which is a thin, white liquid that is usually emitted when desire is provoked, and when playing with one’s wife and kissing her, or looking with desire, or remembering, or after urinating. It usually precedes the omission of maniy (semen) or follows it. According to a report narrated by Abu Dawud, ‘Ali said: I began to do ghusl for it during the winter until I got cracks in the skin of my back. Thus it is clear that the reason why he asked this question was that he was doing ghusl a great deal, which had a harmful effect on his body, because he thought that this came under the heading of janabah. So he asked al-Miqdad ibn al-Aswad to ask the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about the omission of madhiy and what is required of the one who experiences that. ‘Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) only felt too shy to ask the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) because he was the husband of Fatimah, the daughter of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). This was a praiseworthy kind of shyness, because it did not prevent him from learning what he did not know and sending someone to ask in his stead.
So al-Miqdad (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) about that, and he told him, “Do wudu’ for it.” Therefore the one who emits madhiy must do wudu’ only, not ghusl. In al-Sahihayn it is narrated that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed him to wash his penis in addition to doing wudu’.
This hadith highlights good conduct with one’s in-laws, and that the husband should not mention anything having to do with intercourse and intimacy with women in the presence of his wife’s father, brother, son and other relatives.
It also highlights the keenness of the Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) to find out about issues of purification (taharah) and other Islamic rulings. .

133

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar that a man stood up in the mosque and said: O Messenger of Allah, from where do you instruct us to enter ihram? The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The people of Madinah should enter ihram from Dhul Hulayfah; the people of al-Sham [Greater Syria] should enter ihram from al-Juhfah; and the people of Najd should enter ihram from Qarn.” Ibn ‘Umar said: They claim that the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “And the people of Yemen should enter ihram from Yalamlam.” Ibn ‘Umar used to say: I did not learn this from the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)..

Commentary : There are miqats for Hajj, from which the pilgrim must enter ihram; there are rulings concerning them which are explained in detail in the Sunnah of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar tells us that a man stood up in the Prophet’s Mosque and asked the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): From where do you instruct us to enter ihram? In other words, from where should we begin to recite the talbiyah, raising our voices in reciting it, with the intention of entering ihram for Hajj or ‘umrah?
The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the people of Madinah to enter ihram from Dhul Hulayfah, which is a place outside Madinah on the road to Makkah, it is the miqat of the people of Madinah. The distance between it and Makkah is 420 km; therefore it is the furthest of the miqats from Makkah. For the people of al-Sham and those who pass through [their land], the miqat is al-Juhfah, which is located between Makkah and Madinah, at a distance of approximately 190 km from Makkah. It is a village near Rabigh. For the people of Najd and those who pass through [their land], the miqat is Qarn, i.e., Qarn al-Manazil, which nowadays is called al-Sayl al-Kabir. Its location is 55 km north of the city of al-Ta’if; it is 75 km from Makkah. Najd is the land between the Hijaz and Iraq; Najd now forms the centre of the Arabian Peninsula; in the middle of Najd lies the city of Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Najd includes many regions, including Qasim, Sudayr, al-Aflaj, al-Yamamah, al-Washm and others.
Then Ibn ‘Umar stated that he did not know that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) instructed the people of Yemen to enter ihram from Yalamlam, which is a mountain to the south of Makkah, 85 km away.
This hadith highlights the keenness of the Sahabah to convey the hadiths of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) in the manner he said them, even if they did not understand some of what he said. .

134

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Umar from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) that a man asked him: What may the muhrim (pilgrim in ihram) wear? He said: “He should not wear a chemise, or a turban, or trousers, or a burnouse, or any garment that has been dyed with safflower or saffron. If he cannot find sandals, then let him wear khuffs (a kind of leather footwear that covers the ankle) but let him cut them down so that they come below the ankles.”.

Commentary : Islamic teachings explain the rulings of ihram for Hajj and ‘umrah, which includes the clothing that it is prescribed for the muhrim to wear and the rulings concerning it. In this hadith, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man asked the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him): What may the muhrim wear? So the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) explained what it is not permissible for the muhrim to wear, and that he should not wear a turban, which is wrapped around the head and is the same size as the head and made to fit it, because it comes under the heading of a garment that is made to fit; or a chemise, which is what covers the upper part of the body and is made to fit its shape; or trousers, which are worn instead of the izar (waist-wrapper) to cover the lower half of the body; or a burnouse, which is a garment with a hood to cover the head, because it is made to fit the body. The guideline on these prohibited things is that any garment that is made to fit the body and may be worn without having to wrap it and tie it should not be worn by the muhrim.
He should not wear any garment that has been dyed with safflower, which is a plant that has a good fragrance, or with saffron, which is a kind of perfume. The prohibition here is on wearing garments that have been dyed with safflower or saffron. Then the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) stated that it is permissible for the muhrim to wear khuffs after cutting off their tops, if he cannot find any sandals, so as to leave the ankles bare. The khuff is a kind of footwear made of thin leather that covers the ankles and more.
Although the man’s question was about what the muhrim may wear, the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) mentioned in his answer what could be limited instead of what could not be limited, in order to be concise and brief, because the questioner asked about what may be worn, but the answer has to do with what may not be worn, since the basic principle is that things are permissible, and if he had listed what may be worn, it would have taken too long. In fact there was the fear that the one who heard that might misinterpret what he heard, and think that it applied only to the muhrim. Moreover, what matters here is what is not allowed, not what it is permissible to wear, because there is no particular type of clothing that is required; rather the muhrim is required to avoid a few specific things.
This hadith indicates that an answer may be given in more detail than the questioner asked about, if there is an interest to be served by that..

135

It was narrated that Abu Hurayrah said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The prayer of one whose wudu’ was invalidated will not be accepted until he does wudu’.” A man from Hadramawt asked: What could invalidate wudu’, O Abu Hurayrah? He said: Breaking wind, either silently or loudly. .

Commentary : This hadith discusses what invalidates wudu. The one whose wudu’ is invalidated is not allowed to do anything for which wudu’ is required, such as praying. Purifying oneself after wudu’ has been invalidated is a condition of prayer being valid.
In this hadith, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) tells us that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The prayer of one whose wudu’ was invalidated will not be accepted until he does wudu’.” In other words, until he purifies himself with water. Anyone who prays when his wudu’ has been invalidated, his prayer will not be accepted and it is not valid. Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) explained what invalidates wudu’ in this hadith as breaking wind, either silently or loudly; in both cases, it refers to wind being expelled from the back passage. However, this is not the only thing that invalidates wudu’, as urination and defecation both invalidate wudu’ too, and they also come under the heading of minor impurity. Janabah and having intercourse also invalidate wudu’, but they come under the heading of major impurity; and there are other things that invalidate wudu’. He only mentioned one of the things that invalidate wudu’, because he was answering someone who asked him about one whose wudu’ is invalidated whilst he is praying, so he gave an answer concerning one who is praying and finds that his wudu’ is invalidated involuntarily, because urination, defecation and touching do not usually happen when praying. This is similar to the case in which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) told the one who is not sure whether his wudu’ became invalid whilst he was praying: “One should not stop [praying] unless he hears a sound or notices a smell,” because this is the usual way in which a person’s wudu’ may become invalid whilst praying, and it cannot be imagined that any of the other cases would be applicable in prayer. It is as if he answered the questioner with regard to something of which he was unaware, or with regard to what he needed to know in most cases, or what often happens when praying..

136

It was narrated that Nu‘aym al-Mujmir said: I climbed up to the top of the mosque with Abu Hurayrah and he did wudu’, then he said: I heard the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) say: “Indeed my ummah will be called on the Day of Resurrection with bright faces and limbs, because of the traces of wudu’.” So whoever among you is able to expand the area of his face that will shine, let him do so..

Commentary : Allah (may He be exalted) has ordained for the believers characteristics and features by which they will be distinguished from others in the hereafter, and by which the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) will recognize his followers on the Day of Resurrection, as signs of faith and Islam, such as the traces of wudu’, which will appear in the form of light that will be visible on the parts of the body that are washed in wudu’.
In this hadith, Nu‘aym al-Mujmir narrates that he climbed up to the roof of the Prophet’s Mosque with Abu Hurayrah, who did wudu’ in a complete and thorough manner, giving each part its due share of water and washing. Then he told him that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) had given the glad tidings to his ummah who responded to his call, that Allah (may He be exalted) would give them a distinct sign on the Day of Resurrection and would call them before all people with shining faces and limbs, because of the traces of wudu’. The word translated here as shining faces refers to white markings on the forehead [of a horse]; what is meant here is the light that will appear on the faces of the ummah of Muhammad (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). The word translated here as shining limbs refers to white markings on the legs [of a horse]; what is meant here is also light, for wudu’ leaves traces on the face, legs and arms that will be white and light on the Day of Resurrection. This is something that will be unique to this ummah among all other nations. Because wudu’ leaves these traces, Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) advised people to expand this brightness, as he said: So whoever among you is able to expand the area of his face that will shine, let him do so. So he should expand the brightness of his face and limbs. He mentioned the brightness on the face only, because it also implies brightness on the limbs. And it was said that he mentioned the brightness on the face only, to the exclusion of the limbs, because the face is the noblest part that is washed in wudu’ and it is what is first seen and noticed in a person. However the report narrated by Muslim mentions both, as it says: “Let him expand the area of his face and limbs that will shine.”.

137

It was narrated from ‘Abbad ibn Tamim, from his paternal uncle, that a man complained to the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) who sometimes thought that he felt something whilst praying. He said: “One should not stop [praying] unless he hears a sound or notices a smell.”.

Commentary : This hadith forms the basis for one of the major fiqhi guidelines, which is that certainty cannot be dispelled by uncertainty. In it, it says that ‘Abdullah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) came to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) and complained to him that a man may sometimes think that he feels something whilst praying, meaning that he thinks that he has passed wind. But the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) responded by telling him that he should not exit his prayer unless he is certain that he has passed wind, which is when he hears a sound or notices a smell, because he is certain that he was in a state of purity [when he started praying], and that certainty cannot be dispelled because of mere uncertainty; rather he should be certain that his wudu’ has been invalidated and that he has indeed passed wind. Hearing a sound and noticing a smell are mentioned because that is what usually happens when wudu’ is invalidated whilst praying. It cannot be imagined that it would be invalidated in any other way. It is as if he answered the questioner by telling him what he needed to know in most cases, or what usually happens when praying, because urinating, defecating, touching and other things that invalidate wudu’ do not usually happen when one is praying.
It was said that what the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) meant is that one should be certain that wudu’ has been invalidated; he did not mean that he should literally have heard it or smelt it, because wind may come out with no sound and no smell, or there may be something wrong with his hearing or sense of smell, so he does not hear the sound or notice the smell. In that case, the person’s wudu’ is invalidated if he is certain that he has passed wind..

140

It was narrated from ‘Ata’ ibn Yasaar, from Ibn ‘Abbas, that he did wudu’ and washed his face. He scooped up a handful of water, rinsed his mouth with it and rinsed his nose, then he scooped up another handful of water and did like this; he brought up his other hand and washed his face with both hands. Then he scooped up a handful of water and washed his right forearm with it. Then he scooped up another handful of water and washed his left forearm with it. Then he wiped his head. Then he scooped up a handful of water, sprinkled it on his right foot and washed it, then he scooped up another handful of water and washed his foot with it, meaning the left foot. Then he said: This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing wudu’..

Commentary : The Sahabah (may Allah be pleased with them) were keen to follow the Prophet’s Sunnah and to learn it and teach it to the Muslims who came after them in both word and deed. That includes the description of how the Messenger of Allah blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did wudu’.
In this hadith, the scholar of the ummah, ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) describes the steps of wudu’ in practical terms. He began by washing his face, but what is meant by the phrase, when he said that he started with the face, is something additional to what is obligatory and what is Sunnah, based on the fact that he mentioned the face a second time, after he mentioned rinsing the mouth with a new handful of water. So he began washing his face by rinsing his mouth, which means moving the water around in the mouth, then spitting it out. Then he rinsed his nose, by sniffing water into the nose then blowing it out, to clean the inside of the nose.
Then he took a handful of water in one hand, then brought up his other hand, and washed his face with it once, using both hands, because one hand may not reach all over the face properly. The definition of the face in terms of length is from the hairline to the chin and beard, and in terms of width it is from one ear to the other. Then he took another handful of water and washed his right forearm with it, up to the elbow, then he took another handful of water and washed his left forearm with it, up to the elbow. Then he wiped his head, and wiping is less than washing. What is meant by the head here is where the hair grows. According to a report narrated by Abu Dawood: Then he took a handful of water, shook it off his hand, then wiped his head. According to another report narrated by Abu Dawood: He wiped his head and ears, inside and out.
Then he took a handful of water and sprinkled it on his right foot, meaning that he poured the water little by little, until he washed his foot. Then he took another handful of water and washed his left foot with it. He washed his feet up to the ankles, as is narrated in the reports. It was said that the reason for mentioning sprinkling, rather than washing, was to highlight how little water is used to wash a part for which it is likely that people would use too much water. This is supported by the words “until he washed it.” This is an indication that what is meant by sprinkling is washing. Then ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, after he finished: This is how I saw the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) doing wudu’. So ‘Abdullah’s wudu’ was a precise imitation of the wudu’ of the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him), and it was done to teach those around him of the Tabi‘in and others who wanted to learn the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him).
In this hadith, we see that teaching by doing is more effective than teaching by speaking alone..

142

It was narrated that Anas ibn Malik said: When the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse, he would say: “O Allah, I seek refuge with You from al-khubthi wa’l-khaba’ith.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) would teach his ummah the prescribed etiquette in all situations, which includes remembering Allah and seeking refuge with Him from the evils of the devils before entering places where people relieve themselves.
In this hadith, Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that when the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse to relieve himself – and outhouse is a word used to refer to any place where people relieve themselves by urinating or defecating – he would offer supplication by saying: O Allah, I seek refuge with You – so I resort to and seek protection with Allah (may He be glorified in exalted) from al-khubthi wa’l-khaba’ith. It was said that what is meant is male and female devils; so that he is seeking refuge from their schemes and their evil, and the whispers and intrusive thoughts that they cast into people’s minds and hearts. It was also suggested that al-khubth refers to evil or disbelief, or that al-khubth refers to the devils and al-khaba’ith refers to sins..

143

It was narrated from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) went to the outhouse, so I brought some water for wudu’ and placed it there for him. He said: “Who placed this here?” He was told [who had done it], and he said: “O Allah, grant him understanding of religion.”.

Commentary : This hadith highlights the virtues of Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). In it, he tells us that he brought water to the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) so that he could do wudu’. After he came out of the outhouse – which is a word used to describe any place where people relieve themselves, by urinating or defecating – he asked who had put the water there for him, and he was told that it was Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him). The one who told him that was the maternal aunt of Ibn ‘Abbas, Maymunah (may Allah be pleased with her), because that happened in her house, as is mentioned in the report of Ahmad. The apparent meaning suggests that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) did not ask for water; rather Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) took the initiative and hastened to bring the water, because he was a smart and intelligent boy and he used to follow the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). Hence the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) prayed for him and said: “O Allah, grant him understanding of religion,” that is, bless him with understanding and deep insight into matters of religion. This prayer for him to be granted understanding of religion was appropriate, because he had done the right thing, which was indicative of his intelligence. This also indicates that the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) was happy that he took the initiative of bringing water for him when he went to the outhouse. The blessing of this supplication was demonstrated in ‘Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him), as his knowledge and virtue became well-known, and he was one of the Sahabah who narrated a great deal from the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). He narrated approximately one thousand six hundred and sixty hadiths, and ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted him about major issues.
This hadith indicates that one may reward a person by offering supplication for him when he does a favour, offers help or does an act of kindness.
It also indicates that it is prescribed to serve scholars and people of knowledge, and pay attention to their needs, without being instructed to do so..

134

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, 'People will keep wondering till it will be said, ‘Allah created all things but who created Allah?’ Whoever finds something like that should say, ‘I believe in Allah.’” In another narration, “The devil comes to one of you and says, ‘Who created the sky? Who created the Earth?’ Then you answered, ‘Allah.’” It mentioned the same content as the first narration but added, “ … and his messengers.”.

Commentary : The pure law of Islam established the relationship among people on the basis of honesty. Muslims are honest about their rights, but some may betray and falsely swear sacred oaths to take people's properties, especially if the proof of the right holder is not clear. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that if a Muslim falsely swears to take people's properties, Allah will prevent him from entering Paradise and make him enter Hell as a punishment for his lying and depriving people of their rights by false oaths. This will be his punishment on condition that he thinks this act is permissible and does not return the property to its owner. Islam considers it a grave sin, for the false oath is one of the major sins, and the Islamic rulings are based on apparent proofs and oaths, even if the person to whom the ruling was made was a liar. As a result, a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) if the one who committed this sin would enter Hell even if the right unjustly taken was trivial. The Prophet replied that he would definitely enter Hell even if it were a small stick from the Arak tree from which the siwak is taken. The oppressor should not underestimate his small sins because lots of people will be punished for their small sins. There is a saying that confirms that most of the worldly fire is from small sparks. This is supported by Allah's saying, "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." (Aal-Imran: 77) This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It includes a stern warning against taking people's properties by false oaths and (2) There is no difference between grave and trivial sins as long as they both oppress people..

137

Abu Omama narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “If anyone appropriates a Muslim’s right by his (false) oath, Allah definitely makes Hell as his destiny and deprives him of Paradise.” A man asked, “O Messenger of Allah, even if it were something insignificant?” The Prophet answered, “Even if it were a stick from an araak tree.”.

139

Wa’el ibn Hujr narrated, “A man from Hadramout and another one from Kinda came to the Prophet ﷺ. The first said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, this man has appropriated my land which belonged to my father.’ The other said, ‘It is my land in my possession. I cultivate it. There is no right for him in it.’ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to the first, ‘Do you have any evidence?’ He replied, ‘No.’ The Prophet ﷺ commented, ‘Then your case is decided on his oath.’ He (the man from Hadramout) said, ‘O Messenger of Allah ﷺ, he is a liar and does not care about what he swears to or abstain from taking anything (forbidden).’ The Prophet ﷺ commented, ‘You do not have any other option from him.’ When he (the man from Kinda) was about to take an oath, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commented, ‘If he took an oath to usurp his property unjustly, he would certainly meet Allah turning away from him.’”.

Commentary : Islam established the relationship among people based on honesty, so a Muslim is faithful to his rights and others’ rights, but some people may betray and swear sacred oaths to usurp what does not belong to them, especially if the holder of the right does not have clear proof. In this hadith, Wa’el ibn Hujr narrated that a man from Hadramout, a Yemen town near Aden, and another one from Kinda, a Yamen tribe, came to the Prophet ﷺ to seek his arbitration about a land that they both claimed ownership. The first said, “This man has appropriated my land which belonged to my father,” but the other said, ‘It is my land in my possession. I am cultivating it. He has no right to have it.” The Prophet ﷺ asked the first for his proof of ownership but he answered that he had none. The Prophet ﷺ replied that the case would be decided on his (the man from Kinda) oath that the land belonged to him. As a result, the first man confirmed that the other one was an immoral person who did not care about what he swore to and willingly usurped people's belongings. The Prophet ﷺ explained that the only solution to prover ownership was that the first one provided evidence or the other one took an oath. When he (the man from Kinda) was about to take an oath, the Prophet ﷺ commented, “If he took an oath to usurp his property unjustly, he would certainly find Allah turning away from him.” In a narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “Allah will be angry with him when he meets Him.” It is severe Prophetic intimidation against those daring to usurp people’s rights by taking false oaths to apparently make them permissible, which leads them to be expelled from Allah’s mercy. In Sunan Abu Daoud, Al-Ash’ath ibn Qais narrated that the man from Kinda tribe, after the Prophet’s warning, changed his mind and said, “It is his land.” Although Islam’s judgment is based on apparent proofs and oaths even if this leads to giving the right to the wrong person, taking false oaths is one of the major sins in Islam. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It severely warns against taking false oaths, especially to usurp people’ rights, (2) Islam’s judgment is based on oaths and proofs, not claims, (3) It is recommended that a judge alerts those falsely swearing to bring them back to the truth, and (4) A judge should equally deal with the two parts during his process of seeking oaths and proofs..

140

Abu Huraira narrated, “A man came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what would you think if a man came to appropriate my possession?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘Do not give him your property.” He asked, ‘What if he fought me? The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘Fight him.’ He asked again, ‘What if I were killed?’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘You would be a martyr.’ He asked again, ‘What if I killed him.’ The Prophet ﷺ answered, ‘He would be in the Fire.'".

Commentary : Defending one's self and property, and repelling aggressors are obligatory in Islam to prevent this matter from being repeated to others. In this hadith, Abu Hurairah narrated that a man asked the Prophet if a man attacked and robbed him, what would he do? The Prophet said, "Do not give him your property.” This is an explicit command to not give the transgressor one's property. In addition, he guided him to the necessity of fighting this type of people. Then he asked, “What if he fought me?” The transgressor wanted to forcibly take it. The Prophet answered, ‘Fight him.’ It is an explicit command to fight him and prevent oppression. As a matter of fact, this fighting should take place after reminding him of Allah and seeking rulers' and Muslims' help. In Sunan An-Nasa'i, Abu Hurairah narrated, "A man came and said to the Messenger of Allah, 'O Messenger of Allah, what do you think if someone comes to steal my wealth?' The Prophet replied, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet repeated, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet repeated, 'Remind him of Allah so he leaves it.' The man asked, 'What if he persists?' The Prophet replied, 'Then fight. If you are killed, you will be in Paradise, and if you kill him, he will be in Hell.'" The Prophet confirmed that he would get the status of a martyr in Hereafter, for he was unjustly killed while defending his property. As for his case in this worldly life, he is washed and prayed over. This does not require that he would get the reward of a war martyr. On the other hand, the other man deserves to enter Hell for his oppression. It is Allah's decision to punish or forgive him. He would definitely enter Hell if he intentionally thought that his forbidden act by Islam was allowable. Hence, he becomes a disbeliever and will not be forgiven, out of warning against attacking people’s property. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It prohibits taking a Muslim’s wealth without his consent, and (2) It confirms that there is no retribution or blood money for killing those fighting Muslims..

146

Ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said, “Verily, Islam began as something strange and will be strange as it began so glad tidings to the strangers. It recedes between the two mosques just as the serpent crawls back into its hole.”.

Commentary : Islam appeared in a world filled with injustice, polytheism, and ignorance. Its luminous teachings were strange among people living in complete darkness while its first followers were suffering from several trials until it prevailed among people. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) showed that Islam began as something strange due to its few followers and their suffering. The Meccans wondered about Islam, for it refused the ignorant traditions of the environment from which it emerged. Afterward, the Prophet and his companions immigrated to Medina, which was an additional image of strangeness and suffering. He began to spread Islam and the people began to enter into it in multitude. Later, he confirmed that Islam would return to be strange as it began. It would become strange in its followers' hearts, even if they are large in number. Its followers would adhere to the customs of pre-Islamic times. This way of deficiency and disruption would prevail to the extent that Islam would be stuck by a few Muslims as it began. Then, the Prophet informed that Islam would return and join between the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and the Prophetic Mosque in Medina, which were the cradle of Islam, just like the serpent that crawls back into its hole when it feels afraid. Likewise, Islam will return to Mecca and Medina as it began. Because of this severity, the Prophet said in another narration in Muslim, "So Toba to the strangers." The word "Toba" may either mean: (1) That Paradise will be for those few Muslims at the beginning and end of Islam, or (2) That joy and comfort will be for those few Muslims. The Prophet specifically mentioned those Muslims, for their patience in the face of harm from infidels and heretics. They have been sticking to the true religion and authentic Sunnah even after the people have corrupted and changed the clear message of Islam. Finally, this hadith presented the following benefits: (1) It refers to the virtues of the Sacred and Prophetic Mosques to which Islam returns and joins, which is an indication that the believers always flee to them to protect themselves against temptations, and (2) It is a sign of the Prophet's prophethood..

148

Anas narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘The hour (of resurrection) will not occur as long as anyone says, ‘Allah, Allah.’”.

Commentary : At the end of this worldly life, lots of issues will change while immorality and disobedience will spread. At that time, Allah will allow the beginning of Resurrection's Day. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that this day will not come as long as anyone says, "Allah, Allah." It means that there will not be anyone who remembers the name of Allah or worship him. There will be just the evilest people, for Allah has taken the believers' souls, as in Sahih Muslim that Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that the Prophet said, “Then Allah will raise a wind whose smell is similar to musk and whose touch is similar to silk. It will cause any person who has the weight of a seed of faith in his heart to die. Then only the evilest people will remain to witness the beginning of the Resurrection Day." This does not contradict what was authentically proven in Sahih Muslim that Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “A group of my nation will always fight for the sake of rightness and overcome (their enemies) till the day of resurrection," for it means they would be like that till that light wind causes them to die before the Day of Resurrection when its signs begins to appear. Finally, this hadith contains the following lessons: (1) It shows a sign of the Prophet's prophethood, (2) It clarifies the virtue of the believers, for Allah will honor them by causing them to die before the hereafter, and (3) It confirms the virtue of remembering Allah, for those remembering him will not witness the beginning of the Day of Resurrection..

153

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “By Him in Whose hand is the life of Muhammad, he who among this community, Jewish or Christian, hears about me and dies without believing in what was revealed to me, he will be one of the people of Hell.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) was sent to all people, including Jews and Christians. All have to believe and follow his guidance. In this hadith, he swore by Allah in Whose hand is the Prophet's life and all creatures' lives. The Prophet often swears in this way. He swore that if anyone from Jinns or mankind heard, during or after the Prophet's life till the day of resurrection, about his message, he would have to believe in him. If anyone dies without believing in him, he is a disbeliever and will be punished with Hell. The Prophet (ﷺ) mentioned the Jews and Christians as an example. It is just like he mentions a specific matter after a general rule. This is the case for the People who have a divine book. How should the case be for those who have none?! Allah said, "Say, [O Muhammad], 'O mankind, indeed I am the Messenger of Allah to you all.'" (Al-A'raf: 158) Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It indicates that all people have to believe in the Prophet's message that abrogated all previous messages and (2) Whoever does not believe in the Prophet's message is not a believer but he will be punished with Hell, even if he claims he believes in Allah and some of his messengers such as Moses and Jesus (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all)..

156

Jaber ibn Abdullah narrated, “I heard the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘A section of my nation will not cease fighting for the truth and will prevail till the Day of Resurrection. Then, Jesus ﷺ, the son of Mary, will descend and their commander said, ‘Come and lead us in prayer.’ But he (Jesus) will say, ‘No, some of you are commanders over some of you as an honor from Allah for this nation.’”.

Commentary : Islam's nation is of great rank, for: (1) It is the last nation, (2) Its Prophet is the seal of the prophets, (3) Its Prophet was sent to all people as a bringer of glad tidings and a warner, and (4) Its Prophet’s call will continue to the end of time. This nation will remain the last caller to Allah and adhere to the clear truth. All other nations unify against it due to this right. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) confirmed that a group of this nation would keep fighting Islam's enemies for supporting truth and religion. They would keep raising Islam's banner above other ones and overcoming all enemies near the Last Day. At that time, a soft wind will cause every believer to die. In Sahih Muslim, Amr ibn Al-Aas narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Then Allah will raise a wind whose smell is similar to musk and whose touch is similar to silk. It will cause any person who has the weight of a seed of faith in his heart to die. Then only the evilest people will remain and the Hour will come upon them." This indicates that Islam's nation will not be deprived of the truth at any time. The truth will be passed and handed down from one generation to another until Jesus, son of Mary, descends, kills the Antichrist, and follows Prophet Muhammad's legislation, which is the final law to the day of Resurrection. It is clarified in the rest of the hadith when that believed group's leader would say to Prophet Jesus, “Come and lead us in prayer.” Prophet Jesus would decline and explain, "No, some of you are commanders over some of you as an honor from Allah for this nation." In Musnad Ahmad, Jaber narrated “It will be said to him, 'Come forward, O spirit of Allah God!' He will answer, 'Let your imam come forward and lead you in prayer.'" As for Prophet Jesus' abandoning leading them in prayer despite his prophethood, it was said that he would do that lest it was thought that the Prophet Muhammad's legislation was abrogated by his descending. It is the remaining law until the Last Day. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet Muhammad's prophethood, (2) It confirms Prophet Jesus' descent and his following the Prophet Muhammad's legislation, (3) It shows the virtue of following the Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah, for the mentioned group was granted victory and steadfastness in resisting enemies by following his Sunnah, (4) It shows the virtue of the Muslim nation that Allah saved it from agreeing on misguidance, so it will remain as a believing group until the Last Day..

157

Abu Huraira narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, “The last hour (of worldly life) will not come before wealth becomes abundant and overflowing to the extent that a man goes out with his zakat but does not find anyone accepts it from him and the land of Arab reverts to be meadows and rivers.”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to tell his companions about the events and signs of the Day of Resurrection and affairs of the end of this worldly life that only Allah knows. Thus, he did that to teach and make them prepare themselves for this great day. In this hadith, he informed us about one of the signs that precede this day. Most people will become rich to the extent that they no longer need the money they have so none will need or accept the zakat. The rich will strive to find a poor person who needs or accepts their zakat with no vein. Another narration in the two Sahihs says, “Until the owner of the money becomes concerned, for none will accept his zakat and the person to whom he will give it will reply, 'I am not in need of it.'" It means either they no longer need the money for their being rich or they become busy with the hereafter away from this worldly life, content with their daily sustenance, and do not save money. The Prophet (ﷺ) also confirmed that the last hour will not come until the Arabian Peninsula becomes meadows and rivers as before. A meadow is a wide land with fresh abundant water and lots of grass where the animals frolic. He meant that the Arabs would cultivate and revive their lands by flowing rivers, planting trees, and sowing grains, away from their usual life of moving from one place to another searching for pasture. Finally, this hadith shows one of the signs that prove his prophethood..

158

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When three things appear, no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it did not believe before or earn some good through its faith: Sun’s rising from its place of setting, the Dajjal, and the beast of the earth.’”.

Commentary : The hereafter has minor and major signs. The major ones are little, consecutive, closer to Hereafter, and none of them have occurred yet while the minor ones are many, distant in between, and lots of them have occurred so far. In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) told us about three major ones. At that time, repentance will not benefit the one who has not previously repented, faith will not benefit a disbeliever, and performing righteous deeds will not benefit a negligent person. As a result, the Prophet urged us to perform righteous deeds to increase our faith before the three following signs: (1) The Sun's rise from the West, (2) The emergence of the Dajjal (the antichrist). The word Dajjal is derived from "dajal" which means covering. He is called Dajjal, for he covers the truth with his falsehood. He is a human that Allah will send to test His servants. He will be granted miracles like killing then reviving the dead, having the means to pleasure and enjoyment, having his Paradise, Hell, and two rivers, the earth's treasures will follow him, his command the heavens to rain so it rains, and the earth to sprout so it sprouts. All these miracles will happen by Allah's power and will, and (3) The animal of the earth: It will clearly distinguish between believers and disbelievers when people's hearts corrupt, abandon Allah's commands, and change the true religion. It will emerge in Mecca or another place. In Musnad Ahmad, Abu Omamah Al-Bahely narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The animal will come out and label people's noses." Allah said about it, "And when the word befalls them, We will bring forth for them a creature from the earth speaking to them, [saying] that the people were, of Our verses, not certain [in faith]." (An-Naml: 82) It will act like this with Allah's ability who will make it able to speak to people with words they will understand. The apparent meaning of this hadith confirms that Allah will not accept sinners' repentance when all these three signs rise. On the other hand, there is a hadith in Sahih Muslim showing that the first sign is the Sun's rise from the West. In the Two Sahihs, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, "The Hour will not be established until the sun rises from the West. When the people see it, all living on it (the earth) will believe (in Allah). It will be when "... no soul will benefit from its faith as long as it had not believed before ..." (Al-An'am: 158) This indicates that people's repentance will not be accepted when this sign emerges. Thus, the hadith may mean that these three signs will closely emerge as the Prophet said, in Sahih Muslim, about the signs of the Sun’s rise and the animal, “which of the two happens first, the second one would follow immediately after that.” The Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It shows the Prophet's care about advising his nation, (2) It clarifies how the Last Day's signs will have horrible effects on people, especially those three signs, and (3) It confirms the Prophet's prophethood..

166

Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed through the valley of Al-Azraq and asked, ‘Which valley is this?’ They said, ‘This is the valley of Al-Azraq.’ He added, ‘(I perceive) as if I am seeing Moses coming down from the mountain track and loudly calling Allah with talbeya (saying, ‘Here I am! at your service!’).’ Then he (the Prophet ﷺ) came to the mountain track of Harsha and asked, ‘Which is this mountain track?’ They said, ‘It is the mountain track of Harsha.’ He added, ‘(I perceive) as If I am seeing Yunus (Jonah), the son of Matta, riding a well-built she-camel, wearing a cloak of wool, and calling Allah with talbeya. The rein of his she-camel is made of the fibers of date palm.’”.

Commentary : The Sacred House is Allah’s one on earth and Muslims’ prayer direction, whose foundations were raised by Prophet Ibrahim ﷺ, a beloved one to Allah, and his son Ismaeel. Allah informed his prophets of the rite of pilgrimage as Prophet Ibrahim's call. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Abbas narrated that the Prophet ﷺ passed through the valley of Al-Azraq in Hijaz, about 100 km to the north-east of Mecca, between Mecca and Medina. When he asked his companion about its name, they answered, “The valley of Al-Azraq.” He said that it was as if he was seeing Prophet Moses coming down from the mountain track while loudly calling Allah with saying talbeya (here I am! At your service!) In another narration in Sahih Muslim, he said, “It is as if I can see Musa - and he mentioned something about his color and hair - while placing his two fingers in his ears and loudly calling Allah with talbeya.” Then, the Prophet ﷺ came to the mountain track of Harsha which was a mountain located at the crossroad of Medina and Levant. When he asked his companions about its name, they answered, “It is the mountain track of Harsha.” He said, “It is as if I am seeing Yunus (Jonah), the son of Matta, riding a well-built she-camel, wearing a cloak of wool, and calling Allah with talbeya. The rein of his she-camel is made of the fibers of date palm.” These events may be explained by one of the following possibilities: (1) Either the Prophet ﷺ saw them during his journey of Al-Isra’, (2) He dreamed of all of these events, or (3) He related what those prophets did in their life as Allah revealed to him. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It confirms that pilgrimage is Allah’s and His Prophets' rites, (2) It encourages Muslims to perform this great rite, (3) It urges Muslims to loudly call Allah with talbeya which indicates Allah’s oneness, (4) A Muslim is recommended to say talbeya when ascending or descending, (5) The state of ihram expresses impartiality to Allah, and (6) Declaring the oneness of Allah is recommended when passing through low valleys as the Prophets did..

167

Jaber narrated that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "The Prophets were presented to me. Moses (ﷺ) was as if he was one of the people of Shaou'a. I saw Jesus (ﷺ), the son of Mary. The closest one in resemblance to him was 'Urwah ibn Mas'oud. I saw Ibrahim (may Allah's blessings be upon him). The closest one in resemblance to him was your companion (he meant himself). I saw Gabriel. The closest one I have seen in resemblance to him was Dehya." In another narration, "Dehya ibn Khalifh.".

Commentary : In this hadith, the Prophet (ﷺ) describes and likens some prophets to individual Muslims. He saw some prophets presented to him, either in real life, as souls, during a dream, or during the Journey of ascension as the other narration in the two Sahihs clarified. He showed that Prophet Moses (ﷺ) was thin and tall like the people of Uzd Shanou'a, a Yamani tribe. He likened Prophet Jesus (ﷺ) with the companion Urwa ibn Mas'oud Ath-Thaqafy. He was one of the Meccan leaders who contributed to make the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah. In the narration of Bukhari, the Prophet (ﷺ) said, “As for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested.” The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Prophet Ibrahim (ﷺ) who was the closest one in resemblance to him. He also saw Gabriel, the angel, who was entrusted with conveying revelation to prophets. The closest one in resemblance to him was the companion Dehya ibn Khalifa Al-Kalby. He was one of the most handsome people who was responsible for meeting kings. Gabriel, the Angel, used to come to the Prophet (ﷺ) in Dehya's appearance. The Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel, the Angel, in his real form as Abdullah ibn Mas'oud narrated in the two Sahihs that the Prophet (ﷺ) saw Gabriel with six hundred wings..

169

Abdullah ibn Omar narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ stood up among the people, praised Allah as He deserved, mentioned the Dajjal (Antichrist), and then said, ‘Verily, I warn you against him. No Prophet did not warn his people against him. (Even) Noah warned his people against him, but I will tell you something about him that no Prophet told his people about. You have to know that he is one-eyed while Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is not one-eyed.’”.

Commentary : The Prophet (ﷺ) used to mention some events and great tribulations that would happen before the Day of Resurrection and guided people on how to act and protect themselves from them. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Omar narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) once addressed them and praised Allah with the attributes he deserved then warned them against the Antichrist’s evilness and trials of covering the truthful with his falsehood. He is a great sign of the hereafter with whom Allah will test his servants. He is a human to whom Allah will give divine powers such as: (1) Reviving a person he has just murdered, (2) His command of the heaven to rain and earth to bring forth fruit, (3) His paradise and hell, and (4) His two rivers. All these miracles will happen by Allah’s will. The Prophet (ﷺ) warned his nation against his temptations as all previous prophets did, for none of them knew the time of his advent. The benefit of this warning is to believe in his existence, be keen to take him as an enemy, show his disbelief, and sincerely turn to Allah to seek His refuge from his temptation. Even the Prophet Noah, the first Prophet, warned his nation against him. Based on Allah’s revelation to him, the Prophet (ﷺ) said to his companions that he would inform them about the Antichrist’s matters that none of the previous prophets informed their people. He told them that he was a one-eyed person with a protruding eye while the right one was flat, as narrated by Ibn Omar in the Two Sahihs. Having one eye is an attribute of deficiency so the Prophet (ﷺ) proved Allah’s perfect attributes and alerted the people of heedless minds that whoever had a defect in himself could not be a god. Whoever is disabled to correct his deficiency is more disabled to benefit or harm others. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It proves the Prophet’s message, (2) The Prophet ﷺ shows some of the Antichrist’s attributes to make his nation beware of him, (3) It shows how the Prophet ﷺ has deep compassion with his nation, (4) It proves Allah’s attribute of sight in the manner that befits Him without any type of negation or resembling Him to any of His creation, and (5) It proves the absolute perfection of Allah’s attributes..

172

Abu Huraira narrated, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘When I was in Hejr, Qureish asked me about my journey of Isra’. They asked me about some details of Bait Al-Maqdes which I could not recall. It was the most severe distress that I had ever felt. Thus, Allah raised it (Bait Al-Maqdes) before my eyes so I could see it. I told them about anything they were asking me. (During the journey) I met a group of prophets. I saw Moses praying. He was a thin man with curly hair as if he was a man from the tribe of Shanou’a. I saw Jesus, the son of Mary ﷺ praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was Urwah ibn Masoud Ath-Thaqafy. I saw Ibrahim praying. The closest one in resemblance to him is your companion (the Prophet himself). When it was the time of prayer, I led them. When I completed the prayer, someone said, ‘O Muhammad, here is Malik, the keeper of Hell. Greet him.’ When I turned to him, he started to greet me.’”.

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Me’raj was one of the miracles with which Allah supported His Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He honored and ascended him with Gabriel, the Angel, to the highest heaven so he saw Allah’s Paradise along with His greatest signs. In this hadith, the Prophet ﷺ told us that he once stood at Al-Hejr, a place surrounded by a low wall next to the Kaaba where Qureish leaders used to meet, they asked him to describe Bait Al-Maqdis that he visited during his journey from the Sacred Mosque to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, for they wanted to confirm his truth of traveling there. They knew that he had not traveled to that place ever since. Indeed, the Prophet ﷺ was not concerned with deeply observing all those details. He was busy with lots of things that were more important. He was anxious and distressed that he could not recall those details. As a result, Allah materialized the mosque before his eyes so he could answer all their questions. Additionally, he told us that he saw some prophets like Prophet Moses. In Sahih Muslim, he said, “I passed by Prophet Moses who was praying in his grave.” The Prophet Moses was a thin tall man with curly hair and swarthy skin as if he were from the tribe of Shanou’a, a Yemeni tribe from Qahtan area known for its tall people. The Prophet ﷺ also saw Prophet Jesus, son of Mary, praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was the Prophet’s companion Urwah ibn Masoud Ath-Thaqafy who effectively contributed to ratify Treaty of Hudaybeya. In a narration in Sahih Bukhari, he said, “As for Jesus, he was red, curly, and broad-chested.” The Prophet ﷺ saw Prophet Ibrahim praying. The closest one in resemblance to him was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ himself. When meeting the prophets and the time for prayer began, he led them in prayer. If someone asks, “How did he see Moses praying in his grave and then saw him in his rank in the high heavens?” The answer is that all these story’s details are beyond our imagination. It is Allah’s act, the One, the Almighty. He is even capable of doing more than that. Thus, we believe that he saw Moses praying in his grave, he led all prophets in Bait Al-Maqdes in prayer, and they welcomely received him during his ascending to a heaven after a heaven. After completing his prayer, someone said to him (apparently Gabriel, the Angel), “O Muhammad, this is Malek, the keeper of Hell.” He is one of the angels. He (apparently Gabriel) asked the Prophet ﷺ to greet Malek, but Malek greeted him first. This hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It showed the Prophet’s virtue and status that Allah granted him, and (2) It clarified how Allah cared and provided his Prophet ﷺ with clear evidence..

173

Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated, “When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was taken on the Night Journey, he came to Sidrat Al-Muntaha which was in the sixth heaven. That was where everything that ascended from the earth ended and was held there, and where everything that descended from above ended and was held there. Allah said, “When that covered the lote tree which did cover it.” (An-Najm: 16) It meant butterflies of gold. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was given three things: The five daily prayers, the last verses of Surat Al-Baqarah, and forgiving grave sins of whoever from his nation dying without associating anything with Allah.”.

Commentary : The journey of the Isra and Me’raj was one of the miracles with which Allah supported His Prophet ﷺ. It happened in the tenth year of the Prophet's mission. He was taken on a journey from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to Bait Al-Maqdes in Palestine. Then, Allah honoured and took him up with Gabriel, the angel, to the highest heavens to see Paradise along with other greatest signs. In this hadith, Abdullah ibn Masoud narrated that when the Prophet ﷺ passed the seven heavens, he reached Sidrat Al-Muntaha (Tree of End) which was a great tree where humankind knew nothing above it. He is Allah who knows what is above. It is a phase to where all human deeds ascend and all Allah's commands descend. Then both commands and deeds are conveyed to the next phase. In a narration in Sahih Muslim, the Prophet ﷺ said, “None of Allah's creation can describe it, due to its beauty.” Imam Ahmad narrated the same expression, but he added that the Prophet ﷺ said, "It turned into a ruby or an emerald.” The narration we explained here showed that this tree was after the sixth heaven, but Anas narrated in the Two Sahihs that the Prophet ﷺ mentioned that it was after the seventh heaven. More narrators reported the second hadith, so it had preference. After Ibn Masoud recited the Quranic verse, “When that covered the lote tree which did cover it,” (An-Najm:16), he clarified that it was surrounded and covered with butterflies of gold that were between the tree and the Prophet ﷺ. Upon reaching this tree, the Prophet ﷺ was given three things: (1) The five obligatory prayers. They were fifty but Allah reduced them to be five as an act of worship and fifty as for their reward, (2) The last two virtuous verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. In Sahih Muslim, Ibn Abbas reported, "While Gabriel was sitting with the Prophet ﷺ, he heard a creaking sound above him. He lifted his head and said, 'It is a gate opened in heaven today which had never been opened before.' Then an angel descended through it. Gabriel said, 'This is an angel coming down to the earth who never came down before.' The angel greeted and said, 'O Muhammad, receive the glad tidings of two lights given to you which were not given to any prophet before. They were Surat Al-Fatihah and the last verses of Surat Al-Baqarah. You will never recite a letter from it, but you will be given it (its reward).'" So, Allah had given them to the Prophet ﷺ in this journey then were revealed to him in Medina, and (3) Allah promised to forgive the great sins committed by anyone of the Prophet's nation if he died while believing in the oneness of Allah without associating partners with Him. The mentioned sins are those ruin their doers and lead them to Hell. The Islamic proofs confirm that whoever commits great sins then dies before repentance will be held accountable for it, but he will not be punished in Hell eternally, unlike the polytheists. Thus, the hadith does not mean that they will not be punished at all. It is said that the hadith refers to some of the Prophet’s nation, so Allah will forgive all major or minor sins of some of the nation, except for polytheism, for He said, “Verily, Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him (in worship), but He forgives, except that, anything else to whom He wills.” (An-Nisa: 48) As a result, the destiny of those died without repenting from major sins is entrusted to Allah who may punish or forgive them. Finally, this hadith contains the following benefits: (1) It describes the Tree of End, (2) It shows how Allah dignifies his Prophet ﷺ and his nation, and (3) It explains the virtue of the five daily prayers which were prescribed above the seven heavens, unlike other obligatory acts..

Book of Hadith